Sat 06 Apr 2013 The Guardian Nigeria

S A T U R D A Y COVER 11

WOMAN 23

Controversy

Ofomata

E D I T I O N HEALTHFEATURE 39

CELEBRITY 40

Halima Atete, Kannywood’s Bright Star

Moves To

Over Plan To Scrap Propagate JAMB, NECO Igbo Language

Stigmatization Kills Faster Than HIV,

Says Akudo

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Vol. 29, No. 12,518

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

PDP Praises Jonathan Over Amnesty Move For Boko Haram From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh and Mohammed Abubakar (Abuja) HE leadership of the T People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday showered praises on President Goodluck Jonathan for setting

up a committee to consider the agitation for the granting of amnesty to the Boko Haram sect.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisah Metuh, in a statement titled: ‘Amnesty Committee: The Making of a Great Nigerian President,’ said

by setting up the committee, Jonathan has demonstrated that he is a listening leader.

The statement reads in part: “The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commends President Goodluck Jonathan for constituting an Amnesty Committee on the

Boko Haram insurgency.

“This is yet another demonstration of the President’s sincerity and forthrightness in handling national issues. The President has shown that he is indeed a listening leader and that the unity of the country is paramount to him in line with

the vision of the founding fathers of our nation.

“We believe the initiative of the President in setting up the Amnesty Committee is the best decision at the moment and we are optimistic that this drive will yield the desired results in the general good

and restore the unity of our nation.

“In giving the committee the terms of reference to consider the feasibility or otherwise of granting amnesty to the Boko Haram adherents and to collate the clamour arising from CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

NEWSMAKER 48

Environmentalist, President Goodluck Jonathan, middle, with Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and some future leaders of Bayelsa State after a breakfast meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday.

60 Feared Dead In Edo Road Accident From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City RAGEDY struck yesterday T as at least 60 persons reportedly died in an accident involving a trailer belonging to Dangote Industries, a petrol tanker

and a luxury bus, around Ugbogui near Okada, in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State.

The accident was said to have happened around 1pm along the Benin-Sagamu-Lagos expressway.

It was gathered that the trail-

er had a burst tyre and rammed into the stationery tanker, and the luxury bus, which led to an explosion and fire, which gutted several other vehicles.

An official of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), who spoke on condition of

anonymity as he said he was not authorized to speak officially on it, said the trailer was coming from Lagos. He however did not say where the luxury bus, where 60 of the passengers died, was heading to or coming from.

“Three were rescued, and we

estimate that over 60 persons died. Three others in the trailer died. As I speak, the whole place is blocked; fire fighters cannot even access the area.

“The whole place is still burning. The Dangote vehicle had flat tyre. It hit the petrol tanker, fell and hit the luxury bus.”

Oluchi, Bags UNESCO Award

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

2|

US-Based Nigeria Christian Group Kicks Against Amnesty UNITED States-based A Nigerian Christian group, Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans (CANAN) in New York yesterday kicked against granting of amnesty to Boko Haram members in any guise.

In a statement by its Executive Director, Pastor Laolu Akande, made available to The Guardian, the group said: “We have watched with bated breadth, the strident clamour by a group of Nigerian political elite to grant terrorists amnesty.

“Intense political pressure has been mounted on the Nigerian government, resulting into widespread news today that the federal government of Nigeria is now considering granting amnesty to terrorists who have clearly spurned and disdained the idea in the first place.

“This is shaping up to a certain manifestation of the theatre of the absurd.”

It added: “Not that Nigeria is not used to such perfidious propositions, it is the total despising of the murdered, traumatizzed and maimed victims of the terrorists that make this situation a pervasion.

“When the federal government agreed to set up a committee to consider the demand to grant amnesty to terrorists, it completed its treachery against the wives, children and relatives of the victims of Boko Haram terrorists.

“Has the same government considered setting up anything to help those victims?

Does the federal government even have a count of the victims? What has the Nigerian government done to assuage the sufferings resulting from the killing of thousands of Nigerian people by Boko Haram?

“We have made it clear before now that most of the victims of Boko Haram terrorism are Christians whose only offence is their choice of worship.

Together last month, our association and CAN in Nigeria gave voice to the victims at a press conference in Abuja.”

We Demanded A Standing Commission On Amnesty, Say Northern Elders

By Samson Ezea S mixed reactions continA ue to trail the Federal Government’s decision to set

up a panel to consider amnesty for the Boko Haram sect, a prominent member of the Northern Elders Forum and former Vice-Chancellor Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Prof. Ango Abdullahi disclosed to The Guardian yes-

terday that the government’s plan was part of the recommendations made by the Forum to President Goodluck Jonathan nine months ago.

He said that the forum standing a demanded Commission on Amnesty for the country that will be saddled with the responsibility of taking care of all eventualities.

“We made the recommendations during our meeting with

the President nine months and he promised to look into it. He wrote the forum and invited us for a meeting where we deliberated on our recommendations before the government decided to raise the panel,” said.

Abdullahi On fears that such standing Commission on Amnesty might encourage militancy and all sorts of criminality in the country, Abdullahi said:

“There are crimes in the country and there should be way out of it for the peace and unity of the country. The gain of the amnesty for Boko Haram would be assessed as it progresses.”

He disagreed with those criticizing the government’s move, saying that it is in order and expected.

Abdullahi dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the

forum ambushed the Presidency to set up the panel.

He said: “How can we ambush the President? He wrote us and invited us for a meeting where we discussed on the way out of the insurgency.

There must be a standard for all Nigerians if we want peace in this country. Hasn’t amnesty for Niger Delta militants ended militancy in the region?

Aguleri Warns Enugu, Kogi Govts Over Oil War From Chuks Collins, Awka and Majekodunmi Thomas, Lokoja

Clash Imaginary, Says Kogi Dep Gov

GULERI-OTU community in Anambra-East Council of Anambra State, led by the traditional ruler, Igwe Alex Edozieuno, the Eze Ndo, has urged the Enugu and Kogi State governments to call their respective indigenes to order over what they community described as their continued inflammatory public utterances over the actual location of the oil well recently commissioned by President Jonathan.

Goodluck But the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, said: “There is a lot of misinformation about the crisis. The impression that war has broken out between the two groups is not true. Yes, there is tension on both sides, but this tension is borne out of the exercise being carried out by the National Boundaries (NBC)”.

Commission Igwe Edozieuno urged those who have issues with the location of the oil well or boundaries of his kingdom to follow it up with the NBC and or the office of the Surveyor General of the Federation in the Presidency, saying that it is the most reasonable thing to do in the circumstances, instead of causing tension in the area.

Reacting to comments and publications by some Kogi and the indigenes, Enugu monarch noted: “Our attention has been drawn to the spate of unnecessary and erroneous claims being made in the media by some elements in Kogi and Enugu States over ownership of the area of land in Aguleri-otu, where Orient Petroleum Resources Plc oil production facilities are situat-

ed.”

He is particularly worried that some individuals from Kogi have taken the matter even to the National Assembly, urging that their state be allowed to partake in the benefit of the 13 per cent derivation fund constitutionally reserved for oil prostates. ducing “The scenario being painted that the area of land where Orient is currently drilling for oil is theirs or at best, in contention. This impression is entirely false, tendentious and malicious,” the monarch insisted.

He said ownership and possession of the area by the Aguleriotu people was from time immemorial and never in contention or doubt and that no one would cede the oil location or any portion of Aguleri-Otu land to anyone, community or state. He averred that the area was well defined from history of their ancestors, which was further reaffirmed by the court verdict in the suit instituted by Igga community of Enugu State.

He disclosed that in February 1932, the area was granted to the Federal Government of Nigeria, vide a formal agreement dated 14/2/32 between Aguleri-Otu people and the then Colonial Governor of Nigeria, Sir G. Thomson.

“In the said agreement, the northern boundary of the area, as granted, was clearly marked and defined. Subsequently, in 1936, by order made pursuant to the Forestry Ordinance, the Governor of Nigeria constituted this area into a Forest Reserve called Anambra Forest Reserve.

Our people have since been receiving royalties for this area,” added.

Edozieuno

A

He disclosed that their forebears who lived in the area were set apart in the Forest Reserve area in four enclaves – Oguejiofor, Menkiti, Chiozie and Obed enclaves, all Aguleri people.

He also pointed out that the Anambra State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has a polling centre, the Ngenejo polling centre, where his people always cast their votes during all national general elections and there were no Kogi or Enugu people or voters living there.

The monarch said that even the lone pontoon operating in the waterways linking his community with their feuding neighbours is owned by him, and he has used it to the serve of all peacefully for decades.

“Secondly, by the provisions of Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region (Definition of Boundaries) the 1954, Proclamation of boundaries Northern Eastern Region were defined to area. this include “Specified landmarks defining our boundary include Lake Itolo and Rivers Odah and Inalo as stated in the said instrument.

These features are well known to our brothers of Ibaji in Kogi State, more so, all the Federal Government gazettes of 1927, 1931, 1954 and those of 1967-73 clearly defined all the boundaries. We have all the records banked in very safe custody till appropriate moment of need.

“More importantly, and aside from the fore-going official instruments, the people of Aguleri-Otu and their neighbors and still do live in peace today. It is therefore callous for

some agents of darkness to seek to stoke the fire of discord between us simply because of petroleum.”

The Aguleri monarch pointed out that with these facts, “we wish to remind our brothers on both divides that oil is a national resource, which the federal Government exploits and applies to the general good of all Nigerians, irrespective of the locus of the oil wells.

“Above all, Orient is still prospecting for more oil within the oil blocks allocated to it which, as we are made to understand, extend to neighbouring states, including Kogi and Enugu.

“Oil production, therefore, in the existing oil wells, which are located within Aguleri-Otu of Anambra State, should attract the felicitation of our neighbours, rather than their envy and indignity, since all our neighbours will reap whatever there are in terms of enhanced economic development in our community.”

He also urged them to sheathe their sword, stating that nothing should be done to disrupt the activities of the oil prospecting firm, as all of them stand to benefit from their activities.

Awoniyi told The Guardian that the President called the governors of the two states some months ago, following the oil find in Odeke area in Kogi State by a company owned essentially by Anambra citizens.

He said: “This led to the erroneous belief that the land is in Anambra. It is quite clear now that the oil well is in a disputed territory.

“Until the NBC is able to decide, using legal notices and ethnographic differences, where the oil well is situated,

no clear declaration can be made as to the exact place the oil resides. This is the underlining issue.

“We in Kogi will continue to impress it on our people not to take laws into their hands. The scenario that is also causing the crisis is that Anambra says it has invested N4 billion and that asset is in the bush.

“To protect that investment from vandals and unwanted enemies – not necessarily from Kogi communities – Anambra State set up a joint patrol team to ensure the asset is protected.

“My point is when this patrol is moving around, our people see their movement as an impending attempt to take over and colonise their farmlands.

“On the other side, when the patrol team see our people, they are not sure whether they are moving towards their asset or going to their farmlands.

“The mutual suspicion that exists on either sides is a major source of tension, constantly.

Because Kogi State does not have a similar patrol team along that area, because we don’t have any need for it, our citizens who see this Anambra patrol team and feel threatened now constituted a vigilante group to forestall an imagined invasion.

“Kogi State Government has appealed to them to leave the bushes. After hearing their concerns, a detachment of policemen from Kogi State Police Command has been deployed to the two communities within Kogi State and their presence gives the assurance that they will not be invaded.

“With this development, my boss, Governor Idris Wada, has sent top government officials from Kogi, who are in touch with our counterparts in Anambra. ”

PDP Hails President Over Amnesty Move CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 different interest groups who want the federal government to administer clemency on members of the religious sect and to recommend the modalities for granting amnesty if necessary, the President has again shown his humility and commitment to carry all Nigerians along in all his actions in line with the tenets of democracy.”

It continued: “We assure Nigerians that the PDP remains resolute in the commitment to restoring peace in the country, especially in the North and to return the region to its lost glory as the hub of unity, investment and trade in the country and the West African subregion.

“It is on record that the North is the most receptive region in the country. Indeed there is no part of the country that is more accommodating than the North which has always been

home for all people, irrespective of religious creed and tribal affiliations.

“We therefore call on the leaders of the North to take advantage of the President’s initiative and pursue peace so as to return the entire North to its lost glory.”

In the same vein, Governor Ibrahim Shedu Shema of Katsina State yesterday hailed the move, saying that if carried out with good intention, it would go long way in curbing the growing insecurity challenges in the country.

Shema’s reaction came during an interaction with State House Press Corps in Abuja. He however absolved the Northern governors of the allegation of lethargy, saying they had been up and doing in order to ensure that the crisis is contained.

His words: “I believe if a security committee is set up in good faith, it is for the good of

Nigeria and for the resolution to the crisis that has bedeviled most of Northern Nigeria on the issue of insecurity.

“So if a committee on amnesty is set up, it is done because Nigerians and leaders from the Northern part of the country are yearning for a quick resolution to the matter.

And the president is responding positively to this request so that our nation can go on in peace, progress and development.”

The governor disputed claims in some quarters that the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) was not doing anything about the security situation in the region, recalling that the Forum had once set up a special standing committee on peace and reconciliation. “That cannot be correct because if you remember, the Northern Governors’ Forum did set up a special committee of peace, healing and reconcil-

iation. And that committee has been working very hard and is submitting its second report to the Northern Governors’ Forum and certainly all hands are on deck, including traditional institutions, religious and political leaders, even from the services – military, retired, the police, SSS are all part of that committee.

“So there have been very serious efforts by the Northern Governors’ Forum to tackle this insecurity in northern Nigeria.”

The governor appealed to those behind the insurgency, noting that there nation can progress without peace and stability.

“We need peace and all hands be on deck. Those who are aggrieved for one reason or the other should come forward and be able to resolve this crisis such that our nation and our people can progress and develop rapidly,” he said.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

3

NEWS

Fayose Accuses Fayemi Of Heating Up Polity, Declares Intention To Run For Ekiti Guber Seat From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado Ekiti ORMER Governor of Ekiti Fyesterday State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, accused Governor

Kayode Fayemi of heating up the polity.

Apparently referring to the controversy surrounding the killing of one Mr. Ayodele Jeje in Erijiyan Ekiti last weekend, Fayose criticised the government for what he described as ‘harassment of opposition in

the state’, and vowed not to be intimidated or sent to exile by the government.

Fayose spoke yesterday at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Ado Ekiti where he submitted the letter of his intent to contest for the governorship election under the banner of the party next year.

The former governor was the 17th aspirant on the platform of the party to declare his inten-

tion to vie for the office.

In a carnival-like ceremony that attracted his loyalists from all the 16 Local Council Areas in the state and party members from other South Western states, Fayose pledged to reabsorb into service those alleged to have been illegally sacked if elected in the 2014 governorship election.

He described caretaker committees as an aberration to the running of the Local

Government administration and promised to conduct council election immediately he is sworn-in on October16, next year, boasting that he would dislodge Governor Fayemi if presented as the PDP Candidate.

Fayose’s letter of intent, which was addressed to the party chairman, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, was submitted to the State Working Committee whose members were also

present at the occasion.

The letter reads: “This is to notify you of my intention to contest for the gubernatorial primary of our great party with the intention of becoming the gubernatorial candidate and subsequently win the 2014 Governorship election in Ekiti State”.

