Peoples Daily Newspaper, Friday 11, October, 2013 by Peoples Media Limited

www.peoplesdailyng.com

Vol. 12 No. 10

Friday, October 11, 2013

Sack Oduah now, The Patriots urge Jonathan >> Pg 3

. . . putting the people first

Baraje faction loses in Lagos court >> Pg 6

Thul Hajj 6, 1434 AH

N150

Bilharzia outbreak in FCT community >> Pg 24

Sallah: FG declares Tuesday, Wednesday public holidays

>>Pg 5

21 feared killed in fresh Plateau attack A

rmed persons in the early hours of yesterday attacked Kukek community in Bajin Kogi, Forun District of Barkin-Ladi local government area of Plateau state. A report on Premium Times said the attackers, suspected

 Attackers slay 9 members of a family to be cattle rustlers, attacked the home of a man identified as Tsok Gwom between 1am and 2am, killing nine members of the family, a resident of the

community said. Among the victims were Mr. Gwom, three women, and five children who were all said to have bullet wounds on their

bodies. One of the women was identified as Mr. Gwom’s wife. The victims’ corpses were yet to be taken to the hospital as at 1.30pm yesterday.

Residents of the community said the gunshots alerted the vigilante members of the Contd. on Page 2

Senate, Presidency clash over CAC control By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

L-R: Executive Chairman, Bauchi state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Abdullahi Dabo, presenting school bag with books to little Khadija Sani, during the launch of 2013/2014 state-wide enrolment drive campaign on girl-child education, yesterday in Alkaleri local government area of Bauchi state. Photo: NAN

oves by the Senate to withdraw the president’s absolute control over the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has set both the executive and the legislature on collision course. The spat, indications show, may degenerate and threaten the existing cordiality between the two institutions. Trouble started when the Senate insisted that the appointment of the Chairman and board members of the CAC by the president must be scrutinised and confirmed by the Upper Chamber as a measure of promoting democratic ethos in the commission. Contd. on Page 2

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

News CONTENTS News

2-10

Editorial

Op.Ed

Letters

Opinion

Metro

16-18

Business

19-22

Stockwatch S/Report Islam

23 24-25 26

Fashola advocates robust private partnership for efficient transport system – Page 22

Int’l

27-31

Entertainment 32 Features Digest Politics

34-35 36 37-38

Newsxtra

Sports

Columnist

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21 feared killed in fresh Plateau attack Contd. from Page 1 community who launched a reprisal attack on the over 30 attackers, killing 12 of them. A resident of the community, who did not want his name mentioned for security reasons, said many of the vigilante members also sustained

various degrees of injuries. He said the attackers may have been cattle rustlers as Mr. Gwom’s cattle numbered over 50. However, the animals remained intact. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Plateau,

Felicia Anslem, confirmed the attack. Ms. Anslem, in a telephone interview, however, said the police could not ascertain the casualty figure. She said more police officers have been deployed to the community.

Hundreds of people have been killed in different Plateau communities including BarkinLadi in ethno-religious violence in the last three years despite various efforts by the state and federal government to maintain peace in the state.

Senate, Presidency clash over CAC control Contd. from Page 1 However, the Minister for Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, rejected this move by the lawmakers on the ground that it is an encroachment on the powers of the president to appoint competent professionals into the board of the CAC. This battle for the soul of the CAC came to the fore during a public hearing aimed at amending the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) CAP C20, organised by the Senate Committee on Trade and Investment. The public hearing, which seeks to, among others, review the laws setting up the CAC, also intends to restructure the Commission such that business registration processes would no longer be cumbersome, rigorous and expensive. Another intention of the amendment is to engender openness and accountability in the generation and allocation of funds to the Commission during annual budgetary process. Also in the bill, the Senate committee is seeking to mandate

the CAC to submit details of its annual budget to the National Assembly for constitutional appropriation as against the current practice of not indicating it in the entire executive budget, either as a Commission or through its supervising ministry: the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment. Senate President David Mark, who was represented by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, at the opening of the public hearing on the proposed bill yesterday, argued that the amendment would promote democratic ethos and accountability in CAC management. He said since the CAC remained the gateway to the domestic business environment, which is a fundamental pillar of Nigeria’s economy, the leadership of the agency should emerge through a transparent process that must be accountable to Nigerians. “Nigerians should know the CAC members, their qualifications, views on the nation’s economic climate

and their specific plans to promote trade and investment opportunities in the country. The best way to achieve this is through the Senate confirmation”, Mark stressed. The Senate President also argued that the proposed bill should align CAMA to the Fiscal Responsibility Act, lamenting that the annual budget of the CAC was not being included in the budget of its supervisory ministry for verifications by the National Assembly. However, the trade minister disagreed with the Senate leadership on the proposed amendment which affected just two sections of the law (Companies and Allied Matters Act), otherwise known as CAMA. Aganga said the proposed action of the Senate would infringe on the powers and independence of the executive on appointment of competent and qualified professionals to manage the affairs of the CAC. He also said that since the budget of the CAC, like other agencies and parastatals, formed

part of the National budget being presented to the Senate annually, there was no point demanding for submission of the agency’s budget separately. He argued further that sections 12, 13 and 14 of CAMA had already addressed all the issues raised by the Senators in the bill, saying the funds allocated to the CAC and the revenue generated by it, form part of the federal budget passed by the National Assembly. Also speaking, the Acting Registrar General of the CAC, Effiong Esu, said the agency had already set up a committee to comprehensively review the entire CAMA law. The conclusion of the exercise, he said, would lay to rest fears being expressed by the Senate. Similarly, representatives of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in their submission, faulted the Senate proposal on the grounds that it affected just two sections of CAMA instead of amending the entire law, which has become obsolete.

Boko Haram: Panic in Bauchi over rumoured attack From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi, & Umar Dankano, Yola

...as Air Force claims success over insurgents in Borno

taken to ensure hitch-free Sallah celebrations. Most students of the polytechnic who stayed back believing that the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) would call-off its strike were seen packing out their belongings and running out of their rooms in the Gwallameji, for fear of being attacked. Some of the students who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said they had to vacate their rooms for fear of a repeat of the recent brutal killing of students of College of Agriculture, Gujba in Yobe state by insurgents. One of the students said the rumour that the Boko Haram sect would attack students in Gwallameji area started since Tuesday but “Yesterday, the rumour was so strong that I had to run to sleep in a friend’s house in Rafin Zurfi which is considered safer”. But the Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic, Mohammed Rabiu Wada said the rumour that insurgents planned to attack the students in their hostels in Gwallameji was a ploy by some criminals to rob some them. “There was a false alarm that was raised by some criminals and as soon as the students ran

ension gripped residents of Bauchi metropolis as it was speculated that insurgents had concluded plans to attack the state capital yesterday. This tension was most pronounced among students at the Gwallameji area of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi. Our correspondent gathered that the rumour of the attack was heightened with the heavy presence of armed mobile in policemen in Gwallameji, Yelwa and other areas of the state capital. When contacted, the Bauchi state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ladan explained that the heavy presence of policemen was to ensure the safety of lives and properties of the citizens in view of the forthcoming Sallah festivities. The CP said he was not aware of any rumour that insurgents planned to strike in the state, maintaining that the heavy presence of policemen in parts of the state capital was to bolster security ahead of the Sallah festivities. A top security source however confided in our correspondent that indeed there was a pin down “Operation Show-of-Force in the state, even as he also said it was only a proactive measure

from their rooms they broke in and robbed the students carting away their valuables,” Rabiu said, adding that there was no cause for alarm. Our correspondent reported that there was traffic gridlock along the Yelwa –Wunti area as early as 7am yesterday as a detachment of armed mobile policemen carried out checks on motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians going to work or taking their children to school. There was also heavy presence of policemen in the Landmark Plaza area along Ahmadu Bello Way even as Armoured Tanks were seen patrolling the city with one stationed near the Ramat House, the seat of power in the state. Meanwhile, the Tactical Air Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amuson had disclosed that that the Nigerian Air Force’s operational strategies, especially the air strikes, radar surveillance and highly technical assaults applied against the Boko Haram insurgents that have been terrorizing the North-eastern part of the country have started yielding positive results. Amuson made the disclosure during an interactive session with journalists yesterday in Yola, the Adamawa state

capital, shortly after inspecting Air Force facilities at the Yola International Airport. The commandant, who was also in Maiduguri, commended the efforts of the ‘Civilian JTF’ in providing information to security operatives. He said the federal government had acquired war and surveillance planes, “ready to kick- start full-scale operations against insurgents in the North and push terrorism outside the shores of the country. “Whatever it will take to achieve the mission, it will be done, air strike inclusive. We will carry out border surveillance and even air strike. Everything needed for the mission is being mobilized, men material and all resources,” he said. Commenting on the challenges being faced, the commandant regretted they porous borders and lackadaisical approach by Immigration personnel. “You will be surprised that, if the Immigration deployed are doing what they are out to do, perhaps, the infiltration might not have taken place. The borders are porous, wide and so open and it’s source of concern; but I am sure the political master will look at that”, he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Nigerian Pilgrims set for 2013 Hajj By Umar Muhammad Puma

rrangements have been concluded to start this year’s annual five-day rituals of Hajj, which is expected to commence on Sunday, October 13th, 2013, equivalent to 8 of Thul-Hijjah 1434 AH. Nigerian pilgrims are among the over two million pilgrims that are expected to perform the Hajj. The Saudi Kingdom announced a crackdown on illegal pilgrims and imposed restrictions to cut foreigners by 20 percent and domestic pilgrims by 50 percent because of the ongoing expansion work at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The expansion work, when completed would increase the area of the mosque by raising its capacity to accommodate 2.2 million people at the same time. Saudi officials have said the cuts will apply for two more years until the first phase of the multibillion-dollar work is completed to expand the capacity for worshipers. Last year, a total of 3.2 mil-

lion pilgrims, including 1.75 million foreigners, performed the pilgrimage. Those from abroad came from 190 countries. Monday marks the most important day when all pilgrims will assemble at Mount Arafat for the high point of the Hajj. Authorities in the Kingdom have mobilized health services in Makkah and the holy sites which together have 25 public hospitals with 5,250 beds and hundreds of scattered medical centres. Officials of Nigerian Hajj Commission (NAHCON), have warned Nigerian pilgrims, especially elderly people against seasonal influenza, throat inflammation, eye inflammation, stomach influenza, and hepatitis A. Health officials have also appealed to pilgrims to use masks that cover the nose and mouth because MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) corona virus can be transmitted through the air. Saudi security officials have warned pilgrims against exploiting the Hajj season to demonstrate or raise political slogans.

PAGE 3

News

Sack Oduah now, The Patriots urge Jonathan By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

he Patriots, a group of eminent Nigerians, has called for sacking of Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, with immediate effect. The group, in a memo signed by Rose Ibebaku said it was sounding “a serious note of warning to both the Presidency, the

Legislature and all the high and mighty whose family and friends, constitute the bulk of air transport passengers in Nigeria to wake up from their slumber and immediately reverse the unfolding ugly trend being spurned by [Mrs Oduah] by calling her to order. “More innocent bloods will be shed and Nigeria thrown into

international embarrassment any moment from now as a result of unending breach of every aviation rules and ethics”, it further warned. The Patriots accused Oduah of orchestrating the biggest fraud of the century and milking the aviation agencies dry all in the name of an unsavoury transformation agenda.

Yuguda releases N1m for cancer victim’s medical bill

overnor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state has approved the release of N1 million to offset the medical bill of a 15-year old Adamu Ahmed, an almajiri in Bauchi state. Ahmed has been suffering from cancer of the eye for the past four years. The governor presented the money through the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Malam Bashir Mashema, to the stateowned television station in Bauchi.

Yuguda said that he was touched after watching the boy’s plight, broadcast by the station, BATV. “I was touched by his predicament and immediately, I directed that the required amount be released so that Ahmed can received adequate medical attention in the any hospital in the country”, he said. He stressed that the money should be used for the purpose intended. (NAN)

Abuja begins computerized testing of vehicles

he FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Muhammed, yesterday said that all vehicles in the FCT would be subjected to computerised testing “to ensure their security and road worthiness’’. Muhammed, who made the announcement while signing a Memorandum of Understanding with a firm, Temple Resources Ltd., in Abuja said the testing would also reduce the rate of accidents. He said that operating the computerised vehicle testing would make the FCT to become the first city in Nigeria to commence ``world-class computerised road worthiness inspection in the country. “From today, every vehicle is subjected to this computerised testing service at a minimal cost, commuters must be aware that we are doing this to ensure good governance’’, he said. Earlier, the Chairman of Temple Resources Ltd., Mr Olatunde Ayeni, said the signing of

the MOU marked the beginning of a new era in the history of vehicle road worthiness inspection in Nigeria. Ayeni said that computerised vehicle test would help to remove “rickety vehicles” plying Abuja roads, reduce accident and highlevel pollution from vehicles. “The Abuja computerised vehicle testing service would bring about road safety, environmental protection and it will be tested twice in a year for both commercial and private vehicles’’, he said. He said that the company would commence a six-month sensitisation to educate the public, adding that the cost of the test could not be determined for now. This according to him is because “some things” will have to be put in place. The Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have earlier introduced new charges to be paid by motorists nationwide. (NAN)

L-R: Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Special Duties, Hon. Bello Kaoje, Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, President Goodluck Jonathan, and Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Nadu Karibo, during the committee’s oversight visit to the State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged African legislatures to give greater attention to enacting laws that will further empower and enhance the living conditions of the people they represent. Speaking after receiving a briefing from the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba on the Africa Legislative Summit which is scheduled to hold in Abuja from November 10th-13th, 2013, a statement by the Special Adviser to the President, (Media & Publicity), Reuben Abati quoted

President Jonathan as saying that legislation must be seen as a vital democratic tool that enables speedy and inclusive development. “As the first of its kind in Africa, we look forward to the legislative summit with the expectation that it will x-ray and analyze issues that will help the separate arms of government to work in concert to bring the continent out of its present predicaments,’’ President Jonathan said. The President also urged participants at the summit to brainstorm on how to make laws that will promote economic growth

and boost employment. Senator Ndoma-Egba who chairs the Joint Steering Committee for the Summit, said the summit was instituted as a platform for legislators and stakeholders in the African continent to deliberate on current issues and developments relating to the effective functioning of parliaments in Africa. The Joint Steering Committee for the Summit includes representatives of the National Assembly, the ECOWAS Parliament and the National Institute of Legislative Studies.

‘We are ready to defend Nigeria’ By Joy Baba

he Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Azubuike Ihejirika yesterday said the Army is ready to protect and defend the nation's territorial integrity despite current security challenges in the country. Ihejirika made the declaration when he played host to the Senate committee on Defence and Army which were at the Army headquarters, Abuja, to know the Army’s budget performance from first to third quarters of 2013.

He also said the Army has recently established a Nigerian Army language school where French is being taught in realization of the fact that Nigeria is being surrounded by Francophone countries that speak French in the face of the current security challenges. The Army boss said the step was taken because Nigerian Army was denied the leadership of the United Nation's force in Mali because the qualified officers could not speak French and that was the only factor that militated

against them. The Army chief said French and Arabic will be taught in the school, noting that officers and soldiers will be compelled to be bi- Lingual. He further said one of the considerations for appointments henceforth will be being bi-lingual, "More importantly is the fact that cooperation with our neighbours will be adversely affected by the lack of French Language”, he said.

Page 4 Report

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Apo 9 and rising spate of police extra-judicial killings

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed By Joy Baba

esidents of Apo district in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on September 20, 2013 were woken up by a gun duel in wee hours of the night, between officials of Department of State Security Services (SSS) and men suspected to be members of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram. No fewer than seven persons were killed in the gun duel with several others injured. The spokesperson of the SSS said some of the sect members were injured and 12 arrested but did not mention the number of death recorded. Shortly after the killings by daybreak, information that came from some people who witnessed the incident, including survivors and some residents of the area, said that those killed were innocent artisans who couldn’t afford the high rent in Abuja and had to make do with an uncompleted building for a token fee per month. It was also gathered that the owner of the uncompleted building had on Wednesday, preceding the day of the incident issued a quit notice to the illegal occupants. A father of one the victims of the gruesome killing, Malam Abdullahi Funtua, said his son, Mashkur was murdered in cold blood by member of security forces. Malam Funtua said Mashkur was a 21-year-old SS2 student, who had only gone to Abuja to work and gather money for his final year exams. He was introduced to the business of tricycle driving about six months ago when an acquaintance took him to the FCT. “My son has never seen what a Boko Haram member looks like, even in photograph. He only went

to Abuja to eke out a living and now they have murdered him’’ he added. Severally, security operatives had allegedly taken laws into their killing innocent citizens, which nothing will be done at the end of the day. Similarly, the Apo 9 alleged extra-judicial killing incident took place in same Apo district seven year ago, when some young traders between 21 and 25 years old were brutally murdered by policemen as they were returning from a night-out with Nigerians, left many Nigerians to wonder if the killers will ever be brought to justice. Families of the victims appear to have given up hope for justice, especially after the prime suspect was granted bail in 2006 by the trial Judge, Justice Isiyaku Bello, on health grounds; also the then DPO of the Garki police station where they were killed, one Othman Abdulsalam, was also reported to have escaped from police custody under the pretext of going for prayers with a kettle in hand and has remained at large till date. Mrs. Doris Okere, a cashier with one of the commercial banks was also shot dead by another happy-trigger mobile policeman, Cpl. Olotu Owoicho at Mpape, a

suburb of Abuja, on January 31, 2011. The incident happened when the suspect opened fire on a taxi carrying the woman, with a seven-month pregnancy, as early as 7.30am.The then InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz Ringim, directed that a criminal suit be instituted against the suspect. Widower of the deceased Mr. Eugene Okere said an autopsy was carried out on the corpse at his own expense but was surprised that the police, who did not offer any assistance, came to remove the autopsy report. Judgment was given in favor of the widower, to be paid a certain amount as compensation, general damages, exemplary and punitive damages, special damages and cost of ligation, but Nigerian Police allegedly refused to honor the judgment till date claiming to appeal against the judgment. Different excuses were being allegedly raised by the police on daily basis to escape paying the Okeres the monetary compensation. On 25th February 2013, a combination of some triggerhappy policemen and soldiers allegedly killed four students of Nasarawa state University and causing grievous injury on

“

Several citizens have been killed at different parts of the country during peaceful protests and all we hear at the end of the day is that the culprits will face the full wrath of the law, which will never happen.

Uncompleted building where squatters were allegedly killed by security agents

several other students who were protesting lack of basic amenities in the institution. During the protests, policemen and soldiers were dispatched to the area to restore normalcy. However, both the police and soldiers denied their involvement in the killing of the students. These are a few of the extrajudicial killings around Abuja by our security agencies, out of the several others that take place in other parts of the country. Several citizens have been killed at different parts of the country during peaceful protests and all we hear at the end of the day is that the culprits will face the full wrath of the law, which will never happen. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that extra-judicial killing could be acceptable only during armed conflicts other than circumstances permitted by law. The Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe said that the law still regulated the conduct of combatants even during armed conflicts. According to him, “We have been in the fore-front to condemn incidence of extrajudicial killings. No matter what the incident is the law requires that the person who is in conflict with the law should be arrested in accordance with the processes of law and are convicted. “So, it is condemnable. The only instance where the law permits any person to be killed other than the circumstances permitted by law is where there is armed conflict but even in armed conflict situation there is a law that regulates the conduct of combatants.`” Angwe said the commission would investigate alleged cases of extra-judicial killing in the

country. “It is not permissible anywhere in the world and it is not permissible in Nigeria; the National Human Rights Commission frowns at it and will investigate any incidence of alleged extra-judicial killing and take a decision appropriately that will redress this. “We went to make our presentation before the Senate joint committee investigating the Apo killing. “We’ll let the National Assembly know what the final outcome of our investigation is and we in clear terms told them that we are investigating the incidence in accordance with our powers,” he said. He therefore called on the public to remain calm as the commission would make its report public as soon as facts were gathered. However, the question on the lips of so many Nigerians is ‘are these happy trigger officers not given proper instructions on how to use the rifle by their superiors? In 2009, Amnesty International (AI) reported that hundreds of innocent Nigerians are killed each year by security forces or disappear while in custody, and few are held accountable. In most cases, there is no investigation into the deaths in custody, extrajudicial executions or enforced disappearances. But it appears the culture of cover up of crimes and stalling of prosecution is entrenched more within the Nigeria Police than in other uniformed services. Failure to bring perpetrators of abuse to account sustains the climate of impunity that encourages others to commit the abuse.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 5

News Sallah: FG declares Tuesday, Wednesday public holidays By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

he federal government has declared Tuesday, 15th and Wednesday, 16th October as Public holidays for this year’s Eid-elKabir Celebration. Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro who made the declaration in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Fatima B. A. Bamidele, urged all Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for peace and unity across country. He also enjoined Nigerians to join hands with President Jonathan in his “sustained efforts to raise Nigeria to the next level of development”.

Ram display as Eid-El-Kabir celebration draws near, yesterday at Apo round about ram market, in Abuja.

Jonathan to attend extraordinary session of AU leaders in Addis Ababa

resident Goodluck Jonathan will begin a twoday official visit to Addis Ababa tomorrow to participate in an Extraordinary Session of the African Union’s Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The Special Adviser to the

President, (Media & Publicity), Reuben Abati, in a statement said the Extraordinary Session will consider the Progress Report on the Implementation of the Assembly’s Decision of May 2013 on International Jurisdiction, Justice and the International

Criminal Court and, Election (by the Executive Council) and Appointment (by the Assembly) of a new Commissioner for Peace and Security. President Jonathan will be accompanied to Addis Ababa by Senator Emmanuel Paulker, the

Minister of Justice and AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) and the Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed. He will return to Abuja at the conclusion of the summit on Saturday.

EFCC docks 3 pastors, church member By Joy Baba

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) yesterday arraigned three pastors and one other before a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt for allegedly obstructing the operatives of the Commission from performing their lawful duty.

The suspect, Pastors (Mrs) Ruth Abbah, (Mrs) Deborah Jefferey, Shedrack Ajadi and Imomotimi Bowei were arraigned on a 2-count charge at the court, sitting before Justice Lambo Akanbi. An EFCC statement said the suspects were arrested on October 8, 2013 at Warrior of Christ International Church,

Off Odili Road, Port Harcourt, for allegedly obstructing and assaulting operatives of the Commission in the course of inviting one Rev. John Richard who was alleged to be involved in a case of obtaining money by false pretence. The statement also said the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges and the trial

Judge, Justice Akanbi however granted them bail in the sum of N 500,000 and one surety in like sum. The surety must be a Level 14 officer and must have landed property within the jurisdiction of court. The case was adjourned to November 27, 2013 for commencement of trial.

NCPC inspects aircraft for this year’s pilgrimage By Evelyn Okakwu

team of technical experts have departed Nigeria to Istanbul Turkey to inspect the approved Aircrafts that will fly intending pilgrims to Israel, Rome and Greece for the 2013 Christian Pilgrimage operations. The team is led by the Chairman of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim’s

Commission (NCPC), His Grace, Most Revd. Nicholas D. Okoh. The inspection team which also includes three technical officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have the duty of inspecting the two Aircrafts, Airbus – A330 – 300 with 387 seats, the aircrafts have 12 Business class each with 8 toilets.

According to a statement forwarded by the head of media services of the commission, Mr Celectin Ogugua, Atlasjet of Turkey was selected as the official Airline for the 2013 Christian Pilgrimage operations. This is as result of the fact that the airline was approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, following the recommendation of

the NCPC. Also, as part of preparations for the safe airlift of Pilgrims, the commission has organised a training exercise for the security operatives to spare-head this year’s Pilgrimage programme. The Airlift of intending pilgrims to the Holy Land will commenced on 19th October, 2013.

Kebbi records 80% immunization coverage – Official By Abbas Bamalli

he Kebbi government has recorded 80 percent success during the integrated measles and polio eradication immunization exercise concluded on Wednesday.

Dr Abubakar Koko, the Coordinator, Kebbi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KPHDA), who disclosed this, said the exercise was successfully conducted in 225 electoral wards, adding that 65 percent coverage was recorded

in 43 of the wards. He said, “The agency will establish health camps in high risk areas that recorded below 80 per cent in addition to a oneday mop up exercise. He said 1,031 teams of 3,000 personnel were engaged

to immunize 500,000 children across the state. The coordinator commended the contributions of UNICEF, Rotary Club International, the state and local governments, which ensured the success of the exercise.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

FG calls on legislators to reform Human Rights Law By Albert Akota

he Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro has called on legislators to reform Human Rights law in Nigeria in order to meet the international human rights standards. The minister who stated this in Abuja said the prevention and provision of effective rehabilitation to torture required legislative reforms and concrete steps to ensure implementations. Moro who reiterated the federal government’s determination to respect human rights and promote the rule of law, said Nigeria had signed and ratified the UN Convention Against Torture, Cruelty, Inhumane and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) and Optional Protocol, which recommended the establishment of National Preventive Mechanism. He said Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution provides for fundamental rights, including prohibition of torture, adding that the evidence collected under torture is also inadmissible in the court of law in Nigeria. Moro, who was represented by the Director, Para-Military Service of the ministry, Mr. Kent Amuga, expressed hope that the seminar would serve as good example in promoting awareness on torture. Speaking earlier at the event, Chairman of the Governing Board of PRAWA, Mr Gabriel Toby, said the theme of the seminar was a clarion call on human rights defenders, particularly the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims to rise up to the task of fighting the monster of torture.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 6

News

Court dismisses Baraje’s application for want of jurisdiction

From Matthew Irinoye, Lagos

Lagos High Court, Ikeja, presided over by Justice Oludotun AdefopeOkojieon yesterday dismissed the suit filed by Alhaji Kawu Baraje’s faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against its National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and three others, for want of jurisdiction. The suit was filed by Baraje, Dr Sam Jaja and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola on September 1, through their counsels. The faction had dragged Tukur and his co-defendant, Mr Uche Secondus, Deputy National Chairman; Dr Kema Chikwe, Women Leader and Mr Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary to court seeking for an interlocutory injunction restraining them from parading themselves as PDP National executive Committee members. Counsels to the defendants, Mr Joe Kyari-Gadzama (SAN) and Mr Emeka Etiaba, had in their preliminary notice of objection, asked the court to strike out the suit for want of jurisdiction. The lawyers had argued that the writs of summons did not comply with the mandatory requirements of Section 97 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act because they were not endorsed. But in a swift reaction, the claimants’ counsel, Mr Robert Emukpaeruo, had argued that the court had jurisdiction to entertain the suit contrary to the objections being raised by the defendants. While ruling, AdefopeOkojie held that the Lagos State High Court had no power to assume jurisdiction over a matter which originated outside its territory. She said the applicants had averred in their affidavit that the course of action, which was the special convention of the PDP, arose in Abuja. The judge held that the applicants had also averred that the PDP had its registered office in Abuja and that none of the defendants was resident in Lagos state. According to her, the doctrine of enforcement of judgments was not relevant to the suit before the court. “I hold that with the defendants not resident in Lagos and the subject matter originating in Abuja, the High Court of Lagos state has no power to assume jurisdiction over this suit. “I accordingly make an order striking out the suit,” Adefope Okojie said.

