Sunday Dec 01 2013

S U N D A Y COVER 19

Dealing With Nigeria’s

E D I T I O N BUSINESS 37

SPECIALREPORT 24 Kidnapping:

Taxation: Spurious Levies, As Oil Revenues Dwindle

Sunrise At Dusk

Quasi

Federalism

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Vol. 30, No. 12,757

N300

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Anxiety Over Post-2015 Nigeria

By Marcel Mbamalu, News Editor IGERIA’S western allies are N not leaving anything to chance as to what the security situation in the country would be before and after the 2015 general elections.

The Guardian gathered that some of the embassies that have strong socio-economic ties and investments in

• Investor Nations Jittery, Launch ‘Security Research’ • Fasehun Asks G-7 Govs To Resign • State Govs Action In Order, Says Lai Mohammed Nigeria have already launched all-out investigations to feel the pulse of the people and ascertain the level

of vulnerabilities in key city centres, including Lagos and Abuja.

They are also investigating the

possibility of holding peaceful presidential elections, in which all parties would accept the verdict of the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC), especially with the new arrangement in party politics.

These concerns were heightened by the cross carpeting of five governors of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to strengthen the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead 2015.

A ‘safety analyst’ engaged by one of the countries said that the concerns also derive from the intermittent, but unoffi-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

PAGE 10

Anambra Ends Controversial Guber Poll — P3

The Backlash Is Back...

Sunday Narrative Nails The Issues NEWS 2

G-7 Govs Yet To Settle Terms With APC NEWS 4

2015 Won’t Disintegrate Nigeria, Says Abdulsalami Abubakar NEWS 3

6,300 Infected Daily With AIDS Virus NEWS 3

U.S., EU, Others Hail NAFDAC Over Headship Of Anti-counterfeiting Mechanism A handful of Accredited voters listening to the Presiding Officer at a polling booth in Nkpor, during the supplementary election in Anambra State…yesterday. PHOTO: KODILINYE OBIAGWU

Jonathan May Extend December 4 Deadline To ASUU From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja OR President Jonathan, the Fthe lingering strike by Academic Staff Union of

• Says Strike Subversive • Iyayi’s Burial Factored In

Universities (ASUU), which enters its fifth month today, has gone beyond mere trade dispute. According to him, the issue has entered the realm of subversion.

The university teachers have, since July 1, commenced an indefinite strike over nonimplementation of a 2009 agreement with the Federal Government, but refused to

back down despite all efforts to make them call off the strike.

But Jonathan, at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus meeting at the

Government House, Yenagoa, yesterday, said there was more to the strike than mere agitation to implement an agreement, even as his administration took concrete steps to demonstrate commitment to resolving the dispute.

The President, reacting to a plea by one of his predecessors in office as governor,

Chief Dipreye Alamieyesigha, hinted that the Federal Government might reconsider extending the December 4 deadline during which the teachers are to return to classes or consider themselves sacked.

The President’s position was based on information by

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Youth & Graduate Jobs Powered by Jobberman.com See Pages 28 - 31

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

2 | NEWS Sunday, December 1, 2013

NEWS

G-7 Govs yet To Settle Terms With APC From Azimazi Momoh-Jimoh, Abuja ARELy one week after B some aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors defected to the All Progressives Party (APC), the right formula is yet to be adopted in sharing political structures with the old APC stalwarts in many of the states.

The scenario, which presents grave threat to the APCNew PDP arrangement, is even being worsened by the insistence of some strong and leading members of the G-7 governors and new PDP members on meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan Sunday evening (today).

Governors Sule Lamido and Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Jigawa and Niger States, who had refused to defect to the APC, had made it clear that the reconciliation exercise spearheaded by the President must be allowed to be carried to its logical conclusion.

Checks by The Guardian yesterday showed that attendance at the meeting, which had been scheduled to hold at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa this evening, would not be restricted to Lamido and Aliyu alone. Other leading members of the New PDP may equally attend the meeting.

It was equally learnt that the selection of the chairman and members of the committee to resolve the differences between the original APC members and the New PDP caucus of the APC regarding who controls the party structures has become the bone of

contention among some strong politicians in the enlarged APC, especially in the North West geo-political zone.

A source disclosed that former head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, was picked to head the committee, which was to specifically handle the assignment in the North Western States of Sokoto and Kano but had been vehemently rejected by powerful and influential APC members in those states because Buhari

• Meet Jonathan Today is perceived to have had some biases against them in the past.

A source close to the aggrieved governors disclosed that the issues in question has to do with who controls the party in the states that were, hitherto, controlled by forces loyal to the ANPP caucus in the case of Kano State.

A ‘gentleman agreement’ was said to have been reached between top APC national leaders and the G-7 governors that the political structures in the States would be shared in the ratio of 60:40 in favour of the new PDP caucus, particularly where the new PDP is coming in with a sitting governor.

Governor Rabiu Musa

Kwankwaso, who hosted the meeting that preceded the announcement of the defection last Monday in the Kano State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, is preferred by the new PDP caucus to lead the APC in Kano because he is the incumbent governor.

But that has suffered serious opposition from the original members of the APC in the State, who were, before now, led by former governor Ibrahim Shekarau. Shekarau

had, in the past, spoken against the idea of accepting the aggrieved PDP governors into the APC. On the President’s meeting with the G-7 governors, it was learnt that the agenda might change slightly with more attention on those, who had not defected.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, had disclosed, last wee, that the meeting would still hold, despite the defection.

Past President, Unity Schools Students’ Association (USOSA), Albert Okumagba (left); Co-chair of the occasion, Alhaji Bello Maccido; Co-chairman, Organising Committee, Hassan Musa Usman; and Representative of the Executive Director, Access Bank, Victor Etuokwu, at USOSA’s fund raising dinner in Abuja… last week.

PHOTO LADIDI LUCY ELUKPO

ASUU Strike Subversive, Says Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Alamieyesigha that December 4 coincided with the date set aside to bury the former President of ASUU, Prof. Festus Iyayi, who died in an accident in Kogi State on November 12, en-route Kano for ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC), meeting to discuss the way forward after the union met with President Jonathan on November 4.

The former governor, who also chairs the Elders Advisory Forum in the state, urged the President to reconsider the date in order not to be seen as

insensitive, although the action of ASUU was worrisome.

Jonathan lamented that, despite holding the longest meeting in his political career, involving all top officers in his administration, including his Vice, Ministers of Finance, Labour, Education and Justice, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the delegation from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), ASUU did not deem it fit to reconsider its stance.

His words: “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade unionism. I have intervened in

other labour issues before now, once I invite them, they respond and, after the meeting, they take decision and call off the strike.

“Sometimes, we don’t even give them a long notice unlike in the case of ASUU that was given four days before the meeting. As you are meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the trade unions to get their officials ready, what was expected was for ASUU to immediately issue a statement within 12 or latest 24 hours to state their position whether they were accepting government’s offer or not.

And if they are not accepting it, they state their reasons.

“After that, they didn’t meet until one week, despite the fact that they met with the highest authority. It was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.

“The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows it was extreme and when Iyayi died it said the strike had become indefinite; our children have been at home for over five months.”

The President denied that the December 4 deadline was given by the Federal Government, even as he noted that the supervising Minister

of Education, Nyesom Wike, merely echoed the decision of the Committee of ProChancellors of Federal Universities.

According to him, “We didn’t give them ultimatum, it was the Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that decision; the Supervising Minister of Education only passed on the decision.

“What ASUU is doing is no longer trade dispute but subversive action. But we will not be perceived to be insensitive; we will consult on the deadline.”

Wike had, on Thursday, given

ASUU one-week ultimatum to call off its strike or cits members would be sacked.

But the National Treasurer of ASUU, Dr. Ademola Aremu, said the government would fail, as similar steps during the military era did not work.

He said: “It is a pity that the federal government is not willing to perfect the resolutions reached with the union. This is the reason why we find it difficult to trust our leaders by their words. Why can someone be threatening to sack lecturers when the universities are already short-staffed?

Investor Nations Launch ‘Security Research’ In Nigeria CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 cial, rumour that the dreaded Boko Haram sect may be planning to infiltrate Lagos.

According to him, inquiries are based on the fears of urban centre residents and whether, or not, there are plans for reprisals in event of attack.

The foreign analyst, who also works for his country’s High Commission in Abuja,” told The Guardian in Lagos that he had also reported security issues in Afghanistan and Pakistan before being redeployed to Nigeria.

“My country has huge investments in Nigeria, you know, and we just need to know what the security challenges,

especially in Lagos are,” he said, disclosing that his job is to report back to his country developments regarding security in Nigeria.

It was also gathered that the expert later met with some key stakeholders to get their views on the situation in the country.

The inquiries are coming on the heels of heated political atmosphere occasioned by the decampment of the five PDP governors, as well; as the fallout of the Delta Central Senatorial election and the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State for which a supplementary election was held yesterday in two local councils.

The ‘research fellows’, it was learnt, often worked in subtle disguise.

Confirming the concerns being expressed by international investor nations, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), said a group of foreign journalists had visited him on Friday to ask questions about safety of their countries’ investments in Nigeria Fasehun insisted that the international community have reasons to worry about their investments and relationship with Nigeria.

He said: “By pitching tent with the APC, the defecting governors have introduced a

higher level of instability. If they were courageous enough, they would have resigned and re-faced the people. Of course, it poses security issues post 2015.

Declining to give details of which countries in North America his interviewers came from, Fasehun, however, disclosed that the “journalists” expressed deep concern on behalf of their countries.

He said they are worried about upgrading the level of their investments, in case there is instability in 2015.

“They were frightened about increasing investment possibility and even the safety of existing investments,” said Fasehun.

But Mr. Lai Mohammed, the APC’s acting publicity secretary, picked holes in Fasehun’s position.

Wondering under what provision of Nigeria’s Constitution the governors would have resigned, Mohammed insisted that their action, rather than destabilise the polity, has created more stability in the country. He argued that, with the defection of the governors and other members of the New PDP to his APC, Nigerians would now have two major political parties from which to make informed choices.

According to the APC scribe, there were instances of oppo-

sition party governors moving to the PDP in the past without losing their seats.

He cited former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakin, who moved from the Peoples Progressives Alliance (PPA) to the PDP. He also reminded Nigerians about the Bauchi State Governor, Isa yuguda, who cross-carpeted from the ANPP to the PDP. Another example is the Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who also left the PPA for the ruling PDP. “So, under which law were the G-7 governors supposed to have resigned?,” Mohammed queried.

“The Constitution is very clear on this. A governor can move

Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

3

NEWS US, EU, Others Hail Nigeria Over Orhii’s Chairmanship Of World Anti-counterfeiting Mechanism HE over 193 Member-NaT tions of the World Health Organisation’s newly cre-

Accredited voters waiting under the shade of the mango tree at Ogidi Town Hall…yesterday.

PHOTO: KODILINYE OBIAGWU

Anambra Ends Controversial Governorship Election

By Kodilinye Obiagwu, Chucks Collins and Uzoma Nzeagwu OCKED up shops, stranded travellers, skeletal businesses, random wellmanned checkpoints, surfeit of security personnel, scanty streets, a clement weather and a low turn out of voters was the story of the Anambra State supplementary governorship election.

Yesterday in Anambra, although some polling units were cancelled in various parts of the state after the November 16 governorship election, all attention was directed at Idemili North where election was scheduled in over 160 polling units. Checkpoints manned by armed soldiers dotted the roads, at nearly every 50 meters, especially near the Ogidi North Local Government headquarters. They were out in strength— the army, navy, regular police and the Special Protection Unit, (SPU), civil defense, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS).

The soldiers were singleminded but very polite. Although there was a restriction on movement, they politely listened to everyone who turned up at the checking points and treated each case on its merit.

A voters’ card, evidence that one was headed to a wedding or a funeral, granted one an

L

automatic visa past the checking point. Stubborn motorcyclists were “court marshaled” and disciplined of the spot. Even passers-by and children who strayed close to the checkpoint for the simple reason of “crossing,” were made to do “frog jump” or simply lie or sit on the hot pavement.

Security was tight enough for a soldier at a junction in Nkpor, on the old Onitsha to Enugu Road, to stop a hearse, in order to inspect the coffin and confirm its content.

At the polling booths, voters lingered. The well- dressed corps members were at the booths as early as 8am. But their enthusiasm was not matched by the voters, who strayed in ones and twos.

At Nkpor junction, there were still stories of late accreditation. The Presiding Officer at a polling booth at Nkpor Junction Unit 013, refused to explain why accreditation started rather late at his booth. He said, “There is no problem. We know how we do our things here. We were here but the voters were not around. We have been waiting. But they will come.”

While other nearby booths were getting ready to start voting at noon, he was still accrediting voters for the election. And by the time other booths had closed voting, Unit 013 was still warming up. That was an

ANAMBRA exception.

At the nearby Nkpor Junction’s polling unit 014, only 26 voters were accredited in a register of 372 voters. After less than 30 minutes, it was over. And they were waiting for the handful “who were not around when we started voting. We just want those who accredited to vote.”

With voters scanty, most polling units were collapsed in Nkpor. At Nkpor Junction 1, the Presiding Officer, Albert Michael, said that three polling points under his control accredited 132 voters in a coming register of 818. But at the nearby Nkpor Junction 3, only 60 voters turned out to be accredited from a voters’ register of 784 in three voting points.

The numbers dropped in most places. At polling points 10 and 12 at Nkpor junction, where units were collapsed, only 49 voters were accredited from a register of 388 while at Nkpor Junction 3, only 60 voters were accredited in three voting points from a register of 784 voters.

At Ogidi Town Hall, a Presiding Officer, in response to questions about the voters coming for accreditation, helplessly said, “we thank God. They are coming small, small.” At Omeluora Square 1

and 2, the Presiding Officers were noncommittal. “We hope they will still come.”

At Ogidi Town Hall 1, units 009, 010, 021, total voters registered stood at 372 and only 59 were accredited.

At Ogidi Aton Hall ward 2, voting point 1, 329 were registered and only 31 were accredited.

Also, at the Ilo Ngwodo Square 1 in Ogidi, the voters were still playing a waiting game with the INEC ad hoc staff. As at 11am, not more than 25 people had been accredited. At polling unit 005 and 006, with 80 registered voters, a handsome number of 59 voters were accredited.

At Ilo Ngwodo Square 2, voting point 3, 942 voters were registered and 75 accredited.

Although most polling units admitted the early receipt of electoral materials and the voters took their time going for accreditation, some voters still couldn’t find their names on the voting register.

At Omeluora 22, voting point 2, which has voting capacity for 288 people, only 11 voters turned up; at voting point 3, only eight were accredited out of 304 registered voters, while at voting point 4, only four people were accredited out of 189 on the register.

Meanwhile at Omeluora 026, voting point 3, on a register of 304, only 8 were accredited.

The Abia State Resident Elec-

toral Commissioner, Prof.

Jacob Jatau, who was also the supervising INEC commissioner in-charge of Nkpor Ward I, confirmed to newsmen at Nkpor town union secretariat that the entire exercise was peaceful.

The candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Chris Ngige; People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Nwoye; and Labour Party (LP), Ifeanyi Ubah had threatened to boycott the election. They had condemned the November 16 election as a charade, calling and for its outright cancellation and for a new election to be held.

Yesterday, however, there was no evidence that the three parties were serious about the threat. Their agents were alongside other agents from APGA, AA and KOWA, present in all the polling units visited by The Guardian.

At the Ilo Ngwodo Square 1 in Ogidi, the PDP agent, who refused to be named, said, “Nwoye is not contesting for election. It is PDP’s election.

He has said that he is not contesting the election again, but PDP is still there.

“I am here for the PDP; they are sponsoring all of us.”

Sounding conspiratorial, he hinted, “Olisa Metuh and the chairman, Menakayi, are in charge, as far as this election is concerned. Nwoye is not in charge. We are watching.”

said effort must be stepped up for HIV prevention and access to sexual and reproductive health services.

HE said: “At UNFPA, we believe that the fastest way of getting to zero is by zeroing in on meeting the sexual and reproductive health needs of all women and young people, and working to eliminate gender inequality, genderbased violence, and the discrimination and stigmatisation that keep key

populations from getting the HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health services they need.

“In at least 67 countries, there are laws or regulations that keep young people from accessing HIV prevention services, and 60 per cent of countries have national laws, regulations or policies that keep key populations and vulnerable groups from getting effective HIV prevention, treatment and care.

World AIDS Day

6, 300 People Infected Daily With HIV Sexual, Reproductive Health Services Crucial To Eradication, Says Osotimehin From Emeka Anuforo and Itunu among women of reproducNATIONAL Ajayi, Abuja tive age and contributes to at HE Executive Director of T the United Nations Population Fund, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, has said that of the 6,300 people newly infected each day by HIV/AIDS, almost 40 per cent are young people aged 15-24, the majority of them young women. He added that HIV/AIDS is also the leading cause of death

least 20 per cent of maternal deaths.

In a statement to mark the 2013 World AIDS Day, Osotimehin lamented that inadequate access to high-quality, youth-friendly HIV and sexual and reproductive health services has continued to pose a major challenge to the eradication of the disease. He said

between 2005 and 2012, HIVrelated deaths among adolescents increased by 50 per cent, while the global number of AIDS-related deaths fell by 30 per cent adding that every hour, 50 young women are newly infected with HIV while adolescent pregnancy diminishes the life opportunities of girls everywhere. He

ated Mechanism for the international fight against spurious, substandard, and counterfeit medicines have congratulated Nigeria for the selection of the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii, as the first substantive Chair of the Member State Mechanism (MSM).

Words of commendation and congratulatory messages to Nigeria over Dr. Orhii’s selection as chair of the MSM on Substandard, Spurious, Falsely-labelled, Falsified and Counterfeit Medical Products (SSFFC Medical Products) came from United States of America, United Kingdom, European Union, Russian Federation, India, China, Brazil, Argentina, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya and sister African countries at the second meeting of the world anti-counterfeiting body on Thursday in Geneva, Switzerland.

The high powered and coveted activities leading to the selection of the NAFDAC boss as chair of the MSM actually started in November, 2012 at a meeting convened by WHO in Buenos Aires, Argentina to discuss the structure, headship, tenure, work plan and other issues surrounding the new mechanism established by WHO in 2011.

MMIA Access Gate Now Automated HE Federal Airports AuT thority of Nigeria, FAAN, has informed the general public that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport access gate has been automated to facilitate the collection of charges and movement of traffic at the access plaza.

In a statement, FAAN’s General Manager (Corporate Communications) said: “It was the automation process that caused the traffic congestion along MMIA internal road, especially around the immediate vicinity of the access plaza, in the last few days.

“The Authority regrets any inconvenience experienced by motorists on the road, as a result of the automation of the access plaza, which was completely reconstructed to add more modern and additional facilities that meet international standards of quality.

“We also wish to use this opportunity to dismiss the insinuation in some quarters that the concession for managing the access plaza by ICube was terminated. The ICube concession ran its full course but was not renewed

by FAAN for another term.”

4

Sunday, December 1, 2013

NEWS

2015 Elections Will Not Disintegrate Nigeria, Says Abubakar

Independent Judiciary Onyewuchi Will Sustain By Ikechukwu ORMER head of state, Gen. FAbdulsalam Abubakar Democracy, (rtd), yesterday dismissed inthat 2015 elections Says Fashola sinuations might put Nigeria’s continuBy Seye Olumide OvERNOR Babatunde G Fashola has stressed the need for an impartial and independent judicial system to strengthen democracy.

Speaking at a public presentation of a book: Landmark Judgment by Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, the governor, who was represented by his deputy, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, noted that independent judiciary is necessary to enable Nigerians enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Fashola said Lagos judiciary has continued to be a benchmark for measuring excellence, in terms of quality judgment and efficient administration of justice.

He said: “This was made possible by the total freedom and non-interference of the executive in the judicial procedure and justice administration.

This has not only strengthened the growth of democracy but it has also promoted cordial relationship between the two tiers of government.”

The governor stated that the independence of the judiciary and his administration’s commitment to a responsible judicial system that administers justice without interference has helped to build public confidence and trust in the system.

Calling on judicial officers in the state to be honest, fair and shun any vices capable of denting the image of the bar, Fashola said his administration has not regretted committing huge resources into the judicial reforms. He noted that the state’s investment in the sector has helped to achieve efficient judicial administration.

Describing the judiciary arm of government as a strong pillar of democracy, the governor posited that it must be made strong and viable enough to provide necessary protection to nurture institutions in the country.

He enjoined judicial officers to ensure speedy and efficient dispensation of justice and remain impartial in all legal matters in to sustain the confidence reposed in them.

ous existence on the bleak.

Speaking at the Golden Jubilee Anniversary of Nigeria Airforce (NAF) Pioneer Offi-

NATIONAL witnessed today is what Nigeria used to be 50 years. We have come from all different places with different backgrounds but we blend as Nigerians, loving and caring for each other.

“Then, there was peace. Our project was Nigeria. We were trained to maintain the territorial integrity of the country. And this is exactly what we have done during in the last fifty years.

“I will not be tired of asking fellow Nigerians to please give peace a chance. Without

peace there will be no country. Without peace you cannot go out to earn daily bread.”

“When you look around, the ages of people here are in the range of 65 to 71; and we are all brothers. You can see how friendly we are. This is what I hope Nigeria will become.”

13% Derivation: Delta Withholds N120.3bn From DESOPADEC In Three Years S disagreements over the A management of the 13 per …As A/Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa Receive N492.8bn In 2012 Alone lion unaccounted for. cent oil derivation fund deep- allocation goes to DESOPADEC ens, fresh facts have emerged that Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) has received only N104 billion as allocation from the Delta State government between 2010 and 2012. This amount represents about 23 per cent of the total of N452.8 billion paid to the state government as its share of the 13 per cent derivation within the same period, contrary to claims by the Delta State government that 50 per cent of its share of the 13 per cent derivation fund

for the development of the oil producing communities.

Also, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa States received a total of N492.8 billion as their share of the 13 per cent derivation allocation for 2012 alone.

A breakdown showed that from January to December 2012, Akwa Ibom collected a total of N193.69 billion, Rivers got N165. 33 billion while Bayelsa got N133.77 billion as 13 per cent allocation.

Investigation also showed that the Delta State commissioner for information and

NIGER DELTA

strategy, Mr. Chike Ogea’s claim that the state government gives “as much as 50 per cent of the 13 per cent to the oil communities and this is novel in the Niger Delta region.” is not only untrue but a well calculated plot to deceive Deltans that all is well.

However, finding showed that DESOPADEC has only received N104 billion in three years instead of N226.4 billion, being 50 per cent of the state’s share of the derivation fund, thus leaving N224.3 bil-

According to sources, Delta State received N120.6 billion, N176.2 billion and N156 billion as its share of the 13 per cent derivation fund in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively, bringing to a total of N452.8 billion.

Out of these, if the state’s claim of giving 50 per cent to DESOPADEC were true, the commission ought to have received N60.3 billion, N88 billion and N78 billion respectively during the period. However, DESOPADEC received only N32 billion, N35 billion and N37 billion as

budgetary allocation from the state government between 2010 and 2012, leaving a shortfall of N122.4 billion unaccounted for.

The leadership of the oil/gas producing communities of Nigeria whose advocacy is exposing the financial recklessness of the oil/gas bearing state government stressed that as provided in the Constitution, Section 162 (2), 13 per cent is a compensation for loss of fishing rights and loss of productive farmland therefore oil and gas producing communities are the exclusive beneficiaries of 13 per cent derivation fund.

Lagos Committed To Quality Education …Provides 11,870 Classrooms, Distributes 387,133 Furniture To Schools, Says Comissioner

HE Lagos State GovernTment at the weekend reArmy Retiree, stated its commitment to the improvement of all inputs Maj. Asoya necessary for the delivery of education in the Kidnapped In quality State’s public schools to enable them turn out potential Delta future leaders of the country.

T

cers, held at NAF Officer Mess, victoria Island, Abubakar noted that those who doubt Nigeria’s existence beyond 2015 are “soothsayers of doom, who will fail.” He stated that Nigeria would continue to be, as long as the world exists.

He said: “What you have

Marketing and Innovation, Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Austin Ufomba; International Rap Artiste, Wale; Managing Director/Chief Executive, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu; Johnnie Walker Global Ambassador for Responsible Drinking, Mika Hakkinen; and General Manager, Diageo Brands Nigeria, Mr. Felix Enwemadu at the launch of the Step Up to the VIP Lifestlye and Responsible Drinking campaign at Oriental Hotel, Lagos yesterday

By Kamal Tayo Oropo

HE kidnap has been reported of Maj. Azum Asoya (rtd.) at Okpanam, Delta State, on Friday. The kidnappers are demanding N30m ransom before he can be released. Recently, the 80-yearold man narrowly missed becoming the paramount ruler of Okpanam. As at the time of going to press, his whereabouts remained unknown.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

According to the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, while the successes of the State Government in several vital State sectors like health, economic opportunity and education have resulted in a sustained streaming in of people from across the country and the West African sub-region seeking to enjoy the social infrastructure, the administration

has never lost sight of its responsibility to the citizenry especially in the area of education.

While interacting with newsmen in Lagos yesterday, the Commissioner said the school environment, general infrastructure, type and sufficiency of learning equipment and the quality of the teaching personnel are some of the areas which, according to him, Government has focused on over the years with visible and positive outcome as shown in the steadily improving West African School Certificate results.

As he said, the state has in the Last six years, built 5,204 new classrooms to cater for the growing student population which has increased over the years to 1,198,624

LAGOS (578,504 in primary and 620,120 in secondary schools).

All these are housed in the 664 schools spread across the State.

The state he added, also rehabilitated 6,666 classrooms within the period, provided 197 schools with science laboratory, built ICT laboratory in 120 schools, supplied 212 schools with science materials and installed intro-tech laboratories in 73 schools. Also, 1,409,476 textbooks were distributed freely to students while 387,133 furniture were provided to students to make them learn in a conducive environment.

The Commissioner also explained that seven multi-lin-

gual laboratories, proper toilets, five Government Technical colleges and 21 vocational centres were provided for the use of the public during the period. The government has also recently recruited 10, 000 teachers.

Similarly, the government, he said introduced a novel; Lagos Eko project, an intervention programme with which it has fast-tracked the development of schools and training of teachers in order to improve learning outcomes in all junior and senior secondary schools. The project, recently rated by World Bank as being “highly satisfactory” has helped to reduce the usual bureaucracies in government and improved the process and time of intervention in education through

direct grants to schools.

All these, according to the Commissioner have resulted in the rapid rise in the student to pass level in the West African School Certificate exam which moved from a dismal 10 percent pass with five credits including English and Mathematics in 2008 to an encouraging 41 percent pass at credit level in 2013.

The Commissioner admitted that there could be areas to do more, as most of these facilities provided would require constant replacement since they are used by students who, as a result of age would damage them and assured that the government would continue to constantly maintain them and provide more to replace damaged ones.

Sunday, December 1, 2013 5

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWS

What Went Wrong In Anambra Election, By INEC From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja

• To Fish Out Bad Eggs

OLLOWING the wide condemnation and protest that have trailed the conduct of the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that it will soon constitute an administrative panel of inquiry to investigate the roles of all the members of staff of the commission that were assigned to ensure a free and fair election in Anambra.

The commission, which had welcomed all the criticisms, admitted that it was to blame for the poor conduct of the election, which had attracted a protest by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) whose leaders, former head of state, Major General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) and former governor of Lagos state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, led hundreds of the party’s supporters to protest at the premises of INEC on Thursday against the conduct of the Anambra State

governorship election and Delta Central senatorial election, which they alleged INEC connived with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig.

In an exclusive interview with The Guardian on what went wrong, the chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, noted that the commission has decided to institute a commission of inquiry aimed at fishing out all those that played one role or the other to rubbish the name and image of INEC in Anambra.

He regretted that despite the efforts of the commission in making fund available to its Anambra State branch, four weeks to the election, some members of staff of the commission compromised with the political parties to give the commission a bad name, assuring that the inquiry will help unearth all those that played what role in the mak-

F

ing the election a sham.

The CPS to Jega, who regretted that the issues of Anambra and Delta elections have eroded all the gains it recorded with conduct of the 2011 elections, noted that the commission has learnt a lot of lessons from the outcome of the Anambra poll, stressing that what happened to the commission in Anambra State has enabled it to open its eyes and establish other measures of accountability that it might have oversighted.

He said: “The commission has been upfront in acknowledging that the Anambra election was below its own expectations and that there were also lapses in Delta. The challenges that we had in Anambra have thrown up another dimension for INEC on the conduct of future elections in Nigeria. In the past, we do not go back to interrogate, the election is over, results are announced and

everybody is confronting the issues of that election. In the past elections, we do not go back to interrogate what were the exact causes, who was responsible for the lapses, but this election in Anambra had opened that option to INEC. The leadership of the commission has begun the process of instituting an inquiry, such that beyond the fact that it is already in the public domain that there w e r e cases of criminal acts, the commission will constitute a panel of inquiry to find out what went wrong among the staff in Anambra election, to say, for example, this ought to have happened, why did it not happen, who was responsible for it not to happen. This is a way for also getting the commission to live up to its own biddings. The plan for Anambra was so extensive that there would not have been any excuse. As a matter of fact there is no governorship election in Nigeria that INEC has

painstakingly planned like Anambra.”

He continued: “There were challenges, but also don’t lose sight of the fact that those challenges have also been escalated by partisan colourations. Our own task here is to clear out those partisan colourations and identify our own lapses. There is no doubt that there were challenges of logistics and so on, and all these, the commission has confronted and is investigating.

“People will be called up to answer for themselves on their roles in the failed election. Anybody who was assigned a role will be investigated and brought to book, if found lacking in his or her responsibilities. They will all face administrative inquiry that will soon be constituted by INEC. “The number of electoral officers that the commission sent out in the Anambra election was enough to have given us what we wanted.

Father of the groom, Adeyemi Nelson (left), bride’s mother, Kehinde Lawal; Couple, Anreti and Tolulope Nelson; wife of Governor of Osun State, Serifat Abidemi Aregbesola, groom’s PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN mother, Kemi Nelson and bride’s father, Ismail Adetola lawal, during the holy matrimony of Tolulope and Anreti in Lagos… yesterday.

STF Refutes Allegation Of Connivance With Attackers From Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi, Jos HE Commander of the T Special Task Force (STF) deployed to restore law and order in Plateau State, Major General David Enetie, has called on journalists in the country to tailor their news reporting towards promoting national interest, security consciousness and peace in the country.

He further stressed that the media are a critical sector in the attainment of national

goals and aspirations.

Enetie stated this yesterday at an interactive session with journalists in Jos. He said that journalists in Jos played a vital role in restoring lasting peace in Plateau.

The STF commander described the attacks in Barkin Ladi LGA of the state as sad, and said security personnel are doing everything to bring to book the perpetrators of the act.

He called on all peace-loving

people of the state to cooperate with security agencies and jealously guard the relative peace being enjoyed in the state.

Enetie used the occasion to refute the allegation made by the Berom Youth Movement that some of the STF soldiers connive with Fulani herdsmen to attack the Berom and destroy their property.

According to him, “It is unbelievable and unethical for them to turn against the peo-

ple they are sent to protect. It is very illogical. However, we are not folding our arms. We are carrying out our own internal investigation to flush out any bad elements among us.”

The Berom Youth Movement (BYM) had condemned in totality the current attacks on six villages in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas, blaming the attacks on “blood thirsty Fulani herdsmen in collaboration with some money hungry security

personnel.”

In a press statement yesterday, distributed to journalists in Jos the chairman, National Caretaker Committee of BYM, Rwas Rwang Dalyop Dantong, described the situation as worrisome.

Dantong called on the Special Task Force (STF) to reorganise its security apparatus by identifying the bad eggs and flushing them out “because some of the members of STF are always seen aiding and abetting the attackers.”

Rice Millers, Marketers Lament Rising Smuggling HE Rice Millers, Importers, T Distributors Association of Nigeria, (RiMIDAN) has declined massive smuggling said to be threatening efforts to develop value chain in rice.

RiMIDAN’s Secretary General, Mr. Shaibu Mohammed, in a press release, said unless the Federal Government inter-

venes quickly, smuggling will take over the market in the next few months, a problem, he said, comes with dire consequences to the economy.

RiMIDAN, which draws membership from farmers, millers and genuine importers, is worried over the situation that has already set many of its mem-

bers while defeating put the backward integration policy.

Mohammed challenged the government to compare the quantity of rice imported through lawful channels this year with those of previous year to ascertain how fast the volume has dwindled.

He claimed that Nigeria has

lost about $1 billion duties as a result of rice smuggling this year alone.

“But the bigger worry is that genuine businessmen who import through the ports are in danger of being ruined, unless they join the bandwagon of smuggling, which, ironically, is very lucrative. And

there is another danger of the new rice farms cultivate by many of RiMIDAN’s members being wasted, as paddy rice is far more expensive than smuggled one. If this trend continues, most of the farmers may have to abandon their farms because it will not make sense to continue.”

There Is Distraction In PDP, Jonathan Admits From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja Goodluck RESIDENT P Jonathan has called for unity among members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) amid acknowledgement of what he called distraction from some quarters.

The President made the remark at the party’s stakeholders’ meeting held in his home state, Bayelsa, yesterday. He said unity might look cheap but admitted that all party’s stakeholders must work towards achieving it.

The President also used the occasion to thank the Bayelsa people for their prayers and support when he took ill in London.

He observed that PDP lost elections in some states as a result of in-house conflicts.

The President was delighted that Bayelsa has been to overcome squabbles, which were common before the administration Henry Dickson.

He said: “I am happy that the division in other states PDP is not here. The unity is not automatic because as vice president I know what I passed through. This is the first time this dichotomy among Abuja politicians and stakeholders in the state has been removed... I am glad that the deadly virus has been killed.

“I am against imposition.

Though I am the leader of the party, I believe I need to negotiate and consult for any appointment.”

The President also commended Dickson for the physical development he has brought to the state while appreciating him for building a united PDP in the state.

“Before now, militancy and cultism was the order of the day; Bayelsa was not safe.

But since Dickson came on board, the problems have stopped. Bayelsa was so unsafe that the hotels were abandoned; peace and unity are very important to me.

Dickson commended Jonathan’s deep interest in the state party caucus and for making out time to be part of the meeting, where issues affecting the party are discussed.

He noted that the President is no longer contending with needless distraction from his own state, adding: “those days are gone and gone for good.”

“I urge stakeholders to be supporters and not detractors. Be supporters in your actions and words. We know the plans of our detractors, anybody who is not a friend of the President is not our friend.”

The state chairman of the party, Col. Samuel Inokoba (rtd) described the G7 governors as the voices of anarchy who are out to destroy what the country’s founding fathers started.

He urged all stakeholders in the state to continue to support the president as he faces the daunting task of leading the country to victory.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

6 Sunday, December 1, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cityfile

A section of the bad road leading to the Holy Ghost Adoration Ground, Uke

PHOTOS: KODILINYE OBIAGWU

UKE STAMPEDE: Roads Of Death The President General of Uke Town Union (UTU) since 2011, Chukwuemeka Donatus Enendu, a surveyor, never gets tired of repeating the fact that the roads in Uke are bad. Lamenting their poor state, he said, “we have written several letters to government, and I believe that if we had good roads, this tragedy that visited us would not have happened. I hope that the government will come in now to construct the roads. That is the only way to ensure that these people did not die in vain.” Speaking in Awka to KODILINYE OBIAGWU and LAWRENCE NJOKU on what happened at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry in Uke, before he accompanied them to Uke, “to see how bad the roads are,” he showed surprise at the political undertones that have trailed the tragedy. “It is forbidden to politick in the adoration ground,” he said, looking a bit bemused and offended that it should cross anyone’s mind to associate the welfare of pilgrims with politics.

Where were you when the stampede led to the death of some worshippers at the Holy Ghost Adoration ground in Uke? WAS at the adoration ground on that fateful day. I was there until the end.

I

Do you remember what happened that morning?

When the adoration ended at about 5am, the Spiritual Director, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma started cautioning the crowd.

He was worried about the size of the crowd, and from the altar, he was telling the people to calm down and tarry a while before leaving the prayer ground. He was trying to counsel the people to sit down and not rush out; so many of them wanted to leave at the same time. The priest must have had an inkling of the lurking danger when he was telling the people to be orderly. He was almost shouting and even refused to leave the altar. Usually, he would retire to the priest’s residence at the end of each session.

I waited because even if I had left, I would not have been able to get to my car because of the so many motorcycles that were parked in the improvised car parks. I finally left, I think about 5.30. Less than 10 minutes later, I received the call that there was a stampede and that people were dying. I rushed back to see what was happening.

Why were there so many people on this particular day or is the place usually crowded?

The first day of November is a special day in the Catholic Church; it is the Feast of All Saints. As a day of obligation, Catholics are not allowed to go to work, and on that day, so many faithful had free time to come and spend time with the

Saints. So many of these people are self-employed and they decided to come to the adoration ground. It was an unprecedented crowd, more than the capacity we usually witness on a typical prayer day. This happened in the early hours of Saturday morning, another day of obligation, All Souls Day. Did you share the fears of the Reverend Father when he was cautioning people not to hurry out and do you think that the fears were necessary?

This stampede happened outside the adoration ground. The adoration ground is on a large expanse of land and it is not fenced. The major problem is that the exit road was reduced to a narrow strip by the presence of hawkers who did not come for prayers but to make money from selling sacramental, food and drinks. They take every available space to display their wares along the road, some sell spiritual materials, some fast food and other wares among others. When people, therefore, trooped out at the same time, the pressure on the earth road was immense.

As the crowd surged forward on the now narrow exit, there was a jam, as people also stopped to patronise the hawkers.

This meant that there was some obstruction between those leaving, those buying things and the hawkers who were trying to stop people falling over their wares.

The warning from the priest was necessary because he knew that the road was not wide enough to contain the surging crowd.

Was there a plan to manage the crowd?

For over a long time, we have shouted and cried to the government to come and help us with the roads in Uke. As the President General of the town union, I have done letters to the state government and to the Ecological Department to help us with the roads and the erosion sites on the roads, but none has yielded dividends.

The trooping of pilgrims to our town with all kinds of vehicles on a weekly basis in the last two years has increased the pressure on the roads and we are finding it difficult to maintain it.

There were reports about a false fire alarm that triggered the stampede. Did you hear about it?

My security men confirmed to me that there was an incident like that. People were being pushed everywhere and in that instance, anything could have happened. It is possible that something fell into one of the frying pans, where some people were frying plantain and yam and this could have led to fire. Some of those who saw the flaming hot oil started shouting “fire!” And

this triggered the entire thing. That was when people started pushing and falling on one another. Those who fell might have died of suffocation.

Were you there when the Anambra State Governor Peter Obi came to the Adoration Ground?

Yes, I was there. His Excellency came at 9.30 pm. He came with some state government officials when the second Mass was going on. We were in the same canopy.

Was the APGA governorship candidate, Mr. Willy Obiano, with Obi? Yes, he was there too.

What happened when the governor spoke?

About midnight, the governor was invited to the podium to speak. He said three things. First, that he had seen the poor condition of the road leading to the adoration ground and that he would construct the road. Secondly, that he had seen that there was a big erosion site traversing the adoration ground and that he would control the erosion. Thirdly, he would sponsor about 20 persons to Jerusalem for pilgrimage.

What was the atmosphere like when he was speaking?

When he wanted to talk, there were pockets of voices murmuring in the crowd for him to stop or make it difficult for people to hear him. But at the end of the day, the spiritual director, Rev Fr. Obimma, talked to people to listen to the governor. That was when he spoke.

What exactly did the pocket of voices say?

Nothing intelligible or meaningful. I guess they thought the governor wanted to campaign. Politics is not allowed in the adoration ground.

Were there placards of any sort?

I did not see any. If Governor Obi saw or heard people saying something or carrying placards, I did not see any. Well, if he saw, I didn’t see any. He was called to the podium to come and speak. And after his speech, I was invited to respond. I thanked the governor on behalf of the town and all the pilgrims. We were happy for the promises, especially the gift of the road to our place.

How important is this road to the people of Uke?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

7

CITYFILE

‘We Don’t Have A Single Good Road’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

pen inside the adoration ground, it happened while people were attempting to find their way home.

The entry roads into Uke are very bad. The community is in a valley and whenever it rains, the flood is usually heavy. We have been asking the state and federal governments to help us with the road. We don’t have any tarred roads in the community. It’s God who brought the Holy Ghost adoration to Uke; it is not a political thing. If it were otherwise, they could have hijacked it and put it elsewhere. The ministry started about two years ago and it is booming. People are coming from all over Nigeria to pray in Uke but there are no roads. The pilgrims pass through hell to get to the place.

Has the APC governorship candidate Senator Chris Ngige being to the ground before?

I learnt he was there sometime ago; I didn’t see him. He came on a different mission. He came, saw the condition of the road and started filling the potholes and grading some portions.

That was in October. Then Governor Obi came and decided to tar the road.

Do you think the visit of Ngige made Governor Obi come there?

I do not know. You know the adoration has a large crowd and any politician that knows about this will want to come to the crowd for favour. But because it is forbidden in the adoration to politick, they only come to pray, show their presence and go.

How many people died in that stampede?

I heard that 25 or so died. It is difficult to be certain. I don’t know the exact figure.

Do you know any indigene of Uke who might have died in the stampede?

I have not heard that any Uke indigene died in the stampede.

But many were injured and some are in the hospital. I went to the hospital in Nkpor and Onitsha to see them.

Are you sure that Governor Obi will work on that road or don’t you think it is just campaign promises?

I don’t believe he will promise and fail; he has not done so before. All that he has said so far, he has tried to do. I believe he will do the road. He said in two weeks and we want to hold him by his words.

Did you go to the mortuary?

I didn’t go to the mortuary.

Has the town union discussed how to respond to this stampede?

Yes, the town union has met. We have taken a decision that no hawker will be allowed to stay by the roadside and sell. We are relocating them to the market. Secondly, we will expand the road so that it will accommodate more traffic. We also decided to open a road at the back of the adoration ground, so that people coming from that side may not have to come through the present roads now. With this, we will have three exit points. We also appealed to the people to learn to be patient because if they had been, what happened could have been avoided.

How do you think the incident will affect the Holy Ghost Adoration?

I do not think it will affect it negatively because it is not a political or economic gathering. The Holy Spirit has just directed that a prayer ground should be erected there. The pilgrims coming from everywhere get the results they seek and they will keep coming. Matters of faith are serious issues that people are ready to stake anything to support their convictions. The tragedy will not stop anything; people will only learn from it.

What was your reaction when you heard APGA and APC people trading blames and accusing each other of causing the stampede?

I was not comfortable because I knew it was not politics. The truth is the spiritual director does not allow politicking in the place. I think he allowed Governor Obi to speak so that he would tell the people what he plans to do for them about the place. The governor did not campaign; he only announced the three promises.

Do you remember any time that any prominent person came to the adoration ground?

They come and go.

Was that the first time Obi was coming to the adoration ground?

The governor has never come there until now.

What made you write those letters to the government about the condition of roads in Uke? There are no access roads to my community hospital. Erosion has destroyed he roads. Women in labour have to be deposited meters away from the hospital while the nurses contrive ways of carrying the women into the hospital. No car can get to the hospital. All these we articulated, took photographs and sent to government.

The situation of the roads is heart rending. We don’t have a single good road and the road is what caused this problem.

Getting to the adoration ground is a matter of faith, some stop their vehicles several kilometers away from the place, but some manage to use their vehicles. I know the governor stopped somewhere and did not drive into the adoration ground. This is the governor’s senatorial zone and it is about 40 minute’s drive to Agulu his town and an hour’s drive to the state capital, Awka.

Did the government respond to your letters?

During the last appropriation, N20 million was budgeted for the Uke erosion control, but up till now we have not seen anything. We have been asking questions and pursuing the money but nothing has happened.

There are no access roads to my community hospital. Erosion has destroyed he roads. Women in labour have to be deposited meters away from the hospital while the nurses contrive ways of carrying the women into the hospital. No car can get to the hospital. All these we articulated, took photographs and sent to government.

Enendu Uke town now rings a big bell and before you get anywhere in Anambra, somebody must tell you that he is a member of the Holy Ghost Adoration in Uke. How often does the adoration hold?

It is twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesday is for awaiting mothers and fathers, and then on Thursday is general adoration. People come very early so that they can get a place to seat.

Why do you think the whole thing suddenly became a political issue?

I guess that it is because we are in an election year or election period and politicians want to use the incident to curry favour; they want to politicise it. But there is nothing political about it. Within the time that the governor spent in the place, nothing bad happened. He left at 3am and the incident happened about two to three hours after. Besides, it did not hap-

Have you tried to bring to the notice of your representatives in the National Assembly and the State House of Assembly the condition of the roads?

We have representatives in the state House of Assembly. It is Senator Ngige, who is representing the Central zone, who tried to grade one of the roads leading to the adoration ground. But there are other roads. We have got mention in the federal government budget, where N20 million was budgeted for roads and erosion and another N8 million for solar energy but these things have not come.

Where is Uke in Anambra State?

Uke is in Idemili North Council of Anambra; it is in the Central Senatorial zone. The Uke Development Union is the umbrella organisation for Uke people. It is a big union but the landmass is not much. The Holy Ghost Adoration Ground is situated almost in the centre of Uke and close to St. Dominic’s Catholic Church. As a matter of fact, it is an offshoot of St Dominic’s Catholic Church. It was the prayer ministry of the church and when the population overwhelmed the church premises, they began to source for space close to the church.

THE GUARDIAN

8 Sunday, December 1, 2013

www.ngrguardiannews.com

CITYFILE

2012 Flooding: Why There’s Was No Recurrence In 2013

By Femi Alabi Onikeku ID any individual or agency actually predict that 2013 would feature a repeat of the previous year’s flooding?

Year 2012 would remain etched in the memory of many Nigerians for a long time to come: no thanks to flooding, which ravaged several parts of the country. But people have not been altogether unfamiliar with flooding. Recall the Ogunpa tragedy, among others. However, while most flooding had been ‘here and there’, last year’s deluge was ‘everywhere’.

“We recall what happened last year, the unprecedented flood, which led to the displacement of 2.1 million people across the country and affected over 7 million others. It also led to the death of more than 363 persons,” said the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi, at a recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Disastrous as the 2012 flood was, 2013 was predicted to bring more rains. While presenting the 2013 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) in February, the Director-General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Dr. Anthony Anuforom, said: “…it is predicted that this year, the rainfall pattern in most parts of Nigeria is likely to be similar to that of 2012. However, some areas in the North-Western parts of the country, which also fall within the catchment area of River Niger, the total rainfall predicted for 2013 may exceed that of 2012.”

So palpable was the fear that NEMA was at the forefront, warning Nigerians on the impending torrents. The agency identified 90 local government areas that could receive a raw deal. Its spokesman, Manzo Ezekiel, told NAN during an interview that NEMA carried out a vulnerability study using its Geographical Information System to isolate flood prone areas and was in partnership with NGOs with a view to sensitising the public.

D

According to Ezekiel, state governors and their representatives participated in a workshop organised by NEMA to checkmate the looming disaster. The agency even set up a relief camp in Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State in anticipation. “We have carried out advocacy in all the states… and are matching our words with action,” said NEMA boss, Sani Sidi.

With the disturbing images of entire communities submerged, thousands of displaced people holed up in squalid refugee camps and the depressing stories that followed the 2012 flood, it could best be imagined how some Nigerians received NIMET’s prediction for 2013. Doomsday could be the word.

On factor that might have strengthened the flood scare was the release of the 2013 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHASA). According to the Minister for Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, the outlook was based on NIMET’s prediction of increased rainfall in 2013 and other climatic indicators. NIHASA went on to identify 156 local governments across the country that could go under water.

It will also be recalled that in a Channels Television online report captioned: Our Weather Forecasts Are More Accurate –DG, NIMET, Anuforom, referring to the 2012 flooding, had said: “If you want us to talk about that flood of last year, we gave the prediction, as early as February 15. And by July, August, September, the

On factor that might have strengthened the flood scare was the release of the 2013 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHASA). According to the Minister for Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, the outlook was based on NIMET’s prediction of increased rainfall in 2013 and other climatic indicators. NIHASA went on to identify 156 local governments across the country that could go under water.

predictions came true.” He added: “We even wrote to state governments, informing them that this is what we have found out.

So, we are a lot more accurate than ever before. And these are all manifestations of the fact that we are better equipped and we are better prepared in terms of manpower.”

But as Technical Assistant to NIMET’s Director-General, Mr. Joseph Ejike Alozie, points out, “We never said there would be flood. Go back to our SRP and read it. We talked about heavy rainfall, and we have seen that. The moment you say, ‘heavy rainfall’, to the public, it is like you are saying, ‘heavy flooding’. No, it doesn’t go like that.”

Alozie explained further: “We didn’t say there would be flooding equal to what happened last year. We said there would be more rain. If I recall and remind you, the flooding of last year was not just caused by the quantity of rainfall that fell in Nigeria. A large chunk of it came from rain that fell in other countries, in Cameroun and along the River Niger, all the way from Gambia.

Around this period every year, the rivers flow down from the upstream to downstream. The upstream is in the Fouta Djallon mountain area in Gambia. So, the rivers get down to the delta, which is in Nigeria, around this period, around November-December, every year, ordinarily.”

Justifying, therefore, NIMET’s prediction, Alozie said: “As for the heavy rainfall in 2013, yes, many parts of the country had heavy rainfall. And that is what NIMET said. If you see the amount of rainfall that fell in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, you will not believe the figures. They are even more than what happened last year. The only place where we had some respite was in the SouthWest, because what we call the little dry season or what many people know as August Break was very pronounced this year. The effect of the August Break is felt most in the South-West. Outside this, there was heavy rainfall in many parts of the country, this

NEMA: Patnering The Grassroots In Disaster Management From Itunu Ajayi, Abuja HE 2012 flood is not an incident Nigerians would forget in hurry. With torrential rains and the opening of some dams, states across the country witnessed what some described as the Mother of all Floods between September and October 2012. Deaths were recorded. People were displaced. The impact is still being felt. Also, Nigeria was not the only country hit by the flood. From Asia to Europe, cases of flood were widely reported in the media, no thanks to climate change.

So, when again this year the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) came up with a prediction of a likelihood of another flood disaster, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with other stakeholders, came up with an early warning on disaster management implication of NIMET’ seasonal prediction for the year.

The document, signed by 16 members of the technical committee drawn from the agency, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Nigeria Hydrological Services, Nigeria Meteorological Agency, National Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF among others, stated that as a way of taking precautionary measures, not against the flood, but towards reducing its effect on the people, NEMA should develop Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with stakeholders in emergency/disaster management to better synergy. Also, relevant government agencies, NGOs and the United Nations (UN) should update their emergency plans and stockpile relief materials (food, non-food items, medicals etc) to support persons that might be displaced by flooding and other environmental hazards.

The six-page document concluded, among other things, that states should do radio jingles, advocacy and awareness campaigns to warn people ahead of flood disaster.

However, there was no incident of flood disaster throughout the year. It was not as if NIMET’s predictions were wrong. Unknown to many Nigerians, NEMA took the campaign head on and set machineries in motion to reduce the impact of flood disaster on the people should it eventually happen.

In a chat with The Guardian, the coordinator, Abuja operations office, Ishaya Isah Chonoko, explained that the agency took into cognisance the fact that victims of flood disaster require urgent help before the agency gets there. He said it was in view of this that the agency moved in to train youths and volunteers in all states of the country on disaster management, rescue operations and other relevant areas. He said the rationale is to engage people in the grassroots because they are closer to the people and the agency would not want a situation where people would be taken unawares as it happened in 2012.

“The programme, in the first place, was informed by NIMET’s prediction for 2013 where some states were identified as susceptible to flooding. On getting the report, the agency decided to manage the information so that, at least, if we cannot, as disaster managers, stop the incidence of flood, we can, at least, be able to put in place mitigating factors that would reduce the impact of flood whenever it occurs.”

He said all the stakeholders were invited to look at how prepared they were and the agency went ahead to consult with all the executive secretaries that are managing the affairs of the agency in all 36 states, in order to provide them with details of NIMET’s prediction and find out their level of preparedness because, according to him, the reference point has been the experience of 2012.

Chonoko added that the management of the agency mandated all the state, zonal and operation offices spread across the six geo-political zones of the country to step up campaign and sen-

T

A submerged community during the 2012 flooding in Kogi State

sitisation at the grassroots. People in and around prone states and communities were sensitised on precautions to take to reduce impact. He said the reason for this is that disaster management agencies are not immediately present when disaster of any sort happened, and that the people in the communities are usually the first to respond before agencies are alerted.

“We went further to carry out training that has to do with coordination and camp management. Disaster management should not be seen as the responsibility of one agency. It is an issue everyone should be involved with, including the media. It is the responsibility of everybody. We felt that partnering with all stakeholders will go a long way to sensitise people on the 2013 prediction. And when flood comes and goes, it leaves behind some consequences; we have health related issues, water borne diseases and all sorts of things. So all line-stakeholders were involved. Even the way we manage our solid waste is a crucial issue. People dump waste anywhere, not minding what happens and that is why the environmental people come in handy.”