He added: “I want to assure the workers that I will address, redress all injustice committed under this administration

immediately I am sworn-in on October 16, 2014” Fayose said.

He promised to forge a robust relationship with the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade and former Governor Segun Oni to ensure that the PDP wins the governorship contest.

The PDP Chairman after receiving the letter of intent assured that he and other members of the SWC would maintain neutrality in the conduct of the primary election.

APGA Has No Regrets In Meeting With Okorie, Says Nwobu-Alor From Uzoma Nzeagwu, Awka CHIEFTAIN of All A Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) addressing investors and other stakeholders during the 2nd Lagos Corporate Assembly at Lekki Free Trade Zone, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos on Thursday.

JTF Extends Curfew, Recovers 14 Brand New Motorcycles In Maiduguri From Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri HE Joint Military Task Force T (JTF) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday extended the nine-hour curfew by three hours commencing from dusk to dawn, following the incessant attacks and

killings by suspected Boko Haram sect members in the Polo-Jiddari areas of the metropolis.

The extension of the curfew, according to spokesman of JTF, Lt. Col Sagir Musa, was enforced by the local sector commander of the affected

Polo-Jiddari areas of Maiduguri to protect people’s life and property from the insurgents.

A JTF statement made available to newsmen in Maiduguri said the “three-hour curfew extension,” only applies to the affected Polo-Jiddari areas of

Maiduguri metropolis.

The Polo-Jiddari ward comprises residential and community areas south of the Government Reservation Areas (GRA) of Maiduguri.

“Officially, curfew starts from 9pm to 6am in Maiduguri metropolis. However, a local

Ijaw Group Dissociates MEND From Bomb Threat In N/Delta

By Seye Olumide SECTION of the leadership A of Ijaw ethnic group under the aegis of Izon Ikemi has denied the involvement of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in the alleged threat to bomb the Niger Delta.

In a statement yesterday, the

Chairman of the group, Tony Uranta said the findings of the group revealed that the threat was not issued by MEND and warned those behind the threat to retrace their steps so as not to plunge Nigeria into crisis.

A statement purportedly issued by MEND and signed by Jomo Gbomo had announced

that it would commence attacks from midnight yesterday.

The threat was issued a few hours after a South African court sentenced the MEND leader, Henry Okah, to 24 years imprisonment over the October 1, 2010, Independence Anniversary bombings in Abuja, boasting that the incar-

ceration of its leader would not affect its activities.

However, another email from MEND, which was signed by one Comrade Azizi, claimed that “Jomo Gbomo no longer exists”, and that Okah had condemned the earlier email, and dissociated himself from any planned violence in the Niger Delta or any other part of Nigeria.

FG Urges Nigerians To Leave Ceded Areas Of Bakassi From Anietie Akpan, Calabar HE Federal Government has T urged Nigerians still living the ceded part of Bakassi to reconsider their positions and choose between Nigeria and Cameroon as their place of abode.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Coordinator for the South South Zone, Mr. Umesi Emenike gave the advise on Thursday as he visited the refugee camp at Ikot Eyo Edem in Akpabuyo Local

Government Council Area of Cross River State.

Emenike pointed out that this was necessary “to avoid the repeated unpalatable situations.”

On March 7, this year, over 2000 persons comprising men, women and children were displaced from a fishing port in the ceded part of Bakassi, Efut Obot Ikot following harassment from Cameroonian authorities.

The returnees alleged that 11 persons were feared dead while 60 got missing in the

hands of the gendarmes in the process.

The NEMA Coordinator in a statement signed by the State Assistant Director of State’s Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. David Akate noted that “the displacement was not only disrupting their economic status but also affecting their children educationally, psychologically, culturally and environmentally.”

Emenike commended the law enforcement Agencies, NGOs and CSO for their tenacious roles in seeing to the comfort

and protection of the returnees.

He sympathised with the fresh Bakassi returnees at the Ikot Eyo Edem camp in Akpabuyo Council of Cross River State but charged them to consider leaving the area or remaining in Cameroun.

Emenike, who was speaking during an assessment visit to the camp, said the pathetic condition of the returnees in the camp needed to be urgently addressed.

commander in charge of this affected area, on reasonable grounds, could decide to enforce it even before 9pm.

“The decision to enforce curfew by 6pm in Polo-Jiddari, however, arose from the killings of three people in their houses about 3am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013 by suspected Boko Haram terrorists and since that time the decision has paid off as the killings in that area has drastically reduced. We said it many times that JTF will not ‘condone or encourage’ unprofessional conduct/indiscipline and where it happens we immediately apply sanction accordingly,” JTF said.

Musa, in the statement, also claimed that that there was no known infraction in the latest decision to extend the curfew by the local sector commander of the affected area.

In a separate press statement, Musa further disclosed that the task force during its recent routine patrol exercise identified unusual movements at Ruwan-Zafi area, near the Customs House, Maiduguri and conducted a snap “cordon and search operation” through which it recovered 10 brand new motorcycles and four new motorcycles’ engines wrapped in cartons.

The spokesman said investigations also revealed that the items were allegedly stolen and hurriedly moved to a store on the sighting JTF troops’ movement in the area.

State, Chief Sylvester NwobuAlor, has restated that APGA has no regrets in meeting with a former chairman and founder of the party, Chief Chekwas Okorie.

Nwobu-Alor, who stressed that the move was aimed at restructuring the party, told newsmen in Awka yesterday that the party sent an emissary to ask Okorie to come back, as he (Okorie) and APGA were working for the interest of Ndigbo.

“You can grant amnesty to people if you find out that the offence they committed could be pardoned. We are inviting those members sacked without reasons to come back because our embattled chairman, Victor Umeh, sacked party members at will.

“No matter what detractors are doing, we are definitely set to win any elections to be conducted particularly in Anambra State,” Nwobu-Alor said.

He called on well meaning people from Igbo land to come together and stop what he called evil political instrument working against APGA.

Scrapping Of UTME, NECO Not Appropriate, Says UNILAG Registrar

By Ajibola Amzat HE scrapping of the Unified T Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) and the

National Examinations Council (NECO) among other government agencies might turn out to be counter productive, the Registrar, University of Lagos, Mr. Oluwarotimi Shodimu, has said.

Shodimu, during a telephone interview yesterday, said the scrapping might not serve the interest of the students in the end.

The Federal Government had announced the possible proscription of these agencies during the week.

The decision was informed by the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye Panel Report on the reform of government agencies and ministries.

Shodimu said the agencies may have had their challenges like any other public institution, but their modest performance over the years cannot be discounted.

“JAMB specifically has perfected their operation so much that the results are released barely one month after the exam,” he noted.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

4

NEWS Otunba Sodipo Passes On HE family of the late Professor T John Olubi Sodipo- the foundation vice-chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo Universityannounces with thanksgiving to God the demise of his wife, and their mother, grandmother Otunba Florence Oyedokun Sodipo, nee Oworu. She died peacefully in her sleep on February 18, at the age of 80.

Madam Sodipo was born in Orunwa, north of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State in 1932 into a Christian family, attended Methodist Primary School, Ijebu Ode and teacher training college in Iperu. Otunba Sodipo later became a successful businesswoman and factor to Nigeria Bottling Company and

From John Akubo, Dutse Sodipo Consolidated Breweries among others.

She devoted her time and resources to community development and served as a regent in Owu-Ijebu between 2001 and 2006, as well as the first president of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Women’s Association between 1983 and 1991.

‘Government Has Lost Touch With Realities In Education Sector’ From Isa Abdulsalami, Jos HE government of Plateau T State has lost its bearing and touch with the current situation in the educational sector in the country. This assertion came to light yesterday at a press conference addressed by the National President of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP), Comrade Sunday Sabo.

Sabo described the directive

Emir Challenges Private Sector To Stem Falling Education Standard RKEDby the falling standard Ifailure of education occasioned by to meet the financial needs of universities by the federal government, the Emir of Dutse, Muhammadu Nuhu Sanusi has urged the private sector to rise up to the challenge and salvage education in Nigeria through increased investment in the sector.

The emir who spoke after he was conducted round the permanent site of the Federal University, Dutse by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Jibrilla Amin during an inspection

tour, said it is not viable for education to be in the hands of Government.

Just like in communication sector where the private sector is in the driving seat, he encouraged Nigerian businessmen like Aliko Dangote to drive their financial muscle towards raising the standard of education through massive investment.

He said government could only assist the institutions that are accredited with grants. “Education is still in the hands of Federal Government.

I believe this trend should be stopped. Government should

only give grants to institutions that are accredited for specific projects in the pursuit of educational endeavour.

“I hope in the next 10 to 20 years, more Nigerians like Dangote will invest in education so that the federal government will only support.”

On the financial constraints, he said there are too many social demands - education, health, roads, communication, which have been taken over by the private sector and are now thriving.

He extolled the virtues of the Minister of Education, Professor Ruquayattu Rufa’I,

who he described as the brain behind the establishment of the first set of nine universities.

The emir said he was impressed with the giant strides the vice chancellor and his team have made within a shot span of time.

He said having visited most of the new Federal Universities, the Federal University, Dutse is the best among all the newly established universities.

Sanusi also called on all stakeholders to rally round the Vice chancellor and his team to make FUD a centre of excellence.

by the state government asking striking workers in stateowned tertiary institutions to resume work within 48 hours and sign a register as most unfortunate.

According to him, “We view this development as unfortunate. Instead of solving the problem before it, government is using intimidation, harassmentandflimsydefenceonher inability to address the issues in contention.”

PDP Decries Tinubu’s Attack Its Governors’ Forum From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja HEleadership of the Peoples T Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned what it called an unfair attack on the PDP Governors’ Forum by the national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Bola Tinubu.

Its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said Tinubu’s remarks ran contrary to the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association.

Metuh, who justified the formation of the PDP Governors’ Forum, said: “Since the inception of the current democratic dispensation, governors from

different political parties have had several groups where they meet to aggregate their common interests.

Apart from governors of the ACN always meeting, we also have groups like the Northern Nigeria Governors Forum, Southeast Governors Forum and South-South Governors Forum, among others.”

As a result of that he wondered what is the idea behind Tinubu’s recent attack on the PDPGF, saying: “It goes to show the absence of democratic tenets in the former Lagos State governor for attempting to prevent Nigerian citizens from associ-

ITF NISDP Graduates Seek Foreign Markets For Products From Gordi Udeajah, Aba RADUATES of Industrial Training Fund (ITF)-sponsored National Industrial Skills Development Programme (NISDP) have expressed desire to export their products to African countries and requested the ITF and other government agencies’ guidance and assistance that would enable them proceed.

Speaking in Aba, Abia state at the formal graduation ceremony of NISDP’s 1000 graduates of

G

the first phase of the programme, one of the graduates of Tailoring and Catering, Mrs Chinasa Ogbonna, said that they want to profit from the booming Nigerian fashion products that are in high demand across Africa.

While the graduates rejoiced over their successful completion of the programme, many other youths that witnessed the ceremony, urged the ITF to quickly begin the second phase to enable others benefit.

‘CPC Not A Religious Party’ From Charles Akpeji, Jalingo CALL has gone to persons viewing the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) as a religious political party to as a matter of urgency have a change of mind as the issue of religion in politics is not part of the party.

The party, according to the Taraba state acting chairman, Alhaji Hassan Ardo is “a party that is notreligiouslybiased”butapar-

A

ty that “embraced all irrespective of religious difference.”

Ardo, who made this known yesterday in Jalingo, the state capital during a stakeholders meeting aimed at restructuring the party ahead of the forthcoming merger, said, “it is not true that CPC is an Islamic party.”

Citing top Christians presently occupying vintage positions in the party, he wondered why some detractors would continue to peddle falsehood.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (second left), his wife, Florence (second right), his deputy, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo (left) and the Guest Lecturer, Prof. Janice Olawoye (right) at a birthday lecture organized to mark the 54th birthday of Mrs. Ajimobi at the Western Hall, Secretariat, Ibadan on PHOTO: OYO GOVERNMENT HOUSE. Friday.

NNPC Official Assaults The Guardian Reporter, Debo Oladimeji

By Debo Oladimeji HE Guardian reporter, Mr TWednesday, Debo Oladimeji, was on while in the line of duty, assaulted by one of the officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) supervising the demolition of houses and structures on NNPC pipeline in Ijegun area of Lagos.

The official, identified as “Michael”, attacked Oladimeji while he was trying to get the NNPC team’s comment on the demolition exercise.

NNPC officials had challenged Wasiu Kolawole, the okada rider who conveyed Oladimeji to the scene of the demolition.

While Kolawole was being mauled, Oladimeji watched from afar, thinking he was safe. But the fellow identified as “Michael” dashed to his place of refuge, hit him with something sharp (probably worn on one of his fingers), blaming him for the presence of the Okada rider.

Drenched with blood from a gash in the jaw, Oladimeji was rushed to a nearby

chemist by one of the soldiers.

It took a suture by the nurse at the chemist to stop the blood flow.

The reporter and the magnanimous soldier bore the cost of the first aid.

The matter has since been reported at the Isheri Osun Police Station.

Contacted later on phone (08033272650), Mr Kalu, a spokesperson for the NNPC, asked for 30 minutes to get a PPPMC representative to respond to the assault case.

However, he did not pick subsequent calls.

Attempts to get Mr. Nasir, a PPMC spokesperson on phone (08023028068), also failed, as the line was repeatedly

Oladimeji declared “unavailable.”

Firm Proposes Digital Teaching, Boosts IT Education With N20m Infrastructure

By Bankole Shakirudeen Adeshina OVERNMENT’S ongoing litG eracy campaign has received a boost with Lagosbased firm, Delateur Services’ support for competitive education in the country with N20million worth of investment in the area of information technology infrastructure.

Speaking with journalists yesterday, Principal Partner of the company, Mr. ‘Yemi AdeyemiEnilari, said the gesture was

part of his organisation’s plans to promote the possibility of achieving the millennium development goals (MDGs) and Vision 20:2020.

According to him, the investment was made over the last two decades through procurement of sophisticated teleconference gadgets to enhance the company’s education solution called Academia, an initiative that enables teachers, students and parents to have unhindered academic performance evaluation session

technologically.

He explained that this solution helps parents to, while in their comfort zones, keep tab of their children by constantly monitoring their academic and general performance in school in an unsuspecting way.

Explaining the modalities, Adeyemi-Enilari explained that for schools to take advantage of the initiative, which is going to be free for the next two years, they have to officially enroll on its website plat-

form before activation.

Thereafter, he added, some charges will be attached to ensure effective and sustainable operation of the Academia services.

Adeyemi-Enilari, who insisted that all schools must subscribe to the digitalised academic initiative, maintained that his firm has began a school-toschool campaign to sell the initiative to them.

“But, it’s been slow,” he said, adding that “some teachers specifically told me that it is going to be more work for them and that school owners will not pay them for it.”

He, however, hinted that the initiative also provided opportunities for online teaching, as it allows teachers to upload assignments for students and expect submission via same channel.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

5

NEWS Benue Assembly On Recess, Commissioner Nominees List On Hold

Ghanaian President, Mahama, Bemoans Poor Ranking Of African Varsities From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado Ekiti

From Joseph Wantu, Makurdi T is not yet hurray for those nominated to serve as commissioners in Benue State as the list of 12 nominees forwarded to the Benue State House of Assembly for consideration have been put on hold for another two weeks as the lawmakers have proceeded on break.