NEMA urges residents to vacate erosion prone areas From Umar Dankano, Yola

he Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi has lamented the “nonchalant acts” of owners of houses in erosion prone areas ahead of the NIMET prediction, and urged them to vacate immediately. Sidi, who spoke yesterday in Delta state at the 3rd South-South summit organized by the agency in collaboration with the Delta state government called for more political will and support from the

...intensifies efforts to relocate flood victims government to improve on the management of disasters across the country. Explaining that developmental gains were lost in different incidents, the NEMA Boss said, to avert and improve on the development gains and ensure business continuity, there was need for a paradigm shift in disaster risk management, adding that the Agency has imbibed the “Hyogog Frame work” that offers the opportunity to formulate policies pertaining to social development as quality and sustainable land use.

He said disaster risk mainstreaming requires the participation of all sectors of the economy, pointing out that the Summit will facilitate the practices as well as formulate policies that will better position the South-South region for an effective and efficient disaster response. He said to manage flood and disaster related incidences, the leadership at all level of government should be desirous to have a dependent efficient and effective capacity to prepare and respond to

emergency. In another development, the NEMA boss has urged the governments of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to allocate lands for the setting up of safety camps for anticipated flood victims as part of proactive measures to combat flood occurrence. He made the call in Yola yesterday while declaring open a one day consultative forum organized by the agency for stakeholders in disaster management in North Eastern states.

NYSC 2012 Batch ‘C’ corps members, during their passing out ceremony, yesterday in Kaduna.

Photo: NAN

Gov Aliyu applauds Jonathan’s SURE-P From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna iger state governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has applauded the initiative of President Goodluck Jonathan on the establishment of SURE-P programme, stressing that despite the teething problems encountered by the initiative, it serves as veritable source for human empowerment in the country. The governor made the commendation at the passing out parade and inauguration of the 486 trained personnel of Niger State green guards in Minna yesterday. AliyudirectedtheStateLawReform

... Inaugurates Niger green guards

Commission, to expedite action on the review of existing laws in order to give the State House of Assembly the idea of passing into law, the needed tools that would accelerate the performance of the newly inaugurated green guards. Governor Aliyu charged the inaugurated outfit to carry out its functions with utmost sense of responsibility and commitment. He noted that the inauguration of the green guards as environmental protection agents was in demonstration of the commitment of his government

to the preservation of the environment. “The initiative was borne out of concern for the protection of our biodiversity and the need to take deliberate steps to preserve our forest resources in their natural state. “The green guard initiative, which may be the first of its kind in the country, was conceived to enforce the forestry/wildlife laws of Niger State, which are being flouted indiscriminately by some people with dare consequences on the environment”, he said.

In his address, the Commissioner for Environment, Parks, Gardens and Forest Resources, Alhaji Umar Nasco, said his Ministry has focused extensively on evolving innovative strategies that emphasized on the use of environmental re-engineering as a veritable tool for job creation, poverty alleviation, encouraging sustainable economic development and the general improvement of the livelihood of the people of the state through the promotion of clean, green, and healthy environment.

outgoing batch ‘C’. Speaking at the passing out parade of the batch ‘C’, yesterday in Katsina, the commissioner noted that the deceased corps member was, Zubairu Musa Giwa from Niger state, who was serving in Dutsin-Ma local government area of the state.

The commissioner who also represented the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema at the ceremony stressed the importance of corps members in the development of the various sectors of the state. “We appreciate your contribution in the information,

communication, education and health sector of the state. We will therefore continue to appreciate your effort by improving your welfare and security”, he said. At the end of the ceremony, 10 corps members received the state merit award while no corps member has his or her service year extended.

NYSC loses one corps member in Katsina From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

he Chairman, Katsina state Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Commissioner of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim Safana has disclosed that the NYSC lost one of its members in the

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

News

Infant deaths on decline in Nigeria – Report By Abbas Aminu Bamalli, with agency report

he National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the number of children who die before their fifth birthday out of 1000 live births, declined from 201 in 2004 to 157 in 2008 and further to 94 in 2012. This is contained in the 2012 Millennium Development Goals Performance Tracking Survey Report released on Wednesday

in Abuja by the NBS. “Some of the possible driving influences for the decline include increased use of insecticidetreated bed nets for protection against malaria infection and access to vaccinations against polio, diphtheria, pertussis (Whooping Cough), tetanus and measles”, the report said. “These insecticide-treated bed nets and vaccinations have made important contributions to the improvements in child

survival,’’ it said. According to the report, under-five mortality is relatively higher in the rural area and in the poorest household. The report also said: “Underfive mortality rate in the rural area was about 105 deaths per 1000 live births, as against 61 in the urban area”, adding that, “by implication, the urban area has achieved and surpassed the MDG target of 63.7 per 1000 live births, while the rural area

is lagging behind by about 46”, it said. The report said under-five mortality rate in the poorest household stood at about 114, about 44.1 per cent higher than the 2015 benchmark. It said that in the richest household, the rate stood at about 58 deaths, which represents 9.8 per cent improvement over the MDG benchmark.

Kano Govt seals clinic for alleged unethical practices

he Kano State Government on Wednesday sealed a private clinic, Tiga Clinic and Maternity, in Fagge Local Government Area for alleged unethical practice. A statement from the state Ministry of Health in Kano said the closure was ordered by the Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Private Health Institutions. The Special Assistant, Dr Salisu Ibrahim, said that the clinic lacked qualified personnel with only one nurse on duty, whose service to the patients was below standard. He said the clinic lacked an injection room, while the hospital environment was unhygienic. Ibrahim said the administration of Gov. Rabiu Kwankwaso, would not condone unwholesome acts, especially in health care delivery to the people. (NAN)

Lawmaker urges KDSG to establish hospital in each senatorial district From Femi Oyeyola, Kaduna

Chief Executive, Catholic Relief Services in Nigeria, Mr. Sasha Angelevski (left), is welcomed by Country Director, ActionAID, Mr. Hussaini Abdul (right), to the official launch of Sustainable Mechanisms for Improving Livelihoods Household Empowerment (SMILE) programme, yesterday in Abuja. With them is Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Kasujja (middle). Photo: Justin ImoOwopermanent secretaries, yesterday in Umuahia.

Bauchi deputy governor laments rejection of polio vaccines From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

he Deputy Governor of Bauchi state, Alhaji Sagir Aminu Saleh said he is worried over the rejection of polio vaccines by urban dwellers. The deputy governor, who doubles as the chairman of the state task force on polio implementation, said this while receiving members of the Journalists Initiative Against Polio (JAP) who paid him a courtesy visit yesterday in his office. He said people living in rural areas accept immunisation for polio than their counterparts in urban areas, especially the socalled educated ones. According to the deputy governor, the six new cases of polio recorded in the state this year may not be unconnected with cross border activities, especially with the influx of people into the state as a result of crises in the neighbouring states. He said Governor Isa Yuguda-led administration in the state had been doing everything

possible to ensure that the state meet up with the December, 2013 global deadline of eradicating polio from the earth. Alhaji Saleh said polio victims suffer humiliation and embarrassment in the society, while their parents spent more money on them, saying that a simple task of making the children available for polio vaccination would have gone a long way in making the children productive in the later stage of their lives. Speaking earlier, the chairperson of JAP in the state, Miss Elizabeth Carr, said the visit was aimed at interacting with the chairman of the task force on polio on ways to mobilise support for polio eradication in the state. While saying that the state government had invested so much in the fight against polio in the state, Carr lamented that six cases of polio mellitus were recorded in the state between January and October, 2013, which she said, had made the state a high risk state.

PDM, Turaki commiserate with Nigeria over Lar’s death By Patrick Andrew

he Chairman, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Mallam Yusuf Ibrahim and Minister of Special Duties and Inter Governmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, have described the passing on of elder statesman and politician, Chief Solomon Lar at 80, as a great loss to Nigeria. “Chief Lar was a political colossus of the highest breed who brought colour and candour to the artistry of politics in the country, dating back to preindependence days. “The ex-federal parliamentarian was an indomitable patriot and a selfless senior citizen, who prayed and wished for unity and security amongst Nigerians, as exemplified in his Independence Day clarion call for oneness,” he said. Similarly, Tuaraki described the late second republic civilian governor of Plateau state as

“a great politician who had unshakeable fate in democracy. The first National Chairman of the PDP, late Chief Lar worked hard to ensure that the fourth republic which began in 1999 overcame the teething challenges which faced it,” the Minister recalled. The Media Advisor of the Chairman of the PDM, Yusuf Alaba, in a statement said the party believes that Lar’s sudden exit would create a dearth of rare elderly advice required at this juncture of Nigeria’s political discourse. The PDM chieffain praised the late elder statesman for his strong belief in peace and one indivisible Nigeria which he demonstrated both in his private and public life. Chief Solomon har died on wednesday at a hospital in the United States of America the pioneer Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman died of what family services described as old age related sickness.

member of Kaduna State House of Assembly (KDHA), Hon. Esther D. Habu has moved a motion before the House calling on Kaduna State Government to establish at least one state government owned hospital in each of the senatorial districts of the State to serve as a centre of horsemanship and intern for medical students of Kaduna state. Habu, representing Sanga Constituency of Kaduna, said the call has become necessary because of the proposed conversion of the Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital to a Teaching Hospital, which means that the hospital will only be concerned with students of its affiliated partner, which is Kaduna state University, KASU. “Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, which hitherto offer services to all strata of patients including clinical services will now be jammed-packed with the services of attending to patients at the same time serving as a horsemanship centre, so, there is a need for Kaduna state government to take urgent steps and build more hospitals”, she said. Esther Habu said as a way forward, the State House of Assembly should recommend to the State Government to identify and upgrade one secondary health facility in each of the senatorial district to a state hospital and equip same with standard service for tertiary institutions standard, to provide health needs for those in the catchment area and at the same time serve as teaching facility.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

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NLC assures workers of easy access to houses, loans T he Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Thursday, assured Nigerian workers of easy access to more houses and housing loans. NLC President, Abdulwaheed Omar, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. Omar said that the NLC had set up a committee comprising the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the Employers’ Association, and the Trade Union Congress to work out how the workers could have access to

the loans. He said the Congress took the step to forestall the challenges faced by workers in accessing the housing loans provided by the Federal Government. The labour leader decried the bureaucracy and inconsistency that characterised the Federal Government housing loans scheme and frowned at cases where deductions were made from salaries of some workers, even when they did not benefit from the government loans. ``First, on the side of

the banks, there are a lot of restrictions. Second of all, the process of assessing the loans are very difficult. ``At a point, labour movement had course to say that the housing deductions should be stopped,’’ he said. Omar assured workers that the new housing loans scheme being managed by the workers’ unions would be handled transparently and made easily accessible. He said the quantum of money that an individual worker

could access had been increased from N5 to N15 million. Omar also gave the assurance that the housing projects being constructed by the Congress would not be concentrated only in Abuja and Lagos. He said the committee in charge of the project had contacted some states governments for provision of land. Omar said that some of the houses were due for inauguration in Katsina State, while construction would soon start in Kaduna State. (NAN)

News

Bauchi electricity consumers decry poor power supply By Etuka Sunday

lectricity consumers in Bauchi state, yesterday, said the inadequate power facilities are responsible for the epileptic electricity supply in the state. The consumers stated this in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi state, when the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) took its mass enlightenment programme to Bauchi state, under the aegis of Power Consumer Assembly (PCA). They noted that in Toro, most of their complaints were neglected by the former PHCN just as they urged the new owners of the power company to provide transformers and other services for them. Responding, the Toro Business Unit Manager of the defunct PHCN, Engr. Mansir Nakande said there is a due process for transformer installations to ensure safety. He maintained that new Customer Complaints Units (CCU) have been opened in Gumau, Nabardo, Tilden Fulani and Toro town to handle complaints.

Association trains 1,500 Almajiris as auto mechanics in Kaduna

T L-R: Commissioner Finance Management and Service, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Mr. Patrick Umeh, representative of Minister of Power, Mr. Chidiebere Onyia, and NERC Chairmen, Mr. Sam Amadi, during NERC stakeholders workshop for the new PHCN successor companies, yesterday in Abuja, Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Kaduna JUSUN accuses caretaker c’ttee of embezzlement From Femi Oyeyola, Kaduna

udiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Kaduna State Chapter, has accused its caretaker committee of squandering over N180m, collected as staff check-up dues in the past 9 years. JUSUN disclosed this during an emergency meeting held at the Kaduna High Court premises yesterday. Speaking to the congress, the Coordinator of the emergency meeting Comrade Murtala Aminu said based

on the reviewed JUSUN Constitution of 2013, Rule 15(1) (iv) - A Caretaker Committee shall be in office for a period of not longer than 3 months and conduct election for executives. “It will be recalled that the Kaduna State Chapter of the Caretaker Committee was inaugurated about 9 years ago, and up till now it has not made any move to conduct any election, rather, it have maintained a sit-tight attitude. “They also collect monthly check-up dues from N1000 – N5, 000 from all the judicial

staff in Kaduna State, which amounted to the sum of N1.8m per month, and N200m for their past 9 years in office and yet they have not shown any visible project that they have embarked on. “Our members are dying on daily basis and yet the Union has not found it worthy to even pay condolence visit to the deceased families, not to talk of assisting them”, Murtala said. The congress added that a new caretaker committee that will not serve more than 3 months has been approved and

inaugurated. The members are: Barr. Abdulmalik J. Suleman from High Court of Justice as Chairman, Auwalu Sarki from Sharia Court of Appeal as member and David Gora from Customary Court of Appeal as member, while it is set to petition the Commissioner of Police, ICPC and EFCC to immediately investigate and prosecute the dismissed caretaker members for fraud, cheating, misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust.

he Chairman, Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Kaduna State chapter, Alhaji Abdullahi Salihu, on Thursday, said the association had trained 1,500 almajiris as auto mechanics this year. Salihu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna that 30,000 members of the association from 23 local government councils in the state were also trained to use improved automobile technologies (Mechatronics). He said the use of improved technologies such as computers in detecting faults in vehicles; and replacing or repairing spare parts in Automobile industry, was a good development. ``Our members have been carefully selected and trained by some automobile companies such as Peugeot, Toyota, Kia and Honda in mechatronics, also known as the use of computers in repairing vehicles. ``The training is not limited to specific vehicles but comprise all sophisticated vehicles,’’ the chairman said. Mechatronics is a combination of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, control engineering and computer engineering.(NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense

Avoid going bankrupt for wedding

t is meant to be a fairytale day but average society wedding costs about N5, 000,000. This might be unbelievable to some people though. Far too many people get into debt and risk ruining a marriage for the sake of one day. It’s NOT all about the perfect wedding Too many work through a want-to-have list: A film star wedding outfit, , gold rings and expensive honeymoon. Only then, they ask how they’ll pay for it. One disgruntled father said: “I asked my daughter what her budget was; she asked me, ‘Dad, how can I work out my budget until I know what I want?” So, instead, ask “what can we afford to spend on our wedding?” Then work out how to have the best do possible within that budget. A picnic in a park with close friends can be just as magical as a blingbling bash for 300. Don’t let the wedding ruin your marriage Before we get too far into this, and you skip straight to this guide’s bargain-grabbing section, it really is worth pausing to think about the financial effect of your celebration. As Martin says, “While a wedding is a wonderful dream day, it’s important to remember one of the biggest causes of divorce is debt and financial worries. “If the cost of your wedding

leaves you financially crippled and in debt for most of your married life, it’s a pointless waste.” Don’t let the bank steal your wedding cash ‘Setting off’ means banks can swipe big money from our accounts without permission. So if you have a loan or debts, be very careful about other people, such as your parents, giving you cash to fund your wedding. This outrageous law lets banks grab cash from your account to repay debts without permission and without telling you. This wrecked wedding story sums it up: No tale more gut-wrenching has landed in our mailbag than that of poor Peter Wilson, whose generous wedding gift to his daughter was then thieved by her bank to ruin her cherished day. The proud father had saved up N3, 000,000 with his local credit union to give a cheque to his daughter towards her day. Two days after it went in her account, checking to see if it had cleared at her Bank, the bride-tobe’s white day turned black, as she was horrified to see N1500000 had been instantly lifted to pay off her debt elsewhere with the bank. This was despite a repayment plan already in place. His daughter was inconsolable; and for the bank to do this and ruin her wedding day was despicable, he said.

“We told the bank that credit union officers would sign a statement to say that the money was ours, but still it refused to refund the money,” he added. Get maximum interest on your wedding savings If you’re saving up to get hitched or perhaps your parents have given a contribution, ensure you maximise the interest. The best bet is an easy-access account, which means you can easily withdraw the cash when needed. You can withdraw it anytime (provided it’s easyaccess), you just can’t then return it, not a problem if you’re spending it anyway. Play the wedding prioritisation game Once you know your budget, the aim’s to work out how much you can actually afford to spend on different areas and prioritise what’s important. Write down all the things you need to spend cash on a different piece of card, from cakes to cars, rings to hall fees. Discuss what’s most important to both of you. You may fancy a funky themed wedding cake, but would you prefer a honeymoon abroad or a professional photographer? Remember, venue costs are likely to be about one third to half of your budget. Being aware of how you can trade one item for another helps you see how far your budgeted

cash will go. If it doesn’t go as far as you want, you need to change your list but not your budget. The end result may be that you can’t afford the wedding you wanted but, more importantly, it means you won’t spend what you can’t afford. Earn with demotivation Small sacrifices can boost your wedding coffers. For example, if your big day is a year away, cut out something today that you buy

How to save money on your cleaning budget

aving money is always a great idea but can you save money without cutting any of your cleaning power? These ideas will help you do just that. Use mild dish soap or plain water Many areas of your home can be kept clean by using a mild dish soap and plain water. Dish soap can be used as a laundry stain remover, a window cleaner, a surface spray, a carpet stain remover, fruit and vegetable wash, and to clean most surfaces in your home. We often turn to specialty

cleaners for each different surface in our home, but dish soap is a great mild alternative that won’t damage most surfaces, and manages to remove a lot of dirt and grime. Maintain the clean daily Doing a little bit of daily maintenance will reduce the need for tougher cleansers to clean your home. Most stains can be removed with water, dish soap, or laundry soap if they are treated quickly. Spills that are wiped up right away rarely need much cleanser at all to be cleaned. Make it a point to clean and maintain your home daily, and you’ll find much less of a need for

specialty cleaners and expensive solutions. Use a store brand We get stuck on the brands we know and trust a lot, but sometimes there’s a store brand of the same cleaner that may work just as well for a fraction of the cost. Look for store brands and compare ingredients. More and more store brands clean just as well as more expensive name brands. Store cleaning supplies properly Improperly stored cleaning supplies can turn into a mess. Make sure your supplies aren’t exposed

to extremes in temperature or light. Keeping supplies from spilling and mixing is also a major concern. Cleaning supplies should also be stored away from areas where pets or small children might come into contact with them. Simplify your supplies There’s a cleaner for everything and if you get them all, your cleaning cupboard would be overflowing. The truth is that a lot of cleaners can pull double duty. If you really want to save on your household budget, pick all-purpose and multi-purpose cleaners. Save specialty cleaners for really tough jobs, and only if others don’t work well. You may be surprised by how little you really need to keep your home clean. Choose reusable cloths and mops Disposable items are handy, but they can quickly eat up a household budget. To save money, pick items that can be reused. Microfiber cloths are a great choice for cleaning, dusting, and scrubbing. Instead of disposable mopping pads, pick a good reusable mop and take care of it. Choosing reusable items can save a lot of money. Make your own cleaners There are a lot of ingredients around your home that can be used to make great cleaners at a fraction of the cost. Vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner. Baking soda is gentle enough to use as a mild abrasive in many areas of your home. Lemons have a natural bleaching ability. Making your own cleaners can be a great way to cut cleaning costs. Control clutter Controlling clutter is a major part of keeping a house clean. Removing unwanted and unnecessary items from your home means you have less to clean. Getting rid of items that aren’t needed will cut your cleaning time and expenses drastically.

every day. If you cut out £2 crisps and Coke each day, you’d have 365 x £2 to spend, £730. People swear by (and at) our Demotivator tool, which reveals your annual spend on tea, snacks, cigarettes, magazines and other discretionary purchases to help you cut back. Try it to see how much you could save in time for the festivities. Should you borrow to pay for the wedding? If you can possibly avoid it, don’t borrow for the big day. Leaving yourself in debt at the start of your married life is not the best idea. Having said that, a wedding is a major expenditure, and like buying a house, many people simply cannot afford to do it without a loan. The difference here is afterwards there are no bricks and mortar, only memories to keep, from all that cash. Never borrow more than you can afford to pay back within a year We can tell you not to borrow but if you ignore that, at least do it the cheapest way. Ask: 1. Can you afford the repayments? 2. Can you pay them back in a year or less? 3. Have you planned the expenditure so you need borrow as little as possible? 4. Are you borrowing the cheapest possible way?

Money Tip Make money doing what you already do This is not for you if you’re looking to build a serious small business on the Net. It’s the easiest of the ways to make money without money, but because it’s easy, it doesn’t pay much, very little in fact. It mostly involves getting paid to surf the Internet and getting paid to take surveys. It’s like stuffing envelopes for money. If that blows your hair back, type “getting paid to do surveys” into the search box at Google and hit “Enter”. Take your pick. Don’t expect to get rich though.

Quote Whenever you see a successful business,someone once made a courageous decision. -Peter Drucker

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

EDITORIAL

n April this year, Mallam Yushau Abdulhameed Shuaib, then a Chief information Officer in the federal civil service incurred the wrath of the Minister for Finance, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala. His article, touching on some activities of the minister did not go down well with her and the minister took the extra-ordinary step of calling the civil servant directly on phone to lodge her complain. As it turned out, that phone call was the beginning of chain of actions that would eventually force Shuaib out of service. It is a sad end to the career of an obviously talented writer who strayed in a service where men of his talent are held suspect or are even unwelcome. The civil service in Nigeria operates a code which abridges the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech for the citizenry. Given this reality, Shuaib should have been more circumspect in putting his talent to use while still in service. History has shown that Nigerian civil servants of his talent often run into political tsunami while putting pen to paper.

Even then we do not see what was so offensive in the article in question that would provoke a minister, a powerful minister at that to engage a low profile civil servant in a wrestling bout. There are rules of engagement for erring civil servants and we do not believe these rules were

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Yushau Shuaib: Killing a fly with a sledge hammer

There are rules of engagement for erring civil servants and we do not believe these rules were applied in the case of Yushau Shuaib.

applied in the case of Yushau Shuaib. The former civil servant was a staff of the ministry of information on posting to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). If he erred, disciplinary action against him should have been initiated by the agency to which he was posted or the supervising authority of that agency or even the ministry that posted him out. It is rather shabby that the minister of

OUR MISSION “To be the market place of ideas and the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our stakeholders”

finance had to engage him in an indecorous shouting match. We also find it disturbing that the letter of retirement from the Federal Civil Service issued to Yushau on Thursday, October 3, 2013, was backdated to June 20, 2013. The retired officer also complained that the letter erroneously referred to him as an Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO) when in fact he had been promoted to Chief Information Officer (CIO) with effect from January 1, 2012. The reason for his retirement is that he criticized a public officer. Why was a letter issued on October 3rd backdated to June 20? When was the decision to retire him taken? What was the official rank of the officer at the time of his retirement? Why was his salary stopped even while he was still in service? What is the penalty for a civil servant who criticizes a minister? Is it retirement? Was proper procedure followed in procuring the retirement of this officer? Have we not killed a fly with a sledge hammer? These and many more questions will agitate the minds of discerning Nigerians as Yushau Shuaib goes into premature retirement.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 13

Opinion Jonathan’s ‘jebu’ conference and Tinubu’s logic By Akinlabi Olusegun Samson

ust when the Jonathan government was celebrating the dummy they sold to Nigerians about a National Dialogue or when they thought they had hit a home run with their idea of a National Dialogue, Bola Tinubu returned to puncture the balloon of their ego. He literally threw a bombshell at the Jonathan national conference idea, describing it aptly as a Greek gift. Tinubu’s insight and analysis on the matter was profound. No wonder it resonated across the country and on the pages of newspapers and airwaves. Tinubu was not going to be sold a dummy. He had seen similar political somersaults and gyrations in the past and he could smell deception from a distance. Tinubu’s paw-paw of the national conference idea sent the Jonathan government, particularly its paid agents, scampering and before long, they unleashed a full attack on Tinubu, accusing him of rejecting what he had asked for in the first place. In the rabid condemnation him, what is clear, yet sickening, is the evidence that those that have rushed to embrace the Jonathan conference would not want any opposition to their idea. For them, to attempt to ask a few fundamental questions about the timing and other issues surrounding the conference is unpatriotic and an affront on the President. These people do not speak for Nigerians as they claim.