He said the expectation of the agency is for the trained youths and volunteers to respond promptly in case of any flood disaster while the agency moves in. He added that with the level of training given the youths, they would be able to do some basic rescue operations in order to save as many lives as possible.

“The youths and volunteers we trained are expected to offer preliminary help before our arrival. We have to train these people; they are members of those communities, so they would always be there, and at least they would be able to do some rescue work before we arrive. Like in 2012, when we arrived Kogi for intervention, particularly in Ibaji local government, the whole place was submerged. In fact our first mission was to rescue people from the water. And you can imagine how many have died before we got there. So, what informed the training is just to guard against reccurrence. Even if we are flying into a disaster area in choppers, it will still take some minutes for us to get there, and we need people on ground who can always respond while we move in with more sophisticated equipment.”

By Paul Adunwoke

Transparency Group To Probe 2012 Flood Relief Funds

TRANSPARENCY organisation, BudgIT, has said it will commence a threemonth study into the disbursement of funds released in 2012 by the federal government to support flood victims in affected states.

It disclosed this during a press briefing at BudgIT office, Co-Creation Hub, Sabo Yaba, Lagos.

Lead partner and cofounder, Olusegun Onigbinde, said the organisation seeks transparency and accountability.

He said: “We want to know that the victims received the funds and also know how much actually went into their purse. We want to talk to people in the grassroots and find

A

out how much came down to them. We also want to talk to governments on how much was actually released. We want to know if there were leakages in the transfer of the funds.

“The relief camps were beset with a number of challenges that included insufficiency of materials and inadequacy of

accommodation facilities for affected persons. There were also reports of security infractions and criminal attacks on victims. Many of the camps have since been closed down.

“Despite huge funds raised through public and private initiatives, what remains a recurring issue of concern is the lack of transparency and ac-

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 9

CITYFILE

Residents Collide With Okada Riders, As Ajao-Ejigbo Link-Bridge Opens

By Ikechukwu Onyewuchi HE last has not been heard of the face-off beT tween Ajao estate residents and Okada riders plying the estate’s roads. The opening of the Ajao-Ejigbo link-bridge on Thursday has sent the Okada riders packing. But the estate’s residents say they would be back when the coast is clear.

The residents under the aegis of Ajao Estate Phase II Community Development Association had earlier renewed their complaints, this time to the Lagos State Ministry of Transport.

Anticipating the opening of the link-bridge and seeing that some of the issues they raised have not been addressed, they petitioned the commissioner for transport to come to their aid, as their concerns fall within his jurisdiction.

Sequel to the opening of the link-bridge, the residents were surprised as to how Okada riders—their nemesis in a long-standing battle of reclamation of private space and long-lost serenity— got wind of the news that the governor was visiting. They screamed blue murder, saying Okada riders, which they claim are Nigeriens, have Nigerian corroborators.

In an interview with Ikeagwu, he said: “Residents are even more surprised to know that Okada riders are not Nigerians. They come from Niger. And they are heartless. They have made life unbearable for us here. We are scared to go out. Not only are we worried about the unbearable traffic; the matter of security is another issue. We are not secure here.

“We understand that they have godfathers in their midst who are Nigerians. They report and pay dues to these people. The godfathers are so close to government that they got to know that the governor would be coming around yesterday. They told the Okada boys to stay off the road yesterday (Thursday). We were surprised.”

He noted that except government comes to their aid, they are not sure if the menace is ever going to end. He insisted that even with the opening of the link-bridge, the issue persists.

When The Guardian visited the link-bridge on Friday, the atmosphere was tense. Keke Marwa (tricycle) drivers were stationed on a part of the Ejigbo axis of the bridge, calling out to passengers who were returning to their abode in Isolo, Ejigbo, Iyana Ipaja and environs. China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) workers were busy clearing dust and sand from the road linking the bridge. A worker with CCECC, who does not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the clearing had been on, since the previous day, when it was rumoured that the governor would visit.

He said: “We have been working since the past three days, clearing the asphalt of sand and dust. I think they would repaint the median, even. The directive for Okada not to ply this route was given some days ago. The police have been trying to enforce it. Although they have been tough with the Okada riders, it is expected because the Okada boys are stubborn.

• ‘How Nigerien Motorcyclists Took Over Ajao Estate’

Some Okada riders at Ajao Estate.

In fact, since the opening, police have been strict. They come unexpectedly and swoop on Okada riders.”

He continued: “At the moment, Okada riders and Danfo (commercial buses) have been banned on the road. Keke Marwa riders are plying the route freely. That is the original plan.”

Asked if there was a commissioning, he said: “even those of us in CCECC do not know when the road will be commissioned, but the general idea is that it will be before the end of the year. The CCECC has finished work on the bridge. But the commissioning has not been done. We know the cleaning is in anticipation of something; but what exactly, we don’t know.”

Okada riders deserted the roads and streets, fleeing to smaller hideouts to make brisk business. On the Ejigbo axis of the link-bridge, they hide in Olokobi Lane and Alimi Bada Street, wary of policemen.

Kehinde Anago, an Okada rider, who claimed he has been on the run since Thursday, said life has been tough for them.

He said: “We have been on the run since yesterday. As I speak to you, I am not sure if I will be here in the next few minutes. Since the opening of the bridge, we have been thrown

City Shot

Men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on patrol along Akwanga-Lafia- Abuja road.

PHOTO: GBOLAHAN GBADAMOSI

out of the road. It has not been funny. It is no longer business as usual for us. Yesterday, five Okada were seized. The owners are still trying to get them back.

“We heard that the directive that no Okada should ply the bridge and the link road is from Fashola. Before now, this group operated from the foot of the bridge to Ejigbo and its environs, but now, we are fugitives.

“The owner of the house, in whose frontage we park, called the police on us yesterday, complaining that we were making a noise; that we were disturbing the neighbourhood.

That was it. When the policemen came, it was chaos. This is not good for our business. We were told that Okada and Danfo are not allowed on the bridge or the road, but where do we go from here? It is not good for our business. Even the man, who is in charge here, does not have power to do anything. We just take business at it comes. But when the police men come, we run.”

Before this reporter left this group of Okada riders, word came that policemen were in a junction close by. A man, dressed in white, who was identified as the head, was seen collecting dues. On hearing of the policemen, he reached for his phone and made a call, calming nerves. He told them not to worry that the policemen were not coming their way. Some of the Okada riders were comforted, others, apparently unsure what to believe, started their bikes and zoomed off.

Samson Akinjogbin, a regular user of the link-bridge, said the bridge is a welcome development, as it has helped his movement to and fro his office. He noted though that people have still not come to terms with using the bridge as it runs on two arms; one serving those coming over to the Ejigbo axis and the other leading into the estate.

He said: “People, who are plying the bridge, are still confused as to which one of them to use. But the construction company has people stationed at the end of the road to give directions.”

He corroborated the complaints of residents about the influx of Okada and the consequent human traffic in the area. He said it is reminiscent of the old Oshodi, noting that traffic sometimes can be unbearable in the estate.

In the petition obtained by The Guardian, which was jointly signed by Chairman, Leo Ikeagwu; secretary, Phil Osueze; and Chairman, Security and Development Committee, Niyi Ogunbamiru, the estate residents said: “We wish to state here that what is happening

now in the estate was the fear of residents when the idea of constructing a link bridge was raised which then compelled us to send a petition to the state governor who then mandated the Commissioner for Works to handle the issue during a meeting held in the commissioner’s office in Alausa.

“That meeting which was attended by residents from Ajao Estate, Ejigbo, Oke Afa discussed all issues that gave rise to our fears and we were promised that many things would be put in place before the bridge could be commissioned, including a ban on aggressive Okada riders that now ply the roads in their hundreds turning the only direct road to the bridge to a warfront during mornings and evening hours.

“We only request you to put some control measures in place as contained in our letter to the governor and as contained in some newspaper publications which are attached herewith, so that residents in Ajao Estate Phase II could be spared the horror we now go through.

“Consequently, it will be necessary if the Honourable Commissioner visits or sends a team to Ajao Estate Phase II during those peak periods with the aim of observing the conduct of Okada riders and Danfo drivers on the only major direct and motorable roads namely: Lateef Salami Road, Asa Afariogun Road, Kolawole Shonebare Road, Robinson Gbaji Road, Chivita Avenue, Ajibade Babatola street, Niyo Ogunbimaru Road, Lukman Atobajeun Street, Ati Okoye Street, Nwobodo Eze street, Inno Nwosu an Vincent Eze street, to mention a few. We will appreciate it if Okada riders are restricted from the above roads for life to become bearable once more in our homes.”

They appreciated fact that the idea of the link bridge was “to create access to the large population that lives in Oke Afa, Ejigbo, Ikotun etc., and pass through shorter route to their destinations.

They noted that since the invasion of Ajao estate by Okada and Danfo motor vehicles, who bribe their ways with construction workers, there had been numerous reports of snatching of bags and cars and armed robberies.

Residents also requested that the government stations the Lagos State Transport Management (LASTMA) officers, a police post, and iron bars on both sides of the bridge to stop the movement of big vehicles through the bridge.

10

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Backlash Abraham Ogbodo

08055328079 (Sms only) abogbodo@yahoo.com

Some Of The Matters Arising HE Backlash and Sunday Narrative have been off print since November 3. To simply explain that I had been on vacation till last Monday will not be good enough. I didn’t understand what Alabi and I had touched off with our weekly columns. All over, SMS came seeking to know what had gone wrong.

Kindly permit me to serve you samples. One reader submitted: “Your Backlash was topmost among those things that make The Sunday Guardian a worthwhile buy. Where are you now? When are you coming back? Missing you surely brother!” Ngozi Chiazo asked if I had been sacked. “Hi Abram, are you on leave or have you been sacked? Since November, Backlash has been missing. I miss you and Alabi on same page. What’s up?”

Prof Godwin Sogolo said I was “wicked” for leaving everybody hanging for some four weeks.

And after wishing me “happy Sunday” on November 17, Jerry Oshenye asked: “are you no more the editor of The Sunday Guardian? I am missing your analytical write-ups.”

I sincerely apologise for the rude exit. I should have served some kind of disengagement since I have become answerable to the public with what I do. Some quarters even suggested that I would have sustained the column from wherever I was. I had thought of that myself, but you see, even God rested after six days of hard work, how much less, a bloody reporter. I needed a full break; when my brain would be allowed to function outside writing, editing and allied matters.

While it may not add up to any reasonable defence, let me report that Alabi is to blame. I had asked him to offer half bread which is better than no bread while my vacation lasted. He had accepted to hold the forte only to re-emerge a while later reinventing the understanding. He said the Narrative without the Backlash was an incomplete package; something close to tea without sugar and that instead of serving half measures, we should rest the page altogether till I resumed. Please, forgive us and let’s be friends again. The process will be better man-

T

aged next time. For now, we are back and ready to roll.

And so, what are the matters arising since our last outing on October 27? So much has happened in the interim and I am not in any way attempting to cover in seven days what was left undone in 30 days. I would like to start with this loud altercation between the Comrade and the Colonel in the ancient city of Benin over the appropriateness or otherwise of the proposed national conference differently called national dialogue. Pursuant to the terms of reference handed to it by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Dr Femi Okunrounmu-headed dialogue committee had gone to Edo State to record the voices of Nigerians from the South-south geo-political zone on the conference.

But the Comrade Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole had all the views to give on behalf of the people. He said the proposed dialogue was a waste of precious time and treasure and that the committee should disband and go home.

Colonel Tony Nyiam, part of the 13-member committee told the comrade to ‘shut-up and sit down.’ He forgot that he was talking to a governor of a state and not just Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole who was NLC president some years ago.

Why all this graa-graa! I think a dose of psychoanalysis is required here to situate the characters in the context of their motivations. One is looking back with anger at a failed attempt some 23 years ago to tackle the trouble with Nigeria in his own way and he is seeing in the current efforts, an opportunity to rise again and accomplish what failed in April 1990. The other is tracing with fulfilment, his trajectory as a labour leader and appears encouraged by his achievements on all fronts to play god or sound like an oracle.

Adam Oshiomhole knows what is good for the country at all times. He knows when removal of oil subsidy is healthy and when it is unhealthy.

He also knows when Nigeria can hold a conference to discuss the great issues of the day and when it is inauspicious for the people to come together and talk. And it is this messiah complex

in the comrade that the colonel wanted to discharge but failed because of a wrong approach.

The other day, I had warned that nothing about the new providers of public electricity also called DISCOs [(Electricity) DIStribution COmpanies] showed that their performance would be any sweeter than the old official players called Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) which got changed from Nigeria Electric Power Authority (NEPA). The prediction is coming true rather too soon and I am worried. There was no due diligence. Questions were not asked as to the strategies these DISCOs and GENCOs would deploy to cover up and improve electricity supply in the short and long run in the absence of PHCN’s work force. The federal government just pushed the power facilities into private hands to create impression of good movement in the power sector and also earn good money from the licensing fees.

Now, Nigerians are up against some monstrous profiteers who give nothing for something huge.

The so-called access charge which consumers pay irrespective of consumption was immediately upped from N500 to N750 as if that was needed to change the calculations. It means a DISCO which oversees a million households will earn N750,000,000.00 just like that for offering practically nothing. I mean nothing!

In the last week of my vacation, a certain Dan who apparently read the Backlash of October 27 off loaded his frustration with the management of the power sector on my phone. Hear him. “Am I the only one shocked that we have just borrowed $100million to be shared to three states ostensibly to enhance power distribution even when power distribution has been privatised? Thought investment in power distribution and reduction in aggregate power losses were key requirements for winning the power DISCO bids.

“So these states will pour public money into this power distribution enhancement initiative (money that could have gone into education or rural water supply) only for the private distribution companies to collect tariffs and get rich.

Something is definitely wrong somewhere. It is like the government buying distribution trucks for Coca-Cola. The absurdity is simply to share money with their cronies. We are not even talking of privately and community acquired transformers and feeder pillars in the days of PHCN that have been dashed to the owners of the new DISCOs.” Sorry Dan, what I didn’t tell you was that I was in London in the last week of my vacation and that was when your message entered my phone. I returned in the morning of Friday, November 22 and between when I arrived and the following Monday when I resumed at The Guardian, I had lived without electricity. I was so stressed that the little rest I had gained in London was lost overnight. In fact, I have not had up to 24 hours of electricity since I returned to the country. That is the meaning of

must first apologise for rudely breaking off, Iourwithout first explaining the circumstances to good readers. My Editor went on leave and

SUNDAY NARRATIVE

I felt it was safer to let this page go on leave too.

Daring to combine writing half or the entire page, with editing the paper is not a healthy adventure. Better to do one thing at a time, so that the stress level does not get too chaotic. Many well-wishers expressed concern and I did explain to them my constraints. God bless them all. To those who didn’t ask, profuse apologies all the same.

Back to issues of the day. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has driven itself unto shallow waters. Too bad! A few people saw this implosion coming and ventured to remind the ‘largest party in Africa’ not to take for granted what the people have generously offered, perhaps out of omission or commission. Nigerians are too good; they do not exert too much pressure and they have allowed the PDP to take so much and give too little, for more than 14 years.

Yet the party became so arrogant and each time they committed terrible offences against their own members, they say it is a family affair and everybody should shut up.

I remember when in October President Jonathan and some members of his cabinet went to pray in Israel, I was excited.

That was the time the PDP trouble was at a breaking point. I thought the prayers in Israel would rescue the party. My only regret then was that spiritual handlers at that level did not do a thorough work on the list of pilgrims who went with Mr. President. Rotimi Amaechi, kingpin of the breakaway faction ought to have been on that list, after, all he is a Christian. Jonah Jang of Plateau was on that trip and it would have been a joyful day in heaven, were the three of them to kneel down, hold hands and offer a corporate prayer on behalf of their party. God would have healed their party and there wouldn’t have been this new episode for enemies to laugh at them.

Sincerely, people are laughing and I am tempted to laugh, but I won’t. I refuse to laugh because I know the implication of political instability that comes in the form of discredited political parties. Parties are the bedrock of democracy and if what we have in the main are aimless movements of power hungry men and women, then it is most unfortunate.

Like some say, let the parties continue to drift until they find rhythm and become stable. I

Alabi Williams oruku35@gmail.com 08116759790 (Sms only)

Back To Issues Of The Day pray so, but I have my fears and I will explain.

What has happened so far, in terms of five governors of the PDP, taking a quarter of their tattered umbrella, to align with the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not so new. In fact, this is a re-enactment of previous attempts at joining forces to win elections; while others who had hibernated in the PDP now find it convenient to return home.

The first time was in 1999, when the All Peoples Party (APP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) worked together on the same ballot paper to contest the presidency. Chief Olu Falae was the joint candidate of that alliance. AD gave birth to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which is now a part of the APC, together with remnants of APP, rebranded ANPP. So, not much has changed, same of the same. More or less.

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari began his hot pursuit of presidential tickets from the ANPP in 2003, where the party believed so much in him that each time, they chased other presidential hopefuls away, just to clear the way for him. He left, angry with the ANPP crowd, and formed the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). He abandoned the governors who had the funds, but didn’t control the crowd. In other words, CPC and ANPP had always been one and the same. Same crowd, same ideas and now they are back together. So, what is the new thing here? They separated on their own terms and if they now agree to come together, shouldn’t we even ask them what happened to them in that first instance and whether it will not happen again?

Therefore, the APC that we are now celebrating was the same coalition that fielded Falae in 1999. At that time too, they had the combined strength of (ANPP 9, AD 6 states) and good numbers in the National Assembly, far more than

they are now struggling to patch together to make enough numbers to smoke out the PDP. Big deal!

At the individual level, some of the characters that are drifting from the PDP did not always belong there, traditionally. Kwara State for instance, was an ANPP state. Oloye Olusola Saraki of blessed memory was a frontline leader of ANPP from the beginning. After he produced the first governor, the man, also of blessed memory, wanted to bite the fingers that feed him. Oloye was too smart for that and he gradually shifted base and took temporary shelter in the PDP. He put his son, Bukola Saraki forward and the man became governor. For eight years the PDP was good and he too became a godfather and put a godson in office under the umbrella. Now that the umbrella is spent, do you blame the young Saraki for going to the APC, which is ANPP by another name?

Again, look at the flamboyant governor of Imo State, Owelle, Rochas Okorocha; the man used to be a presidential aspirant in the ANPP. One year, he rode a limousine into the party’s convention in Sokoto and thought a smattering of Hausa language could do the magic for him. Reality dawned on him when all other northern aspirants of ANPP surrendered their support for Buhari and Okorocha and other southern ANPP presidential aspirants were left out there in the dusty cold of Sokoto. That was when he located a temporary space under PDP’s umbrella. When it became clear that Imo PDP was endangered as a result of negligence, he saw an APGA that was like a no man’s land and grabbed it. He is now back in APC, which to him is just like his old party, ANPP. Governor Wamakko of Sokoto State was an ANPP strong man. The PDP wooed him to join the umbrella and if the man says he wants to go back to his former party, for god’s sake that was his

DISCO. To some other matter. I did not even know that our President was with me in London and that was because the mainstream British media decided to maintain a mortuary silence on his presence. Anyway, that is not important; let’s talk about why the man went to London. I hear he had gone to attract some good investment to Nigeria and I feel so bad that some bad people mischievously tried to establish a correlation between this noble state mission and the celebration of his 56th birthday anniversary in London. They claimed the President in the course of the bash to mark his birthday, had challenged Bacchus to a contest, and that in the aftermath of the duel, he was struck down by a strange ailment described by his handlers as ‘acute abdomen’ which prevented him from attending the opening session of the Honorary International Investors Council (HIIC) holding at the Hilton on Park Lane London.

For those who may not know, the HIIC is some informal organ being promoted by Lynda Chalker, former British minister for African Affairs. It is one of the many arrangements by spent public officers in Europe and America to ostensibly assist Nigeria get off the ground. That is why Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, George Bush and a handful of others have had reason to continue in Nigeria after leaving office. They are in and out of Nigeria to give scintillating talk, for a good fee, to help the country move forward.

To bring it home, the Chalker invitation to President Jonathan is like asking one former Nigerian minister, say Femi Fani-Kayode, to invite the German Chancellor for a business meeting at the Hilton Abuja and Madam Chancellor would attend with a retinue of her aides.

Nobody has mentioned the volume of deals that President Jonathan cut at the London meeting. But would it have amounted to lesser gains if the minister of trade, Dr Olusegun Aganga, had gone to meet Chalker instead of the President and his large entourage? I am missing the point. Few presidents can do what Jonathan is doing. He deserves commendation for driving investment into Nigeria. Remember he rang the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange not long ago. Before then, he had gone to South Africa with his ministers to invite the South Africans to complete the take-over of the Nigerian economy. In Israel where he had gone to pray for the nation, he took time off to drive investment for Nigeria.

If everybody, including the APC and the rebel governors, looks for investment for Nigeria the way the President does, walahi, the Nigerian economy will be forced to grow without electricity, security and good roads.

The matters are not finished; they will continue

first love. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa is not your conventional politician. The man did not know where and how they formed the PDP. A retired naval chief, the man was busy growing mango quietly when they asked him to become governor. He attempted to muzzle the professional politicians who took the PDP flag to Adamawa, planted it and nurtured it before he came on board. Is it not understandable if he is in a hurry to move on?

Even Babangida Aliu of Niger State, who is not an A-list politician, has realised that it is not about being just verbose. The man must have remembered the CPC crowd of 2011, which only a PDP counterforce could have dismantled.

Apart from his incumbency powers, he does not own the PDP. At least, there are some Generals in Minna who had been in PDP before he was brought in from the FCT. Sule Lamido of Jigawa State is, perhaps, the only one who feels the pinch. The man was there all through and this is not the time to jump ship.

Rabiu Kwankwaso is clever enough to follow the Kano electorate. Nobody owns the Kano voters, so it is better to read the mood and follow the people. Whether he remains with the PDP or not does not guarantee that Kano voter will remain with PDP, especially if the party does not field another presidential candidate.

In all of these, the point is that our political parties have not expanded the political space in the last 14 years. It is the same three parties that were formed in 1999 that are breaking out and dissolving into new ones. The only difference is that the PDP is returning what it had stolen from the AD and the ANPP to the original owners.

But it will be recorded against Jonathan and Bamanga Tukur that it was in their tenure as chairman and leader that the PDP lost what it had stolen from others. The three original parties in 1999 began on the same footing, but the PDP became monstrous and attempted to swallow the other two. The other two started well, but indiscipline was their weakness. Party politics has not grown one bit. Growing democracy is not about ganging up to win election or using incumbency powers to defraud smaller parties.

This is what we are celebrating and that is why Anambra was an embarrassment for INEC and for everybody. In saner climes, it is an embarrassment for a democrat to wake up and become a republican. Here it is a big harvest because we love mediocrity.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 11

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Outlook The ICC’s Question Of Selective Justice

By Eugene Duru T shouldn’t be surprising that many in our today’s world do not even know that there is an institution called the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, even when some do know about it, they have thought it to be another of those international institutions whose affairs are just limited to the knowledge of the big and mighty international political players. And because of this impression, they have never actually bordered to understand the real purpose of the Court and what it has actually achieved since its inception on July 1, 2002.

Recently, Uhuru Kenyatta the current Kenya’s was summoned to the ICC because of his involvement in the Kenya political crisis in 2007.

He wants the invitation to wait until he had served out his tenure. The Court had indicted and later arrested former Liberian president Charles Taylor in Nigeria for his involvement in Sierra Leone civil war where he allegedly supplied arms in exchange of ‘blood diamond’. That was some years ago, and Taylor stood trial at the Court, a relief to those who directly suffered from his acts.

The Court came into existence in order to stop the impunity that was associated with people in position of authority who use their offices to perpetrate acts which by the ICC’s definition, would amount to crime against humanity. And where such crime is believed to have occurred, the Court will take steps to ensure that the perpetrator was not shielded by any immunity obtained by means of either national or international enactments.

The Court has its definition of what actions of persons in authority would amount to crime against humanity. It serves as an international police whose searchlight is positioned to look out for not just presidents of countries, but also any individual acting on their authority, and who used such authority to perpetrate despicable acts, which by the standards of the Court would amount to commission of crime against humanity whether or not the crime was committed against their own citizens. Therefore, the Court came into existence not only to maintain ‘World Order’, but also to make people in authority accountable for any atrocities they committed during their time in power.

The Court is independent, and not part of the United Nations system. Its seat is at The Hague in the Netherlands, and it also has a Special Court in Sierra Leone jointly set up by the government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations.

Although the Court’s expenses are funded primarily by States Parties, it also receives voluntary contributions from governments, international organizations, individuals, corporations and other entities. Notably, the international community has long aspired to the creation of a permanent international court, and, in the 20th century, it reached consensus on definitions of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

In the 1990s after the end of the Cold War, tribunals like the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda were the result of consensus that impunity is unac-

I

CONversation

ceptable. However, because they were established to try crimes committed only within a specific time-frame and during a specific conflict, there was general agreement that an independent, permanent criminal court was needed.

On 17 July 1998, the international community reached an historic milestone when 120 States adopted the Rome Statute, the legal basis for establishing the permanent International Criminal Court. The Rome Statute came into force on 1 July 2002 after ratification by 60 countries.

Amnesty International wrote the following on the ICC: “With the creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2002, the world began to fulfil the post-World War II promise of “never again.” The ICC is the world’s first permanent, international judicial body capable of bringing perpetrators to justice and providing redress to victims when states are unable or unwilling to do so. This represents a major stride for international justice.”

Under Articles 27, 28 and 29 of the Rome Statute anyone who has committed any crime, which falls within the jurisdiction of the Court cannot use any immunity clause whether arising as a result of any domestic or international enactment to shield himself from prosecution of the Court.

Article 27 • This Statute shall apply equally to all persons without any distinction based on official capacity. In particular, official capacity as a Head of State or Government, a member of a Government or parliament, an elected representative or a government official shall in no case exempt a person from criminal responsibility under this Statute, nor shall it, in and of itself, constitute a ground for reduction of sentence.

• Immunities or special procedural rules which may attach to the official capacity of a person, whether under national or international law, shall not bar the Court from exercising its jurisdiction over such a person.

Article 28 In addition to other grounds of criminal responsibility under this Statute for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court: • A military commander or person effectively acting as a military commander shall be criminally responsible for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court committed by forces under his or her effective command and control, or effective authority and control as the case may be, as a result of his or her failure to exercise control

It serves as an international police whose searchlight is positioned to look out for not just presidents of countries, but also any individual acting on their authority, and who used such authority to perpetrate despicable acts, which by the standards of the Court would amount to commission of crime against humanity whether or not the crime was committed against their own citizens

properly over such forces, where: • That military commander or person either knew or, owing to the circumstances at the time, should have known that the forces were committing or about to commit such crimes; and • That military commander or person failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures within his or her power to prevent or repress their commission or to submit the matter to the competent authorities for investigation and prosecution.

• With respect to superior and subordinate relationships not described in paragraph (a), a superior shall be criminally responsible for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court committed by subordinates under his or her effective authority and control, as a result of his or her failure to exercise control properly over such subordinates, where: • The superior either knew, or consciously disregarded information, which clearly indicated, that the subordinates were committing or about to commit such crimes; • The crimes concerned activities that were within the effective responsibility and control of the superior; and • The superior failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures within his or her power to prevent or repress their commission or to submit the matter to the competent authorities for investigation and prosecution.

Article 29 Stipulates that the crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court shall not be subject to any statute of limitations.

See the Rome Statute of ICC by visiting http://www.un.org/law/icc/index.html The Indictment Process An individual is indicted when a Pre-Trial Chamber issues either an arrest warrant or a summons after it finds that “there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person has committed a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court”. An arrest warrant is issued where it appears necessary “to ensure the person’s appearance at trial, to ensure that the person does not obstruct or endanger the investigation or the court proceedings, or, where applicable, to prevent the person from continuing with the commission of that crime or a related crime which is within the jurisdiction of the Court and which arises out of the same circumstances”.

In summary, the ICC is an independent, permanent Court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. is a court of last resort. It has no death penalty, and was established to punish those responsible for serious human rights abuses.

Taylor was first indicted in 2003, and was arrested in March 2006 while on exile in Nigeria, and then moved to The Hague in June 2006 due to fears that a trial in Sierra Leone could kindle unrest in the country or neigh-

bouring Liberia.

He was convicted and sentenced to 50 years in prison on 11 counts of crimes against humanity, including acts of terrorism, murder, rape and the conscription of child soldiers. (See VOA News September 25, 2013).

Other Africans have been indicted by the Court amongst who are Omar al-Bashir, who was indicted on March 4, 2009 with five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts of war crimes with regard to the situation in Darfur, Sudan. On July 12, 2010 he was additionally charged with three counts of genocide. During the Darfur conflict (specifically from April 2003 to July 14, 2008), al-Bashir, from his position as President of Sudan, is accused of implementing a government policy that used the state apparatus (the military, police, security, and Janjaweed forces) to attack Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa populations that were perceived to be sympathetic to rebel groups. He is further accused of ordering the rape, murder, extermination, forcible transfer, and torture of civilians, as well as the pillaging of numerous villages and camps. The Court has issued two arrest warrants against him and he is currently a fugitive.

Muammar Gaddafi was also indicted on June 27, 2011 on two counts of crimes against humanity with regard to the situation in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. As Commander of the Armed Forces of Libya, Gaddafi was alleged to have planned, in conjunction with his inner circle, a policy of violent oppression of popular uprisings in the early weeks of the Libyan civil war. With his death on October 20, 2011, the Court terminated proceedings against him on November 22, 2011.

Although not an official member of the government, Gaddafi’s son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was also indicted on June 27, 2011 alongside his father on two counts of crimes against humanity. He is alleged to be the de facto prime minister and the “unspoken successor and the most influential person” to Muammar Gaddafi.

All the names on the list are persons from the African continent. This outlook has made the Court look as if it was specifically instituted to prosecute just people from the African continent. There are no names of individuals from other continents which made it tend to support the argument being advanced in some quarters that the whole exercise is just a conspiracy against the African continent, that it was a calculated attempt to put the continent in a bad light, and/or that it is a tactical way to reintroduce colonization through the back door.

African States signatories to the Court are 34 out of the current total number of 122. The United Kingdom signed up to the Rome Statute on October 4, 2001, and it is on record that Tony Blair during his time as Prime Minister was directly or indirectly associated with atrocious acts against the people of Iraqi. He, in the company of Bush invaded Iraq without the United Nation’s mandate, yet, up till today, in spite of many calls for him to be tried, there has been no indictment nor, arrest warrant from the Court against him.

Should the Court act in ways that suggest that it renders selective justice, then, it would only mean that the Court has thrown equity and justice to the dogs. The law is equal for all.

Eugene Duru wrote from the United Kingdom.

By Obe Ess

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

12

Sunday, December 1, 2013

this government is anti-people, that they are not concerned about us, since they can afford to send their wards to private schools within Nigeria and abroad, who cares what happens to the less privilege.

More worrisome is the death of the nation’s best on our roads on daily basis apart from the fact that the majority are finding it hard to feed well.

What is our offence or are we permanently doomed as a nation? It is evident that our problem has a link with leadership, particularly, in this political dispensation. How can one explain a government that practically handed over the

economy to the World Bank? This government has not been fair to the citizens of this country. Must we implement foreign economic policies without recourse to our culture and traditions? Our take is that this government should demystify itself and be people-oriented.

The president should stop fighting governors, resolve to address the economy on the template of culture and tradition, urgently address the rot in all the public schools and must warn his supporters to desist from any act that will heat the polity the more.

Nigeria is greater than all of us.

•Kayode Onipede, CDHR, Ogbomoso.

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Editorial Nigeria, India And The Killing Of Simon Obodo HE killing in India of a Nigerian, Simon Uzoma Obodo in yet unclear circumstances, is not only unfortunate but also absolutely unacceptable. Taking the life of any human being anywhere, especially outside the provisions of the law, is a crime that must never be allowed to go unpunished.

Obodo was reportedly returning from lunch and had nothing to do with a communal clash in which he was caught and lost his life. On the strength of the information available, therefore, Nigeria has rightfully demanded an apology from India as well as an investigation into what appears to be a case of extra-judicial killing.

The Indian government’s account, as officially submitted to Nigerian authorities, is that Obodo may have died in a drug-related gang war and indeed a certain Surrender Por has been arrested in connection with the matter. This being so, Nigeria will watch keenly how the case is handled.

But this incident does not explain or justify the subsequent alleged threat to deport from India. Nigerians who reportedly took to the streets to protest Obodo’s killing and were rounded up and charged for rioting, arson, and destruction of public property. These are grave charges and Nigeria has every reason to be concerned. Spontaneous reaction to perceived injustice is not an uncommon phenomenon even if it is conceded that law enforcement officers have a duty to maintain the peace. But to brutalise unarmed protesters is excessive and to threaten a whole foreign population with deportation is irresponsible. Of course, the internationally accepted Principle of Reciprocity provides for reciprocal action. But, with specific reference to the matter at hand, a principle of an eye for an eye could leave everyone blind.

It is a pity though that a largely cordial Nigerian-Indian relations dating back decades is being threatened by this incident. India opened a diplomatic house in this country in 1958, and both countries have supported each other on many burning international issues including Nigeria’s support for India in the ChinaIndia border conflict in 1962 and India’s support for the Nigerian position on matters relating to apartheid South Africa. The governments of Nigeria and India must, therefore, apply positive diplomacy and commonsense in the Obodo incident.

On the one hand, a transparent investigation of the circumstances that led to the killing must be conducted while Nigerians slammed with arson and other charges should be released forthwith. The threat of mass deportation of Nigerians should be officially retracted or denied by the Indian government. On the other hand, the Nigerian embassy in India must also begin to monitor even more closely the status, activities and the general living conditions of Nigerians in that country.

In a world so already filled with crises, both Nigeria and India would be better served by cooperation than a row.

T

Abduction Of New Born Babies EPORTS of a gang of ritualists who invaded a healthcare facility in Ado-Ekiti,

R

Ekiti State recently to abduct newly-born babies for rituals are repulsive, barbaric and an act of depravity beyond description. It certainly advertises an incomprehensible erosion of societal and human values.

A situation where criminals routinely invade hospitals to snatch babies for whatever reasons notches up Nigeria’s shameful standing in the comity of unsafe societies, does her image untold damage, and the security agencies should buckle up to this challenge. The authorities of hospitals should also rise to the occasion and make the safety of patients sacrosanct.

The bizarre incident on Saturday, November 17, saw a gang of five gun-wielding ritualists invade the hospital located at Irona Quarters in Ado-Ekiti at midnight, asking the nurses to bring out any day-old baby! When they could not get any, the nurses and other medical personnel on duty were beaten up. That was reportedly the third in a series of armed attacks on the hospital in 12 months.

The Ado-Ekiti incident is not the first in the country. Similar incidents have occurred in other states. In November last year, a baby was reportedly snatched by gunmen at a maternity home in Nkwoegwu, Ohuhu, in Umuahia North local government area of Abia State just a few minutes after delivery. The heart-breaking incident occurred while nurses were battling to save the mother’s life.

Again, sometime in late 2011, the Imo State Police Command rescued two nineday old babies who were abducted from a private hospital in Akuma in Oru, Imo State. Their two mothers were still recuperating when the gun-trotting hoodlums invaded the hospital and made away with their babies. Though, these egregious acts have been on for a long time, the recent upsurge is worrisome. Moral bankruptcy and a certain lack of character are some of the causes of this depravity, a challenge all Nigerians must confront.

A hospital is a hallowed institution where the only duty is to preserve lives. This, of course, is now being eroded, no thanks to the little or no premium placed on the Nigerian life. Criminals not only abound in the hospitals as professionals, external ones strike at will as the Ado-Ekiti incident shows.

Now is the time for government agencies and health facilities to be conscious of their immediate environment. They should be mindful of who is employed and staff should be watchful of colleagues while the Nigerian Medical Association should be interested in ethical challenges in the hospitals.

The spate of attacks on hospitals and other health facilities illustrates the worsening insecurity across the country, no doubt. Unfortunately, the police as presently constituted cannot handle the situation, thereby underscoring the need for better policing, beginning with state police to monitor the nooks and crannies of the nation.

As crime and wickedness now seem to stalk the land, eternal vigilance is the only solution.

LETTERS

A Return To Sanity Developments in Nigeria SforIR:inconcern the past six months call and serious interest from all. The period will go down in Nigerian history as one when the leadership forget responsibility for pots of porridge. It was so bad that within these periods, rather than address the national problems confronting the country, which they were voted, they were more concerned with exchange of banters seasoned with deep animosity in total negation of governance. The ruling class and parties are completely in disarray. The level of thievery skyrocketed both at the state and the federal level. In fact, it will be absurd to compare this government with that of the late General Sani Abacha or IBB under whose regime one thought the greatest atrocities were committed.

We are more traumatised by the persistent closure of the public universities without any hope of re-opening them soon.

Nigerians have been shortchanged by the PDP government. In any normal situation, the party is the supposed superior partner-superior. But in Nigeria, the reverse has been the case; individuals have been far above their party. How can we explain the problems plaguing the polity now after 12 years of the civilian rule, and when agreements reached by a civilian government are being denied by that same political party? The simple logic is that

Can We Trust INEC In 2015?

IR: The election that took SNovember place in Anambra State on 16, 2013 has given Nigerians some concern on the capability of INEC to conduct a credible election in 2015. The whole exercise looks as if INEC has not learnt any lesson from previous elections conducted in the country, as confusion ruled the exercise.

This raises issues of whether what transpired in Anambra would not repeat itself or the country faced with political crises in 2015. Logistics has since become a nightmare to the commission, which disenfranchises many voters. When President Goodluck Jonathan

was looking for a credible candidate to head the present INEC, he assured Nigerians that the person he would saddle with the responsibility would be of proven integrity and would deliver the best election that would be acceptable to all Nigerians, but the promise has become a disappointment, making Nigerians to lose confidence in the electoral system a situation that sometimes lead to apathy by voters in elections periods. The Anambra charade is likely to be a sign of 2015, because most Nigerians would not believe in anything INEC comes up with on election conduct.

•Bala Nayashi, Lokoja.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

13

14

Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, Sunday, December 1, 2013

15

16

Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 www.ngrguardiannews.com

COVER

P/19

Dealing With Nigeria’s Quasi Federalism

SPOTLIGHT P/ 18 ‘Women Are Imperative To National Development’

DORGU SPECIAL REPORT P/24 BUSINESS Kidnapping: Sunrise At Dusk ‘How To Restore Integrity In Nigeria’s Tax System’

OGUNDE P/39

18

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday December 1, 2013

SPOTLIGHT

By Tunde Akinola

TELLA Dorgu, a lawmaker representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State at the House of Representatives was a journalist for over a decade before proceeding to the US for further studies.

Before she left Nigeria, she was a seasoned broadcaster, who operated mainly on radio and a little bit of television. She rose to become a principal producer, features and documentary at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

Upon her return to the country in the 90s, Stella forayed into politics shortly after the death of former head of state, late General Sani Abacha. While in the US, she had been attending series of political meetings and by the time she returned to Nigeria, it was easy for her to join the Alliance for Democracy (AD), where she emerged the party’s gubernatorial candidate for Bayelsa in 1999.

What was the connection between broadcasting and politics for her? “I felt urged to do something other than just working for me. Also, I wanted to see how much change I could bring to people in my community. I was raised up to be very conscious of where I came from, so I am always proud to tell anyone that I am an Izon woman.

“I was quite interested in addressing such issues as marginalisation and the deprivation we have experienced as a people over the years. We became even more marginalised when oil was discovered due to the degradation its exploration brought to the region. I am grateful to President Goodluck Jonathan, governor Seriake Dickson, and my mentor, the Obanema of Opume, His Royal Highness, King Amalate Johnnie Turner, and some other leaders in my community for being here today,” she said.

According to Stella, she had gone to the House with many dreams to better the lot of her people, though things are working at a rather slower rate than desired. “There is this erroneous belief by the average Nigerian that there is money somewhere, which is given to legislators to execute projects,” she said. “But when I got to the Assembly, I realised this was not so.

“I got elected in 2012 to represent Governor Seriake Dickson and there was no allocation of constituency allowance in my name. Due to bureaucratic bottleneck and red-tapism, none of the projects I want to do for my constituency has been undertaken. But before the end of the year, if the money gets released, then we can get some things done. I intend installing a garri-processing machine, and although it will be in my village, it will still serve the whole of the constituency I represent because they are the biggest farmers around.

“There will also be another grinding/processing machine at Ekeremor, but we are still waiting for that to come. That is as far as constituency projects from the Federal Government are concerned,” she said.

Despite these challenges, however, Stella said she has been engaging in other things aside the constituency projects.

“Through my foundation, I have been able to award 10 scholarships every year, one of which is for a Law School student.

This took off last year, and you know how expensive it is to train a ward at the Law School. I also organised a five-day free medical programme, which was quite successful and it opened my eyes to the kind of health deprivation in my area,” she said.

Due to the high level poverty in her region, Stella said her people couldn’t afford routine medical checks. “They cannot even afford a simple appendix operation and so, they cannot come from their villages to the local government headquarters to access the health facilities there. We did eye operations and treated tumours, as well as fibroid operations. We are hoping to do more next year.

“We did this in collaboration with the Nigerian physicians in America. I had their coordinator on ground to assist me get other people while we had to come up with the logistics. I am hoping that by next year, I will be able to get some partners to work together so that the personal cost will be reduced.

“We printed 5,000 booklets of past questions for members of my constituency taking the School Certificate examination and JAMB next year. We have acquired 110 computers for students in the College of education in my constituency. We equally provide the occasional assistance people always request from their representatives. We want to work with the women and we are still looking at the modalities to adopt, because we really want to empower the women. As a woman, I know that a lot of domestic responsibilities fall on the shoulders of women.”

This is an issue that is particularly dear to Stella’s heart, because in her view, Nigerian women have come a long way and need to be encouraged through proper empowerment.

“Nigerian women have really contributed in no small measures to the development of the country. I believe that without women, we would not have been where we are today as a nation, although Nigerian women’s contribution has not been quantified and so, not appreciated. But check the statistics everywhere; women contribute over 70 per cent, just that our contribution is majorly in the informal sector.

“For instance, if you go to any city in Abuja, it is a woman you are likely to find sitting in one corner, as early as 4:00am ready to sell food to people. She might even have a child strapped to her back. Women hawk goods and do all manner of jobs to keep the family moving. It is unfortunate that we are still agitating or cajoling the men, who have been ruling Nigeria for so long, to create space for women to be co-rulers and managers of the country.

“It has been said many times that when women’s contributions are not factored into the mix or their contributions are not appreciated, they cannot grow nationally. Nigeria cannot achieve the expected socio-economic growth when 50 per cent of the nation’s population is disenfranchised. You cannot disregard a part of you and function properly.

“Women are co-creators, so the contributions they make and must make to national development should be countenanced, otherwise we will keep going round in circles. I just

S

DORGU...

Women Are Imperative To National Development came back from South Africa, where the violence being meted out to women there was discussed, and they were talking about the role of parliamentarians. We came to the conclusion that there is no dearth of laws and regulations concerning violence against women, but the laws are just there without teeth because nobody is implementing them. So, you find the perpetration of such evil over and over at an increasing rate.

“I think it is sickening for a 70-year-old man to rape a threeyear-old girl. Just like a former Lagos State governor said, for such crimes, the men involved should be taken to a psychiatric home. They should be incarcerated and never allowed to see the light of the day again. We are here crying for 30 per cent affirmation and people laugh at us because they think we are not serious. But we are very serious, as no one will give it to us on a platter. I appreciate all the women working to realise the dream of ensuring that Nigerian women’s voice is heard.

They include legislators, professional bodies and non-governmental organisations among others. Until women become a part of the decision-making process, Nigeria will never get to the desired destination.”

She is optimistic though that the proposed national dialogue will address issues relating to women. “I hope when the preliminary report comes out, there will be women that are bold and willing to speak on such issues. And these won’t be just the theoreticians or elites, but women at the grassroots, who are really experiencing what it means to live, as second-class citizens. I hope such women will be allowed to make the nec-

Young girls must go to school. The policy must be made such that a young girl is made to stay in school. There should also be a law to criminalise parents, who do not ensure that the right of their female children to education is met. Parents have to understand their roles towards their children.

essary input, so that the role of women can be seen in a different light.

So, how does she combine her career and family life? “All I do is put things in their different compartments and do what I need to do. For instance, my day starts at 500am. I get ready for mass at 6am after which I go to the gym for one hour. I get home by 8am and then leave the house around 9am. The individual just has to be a better manager of his/her time. It is a juggling act that has to be balanced.

“I am a widow. I lost my husband in 1992. My children are grown and are overseas. My daughter is 40 years old while my son is 38, but I have an adopted little boy, who is going to be 13. He is in junior high school. I also have four nieces, who live fulltime with me.”

What is her advice for young girls? “They should get an education, because it is the only force, apart from the knowledge of God that can liberate. Like the Pakistani girl, Malala Yousafzai, who already knows what her roles are in life said, when you educate one girl, you have educated a whole nation. Young girls must go to school. The policy must be made such that a young girl is made to stay in school. There should also be a law to criminalise parents, who do not ensure that the right of their female children to education is met. Parents have to understand their roles towards their children.

“It is education that will enable a girl get to a level, where she can beat her chest that she is a self-actualised human being,” she said.

Stella’s philosophy is to put God first and seek wisdom. “It emanates from the beautiful scriptures that tasks one to seek the wisdom of God. A person should allow wisdom to permeate and pervade his/her life, allow wisdom to enable him/her seek the truth, love and enjoy the kingdom of God here on earth,” she said.

Stella started her education at Township Primary School in Warri, Delta State before proceeding to Queens College, Lagos for her secondary education. She also holds a diploma in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos and a Bachelors degree in Telecommunications Management, a Masters degree in Public Communications Studies and a doctorate degree in Mass Communications, all at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, New York, United States.

The former Director-General, National Centre for Women Development (CWD) said of her leisure: “I love being in the

TheGuardian

Sunday, December 1, 2013 | 19

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cover

Fashola

By Marcel Mbamalu (News Editor) O holds barred! Nigeria’s quasi N ‘federalism’ appears to be passing through a very important phase — a litmus test, a make-or-mar process.

And States (with their governors) are unwittingly driving this process to the finish line.

Virtually all the states, other than those in the North, are calling for resource control; the North itself is stylishly demanding respect in religion and other socio-cultural spheres. Southeast states, though not too loudly, would go for resource control with the South South. The government at the centre is calling for a national dialogue/conference, even as opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) cries wolf.

It would, therefore, appear that states are no longer comfortable with federal government’s overbearing dominance in resource allocation and in managing the national economy.

But ‘resource control’ is merely one of the many fronts in this battle: the recurring face-off also shows up in public and secret places where important issues bordering on Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), Excess Crude Account (ECA), Revenue Sharing Formula are discussed.

As it is with Nigeria’s many political gymnastics, there will be no immediate winners; only losers — the citizenry — who constitutional and human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, refers to as ultimate victims in the “unnecessary, intolerable conflicts over money, power and ego.”

It shouldn’t have been so, he thinks.

Only recently, the commissioning of the Lagos’ Ajele Fire Station, which was refurbished with about N340 million, was halted in what one of the ‘stakeholders’ said was “some miscommunication between the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government.”

It came a few weeks after both parties, already in the law courts, ‘celebrated’ another “miscommunication” regarding the construction of the Lekki-Ikoyi toll bridge. The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) says Lagos did not get the necessary approval for the right of passage through the Lagos Lagoon under NIWA’s jurisdiction.

Recently, Governor Babatunde Fashola reiterated his resolve to move against the SWF since the “aberra-

Okonjo Iweala

Imoke

Dealing With Nigeria’s Quasi Federalism ‘How To End The Battle’ tion,” according to him, goes against the grain of true federalism. The Governor, who gave vent to his feelings in a television programme, said it would be wrong for a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in his mould to support such contraption.

Hence, it would be ideal to speak up now.

The SWF currently has a pool of some $1billion already being invested by the Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Investment Authority, run by Mr. Uche Orji. That Fund is the third largest in sub-Saharan Africa, after the $6.9bn Botswana and $5bn Angola funds.

The call to further grow the $1 billion ‘future money’ follows continued dip in Nigeria’s oil-linked hard currency reserves due to sharp drop in oil production. Expectedly, and politically so, many of the governors in the opposition camp (and a handful within the ruling party) do not appear favourably disposed to future contributions. Yet, the Federal Government, through the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is adamant, saying that Nigeria has “no intention of halting the fund at (just) $1bn.”

“Our intention,” she says, “is to expand this fund in the future. We should reach $5bn to $6bn, I’m sure.”

The ECA, another front in the “supremacy battle” between the first and second tiers of Nigeria’s govern-

ments, is an accumulation of (“excess”) revenue from oil proceeds, and acts as a cushion between the actual oil income and budget-specific earnings. But, like a cannon, the ECA has remained a consistent source of disagreement between the federal and state governments.

Early this year, the Excess Crude Account amounted to some $10bn, prompting the International Monetary Fund to project that that funds would increase to some $18bn by this month. But that was not to be! It actually nosedived and halved to $5bn. This followed a sharp drop in oil production occasioned by pipeline glitches and thefts. As at July 2013, oil production was in the neighbourhood of 1.8 and 1.9 million barrels a day, in sharp contrast with the budgeted forecast of 2.5m b/d.

But the drop in oil production is just an aspect of the challenge for the SWF; governors, irrespective of their political leanings, would, rather than

save for the rainy day at the centre, want the cash shared today.

They are also contending for a proper formula in revenue sharing based on the principle of derivation and ‘equity’ to reflect the true spirit of federalism. They think the ‘lazy centre’ takes too much to do much less at the detriment of the ‘hard-working’ states and local governments. The states source the oil-money for the nation’s monolithic economy and, as such should have the better share.

There is a flipside to that argument though: While ‘oil-producing state governors,’ who enjoy 13 percent derivation fund (now amounting to some N9trillion in 13 years), demand increased allocation, oil-bearing communities in their domains are protesting. They want direct allocation of that 13 percent, since, according to them, the governors have ‘squandered’ the ones received so far with nothing on ground to show for it. In fact, Niger Delta women, for

The ECA, another front in the “supremacy battle” between the first and second tiers of Nigeria’s governments, is an accumulation of (“excess”) revenue from oil proceeds, and acts as a cushion between the actual oil income and budget-specific earnings. But, like a cannon, the ECA has remained a consistent source of disagreement between the federal and state governments.

instance, are ready to “dance naked” on that account.

In Lagos, Osun and Cross River, for example, evidence of disenchantment with Nigeria’s quasi federalism abound. Road infrastructure is, perhaps, the most visible point of disagreement.

Virtually all 36 states, are in open confrontation with the Federal Government over refunds of billions of Naira used to effect ‘authorised’ repairs on Trunk A (federal) roads in the states. Analysts argue that these embarrassing altercations strengthen the argument for devolution of powers.

In Cross River, the battle is clearly different. Governor Liyel Imoke is demanding total abdication on the part of the Federal Government.

The state accuses the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development of assaulting its tourism potentials and environmental safety.

The Ministry is working on the proposed Housing Scheme in the mangrove forest of Calabar Municipality. Citing environmental impacts, Deputy Governor Efiok Cobham issued a “directive” that, “henceforth, no further development by any agency or individual should go on in Atimbo axis till further notice.”

Also canvassing mining rights in non-oil sector, including licence issuance and control of royalty on limestone, crush rocks, barites, among others, the state advised the Federal Government to stay away from federal roads in the state and, instead empower it for effective maintenance and controls.

The Cross River scenario reverberates in may other states; where there is quiet, a “battle of wits” brews at the background.

The situation in most of the states, though quite subtle, is reminiscent of the days of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ahmed Bola Tinubu. Apart from the issue of (illegal”) state creation for which OBJ (legally or illegally) withheld Lagos State’s allocation for several months, Governor Tinubu also had a running battle with the government at the centre over control of infrastructure (roads in particular) domiciled in Lagos.

The faceoff, more often than not,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

20

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

COVER

FG, Lagos’ Battle For Infrastructure Control... A Litmus Test From Lemy Ughegbe, Abuja INCE the era of President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Bola Tinubu, both heads of Governments, Federal Government and the Lagos state Government have been locked in legal battles for control of infrastructures domiciled in the latter. Often times, the face-off was centered on tax/levy collection, as each of them laid claims to the dividends.

Whereas many believed that the imbroglio between both governments was exacerbated by the unyielding and uncompromising personalities of the key actors – Obasanjo and Tinubu, the matter went beyond them into the increasing challenging relationship of the centre (Federal Government) and its constituent units (the state governments, including Lagos), as unfolding events, long after these actors have quit the state for Dr Goodluck Jonathan and Otunba Raji Fashola, show. Rather than ease, there seem to be an intensified face-off over the same issue. It may suffice to examine some of the legal battles between both parties.