The House took the decision to go on recess yesterday after members realised that they had sat for over 10 weeks without recess.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Terhile Ayua, while announcing the decision, said after the recess, the commissioner nominees would be scrutinised.

The House is expected to resume sitting on April 23.

I

OR universities in the Franked African continent to be among the best in the world, their autonomy must be ensured, Ghanaian President, Dr. John Dramani Mahama, has said.

Mahama, who spoke at the Ekiti State University, AdoEkiti, while delivering a lecture titled: “University Governance and Reclaiming the lost Glories: The Challenges and Possibilities of World Class Universities in Africa” in commemoration of the university’s second

annual lecture, noted that African universities would continue to witness abysmal ranking among their counterparts across the globe, except they enjoy full autonomy.

Mahama, who decried the poor ranking of African universities, pointed out that the continent would have long achieved a breakthrough in producing worldclass universities before 1960s, but owing to exodus of African intellectuals to universities in Europe and America for greener pasture.

The Ghanaian’s

president also advocated for peer review journals to engender harmonious working relationship among African universities, adding that bipartite relationship should not be allowed to create unhealthy rivalry among African universities.

Represented by the Ghana’s Minister of Education and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Legion, Prof.

Naana Opoku, Mahama , said financial and administrative autonomy to African universities was potent catalyst that could bring about the needed innovations and cre-

ativity in the continent’s ivory towers.

The Ghanaian president charged governments at all levels in the continent to fund research in universities and ensure that such research is utilised for development of economic policies to drive African economy to an enviable position.

The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, pledged speedy completion of the proposed Institute of Governance in Ekiti State University to train present and future leaders in the act of governance.

T

M

From Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri

Cardiologists Warn Of Salt Intake

By Victor Olushola Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right); Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone XI, Mr.Ghandi Orubebe; Ms. Anthonia Ndu of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Barr. Adekunle Amos; Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Dorothy Gimba and others during the commissioning of police patrol vans provided by the state government in Osogbo, Osun State …yesterday.

Stakeholders Urge Public To Expose Criminals In Taraba From Charles Akpeji, Jalingo TAKEHOLDERS have urged all and sundries in Taraba State to desist from the act of shielding criminals in the state.

The stakeholders, who made the plea after a stakeholders’ meeting in Wukari Local Government Council of Taraba State, said they felt sad at the continued shielding of “criminals” by some people in

HE Borno State S T Government has reviewed its scholarship allowances for its 6,353 students studying in various institutions of higher learning by over 800 per cent for the two academic sessions.

The State Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Bello Ayuba, who disclosed this in Maiduguri, said that the present bursary allowances paid by the government are “grossly inadequate”and do not reflect the present economic realities of students studying in institutions of higher learning in the country.

He said with the approved upward review of the rates by Governor Kashim Shettima to N10, 000 and N20, 000 respectively per student in a session, law students’ rate has been increased from N250, 000 to N300, 000 with a laptop.

He added that government has earmarked N130 million for bursary payments this month for the 2010/11 and 2011/12 sessions.

I

By Debo Oladimeji HE National Leadership of Equity and Justice, a formidable PDP pressure group in Delta State, has restated its irrevocable commitment and support for the emergence of a Delta northerner emerging as the next governor of the state in 2015.

Rising from a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at Onicha-Ugbo, the president of the group, Barr.

Amechi Okobah, condemned in very strong terms, unguarded political statements credited to some leaders from certain ethnic nationality in the state, adding that the resolve of Anioma people to produce the next governor of Delta State was irreversible.

From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

Borno Increases Students’ Bursary

By Laolu Adeyemi N order to recognise individuals and cooperate organisations that have contributed immensely to the nation’s development, the governing council of Nigeria Advancement Award has released the list of nominees for 2013 awards.

Nominees in the individual categories include: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, Gen. Yakubu Gowon Oba Fedrick Obateru Akinruntan, Alhaji Mohammed Saleh Jambo among others.

On the corporate list are Transnational Cooperation, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Intel, Sigma Group, Anni International Petroleum, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Professional Expert and Energy Company Limited (PEECO).

Group Seeks Anioma As Delta Governor In 2015

Obi Urged To Wade Into Anambra Communal Crisis GBAKWU community of Awka North Local Government Council, Anambra State, has asked Governor Peter Obi to wade into the crisis rocking the community over the alleged recognition of a parallel town union leadership in the area.

Enugu-based lawyer, Dr. Ejike Ume (SAN), in a petition sent to the governor on behalf of Mgbakwu Progressive Union (MPU), stated that certain individuals in the town had formed parallel executive under the of Mgbakwu Town Union (MTU) and are being accorded recognition by the office of his Special Adviser on Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters.

The petition urged the governor to withdraw the recognition granted the MTU and dissolve its executive, adding that the formation of the parallel executive was the source of the current crisis in the community.

Obasanjo, Abubakar, Gowon, Others For NAA Awards

the state.

The stakeholders’ meeting, which brought together opinion leaders from the nooks and crannies of the ancient Jukun kingdom of Wukari, was designed to find permanent solution to incessant crisis in the area.

In a six point communiqué signed by the Dr. John Kankani Danjuma and Joshua Ibrahim Sangari, the stake-

holders frowned at the recent religious crisis in the area that led to massive destruction of lives and property.

The Stakeholders, who said they recognised that unemployment was generating social unrest in the country in general and the area in particular, challenged themselves to assist in the area of job creation.

They called for urgent estab-

lishment of additional police station and army barrack in area, even as they bemoan “the inadequacy of security personnel” in the area.

They further called for the constitution of inter-faith committee to periodically dialogue” so as to create awareness among respective faith”, as a way of ameliorating inter-religious crises in the state.

ACN Chieftain Accuses Governors Of Syphoning Money Through SURE-P From Emmanuel Ande, Yola HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Deputy Governorship candidate in Adamawa State 2012 polls, Alhaji Abdulrazak Namdas, has alleged that state governors across the federation in general and Adamawa State in particular have pocketed Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) for the personal benefit.

Namdas, who spoke in Yola yesterday, said governors have turn SURE-P into cesspits to the detriment of the masses, adding Adamawa State

T

SURE-P has no office.

“I challenge the officers of SURE-P in Adamawa State to show the people of the state where the office of SURE-P is located. The state Coordinator, Alhaji Salihu Yunusa Belel, who is a serving political office holder to the governor and a serving chairman of Fufore Local Government, Sahabo Jauro, are the few individuals running SURE-P for their master”, Namdas alleged.

Namdas, who disclosed that since SURE-P funds started entering the state’s treasure

last year, no Adamawa youth or woman has benefited from the programme, which he described as a jamboree, adding that the SURE-P has been turned into departments for corruption in various governors’ offices in the country.

“If President Jonathan wanted SURE-P to succeed he should have appointed state coordinators himself and not allow governors to pick their family members and their political loyalists to run the programme. SURE-P is already a campaign wing of the gover-

nors. They are using it to recruits voters. They may even use it against the president in 2015; if Jonathan fails to remove the programme from governors control, he might be a victim of the programme he initiated”, he maintained.

When The Guardian contacted the state coordinator of SURE-P in the State, Salihu Belel, on the allegation that he had been running SURE-P in his bedroom without transparency and accountability, he claimed that he was not in the state and could not comment.

S the world prepares to celeA brate World Health Day tomorrow with a theme on hypertension, experts have urged Nigerians to be wary of too much salt intake, as it has been shown to cause hypertension.

Speaking at the launch of Losodum salt in Lagos, consultant cardiologist, Prof. Solomon Danbauchi, said that though salt is good for the body, excess of sodium is detrimental to the health.

Table salt is 40 per cent sodium and 60 per cent chloride.

Sodium is one factor in the development of high blood pressure. Under ideal conditions, the minimum sodium requirement is about 1,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day. This is less than 1 teaspoon of table salt.

According to Danbauchi, salt is clearly related with hypertension, which can lead to stroke, cardiac failure, kidney failure, and eyes damage, among others.

On the negative effects of low sodium, Danbauchi said there was no possibility of a sodium deficiency because there are several other means of sodium intake.

The Chairman, Embassy Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals Limited, Nnamdi Obi, said Losodum is unique because there is a nexus between what a consumer eats and his state of health.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday,April 6, 2013

6

NEWS Association Condemns Bomb Attack Urges Govt To Bring Perpetrators To Book

By Isaac Taiwo SSOCIATION of Igbos in A Commerce(AIC),anumbrella body for all Igbo traders in Nigeria and abroad has condemned the killing of traders in the recent bomb attack in Kano and asked the Federal Government to unmask the perpetrators behind the inhuman act.

Addressing the media recently, the President of the Association, Mr. Nnamdi Nwigwe disclosed that the number of traders killed in the bomb attack was up to 60, instead of 20 claimed on pages of newspapers, and urged the National Assembly to rise up to the occasion by bringing those behind the bomb attack to book.

He said, “Boko Haram has been killing traders not less than two or three on daily basis without any compensation, but we feel it is time for us to voice out.”

Nwigwe stated that was time to recognise the association as the strongest and largest traders’ union that has been contribut-

ing in large measure to the economy of the nation and saved it from collapse several times.

“During the recession when Abacha was in power, traders went all out to look for money to buy things, which to a very large extent saved the economy of this nation.

“We traders too are bona fide owners of this nation, and therefore implore the Federal Government to go all out and fish out those that are behind the bomb attack. We also implore the Federal Government to put up security apparatus that would shield every Nigerian including the traders,” he said.

Nwigwe added that it was time for the government to listen to the cry of traders whose strength should not be undermined.

“We believe that traders are the strength of this nation and should we revolt and go on strike and close down markets, which we do not want to do, everything will grind to a halt in this nation.”

Zamfara Procures 100 Buses For Transport Services From Isah Ibrahim, Gusau AMFARA State Government has awarded contract for the supply of 100 18-seater buses at the cost of over N700 million to be distributed to the state transport ministry and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the state.

This was announced yesterday by the state Commissioner for Transport, Alhaji Nasiru Masama, who said in an interview with reporters in his office, that the vehicles are expected to arrive, Gusau, the state capital, before the end of next month.

According to the commissioner, government resolved to purchase the vehicles to improve its transportation services to the people of the state, pointing out that, 50 of the vehicles would be handed over to his ministry while the

Z

other 50 buses would be given out to NURTW members on loan basis.

He explained that the distribution of the vehicles to his ministry and NURTW officials would be part of the activities to mark the second year anniversary of the present government led by Governor Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar on May 29.

Alhaji Nasiru expressed government’s happiness with the prompt remittance of last year’s buses given out to NURTW by its members, adding that, government was committed to provide cheaper transportation services to people of the state through his ministry.

The commissioner applauded the commitment of the state governor in providing good road network to major parts of the state for easy access to motorists.

Adeboye Prays For Expectant Mothers RAYER for Expectant P Mothers takes place tomorrow, Sunday April 7, 2013 at the Throne of Grace, 1– 9 Redemption Way, formerly Cemetery Street, Ebute-Metta (East), Lagos.

Assistant Pastor in charge of

Social Responsibility, Pastor Goke Aniyeloye said Adeboye as usual would be ministering personally.

Envisaging a loud crowd, every necessary security apparatus has been put in place.

Prince Arthur Eze (in white, seated), looking at his new membership card, while ward and state executive members, led by Chief Ken Emeakayi, the Anambra State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP, wearing red T-shirt), Andrew Mordili, ward Chairman (right) and Joseph Ezulu, ward Secretary (left) watch in admiration.

Over 10 Million Children Not In School, Says CENFET DG From Joseph Wantu, Makurdi N educationist and Director General of the Centre for Non-Formal Education and Training (CENFET), Dr. Rosemary Nwangwu has revealed that despite efforts to achieve Education for All (EFA) and Millennium Development Goals in education before 2015 in Nigeria, over 10 million children of school age are currently not in school across the country.

Dr. Nwangwu said the figure implied that one out of every school age child in the country wasnotenjoyingtheprivilegeof acquiring formal education.

She said a recent study by the United Nations Children’s Education Fund, UNICEF, has also showed that an estimate of “primaryageandjuniorsecondary age population of children in Nigeria were 24.7 million and 10.9 million respectively but only about 7.3 million children representing 29.6 per cent, who were supposed to be in primary school were out of school while about 26 per cent of the children

A

Okeke Commends Reconciliation Moves In PDP From Chuks Collins, Awka S activities towards 2014 A Anambra governorship election build up gradually, one of the popular, but fresh face in the line-up, Mr. Walter Ubaka Okeke, has said he was committed to the welfare and human resource development of the state, even as he commends on-going reconciliation moves in the party.

Okeke, a London-trained and certified accountant who has put in quality service in blue chip multinational companies locally and internationally, said he looked forward to clinching the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to enable him actualise his aspiration.

He stated that he would put in his best, but was never desperate for the position.

The governor hopeful

frowned at a system where those who lose in primaries carpet cross into other parties to get cheap tickets,“just to split the votes of our party”.

Okeke said he openly and warmly welcome the current moves by PDP at the national and local levels to reconcile aggrieved members ahead of

the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

His interest and motivation to vie for the governorship of the state, he said, was borne out of passion to savage what is left of Anambra State, adding that he was approached by stakeholders, who saw in him the seed and ability to govern well.

Praise Asuka Gospel Album Debuts HE entertainment industry is T set to witness the entry of another new gospel singer, Sister Praise Asuka with the debut of her first gospel album titled “He has done a very big thing for me” billed for launch on Saturday, April 6, 2013 at R.C.C.G (Royal Connection Area), No. 43, Ojekunle Street, Off Amao Road, Agege, Lagos.

The new album is a must-buy for Christians who appreciate what

God has done for them. The lead among the three tracks in the album titled, “He has done a very big thing for me” reminds us of God’s good work for His chosen.

The founder and head of the Praise Asuka Gospel Music with her Gospel Voices group, Sister Praise Asuka, a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God dedicated the album to God Almighty for the grace in putting it together.

who were supposed to be in junior secondary or about 2.8 million children are out of school at this level.

“On the aggregate, about 10.1 million children who are supposed to be in basic education were not in school. These figures suggest that whereas one out of three primary age children is out of school, while one out of four junior secondary

age children are out of school.”

The CENFET DG further expressed worry over the situation, saying despite the universalfreeaccesstobasiceducation declared by government and the huge amount of resources invested in the sector, no significantimpacthasbeenrecorded.

She said government must move fast to check the situation if the country was serious to

attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in education to justify the huge expenditure in that sector.

“The timeto act is now,because we all know that education is the bedrock of development in any given society and the earlier we take proactive action to address this anomaly the better for the future generation of this country,” she stressed.

Imoke Donates To Displaced Persons From Anietie Akpan, Calabar ROSS River State governC ment has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to the displaced persons of Adadama following recent clash with their neighbours of Ameagu community in Ikwo, Ebonyi State that claimed over 20 lives.

Delivering the materials, the Director General, Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Vincent Aquah said that the magnanimity of the state government was meant to cushion the effect of the displacement.

Aquah assured that the state was working round the clock in collaboration with the Federal Government to provide the needed solution to the protracted crisis.

The Director General emphasised that all relevant MDAs have been mobilised to address all sectors of needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), particularly on health in the various camps.

While commending the local communities for being hospitable and steadfast in accommodating the displaced, he advised the IDPs to remain calm and peaceful, and cooperate with the host communities to avoid any friction.