They speak for themselves and their pockets. There is no doublespeak here on the part of Tinubu. The attempt by his detractors to attack his position by saying first he was for National Conference and now he is against it is both dishonest and disingenuous. We have seen this sort of rabid attack before. We know where it’s coming from and soon, the wind will blow and Nigerians will wake up to realize they have been hoodwinked. The flip flopping President is Jonathan and his mascot, David Mark. One poser for the Jonathan choristers is why is the Senate President, David Mark, who until now had been vociferous in dismissing a Sovereign National Conference as “not workable under the 1999 Constitution,” now the Campaigner-In Chief for the Jonathan National Conference? Again, why did it take Jonathan almost three years to agree to the fact that Nigerians deserve a national conference or perhaps they have

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been living in another country or is it because it has become expedient politically? The timing of this conference is suspect. It is coming up when the present government is embroiled in corruption, the ruling party is in crisis, the security problem posed by Boko Haram never lets up and when a large swathe of the people are despondent and frustrated by a government that promises much but delivers little. With just about one year to conducting national elections, the government wakes up to commence what should be a serious and painstaking process of constitutional review or better still a national talk shop that will only distract and waste hard earned national resources. These are the issues and not that attacks on and condemnation of Tinubu for taking a principled stance on this matter. He should be commended and not condemned for having the presence of mind to pose and ask critical questions. In his reaction on Monday,

Okorounmu said: “Tinubu must have been misquoted. Tinubu has been one of the financiers of the agitations for national conference. He funded the PRONACO conference which was held in Lagos. So Tinubu has been at the forefront for the agitation for national conference, so the press must have been misquoting him. That must be another Tinubu, not the Tinubu I know.” But lest we forget, it was this same Senator Okunrounmu who in an interview granted a national daily described Jonathan as a President who cannot be trusted and went at great length to trash the Jonathan presidency. Now, he has accepted his new appointment with glee. What more can be doublespeak?Tinubu is not a lone ranger in his suspicion and rejection of the Jonathan Conference. A co-secretary of the 2005 national political reform conference, Professor IshaqOloyede, is strongly suspicious of the national

Can Jonathan and his co-travelers be trusted? Why are Nigerians being handed cocoyam when they have asked for bread? A number of other prominent groups, individuals and organizations across the country have spoken up against the proposed National conference and questioned the sincerity of the Jonathan administration. Indeed, the voices of reason and caution like that of Tinubu and others are been drowned out by the paid vocalists and choristers of the Jonathan administration. History bears Tinubu and others out that Jonathan does not have the sincerity and commitment to give Nigerians a sovereign national conference. What Nigerians will get again is another “jebu” conference and we will be back to square one.

dialogue being proposed by Jonathan. He said, “I have my very strong suspicion about the motive of the conference. I am very suspicious of the whole thing but the council will discuss it and we will come out with our own position. But for me as a person, I have my suspicion based on activities leading to the turn-around of the government because the government including the Senate President, have been opposed to it but suddenly overnight, they changed their opinion. I am very suspicious; very, very suspicious of the change of mind”. Now that’s a homer. It is provocative and dead center. Can Jonathan and his cotravelers be trusted? Why are Nigerians being handed cocoyam when they have asked for bread? A number of other prominent groups, individuals and organizations across the country have spoken up against the proposed National conference and questioned the sincerity of the Jonathan administration. Indeed, the voices of reason and caution like that of Tinubu and others are been drowned out by the paid vocalists and choristers of the Jonathan administration. History bears Tinubu and others out that Jonathan does not have the sincerity and commitment to give Nigerians a sovereign national conference. What Nigerians will get again is another “jebu” conference and we will be back to square one. Dr. Akinlabi Olusegun Samson wrote in from Lagos.

National conference as legal basis for new constitution? By Olisa Agbakoba

t last, the sovereign authorities have accepted the need for a National Conference. Civil society in Nigeria has always insisted that only the People of Nigeria can authenticate, legitimize and endorse a Constitution to govern their affairs. Unfortunately, this simple wish was always denied by the colonial, military and even elected government. President GoodluckEbele Jonathan’s independence declaration is a major milestone. The late Aka-Bashorun, as President of Nigerian Bar Association, the first to clearly articulate the need for a Sovereign National Conference, as long ago as the 1980’s, must be rejoicing in his grave. Civil society has always stated that a National Conference is a vital requirement for a People’s Constitution for Nigeria. Civil society’s demands have always been straight forward and simple- that Nigeria will benefit from a robust discussion on two vital questions posed by late Bola Ige, when he said “…there are two basic questions that must be answered by all of us Nigerians. One, do we want to remain as one country? Two, if the answer is yes, under what conditions?” I respectfully suggest that Bola Ige’s questions are well framed as the relevant National Questions we need to address, if we are to build a new Spirit of commitment to Nation and service to motherland.

President Jonathan has charged a committee to frame the issues and nature of participation, and most important the legal basis upon which the outcomes of a National Conference can be enacted into law by the National Assembly. Civil Society on the other hand has expressed the view that the nature of the conference will necessarily have to be sovereign. I will return to the basis of this request by civil society. What is important at this stage is utilizing the limited platform offered by President Jonathan to engage Nigerians in very robust discussions on the Constitution and without “no go” issues. Even though there are challenges about participation, my suggestion is that participants may be drawn from ethnic nationalities and at least the six basic estates of the realm, namely the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, Media, Civil society and Organized Business. I have defined civil society in a very broad sense to include NGO’s, religious and traditional institutions and of course labour, youth and women. I agree with Dr. Tunji Abayomi: “Every Constitution is preceded by a debate of terms and consensus on principles”. This simply means that we have to agree. I think the most important key to a successful National Conference is the structure of government and devolution of powers. It is obvious that Nigeria is a very diverse country. Scholars suggest that federalism is the political

system best suited to diverse peoples. If this is agreed at the conference, the corresponding question should be about the structure of the federal system and the scope of powers of the autonomous governments, that is, the federal government on the one hand and the state government and even the local government, on the other. I would readily adopt Dr. Alex Ekwueme’s recommendation that the new structure of Nigeria should be based on our six geo-political zones. I would further recommend massive devolution of powers from the Central government to the state governments. This is called the principle of subsidiarity. If we accept this basic conceptual framework, it will then be easy to constitutionalise the political arrangements into a Peoples constitution. Now to compensate for the non-sovereign nature of the conference, I would like to identify four vital elements that we must keep in mind. They are inclusion, authority, validity and legitimacy. By inclusion I mean every Nigerian must be allowed to freely speak his mind. By authority I mean that we have to accept that the President and National Assembly are the convening authority. By validity the government has to accept that we the People shall validate the Constitution by Referendum. By legitimacy I mean that our discussions shall not be altered by the government, but shall be

final and binding and validated by Nigerians. I now turn to perhaps the most difficult subject of all in this matter of the National Conference. Here is the questionafter we agree, how do we bring the discussions into legal force? I think Prof. Ben Nwabueze, SAN, has, as usual, provided a simple and lucid answer. He reminds us that the National Assembly has two types of legislative powers. First, it has legislative power similar to that of any House of Assembly of a state. In this context the National Assembly is just one of three of the branches of the federal government.The National Assembly makes law in this field pursuant to its powers contained at Section 4(2) of the Constitution. These are the exclusive and concurrent lists. But it has a second legislative power. This is covered by Section 4(1) of the 1999 Constitution. This power is not of the Federal Government, but that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The legislative power in this second field is a term wider than the legislative power of the National Assembly as a branch of the Federal Government. In short the National Assembly has dual power to make laws on the one hand as a branch of the Federal Government and on the other hand for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The National Assembly is authorized to make laws for the Federal Republic of Nigeria for its peace, order and good government. In this sense,

according to Prof. Nwabueze, and I respectfully agree, the entire legislative sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is vested in the National Assembly. It is important to state that the legislative power of the National Assembly to make law for the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not limited to matters specified in the exclusive and concurrent list. It includes, Prof Nwabueze says, and pursuant to Section 4(4)(b) “any other matter with respect to which it is empowered to make laws in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution”. It is in this context that the National Assembly can exercise powers pursuant to section 4(1) to repeal Decree 24 of 1999 which is the legal basis of the 1999 Constitution and replace it with a brand new Constitution. The legal position will be different if the National Assembly is merely altering the Constitution. This is covered by Sections 8 and 9.Prof. Nwabueze cites the example of what Parliament did in 1963 when it replaced the whole of 1960 Independence Constitution with the Republican Constitution of 1963. All Parliament did in 1963 was to repeal the Orderin-council, made by the Queen of England providing for the Independence Constitution and replaced it with a brand new Republican Constitution. Dr. Olisa Agbakoba is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Opinion

Robbing the dead

By Dele Agekameh

pall of sorrow, tears and grief descended on the entire country last Thursday. This was triggered by the unfortunate death of 13 people on board a chartered aircraft which was carrying the body of Olusegun Agagu, former governor of Ondo State, to Akure, the Ondo state capital, for his burial ceremony. The aircraft crashed a few minutes after take-off from the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Apart from the 13 victims, seven other passengers of the ill-fated aircraft who sustained injuries, including Feyisaye Agagu, the son of the late governor, were rushed to various hospitals in Lagos for treatment. One of them later died bringing the total death toll to 14. Reports have it that the crash afforded some bad boys and hoodlums the opportunity to prey on the victims of the disaster. This group, comprising mainly youths from Mafoluku area of Lagos where the crash occurred and their accomplices from nearby Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO, motor park, were the first to arrive at the scene of disaster. As soon as they got there, they turned the whole arena into a stealing spree. They battled with the thick smoke that bellowed from the wreckage, with the ulterior motive of stealing from the victims while pretending to be on a rescue mission. It was as if the unfortunate incident provided them with the needed opportunity for self-enrichment. This group successfully robbed the victims dry. The boys simply picked any item they could find around like phones, laptops, handbags and money. A guy was said to have started it all. In an attempt to rescue the injured pilot, the guy stumbled on his laptop and picked it. That degenerated into a frenzy as others started looking for what to steal. In the melee that followed, the whole place erupted in fisticuffs as the boys fought one

another over who should own what. While this ugly scene was going on, the victims were left burning inside the aircraft until fire-fighters and the police came and disperse everybody. That was not the first time an incident of this nature happened in the country. On October 22, 2005, when a twin Engine Boeing 737 belonging to Bellview Airline

WRITE TO US Peoples Daily welcomes your letters, opinion articles, text messages and ‘pictures of yesteryears.’ All written contributions should be concise. Word limits: Letters - 150 words, Articles - 750 words. Please include your name and a valid location. Letters to the Editor should be addressed to: The Editor, Peoples Daily, 1st Floor Peace Plaza, 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, Utako, Abuja. Email: opinion@peoplesdailyng.com SMS: 08134607052

crashed at Lisa Village, Ogun State, killing all the 117 passengers on board, rescuers who thronged the scene literally stole the victims blind. Many of the youths within the vicinity of the crash, were said to have made bountiful harvest from stealing money and other valuables from the victims. Most of them were said to have used the proceeds from the satanic act to buy motorcycles, popularly called okada, which they converted to means of transport for commuters. Such immoral behaviours are common at accident spots all over the country, including scenes of fire disasters and collapsed buildings.

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While the victims of such unfortunate incident ruminate over their losses, majority of those who come around pretending to be pacifying them, often turn the place to an opportunity to loot and steal whatever they could lay their hands on. This bad behaviour is not limited to hoodlums alone as law enforcement officers and other government officials are known to engage in such nauseating acts. By and large, it goes to show the incalculable damage our value system has suffered in this country in recent times. Today, if your car is stuck in the mud or on a sandy terrain which are the hallmarks of some of our roads, you dare not

beckon on people around, whether youths or adults, to help free your car from the trap. If you do so, you should be prepared to part with some hard-earned money as compensation for these commercial sympathisers. All is about money and nothing else. This

is dangerous to the future of our youths and the future of the country as a whole. It is a pity that nobody, not even the elders of our society or even the government at whatever level, is paying any attention whatsoever to this irritating attitude that has gained currency over the years. If all people think about anywhere they are is how to make money by all possible means, whether fair or foul, to the extent of even robbing the dead, then, there is no other way to explain it than to say that we are a cursed people. I have no apology for that. However, the news of the crash has continued to grip the country

By and large, it goes to show the incalculable damage our value system has suffered in this country in recent times. Today, if your car is stuck in the mud or on a sandy terrain which are the hallmarks of some of our roads, you dare not beckon on people around, whether youths or adults, to help free your car from the trap. If you do so, you should be prepared to part with some hard-earned money as compensation for these commercial sympathisers. All is about money and nothing else. This is dangerous to the future of our youths and the future of the country as a whole.

with fear and trepidation. It was one crash too many. Since 1969, the country has witnessed more than 40 air crashes and close to 1,000 deaths in the history of its aviation industry. On November 20, 1969, a Nigeria Airways BAC VC10 from London crashed on landing in Lagos, killing 87 people on board. This was followed by another one on January 22, 1973, when a Royal Jordanian Airlines Flight 707, carrying 171 Nigerian Muslims returning from Mecca and five crewmen, crashed in Kano, killing all on board. Since then, it has been a litany of crashes culminating in the Sunday, June 3, 2012 air crash involving a Dana Airlines Flight 9J 992 with 153 passengers on board. From all indication, it is as if the nation has not seen the last of these unfortunate air crashes that have kept on occurring every now and then. With the frequency of air crashes in the country, one might be correct to conclude that Nigeria ranks highest among African countries or developing countries with the highest prevalence of air crashes in the world. The latest plane crash raises a question about the implementation of the recommendations of a report on the causes of plane crashes believed to have been submitted to the federal government by the Accident Investigation Bureau a long time ago. Perhaps, if the government and relevant aviation authorities had promptly acted on the content of the report, it is possible that last Thursday’s incident could have been averted. It is high time airline operators in Nigeria noted that the safety of the flying public is first and foremost dependent on the proper functioning of the aircraft and its components. Maintenance plays such a crucial role in flight safety and it is the responsibility of the aircraft owners or operators to ensure that the aircraft in their fleet are properly maintained. Dele Agekameh’s professional profile is on linkedIn

I cease to be a civil servant By Yushau Shuaib

xactly 20 years ago in October 1993, I received the Best Writer and Researcher Award while serving as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Delta state. Impressed by some of my writings and research effort, Governor Olorogun Felix Ibru offered me automatic employment in the Government House, Asaba, as public relations officer in the state’s civil service. Few months later, a double award of automatic scholarship and NYSC National Honours Award was announced for me by the federal government. The federal honour also came with an offer of automatic employment in the federal civil service that was not subject to either federal character principle or space availability. Since then I had found myself working in various organisations as either Press Secretary or Head of Public Relations as I continued to write official Press Releases and personal opinion articles. Some of those organisations include Federal Ministries of

Information, Finance, Health, National Assembly, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), National Press Centre and finally National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Since April 2013 when I was recalled from NEMA due to the influence of Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who had earlier spoken to me on phone alleging that I accused her wrongly in one of my writings, I had made up my mind about the civil service that I had served diligently and professionally without allowing myself to be influenced or intimidated by anyone. In the course of these past

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months, my salary was suddenly stopped without any official notification to that effect. I had been summoned, issued letters of query and confronted with verbal threats in the vain hope that I would retract the write-up and tender an apology. Of course, I stood my ground in the same way that I had politely declined the minister’s request during the telephone conversation. On Thursday October 3, 2013, I received a letter of retirement from the Federal Civil Service, which was backdated to June 20, 2013. Though the letter erroneously referred to me as Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO) (because as of fact, I had been promoted to

Chief Information Officer (CIO) with effect from January 1, 2012), it contained the charge that I was retired for criticising a public officer. After consultation with family members, all of who believe that my life is more precious than political and administrative schemings, I accepted my disengagement from the civil service effective October 9, 2013, leaving my traducers in the ultimate court of the creator. I must extend my gratitude to the government of the state where I started my journey in the civil service and its people and to the Federal Government for finding me worthy to be a civil servant of the Federal Republic and allowing me to

On Thursday October 3, 2013, I received a letter of retirement from the Federal Civil Service, which was backdated to June 20, 2013. Though the letter erroneously referred to me as Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO) (because as of fact, I had been promoted to Chief Information Officer (CIO) with effect from January 1, 2012), it contained the charge that I was retired for criticising a public officer. After consultation with family members, all of who believe that my life is more precious than political and administrative schemings, I accepted my disengagement from the civil service effective October 9, 2013, leaving my traducers in the ultimate court of the creator.

serve in various capacities in the last twenty years. I have received tremendous support and encouragement from editors of both mainstream media and publishers of online media across the country all of who also showed keen interest in the recent development. I will never be able to show enough gratitude to you all. I understand the weaknesses inherent in the public service but must express tremendous appreciation for the concern and understanding displayed by some officers in the public service and top members of the Federal Civil Service Commission. For personal reasons, I declined to accede to their friendly advice that I should take certain actions that might enable me keep my job in the service but which I believe would assail my conscience. Finally, I thank my former colleagues, friends and admirers who have been my pillars of support. I put my trust in God Almighty and rest assured in the solemn belief that Nigeria shall be great. Yushau Shuaib is reachable at www.yashuaib.com

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

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Comment Why NASS workers got it all wrong By Abdul Aliyu

abour - management relations are usually characterized by collective bargaining and mutual contestation, even confrontation in extreme cases but as much as possible seasoned and sincere labour activiststend to shun acts of hooliganism, vandalism and even gangsterism in their struggle to better the welfare of their rank and file members soas not to tarnish the image of labour and attract hostility and backlash from the members of the public and society at large, for public sympathy is crucial for the success of their concept of ‘aluta continua and victoria ascertia’. It is in this light that one considers the recent 21 days ultimatum given by the umbrella union of the National Assembly workers,Parliamentary

Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), to the NASS management to effect payment of their sundry welfare benefits like legislative duty allowance, outfit, hazard allowance and effective working tools or face industrial action by the aggrieved union.On the face of it, the PASAN ultimatum or notice of intention to declare a trade dispute if certain demands were not met seems

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legitimate and in consonance with trade union practices. However, the accompanying statements made by PASANofficials that they would disrupt the passage of the 2014 Appropriation Bill if their demands were not met exposed thesinister their motive. When threats and coercive tactics are applied to pressure and even blackmail the management to accede to workers’ demands, then a

red line has been crossed in the agitation for the workers’ benefitswhich must be condemned. To threaten to disrupt the legitimate consideration and passage of a nation’s budget that encompasses the totality of its economic wellbeing and rational existence smacks of economic and even political sabotage of a scale tantamount to high treason and trade union

The resort to gangsterism and acts of brigandage as witnessed in the last NASS workers agitation where the whole NASS complex was locked down by the agitating workers and banks, restaurants and offices forced to close down while the workers chanted war songs, blocking all entrance and exit routes is a clear security breach that should have been addressed squarely by the Chairman of the National Assembly, His Excellency Senate President, Dr. David Bonaventure Mark,if the National Assembly is to avoid descending into Hobesian anarchy, chaos and a precipitate breakdown of law and order.

irresponsibility, rascality and lack of patriotism. Pray what has the stoppage of the passage of the budget of the nation got to do with the success of the agitation for the welfare of the workers? Why are the PASAN workers trying to play God and place the cat before the horse and assume the worst case scenario when they have just issued a notice of intention to declare a trade dispute? In any case, the NASS management has yet to respond before PASAN jumped the gun and started issuing threats left, right and centre. For one, the PASAN conceded that the NASS management has written to the Federal Ministry of Finance to release funds for the payment of theirconsolidated legislative salary scale (CONLESS) and other due benefits in August 2010 but in another breadth the PASAN officials without

NASS workers’ agitation: Open letter to Senate President By Ademola Adeyemo

t has been several months since National Assembly workers embarked on a strike; some may call it lockdown or enforced closure of the white house complex, where all entrance and exit points in and out were sealed, federal legislators were prevented from entering or exiting the Senate and House of Reps chambers, private offices, banks and restaurants were forced to shut down while the clearly agitated workers, mostly junior staff, chanted war songs and hauled abuses at the NASS management hierarchy. Even the early intervention of the Deputy Speaker, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, could not mollify the workers as they expressly demanded your distinguished presence and that of the Honourable Speaker, Hon. Waziri Tambuwal, who had to delay his overseas travel for some hours, before they, the workers would lift their siege of the NASS premises and release the countless federal legislators, bankers, restaurant workers, visitors and other private individual that they had deliberately held hostage during their over 3

hours strike/lockdown. At the end, no punitive measure was taken against the masterminds of this act of brigandage and gangsterism, totally contrary to the tenets of established trade union collective bargaining and labor disputes rules and regulations. The NASS workers’ strike/ lockdown was embarked upon without any advance notice or intention to declare a trade dispute and was spearheaded by hot headed junior staff without the prior knowledge of PASAN, which is the umbrella union of the

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NASS workers. Even when PASAN officials appeared to address the workers, they were shouted down and taunted as appeasers and traitors that have either sold out or compromised to the management. Some restaurant owners and bank officials who were reluctant to close their businesses in solidarity with the workers agitation were manhandled and physically assaulted particularly female employees who also suffered unrestrained verbal abuse and epithets. More radical elements among the workers

spoke of ‘bringing down the National Assembly’ whatever that meant. The action of the superminority of NASS workers that day was the most flagrant display of thuggery and banditry on a scale unprecedented in the entire history of NASS labour/ management relations and the fact that none of these perpetrators were brought to book or punished for their waywardness and breach of public peace only emboldened them to prepare for more devastating mayhem in the days and months to

The action of the super-minority of NASS workers that day was the most flagrant display of thuggery and banditry on a scale unprecedented in the entire history of NASS labour/management relations and the fact that none of these perpetrators were brought to book or punished for their waywardness and breach of public peace only emboldened them to prepare for more devastating mayhem in the days and months to come. Failure to punish the masterminds of the workers insurrection was a clear negation of due process and the rule of law which implies that the law is no respecter of persons and nobody is above the law. Such brazen thuggery would never have been countenanced in the US Congress or Westminster Parliament in the UK as those perpetrators would have found themselves solidly behind bars or performing hundreds of hours of court-sanctioned community service as the case may be.

come. Failure to punish the masterminds of the workers insurrection was a clear negation of due process and the rule of law which implies that the law is no respecter of persons and nobody is above the law. Such brazen thuggery would never have been countenanced in the US Congress or Westminster Parliament in the UK as those perpetrators would have found themselves solidly behind bars or performing hundreds of hours of courtsanctioned community service as the case may be. However, it is only in our clime that the law looks at people’s faces before taking action and it is usual for us to take the politically correct action rather than the legally correct one which is a recipe for future chaos and anarchy. The National Assembly as an institution is unique among all other institutions as it is the very incubus and crucible of our nation’s democratic experiment, in the executive branch, only the president and vice president are elected, while in the National Assembly over 469 Senators and House of Reps members hold sway. Now to the recent

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

ASUU distributes foodstuffs, cash to members in Abuja By Usman Shu’aibu

he leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja Chapter has distributed foodstuffs such as bags of rice and vegetable oil as well as cash loans to members, so as to cope with difficulties arising from its over three months old nationwide strike.

The chairman of the Chapter, Dr. Clement Chup, who disclosed this to Peoples Daily during its congress meeting in Gwagwalada, also said that the union provided soft loans for the members, to assist them financially. He said that as long as government refused to implement the 2009 Agreement the ASUU’s leadership would continue to embark on the strike.

He said that for the past three months now, the government had refused to pay salaries, which according to him, shows that the government is irresponsible to its duties. While commenting on the press interview granted to some purported leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which described the ASUU strike as selfishly

People undergoing eye test, during World Sight Day celebration, yesterday in Abuja.

motivated, Chup said that those parading themselves as the leaders of NANS were medicine students not NANS leaders. The chairman, however, disclosed that the leadership of the union had visited both Muslim and Christian communities, to enlighten them on the importance of the strike and the need to bear with the leadership of the union.

Photo: NAN

Court orders FHA to produce title documents of disputed apartment in Lugbe By Stanley Onyekwere

ustice Angela Otaluka, of Abuja High Court yesterday ordered the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) to produce the title documents to House 28, 21C Rd., FHA Estate, Lugbe, to determine its genuine owner. In the ruling, Otaluka granted the order after counsel to Mrs. Seyiyah Omeiza, a plaintiff, Mr.

Gabriel Okpata, prayed the court to grant such accordingly. Otaluka ruled that: “The application by the plaintiff’s counsel for a court order compelling the first defendant to produce the identity of the second allotee of the said apartment on oath is, hereby, granted. “Producing the full identity and title documents of the second allotee, are necessary for the proper determination of this

case.” It would be recalled that Omeiza had sued the FHA for failing to deliver a two-bedroom apartment to her after she had fully paid N2.2 million for it. Also joined in the suit is the Federal Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development, as second defendant. The plaintiff’s counsel had told the court that his client

paid for the house on August 12, 2008, but later discovered that it was allocated to another person, who is also laying claim to it. Earlier, counsel to the defendants, Kingsley Jato, had prayed the court to dismiss the applicant’s motion, arguing that it was aimed at wasting the time of the court. Otaluka adjourned the case to November 28 for further hearing.

Theft: Court sentences two students to one month imprisonment

Dutse Senior Magistrates’ Court in Abuja has sentenced two students, who are juveniles, to one month in prison each for house-breaking and theft. The Senior Magistrate, Mr Chekwuemeka Nweke, sentenced them, after they pleaded guilty. Nweke, however, gave them an option to pay a fine of two thousand naira each. In his judgment, he ordered that the convicts should write an undertaking to be of good behaviour for the next 18 months, with their parents standing as sureties.

Nweke said that the sentence was to serve as deterrent to people of like mind. It will be recalled that on Oct. 4, the Police Prosecutor, Cpl Isaac Kaura, prayed the court to try the convicts, who are juveniles, under Section 71 of the Penal Code. Kaura said that on Sept. 26, at about noon, information was received that three men suspected to be thieves were operating in the neighbourhood at Plot A27, Dawaki Extension, Layout, Abuja. According to Kaura, one Sgt. Dambak Meshak,

and two other policemen from the Dawaki Police Outstation arrested the convicts while they were stealing from the apartment. Kaura said that the convicts were arrested in possession of six different types of wrist watches, two cell phones and one Sony recorder, valued at N200, 000. The convicts, who pleaded guilty, had begged the court to be lenient and to forgive them; and promised to be of good behaviour and to stay away from bad friends, whom they claimed, lured them into the crime. (NAN)

AEPB enforcement of waste bins in commercial vehicles generates mixed reactions

he move by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to enforce the use of waste bins in commercial vehicles is generating mixed reactions from drivers, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. In separate interviews with NAN on Wednesday, observed that some passengers littered the vehicle with waste materials instead of throwing such wastes into the baskets. A driver with FAB-REM Mass Transit Company, Ambrose Nnodim, said the refusal of some passengers to use the waste baskets often caused misunderstanding between his conductor and passengers. “The company has provided two waste bins for the bus, one in the front and another at the back; but passengers prefer to dump waste inside the bus or throw them out from the windows. “My conductor quarrels with passengers’ every day, because he is the one that normally sweeps the refuse when they get down from the bus,’’ he said. Corroborating, Nnodim’s view, a conductor with Abuja Urban Mass Transit, Sule Abdullahi, said passengers had fought him several times while trying to correct them on the proper disposal of refuse. ``Dropping waste inside the bus can cause a lot of damages; for instance if someone steps on banana peels on the floor, it can make someone fall and sustain injury,’’ he said. Another, driver with FAB-REM, Mr. Jacob Akanbi, particularly complained that passengers’ attitude towards the use of waste bins required proper sensitisation by the AEPB, for there to be any conformity to the directive. “We want government to put proper mechanism in place or to sanction the people involved, to reduce this menace before it gets out of hand’’, he said. On his part, a taxi driver, Jibola Akintola, however said that the AEPB task force had been after them to purchase a waste basket for their vehicles, adding that there was no space for it. Similarly, the Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NUTRW), Park Town Services, Jabi Mr. Lawrence Fadipe, also expressed dissatisfaction over the manner the AEPB harassed taxi drivers over the use of the waste bins. He said though AEPB was trying to enforce the regulation to promote sanity, they should consider the lack of space to fix them. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

A middle-aged man hawking beverages, yesterday at Durumi village, in Abuja.