Powers To Regulate And Register Hotels In States For six good years, the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government were on the legal turf over who held the power to regulate and register hotels in states until the Supreme Court resolved it in favour of the states.

On June 19, 2013, the Supreme Court unanimously declared that it is only a State House of Assembly that can make laws on tourism or the licensing and grading of hotels, restaurants, fast food outlets and other hospitality establishments.

The apex court, in dismissing the case filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and upholding the contention of the Attorney General (AG) of Lagos State Mr. Ade Ipaye, held that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) 1999, as amended, only empowers the National Assembly (NASS) to regulate tourist traffic, a term which does not extend to hotel registration or licensing.

It declared as valid the Hotel Licensing Law of Lagos State (as amended) and the Hotel Occupancy and Restaurant Consumption Law of Lagos State, while the offending sections of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Act were declared null and void.

Before the verdict, Federal Government was collecting levies and registration fees from fivestar and four-star hotels approximated to be in the neighborhood of 3,000 in Lagos State.

Lagos officials claimed the Federal Government had made about N45 billion from the hotels, which should have been revenue for the state. Whereas, the Lagos State Government hailed the apex court verdict as a watershed for tourism in Lagos and a new source of income for the government, some critics expressed concern that the State Government may be acquiring too much power for itself and further decentralising the nation.

S

Fashola But the question that comes to mind for such critics is: what then is federalism, if the centre remains all-powerful and the states subject to its whims and caprices. As was espoused by the Supreme Court, It is believed that nothing is economically, politically and constitutionally wrong if a state decides to leverage on its internal resources to generate revenue.

Lagos is, perhaps, the most populated, economically viable state in Nigeria; it is fast growing and needs more than a handful from the FG to sustain this growth. It needs to start looking at other sources that it can maximise to sustain this growth otherwise it will collapse under its own weight.

National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) The Federal Government, on November 3, 2013, told the Federal High Court, Lagos Division that Lagos State Government failed to obtain the approval of the National Inland Waterways Authority before commencing the construction of the Lekki-Ikoyi Suspension Bridge.

In a joint counter-affidavit filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and NIWA in a suit instituted by a rights lawyer, Mr. Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa, Federal Government claimed that, by the construction of the bridge, Lagos state Government had encroached into the Lekki/Ikoyi Lagoon,

which it claimed was under NIWA’s exclusive jurisdiction.

Justice Saliu Seidu fixed Thursday, December 5, 2013 for hearing; even though he had earlier on April 30 adjourned till July 9 for judgment following the appearance of the Federal Government, which, hitherto, had not participated in the proceedings.

Olu-Adegboruwa is, through the suit, challenging the construction and imposition of tolls on the users of the bridge. The AGF and NIWA, along with the Lagos State Government and the state Attorney-General, are the respondents in the suit.

But both the AGF and NIWA, in their joint counter-affidavit dated, August 7, 2013, opposed all the contentions of the state government. The federal agents maintained that the only “legal option” available to the state government was to seek written permission from NIWA to use the lagoon for the construction of the suspension bridge. Meanwhile, the bridge had since been inaugurated on May 29, 2013, by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, while the suit was still pending.

Lagos Objects To FG’s Water Transport Regulations The battle between Lagos State and the Federal Government over the latter’s regulatory policy on the nation’s waterways’ public transportation is getting increasingly intense with the former’s uncompromising posture portrayed by Governor Fashola.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 13th National Council on Transportation meeting which held Thursday, at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, Fashola set the stage for an imminent clash with the FG on the issue, declaring that Lagos under his watch would not comply with certain aspects of the NIWA Act, as set out by the Federal Government in which he alleged undue control of the states’ apparatus.

Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, and the Managing Director of NIWA, Hajia Mariam Ciroma, were part of the guest at the occasion where the governor vowed that Lagos State Government would not comply with the aspect of the NIWA Act asking states to obtain licences before they could build jetties for public water transportation purposes.

According to him, such regulatory powers were “anti-people” and as such would not be observed by his government. “We will reflect seriously on the role of NIWA to the state in the areas of policy formulation and management of water transportation… I can’t agree with NIWA asking me to get a licence from them before we can build a water transport jetty for the public. “ NIWA says we must get its approval to build a bridge that will facilitate water transportation that will alleviate the movement of the public. We say no to that”, he said.

Fashola sued for an enhanced regulatory framework on water transportation, which would evolve a public-private sector partnership. According to him, “legislation must be sought to promote the participation of the private sector and private sector skills in developing the sector. We must create an environment that would encourage the private sector to find the transport sector attractive for business, such that he would be willing to put his money in a sector that he is sure that his investment is secured and in an environment where the legislature also prevents him from taking advantage of his situation to unduly exploit the masses in the name of profit making.”

Telecommunication Fees/Levies HE Federal Government wants telecomT munication legislation enacted by the Lagos State government on the account that the law offended sundry federal legislations, including Company Tax Act. The purport of the suit is to stop Lagos from collecting levies from telecom operators operating in its (Lagos) jurisdiction.

The Federal Government had also, twice in recent past, challenged the Lagos legislation on telecommunication operation in the state but had withdrawn it before proper trial could commence in the case. The Federal Government is contending, in a 19-point affidavit accompanying its writ of summons, that it had perused all existing legislations in the country and could not see any that empowered states, including Lagos, to make legislation on telecom operations.

As the battle continues, the admonition of William Jefferson Clinton, former President of the United States for men to embrace “honourable compromise” and the wise enunciation of the Supremacy Clause in the United States Constitution come to mind as germane. The said clause states thus: According to Wikipedia, “the balance of federal powers and those powers held by the states as defined in the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution was first addressed in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819). The Court’s decision by Chief Justice John Marshall asserted that the laws adopted by the federal government, when exercising its constitutional powers, are generally paramount over any conflicting laws adopted by state governments.”

It is imperative to state that as much as the supremacy clause elevates the superior rights of the central government above those of the states, it is incumbent on the central government, in this case, to heed the wisdom in the enunciation of Justice Chukwudifu Oputa (rtd) when he held “it is good to have the strength of the elephant, but it is wise to use it as gently as the dove.”

Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge: Echoes Of Disagreement Over Alleged N10m Payment From Chuka Odittah, Abuja HE public information space may be quiet T for now, but the seemingly intractable fisticuffs between the Federal Government and Lagos State over the legality, or otherwise, of the Lekki-Ikoyi suspension bridge, on which the state government built a toll system, has not abated.

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), under the Federal Ministry of Transport, had, at the onset of the controversy, stated that NIWA, through the NIWA Act 2004, had exclusive authority over “Navigable waterways, Inland Waterways, River Ports, including the Lagos and Lekki lagoon” upon which the Lagos state government built the suspension bridge. Its position was advanced by the counsel to NIWA and the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mrs. Queen Ubah, at a Federal High Court in Lagos where the substantive case is currently being heard.

But Governor Raji Fashola administration, in a counter-affidavit dated November 13, 2013, said it did seek approval for the project and, in fact, paid the sum of N10 million to the Federal Government as fees for the bridge.

When, however, The Guardian contacted the

NIWA for clarifications on whether, or not, the Lagos state government sought approval for and paid the sum of N10million for authorisation to proceed with the Lekki-Ikoyi suspension bridge, NIWA spokesman, Mr. Fadile, said there was no evidence of such payment.

He said that, as a responsible state government, the Fashola administration should show receipt of payment to back its claim, adding that no record of such payment exists with NIWA. He further emphasised that the agency was not aware of any application for the construction of the controversial suspension bridge.

“If the Lagos state government said they paid any money, let them show us the receipt with which they made the payment. They should present a copy of the receipt for the payment of the N10 million they paid; we are not aware of any such payment. You can also go to our Area office in Marina Lagos to find out if they ever got a copy of any application for the bridge,” he said.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the Transport Minister, Senator Idris Umar, to comment on the face-off were unsuccessful as he was said to be out of town. However, a source close to the minister told The Guardian that the matter was a very sensitive one and no principal officer in the Transport Ministry would com-

ment on the issue unless the minister approved it.

“I can tell you for sure that nobody in this Ministry will accept to grant you an interview on this matter; only the Minster can. And right now, he is away on official duties. The only person who may be able to address the issue is the Permanent Secretary and he has to consult with the Minister first”, he said.

But when asked to comment on the propriety of the N400 billion Lagos State Light Rail Project, which the state government also recently embarked upon to ease public transportation, the top official who again craved anonymity said the Ministry had nothing against the Fashola administration in respect of that.

“I don’t think the Federal Government is against the Lagos State Government on that issue. It is the responsibility of the state government to make life easy for citizens in its domain; so, we welcome that.

“What we are saying is the legitimacy of the Lekki-Ikoyi suspension bridge built on the Lagos Lagoon,” the source maintained.

The Lagos State Government had, recently given reasons for the delay in the take-off of its Light Rail (Red Line) project in the state, attributing it to an inconclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with

the federal government in order to officially cede a portion of the existing track to the state. The state government has put the cost of the Light Rail (Blue Line) project at $1.3 billion.

The governor explained that the red line required a MoU with the federal government, which the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMT) was yet to fine-tune and put in order.

He added that the purpose of the agreement was to formally cede the right to use a portion of the existing rail track to the state government in line with the provisions of the 1954 Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Act. “The red line requires an MoU with the federal government. It means we would relocate some portion of the existing track. The corridor is there. The idea is to share.

“There is the 1954 NRC Act that gives that existing track. We learnt that the Federal Ministry of Transport would soon fine-tune the agreement. The moment we do that, we can proceed. So, we need the agreement with the federal government.

“We are already pursuing it. Hopefully, we can get that soon. Without that, we cannot move. I do not know how long it will take to conclude all the agreement, but we hope the agreement will be ready soon. Once we are through with the agreement, the concessionaire will begin the work,” he explained.

Sunday, December 1, 2013 21

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

COVER

Hard Talks In Cross River Over Mining Rights, Federal Highways an approval from appropriate state agencies in cognisance with Environmental Impact Assessment exercise (EIA) for the project and its vulnerability as well as its adverse effect on immediate community and environment.

Imoke who frowned at the undermining impact on the environment, considering the projects closeness to the city centre which serves as natural shield over the years, said that the state would not fold its arms watching the Federal Government expose the citizenry to untold hazards and distortion of the ecosystem occasioned by the depletion of the swamp.

He lamented that, despite repeated warnings by the state’s Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Mr. Ralph Uche, to stop the project, the Federal Ministry of Housing refused to heed the directives but rather encouraged their clients to continue clearing the site without considering its environmental impact.

The Governor reasoned that, if the federal authority continues the project, the community could be exposed to erosion and flooding to which the area is prone, while also endangering the ecosystem.

Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Sandy Onor, who further lamented the negative impact of the project on the state which remains the 25th biodiversity hot spot in the world, maintained that government would not rest on its oars in ensuring that its environmental and forestry policy and programmes for conservation and protection is adhered to as planned.

Apart from the negative impact of the project, the state stands to lose its status as the only beneficiary of the United Nation REDD programme, in Nigeria.

From Anietie Akpan, Calabar N Cross River State, there is no much disIover agreement with the Federal Government control of infrastructure.

However, for better performance, Governor Liyel Imoke has been canvassing total control of federal roads in the state.

The governor said the Federal Government should stay away from federal roads in the state and, instead, empower his state financially for maintenance and effective control.

The state is also unhappy with the current situation, where the Federal Government controls all the mining rights in the non-oil sector, including licence issuance and control of royalty on limestone, crush rocks, barites, among others.

The state is rich in non-oil mineral resources but lacks any form of control over them, as the Federal Government, in line with the statutory books, currently calls all the shots.

Recently, the state government disagreed with the centre over a swampy large portion of land located at the outskirts of Calabar. It had to order the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing & Urban Development to stop work at the site for the proposed Housing Scheme in the mangrove forest of Calabar Municipality on grounds of its environmental impacts.

Imoke, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr. Efiok Cobham, gave the directive while on unscheduled inspection visit to the site along Atimbo swamp in Calabar, saying that, “henceforth, no further development by any agency or individual should go on in Atimbo axis till further notice.”

He accused the Federal authority of going ahead to execute the housing project without

Imoke

Insufficient Seaports And Control Of Waterways

By Geoff Iyatse ENIOR Special Adviser to the President on Maritime Service, SGovernment Leke Oyewole, recently gave assurance that the Federal would adopt new measures to utilise inland water resources to reduce the pressure on seaport facilities.

He revealed that the Federal Government is disturbed by the build-up of imported goods at existing seaports.

His position is that a robust inland water system would ease movement of imported consignments to different parts of the country.

Indeed, there has been persistent call for new measures to decongest available seaports, especially those in Lagos. That the Federal Government has recongnised the danger in overrelying on existing seaports — especially Tin Can Island and Apapa, which are tucked away from the country’s centre, only accentuates the magnitude of the problem.

Nigeria, it has been consistently argued, is too big to be served by scantily seaports that are not even located at the centre. Face by several related odds, the economy can only continues to groan under such inadequacy.

Perhaps, the challenge would lessen if there were functional rail system to haul imported goods to eastern and northern states. For a largely import-dependent economy, dilapidated roads only add to the complexity of distributing goods brought into the country through the two functional seaports.

Surely, passable roads will reduce the burden of moving goods from seaports to other parts of the country, though that will only reduce the extra cost. But, most importantly, the more seaports the country has, the less resources it will spend on road maintenance, as fewer trucks will be on the highways.

That is why many believe the demand for more functional seaports in addition to Tin Can, Apapa and, to some extent, Onne as well as Port Harcourt is justifiable.

And almost every region is endowed with water resources, making the request a sort of sensible appeal. Whereas some countries take extra miles to develop shallow water for easy navigation, the coastline of Nigeria is naturally sailable. Many of Niger Delta and South Eastern states sit in the sea or are situated close to navigable waters.

Giving the rising cost of local transportation, it is only prudent that existing ports facilities across the country are opened up while new ones are developed. When the call for more seaports is weighed against the huge impacts haulage adds to commodity prices, it makes sense when resources are rather re-channeled to building more seaports.

Many wish the hope Oyewole wanted to raise was, indeed, pegged on building more seaports. Admittedly, distributing

seaports (like pieces of cake) to every state that truly deserves one may be one option the Federal Government cannot achieve. In fact, it was because it could not adequately maintained the few available ones that the government concessioned them some years ago.

The Constitution cedes, completely, the control of waterways, like every other item under the exclusive list, to the Federal Government. That, unfortunately, is an arm-twister to states that have the wherewithal and courage to put into seaport

investment. Lagos State has had a fair squabble with federal ministry and agencies in charge of waterways management because it dared construct a bridged across an inland sea.

Similar ventures were stalled in the past by federal/state row over who controls what and what such rights imply. Unless related laws are repealed, the fear Federal/Lagos government scenario may continue to stop states from building seaports or even Kano and other northern states from getting dry ports to ease the pains suffered by importers. And doing this, many would wish, should be a priority in the new measures.

Dealing With Nigeria’s Quasi Federalism CONTINUED ON PAGE 21 manifests in the arena of tax/levy collection. Recall that several paramilitary agencies — KAI, LASTMA, among others — which still exist in Lagos, were created by the ingenuity of the Tinubu administration either to strengthen its argument or to legitimise and enforce control.

Those creations of Governor Tinubu and, of course, the seeming victory of Lagos over the Federal Government in the matter, also had their spillover in not just the neighboring Ogun, Osun and Ondo States, but also in far-away Edo, Anambra, Delta, and even Kano and Zamfara.

Even though the agencies in most of the states were, on the surface, presented as means of ‘sanitising’ the environment, they, overall, became like nationwide phenomena to assert “federalism” and, at the same time, foster revenue drive in those states. Hence, uniformed men/women now compete with Federal ‘forces’ on major roads in states.

The Babatunde Fashola administration, in a subtler sense, inherited this culture of disagreement when the planned repair of the Third Mainland Bridge almost hit a dead end. It was finally resolved, the FG having shifted grounds.

The Third Mainland Debacle was shortlived and almost went into oblivion shortly afterwards: Since then, nothing

of such disagreements was heard, at least not so much in the public domain.

But that was until the renewal of AbujaLagos old rivalry, going by the Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge construction over the Lagos Lagoon and the ensuing alarm over failure to secure ‘right of way’ all the way from Aso Rock.

It is assumed that this quarrel should have been taken care of by the Constitution, which explicitly addresses all issues of jurisdiction.

Aturu has this to say: “Basically, there is what is called the Exclusive List of Legislations, Residual List of Legislations and Concurrent List of Legislations, and all of these are contained in the Second Schedule of the constitution. Any item on the exclusive list belongs to the Federal Government and it is within the purview of responsibilities of the National Assembly.

“Therefore, only the National Assembly can make law or laws on matters listed in that list. In that second schedule of the Constitution, you also have, the concurrent legislative list, which are areas where both Federal and the state governments can make laws, but the specific areas of the list have been delimited.”

On road infrastructure, Aturu said: “it is wrong to say that only the Federal Government should have power to manage or control traffic in the country, especially on federal roads. That is the law in my view and the Lagos High Court has dis-

agreed with me, but we will wait for the decision of the Court of Appeal.

“I will not subscribe to the idea of the Federal Government, through the Federal Highway Act, being the sole traffic regulator or controller of traffic on federal highways; if the states cannot make laws for traffic management, why then do we have them as components of the federation.

“Although the Constitution is clear on the matter (that only federal agents are legally permitted to control traffic on Trunk A roads), it does not mean that those (the actors), who are operationalising the law, cannot come to a reasonable understanding, if they have the interest of the citizens at heart, and ensure that traffic move smoothly in the cities.

“There would not be need for dispute or conflict between the federal agency and state operatives, when the objective is for safety. Under the law, private citizens can arrest persons committing traffic crimes. We have that limited power to arrest any person found contravening the laws.

When you see people now run into this conflict routinely and persistently, it means there is something wrong and it tells you that they are more interested in certain things more than the things they profess to be interested in; and that is the only inescapable conclusion that one can reach on the routine, but unnecessary, conflicts.”

22

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

COVER

ATURU: Squabbles Over Infrastructure Basically, there is what is called the Exclusive List of legislations, Residual List of legislations and Concurrent List of Legislations, and all of these are contained in the Second Schedule of the constitution. Any item on the exclusive list of legislation belongs to the Federal Government and it is within the purview of responsibilities of the National Assembly.

Aturu

• Conflicts All About Money, Ego Constitutional and Human Rights Lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, in this inter- • For Self Interests, Politicians Jeopardise Future Of Nigerians ing on both sides. cy, as you may want to put it, do not suffer. view with DANIEL ANAZIA, looks at In a Federal system, all the components of There are times you claim full right regarding the recurring squabbles between the the polity must learn to work harmoniously a particular law, and there are times you also Federal Government and states over in a manner that will be conducive to develop- find a way of not violating the law, and, at the But where the parties work at cross pur- same time, ensuring that development is infrastructure control, especially with ment. poses, and component parts of the federation brought closer to the people. regards to the recent alarm raised by are trying to lord it over one another to the Democracy is not about who is right, in extent that there is unhealthy rivalry in the terms of who conforms to the law or not, but the Ministry of Water Resources that system, development suffers; in other words, who brings dividends to the people and what Lagos State did not get authorisation there is under development and the people the people benefits from democracy. But, someAt the end of the day, governance loses times, out of arrogance and share lack of for the construction of the new Lekki- suffer. its basic essence. respect for the different components or units of Ikoyi Bridge, among other issues.

We have seen this on display in the current the federation as we have seen in our politiThere have been recurring disputes between Federal and State governments over infrastructure control, the most recent being the alarm raised by the National Inland Waterways Authority that Lagos State did not get authorisation for the construction of the Lekki- Ikoyi Bridge. What, in your opinion, are the reasons for these disagreements?

HERE is a very big problem with governance in Nigeria. The conflict, in this case, is derived from arrogance and unnecessary egoistic postur-

T

tussle between the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government. In my opinion, this kind of conflict or tussle is unnecessary, undesirable and avoidable if parties had sat or can sit down to look at the relevant laws in the Federal Highway Act and all other laws that are relevant to the issues regarding the way forward.

Sometimes, you may have a law and you may agree that there are ways of operationalising it in a way that people, who are supposed to be beneficiary or owners of democra-

cians due to their feudalist orientation, people tend to behave like ‘lords of the manor’ as we have today. By extension, they create all sorts of problems for inter-government relations and developments. That was why I said it is avoidable.

In your view, what are the areas of disagreement between both levels of government, especially in the area of infrastructure control as well as revenue collection?

The issues are traceable to attitudinal disposition of the actors — those who are operational-

ising the Constitution and the laws of the country; that is the basic problem that we have.

Apart from the attitude, we have the issue and process of accumulation in Nigeria. What I mean here is how people make wealth. This process is very odd and not in the interest of the general public; so, you find that people, who occupy political positions, do everything possible and within their means to corner things or resources of this country for themselves and not for the development of the nation.

This is why you see people display this kind of arrogance I talked about. When you look at the whole sides, you find that somebody somewhere among the feuding parties is interested in what comes to him or her. They are interested in the money they want to take away from the system illegally, without the other person being able to challenge him or her. So, the basis of this bravado or feudalistic dispositions can be traced to the fact that people think that whoever controls or have access to the infrastructures or the resources could also control the funds that accrue from them.

What, really, is the position of the Constitution on some of these alleged encroachments on physical infrastructure belonging to either the Federal Government or the state?

I don’t want to speak in a way that would affect the ongoing litigations in the courts, whether at the lower court (High Court) or Court of Appeal, because there are cases that have these issues as subject matter.

But my view is that the Constitution is very clear, as it has allocated certain spheres or areas of life to the different component parts or units of the federation; particularly between the Federal Government and the states.

Basically, there is what is called the Exclusive List of Legislations, Residual List of Legislations and Concurrent List of Legislations, and all of these are contained in the Second Schedule of the constitution. Any item on the exclusive list belongs to the Federal Government and it is within the purview of responsibilities of the National Assembly.

Therefore, only the National Assembly can make law or laws on matters listed in that list. In that second schedule of the Constitution, you also have, the concurrent legislative list, which are areas where both Federal and the state governments can make laws, but the specific areas of the list have been delimited. For example, the matter of elections; the Federal Government can make laws and conduct elections for the President, Governors, National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly, but that of the local government falls with the responsibility of the State Houses of Assembly. They enact the procedure of organising and conducting election into the local councils.

If an item is on the Exclusive legislative list, the State Houses of Assembly cannot lawfully make any law on such a matter, and if they do, such law or laws would be null and void because Section 1, subsection 2 states that if any law is contrary to the provision of the Constitution, that law or laws shall be null and void.

So, you can see that the Constitution is very clear on that matter. Again, where an item is on

CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

Sunday, December 1, 2013 23

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

PORTRAIT

By Anote Ajeluorou NCREASINGLY, Nigeria’s tribe of good men is depleting. With Ambassador (Dr.) Christopher Kolade throwing in the towel at Chairman of Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) after serving his fatherland meritoriously for so many years, there will indeed be few men left to do the real credibility jobs to shore up flagging faith in government’s countless failed promises to Nigerians. Not that government really cares; it just needs the likes of Kolade to buy time so it could postpone the evil day, as it were.

But Dr. Kolade should have known. He should have known what he would be up against. But he apparently felt it didn’t matter. The former diplomat must have felt a sense of historic mission to knock sanity into a largely murky government environment. He felt he had the duty to go do the impossible, a man destined to conquer even without lifting his finger. And so, Kolade strutted into the stage of SURE-P with a flourish, with a can-do spirit. Like a missionary, Kolade probably ignored every whisper urging him not to venture because it would be dangerous if not impossible.

He probably forgot that increasingly his country has slid far down the slope from where it was when he was ambassador; that his country was almost beyond the messianic wand he wanted to wave for the fuel subsidy problems to go away.

Was it a desire to prove his understanding of the system or his desire to show he had the magic touch in attempting the impossible? Whatever it was, it would seem he’s now at breast with the reality that the problems are heavier than his age, and probably wisdom.

And so, when last year the President Goodluck Jonathan’s government, heeding World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) advice and following the portentous visit of IMF’s boss, Christine Laggard, fuel subsidy was removed, protests erupted across the country. Labour, civil society groups, students and market women and men took to the streets to make strong demands from those who pretend to rule their lives to ruin.

For once, they made their voices heard loud and clear. For once, Nigerians shook off the incubus of docility and called for a revolution to upstage the status quo.

Nigerians felt they’d had enough of bad leadership that keeps piling up their plate of misery.

The Jonathan government, no doubt, panicked.

What it saw was uncommon, un-Nigerian even.

What to do? It rolled out the tanks and guns when it saw the chance of a few days’ pause in the ranks of the protesters to refuel and return. Behind the doors, government broke the rank of labour and civil society leadership. While Nigerians were charging up for a total showdown, the protests were called off. It left a bitter taste in the palates of many, who accused the protest leadership of having sold out.

However, the protesters have made their case even if in half measures, by their calculations.

They have meant to put an end to the burdens they bore. Federal Government was forced to respond one way or the other. It smartly came up with the Subsidy Re-Investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) to save face. Apparently, government could not go back on its word for fear of reprisals from the two world’s financial institutions (World Bank and IMF) that wield an axe over its head, institutions the world’s superpowers, led by America and Europe, use to cause economic pains in developing countries.

Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was a case in point in the late 1980s.

I

Christopher Kolade… Caught In Subsidy Debacle

But this is much against the grain of a range of subsidies farmers and other crucial sectors in Western societies enjoy. America’s bail out funds following 2008 economic meltdown was subsidy dressed in another guise.

Eventually, Kolade, the distinguished diplomat and veteran broadcaster, was the man for the job.

His choice was apt. Government badly needed to save face having goofed in implementing the illconceived subsidy to further impoverish Nigerians, with a majority already living on less than $2 a day.

Already 78, Kolade took on a job that had hidden

CHRISTOPHER KOLADE SYMPOSIUM:

In Search Of Rewarding Leadership

By Geoff Iyatse HILE a few individuals are W naturally endowed with leadership traits, quite a number of related principles are learnt along the way. And one has to be a leader at a point to have the rare privilege of learning through mistakes. Hence, a number of successful global leaders retire to life of leadership training.

For instance, the odds for past presidents of the United States of America have improved considerably because they spend life outside the White House engaging in productive activities (including grooming new leaders), an engagement that has stretched beyond mere pastime. At home, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has consistently featured as keynote speaker in several leadership fora.

Even while in office, presidents, governors and lawmakers also consider themselves eligible to pontificate on fun-

damental deemed to constitute rewarding leadership. Indeed, a year or two spent governing a state, for example, gives a governor sufficient resource materials to hold forth on the challenges of leadership.

And this is the reason, according to Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI), Yinka Oyinlola, Gov. Babatunde Fashola and his Ekiti Counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi as well as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, were asked to speak on leadership at the Christopher Kolade Symposium and the Award Gala, which held in Lagos recently.

Examining the odds against political leadership in Nigeria, Tambuwal, who was represented by Femi Gbajabiamila, described followership as the most important factor that decides the success or failure of individuals saddled with public responsibilities. He linked docile followers with failed

leadership, noting that the latter cannot do much when the people cannot consistently hold them accountable.

Of course, the speaker, who was panelist alongside Fashola and Atedo Peterside, chairman of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, had to field questions bordering on the moral standing of leaders who must wait to be chided before they perform the very duties they were engaged to carry out. He noted that the people would dictate what they get when they hold the government accountable.

He accused Nigerian masses of sacrificing merit for politics of the ‘belly’, which he described is the major reason mediocrity continues to flourish in public circle. He cited instances where people with shallow ideas on how the challenges confronting the country can be fixed outsmart ‘good guys’ during elections because they have vast resources to buy votes, while

barbs. His sense of patriotism and impeccable character gave him a false evaluation of himself and the forces he’d aligned with. He apparently thought he could pull it off nicely just like the others. Barely two years on, and at 80, Kolade suddenly begins to feel the burden of age and the need to finally retire and be with his family and play with his grandchildren probably in a farm somewhere in Ibadan. It is all well and good. At such age not many people have the appetite for public affairs much so of a government with many credibility issues. noting that the country can only get its leadership right when the electorate starts choosing people that represent popular aspirations.

The lawmaker frowned at the influence of ethnicity, religion and other banal considerations on national polity. The country, he said, must rise above such sentiments before it could be

But there’s the small matter of N500b of missing funds from the purse of SURE-P, according to the Senate. How did that sum go missing? Kolade has since assured that there was no missing money at SURE-P. But there’s no smoke without fire; the Senate could not have made a frivolous allegation. Of course, Kolade may not even be aware of any missing money; too many magicians in government’s payroll that can confuse even an oracle and its dedicated priest.

Between the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and SURE-P, there seems enough room to joggle figures.

What is clear is that Dr. Kolade would be gnashing his teeth and regret taking the job in the first place. He would be asking himself: Have I actually dined with the devil without a long spoon?

As a diplomat, he couldn’t say he was resigning or retiring because of some murky allegations over missing funds. That would be giving away too much; that would be causing unease for his employers even if they cared less about his reputation. He needed to do it tactfully, to wash the potentially oily subsidy stains off his dainty hands, and still remain the Kolade everyone revers, and epitome of what Nigeria does not represent.

Kolade is not alone on this road. Remember Dr. Tai Solarin? He should not have taken the Peoples Bank job; nobody expected him to. But he did.

What happened? He hurriedly resigned when he realized he’d been at the same dinning table as the devil himself. It was never to be the same again for him. But Kolade is lucky; he did not pretend to wear Solarin’s austere, activist garbs. Kolade’s been a proper establishment man – had headed the NTA as Director-General, been an Ambassador of Nigeria to the Queen’s own country!

What’s more? SURE-P? Why not? Precisely the point, and potential tragedy of a government that behaves badly and uses good men and women, as smokescreen while it does its dirty deals, with the people’s funds for selfish, sinister reasons. In this era of eat let’s eat, men aspiring to follow Kolade’s impeccable status would do well to stay away from taking the poisoned chalice, especially at moments when a government is battling with credibility issues and it needs men and women of goodwill as props. What is worse, such supposedly good gestures takes little or nothing from citizens’ perception or conviction about the real nature or motive of their government, a government that takes away with the left hand what it offers with the right.

That’s probably the position Kolade found himself. It sure would give him plenty of reasons to ruminate about as he discovers new joy with his new playmates, his grandchildren!

Kolade has had a long and distinguished career spanning several decades. He was born in ErinOke, Osun State in 1932 and completed his secondary school at Government College, Ibadan after which he studied at Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

He went into broadcasting, becoming Director– General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. He was Chief Executive and Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc and formerly the Nigerian High Commissioner to The United Kingdom. He was a colonial-era Education Officer in Nigeria.

He was formerly a member of the University’s Governing Council of Pan-African University, and is Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of its Governing

said to be ripe for an electoral regime that can throw up selfless individuals needed to steer it through its challenges.

Tambuwal emphasised the need to gaze through primordial factors (that have stunted the country’s growth) to indentify “tangible things” that offer better hope. He encapsulated Nigeria’s dream in the phrase —

“life more abundantly.” And to achieve the dream, according to the speaker, the country must have in strategic posts individuals with the right attitude. He observed that zoning formula (a matrix that has come to stick in national politics) and federal character constrict the chances of manning the “posts” with the bests.

Minority Leader, the House of Representatives, Gbajabiamila (left); Programme Moderator, Ayo Obe; Fashola; and CEO of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Ltd, Demola Sogunle, at the fifth Christopher Kolade Symposium (CKS) organised by the Nigeria Leadership Initaitive (NLI) in Lagos.

TheGuardian

24 |Sunday, December 1, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

SpecialReport

Kidnappers on parade... these men abducted Prof. Kamene Okonjo, the queen of Ogwashi-Uku and mother of Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Kidnapping: Sunrise At Dusk

By Gregory Austin Nwakunor

ATELINE. 2004. Port Harcourt, Nigeria. It’s the height of kidnapping in Niger Delta region by militants. Chimena Garricks, in his literary excursus, Tomorrow Died Yesterday, takes his readers through the kidnap attempt on an expatriate oil worker that goes awry.

In the first few chapters of the book, the readers meet Akassa Amaibi, son of catechist Akassa, the gentle university lecturer and ecowarrior, a transparent man, so to say. They also meet Doye Koko (Dough boy), who represents countless young, energetic Niger Deltans that resort to arms and hostage taking, kidnapping, better still, to challenge the system run by ‘heartless crooks’, who are only interested in the liquidation of the Nigerian state.

In the book, Garricks takes his readers through the world of kidnappers. But he does not provide all the needed answers — well, the book is just an ‘evangelistic’ fiction: A strong metaphor for the ‘mourning’ that has taken over the country’s ‘creation day’.

Kidnapping, literarily, means when you take someone away without his or her guardians’ permission and consent. Though the word ‘kidnap’ starts with kid, not all cases, however, involve children.

As a concept, it originated around 1682. In the American Heritage Dictionary of the English language, the two words: ‘kid’ and ‘napper’, are described as slangs criminals use.

In 1678, the year in which the word was first recorded, kidnappers plied their trade to secure labourers for plantations in colonies, especially in North America.

Ever since, kidnapping has become a commercial venture — the jewel in crime vineyard — attracting big money movements, though, nobody owns up to paying ransom to kidnappers.

The Guardian checks revealed that kidnappers and street gangs are thriving in Haiti, where the targets include rich Haitians, diplomats, aid workers and, of course, foreign tourists;

D

Iraq, where violence and kidnappings occur on a regular basis and are mainly aimed at foreigners and Afghanistan, which has experienced a lot of turmoil and wars for over 25 years, and attacks targeted at foreigners are ever frequent.

HOUGH the spate of kidnapping in Nigeria, in T the last seven years, as captured by Garricks, has become alarming, generating plenty headlines for newspapers, the act first attracted national attention on February 26, 2006, when Niger Delta militants kidnapped foreign oil workers to press home their demand.

Victims have changed from being predominantly foreign oil workers to Nigerians. This time, including children, senior citizens, state commissioners, film stars, medical professionals, retired generals, literary icons, footballers and their family members, wives of politicians, academics and political opponents. Almost every strata of the society has suffered the indignity of kidnapping.

The high profile cases include that of Prof.

Kamene Okonjo, the octogenarian mother of the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Margaret Hill, the three-year old British-Nigerian girl, who was kidnapped by a group of gunmen in Port Harcourt, Simeon Soludo, father of Chukwuma Soludo, the former Central Bank chief; Mrs. Doyin Rhodes-Vivour, wife of a Supreme Court Justice, who was snatched along with her daughter.

The infamous list of victims also has the journalist-turned-politician, Kehinde Bamigbetan, chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Authority, and 92-year-old elder statesman, Alhaji Shettima Monguno, who was abducted at the Mafoni Juma’at Mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State, shortly after the Juma’at prayers.

Bayelsa State, where it all began, to FtleROM Rivers State, where kidnapping became a batfor supremacy by cult groups, it has spread to virtually all the nooks and crannies of the country. However, the South South of Nigeria has

remained hotspot for this infamous business.

It has become a lucrative business for criminally minded young men, who seem to be avoiding the high risk involved in armed robbery.

To stem the tide, some Houses of Assembly in states in the zone had passed laws, spelling out tough punitive measures, including treating kidnappers as hardened criminals deserving death sentence. Six of the country’s 36 states have this year adopted the death penalty for the crime, according to Amnesty International.

The Federal Government is currently debating an anti-kidnapping bill, which, if passed, would mean life sentences for abductors and their assistants.

Giving his assent to the death penalty bill recently, Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, said, “I will not hesitate to sign a certificate (warrant) of execution. Anybody who doesn’t listen and commits any of the offences prohibited by this law, and who is tried and convicted, will face the penalty.”

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, during the signing of the new law prescribing death penalty for kidnappers in the state, also disclosed that government would do everything within its powers to ensure the safety of lives and property of residents of the state.

“I have just signed into law a bill amending the Kidnapping Provision Law 2009 as amended by the state House of Assembly, which now prescribes death penalty for anyone who is involved in any form of kidnapping.

“We have had enough laws in our statute books that provide for various degrees of punishment for various offences. I think the real challenge is about law enforcement and dealing with the problem of impunity. Laws will be worthless if we do not have the capacity to apprehend, interrogate, persecute and interrogate criminals and invoke the full weight of the law,” Oshiomhole said.

Recall that in 2009, as cases of kidnapping

for ransom continued to spread across the country, governors of the 36 states of the federation called on the Federal Government to bring the full weight of the law on culprits.

The governors, who met at the Kwara State Liaisons office in Abuja, said the time had come for the federal authorities to act decisively on the criminality in order to restore sanity and general security.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting held under the auspices of Nigerian Governors’ Forum in 2009, the governors promised their support for all necessary measures aimed at consolidating the gains of the exercise, but urged the Federal Government to mete out appropriate punishments to kidnappers henceforth..

The question now is, can the recent laws deter kidnappers and their love affair with the crime?

Optimists see benefits ahead of this law including helping to stem the tide, and also, encouraging investment, and helping to boost prosperity because of investors, who will be attracted to a conducive environment.

They also note that apart from the multinational oil companies that have been leaving cities where kidnapping is rampant in droves, several indigenous wealthy citizens have virtually relocated to Abuja for fear of their safety, members of their family and their economic well being.

Many have argued that given the seriousness of the crime, it seems that the 10-year imprisonment has not served as an adequate deterrent.

Just like armed robbery, which upon conviction attracts capital punishment, kidnapping is a very violent crime, in which the perpetrators arm themselves to the teeth; so, the best bet is to impose stiffer penalty.

They note that there are instances when these kidnappers have had to engage security operatives in deadly shootouts. According to a vicCONTINUED ON PAGE 25

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1,

| 25

SPECIALREPORT ADEDOYIN: We Need Jobs, Education To Keep Our People Positively Busy Matthew Adedoyin is a psychologist and the principal consultant of Abstinence Icon, a firm that handles recovery processes for rape victims and abused children. In this Interview with IJEOMA OPARA, he explained the psychological effects of kidnapping.

Why do some people engaged in kidnapping?

IDNAPPING is complex; it’s not a one-way K thing and could be caused by a variety of factors. The predator may kidnap because of money, especially when the victim is from a wealthy background or has something to offer in exchange. Also, It may be that the predator is angry for a wrong done to him or to someone close to him, so it could be a form of resentment or revenge for a wrong done in the past. For instance, MEND was angry over the way their environment has been degraded without compensations and decided to kidnap the assumed perpetrators to draw the attention of the international community to their plight. However, different people kidnap for different reasons.

What are the effects of kidnapping on the society?

One of the key effects of kidnapping is that it affects the economy of any society negatively. Kidnapping could stop foreign business owners to leave a particular country or stop people from doing and starting up business in the country and this will obviously affect the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of such a country. Other things that could come with kidnapping are panic and fear of being kidnap. It will also bring mistrust and make people to be suspicious of one another’s movement, because anyone could be a kidnapper no matter how close he or she may be to you.

What could be the effect on victims?

They are usually depressed because of torture when they are not released quickly. Also, the victim may be angry if the reason for kidnapping him/her is political or because of disagreement in business. There is the effect of pain, psychological trauma, stigmatization and even death in the process.

What could be the psychological impact on their relatives and loved ones?

Psychologically, it affects everyone around them, especially if the family hasn’t seen their own for a period of time. It could cause depression in the family or even lead to suicide, especially when the victim is the only hope or solution to a problem. When the reason for the kidnap is not clear or known, the relatives could be in pain and everyone becomes a suspect. When they are unhappy, their mind is not stable, they are emotionally and psychologically down; they can’t even think properly, even in workplaces they are destabilised, which on its own affects productivity. The effect could be much more.

How best could the crime be curbed?

Employment is key; if everyone is engaged in productive venture and paid well, no one will be thinking of kidnapping or working for kidnappers. A lot of people are idle; no work. There are young guys who just roam the streets every morning, not having anything to do, such idle hands could easily be engaged to do evil job, especially when they are hungry. There should be employment for young people — because when someone is busy doing something, it is difficult to coerce him/her to perpetrate evil. Secondly, the people should be well educated, when someone is well-informed, it brings forth civilisation.

A civilized person will not think of kidnap — civilisation does not define the aesthetics of a country, but good manners and thinking; because if one is sound in thought, he will not think of kidnapping. So, sound mind and education are key. People should be engaged in vocations, this helps to keep them busy

and earning a living.

Government on its part needs to take the security issues of the country seriously. It should not be toyed with or politicised. Kidnapping is evil; it should not be taken with levity. It is a serious thing that needs serious approach to be curbed.

Kidnapping is all about mindset One’s mind can’t be dead, except he or she has a wrong mindset from the onset; your mindset is the gateway of your life, so, if you can allow anybody talk trash into you and convince you with it, it is because your mind is either empty or you have been loaded with negative things all the way. It takes a lot for you to displace whatever information in your mind and put in new things; if one can be convinced to kidnap, its either the person has a lot of negativity going on in his mind or the mind is already empty of good things.

How grievous is kidnapping?

It is extremely serious because you don’t know what is going to happen to the person, a Yoruba proverb says ‘it is better for one’s child to be dead than to be lost,’ because if that child is lost, it is a long trauma, which is same with kidnapping.

Kidnapping could take a long time and you may not even be able to afford their demands, therefore every member of the family is affected. It is a very serious epidemic that should not be taken for granted, it should be treated with every sense of responsibility. It should not be condoned at all. A Kidnapper should be seen as a murderer and as such should be given the same judgment.

Adedoyin

OKEAGU: Security Is Key To Investment From Lawrence Njoku (Enugu)

BENEME Okeagu, a security consultant, Iofbelieves there is need for adequate security lives and property for there to be a meaningful development and growth.

Speaking recently at a forum on security challenges, he said no matter the level of natural endowment obtainable in any society, deserved development would always elude such society without adequate security.

Citing kidnapping as the latest security threat to Nigeria’s economic development, Okeagu stated that kidnapping would not leave the country, even if government rises to the challenge of creating new jobs without effective checks to the looting spree by the leaders as well as tackling the various motives upon which the illicit activity is embarked on.

He said: “ People go into kidnapping for different reasons. Some are into it due to unemployment, yet there are those doing it because it was no longer lucrative robbing people’s homes. There are those who see it as the fastest way to make money.”

Kidnapping for whatever purpose is seen as a bad omen in any society. This is because of the limitations it poses on the life of the victim among others.

But while the society is grappling with persons taking others into captivity until ransom is paid, the trend seems to have taken a dangerous dimension in Enugu State where people now kidnap themselves and demand ransom from their family and friends to secure their release.

Recently, in Awgu local council, it took the ingenuity of the Police to discover that a mother of three had actually deceived her husband while raising an alarm from her hideout that she had been kidnapped.

Reports had it that she had connived with her motorcyclist friend on her way from the market to hide herself in an uncompleted building from where her friend put a call to

her husband to provide N300, 000 if he wanted her wife alive.

It was not until the third day that the police swooped the hideout to secure the woman and her Okada rider friend, who confessed that she feigned kidnap to get money from the husband.

In September, Samuel Ani, a coffin dealer at Gariki market, Enugu South Local Council had hid himself for six days in a bush near his workshop and said he had been kidnapped.

Until the operatives of the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Enugu State Command arrested him, Samuel, who hails from Ugwuaji axis of the local council, never knew that his sin could find him out.

The Guardian gathered that he (Samuel) was making frantic telephone calls to his two younger brothers in a very convincing tone that he had been abducted and that the sum of two million Naira was required to buy his freedom from the purported kidnappers or he would be killed.

The case was reported to the State police command, which mobilised its Anti kidnapping unit to track down the kidnappers and perhaps, secure his release.

However, when Samuel intensified his call that the purported kidnappers were on the verge of killing him should they (family) fail to pay the ransom, which he claimed had been further reduced to N1.2m, some amount of money was sent across to the account number provided by the purported kidnappers where his female accomplice went to cash an initial sum of N100,000.

Unknown to them, however, banks along the Agbani road, Enugu had been notified by the Police and it was in the process of making the withdrawal that the female accomplice identified as Ogbu Oluchi Faith was arrested.

Oluchi, who hails from Akpugo, Nkanu West Local Council of the state, while claiming Samuel was her fiancée, said the account number belonged to her, stressing that she actually

began, and ongoing for new lines, the telecom’s firm should be ready to reveal the identities of those operating telephone lines tim, Prince Afam Chiazor, “their operation, sometimes, poses used by kidnappers to make contact. And if the victim’s line or sim card is used, the actual location of the kidnappers could be a serious risk, you could be gunned down while attempting determined via satellite. to escape.”

Nonetheless, in Nigeria, merely legislating the death penalty In the words of Chiazor, “it is not all about death penalty, but efficiency in the security system. Security should improve. The may not end the crime. According to social commentators, porous nature of the country’s security system has made kidnapthere’s need to shift the rhetoric towards another bête noire. ping a thriving business. Death penalty has not made robbery They say experience has shown that no state governor has harder to carry out or Nigerians less likely to be involved.” been willing to give the go-ahead for the execution of conThe Guardian gathered that the law remains vulnerable to demned criminals under the law. It has also been found out derailment. Evidence that they reduce crime is skimpy. This is that in many cases, it is not the law that is the problem, but underlined by the fact that with robbers facing public execution, lack of enforcement, which subsequently encourages even in their villages, especially during the military era, it has impunity.

Those following events say the telecommunications’ outfits not stopped armed robbery.

Many believe that there should be coordinated attempt at also have a role to play in the taming of this monster. They exploring new models of economic growth and wealth creation, note that since the process of capturing people’s biometric

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

gave it to Samuel for the payment of the ransom. Samuel on interrogation confessed he kidnapped himself so that his wealthy younger brothers would pay money for ransom, which he would use to help his business.

Enugu State government had in 2009 moved to checkmate the ugly trend when the State House of Assembly amended the Criminal Code law to reflect kidnapping as a capital offence in the State.

However, since enacting the law nobody has been sanctioned based on it.

The Guardian gathered that though this has placed trial of such crime on the shoulders of the judiciary, certain other considerations have always led to perpetrators getting lighter sentences for the crime.

A source said: “Yes it is a capital offence in the state and that is why a magistrate court cannot grant bail on any person accused of kidnap. It is in the class of armed robbery, murder, arson and attempted murder among others. If someone commits murder during a kidnap, if it is established, he or she is punished based on the provision guiding the two.”

Government has also provided vehicles and communication gadgets to the police and other security agencies in the state to boost security, while at the same time, ensuring that the streets are lit at nights.

In an interview with The Guardian, Mr. Dennis Igwe, a lecturer in one of the higher institutions in the state, said people are no longer free to invest in the State for fear that they could be abducted by those who think the money for investment should be given to them.

Enugu state Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, said surveillance had increased in the state, adding that the Anti-kidnap Unit had been strengthened throughout the State.

poverty reduction, job creation and social inclusion. More Nigerians have to be provided with jobs.

It is also hard to ignore the fact that some of the anti-kidnapping laws would give politicians power to organise their own kidnap to nail political opponents. They point to the piece of legislation, which authorize the demolition of any building where kidnapping victim is kept. In fact, The Guardian’s checks revealed that political parties and their candidates in a win at all cost syndrome, fought to outwit each other and in the process all tactics were employed including implicating opponents in kidnapping schemes.

Other times, it was the kidnapping of political opponents and their dependents. Innocent mothers, fathers of political adversaries were abducted. It was at this juncture that kidnapping became a different thing to different people. To some, it is a vocation to earn a living and to others, it is a veritable weapon to prosecute tough political battles.

26|

Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

SPECIALREPORT

What Citizens Say On Death Penalty For Kidnappers

By Paul Adunwoke

They Should Be Killed DO not agree when criminals give poverty and perceived injustice as reasons for Itheir actions. I feel kidnapping is most

traumatic. It affects not just the individual, but the whole family and community.

It is a very tense and dreadful crime, the ordeal may last days or months. The health and safety of the victim is a constant source of worry, while his bank account and life savings are being emptied. It is a cowardly act that targets individuals when they are mostly vulnerable.

Most victims are women, children or the elderly, who are in most cases defenseless.

Believe me what we need is proper prosecution, a judiciary that not only barks, but bites. Kidnappers should be killed to serve as a deterrent for others wanting to go into it.

— David Fayoke, a banker, from Ijora

I Support Death Penalty OMETHING doesn’t have to happen directly to you before you can underSstand it. Kidnapping is an emotional trau-

ma to the loved ones of the victim. Do you know how many people that have been killed or maimed by their captors? Some traumatised victims will not speak for days, they are made paranoid; fearful wrecks. So, I support the death penalty on kidnappers.”

Some kidnappers being paraded by the Police — Usman Bello, a civil servant

Politicians Should Be Blamed OVERNMENT officials and politicians should be blamed for failing to provide security. Kidnapping is a heinous crime and it must be met with the maximum force to curb it. So, I support the death penalty.

G

Government Should Care For The People RANKLY speaking, in my present mood of Fmaladministration bottled anger and bitterness against the of our leaders, I don’t

know whether to praise or condemn these kidnappers. All I can say is that when leadership fails, the society checks itself by other means, either formally or informally.

Kidnappers no longer discriminate when it Mary Abeni, a businesswoman comes to their victims, which range from a

few months old babies to great grand parents. peer pressure, so I believe they would change once they put in prison.

— Dorcas Adeyemi, fashion designers — Chima Enwelum, a student

They Should Be Put In Prison

CTUALLY, it is not good to kill kidnapers, I Support The Death Penalty A because it is condemning a soul, which is a sin; I believe that giving them live imprisonVOTE a resounding yes, for death penalty ment is better. They should be put in prison I for kidnappers. They should be killed to for; prison can nurture them to change for stop others from engaging in the act. the good. Some people were lured into the kidnapping because of hardship or through

— Basil Ibezim, trader

What The Clergy Say

By Chris Irekamba

If Death Penalty Is Good For Kidnappers, It Is Good For Corrupt Politicians

If Basic Needs Are Met, Illegal Means To Earn Money Will Stop

EOPLE go into crimes for various reasons E need to appreciate the gravity of the P such as poverty, indulgence or revenge. The Wsituation; it’s a very traumatic experiopen display of opulence and wealth by our ence for one’s family member to be kidpoliticians and political officeholders in face of abject poverty of the poor masses has continued to make kidnapping the easiest option for those involved to make money. Kidnapping shows the porous nature of our security.

Government should be more sensitive to the plight of the poor and helpless people. If jobs are created for the teeming unemployed youths in the country, the tide will be stemmed down.

It is sad that people are talking about the punishment to be meted out to culprits without thinking of what to do to the corrupt politicians and government officials. Corruption is the cause of most of the crimes and lawlessness in the country. There should be stiff penalty for those found to be corrupt.

If kidnappers deserve to die, corrupt politicians and public officeholders should face the same penalty. The irony of the matter is that our politicians in the National Assembly, who are to legislate against corruption, are corrupt themselves.

While it is true that life is a gift from God, and no one has the right to take it at will, yet within a well-structured judicial system, death penalty may not be out of place if it will restore sanity to the society. But whoever comes to equity must come with clean hands. If death penalty is good for kidnappers, it must be good for corrupt politicians and other public officeholders.

— Rt. Rev. Michael Olusina Fape, Bishop, Diocese of Remo, Anglican Communion, Sagamu, Ogun State

napped. Death sentence is a controversial issue all over the world, you can find justification for it from the Bible; you can find justification for not doing it. I think it’s a function of the collective resolve if the legislature and most of the people think that is the way to deal with a particular issue, it becomes the law and binding on all of us.

But we need to ask ourselves whether there were kidnap cases 10 years ago and why they are common now? The younger generation in Nigeria is larger in number, than the older generation, unfortunately, their destinies are practically being destroyed; they are supposed to be in school, but the school gates are shut and even when they come out of school there are no jobs for them to do. What a sorry state!

Practically speaking, the tendency to earn money through illegal means will go down if people’s basic needs are met.

But we haven’t solved our problems until we create the environment where business can flourish and employ people. Asking me what the Bible says about death sentence is like asking if it is biblically right for a Christian to serve in the army of his or her country, knowing that he or she is going to kill people? There are circumstances within which the scriptures allow lives to be taken. There is no verse of the scripture that says kidnappers should be executed or not. I don’t want to say what the Bible has not said. I will leave it at the

Adeyemi collective decision of the people within any geographical entity.

In places where corruption has been tamed, it is not only killing people that takes corruption away; the person who doesn’t have food to eat is already dead, so we need to take away what is creating the urge to be corrupt.

My first take is not to suggest for people to be killed, but to make the environment conducive for people to earn legitimate means .

— Rev. Sam Adeyemi, Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Oregun, Lagos

Sunday, December 1, 2013 | 27

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

SPECIALREPORT

By Gregory Austin Nwakunor HIS evening, the image that came into Prince T Afam Chiazor, a cinematographer and creative director of Documentries Ltd, seemed like a movie. Don’t blame him for thinking that way. For over two decades, the language he had spoken was camera shots. He drank and ate lens like food. His best friend was his camera.