Receiving the materials, the chairman of the Local Relief Distribution Committee and

Chairman of Abi Local Government Council, Mr. Francis Ettah assured that the materials would be judiciously distributed to the beneficiaries.

He hoped that the problem would be resolved soon to enable the IDPs return to their homes to resume normal lives.

The displaced people of Adadama community commended the state governor,

Senator Liyel Imoke for his commitment towards their plight.

They said that the high level of sensitivity to their situation was unparalleled and appealed that the Federal Government should intensify its collaboration with the state to provide lasting solution to the border dispute between the Adadama community and Ameagu, Ikwo in Ebonyi State.

Paucity Of Funds, Bane Of Sickle Cell Management, Says Akinyanju

By Joseph Okoghenun AUCITY of funds has been P described as one of the greatest challenges facing the management of Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD) in Nigeria.

Chairman of Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, Prof. Olu Akinyanju, who said this during the closing ceremony of a training course on genetic counselling on SCD in Lagos, said the money spent on health in general, and SCD in particular, was not encouraging to make the needed impact.

It is estimated more than 300,000 babies are born with severe forms of sickle cell disease worldwide each year.

While 75 per cent of all patients with SCD live in SubSaharan Africa, Nigeria alone accounts for more than 100,000 new births every

year. But special funding has not been provided for the treatment and care for people living with the disorder.

Akinyanju said the relevance of funding for SCD could not be over-emphasised as “money is needed for research, capacity building, equipment, for programme and for support of the less wellendowed affected citizens.”

The haematologist said research done in the US had shown that with timely use of some prophylactic interventions, people with sickle cell anaemia tend to live quality and durable lives, adding that findings by the foundation revealed that when affected persons are followed up in dedicated sickle cell clinic with free access to genetic counselling and treatment, illness and death rates could be reduced.

| 7

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

NEWSFEATURE The installation of Bishop John Adebayo Alagbala Osa-Oni as the Archbishop of Vineyard Christian Ministries Inc (The Glorious Church) holds today in Lagos.

Coming on the heels of the 25th anniversary of the church, which was marked amidst pomp last Wednesday, he speaks on the significance of his rise to the status of an Archbishop, the challenges that will come with his new position and sundry national issues.

By Onyedika Agbedo How do you feel about your elevation to the position of Archbishop?

NWARDLY I feel very honoured that I that was the least, like Apostle Paul said, have been given this grace. And it is the grace of God irrespective of what we have done for God or humanity in the past. People who have spoken with me or received my letter about the elevation were like, ‘why did you wait this long’. So, the celebration is so widespread that sometimes I get scared because of the strong approval. But that has also made me to know that this must be God. Moreover, I also believe that it is the right timing because when things happen at the right timing, God’s approval comes. I am elated but I also believe it is for greater work.

So what are the challenges you envisage to come with the elevation?

It is not going to be a life of myself anymore; it is going to be a life for the Body of Christ, a life for humanity, a life for the world. I don’t have to think about myself first just like I had been doing. It is a higher call to think more of humanity.

As a matter of fact, the office of an Archbishop is not a light issue. It calls for greater responsibility; it calls for greater work.

It calls for time to defend the poor, the weak and to call for justice. It is a great work for me and many other Bishops that will emerge and we believe that we will also push the work to next level.

When did you establish Vineyard Christian Ministry?

Vineyard Christian Ministry started on April 3, 1988. April 3, this year, marked the 25 years existence of the church. It has been 25 years of wonderful times, great experiences, great tra- Osa-Oni vails and great successes. It was a great celebration for the church last Wednesday. I believe it will open the door for another 25 years of fruitful and wonderful service in the vineyard of God. The Church of God keeps expanding in Nigeria but we keep witnessing moral decadence in almost every facet of our national life. Why the contrast?

For me, the church has done great work in this nation. If the church were not here, things would have been worse. You must understand that the god of this world is still battling. So, what the church is doing is the remedy. The world would have gone beyond the era of Sodom and Gomorrah.

So, I do believe that the church of God has done great things in this country. I also believe that the church is doing its best to transform lives and will continue to do so until Jesus comes back to receive His church back to Himself.

What then is your take on the Boko Haram onslaught against Christians in the northern part of the country?

It is unfortunate that human beings will wake up to destroy other lives. It is unfortunate, heartless and unimaginable. It is also barbaric in nature. For me, it is something that should stop because we cannot create lives and so we should not destroy lives. I think the lives that have been so destroyed signify war against the church. How many mosques have the Boko Haram sect burnt? So, it is basically against the church. It is just unfortunate that the church is not standing to take their own war by themselves. I think the church needs to speak more on this issue.

I also believe that the government should do much more to curtail the sect. Just recently, over 30 lives were lost in Kano. It shouldn’t be and it is unfortunate that it is happening at this stage of our nation. We were under the

I

‘Federal Government’s Amnesty plan For Boko Haram Has No Basis’

When Niger Delta militants were granted amnesty, we all knew what happened in the region.

These people have their farmlands and rivers destroyed by oil spills such that they can neither farm nor fish. Things are so bad in the region that gives the country the oil that generates its wealth even as we speak. This was what led the youths in the region to resort to militancy. But what is the grouse of the Boko Haram sect and on what basis is the Federal Government going to grant them amnesty?

subjection of the military for so many years, and now that democracy is gradually taking its roots, though there are mistakes here and there, every hand ought to be on deck. I seriously think that the guys should sheathe their swords and take to the sense of doing things the better way. Even if they are aggrieved, there are proper ways they can make their grievances known to the government, the country and to the world rather than destroying innocent lives.

The Sultan of Sokoto and some eminent Nigerians have called for amnesty for members of the notorious sect. What is your take on that?

I think the Sultan did not get it right this time. He has been saying the right thing ever since but his utterances to that effect suggested that he must be in the know of who the Boko Haram members are because you can’t speak for who you don’t know. If a child does wrong, the person that is pleading for that child must know the child. For me, amnesty for the Boko Haram sect is not hinged on anything.

When Niger Delta militants were granted amnesty, we all knew what happened in the region. These people have their farmlands

and rivers destroyed by oil spills such that they can neither farm nor fish. Things are so bad in the region that gives the country the oil that generates its wealth even as we speak.

This was what led the youths in the region to resort to militancy. But what is the grouse of the Boko Haram sect and on what basis is the Federal Government going to grant them amnesty?

A lot of people believe that unemployment is at the root of some of the restiveness in the country. How do you think government can tackle the problem?

The unemployment level of the country is really pathetic. But unemployment should not be the reason for taking up arms against the state, destroying lives and property. It is not an excuse and it shouldn’t be.

However, if the Federal Government cares enough, if there is constant electricity and good road network in this country, I believe that Nigerians are hard working people and will fix themselves up in worthy ventures. If we have constant power supply in the country, industries and factories will open in their hundreds and thousands to employ people.

Currently, it is not easy for people who own industries in this country. Fifty litres of diesel costs between N8, 000 and N9, 000 and might cost more in some states. That hikes the cost of production and so when you produce anything, people can hardly buy it. That is why we have a lot of sub-standard products in this country because people are also trying to make their profits. So, I do believe that if government is really sincere about creating jobs for Nigerians, they should make electricity work. They should also give Nigerians good roads. Nigerians are very hard working people and can survive under any atmosphere but you have to give them the necessary tools to work with.

There have been strong criticisms both from within and outside the country against the presidential pardon granted to former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Do you think the former governor deserves the pardon?

Don’t forget that Alamieyeseigha was Mr. President’s boss when he (President Jonathan) was the deputy governor of Bayelsa State. But I think the president allowed the human nature to supersede the voice of justice. For me, I think it should have waited for a while, may be for his second term if he succeeds at the polls or he could go through other presidents that would come in the future to plead passionately for him; that would have been the most appropriate step.

But now that he has done it, I think Nigerians should move forward because he cannot reverse his stand.

I read in the papers that President Obama was to come but that his visit was cancelled as a result of the pardon. Also, Bill Gates was to come but his visit was also cancelled. Now Nigeria is paying for the good that the president has done to one individual. I think he should have been more broad-minded and think about the effects the pardon would have on the country. But when people are in government, there are lots of counsellors.

Some people are crying wolf now but some people are celebrating that they have done well. But I think he should have waited.

Where does the pardon leave the country in the fight against corruption?

What the government has done is like celebrating corruption. It just shows that they are solid rubber stamps for corruption. It shows that this government is full of corrupt people because I don’t think this is the right time for them to do that. Usually I don’t like talking about government because I pray for them.

But at a time like this, I think all Nigerians should speak up.

There have been calls for Christians with integrity to go into politics and make a difference. Do you think those of them there now are really showing the light?

I don’t think they are showing the light and it is unfortunate. In every state of the federation and at the national level where there are Christians in positions of governance, I don’t think they have shown enough light. But one thing about governance is that people around you determine or form most of your decisions.

I think if we have more people like Pastor Tunde Bakare who will call a spade a spade in politics, there might be a change.

Having said that, I will not advice against Christians going into politics. If we don’t get involved, it might be too let when we want to get involved. So, let’s get involved but in doing so, you have to be upright; you have to defend the poor and be source of strength to the weak.

8

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

METRONOTES

Demolition On Easter Monday: Ijegun Pipeline Residents Count Losses NNPC Official Assaults The Guardian Reporter The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) officials began the demolition of houses and other structures on NNPC Pipeline in Ijegun on Monday. The operation was greeted with mixed feelings by the residents. Many fee that it is a good move badly implemented.

By Debo Oladimeji

e are helpless. My husband only left “W some change for us to manage when going to work this morning (Tuesday). My child cannot go to school today. The money I paid for my shop will expire in July next year.

This is a trying moment for us,” said Mrs Funmilayo whose shop Fumaz Fashion Designer, was destroyed, by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) officials in Ijegun, Pipeline Road on Monday.

She was in Deeper Life Camp when she got the distress call on Easter Monday. She left the camp in a hurry to meet her shop in ruins.

Funmilayo recounted that her neighbour sustained injuries all over her body as she fell off from a motorcycle while rushing to her shop to remove her property before the demolition took effect.

“Why did they decide to do the demolition on Easter Monday when most of us were not around?” she asked.

At 63,Pipeline Road, Mrs. Ogunbadewa, 69, looked crestfallen. She has been surviving with the proceeds from her Bakery: Ore Ofe Bakery since her husband died… Now the debris of the Bakery litter the ground.

Mama complained that the shop where she used to sell pure water (water in sachet nylon) was also destroyed. “My late husband bought the land, I don’t know the year. I need money to renovate my Bakery, that is where I earn my daily bread,” she lamented.

Michael Olopade, no 7, Ijegun Road said that since the NNPC gave them quit notice last week, he packed out their property from the area that was marked for demolition. “We moved everything before their arrival. It is for our benefit not to stay on the pipeline,” he said.

His father, Micceline Olopade reminisced that he bought his land in 1971. “This place was bushy, people were farming here that time. It was later that they dug the pipeline. Whatever they can do for us, let the government do to compensate us. What can we do if they don’t leave any part of the house behind,” he added.

Two of the six rooms of his house were affect-

ed by the demolition.

Ayinde Okunola, no 30, Pipeline Road insisted that he bought the land around 1982. “We started the foundation of our house before they started laying the pipeline. We were not carried along. The white men were just doing the clearing. I bought the half plot of land N2,000 that time,” he said.

“Then the place was bushy. Whatever the government can do let them do,” he said, adding that he has two wives and four children.

Okunola said his house had eight rooms before they demolished two out of it.

“We are going to spend money to do the repairs of the place. We are only appealing to the government to do a follow-up; that is, not to allow containers to be brought back to fill up the space.

“We are ready to take whatever the government decides to compensate us for our losses,” he added.

Mr. Akeem Olasunkanmi, 47, 32 Pipeline Road, corroborated the fact that most of the houses demolished were built before the government started the construction of the pipeline.

“There is nothing we can do to challenge the government. After God, it is the government,” he said.

The owner of 22 Pipeline Road said that NNPC officials came to mark his house for demolition on Saturday. “On Sunday we started packing our belongings… I am helpless since they say my house is on the pipeline,” he said.

In the midst of the storm is the Celestial Church of Christ, IfIlo Otito Parish. Part of the church is on the danger list. Somehow, it escaped the onslaught of the bulldozer.

One of the church members, Mr. Fasina: “We cannot say anything about whether we are on the pipeline or not. This is just a house of God. This is where we worship and we believe that they are going to give us concession. We don’t live here, we only come here for worship,” he said.

But Pastor Young Chris Onyakhilome (brother to Pastor Chris Onyakhilome of Chris Embassy), the owner of the Christian Church of God, no 12 Odelola Street, Pipeline Road queried the NNPC officials for destroying his church, while some were spared. Remains of the roof of the church were dangling in the wind.

He bought the land in 1997 for N50,000 from the Kwaru family during his National Youth Service.

“We knew there was a pipeline underneath the ground, but we did not know the implication. We cannot quantify our loses. On a conservative note, we lost about N10 million to the demolition,” he said.

He urged the government to give him alternative place of worship.

At no 10 Pipeline Road, Ijegun many sat outside in a sober mood. One of them Toyin Ogunseye, a widow, had gathered the leftover of her stock on a table. She was trying to sell them to elusive customers.

“If only we had known that they will be coming to demolish our shops. We would have been well prepared,” she said.

She is particularly worried about the school fees of her only child.

Mr. Opeyemi Rafiu, moved into his shop barely a week before the demolition. “I just paid a year rent for my shop. I paid N154,000 to an agent who paid the landlord. The landlord now says I should wait that he was going to pay me back. We don’t know when he is going to give us our money back. But we are on it,” he said.

Jamiu Mayaki, no 28 Pipeline Road, alleged that the NNPC officials were doing selective demolition due to some shady deals between the owners of some houses and the NNPC officials. He accused the NNPC officials of taking bribes from some people.

Adebayo Nasiru, a mechanic regretted that the NNPC officials did contrary to the quit notice they served the residents.

“They gave us a quit notice to vacate from the pipeline by Tuesday. But they came for demolition on Monday. That was how we were caught off guard. They demolished even our warehouse that was not marked for demolition. They destroyed N50,000 worth of property in our shop,” he said.

Baale (traditional ruler)of Ije-Ododo, Chief Tajudeen Ododo, said that he was not aware that the NNPC officials were coming for demolition. “ I only saw them doing the demolition with their caterpillar. They are supposed to inform me ahead of time. Let them pay damages to the people whose properties they destroyed without notification,” he said.

He said that he warned his people that they should leave 20ft gap for the pipeline before they start building their houses. “Since the

They gave us a quit notice to vacate from the pipeline before Tuesday. But they came for demolition on Monday. That was how we were caught unawares. They demolished even our warehouse that was not marked for demolition. They destroyed N50,000 worth of property in our shop.

explosion of NNPC pipeline in Ijegun some years back, I warned my people not to build houses close to the pipeline.

“Then they should help us to construct our road from Ijegun to Abule Ado-Ijagemo to Obadore, he added.

He is worried that after such demolition, the NNPC don’t do the necessary follow-up. “They may not come back until the place is due for another demolition,” he said.