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Metro

A young man pushing a cart loaded with scraps, yesterday at Bwari, in Abuja.

Scavengers searching for valuables in refuse dump, yesterday at Area 10, in Abuja.

A commercial bus loaded with ram, yesterday at Garki market, in Abuja.

A trailer loaded with persons and goods arriving Zuba Motor Park, yesterday in Zuba, Abuja. Photos: Justin Imo-Owo

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

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INSIDE

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Road transport employers seek FG’s support on highway motor parks By Miriam Humbe

he Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, has solicited the federal government’s assistance in its bid to building multi-billion naira world-class motor parks on major highways in the country. The parks are to be fitted with modern facilities for use by transporters, passengers, security agencies and other stakeholders. Executive National president of

the association, Alhaji Shehu Musa Isewele made this request when he led other executive members of RTEAN across the states on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen yesterday in Abuja. “This project that will be executed with the support of our partners will tremendously assist in the attainment of all government objectives in its road developmental agenda. We urge your ministry to key into this project and be a major

partner”, he said. RTEAN also drew the attention of the minister to the ongoing reconstruction of the transit parks at the second gate of the Tin Can Islands port in Lagos which according to them, was previously managed by their association, and requested the ministry’s intervention for its re-allocation to the association. Responding, Onolememen who promised to be of assistance in granting their reques said the ministry will encourage any

positive approach of the private sector to fully contribute in the development of the road sector as a possible contributor to the economic viability of the country. Onolememen said the Tin-Can park was not designated to be a permanent park meant for hiring but a temporary or transit park for the purpose of decongesting the Apapa-Oshodi expressway. He promised to continue to partner with RTEAN in order to ensure service delivery in the road sector.

Levy on intellectual materials underwayCopyright Commission

- Pg 20

World Bank to reduce poverty in 2020

- Pg 20

Addressing tax evasion and compliance - Pg 21 Exchange Rates L-R: Director, Saheri Power Limited, Dr. Jamil Gwamna, NNPC representative, Engineer Suleiman Isa, and Malam Yusuf Abubakar, during the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) stakeholders workshop for the new PHCN successor companies, yesterday in Abuja, Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Power: Operators will not dictate to NERC- Amadi By Stanley Onyekwere

n continuation of its effort to steer the electricity market to the right direction, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday began public hearing on regulatory issues in the sector, with the Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Sam Amadi saying that operators will not write rules for the industry. He said although operators have freedom to try legitimately to influence regulator outcomes, only the regulator has statutory right to write the rules for the industry. The public hearing, which is part of an on-gonging twoday workshop with purchasers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies and other stakeholders holding in Abuja, has as its theme: “The Draft Interim Rules and Other Regulatory Issues”.

Amadi added that the new operators should be comforted that NERC operates by world class standard in rule making and other regulatory interventions and procedures, to ensure every decision from the commission benefits from the contribution of the operators and the consumers of electricity. “The interim rules being considered provides governance framework for the electricity network between when the new operators take over the network and when the Transitional Electricity Market (TEM) is declared. “The rules are for the market therefore it should be the views of market participants; but I must state it clear that is not the operators who will write the rules for the market; as it must be realize that it is the statutory responsibility of the regulator to do so; and this regulator will always defend public interest and will allow the rules

to be written for narrow business interest.” The NERC boss added that commission will continue to show respect and recognise that the success of the market depends on the financial viability of the operators; as is the NERC’s job to converge their (new operators) and consumers interests into a single commitment, to enhance efficiency and improve availability and reliability of electricity in Nigeria. On his part, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, in a keynote speech, said government will not be leapfrog to sustain light in each and every Nigerian home without the onward transfer of esponsibility from the new operators to Nigerian population. He said that Nigerian consumers must play their part by accepting their role to become responsible customers and therefore contribute significantly in driving the continued inward

investment required to move forward at the grass roots level. He was represented by his Special Adviser (S.A), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia,

CBN as at 9th September, 2013 Buying

Selling

154.77

155.77

€

246.99

248.99

209.14

210.49

Riyal

41.26

41.53

YEN

1.59

1.60

CFA

0.301

0.321

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY *Write e-mails that people will read *

orporate employees receive and send more than 100 emails a day on average, and competition for readers’ attention is fierce. Luckily, crafting emails that encourage people to read and act is relatively easy. Before you start typing: *Put the subject line to work. *Most of us already use our subject line to predict the “what” of the email, e.g. “Monthly Financials.” But it’s also the place to build a personal bridge: “Monthly Financials, per Peter’s request,” or to indicate urgency: “Monthly Financials. Need feedback by

Tuesday.” *Visually highlight the key message.* Clear structure and typographical signaling, like bolding and bullets, will boost the odds that your reader will get your message quickly and respond in ways that meet your goal. *Time the delivery for maximum impact.* Never send an email at the end of the day or the start of a weekend. Make sure people are opening it at a time when they’re at their desks and have time to read it. Source: Harvard Business Review

Business PAGE 20

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

NIPOST to pay pensioners’ outstanding arrears before Dec By Chris Alu

he Post Master General of the Federation Mallam Muri Baba has promised that outstanding arrears of NIPOST retirees will be paid before the end of the year. Speaking at the 2013 world postal day cerebration in Abuja, Muri Baba said that the federal government through the budget

office last month released the sum of N1, 592,764,892.00 (one billion, five hundred and ninety two million seven hundred and sixty four thousand and eight hundred and ninety two naira) for the payment of pensioners arrears to the 5,206 staffs of the NIPOST retirees. He said the money excludes the regular pension which has been paid, noting that, he has

gotten the assurance from office of the Accountant General of the Federation that all the outstanding benefits to NIPOST retirees will be paid before the end of the year. Represented by Malam Isa Yashim Bitiyong, he said NIPOST uncovered drugs worth about, 45.571 between 2012 and 2013 in addition to uncovering items containing ammunitions

and counterfeit document that worth over N13.74 million in 2012. He explained that the items were uncovered through modern technology equipment in collaboration with British crime Agency and the Nigerian Customs and the suspects had been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC for prosecution.

L-R: CEO/GMD, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, President Goodluck Jonathan, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Chairman of China Development Bank, Mr. Hu Haibang, during President Jonathan’s state visit to China and the signing of the frame agreement on comprehensive financial cooperation between China Development Bank and First Bank of Nigeria, recently in China.

Power reform will create jobs -- Dagogo-Jack

he Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Power, Chief Reynolds Dagogo-Jack, said on Wednesday that the Federal Government expected to reduce unemployment at the successful completion of the Power Reform Agenda. Dagogo-Jack made the statement in Abuja at the 43rd Annual Accountants Conference. He said a functional power sector was strategic in meeting the challenges of the country’s increasing population. He said international investors were also expected to take advantage of the nation’s huge market potential and invest in the power sector. Dagogo-Jack said the presence of the foreign investors was expected to result in reduction in the country’s electricity deficit. He said the current supply penetration was less than 40 per cent and below 25 per cent for urban and rural areas respectively. ``This is against the

background that gross rural population far outstrips urban population by not less than 2.5 times,’’ Dagogo-Jack said. He said that current installed and available generation capacity was under 10,000MW, including the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) Dagogo-Jack said NIPPs were currently operating at prereform level of under 50 per cent efficiency. He said that Nigeria had diverse energy mix, including alternative fuel sources, such as natural gas, coal, small and large hydro, solar and wind. Dagogo-Jack said this was the best mix for any long-term investor seeking to make the best out of fuel sources. He said successfully managing the nation’s energy sector would have huge multiplier effects on the economy. According to him, Nigeria has the best potential in Africa for translating electricity expansion into diversified economic base for sustained GDP growth. (NAN)

Effective tax system will enhance maintenance of infrastructure - expert

former Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr Makinde Ogunleye has identified taxation as the major source of funding maintenance of the nations’ infrastructure. Ogunleye made the observation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. Ogunleye said that the poor system of tax administration was responsible for the poor state of the nation’s infrastructure. According to him, taxation is the only way through which the country could generate enough fund to maintain its infrastructure. “In the Western countries, where virtually everything is taxed, they generate enough revenues to maintain their infrastructure. “For instance, in the United Kingdom where everybody pays tax, the government ensures consistent maintenance of infrastructure and ensures welfare of the people. “But in Nigeria, people evade tax and that constitutes the reason for the poor state of the infrastructure and our living standard,” he said.

Ogunleye said that taxes from the wealthy alone could be used to maintain the facilities and ensure the social welfare of the entire citizens. He, therefore, urged the government to strengthen the tax system for better results. “The government still has a long way to go; it has to streamline our tax system. Everything has to be taxed as it is done in other countries. “If the government can harness the tax system such that every taxable citizen pays appropriate tax rates, I believe this will go a long way in boosting government’s revenue. ‘’That is the only way the nation’s infrastructure can be maintained and sustained. “Suppose people pay tax on the number of cars they have, there will be limited number of vehicles on the road and that may help to check traffic gridlock. ‘’Since we are looking up to the Western countries, we should be able to maintain our infrastructure through taxes as they do,’’ Ogunleye said.(NAN)

World Bank to reduce poverty in 2020

he World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim, said on Wednesday the World Bank had set an interim target to reduce global poverty to nine per cent in 2020. Kim said this at a panel discussion on the topic: ``From Poverty to Prosperity’’, at the ongoing annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, in Washington DC. He said if the target was achieved, it would be the first time the rate was reduced to a single digit. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that economists in the World Bank are of the opinion that even if the nine per cent mark is achieved, an estimated 690 million people will still be living in extreme poverty of below 1.25 dollars a day. According to them, the world will have 510 million fewer people living in poverty in 2020 compared to previous decades. Kim said that the target reminded the institution that it was on the verge of making history. ``Setting this target reminds us that we are on the cusp of something historic: ridding the world of the scourge of people living in such abysmal condition. ``It also means that all of us, developing country leaders and our partners, including the World Bank Group, need to up our game now in order to bring an end to extreme poverty. ``We need to help developing countries accelerate growth, attract private investment and create good jobs,’’ he said Kim said that in April, the Governors of the World Bank Group endorsed two goals for the organisation. He said they were to end extreme poverty by 2030 and boost shared prosperity of the bottom 40 per cent of the population in all developing countries. According to him, this week, the Governors will consider a World Bank Group strategy that will, for the first time, unite all parts of the institution. He said it would enable them to work with governments, International Finance Corporations (IFCs), the private sector arm and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agencies (MIGA) which issued political risk insurance, to meet the goal. Kim cited a research by the World Bank Group which showed that if developing countries maintained the existing growth rates for the next two decades, global poverty would be reduced to eight per cent by 2030. He said, ``ending extreme poverty is achievable in less than a generation’s time.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 21

Tax alert

Addressing tax evasion and compliance By Michael Olulenu

axes are the enforced proportional contributions from persons and property, levied by the state by virtue of its sovereignty for the support of government and for all public needs. From the above definition it is seen that taxes are contributions to a common pool by the people for the use of the people. Governments all over the world need taxes in order to sustain their relevance and to provide for the needs of its citizenry. FEATURES OF A GOOD TAX SYSTEM A tax system is expected to be fair and non-discriminatory. For a tax system to meet these requirements, it must have the following attributes. Neutral – A Neutral tax must be unbiased across economic activities, and not overly penalize work in favour of leisure, nor tax income used for saving and investment more heavily than income used for consumption. Visibility – A very large segment of the population must be keenly awarethat government costs money, government spending should be held at levels at which its benefits match its costs. This is a critical factor in most developing countries (including Nigeria) where the citizenry believe that tax revenues are not beingexpeditiously administered. Fairness – This is often stated as making the rich pay higher share of their income in taxes than the poor. There should be some amount of income exempt from tax to shelter the poorest citizens. Simplicity–A tax system should be easy for the government to administer and enforce, and be easy and inexpensive for taxpayers to comply with. The elimination of multiple layers of tax would also create a system that is much simpler and easier to administer, enforce and comply with. These are critical issues in Nigeria tax systems that require urgent attention. Our tax laws are old and complex, given room for varied interpretations and applications. Convenience – A good tax system should be convenient in terms for time and mode of payment to the taxpayer. Administrative Efficiency – The process of levying and collecting taxes must be administratively efficient, transparent and economical without any distortion. Productive – A tax system should be such that brings in sufficient revenue to the Government. Since tax payment involves the outflow of money from taxpayers, some Taxpayers have adopted many strategies to evade tax. Tax evasion is defined as “the wilful attempt to defeat or

Alhaji Kabiru Mashi circumvent the tax law in order to legally reduce one’s tax liability”. Tax evasion is punishable by both civil and criminal penalties. Tax avoidance on the order hand, is defined as “the act of taking advantage of legally available tax planning opportunities in order to minimize one’s tax liability. While tax evasion is criminal tax avoidance is legal. This was aptly supported by the celebrated case of Ayrshir Pullman Motor Services & D.U. Ritche V.CIR (1929). The fact of the case and the judgement is as follows:The taxpayer changed the structure of its business from sole proprietorship to partnership with 5 of his children to minimise tax. He appealed to the Court of Session against an assessment which failed to recognise the change. Allowing the appeal, Lord Clyde held: No man in this country is under the smallest obligation, moral or other, to so arrange his legal relations to his business or property as to enable Revenue to put the largest possible shovel into his stores. TheInland Revenue is not slow.... and quite rightly to take every advantage which is open to it under the taxing statutes for the purpose of depleting the taxpayer’s pocket. And the taxpayer in like manner is entitled to be astute to prevent, so far as he honestly can, the depletion of his means by the Revenue. TAX COMPLIANCE TOOLS In order to encourage taxpayers to continue to comply, and bring non-compliant taxpayers into the tax net, to increase the tax base and revenue, governments all over the world have put in place some compliance strategies backed by

appropriate legislations. Section 26(1) of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act (FIRSEA) 26(1) gives the Service to call for returns, books, documents and information. FIRSEA 27- Gives additional power to the Service to call for further returns and payment of tax due. FIRSEA 28–Requires every bank upon demand by the Service to provide quarterly returns specifying:In the cases of an individual, all transactions involving the sum of N5,000,000.00 and above In the case of a body corporate, all transactions involving the sum of N10,000,000.00 and above, the names and address of all customers of the bank connected with the transactions and deliver

Rrvenue Huose

the returns to the Service. Section 28 (3) – Provides sanction to any bank that contravenes above provisions. FIRSEA 29 – Gives power to access lands, buildings, books and documents. FIRSEA 32 - Gives power of addition for non-payment of tax and enforcement of payment. FIRSEA 33 - Tax Investigation; this section empowers the Service to employ special purpose Tax officers to assist any relevant law enforcement agency in the investigation of any offence under this Act. FIRSEA 47- Gives the Service powers to prosecute any of the offences under this Act subject to the powers of the Attorney– General of the Federation. THE ROLE OF TAX AUDIT In addition to all the tax provisions mentioned above, FIRSEA S:26(4) and S.60(4) CITA went further to state:“Nothing in any other provision of this Act shall be constructed as precluding the Service from verifying by tax audit or investigation into any matter relating to any return or entry in any book, document, accounts including those stored, on a computer, in digital, magnetic, optical or electronic media as may, from time to time, be specified in any guideline by the Service”. All the above provisions, among others, are compliance tools meant to ensure that a taxpayer does not pay less or more than what he is required to pay by law. This objective is achieved through tax audit exercises. The purposes of tax audit are to; To educate taxpayers Maintain self assessment system Collect taxes as imposed by the laws through the encouragement of voluntary compliance

Maintain public confidence in the integrity of tax system. Provide deterrent effects on other taxpayers not yet audited, as they may quickly file their returns in order to avoid sanctions. Most taxpayers will be willing to pay their taxes as and when due, if government is transparent and accountable. It is the common experience in the developing countries that governments have not demonstrated enough commitment towards providing the citizenry with required facilities and infrastructure that would encourage an average taxpayer to be voluntarily compliant. Roads, electricity, education and health facilities are in short supply, facilities that are already in place are not properly maintained. There is growing apathy among the taxpayers about the commitment of government to use the taxes paid to provide for their needs. These are the issues that need to be addressed in order to improve the level of compliance. Both the government and the taxpayers must resolve to work in collaboration and meet midway for the society to develop and enjoy peace and security. A government must have the trust of its citizens. Government that cannot be trusted may not have moral the courage and determination to maximize its tax potential. Total tax revenue, which is the tax rate multiplied by the tax base, can be increased when government is physically present in every nook and cranny of the country by means of provision of social amenities. The citizenry is getting impatient and agitated. The time for the government to do the right thing is now. Tomorrow may be too late.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Business

FG targets $3bn from non oil export

L-R: United Bank for Africa (UBA) Director of Consumer Banking, Mr. Ilesanmi Owoeye, Customer, Ms. Gladys Ugwuagu, and UBA Head, Retail Products Division, Mrs. Olumide Osunyomi, during UBA launch of U-Gold Banking Product, yesterday in Enugu. Photo: NAN

Levy on intellectual materials underwayCopyright Commission From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

he Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) said plans are underway for the implementation of levy materials of writers, artistes and other forms of creative works. The commission said the framework for the scheme, is a sufficient safeguard provided to balance the interest of the benefiting copyright owners as against those of users of copyright works. Director General of the commission, Mr. Afam Ezekude

told stakeholders during a consultative meeting in Lagos that the vision of the body is to harness Nigeria’s creativity for national development through an efficient administration and protection of rights of authors and creators of copyright works. The forum was convened to gauge the opinions of stakeholders on the implementation of the copyright (levy on Material) order 2012, and seek way to finding solution to the challenges of protection and enforcement of rights in creative works which participants said

had become daunting given the negative impact of technological development. According to Ezekude, Nigerian creators have been exposed to wanton exploitation of their works, especially with the increased popularity of Nigerian creative works in the global market. He said “the evolution of digital technology and electronic transmission networks like the internet spells profound consequences for the delivery of goods and services. Copying and transmission of creative

products are much easier today with the result that rights of owners of creative works are now more prone to violation and threats, while right owners are incapacitated to deal with these challenges”. Speakers at the meeting charged the commission to provide a wider protective provision for creative works as the loss of funds suffered by copyright owners indirectly impacts on government revenue through loss of taxable funds and further encourages the culture of copyright abuse.

Fashola advocates robust private Zungeru hydro electric dam project partnership for efficient transport system contract not inflated-Niger gov From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

agos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola [SAN] has said that public expenditures alone cannot provide the needed infrastructure in the transportation sector. To provide a sustainable and efficient transportation system for the State, a robust private partnership Is therefore essential, he affirmed. He was represented by Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa while declaring open this year’s World Habitat Day celebrations with the theme “urban mobility”. He said that in the last fourteen years, the State’s public policy on transportation had placed greater emphasis on mass movement which included the construction of roads and rehabilitation of dilapidated ones, promotion of waterways transportation through the construction of jetties and clearing of waterways; the introduction of the Bus Rapid

Transit (BRT) scheme and the construction of Blue and Red lines lite rail that are capable of transporting 1.6 million people daily on completion. All of these efforts, he said, therefore demand a corresponding co-operation of all stakeholders to the mass mobility programmes of the State Government by not resisting change which can only come through Public Private Partnerships. He concluded that even though a very solid foundation has been laid for an effective urban mobility in Lagos State, more public policy options on the improvement of infrastructure, the emplacement of enabling legislations, the structure of financing, the protection of public infrastructure approved ethical best practices in inter – modal usages including reduction in individual transportation and other measures will engage policy makers in the transportation sector of the Lagos economy.

From Yakubu Mustapha,Minna

iger state governor Dr Muazu Babanida Aliyu has said that Zungeru Hydro dam constraction contract in Niger state awarded by the federal government of Nigeria was not inflated as some critics will want the nation to believe. Aliyu made the statement in Minna when he received the project Manager of the Chinese construction firm handling the job Mr Zhou Yongzhi .Contrary to what the critics will want Nigerians to believe, Governor Aliyu declared ‘we have gotten the best of negotiations’ adding that the claim that the project cost was the highest for such jobs in world was deliberately being circulated to cause animosity among Nigerians. The Governor said those peddling the false information have since seen the facts that the cost of the project was reasonable and is even cheaper than what

some other contractors can offer. He urged the construction firm not to be distracted by extraneous factors but to face the execution of the project with diligence so that the job will be completed on time and according to specification. While commending the Federal Government for awarding the contract, Governor Aliyu expressed the hope that contract for the construction of another hydro electric dam at Gurara also in the state will awarded soon so that the problem of epileptic supply of power will become a thing of the past. He said at the federal government should also speed up the payment of compensation to the natives whose land were acquired for the project to assure the construction firm of a peaceful environment for them to perform their duty. ‘Zungeru Hydro Electric project is critical to the people of Niger sate, nobody should toy with it’.

he Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) said it is working towards increasing the annual non oil export revenue to $3 billion. Acting Executive director (NEPC) Mr Aliyu Lawal stated this while briefing the newsmen on the just concluded soloexhibition of made-in-Nigeria manufactured products in Lome togo Mr Lawal who put the value of the non oil export for the 2012 at 2.56 billion dollars expressed concern over the loss of revenue in the sub sector through the informal export. The Acting ED who also put the value of non oil exports to the West African Region at 312.5 million dollar said the agency would put in place mechanism to ensure its increase by 20 percent. He said exhibition in Lome with 67 Nigeria manufacturing companies in attendance was to boost the non oil export and showcase the Nigerian products in West Africa. ``Prior to the Solo –Exhibition in Lome, the current level of export was well below Nigeria’s potential, within the West Africa Sub-Region. ``For instance, in 2012 Nigeria’s non oil export to the West African Region stood at $313,478 million with export to Ghana taking the lion share of $143,017, representing about 46 percent of the total exports within the region. ``In 2012, Nigeria’s export to Togo was about $40,579 million (formal) making it the third largest importer of Nigerian non oil export within the region. According to him the soloexhibition is one of the strategies employed by the NEPC to promote the non-oil export from Nigeria. `` Besides, given that there was a lot of informal trade between Nigeria and Togo part of the objectives of the exhibition is to formalise the structure of our trade with a view to reducing the activities of smugglers along the border post. Given this tremendous feat, it is expected that trade between both countries will increase significantly in the years ahead as plans areunderway to make Lome, a trade hub for Nigerian manufactured products in the West African sub region. While noting the huge success recorded at the exhibition the Acting ED however identified some challenges which according to him serves as impediment to fostering business relations with Togolese. These according to him include non implementation of the ECOWAS trade liberalization scheme that guarantees free movement of goods and services. He also noted the inadequate logistics for transportation of goods from Lagos to Lome as another major challenge. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

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Stock Watch

Report as at Thursday, October 10, 2013

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

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Special Report

Tungan Ashere community in AMAC worries over outbreak of Bilharzia By Usman Shu’aibu and Stanley Onyekwere

ungan Ashere is a village in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It is located on the hinter land opposite the FCT College of Education, Zuba; about 25 minutes’ drive away from ZubaSuleja express road. The road to TunganAshere is winding and narrow and seems uninhabited by any living person. From the road to the Airport is very rocky and rough. A community leader (Mai Anguwa) of Tungan Ashere, Mr. Sani Yakubu, who spoke to Peoples

Daily, explained that following an outbreak of Bilharzia in the area, about 65 children had so far been treated. He said that the outbreak of Bilharzia was as a result of unhygienic water that the children of the community drink and appealed to the chairman of AMAC, Hon. Micah Jiba to provide potable drinking water for the residents, to arrest the situation. He further called on the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed as well as the AMAC chairman to construct boreholes in order to prevent the residents from drinking water from the river, which will cause them the

problem of Bilharzia. Yakubu complained of lack of a clinic at Tungan Ashere and urged the chairman to do something about it, in order to prevent the people from travelling out to seek for medical attention. Another community leader in Tungan Nasara I, Mr. Abubakar Giwa, also complained about the community’s dilapidated road, which he said needed urgent rehabilitation for the benefit of the residents. He accused the FCT administration and AMAC chairman of failing to build a primary school in the area, saying that a two classroom of one block, which was built by

late Maryam Babangida’s “Better life for rural women” programme, was only the established school without desks in

the community. The community leader berated the present/past administration of Abuja Municipal Area Council

“

The community leader berated the present/past administration of Abuja Municipal Area Council for neglecting the area, in terms of social amenities, pointed out that the people of Tungan Ashere were dying in silence

The stream harbouring contaminated water being used by the residents of Tungan Ashere for consumption

for neglecting the area, in terms of social amenities, pointed out that the people of Tungan Ashere were dying in silence. Also speaking, the village head (Dagachi) of the area, Mr. Jibrin Wakili, said that the AMAC authorities had abandoned the people of the community for so many years without potable water, electricity and roads. He appealed to the administration of the area council to, as a matter of urgency, provide water for the community, in order to put an end to the outbreak of disease and recalled that the empty promises made by the elected chairmen or

politicians of the council responsible for the underdevelopment in Tungan Ashere and surrounding villages. Wakili, however, advised the residents to be patient with the government, in order to pave way for the overall development of the area, saying that with patience everything will be possible. On his part, the Chief of Fulani herdsmen in the area, Malam Abdulkareem Mohammed, requested the chairman to provide the drugs that can cure Bilharzia, malaria fever as well as typhoid fever for the people, so that they can be healthy all the times.