However, this was another element in life. He was a character in the reality show being shot by a band of gun wielding kidnappers. Not even a filmmaker.

In less than 10 hours, the ‘boys’ had almost written his story. They held him and five others hostage. With N50 million as ransom.

As his face froze in the image created by his captors, pictures of his early days in life cranked. He remembered, as he plumped on his mother’s lap, whining lyrical ballad.

Where was he going to raise this money? How would his poor mother get that amount? Who would help get the money? It was difficult for him to concentrate, but he had to remain focus. And that was it — The beginning of his road to freedom from Okpanam bush.

This engaging experience of Chiazor and some of his colleagues in the Nigeria Society of Cinematographers (NSC) is captured here. But first, he doesn’t want kidnappers killed.

CHIAZOR: My Experience In The Den Of Kidnappers

making us frightened the more. My phone was searching, they found some money with me. It our way to the main road, which was bit far was hell. They said I was hiding my money from away from there. When we did this, we found brought to me and I called my mum. them. One of them placed the mouth of the gun out that we just came out from Okpanam When she picked the call, they collected the bush. phone from me. “We have kidnapped your son on my head. I didn’t know where the courage We went to the police later in the day and came from, as I pushed the gun away. and we need N50 million from you before The guy was bitter. He began spitting fire and made our report because of my car, the docutomorrow morning.” ments and everything that we lost.

After telling my mum about the ransom, they brimstone. After, some time, our hands were fired their gun. All this while, we were blindfold- tied. Blindfolded and hands tied, I couldn’t do anything but pray. I guess that prayer must have Reason For Growing Rate Of Kidnapping ed. The only time they opened the fold was for It has not been really long that it started in worked. You know, after a time, they started me to identify my phone. contemplating on how to get a bigger vehicle to Nigeria. To me, everything boils down to My mum did not say anything again. They hunger. It is the major reason for kidnapping. were just calling ‘madam, madam’ but she did convey us in the day time.

Like I said, fate played a good one for us, as one When people are hungry, they become despernot answer them. After a while, I asked them to give me the phone. Reluctantly, my phone was of them slept off. He was supposed to be watch- ate, and they do things, any how. When somebody is desperate, the person doesn’t have congiven back to me. So I called my mum and start- ing us while the others went to get the vehicle science any more. When things are okay, but the guy was just snoring. He was heavily ed explaining what happened to her. They coldrunk and had taken more than enough ‘joint’. nobody will want to be involved in kidnaplected the phone back from me and told my mum: “Madam, did you hear what he just said? Miraculously, our hands were untied, each per- ping. Some will tell you that they are graduates son helping the other out. We later attacked the without jobs. The truth of the matter is that If we don’t get that N50 million by tomorrow only kidnapper left, as he was still snoring, tak- when somebody has a good job and comfortmorning we will kill him.” ing the gun off him and dumping it in the bush. able, the person will not want to kidnap.

My mum said they shouldn’t worry. So they That was how we ran away from the bush. put me aside. That was what they did to everyDo you Support The Law Enacted In Edo State When people saw us, they were just running one of us. You can imagine what it would look How Did It Happen? like in the night with rain falling in the bush, no away because they couldn’t ascertain our sanity. That Kidnappers Be Killed?

What really happened was that a friend of No. Jobs should be created. People should be ours died. He was a member of our guild, that clothes on just our trousers. Mosquito bites and They were wondering how six men, without properly engaged so that they don’t have evil clothes on, no wristwatches, nothing except so on, it was a terrible night. is, Nigeria Society of Cinematographers. My trousers, would be running in the bush. We told thoughts occupying their mind. The youths While we were there, they took me to their president, his predecessor, the public relations them that we had just escaped from the hands should be kept busy, if government continues side for a thorough searching. They didn’t officer and I travelled for the burial in Delta of kidnappers. We were directed on how to find the way it is going, kidnapping will never stop. believe I had no money with me.

So, while State. Well, I’m the vice president. The initial plan was that when we get to Asaba, we can arrange for a vehicle that will convey us to the decease’s village, Akwukwu Igbo. However, on a second thought, I told them there was no need for this, since I had a car that could do that. So, everybody now went with me to my place in Asaba. We dropped our luggage and went for the wake in my car, a Honda CRV. After the wake, we decided going back to Asaba to pass the night. The time must have been some minutes past 10 or about 11pm. There is this portion of road to Asaba that is very bad and coupled with the rain, I was very careful on the wheel.

Strangely, as we were driving, I noticed a car was following behind. I didn’t bother myself, however. When we got to the bad spot, I slowed down. Suddenly, I was double-crossed. They now began to shoot. As they were shooting, they were screaming: “Everybody come down from the car.”

As soon as we came down, they were just hitting us on the head with their guns. We were made to lie on the floor while rain was falling.

We were five in the vehicle —- The three NSC executives from Lagos and two actors from Asaba —- Let me say that the luck that our former president had was that he stayed back in Akwukwu with a Nigeria Television Authority staff.

They later asked me if there was fuel in the car. I told them there was. Unfortunately, when we got to Asaba before going for the wake, I had fuelled the car, so, the tank was filled. I was told to sit in the front, in case the car stops. You know, they had this thought that there could be a demobiliser in the car.

We were 10 in the vehicle because they had also kidnapped one other person, whose car they dumped at that bad spot on Ilah-Asaba Road. We were crammed into the car. Some of us were even squeezed into the boot of my car, which they now had custody of; while others were made to lie down on the floor of the car.

These boys? Hmmh! they just used us as their foot mat. The situation was terrible. You can imagine when a car is carrying 10 people.

We now started driving. We got to a place where we stopped. We were now told to pull our shirts, which was used to blindfold us. That was the last we saw of anything. One of them Some arrested kidnappers being addressed by Goveror Oshiomhole of Edo Stae now shouted head on to Bayelsa. They drove throughout the night. We didn’t know how far we had gone or where we were going to because we were already blindfolded.

After a long time, the vehicle stopped. We

By Omiko Awa by signing into law death penalty for any kidment; but given the seriousness of the were then asked to come down. As we made to napper. crime, it seems that the 10-year imprisonO curb this heinous crime, state governcome down, we were just bumping on one Speaking at a recent two-day workshop of the ment has not served as an adequate ments have put in place different measanother, our heads hitting the roof of the car Nigeria Bar Association, Lagos State Branch, the deterrent. Just like armed robbery, which ures, which range from outright ban of because we were not seeing. They eventually upon conviction attracts capital punishmotorcycles from plying some routes in the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, called on helped us down, and thereafter, started search- cities, to equipping security operatives for lawyers to use the rule of law to save the coun- ment, kidnapping is a very violent crime, ing our pockets. They took from us, our wristcrime detection and prevention. Though the try from falling into chaos. He revealed that in in which the perpetrators arm themwatches, phones and other valuables. It was not Rivers State House of Assembly, the state most societies across the globe, the people are selves to the teeth. There are instances just ordinary search. As they were doing so, always scared of committing crime because when they have had to engage security where this evil was first noticed, recently they were slapping us, hitting us with guns and passed the prohibition of kidnapping law, they know the repercussion, but regretted that operatives in deadly shootouts. Their doing other terrible things. which makes kidnapping an offence punish- the situation is not so in Nigeria, where every- operation sometimes poses a serious risk Later, we were put inside the vehicle and they able by life imprisonment, the Enugu State thing seems to have gone worse. to their victims, who could be gunned started driving again, and for a very long time House of Assembly on its part has made it an Painting the true picture of the situation, down while attempting to escape. This before they now parked a second time to inter- offence punishable by death. While other Fashola said under the Criminal Code of according to him may be the reason rogate us. We were asked to call somebody. I states are still considering, which of the two Nigeria, kidnapping is classified as part of the some states have gone the extra mile to was confused as to who to call because as they options to adopt, the Edo State government offences against liberty. A kidnapper, he said, adopt capital punishment for kidnapwere beating us, they were shooting their guns, toed the path of the Rivers State government when convicted, is liable to 10 years’ imprison- ping.

Curbing The Menace... The Death Penalty Option T

28 CAREER Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 CAREER 29

30 CAREER Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 CAREER

31

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

33

CAMPUS

AUN’s Founder’s Day: Celebration Of Peace, Development And Education

By Olumide Oyekan HE ‘Development University’ concept is new in T Africa. In 2011, the population of sub-Saharan Africa was 874.8m, according to the World Bank, with Nigeria, the Continent’s giant, owning the largest percentage. As the most populated country in Africa, its neighbors and friends look up to Nigeria. This demographic leadership carries with it additional responsibility for the country of over 170 million people.

Nigeria is expected to provide leadership to the rest of Africa in many areas, not least in education and these come full circle when learning is applied to the practical problems confronting the people. One man who aptly understands this new paradigm and has the courage, foresight and conviction to make this dream come true on African soil is Nigeria’s former Vice-President and Founder of the American University of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar.

Using knowledge to aid development in society is what AUN is all about. Scholars from Nigeria and other African countries, the United States, Europe and Asia teach students

how to be practical in their approach to learning. State-ofthe-art classroom, labs, and training sites make it possible for this type of education to thrive in Nigeria.

The campus sits on over 500 hectares (1250 acres), boasts 24hour Internet service, and an award winning e-library with resources that make meaningful research and development the standard. All of this is being done in Africa’s new, vibrant college-town: Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria.

Since October 2004, when the first brick was laid at AUN, the pursuit of quality education in Nigeria and Africa has been growing at a steady pace.

Bringing the best in Africa and the United States together in one location means that students are provided with a new experience that waves goodbye to the colonial system of education and welcomes a new era of critical thinking through liberal studies that respect African culture.

Students from Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Niger Republic, Uganda, and Rwanda receive an American education with skills that qualify them to accept any challenge that

comes their way. Yesterday, this vision for better education in Nigeria and Africa was celebrated at AUN’s eighth Annual Founder’s Day. When an institution like AUN celebrates its beginnings and achievements, it is done with a sense of greater things to come, more developmental challenges to overcome. Being part of a mission that makes valuable contributions to development is something that cannot always be measured.

Whether they are taking a stand against poverty by providing rural women with skills to turn waste into wealth and acquire much needed income, solving environmental challenges through the seed-nursing and planting of desertfighting Jatropha plant, or fighting illiteracy by getting students to teach in rural schools in Yola and Jimeta, there are people in Africa who are pushing for economic growth, and they are encouraging others to do the same.

Universities that thrive on the fact that they must be the driving force behind socio-economic development are building future leaders who understand the problems facing society. These institutions of high-

er learning are empowered by exceptional individuals who believe that students have what it takes to make it.

This is the substance which makes the American curricula of AUN stand out. It is this unique educational model, which is a fusion of research, leadership and community development that is celebrated during the AUN Founder’s Day. This year’s Founder’s Day began with a Thanksgiving ceremony, a “a Day of Thanks at AUN”, last Thursday, November 28, that gave everyone on the campus a chance to reflect on what they are thankful for and plan for the year ahead. The date coincided with the US Thanksgiving day and it’s no ordinary coincidence.

The main event took place Saturday, November 30. The day began with a Research and Development Projects Exhibition by Departments and students of the University.

Keynote address was delivered

by Uganda’s former Vice President, Rt. Hon Dr, Gilbert Bukenya. Past speakers had included some of Nigeria’s most profound original thinkers and commentators, like former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, and Catholic

Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Father Matthew Hassan Kukah.

The events will be rounded up today with the Yola Peace Day – an AUN tradition that promotes peace, community development and inter-faith harmony in Adamawa State and Nigeria. The Yola Peace Day is the brainchild of the Adamawa Peacemakers Initiative (API), which is a vehicle promoted by AUN and various stakeholders in the Adamawa Community AUN’s peace initiatives, including the Peace Day Run raise money that goes toward developing the peace curriculum and various youth empowerment initiatives aimed at keeping vulnerable youths in Adamawa State seriously involved and out of harm’s way.

Enhancing peace through empowerment has been one important strategy which has helped keep the peace and brought communities and leaders together in Adamawa State. At its African Centre for ICT Innovation & Training (ACIT) and the AUN Business Center, more than 1,100 youth from different parts of the state have undergone basic or intermediate ICT training.

The next step is to further edu-

cate them on entrepreneurship and help them become productive members of the society. Another window of opportunity has been opened through the Adamawa Grand Alliance, a forum for the articulation of business ideas and prosperity breaks in such growth areas as agriculture, training of artisans and skilled workers, mining, horticulture, arts and craft and will be celebrated at the event also.

The AUN Founder’s Day has become a true celebration of town and gown cooperation, a partnership for development and peace, the story of how the American University of Nigeria and its various development initiatives is driving the engine of development in Adamawa State, according to the vision of the Founder, the Turakin Adamawa.

This year’s event will further will inspire and motivate everyone to continue this great work and make more contributions to peace and development through education. The AUN/Adamawa Partnership is a national development for peace model worthy of celebration.

Olumide Oyekan is an AUN Communications Graduate

Sheffield Hallam University Offers Nigerian Students Automatic Discount

By Daniel Anazia O celebrate its strong links with Nigeria and T the new office which was recently opened in Lagos, Sheffield Hallam University, UK is offering a £3,000 automatic discount on tuition fees to Nigerian domiciled students.

According to a statement by the institution, the discount is for the September 2014 admissions, thereby making studying in the UK much more affordable for Nigerians. And to promote this opportunity, the university is conducting a bus tour, moving across selected neighbourhoods, locations and event centres in Lagos, for discussions, interviews and counselling sessions from November 25 –December 8.

Sheffield Hallam University is one of the UK’s leading new universities and the institution is built with a strong relationship and links with business and industry. It is currently the third largest university in the UK with around 37,066 students and 4,170 staff from over 100 countries across the world.

As one of the largest providers of placements in the UK, the University also helps students gain a competitive edge when applying for jobs as its courses are developed with several professional bodies, which make them direct routes for personal accreditation and membership of such bodies.

According to the Nigeria office coordinator, Shola Okubote, “Offering 3,000 pounds automatic discounts to Nigerian domiciled students on tuition fees will go a long way in assisting intending students to access the quality education, infrastructure and global world view that Sheffield Hallam University offers.”

Okubote adds that the university is ideal for Nigerians as it boasts of two campuses, which are both centrally located and offer excellent facilities, including state-of-the-art teaching and learning IT facilities, world class sport and leisure facilities, a multi faith centre, which provides information about religious groups in the university and city.

students of Sheffield Hallam University

Babcock Admits 2,363, Holds Maiden Correspondents Launcheon

By Gbenga Akinfenwa total of 2,363 students were on Tuesday admitted into Babcock University, IlishanRemo, Ogun State for various courses of study in the new academic session. This number comprises 1,996 for undergraduates, and 367 for Postgraduate courses.

It was a matriculation with a difference, as most students who were affected by the ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), changed their institutions of choice to Babcock.

In his speech, the Vice-

A

Chancellor, Prof. James Makinde, who noted that education is an endanger industry in the world, especially in Nigeria, made a passionate appeal to government to put an end to the strike and rescue the students.

He also appealed to ASUU to note that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers, stating that the striking lecturers should know when they fight and kill the grasses they would starve and die.

“What goes around comes around. The reason why Nigerians should wake up as people to fight this crisis is

because the rich people continue to enrich themselves without recourse to the poor, when they grow up, the downtrodden would not allow them to enjoy their riches,” he said.

Makinde noted that the institution was not called just to produce another set of illiterates, but world leaders, who may act locally but would impact globally. “That is what Babcock is doing; we believe we can change the destiny of this country from this place.

“This is not a ceremony of achievement, matriculation and convocation is a long way,

in-between is a long journey. I assure you parents that your children will not be treated with injustice,” he vowed.

The University recently held its annual National Education Correspondents Presidential Luncheon to appreciate the media for their contributions to the development of the school. The maiden event which held at the school’s guest house brought together journalists from both the print and electronic media.

Prof. Kayode Makinde, lauded the contribution of journalists to the progress of the country, and noted that despite the

important roles they perform in the society, they are always left out in terms of recognition, adding that their reportorial intelligence has made them a force to be reckoned with in any society.

“Most times we invite governors and other dignitaries to our events, but we have never invited journalists, who endanger their lives and need to be encouraged. We are pace setters in all things; Babcock was opportune to graduate its first set in 2003 and if it would progress, it should recognise the efforts of its immediate community,” he said.

“This is an opportunity to meet with journalists outside pen, paper and their midgets because they are people with critical responsibilities. We are looking at what we can do to help journalists to report objectively,” he added.

Prof Makinde said the school is planning to introduce a Yearly Education Correspondent Prize for outstanding journalists in order to make the system better than what it is, adding that children of the prize winners would also be beneficiaries of scholarships from the institution.

34 Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

IBRUCENTRE

Udofia

Odesola

Odedeji

GODFATHERISM: Why There Is Favouritism In Churches, By Men Of God The above subject matter was featured last week, because the church that should show light to the outside world has compromised in this area. Little did we know that the topic would elicit readers’ interest. Hence, this follow-up with different men of God expressing their views on why there is favouritism in churches, as presented by CHRIS IREKAMBA. Jesus distributed talents; He gave someone five, ‘We Judge People According To ‘When I Know You Are Not Capa- Some people are confusionists; they while He gave another two and the other, He gave are neither good nor productive but Their Areas Of Strength’ ble And Productive, I Can Never one. The one that got five profited with it, the one they have this mentality of ‘Oh, they with two profited with it, but instead of trading (Pastor Johnson Odesola, Personal Assistant to the Appoint You To Hold An Office’ it, the person that received one went and General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of don’t like me.’ But the question is: why with hid it.

If he had made two with that one talent, he Emmanuel Josiah Udofia, God on Administration/Personnel and Pastor-in- (His Grace, Most Rev. are you not liked? … The point I’m would have been congratulated. So many people Charge of the Headquarters) Primate, African Church and President, Christian are like this individual and unfortunately, it is making is that those complaining E have quite a lot of carnality that have crept Council of Nigeria) these same people that go around to say they Winto EOPLE, who know me, will speak volumes should check themselves the church and instead of using the padon’t like us. rameters of the Spirit, people are using carnal parameters, otherwise there shouldn’t be godfatherism in the church. Because God is against it and the Word of God said, ‘there is no partiality with God.’ Godfatherism is a kind of partiality shown to somebody because of his connection or because of what the individual stands to gain, or maybe because of what will eventually happen. I think the bottom-line is that men have replaced the Spirit of God with carnality and it ought not be so.

One of the things about God is that He is transparent. He is God of integrity and He expects everyone that belongs to Him to show integrity and transparency. Anybody who demonstrates godfatherism shows the absence of integrity and transparency, and God really abhors it, He hates it. God is not in support of it.

In RCCG, if you talk about the top leadership, where by the grace of God I belong, I may tell you with full assurance that there is no such thing. It’s a large church, as we are in almost 180 nations in the world. It’d absolutely be wrong of me to say that godfatherism is not in practice at certain levels. But I want to say that at the leadership level, it is not there. But you know the way our strata is: We have regions, provinces, countries, districts and all that. These people are leaders; they have their councils and committees so I wouldn’t boldly say… but what we are teaching at the top level is that we should teach the Bible and allow the Spirit of Go to guide us. Ordinarily, it shouldn’t be, but when you check the strata, I can’t say categorically that it is not there because we are large. If I tell you it’s not in Nigeria, will I be able to say it’s not in Kenya, Zambia and London, where we have close to 1,000 parishes? Would I be able to say so of US, where we have about 1,000 parishes and mainland Europe and all that? But at the top level of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, you can’t find that there. But godfatherism at the lower level of the strata, nobody can be too sure about the people of the church. But at the top level, we speak vehemently against it and I know what we usually discuss in our council.

On the issue of those loyal or not loyal to me, I see it this way. Everybody has got his or her own good side. Since I have been in the church, as far back as 1990, when I was in charge of the North from Niger State to the Federal Capital, I know that there are people who are not loyal, and those that are loyal. But we give people the benefit of doubt.

Those that are not loyal have their areas of goodness, while those that are loyal also have their areas of strength. People have got their strengths and weaknesses.

You know RCCG is a compilation of different tribes and nationalities. There are different kinds of cultures and approaches to issues. For us, we judge people according to their areas of strength.

P

about me. Although I may be friendly with you, but when it comes to electing someone into position of authority, and I know you are not capable and not productive, no matter how close I am with you, I can never say: ‘because I know you or because you are my this and that,’ I elect you into that post. This is because I know that anything that has to do with God, if I dare make the mistake of electing you into that office, God will hold me responsible for whatever goes wrong.

Of course, I can never do that. I know it’s happening in some churches. At times when you are close to people, there is the tendency for them to request for whatever you can do to assist. If the person won’t disappoint the Lord and church if given the appointment, personally, I think if there’s any way such a person could be assisted, there is nothing wrong in it. But I don’t believe in favouring people just because they are close to me.

Naturally, we are all human and people are bound to have those that are close to them, just as they are bound to relate and associate with others. From such association, you get to know more about them. If such a person that you have known is given a post, and you are sure he/she will do well, I don’t think it is wrong assisting in such a case.

But, as it is being done in the world, whether a person can perform or not, you just put him there so that you will be getting benefits; I condemn that in its entirety. But if you know that someone is suitable for a position and you recommend him/her, I don’t think there is any problem with that.

‘I Am Looking For Loyal People Because I Have Been Very Loyal’

(Rt. Rev. James Olusola Odedeji, Bishop of Lagos West Diocese, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion) AM not saying it is not happening, but sometimes God moves in a mysterious way. During my election, I was told that even though my predecessor wanted me, some other Bishops said, ‘if it is that young man, he is ‘sellable.’ That was the language they used for me. That he is a ‘sellable candidate’ and now that I have become the Bishop of this place, if somebody says godfatherism you might not be 100 per cent correct.

There have been several predictions for so many years now. But nobody knows it was going to happen that way. Now, it could be because we are human and the church is characterised by human beings, but I believe so much that what God has destined for an individual will surely come to pass. Even when it seems that nobody is noticing him or he’s not favoured at a time, if

I

it is the will of God, it will still come to pass. Nobody can cover God’s glory.

Nobody can cover the plans that God has for somebody because He can even move a man out of the way when He is taking His own child to the Promised Land. That is the angle from which I’m looking at it. I won’t say out-rightly that it is not possible. For instance, it would be wrong for anyone to say that the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola is there because Bola Tinubu wanted him. If God did not want Fashola, even if everyone voted and elected him, he would not have been there. I have seen elected people, who never got to the throne. I have seen graduates, who passed all their papers and before the result came out, they were dead.

While some people will have accident, others will sleep and never wake up. This is to show us that it’s God that appoints. He may use men and sometimes, when we don’t understand how some things happen, the mentality is that it has been stage-managed. Human beings cannot always be right; God might be saying something else.

In the book of Isaiah, God said: “My ways are not your way.” God might use a father to lift his son, but it’s not even that father that did it. God only made use of him because he is close to the person and he has the power to help that person and that is why that person came to that position.

A leader must be accommodating and fair to all, be they Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba. If an Igbo man would do my work well, I’d celebrate him from the rooftop. Same goes for the Hausa man. If somebody from my village will spoil my name, I will run away from him and he won’t have access to me. That is what I believe in.

Favouritism is based on individuals and your own work. In Yorubaland, there is a saying that ‘your utterances can bring kola to you, just as your words can also bring the cutlass.’ There are ways you can work around people and their hearts will be soft towards you. We cannot say favouritism is not in existence.

An average clergyman is expected to be loyal. Being loyal is not that you are bringing gifts or unlawful materials to me. But the work we have been assigned to do, let us do it well. And let us do things when it is honourable.

When I say ‘please, do this’ but you don’t do it and it is only when I scold you that you do it, it does not have value again

In dealing with those who are loyal and those who are not, I will try to be firm. God is looking for dependable children. If somebody is not loyal, it is very difficult to trust such a person. Everyone is looking for somebody they can trust. If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t have granted this interview.

So, I am looking for loyal people because I have been very loyal.

In fact, people tell me that I am too loyal and this is because I believed what my father told me when I was much younger. He said, ‘if you are too big to follow, you will be too small to lead.’ And so, an average clergyman is expected to be loyal.

Being loyal is not that you are bringing gifts or unlawful materials to me. But we should do the work we have been assigned well. And let us do things when it is honourable. When I say, ‘please do this but you don’t do it, and it is only when I scold you that you do it, it does not have value again. That is what I mean by being loyal. Preach the gospel, don’t go there and be majoring in the minor.

However, I will draw closer to me those that are not loyal to know why they are that way. I expect everybody to do his or her best. I know that we don’t have equal abilities. I also know that we are not equally talented, but in my view, whatever you have should be used profitably. Ministry work is very loyal-oriented I must say.

I don’t need to know you because I didn’t know anybody, but I know God and He has been connecting me. I didn’t know Rt. Rev. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi (retired). He was coming from Owo to be our Bishop. He had been a Bishop before and when he came here, somebody outside this state spoke to him about me and I don’t know that person till today. The idea of knowing somebody before you can grant him or her one favour or the other looks somehow. You may even know me, but if you are not presentable or ‘sellable’ like the grammar they used for me during my election, you cannot get anything from me. It is not fair for me to post you to a particular place because you know me.

In fact, many people tend to be very bad when they know you, as they will take things for granted. I know some priests that cannot be corrected by anyone because of their connections.

Some people are confusionists; they are neither good nor productive but they have this mentality of ‘Oh, they don’t like me.’ But the question is: why are you not liked? I always ask myself why is it that I’m always being favoured? But those close to me usually say, ‘you are very hardworking, very humble, you are not greedy and you don’t sleep around.’ People can see that though you may not have too much ability, you might not be the one that can speak from morning till evening, but there are those little things that people have seen in us. The point I’m making is that those complaining should check themselves.

Sunday, December 1, 2013 35

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

IBRUCENTRE

Sunday School Destiny Destroyers (1) Memory Verse: “And the LORD answered me, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” Habakkuk 2:2.

Bible Passage: I Kings 11:1-11.

Introduction OD has an eternal life- purpose for everyone. However we have roles to play for the fulfilment of His purpose.

Destiny This is a simple word for God’s purpose for a persons’ life. It is divinely pre-planned. It is subject to our attitude, conduct, obedience and choices, Jer. 29:11, Jer.1:5, John 14:2-3, 1 Cor.2:9, Rom.8:283, Josh 1:8.

G

Destiny Destroyers • Vanity If we examine and compare the lives of David and Solomon, we will find that one was successful while the other was full of regret, Ps. 23:1; Eccl. 12:8. Solomon pursued vanity until he became a complete backslider. A deadly combination of pleasures of the flesh and wealth and lack of self-control ruined his destiny, Eccl.2:10-11, 1 Kgs 11:1-10. He did not have to end up where he did.

• Ignorance: This is a destiny destroyer, Hos. 4:6; Prov. 29:18.We need to seek God’s will for our life, Amos 3:7; Prov. 25:2; Matt. 7:7-8; Dan. 2:22.

The Holy Spirit’s help is pivotal, I Cor. 2:10; Rom. 8:26-27. If we have an idea of our destiny, we will be focused and succeed like some

The Fruit Of Holy Spirit In The Life Of A Christian

By S.K. Abiara AUL’S introduction of the word ‘fruit’ is filled with meaning. By it, Paul conveyed the meaning of a full harvest of virtues. Fruit is a by-product; it takes time to grow and requires care and cultivation.

The Spirit produces the fruit; our job is to get in tune with the Spirit. Believers exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, not because they work at it, but simply because the Holy Spirit controls their lives. The fruit of the Spirit separates Christians from a godless, evil world, reveals a power within them, and helps them become more Christ-like in their daily lives.

In contrast to the list it follows, Paul did not describe these characteristics as obvious. The previous ones reside in us; the following ones come as a result of the Spirit’s presence.

Again, the characteristics fall into categories. The first three are inward and can come from God alone: • Love—Love as shown by Jesus, whose love is self-sacrificing and unchanging, and as demonstrated by God who sent his Son for sinners (Romans 5:5). Love forms the foundation for all the other fruits listed. Elsewhere, Paul breaks love itself down into various components (see 1 Corinthians 13), so that “love” turns out to bear little resemblance to the emotional meaning so often given to the word.

• Joy: An inner rejoicing that abides despite outer circumstances. This characteristic has little to do with happiness and can exist in times of unhappi-

P

Abiara ness. It is a deep and nourishing satisfaction that continues even when a life situation seems empty and unsatisfying.

The relationship with God through Christ remains even in the deserts and valleys of living.

• Peace: An inner quietness and trust in God’s sovereignty and justice, even in the face of adverse circumstances. This is a profound agreement with the truth that God, not we, remains in charge of the universe.

The next three concern each believer’s relationships with others: • Patience: Patiently putting up with people who continually irritate us. The Holy Spirit’s work in us increases our endurance.

• Kindness: Acting charitably, benevolently toward others, as God did toward us. Kindness takes the initiative in responding to other people’s needs.

• Goodness: Reaching out to do good to others, even if they don’t deserve it. Goodness does not react to evil but absorbs the offense and responds

... With Pastor Enoch Adeboye

with positive action.

The last three present more general character traits that ought to guide a believer’s life: • Faithfulness: Reliable, trustworthy.

• Gentleness: Humble, considerate of others, submissive to God and His Word. Even when anger is the appropriate response, as when Jesus cleared the Temple, gentleness keeps the expression of anger headed in the right direction.

Gentleness applies even force in the correct way.

• Self-control: Mastery over sinful human desires and their lack of restraint.

Ironically, our sinful desires, which promise self-fulfilment and power, inevitably lead us to slavery. When we surrender to the Holy Spirit, initially we feel as though we have lost control, but he leads us to the exercise of self-control that would be impossible in our own strength.

God gave the law to make people aware of their sin and to restrain evil. But no one would make a law against these fruit (virtues), for they are neither sinful nor evil. Indeed, a society where all people acted thus would need very few laws at all. Because God Who sent the law also sent the Spirit, the by-products of the Spirit-filled life harmonise perfectly with the intent of God’s law. A person, who exhibits the fruit of the Spirit, fulfills the law far better than a person, who observes the rituals but has little love in his or her heart. God bless.

Prophet Abiara, General Evangelist CAC Worldwide, skabiaraofciem@yahoo.co.uk

biblical characters, John. 8:32; Isa. 6:1-9; Heb. 11:13.

• Faithlessness Lack of faith is also a destiny destroyer, Heb. 4:2; I Tim. 1:19. Faith will banish fear help us take the right steps, Heb. 11:1; Isa 28:16; Jam 2:18; Lk. 17:12-14; Hab. 2:2. People who had faith in the Bible possessed their possessions, Josh 14:12; I Sam. 17:37; Heb. 11:33-38. Unbelief ends in failure and destruction, Num. 14:22-24; Matt. 17:19-20.

Whatever is not done in faith is sin.

Conclusion God will always back you up and ensure your assignment on earth will be profitable. He is more interested in our living a fulfilled, impactful and meaningful life than we can imagine. His plan for your life will come to pass in the mighty name of Jesus.

Our Children Deserve Better Deal

By Gabriel Osu “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom from heaven belongs to people like these.” Matthew 19:4.

MINA was barely 12 years A old when her parents gave her out in marriage to a man fit to be her grandfather. She was to be his fifth wife since he was already having four wives before her. All the other wives, except one, were all in their early teens. He had married them before they clocked the age of 18. It was the acceptable custom in their poverty stricken village.

Here, the girl child is considered a medium of commercial exchange. She is not allowed to catch a glimpse of the four walls of a school, talk less of nursing any future aspiration. On the contrary, once her parents observe the slightest tinge of adolescence in her, she would be auctioned out to an elderly man in exchange for financial consideration. The girl has no say about her fate. She must obey her parents for it was a taboo to do otherwise. Unfortunately, for little, Amina, a year into her purported marriage, she died during pregnancy.

Her frail body was just too tender to bear the burden of bringing forth another human life.

Countless of our children, like poor Amina, are being forced daily to their early grave through unholy marriage alliance. Many of them are from poor homes, prod-

ucts of broken homes or just unfortunate to be the offspring of ignorant and greedy parents, who see nothing wrong in mortgaging the future of their innocent kids for a plate of porridge. Many times, ‘the progenitors of these retrogressive trend and their accomplices’ hide under the guises of culture and religion to perpetuate their selfish acts, without considering the after-effect of such on the future wellbeing of their children.

Only recently Nigerians were once again treated to a theatrical display at the National Assembly following the move by some Senators to subtly legalise child marriage through an amendment of a sub-section of the nation’s constitution. They had smuggled in a clause that would bestow ‘immediate adulthood’ to underage children mortgaged into untimely marriage, even though the nation’s constitution clearly stresses that one is considered an adult on attaining the age of 18. Understandably, public outcry and wide condemnation greeted the move, which some considered sacrilegious.

It is unfortunate that our society is quickly losing its sense of moral decency. Unfortunately also, some of our leaders appear to have been caught in the web of complacency, as a result of material comfort and political expediency. Or how else would you describe a situation, whereby so many of them seem to

have lost touch with the essential fact that all of God’s children have inalienable rights to self-actualisation?

The high incidences of child molestations (paedophilias), incest, circumcision and other unhealthy traditional practice in some parts of our country should be a source of great concern to us all. The results are enormous. One of such is the large prevalence of what medical experts term Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), a sort of infections that is very rampant among underage brides. And unfortunately too, our criminal laws have not been able to checkmate some of these unwholesome practices. Like many other Nigerians, I believe strongly that any attempt to legalise child marriage under any guise would be tantamount to legalising sexual abuse of underage girls. Ironically, it is the children of the jetsam and flotsam of the society that readily fall victims of such out-dated practices. Or when last did you hear of a prominent Nigerian giving out his 12 or 13-year-old daughter for marriage?

If truly we believe and affirm that our children are the leaders of tomorrow, then they deserve a solid foundation that would enable them grow into responsible adults and not mere victims of exploitation.

Very Rev. Msgr. Osu, Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

Lutfulahi Celebrates Islamic New Year, Prays For The Nation S part of its activities to mark the Islamic A New Year, Hijra (1432), the Lagos-based Lutfulahi International has engaged its faithful in

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola (right) and Bishop Peace Okonkwo at the closing ceremony of the Kingdom Life World Conference organised by The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Lagos… last Sunday

a marathon prayer session for the nation. According to the founder, Sheikh Abdulmalik Adebayo Robiu, “the prayer session became necessary, especially now that the country is going through serious socio-economic and political crises. It is also very important for religious leaders to enlighten their followers on how to welcome a New Year in manner that is beneficial to the entire country.” The prayer session, which holds today at Orofun, Epe Local Government area of Lagos State, is designed for members and non-members of the society as well as non-Muslims, who are expected to appear in white dresses.

Sheikh Robiu

36

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

IBRUCENTRE Springs Of Wisdom

By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi

Believers’ Present Privilege And Future Possession (1) ANY people only concentrate their efforts and thoughts M on life here and now. They do not give a thought to the future, nor do they contemplate the brevity of life here on earth in relation to eternity. Eternity is so long that its length is hard to describe. It is time without end. Eternity describes the lifespan of God, Who is without beginning or ending. And everyone will live in eternity, with or without dying. That is why Old Testament saints that had divine revelation thought more about it more than the things of this world. As they preoccupied themselves with the thought of eternity, the things of this world faded into insignificance.

The Biblical patriarchs and heroes of faith were not bothered whenever they missed any privilege on earth. Abraham, for instance, “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” This was in spite of the fact that Lot, his nephew, chose a better part of the land available to them. After that, God showed him the stars of heaven and gave him a promise of the fatherhood of many nations. He had the earthly promises of wealth from the east, west, north and south of the earth, and of possessing the land of Canaan.

Yet this did not hinder him from seeking the eternal city of God. The faith of Abraham and other Bible characters was not shaken because it was not based on temporal trappings but on heaven and its eternal reward. No matter their earthly pursuits and achievements, they had their sight permanently set on heaven. “They desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” They held the promise of earthly satisfaction and joy loosely. It is this great desire for the heavenly city that keeps our hope alive, as earthly things will eventually amount to nothing.

Although the Israelites possessed the Promised Land, there is no peace and satisfaction in the Middle East. The physical land of Canaan given to Israel was temporary. Many prophets of God predicted that Israel would turn away from God and the land would be laid desolate. They knew that the glory of the Promised Land would fade away. That is why their minds, hearts and faith were centred on the future, eternal glory of the city of God. Believers need to equally create a balance between their desire and pursuit of both material and spiritual things. Earthly things will depreciate in value compared to spiritual things that will never lose their value. We must not build our hopes on wealth, worldly praise and honour, popularity, success, etc., as they will soon fade away.

Although Moses lost the earthly privilege of entering Canaan, he made it to heaven. God also honoured him, as a faithful ser-

vant. His name received more frequent mention next to that of our Lord Jesus Christ than any other servant of God throughout the scripture. Moses desired to enter Canaan and prayed God for it. But he recounted that the Lord was angry with him and did not answer his prayer. But it was singularly about “this matter” of getting to Canaan that God restrained him from making a prayer request. He was free to talk about other things on ministry and the future of the children of Israel whom he was leading. In fact, he interceded for the people after this event and God answered. The implication of this is that his relationship and ministry continued with the Lord.

The plan of God to take him to heaven also continued.

If you understand this, you will not be discouraged when God restricts you to one area or aspect of life. Moses even made a request for God to choose and set a man over the children of Israel to lead them into the Promised Land and God granted his request by selecting Joshua. The Bible records that there is no other prophet like Moses with whom God spoke face to face.

This kind of limited restriction did not happen only in the case of Moses. God told David that he could not build a house for Him even though he greatly desired to do so. Convicted after his sin of adultery, God forgave him and restored him into fellowship. But when he prayed and fasted that the child, fruit of that adulterous act should live, God declined to grant his request. God answered his prayers on other matters, particularly the turning of Ahitophel’s counsel to foolishness.

When God closes up a matter, we don’t need to waste time on it. There are other issues of life we can focus our attention on.

This is the wisdom of God for every believer. James and John were also restrained from talking about their desire to sit on the throne of Christ’s Kingdom. Leaving what God would not grant, they continued, received the Pentecostal power and did exploits for the Lord. Paul the apostle, had a thorn in his flesh, but God did not answer his request to remove it even though he earnestly prayed thrice for it. He understood later that the problem was there for the purpose of his preservation, “lest I should be exalted above measure”. It was for only “this thing”, that God would not answer. Focusing on what God restrains us from will inhibit our progress, as God would not change His mind. We need to change our request and focus from whatever disturbs us so as to make progress in life and be fruitful.

References: Hebrews 11:10,13,39,40; Deuteronomy 3:23-26; Numbers 20:12; 21:7,8; 27:5,16,18; Deuteronomy 34:10-12; 2 Samuel 12:18-23; 15:31; Mark 10:35-40; 2 Corinthians 12:2-9. (All scriptures are from Kings James Version).

From The Rector Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor

Lay Up Your Treasure In Heaven (3)

By Ernest Onuoha

‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’ Matt. 6:19-21.

T’S one thing for there darkness to be on the outside. But if there’s light before our eyes, and our eyes are so obscured that the light in us is ‘darkness,’ then we’re talking real darkness!! How important it is, then, that our spiritual vision be undivided! How important it is that our eyes be devoted to Christ alone, and not divided between the light above and a treasure below! Keeping our treasures in heaven - and thus our hearts in heaven as well - will help us avoid this danger.

Another danger that this will help us avoid is that of ‘a divided allegiance.’ Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” In Jesus days, a slave’s service was 100 per cent. His service was not like an employer/employee relationship, because we can often have two parttime jobs. You aren’t obligated to the boss of one job when you’re working for the other. But because a slave’s devotion was to be total, he could not be the slave of two different masters. One master would tell him one thing and the other would tell him to do the opposite. Eventually, he’d have to decide where his loyalties are going to lie. And the same is true when it comes to trying to serve God and earthly riches.

How Then Can We Lay Up Our Treasures In Heaven?

The Bible tells us how. One way that we do so is by using what God gives us now for the cause of Jesus Christ. All the earthly things that the Lord entrusts to us are not ours to own. They are ours to keep as His stewards; and we are to use what He gives us for His glory

I

and His purposes. Jesus tells us, ‘Sell what you have and give alms; provide for yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches or moth destroys’ (Luke 12:33).

Jesus doesn’t teach us to avoid being rich. It isn’t wrong to be rich in and of itself. In fact, we should praise God for those who are in the body of Christ and are rich! As someone said, you can be rich in this world and even richer in the next — if you use the riches God gives you for His glory. And that’s how we lay up our treasure in heaven.

We send it on ahead, from our treasures on earth into our treasury in heaven. Paul told Timothy to teach those who are wealthy in the church to use those riches wisely: ‘Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, Who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life’ (1 Tim. 6:17-19).

This isn’t just true of the rich. It’s true of all of us. The Philippian believers were not wealthy. They gave a financial gift to Paul in order to help him in his ministry; and they apparently gave so much that they even put themselves in need! Paul wrote to thank them and said, ‘Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 4:17-20).

Our Father knows about it whenever we give of our resources to the service of His work — and He will never fail to reward us. Remembering this is how we lay up our treasures in heaven.

May we, then, not set our hopes in the mammon that will fail. Let’s lay up our treasures where they will last and be enjoyed forever.

Concluded.

Ven. Ernest Onuoha Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. www.ibrucentre.org

Living Waters

By Pastor Lazarus Muoka

A Sinner Is Not A Christian ELOVED, one fundamental truth about Christian rules and regulations is that it does not make room for double stanB dard. One cannot be on the side of God and at the same time on the side of the devil. You cannot serve God and the world, and seek both as your ultimate end, because no man can divide his heart between God and the world. No one who is born of God, whose heart is occupied by the Spirit of God, can at the same time enter into relationship with Satan. Anybody, who claims to be a Christian and is involved in cultism, ritual, fraud, lies, fornication, adultery, etc., is never a Christian.

It is a statement of fact without any pretence, that a Christian is not a sinner and a sinner is not a Christian. Anybody, who indulges in sin, is not a child of God. It does not matter whether you are a Pastor, Bishop, General Overseer/Superintendent or you claim to be born-again or ‘man of God’, as long as you are in sin and have not repented, you are of the devil.

1 Jn 3: 8-10says, “He that commiteth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin. This is because God has given him, by the new birth, real, spiritual life, and that life can never become extinct. For the divine seed of loving faith abides in him, and, so long it remains, he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Therefore, that, which abides in the heart of a Christian is not a mere gospel, it is rather that word, as made vital and efficacious by the influences of His Spirit. Any sermon by any preacher that does not aim at planting this life-changing seed in the heart of his listeners is not doing the work of God, but that of the devil.

Those born into God’s family do not have room in their hearts to offend God, because God’s life is in them. So, they cannot deliberately go into sin because they have been born of God. They are not evildoers, nor workers of iniquity, nor habitual sinners.

They go not in any way to commit sin, as the wicked that makes a trade of it does, neither do they allow themselves in any single act of sin. So now, we can tell who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are. Who is a child of the devil? He is that commits sin. Who is a child of God? He is that works righteousness. The Scripture has laid down real marks of difference between them. By this emphasis, we shall stand or fall before God, regardless of whatever our particular creed may say to the contrary. Good and bad men are really distinguished here. Let every man come to the knowledge of his own condition, whether he is a Christian or sinner.

1 Jn 5:17 says, “All unrighteousness is sin.” Anybody, who does not obey the commandment of God and has no love for genuine Christian, does not belong to God. Anyone, who makes mockery of the good work of the Holy Spirit or directly or indirectly participate in deriding the children of God, does not belong to Him. Whosoever that indulges in lying, blackmailing, unforgiveness, pride, covetousness, malice, contention, strife or blasphemy is not a Christian. You are not a Christian if you are into terrible sins such as envy, hatred, cultism, bribery, stealing, robbery, fraud, divorce, masturbation, adultery, abortion, murder, kidnapping, smuggling, quarrelling or extortion.

The question is, are you on God’s side or for the devil?

At 47, I See Reasons For Being Alive — Samson

By Daniel Anazia Sthe presiding Bishop of Royal Family International Church, A Bishop Tom Samson celebrates his 47 birthday and 22 years in ministry, arrangements have been concluded for the comth

missioning of the church’s Royal City in Iyesi Ota, Ogun State.

According to Bishop Samson, the birthday celebration, which holds on Saturday, December 14, will serve as opportunity to commission the billion-naira monumental Royal City project.

At a press conference in Lagos, the presiding Bishop said the city is a centre for world revival.

“Royal City Iyesi Ota is a prophetic city built to the glory of God on 100 hectares of land. It has facilities such as 100,000-seater capacity stadium with a giant podium. It also accommodates camp ground for prayers and revival with over 200 chalets, wellequipped hospital, and the Royal City College of Education.

“In our 22 years of existence, we have impacted immensely on the society in various ways from employment creation, social infrastructures, scholarship endowment, water project, schools hospitals and medical outreaches,” he stated.

On significance of his birthday, the cleric said, “what God uses a man for is based on the needs of people. For the past seven years, God has been using us for remarkable achievements, and every moment I live is for a purpose and achievement. Every year is remarkable and everyday that I live, I see reasons I’m alive as there’s lots of needs to meet in our society.”

The weeklong celebration will commence December 8 at Lagos Airport Hotel, and on the 9 and 10 respectively, the train moves to Royal Towers, besides Ikeja Local Government.

TheGuardian

Sunday,December 1, 2013 37

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Business TAXATION:

Spurious Levies, As Oil Revenues Dwindle

By Marcel Mbamalu HEN States claim their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profiles are ‘looking up,’ some citizens somewhere bear the burden — the brunt — of such beautiful growth figures; and this manifests in the avalanche of complaints of multiple levies imposed by states and local governments on private sector operators across the country.

Still grappling with this concern, especially at the “grassroots” level, the Federal Government, nevertheless, plans to rake in N2.9 trillion from non-oil sources in 2014 alone, the bulk of which will come from import duties, other tariffs and taxes.

Curiously, the same federal government that proposed the streamlining of taxes is looking to earn this N2.9 trillion revenue from taxes and is prepared to use ‘consultants’ to do the job; the consultants are to earn 1.75 percent of that amount.

In what appeared a “conspiracy of coincidences,” a PWC report recently painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria’s tax generation status, putting Nigeria at the bottom of a global index. The summary of that report is that Nigerians are under-taxed.

Yet, the high tariffs in the country are to be other forms of tax on the citizenry. For example, import duties in Nigeria are prohibitive; even as government hands over crucial public utilities to private owners.

The Federal Government also plans to sell the refineries soon, having reneged on the pro-subsidy argument that refineries would be restructured and new ones built in Lagos, Kogi and Bayelsa.

Similarly, government plans to return tolls on major highways.

Meanwhile, fingers are being pointed at the IMF as calling the shots in all of these. The IMF had supported the federal government in the plan to scrap subsidies, a philosophy already

W

• High Revenue Numbers…Dying SMEs • FG Plans N2.9trn Tax Revenue In 2014 Paucity of funds to share at the centre is driving governments (at all levels) crazy; they now unleash venoms on small and medium-scale businesses already being asphyxiated by lack of financing from banks… waste disposal. She hinted of 40 other taxes and levies, at the least, saying that all her appeals for the senior LAWMA official to have a Lagos State Government, in the same vein, deep look into her balance sheet fell on deaf boasted that it was prepared to increase its ears.

Other states, looking at the IGR success in IGR, from N18 billion to some N30 billion.

Regarded as Nigeria’s economic nerve cen- Lagos have, no doubt, followed suit. In fact, it was an avalanche of near-vituperations tre, Lagos has been successful with its IGR from “taxpayers”, who, at the weekend, bedrive and has drawn a lot of states, including Enugu, Anambra, Ogun and Cross River, moaned what, according to them, is undue among others, into this “tax enterprise.” Of burden on businesses.

Stakeholders agreed that paucity of funds course, the successes come with far-reachto share from the centre due to the “drying ing implications on residents and busiwells” of ‘free’ federal allocation, is forcing nesses. states and local governments to look inExcept in some parts of the North, where the Boko Haram menace serves as deterrent, wards and, in the process, pushing busivarious tax agents are already on the prowl nesses and citizens to the wall.

Professor of Political Economy, Pat Okediin virtually all the states, taking as much as they can from big, small and medium-scale nachi Utomi, however, insists that, although paucity of funds from the Federal businesses.

Allocation Committee (FAC) increases motiOne report says an average small and vation for IGR, many of the states are simply medium-scale enterprise spends about imitating their more successful peers.

N100,000 in payments to state and local “Not really,” Utomi said in an SMS exchange. government agents as taxes and levies per “Many are imitating states more successful annum. Last week, some agents, who with IGR. No doubt, paucity of funds from claimed to be collecting levies for a Local FAC increases motivation.”

Council Development Authority (LCDA), stormed the streets to ‘sell’ “security certifiLoss Of Oil Wells: Cross River Gasps For cates,” at N1000 each. Defaulters had their Breath business premises forcefully sealed.

AGOS’ N30 billion IGR target is not an isoThreatening to close shops due to frustralated case; other states are setting targets, tion, an operator of a fast food business in most of which appear far-fetched. In Cross Lagos said she pays N40,000 monthly for falling in place, even as citizens reel in hardship.

L

River, a state, which, has lost most of its oil fields to Akwa Ibom, it has become a ‘fight-tofinish’ in order to stay afloat.

Private sector operators consider the current tax regime in the state as reckless levies that kill businesses. Fast food operators, like Mr. Biggs, Apple, among others, are reportedly exploring legal options; even the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) allegedly fought for survival over tax matters in Calabar; the bank had its business premises reportedly sealed off by the IRS, which insisted that it derived its powers from the extant tax laws.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had gone on a drive for PAYE, tourism, sales tax, Signage and other taxes.

Not satisfied with the policy, UAC Plc, the owners of Mr. Biggs, had dragged the state government and others to court seeking an ex-parte order to restrain the IRS from sealing off its premises in Calabar. The court granted the firm’s prayers pending the determination of the substantive suit.

While the disagreements subsist, local government councils are being accused of imposing spurious levies on businesses. Cocoa farmers, UNICEM and truck drivers in the state recently registered strong protests in Calabar over what, according to them, were “punitive fees” against businesses.

Part of their grouse was that the state government allegedly increased the N500 road maintenance levy to N12,000. Reports say the United Cement Company in Mfamosing, Akampka Cross River State, once threatened to close shops or trim down its workforce unless the government rescinds its decision. A Coalition of Dedicated Logistics Services Providers (CDLSP) of UNICEM said the hike in transport levy from N500 to N12, 800 was not in the interest of the economy.

For UNICAL, the story is not different. DOC-AA

CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

38

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

BUSINESS

High Revenue Numbers…Dying SMEs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37 consultants, the tax administrators in the state, said the Federal University owed some N1 billion in tax. Managing Director of the company, Mr. Abiola Abioye, said UNICAL used to make a monthly remittance of N2 million, but was discovered to have manipulated its books to avoid certain payments.

“When the IRS requested for the nominal roll of their salary schedule and placed it on the automation platform that we gave them, they realised that UNICAL was supposed to be paying N32 million every month and this has been going on for about six to seven years,” a report quoted Abioye as saying.

“So, they now did some kind of back-duty assessment and came up with about N600 million to N700million for two to three years; then, we added it up and it came to about N1 billion.”

Ogun Learns The Ropes ORE or less an extension of Lagos with many businesses and manufacturing outfits, Ogun State has its own share of tax troubles. State Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had, last year, disclosed that government had raised the state’s monthly IGR from N800 million to N3 billion. Of course, private businesses say they bear the burden.

At his factory in Ibafo Ogun State, Managing Director of Infinity Paints International Ltd, Mr. Sehinde Johnson, a trained accountant, said he deliberately got his company disconnected from the national grid due to the epileptic power supply for which electricity officials bill his company outlandishly.

According to Mr. Sehinde, without recourse to the general infrastructure challenge, state and local government agents fall over each other at his office to collect multiplicity of taxes and levies that are often replicated.

M

Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the state, Mr. Dapo Ogutuga, once lamented multiplicity of taxes, which according to him, disrupts businesses.

The taxes include Personal Income Tax, Business Premises Tax, Tenement Rate, Television Licence Fees, Withholding Tax, Commercial Masts Fees and Commercial Adverts Tax, as well as Radio/TV Tax. Others are Parking Charges, Value Added Tax, Riders Permit, Haulage Fee, Emblem Fee, Emission Test, Advertisement Tax, Land Decree Tax, Local Government Tariffs and Environment Tax, among others.

In Enugu, The Search Is Red Hot NUGU STATE has its own fair share of complaints regarding multiplicity of taxes. It targets about N14.3 billion as IGR in 2013 alone.

Top on the list of approved taxes/levies are: Direct Tax, Pay As You Earn, Withholding Tax, Development levy, ESWAMA (also called Sanitation) levy, Business Premises and Registration, Local Government Levy, General Tax, Water tax, Security Levy, Motor Licensing, Car Radio Licensing, Property Rate, Billboard Permit, Mobile Advertising and Value Added Tax. Similarly, institutions like schools, hotels, manufacturing outfits, among others, pay special taxes and levies. The above charges exist outside of certain road restrictions put in place to fine motorists and other road traffic offenders.