Second Lieutenant Ezeokoye, the General Officer Commanding Man of Order and Discipline Movement of Nigeria, Lagos State of no 1, Olisakweme Street was at a loss over the sudden demolition. “ There was no quit notice. We just saw NNPC officials with solders and the caterpillar doing the demolition. In the process people were crying. A lot of people were confused.

Many people could not move close to them because of the armed security men around,” he said.

He explained that about nine shops were destroyed in the house. “Some tenants fought their landlords over the matter, because they were not around when the demolition happened. The tenants came back to meet their properties destroyed. They are now asking their landlords to balance their money,” he said.

Criminals, he added, seized the opportunity to cart away valuable properties belonging to the victims of the demolition. “What they are doing is okay, but to repair the damage they have done is the problem. They said that they wanted to tar the road but after the destruction, how many years will it take them to do that? We don’t know where we are heading to,” he said.

His landlady, Mrs. Kemi Gbadamosi, said that after the Ijegun pipeline explosion in 2008, government officials demolished part of her house. “They destroyed my fence and nine shops. They did the measurement and said that we could build back our fence, but not beyond our limit,” she said.

She regretted that another set of people later came to mark the same fence for demolition.

“We did not see those people again until Tuesday when they came back for another marking. They came around 10am to mark the place and they started demolition around 12am. Is it proper? I fell bad,” she said.

However in an attempt to get NNPC officials supervising the demolition to comment on the exercise, The Guardian reporter, Debo Oladimeji, was attacked by one of them identified as “Michael”.

“Michael”, hit the reporter on the jaw opening a gash that spurted blood. Oladimeji was soon drenched with blood. He was later rushed to a nearby chemist where the gash had to be sutured. The incident has since been reported at the Isheri Osun Police Station.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

9

METRONOTES

Bakassi: Sordid Tales From Returnees’ Camp On March 7, 2013, Nigerians in Efut Iwang, Efut Obot Ikot and other communities, which were formerly in Nigeria, were sent packing by the Cameroon government. Now back home in tears, and languishing in a make-shift camp, they tell stories of woes

. Returnees Ask Govt To Come To Their Aid

From Anietie Akpan, Calabar N October 10, 2002, the O International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered the bitter judgment that

ceded Bakassi peninsular to Cameroon and in 2006, the famous Green Tree Agreement, which Nigeria blindly entered, was signed working out modalities and conditions on the gradual ceding of the area to Cameroon.

Precisely on August 14, 2008 by 12.40 pm in a solemn ceremony at the Perrigrino hall of the Governor’s office, Calabar, Nigeria after years of control finally surrendered its sovereignty over Bakassi Peninsular to the Republic of Cameroun despite strong opposition in the Peninsular. A large number of Nigerians vowed to remain there and declare self-independence.

In the wake of the GTA in 2006, Bakassian leaders and youths had threatened to seek independence if Nigeria renounced sovereignty.

Today, Bakassi is gone and what is left is the persecution of Nigerians by the Cameroon Gendarmes and the shameless buck passing by the dramatis personae or the architects of the ceding.

However, the reality of handing Bakassi to Cameroon in 2008 is beginning to tell on poor innocent Nigerians. Since the handing over, Bakassi people have not been settled.

Instead, the politicians have been are busy playing politics with the place.

The Cross River state government had, through a legislation in the state House of Assembly, created what we have today as the New Bakassi comprising some wards in Akpabuyo. But this is not recognized by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), which insists that there is nothing like new Bakassi in its electoral documents.

On March 7, 2013, Nigerians were sent packing by the Cameroon government in Efut Iwang, Efut Obot Ikot and other communities, which were formerly in Nigeria. They came back

Displaced persons in one of the camps

home in tears telling stories of woes. So far, about 11 persons have been reported killed by the gendarmes, 60 have been declared missing while over 2000 returnees languish in their camp at St. Mark Primary School, Akwa Ikot Eyo Edem in Akpabuyo Local Council of Cross River State. Some of them, mostly nursing mothers, children and the sick are cramped in an uncompleted building with a leaking roof-top.

Generally, the primary school and the uncompleted building have no windows and they are exposed to heavy mosquito bites, heat and rain. About 10 to 20 are squeezed in a room with poor ventilation. The population there is about 2000 but more than half that population sleep on bare floor. Their health is failing and there is no good water though a tanker brings in water occasionally.

Reacting to the incident, Chairman of Bakassi, Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, who took some relief materials to the returnees said the local government was disturbed with the sad development because it shares a common boundary with the Cameroon Republic to its

By Olawunmi Ojo ECENTLY, a violent conflict broke out in parts R of Wukari Local Council in Taraba state, leading to loss of properties and displacement of

several people from their homes. Thereafter, the displaced persons took refuge in churches and mosques.

In response to the after effects of the displacement, the TY Danjuma Foundation (TYDF) led by its Taraba State Coordinator, Ms. Funmilola Janet Ajala visited some of the camps where the internally displaced persons had taken temporary habitation, giving out relief materials.

The TYDF team was accompanied by three of its grantees working in the state - the Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria (FOMWAN), which is based in Jalingo; Mfanyima Orphanage Foundation and Munayi Roots and Tubers Growers Multi-purpose Cooperative Society, both based and working in Wukari.

Also on the team were women representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), officials of the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the CAN Chairman in Wukari, the Muslim Council Chairman, the Protocol Officer to the Aku Uka, paramount ruler of Wukari, the Vice Chairman of Wukari Local Council and the Leader of the Wukari Local Area Council.

The combined team visited three of the camps where inmates were happy to see relief coming to them at last. The camps visited included Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRCN),

west.

Bassey called for the Federal Government’s intervention, saying that “such cases and other security challenges are rampant in the area as the action of the Cameroonian authorities was a violation of the GTA which guarantees sovereignty for Nigerians wishing to remain in the peninsular and the rights to their sources of livelihood.”

On her part, Chief Ita-Giwa who visited the refugees in company of SEMA officials to present relief materials, said the recurring attack on the Bakassi people shows the extent to which the United Nations has ignored the implementation of the GTA. She urged the federal government to expedite action on the relocation of the displaced people to Dayspring Island where they intend to resettle.

Ita-Giwa bemoaned the killing of 11 Bakassi natives who were returning from a journey on the high sea. She however said that recommendations were being made to the FG by the Presidential Committee on the plight

of the Bakassi people for the necessary action that would assuage the plight of the displaced.

Recounting their woes when The Guardian visited the camp during the week, the Deputy Leader of the Bakassi returnees, Chief Asuquo Etim Asuquo, said, “Many of us who were displaced are fishermen and farmers.

I have lived in the area for more than four years before the gendarmes came attacking us. I went to fish at about 2pm when I saw one of my friends with a speed boat, telling me that I should come and evacuate my children and my wife from the house that Cameroon Gendarmes had come shooting at people and burning down our fishing pot and many places.

“He said they ordered us to leave. I abandoned my boat and joined the speed boat. They said we are militants and always kidnap their people so we should leave. That is how the problem started.

“When I ran to home, I did not see my family, I was very shocked. They took some of my friends and broth-

ers. This was how we ran to Ifiang Akwa, from there they directed here (Akwa Ikot Eyo Edem). When we came here, we met the Clan Head who received us and told the Village Council to give us a place to stay and they brought us to this Primary School.

“For more than a week, the government did not look into our case. Before government came, the villagers started bringing us food. Eventually, I was able to see my children but some children and some of our men there were killed.

As at now, about 60 of us are still missing. They took some of our people to Yaounde. They sacked all of us in Efut Obot Ikot, Obufaha Obio, Ibayanka, Efut Iwang, Church Centre, Itak Nyayaha; we were about 50,000 people.

“If you want to calculate what we have lost, it will be about N15million per person because we lost our fishing boats, nets, hooks, generators, houses and many other things.

“Now, we need government to help us by giving us where to stay because this Nigeria is our fatherland; we don’t want to go back to that environment again. We will prefer to be taken to Dayspring so that we can do our fishing and farming,” Asuquo said.

Twelve-year-old Joshua Uwem Sunday, like his colleagues in Government Primary School in Efut Iwang, is not going to school. “I am not happy with this situation and we want government to come and help us. I want to go back to school again like other children,” he said.

Mma Baby Ibok was working in the farm when the soldiers came. She ran for her life. But she is yet to see three of her children and her husband, Akpan Effiong, a Cassava farmer. They are among the 60 missing people.

Patience Udo David, 30, is a nursing mother of twins. She had to escape through the bush and swamp. “It took us two days to arrive here; we suffered a lot because we trekking. I delivered these children here few days after our arrival. As you can see they are not well.

Too much heat is disturbing them.

They are passing stool anyhow. There is no good food but we are taking the food SEMA brought now. My husband and I we were farmers. I am appealing to government to come and help us.”

Nkoyo Emmanuel Ekpenyong, 25, said the gendarmes killed many people. Her story also draws pity: “We are really suffering with no much help.

Most of us are sleeping on the bare floor, no windows, and insects like mosquito are feasting on us. You can see my baby is with rashes all over. The place is too hot and no light.

Government should please come and help us.”

From TYDF, Succour To Displaced Persons In Wukari Puje; Izala Mosque, Wukari; and Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria, Naphon-Nghaku.

It is interesting to note that the TY Danjuma Foundation was the first organisation to bring relief to the camp inmates. After visiting the three camps, the team ceremonially handed over the remaining items to the two religious leaders serving on the inter-faith relief committee.

The items donated included bags of rice and beans; bags of cassava flour; bags of salt; bags of sugar; tubers of yam; bags of ‘Pure Water’; mats; blankets; buckets; cartons of toothpaste; rolls of toothbrush; cartons of washing soap; cartons of

Taraba State Coordinator of T Y Danjuma Foundation, Funmi Ajala presenting relief materials to internally displaced persons at the Izala Mosque Camp in Wukari LGA, Taraba State… recently

washing detergent; cartons of toilet soap; cartons of medicated soap; cartons of milk; branded water tanks for each of the camps; and clean tap water for the tanks.

While presenting the materials, Ajala told the recipients that General TY Danjuma is deeply

saddened by the situation. She added that it was in a bid to ameliorate the sufferings of the people displaced by the crises, that he directed that the items be brought to them.

The two religious leaders and the people expressed gratitude to the Foundation.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

10

OVERLAPPING WORD GAME with OLULANA KAYODE O8023183727 olulana3@yahoo.com Starting from the square numbered ‘1’, fill in the first word, writing from left to right. Also fill in the second word, starting in the box numbered ‘2’ You will observe that the second word will overlap the first word. Also, the third word will overlap the second word and so on. Keep on filling the words in a clockwise direction until all the squares are completely filled, using the clues/ definitions below:

Solutions To Overlapping Word Game ‘17’

Overlapping Word Game ‘18’ LGA in Lagos State

ALTERNATE

Having no beneficial use

ATELIER

Disperse

REFUSE

An area of land

SECRETE

A hotel

TEAM

Strikingly new

AMERSE

False publication in writing

CENSUS

Set free

USHER

That can be estimated

RELATED

Gloomy

EDIT

Area in Surulere, Lagos

TARABA

Person affected by leprosy

ALADE

Colour of blood

EGO

Shrink

ORANGE

Seepage

ENDUE

List of things to be done

ENIGMA

Disturb

ANAMBRA

Relating to construction

RADUANCE

Earliest period of life

EXCUSE

Learned

EXECUTE

Frame of mind

TERROR

Shrinkage

ORDINATE

Period of being underage

REAPOT

Toothed machine part

OTTA

By Bayo Ogunmupe\ 08034673443 http:/ogunmupe.blogspot.com

On The Path Of Winners UCCESS in life isn’t measured in pounds, uniSbyversity degrees or background. It is measured the power of your thinking. The mindset of big thinkers is exemplified by the German statesman, Dr. Konrad Adenauer who said, “We all live under the same sky, but we don’t all have the same horizon.” The same perspective brought the real estate legend, Donald Trump to say, “”You have to think anyway, so why not think big?” Thinking big brings wholeness to your thinking. Spend time with incurable optimists who think big, you will find that they learn continually. Big thinkers are never satisfied with what they already have or know. They are always on the go, visiting new places and acquiring new ideas.

An excellent way to broaden your experience is to listen to an expert in an area where you are blank. Those who think big are lifelong learners.

You can only grow and excel through learning new skills and making new friends. For you to enlarge your understanding and thinking, learn to become a good listener. Most of us habitually see Eric Maskin our world first. With that we wish to have our way thinking ours is the only way. But who we are determines what we see. The value of life isn’t in the length of days, but in the use we make of it.

Indeed, you can spend your life any way you want, but you can spend it only once. Which is ting your daily routine in the context of your why big thinkers accomplish more than narrow- ambition will you be able to stay on target. minded people. Consider these reasons why you Three, thinking big allows you to gauge others accurately. An important skill of public relashould think big.

One, thinking big allows you to lead, because it tions is the ability to see things from the other stretches your vision, enabling you to see ahead person’s perspective. It is a key factor to mainof others. Since the first responsibility of a leader taining a happy marriage and rearing good is to define reality, thinking big enables you to children. The way to do that is to look beyond sketch the picture of where your country is yourself, your own interests and your own going. The goal of a leader is to enable the people world. to accomplish their dreams. The good leader vi- Four, thinking big promotes teamwork. If you sions accurately, enabling the people to connect work in a team activity, you will know the imthe future with the past to make their journey portance of members seeing the whole picture, more meaningful. The visionary leader also al- not just your own part. The better the grasp the lows the people to seize their moment of great- teammates have of the big picture, the greater ness when the timing is right. In leadership, their potential for success. Five, thinking big when to move is as important as what you do. As keeps you away from being caught up with the Winston Churchill once said, “There comes a spe- mundane. Focusing on essentials enables you cial moment in everyone’s life, a moment for to know that he who forgets the ultimate is a which person was born. When he seizes it, it is his slave to the immediate. The man with the big finest hour.” In whatever position you are, think- picture mindset accomplishes much because he shuns the frivolous. ing big enhances your success.

Six, thinking big enables you to plan for the Two, thinking big keeps you on target.

To get things done, you need focus. Only by put- uncertain future. “We will cross the bridge

Roger Myerson

The Wisdom Of Thinking Big when we get there,” is the hobgoblin of the mediocre. That phrase was coined by one who had trouble seeing the big picture. The world was built by those who crossed bridge in their minds long before others did. The best way to chart the future is to look beyond the immediate by thinking big. You need big picture thinking in order to seize new opportunities and open new horizons.

For unfailing success, be comfortable with ambiguity. Don’t strive for certainty. Jehovah that provides for the birds of the air and fishes of the sea will provide for you. Management expert Patrick Lencioni harped on this idea in his book, The Five Temptations Of A CEO. He warned luminaries from pursuing harmony. Instead he advised they embrace healthy, productive conflict. Nor should they aim for certainty. But that they should seek clarity.

Thus, acquiring the wisdom of thinking big means you must learn from every experience, embrace complex and diverse ideas and get in the habit of cohabiting with diverse concepts and accepting opposite points of view. Teacha-

bility is a mindset that says, “No matter how much I know, I can learn from this situation.”

Such an attitude will help you turn adversity into advantage. It will make you a winner no matter the circumstances. The greater the varieties of your experience the greater your success.