Dilapidated Tungan Ashere road in AMAC

Children infected with Bilharzia at Tungan Ashere in AMAC

He also called on the government of AMAC to come to aid the community with the transformers so that the residents can have improved power supply in the area. The chief of the Fulani herdsmen decried the lack of a standard clinic in Tungan Ashere,

expressing dismay that the government had neglected the community in the scheme of things. Commenting, the chief Imam of Tungan Ashere, said that a borehole being constructed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) was no longer functioning.

Meanwhile, a crosssection of the youths in the area have blamed the chairman for neglecting the community in totality and called for a change of attitude to move the area to a greater height. When our correspondent attempted to get the response of the Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Management Board (PHCMB), an official, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed informed him that he

was out of the country performing this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Also, when Peoples Daily tried to call the Director, Public health in the FCT Health Services Secretariat (HSS), Dr. Folashade Momoh, she said she wasn’t aware of the development and referred him to the council’s health care department at AMAC, who were not forthcoming with any positive response.

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Islam

Neglecting the holy Qur’an (III)

Allah says: And the Messenger has said: “O my lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur’an as [a thing] ignored (abandoned).” [al-Furqan: 30] n the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All Praise is due to Allah! We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our evils and bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and final messenger to mankind. May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon His last and final Apostle, his Household, his companions and all his followers until the end of time. The Qur’an is the direct word of Allah which also not created nor has beginning and end. It is one of the attributes of Allah; the speech. It will eternally be read even in *aljannah*, when in sha Allah we are blessed with it, hereafter! Thus, its application in our daily lives must continue unabated or interrupted. We must allow it to be faraway from the length of our arms. It must remain within our reach and relevant to us in all our doings and sayings. Thirdly: Irrelevant to our daily affairs: Because Qur’an is for all

times and spaces, because “O My Lord! why hast Thou it is meant to be perpetually raised me up blind, while I had relevant as to having precise sight (before)?” ((Allah)) will and consistent consequence say: “Thus Didst thou, when to all the matters at every Our Signs came unto thee, moment, its teachings are disregard them: so wilt thou, adaptable to any situation, This Day, be disregarded.” place and condition. Thus, any And Thus do we recompense insinuation as to its inapplicability at any material time and circumstances is vehemently rejected and so inappropriate. By Husain Zakariyya The Qur’an must Yawale be accorded its right place in our +234-8052952900 (sms only) life if we really islamexplained35@yahoo.com want to prosper; otherwise we are heading towards eternal Him who transgresses beyond doom. Allah says:124. “But bounds and believes not In whosoever turns away from the sings of His Lord: and the My Message, Verily for Him is penalty of the Hereafter is a life narrowed down, and we far more grievous and more shall raise Him up blind on the enduring*.[T. H. 124-127] Thirdly: Disregarding its Day of Judgment.”. He will say:

ISLAM EXPLAINED

applicability in all our daily affairs: It is a practical neglect of the Qur’an to not to apply its teachings by putting into practice every aspects of its commands and avoiding its every aspect of its prohibition. Anything and for whatever r e a s o n this path is absconded, then this Great Book would be plucked of not only its beauties, but its very essence. This position will earned us the imminent wrath from Allah the Most High, like He did to the nations before us. However, we can jump the trap if we apply its contents into the reality of our lives. The moment a Muslim decodes to conforms his behaviours according to the Qur’anic teachings, such a person can easily be discerned in the human eyes from the rest of his or her peers; that’s on individual bases. On a political or public level, the moment a community or nation holds tight to the duties of the Qur’an, it would be elevated amongst all other nation will be filled with justice and fairness, and grow and develop evenly in every aspects of its economy, social, political and general dispensation of justice and equality. So also its security internally will be securely protected, while

external aggressions of other nations will permanently put on hold. Consequently, any person or nation having the audaciousness and temerity to chose to differ from the teachings or command of the Qur’an is simply neglecting it at that level, until it is rescinded. In fact we should try to appraise and evaluate ourselves and status in order to know exactly how far, consistent or otherwise are we from the Qur’an! We should, from time to time do that privately and publically. Allah says: “So hold thou fast to the Revelation sent down to thee; verily thou art on a Straight Way.”* [ az-Zukhruf: 43] Fourthly: Having no consistent time for it: Many people consider the Qur’an as Book only referred in times of tests and calamities. Others consider it as a ramadanic* companion in mosques and madrisas. Many more others turn to Qur’an for ruqiyyah (that is special prayers for demon to leave afflicted bodies) purpose only. And once the grief and the misfortune is over, it is once again squeezed back into its perennial space in shelve. To turn away from the Qur’an is also to occupy oneself with poems, poetries, songs, music, video games, telephone gist, internet chartings, face-bookings and different types of gossips or unproductive freaks! So also watching movies and trailers as addiction renders one neglecter of the Qur’an as scenes such as nudity, indecency and obscene. And going by the warning of the Qur’an, anything that leads to improperness is also haram. Thus, memorization of the names of movie actresses and actors or famous footballers or musicians makes rooms for imitating their immodest behaviours from their mode of dressings, speaking and many case their physical appearances. Therefore, the moments our tongues become more fluent in songs and more melodious than the Qur’an, the sign of neglecting it has manifested glaringly! The moments our hearts are more adverted by music and songs or more disturbed and agitated when fulminating them and the famous stars, and then three is urgency in seeking the assistance of our beloved ones for a quick return to Allah! This article is repeated. – Editor

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

ANALYSIS

r. Netanyahu is not feeling well lately, and for good reasons. “ Q u i t e unfortunately Netanyahu’s worldview is fixated on the equation that 2013 (like all the years before that) were 1938; that Iran is Nazi Germany and that those willing to engage with Iran diplomatically are like Chamberlain in 1938 Munich.” These are Israeli observers who are warning their Prime Minister that when it comes to Iran he is out to lunch. “Jerusalem’s growl in response to the Iranian charm offensive is just the latest episode in classic Israeli PR boomerangs,” observes another. “Israel’s new Iran policy is the stick and the stick,” declares another Haaretz opinion piece, adding, “Netanyahu has nothing new to say—not about an agreement with the Palestinians, not about relations with Iran, not for Israel’s middle class and certainly not for its poor.” All the indications from Tel Aviv to Washington and New York are that Netanyahu and his thinking about the Iranian so-called “nuclear threat” is in deep trouble. The New York Times has even chimed in and warned that “it could be disastrous if Mr. Netanyahu and his supporters in Congress were so blinded by distrust of Iran that they exaggerate the threat, block President Obama from taking advantage of new diplomatic openings and sabotage the best chance to establish a new relationship since the 1979 Iranian revolution sent American-Iranian relations into the deep freeze.” The fact is that both Netanyahu and the entire Zionist project he represents have been outmanoeuvred by the wily and persistent conundrum of the Islamic republic; a state he has spent the last decade positioning as his primary foe. But in the aftermath of the US-led invasions of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003) and then the rise of the Arab revolutions (2011), it is not just Netanyahu, but the whole Zionist belligerence that is in deep trouble. In the heat of the Cold War Israel as a European settler colony consistently shifted gears, and categorically abandoned its initial socialist aspirations, as the Israeli garrison state worked itself up into the critical position of a hardware in the US imperialist military machinery, at the expense of any meaningful, just, and enduring resolution of the Palestinian issue definitive to finding a way to weave the life of some seven million Jewish Israelis in the democratic future of the region in which they live. That strategy of becoming integral to US militarism had worked well until the rise of the Arab revolutions when the entire political calculus of the region began radically to change. Now that in the aftermath of the rise of the Green Movement in Iran (2009), a far more conciliatory Rouhani administration has put forward an aggressive diplomacy

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International

Why is Mr Netanyahu so distraught?

Netanyahu

of reconciliation with the US, Israel under Netanyahu’s leadership finds itself in deeply troubling waters. Israel now faces a formidable adversary in the Islamic republic—an adversary who is not threatening it (contrary to all propaganda hype) with nuclear annihilation but with smarter navigational skills in the geopolitics of the region. Street-smart in the age of asymmetrical warfare Over the last thirty years plus, as Israel has taken more of Palestine and correspondingly made itself indispensable to US imperial design for the region, Iranians have been busy doing something entirely different. They have made themselves definitive to grassroots organisational inroads in every single terrain the US and Israel have left in ruins—from Afghanistan to Iraq to Lebanon to Palestine, and now deep into Syria, Bahrain, and Yemen. In the age of soft power and asymmetrical warfare, Iranians have vastly outsmarted and outmanoeuvred

the Israelis. They have things in their smart arsenal of geopolitics entirely absent from the Israeli wherewithal. When Zarif sits across the table from Kerry he can offer him things he cannot refuse. The “nuclear issue” is a red herring. The fact is that Iran can offer Obama’s second and final term of presidency far more than Israel can. Israel can offer very little—almost nothing except false and falsifying intelligence and sporadic and useless targeted assassination of Iranian scientists and/or military targets inside Syria. This is the age of soft power and asymmetrical warfare. Israel is crippled on that front. Israel wrote its future too much into the violent working of a brute military machinery that it saw as its protectorate. The Islamic republic, meanwhile, grew robust and street-smart in the back allies of the troubled region from Afghanistan to Iraq to Lebanon, Palestine, Bahrain and Yemen, in neighbourhoods

“

where the political alphabet of soft power and asymmetrical warfare are spelled out, and where the Israelis and their entire security, intelligence and military apparatus are illiterate and useless. Iran on the other hand can offer Obama far more—they can help him in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Lebanon, in Palestine, in Syria, in Bahrain, and in Yemen and beyond. Obama knows this fully, and so does Netanyahu. It is not accidental that Netanyahu opted to “carpet bombed Western diplomacy,” as Haaretz put it, while Kerry thinks it would be “Diplomatic malpractice not to engage Iran.” Obama is thinking of his name in history, while Netanyahu is uncertain of his immediate political future. It is not accidental either that soon after he returned from the UNGA in New York, Netanyahu took full advantage of an infomercial that BBC Persian offered him to try to win “the minds and souls” of Iranians (it backfired and the entire debacle has become the butt

Israel wrote its future too much into the violent working of a brute military machinery that it saw as its protectorate.

of a joke both for Netanyahu and for the misguided BBC Persian)— for he too knows the weak spot of the ruling regime in Iran. Whereas they are the strongest in the geopolitics of the region, the ruling regime in Iran is the weakest on their domestic fronts, where over the last thirty years of sustained criminal abuse of their own citizens they have shot themselves in the foot for the fear of losing control. Over the last three months or so there are signs of ever so measured liberalisation of the domestic scene. A few political prisoners have been released, access to the Internet is ever so gently being let loose, and more is promised to come, and the censorial policies of the repressive state apparatus are being unglued. It still remains to be seen if these changes are for real or just cosmetic. If they are cosmetic no fancy footwork of President Rouhani on his Twitter account or Foreign Minister JavadZarif on his Facebook page is going to fool a deeply cultivated political citizenry, but if they are by some miracle for real, and the regional soft power of the Islamic republic will eventually have the backing of a robust and liberated civil society, not just Netanyahu’s political future but the whole apartheid apparatus of Israel is in deep trouble—and once and for all millions of Israelis will have to start writing their future into the democratic aspiration of the region in which they live. Source: Al Jazeera

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 28

International

Nigeria- Cameroon trans-border committee says porous borders threat to security By Hassan Haruna Ginsau

he Chairman, NigeriaCameroon trans-border committee Major General J.B Samuel has said that the porous borders between Nigeria and Cameroon was a safe haven for criminals, increasing such illegal acts as terrorism, hostage taking, drug trafficking and arms flow between the two countries. Samuel,pointing this out at the formal presentation of the committee’s report to the Honourable Minister of foreign affairs (2), Dr Nurudeen

Mohammed at the Ministry of foreign affairs yesterday added that a such, the porous borders posed a threat to security. Among the committee’s recommendations was the need to amend certain clauses in the Trans border agreement between Nigeria and Cameroon. Also the committee noted that the clarification of boundaries between the two countries is on-going, stressing the need for greater commitment from both sides. Speaking on the issue of border communities, Samuel said that Nigeria’s security forces

would soon start a Joint patrol with Cameroon along these areas, he also stressed the importance of making the lives of these communities better in order for them to cooperate more with security forces on the issue of iinsecurity. He urged Cameroon to join the trans-border joint task force, and for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider a more permanent trans- border relationship with Cameroon. Speaking on behalf of the Honourable Minister (2) , Dr Nurudeen Mohammed,Ambassador (Mrs)

AsalinaMamuno said the signing of the trans- border agreement will enhance cooperation between Cameroon and Nigeria, she also reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to the committee’s operations. The committee comprises the office of the NSA, OSGF, The ministies of defence, foreign affairs, justice and interior, the National Boundary Commission, The Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service, The National Intelligence Agency, Border Communities Development Agency, the NDLEA and NAPTIP.

Libyan PM freed after being seized over US raid

Egypt condemns US decision to suspend military aid …as suicide bomber kills 4 soldiers

Egyptian soldiers driving into the country’s Sinai region

gypt has criticised a decision by the US to suspend a large part of the $1.3bn (£810m) in aid it receives. Foreign ministry spokesman BadrAbdelatty said the decision was wrong and Egypt would “not surrender to American pressure and is continuing on its path towards democracy”. The US announced on Wednesday it was suspending the delivery of large-scale military systems and withholding cash assistance to the Egyptian government. It follows months of political turmoil. Since the Egyptian army

ousted Mohammed Mursi as president in July, the authorities have clashed repeatedly with his Muslim Brotherhood supporters. The US state department launched a review of its aid to Egypt in August after a crackdown that left hundreds of people dead. On Wednesday, it said it would halt the delivery of Apache helicopters, as well as Harpoon missiles and tank parts. Washington would also halt a $260m cash transfer and a $300m loan guarantee, officials said. The freeze was not intended to be permanent, the state department added. “We will continue to hold

L-R: Canadian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Perry J.Calderwood, presenting his letter of credence to President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

the delivery of certain largescale military systems and cash assistance to the government pending credible progress toward an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government through free and fair elections,” state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Meanwhile, at least four members of Egypt’s security forces have been killed in a suicide car bombing in northern Sinai, state media and officials say. The vehicle blew up at a checkpoint just south of the the

town of el-Arish when personnel were about to search it, the Associated Press reports. Soldiers and at least one policeman are among the dead. Five have been wounded. Egypt’s security forces have been engaged in a major offensive against Islamist militants in Sinai for weeks. Attacks on security forces have increased since Islamist President Mohammed Mursi was ousted by the military in early July, prompting a large-scale operation by the military.

The Gambia accuses US, Britain of plotting to overthrow government

he Gambia has accused the United States and Britain of fomenting multiple coup attempts in the tiny West African country and supporting the opposition as part of a plot to destabilize President Yahya Jammeh’s rule. Jammeh withdrew Gambia from the Commonwealth in a surprise move last week, branding the now 53-member grouping that includes Britain and most of its former colonies a “neo-colonial institution”. In a statement read on state television by Minister for Presidential Affairs MomodouSabally,the government accused the United

States and Britain of sponsoring a 1995 coup but said Gambia would not surrender its mineral resources to “old vampires and present-day locusts”. Jammeh seized power in a bloodless putsch in 1994 as a 29-year-old army lieutenant, becoming the world’s youngest head of state. “These two Western powers have continued in their relentless efforts to destabilize this country, desperately using every means possible from sponsoring coup plots to financing the opposition and mounting a vigorous smear campaign,” the statement read.

L-R: Kuwait Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdulla Ahmed, presenting his letter of credence to President Jonathan, yesterday at the State House, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

Zeidan

ormer rebel gunmen freed Libya’s prime minister yesterday after holding him for several hours in reprisal for the capture by U.S. forces at the weekend of a Libyan al Qaeda suspect in Tripoli, officials said. “The prime minister has been released,” a government official confirmed. A security source also said Zeidan was free. A Reuters journalist outside the Interior Ministry building where the prime minister was held by militiamen linked to the government said people demanding his release had opened fire at one point. Zeidan was seized at dawn from a luxury hotel where he lives under tight security and was held for about six hours. Two years after a revolution ended Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year rule, Libya is in turmoil, with its vulnerable central government and nascent armed forces struggling to contain rival tribal militias and Islamist militants who control parts of the country. The militia, which had been hired by the government to provide security in Tripoli, said it “arrested” Zeidan after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Libya had a role in the weekend capture in the city of Abu Anas al-Liby. “His arrest comes after ... (Kerry) said the Libyan government was aware of the operation,” a spokesman for the group, known as the Operations Room of Libya’s Revolutionaries, told Reuters. Geoff Porter of North Africa Risk consulting said: “His kidnapping clearly indicates that his government is not cohesive, and that not only is his government not in control of the country, but that he is not in control of his government.” Before his release, an official in the Interior Ministry anti-crime department told the state news agency that Zeidan, a former diplomat and exile opposition activist against Gaddafi, was being held there and was being treated well.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

International

Myanmar religious clashes death toll rises P olice have found two more bodies in the western Myanmar state of Rakhine, bringing the death toll to seven after recent deadly religious clashes. The bodies are those of two local Buddhist men. Police said last week that four men and a 94-year-old woman - all Muslims - had been killed by Buddhist mobs during the violence at the start of October. The violence comes as Myanmar took over leadership of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean). The two men were among a group of six people - a Christian pastor and five Buddhists - who were in the Thabyuchai area on 1 October, police say. They were passing the village in a taxi, unaware of the violence that was going on, when they were attacked by villagers with knives and sticks. Four of them managed to escape. But two disappeared. Their bodies were found by police and locals in the Linthi village cemetery. Tensions between Buddhists and Muslims have risen in recent years in Myanmar.

Two men Injured by the fighting

Violence which broke out in Rakhine in June 2012 left nearly 200 people dead and thousands displaced. The unrest has since spread to other parts of the country. The latest clashes appear to have started on 1 October after a Buddhist taxi driver near Thandwe complained he had been verbally abused by a Muslim.

This triggered attacks on property, and then physical assaults. Dozens of homes have been burned down. Witnesses said police did little to control the violence. More than 700 Buddhist rioters, some armed with swords, attacked the village, setting buildings alight, the Associated Press reported. Families fled for

their lives. The violence comes as Myanmar is poised to take over leadership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for the first time. Critics say the move may be premature given conflicts at home that have left hundreds dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced.

Pakistan rearrests Musharraf over Red Mosque deaths

akistan rearrested former President Pervez Musharraf yesterday following accusations that he was personally responsible for the deaths of more than 100 people after he ordered commandos to storm the Red Mosque in 2007. The operation followed a weeklong standoff between the mosque’s supporters and security forces. The rearrest came after he had been granted bail in three other cases and his lawyer said on Wednesday he was cleared to leave the country. A complaint against Musharraf in the Red Mosque case was registered two weeks ago on the

Musharraf

orders of a judge. Musharraf was forced out of office after trying and failing to fire the country’s chief justice. The former president and head of the army went into exile in 2008 but returned earlier this year in an abortive attempt to launch a political career. Musharraf, who has been under house arrest in a villa on the outskirts of Islamabad, was army chief when he took power in a 1999 coup. He later became president as well. He stepped down after the party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto won an election in 2008.

Iraq executes 42 ‘terrorists’, including woman

raq executed 42 people, including a woman, for mass killings and other “terrorism” offences over two days this week, the justice ministry and the United Nations said yesterday after a surge in sectarian violence. The U.N. mission in the country said it was concerned about the executions, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, and repeated its call for Baghdad to suspend the death penalty. Rights groups say executions have been on the rise in recent years. Sixty-eight death sentences were carried out in 2011, according to Amnesty International. The 42

hanged this week amounted to almost a third of the total number the campaign group said were executed in all of 2012. “The criminals were found guilty of terrorist crimes... (that) led to the deaths of dozens of innocent citizens, as well as other crimes aimed at destabilizing the security and stability of the country and causing chaos and terror among the people,” Minister of Justice Hassan al-Shimary said in a statement. More than 6,000 people have been killed in attacks across Iraq so far this year, as Sunni Islamist insurgents including al Qaeda regain momentum.

After invading Iraq in 2003, the U.S.-led interim authority suspended the death penalty, citing its use as a tool of repression under dictator Saddam Hussein, who left behind mass graves filled with thousands of bodies. But as sectarian carnage began to take hold of the country in 2005, Iraq reinstated the punishment for those who commit “terrorist acts”, as well as people who provoke, plan, finance and enable others to perpetrate them. Kidnapping and murder, but also lesser offenses like damage to public property, in certain circumstances, are also punishable by death. Members of Iraq’s Sunni Muslim

minority accuse the Shi’ite-led government that came to power after Saddam’s overthrow of using the death penalty to persecute their sect. The ministry did not announce the names of the 48 executed this week, nor their religious affiliation. A raid by Iraqi security forces on a Sunni protest camp in April touched off a backlash by militants that is still ongoing. At that time, Human Rights Watch said at least 50 people had been executed by Iraqi authorities during the past month and that the concurrent increase in militant attacks and executions showed the death penalty was ineffective.

Asia & Middle East

Japan, US press China on sea dispute

S Secretary of State John Kerry will press China and Southeast Asian nations to discuss the South China Sea dispute at an Asian summit, a senior U.S. official said, despite Beijing’s reluctance to address the issue in public forums. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is also attending, said the South China Sea dispute was a matter of concern to the entire region. In pointed remarks, he said Tokyo would continue to cooperate with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in resolving the row. Kerry arrived in Brunei on Wednesday for the annual East Asia Summit (EAS) and talks with leaders of Southeast Asian nations and, separately, met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of the summit. A U.S. official said Kerry would urge ASEAN member states to continue to work “for enhanced coherence and unity” to strengthen their position with China in negotiating a code of conduct for the South China Sea. Obama last week cancelled his scheduled trip to the summit because of the U.S. government shutdown, raising concern that Washington would lose some of its influence in countering China’s assertive claims over the South China Sea and in maintaining its strategic “rebalancing” toward Asia. “That rebalance is a commitment, it is there to stay and will continue into the future,” Kerry told ASEAN leaders in opening remarks shortly after arriving. He began his speech by apologizing that Obama was not able to attend but emphasized the U.S. commitment to the region. “I assure you that these events in Washington are a moment in politics and not more than that,” Kerry said. “The partnership that we share with ASEAN remains a top priority for the Obama administration.” China has resisted discussing the territorial issue with the 10-member ASEAN, preferring to settle disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations with individual claimants. It has also frowned at what it sees as U.S. meddling in a regional issue.

Abe

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

International US Republicans hand Obama debt-ceiling offer

S Republicans have offered President Barack Obama a short-term debt limit increase to stave off default. House Speaker John Boehner said they would do so in exchange for wider negotiations with the White House to end a government shutdown that took effect on 1 October. Officials have warned the US will risk default on 17 October if the nation’s borrowing limit is not increased. Mr Boehner said on Thursday: “What we want to do is to offer the president today the ability to move a temporary increase in the debt ceiling in agreement to go to conference on the budget for his willingness to sit down and discuss with us a way forward to reopen the government.”

Boehner

A spokesman for Mr Boehner told reporters that the deal on the table ahead of Thursday afternoon’s meeting was a “clean” increase of the debt limit, with no additional policies attached. But it would only last six

weeks - until November 22. On Wednesday, Mr Obama met House Democrats at the White House and told them he would prefer a longer-term increase of one year to the nation’s $16.69 trillion (£10.47 trillion) debt ceiling.

But the president said he was willing to accept a short-term rise in the borrowing cap to “give Boehner some time to deal with the Tea Party wing of his party”, Representative Peter Welch told the Associated Press news agency after the meeting. Earlier, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told a congressional panel the US could not prioritise between its payment obligations once borrowing was exhausted. Mr Lew warned lawmakers the government could miss pension and healthcare payments for the elderly as well as military salaries. And a missing payment on US debt would trigger a potentially more profound financial crisis, he warned. “This system was not designed to be turned off selectively,” Mr Lew told a Senate hearing. “It would be chaos.”

Azerbaijan opposition wants vote annulled following Aliyev victory

he main opposition candidate in Azerbaijan has called for the results of Wednesday’s presidential election to be cancelled over alleged voterigging. IlhamAliyev officially won re-election for a third term, with official results giving him more than 80% of the vote. JamilHasanli said the election was not free and fair because of electoral fraud and government control of all television channels. European observers found the election had been “seriously flawed”. The election was “undermined by limitations on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association that did not guarantee a level playing field for candidates”, the Organization for Security and

Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said in a press release. OSCE observers reported “clear indications of ballot box stuffing” in 37 polling stations and took a negative view of counting at 58% of the polling stations they inspected. According to the latest results available, MrAliyev won 85% of the vote to 5% for MrHasanli. The Aliyev family has ruled the energy-rich ex-Soviet state for two decades. Human rights groups say the government cracked down on its critics in an unprecedented campaign of repression in the run-up to the vote. MrAliyev, who enjoys immense power after inheriting the presidency from his father in 2003, abolished a two-term

presidential limit in a controversial referendum in 2009. But political opposition in the country of nine million has also been blunted by prosperity, with oil wealth more than tripling gross domestic product. The president has courted Western states attracted by its strategic location and status as a producer and transporter of oil and gas. Oil multinationals BP, ExxonMobil and other Western companies have invested billions of dollars to tap into Azerbaijan’s oil riches. An oil pipeline supported by the US and the European Union to pump Azerbaijani crude oil via Georgia to Turkey - bypassing Russia - went into operation in 2005.

The pipeline is seen as an important part of the West’s aim of reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian energy resources.

Mihaloliakos

Illegal immigrants face new crackdown in UK

ome Secretary Theresa May says illegal immigrants will find it much harder to settle in UK under planned new laws. The Immigration Bill would force private landlords to quiz tenants

May

about their immigration status and restrict access to bank accounts for people in the UK illegally. It also aims to streamline the appeals process in immigration cases.

Labour said the bill did nothing about bigger problems like the “shambolic” state of UK border controls. The bill, which is expected to become law in spring 2014, subject to approval by MPs, will include measures to allow the UK to “deport foreign criminals first and hear their appeal later” when there is “no risk of serious irreversible harm”. BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani says this could lead to an increase in air fare costs for the Home Office, if it has to fly back migrants who are successful in their appeal. A requirement is also included for temporary migrants, such as overseas students, to make a contribution to the National Health Service to prevent so-called “health tourism”. Immigration minister Mark

Harper said: “The Immigration Bill will stop migrants using public services to which they are not entitled, reduce the pull factors which encourage people to come to the UK and make it easier to remove people who should not be here. “We will continue to welcome the brightest and best migrants who want to contribute to our economy and society and play by the rules. But the law must be on the side of people who respect it, not those who break it.” Mrs May said the measures were about “making it harder for people who are here illegally to stay here”. She said it was a “point of principle” that people who used public services should be expected to contribute to them, but she would not comment on the cost to the country of “health tourism”.