E

Mixed Bag in Anambra NAMBRA State has its own dose of troubles.

Although Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Nwanne Ejikeme, recently denied use of tax contractors, the evidence liters the state, with Onitsha and Nnewi as major culprits. Most of the agents take the law into their hands, arresting motorists charging them with spurious of-

A

fences. A case that recently went awry in Onitsha actually led to alleged “exchange of violence” between weapon-wielding thugs and a security outfit, which reportedly tried to rescue one of its officials arrested by the agents.

But Ejikeme said recently that the state only employs the services of tax consultants, who go out to collect information. According to him, “without these consultants, there is no way we can gather information on peoples financial status for assessment.”

The Anambra SBIRS boss also admitted that the state engages market executives to collect rents in markets. He also admitted that, in motor parks, operators engage revenue agents to collect taxes.

Ejikeme, however, said that emblems, which are sold at the local government levels, do not fall within the fiscal purview of the state government. The Local government council officials are, however, appointed by the state government.

Kwara In Cautious Push HE KWARA STATE Government derives the bulk of its IGR from royalties on lands and Signage. Yet, the local council authorities inundate citizens and businesses with an avalanche of levies —specifically on shops, market stalls, abattoir and motor parks.

At the same time, a bill on Signage and Advertisement now awaits Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s assent. It would appear that the tax enforcement agents are merely waiting for “His Excellency” to put pen to paper.

Before now, the Signage and Advertisement agents in the state could only place a seal on signboards, billboards or signposts of defaulters. At best, they would remove such posts or boards; but they did not have

T

the authority for enforcement. Religious organisations are also expected to pay tax on billboards.

Measured Intervention from Above HE pushback, especially from the manufacturer associations across the states, inspired the Federal Government, through the Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to announce a tax harmonisation strategy that would be piloted by the Joint Tax Board (JTB).

Yet, punches came from state/local governments and their tax experts, who think that tax consultants — not contractors as alleged by the Federal Government — are indispensable in any efficient tax administration.

Besides, unfolding events last week appear to cast aspersions on Federal government’s intervention. Following the recent policy guideline to harmonise taxes and reduce the burden of over-taxation on citizens and business organisations, the same federal government is proposing to earn N2.9tr revenue outside of oil in 2014.

Nigeria arguably has the highest tariffs in the whole of Africa, with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) alone believed to be raking in far more than the proposed N2.9tr.

A Fellow of the Chattered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Mr. Joshua Asuquo, described the move as “a mirage,” saying that the Federal Government’s directive to states to discontinue the use of contractors or consultants in tax collection was ill-informed as governments lack professionals in tax offices.

Besides, many argued that the desired fiscal federalism does not permit the government at the centre to dictate to states and local governments on matters of taxation that are already decided by the statutory books.

The potential fight following that announcement, no doubt, forced the JTB to publish an advertorial to the effect that the Federal Government did not issue a directive to that effect.

The Board, however, explained that it is working out a harmonised tax system as template for all stakeholders.

T

Global Trends: Borrowing a Leaf HE controversy over multiple taxation in Nigeria comes as global leaders take deliberate steps to re-start their economies through tax cuts. This follows the universal argument that governments cannot be struggling to engender growth while, at the same time, imposing huge taxes on thriving businesses with the hope of raking in revenue. This position gained attraction on the heels of the 2008/2010 economic meltdown, which made tax cuts even much more acceptable among democratic governments.

Countries seeking investments rely more on tax cuts. The United States of America is noted for continuous tax reduction. China follows the same “theory.”

Tax cut policies are not meant for businesses alone; countries now experiment with new options to improve citizens’ purchasing power, just by reducing personal income taxes. The essence is to grow demand and in the process give the needed impetus for production and subsequent job creation.

In Nigeria, the case remains different; rather than provide solution to the problem of unemployment, the tax administrators appear to be interested only in growing the burden. Or are they simply “working from answer to question?

T

Ini Onuk, CEO ThistlePraxis Consulting (left), Archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan; and Ndidi Nwuneli, of Leap Africa, at the just concluded World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council in Abu Dhabi.

Private sector operators consider the current tax regime in the state as reckless levies that kill businesses.

Fast food operators, like Mr. Biggs, Apple, among others, are reportedly exploring legal options; even the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) allegedly fought for survival over tax matters in Calabar; the bank had its business premises reportedly sealed off by the IRS, which insisted that it derived its powers from the extant tax laws.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had gone on a drive for PAYE, tourism, sales tax, Signage and other taxes

Sunday, December 1, 2013 39

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

BUSINESS

‘How To Restore Integrity In Nigeria’s Tax SysBy Geoff Iyatse HE Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) recently took a hard stance against multiple taxation across the country. Sequel to its official position, MAN asked its state chapters to compile taxes and levies paid in their domains.

Partner and Head of Tax at the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Taiwo Oyedele, who is also working on ongoing plans to reduce taxes, says Rivers State imposes highest number of taxes with 97 collectible levies.

Oyedele, who spoke with The Guardian on telephone, says consultants will no longer be used for both collection and assessment, but could carry out tax audit in the new regime. A tax audit is an investigation into the background of tax returns filed by an individual or business to a tax agency; tax assessment, on the other hand, involves writing down on the relevant form, the amount payable.

“Hence, we went to the National Economic Council (NEC) and said we have to do something about multiple taxation, otherwise manufacturers will continue to leave the country.

Sub-committees were to look into enforcement, technical, review and different areas,” Ayodele said.

“One of the recommendations is that the use of consultants for tax collection should be stopped because it is creating problem. This is because some of them don’t even understand tax laws; they only block roads in the name of taxes. In most cases, the money doesn’t even go to government. It either goes to godfathers or it is stolen,” he explained.

With the new directive, the government is at the crossroads of voiding the common practice where consultants hired by government entities audit, assess and ask a defaulter to pay into designated accounts as agreed by their principals.

Oyedele explained the decision of the government on the pathway of addressing the historical flaws in the taxation even though it would take some time for some of the recommendations to get approval. He noted that some of the recommendations would need to get parliamentary approval before they could be implemented.

Even the expected list, according to him, would have to be legislated upon before it could be in force.

“With that, nobody will ask you to pay tax that is outside the list. When touts are stopped from collecting taxes, leaving it for only recongnised agencies, multiple taxation will drastically be reduced.”

Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that it is the power of Lagos State (and every other state) to regulate hotel operation. While it is agreed that the ruling has implication for harmonisation of consumption taxes with respect to the value Added Tax (vAT) and other related levies imposed by states, Oyedele said fresh suit to determine who collects such levies is in view.

He noted that while the judgment said state governments are responsible for regulating the hospitality industry, it was not explicit on who levies its consumption. And it is no longer a Lagos scenario; Edo State, for instance, has also copied the hotel and restaurant consumption tax.

“The Supreme Court did not rule on the tax; it ruled on its regulation. Lagos says it can impose the tax, and has gone to court. Once the court

T

Okonjo-Iweala’s directive is already being perceived as an arm-twisting tactic.

And many, including Folorunsho, say state will fight back. Of course, a state, like Lagos, will fight with both political and legal weapon to sustain its streams of income. And there is a law duly passed by the state’s House of Assembly. There is equally an apex court’s judgment that could be interpreted to mean an endorsement of the consumption tax collection. Folorunsho also foresees that the same unfair revenue distribution formula that gave birth to the unending search for areas states can explore will be reactivated by the imminent tussle about whose authority it is to collect consumption taxes

Minister of Trade and Investment, Aganga

House of Assembly. There is equally an apex court’s judgment that could be interpreted to mean an endorsement of the consumption tax collection.

Folorunsho also foresees that the same unfair revenue distribution formula that gave birth to the unending search for areas states can explore will be reactivated by the imminent tussle about whose authority it is to collect consumption taxes.

“To harmonise, the government may have to also look into generation. Otherwise why should revenues from alcohol sale be shared with states were the same thing is not consumed? There has to be a more equitable revenue sharing formula to make the process work. People will continue to kick against the harmonisation as inequitable if the grey areas are not addressed,” he said.

The Pedabo boss, however, agrees that efNFORTUNATELY, the rat race by states to forts to stop contract collection would sanilegislate on taxation is potential threat to any discussion with the Federal Government tise the system. He suggested a total restriction of contractors and consultants or its agency on tax rebate. And Albert Folorunsho, another taxation expert, knows to areas the law allows them while designated agencies, as already directed, collect how serious the challenge is, which is the reason he does not seem to have noticed any all revenues due to government.

Amid subsisting debate on the burden of white smoke billowing from the Abuja multiple taxation, Director General of the agenda.

Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Folorunsho, managing director of Pedabo (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, has called for drastic reAssociates Limited, said: “The hotel consumption tax, which the Supreme Court said duction of all forms of taxes on investment, saying that it is the only way government Lagos State can collect is not part of the list the Minister is talking about. So, how is it go- can truly support job creation.

“Tax system would be counterproductive if ing to work? What they are doing does not it focuses on investments as against conlook like any resolution. They need to ask sumption. Tax on consumption is generally who is responsible for promulgation of tax more equitable while tax on industrial inlaws; who can enforce tax laws?” puts, for instance, would have a negative efHe also noted that the concept of federalism adds its own complexity to the question fect on economic growth and the capacity on who collects or legislates on them. This is to create jobs. This is why inputs for production and other economic activities such because, he said, federal system places reas construction should be tax-free or, at sponsibility on all tiers of government to most, attract minimal tax. provide social safety nets to the people and “An economy that is desirous of creating that where allocations no longer suffice, states are bound to go sourcing for more re- wealth would minimise tax burden on production and other forms of investment. It is sources, including exploring taxation through investment that jobs would be cremeans. ated. A strong case could, therefore, be made for low tax regime for raw materials, KONjO-IWEALA’S directive is already beagricultural inputs, machineries, iron and ing perceived as an arm-twisting tactic. steel building.

And many, including Folorunsho, say state “A good tax strategy could be very benefiwill fight back. Of course, a state, like Lagos, cial to the economy and create opportuniwill fight with both political and legal ties for the unemployed. The fundamental weapon to sustain its streams of income. philosophy of taxation is to take from citiAnd there is a law duly passed by the state’s zens according to their abilities and give says yes or no, there will be other cases that will arise. There could be argument that the law is similar to that of vAT. “Meanwhile, the court has said, several times, that double taxation is not the intention of the law. If the court decides that they are similar, either of them will have to be discontinued. Many other taxation issues will have to be addressed as the process continues. Some may not be as complicated as the consumption tax as it concerns Lagos.”

Ayodele stressed that the PwC is optimistic about the implication of the new wave of tax reforms. But his fear amidst the process is the possibility of having new set of policymakers that feel different about the gamut of taxation burden. “I pray it is sustained,” said he.

U

O

back to citizens according to their needs.” xECUTIvE Chairman, the Society for Analytical Economics, Nigeria (SAEN), Dr. Godwin Owoh, asked the Finance Ministry to, first, address the illegal taxation imposed by the institutions it supervises before proceeding to others. He noted that the penalty imposed on bank cash transaction limit by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) amounts to multiple taxation. He questioned the Minister’s moral right in raising issues on multiple taxation when she, by the position of the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), has approved the cash transaction control penalty.

While he frowns at the engagement of contractors to collect taxes, Owoh says consultants are necessary to help government and companies on tax management. He notes that better use of consultants for audit and assessment would mitigate evasion, another monster feasting on the country’s tax efficiency.

A key component of the new tax regime is the prohibition of federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) from collecting taxes and levies. This is phenomenal in the war against harsh taxation system and leakages. Dr. Ken Ife, the lead consultant to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), says MDAs collect about N3 trillion yearly while they remit just N50 billion.

E

Why Nigeria Ranks Low On Global Tax Evaluation EW years ago, a survey by the World Bank Fandpointed out that about 100 different levies taxes are in Nigeria against the 39 that were officially approved. Eight out of the 39 were federal taxes, 11 were states’ while 20 were classified as local levies.

Tax efficiency is measured by different indices whereas the current programme seeks to reduce volume, wh`ich, of course, is just one benchmark for assessing performance.

The United Arab Emirate leads in taxation category of the 2013 Doing Business survey. While the total tax rate in UAE is 14.9 per cent, Kuwait has 10.7 per cent. Yet, Kuwait still ranks 11th on efficiency scale.

UAE makes up for the higher total payment with time efficiency and other benefits. It takes a business owner in UAE just 12 hours per year to clear the four taxes payable; whereas, his counterpart in Kuwait spends 98 hours paying different 12 taxes that takes away less than 11

CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

40 Sunday, December 1, 2013

BUSINESS

By Marcel Mbamalu HE United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, last week, announced the appointment of Ambassador Joe Keshi and Mrs. Rose Ada Okwechime as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the bank’s Board.

Keshi’s appointment, which took some speculators by surprise, put paid to recent speculations that Mr. Tony Elumelu, the bank’s former CEO, was on the verge of returning to the board as Chairman. The rumours were heightened by the July 2013 end of the three-year restriction by the apex bank on long-serving bank chief executives from taking non-executive positions in the banks.

Elumelu retired from UBA, as Group Managing Director in July 2010, and went on to start the African investment company, Heirs Holdings, which has investments in Transcorp and UBA, as well as Oil &Gas, real estate and healthcare interests.

When The Guardian sought the views of Elumelu at the weekend, he denied the rumors and praised the appointment of the new chairman.

“The choice of Ambassador Keshi will bring significant value to UBA. He is highly qualified; his international experience and skill in policy formulation, governance and execution will bring important perspective as Chairman of the Board of one of Africa’s leading multi-nationals, the UBA”, said Elumelu.

He further stated, “UBA’s recent strong thirdquarter results and price appreciation show the strength of the platform and the growing importance of the Pan African network. Heirs Holdings is a long-term shareholder and commends management for delivering on their promises.”

On further inquiry, a source close to Elumelu told The Guardian that the Heirs Holdings chairman, who has recently been in the news with power and resources acquisitions, is “beyond banking board room affairs now.”

T

Keshi

‘Corporate Rumours’ Dispelled As Keshi, Okwechime Lead UBA Board •CBN Lists Bank, Seven Others As ‘Too Big To Fail’ • RenCap Backs Apex Bank’s Position, Raises Industry-wide Issues Ambassador Keshi was appointed to the Board of UBA in 2010 and was made Vice Chairman on January 1, 2011. He has over 35 years working experience at the highest levels of government as a career diplomat, serving as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, The Presidency, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of Nigeria, The Hague, Netherlands and Consul-General of Nigeria, Atlanta, Georgia.

His appointment follows the retirement of Chief Israel Ogbue, a member of the UBA Board since 2005 and Chairman since January 1, 2011.

“It has been a pleasure serving the Bank. I have worked with a group of men and women who have been responsible for forging an extraordinary transformation in Nigerian and African banking. Ambassador Keshi is an admirable choice to lead the Bank in its next growth phase,” Ogbue was quoted as saying.

Mrs. Okwechime is the Managing Director of the Abbey Building Society Plc and has played a leading role in financial services for over 20 years, including the years spent at the Bank of England.

Both appointments are effective November 21, 2013.

Speaking on his appointment, Ambasador Keshi said: “I am touched that my fellow board members have asked me to chair the Board.

Chief Ogbue has raised the bar on governance, transparency and business growth. We will sustain the strong governance and risk management structures in place and maintain the momentum of our pan-African growth strategy”.

Phillips Oduoza, UBA’s Chief Executive, speaking on behalf of the executive management said, “We are looking forward to working with the new Chairman and Vice Chairman, even as we will miss the wise counsel and insights of Chief Ogbue. We are privileged to have the combined experience of Ambassador Keshi and Mrs. Okwechime, one of the four distinguished women on our board.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in a draft document cited by the Renaissance Capital, reportedly designated the UBA and seven others — First Bank of Nigeria, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, Skye Bank and Diamond Bank — as “too big to fail” due to the risk their failure could pose to the entire financial system in Nigeria.

RenCap, in its latest report on the issue, said the eight banks were so listed because they are Systematically Important Banks (SIBs).

It says the list was determined by assessing

the four criteria size (as defined by total assets), interconnectedness (as defined by interbank exposures and volumes of other intra industry assets and liabilities), substitutability (as defined by ease with which the institution can be replaced as a financial services provider), and complexity (as defined by how difficult it would be to liquidate the institution). The top eight banks currently account for over 70 percent of the industry’s total assets.

The current capital adequacy ratio (CAR) in Nigeria is 10 percent for local banks and 15 percent for banks with international operations.

In terms of capital split, banks are allowed to hold Tier 2 capital of up to 100 percent of Tier 1 capital. In other words, Tier 2 capital can comprise up to 50 percent of total qualifying capital. The proposed changes for Systematically Important Banks would mean a minimum CAR level of 15 percent, irrespective of whether a bank is deemed local or has international subsidiaries. In addition, Tier 2 capital would be capped at 50 percent of Tier 1 capital, hence at 25 percent of total qualifying capital.

RenCap says the UBA and the seven others actually have their CAR exceeding 15 percent as of 9M13 and 1H13, as per disclosure.

The UBA disclosed a 9M13 CAR of 21.4 percent, even though it says it is yet to have the current 9M13 CAR splits for the group.

The bank recently released its nine months financial results, showing a 26.7 percent growth in loan portfolio, as the bank positions to take advantage of emerging opportunities in Nigeria’s fast growing economy.

The nine months results put the bank’s new loan portfolio position at N870.4 billion as at September 2013, representing a 26.7 percent increase on N687.4 billion on the bank’s loan portfolio for full year of 2012.

Explaining the significant growth in the Group’s loan portfolio, Oduoza said the growth was in line with the bank’s guidance for loan growth. We increased our exposure to the power, upstream oil and gas and telecoms sectors of the economy”.

UBA played actively in the financing of bigticket deals, especially in the power sector recently, with potential long-term impact on the bank’s future profitability. “Some of the major deals UBA actively participated in include taking up $120m (N19.44bn) of the financing in respect of Transcorp Ughelli Power Plant,” Oduoza said.

The bank also acted as Mandated Lead Arranger, underwriting the entire facility of $122m (N20bn) for Kann Utilities’ acquisition

Okwechime of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, financing the payment of 75 percent acquisition of 60 percent equity stake in Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company while the bank also threw its financial weight behind Aura Energy for the Acquisition of Jos Electricity Distribution Company, acting as the lead arranger for N9.6 billion loan to finance the payment of 75 percent of Aura’s 60 percent equity stake in Jos Electricity Distribution Company.

“We firmly believe that the effect of the asset creation decisions we have taken this quarter will have a sustained impact on our revenue growth,” Oduoza further explained.

The announced gross earnings of N188 billion, representing 12.5 percent increase from N167.1 billion in the same period of last year, while riding on the back of the expansion in loan book, interest income rose 18.8 percent to N133 billion from N112 billion.

Explaining the significant increase in deposits, Ugochukwu Nwaghodoh, Chief Finance Officer of the UBA Group said, “The bank was able to effectively leverage its branch network in Nigeria and across 18 countries in Africa to generate cheap deposits.”

He said the bank is already seeing some of the benefits of its positioning with a significant 28.5 percent increase in total comprehensive income for the period to N48.74billion, compared with N37.92billion in the same period of last year.

“A profit of N43.4billion was achieved for the period, representing an increase of 2.8 percent over the N42.2billion recorded in the corresponding period of last year.

“There was also significant increase in other key performance indicators with total assets rising by 13.5 percent to N2.58 trillion from N2.27 trillion while total equity rose 17.2 percent to N225.6 billion from N192.5billion.”

Why The Country Ranks Low On Global Tax Performance CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 per cent of his yearly profit.

UAE gets more from the profits made by those doing business in the country than Kuwait does but the former is able to give something back in terms of the duration of time spent by taxpayers. That places it far above Kuwait.

With an average of 956 hours a businessman wastes in paying 41 different taxes and levies yearly, Nigeria ranks 155th on the index. Meanwhile, the total tax rate, in terms of proportion to profit, is just 33.8 per cent, which is below many countries considered better in tax performance.

For example, with a total burden of 38.7 per cent in relation to profit imposed on those who invest in South Africa, the country still ranks 34th on the scale of taxation.

Businesses remit only eight different taxes yearly while they spend average of 167 hours in a year to clear the payment.

In Ghana, a neighbouring West African country, 224 hours, on the average, are spent by an entrepreneur yearly to pay the tenable 32 taxes.

Hence, Ghana, where many Nigerian companies have relocated in recent years, takes 89th position on the global ranking even when total tax collectible in Nigeria, in terms of proportion to corporate profit, is only 0.3 per cent higher than that of Ghana.

With common economic history with Nigeria, Malaysia has become a benchmark for measuring countries that have been able to succeed economically. It has consistently improved on

the ease of doing business; it ranks 15th in the recent taxation payment rating. An average business owner spends 133 hours a year to pay 13 taxes and levies that take 24.5 per cent of his profits.

Leading countries on tax performance index along UAE are Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ireland, Bahrain, Canada, Kiribati and Oman. The strength of tax administration in the countries revolves around cutting time spent on payment and filing returns as well as streamlining the number of payments.

On the contrary, Venezuela, the worst performing country still keeps 71different taxes, which take away about 792 hours a year from an average businessman. And the total rate to profit stays at 62.7 per cent. A similar trend is observed among other worst performing countries in the survey that involved 185 countries.

HUS, several countries have, in the past T years, resorted to online filing of return to reduce the time spent on taxes, which many would evade to the detriment of the economy if the payment process is rather clumsy.

Hence, Ife said Nigerian government has a responsibility to reduce the time spent transacting on taxes as much as it wants to reduce the number of payments. This, he argues, is because time is as valuable to businesses as money is.

He also notes: “The multiplicity dimension is that when you come to consumption tax,

Dr. Ken Ife, the lead consultant to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), says MDAs collect about N3 trillion yearly while they remit just N50 billion which is collected via VAT, there is food tax, wine tax, hotel tax and other forms. What happens is that when a government makes one tax, it creates other categories around the officially recognised tax. That leads to multiplicity.”

On global ranking, he says: “there are about four areas the government taxes.

There is consumption tax, profit tax, labour tax and some forms of mandatory contributions. Nigeria is one of the least performing countries on the World Bank’s index when it comes to tax efficiency. A 2011 survey shows that multiple taxation is the third biggest headache companies in Nigeria face.

“The first is power, while the second is access to funding/accessibility. The problem of multiple taxation is that it drives business away from a location and completely from a country; it also stops businesses from coming to a country.

“Why is taxation such a big problem? When the World Bank mentioned tax burden, it has four components. First, you talk about the administrative burden. The second is the number of taxes payable. Then comes the length of time it takes to effect payment, you go through assessment and payment, which takes much time. The last is the total

quantum of money that is collected. All these are taken into account.

“You might even have the least amount of taxes in the world, yet you score low in taxation index. To be honest, despite the multiplicity of taxes paid, Nigeria is not among the highest taxed countries in the Africa. It is among the lowest; there are countries that are close to 70 per cent. But the time cost and administrative burden have huge implication for businesses.

The big question as the government makes a historic effort to wrestle businesses from multiplicity of taxes is whether there is sufficient substance in the official pronouncement.

Ife says there are many state governments that use consultants to collect taxes whereas much of the money coughed out by business owners never get close to the public coffers.

“It is now a criminal offence for consultants to be used to collect taxes. That is good! The expected executive order will enable the Police to dismantle all illegal roadblocks for the purpose of collecting taxes. Obviously, we may have to legislate on it but they need executive order to do that for the meantime,” he hopes.

“That should stop while a single agency collects the taxes and share for different units involved. That will eliminate leakages and boost accountability,” he insists.

The purpose of the Tax Identification Number (TIN) is to ensure that the leakages are blocked.

But he observes that there is still huge disparity between the performance of the scheme and its expectations, which includes the possibility of tracking who is paying what and for

Sunday, December 1, 2013 41

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

BUSINESS

Enugu Reels Under Multiple Taxes From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu RESENTING a breakdown of the 2013 Budget, Enugu State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Godson Nnadi, said government would increase her ‘recurrent’ revenue significantly.

According to him, a ‘recurrent’ revenue of Sixty-three billion, Seven Hundred and Twentythree million, and Two Hundred and Forty-two Thousand Naira was desirable. Of that amount, N14,309,922,000, or 22.46 percent, would come from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). He added that Enugu State would “increase our revenue drive to sustain the growth of the inflow from the local sources outside the oil revenue which the state has no control.”

The commissioner noted that the only way the state could meet her developmental goals and other responsibilities was to strengthen its IGR in the area of taxes and levies to avoid leakages.

Taxes and levies charged in the state include Direct Tax, Pay As You Earn, Withholding Tax, Development Levy, ESWAMA Levy Also Called Sanitation Levy, Business Premises And Registration, Local Government Levy, General Tax, Water Tax, Security Levy, Motor Licensing, Car Radio Licensing, Property Rate, Billboard Permit, Mobile Advertising and Value Added Tax. There are institutions like schools, hotels, manufacturing outfits, among others, which pay other forms of taxes and levies not covered in the conventional arrangement.

Similarly, certain road restrictions have been put in place with special personnel engaged at strategic points to monitor traffic and the way motorists pack their vehicles. The uniformed personnel also impose fines and penalties on offenders. Assisted by the police, they parade the streets of Enugu.

ESWAMA, for instance, makes residents pay the sanitation levy according to the size of their home, office or shop, as well as buy their branded waste bags or buckets. It is usually an offence in the state to dispose waste using bags other than the one approved by the agency.

Agencies of government charged with the responsibility to collect these levies/taxes enforce compliance using thugs, police and mobile courts established to try offenders. Those found guilty are remanded in prison custody until payment is made; alternatively, they are detained at the police station until their bail sums are paid.

There have been several cases of fisticuffs as the officials, either try to arrest the offenders or to collect the levies.

But there has been loud complaints from the private sector over the duplicity of these taxes between the state and the local governments.

P

By Daniel Anazia N the quest for increased Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in states and local governments, tax contractors are riding roughshod.

Agents used in tax/levy collection, no doubt, focus on compensation based on a percentage of the amount collected (the more the revenue raised, the more the reward); hence, the introduction of illegal levies and use of thugs in the entire process. Citizens are most times manhandled to force compliance.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy (CME) and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala recently noted that multiplicity of taxes in the transport sector, for instance, impairs the establishment of a fully integrated economic space within the country.

“The multiplicity of taxes on the transportation of goods impairs the integration of internal markets and the establishment of a fully integrated economic space within Nigeria. By impairing the integration of the national market, these mobile levies also reduces competition between companies located in different states in Nigeria. With increased competition, we could bring down prices for consumer goods produced by these companies and make our local companies and exports more competitive in the global market,” she said.

Okonjo-Iweala had, after a stakeholders meeting in Abuja to adopt the new tax policy, warned states to desist from engaging contractors and touts as agents of tax collection.

According to Iweala, based on the new policy, it is henceforth a crime for any state in the federation to engage an individual or an organisation other than the Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) in collecting approved taxes. And any state that contravenes the new policy will be prosecuted.

Before now, tax contractors collect taxes on behalf of states in exchange for a commission. This

I

Govt Moves To Streamline Levies

to The Guardian, said it was part of efforts to streamline taxes collected in the state.

He disclosed that the committee has, as its chairman, the state commissioner for Finance and Secretary to State government, Commissioners for Transport, Commerce and Industry, Capital Territory Development Authority, ESWAMA Director, the Bank of Industry, MAN, ECCIMA, and council chairmen for Enugu North, East and South as members.

On the move by the Joint Tax Board (JTB) to harmonise taxes, the commissioner stated that the law was specific on the tax accruable to each level of government.

He said the state would not oppose any approval made by the board, adding, however, that environmental and other factors could influence taxes and revenues collected in each state.

IRECTOR General of ECCIMA, Emeka OkD ereke, said the issue of multiple taxation was a source of concern to his organisation,

Enugu State Governor, Chime Residents and businesses, some of which have either closed shops or relocated to nearby states, say they are being choked by spurious demands and payments for tax.

At a business meeting of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), the Enugu Coalition of Business and Professional Association (ECOBA), an advocacy group made up of associations and businesses in the state, narrated how their members had suffered heavy tax burdens and called on the chamber to intervene.

A representative of hoteliers in Enugu, Jospeh

stressing that it has become a burden for businesses.

“This is an area we find unbearable and we need to streamline collections. The state executive has agreed that overlap and duplication of taxes affect businesses in Enugu and has set upa committee whose membership includes the ECCIMA. We have held our inaugural meeting in August this year where the ministries and agencies involved were asked to go back and list out all the taxes and revenues they collect on behalf of government in the state.

We have not met again, but the important thing is that the governor has intervened with the setting up of the committee”, Okereke stated.

He described as welcome, the directive of the federal government on states to stop the use of consultants in tax administration, saying that it would go a long way in regularizing the payments.

An official of PATRITZ A.W.T.S, one of the Ofordu, said unless something urgent was done, tax consultants, whose contracts were termimembers might soon run out of business. According to him, different organisations present nated by the state government, said taxes similar charges “under different names from dif- collected by his organisation were approved by the state government through the House ferent agencies of government.” of Assembly.

“Whatever we were collecting was apPPARENTLY in response to these complaints, proved by the law of the state. We did not fix the state government, early this year, abolthe rates; rather, we executed them based on ished the use of consultants and agents in colthe documents we had. The only difference lecting taxes and revenues for government. It set up a committee to harmonise taxes charged here is that our level of enforcement may not be the same with that of government; in that, by various organs of government in the state. for us, it is business and we must break even Mr. Jude Akubilo, the state commissioner for if we must fulfill our obligations towards commerce and industry, who confirmed these

A

...As Lagos Expands The Dragnet arrangement gives them the incentive to flout laws and impose multiple charges on innocent citizens and businesses.

Experts say the implication of the new policy to states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration is that it will result in the downturn of internally generated revenue (IGR), which is buoyed by use of tax contractors and thugs in many of the states. The so-called consultants in most cases are not tax professionals, the reason for which all manner of levies are currently being introduced in the states.

Taxation is the life-blood of Lagos state administration and the state government takes the issue of tax seriously. The state through taxation in 2006, generated N60 billion, which accounted for 65 percent of its annual internally generated revenue (IGR), and in 2010, it was increased to N168 billion (83 percent).

Though aware of the complaints by the organised private sector and some individual tax payers over illegal taxes and levies as well as menace of touts, who pose as agents for collection and enforcement, especially at the Local Government level, Lagos state government recently announced that it is prepared to increase its IGR from N18 billion to N30 billion monthly.

kiosks, open market levy, tenement rate, licensing fee for sale of liquor, slaughter slab license fee (in abattoirs), marriage, birth and death registration fees and street naming registration fee.

Others are motor park levy (including motorcycles — Okada and Tricycles — Keke NAPEP), street parking fee on local government streets or roads, domestic animal license fee (excluding poultry farmers), license fees for bicycles, trucks, canoes, wheelbarrows and carts.

Also, there is radio and television license fees (excluding radio and television in motor vehicles, transmitters and other communication equipment), public convenience, sewage and refuse disposal fees, cemetery and burial ground permit fee, permit fee for private entertainment and merriment in public places (excluding roads and streets), and wharf landing fees among others.

Efforts to get state government officials at the Alausa Secretariat in Ikeja to comment on the new Federal Government policy did not yield results, as the Special Adviser to Governor Fashola on Taxation and Revenue, Mr. Abimbola Shodipo, was said to be out of office.

At the Public Relations/Press Unit of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, the PRO said the Chairman of the State Internal Revenue The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Service (Lagos Internal Revenue Service — LIRS), Budget, Lagos State, Mr. Ben Akabueze, who was Mr. Babatunde Fowler, was in a position to comrepresented by the Permanent Secretary of the ment on the issue. But when The Guardian visited Ministry, Mr. Bayo Sodade disclosed that the the LIRS office, the officers on duty demanded austate government is working on policies to thority note to speak to Fowler. achieve the goal and urged local government ad- “You have to state the purpose why you want to ministrators to also develop strategies to grow talk to him in writing and address it to the Chairtheir IGR so as to be self-sustainable. man Lagos Internal Revenue Service, Good ShepChecks by The Guardian revealed that some of herd House, Alausa, Ikeja,” one of the employees the taxes collected by the states and its local insisted. councils, including the LCDAs, are shops and As Lagos set a N30 billion monthly target, Kano

struggles at N2 billion, while Bayelsa generates a paltry N1 billion.

Experts say Lagos state’s impressive ability to squeeze billions in taxes, rates and charges out of the pockets of its over 20 million citizens is born out of necessity.

Akabueze during the programme said one way the state is set to achieve its objective is to make the state’s tax collection infrastructure more robust and effective by strengthening the tax net, eliminating waste, clamping down on tax evaders and capturing more of the four million eligible but untaxed workers in Lagos.

“Of the eight million taxable individuals in the informal sector, only 2.5 million were captured in the tax net last year. The intention is not to impose any hardship on the residents as the administration would not introduce new taxes or increase the tax rates, but to make more people pay their taxes.”

With the merriment tax, which local governments in the state are now demanding, Lagos state government has widened its net by identifying more taxable economic activities.

According to Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ademorin Kuye, “over N1billion is spent monthly in Lagos state on entertainment and parties. We have the records to confirm this. But how many of these people pay tax? The money goes into drinks, wine, food, aso-ebi and all of that and when they spend all of this money they do not want to pay anything to the government,” he lamented.

“This justifies the reason why local governments demand that anyone organising events in the state must pay the Merriment Tax. There is merriment tax in the constitution, and it is part of the rate local governments can collect. We have not fully utilised the benefit of the entertainment industry in

42

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday December 1, 2013

BUSINESSAGRO

Nigeria’s Agriculture Transformation Is Key To Economic Growth, Says Dr. Nwanze

By Fabian Odum RESIDENT of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, has pledged IFAD’s committed to the agricultural transformation going on in the country.

This was revealed by the Fund’s chief executive during a visit in support of Community Based Natural Resources Management Programme (CBNRMP), a programme covering the Niger Delta States.

The tour, according to AgroNigeria, is particularly strategic in that it underscores the determination of the nation to make a shift away

P

from petroleum as a means of boosting Nigeria’s revenue base.

Nwanze warned that whether it happens now or later, oil would be exhausted; therefore diversification becomes inevitable in the pursuit of the nation’s economic dream.

He pointed out that a nation cannot truly be developed without enhancing its agricultural production, citing instances of India, Brazil, Vietnam and China as successful in that regard.

Community-based agricultural natural reserve management in the south of the

country has received IFAD support worth $50m however, the states are expected to pay up their own counterpart funding.

Similarly, the fund is working with seven states of the north in community-based agricultural and rural development programme, in which the financial support has been drawn fully, a 100 per cent window.

Nwanze said, IFAD, a development finance organization, is committed to making impact on smallholder farmers and moving 80million people out of poverty worldwide.

How Agriculture Can Unlock Africa’s Transformation

By Kamal Tayo Oropo SENIOR official of the United A Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has shed new light on the agriculture and climate change nexus, pointing to new avenues through, which the sector can become the driving force behind Africa’s transformation agenda.

According to a statement made available to The Guardian by the ECA against the backdrop of opening remarks at a panel discussion during the Africa Day event on the sidelines of the 19th session of the U.Nled international conference on climate change in Poland, Ms. Fatima Denton, said that even in a changing climate, the agricultural sector still retains its full potential to lift millions of Africans out of poverty, and to take the driver’s seat on the conti-

a highly successful programme of nent’s development train. the African Union Commission.

Ms. Fatima Denton, who is the Recognising the significant conCoordinator of the African Policy Centre and Officer in Charge of New tribution of the agricultural sector Initiatives Division at the ECA, facili- to African economies (it supports nearly 75 per cent of the populatated the panel discussion. tion), a number of African counShe said that agriculture and clitries have taken up proactive steps mate change are linked in important ways as climate change has sig- to increase investments in the sector, she added. nificant effects on agriculture.

She cited examples that include Ms. Denton added that the negative details of National Adaptation impacts of climate will further Programme of Actions (NAPA), erode the capacity of poor farmers and food producers to adapt to the National Agricultural Investment Plans (NAIP) as well as National changing climatic conditions, that Adaptation Plans (NAPs), calling for is, climate variability and climate an in-depth understanding of the change. adaptation programmes and Ms. Denton explained that mainstreaming adaptation into the agri- investment plans as well as an examination of the extent to which cultural transformation agenda of such inter-related activities have African countries should focus on recognized the case for mainintegrating adaptation into the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural streaming climate change adaptaDevelopment Programme (CAADP), tion into the African agricultural transformation agenda.

Adamawa Recruits, Trains Oil Palm Plantation Farmers that arrangement is in place with the support of the Federal Government to train the farmers in various palm plantation techniques.

He added that 10,500 sprouted nuts were received State’s Desk Officer for oil palm production, Malam Ilyasu Mu’azu, revealed in Yola, the State Government from Federal Government and over 90 per cent of the had registered about 300 oil palm plantation farmers nuts had been nurtured to post nursery level.

Hundred hectares of land according to Mu’azu had in three of its local government areas.

Mu’azu, who listed Toungo, Ganye and Jada as areas been cleared for plantation in the State. from where the farmers were selected also disclosed DAMAwA state is getting a boost in palm oil proA duction as palm plantation farmers has been recruited to exploit the value chain.

Cassava flour production for breadmaking is under preasure from domestic gari processing

Nwanze

Union Bank Fund Delay Hurts Kwara Commercial Farmers suppliers of required farm inputs were paid directly for efficiency.

However, the take off has been HE Kwara State Government has delayed due to Union Bank holding blamed the delayed commenceon to approved funds meant for the ment of its new commercial agriculture model on the non-release of farmers despite the fact that we have complied with all requireapproved funds by Union Bank of ments, said Governor Ahmed in a Nigeria to Out grower farmers in statement by his spokesperson, Dr. the state.

Making the clarification in Ilorin, Muideen Femi Akorede.

Ahmed regretted that the proGovernor Abdulfatah Ahmed, said longed delay in the release of the the state government had put all funds had not only hampered his structures in place for the comadministration’s plans to extend mencement of its 10 Out-growercommercial farming to all parts of farmers-per-local-government the state but had also disrupted the scheme but was hampered by farmers’ plans since it is more Union Bank’s refusal to release expensive to access credit directly approved funds under the from commercial banks.

Commercial Agriculture Credit Governor Ahmed restated his Scheme (CACS).

He stressed that based on its agree- administration’s strong determinament with the bank, the state gov- tion to make commercial agriculernment had assured the 173 farm- ture the pivot of economic growth and economic empowerment of ers of its preparedness to ensure farmers.

From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin.

T

Institute Decries Lack Of Policy On Agricultural Mechanisation From Ayoyinka Isaac Jegede, Uyo DEMAND driven, not supply A driven agriculture has been revealed as the way out of the food insecurity, unemployment and rural-urban drift in the country just as National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM) should be encouraged to perform its roles more effectively, through increased funding, to enable it to fulfill its mandates especially in the area of standardisation of agricultural machinery, equipment and tractor imported into Nigeria.

This was revealed in the communiqué of the 14th international conference and 34th annual general meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE ) theme” Agricultural Mechanisation: A veritable Component of Agricultural Transformation Agenda” held in Uyo. It said Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) requires a holistic and broad based approach to develop trajectories that will produce more with less through Zero Emission Research Initiative (ZERI).

It stressed that appropriate processing, preservation, and storage facilities should be developed at commercial level and adopted for value addition to reduce post harvest losses and achieve food and economic security entrenched in ATA just as definite and all encom-

passing policies on agricultural mechanisation should be passed into law and implemented.

National Chairman of the institute, Prof.

Babatunde Adewumi revealed that a paradigm shift through an integrated development system that organically creates dynamic linkages and synergy between agriculture, industries and services is needed to enhance the Agenda of President Jonathan.

He said agricultural waste management should advance to the next level of using waste and energy to create wealth to generate small and medium scale employment.

Adewumi said adoption and commercialisation of Research and Development outputs of agricultural engineering research technology should be encouraged by government and industries to drive the ATA. He added agricultural engineers should be innovative and build entrepreneurial skills to be able to create jobs and be employers of labour to scare off poverty in the land and make agriculture solve the problem of mass unemployment.

The conference observed that Agricultural mechanisation is an important key to unlocking the green economy for the wellbeing of Nigerians lamented that to date there is no policy of Agricultural mechanisation in Nigeria just as the country cannot boast of food security.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 43

HEALTH

Food, Your Defence Against Diseases

By Fabian Odum

SIDE the running battle against sub-standard and adulterated drugs by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), it cannot be said with all certainty that the curative and preventive attributes of these medicines in our drug stores would always be assured. Even the economic challenges facing people have led to poorer feeding and nutrition.

However, the food sources of nutrients that serve as medicine to the body can be largely relied on to help proper body metabolism.

Knowing the food to eat in place of drugs is as good as extending one’s life span, even if temporarily. Whether in normal course of ill health or in severe cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) virus infection, nutrients from fruits and vegetables have proved to be sources of reliable prophylactics.

Where there is an already weakened immune system by HIV or other diseases, nutritionists agree that a nutritious diet can help maintain a proper functioning of the body.

Find below a list of disease conditions that can be handled by food nutrients: Anaemia Eat more iron-rich foods such as animal products (eggs, fish, meat and liver), green leafy vegetables (collard green, spinach), legumes (beans, lentils, groundnuts) nuts, oil seeds and fortified cereals Take iron supplements Fever

A

Eat soups rich in foods that give energy and nutrients like maize, potato and carrot; drink plenty of liquid Drink teas from lemon, guava and gum tree Drink more than usual, beyond thirst Eat small, frequent meals as tolerated Nausea and Vomiting Eat small and frequent meals Eat food such as soup, unsweetened porridge, and fruit such as bananas Eat slightly salted and dry foods such as crackers to calm the stomach Drink herbal teas lemon juice in hot water Avoid spicy and fatty foods Avoid alcohol Drink plenty of liquids- cleaned boiled water Thrush (disease of the mouth) Eat soft, mashed foods such as carrots, scrambled eggs, mashed potato, banana, soups and porridge Eat cold or room-temperature foods Avoid spicy, salty or sticky foods; these may initiate mouth sores Avoid alcohol and drink plenty of liquids Anorexia (loss of appetite) Stimulate appetite by eating favourite foods Eat small amounts of food more often Select foods that are more energy dense Avoid strong-smelling foods Diarrhoea Drink a lot of fluids (soups, diluted fruit juices, boiled water and light herbal teas) to avoid dehydration Avoid strong citrus fruits (orange, lemon) be-

cause they may irritate the stomach Consume foods rich in soluble fibre (millet, banana, peas, lentils) to help retain fluids Consume fermented foods such as yoghurt and porridges Consume easily digestible foods such as rice, millet, maize, potato, sweet potato and crackers

Sports And Spirituality

By Moji Solanke

ANY patriotic citizens and friends of Nigeria certainly felt, not only a national, but also a personal sense of pride and joy when the Golden Eaglets won the 2013 FIFA under 17 soccer world championships on November 8. It is an indisputable fact that sport in general, and football in particular, is one of the most unifying and beloved activities of Nigeria.

But can spirituality have any part to play, in what seems to be such an unrelenting physical activity? Most sports men and women would be the first to insist that sport, whether it is a team or individual effort, is not merely physical. Qualities such as discipline, expressed in focus and concentration, as well as communication, resilience and dedication are arguably more important to success. Obviously, these are spiritual qualities.

Spirituality has been widely recognised as contributing significantly to the betterment of sport. It must be said however that this does not involve a religious zeal which prays with partial fervor only for a preferred team or athlete. Rather it is gaining an understanding of the universality and impartiality of the divine Being, God, who made man in His image and likeness.

And it involves accepting that man reflects

M

God, Spirit, even while engaged in physi- part on the field of play, the trainers, cal activity. This understanding gained, managers, officials and sports policy can be of benefit on the field of play and makers the world over. In realising that spirituality confers certain Godduring the long training hours.

Understanding who man is spiritually given rights upon man, and exempts enables the sportsman or woman to re- him from the need for wrong doing, it is not naive to then expect fair play in alise and demonstrate their freedom from injury, as a divine right. Expressing every game, injury free tournaments stamina and skill can become less of a and seasons, and an eradication of corburdensome effort, when the realisation ruption, exploitation, violence and dawns that these are spiritual qualities racism.

Hearty congratulations are due the belonging to God, which man Golden Eaglets, and the Super Eagles expresses. It makes competition who won AFCON 2013, and have qualihealthy, communication on the team more seamless, and brings an expecta- fied for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil; as well as their management tion of joy in participating and doing one’s best. Mary Baker Eddy, the author teams. They have done Nigeria proud.

Everyone else who participated in the of Science and Health with key to the Scriptures, who contributed immensely tournaments, even though they did to proving the practicality of spirituality not lift the prestigious trophy in 2013 has also done themselves and their in all spheres of human experience writes that many are finding spirituality various countries proud. When the ‘enhances their endurance and mental dust on the field of play has settled, the applause died down and the awards powers, enlarges their perception of become nostalgic relics, the sports incharacter, gives them acuteness and comprehensiveness and an ability to ex- dividual can rest assured that the spiritual qualities they brought to the sport ceed their ordinary capacity.’ of their choosing is their most lasting Every sports lover, and all who are learning about the benefit of spiritual- trophy. ity, can support sports, by sparing a m_asolanke@hotmail.com prayerful thought for those who take

Practical Psychology

The Tripod Of Intrapersonal Conflicts

By Passy Amaraegbu

T is about 1.00am and six months Tonye is wailing at the height Idaily of his voice. Tonia, his career working mother exhausted by the demands of her work, had managed to sleep a few hours be-

fore Tonye began to upset the household with his cries. Normally, Tonye is insensitive and insistent with his cry. Until, he is breast-fed to his satisfaction, nobody would rest.

Then, there is celebral Clem who understands nothing excepting rational arguments. Any matter that is illogical will never appeal to him. For instance, on two occasions Clem refused to add a half mark to his wife’s score on a course he teaches against the advice and appeal of his head of department. His reason is that it is illogical to do so.

The third and last member of the group is moralistic Maureen.

Once threatened by armed rapists, she chose to die than lose her virginity. According to her, losing her virginity was worth more than losing her life. Somehow, she had her way and lives to share her story. This is our simple way of introducing Freud’s three-fold members, the id, Ego and Superego who are at the centre of intrapersonal conflicts.

The internal, intra or within the individual’s type of conflict is majorly, a psychological event. It is a form of psychic distress resulting from the struggle of opposing impulses or desires. Normally, this struggle within each of us arises from the arousal of the strong motives of the Id, Ego and Superego. According to Sigmund Freud, the Id is the infantile, instinctual and the undeveloped part of our personality. It is a basic unconscious psychic energy which is selfish. The id operates based on pleasure principle and therefore demands immediate gratification. On the other hand, the superego

is the opposite of the id. It is the conscience, the product or component of the personality which shows our internalized ideals of the family and society. The Ego is the middleman between the pleasure-seeking id and the moralistic superego. It operates on reality principle.

The voice of id is emotion. The vice of Ego is reason and that of the superego is conscience. As we can see, children operate from the level of id which manifests in immediate and not delayed gratification of needs. Most adults are supposed to operate from the rational and moral level. However, many adults are id-driven, controlled and conditioned. The id component aspect of their personality always wins in the conflict or struggle with the superego.

This has serious negative consequences for us in the family, organization and nation.

Imagine a middle-aged parent or husband/wife governed by hedonism (pleasure principle)! Imagine a legislator, member of the judiciary or executive arm of government being controlled by id? Think of an employee whose fulcrum of decision making is situated on the selfish stratum of the id? Or the religious leader who is a slave of the selfish pleasure principle of the id?

One can easily appreciate the forest we have found ourselves.

This is a major reason why evil is reef in our society today. From this aspect of Freudian psychoanalytical theory, we learnt that operating from the id (hedoustic) point of view is catastrophic.

Mortals who don’t allow the development of their Ego and Superego but support the development of their id are a major cause of sorrows and shame, troubles and trials in the human society.

Dr. Passy Amaraegbu, A clinical psychologist lives in Lagos. drpassy@yahoo.com

Eat small amounts of food frequently and continue to eat after illness to recover weight and nutrient loss Eat soft fruits and vegetables such as banana, squash, cooked and mashed unripe plantain, mashed sweet potato and mashed carrots Eat eggs, chicken and fish for protein Boil or steam foods. Avoid or reduce : some dairy products like milk, fatty foods or fried foods, gas-forming foods like cabbage, onions, carbonated soft drinks, alcohol Constipation Eat more foods that are rich in fibre such as maize, whole wheat bread, green vegetable, and washed fruits with the peel Drink plenty of liquids Avoid processed or refined foods Bloating and Heart burn Eat small frequent meals Avoid gas-forming foods and drink plenty of fluid Muscle Wasting Increase food intake and frequency of consumption Improve quality and quantity of foods by providing a variety of foods Increase protein in diet Increase intake of starchy foods in cereals and other staples Loss of Taste or Abnormal Taste Use flavour enhancers such as salt, spices, herbs, and lemon Chew food well and move it around the mouth to stimulate receptors.

Health And Your Mind

Mind, Jesus And Heaven (1)

By Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan

HAD just concluded a series Idomtitled: Mind And The KingOf Heaven. In that discus-

sion, I believe I did try to make a case for the concrete reality of the notion of heaven. Today, the topic is Mind, Jesus And Heaven. It is not much of deviation from the last series. But as I had mentioned it before and as we all know Heaven in the minds of so many people connotes a celestial abode, a place outside the material or terrestrial life.

Unfortunately too, and in the same vein, the name of Jesus connotes so much celestiality and the strong attachment to His name of the issue of the kingdom of heaven has made both His name and the concept of Heaven so much of celestial and abstract affair; such that the relevance of the two of them — Jesus and Heaven at the terrestrial or earthly level have become something of difficulty for so many to comprehend.

Religion has badly affected the psyche of so many people to the point where if you have to tell such people that Jesus and the concept of Heaven are expected to be much more relevant here on earth for all of us than anywhere else, they might be offended. Christians in particular might be ready to quote Jesus Himself for you to let you know why this material world is a place of sin and that Jesus Himself had told everybody that He is going somewhere to prepare a better place for the faithful.

As a result of this, they are ready to remain fixated on the idea that Jesus and Heaven are inter-twined in mystical and celestial connotations that must usually demand from the ‘Faithful’ such habits as fasting, night vigils, holy communion and such rituals that may have no room for what is considered, the worldly and the rational.

The rational is about the log-

ical application of the mind to comprehend anything and everything, which many of the religionists might not want to know must also include what they regard as mystical or spiritual matters.

What I am trying to say is that the fanatical way in which some people have shut out the rational understanding of the concept of Heaven and using the name of Jesus to sustain such an attitude, have never made it possible for them to appreciate the fact that the concept of Heaven is flexible in its meaning. It has a meaning that is expansive and may be all inclusive of everything that is meaningful, honourable, practical and purposeful both above and below in creation.

To prove this is the reason for this latest series of articles — Mind, Jesus And Heaven. In general conversation, what is called ‘above’ in creation is what religion usually refers to as Heaven, and what is called ‘below’ is what is called the earth or world in creation.

That is why it should make sense to anyone when he/she hears such statement like ‘as above, so below’. The meaning of this statement is that the same energy that goes into the making of the ‘above’ also flows into the making of the ‘below’. This should make very clear to us the meaning of that statement of Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer, which says ‘thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.’ It is a statement suggesting that the same energy of God that is needed to sustain Heaven is the very energy that is needed to sustain the earth. The essence of that will of God that can be common to both Heaven and earth can be referred to as the mechanism of operation of the mind of God. Mind is about the functions of intelligence. It ought to be about the successful link between man and God.

Ayo-Vaughan, a psychologist, lives in Lagos babatund_2@yahoo.com

44

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

ENTERPRISE

OGUNDE:

A Message Of Hope To Young Nigerians

By Bisi Alabi Williams

INKA Ogunde is the current Chairman, Women in Advertising and ex-officio member, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria. She is also the Managing Director, Goals and Ideas and Principal Consultant, Edumark, an outfit committed to the development of Education in Nigeria.

Ogunde is a woman of class, beauty and poise.

Her ferminity is not in doubt as she exudes great grace and carries herself well. With a sweet smile, she stated that must always respect themselves and maintain their dignity at all cost. “As women, we must always seek to achieve and do something meaningful. In all labour there is profit. Women should think, be creative and trust the Lord to support. They should be very focused and not give up despite challenges. Make room for seeking ways of empowering themselves for service and learn new skills. One is never too old to learn.”

Ogunde lives in the world of possibilities rather than impossibilities. This philosophy has carefully guided her life and career. She has a positive attitude to life it and loves organizing things around her. Her one dream is to touch as many lives as possible and she takes a lot of pleasure in making things happen. She also wants to infect as many people as possible with a ‘Can Do’ spirit.