Our champions this week are Eric Maskin and Roger Myerson. Along with Leonid Hurwicz, they shared the 2007 Nobel Prize for Economics for having laid the foundations of mechanism design theory. Maskin was born in New York in December 1950 to a non-religious Jewish family but spent his youth in Alpine, New Jersey. Of course, all of them are Americans. Maskin earned his AB and PhD in Applied Mathematics in Harvard University. In 1976 after his doctorate, Maskin became a research fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge University, U.K. Thereafter he joined the faculty of M.I.T. In 1985 he returned to Harvard as Louis Berkman Professor of Economics, where he remained till 2000. That year, he moved to the Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton where he has remained till today. In addition to his position at Princeton, Maskin is the director of the School of Economics at the Institute for Advance Studies in Hebrew University Jerusalem. His current research includes examining the causes of inequality. Masking is married to Gayle Sawtelle, an historian and has two children.

For Roger Bruce Myerson, he was born in March 1951. A recipient of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Economics, Myerson, a Jew, attended Harvard, obtaining his PhD in Applied Mathematics in 1976. From 1976 to 2001, he was Professor of Economics at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, where he conducted much of his Nobel-winning research. He became Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago in 2001. Currently, he is Glenn Lloyd Professor of Economics at Chicago. His path-breaking contribution to mechanism design concerned the fundamental connection between financial allocation and monetary transfers needed by agents to reveal information truthfully. Mechanism design allows for people to distinguish between working markets and those not thriving. Mechanism design has helped identify efficient projects and schemes. In 1980, Myerson married Regina Weber and they had Daniel and Rebecca.

TheGuardian

49

Saturday, 6, 2013 Saturday,April January 5, 201311

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cover Controversy Trails Federal Government Move To Scrap JAMB, NECO, Others

By Samson Ezea INCE news of the Federal Government’s SMatriculation move to scrap the Joint Admission and Board (JAMB) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) and some other

Federal Government parastatals broke, mixed reactions have continued to trail the move.

The move though is in line with Mr. Steve Orosanye’s Committee Recommendations on the abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversal of 14 to departments in ministries

Rufai

From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin HE immediate past Chairman of the Kwara T State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Ayeoribe, has carpeted the Federal Government for the cancellation of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Ayeoribe, said the stripping off of JAMB’s powers to conduct entrance examinations into the nation’s tertiary institutions was another diversionary method by the government from solving challenges facing the nation in the area of insecurity of lives and property.

But he lauded government for the scrapping of the National Examination Council (NECO), noting that the examination body was merely replicating the functions and duties of the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

Ayeoribe, in a chat with The Guardian in Ilorin, said JAMB over the years had been the sole examination body responsible for the conduct of entrance exams into the nation’s tertiary institutions “until when some vice-chancellors decided to conduct pre-admission internal examinations for their candidates even after scaling the hurdles of JAMB.” He added: “There is nothing wrong with JAMB. There may be a need to restructure some areas of its operations though as no structure has permanent immunity against restructuring.

“If you whittle down the powers of JAMB, definitely some workers will loose their jobs. Some of the machinery of JAMB will either become moribund or suffer neglect- that would not be economically good for our nation. Therefore, we don’t need a new body, but a re-jigging of JAMB.” Speaking on the scrapping of NECO, Ayeoribe said the introduction of the national examination body few years ago and giving it an equal status with WAEC, a sub-regional exams body, was “an educational error”, responsible for the fallen standard of tertiary education in Nigeria.

Painting a scenario, he said: “If Mr. A has passed WAEC exam, and Mr. B equally did well in NECO, how do we identify the better student between the two? We need to go back to the days of having one examination body in order to access right the performance of our students during exams.”

While some see the planned scrapping as necessary to reduce duplication of offices and functions, others have described it as diversionary and ill-timed insisting that government should rather strengthen the agencies for better performance.

Whatever happens at the end of the day, what is certain is that there would be financial, human and material gains and losses. In the past, such exercises had ended in futility due to lack of tidiness and coordination in their handling.

Okpala

Ojerinde

nations. Students either procure marks or others to impersonate for them to get into the university because there are two bodies. People now scramble. But when many examination bodies are established, it will reduce the corruption in the system.

“But I strongly support the decision of government to reduce the power of JAMB in conducting UTME. In recent times, NYSC said it is only the JAMB admission letters that will be considered and not the admission letters issued by the institutions. This new rule affects students, parents and the institutions because there are some students who did not go through JAMB. Some students use preliminary studies to get admission without writing. What becomes the fate of such students? JAMB was becoming superpower. This system where JAMB has overall power renders the institutions irrelevant. To me, I feel that decentralising the monopoly of power to conduct examination is the best thing government has done to improve on education. This is an opportunity.

It is a kind of liberalisation; more powers are the news of scrapping of NECO with great shock now given to the universities. One student can and surprise. write 10 different university examinations “I received the news with the greatest instead of limiting himself to only two choices shock. Instead of improving qualities of teachby JAMB.” ers in our education system, government is busy chasing shadows. It is true that WAEC used to be the only exam body that conducted senior secondary certificate examinations (SSCE) until NECO came. Government, during the regime of Olusegun Obasanjo, introduced a parallel body, NECO in order to break the monopoly of WAEC. In its first few years of existence, NECO result was not recognised by Nigerian universities.

“If less than two decades of its existence, NECO is scrapped, it is a wasteful venture. Government has invested much in NECO, employed staff, while the examination body has stabilised, only for government to sack the body. It does not augur well for the development of education in our country. “ As a parent, I will rather suggest that more national examination bodies should be established to break any form of monopoly. What has come to play in all these bodies is corruption and examination malpractice. Question papers are even exposed before the date of the exami-

‘JAMB’s

Whittling Is Diversionary’ ‘Scrapping Of NECO Is Bad Omen’ From Isa Abdulsalami, Jos SENIOR secondary school (SS3) student of St. Paul’s Academy, Jos, Master Yusuf Mohammed, urged the Federal Government to rescind its decision to scrap the National Examination Council (NECO), even as he said the act would be injurious to students.

“I don’t welcome the decision of the government to scrap NECO because a student who does not pass WAEC hinges his last hope on NECO. For government to scrap it all together will definitely affect us. Even though a student will write WAEC and fail, at least there is still hope for him in NECO. “At least if a student falls sick during WAEC and fails to write the exam, he could still catch up with NECO. Again, a student who fails one or two papers in WAEC can still make up for it in NECO. Scrapping it completely is not the best thing to expect from government.

What I want government to do is to reverse the decision and retain NECO.” Mr. Joshua Dachom, a parent and public affairs analyst based in Jos, said he received

A

Ayeoribe

12

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

13

ThE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

14

COVER

‘Scrapping JAMB Is Okay, But NECO Banjo, Onyechere Laud Action

‘It’s A Welcome Development’

By Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi

By Laolu Adeyemi

OME stakeholders have praised federal govSMatriculation ernment’s plan to scrap the Unified Tertiary Examination (UTME) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), with former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Ayo Banjo, and the founding Chairman of Exam Ethics Marshals International, Ike Onyechere, describing the action as a step in the right direction.

Banjo agreed with the government’s decision to allow universities handle their admission processes, saying the system was far better off during the period when universities were admitting their own candidates. he stated that when the University of Ibadan, for instance, was in charge of admitting its own students in the early days, the quality of students was very high; hence the new measure would give the universities the full autonomy to determine which candidates to admit.

For Onyechere, who had for many years campaigned for the scrapping of JAMB: “The Jonathan administration will go down in history as the one that took the most courageous step to transform this country’s education sector.”

Like Banjo, he lauded the step, insisting that it was in line with global best practices, just as he predicted that “a significant transformation” would in a few years take place in Nigerian universities “and their global rankings, which we have been talking about, will improve.” he stated that Nigerian universities would now be in the position to compete for foreign students, adding: “Our embassies in foreign countries will begin to establish education support desks, as all these western embassies in Nigeria have been doing, to attract foreign students to Nigeria.

“Nigerian universities will regain what they have lost, because they will begin to compete and put the right structures in place.”

Onyechere also said the move would create about 400,000 new jobs in all the universities, polytechnics and colleges of Education, “because each university, polytechnic and college of education will now employ more people, expand their admission offices to cope with the new processes, which is good for the economy.” he added: “Besides, more spaces will be opened for more academic and non-academic staff. Students’ enrolment will increase and our balance of payments, in terms of foreign exchange for education purposes, will eventually become favourable.”

‘It Might Politicise Admission Process’

By Joseph Okoghenun

OR Emmanuel Onyeagoro, an SSS 3 teacher FLagos: at Caleb International School in Magodo, “The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) allowed every candidate the opportunity to get admission into whatever higher institution of learning they prefer.

That is the aspect we think it is good.

“Later on, abnormality crept in, so that we now have examination malpractice as never seen before. That is the aspect we think that the scheme needs reexamination.

“If higher institutions are allowed to conduct their examinations, we know that may help to reduce examination malpractice. But the fear is that admission process might be politicised and we would have universities for children of the wealthy separate from the ones for the poor. The scenario might make the common man to cry for justice.

“I think government needs to sanitise JAMB and empower it more to do its work, with adequate checks and balances. It should continue to conduct separate examinations for the polytechnics, colleges of educations and universities and I support the scrapping of UTME.” he saw the scrapping of NECO as a different ball game, saying: “After writing WAEC, students most times show elements of weakness in writing NECO, because of time.

“We have found out is that most of our students tend to avoid the examination entirely, while staff of NECO take the job with levity.

They are not serious with the work, though their questions are standard.

“So, I do not think that students have anything to lose if NECO is scrapped. It would rather make them serious and studious since they know that they have one examination to write and if they fail that that would the end

CCORDING to Oluwatosin Ayeni, who is A seeking admission into the university, said: “The idea is a welcome development, as it is

Oyelomi

for that year.

Gbemileke Oyelomi, an SSCE student of the same school said the scrapping of NECO and UTME is good.

“In other countries, students write only one examination. I think it is actually waste of time and money to write two exams for the same purpose, as doing so gives us more pressure.”

‘There’re So Many Universities Around At The Expense Of Vocational Schools’

By Debo Oladomeji

N the view of Emmanuel Oke, vice chairIcationalist, man of Iseyin Elders’ Council and an eduthere is no reason for duplication of examinations.

“The real problem is that these examinations are so close to each other that students actually get fed up with having to do two examination within two months. Why not allow the students to concentrate on one examination and then passed in flying colours?

“At the beginning, the examinations were spaced and the students were able to relax before they starting another one. But today,

things have changed, as by the time they finish WAEC, they ask them to come for NECO; hence they become uninterested, especially if they feel they would pass the first examination.” he also believed the universities should admit students themselves to enable the students to go to any school of their choice.

On reduction in the functions of JAMB, he stated: “Government should be able to direct its resources in the most proper way. If the system is transparent, the students should be comfortable to apply to any university. Let the university do their examination and recruit their students.

“We have had cases of people scoring high marks in JAMB and failing woefully the first university examination, whereas those with lower scores did very well.

“We should pay less emphasis on university education; there is need to pay more emphasis on vocational education. There are so many universities around at the expense of vocational schools; vocational school should be the second way to higher institution. You can go through vocational and become a professor, because talents will continue to come up in different ages.”

going to help thousands of Nigerian students who have been waiting at home all along because of JAMB. “It is going to help many qualified students to gain admission into the university without wasting years at home.

“For instance, I have been writing JAMB for the past three years, but have not been able to scale through, not because I was dull, but many students who come from wealthy homes have bought their way through.

“I am glad this is happening and I hope government will provide a better means of testing student competency.”

Much as Tola Adeniran, an SS3 student, likes the idea, she would want an alternative on ground.

“What other exams are we going to be writing, aside WAEC? I like the scrapping of JAMB, because it has wasted many people’s time and some student’s choice of study has been changed, by virtue of their scores in JAMB.” Olumide Makinde, a secondary school teacher, welcomed the idea, except that it is going to make some people jobless.

“Many people that work with JAMB, NECO and others who run tutorial classes for JAMB students may end up being jobless.

Government should find a way of bringing succour to those that may be affected.”

Akeke Oluwatoyin, an admission seeker, noted that JAMB has really served its purpose since it was established. But recently, students have turned the exams to something else, as they now to indulge in malpractices and are no longer serious with their study.

“Therefore, if government scraps JAMB, it may not necessarily change things until the whole educational sector is overhauled. Many children of the commoners cannot pass their exams simply their parents could not pick additional bills for malpractices.

“JAMB has denied many students the privilege of gaining admission into higher institutions and lead to frustration.”

‘Scrapping JAMB Is Okay, But NECO Should Be Allowed To Stay’

By Ajibola Amzat

ThINk it is a good idea if the Federal IMandating Government can close down JAMB. candidates to write two different exams before gaining admission into the university (UME and Post UME) has never been a good policy. The cost of writing the exams is too high especially for many less privileged candidates.

Students are made to pay for UME and the Post UME of different universities that they applied to. That made it difficult for many students. With the scrapping of JAMB, candidates can just focus on writing the exams of universities of their choice.

I was told this is what was obtainable in the past. So, government should go back to the policy. But they must make sure that those universities are closely monitored, otherwise, admission will be sold to the highest bidder. however, it does not make sense to close down NECO. The exam was set up as an alternative to WAEC, which has the record of inefficiency for many years. They withdraw and cancel result with impunity, which causes psychological pains to many students. Government introduced NECO to ease off the psychological effect of failing WAEC. So if, for example, one fails English Language in WAEC, such candidate will have another chance to write NECO. And fortunately, some universities allow candidates to combine the results for admission process.

Why closing up such an important examination body. Government should think very well before they attempt to proscribe NECO. I do not think scrapping will serve the interest of the Nigerian youths.

– Ganiyu Salaudeen, a University Applicant

‘It Will Reduce Cost Of Examinations And Malpractice’

By Olamide Olayiwola Fadare

what the federal government wants IwillThINk to do is good for the students nationwide. It enable students to be more serious with Emmanuel

their studies.

THE GUArDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

15

COVEr

Should Be Allowed To Stay’ It is beneficial for students whose parents don’t have enough money to purchase the NECO and JAMB form. Unlike when a student writes WAEC, such students will not have to wait for a year before writing JAMB. It will also be easy for a student to gain admission into the university directly. It’s very good and it will be beneficial for Nigerian students.

It will reduce exam malpractices in the country as a whole.

– Balogun Balikess, Student

‘Scrapping JAMB And NECO Will Strengthen Education System’

APPrECIATE what the federal government is doing but our IScraping problem is how to maintain what we’ve put down as law.

JAMB and NECO will help to strengthen education standard in Nigeria.

Also, it will enable students to face their studies. A student who knows he did not have examination option will want to try as much as possible to pass the only examination he has.

JAMB is more or less ineffective because after writing their exam the university will ask you to come and sit for the post JAMB, showing that they don’t have any trust in JAMB. It is better for the federal government to scrap JAMB and allow universities to set their entry exams and then pick the qualified candidates without wasting money or time because time waits for nobody.

-– Folashade Adejuwon

University Dons Disagree Over The Proposal To Scrap NECO And JAMB

…Advise Govt To Be Cautious

From Joseph Wantu, Makurdi HE recent proposal by the Federal Government to scrap T National Examination Council (NECO) as an alternative examination body to West African Examination Council and to reduce the functions of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board JAMB has generated mixed reactions from people in Benue State as most of them that spoke with The Guardian expressed some reservations. reacting to the proposal, a university don at the Benue State University, Dr. Ityotom Kerghku said that the federal government rather than scrap NECO should strengthen it in quality and standard so as to compete favourably with WAEC. He maintained that before the advent of NECO in the country, WAEC was all and all until the alternative body came to break the jinx and enthroned competition in the conduct of secondary schools’ examinations; noting also that it was high time that the country was proud of what is hers.