Europe and Americas

Snowden’s father in Russia, hopes to see son

ormer U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden’s father arrived in Moscow yesterday to see his son, who was granted asylum in Russia after he leaked details of governme n t s u r v e i l l a n c e programs and fled the United States. Speaking at the same Moscow airport where his fugitive son was stranded for weeks this summer, Lon Snowden said he had no direct contact with Edward Snowden but that he felt “extreme gratitude that my son is safe and secure and he’s free”. The younger Snowden, 30, is wanted in the United States on espionage charges and Russia’s decision to grant him temporary asylum aggravated already tense relations between Moscow and Washington. Russian authorities and the Russian lawyer who is assisting Snowden, Anatoly Kucherena, have not disclosed his location. “I am not sure my son will be returning to the U.S. again. That’s his decision, he is an adult, he is a person who is responsible for his own agency,” Lon Snowden said, standing beside Kucherena at Sheremetyevo airport. “I am his father, I love my son and I certainly hope I will have an opportunity to see my son,” Snowden said. Edward Snowden was the source of disclosures about U.S. government surveillance that included details about a program that collected e-mails, chat logs and other types of data from companies such as Google Inc and Facebook Inc. “I really have no idea what his intentions are,” Lon Snowden said, citing his lack of direct contact with him. But he said he believed Snowden had not been involved in the publication of any information since he arrived in Russia and was “simply trying to remain healthy and safe”. Directly from the airport, he and the lawyer drove to a state television studio to give an exclusive live interview, indicating the visit was under strong government control. Kucherena, who said he last saw Edward Snowden on Wednesday, expressed hope the former intelligence contractor would soon find a job in Russia - possibly in IT or human rights sector - because he has largely run out of his savings and was living modestly, mainly of donations. He also said the fugitive American lived under security in Russia and was avoiding publicity because of the U.S. chase after him.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 31

Strange World Parking attendant turns dusty cars into works of art

Rafael designing a car

ew cereals can be described as stunningly beautiful, but the multi-colored Glass Gem Corn is definitely one of these rare exceptions. Also known as Rainbow Corn, these unique strain of corn features kernels of many different colors that sparkle like tiny pieces of blown glass. The story of Glass Gem corn began with Carl Barnes, a part-Cherokee

farmer from Oklahoma who noticed that every once in a while some of his corn cobs had strangely-colored kernels, and dedicated his life to creating the agricultural wonder you see below. Nobody knows exactly how many years Barnes spent worked on the unique cereal, how many successive seasons he carefully chose, saved, and replanted these special seeds, but one thing is for sure – his painstaking

efforts had a truly mindblowing result, a new breed of corn that most people consider a work of art rather than a cereal. Before he died, Barnes, passed on his precious collection of Glass Gem Corn to Greg Schoen, a fellow corn breeder, entrusting him with a very important mission – to make sure his amazing discovery was not lost. Carl’s protégé stayed true to his promise to

safeguard the stunning corn breed and eventually passed on several unique corn varieties to fellow seedsman Bill McDorman, who owned Seed Trust, a small seed company in Arizona. He had never seen the actual corn cob, but curious about the odd name of the breed, he planted a few seeds just to see what it looked like. “I was blown away,” the farmer remembers. “No one had ever seen corn like this before.” MrMcDorman is now head of Native Seeds/ SEARCH, a non-profit organisation which tries to preserve the agricultural heritage of Native Americans, including Glass Gem Corn. Native Seeds/SEARCH sells Glass Gem Corn seeds through their website, but ever since word about its uniqueness spread through the internet, the variety is constantly sold out. When the first photos of this stunningly beautiful corn variety went viral, the demand was so great that the organization’s website went down from the sudden increase in traffic. You can Glass Gem Corn seeds for $7.95 per packet and use it to make popcorn or flour, but it also makes an impressive gift or souvenir.

Man claims venom injections make him immune to snake bites

Friede holding a snake

im Friede, an unemployed factory worker and snake enthusiast, is a strong believer in the saying “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. In an attempt to build immunity to venoms and poisons, he has been injecting himself with diluted venom proteins from some of the deadliest snakes on Earth. He claims that as much as 100 snakes have sank their poisonous fangs into his flesh, including a black mamba which can kill a person in under 20 minutes. His experiments aim to prove that humans

can become immune to poisonous substances by gradually exposing the body to snake venom. Each time he injects the venom, his body produces more and more antibodies to eliminate the harmful substance. By doing this, he hopes to generate the necessary research needed to create a stronger and more efficient antivenin. “I hope through developing my own resistance to poison some solid groundwork can be laid to build a vaccine for the 125,000 people that die from snakebite every year,” Tim explains.

Man creates game to be played thousands of years from now

merican Jason Roher has recently won a game design competition after creating a board game that no one is likely to play anytime in the near future, if ever. Called A Game for Someone, Roher’s game was made from titanium, to stand the test of time, and buried somewhere in the Nevada Desert, where it will probably be discovered by an advanced civilization, or zombies, thousands of years from now. “I wanted to make a game that is not for right now, that I will never play,” Rohrer said, “and nobody now living would ever play.” Inspired by ancient board games like Mancala, as well as “the architects and builders who, over hundreds of years, constructed religious

cathedrals that they themselves would never set foot in, never see completed in their lifetimes”, the designer set out to create a game that actually worked, without ever playing it himself. To do that, he first conceived it in computer form, by designing a set of rules that would be playtested not by a human, but by the computer. He told reporters he ended up plugging the game’s rules into a “black box”, and letting the artificial intelligence find imbalances, iterating new rules and repeating. Once the game was playable, he started manufacturing it. He couldn’t shape it from degradable materials like wood, glass or cardboard, so he ultimately decided on making the 18-inch by 18-inch game board and

Roher’s “a game for someone”

its piece out of 30 pounds of titanium. To make sure whoever found it understood how his futuristic game worked, Jason laid out the rules on three pieces of archival, acid-free paper, sealed them in a Pyrex glass tube which then went into a titanium cylinder and set out for the Nevada Desert to bury the thing. Not even Jason knows exactly where it is, as he chose a public plot of land far enough from roads and populated areas, dug a hole, placed the game in it, covered it up and walked away without looking back. He does have the exact GPS coordinated to the location of A Game for Someone, but he made sure it was almost impossible for him or anyone to find it in his or their lifetime.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Weekend Revue

WITH TOBIAS LENGNAN DAPAM lovelengz@yahoo.com 07036990957

Theatre review: ‘The Shoe maker’s wonderful wife’ A

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

udience who know Patrick Oteh’s Jos Repertory theatre and their exploits, were indeed impressed by the show: ‘Shoe maker’s wonderful wife’, which was staged to the delight of Spanish and Nigerian audience at Transcorp hotel, Abuja to mark the Spanish week. Even the play, ‘Queen Amina’, which was a seriou0sly packed adventure with no dull moment generally conceded that the ‘Shoe maker’s wonderful wife’ is a chore. Interestingly, the mainstay of the play was its broad humour that frequently tickled the audience and carry them through the scintillating performance. The chore of the comic intrigue was tied around veteran actor, Sunny Adahson, who acted the ‘Shoe maker’, while his wife was acted by delectable young diva, Eniyome Edor, whose voice sounded like a violin in spring time, attracting suitors like bee to honey. The stage unveiled societal realities, just perfect, a time for evening tale. Those pushing to woo the ‘Shoe maker’s wife and obtained in present society with married women are: Don Blackbird, acted by Akolo James Anthony. The Mayor, acted by Seyi Lovingkindness and the Young Man, acted by Ebuka Ifebunso. The nearly 80 minutes play include music, drums, scintillating violine-which, all reflect the lamentation of the present

Villagers during the puppet show

society and turn of events that are responsible for daily conflicts among married couples. In fact, it mirrored the contemporary society. Adahson, literary laments his woes in a fun bag of entertainment, having married a woman who, apparently lives in a strange world he could not imagine. Her quest for vain things and choice of flamboutant life style usually set them on war path. Strangely, the shoe maker’s wife

wants more; she even keeps suitors and exchange banters regardless of her husband’s position. She was more of a wife living in the world of fantasies. Frustrated by the whole scenario, making life unbearable for the husband, he told the Mayor, who came visiting, that he does not love the wife and will leave her-blaming his late sister who made him to marry her. The shoe maker always exclaimed out of frustration; “May thunder strike

my sister. God rest her soul”. But being blown by the apparent beauty of the wife, mayor decorated her with sparkles of angelic being that might have been worthy of Aphrodite alone in Olympus. And he told his friend to think wisely about leaving the most beautiful figure that ever set foot on the planet. Disregarding all the advice, the shoe maker left on self exile, leaving the wife behind to see what she makes of life. Meanwhile, since she was seen as a bad egg in the community and a subject of discuss, making it hard for her to mingle with other people, the director devices

a means through which she would know what the society thinks of her. The Boy, acted by Abraham Omale, was the only channel through which she gets the societal perception of her person. She loved him and spoiled him with gifts, encouraging him to run to her each time there are gossips. During the exile of her husband, she was left alone to fend for herself with a petty business of selling assorted drinks. This encouraged her traditional suitors, who explore all literary gimmicks to win her love. However, she proved resilient despite loving the the charming description of her being. As a way of wrapping the adventure, the shoe maker retuned, disguised as a puppeteer who sorjourn to tell tales. Like prophet Nathan to king David, he told the gathering, but apparently to his wife, who hosted the show, tale of an ungrateful wife to her a loyal husband. All were moved and the wife kept lamenting on the kind of stupid wife in the story. The tale was later disrupted by fighting in the village square among the three suitor, who stabbed each other; all in proving worthy of her. While others left to view the scene, the two were left alone and she eschewed her husband’s virtue to the puppeteer, who also told her about his wife and how he loved her. They were about to part ways when leading banters on how she would embrace and love her husband should he returned. The puppeteer was moved and unmasked himself to her husband. Unseeing that, she dragged and molested him for causing the woes and chained the two of them never to part again. Shoe maker and his wife on stage

A villager molesting shoe maker wife

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 33

Weekend Revue African China has 168 kids from different women

efore now, the public was constantly hitting the African top artiste, 2face Idibia for fathering five children from four women. The table has turned around and revealed that African Chaina is far more advanced than 2face in the baby manufacturing sector. Information, made available to Nigeriafilms.com indicated thatChinagoromOnuoha popularly referred to as African China has 168 children from more than 30 women. Meanwhile, the artists revealed to an evening publication team, whom he hosted at his FESTAC town, Lagos that he is not a sex

freak, adding that he doesn’t know how to turn down sexual advances from his fans. The ‘Ajegunle boy’, Onuoha said he wonders why people castigated hip hop artiste, Innocent Idibia, better known as Tuface, for having children from different women. The artiste, who was once involved in a sex scandal in the United Kingdom, said he decided to accept the pregnancies because he did not want the ladies to abort the pregnancies. Hear him: “It is not that I enjoy running after the opposite sex, but as a star, I always find them around me and there is no way I can just chase them away. As a matter of fact, I have an option

Beyonce announces first official calendar

op star Beyonce has released her first ever official calendar, India Today has revealed. The 32-year-old singer revealed details of the 2014 calendar on her official website, where it is available to purchase, reported Digital Spy. The calendar offers 14 brand new images of the star, one of which was recently released to a US Magazine and shows the star

posing in a black and white shot against a door. Meanwhile, Beyonce would continue her Mrs. Carter World Tour in New Zealand on October 16, before heading to Australia, on October 22, for a further 14 shows. She will also head to North America on November 30 in Vancouver, before wrapping up the show at the Barclays Centre in New York on December 22.

of telling the ladies to abort the pregnancies but I know the Holy Bible is against such.” Some people may want to use the sex scandal against me but they do not know that they may incur the wrath of the law, because

I have been certified certified clean by a competent law court in the United Kingdom. Such people would pay through their nose,” he said. While commenting on how he is being perceived by his fans for fathering 168 kids, he noted that

he bears no grudge over their reactions, as according to him, he owes them no apology. He also said he didn’t go off the music circuit but had been in the studio working on a new album that is about to be released.

Kate Hudson’s son wants her to marry

ctress Kate Hudson’s elder son Ryder wants her to marry fiancé Matthew Bellamy, India Today has said. Hudson-Bellamy got engaged two years ago. She has two sons - Ryder, 9, with ex-husband Chris Robinson and two-year-old Bing with Bellamy. While Ryder wants his mother to walk the aisle again, Hudson feels that it’s all about having a party for him, reports eonline.com added. “I think he looks forward to more the party than the idea of us getting married. He apparently wants to wear a neon green tux,” Husdon said on a chat show.

Bullock, Clooney were not first choice for ‘Gravity’ ndia Today has revealed that Sandra Bullock and George Clooney were not the first choice for sci-fi thriller “Gravity” which has opened to a staggering $55.6 million at the US box office. The makers initially wanted Robert Downey Jr. and Angelina Jolie but it didn’t work out. While Downey Jr. was already on board, Jolie had to pass up the project after much thought and owing to a rather busy schedule in 2010, said a statement. Due to the delay caused by the hunt for the female lead, the dates of the shoot coincided with those of “Iron Man 3” and “Avengers”

African China

and with reluctance, Downey Jr. also had to pass up the role. After this, Natalie Portman and Blake Lively were approached. But Portman was all set to go on her pregnancy break at the time and Lively didn’t Bullock exactly fit the bill. Finally, the role landed in Sandra Bullock’s lap. As fate would have it, when the shoot was just about to commence C l o o n e y ’ s schedule opened up for a short role Clooney in the film.

Kate Hudson and her son

Nollywood clouded with prostitutes, professionals – Mariam Bakare

n recent times, a lot has happened and still happening in the movie industry in Nigeria. Of recent, there were series of attack on the industry among which is indecent and provocative dresses. However, one of the people who made the industry tick, Mariam Bakarecame out to reveal that the industry is now filled with a mixture of core professionasl and prostitutes. In her word, “It is not ideal to castigate anyone concerning indecent dressing because we are all brought up from different homes and background. Back in the days, any lady that wore trousers is described as prostitutes, but it is a

different thing today. This is because we have been influenced by the foreign world. Today, provocative dressing is on the increase, it is beyond trousers. “You cannot comprehend what you see in the social world today. Even in our industry, it is now a mixture of prostitutes and professionals. We have gone beyond what we tapped from the foreign world. Our young generations have also joined the race of indecent dressings. A lot of actors in the industry don’t have passion for this profession; they have come into the industry with a dirty motive and to sell or showcase themselves.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 34

Feature

With Lagos ferry, there is no hold-up From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

he issue of free flow of traffic within Lagos state has become a major challenge. Therefore, addressing the transportation and traffic challenges of a complex megacity like Lagos has been a major priority of the Fashola administration over the last five years. Given the complex nature of the transport sector in the state, the need to exploit alternative means cannot be overemphasised. One of such alternatives being exploited by the government is water transportation, where seven corridors have been identified for development and mass transportation. These include Ijede-Badore, BadoreAdmiralty-Osborne-Marina, Ikorodu-Marina, Ijegun Egbe around Okokomaiko that would burst out at Mile 2 to Marina, Oke-Afa in Isolo to Festac to Mile 2 to Marina, Ajegunle to Marina and Iddo to Marina. It is a big relief for commuters that operations have begun on Ikorodu-Marina, BadoreAdmiralty-Osborne to Marina and also Ijede-Admiralty, as traffic jam associated with major roads in Lagos has reduced, especially on those axis. People living in Ikorodu who also work on the Island simply have to board a ferry without thinking of the hassles of being stuck in traffic for hours. A trip from Ikorodu to Marina lasts 65 minutes which has certainly brought significant changes in the lifestyle of people in that part of the state. It has equally, reduced noise and air pollution of road transport which comes with environmental as well as health benefits. As in most of its developmental projects, the state government is partnering with the private sector to actualise this noble vision for the transport sector. The nature of the partnership is that the state government creates an enabling environment while the private sector provides the necessary infrastructure in terms of jetties, terminal, ferries, etc, as well as engages in public enlightenment campaigns and generally creates the environment that would make people comfortable with water transportation. Mrs. Hope Ileriola, who constantly takes ferry from CMS to Apapa, said she prefers going by ferry because it is faster, though slightly more expensive. She pointed out that using that means of transport saves her from wasting time in traffic and getting stressed in the process. For Mr. Ibe Calistus, going by ferry to CMS from Ikorodu and back daily, has been rewarding for him because it saves him a

Ferries like this provide water transportation service and mitigates the traffic challenges of a complex megacity like Lagos. lot of time that would have been spent in traffic, though he has to pay double when compared with going by bus. According to him, if government wants more people to go by ferry, there should be collaboration between the government and the operators on how to not only bring the fares down, but also have more ferries on water. He called for more ferries because on some occasions, he could not board a ferry after waiting for more than an hour, which was not encouraging. He said that he had to go by road, which meant spending longer time getting home. “If you do not get to the terminal before 5 p.m., the chances that you would board a ferry are slim. There are few ferries available and by 6 p.m., the operators stop attending to clients,” he said. The Operations Manager of Metro Ferry, Mr. Zakari Dekina, disclosed that like every other business, providing water transportation service has not been an easy task. According to him, the tough business environment is the reason why many who started business with them are no longer available to attend to clients. He complained that apart from the coaches consuming large amount of fuel, which makes the daily running cost to be on the high side, the activities

of plank sellers, water hyacinths, high cost of materials and double taxation are some of the issues they are grappling with. He, however, called for government’s support in clearing hyacinth floating on the water surface of the channels, which usually tampers with the ferry engines and usually spoil it. He also pleaded that government should intervene to give tax waivers on imported ferries, tools and equipments. This, to him, would help operators to have a better environment to operate, as it would help reduce start-up capital and running costs in terms of maintenance. At present, the routes covered by Metro Ferry include Ikorodu to Ebute-Ero, CMS, Victoria Island and Falomo. Dekina pointed out that his organisation has maintained those routes due to regulatory demands, because when they were issued license, all the operators were given designated routes to operate. “We now carry between 1000 and 1, 500 passengers every day. Safety is in the hands of God, but we have safety vests that we give to all passengers on board, which the regulator also mandated all ferry operators to have in place. This is outside other safety measures put in place, like lifebuoy and fire extinguishers.” Commenting on one of the challenges, he complained that

Gov. Babatunde Fashola the activities of the saw-millers in Oko Baba, who bring their timber through the waterways often negatively affect their operations. “In the course of transportation, a log that falls off is left right there on the water and this is a hazard to boat operators. Instead of

locating and removing it to avoid any hazard, they would leave it there and are obviously not bothered about the missing one. And this is very dangerous to ferry operations. At times, the wood goes under the water and one can hardly see it and if a ferry runs into any wood, that is going to be a problem,” he said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

News Extra

Herman Wallace: Surviving 41 years in solitary confinement T

he murder conviction of a prisoner who has spent 41 years in solitary confinement has been overturned by a judge in the US state of Louisiana. What is it like being kept in total or near total isolation? Herman Wallace worked out, read Black Panther literature and fought the system. This week “the Muhammad Ali of the criminal justice system” was released. Wallace was in a nursing clinic at Hunt Correctional Centre in St Gabriel, Louisiana, on Tuesday morning when he heard the news - and was understandably skeptical. “I said, ‘Herman, you are a free man,’” says Carine Williams, one of his lawyers. A judge had reversed his 1974 conviction for murder. “He said, ‘No, I’m not. I know where I am,’” she says. He looked around the room at the prison. On that day in the clinic - he has liver cancer - he maintained his composure. It is a survival skill that he has honed over decades in prison. He was serving a sentence for armed robbery in Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. He and another inmate, Albert Woodfox, were convicted in the stabbing death of a prison guard, Brent Miller, in April 1972. Wallace and Woodfox were placed in isolation - Wallace was first in Angola and later in St Gabriel. It is a punishment that “devours victims incessantly and unmercifully”, according to Alexis de Tocqueville, the author of Democracy in America. It remains part of the prison system. More than 81,000 prisoners are held in solitary confinement in the US, said Senator Richard Durbin in a June 2012 hearing on the subject, citing a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Some prisoners are placed in solitary confinement because they have assaulted or killed another inmate or a guard. Others are held there because they are gang members - and are

Herman Wallace is suffering from liver cancer considered dangerous. Prisoners in solitary confinement are held in their cells on “average 23 hours a day”, according to Craig Haney, a University of California professor who testified at the June 2012 hearing. “Prisoners go for years - in some cases for decades never touching another human being with affection,” he said. “The emptiness and idleness that pervade most solitary confinement units are profound and enveloping.” Some prisoners in solitary confinement commit suicide. Others hurt themselves. One man in New Mexico, said Haney, “used a makeshift needle and thread from his pillowcase to sew his mouth completely shut”. Last summer 30,000 California prisoners went on a hunger strike to protest against solitary confinement. State lawmakers said they would examine the issue - and the strike was cancelled. Years ago, inmates at the Angola prison were disturbed at the way that Wallace and others were treated

“

Some prisoners in solitary confinement commit suicide. Others hurt themselves. One man in New Mexico, said Haney, “used a makeshift needle and thread from his pillowcase to sew his mouth completely shut”.

in their isolated cells. Wilbert Rideau, who was an Angola inmate at the time, says: “We knew there was a place called CCR”, an acronym that stood for Close Custody - Restricted, the place where Wallace and others were held. “We just didn’t know how long they were in there,” says Rideau. Rideau, the editor of a prison magazine called The Angolite, did some research. He discovered Wallace had been isolated for more than 15 years. The Angolite published a feature about him and others in solitary confinement, says Rideau. Until that point, Wallace and the other men in solitary confinement were basically “unknown to the world”, says Rideau, the author of a memoir, In The Place of Justice. Wallace told one of his lawyers, George Kendall, that “this is the cruellest thing one man can do to another”. Wallace’s friend Woodfox, who is still in solitary confinement, helped him fight the loneliness. “He told him, ‘Remember our motto: always far apart but never not together’,” Williams says. In a six-by-nine-feet cell just under three metres by two - Wallace stayed in shape by lifting weights that he constructed out of old newspapers. For a film entitled: Herman’s House, Wallace created a dream house he would someday live in. He read material about the Black Panther Party, a 1960s revolutionary group - and anything else he could get his hands on, and kept up with current events. “I would say, ‘What’s going on in the Middle East?’ and he would say, ‘OK, which country do you want to talk about?’” says Kendall. Wallace replied to letters - he got a steady stream of mail - and worked on his appeal. “This man is the Muhammad Ali of the

Wallace was released - and taken to a hospital

Wallace created this for a film called Herman’s House criminal justice system. He just would not quit,” Williams says. By many accounts, the evidence against him and the other inmate was weak. They did not leave fingerprints at the place where Miller was killed, for instance. Even Miller’s widow, Teenie Verret, said she had doubts about the case against them - and hoped they would be treated fairly. “If they did not do this, I think they need to be out,” she said on NBC Nightly News in March 2008. In recent weeks, Wallace has begun to feel increasingly weak. When Kendall visited him in the medical clinic, he noticed a threeinch stack of letters on a food tray. “He said, ‘I need to write them back.’ He felt very bad about that,” says Kendall.