She said it is okay to review your goals and ambitions regularly. Because you might be in a very different place now than you were six months ago, and that is okay, she says. But there’s no point in working towards something you aren’t passionate about. She noted advised that it is okay to take some time to really find clarity on what you want. “One of the first things I do with new clients is help them to discover what it is they really want to achieve because with clarity, comes direction and focus. Remember, setting goals is the start of achieving them” Yinka loves education and is very passionate about the youths, which developed in her a keen interest in the education sector when she discovered that educational institutions have peculiar challenges. She subsequently discovered the need to support institutions in several areas of operations and decided to fill the gap. This desire gave birth to Edumark, one of the leading education-marketing firms in Nigeria. “I wanted to do something I enjoy; something I am passionate about. When you do something you enjoy, the passion to do it will surely come and this what makes creative ideas flow. I believe I am in business to provide solutions to issues that my client may be facing. That is how the business of marketing communications comes in,” she says.

With education, she believes that generations yet unborn can be affected positively and even transformed. “With education people can contribute and touch lives. This is what Edumark continues to drive. It’s about adding value to life.

Behind all our projects and programmes, the key thing is that we must be offering value to various stakeholders, be they parents, school-owners, students, teachers or education resources developers.”

The business of Marketing Communications, which has become her turf, is a very intriguing one. “This industry is dynamic, exciting and diverse. You have to be very creative to be able to add value to people’s lives. If successfully used, this area of communication can change the Nigerian society, mobilise the people and inspire them for meaningful personal and collective development,” she says.

Yinka read English and graduated from the University of Lagos in 1984. She also has an MSc in Mass Communication and worked briefly with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State before venturing into the marketing communications field.

She began her career in this field at Promoserve,

Y

where she worked on several multinational accounts. She later worked with M-Gold Communications before setting up Goals and Ideas.

Today, Goals and Ideas gravitating towards developing a subsidiary, Edumark that focuses exclusively on the education sector.

Anywhere she goes today, its Edumark, Edumark, and Edumark. As tough her name is Edumark. Lucky, you may call her but Ogunde says its much more than a brand because this name came out of careful planning, strategy and persistence. So it’s no wonder that today; many today identify her more with Edumark, than with the mother company. But which ever platform one is dealing with, what really matters is that this success story would have been almost impossible without her marketing communications background, which has enabled her leverage on the platform that the mother company had created for over a decade now.

Goals and ideas started 12 years ago with a focus in the areas of creative advertising, effective marketing strategy development, media management and allied services. Their clientele covers various sectors of the Nigerian economy. The fact that a lot of their customers are satisfied doing business with them, she explains, has been the sole reason for her enthusiasm and perseverance in the business.

But what is the secret of its operations?

“Over the years built a business that is value driven. Whether at Goals and Ideas or Edumark or any of our other subsidiaries, our first concern is always to ask ourselves: “why does the client need us and how can we satisfy that need? And I strongly believe that any business that is so driven will do well because they place a lot of premium on meeting the customers’ need and adding value to the customers’ life,” she says.

Beyond customer satisfaction, however, one thing that always comes to her mind perpetuating the parameters she has put in place and those to adopt, as her own modest contribution to national development. “As business people, it is important for us to grow our businesses while contributing to our nation’s development and this comes in various ways.

We employ, train, advise and in every way we can, try to impact upon the development of Nigeria.”

Ogunde is very optimistic that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) would benefit greatly from the deep insight that the creative professionals in the communication sector always bring into issues. “Most of them are thoroughbred professionals, skilled enough to analyse and predict societal trends and also seek ways to manage it. That is why I feel that this age of technology and information explosion is an era that smart governments all over the world cannot afford to ignore the skills of communication professionals.

For the youths to become responsible leaders, she says mentoring is key. “It is guiding, directing, advising and trying to impact upon lives, which must be topmost in our hearts. It is even more critical in our society, especially for the girl child. In every way, the society is telling the girl child, “You are second best”. The film industry has also not helped in any way. “Most of the movies portray a very negative image of the woman. But all this should spur older women to mentor younger ones and reassure them, “you can be the best you want to be.”

In order to build a new generation of Nigerians who will rule the world and lead the dignified life, Ogunde says, it is important to send a message of hope to the Nigerian youth. “I run a project tagged “We are the fu-

ture of our Nation” and it was borne out of a deep desire to send a message of hope to young Nigerians. I also believe we must show them good example, let us be leaders they can emulate.”

Her project: “We are the Future of our Nation” holds a special place in her scheme of things.

So, rather than feel a sense of accomplishment, she feels she has not done much. This is probably because she believes that there is so much to do in a great country like Nigeria. “This is the 8th edition of the project and almost 20 states across Nigeria have at one time or the other been part of it. The core objectives of the programme are to inspire patriotism, celebrate role models as well as promoting unity in Nigeria.

Every year, the programme brings together about 3,000 students. Role models and mentors are usually organised to visit schools, where they share with the children life experiences, while guiding them on the path of honour and such things. The company publishes an education-focused magazine called: SCHOOLTIPS, which provides parenting tips and information about schools. Also, they carry out exhibitions tagged ‘Total School Support Seminar/Exhibition’ and International Schools Exhibition.

As a career woman, Ogunde is an advocate of women balancing the act. She says women must never sacrifice good child training on the altar of career achievements, because children are the future and parents must instill the best training in them at every stage of life. “At a point in my career at Promoserve, I had to resign from work because my four-year old daughter pulled a heavy room divider on herself and was seriously wounded. She was on admission for long and I had to be with her. I

returned to my field later. I must however sound a note of caution to women here. They mustn’t stay stay out of a profession for more than two years, because by the time they return, a lot would have changed, especially in a field like the one I belong to.

“When women are at home taking care of children, they can attend seminars and conferences that will last for few hours to enable them stay abreast of trends in the industry. Handling off totally makes them idle or go to sleep. It is easier today because all you need to know is in your palm. ICT devices afford one that opportunity.

There is no excuse. The truth is that there are times women find it really difficult to combine work with raising kids. At that point, a couple should agree on whether their financial capacity can afford the woman stay off work for a period, or if all she needs is a kind of support system, which our African setting encourages.”

Yinka hails from Oyo State and is the first in a family of four children. She grew up in a family with strong Christian principles. The adage, “Remember the child of whom you are” has always been the reference point and has served as a guide throughout her life.

Her growing up, she recalled, was very interesting, as her family has always lived in the Southwestern part of Nigeria all through. School was also fun, as her teachers were great. She is particularly glad that they made tremendous impact upon her life.

Everyday this dreamer, dreams and hopes for a New Nigeria, where human lives are greatly valued and parotic feelings run high; a Nigeria that would care for the welfare of its citizens with a clear vision and whose leaders are prepared to achieve this.

Sunday, December 1, 2013 45

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI

Around and about Nollywood...

shaibu70@yahoo.com

MOVIEDOM

ANCOP Holds Film Forum In Lagos off the daylong event. This is ANCOP’s way of recognising some persons who have contributed immensely to the Nigerian motion picture industry popularly called Nollywood”, Enyegho stated.

With The Psychologist, Tricia Steps Up Effort To Prevent Child Abuse AVING made name as an actress and show host of the popular television magazine programme BoldFaces, popular Nollywood actress Tricia Esiegbe Kerry has stepped out and this time her interest is in preventing child sexual abuse. Tricia called from London to say that her foundation Boldfaces International is set to enlighten the public about pedophiles. To achieve this, Tricia disclosed that the Boldfaces Foundation has introduced a public awareness programme on child abuse called The Psychologist.

According to her, the programme aims at preventing the sexual abuse of children and to encourage victims to come out and tell their stories via our television talk shows.

She said: “We intend to use the platform of The Psychologist to address child sexual molestation in our society, to expose sexual predators and create a support platform for victims, as well as to get the authorities concern to do more to support the children.’’ Scheduled to go on air soon the programme is designed as a 30minute television talk show and will feature a special segment called Brave Seat of Change, which will feature real life stories of people that

H

Tricia Esiegbe LL is set for the second ediA tion of the Association of Nollywood Core Producers (ANCOP) and the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) yearly forum. This is part of the capacity building and advocacy functions of ANCOP and FIAPF. The event holds on Tuesday, December 3 at Protea Hotel on Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to the President of ANCOP and Vice President of FIAPF, Alex Enyegho, this year’s forum would focus on topics such as Contents for Distribution, The Imperatives of a Collective Management Organization for Nollywood, Between Censorship and Classification for Nollywood Contents, Towards a Standard

Calendar for Theatrical Release of Nollywood Contents, The Implication of the Proposed Copyright Law Reform to Nollywood, Pathway to Nigeria’s Transition from Analogue to Digital Transmission, and The Pros and Cons of Co-production Treaties among others. According to Enyegho “FIAPF delegation from France are upbeat about their participation.

Our experts and guest speakers have all confirmed their interest to participate. Just like last year’s, this one will also wow all participants and stakeholders in terms of value.

“Let me disclose that the maiden edition of ‘ANCOP Recognition Awards’ will also take place same day to round

have experienced child molestation while growing up. Tricia further explained that the programme would help to mobilise adults, families and communities to take actions towards protecting children before they are harmed. Our stories are real life heart breaking stories of people that have experienced child sexual molestation while growing up. However, Tricia disclosed that her foundation is partnering with several institutions including the Nigerian Police. Presently managed by Tricia & Kingsley Kerry and Specialist consultants drawn from various fields of expertise Boldfaces International Foundation was established a few years back to advocate for the sexually abused children and provide evidence-based information to policymakers, media and advocacy groups.

Emelonye’s New Movie Onye Ozi In Cinemas FTER the success recorded with Mirror Boy and Last Flight To Abuja, producer and director, Obi Emelonye is back with Onye Ozi (The Messenger), a subtitled Igbo language movie featuring the comedian, Okey Bakassi. Onye Ozi tells the story of Metumaribe (Okey Bakassi) who arrived in London with high expectations and a twoyear plan to return to Nigeria a rich man. However, life in London, with his new wife, Mkpurunma (Ngozi Igwebike) didn’t go according to plan. On a fateful night, TJ an old English man (Stephen Moriaty) is chased, by some masked men, into a party organised to welcome

A

Film Adaptation Seminar Holds On December 6 seminar aimed at sensitising filmmakers on the immense gains of film adaptation will hold at the Rutanda Hall, National Library complex, 227 Herbert Macaulay Street, Casino, Yaba, Lagos.

Organised by Augusta Okon’s, Wise Insight and scheduled to begin at 11a.m,

A

under the theme Film Adaptation: A goldmine and reading drive in Nigeria? the Film Adaptation Seminar (FAS) according to the convener Augusta Okon will bring together professionals drawn from the literary and movie spheres as well as film scholars, representatives of relevant government parastatals, publishers and enthusiasts, under one roof. These professionals will brainstorm about the concept with the guest speakers, exchange ideas through a discussion forum and networking. “FAS seeks to encourage filmmakers to tell African stories from the pages of books, articles, news features and much more, not just to the African audience, but also to the international main stream,’’ the lawyer, author, blogger and film critic said. Expected as keynote speaker is the Managing Director of the Abuja Film Village, Mr. Segun Oyekunle. According to Okon, “film adaptation has proved to be a credible and reliable platform which has recorded outstanding commercial success and sustained the reading drive in the USA and the UK. Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, Scar face, The Godfather and Dracula, have one thing in common. They are film adaptations. Film adaptation has been a very resourceful platform used by the trailblazer in Moviedom, (Hollywood) as far back as 1928/29. We are collaborating with the Association of Nigerian Authors (Lagos Chapter) as well as relevant film bodies on this.

By Benson Idonije

ALL THAT JAZZ

Courtney Pine ... Still Rocking The British Isle CLECTICISM appears to be the rare qualification for the speE cial feature of guitarist Pat Metheny and saxophonist Branford Marsalis as headliners of the Lagos Jazz Series, which rounds off today, having been on since November 27. But how I wish Courtney Pine, the British saxophonist and outspoken proponent of jazz as musical and cultural identity was added to the list to boost the trans – cultural significance of the Festival: Courtney Pine has consistently fascinated and frustrated critics with a restless and adventurous vision that has brought world music, pop, reggae, electronica, funk and soul to sit in with the jazz tradition.

Keeping his finger on the pulse of the progressive, emerging British jazz scene, Courtney Pine can be dubbed the Wynton Marsalis of British jazz. But while Pine aggressively takes the music across countries, enjoying admiration from all over the world, America’s Marsalis is confined to New York, engrossed in the business of directing the famous Lincoln Jazz Orchestra. The London jazz scene used to be more vibrant and busier than it is today — with so much activity happening at Ronnie Scott’s club.

Not that this activity was created essentially by British jazz musicians, but the bulk of it came from America. The same way that American pop musicians considered their visits to London as a completely necessary ritual for making it on both sides of the Atlantic, American jazz musicians saw their appearances at London’s Ronnie Scott as the pre-requisite for showcasing their talents to the rest of the world. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Oscar Peterson, Wayne Shorter, Roland Kirk, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Lee Morgan and all the great names made frequent tours to Europe with London’s Ronnie Scott as regular base.

The British jazz musicians that we knew in those days included Johnny Dankworth and his wife, Cleo Laine, who promoted British jazz aggressively on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) with transcription programmes sent to various countries of the world, including Nigeria. The Johnny Dankworth Orchestra was a 21-piece band that featured Cleo Laine as singer with, of course, tenor saxophone player, Danny Moss as major soloist. Others were Acker Bilk, Humphrey Lyttelton and Tubby Hayes. There were also trumpeter Shake Keane and alto saxophonist Joe Harriot, who like Courtney Pine, was of West Indian extraction. But none of them, including Joe Harriot, who was a Charlie Parker disciple, made the kind of prolific impact Pine is demonstrating today: giving his standing as spokesman and abettor of his home country’s music, Queen Elizabeth, no less, acknowledged the saxophonist with an Order

Metu to London and shot in Metu’s front. As partygoers run away, Metu attempts to help the man. The dying man squeezes an envelope and a bunch of keys into Metu’s hand and whispers a message as he takes his last breath.

From that point on, Metu becomes involved. And no matter how much he runs from it or how long it takes; he knows he must deliver the message as he promised. Now his two-year plan has become a psychological adventure that will change his life and the lives of those around him forever.

Produced and directed by Obi Emelonye, the movie was premiered at Silverbird Galleria Ikeja, Lagos on Friday, November 22 and it opened same day in cinemas nationwide. “After the many successes of Last Flight to Abuja and The Mirror Boy, I feel that the time was right for me to do what I have been holding back for many years – to make a personal, but important film that makes my mother tongue, Igbo, the star attraction.

Onye Ozi (The Messenger) is my humble attempt to contribute my little quota to the preservation of Igbo language,” he said.

epochal Jazz Warriors Big Band. He later revitalised this group — with new members — with the release of Afropeans. Pine’s 1986 debut, CD Journey To The Urge Within, sold large quantities for a new artiste.

One of the few jazz musicians with any appreciable collateral in the US, Pine’s sophomore album, The Vision’s Tale was recorded in the company of Ellis Marsalis and Jeff Watts. He toured the states a half-dozen times earlier in his career, frequently employing top US musicians. Despite appeals and overtures from numerous American jazz musicians to team up with them, Pine chose to remain in London — close to his Caribbean ancestry.

Pine’s music, influenced at root by his formative tenure in reggae and funk band, has maintained an eclectic beat and a highenergy presentation, keeping abreast of popular styles and technological advances.

INE has performed in Lagos on two different visits and his P intense approach to saxophone playing has not diminished.

Listening to him is a wonderful experience as he plays the saxo-

Courtney Pine of the British Empire medal in 2000.

When he presented A Night Of British Jazz in Toronto in January 2009, the concert featured Empirical, Martin Taylor’s Fraternity, Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra and Dennis Rollins’ Bad Bone. Pine offered the audience a progressive and world-class sampling of British music. At his hotel the day after the show and during an afternoon showcase of British jazz at Toronto’s Rex Hotel Jazz and Blues bar, Pine eagerly bragged about his protege on the bill, the young quintet, Empirical, which he signed to his own Destin-E Records for their 2007 debut.

Pine has an authoritative ear about the talent level of European jazz. He shot to fame as an instigator of the London scene back in the 80s. Before he was 20, he had played with the Abibi Jazz Arts (to further the cause of musicians), which ultimately became the

phone with the technical skill of a virtuoso. Exhibiting the influences of Coltrane and Rollins, Pine is a master of the instrument; and he demonstrates his authoritative control not only with a round tonal conception, but also with a speed propelled as if with machine-gun accuracy. Pine’s tall frame is imposing; and his long, thick mane of dreads makes him an attractive figure.

He is jovial and mixes North West London vernacular with hints of his second-generation Jamaican background, most evident, as he appears disarmingly un-snobbish.

Pine’s ethos and background differ from his friend and collaborator, Branford Marsalis, whom he admires quite a lot. Brought up in the Ladbroke Grove vicinity of London, the site of the spectacular Nothing Hill Carnival, which celebrates locals of Caribbean ancestry, Pine always felt camaraderie with the Island residents and had the desire to connect. He also collaborated with vocalists, including lyrical cuts with some of the most soulful singers around, including ex-Supreme Susaye Greene, with whom he made the hit Children Of The Ghetto.

Belying the more tender melodic structures of these duets, Pine would often follow them with blistering textural attack on tenor, soprano or bass clarinet, though always anchored by a new groove.

The cosmopolitan nature of his roots, as well as the happening jazz DJ scene in the 80s with its dance-oriented elements of hip hop, trip hop, funk and acid jazz — all came together to influence and nurture his career — in the beginning. But he is one of the most solid musicians on the jazz scene today.

In assessing his trajectory, Pine has been playing modern day jazz for over 15 years now in venues, with no chairs or pianos and filling these venues with new jazz fans.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com ,

46 Sunday, December 1, 2013

DESTINATION

Ain’t No Stopping Cross River, As 2013 Calabar Festival Begins

By Gregory Austin Nwakunor HE crisp November air whipped through the open plains of Calabar when the chartered Arik Air flight touched down at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport this Sunday evening.

The air hugged tight to everybody’s skin, as the revving engine of the aircraft wound to a stop. The vehicle carrying the host of motion picture practitioners and media men from Nigeria and beyond, who had come for the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), drove through the six-kilometre, dual carrage, bypass for visitors to have a feel of Calabar.

The city was already winding down for the day when the vehicle got to Destination Cross River roundabout on the way to Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort. In fact, a sprinkle of lovers could be seen cuddling to stay warm, as the cool evening breeze blew across.

Though the sun rises early in Calabar, and often, the weather is unpredictable, don’t expect to see grey skies or thin smogs hang in the air, as industrial pollution has not become a common staple here: the land is still green, and the sky, crystal clear.

Calabar is plain, clean and devoid of the hustle and bustle of commercial Lagos, Port Harcourt or Abuja. Though not austere, there are lots of economic activities going on in the state with the recent private sector involvement.

The history of the country began in Calabar. It was the first capital of Nigeria. And it is very significant in the shaping of a new nation.

Calabar is different and unfortunately, the people do not even know what a beautiful city they have: exciting river, dream fields, lawn and what have you?

T

ROSS River State has grown ceaselessly on the back of a ‘revolution’ to C make it close to the heart of Nigeria’s tourism. This sector, in fact, has received a huge boon. And the state continues to suck in information and content, whether historical or monumental.

In the last decade and a half, it has moved from being a laid back state to something between a global player in tourism and national entrepot.

Under Donald Duke and Senator Liyel Imoke, the state has become a magnet for tourists. These architects of Destination Cross River, through their profound sense of mission, have created a wonderful state with its own magic.

Imoke, however, is credited with improving basic services, tourism, information technology and the agricultural sector. All ancillary to good tourism development.

His tourism initiative has resulted in the state being the number one holiday destination in Nigeria. It is, thus, interesting to note that Destination Cross River is not a metaphor or rhetoric, but a confirmation of the tourism potential of the state.

In the words of Patrick Ugbe, commissioner for sports in Cross River State, “for business or leisure, Destination Cross River is one place that provides you with that conducive environment to do whatever you want to do. Whether it is business, rest or leisure.”

According to Solange Yijika, a Camerounian actress, “the profile of Calabar as a clean city makes it attractive for tourists.”

UT rain or shine, December, in Calabar, is festival month. Not only B is government activities suspended or

Hmmh! Women, no bevies of Calabar in oment of revelry during a previous carnival vides opportunity to encounter a true came to the fore yesterday when the 32-day Calabar festival began with a tree lighting cer- Nigerian brand.

He continued, “it is a brand that we must emony at the Millennium Park.

The tree is set to break record as the biggest protect, grow, and celebrate.”

According to him, “the true beauty of in Africa.

Nigeria is represented in the festival. It has Popular comedian, Akpororo was on hand openings for everyone in the society. It to thrill the revelers at the Millennium Park allows everyone to participate. It does not venue of the ceremony.

The Paradise City Walk against HIV/AIDS will discriminate, neither does it have a class barrier.” follow the tree lighting ceremony today.

He said,”the festival is a true reflection of Same day, Samsong, Obiwon, Segun Obe, Kage, Nnanke and Darlene will perform at the our creativity and ingenuity. It is a carnival that is so unique in its presentation that you World Aids Day Charity Concert billed for the can’t say it is like that of Rio or Notting Hill Millennium Park by 7pm. or Trinidad and Tobago. It is so unique that Before the concert, the state Governor, others want to copy, but they can’t because Senator Liyel Imoke is expected to declare of its uniqueness.” open the Festival Village at the Calabar What makes the festival thick is not just the Municipality Council grounds. dance, colours, costumes, but the total packThe Festival Village is being moved from its age, whic reaches to the essence of humanity. traditional ground at the Cultural Centre, The wife of the state governor, Mrs. Obioma owing to the on-going construction work on Liyel Imoke, has this to say: “The festival is new shopping complex there.

The event attracted a host of high net worth not just about events, but creating awareness for societal ills that we believe we can guests and Nollywood practitioners. During make a difference by letting people know the just held AFRIFF, players of the movie that these things are there; and we cannot industry had indicated interest to be part of the festival. A Nollywood band is also expected continue to keep a blind eye on them.”

On December 11, the grand finale of ASFAC at the street parade.

(A Society Fit For A Child) Calabar Carnival With Ain’t No Stopping Us as theme, the state Essay competition will hold. It’s an opportuhas erected a platform or scaffold for the nity given to children in the state to particiinflux of people. pate in the festival by writing essays on the While unveiling the festival to media men carnival’s theme for the year. recently, Governor Imoke said the event pro-

reduced to the barest minimum, the air is full of excitement: Songs, music, colour and panache blare forth up and down, as everybody comes home to roost.

The acronym CALABAR —- Come And Live And Be At Rest — best capture Decemberfor anybody who has not had a foretaste of the state’s tourism potential. It is the month to be at rest here.

Governor Imoke (third left) and wife, Obioma (third right) flanked by festival committee members at the media unveilThis illuminated profile of the city ing of the 2013 Calabar Festival held at Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort... recently

There’s also ASFAC Camp Walk holding at Surefoot American International School, which is aimed at helping to mobilise under privileged children in the rural areas to be part of the carnival.

Also planned for the festival is the Mary Slessor Charity Golf tourney, which is to create awareness for child abandonment in the state. Through this programme, Cross River has been able to save the lives of over 160 abandoned children and also pregnant teenage girls. They are housed in Destiny’s Child Centre, where they are given as much attention and care as could be found anywhere.

The icing on the cake is the Carnival proper, which begins on December 25. The first of such will hold at the UJ Esuene Stadium.

Tagged Night of Kings and Queens, it is a competitive event for all the bands. The same night, there will be command performance by a steel band from Trinidad and Tobago.

The bill also features another band from Brazil, Beija-Flor. The band is Brazil’s most successful band at the Rio Carnival. Cultural parade by all 36 states and Abuja and the 18 local councils of the state holds from 8am on December 26, while children’s parade is scheduled for 2pm of same day. The mother of all parades, also tagged grandest and biggest street party on the continent, the carnival parade is scheduled for December 27.

The five carnival bands —Masta Blasta (Gold), Seagull (Red), Freedom (Yellow), Bay Side (Blue) and Passion 4 (Green) — will vie for the prizes at stake.

EYOND the festival, a visitor to Cross River B is sure to be sedated with the best of destination experience.

From the colonial architecture around Henshaw and Duke Town, including the governor’s residence, Mary Slessor’s residence to the Calabar Museum, there are so much to explore.

Nature enthusiasts could spare a moment before leaving the city for a travel experience in Agbokim Waterfalls, which is surrounded by lush green valleys. Afi Wildlife Sanctuary, Afi Mountain Drill Range, Refome Lake and Kwa Rapids, and not forgetting the

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

47

48 Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

PHC, 2010 till date. He is also a Member, Maritime Arbitration Association of Nigeria (MAAN) Nigeria; Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM); Institute of Directors (IOD) Nigeria; Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (PHCIMMA); and Nigeria-Turkiye Business Association, among others.

Birthdays DANJUMA, Lieutenant-General Theophilus Yakubu (rtd), businessman, administrator will be 74 on Friday, December 6, 2012. Born on December 6, 1939 in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State, he was educated at Takum Elementary School, 1944-50; St. Bathlomew’s Primary School (now Government College), Katsina-Ala, 1953-58; Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, 1959-60; Nigerian Military Training Centre, Kaduna, 1960. He then proceeded to the United Kingdom to complete his Cadetship Training at Mons Officers Cadet School, Aldershot. He was of the Infantry Corps and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General before he voluntarily retired from service on October 2, 1979. He was a Director of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, 1978-82; Minister of Defence, 1999-03; Chairman, Comet Shipping Agencies. He holds traditional titles of Abonta of Wukari, Ochiaga of

Compiled by Gbenga Akinfenwa Danjuma

Okoroh

Obowu, Etiti, Imo State.

Ltd. PHC; General Manager, Tarina Products Ltd., PHC; Executive Director, Cokserve Nig. Ltd.; Executive Director/CEO Cokserve Nigeria Limited and GMD/CEO Cokserve International and Logistics Limited. Member, Ngwa Welfare Club, 2004 till date; Rotary Club of Port Harcourt Central; Honorary member, Nigerian Airforce Officers Mess, PHC, 2006 till date; Abia State University Alumni Association, 1995 till date; President Abia State University Alumni Association, 1991-01; 2003-05; President, Ngwa Welfare Club,

OKOROH, Chidi clocks 48 today. He was born on December 1, 1965, and attended Grammar School, Nbawsi, 1977-82; School of Accountancy and Management Studies, Aba, 1982-84; Abia State University, Uturu, 1984-88; Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, 1995-02. He had worked as Audit SupervisorHarold Dan Jumbo & Co (Chartered Accountant), Port Harcourt; Accountant-SOS Oil Serve Nigeria Ltd., PHC; Accountant Tarina Products

Event • The 2013 Annual Convention of Mysteries of Faith Ministries starts today, till Sunday December 8, 2013 at Testimony Sanctuary, 21 Faith Close, Irintose, off Sitaga Bus Stop, Arometa, Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo State. Themed: The Dominion Mandate, will feature New Dawn, Breakthrough Hour and Miracle Rally that would hold throughout the week. Thanksgiving and grand finale on Sunday, December 8. Ministering are Pastor Jacob & Toyin Oli (Hosts), Rev. Sunday Awe, Rev. Albert Oduwole, Prophet Timothy Oyekunle and Bishop Sunday Ikiedemhe, among others. The event would also feature guest artistes like Evang. Sola Oladoyinbo and Evang Owoseni.

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN)(left), treasurer, Igbimo Ure Ekiti, Chief Esan Ogunleye and retired CEO, UAC Nig. Plc, Mr. Ayo Ajayi at the group’s reception for the secretary and newly appointed Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank Ltd, Lagos, Sir Remi Omotoso held at the Federal Palace Hotels Ltd, Lagos.

Oladoyin Moses(left), Olanrewaju Durojaiye, Adebola Durojaiye, Oladamola Osundele with Oluwanifemi Osundele(grandson) during the burial of their late mother, Mrs Tejumade Doherty Abiodun (nee Alakija) in Lagos

Newly wedded couple, Mr. Francis Emeka Oseghare and his wife, former Miss Oluwabukonla Adesida (middle), flanked by the bride’s parents, Mr Babatunde Adesida, his wife, Janet; Senator Anthony Adefuye, his wife, Chief Oluwasunmisola Adefuye, and other guests at at the Anglican Church, Abule Okuta, Bariga, Lagos.

Inauguration of New Covenant Estate CDA EXCO: Chairman, Rev. (Dr) Samuel Judah (4th left), Mr Laja Martins (4th right)with Mrs Odufale, representing Lagos State Commissioner for Rural Development, Lagos State and other officials in Ikorodu.. .last week

Managing Director, Paktim, Charles Ilofulunwa (left), Group CEO, Kigg Focused Quality Solutions UK, Lyndon Harfoot; International Trade Adviser, United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI), Lagos, Patricia Kenneth-Divine, Regional Trade Director, UKTI; Nick Archer and Project Director EMEA, Michael Otugo, during the West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) in Lagos

Directors, AZURE Consult, partner of SUFOS (Sustainable Foods Security), agriculture conference/exhibition awards organisation, Mr. Ben Ujoatuonu, left, and Chidi Obineche at the unveiling of the award logo in Lagos during the week

Divisional Head (Retail Banking), Wema Bank Plc, Akinlolu Ayileka (middle) receives an award from President of the Egba Economic Summit, Mr. Ayobami Biobaku, at the Egba Economic Summit Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME) seminar held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Sunday, December 1,

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

49

NOTEBOOK

DELE GIWA: The Bashorun Of All Revelations

By Ndaeyo Uko HAT is this disturbing thing I am reading in so many newspapers that Major Debo Bashorun, our only journalist in uniform, is ready to die after what he’s done, which is solving the puzzle that has confounded Nigeria and the world for nearly 30 years: who killed Dele Giwa?

You may be 70 and you may have lost your swagger, but please stick around because we all admire your disarming honesty, diplomatic soldiery, and your pregnancy.

Of all the 593.5 military officers I know—point-five because the Major’s brilliant carrier was truncated by (armed) forces of darkness—only the Major (and may his deserved rank of General rest in peace) is truthful about his motivation for joining the military. It had to do with what we already know: beer and women, according to the Sunday Sun, “…an altercation with a drunken soldier over a lady at a popular joint then in the Mushin area of Lagos State. [As a civilian] he had bought some bottles of beer for the uniformed man, only for the latter, at the height of his stupor, to attempt to forcibly take away Debo’s girl, as he made to leave the joint. The slightest resistance from the ‘bloody civilian’ attracted several ‘dirty’ slaps on his face, and before those at the joint could say jack, the drunken soldier had mobilised his colleagues and pandemonium broke out. Debo had to flee for his life.” So he joined the army. Since then, no bugger has gone near any of his girls.

And he’s now 70!

I know what you are going to say. How can you describe as brave a man who scrammed from a bar leaving his girl behind? Answer: Read the Major’s book.

Second, he told different reporters in different interviews that as an army PR officer, trained at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and military press officer of the head of state, he refused to carry out an official military assignment abroad.

Tell me, who else would admit to insubordination?

Third, when he took the army to court (which foreshadows his bravery), rather than go and put his case across and face the consequence, as a Major and a man, he’d gone to court in a flowing gown rather than a well-starched uniform.

Fourth, what he had under the flowing gown he wore to court was not a rifle made by the Nigerian Defence Industries Corporation in Kaduna, which would have proved his nationalism, but an Uzzi sub-machine gun made in Israel. Only an honest man would further admit that he “got the gun through dark sources.” A dishonest officer would claim that

W

Fourth, what he had under the flowing gown he wore to court was not a rifle made by the Nigerian Defence Industries Corporation in Kaduna, which would have proved his nationalism, but an Uzzi sub-machine gun made in Israel. Only an honest man would further admit that he “got the gun through dark sources.” A dishonest officer would claim that he took a truckload of privates to a police station, beat the boys up and liberated their Uzzis. he took a truckload of privates to a police station, beat the boys up and liberated their Uzzis.

Fifth, he owned up that he did not only run away like a bloody civilian but bribed his way across the porous border like bloodier civilians, rather than shoot his way across.

One thing the Major told me when, as military officer to General Babangida, he invited me to his office a few months before he fled, and gave me the lecture I deserve on the dangers of making fun of a military president, was that he knew I knew senior officers in the army. He was right but I thought then that he had to be an uncommonly brilliant intelligence officer or Jesus Christ typically returning as a brash army major with questionable dentition and a dodgy swagger. I have to say I was quite disappointed when last week his interview with PM News wrecked my joy.

Reporter to the Major: “In your account, you suggested that you were a conduit through which a hefty bribe got to General Babangida from some Lebanese businessmen. How did that happen?”

Major: “This is why I said this is a tell-all book. I am not telling you that I was Jesus Christ.”

My question to the major: So if you are not Jesus Christ, why do you want to die?

Pregnancy and Dele Giwa: The Major explained why he fled, and I quote: “Because if I got out, they would not be able to nail me because I was pregnant with all kinds of secrets, they wanted me to remain so they could eventually get rid of me.

So what I did was to find a way to save my skin.” And this is why he fled: “the incidents that led to Giwa’s death and how he stumbled on some iron-cast evidence.”

I know you want the Major to please put the iron-cast evidence on the table, or refer us to the page we can find it in his all-revealing book. That, my friend, only goes to show that if indeed you completed school, you have forgotten everything your science teacher taught you: that when you keep iron for years it will rust, disintegrate and even disappear. All the Major knows is that Babangida had a hand in the death of Dele Giwa. You’d be a fool not to believe him: He was the general’s

press officer and was so close and trusted that he used to be sent to collect bribes in big bags from a Lebanese, trusted to keep the money in his house, and continue worrying the general to take it off him, lest armed robbers would come in the night, for not even an Uzzi would deter a Nigerian robber.

One reporter to the Major: “Do you think this book will make Nigerians know the real killers of Dele Giwa?”

Answer: “That is exactly what this book is intended to do. I intended to reveal the fact as I know it.”

Another reporter to the same Major: Your conclusion that Babangida knew about the murder appears based on the fact that (Police Inspector-General Muhammadu) Gambo said a preliminary report had been submitted and Babangida’s earlier suggestion that you should seek an update on the investigation from the Inspector-General.

Major: Yes. If I appoint you as a head of a panel and gave you a certain assignment, then you must be able to tell the people what actually happened. In America, there is something they call cold case files.

Yet another question: “I think that you tried to suggest that the major factor in the collapse of your relationship with General Babangida and with the army as an institution was the Dele Giwa affair. What do you know about the Dele Giwa affair?”

“If tell you I knew how Dele Giwa’s murder was planned, I’d be lying. But if you ask journalists, who were in town at that time, they would tell you I was the only army officer with black band on my arm, going about with the procession for Giwa.

When Giwa was assassinated and the whole country was abuzz with the allegation that it was the government that killed him, I asked Babangida and he denied. In those days, his no was no.”

Dumb and rude question: You are not really pregnant, are you now, Major?

My answer, of course, and not the Major’s: Look at the black arm band, you fool. Don’t you know the Major is a journalist and haven’t you ever heard of immaculate conception?

Crude Politics Begets Crude Language From Adidi Uyo HEN it qualifies that gift of the earth which nations cherW ish and which those that do not have wish they had, “crude” is a positive word. But the opposite is the case when it qualifies most other things. With synonyms that include unrefined, unpolished, uncouth, dirty, vulgar, rude, and offensive, crude is a word that invariably tarnishes and demeans any social subject or phenomenon that it qualifies, especially, politics and language.

Between politics and language, if we were to hypothesise which one causes the other, that is, whether it is crude language that causes crude politics or it is crude politics that causes crude language; the latter would seem a more tenable hypothesis. Let us indulge you in three recent cases featuring actors on our political stage in which it would seem that politics that has gone crude had begotten crude language.

Take 1: “Presidency, Lamido at war over $250m bribery allegation.” This is the headline of a news story in The Nation of November 16, 2013. The opening sentence of the story reads: “The Presidency yesterday disputed a claim by Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State that he informed President Goodluck Jonathan about a $250 million bribe allegedly collected by a serving minister.”

That opening sentence is a serious refinement of the language used in a statement issued by the spokesman of the President, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati. Hear him and judge for yourself whether his language was crude or refined. “The Presidency views the patently bogus allegation reportedly made by the Governor in a radio interview yesterday (Thursday) as an unacceptable and callous attempt to unjustly impugn the integrity of President Jonathan and cast aspersions on the seriousness of his Administration’s efforts to curb corruption.”

The statement adds: “We abhor Governor Lamido’s descent to the unscrupulous, reckless and thoughtless peddling of ar-

LANGUAGE ON PARADE rant falsehood in a puerile effort to score cheap political points against President Jonathan for personal and sectional political gains.”

Hmm, what can I say! There is a phrase in that sentence that has a ring of irony to it, methinks: “Lamido’s descent to the unscrupulous, reckless and thoughtless peddling.” For there is a saying that, “When you point your index finger at another person, three of your remaining four fingers are pointing at you.”

Take 2: “I remain authentic NGF Chairman – Amaechi” is the headline of a news story in the Vanguard of November 19, 2013.

The story was about the response of Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State to an earlier statement by Mr. Ahmed Gulak, the Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, to the effect that President Goodluck Jonathan did not recognise Amaechi as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF. You will recall that the NGF has been torn into two factions since May 24, 2013, after the body held an election whose result was disputed, with Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State claiming victory with his 16 votes to Governor Amaechi’s 19. This, need we say, is another veritable example of politics of the crude type. Since that dirty election, the politics of the land has hit the mud, farther, and with it the language of the protagonists and their supporters and aides.

This extract from the aforementioned story is from the response issued by Governor Amaechi’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor. “It continues to baffle us, like most Nigerians that small, petty minds like Gulak in the Presidency will continue to make undemocratic comments that do enormous and sometimes irreversible damage to the President and the Presidency in their thoughtless, madcap self-imposed mission of persistently pouring intemperate, obnoxious and opprobrious invectives on Governor Amaechi.”

Just look at that: “their thoughtless, madcap self-imposed mission”! And that is from one political aide to another politi-

This extract from the aforementioned story is from the response issued by Governor Amaechi’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor.

“It continues to baffle us, like most Nigerians that small, petty minds like Gulak in the Presidency will continue to make undemocratic comments that do enormous and sometimes irreversible damage to the President and the Presidency in their thoughtless, madcap self-imposed mission of persistently pouring intemperate, obnoxious and opprobrious invectives on Governor Amaechi.”

Just look at that: “their thoughtless, madcap self-imposed mission”! And that is from one political aide to another political aide!

Dear David, ever heard of dictum about finger-pointing? Point one finger at another person and three will be pointing at you, oh, yes!

cal aide! Dear David, ever heard of dictum about finger-pointing? Point one finger at another person and three will be pointing at you, oh, yes!

But the Chief Press Secretary is not done with Gulak, yet, as he fires on: “It is certainly rude, uncharitable, ill-mannered and nonsensical for Gulak, an appointed aide, to condescendingly, derisively and superciliously refer to elected governors as ‘Amaechi Governors Forum.’”

And believe it or not, Mr. Iyofor adds: “Finally, we want to assume that bigmouthed Gulak who talks first, then thinks later, was only speaking his wrenched and warped mind; and speaking for himself and not for our dear President, or the Jonathan Presidency…This is why it is imperative and pertinent for the Presidency to dissociate itself and Jonathan from the unbefitting, perverse, delinquent comment of Gulak on who is the authentic chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum.”

Talk about “unbefitting, perverse, delinquent comment” from one political aide to another! David, if you cannot watch your back, you can at least watch your three fingers as you point your index finger at Gulak!

Take 3, jare - apologies to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, of blessed memory! The headline of The Punch reads: “Jonathan returns today, says alcohol not cause of illness.” And that of THISDAY reads: “Abati: Jonathan Didn’t Throw Birthday Party in London, Returns Today.” The date was November 24, 2013.

Together, the two headlines tell the story, by and large. And to debunk the story circulating in the polity that the president took ill because he took some spirit, Dr. Reuben Abati, the presidential spokesman, issued a statement.

According to The Punch, the statement read: “We…condemn the utterly irresponsible, deplorable, highly unprofessional and unethical antics of certain fringe elements operating in the nebulous sphere of cyberspace, who persist in seizing every opportunity to unjustifiably malign and impugn the character and integrity of the elected leader of their country…Sahara Reporters and some other reckless, lawless, impudent and unpatriotic internet-based media chose to assault the sensibilities of all decent Nigerians again with their entirely fictional, malicious, hate-driven and scurrilous distortion of the facts of the President’s indisposition.”

Oh, boy, can you see what our politics is doing to our language? Give me crude oil, any day, but not crude politics, much less, crude language!

50

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

COVEREXTRA ‘For Self Interests, Politicians Jeopardise Future Of Nigerians’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 the Concurrent Legislative List, it means that both the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly can make laws on such matter.

The Supreme Court, in many of its decisions, has held that, where a matter is neither on the exclusive nor the concurrent list, it means that such matter belongs to the Residual Legislative List, which means that only the state government (House of Assembly) has power to make law or laws in respect of those items.

When there are disputes, it is left for the parties in dispute (in this case, the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government) to look at the subject matter of the dispute, check the second schedule of the Constitution and find whether that matter is under the Exclusive List, Concurrent List or Residual List of legislations. If it is on the Exclusive List and not on the Concurrent List, it means the state government has no power to make any law in respect of such of matter.

Also, if it is not on the Concurrent List or Exclusive List, it means the Federal Government has power to make law or laws on it.

A good example is the recent Supreme Court’s decision on hotel levies. Interestingly, if a matter is not in the Exclusive Legislative List, but such a matter falls within the chapter two of the Constitution, which contains the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy, the Federal Government, through the National Assembly, can make law on it, even though the matter is not directly on the Exclusive Legislative List.

But it can fall under Item 60 of the Constitution, which provides for making any law or laws that promote the chapter two of the constitution. Corruption is an example.

Corruption is not on the Exclusive Legislative List, but the Supreme Court, in the case between Attorney General of Ondo State and the Attorney General of the Federation, held that, even though it is not on the Exclusive Legislative List, falls, in its view, under Item 60 of the second schedule because Section 15 subsection 5, enjoins the State (the Federal Government) to fight corruption.

Although the Federal Government made that law, which was not on the Exclusive Legislative List, the Supreme Court held that it was valid.

So, I think these are guidelines in knowing the rights and responsibilities of each components of the Federation.

They have to look at the subject matter and see whether it falls within any of these categories or constitutional dimensions mentioned.

However, if is not a matter that falls under the fundamental objectives and the principles of directive of state policy, the Federal Government has power to make laws on such

We must look at and talk about the political culture and behaviour of those who are in political leadership or office in this nation. Although they are in different political parties and with different ideologies, they are all the same; and that is why it is easy for them to move from one political party to another as if they are changing their clothes. The whole issue of conflict is about money; if it is not about money it is not about the interest of the people. The interest of the people does not mean you must be killing or maiming yourself to maintain traffic and security on the roads.

When you see people now run into this conflict routinely and persistently, it means there is something wrong and it tells you that they are more interested in certain things more than the things they profess to interested in; and that is the only inescapable conclusion that one can reach on the routine, but unnecessary, conflicts.

Democracy is about the people and not those who are in government matters. As I said, there are pending cases in court as regards these issues; and I don’t want to be seen as commenting or giving judgment on matters that are still pending in courts.

At what point do the rights of the Federal Government and the state governments begin and end on the control of these infrastructures; for example, what rights do state traffic agencies like LASTMA have on Trunk A (Federal) roads?

I have an honest answer to this: I was a lawyer that represented commercial motorcycle (Okada) riders at the Lagos state High Court, and my position in that was that state governments have no powers to control traffic on federal highways (federal roads).

Unfortunately, the lower court (Lagos High Court) did not agree with that content, and so, the matter has been referred to a High Court of the land (the Court of Appeal) through an appeal.

But, as it stands today, Lagos State Government is yet to file their respondent view, even though we submitted the appeal over three months now.

I will encourage (and I’m encouraging) them to file their argument so that we can test this law for the citizens to know and see the strength of the law. The truth of the matter is that I was forced to canvass that argument as a result of the way Lagos State Government was pursuing the okada riders out of the roads without creating an alternative. I don’t want okada on our roads and I don’t think it is a decent and safe means of transportation, but then, I know the social implications of driving out people from what they have been used to without creating an alternative.

I argued (and still argue) vehemently that the decision would increase the rate of crime in the

state and the country. When one of the local government chairmen, Kehinde Bamgbetan of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), was kidnapped, he said his abductors told him they were riding okada until the state government chased them out. This is on record and the media, including your platform; The Guardian carried the news. So, I have been vindicated in a way, following that statement.

Before you come up with any policy or policies that would affect the citizens, it is important you create first, an alternative for them.

From the viewpoint of the law, Lagos State has power to make traffic laws, create traffic management agency and control traffic within its jurisdiction. That is the position of the law and it stands binding and that is why we have approached a higher court for interpretations.

In my perspective, it is wrong to say that only the Federal Government should have power to manage or control traffic in the country, especially on federal roads. That is the law in my view and the Lagos High Court has disagreed with me, but we will wait for the decision of the Court of Appeal.

As a person, I will not subscribe to the idea of the Federal Government, through the Federal Highway Act, being the sole traffic regulator or controller of traffic on federal highways; if the states cannot make laws for traffic management, why then do we have them as components of the federation.

Although the Constitution is clear on the matter (that only federal agents are legally permitted to control traffic on Trunk A roads), it does not mean that those (the actors), who are operationalising the law, cannot come to a reasonable understanding, if they have the interest of the citizens at heart, and ensure that traffic move smoothly in the cities.

There would not be need for dispute or conflict between the federal agency and state operatives, when the objective is for safety. Under the law, private citizens can arrest persons committing traffic crimes. We have that limited power to arrest any person found contravening the laws.

When you see people now run into this conflict routinely and persistently, it means there is something wrong and it tells you that they are more interested in certain things more than the things they profess to be interested in; and that is the only inescapable conclusion that one can reach on the routine, but unnecessary, conflicts.

Democracy is about the people and not those who are in government. Again, we must look at and talk about the political culture and behaviour of those who are in political leadership or office in this nation. Although they are in different political parties and with different ideologies, they are all the same; and that is why it is easy for them to move from one political party to another as if they are changing their clothes.

The squabbles also show that this democracy is not really about the citizens, but impaired.

It may not last if they (politicians) continue to see things the way they do now.

The whole issue of conflict is about money; if it is not about money, it is not about the interest of the people. The interest of the people does not mean you must be killing or maiming yourself to maintain traffic and security on the roads. This might sound so funny, but it is the truth.

The federal and state governments only agree when they want to share money and what often causes their feud or conflict is when one part has touched the money; in this case, the excess crude. But when they settle to share the money, they all smile and then go their ways.

The planned launch of the N340 billion refurbished Ajele Fire Station in Lagos was postponed indefinitely, allegedly because the Federal Government and Lagos state government could not agree. What does this portend for citizens and disaster management, especially in the event of fire incident as recently witnessed in Lagos Island with inferno at the Great Nigeria House?

It is unreasonable, intolerable and indefensible for component units of a federal system to be at loggerheads, so much so that projects conceived to ameliorate the situation of the people for safety and security could be jeorpardised due to petty squabbles and egoism. It is really unfortunate and I will always advise that the actors should know that the basic problem is with them and they should sit down to solve the problem.

It is lamentable and totally unnecessary to oppose a project that would contribute to public safety on the basis of legal niceties, particularly when you know that these legal niceties would not provide security and create employment among other things.

I think it is a disservice to the citizenry and it also shows that this democracy is not really about the citizens, but impaired. It may not last if they (politicians) continue to see things the way they do now.

There is nothing bad if the Federal Government is conceiving a project in a particular state and it consults on relevant laws about such projects; or the state is working on a project in its domain and it approaches the Federal Government on some legal issues regarding that project or programme. There would not be any feud or conflict if that happens. But because of egoism, they (politicians) jeopardise public interest.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 | 51

POLITICS

INEC AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS

INEC:Internal Contradictions Compounded By Ineptitude, Sleaze election, the need for reforms is expressed after vigorous condemnation of the electoral debacle. At the end of the day, the only transition that comes out of the verbiage is just ROM the time Nigeria adopted democracy as its system a name change. But the culture, the internal contradictions of governance; the electoral body has undergone several remain. Despite the voices of contrition by even Nigerian changes in its nomenclature. But like a Leopard, its spot, leaders as well as confession by some chairmen of the elecnay character, have refused to dissolve. As such whether as toral body, regeneration refuses to come by. Old things, it Federal Electoral Commission, (FEDECO) National Electoral seems, cannot pass away in INEC. Commission, (NEC) or even as NECOM or Independent If not, by 1999 when Nigeria returned to that path of conNational Electoral Commission, (INEC) the body charged stitutional democracy, the challenges of delivering a concise with superintending and organizing elections in Nigeria general election with clinical precision would not be an does not command the respect of Nigerians. But the elecissue at all. In 1979, the puzzle was about the value of two toral body has never lacked honest and courageous men. thirds of 19 states. Legal interpretation and mathematical Michael Ani, Justice Ovie-Whiskey, Abel Guobadia and precision threw up the devious inclination of the military Professor Humphrey Nwosu did not disappoint the country brass hats that designed the nation’s Constitution. But a lot on account of moral or academic defects or deficiencies. But of people expected that FEDECO ought to have applied politone indubitable truth about Nigeria’s electoral manageical smartness to organize a run off between the then ment is that we are yet to meet the high water mark of credi- National Party of Nigeria, (NPN) and Unity Party of Nigeria, ble elections. And at each crisis moment after each passing (UPN) whose candidates, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Chief Obafemi Awolowo; were the front row candidates in the election. The fact that the ultimate decision emanated, not from the voters but from the courts, provided the veritable signs that all was not well with Nigeria’s election management schemes. But as was to become a precedent, some chauvinists argued that it was more convenient to accept half measures than to provide the military a perfect excuse to extend its interregnum in Nigeria’s politics.

But discounting the dubious manipulation of the system during the military orchestrated transition spanning 1983 through 1999; Dr. Abel Guobadia and Professor Maurice Iwu, provided a curious backcloth against which Nigeria’s democracy continues to be viewed. By 1999 when Guobadia’s INEC gave us an Olusegun Obasanjo presidency, many Nigerians overlooked the flaws and imperfections of the election on the grounds that ours being “a fledgling democracy, we are in a learning process”. In 2003, the excuse was that those who were dissatisfied with the election outcome should access the election petition tribunals in search of redress. Yet as is characteristic of buck-passing, the tribunals were no longer fashionable or handy when the 2007 election generated gargantuan outrage caused by the monumental proportion of obvious vote heist. The unmitigated dimension of the general larceny prompted the beneficiary of the flawed electoral procedure to denounce its negative potentials for the country’s image and democratic progression. When President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua promised Nigerians that he would respect the rule of law, they believed him principally because he owned up to the electoral corruption that was blighting Nigeria’s politics. It was understandable therefore how public goodwill towards the government swelled immediately President Yar’Adua set up the Justice Mohammed Uwais committee for electoral reforms in the country. What the President seemed to be saying through his practical demonstration of the need for electoral reform was, ‘this nonsense has got to stop so we can earn the respect of the civilized world’.

No thanks to the sudden demise of the people’s president, the Uwais panel report has become a victim of selective retention and cognition. Many observers of the chequered Nigeria’s electoral system suggest that if the Uwais panel report were to be observed religiously. Most of the evil traits of the nation’s electoral system should have become history.

However, with the appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega, Jega hope was rekindled that the famed integrity of the universi-

By Leo Sobechi

F

ty don could make the long expected difference in the system. As a gesture of support to the new INEC helmsman, a whooping budget of N79 billion was approved for the Commission to organize itself and provide the right setting for credible elections in the country. And because it is said that new brooms sweep clean, politicians began to shout ‘One man, One vote’! Innovations came in torrents. The Direct Data Capture, (DDC) machines, introduced by Iwu, were activated. But no sooner had the 2011 election held than Nigerians realised the truth that a tree does not make a forest and that all that glitters is not gold.

Somehow Professor Jega was given the benefit of doubt not out of any hope of an for excellent performance but from the cold consolation that he was, at least, better than Iwu. Subsequent elections, especially the governorship elections of Ondo and Edo, tended to retain public sympathy for Jega and his men even when signs of systemic malaise still manifested. But it took the Delta Central Senatorial bye-election to convince Nigerians that what has been happening within INEC and Nigeria’s electoral system are but mere shift in emphasis and not genuine transformation. From ethical reorientation of staff through structural reconstruction to manpower training, INEC was still in sharp deficit. The method of recruitment of the commission’s staff leaves much to be desired as it remains susceptible to political manipulation and interference. Then, there is obvious lack seamless interface between staff from the national headquarters and operators at the state levels. National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners, (RECs) sometimes engage in needless muscle flexing over petty issues to highlight their rank or influence. Above all with the interest and central role of Information Communication Technology, (ICT), staff of that department have become a kind of tingods, Lords unto themselves. Who watches over the mighty men of INEC ICT, department?