“Moreover, NECO has come of age and it is owned by the government, while WAEC is a conglomeration of many countries and scrapping it now would have a devastating effect on human resources of the nation,” the don noted.

He decried the conduct of E-examinations by JAMB saying such is too early as it will not go down well with the candi-

dates; adding too that candidates rather than made to write universities aptitude test, JAMB should be made a single examination body in that regard.

In his view, another educationist at the Federal University, Dutse-ma Katsina State, Dr. Emmanuel Amase lauded the intent of the Federal Government to scrap NECO, stating that the advent of the examination body has compromised standard as candidates throng to magic centres to manipulate results.

He called for more autonomy to universities to conduct their examinations so as to admit qualified students for quality result. Amase said since education is the bedrock of the nation, budgetary allocation to the sector should be made higher to encourage research, which must again, be properly used for the development of the country.

Another lecturer with Veritas University Abuja, Dr. Patrick Ukase said scrapping NECO would be a welcome development, since it has not helped in maintaining standard and bridging the challenges inherent with WAEC that made former President Olusegun Obasanjo to establish it in1999 as an alternative examination body for secondary schools.

“Since the inception of NECO, I noticed that the standard of education has been watered down. Unfortunately, in this country and in most universities, you cannot merge NECO with WAEC to qualify you to secure admission,” Ukase maintained.

On the reduction of the functions of JAMB, Ukase said that it should remain as the single body with the responsibility of conducting the universities matriculation examination and frowned at the introduction of aptitude test in universities; noting that such is exposed to abuse.

He further expressed disapproval at the hasty introduction of E-examination by JAMB, pointing out that about 95 per cent of candidates seeking admission into universities through JAMB are not computer literate, so also the teachers.

Ukase

I think it is a good idea if the Federal Government can close down JAMB. Mandating candidates to write two different exams before gaining admission into the university (UME and Post UME) has never been a good policy. The cost of writing the exams is too high especially for many less privileged candidates. Students are made to pay for UME and the Post UME of different universities that they applied to. That made it difficult for many students. With the scrapping of JAMB, candidates can just focus on writing the exams of universities of their choice.

It Will Check Duplication Of Functions, Says Varsity Don From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu O Prof Chuba Okoye, former Dean, Health T Sciences and Technology, University of Nigeria, (Enugu Campus): “It is rather apt,

Banjo

because there are duplications of functions everywhere, thereby giving a bloated civil service in Nigeria.

“As a young person, I had the opportunity of taking examinations from one level to another, the basis of which was to make one earn whatever one wanted to become in the future.

“You struggled to read and improve yourself, knowing that without that, there won’t be any headway.

“What is happening now has its bearing in the lack of appropriate teaching and research facilities in the universities, even with the bloated offices everywhere.

“There is so much duplication of functions and that is affecting the very foundation on which these institutions are established.

“JAMB and NECO were established by statutes of the National Assembly for purposes and with the way things have worked, you will understand that they may not have positively impacted on the system.

“I want to believe that what NECO is doing presently is not different from the functions being performed by WAEC, and that being the case, the services could be seen as same.

“Again, if you look at JAMB, you will discover that almost all the universities now do the post –UME. “I was a dean when it was started in UNN. During the periods, you discovered that most of those who scored up to 300 marks and were admitted through JAMB could not effectively defend the scores, using the post UME test.

“It was a clear manifestation that they may have manipulated their way through JAMB. What this means is that if you rely on what has been supplied to you from JAMB, you will end up churning out half-baked graduates, who cannot write correctly their names or defend the degrees awarded to them.

“That is why even after JAMB, the universities will insist on post-UME. If this is conducted effectively, I do not see how it cannot change the situation of our educational system for the better.”

According to Prof Bede Ibe, former deputy Vice Chancellor of the same institution: “It was all borne out of the fact that people have to pay several fees in the name of taking exams and the aim of government was to reduce cost and have a central body that will oversee admissions into universities.

“But like everything in Nigeria, corruption has made institutions like JAMB lose focus.

Government should be able to articulate a responsible body that should regulate admissions into higher institutions.

“We also need to protect the body from the manipulation of Nigerians.”

On the issue of NECO, he stated: “I would say there was no need for NECO in the first instance.

“Government should try and strengthen WAEC, so that if there are problems, you try and correct them, not by creating alternative bodies, thereby over-bloating the system.

“I also believe that government should do something about reintroducing the Advanced Level (A/L) studies, as this will save the universities of so many people in the preliminary classes.

“During my time, we did high level GCE that put people in the right frame. The problem with us is that we are not able to articulate

our policies well before we rush into them.

“There is no proper analysis on innovations that we want to make and we see ourselves rushing into them.

“We need to get a clear guideline of what the government intends to do with this new move, so that it could be analysed and appropriate recommendations made.”

Prof Peter Ebigbo of the same institution, added: “I support the reduction in the functions of JAMB, to the extent that the universities should be left to handle their own admissions, taking into considerations the multiple issues relating to the running of universities.

“The universities are not the same; some are strong, while some are not. There are ones with good and strong management and there are others without good management.

“Therefore, admission issues should be left to the various universities, as this will in the end guarantee decentralisation of the system and you can go to school anywhere you like.

“I will also prefer strong monitoring, so that universities can find their level. Good a thing we have a system now, where almost every university has put a mechanism, in the form of post-UME for admission of candidates.

On the scrapping of NECO, he said: “NECO and WAEC are alternative bodies. If, say I could not do WAEC, I have an alternative in NECO. “So, the point there is for government to find a way of straightening WAEC to enable it discharge its functions effectively and adequately, so as to enable our people benefit maximally from it.”

Mary Chinda, a teacher at Girls’ Secondary School in Uwani, Enugu, said: “It is a belated action that should have been taken before now.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

16

COVER

It Will Check Duplication Of Functions NECO, it is left for them, but for us, we still recognise that WAEC as the state-sponsored “The NECO examination for senior secondary examination and for all our indigenes, we students is simply a repetitive effort that pay their examination fees. tends to dilute the efforts of the students at “So, we felt that those who would want to studying, as they usually have to ‘’double patronise NECO, since it is a national examistudy’’ for an exam that naturally has same nation body, can do so as an alternative, but syllabus as WAEC. not as a heaper version of SSCE exams.

“Similarly, the scrapping of JAMB’s “Now that the federal government is considUniversity Tertiary Matriculation ering scrapping NECO, I don’t see anything Examination (UTME) is even a more appealwrong in it and letting the children know ing development, as it will sound the death that they have one examination- WAEC. knell for the widespread malpractice associat- “Let all of us put our support in ensuring ed with the exam. that WAEC conducts a very reliable and mal“I believe the issue of credibility of the unipractice free examination.” versity entrance exams lays largely in the On effect on students entering higher instihands of the universities.” tutions, he said: “It is not gambling that if Uzoma Aneke, Principal of Saint Mark’s you don’t pass WAEC, you will pass NECO. If a Secondary School, Emene in Enugu, added: “I child or school prepares well for examinaassume that the decision is an offspring of tion, they should be able to enter into any uncritical thinking, in that there is more to examination and pass. lose than gain.

“When people don’t prepare for an exami“This is because this development would nation, they begin to say, ‘let me take this reduce the possibility of students gaining one and if I don’t do well, I will use the other university admission with their NECO results one to cover up.’ in the same year of graduation in situations “Many of us wrote only WAEC did not need where they fail the WAEC exam. an alternative or a substitute or a comple“Now, students who perform poorly in the ment to WAEC. WAEC examinations would be compelled to “So, I don’t think there is anything wrong in stay back home, probably lazing about or that decision, and I believe that it will make engaging in vices, while forgetting what they children to be more focused and well prehad been taught in the classroom. pared for the examination.

“Sadly, this may also cause more unemploy“But as it is now, a lot of people believe that ment for NECO staff at such a time we all are if they don’t pass WAEC, they will pass NECO, bemoaning the high unemployment rate in because some people still have the feeling Nigeria.” that NECO is easier to pass than WAEC, and that kills the spirit of hardwork and adequate preparation of the students for the The Plan Is In Order, Says examination.”

C’River Commissioner On JAMB, he noted: “I think the sanctity or From Anietie Akpan, Calabar effectiveness of JAMB itself has been put to HE Cross River was the first state to reject question by the very fact that the universities the inclusion of NECO as one of the exami- were conducting their post-JAMB examinanations for final year secondary students and tion, which means that they were not quite went ahead to bar its students from writing satisfied with the outcome from JAMB. the NECO examination in the state.

“So, why do we then need to keep it when But due to pressure, it simply reviewed its people would be subjected to another examistand, making NECO an alternative examina- nation after JAMB examination? tion.

“It is better we rather put all that is needed According to the Commissioner for to strengthen the sanctity and reliability of Education, Prof Offiong E. Offiong: “If parents JAMB as the examination body or we allow want to put their wards in school to write the universities to do their own selection, after all the universities have the autonomy to do a number of other things.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

T

Oluwatosin

Mohammed

TheGuardian

Saturday, April 6, 2013 17

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Love&Life With Michael Uchebuaku

... Celebrating The Feelings

IN THIS EDITION True

‘I Just Found Out That My Boyfriend Cheated On Me’ Love Adventure:

Niyola

‘My Husband Deceived Me With Kisses While He Slept With Women Outside’

Igbo Ukwu: Great Igbo Archaeological Site!

Romantic Jokes Link-Up (Love/Dating Connections)

Love News Man Sues Clinic For Using His Sperm To Impregnate His Ex-girlfriend True Confession From Abroad: I Rigged The Easter Raffle

Princess Of

Love

If you want to be our next Princess of Love, e-mail or forward your photos/data to ireto007@yahoo.com. Call 07031028714, 07032944123.

‘My Husband Deceived Me With Kisses While He Slept With Women Outside’ I

am married under a year, met my present husband just months before we married. He was romantic, courteous, respectful, and a man of God….. until we got married. I have found texts, calls, Facebook messages, chat lines in his call history since that day.

The thing that has me writing at 2:30 am is the sheer pain and shock I suffered from being 13 weeks pregnant and texting another woman that is telling me my “husband” has

ed on feels in some way responsible. I know it’s not right, but I can’t help to feel all kinds of emotions from anger to hate to pain. I know I need to pray when dealing with a liar and a very hard to refocus myself since I’m cheat is to leave. That’s healthy logi- hormonal, sick, and upset. cal advice. I think I’m writing to, in I just wish I was dreaming right now some way, vent to the world but unfortunately its a reality that the because I know when I bring this husband that cooks, cleans, takes care up to him, he will lie, lie and lie of my three-year-old better than his some more. own dad, runs me bath water for When someone cheats, I’m not when I get off work, kisses me and sure why, but the one getting cheat- tells me he loves me every day is out

Love Adventure been visiting her at work, frequently contacting her. The worst is she has been to our home with details about a certain picture that I had noticed turned face down one day when getting home from work. I’m so frazzled that I have no tears or feelings.

Of course the best thing to do

making a fool of me on the internet in every store or gas station he goes to etc.

CULLED FROM: www.experienceproject.com *Do you have an amazing or adventurous love experience to share? Tell us how you met. Email your story to: ireto007@yahoo.com. Call 07031028714, 07032944123.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

18 |

LOVE&LIFE

‘I Just Found Out That My Boyfriend Cheated On Me’ Dear Love Doctor, Y boyfriend of eight years cheated six years ago and I just found out. I found out from one of his old friends. When I approached him about it he denied.

Finally he admitted it but said it only happened one time and he regretted it.

I don’t understand how he kept it from me for six years. We now have a four-year-old child and he has a son that is 12 and I have raised him since he was three. I’m finding it hard to make a decision on whether or not I should leave him.

He has been without a job for four years now and hasn’t really made an attempt to get one either. He never really has been able to keep a steady job throughout our entire

M

Romantic Jokes A Prostitute’s Advice A man went to a pub with his wife.

When he left for the counter to buy drinks, a prostitute approached his wife and whispered: “You must demand cash before sex. I know him he doesn’t pay.”

Words Of Wisdom Never give up because great things take time. Love will find you wherever you are.

Love Dictionary What is Candidiasis?

Candidiasis or thrush is a fungal infection (mycosis) of any of the Candida species (allyeasts), of which Candida albicans is the most common.[1][2] Also commonly referred to as a yeast infection, candidiasis is also technically known as candidosis, moniliasis, and oidiomycosis.[3] Candidiasis encompasses infections that range from superficial, such as oral thrush and vaginitis, to systemic and potentially life-threatening diseases. Candida infections of the latter category are also referred to as candidemia and are usually confined to severely immunocompromised persons, such as cancer, transplant, and AIDS patients, as well as nontrauma emergency surgery patients.[4] Superficial infections of skin and mucosal membranes by Candida causing local inflammation and discomfort are common in many human populations.[2][5][6] While clearly attributable to the presence of the opportunistic pathogens of the genus Candida, candidiasis describes a number of different disease syndromes that often differ in their causes and outcomes.[2][5] Classification Candidiasis may be divided into the following types:[3] • Angular cheilitis (perlèche) •Antibiotic candidiasis (iatrogenic candidiasis) • Candidal intertrigo • Candidal paronychia • Candidal vulvovaginitis (vaginal yeast infection) • Candidid •Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis • Congenital cutaneous candidiasis • Diaper candidiasis • Erosio interdigitalis blastomycetica • Oral candidiasis (thrush) • Perianal candidiasis • Systemic candidiasis Signs and symptoms Symptoms of candidiasis vary depending on the area affected.[7] Most candidial infections result in minimal complications such as redness, itching and discomfort, though complications may be severe or even fatal if left untreated in certain populations. In immunocompetent persons, candidiasis is usually a very localized infection of the skin or mucosal membranes, including the oral cavity (thrush), the pharynx or esophagus, the gastrointestinal tract, the urinary bladder, or the genitalia (vagina, penis).[1]

er isn’t what you think it should be.

Think hard about whether the choices you’ve made still make sense to you. If not, it’s time to have you aren’t happy about his lack of a very honest talk with your employment. He hasn’t had a job boyfriend about where this relasince your child was born? What’s tionship is going. Perhaps you want that about? Yes, the economy has to renegotiate expectations. made it hard for lots of people, but At 30, you two aren’t kids. You you also say he hasn’t kept a job ever. know what the responsibilities of Since you brought it up, I’m guessing adult life and parenting are. Let this it’s not really okay with you. be an opportunity to think about Maybe your current distress about what is and isn’t working for you long ago cheating is a way you are both and to make some important telling yourself that your life togeth- changes.

relationship.

True Confession

Advice: He didn’t bring it up because he was hoping you’d never find out and he wouldn’t have to deal with it. It wasn’t an honest choice, but I can understand how, with each passing day, he thought maybe it didn’t have to come up.

If he has been a good partner and father for the last six years, you have reason to forgive him and to move on. But I’m also hearing that

*Send your comments/stories to Love Doctor. E-mail: ireto007@yahoo.com If you’re in a crisis, call 07031028714 or 08023700641. For free marriage/relationships counseling, call Love Doctor Mike 07031028714, 08023700641 or Chris 08023913619. Visit www.romancestory.org *Buy GSM Database of 79 million and E-mail database of one million for adverts, campaign and others.