On Tuesday evening, Williams rode with Wallace in an ambulance to the edge of the prison grounds. It pulled up to a stop sign. She told him she was going to get out - and would see him later that evening. “I’m like, ‘Are you all right?’ He said, ‘I’m good. Just get me out of here.’” He was taken to an emergency room at LSU Interim Hospital in New Orleans. By that time he could barely talk. “You could see him struggling,” says Williams. “Every word was precious.” He had something he wanted to say, though. “He said, ‘I’m free’”, she recalls. “He said it again three or four times.” Herman Wallace died of liver cancer on 4 October, three days after he left prison. (Source: BBC News)

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Digest

Frozen food is better than fresh By Sean Poulter rozen fruit and vegetables can be healthier, with higher levels of vitamins and cancer fighting antioxidants, than leafy ‘fresh’ produce. Two independent studies found more beneficial nutrients in everything from frozen broccoli florets and carrots to blueberries. In two out of three cases frozen fruit and vegetables scored better on antioxidant-type compounds – including Vitamin C, polyphenols, anthocyanins, lutein and betacarotene. Consumption of these antioxidant compounds is considered beneficial in preventing cancer and supporting the working of the

body, brain, skin and eyes. Produce bought from the supermarket greengrocer section is full of colour and crunch, while many stores even use fine mist sprays to give a ‘just picked’ look. This supermarket theatre convincers shoppers to pay a premium for food they believe is good for their family’s health as well as being tasty. However, the reality is that these vegetables and fruit may well have been held in storage for a month, while they then sit in the fridge at home for days before being eaten. Over the days, they gradually deteriorate, slowing losing some of the nutrients associated with leafy greens and fruit. By contrast, vegetables and

Direct comparison: In two out of three cases frozen fruit and vegetables scored better on antioxidant-type compounds – including Vitamin C, polyphenols, anthocyanins, lutein and beta-carotene, a study found

fruit sold in the frozen cabinets are chilled soon after harvest and so retain higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants until they are eaten. Two teams, one from Leatherhead Food Research and another from the University of Chester, carried out 40 tests to measure nutrient levels in produce which had been sitting in a fridge for three days versus the frozen equivalent. The findings demonstrate that eating newly picked produce is the healthiest option, however frozen can be almost as good and is often better that items sold as ‘fresh’. Leatherhead’s Dr Rachel Burch, said: ‘We must disregard the mistaken opinion that ‘fresh’ food is always better for us than frozen food. ‘These results demonstrate that frozen can be nutritionally comparable to ‘fresh’ produce.’ Her team found frozen broccoli had higher levels of Vitamin C, lutein and four times more betacarotene. However, fresh scored better on polyphenols, which are thought to help prevent cancer. Frozen carrots had three times the lutein and double the beta-carotene, while they were also higher in Vitamin C and polyphenols. Frozen sprouts scored higher on all nutrient measurements, however fresh spinach did better than frozen in some tests. The Chester study found levels of Vitamin C and polyphenols were much higher in frozen blueberries and green beans. The frozen blueberries also had more

Fresh is not always best: A new study has found that frozen fruit and vegetables often contain more nutrients

polyphenols and anthocyanins. The figures in raspberries and peas were around the same, while there was no clear winner for cauliflower and baby sweetcorn. Professor Graham Bonwick(correct), of the University of Chester, said: ‘Unlike frozen, some fresh produce concentrations of antioxidant compounds exhibited a decrease during refrigerated storage to levels below those observed in the corresponding frozen produce. The effects were most noticeable in soft fruits.’ While the studies were independent, they were funded by the British Frozen Food Association, which speaks for

producers. Its director general, Brian Young, said: ‘Fast and highly organised methods of ‘harvestto-freeze’ have evolved with the express purpose of minimising nutrient losses. ‘In contrast, ‘fresh’ food has been shown to spend up to a month in the chain of producers, wholesalers and retailers before consumers have access to store and prepare them. ‘During this time we know that product deterioration takes place - to the extent that they can have lower nutritional value than their frozen equivalent.’ Source: Dailymail.co.uk

How smartphones and tablets now harbour thousands more germs than a toilet seat By Sean Poulter

ome touchscreens on tablet computers and smartphones carry many more germs than a toilet seat, say researchers. The bacteria are being left behind as users swipe and poke the screens of devices such as Apple iPads and Samsung Galaxy tablets without washing their hands. One tablet tested by consumer group Which? had a count of 600 units per swab of the staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which can create toxins that cause vomiting and diarrhoea. A typical toilet seat has a staphylococcus aureus count of less than 20. Which? also found enterobacteria, which can include strains of infections such as E. coli and salmonella. High-risk levels, more than 1,000 units of enterobacteria per swab, were found on eight of the

30 tablets tested and seven of the 30 smartphones. The worst tablet had a count of 15,000 units per swab, with four phones and five keyboards also registering this level. Toilet seats typically had less

than ten units per swab of enterobacteria. Firms like Apple actively discourage users from using detergents on their touchscreens because they can damage them. The presence of the germs is simply a reflection of the fact that touchscreen users failed to wash their hands properly, while few people bother to clean the devices

Hygenic? The study found that the average toilet seat has far fewer deadly bacteria on it than a typical smartphone

and keyboards. An expert microbiologist consulted by Which? noted that if the high levels of bacteria were found on the hands of anyone working in the food industry, they would require immediate re-training in basic hygiene. Which? editor Richard Headland, said: ‘It’s shocking that a smartphone or tablet can harbour more germs than a toilet seat. Gadgets should be cleaned regularly and thoroughly to avoid germs that could lead to illness.’ He said the best method is to use a damp, soft, lint-free cloth, rather than detergents. Apple warns people not to use alcohol-based cleaners on iPads or iPhones, as these can damage the screen. Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Hidden danger: Which? tested tablets such as the iPad and found many of them contained strains of dangrous infections such as E. coli and salmonella

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Analysis

he politics of Anambra state has ever defied the known norms and traditions in Nigeria. Owing to this, the state has been christened the political pace setter of the country by pundits. This has been witnessed in various capacities, both in legal and religious politics. Aside producing the key political figures in Nigeria, from the first to the current republic, Anambra is acclaimed as the genesis in the practise of breaking political matchanship, otherwise known as godfatherism. The case of former Governor Chris Ngige and Godfather Chris Uba, readily comes to mind in this regards. The political intrigues which manifested in 2008, where Senator Andy Uba was foisted on Anambra people by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, also earned the state another feather in producing the ever shortest serving governor in the country when the apex court eventually sacked Uba. Subsequently, she set the pace in the country’s legal politics by being the first state in Nigeria’s history where a sitting governor was sacked by the Supreme Court, to effect completion of the tenure of Governor Peter Obi. At the moment, the titans who have earlier indicated interest in the race and had emerged victorious at the primary stages of their respective parties, have begun rolling out their political permutations and strategies aimed solely at outsmarting opponents in the quest for the state’s White House. Few weeks to the election, the major parties upon which all eyes have been riveting by political observers are the incumbent All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), United Peoples Party (UPP) and Labour Party (LP). These parties obviously have their ups and downs, which are expected to influence their performances in the election. It therefore makes the forthcoming contest in the state one of the most tricky in Nigeria’s political history. Ahead of the elections, many bewildering political developments have begun to emerge which, observers believe, would inject more complexities in the already complicated and tensed up atmosphere in the state. Just a few days after Senator Annie Okonkwo was pressured to step down for former Governor Chris Ngige by the leadership of the APC, and was conscripted to head the campaign structures of Ngige, a damaging conflict has begun to rage between the two party leaders. The reason given for this fallout between the two leaders of APC is that, while Okonkwo wanted to highjack the party structures in the state, Ngige insisted that such occupiers of the party’s structures must emerge through transparent process. However, there are allegations

PAGE 37

Anambra election: Intrigues as gladiators clash again Anambra is undoubtedly one state in Nigeria with political antecedent which defied predictions. As the state inches towards another landmark political battle, Ikechukwu Okaforadi writes on the intrigues expected to play ut among the foxy political gladiators in the contest.

Governor Peter Obi

Senator Chris Ngige

Willie Obianor

Ifeanyi Ubah

that this current crisis rocking the Anambra chapter of APC, is part of the ochestrations of the opponents, who want to undermine the potentials of APC, considering the popularity of Senator Ngige in the state. In addition, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra state fired the first salvo when he reneged on an alleged agreement with Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos, which culminated into what is today expressed as deportation of Igbos by APC government in Lagos. Even though both governors have been trading blames over the recent deportation of Igbos from Lagos by Fashola, who claims to have acted based on agreement with Governor Peter Obi, one cannot rule out political undertone in this issue. Since this matter struck the public domain, the APC stakeholders have been battling to not only regain lost grounds, but also to refurbish its political image in the all important state. Part of this efforts is the apology to the Igbos by Fashola, who explained at a meeting with some Igbo leaders that he has no hatred against the Igbos. Also, in the folds of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there is

equally a ravaging conflict over who is the genuine candidate of the party. To this end, there has been court orders and counter orders, declaring and mandating the electoral body and PDP to recognise one candidate or the other. While the party’s leadership has thrown its weight behind Tony Nwoye, who emerged victorious in the PDP’s primary contest, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in a list published recently, said it recognises Nicolas Ukachukwu as the genuine PDP’s candidate, in obedience to court order. Political observers have claimed that PDP crisis in the state is a plot by vested interests in the country in general and the state in particular, to ensure that Andy Uba does not rule the state, and to brake the strangulating stronghold of godfather Chris Uba. However this is looked at, one cannot deny the fact that PDP’s intimidating posture ahead of the elections has been chattered. Similarly, the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is equally not exempted from this dual candidature. The two factions of the party are fielding two different candidates, including Willie Obianor

Senator Andy Uba

Nicholas Ukachukwu and Chike Obidigbo. While Obiannor is the candidate of Peter Obi and Victor Umeh led APGA faction, Chike Obidigbo is the candidate of Maxi Okwu’s faction of the party, even though INEC only recognises Willie Obianor for now. It is worthy of note that it is only the UPP and LP that can boast of reasonable intra party peace ahead of the political clash in the notorious state. However, with most of the parties in the contest in one crisis or the other, the result of the election is therefore more unpredictable than ever. This is coupled with the fact that none of the candidates can boast of having absolute acceptance across the length and breath of the state. Since the electoral commission published its list of candidates in the election, commendations and condemnations have been pouring out on the electoral body, especially in the cases where the names published by the commission contradicts the choice of the party. But from all indications, the list published by the INEC may not be sacrosanct, even though the Commission has explained that with few weeks to the elections, it may not be possible alter the list if any court ruling comes on board.

An examination of the contenders in the election indicates their respective strengths and weeknesses. Of late, one influential candidate who is expected to pull the strings in the election is Ifeanyi Ubah. It has been alleged that he is behind the APGA crisis. It would be recalled that at the height of the APGA crisis, he defected to Labour Party (LP), his current platform. Ubah, being an oil mogul, is believed to have what it takes finance the election. Away from being young and charismatic, this candidate is respected for an outstanding smartness which has earned him excellence in the oil business. Also, he has a reasonable measure of popularity at the grassroots. On the other hand, LP is not a formidable political party in Anambra state. In fact, it lacks a robust structures across the local governments in the state. This is believe to be an enormous challenge which may hamper the efficacy of his campaigns in the 21 local government areas in the state. Another popular candidate who would feature in the election is former Ngige, who is contesting on the platform of APC. It is hoped that Continued on page 38

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Politics PDP warns officials against “spurious workshops”

All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial Candidate in the November 2013 elections and former Anambra state Governor, Senator Chris Ngige (right), addressing party supporters, during the party’s gubernatorial campaign rally, on Wednesday at Ladipo Market, in Oshodi, Lagos.

Group frowns at KDSG ban on public rallies From Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

group under the aegis of Center for Development and Rights Advocacy (CEDRA) yesterday frowned at a statement credited to Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, which banned public and association rallies in the state. The state government, through the police Commissioner, was reported to have warned individuals and groups against holding any form of rallies without police approval. “Henceforth, no individual, groups public or associations shall hold meetings, rallies or assemblies without the prior consent of the police Command”, the commissioner was quoted to

have said. A statement issued by the group and signed by its spokesman,Dr. John Danfulani, and made available to newsmen in Kaduna described the ban as an infringement on citizen’s fundamental human rights. “This statement is a gross infringement of citizenry fundamental human rights, freedom of speech, association and rightful assembly in tandem with principles of democracy and also other international conventions and treaties which Nigeria is a signatory. “We find it contradictory and something fishy, because it was the same Commissioner of Police that denied that there was no commotion on Saturday during a Peace and Unity Rally at Murtala

Muhammad Square, Kaduna, only to come out again to use the said commotion as basis of banning lawful and peaceful assembly in the state. “We wish to reiterate here that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has given every citizen the rights to assembly and association hence the order issued by the Commissioner of Police of Kaduna State Command must be reversed without any condition, Nigeria is in a democratic era and citizens have rights to association and assembly, as contained in the constitution,” he said. The group further stated that security agencies must, as a matter of fact and in carrying out their constitutional responsibility, avoid carrying out actions that have political undertones.

fficials of the PDP in Plateau have been warned to steer clear of “spurious workshops” that could pose distractions to the party’s preparations for the Dec 21, council polls in the state. The State chairman of the party, Dr Haruna Dabin, gave warning in a statement he signed yesterday in Jos. He said that the warning became necessary because some of the officials of the party were being distracted by invitations to spurious training programmes and workshops that had no relevance. “It has come to the knowledge of leadership of the party in the state that certain organisations are inviting party officials to attend workshops/ training programmes that have no relevance to the party and

its activities. “This is compounded by the fact that these invitations are not routed through the appropriate authorities,” the statement said. Dabin said that the party could not afford distractions in its preparations for the Dec 21,local government polls. “All officials of the party are strongly advised to desist from accepting invitations from such organisations or attending any unauthorised invitations. “The party at present is focused on the preparations for the LG elections and would not be distracted by such irrelevant workshops/training programmes. “Officials should obtain approvals for any such invitation or seek clarification”. (NAN)

Kwara LG polls: Emir tasks electoral body on transparent election

he Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu- Gambari yesterday appealed to the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC) to conduct a free, fair and transparent local government election in the state. The Emir said this in Ilorin when he received the Chairman of KWASIEC, Dr Uthman Ajidagba, who led six other commissioners on a courtesy call. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission will conduct the local government election in the state on Oct. 26. The traditional ruler said that the conduct of a free, fair and credible election would help to

sustain the peace and harmony prevailing in the state. Sulu-Gambari urged the commission to create a level playing ground for all the candidates in the election as a way of ensuring fairness and transparency. The Emir called on the electorate to support KWSIEC in the task ahead, adding that the job could not be done by the commission alone. The monarch assured the commission of his support and prayed for its successful conduct of the election. Earlier, the KWSIEC chairman had expressed appreciation to the emir for his continuos support to the commission. (NAN)

DPP chieftains in Ughelli/Udu Federal constituency, others decamp to PDP From Adesoji Oyinlola, Lagos

orty eight hours to the Senatorial by-election election in Delta Central Senatorial District, a DPP chieftain representing Udu /

Ughelli Federal constituency, Honorable Austin Ogbaburon, has led hundreds of his supporters to decamp to the PDP. The move which analysts say will give a significant boost to the chances of the PDP in Saturday’s

election effectively marks the end of the current political fortunes of DPP as Ogbaburon switched his ticket to the PDP. Ogbaburon, while addressing his supporters and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in his home

at Orhuworun, said they have retraced their way to the PDP and were ready to ensure that the PDP takes the senate ticket in the election on Saturday. He said “We, who were in the DPP and all other small parties,

have today crossed over to the PDP; we are tired of being in the opposition. We see that President Goodluck Jonathan is listening to us the Urhobo people and we have better chances with a PDP Senator in Abuja’.

Anambra election: Intrigues as gladiators clash again Continued from page 37 the former governor is very popular at the grassroots. Ngige is revered for having the temerity to challenge the Anambra political godfathers in the interest of the poor masses. This has earned him the respect of being the peoples governor. Another advantage he has is his platform, APC. This party has structures across the 21 local governments in the state. In addition, being the second largest party in the country, APC has the resources to sponsor his campaigns and other political expenditure. Obviously, if the election is based only on popularity of candidate,

Ngige will definitely give other parties a tough time, especially when one takes into account the political habit of voting candidates rather than party in Anambra state. Within the short time he served as governor in the state, Ngige made tremendous impact, especially in road construction and payment of salaries to civil servants and pensioners. However, one impediment on his way is the perception among Anambra people that APC is a Yoruba party. Even, APGA has capitalised on this notion to improve its opportunities ahead of the election. Another challenge he would be grappling with is the recent misunderstanding he has with

Senator Annie Okonkwo. It is feared that if Okonkwo is not able to get exactly what he wants before the election, he may be a willing tool in the hands of opponents, especially as he has lost his position as the APC’s Vice Chairman, South East. In the case of APGA, the candidate is a new breed in both Anambra and Nigeria politics. Also, in terms of money, he is not such a rich candidate. In fact, how he intends to convince both the Southern and Central Senatorial Districts of the state to support him is yet to be seen. In addition, the believe that he is just a stooge of the incumbent governor, who wishes to advance their political business, is a big minus for him.

On the other hand, this candidate has advantages which make him as strong as the incumbent, given that he enjoys every commitment and backup from the outgoing governor. His platform has structures across the nooks and crannies of the state, with enourmous followers. Funds will also not be a challenge to him, especially as his party remains in power. In the case of PDP, the greatest challenge to the party is the multiple candidates in the contest. The party has three contenders, which observers claim is already a failure for the party. The party is also not liked by many Nigerians who think that voting the party is likened to

surrendering the state directly or indirectly to the Uba family who have almost sucked the state to death. The only grace that will earn the party votes at the election is the control it has at the centre. Another is the structures it has across the wards and local governments of the state. In addition, the party’s candidate is believed to be people oriented, having fought the Uba family severally in his quest to rescue the state from their grips. Meanwhile, as the election draws nearer week by week, no possibility is foreclosed, especially as the state reechoes as a place of surprises, where the spin can rest in the least expected digit.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

News Extra

Peace Ambassador extols FCT minister’s leadership traits By Stanley Onyekwere

he Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Muhammad has been described as a detribalized Nigerian who represents the face of the paradigm shift in leadership of the country. A peace Ambassador and public

analyst, Abdulrahman Sade who made this remark at a town hall meeting organized by a non-political pressure group, the Abuja Professionals, to mark the 55th birthday of the minister of FCT, added that Bala has worked so hard to make Abuja a model capital city in Africa and the world at large. He said the all-inclusive style of the

minister in running the affairs of the FCT stands him out as the best appointed since the creation of Abuja as a Federal territory; adding that it is only in the cabinet of Bala Muhammad that you find Yoruba’s Igbo’s and other ethnic group as his aides. The Peace Ambassador added that the minister is a leader who is not afraid

of constructive criticisms aimed at moving the FCT forward. Similarly, the leader of Abuja Professionals, Dr. Musa Aliyu Wada poured encomiums on the minister of the FCT describing him as a beacon of hope for residents of FCT; saying “they would always rally round and support him now and in future.”

BRIEFS

NLC commends leadership of NASU

he Non- Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU), has been commended for the bold step, to resume participation in all organs meetings and activities of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) including payment of affiliation dues to the Congress. In a statement to NASU, signed by the General Secretary, NUTGTWN Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Issa Aremu mni, the NEC of NLC said, “We commend in particular, leadership of your great union led by the President, Comrade Ladi Iliya and your Comrade General Secretary for providing the necessary good leadership that gave rise to your NEC’s resolution.” Adding, that the singular decision serves the interest of Nigeria’s working people who, undoubtedly will benefit from the progressive contribution of a public sector union like NASU. By Agaju Madugba

CSEA hosts roundtable on boosting girl-child education

entre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), is organising a roundtable to discuss ways to improve girl- child education in Nigeria. The event slated for Friday 11th, October in Abuja, is part of activities to mark this year’s International Day of Girl Child, which focuses on innovating for girls’ education. A statement issued Tuesday, in Abuja, by the organisation’s executive Director, Dr. Ebele Eneze, said the occasion will provide a platform for senior policymakers, civil society organisations, donor agencies, the academia and the media to dialogue on the challenges facing education of the girl child in the country. Discussions at the event will focus on the findings of a research project carried out by CSEA titled ‘Policy Simulation exercise of Educational Assistance Programmes for Girls in Nigeria’ which will be presented to stakeholders at the roundtable. By Maryam Garba Hassan

Some members of the Taraba state Marshal Corps, during their passing out parade, recently at Jolly Nyame Stadium, in Jalingo.

Dankwambo donates N15m to corps members From David Hassan, Gombe

overnor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe state yesterday donated N15million to 2012 batch C of corps members that served in the state. Dankwambo announced the donation during the passing out

parade of the 2012 batch C corps members held at the Abubakar Umar stadium in Gombe. The governor also awarded automatic employment to 15 corps members who served effectively for the development of the state while, the overall best corps member, Miss Olubukun Olufemi went home

with N500,000. While congratulating the 720 corps members who passed out in the state, Dankwambo called on them to take advantage of government’s programmes to be self reliant instead of searching for white collar jobs. He reiterated government’s commitment to support corps

members whenever they excel in their duties by contributing positively to the development of the state. The Governor commended the Corps members for the projects executed in communities which, he said, they will always be remembered for by the state government.

Solomon Lar, rare political leader- Suswam From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

enue state Governor, Gabriel Suswam, has described the late elder statesman, and former Governor of Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar as a rare political icon of the nation, especially in the North Central geo- political zone. Governor Suswam, in a condolence statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Dr. Cletus

Akwaya, also added that he was a great patriot and bridge-builder. He said the departure of Chief Solomon Lar, the pioneer Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in a London hospital, has created a big leadership vacuum in the politics of Nigeria that would be difficult to fill. Suswam further recalled that the late PDP chieftain sacrificed his entire life to the service of the people and offered selfless service

in all the political positions he occupied as member of the House of Representatives, Governor of Plateau state, Minister of Police Affairs, or as pioneer National Chairman of the PDP. “The former Governor of Plateau state was a rare leader whose interest in politics was always to fight for the cause of the less privileged and the down trodden, hence he was referred to as the Emancipator”, he stated.

The Governor condoled with the Lar family, the government and people of Plateau state and members of the PDP across the nation over the sad incident and prayed God to grant the soul of the departed eternal rest. He urged the current generation of Nigerian politicians to imbibe leadership attributes of the departed leader such as selflessness, humility, consensus building and commitment to national unity.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

News Extra

Olofa stool: No monarch in OffaAppeal Court

L-R: President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, and former Executive Director, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr. Edward Amana, at a media workshop on “The Dynamics of the Education Sector”, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin ImoOwo

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

GIABA boss wants total independence for EFCC By Joy Baba

he Director-General, Inter-Governmental Action Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Dr. Abdullahi Shehu, yesterday, said the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) needs complete independence to enable it perform optimally. An EFCC statement said

Shehu was speaking in Abuja, at the on-going 6th INTERPOL Global programme on AntiCorruption, Financial Crimes and Asset Recovery. The statement quoted Shehu as saying “I am advocating for providing part of the recovered funds for the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies, this is the practice in America and other parts of the world where serious attention is paid to the success

of law enforcement agencies. Commonwealth countries, including Nigeria, shouldn’t be so regimented. “ Law enforcement agencies should be able to benefit directly from recoveries as the era of going to the National Assembly or the presidency begging for funds should be a thing of the past. Imagine the EFCC benefiting from the billions of naira recovered from Cecilia

Ibru, former Managing Director of Oceanic Bank; that would have gone a long way to reasonably ameliorate part of its financial challenges”, he added. He further advocated for complete independence of the operations of EFCC and other law enforcement agencies, noting that one of the major problems in fighting corruption and economic crimes is undue interference of the political class.

Eid-el Kabir : Muslim youth urge Nigerians to shun materialism From Gabriel Johnson and Ann Aloh, Lagos

he National Council of Muslim Youth O r g a n i s a t i o n s (NACOMYO), has admonished Muslim faithful to imbibe the spirit of total submission to the will of Allah, as epitomised by the significance of Eid-el Kabir. The apex Muslim youth body, in a statement signed by its National President, Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde, noted that many ills in the society are traceable to materialism and therefore “enjoined Nigerians not to succumb to materialism at the expense of spiritualism which must be explored as a means towards solving Nigeria’s multiple problems, including social- economic, political and security challenges posing threat to our survival as a nation.” While underscoring the relevance of the recent Presidential initiative at addressing Nigerian’s multiple challenges or problems, especially ethno-religious and political-induced violence, constituting threat to Nigeria’s

corporate existence, it stated that the proposed national dialogue has potentials for providing the much-needed understanding, tolerance, love, and peace required for good governance and harmony as essential for sustainable growth & development of the country.” It however, called for a review of the time-frame for the advisory committee on the dialogue process, noting that the nature,

sensitivity and magnitude of assignment require ample time for an extensive consultation, review of record of reports of similar exercise and roboust discussion and approach by the committee, just as it also noted that some distinguished Nigerians, who’s suggestions could also be of value to the committee are on pilgrimage (Hajj). The Muslim body also

observed lopsidedness in the committee membership and therefore, implored President Jonathan to rectify the anomaly, to reflect religious balance and in the appointment of committee officers, such that they could have co-chairman or co-secretary, recalling such balancing in the defunct political reform conference in the era of former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

ACF, Kwara gov mourn Solomon Lar By Agaju Madugba, Abuja & Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

he Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has commiserated with the family of late Chief Solomon Lar, people and government of Plateau state over his demise, saying he was the spirit and face of his people, whom he gave his all. In a condolence message, signed by the National Publicity Secretary, My. Anthony N.Z Sani, the forum said Lar, struggled for the rights of his people with courage and hope. “Considering what he stood and died for, one can imagine his body

lying in both peace and pain: the peace associated with death and the pain of what he has left behind: a divided people in endless blame game and engagement of the past at the expense of how to move the nation forward”, said ACF. The statement said though Chief Solomon D. Lar, has left a void that no one can fill, and is no more with us, in a way, he is very much around, considering that he needs no monuments to remind Nigerians of his legacies. The ACF, while praying for the repose of his soul, he urged those he has left behind to reflect on what he stood for in their lives.

In a related development, Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has described death of the former Governor of Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar as a national loss. Governor Ahmed, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba noted that the demise of the elder statesman is even more painful as the nation has not only been deprived of the depth of his experience as a seasoned politician, but at a time when his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the nation are going through real and enduring transformation.

he Appeal Court, sitting in Ilorin, has told the Annilerin and Olugbense ruling house in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, that as far as it is concerned, there is no traditional ruler in Ofa town. The Judges on the panel hearing the matter expressed their position on the judgment delivered by their predecessors stressing that, the judgment had shown that there was no Oba in the community; rather, the Olugbense ruling house was to be contemplated in consideration for the stool. The Court of Appeal had ruled that the Olofa stool should be considered for the Olugbense Ruling house while the present Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II, should stop parading himself as the traditional ruler of the community. Unsatisfied with the judgment, the Annilerin family, through their Counsel, Rabbana Lawal (SAN) filed application of stay of execution of judgment in the same Appeal Court while also filing its case at the Supreme Court, to dismiss the Appeal Court ruling which was in favour of the Olugbense ruling house. Sitting on the case, the three Panelists ; Hon. Justice R. C. Agbo, Justice I.O. Akeju and Justice U Onyemenam expressed their opinions that the court can not grant the stay of execution of judgment since none of them partook in the judgment. They noted that the best option was for the Applicants to go to the Supreme Court instead of asking for stay of execution on the judgment of the Appeal Court decided by different set of Panelists. But Counsel to the Kingmakers, Mallam OlaOlu Ali in his argument, cited different cases where the Court can grant stay of execution of its own judgment, stressing that it would just be temporary before the Supreme Court determines the case in Abuja. In his submission, Counsel to the respondents, John Bayeashea (SAN), said the applicants did not have sufficient evidences and morality to ask the same Court whom they disobeyed its order for any favour. He noted that the applicants, especially the deposed Olofa of Offa, Oba Gbadamosi was ordered by the Court to stop parading himself as the traditional Ruler of the community but he, in connivance with his agents, has continued to disobey the court order which was tantamount to rudeness and disrespect to the Court.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 41

Top African stars eye 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil By Albert Akota with agancy report

Didier Drogba

idier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Asamoah Gyan, John Obi Mikel and Jonathan Pitroipa are among the stars seeking 2014 World Cup places when the African play-offs begin this weekend. Ivory Coast will expect goals from veteran captain Drogba as they strive to build a commanding lead over Senegal in Abidjan. Striker and skipper Eto’o has changed his mind about retiring, giving Cameroon a timely boost before tackling Tunisia in Rades. Many Ghana goals come from captain-cum-attack spearhead Gyan and Egypt will afford him time and space in Kumasi at their peril. After ending a 185-match English Premier League goal drought, Nigeria midfielder Mikel hopes to make the net bulge against Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. Voted the best 2013 Africa Cup of Nations footballer, wide attacker Pitroipa expects his service to set up a victory for Burkina Faso over Algeria in Ouagadougou. The play-offs comprise five home-and-away ties with the overall winners qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. And if Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria succeed, the same five African countries who qualified for the 2010 tournament in South Africa will make it again. South Africa also competed in the highly acclaimed first World Cup hosted by Africa, but as hosts having been exempted from qualifying.