What if even the REC is not proficient in ICT could he vouch for the fidelity or credibility of data housed in the Commission’s computers including the mainframe? And given the competition in ostentatious display, who monitors the sources of income of INEC staff? Why have politicians become bold enough to induce staff and influence INEC records? The posers are interminable but there appear to be few answers on the horizon.

It is therefore understandable why the much talked about Anambra governorship election failed to provide better hope for 2015. If 15 RECs could come out with the dismal outcome that attended the November 16 gubernatorial election in the State, it is because of the internal contradictions in INEC as much as the influence of corruption of Nigeria politicians and ineptitude of staff. If INEC did not see the need to play as a team, the Anambra result must compel it to bear the national shame alone. The revelation of sabotage at Idemmili was all Nigerians need to know that INEC has refused to heal. It is also a testimony that you cannot isolate local staff in crucial elections since they have the power and connections to put matters asunder. Right from 1979, the rigging of elections in Nigeria has remained dynamic. The ICT initiative has merely introduced a scientific dimension to it. Precision happens when man and machine cooperate, any disagreement between them presents challenges. But then in this era of counterfeit, the quality of machines matters a lot just as the integrity of man must come into play.

From Anambra 2013, only INEC can tell Nigerians where to go from here!

ODUBOTE: Let Us Go Back To Option A4 House of Representatives member, Mr. Lanre Odubote, representing Epe federal constituency of Lagos State is concerned about the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free and fair election. He told the duo of ADAMU ABUH and TERHEMBA DAKA that the situation might necessitate need to amending the electoral laws to pave way for the reintroduction of the option A4.

GAIN, the need to reform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is back to the front burner, what do you make of this development?

INEC is the key for any electoral process.

If you are talking about an unbiased umpire, if you are talking about democracy, everything is at the doorsteps of that body. If they cannot get it, then the election is not right. So, for the man to even come out openly and say they have some saboteurs, it means they have failed. It is now left for you to let them know that they have failed. You don’t need a voters register to conduct elections, we did it in 1993.

It’s so simple, you don’t need to build any polling booths.

We did it in 1993 when I was contesting as a member of Social Democratic Party (SDP). You just need to say, ‘ok, if you are in this ward bring your ward register.’ It doesn’t cost much; you don’t need to spend billions of naira. Go and ask Humphrey Nwosu who conducted the 1993 elections, what was the magic? The magic was option A4. In the morning everybody would queue and do accreditation based on the number of people who came to do accreditation. Then you seal it off, when it is 12 noon on the dot you now come back to queue at the back of your candidate and

A

openly it will be counted and everybody will see it. So, the issue of INEC relying on

Odubote

database has been hacked and does not arise. My position is that INEC should do

away with this voters register and let us go back to option A4.

Don’t you think that option A4 is obsolete and old-fashioned?

Is Nigerians election not an obsolete election if we continue to dispute our electoral matter every time? Let us do the one that is in tandem with our own culture. You see, we are talking about democracy; democracy must reckon with our peculiar circumstances; our divergent culture and environmental realities. If we are not being properly educated to know that the real thing is electronic voting or internet voting, then let us adopt this manual one where people can stand and sit down and count themselves and get it recorded. And you media will say it openly that this is the correct election.

You saw what happened in Anambra. How can someone go and disturb an umpire or refuse to give out electoral materials where that place is my stronghold just to make sure you disenfranchise my supporters? I won’t accept such a result because that is not a balanced election. As far as I am concerned, let us go back to Humphrey Nwosu’s political arrangement where Abiola went to Kano and defeated Tofa and it was not disputed; where the issue of religion and region was not even a yardstick. That is the formula Nigerians should go back to. As far as I am concerned, that man, Jega is not capable of conducting the subsequent elections.

But this would require an amendment of the Electoral Act, at least to reckon with option

CONTINUED ON PAGE 52

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

52 Sunday, December 1, 2013

POLITICS

INEC AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS

BIAKOLO: INEC Can Still Hold Credible 2015 Election Despite Anambra

By Kamal Tayo Oropo HE 2015 general election may well prove like no other elections in the country. It is an election many fear may determine the fate of the country as a nation. While the recently held Delta Central senatorial election, as well as the inconclusive Anambra State, have done little to assuage people’s anxiety, Prof. Emevwo Anselm Biakolo, speaking with The Guardian took a dramatic departure from laying the entire blame for alleged incredible election on the doorsteps of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Rather, the Dean, school of Media and Communication of in the pan-Africa University, Lagos, said it may be fashionable and easy to blame the electoral commission for all electoral mishaps in the country, the truth, however, is that other stakeholders, particularly the politicians, must take responsibility.

“We can not just lay all the blames at the doors of INEC, though they could be easy target for blame. The bureaucracies by very nature can be inefficient; they are not designed to be extremely efficient. Rather, I will blame the players –– the political parties and other associated stakeholders in government and elsewhere. I do not think the Anambra State case is sufficient to dismiss INEC totally as incapable of organising credible election,” said Biakolo.

A good outcome of an electoral process and any election hinges on proper planning and analysis of all aspect of activities, remote or immediate and going on from the beginning to the end. All aspects in the organisation of an election such as the recruitment and training of non-party affiliated polling officials, the early arrival of electoral materials to various states and ultimately the polling units, how to convey polling officials and the election materials to and from polling stations, proper remuneration of election officials, etc. are so sacrosanct that none should be overlooked.

Candidates and political parties had in previous elections cashed in on the logistics loopholes to rig elections; especially areas designated as dangerous terrain. Elections have been found to start late in these areas because of late arrival of materials.

The truth of the matter, and according to Biakolo, is that in the present day Nigeria, “we are not going to get some angels from heaven to organise elections, neither would it be politically correct to invite foreigners to come and organize elections for us.

“We have to fish out some of the real rough necks within the INEC and punish them. But we cannot expect total purity in an environment of this kind. We have not gotten to that stage as at yet. We must face the reality that we cannot expect to get the kind of credibility obtainable elsewhere. The totality of Nigeria needs fixing. As I said, we are not going to get people from mars or other heav-

T

enly abodes to come and organise election for us.”

Yet, it would appear those in the authority may not be shying away from creating a tensed atmosphere en-route 2015. The Anambra State governorship election has succeeded in proving that more work still need to be done in the electoral sector. But with the heat expected to be generated by the controversial National Dialogue, the country may be biting more than it can chew.

The main opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), has outrightly dismissed the dialogue as diversion aimed, by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at ensuring that the 2015 elections are held under palpable tension in the country. The Delta and Anambra elections may have helped to fuel more suspicion.

When asked to access the sincerity of the political class, Biakolo, said politicians by trade, are only interested in winning elections. The real question is whether they want to win fairly? “But since everyone cannot win at the same time, are they ready to abide by the laid down rules and regulations? Are they ready to comply with the rules of the game?

However, we cannot begin to deal with the question of intention, sincerity and so on.

These questions, to me, are always abstract.

“The real question is, do we have the mechanism of ensuring that we organize credible election and reasonable conduct of election as much as possible,” he said.

There are serious fears that 2015 elections could descend into chaos if the alleged irregularities and bungling in the Anambra election are repeated.

Two weeks after voters went to the polls to elect a new governor in Anambra, there is still no result and INEC has ordered a re-run in some constituencies this weekend.

The November 16 election was seen by the opposition, who staged a demonstration on Thursday, November 28, as an early indication of support for President Goodluck Jonathan before his expected run for re-election in about 18 months.

Meanwhile, the PDP has been split by his election ambitions and on Tuesday a splinter group of prominent politicians, including a number of governors, defected to the APC. Provisional results in Anambra gave victory to the All Progressives Grand Alliance party of incumbent governor Peter Obi — a Jonathan ally.

But the PDP, APC and Labour Party all called for a complete re-run, with many dismissing the election as a “parody of an election” after some people were allegedly denied the chance to vote, despite supposedly being on the electoral roll.

Ballot boxes, papers and other election material went missing, while police also imposed tough restrictions on movement into and out of the state, which was viewed in some circles as harassment and intimidation.

Biakolo

But to Biakolo, these irregularities cannot be wished away, though can be minimised.

His words: “How do you put in the check and balancing; the monitoring system, to ensure that those who are blatantly compromised are kicked out of the system? That’s all you can do, because the present political class, who are determined to win at all costs and by all means possible, not minding the rules, the conscience and ethics of fair play, you can hardly do a thing other than to ensure that you monitor those who are your agents and ensuring that they are fairly credible.”

Biakolo, putting himself in the shoes of

Prof. Attairu Jega, the chair of the electoral commission, said, “If I were the Electoral Chairman, Jega, I will be monitoring my monitors. This can be done by getting another set of people, who are outside the electoral system and not known to the commission’s agents. The system of independent monitoring is very crucial to instutionalising a credible electoral commission.

There should be second level of monitoring, which you may call quality control. These people are beyond the reach of the commission’s agents.

There are still many people with high credibility rating in the country that we can use

Electoral System Is Obsolete, Embarrassing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51 A4?

If that is the only thing that will save Nigeria in the comity of nations, so be it. We have become a laughing stock all over the world. So, if option A4 is the one that is well acceptable to Nigerians, then let’s go back to it, it’s so simple.

But the problem is not really with INEC but with you politicians who manipulate the system?

You are talking about politicians, what about the institution itself? There can never be politicians without institutions. Let us strengthen those institutions especially the electoral institutions, the police, the voters register. All those things are important. If you have a law in place, there will be consequences for violations. In other words, politicians must be guided based on the operating rules.

But when the APC is winning, it praises INEC, cries foul when the outcome of an election in Anambra doesn’t favour the party…

I don’t see it that way. As far as I am concerned, when there is any electoral system that is fraudulent, let us condemn it. On the election in Anambra State, it was said by Jega himself that some of his officials sabotaged it.

Talking about Ondo and Ekiti elections, there was an election, results were announced and the winner was declared.

Those who were aggrieved over the outcome of the poll

went to court and the court ruled on it. So that is not the business of the party. In this case of Anambra poll, it is the INEC itself coming out to say it is handicapped. What this means is that the institution of INEC is sick; we should allow better institution to take place.

This sounds like an agenda of the APC, is the APC members in the House exploring the possibility of amending the electoral law in this regard?

In fact, this is my personal position but I will still canvass at the party level and between me and you, we were here when the APC supported Tambuwal to become the speaker. It was the best electoral process at that level, we have ever witnessed in Nigeria. So you could see where the defunct Action congress of Nigeria (AC N) is coming from.

We are a party that believes in transparency and credibility. So my party would definitely support that idea. Between me and you, the APC started from June 6 when the House was inaugurated because people from the AC N, APGA and the ANPP came together to elect Tambuwal. In fact Tambuwal emerged based on APC formulae Have you looked at the other side of option A4, the problem is not with voting, but with collation and declaration of the outcome of the polls?

No, no, no, I have analysed what is called option A4 to you; I was a candidate under the SDP for the Lagos State House of Assembly for the December 14, 1991 election.

Accreditation took place by 7 am when it was recorded that

this was the number of persons that came to register in a particular polling booth. There was nothing like voters register, when you returned at 12 noon, everybody would be there, voting took place and the result was collated right at the spot. There was no way you could falsify it.

Even before you got to the collation centre, they had the result. How are you going to come with a different result?

Late Abiola used it, I was there. He used the NITEL cellular phone. Before we moved from Epe, Professor Agbalajobi of blessed memory had already collated the results even up to Niger State because we were using NITEL to monitor our results. Once ballots were counted at the polling units, it would be transmitted to the local government level, from there to the states. How can you falsify it? It was very credible and faultless.

What do you make of calls that INEC under Jega should be disbanded?

Notwithstanding the positions of our leaders, INEC needs to be strengthened; they should amend all the relevant laws to change the pattern of voting whereby issues of credibility would be addressed. I am not saying people should not win at the polls but credibility matters in any electoral system. Let us amend the law to bring about openness in our electoral system. APC has been saying that it doesn’t have confidence in the Jega electoral formula.

We need to amend our electoral laws to give room to option A4.

TheGuardian

Sunday, December 1, 2013 53

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Is APC Less Dangerous Than PDP? AST week, the All Progressives Congress (APC) moved from kasuwa nama to Eagle Square: reaching deep into the heart of Nigeria’s dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and yanking unto itself several governors.

If you did not know, kasuwa nama is the fringe market where cows are slaughtered for sale.

Eagle Square is the Abuja public square where Nigeria’s leaders, before they became scared of their own shadow, held public events.

At Eagle Square, everyone knows you are close to the seat of power. That was why, last week, you could hear the PDP’s tantrums and howls of pain all the way from the heart of Boko Haram territory into the troubled creeks of Bayelsa.

I have campaigned against the excesses of the PDP since I first identified it in 2004 as the Profoundly Decadent Party. Regrettably, the party has decayed so badly since then it is unrecognizable. Some of the sewage emptied into the APC last week.

Let us be clear as to what is at stake: the PDP is arrogant, corrupt and unproductive, and its current leadership, as its departing members have said, does not understand that a political party is not a social buffet.

As I wrote earlier this year, however, “Nigeria’s sinners are not only in the PDP. The PDP has become the symbol of Nigeria’s decay only because of its carnage in the centre, but none of the parties that have held power in the states in the past 14 years are innocent.”

I repeat that the challenge is not the PDP: it is the Nigerian politician.

The APC aims to unseat President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP in 2015. This is a legitimate aspiration, but what does the APC propose to replace the PDP with, another PDP that is simply wearing a different facemask?

To be fair, APC has outlined such priorities as agricultural development, jobs, free education, adequate power supply, affordable health care, eradication of poverty and corruption, infrastructural development, and rapid technologi-

L

cal advancement and industrialisation.

While that sounds quite attractive, it is meaningless. Nigerians have heard it all before. Even the military, when they seize power, deploy the same bribes.

The question is how the APC intends to pay for it, especially given the ethical, political and moral collapse of the PDP. Character: this is the currency in which these things are paid for.

In other words, as much as I oppose the PDP, if the APC cannot demonstrate the superiority of its character, it is playing in the same league as the PDP. You cannot be mudwrestling with a mad man and proclaiming you are different.

So far, the APC is doing just that. Actually, it is doing two major things that are worse.

The first is that it is going around the country visiting the Olusegun Obasanjos and the Ibrahim Babangidas as it seeks to obtain their ‘blessing.’ The second: it is taking advantage of the divisions in the PDP to encourage its unhappy politicians to switch allegiances.

None of these is illegitimate, but none of them is inspiring, either. And certainly, they come from the PDP playbook, specifically from the manipulator’s memorandum.

The problem is that by concentrating on this approach, the APC suggests it seeks only to replace the PDP, not to rise above it. What Nigeria needs is not a politics that replaces a set of overlords with another self-sanctifying set of overlords, but one that is set up to place the country and its people over any kind of overlords.

We need a new politics, which will inspire and rebuild Nigeria by deploying its resources into serving its people and protect that system y placing the law above everyone.

The current system is based on looting and exploitation. In the past 15 years, the PDP has made it work for itself and for its senior figures, who have thus grown richer while Nigeria has shriveled.

The challenge before patriots is not to replace them with another set of self-centred power-

mongers: it is to overhaul our politics so that it is impossible for anyone to deflate the public purse into a private pocket, and impossible for any political party to overturn such a system for its own benefit.

My question is whether the APC is patriotic enough or motivated enough to champion this kind of mission.

The manipulative end of Nigerian politics has yielded a country that is so degenerate it is being led by its debris. It has yielded an armada of looters and diggers of graves rather than planters of food and disbursers of hope. It has yielded a shameful situation where fewer than 300 Nigerians, including recent heads of governments, have pocketed most of the nation’s wealth along with her access to achievement and self-respect.

The APC, if it truly wishes to break Nigeria’s march to perdition, must end the fiction that all we have to do is end the PDP’s control of Nigeria; it must show that it is capable of making the hard choices, beginning with itself.

This is at the heart of our distress: is anyone willing to talk about the rule of law? Is anyone honest enough to speak about being a political party that has come to serve, not to be served?

I am not talking about the rhetoric of it; I know the APC has people capable of wielding words as though they were AK47s. I am talking about something that is bigger than our petty individual greed and appetites, such as establishing at party level ground rules that are superior to what is provided even in the constitution, and implementing those standards even before the party participates in its first general election.

That would challenge the country as well as other political parties; that would make it clear that the game has changed, and that the APC truly intends to play for the people.

It would be unfortunate for the APC to seek to do less, or to seek to be held to a standard that is the same as that of the PDP, because that would make it the same as the PDP. It would be dangerous for the APC to be held to a standard such as the PDPs when that standard

sonala.olumhense@gmail.com Twitter: @Sonala.Olumhense has failed so miserably the APC has shouted for months it is a superior force.

In calling the APC out, I offer five scenarios: One, it is clear that higher standards are required of the governors, who now are gods unto themselves. The constitution protects them until they are out of office, which is understandable; APC should internally provide reporting rules and censure under its own rules.

Two, the APC should back a constitutional amendment that forbids a governor, once out of office, from running for legislative office for the next two election cycles.

Three, the current electoral law is a train wreck coming our way, and it can be exploited by any party, including the APC. The answer is for the APC to work at something no party can exploit, and the Uwais Report has answers for this ailment. There is no wisdom blaming the electoral commission after very election.

Four, the APC must publish a strong and unambiguous anti-corruption plan, which provides for independent anti-corruption bodies and reviews, as well as a realistic judicial realignment.

Five, the APC must establish a nationwide grassroots voter-registration and education scheme. That is how you demonstrate a vibrant national presence.

The issue is not whether the PDP should go. It is whether a party, which seeks to replace it, thinks the citizen is a partner, or a fool.

Matters Of Loose Mouth, Trust And 2015

By Frank Onyezili T some point, the struggle of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) with some of Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council-rank Ministers, Nigeria’s Senate leadership and sections of the Nigeria public reminded me of an aged (more than two thousand years old!) but quite revealing touchstone: It came to pass, then, as the people stood beholding in mostly stolid indifference, that some (of the leadership at that time) reviled, mocked, railed or, right there on centre stage, played their sordid game. For now, I’ll simply remind the Nigerian Minister who, dripping with power and influence, swaggeringly swung her take-itor-leave-it purse at ASUU, and the soldier-turned-statesman at the topmost seat in Nigeria’s panels-prone-yet-decisionless Senate, who waved off as ignorant, the Gamaliel Onosode team that negotiated the ASUU agreement with Government, that the wheel is still in spin. Loose mouths who wield such political power must realize they hold it only in trust and await the judgment of our nation’s unadulterated history Which takes me to the critic who, to embellish his point, dug deep, into a 2009 Inaugural Lecture by Professor Babatunde Ogunsanwo of Olabisi Onabanjo University, for this quote: “The union cannot claim the dearth of expertise in industrial psychology, sociology, law or crisis management, who should be able to synthesize an efficient alternative to strike actions which have done more damage to the public image of ASUU as a union of academics who are never contented but rather are ready to sacrifice the future of their students for the improvement of their personal emoluments.”

Because it is a quote of an ‘insider’ at his inaugural lecture and, therefore, would tend to command significance and warrant a second look, let me dwell on it a bit. But not before I digress to recount two recent experiences of the United States of America, the world’s most powerful country, in the hands of two allies, one a developed country, the other developing.

When Edward Snowden extraordinarily put the cat among the pigeons, revealing that the US was eavesdropping on her cell phone calls, Germany’s Angela Merkel’s was sufficiently shaken, indignant and irritated to dispatch a team of German intelligence experts to try to nail down a no-spy accord with Barak Obama.

Spying may be the second oldest profession in the world and which every global power engages in, especially justified by current waves of terrorism, but spying on your closest allies’ heads of government is not exactly it and totally uncalled for. Then, riding on the impetus provided by this climate of distrust, South Africa became the latest country to call America’s bluff, curtailing its ten-

A

dency to attain by stealth, by terminating automatic renewal of trade agreements that restrict the African government’s ability to impose responsibility, not simply uphold rights, of American multinational companies. Each agreement must now be teased out at expiration and re-negotiated in the light of emerging reality and the desirable social responsibility.

The point I make is that the US, unmasked by Snowden, lost the trust of previously-staunch allies Trust is a virtue every government, whether in the developed or developing world, should rank at the very top of its priorities, whether or not it is succeeding in fooling most of its people nearly all the time, because a day of reckoning is sure to turn up sooner or later. Trust was the commodity declared by ASUU as essential in its dealing with successive governments in Nigeria. And, thankfully, in spite of the sycophants bestriding the corridors of Aso Rock, trust is what the present government is promising to entrench henceforth in its utterances and action on the ASUU matter I expect the Universities to re-open shortly without further hitches, once due respects have been paid to the memory of Professor Festus Iyayi. Also, I expect that the lessons from the protracted strike action will continue to be studied and learned by all concerned. Certainly, that lesson is not about recruiting experts in industrial psychology, sociology, law or crisis management to synthesize an efficient alternative to strike actions that, in the parlance of the Onabanjo University professor, “have done more damage to the public image of ASUU as a union of academics who are never contented but rather are ready to sacrifice the future of their students for the improvement of their personal emoluments”. No, the lesson is rather more subtle, but profound. It is about trust Sadly, many respectable proponents of “alternatives” to ASUU’s strike action do not follow through with relevant recommended options. Rather, they err by making suggestions not pertinent to the reason for the strike. Although reducing student intake to more manageable numbers, curbing teachers’ claimed emoluments, enforcing a “no-squatter-in-thehostels” policy and raising tuition fees to ease the inadequacy of funds that go into running the Universities may well have their merits, none of these measures could have averted an ASUU strike that was hinged on a betrayal of trust by successive Nigerian governments that reneged on signed agreements. That crucial trust is now being entrenched, paving the way for these measures, and much more, to be explored based on their merit I said “and much more” in the belief that, the reason for

their principled action now obviated, the entire rank and file of ASUU, and related entities, would count teeth using tongue and put its house in order, not just to nurture needful mutual trust, but also to avert an implosion that would surely follow if business at the Ivory tower is carried on as usual. For example, what overriding reason can justify one teacher, no matter how much gifted, holding multiple teaching appointments in different Universities, some up to 600 kilometres apart, posing obvious logistical, effectiveness and efficiency challenges? University teachers and administrators owe our nation leadership by example, including in the areas of greater commitment to the job, personal moral rectitude and responsibility, probity as well as sheer professional competence. The regulating agency, the National Universities Commission, must rebrand, purge itself, step up to the plate, stop simply barking and perform the role for which it is gulping so much taxpayers’ funds Further, I see the imminent conclusion of ASUU’s strike action as stimulus for what someone else described as “uncommon patriotism”. Developing the education sector is tantamount to harnessing our people to achieve their fullest potential, enabling us to set and attain targets, which all our barrels of oil, on their own, won’t accomplish for us. University teachers must remain the mitochondria in this process, hub of the progress wheel, oblivious to taunts and revilements of the moment. And the goal must remain entrenchment of qualitative education for every Nigerian at all levels of education, not just the University student. Clearly, that what happens at the lower rungs of the education ladder shapes the outcome at the tertiary level is not rocket science Those who know the current President of our nation at closer quarters say he is an avid sports enthusiast who still takes his squash and tennis games seriously, brooks constructive criticism and possesses wide latitude for rethink. I congratulate him, not so much for his squash (OBJ played that too!) but for courageously rethinking his position on the ASUU matter and putting the sycophant charlatans around him where they belong. Even heartier congratulations go to those at the Presidency who presented the superior argument that changed Jonathan’s mind.

Do keep up this good work, 2015 or no 2015, for you remind me of the cousin in that good book, initially too terrified to appear before the king uninvited, until emboldened by the realiSation that she might have come to the kingdom for just “such a time as this.”

Onyezili is a retired professor of Biochemistry now resident in Makurdi.

TheGuardian

54

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Festus Iyayi Was My Teacher

By Calixthus Okoruwa NE day in 1987, a local television station in Benin City had in its 7 o’clock news, broadcast what may have ordinarily been an innocuous story. Festus Iyayi, the story, went, had been sacked as lecturer in the University of Benin, alongside Bass Agbonifo. Both gentlemen who were then teachers in the Department of Business Administration were accused of simultaneously operating a private consulting concern.

I was an undergraduate at the time and had been shocked to witness the sheer physical turmoil, which the announcement instantly sparked off at the University of Benin. Iyayi was then, national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. The sack had apparently been orchestrated by the administration of Ibrahim Babangida, who at the time harboured an ambition to rule Nigeria perpetually and was on a mission to decapitate or at worst, stifle all organs of potential dissent.

I couldn’t help but marvel at how powerful Iyayi was. He hadn’t mobilized anybody. Indeed, as it turned out, until that news report, he had no inkling of the sack. Yet that news report was enough to enrage the entire University of Benin community to the point that in a mere two hours, an immediate closure of the institution had become inevitable.

Not cowed, Iyayi headed to the courts, at the start of a long campaign to redress an injustice.

Eight years later, the courts ruled that the sack was illegal and ordered that Iyayi and Agbonifo be reinstated. Legend adds that the court also ruled that their salaries and perquisites for the entire duration of their illegal dismissal be paid to them.

It was in the course of his years in court that Iyayi’s novel, Heroes, won the Commonwealth Prose Prize (1988), and alongside his other works, Violence and Awaiting Court Martial, entrenching his place among the world’s great writers, among the immortals.

It was while studying for a Master of Business Administration degree in the mid 1990s that I sat in Iyayi’s class. Iyayi had by then only just returned to the classroom after his epic court battle.

Iyayi cut the image of a very serious lecturer, one for whom teaching was very serious business. Listening to him speak, it was clear that he consulted for organizations and this quality made his teachings empirical, a critical ingredient for anyone teaching contemporary business.

In his lectures, he left you with no doubt that he was intellectually sound, that his grasp of his subject was literally watertight. I recall that he taught the course, “Behavioural Sciences for Business.”

I learnt the concept of career resilience from Iyayi. Career resilience has instructively, become a very defining paradigm in my vocation as an entrepreneur. Career resilience is not just about employees pursuing careers, it is also about employers. The concept has arisen from a recognition of the increasing flux of the global economy and the attendant dynamics. Time was, for instance, when organizations readily offered what would end up as lifetime employment.

Indeed there are organizations, which over the ages had provided employment for generations

O

JAW JAW By Didi Onu

Iyayi of families. You were sure that if you were lucky to be hired by such employers, you could look forward to a very assured future of regular salaries and salary rises and a steady merit-driven rise up the organizational ladder, with a respectable and generous gratuity and pension when you retired. For this reason, you committed your all to the organization in the trusted assurance that the organization was also watching your back.

But times have long changed. Today, no private sector organization can offer anyone these benefits with the same amount of certainty. Indeed, you cannot be sure that technological evolution will not render your current role obsolete overnight, consigning one to the job market. It is for this reason that career resilience advocates the emergence of a new kind of worker with a different mentality from the old. Such a worker makes a consistent and sustained bid to enhance and broaden his skills and capabilities. In so doing, the enlarged skill base positions him as an ever more tangible asset to his organization. The enhanced skill base also helps to boost the market relevance of the employee, ensuring greater chances of securing employment elsewhere, should the current employer no longer require his services. Naturally of course, in enhancing his marketability, career resilience makes the prospect of losing your employee perhaps even to a competing firm, ever more plausible.

The concept, in the same vein, admonishes employers to religiously drive career resilience in their organizations. Career resilience helps to grow and nurture an ever more robust crop of human resources for the organization. While there will always be exceptional individuals and exceptional performers, career resilience helps to ensure that the average employee possesses far above average competence, which he is motivated to continuously nurture, enrich and renew.

The career resilience concept encourages

clear that he didn’t believe it was the duty of the university lecturer to sell books. That was a task for book publishers. Of course, it is common knowledge that in Nigerian universities, many university lecturers’ self-publish books and thereafter practically force these books down the throats of their students. Iyayi was not that kind of lecturer. His shortcoming, however, was missing an occasional class with neither pre-warning nor apology afterwards.

Iyayi’s mien in class tended to reflect what many of my colleagues in business school interpreted to mean certain arrogance. It was an unsmiling countenance. I remember someone making this assertion to one of our teachers, Frank Dimowo an economist and at the time, local ASUU chairman. Dimowo merely laughed, explaining that Iyayi was simply an intellectually self-assured man.

Often, he said, when you are self-assured and confident, people tend to mistake it for arrogance. And it is a tribute to the sophistication of the intellectual environment of the University of Benin that Iyayi’s colleagues respected, maybe even adored his intellectual prowess, his dedication and his unflinching principle.

I got a practical dose of the esteem in which Iyayi was held in the university in the course of a campaign for a slot in the University Congregation sometime in 1997. A vacancy had emerged in congregation and my friend, a very popular professor who had recently, on account of his principled stand on the side of ASUU been humiliated by the military government, was interested in the position. I went with my friend on campaign visits to a few locations. Incidentally, his opponent was Festus Iyayi, a man who had been away from the University of Benin scene since 1988. In private discussions with one or two lecturer friends, they confessed to me that “while we appreciate that your man is a definite progressive, Festus Iyayi is simply the ultimate. No one can beat him.” I never saw Iyayi campaign for one minute.

When the results came in, Iyayi won by what politicians would have called a “landslide.”

Looking back now, it is easy to see why the man commanded such tremendous respect from his colleagues. He epitomized intellectual brilliance and ideological consistency.

He didn’t mouth Marxist-Leninist concepts to sound “progressive”. He lived his beliefs.

He wasn’t afraid to sacrifice personal comfort for the overall good. He was passionate about Nigeria according education a pride of place in the scheme of things, knowing that education is the ultimate antidote to under-development and poverty.

It is unfortunate that as Wole Soyinka would have said, the man has been wasted

by Nigeria. Thankfully, however, his place in the Pantheon of greats had been long guaranteed, if not by his towering stature in academics or the trade union movement, then certainly by his prodigious literary talent.

Festus Iyayi now belongs in the league of the immortals. And there is nothing that the powers-that-be can do about that anymore.

organizations to take practical steps to redress the fallacy of the indispensability of any particular individual, by among others, imbibing a culture of perpetual learning. Such organizations must strive to evolve creative ways by which knowledge, expertise and experiences are systematically shared and imbibed organization-wide.

Career resilience leads to the ultimate winwin situation. The employee improves continuously and acquires increasing marketplace relevance, even though paradoxically, the prospect of his being poached by other organizations is in consequence, a constant reality.

On the other hand, the improvement in dexterity and disposition of the work force benefits the organization by enhancing productivity. Fundamentally, therefore, the democratization of knowledge and experience across the organization means that even when it loses people it doesn’t lose the essence, which such people represented. Their knowledge and expertise continues to reside in the organization, to be updated, nurtured and renewed in the days ahead.

This concept has been one of my most profound take-aways from business school. Only recently, for instance, a young lady who joined my firm upon graduation at the start of a consulting career a few years ago, left us to take up a continent-wide appointment with a highly successful multinational firm. I was happy at the progress which this development evidently signposted, both for my organization and my erstwhile employee, even in the face of losing a very talented and dedicated hand. At other times, I have lost a sprinkling of people to other organizations. My seemingly stoic approach to these “losses” often astounds my friends. The truth, which many do not understand, is that we have long envisaged this phenomenon and have since painstakingly embraced the concept of career resilience, for which I have Iyayi to thank.

Okoruwa works for a communications consulIyayi was very principled. He made it quite tancy.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 55

GRASSROOTS From Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi, Jos ETIRED local government ofR ficials in Plateau State have protested the nonchalant attitude of the state government regarding payment of their pension/gratuity allowances.

The aggrieved pensioners, who left the civil service since 2011, most of whom wore gloomy and hungry appearances, stormed The Guardian office in Jos, to register their grievances and plight since their retirement.

The retirees, most of whom are in their 60s, explained the attitude of the state government asking Journalists to rescue them from their dilemma. They were not composed in their presentations, as there was no spokesman, they spoke in chorus.

But one of them, who simply gave his name as Mr. Joshua, said, “Our pain is that the only reward we got after working for more than 30 years for government is this bad experience we are now going through. Is it a crime to work with your state government? Since then, life has been very unbearable as there is no payment. Is this our compensation for faithful service of the government of our state?”

According to their spokesman, the reason adduced by government for the unpaid allowances for about three years is illogical. “Government said they have not concluded the ongoing biometric exercise by local government staff. But we are saying that we have all been captured and cleared in the exercise. This is no reason.

“We are also debunking claims by government that they don’t know the salary table they are going to use in paying us our entitlements. Several agreements have been signed on issues of salary payment between unions and the government, which government has been paying before our retirement.

Why can’t they use what is on ground to pay and later pay us arrears?”

They claimed that the third reason they have against government is its refusal to pay them the three months salaries which government withheld during the last local government workers’ strike when government applied “no-work no-pay” rule.

“But at the end of the strike, an agreement was signed between government and our unions

PLATEAU: Local Government Pensioners Grumble Over Unpaid Allowances that no worker should be victimized for participating in the strike,” Joshua explained.

He further explained, “We are not part of that strike. We are not being treated fairly. As at the time of the strike, we were on our pre-retirement leave.

When has a pre-retirement leave become a strike?”

He said another complaint put forward by government for withholding their entitlement is that it has not determined the backlog of promotions that accrued to the pensioners when they were still in service in order to know the level at which to pay every pensioner.

“Why should government wait for so many years without promoting their staff until someone retires before government can act? It is a deliberate ploy to frustrate us and our families,” Joshua added.

When contacted for comments, the state commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Yiljap Abraham, said 506 retirees were placed on the list for payment in September.

“There is a State Pensions Board and a Local Government Pensions Board. Let their leaders, come forward please.”

On October 30, the pensioners had a protest march to the office of the local government service commission, where the executive chairperson, Mrs. Susan Janfa, pacified them with a promise to look into their complaints.

When The Guardian visited the local government pensions board, on Monday, November 4, 2013, the chairperson was not on seat, but was asked to check back the next day. It was the same story at the office of the local government service commission.

The Guardian was told almost the same story on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

“What is happening? Are you sure they are not running away from the press?” These were the questions put to an officer around, but his response was, “I don’t know o. You should keep coming. One day you may be lucky.”

But the state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Local Gov-

OGUN: Community Seeks Equal Delegates Slot At Confab

By Gbenga Akinfenwa HE Okunronmu-led National Advisory Dialogue Committee has been urged to give states the same number of delegates at the forthcoming national conference, to give it more credibility.

The Egun people of Ogun State, under the auspices of Egun Concern Forum, said while 10 delegates could represent a state, five could represent Abuja, adding that political parties should not pick the delegates, so that it wont be turned into a political jamboree.

In a statement signed by the group’s President Mr. Patrick Avoseh and its Secretary Dr. Senayon Olaoluwa, the association said: “Delegates from each state should reflect its

T

ethnic composition as well as representative of existing nationalities within the state.

“To avoid state paternalism, each ethnic nationality should be allowed to directly nominate via consensus, at least 50 per cent of the delegates that represent it at the conference.

“For the advancement of our national ethos and policy of social tolerance, in considering interest group representation, the dialogue stands to go down in history as the most seminal by ensuring that women and people with disability are also represented with the percentage to be determined by the committee.”

It recommends that the conference should not last longer than six months and that it should end by October next year.

Jang

ernment Employees (NULGE), Comrade Samson Mafuyai, expressed displeasure over the attitude of the leadership of the pensioners. “I don’t have direct control over them. They are retired personnel. I had earlier told their leadership to meet me so that I would see how I

could assist in their struggle.

“But up till now, I have not seen the leadership of the pensioners. But I only saw them on the television demonstrating that they have not been paid their severance allowances, gratuities and pension.”

At the State’s Pensions Board,

its executive chairman, Mr. James Kumbin, told The Guardian that he couldn’t categorically say that they are up to date, because they are facing financial challenges with the payment of gratuities because of massive construction embarked upon by the administration. He prayed that the challenges would soon be overcome.

Kumbin, who came on board in 2009, said he met a huge number of pensioners who had not been paid since 1977, pointing out that the board started with those who had been waiting for long, adding that the board would not be able to pay everybody at the same time.

He said, initially, government was giving them N130million every month for gratuities. He further explained that at the time he came in, government was paying N71million every month as pension. “Today we have gone up to about N180million. The last group of people that they placed on pension was in the month of September 2013. They are about 605 of them with additional N41million.”

The chairman said it came to a point where he designed a sys-

tem whereby, he started paying the pensioners in cheque, adding that eventually, he pays through e-payment, where people would just see alert on their phones in their homes.

“Let me tell you, over the past few months, the pensioners in Plateau State received their pensions even before the civil servants. Go out there and verify the truth from anybody. But we are having a little challenge with the payment of gratuities, but this challenge will be overcome shortly, because of this massive construction that is taking place.

“We are thanking God for that. And we know that the governor also has the pensioners at heart. Don’t forget, he too is a pensioner. He knows the constraint that he used to suffer to receive his pension before he became governor. So, he has that in his mind and he will not relent to make sure pensioners are comfortable.

“I think our pensioners in Plateau State have been spoilt.

If there is delay for one day, two days, they start asking questions. “What is happening? What is wrong? What is

OSUN:Community Denounces Representative Over Religious Incitement 2013, which was a platform for all indigenes of the community NDIGENES of Ilobu Comto meet towards social, ecomunity in Irepodun local nomic development of the government area of Osun town, such remark, prompted State have threatened to mo- by certain misgiving or provobilise against their House of cation from some factional Representatives member, members of APC should not Lasun Yusuff in future elechave come out from him. tions if he refuses to retract a Oladapo revealed that at the provocative statement cred- Gala Night preceding the occaited to him, which is capable sion, where community leadof causing disaffection beers from all shades of life were tween the Christians and present, some loyalists of Muslims in the community. Yusuff led by one Dr. Sulaiman They also appeal to the rulAjala, a lecturer, and board ing All Progressive Congress member of Osun State College (APC) leadership in the state of Education, Ila Orangun, disto desist from presenting tributed leaflets authored by him as candidate, saying he Yusuff cataloguing his achieveis unacceptable to the peoment in the community ple.

Said he; “The content of these In a petition sent to the Gov- leaflets pointed to the fact that ernor, Rauf Aregbesola by the the leader had favoured the Coordinator of Christian Pro- Muslim community than its gressive Forum, Ilobu, Lekan Christian counterpart. It was Oladapo, a copy of which was confirmed from the publicamade available to The tion that the sum of N4 million Guardian, the House of Repwas given to Ilobu Muslim Asresentatives member representing Osogbo/Olorunda/ Irepodun Orolu Federal Constituency was quoted at the annual Ilobu Day as saying that “he would ensure that no Christian in Ilobu attain prominent political position again”.

“This statement is provocative and tends to cause disaffection among the Christians and Muslims in the community. It is equally important to state that our association represents the general interest of Christians in the community regardless of political background. Therefore, APC Chairman is a Christian and we take exception to threat to his life as boldly made before and at that event by the Honourable,” he said.

He explained that on the Aregbesola fateful day, November 9,

By Gbenga Akinfenwa

I

sociation to acquire burial site. Nevertheless, he equally sponsored Muslims to Hajj, among other things.

“Without mincing words, the conduct of the honourable had confirmed the permeating fear of the Christian community that its interest is not fairly represented in the allocation of political offices, when we have sizable Christian population which is capable of producing qualified and competent persons as political office holders in the state.”

The Coordinator notes that the forum’s line of argument is that most political office holders pass through the legislator, being a foremost political leader in the community, saying it is a negation of the principles of equity for somebody who already possesses negative mindset against Christians to be put in the position of trust.

No wonder, we have few representations in the public office. It is disheartening that it is only Engr. Wole Adeyemo we can count on as a Christian in Aregbesola’s administration.

“The high point of this matter, is the intolerable act of impudence and utter disrespect for people and traditional authority. The Kabiyesi, Olobu of Ilobu and other well-meaning sons and daughters of Ilobu tried hard to call him to order at the venue but all to no avail.

This singular incident caused serious embarrassment to Ilobu and the monarch in the presence of visitors and members of the community. It is our observation that if this act of impunity is going on without check, it can cause chaos in the community.

“Be that as it may we cannot continue following a leader who chastise, rather than lead. A leader who hates Christians with passion will be unfit to be given our mandate.

A leader who cannot protect our interests is not simply to be trusted. Based on this we denounce him as leader and we cannot guarantee our support for him anymore if he is nominated in future elections,” Oladapo affirmed.

He appealed to the governor and the APC leadership to call Yusuff to order, especially on the threat against Mr. Abayomi Oyedeji, the leader of APC and a Christian, saying if anything happens to him, the matter may escalate beyond control.

Several efforts to speak with the Legislator on phone were futile. Two different text messages were also sent to him to hear his view on the issue, but as at the time of filing this report, he hasn’t sent any reply.

56

Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday December 1, 2013

The 2013 Diary: JANUARY — MARCH

57

Compiled by VICTOR OSHISADA

JANUARY Jan 2. Economists task government on rising debt profile. Some economists advised the Federal Government to check the rising debt profile to save the private sector from further job losses. The rising debt stock could retard development and cause more hardship to the people.

Jan 3. Chukwumerije gives N3.82 million to scholarship beneficiaries. The undergraduate scheme set up seven years earlier for Abia North students by Senator Uche Chukwumerije ended the first phase in which not less than 257 benefitted and the 139 2011/2012 beneficiaries received cheques ranging from N15,000 to N45,000 depending on their courses of studies. *Lagos generates 10,000 tonnes of wastes daily. The Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) announced that the state generated 10,000 tonnes of wastes daily. *Lagos judiciary loses judge. The Lagos State judiciary lost one of its judges with the sudden demise of Justice (Mrs.) Wasilat Abisoye Esther Ayo (nee Shitta-Bey).

Jan 4. Nigerian-born Belgian politician sworn in as Councillor of West-Flanders Constituency in Belgium. Nweke, a member of the Belgian Green Party, was re-elected in 2012, having made history in 2006 as the first non-Belgian born politician to win an elective position in West-Flanders.

Jan 5. Us Congress pressurises Obama over Boko Haram: The US Congress directed the State Depart- President Goodluck Jonathan’s surprise visit rattles Ikeja Police College Commandant ment to submit to both the Senate and the House of Representatives, within 90 days, a report “dechairman, in Harare.

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission scribing the strategy of the United States to (NERC) had amended its earlier directive that counter the threat posed by Boko Haram”.

Jan 17. Reps. Probe missing of N2.1 billion from electricity consumers should not pay for pre-paid minting firm. An investigation into the alleged meters. Those electricity consumers who were yet Jan 6. ‘N1 billion Delta tax revenue missing’. The al- disappearance of N2.1 billion from the vaults of to get their prepaid meters and who were receivleged disappearance of over N1 billion tax deducthe Nigerian Security Printing and Minting ing ‘crazy estimated bills’ were at liberty to pay tions paid by one of the multi-national oil Company in December 2012 might have been for meters to enable them control their electricity companies, Chevron Nigeria Ltd, through an old launched by the House of Representatives. The consumptions. generation bank to a new era bank that collected CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was the revenue for the government of Delta State stirred Chairman of the Board of the Minting ComJan 25. October 1,2010 Bombings: Life sentence for misgivings between the two financial institutions. pany.

Ebiware, Okah’s accomplice. The Federal High The Delta State Board of Internal Revenue (DBIR) Court, Abuja Division, slammed a life jail term on was striving to trace in which bank’s possession Jan 18. Jonathan pays surprise visit to Lagos Po- Edmund Ebiware over his complicity in the twin the missing money was. lice College. President Goodluck Jonathan paid bomb blasts in Abuja on October 1, 2010. About 12 a surprise visit to the Nigeria Police College in people died in the blasts, several other persons Jan 7. Ban on same-sex marriage irrevocable, says Ikeja, Lagos, on his way to Cote d’Ivoire for an sustained injuries and many vehicles were burnt Mark. Senate President David Mark maintained ECOWAS meeting. The visit was intended to en- in the incident. The trial judge was Justice Gabriel that the Bill prohibiting same-sex marriage would able the President address certain issues ham- Kolawole. be passed. Despite the pressure from some quarpering the qualitative training of policemen. ters, the law banning same sex marriage had come Jan 26. Obama backs Nigeria’s intervention in to stay. “We will not compromise on this,” he said. Jan 19. Gunmen attack Ado Bayero. Unknown Mali. President Barack Obama threw his full gunmen attacked the convoy of the Emir of weight behind the Nigeria-led African InternaJan 8. Senate denies approving NNPC’s $1.5 billion Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, killing four of tional Support Mission in Mali. The US President loan. The controversy over the $1.5 billion loan of his palace guards. The incident took place in called for prompt international action to fully esthe Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation the early hours of the day, after the Emir’s con- tablish the Nigerian-led African force.

(NNPC) took a fresh dimension with the Senate voy departed from a Qur’anic graduation ceredenying approving the deal. mony at Murtala Muhammed Mosque, in Jan 28. Boko Haram declares ceasefire, gives condiKumbotso Local Government Area. A few min- tions for peace. Boko Haram declared a ceasefire Jan 9. CBN issues new rules for micro-finance utes later, some gunmen opened fire at the with conditions: Freedom for the arrested membanks. To strengthen micro-finance banks in the bus, which conveyed the ruler and top members of the group and the re-building of the decountry, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released bers of the Emirate Council. stroyed mosque of its leader, Mohammed Yussuf. a new set of rules for their operations. The fresh Spokesman of Boko Haram, and second-in comrules are captured under the “Revised Regulatory Jan 20. Outrage over attack, Emir of Kano, sons mand of the group, Sheik Abdul Azizi said: “This and Supervisory Guidelines for Micro-Finance flown abroad. Shock and indignation ruled the ceasefire is a goodwill message from Boko Haram, Banks (MFBs)”. mood of Nigerians as they reacted to the attack following meetings with government officials on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, who and leaders of thought in Borno State”.

Jan 10. EFCC quizzes Soludo over alleged bribery. was flown abroad for medical attention. The The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission monarch escaped an attack on his convoy Jan 31. CAN flays El-Rufai over statement on Jesus.

(EFCC), arrested former Governor of the Central shortly after an Islamic function at Tudun Mor- The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) conBank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo in con- tala, near Zoo Road in Kano. Bayero, 83, was demned the controversial statement about Jesus nection with the alleged Australian polymer bank flown to the United Kingdom alongside his Christ made by the former Minister of the Federal notes bribery scam. But he was released and intwo injured sons for proper medical treatCapital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, destructed to report later. ment. scribing it as not only reckless, but also indicative of deep-seated moral bankruptcy. El-Rufai Jan 14. North responsible for own woes, says Sultan. Jan 21. S’African court convicts Okah of Abuja tweeted that: “If Jesus criticises Jonathan’s govThe Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the bombings. A South African Court convicted the ernment, Maku/Abati/Okupe will say that He Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, Alhaji alleged master-mind of the October 1, 2010, slept with Mary”.

Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, said that the twin car bombings that killed 12 people. Henry Northern part of the country was responsible for Okah was found guilty of 13 terrorism charges, FEBRUARY its problems. Abubakar condemned the activities which included engaging in terrorism, conof Boko Haram in some parts of the North. He also spiracy to engage in terrorist activity, and deliv- Feb 1. Appeal Court upholds death sentence on said that the insecurity and other allied challenges ering, placing and detonating an explosive Rev. King. Justice Fatima Akinbami of the Court of bedeviling the Northern region were self-inflicted device.

Appeal in Lagos upheld the judgement of the by northerners. *ECOWAS parliament okays military operaLagos High Court, which convicted and sentions in Mali. The Parliament of the Economic tenced to death, the General Overseer of Christian Jan 15. N’Assembly sends 2013 budget to President Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Praying Assembly (CPA), Chukwuemeka Ezeugo. for assent. A month after it passed the N4,986 tril- declared total support for the military opera- Also known as Rev. King, he was convicted by Juslion 2013 Budget, the Bill was sent to President tions by the ECOWAS and the international tice Joseph Oyewole of a Lagos High Court and Goodluck Jonathan for assent. community in Mali. sentenced to death by hanging on January 11, *Nigeria loses N170 billion to pipelines vandalism.

2007, for the alleged murder of a church memThe spate of oil pipeline breaches in the country Jan 22. Senate queries harassment of Nigerians ber, Ann Uzoh. However, the appellant’s counsel cost Nigeria over N170 billion in the past two years, abroad. The Senate urged the Federal Govern- notified his intension to file an appeal to the going by the data obtained from the Pipelines and ment to intervene on behalf of its citizens in re- Supreme Court.

Products Marketing Company (PPMC). spect of the harassment of Nigerians abroad.

Moving a motion on the ill-treatment of Nigeri- Feb 2. Squandering of $67 billion Reserves: EzekJan 16. Africa should have one President, says Muans in some foreign countries, chairman of the wesili hits back. Former Vice President of the gabe. Zimbabwe leader, Robert Mugabe, canvassed Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mathew World Bank, Ms. Obiageli Kathryn Ezekwesili, rethe emergence of a President of Africa to speed up Nwagwu, said many Nigerians were malnewed her charge of government frittering $67 the continent’s integration and unity of its people. treated and jailed abroad for offences that they billion reserves, including accruals to the Excess He said the pending African Union (AU) summit did not commit and expressed concern over Crude Account(CA), in the previous six years. She should discuss the appointment of a President of the silence on the part of the Federal Governmaintained that her call for accountability and Africa to foster unity to also ensure that member- ment. transparency in government business could be states adhered to the founding principles of the addressed in a public debate to ascertain the true continental body. He said these in his address to Jan 23. Pre-paid meters no longer free, says position of public finances (that) she highlighted. journalists after a meeting with Benin Republican NERC. Citing unforeseen circumstances, the President Thomas Beni Iyayi, the then outgoing AU Feb 3. Eagles in super flight, beat Cote d’Ivoire 2 – 1.

Emmanuel Emenike and Sunday Mbah scored for Nigeria, while Check Tiote got one for Cote d’Ivoire during the quarter final at the South Africa 2013 Nations Cup, Cote d’Ivoire equalised in the second half. Nigeria’s ambassador to South Africa, Samuel Sanni Yussuf, said the victory recorded by the Super Eagles against Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire lifted Nigeria’s profile before the International community. The soccer battle took place at the Royal Bafo Keng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa.

Feb 4. Police detonate parcel bomb addressed to Okonjo-Iweala. The anti-bomb squad of the Nigeria Police detonated two suspected Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in a parcel that was planted directly in front of the post office in Area 10, Garki, Abuja. The parcel was addressed to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and its contents were two suspected IEDs. The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory, Adenrele Shinaba confirmed the detonation.

Feb 6. How Jonathan marginalises Yoruba, by leaders. Yoruba leaders alleged marginalisation of the South-West by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in an alleged attempt to “excise the zone out of the federation”. The leaders, under the aegis of Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) led by Chief H.I.D. Awolowo and Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, said that the Yoruba people were systematically shortchanged in the distribution of entitlements under Jonathan’s administration.

Feb 7. Court affirms Obioma as Daily Times Chairman. The Federal High Court Abuja Division affirmed Senator Ikechukwu Obioma as the chairman of the Daily Times of Nigeria Plc and issued a clean bill of health to the company with regards to its operations, share capital, shareholders, directors, chairman and secretary. Justice Aliyu Mohammed granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff. *Chime returns, commissioner denies alleged illness.

Feb 8. We still own Daily Times, says Folio Communications. The management of Folio Communications Limited said Daily Times of Nigeria belonged to the company, as 96.5 per cent of the media outfit was under the control of the company. The ruling of an Abuja Federal Court on its ownership did not hold water as the legal matter was at the Appeal Court in Lagos.

Feb 9. Constitutional amendment: What Nigerians voted for. Nigerians endorsed explicit Constitutional designation of local council as the third tier of government, abolition of joint state local governments’ accounts, and financial autonomy of local governments. Others were definite terms of office for local government officials, financial independence for State Houses of Assembly, independent candidacy, and justicibility of Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution.

Feb 10. Eagles lift Nations Cup, beat B’Faso 1-0.

Inside the National Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa, the Eagles lifted the African Nations Cup against Burkina Faso, by a win of 1-0.

That was through Sunday Mba’s 40th minute goal. The victory broke 19-year jinx.

Feb 11. Pope resigns, Turkson, others in race as successor. Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation. The 85-year old Pope cited old age for his resignation It would be the first time in about 600 years when a similar step was taken

by Pope Gregory XII in 1415. Peter Turkson of Ghana and Marc Ovellet of Canada were tipped among the Cardinals likely to take over from Pope Benedict XVI who said: “I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry”.

Feb 12. Chime admits taking nose cancer treatment abroad. For the first time since the controversy over his long absence broke out, Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime admitted suffering from a nose cancer. He said he undertook a long vacation to enable him obtain medical cure for the ailment.

Feb 13. Govt verifies Nigeria’s assets, uncovers 45,000 ghost workers. President Goodluck Jonathan set up a special inter-ministerial committee to verify the assets of Nigeria all over the world. Also, the Federal Executive Council was told that a total of 45,000 ghostworkers were discovered.