Top-ranked African national team Ivory Coast have cause for confidence after beating Senegal convincingly at home in a 2013 Cup of Nations qualifier. They were leading 2-0 in Dakar when supporters lit fires on the terraces and hurled missiles on the pitch, forcing the game to be abandoned. A one-year ban on internationals at the stadium ensued, meaning the midNovember return fixture has been switched to Moroccan city Casablanca. Ivorian coach Sabri Lamouchi recalled 32-year-old Liverpool defender Kolo Toure, older brother of Manchester City midfielder and reigning African Footballer of the Year Yaya Toure. Senegal continues to omit Demba Ba because he is not playing regularly for Chelsea, but off-form fellow striker Papiss Cisse of Newcastle returns after a one-match suspension. It is a pairing neither coach wanted. “Unfavourable,” said Lamouchi. “Not my wish,” lamented fellow Frenchman and 1980s superstar Alain Giresse. Tomorrow’s showdown pits rising Burkina Faso against resurgent Algeria with Francebased flier Pitroipa desperate to prove second place at the 2013 Africa Cup was no fluke. Dismissed pre-tournament as cannon fodder, the Burkinabe shocked Ghana en route to a final where they took champions Nigeria to the wire. “We want to show South Africa was not a fluke,” stressed

Pitroipa. “Everything we did there will become irrelevant if we fail to make Brazil.” Algeria had a horrid Nations Cup, going out in the first round after being touted as possible champions, but bounced back to finish above Mali in a World Cup group. Portugal-based Islam Slimani is among the leading qualifying competition scorers with five goals and a scoring streak in Germany earned Mohamed Amine Aoudia a call-up. “It is a 50-50 tie,” said Bosniaborn coach Vahid Halilhodzic. “We avoided Cameroon, Egypt and Senegal, but there is no room for cockiness. Tunisia hope history does not repeat itself Sunday as they lost home and away to Cameroon in a 1990 World Cup play-off. Dutch coach Ruud Krol takes charge for the first time and devising a plan to shackle recent Chelsea signing Eto’o must be a priority. Krol excluded highly-rated midfielders Youssef Msakni and Oussama Darragi and promoted Maher Hannacni and Fakhreddine Ben Youssef from CA Sfaxien, the club he also coaches. Cameroon have lost midfielder Stephane Mbia to injury, but the return of Eto’o offers hope of a record seventh World Cup appearance by an African country. Mikel is part of a full-strength Nigeria side that arrives in Addis Ababa only on the eve of the Sunday showdown to escape the worst effects of the 2 300-metre

(7 550 feet) altitude. He also dismissed a 2-0 win over them at the Nations Cup, saying: “You must not talk about the past in African football January is a long time ago. A blow for Ethiopia, who beat South Africa to reach the playoffs, is the absence of injured Getaneh Gibeto, leaving Saladin Ahmed to shoulder the attacking burden.

Ghana host Egypt only next Tuesday and after losing injured centre-backs John Boye and Jonathan Mensah, hope midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng recovers from a knee problem. Egypt have included 11 stars from African club champions Al-Ahly, including playmaker Mohamed Abou Trika, who craves a first World Cup appearance in the twilight of his career.

Dedevbo promises 2014 FIFA World Cup ticket

he new Head Coach of the U-20 Women’s Team, the Falconets Peter Dedevbo, has promised to take the team to the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Dedevbo said that his goal was to take the Falconets to great heights to prove his worth to Nigerians. Dedevbo was named coach of the Falconets by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Oct. 6. Before his appointment, the coach was an Assistant Coach of the first-ever U-17 Women’s team, which featured at the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals in New Zealand in 2008. He was later appointed Head Coach of the team, and led the girls to the quarter final in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010 and Azerbaijan in 2012. Dedevbo noted that the U-20 team was still developing and said that it would need time to grow into a strong and formidable team. “Most of these girls were recruited from the U-17 team and

I really do not have enough time to fully prepare them as I would have loved to, for the qualifier against the Burkinabes. “However, let’s see what will happen within the short time at our disposal; after the qualifiers, we will then go into serious business.’’ He added that all the invited players had reported to the camp and were in high spirit. ‘We opened camp on Oct. 7 and invited 30 players. I am happy to say that all the girls have arrived safely. “We are now in the process of screening them as the race for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Canada in Aug. 2014, gets underway this month,’’ he said. The Falconets, runners-up at the World Cup in Germany in 2010 and semi finalists in Japan in 2012 are up against Burkina Faso in the African first round fixtures. The first leg match will hold in Nigeria in the last weekend of October, while the second leg is scheduled for November in Burkina Faso.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PUBLIC NOTICE

COVENANT PILGRIMS GATEWAY ASSEMBLY

ALLIANCE FOR NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION (ANT)

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED BODY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. DR. EZE ANOKE 2. ENGR. DANIEL I. OHIOMOHA 3. SENATOR EMMANUEL DANGANA OCHEPO

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

Sports

Dasaolu appoints Gemili as new coach

printer Adam Gemili has left the coach who helped him reach this year’s World Championship 200m final to team up with Steve Fudge, who trains Britain’s 100m champion James Dasaolu. The 20-year-old, who became the second Briton to run under 20 seconds for the 200m in Moscow, had worked with Michael Afilaka since January 2012. Gemili, who will now train in Loughborough, clocked 19.98

Idowu admits to drunk-driving

ormer Olympic triple jumper Phillips Idowu has admitted to drunking driving after being caught in his car at more than twice the legal alcohol limit. The 34-year-old, who won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, was stopped by Essex Police in his Land Rover in Epping on 20 September. Idowu, who admitted drinking and driving, was banned for two years by Chelmsford magistrates and fined £145. After the hearing, Essex police confirmed they had been called to a “domestic incident” at Idowu’s home before his arrest. The court heard he failed a breath test, with a recording of 96 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres. His solicitor, Joanna Life, told the court he had been out with friends the previous night and returned home to bed. He had asked to be fined rather than given community service as he had an employment opportunity abroad beginning next month, the court heard.

Djokovic suffers injury scare at Shanghai Masters W

orld number two Novak Djokovic overcame an injury scare to beat Spain’s Marcel Granollers and reach the third round of the Shanghai Masters. The Serb landed awkwardly on his right foot early in the second set and had a medical timeout before winning 6-2 6-0. Fifth seed Federer beat Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-4 6-3, while Nadal, who reclaimed the number one ranking this week, dispatched Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-3 6-2. Djokovic hit a running backhand in the first game of

the second set and then leaped in the air, wincing in pain. He appeared slightly tentative after having his foot and ankle wrapped, but he still dominated against the Spaniard, ranked 36 in the world. He next plays Italian Fabio Fognini, who advanced when Spaniard Tommy Robredo retired with a wrist injury while trailing 7-6 (7-3) 2-1. Federer was returning to the court for the first time since his fourth-round loss at the US Open but was too strong for Seppi.

Novak Djokovic

Lingfield set £1m for Good Friday fixture racecourse

historic £1m racing fixture will be held at Lingfield Park racecourse in Surrey on Good Friday next year. It will be a finale to a new allweather racing championships and part of a total rise in prize money of £2.2m from owners Arena Racing Company (ARC). Good Friday, which takes place on 18 April in 2014, is currently one of only four nonracing days in the UK.

Team UK Youth: Mansell hopes for new sponsor eam UK Youth owner Nigel Mansell is still very upbeat about the future of the team despite withdrawing his financial support for next season. The ex-Formula 1 world champion funded the team for four years but has said continued sponsorship is “impossible in the present financial climate”. The outfit enjoyed a fine 2013 but now need to find a new headline sponsor by the end of October to survive. Mansell made his decision at the end of Team UK Youth’s most successful ever season, with his outfit ranked second only to Team Sky among British teams in the UCI rankings after several race wins. The team competes at UCI Continental level, the standard below that of Team Sky and has been used to promote the UK Youth charity, of which Mansell is president. Mansell said that the team had told all 12 of its riders - which include Cornwall’s Chris Opie, Devon’s Barker and Joshua Hunt, Jersey’s Richard Tanguy.

seconds in the semi-finals of the World Championships in August only John Regis has run faster (19.87 in 1994). The former footballer went on to finish fifth in the final. Dasaolu, 26, who linked up with Fudge in early 2012, ran 9.91 seconds at the British Championships, the second fastest time by a Briton since Linford Christie crossed the line in 9.87 at the World Championships in 1987.

Lingfield

Kelly said a series of races throughout the winter, leading to six titles in categories ranging from sprint to marathon, would increase competition and might reduce the likelihood of jockeys being vulnerable to corruption. The Professional Jockeys’ Association says many riders opposed the plans to hold racing on Good Friday, although a four-day break for National Hunt riders has since been announced.

UCI wants to revamp road race

rofessional road racing could feature promotion and relegation as part of a new three-tier league system proposed by world governing body, the UCI. The WorldTour would be scrapped in favour of a 16-team first division which would race across 120 days. An eight-team second tier would then race over 50 days while a lower tier would be made up of regional divisions. The reforms will be considered for approval in January and if given the go-ahead would be introduced from 2015. In a newsletter published by the UCI, the proposals - which would be fully in place by 2020 - were described as having the ability to bring about a “profound and decisive change” in the organisation of professional cycling.

Cyclists in action

Newly elected UCI president Brian Cookson said the elite road race calendar needed to be restructured to enhance the sport globally. In the same ‘Sport and

Technical’ newsletter, Cookson said: “In order to restore confidence in the UCI and promote cycling all around the world, we have to transform the way in which anti-doping

procedures are managed, restructure elite road cycling, develop women’s cycling and reinforce our position and influence, in particular within the Olympic Movement.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PUBLIC NOTICE

BEAUTICIANS HAIRDRESSERS AND COSMETOLOGISTS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVE FOR GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY

MISHARA DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION-ABUJA

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR THE REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEE ARE: 1.FRANK EFE AHANTE 2.OLUWATOYIN F.AHANTE (MRS) 3.MAGNUS ONWUKWE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE ARE: 1.TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA DISTRICT, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: MAGNUS ONWUKWE,ESQ SUITE B25,ABRAHAM UTAKO,ABUJA. 08037699794

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1 OF 1990.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MRS. OLAGUNDOYE VERONICA 2. SEYI OLAGUNDOYE 3. FR. FRANCIS KALE 4. MR. STEVEN MAKINDE 5. MOJI OLAGUNDOYE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO EDUCATE THE WOMEN, CHILDREN & YOUTH ON HOW TO USE THE RESOURCE AROUND THEM TO BETTER THEIR LIVES THROUGH AGRICULTURE AND KEEPING THEIR ENVIRONMENT CLEAN. 2. TO WORK WITH OTHER STAKHOLDERS TO PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTH, EDUCATION & EMPOWER WOMEN AND YOUTHS

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THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF NAME AND CHANGE OF ITS TRUSTEES UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

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THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF NAME AND CHANGE OF ITS TRUSTEES UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. DR. UDUAK CHRISTABEL UDOM 2. MR. IFEANYI T. NZEKWE 3. MRS. MARIAM IYABODE WAHAB 4. MR. MAREN MALLO DANIEL 5. MR. OLADAPO EDWARD OLANIRU 6. MR. CHIGOZIE E. UTAZI 7. MRS. BLESSING MBAEBIE-OYEDEMI 8. MRS. RUTH ABIOLA ADIMULA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. ADVANCEMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME, INCLUDING ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP VALUES, GENDER EQUITY, WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT. 2. PROMOTION OF SCHOLARSHIP, EXCELLENCE AND DEDICATION TO EDUCATION BY INSTITUTION OF AWARDS TO RECOGNIZE DESERVING NIGERIANS ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

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SILI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO FOSTER UNITY AMONG ITS MEMBERS ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

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SHARON HEALTH FOUNDATION

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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO CATER FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PUBLIC NOTICE

PRIME WATERVIEW ESTATE PROPERTY OWNERS AND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

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LEAGUE OF GOSPEL MUSIC MINISTERS OF NIGERIA

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. HRM ALHAJI (DR.) ADO IBRAHIM, CON 2. MR. USMAN ANIBASA 3. MR. MUSA ITOPA JIMOH 4. JULIET OKIBAYI HASSANA MUONEME AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PROMOTE A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE IN EVERY SPHERE OF THE ECONOMY OF EBIRALAND 2. TO INITIATE AND CARRYOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES IN EBIRALAND ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR ADEMOLA NOAH OYELEKE 2. MRS. ADELAJA MARGARET OYELEKE 3. MR. PETER ADEGBOYE 4. MR. ARIYO OLU OLAWUMI 5. MRS. OPADERE FLORENCE GBONJUBOLA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD 2. TO ORGANIZE FELLOWSHIP, SEMINARS, LECTURES, RETREATS, CRUSADES AND CONFERENCES TO MEET THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPERATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: DESIRE OLUFEMI BOTOKU ESQ. 08055226214, 08023016330

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IN GOD WE TRUST EVANGELISTIC MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

PAGE 47

The DNA of Nigerian leadership

By Maryam Elrufai I see leadership primarily as a form of service but it was while teaching in developing countries that I found out leadership to them was focused on position, privilege and power – John Maxwell he quote above from leadership training guru, John Maxwell, is perhaps the reason why we are still developing and have not moved forward; we have missed the whole concept of LEADERSHIP. Following last week’s discourse on positional leadership (level 1), it is apparent at this point our so-called Nigerian leaders have gone off the train and the train has since long gone and left them. Once they get an appointment or win their elections, all hell breaks loose. The all too familiar ‘I-havearrived-syndrome’ kicks in, and they start driving with their rear view mirror!! Most of our leaders are positional leaders, appointed not by merit or their track records, but for political gain or as favours. Now I ask: How do we expect people thrust on us in such circumstances to lead us successfully, most of whom were not prepared for any positions of authority? Most often, such leaders have no clear ideas of what they intend to accomplish in office, and fail to appreciate the basic principles of leadership. They were just randomly picked and put on the bus, all having different visions and strategies, but with no idea where that bus is going, or even how to start the engine. This is the situation in Nigeria: A bunch of clueless people picked and put on the bus, all sitting on the wrong seats. Once supposed leaders have a position or title, people will identify them with it. However, positions and titles are very misleading; a position always promises more than it can deliver. What they don’t understand is leadership has been given to them but not yet earned by them. Leadership is action, not position. The problem with positional leaders is they come to rely heavily on their position for leadership and all the comfort that comes with it. They often place very high premiums on holding onto these positions. They neglect many of the humanitarian aspects of leadership and ignore the fact that the people they lead have hopes, aspirations of their own. They do not recognize that as leaders, they must bring together their vision and that of the people in a way that benefits everyone. They do not lead well because they have

NASIR EL-RUFAI ON FRIDAY elrufai@aol.com failed to acknowledge and take into account that leadership of any kind, in any location, for any purpose is about “working for the people”. In many cases, people value position over the ability to influence others and the environment and this has

led them to feed on politics. The environment has ended up being very political, focusing on control instead of contribution, which has created a vicious cycle of gamesmanship, posturing and maneuvering. They have ended up placing their rights over

President GoodLuck Jonathan

“

This is the situation in Nigeria: A bunch of clueless people picked and put on the bus, all sitting on the wrong seats. Once supposed leaders have a position or title, people will identify them with it.

their responsibilities, they expect people to serve them; they don’t look for ways to serve their people, they emphasize rules and regulations that are to their advantage and ignore the people that they are meant to serve. The truth is just because someone has the right to do something as a leader doesn’t mean that it is the right thing to do. However, many of our leaders get overwhelmed and excited by the leadership and the authority that comes with it and what they can do with it. That power can be exhilarating, if not downright intoxicating. Position is the starting place for leadership, it is the bottom floor and the foundation upon which their leadership skills should grow, the reverse is the case in Nigeria, Once an individual attains a position he starts to believe the position makes him a leader, they then stop and start to “graze” meaning they stop there and enjoy the position’s benefits and forget their mandate by the people. The leaders who do the greatest harm are the ones who think they have “arrived” once they receive the title or position they desire; they stop growing, they stop innovating, and they stop improving. Leadership position affords people the opportunity to decide what kind of leader they want to be, the position they receive may be defined but the person is not. When one first becomes a leader, their leadership page is blank and they get to fill it in any way they want. Our country unfortunately is over populated by positional leaders who no one wants to follow, and who are so ineffective that they leave the followers frustrated. One of my favorite sayings is “If you think you are leading and no one is following, then you are only taking a walk.” Have they asked themselves why they are just taking a walk and why we are not following them? Why have we Nigerians lost confidence in them? Why can’t they have an influence on us? Because we the followers want more!!!! We have watched leaders put the public good last and themselves first. We want Leaders who care, Leaders we can trust, Leaders with character, Leaders we can respect, Leaders who are competent, Leaders we can approach, Leaders who are consistent, Leaders we admire, and leaders with commitment. Our leaders should understand that leaders set examples for the people they lead, they expect people to do as they say, not as they do, but here is the problem, people do what people see.

As a nation that yearns for progress, we must devalue titles and positions, we must realize that they are ultimately empty and no man is above any other. We should emphasize performance and track records as opposed to affiliation. If the work is significant and adds value to people, then it doesn’t need to come with a title. Our leaders should know that we don’t expect them to have all the answers; a leader’s job is not to know everything but to attract people who know things they don’t. Shun quota systems, ethnic thinking or gender balance, treat everyman fairly, and judge them on their qualifications, intellect. As it is, no system in Nigeria works: corruption is at its peak, our health system is decaying or has decayed, education is broken down, there is widespread violence, unemployment is at levels it has never been, our security forces are painfully inadequate as a majority of them are in different nooks and crannies of the nation carrying the hand bags of politicians ‘wives. Look at infrastructure and the case is similar. These are all symptoms of bad leadership; the symptoms will keep getting worse. Until we get the correct medication and in the right dosage will we see the desired change we all are yearning for. “If a leader can’t navigate the people through rough waters, he is liable to sink the ship” The ship called Nigeria is sinking fast because of bad leadership. As the saying goes, “anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course”. This course should break down the walls of corruption, and recharge our movement towards national development. Obviously those at the helm of leadership today not only fail to understand the meaning of leadership, but have no ideas where or how to sail the ship of state. Is it any wonder, then, that Nigeria is sailing perilously close to the rocks? It is evident that fundamental changes need to be made to address the situation. The mantle has to be picked by Nigeria’s youth, who have been referred to for so long as ‘leaders of tomorrow’ without defining when that tomorrow will be. Well, that day that has been perpetually postponed is here. The third part of discourse will throw light on youth, their questions to their leaders, what they expect from their leaders, what level of leadership they want to operate on, and ultimately how they should prepare their selves for leadership.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013

QUOTABLE QUOTE We do not pray for accidents but it is inevitable... We do everything to ensure that we do not have accidents, but it is an act of God. We do not speculate on the cause of accidents. -Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, speaking on the crash of an Associated Airlines chartered flight on October 3 in Lagos

SPORTS Just before we decide to breakup LATEST T Ideye allays GUEST COLUMNIST injury fears, pledges goals against Ethiopia

esterday was the birthday of Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye as he turned 25 and as early as 8am, some of his relatives were in camp with cakes for him to mark the day, but the star striker was not in the mood for much celebration as the game against Ethiopia beckons. He told the team’s Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, that the celebration will be sweeter if the Nigerian side triumphs by any margin in Ethiopia come Sunday, promising that if given a shirt he will justify it by scoring. Ideye’s teammates however surprised the Dynamo of Ukraine striker during lunch when they sang the happy birthday song for him and bathed him with water, wishing him many happy returns. It was a surpise the striker least expected as Head Coach Stephen Keshi and other officials watched the hilarious scene. The striker was to later have a slight knock during the evening training session and had to be pulled out to avoid aggravating it. He said after that the knock was nothing to be afraid of as he got only muscle contraption and not a tear. “I’m okay and well”, he said smiling. The team is expected to depart for Ethiopia by today night through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja via a chartered flight. At yesterday’s evening training, all departments of the game seemed to have been settled as the probables tackled the possibles in a match that kept the sizeable crowd at the Abuja stadium cheering all the way. From the look of things, Keshi is likely to adopt a cautious but offensive approach to the game on Sunday.

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he Nigerian media and airwaves are saturated with stories of an impending breakup of Nigeria come 2015. Most Nigerian elites seem to salivate at the prospect; nothing else makes sense to them these days. It started with a purported forecast by the United States’ intelligence machinery “Nigeria, as a nation, will disintegrate in the year of the Lord 2015.” The pundits would be proven right if the patchup failed after 101 years. Initially, the prediction looked far-fetched, but as the doomsday draws closer, it is becoming increasingly plausible. Nigerians, particularly its elites and political leaders, seem to be acting the American script to the letter. Nigeria is becoming a nation on life support. Let’s face it, the country has not been a success story in cohesion; each constituent blames the other or others for lack of its development or improvement. Ordinary citizens in each tribe in Nigeria seem brainwashed to believe that the other tribes are the reason why they lack basic necessities of life; this is against the backdrop of their kin and kith colluding with the supposedly strange peers or enemies, at the centre, from other tribes, to rob them blind. People claim our togetherness as a nation has slowed down the growth of their zone, whereas the people beating the drum of separation have converted what is meant for their kith and kin to personal use. Most of those that are advocating unity, also, are also not pro bono, either. It sounds hollow to advocate togetherness at this juncture in Nigeria’s history. While my mind loomed to some incredible prospect that I may not be a fellow compatriot to somebody from Sokoto, Calabar, Maiduguri, Enugu or Katsina, etc in the next 2 years, I came across an old school hymn. I attended a private Methodist high school, Eko Boys High School, in the late 60s, and we used to pride ourselves on being patriots. Our school principal was an Anglican reverend, who enjoyed the rich collection of Methodist hymns. One of his favourites on morning devotions to hone home our commitment to our fatherland, Nigeria, was the Methodist hymn, “To Thee, Our God, we fly,” which we sang with relish: To Thee our God we fly For mercy and for Grace; O hear our lowly cry, And hide not Thou Thy face. O Lord, stretch forth Thy mighty hand, And guard and guide our Fatherland. Give peace, Lord, in our time; O let no foe draw nigh, Nor lawless deed of crime, Insult Thy Majesty.

311 689 292 327 454

7458 1765 9046 1969 0344

Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick

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Who are these so called “patriotic” Nigerians that are bent on the collapse of this nation? They beat their chests as patriots, but they should face the criminal charge of treason against their fatherland, for they have robbed their fatherland of its wealth. Except I have missed the definition of a patriot while growing up, It was defined to us, in our school, as a person who loves and zealously supports and defends their country.

O Lord, stretch forth Thy mighty hand, And guard and bless our Fatherland. The other stanzas of the hymn remain relevant to our situation today as they also address the untruthfulness of the men of God and the Church; the hymn’s chorus implores God to guard and bless our fatherland. They implore God to make the Church one, and the pastors true. These, however, are the signs of our times: a derailment from the track that leads to God’s Kingdom. Our leaders move from one church to the other searching for perpetuity or self-political success and not for the fatherland - searching for a God that is not missing. Who are these so called “patriotic” Nigerians that are bent on the collapse of this nation? They beat their chests as patriots, but they should face the criminal charge of treason against their fatherland, for they have robbed their fatherland of its wealth. Except I have missed the definition of a patriot while growing up, It was defined to us, in our school, as a person who loves and zealously supports and defends their country. The patriot of old could take advantage of outsiders (us and them) to enrich their fatherland and not the other way. We, helplessly, watched these criminals change the definition of patriotism as they robbed the country blind and shipped the wealth of their fatherland to a foreign land impoverishing their fatherland. For challenging this dastardly act, they label their accusers as unpatriotic. Yugoslavia was a child of the end of the First World War; Nigeria was a child of the prospect of the beginning of that same war. True, the hurriedly amalgamated Nigeria union, in 1914, of the southern

and northern protectorates was outside the compass of the control of the natives. It was an exigency put in place by the British colonial masters at the time in preparation for the First World War that was looming, and actually started in that same year, 1914. Most of the British supervising staff in British colonies, all over the world, were needed at home, in Britain, to prosecute that war to defend their fatherland. A merger of protectorates, like those of Nigeria, would sensibly reduce the number of needed supervising staff; thus, extra British Foreign Staff were released to go back home to fight the World War in Europe. That was what the British did. The Nigerian union thus was conceived by the prospect of the First World War - it was a child of circumstances. Even we, humans, are all children of circumstances. Today, an African-American occupies the White House; this perhaps was unthinkable some few years back; his father was even a native of faraway Kenya. What has made Barak - a child of circumstance - a success story, but Nigeria’s story a failure? There are no easy answers. One thing is certain; Nigerians are united on common fronts, like sports and forces against Nigeria. They share poverty together without tribal coloration, and if

you may know - they loot the public treasuries together without tribal coloration, either. Nobody has come back from Abuja with his or her dress torn to shreds because he or she is from a particular tribe. Perhaps, it is the degree of the public treasury looting that has a tribal unbalance, and not the level of labor. That being the case, the ordinary Nigerian will be stupid to go to war because a common thief that happens to hail from their town or zone is being marginalized by the group the common thieves belong. “What have you done for me lately?” We have no constant electricity; no water; no rail; no decent mode of transportation only okada, molue, or danfo and you call that progress? We have no good hospital; no good schools for our children; no good roads; no security. We practically live in a Stone Age in the year of the Lord 2013. Is it tribalism that makes the schools in our villages not good enough for the children of the elites or politician from these villages? Is it tribalism that makes the hospital in our villages not good enough for their families that hail from these villages? I beg! It is the ordinary folks in Nigeria that are being marginalized and not the over pampered common thieves. This hymn was written in 1871 by William How, an Anglican priest and rector of Wittington near the Welsh border - he later made bishop. I thought his words would guide us to a rethink. Another hymn of note in my school’s morning devotion was “Land of our birth we pledgeto thee.” A colleague says something like the first one or the latter should have been ournational anthem, instead of what Obasanjo gave us that is tearing the country apart. But then, the non-Christians probably would have objected. There are just no easy solutions. Let us have a minute silence for those who have died while we struggle to keep Nigeria, our fatherland, one. These include those recently slaughtered students by unknown gunmen. God, let them not die in vain; guard, bless, and guide our fatherland. Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick wrote in from Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

NASIR EL-RUFAI ON FRIDAY elrufai@aol.com

See Page 47

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