Feb 14. Soyinka, activists, kick against First Ladies’ project. Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, activists and other women under the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 58

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

58 Sunday December 1, 2013

The 2013 Diary: JANUARY — MARCH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, as the book reviewer aegis of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, besieged the of- at the presentation of “Olusegun Obasanjo: Presidential Legacy, 1999 fice of the Lagos State Governor, Ikeja, to register their displeas- to 2007”, stated that in 1913, “the British colonial authorities” ceded Bakassi “to the Cameroon-controlled German authorities.” He ure over the allocation of N4 billion in the 2013 Budget or the stressed; “Did Britain have the authority to cede what was not proposed building of an office for Patience Jonathan’s African theirs, a Southern Nigeria of which Bakassi was a part of at that First Ladies’ Mission Initiative. time, was a protectorate and not a colony?”

Feb 15. Jonathan orders disciplinary action against Maina. PresiMarch 6. Associates mark Awolowo’s 104th post-humous birthdent Goodluck Jonathan directed the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to commence disciplinary action against the day. Family members, friends and political associates of the late Obafemi Awolowo gathered at his Ikenne, Ogun State country Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, Alhaji Abdulhome to mark his 104th post-humous birthday. Awolowo, the forrasheed Maina, for absconding from duty. mer Premier of the old Western Region, passed on in 1987. Prof.

Wole Soyinka was the recipient of the inaugural award of the Feb 16. Delta Giwa’s associates bury mum beside son. Friends Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership. The Nobel Laureate and associates of the slain founding Editor-in-chief of blamed insecurity on weak leadership .

Newswatch Magazine, Dele Giwa, in Ukpekpe, Ekperi, Etsako Central Local Government Council of Edo State, buried his March 7. Ogun Customs collects N5.5 billion revenue , seizes 1,000 mother, Madam Elekhia Giwa, beside her son along the smuggled items. The Idi-Iroko area of the Nigeria Customs, Ogun Ekpekpe-Ekperi Road. Dele Giwa was killed through a parcel State, reportedly generated N5.5 billion as revenue from import bomb on October 19, 1986. duties. That was against the N3.6 billion that it recorded in 2011.

Feb 18. Govt gives terms for talks with Boko Haram. For the FedMarch 8. Amosun swears-in Ogun’s first female Attorney-General. eral Government to engage in direct negotiations with Boko Haram, the group had to constitute a credible leadership or its Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun swore-in the first leader, Ibrahim Shekau, had to publicly renounce violence and female Attorney-General since the state was created in 1976. She was Barrister (Mrs) Abimbola Ibironke Akeredolu. The governor embrace dialogue as a path to peace. That was the position of also swore in Barrister (Mrs) Patricia Funmilola Oduniyi as Solicithe Federal Government. tor-General and Permanent Secretary. At the inaugural ceremony Feb 19. Court orders govt to pay N37.6 billion for invasion of Odi. was the Chief Judge of the state, Justice (Mrs) Olatokunbo Olapade.

A court ordered the Federal Government to pay N37.6 billion as It would be the first time that the entire top echelon of the state jucompensation to the victims of the Odi community in Bayelsa diciary would be manned by women.

State, 12 years after the military invaded it and destroyed lives March 11. Govt. woos US investors to agric transformation proand property. Justice Lambo Akanbi delivered the judgement. gramme. The Federal Government commenced talks with the Feb 20. ICSAN signs MOU with Babcock varsity. The Institute of United States of America (USA) to fast track increased investment in the nation’s agricultural transformation agenda. Minister of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) signed a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on ICSAN/De- Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina held a meeting with the US Corporate Council to Africa led by the US gree Linkage Programme, with Babcock University.

Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of ICSAN, Dele Togunde, issued Ambassador to Nigeria, Terrence McCulley, on the agenda. a press statement to explain that the initiative was intended to *Ekiti partners World Bank to generate 40,000 jobs. Ekiti State prepare their students for work place as they would be graduat- Government earned a new partnership with the World Bank to generate no fewer than 40,000 youth employment in the following and “professionalising in Company Secretarial Practice”. ing five years. The State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi revealed that Feb 23. Fire in Defence Headquarters. The Federal Government at his launching of an 18-Community Development Plan in Ado investigated the cause of the inferno at the Ministry of Defence Ekiti.

Headquarters, Abuja. The fire broke out in one of the buildings March 12. Oshiomhole battles Adoke in Aso Villa over Oyerinde’s at the premises of the “Ship House,” which ‘held’ the adminismurder. The thorny issue between the Edo State governor, Adams trative base of the nation’s security.

Oshiomhole and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, was the manner that the Federal Government Feb 24. US may deploy drones, spy planes in Nigeria over Boko handled the investigation into the murder of Private Secretary to Haram. There was a plan by the US to intervene in Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. President Barack Obama and the US gov- Oshiomhole, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde. At the council of state meeting, the incident between the two started when the Attorney-General ernment took the threat posed by the group more seriously and Minister of Justice moved to meet Oshiomhole. An open arguand were already considering military options, including the ment then ensued over the handling of Oyerinde’s death. The aldeployment of drones and spy planes. tercation almost degenerated to fisticuff.

Feb 26. You haven’t done well with oil money, Clinton tells March 13. Francis is people’s Pope. The new Catholic Pontiff was Nigeria. Former United States (US) President Bill Clinton dechosen. He was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, taking the name Pope Franclared that Nigeria failed to properly use her rich natural recis I, becoming the first Latin American to lead the Roman sources. He said to Nigerian leaders to create economic Catholic Church, as well as the first Jesuit. This followed his emeropportunities for the majority of the citizens. gence after five days of meeting by the conclave of Cardinals.

Feb 27. Emotional scenes at Benedict XVI’s last audience. Pope March 14. Pope Francis assumes duties, celebrates first mass. A day Benedict XVI rode out on St. Peter’s Square in his white “popeafter his dramatic election as the first Latin American leader of the mobile” for his final general audience before resigning. Nuns, priests and whole families flocked to the Vatican to get a front- Catholic Church, Pope Francis in earnest assumed his roles, celerow view of the Pope, waving flags and holding up banners ex- brating his first mass as pontiff with a warning to the Church against inaction. pressing their love for the 85-year-old Benedict.

Compiled by VICTOR OSHISADA March 20. Reps task NUC on data of Nigeria’s professionals. The House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora challenged the National Universities Commission (NUC) to liaise with the necessary government agencies to come out with reliable and up-to date database of Nigerian professionals and students living and studying outside the country’s shores. *Use of expatriate managers a bad omen, says Omolayole. Pioneer president of the Chartered Institute of Personal Mangers (CIPM), Dr. Michael Omolayole, said it was high time all Nigerians rejected the preference of foreign Managers and Directors to competent Nigerians to challenge the unwholesome trend.

March 21. Unemployment may explode into crisis, Obasanjo warns. According to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, unless the high rate of youth unemployment in the country was urgently checked, it might trigger a serious crisis in the polity. *WOSEM founder, Obadare, passes on at 86. Mr. Timothy Oluwole Obadare, the blind prophet, reportedly revered because of his healing powers, died. Obadare was the General Evangelist of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Worldwide and founder of the World Soul Winning Evangelical Ministry (WOSEM) headquartered in AKure, Ondo State. He died at the age of 86.

March 22. Achebe, Big Iroko, falls. The literary icon and author of the classical “Things fall apart”, died in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, United States (USA) at the age of 82. Born on November 16, 1930 and one of Africa’s best fiction writers. Achebe’s last book, There was a country: A personal history of Biafra, remained a subject of intellectual discourse.

March 23. Nigeria earns N48.4 trillion from oil in 12 years. Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the country raked in about N51.50 trillion as proceeds from oil in the previous 31 years, a stark contrast to the unsightly poverty that pervaded the country.

March 25. INEC refuses to register rival APC. In a dramatic turn of events, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused the African Peoples Congress registration as a political party. *Presidency cautions proponents of amnesty for Boko Haram. The Presidency cautioned proponents of amnesty for members of Boko Haram against politicising the issue. Instead, the proponents should broker amnesty programme by initiating contacts with the Boko Haram leadership.

March 26. South African court jails Henry Okah for 24 years.

Nigerian militant, Henry Okah, who was found guilty of 13 terrorism-related charges over twin car-bombings during the country’s Independence Day in 2010 was to spend 24 years in jail. The verdict was given by a South African court. At least 12 people were killed and 36 others injured during the bombings. Okah led a group, which said it was fighting to help Niger Delta residents gain greater share of the oil wealth from their part of Southern Nigeria.

March 27. Tribune publisher, Oluwole Awolowo, passes on at 70.

Chief Oluwole Awolowo, son of the late Obafemi Awolowo, and Vice-Chairman of African Newspapers Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, was announced dead at the age of 70.

Chief Awolowo died at Wellington Hospital, St. Johnswood, London, following complications arising from a car crash that occurred on September 30, 2006. Wole Awolowo was born in Ibadan on December 3, 1942. He graduated in Business Studies from Leeds College of Commerce.

March 28. Imo deputy governor Agbaso impeached amid protests. The Deputy Governor, Imo State, Jude Agbaso, for long under investigation by the House of Assembly over a bribery allegation was impeached. One Mr. Joseph Dina, the Managing DiMarch 15. Pardon for Alamieyesigha: US deeply disappointed in Feb 28. At last, Pope Benedict quits the grand stage. Pope Benerector of JPROS International Nigeria Limited alleged that he Nigeria, says it’s a setback.

The United States expressed “deep” disdict XVI said a final goodbye to thousands of cheering supportpaid a bribe of N458 million to the deputy governor in lieu of fuappointment while Transparency International urged President ers from the balcony of the Papal residence at Castel Gandolfo ture jobs. The deputy governor denied the accusation.

Goodluck Jonathan to rescind the pardon for Alamieyesigha, who near Rome before starting a life of retirement as the first Pontiff was convicted of money laundering. to resign in about 600 years (1415). He said: “I will no longer be TO BE CONTINUED Pope, but a simple pilgrim who is starting out on the last part March 16.

Govt. withdraws DANA’s licence.

The Federal Governof his pilgrimage on this Earth. I am happy to be with you surment withdrew the operating licence of rounded by the beauty of creation. Thank you for your friendDANA Air. A Director in the Nigeria Civil Aviaship and affection”. tion Authority (NCAA), confirmed the withdrawal of airline’s Certificate (AOC). There MARCH, 2013 was no reason for the action.

March 1. Court clears Jonathan to run for 2015. An Abuja High Court declared President Goodluck Jonathan eligible to contest March 17. VCs move to check plagiarism in varsities. The Committee of Vice Chancellors the 2015 presidential election, if he so desired. Justice Mu(CVC) entered into a partnership with a dashiru Oniyangi delivered the judgement in an action brought by Mr. Cyriacus Njoku, challenging Jonathan’s eligibil- United Kingdom (UK) – based Information Technology firm, iParadigms Europe Limited, ity to contest the election. for the deployment of the Turnitin plagiarism detection software in all federal univerMarch 2. Archibong petitions Jonathan alleges injustice. Disagreed Federal High Court Judge, Justice Charles Efanga Archi- sities. bong, petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, to restore him to the position from which the president compulsorily retired March 18. Gowon defends civil war, pardons him. In the petition, the judge claimed unfair hearing and mis- for Alamieyesigha, others. Former head of carriage of justice against him by the National Judicial Council state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) relived the civil war 43 years after it threatened the foun(NJC). dations of the country. In Yola, Adamawa March 3. Gunmen kill Kwara police commissioner. The new Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu, was State capital, he said that he was not fighting shot dead by unknown gunmen in Enugu. Asadu was posted to enemies but rebels that were out to cause trouble and abuse authorities.

Kwara from Lagos where he was a Mopol Commander. He visited his home-town, Nsukka, and was driving into his residence *Five bidders pay $156 million for PHCN firms.

Five bidders so far paid 156.50 million dollars when the assailants attacked him and his aides. to the Federal Government (25 per cent) of the bid value of the PHCN successor compaMarch 4. First documented HIV cure case excites scientists.

United States (US) researchers reported that a baby-girl in Mis- nies that they indicated interest to acquire. sissipi who was born with HIV that caused Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was secured after a very early treat- March 19. US excludes Nigeria from Africa’s democracy summit. The United States (US) exment with standard drug-therapy. However, they said more cluded Nigeria from a planned summit betesting should be done to see if the treatment would have the tween President Barack Obama and some same effect with other children.

African leaders on how to strengthen democratic institutions in the continent.

March 5. Why we lost Bakassi to Cameroun, by Duke. Former Late Chinua Achebe

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013 59

FOREIGNNEWS

Mozambique Plane Wreck Found, All On Board Dead NAMIBIA HE wreckage of a Mozambique T Airlines plane that disappeared over Namibia has been found, but none of the 34 people aboard survived the crash, police say.

The burned-out aircraft was found in the Bwabwata National Park, near the borders with Angola and Botswana.

“The plane has been completely burnt to ashes and there are no survivors,” Namibia Police Force deputy commissioner Willy Bampton was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The plane left Mozambique on Friday.

Flight TM470 took off from the country’s capital, Maputo, at 11:26 (09:26 GMT) and was due to arrive in the Angolan capital, Luanda, at 14:10.

The last contact made with the plane was when it was over northern Namibia.

The authorities say most of those on board were Mozambican or Angolan, and several more were

Portuguese. The aircraft also carried one citizen from each of Brazil, China and France.

Eight Killed In Glasgow Helicopter Crash IGHT people are now confirmed to E have died after a police helicopter crashed into a busy pub in Glasgow city centre.

Three people inside the helicopter and five people inside The Clutha were killed after the Police Scotland aircraft came down at 22:30 on Friday.

A further 14 people are being treated for “very serious injuries” in hospitals across the city.

A major investigation is under way and the Air Accidents Investigations Branch will conduct an inquiry into the crash.

It is thought that about 120 people were in the pub at the time of the crash.

Many were rescued or escaped but others were trapped by a collapse on the left-hand side of the building.

SCOTLAND The three occupants of the helicopter who died were two police officers and a civilian pilot.

A significant number of personnel from Police Scotland, The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Scottish Ambulance Service are still at the scene.

Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House told a news conference yesterday that they would remain there for some time.

He said: “This is a complex and ongoing rescue operation. It will not be a quick operation. It is a very complicated and indeed dangerous scene.”

Carriers Urged To Comply With Beijing Air Zone Rules UNITED STATES HE US says it expects its civilian aircraft to observe China’s rules in an air defence zone in the East China Sea. A US statement said this did not mean the US accepted China’s requirements in the zone covering territory claimed by China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.

China wants all aircraft there to file flight plans and identify themselves.

The US, Japan and South Korea say

T

they have flown military aircraft in the area unannounced. But China said it scrambled fighter jets on Friday.

The move was to monitor US and Japanese aircraft in the zone.

The air defence identification zone (ADIZ) covers a vast area of the East China Sea, including a group of islands claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan.

South Korea claims a submerged rock, known as Ieodo, also within the zone.

A Palestinian child raises up a paper ship reading "No siege" during a rally to protest against the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip at Gaza City harbour… yesterday PHOTO: AFP

Shots Fired As Rival Protesters Clash THAI LASHES have broken out in the C Thai capital Bangkok involving pro- and anti-government protesters.

People heading to a pro-government rally were attacked by students, and later shots were fired, injuring at least three of the students.

Yesterday is the seventh day of protests aiming to unseat the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Protesters claim her government

is controlled by her brother, exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

He was ousted in a coup following

protests in 2006 and now lives in self-imposed exile overseas.

Opposition Urges Fresh Polls Amid Pro-EU Rallies UKRAINE PPOSITION parties in Ukraine O have called for early elections amid ongoing protests at the government’s refusal to sign an EU association agreement.

A “national resistance” HQ is to be set up, they said, followed by a nationwide strike. Thousands have regrouped in Kiev after being force-

fully dispersed.

Jailed ex-PM Yulia Tymoshenko has urged people to overthrow the government.

Ukraine refused to sign the EU deal after apparent pressure from Russia.

At the end of a summit in the Lithuanian capital on Friday, EU leaders warned they would not tolerate Russian interference in the bloc’s relations with former Soviet republics.

Tension As China Expands Military Coast T T

By Kamal Tayo Oropo (With Agency Reports)

HE world has truly never been at peace, but these are more trying times for the survival of planet earth. As if in competition for the award of most restless people, the Chinese seem to have added another dimension to the ever elusive global tranquility.

To the Chinese, recent advances in industrial technology and healthy economy are not fulfilling enough; it’s time to flex military muscle and contribute a copy to global tension. And who else is better to pick up fight with? Old foes and staunch allies of the mightiest country in the world, the United States of America.

November 22, the world was woken up with the news that China has successfully flew a stealth drone for the first time.

A drone, called “Sharp Sword” by the media, made a test flight for around 20 minutes in Chengdu, reports said.

China has been developing stealth aircraft in recent years, including J-20 and J-31 stealth fighters.

Earlier in September, an unmanned drone flew close to a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea, raising tensions with Japan.

China’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) industry is reportedly of importance for two main reasons. Firstly, there are the new capabilities that such drones provide for China’s rapidly modernising armed forces.

Secondly, fewer technology export controls and price may give Beijing the edge in spreading such technology around the world.

The two leading players in the drone club –– the US and Israel –– have developed UAVs for a variety of purposes. These range from intelligence-gathering to strikes against difficult targets on the ground. Not surprisingly, China sees UAVs in exactly the same light.

The establishment of the ADIZ has caused widespread anger, with the US state department calling it “an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea” which will “raise regional tensions and increase the risk of miscalculation, confrontation and accidents”.

The contest is threatening to develop into a war of nerves as the US and its allies seek to test China’s true intentions and how far it is prepared to go in enforcing the new zone.

Beijing may have intended its move to increase pressure on Japan over disputed islands but it is also risking a broader confrontation with Washington, which remains the overwhelming naval power in the western Pacific.

Meanwhile, different viewpoints have started to emerge on what this may portend for global harmony.

James Manicom (Centre for International Governance Innovation, Canada)

HE dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands is more than 30 T years old and tensions over the East China Sea have flared periodically since 2000 as China has become a more proactive

maritime power.

However, since the nationalisation of the islands by the Japanese government in September 2012, the dispute has taken on a decidedly more ominous character.

Both governments are motivated to maintain their claim to the islands through acts that reinforce their sovereignty and neither government has the incentive to back down.

Despite the escalation of tensions however, there has been considerable informal discussion about ways to improve ties. There have been a number of meetings between various ministries on confidence and transparency building between naval and coast guard forces in the East China Sea. Furthermore, in early 2013 both leaders publicly articulated a willingness to rebuild ties with the other.

On balance, the prognosis is negative. Despite the stated willingness to co-operate, it is not clear the two sides agree on the conditions that would form the pretext of closer ties.

Continued Japanese restraint in the face of Chinese efforts to modify the status quo is currently keeping the peace, potentially to the detriment of Japan’s claim to the islands and its ability to use the surrounding sea area. It is not clear that the Abe administration will tolerate this situation indefinitely.

Victor Gao (Director of the China National Association of International Studies)

APAN seems to ignore the fact that it has demarcated a similar Jexpanded identification zone in the East China Sea for years, and has this zone over the years. In fact, the western-most line of Japan’s zone stretches all the way to China and is only about 135km (84 miles) from China’s coast at the closest point.

In recent years, Japan has on many occasions scrambled fighter planes to warn off Chinese planes when they entered the Japanese zone, as if the zone were Japan’s territorial space. In a sense, China’s announcement of an identification zone is in response to Japan’s abusive use of its zone to start with.

It is important to note that the Chinese and Japanese zones overlap to a large extent. Therefore, both nations need to handle themselves carefully and prudently to avoid any miscalculations or unintended consequences.

However, the fundamental reason for the deterioration of relations between Japan and its two important neighbours, China and South Korea, is because Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and many Japanese politicians still refuse to acknowledge war atrocities.

They deny the existence of the Nanjing Massacre, they claim the Korean sex slaves worked voluntarily, they continue to worship at the Yasukuni Shrine. They also want to abandon the peace commitment set out in the Japanese constitution, and rearm.

Although Japan is doing its utmost to tie the United States to its bandwagon, China and the US are significantly increasing their military co-operation and strategic dialogue.

Tetsuo Kotani (Japan Institute of International Affairs)

HE ownership of the Senkaku Islands was reaffirmed under the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, which demarcated Japan’s territory after World War II, and the 1971 US-Japan Okinawa Reversion Treaty, which returned the administrative rights of Okinawa, including the Senkaku Islands, from the United States to Japan.

By challenging Japan’s control of the islands, China is attempting to introduce a new regional order that favours it. As long as Beijing remains revisionist, it will not be easy to improve relations between Tokyo and Beijing.

Business and cultural exchanges between Japan and China have been recovering since the beginning of this year, but political relations remain difficult. Tokyo is willing to engage in dialogue with Beijing with no conditions. However, Beijing has been pressuring Tokyo to have “negotiations” on the Senkaku Islands, through coercive measures such as putting a fire-control radar lock on Japanese naval forces, and violating Japan’s territorial waters and airspace.

Tokyo has tried to reach out to Beijing on various occasions.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sought a meeting with President Xi Jinping at the G20 and Apec [Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation] meetings. Tokyo also sent high-ranking officials to Beijing for discussions on crisis management and strengthening communication. Despite the different claims over the Senkaku Islands, Tokyo believes that the two countries need to develop bilateral relations to ensure regional stability and prosperity. Tokyo will continue to seek opportunities to engage with Beijing.

The announcement of China’s air defence ADIZ has no legal effect but is an unnecessary provocation. First, it covers the Senkaku Islands, which are under the administration of Japan.

Second, it overlaps with Japan’s ADIZ. Third, China has announced that all aircraft are obliged to observe Chinese regulations. These measures are totally against international practices. The announcement will simply increase existing tensions in the East China Sea and the chance of clashes.

Michael Swaine (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, US)

ELATIONS have fluctuated somewhat after a very tense period R following the Japanese purchase of several of the islands in September 2012.

It is difficult to say how dangerous the situation is at present.

Much depends on how Japan and the US react to the announcement through aircraft deployments. The US has already flown two B52s through the zone east of the islands, without incident.

But a more serious test would come over US or Japanese surveillance flights through the ADIZ, or when Japan sends fighters into the airspace over the islands. Such actions could prompt a greater-than-usual assertive Chinese response than might have occurred before the ADIZ announcement, which could increase the chances of an incident.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

60 Sunday, December 1, 2013

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

New Deal on Iran’s Nuclear Programme

Politics Of The Gulf, Middle East By oghogho obayuwana, Foreign Affairs Editor AST week, the Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif expressed some concerns about what could be regarded as the bottled-up international politics among the gulf states, following his country’s new nuclear programme deal with the West.

It has been projected that in the days after the “normalisation” of relations with the United States (US) and the other four countries that make up the so-called P5+1 group of nations — the United Kingdom (UK), Russia, China, France and Germany, immediate neighbours like Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan as well as regional Middle Eastern states like Syria, Kuwait, Qatar and Israel, might be taking a second look at their relations with their fellow Arab brother, as it affects their dealing with the West.

If this projected reaction from the gulf states, (which are not all close friends of Iran) is to be seen as normal, as it should when one looks at international relations theories of negotiations and statecraft, then Minister Zarif’s well articulated views might not be out of place at all.

And it should blip for the attention of diplomatic watchers because tension in the gulf usually; has wide-ranging implications on global balance of power, consolidation of alliances as well as the trajectory of thoughts on the way to combat terrorism. For ages, there has been the subtle accusation that some of the gulf states remotely (and sometimes brazenly) aid terror organisations and their global terror networks that manifest in the various names by which we now know them.

So what was Zarif saying in the main? That the model for security and stability that seems to have been imposed on the region has been one based on competition, rivalry and the attendant formation of competing blocks. Whereas, about the only visible outcome of this has been the fostering of fresh imbalances as well as the emergence of unrealised or unstated ambitions that have repeatedly menaced the area for decades.

The new deal on Iran’s nuclear programme is coming barely three months after old Persia elected Hassan Rouhani — regarded as a relative moderate -— as its new president, in place of the hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Looking at what is playing out in Iran and in the gulf region over the compromise reached with the West on Persia’s controversial nuclear programme, it should not come as a surprise that there would be legitimate concerns about potential imbalances and even what is usually called asymmetries that might arise within the emerging new order in the gulf.

Could this be the reason Teheran is now calling for a pinpointing of areas of common interest and shared objectives? If this means yes, then cooperative methods for attaining those objectives should be the line of action to be pursued in the days ahead.

But do the other side of the table feel the same way? There was good news coming out of Geneva, Switzerland by the beginning of last week after many months of drawing blank on curtailing or controlling Iran’s nuclear power activity as Teheran agreed to cut out a chunk of it’s controversial nuclear programme.

Now, following the rapprochement, the new deal is expected to cost the world about $7 billion in sanctions relief. The United Nations (UN) had imposed a number of sanctions on Iran as a way of forcing Teheran’s hands back on it’s nuclear programme.

Importantly, to both sides however, the deal has also been backed by Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. There has been an entrenched claim that Iran’s nuclear programme was for “peaceful purposes” but after days of intense talks in Geneva, Iran agreed to give better access to inspectors and halt some of its work on uranium enrichment.

Expectedly, the United States President Barack Obama has welcomed the deal, saying it included “substantial limitations which will help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon”. Agency reports have also quoted Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to

L

have said that the interim deal recognised Iran’s nuclear “rights”.

In a nationwide broadcast, Rouhani said that his country would never seek a nuclear weapon. Iran has consistently denied claims by Western governments that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons; insisting that it must be allowed to enrich uranium to use in power stations.

Analysts believe that although both sides can say they have received concessions their “practical effect will be limited.” The belief also is that the real success in Geneva is that the ground has been prepared for further substantive talks.

Iran is to a large extent freezing any further progress in its nuclear activities but many of its centrifuge cascades have not been operational; it has actually been limiting its enrichment work for whatever reason for some time; and the Arak facility is still some way from being operational. So Iran is actually not giving up a lot, nor is it gaining a lot either.

What do the key points of the deal mean to the rest of the world? It stipulates among others that: Iran will stop enriching uranium beyond five per cent, the level at which it can be used for weapons research, and reduce its stockpile of uranium enriched beyond this point.

And also that Iran will give greater access to inspectors including daily access at Natanz and Fordo nuclear sites. There will be no further development of the Arak plant, which it is believed could produce plutonium. In return, there will be no new nuclear-related sanctions for six months if Iran sticks by the accord. The sanctions relief to be received by Iran is on sectors that include precious metals.

For the West, this is sufficient for now. After all, US Secretary of State, John Kerry is convinced that the agreement would make the region safer for its allies, including Israel. But alarmingly, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said: “It’s a historic mistake.” He told his cabinet it was a “historic mistake” and that his country reserved the right to defend itself.

“Today, the world became a much more dangerous place because the most dangerous regime in the world made a significant step in obtaining the most dangerous weapons. in the world... We cannot and will not allow a regime that calls for the destruction of Israel to obtain the means to achieve this goal...

Israel has many friends and allies, but when they’re mistaken, its my duty to speak out.”

And already, the new deal is signally some sort of economic opportunity for a regional neighbour such as secular Turkey.

Analysts in news organs such as the Financial Times have already said few countries will feel the impact of a possible Iranian reintegration with the world economy more than Turkey, whose relations with Tehran had even grown more difficult in recent years.

It has been said that Ankara had been repositioning itself to overcome tensions with Tehran even before the agreement in Geneva.

In the aftermath of the deal, top Turkish officials were quick to issue enthusiastic prognoses on economic and political ties.

“It is now time for co-operation,” declared Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s Foreign Minister, on a trip to Tehran. “The dialogue between Iran and Turkey is the most important in the region.” He added.

Looking at the deal as fitted into the geo-poli-

tics and other calculations, renowned international relations expert, Dr. Nwankwuno Okeimiri told The Guardian that the full picture is yet to emerge.

He then said: “But we can look at the body language and the historical antecedents of some of the states. It is easy to see that Iran’s Arab neighbours are deeply uneasy about Tehran’s diplomatic rehabilitation and have kept their reservations quiet after Iran reached a nuclear deal with global powers.

The country’s two Arab friends — Iraq and Syria — were quick to praise the deal, as was the Palestinian Authority, which welcomed it for putting pressure on Israel.”

He continued: “But other Arab states have done little to hide their deep skepticism in recent weeks, but mostly managed to keep their wariness to themselves after the announcement and some eventually spoke out in support.... The king of Iran’s main regional rival, Saudi Arabia, and the rulers of Kuwait and Qatar, who warily view Tehran, held talks overnight but none had issued an official response by midday. Their fellow Gulf Arab states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, did however welcome the deal.”

What this means is that the believe of the United Arab Emirates, which is hoping this would represent a step towards a permanent agreement that preserves the stability of the region and shield it from tension and the danger of nuclear proliferation is not a misplaced one.

The new deal would last for six months, allowing time for the negotiation of a more permanent agreement. But the days ahead would tell how much the world would gain from this not- so-easy-to-come-by decision.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is convinced that the agreement would make the region safer for its allies, including Israel. But alarmingly, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said: “It’s a historic mistake”. He told his cabinet it was a “historic mistake” and that his country reserved the right to defend itself. “Today the world became a much more dangerous place because the most dangerous regime in the world made a significant step in obtaining the most dangerous weapons in the world... We cannot and will not allow a regime that calls for the destruction of Israel to obtain the means to achieve this goal... Israel has many friends and allies, but when they’re mistaken, its my duty to speak out.”

World powers announce deal with Iran

(PHoTo: AP)

Sunday, December 1, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

61

The Secrets To My Success FROM THE DESK OF THE FOUNDER EMPOWER NIGERIA AND GROUP PRESIDENT/CEO, ANABEL GROUP he ultimate goal in life is the pursuit of happiness and success. Everyone wants to be happy and successful. The major challenge however is that very few people are aware of the necessary steps that need to be taken to achieve success. And even when people are aware, they don’t want to do the work required to get there. Success isn’t luck, neither is it achieved accidentally. Success is earned. In the guides to personal success section last week we laid out the six step process to getting what you want in life. And since we talk about wanting to be rich yesterday I felt it was necessary to expand a little bit more on what the six step guide to success really means to me.

T

Six Steps People Must Take To Achieve Success Desire – Human beings have their preferences as well as interests. There is always something you have passion for when you really search your mind. Sadly, most people do not even have the slightest clue of what they want or what they would like to become, and when they are asked, they come up with something to fill the void. As the saying goes “Failure to plan is like you are planning to fail”. It is therefore imperative to ask yourself “What is my desire or objective in life? Please put this newspaper down and pull out your personal life jotter, or a note pad, or your ipad, or even a laptop, anything at all to write down what you desire in life, what your overall objective is or what you would like to achieve that will truly make you happy. Please don’t say “I want to make lots of money”. That is lame and shows poor focus and lack of depth. You will not get very far with an objective in life that says all you want to do is make money. The process of writing down things is absolutely essential. It allows you to see, articulate, and adjust your plan when necessary. It also allows you to check for deviation in focus and enhances personal reflection. Although, it might take up to 10, 20, 30, 40 years to achieve your desire, however, you must determine it now. This very first step gets you started.

Know what you desire out of life, and the chances are you will be shocked that one day you may wake up and you would have achieved it.

it helps measure your gradual growth in the overall plan. Always remember a plan is like a blue print, it gives a clear direction.

You can also decide to map out other alternative plans here in case the initial plan fails. In your strategic planning process please always deal with the facts. It is important that you understand the art of accurate thinking, as this simply means that you have understood, that all strategies, planning and implementation must be based exclusively on facts that are accurate. It is so easy to make decisions or design plans on inaccurate information, but as anyone who has observed any one of the collapsed buildings in Lagos or Abuja will tell you, inaccurate information almost always leads to Collapse. It is therefore pertinent to spend as much time as possible to ensure that you have been given accurate information upon which you have based your strategy, or plan and all

your decisions.

Action – There is nothing more powerful than action. It sets the strategy in motion.

Even if you have the best idea, nothing can be achieved until you start taking action.

This simply implies that your desire, decision and planning are brought to life the moment you start taking necessary action.

I always tell my students, that you can have the best idea in the whole wide world; it will be worthless if you do not take action.

Information they say is power, I say it is not power. Information is only potential power, can be Decision – After knowing clearly what you information regarded as empowerwant to achieve in life, you must make a firm ment, it only gets transdecision in your mind that this is where I am muted into Power going. This helps to get rid of distractions and when you take ACTION. makes your goal easier to achieve for the mere You must act on inforfact that you already have a clear picture and mation for you or yours sometimes an imaginary picture of yourself to realise any benefit when you are where you desire to be. whatsoever.

Consequently, every effort and thought process will be geared towards your desire Communication – until it becomes actualised. You must make a this in my opinion is decision that you will succeed in the filed or one of the most imporgoal you have chosen, and you must avoid tant words in the negative mind sets that will try to creep in to English language. You distract you or make you to loose focus. After must communicate your decision you must have a plan which with everyone; no brings us to the next step. matter how smart Strategy – At this stage, you already know what you want to achieve from life that is, your desire and a concrete decision has been taken as to where and what you want out of life and the exact place you are heading.

Strategy basically means how you go about the planning on how to get there. Strategic planning makes the journey quicker because

you think you are if you cannot communicate you are finished. No man or woman is an island.

There is nothing you can achieve in this life on your own. If anyone has told you any-

thing contrary that person has lied to you. You must have the cooperation and association of other people to achieve your set goals, no matter what your goals are. Take for instance, we hear some singers break out from their groups and go solo. That doesn’t mean anything other than the singer is the only one on stage performing (sometimes with backup singers). But then what about the production team, the recording team, the instrumentalists and so on and so on… This goes to show that even a solo artist needs a team to support him or her. Another good example is the self-employed individual, even the self-employed entrepreneur needs customers for his or her business to thrive. Clearly, you need to communicate what you are doing, you need to communicate your actions and you need to communicate your plans, you need to communicate and promote your ideas, your business and your direction. So like I said earlier, people need to cooperate with you. It is the lack of cooperation that has put nations on the path to war, societies on the path to destruction and families in disarray simply because people have refused to cooperate and communicate with each other. Moreover, cooperation is extremely important as it comes directly from communication. No one will cooperate with you especially when you haven’t communicated properly. It is imperative to know that communication is not just about talking, what you wear and how you wear it, your carriage, disposition are all part of communication. In your effort and drive to get to the top, to become wealthy and successful, you cannot get anywhere close without Power, and power is simply organized effort. The combined and organized effort of two or more people applied to a single goal or collection of goals to achieve a

Nicholas Okoye founder EMPOWER NIGERIA Initiative, CEO Anabel Group, and Convener Nigeria Leadership Summit E-mail: anabel@empowernigeria.com

EMPOWER NIGERIA VISION To be the most effective, efficient and successful network of Entrepreneurial Leaders in Africa, growing the ranks of entrepreneurship by converting the unemployed youth into micro, small and medium business operators. desired result. In order to combine or organize effort to achieve Power, you will need the cooperation and support of other people. And how can you get support of people, mentors, God fathers, friends or even family without Communication?

You must communicate.

Take a good look at communication again, it certainly needs some studying right, it is the most important skill any man, woman, boy or girl can learn and develop, it is a true key to my success.

Outcome - The outcome of all these steps deter-

Continue in Page 41

62 |

Sunday, December 1, 2013

EMPOWERNIGERIA

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Guide to Personal Success for Entrepreneurs 1. Self

Confidence:

nobody wants to deal with someone that is not sure of himself or herself. You owe yourself a duty to build up the confidence you need to get the things you want out of life.

You need Self-confidence for your career, you need it for your business, and you need it for managing your family. If you do not have self-confidence then please find a way to acquire it, because you cannot do without it. And the best way of building Self Confidence is by acquiring knowledge.

Once you have become an authority in a given field you will see your confidence will go through the roof.

2. Initiative: in Nigeria we are not known for taking initiative. Largely because we have Leaders who do not reward initiative. In fact many of our leaders punish creative and innovative people in their organizations and prefer people who toe the line and keep things …the way it’s been for the past fifty years. However without initiative you cannot be a very effective leader or entrepreneur.

Taking initiative simply means knowing what task needs to get done and being able to do it without being told what to do. How can you not just love a person like that. Tell you what, if your boss doesn’t appreciate you, let us know at the Academy, we know a few bosses that would love to have people with initiative.

3. Imagination: There is nothing izn this world today, whether it is a plane flying in the sky or a ship on the sea or a 100 floor sky scrapper, a telephone, a photocopier, a camera anything, that did not have its first start in the mind of an imaginative person. The person first imagines things, writes them down and then goes about tackling the complex problems involved in bringing these imaginations to life. That is why the Nations with the most imaginative citizens are the most successful nations, have the highest standards of living and have the most affluent citizens. As a Nation many Nigerian citizens are lacking in imagination we must change this now.

EMPOWER NIGERIA: HEAT PRESS MACHINE heat press is a machine is a business you can start off very easily. The machine is engineered to imprint a design or graphic on a substrate, such as a tshirt, with the application of heat and pressure for a preset period. While heat presses are often used to apply designs to fabrics, they can also be used to imprint designs on mugs, plates, jigsaw puzzles, and other products. The designs are usually printed on sublimating paper using sublimating ink, which allows the pattern to transfer on the product. You can get some highly effective patterns and great effects using Heat transfer machines. Early heat transfer

A

printing methods in the 1960s involved a cold peel process. The image was printed on a piece of transfer paper and sold by a retail store. The consumer would purchase the transfer paper and iron on the image at home. This method was not successful and the design often would not stick to the garment or object to which the transfer was being applied. The hot split method, where the ink is split between the paper and the object, was developed later to improve upon the cold peel process.

As any equipment, there are many factors to take

into consideration when choosing a heat press machine. Though all heat presses do the same thing, provide heat under pressure, it is important to put into consideration other factors such as: Accurate Heat& Even Pressure: The most important thing to look for in a heat press is its ability to provide consistent, even temperature and across the platen. This will ensure proper application of heat transfer substrates. If you apply a transfer with too little heat and low pressure, the adhesive hold the graphic to the garment may not be activated. If you transfer with too much heat and high pressure, the adhesives may be pushed out beyond the edges of the image causing undesired smearing. The key to even pressure is a well-engineered upper platen. The EMPOWER NIGERIA machines have this quality.

Workload: The heat press you choose depends largely on the volume of work you intend to do with the press.

If you are doing heavy-duty production, you need a press that will maintain consistent heat and accu-

4. Enthusiasm: How can you expect to be successful at anything let alone entrepreneurship or business if you do not have sufficient enthusiasm for your product, your service or your industry. This is the primary reason why people who are involved in a labour of love, (meaning they love their work or the love their industry or they love the person for whom they do the work), will always do much better than others who are just working to survive or just to pay the bills. You must have enthusiasm for others to believe you, accept your message and embrace your ideas. As an entrepreneur you cannot do

rate temperature. It is important to consider a heat press with proper insulation. Our machines are of various models and they meet your requirements in this respect.

Ease of Use: It is important to buy a machine that is not difficult to open and close.

The more transfers you apply, the more important this feature becomes. You also need to ensure that you can easily slide garmen2ts on and off the press without burning your hands and without damaging the garment on screws and greasy bolt. Always opt for swing-away and draw presses as opposed to clamshell press as they are better suited for thicker items. EMPOWER NIGERIA has taken all these into consideration before we promote an option for you.

Portability: It is important to pick a machine that fits your workspace. Examine your workspace and purchase a press that fit into it and still allow space for movement.

To find out about this and other business ideas, visit our virtual showroom at www.empowernigeria.com, or contact our sales rep at +2348033028638.

The Secrets To My Success Continued from Page 40 mines a lot. It might require you to go back to the drawing board where decisions and plans were made to start all over again. But guess what, do not be discouraged. If

you go to a building site where the labourer is trying to bring down a wall and he hits the wall with his hammer a hundred times and at the 100th time the walls falls. That labourer knows it wasn’t the 100th blow that brought down the wall but the previous 99 blows. What does this mean? That is basically the law of the universe and exactly how it is in life. You have to keep trying after every failure until you achieve your desire in life because often times, people get discouraged easily. Learn to see every failure as a learning experience to get better. The Japanese have a mantra called “Constant And Never ending Improvement” CANI, and it simply means that even when they have succeeded they consider it a failure because they strongly believe they can improve on whatever result they got before. This strategy makes temporary failure an integral part of success. This should be your guide in life as well. In the weeks and months ahead I will look more deeply at the skills you need to be a Super Achiever and for those that set this as their target and goal, then you will enjoying reading EMPOWER NIGERIA in the Guardian every week. LETS GET TO WORK.

EMPOWER NIGERIA MISSION To provide a Clear Path to Entrepreneurship by supplying all the ideas, structures, tools, knowledge, machines, materials, equipment and financial support young people need to become successful entrepreneurs, and build a sustainable business, and to create in the process millions of jobs for motivated, committed and dedicated young people all across Nigeria and subsequently Africa.

To be a contributing writer or to inquire about any of our machines or Business Ideas, Please feel free to contact us:

EMAIL: info@empowernigeria.com, chiugo@empowernigeria.com WEBSITE: www.empowernigeria.com TEL: +234 1 277 1388 +2348033028638 www.facebook.com/empowernigeria

@empowernigeria

TheGuardian

Sunday, December 1, 2013 63

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sports I remember making a pledge to you at the last General Assembly in Port Harcourt that we would spend year 2013 harvesting from the fruits of our labour. That is exactly what we have done.

Super Eagles hoping for a brighter outing in 2014

NFF: Our Scorecard…

Our Ambition In 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan receiving the Nations Cup trophy won by Super Eagles

By Gowon Akpodonor E spent the year 2012 qualifying for all “W major competitions and I remember making a pledge to delegates at the General Assembly in Port Harcourt that we would spend the year 2013 harvesting from those fronts. That is exactly what we have done. We are praying and hoping that 2014 will bring more success to our football, practically the Brazil 2014 World Cup.” Those were the words of the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Aminu Maigari, while welcoming delegates to their 69th Annual General Assembly in Warri, Delta State on Thursday.

It is now 39 months since the Maigari-led executive came on board after the Sani Lulu’s board was shown the exit door shortly after Super Eagles’

Golden Eaglets celebrate with the FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy

poor outing in South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup. Maigari and his fellow board members will vie for re-election for another four years tenure on return from Brazil 2014 World Cup, and like a victorious soldier returning from a battlefront, the man is counting his chicks with pride.

For many football-loving Nigerians, the Lulu-led board, which Maigari took over from, did not fail completely. They won the 2007 edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup with late coach Yemi Tella in South Korea, picked a bronze medal in Angola 2010 African Nations Cup and qualified the Super Eagles for the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, many scandals, including a missing $239,000 at the NFF Glasshouse in Abuja,

the hiring and paying upfront for a ‘bad aircraft’ used in conveying the Super Eagles from London to South Africa for the World Cup and alleged general financial recklessness in the team, forced the delegates to vote Lulu’s board out of office in 2010.

These were in addition to the way and manner in which the Super Eagles lost out at the 2010 World Cup and the reactions that followed, including a pronouncement by President Goodluck Jonathan, who in anger, withdrew Nigeria from all international football competitions for two years.

Three years have passed and Maigari is satisfied with his record of achievements so far. “I am happy to report back to you that despite serious challenges in the first year and odds mounted on our route beyond that period, we

have been able to surmount and survive and have emerged into the sunshine that puts a bright smile on our collective faces as we sit in this auditorium,” said in his speech at the congress.

Turning to the delegates, Maigari said: “I remember making a pledge to you at the last General Assembly in Port Harcourt that we would spend year 2013 harvesting from the fruits of our labour. That is exactly what we have done,” he said.

Nigeria football started the year 2013 on a good note with the Super Eagles winning a trophy from a high profile friendly match against Catalonia in the City of Barcelona.

The victory put sports-loving Nigerians in good mood ahead Super Eagles’ participation in the South Africa 2013 African Nations Cup, where the Stephen Keshi tutored side proved bookmakers wrong by lifting the trophy after 19 years of waiting.

Other achievements for the Maigari’s NFF include the triumph of the Golden Eaglets at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, the first ever qualification of the Super Eagles Team B for the 2014 African Nations Championship in South Africa, qualification of the female U-17 team (Flamingoes) for the 2014 World Cups in Costa Rica and the Super Eagles qualification for Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup. “This was against the grain of national anxiety and sweaty mathematical permutations of previous years,” Maigari said. “Certainly, hard work, perseverance, focus and diligence continues to work wonders, and the unity of the Congress has been key to the giant strides we have been able to take in the past few years,” he added.

Like other past NFF boards, the Maigari’s administration also recorded some low moments. These include Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2012 African Nations Cup jointly hosted in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, Super Falcons’ all-time low performance at the last edition of the African Women Championship (AWC) in Equatorial Guinea, where they lost 0-1 to South Africa in the semi final. The team went on to lose the third place match to Cameroun, the first time Nigeria would return from the AWC without a medal.

The country’s women junior team (Flamingoes) led by Coach Peter Dedevbo also put a disappointing performance at World level, failing to cross the quarterfinal stage in Azerbaijan. But the two victories by the Super Eagles and Golden Eaglets this year may have over shadowed the chain of defeats recorded by the Maigari board in 2011 and 2012.

With the focus in 2014 football season, especially the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Maigari says all hands must be on deck. “Our winning theme has been the commitment to providing adequate preparation for all our National Teams for major qualifying campaigns and championships. All the men and women teams have benefited greatly from quality friendly matches and training camps as well as excellent welfare packages driven by our desires to motivate those who fly the nations flag.

“However, the character of persons who make up the Executive Committee and Management of the NFF will not allow us to over-celebrate.

They want to see our team achieve glory after glory, and they keep talking about wanting more trophies in the cabinet. The ultimate, I dare say, is the FIFA World Cup final happening in Brazil. For us at the NFF, winning a ticket to Brazil is not the story. The story will be preparing our Super Eagles well enough for us to make the kind of splash in Brazil that no other African country has made in the FIFA World Cup,” Maigari said.

The NFF boss was full of praises for the government and people of Delta State for the support and enthusiasm displayed at the General Assembly. “We have felt the warmth and hospitality of the goof people of Delta State. We will come back to this same venue for the 2014 edition of the NFF Annual General Assembly,” he said.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Nigeria Begins Quest For Glory At ITTF World Junior Championship From Olalekan Okusan, Rabat, Morocco EAM Nigeria will today T begin its quest for honour, as the International Table

Arsenal’s Welsh midfielder, Aaron Ramsey (right) vies with Cardiff City’s midfielder, Don Cowie during their English Premier League match at Cardiff City Stadium yesterday.

Arsenal won 3-0.

Arsenal Beats Odemwingie’s Cardiff City, Everton Wins ARDIFF City’s youngestC ever player, Aaron Ramsey’s two goals against his first club handed Arsenal a seven-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

The Wales midfielder racked up his seventh and eighth league goals in 13 matches this season, to help Arsene Wenger’s side to a 3-0 victory at Cardiff City Stadium.

German playmaker, Mesut Ozil provided an inch-perfect cross for midfielder Ramsey to head in against his hometown and former side.

Ramsey refused to celebrate the first-half goal, and the Cardiff fans stood to applaud their former star.

Replacement Matthieu Flamini doubled Arsenal’s lead late on, the Frenchman appearing with long sleeves rolled up, following the row

Results Aston Villa 0 0 Sunderland Cardiff 0 - 3 Arsenal Everton 4 - 0 Stoke Norwich 1 - 0 Crystal Palace West Ham 3 - 0 Fulham

about cutting his shirt last weekend.

Again assist-master Ozil provided the set-up, sending Flamini through, and he fired in from 10 yards.

At the death Theo Walcott’s break allowed Ramsey to fire into the top corner, with the home fans again saluting their former star.

Everton jumped into the top four by thrashing Stoke 4-0 on Merseyside.

Gerard Deulofeu, Seamus Coleman, Bryan Oviedo and

Romelu Lukaku all scored to subdue Mark Hughes’ side.

Chelsea loan striker Lukaku’s late finish was his eighth league goal of the season, on his ninth appearance.

Everton stole a 1-0 lead late in the first half thanks to Deulofeu’s finish. The Barcelona loan man played a one-two with Steven Pienaar, Gareth Barry tapped the back to him, and he fired in at the near post.

West Ham scored two late goals to ease past Fulham 3-0

at Upton Park, to move out of the relegation zone.

Mohamed Diame’s heavilydeflected strike poached a 1-0 lead for West Ham just after the interval.

Steve Sidwell argued play should have been stopped with Fulham team-mate Scott Parker down injured. Diame strode forward undeterred though, and registered the opening goal, by way of that deflection detour.

Substitute Ravel Morrison fired wide in the final 10 min-

utes amid tense exchanges.

But just as West Ham’s frustrations grew, replacement Carlton Cole finished with his first touch, sweeping Stewart Downing’s low cross home. That was Cole’s seventh goal in his last six appearances against Fulham.

And with time running out, substitute Joe Cole provided a finish to secure the points, and allow the Hammers to breathe that bit easier.

Nigeria Lifters Rule C’Wealth Championship In Malaysia IGERIA’S fine run in sports over 100 weightlifters and tion, the Indian lifter that Musa who competed in the N continued yesterday in officials, were shocked on picked silver shed tears, as 75 kg body weight made two Malaysia, where the nation’s weightlifting team won the 2013 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship.

Nigeria won a total of eight gold, three silver and three bronze medals to lift the female championship trophy, while India lifted the male diadem.

Hosts Malaysia and India, with a large contingent of

the final day, when the brilliance of Team Nigeria captain, Miriam Usman and Joy Joseph saw Nigeria topping the female medals table.

Usman, who missed London 2012 Olympic medals by whiskers, won gold on the final day alongside Joseph, a feat that saw India’s coach weep openly.

During the medal presenta-

Miriam’s gold did the magic for Nigeria. Team Nigeria presented only 14 lifters in the championship.

A visibly happy Coach Emmanuel Oshomah was full of praise for his lifters, declaring that they fought like true Nigerians. The coach particularly thumbed up 14-year-old Fatima Musa who nearly lost her gold to bad officiating.

Published by Guardian Newspapers Limited, Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos Tel: 4489600, 2798269, 2798270, 07098147948, 07098147951 Fax: 4489712; Advert Hotline Lagos: 7736351, Abuja: 07098513445 All correspondence to Guardian Newspapers Limited, P.M.B. 1217, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria.

(ISSN NO 0189-5125) Editor: E-mail letters@ngrguardiannews.com ABRAHAM OBOMEYOMA OGBODO • A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation •ABC

good lifts that were denied her. In her third and final attempt, the Edo State born school girl, went calmly and got it right to the admiration of her coaches, even as the referees had no option but to rule it a good lift.

The closing ceremony was a glorious night for Nigeria, as it carted away four trophies.

Agatha Obioma Okoli won a trophy as the best female lifter of the championship, while Joy Chika won two trophies after being voted as the best junior and youth lifter of the championship.

Tennis Federation (ITTF)organised World Junior Championship serves off in Rabat, Morocco.

Nigeria participation will face stiff challenge from the Egyptians who are also at the championship will their full time.

The Championships is organised by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Tennis de Table (FRMTT) under the auspices and authority of ITTF. The Nigerian team will be tutored by the duo of Dotun Omoniyi and Bode Ajayi, while the boys’ team is made up of Lagos Classics junior champion, Olajide Omotayo, Bolaji Shobayo, Azeez Ogunlade and Olasunkanmi Oginni.

Tosin Esther Oribamishe will lead the girls’ team. Others are Agnes Onoja, Ajoke Ojomu and Ayo Udo. Seven events made up of team, singles and doubles will be competed for at the tournament holding from today to Sunday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

In the singles’ event, over 96 boys and 96 girls are expected to participate with a maximum of four boys and four girls per country with the exception of the host country – Morocco, which is entitled to enter up to six boys and six girls.

In the doubles, over 48 pairs of boys and girls are also expected to feature in the championships with a maximum of a pair in the boys and girls’ categories per country with the host, Morocco, entitled to enter up to three pairs in both categories.

Echiejile Makes 100th Appearance For Braga UPER Eagles defender Scapped Elderson Echiejile has his milestone 100th appearance for Portuguese club Sporting Braga with a big 4-1 home win over SC Olhanenese.

Friday night’s win moved Braga two spots up to seventh on the table with 15 points from 11 matches.

The 25-year-old Nigeria international defender, who is set for his second World Cup in Brazil next year, made his league debut against Portimonense in 2010, when he joined from French club Stade Rennes.

He has recently been a transfer target for several clubs outside Portugal and his contract at Braga runs out next June.

Braga took the lead after seven minutes through Santos and doubled their advantage in the 13th minute courtesy of Rafa.

The visiting Olhanense pulled a goal back in the 56th minute, before Elder made it 3-1 after 69 minutes.

Pardo then made it a resounding 4-1 victory two minutes into stoppage time to crown a century of appearances for Elderson.