Visit: www.eeetonline.blogspot.com

CONFESSION FROM ABROAD

‘I Rigged the Easter Raffle’ A

year ago I worked for an advertising company. It was very much a boys' club. There were only three women in an office of 20 and as the receptionist, I copped the brunt of their bad behaviour.

There were a lot of jokes that in most companies would have been seen as sexual harassment but where I worked, it was the norm.

To dare challenge any of them would have been an instant firing and I knew I'd never have the money to go up against these men in a legal case.

I was unhappy there but I was constantly on the lookout for new jobs and had to put up with it until I found something new.

Every year, the office did a huge Easter charity raffle in conjunction with a client function. The prize was always something very grand. The year before, it had been a trip to the Maldives and this year it was a new car.

I had been driving around in my old heap of junk for the previous six years and was desperate for an upgrade, but my wage wouldn't allow it.

I was put in charge of distributing the tickets to all the clients and collecting the money so I hatched a plan.

One night I stayed back late and scanned all the tickets and sent them out to the clients. When they were returned to the office I kept them aside in my desk drawer.

After a month of collecting the tickets, I waited until a few people were around and made it obvious that this year I would be purchasing a ticket. With fingers crossed, I exaggeratedly pro-

claimed my excitement as I put $100 into the tin where the money was being kept.

The day before the draw, I stayed back late. As the last of the men left the office, they yelled out an inappropriate comment and it was then I knew I was going ahead with my plan.

I shredded all the scanned tickets and put them in the bin for the cleaners that night.

On all the original tickets, I painstakingly filled out all my details. The next night at the function I could barely contain my nerves. My hands were sweating and I was filled with regret at my decision but it was too late to back out.

Finally the time arrived for the managing director to draw the winner. He beckoned for me to bring over the box with the tickets in it and microphone in hand he yelled out to one of our biggest clients to come and draw it out.

The next minute or two was a blur, but my name was called out and as I was already nervous, I'm sure my shock and disbelief at winning looked real.

There was a moment of sheer terror when the usual jeers that it was "rigged" and should be redrawn were yelled out. That's when I thought the client may dip his hands in again and it would be all over for me. However, people clapped and patted me on the back and congratulated me.

I quickly removed the box and gave it to one of the caterers to put in the skip to destroy any evidence of my deception.

After the evidence had been destroyed I beamed, I finally had something to show for the two years of mistreatment.

It was only a couple of months later that I finally found a new job that I loved and where I was appreciated. To this day I still

feel guilty about rigging the draw but not so guilty that I don't enjoy driving around in my lovely new car.

Your say: Do you have an Easter tale to tell? Share your stories below.Picture posed by models.

Your say: Have you had a similar experience? Share your stories and thoughts below.

Have you experienced a similar situation? Tell us your story. Call 07031028714.

Courtesy: womansday.ninemsn.com.au NB: Call Mike on +2347031028714 if you have a story from abroad to share with us.

Love Connection Lovers’ Answers Game: The rule: Ask the opposite sex one question about love, and choose your lover from the top three answers.

A girl on 07069396429, is asking all men: “Why do some men chase the girl next door even when their wives are chaste?” *Call Mike: 07031028714 to send questions or issues.

Special Requests: Yemi, 50, in Lagos, needs a man of 5560years as a companion. 07011190527.

Lizzy, 39, from Ibusa, Delta state, fair, born again, Pastor’s daughter, wants a born again, caring, educated & employed man of 40-43years from

Fertility Problems/Miscarriages/Seeking Male Child: Do you have a sexually transmitted infection/disease, find it difficult to conceive, have miscarriages or need a baby boy? Call 07025350586 or 08122352054.

Premature Ejaculation/Low Sperm Count – Solution is here. Call 07025350586.

Baby Sex/Gender Selection – Decide the sex of your baby (male or female). Call 07025350586 or 08122352054.

Call Mike on 07031028714, 08023700641 to link up and for direct hook up. Also call if you have engagement, marriage, wedding, anniversary or birthday announcements to make.

Delta. 07057039705.

Professionals: Chidera, 40, civil servant, from Ebonyi, in PH, needs a good Christian girl of 2331years with big hips and extra-large breasts for marriage. 08037317375. *If you’re a single & searching nurse, doctor /professional, call/text 07031028714.

relationship. 08162697503.

Amarachi, 24, from Imo, slim, chocolate, needs a matured man as a friend that can care for her. 08107043982.

Stephanie, 21, needs a guy of 25-30years for a serious relationship. 08168862268.

Rose, 21, needs a wealthy man of 25-35years to help her in her education and take care of her. 08140543210.

Tony, 37, fair, handsome, in Lagos, needs a sugar mummy of 42-52years who loves oral sex and must be in Lagos. Text 07038327168.

A rich oil magnate in Lagos, needs a highly sophisticated lady to pamper.

08034612809.

someone to sponsor him in his music career. 08100812602.

Blessing, 29, works, needs a good husband.

Pascal, 26, in Abuja, wants a sugar 08085769611, 08069039620. mummy. 07032077236.

Oby, 30, undergraduate, HIV +, wants a working, HIV Positive man of 32-40years. Frank, 40, from Edo, a public servant, 07031127385. needs a good woman of 35years+ for marriage. 08029365014.

Blackberry Pin(g) Connect: Exclusive Men looking for relationship/marriage: Dating & Marriage Forum For The Olamilekan, 39, 5.9ft, businessman in Pastor Mike, 40, from Anambra, in Smartphone Community.

Lagos, needs a woman of 25-35years for mar- Lagos, needs a genuine born again sisUgonma, 38, in Lagos, wants an Igbo man riage. 08105928927. ter for marriage. 08078447797. of 40years+ for marriage. 08130381585. BB Joseph, from Port Harcourt, needs a sugar Ejikeme, 38, fair, tall, from Imo, busiPIN 293B2D9E. mummy anywhere in Nigeria or Port nessman in Lagos, needs a lady of 27*Connect to Mike on WhatsApp or Harcourt area. 07061502001.

34years for marriage. 08166072879.

BlackBerry Pin: 21978F71 for details on how to send your BlackBerry or Smartphone Ritchy Charles, 35, businessman, from Chigozie, 37, 5.9ft, self-employed, from Connect request.

Delta, in Lagos, needs a honest, caring Enugu, in Lagos, needs a working lady woman for marriage. 08168491483. of 25-36years for marriage. 07 Women looking for relationship/marUchenna, 32, an electrical parts dealer, in Newton, 25, tall and huge, Abuja, needs riage: Ayo Tosin, a single mother of one, needs a Onitsha, needs a helper. 08066899458. a working lady of 27years+ for a funfilled relationship. 07063151155. graduate, working man of 30-33years for Kelly, 30, fair, from Enugu, needs a female of marriage. 08031556171, 08099884536.

35-45years for a relationship. 08064558484. Buy GSM Database of 79 million and Email database of one million for Chidimma, 32, graduate, from Anambra, needs a graduate man from Anambra for Emma, 40, in Lagos, wants a fat sugar mum- adverts, campaign and others. Visit: www.eeetonline.blogspot.com my of 55-65years. 08122192851. marriage. 08094066417. *Call Mike on 07031028714, 08023700641 to link up and for direct hookup. *If you have announcements to make: Call Mike-07031028714 or Simon07032944123. *SCAM ALERT: Beware of scammers!

Divine, 26, tall, fair, in Lagos, needs a caring Please do not respond to any strange numbers besides the official number and lovely sugar mummy. 08164466555.

07031028714 above for link up or to Omotola, 26, graduate, needs a honest and responsible man of 30-48years for a serious Onyinyechi, 23, from Anambra, needs publish your request. Be warned!

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

| 19

ROMANTIC PLACES, FLIGHTS & CRUISES

LOVE&LIFE

... hotels, airlines, ships, restaurants, clubs, resorts, . beaches & more

Igbo Ukwu:Great Igbo Archaeological Site I

GBO Ukwu is an archaeological site near the modern town of Onitsha, southeastern Nigeria. The site was part of the Nri Kingdom, and it was used in the 10th Century AD. The site has several parts, including a main burial, and associated caches and shrines.

Igbo Ukwu was a burial place for elite personages, and the burials identified there were interred with a large quantity of costly goods. The principal burial is of a person buried sitting on a stool, in fine clothing and rich grave effects such as over 150,000 glass beads, and accompanied by the remains of at least five attendants. Elaborate cast bronze vases, bowls and ornaments were discovered at Igbo Ukwe, made with the

lost wax technique.

The bronzes are among the earliest cast bronzes in sub-Saharan Africa.

The bronzes were manufactured locally; but the glass beads are an indication that the Nri Kingdom was also involved in considerable longdistance trade.

Igbo Ukwu was excavated by Thurstan Shaw in the 1960s.

Courtesy: www.archaeology.about.com Photo: www.onlinenigeria.com *Are you an upcoming model, artiste or actor/actress? Call Mike via 07031028714, 07032944123, 08023700641. *If you want to advertize or sponsor Love & Life call 07031028714, 07032944123

Man Sues Clinic For Using His Sperm To Impregnate His Ex-girlfriend

T

HERE is an interesting torts lawsuit out of Houston where Layne Hardin, 44, is suing Obstetrical and Gynecological Associates, PA, for allegedly giving two vials of his sperm to an ex-girfriend who proceeded to have his child. She is also suing the former boyfriend. The boy is now two years old. Hardin says that Tobie Devall has never let him see the boy while her lawyer says that he has never asked to see the boy.

Hardin made the donation for a woman with whom he already had a 12-year-old child. However, he alleges that Tobie Devall

child. Her attorney said he has never requested to see the boy.

The lawsuit names both emotional and bluffed the facility employees and left with the potential financial liability for the child. vials in a brown paper bag. She went directly to In this case, it is the hospital that is most a doctor’s office in the same building and was at risk. If Devall claims prior approval, the inseminated. jury is left with a he said, she said situation.

Devall alleges in a countersuit that he told her However, the hospital should have a clear that she could use his sperm and her lawyer and sufficient process for the removal of says that Hardin is just a “money grubber” who such material to avoid cases of misreprewants cash from Devall’s wealthy family and sentation. For most people, having a biologthe facility. ical child does create a significant emotionHardin said Devall has never let him see his al burden, not to mention a feeling of per-

Love News

sonal intrusion and violation.

It is interesting that there was no criminal charge. Such material is valued on the market over what would constitute a felony since it can be purchased from sperm banks. If the allegations are true, there would be fraud and misrepresentation as well as a fascinating case of conversion.

What do you think?

Courtesy: jonathanturley.org *If you want to advertize or sponsor Love & Life call 07031028714, 08023700641, 07032944123.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

20 |

RELATIONSHIP

When Your Relationship Is In Trouble

By Alita Joseph HERE you are, planning your wedding when T this guy walks in from nowhere and turns your life upside down. You love your finance and have never doubted his feelings for you. But since this new man smiled at you at that party, all reasons have left you. You think about him often and wonder how exciting life with him could be, although you have not accepted any invitation from him. But you are confused and thinking seriously about checking him out since you have not gone through with the wedding. Your dilemma is not a new one. It happens all the time.

Before we make suggestions, we will say you take this observation seriously. It is what women and even men have seen over time. It is said that eligible men become scarce when you are single and searching, but turn up in droves to woo you when another man has turned you into a desirable woman. Take this to heart.

Maybe they have seen the sterling quality that your fiancé saw before he proposed life everlasting. It means too that even toads will turn up to ask for your hand in a relationship. Some may not have good intentions at all.

But do be careful and do not behave recklessly as your behaviour at this stage amount to unfaithfulness. Your man would not tolerate it.

Other people who hear of it, would deem you as most irresponsible and as someone who cannot be trusted in marriage.

However, if you are tempted to cheat at this time in your relationship, something is missing in your relationship. Before you do anything you will regret later, think seriously. But in the end, though, you will be your best adviser. But you may consider these:I Love Him Still

If you love your man enough to have considered living your whole life with him, your relationship at this critical time deserves everything you can do to make it work. You may regret it later if you leave. Concentrate on making it better. If you leave with a good-looking man with the smile that wins a million naira, his charm may only be skin- deep. Work on your relationship.

Straighten out issues.

What do I Want?

If you want unlimited fun in a relationship, but accept to marry a man who promises financial security without the slightest clue about how to keep the flame burning, it could take the smallest chance meeting with Mr. Romantic to confuse you Perhaps, you were not even ready to settle down when you met your fiancé who literally pressurizes you to settle down? Think. Do you think that this new man will fulfill your idea of a loving relationship?

Be Objective About Your Relationship Write down what you like and dislike about your present relationship. Note those things you think you can change. If most of the dislikes cannot be changed, you will have to reconsider your relationship.

Look Beyond the Present Do you feel happy at the thought of living with your fiancé forever or do you feel scared. Now that you see another man, do you feel scared that this new relationship could fail, leaving you lonely. If you are not convinced that the person could be better, it is possible that you are right. If you feel guilty or think it is wrong about leaving your fiancé, this new one will not work.

Make your relationship better. Discuss issues.

When you stray at the drop of a hat, you will never find a relationship that is good enough for you.

Making Him Do Whatever You Want

By Kemi Amushan OST times it’s hard for us to make our M men do what we want. But most of the time, it’s the way we ask that matters. Now how do you make a guy do whatever you tell him? My answer: Your words will need to either win his mind, or win his heart.

But why not win both?

Today, we’ll be talking about making men do what we want. Which is an interesting topic, because most of us know how difficult it can be. Making a man do something we want is like a 50-50 chance! But did you know that it’s possible to make a man do 100% of the things you ask him? It sure is! With some time and patience, you can make him do whatever you want.

Want him to be more helpful around the house whether or not you two are married. So if you want him to talk to you more —- say, at least two hours a day?

Want him to give you a little extra shopping money every weekend? I’ll show you how. I’ll give you three basic tips to help you get started, plus a bonus tip to make things even easier —- making it four tips.

Let’s start with a big lesson about men; something you might find a little hard to believe.

A Man Will Do Anything For The Woman He Loves That’s right. If a man truly loves you, he’ll do anything for you. No questions asked.

The problem is that even if he loves you, he doesn’t know every little thing you want. That’s why it’s important to “guide” him a little. It’s sad, but guys can’t “guess” what you want. Most times, you got to tell them! Here are three simple ways to let him know what you’d like him to do...

Just Ask Him! Half the time, simply asking him to do what you want him to do does the trick.

There’s no need to drop hints or give him the silent treatment. Just ask!

When He Forgets, Ask Him Again.

Men are notoriously bad at multi-tasking! It’s like only one thing can occupy his mind at one time, and when you try asking him to do something when he’s already doing something else, chances are he’ll forget. When this happens, don’t get mad, and don’t make him feel bad. Just ask him again. Sure, we may not like repeating ourselves. But for goodness’ sake, how hard can it be to ask him a second

state of “temporary insanity.” And anything you say when you’re insane is bad for your relationship! And nope, it doesn’t matter if you apologize afterwards. It won’t matter if you say, “Sorry, honey, I was just so angry.” Any insult will scar him for life!

So, ask nicely, and don’t get mad if he forgets. And if you do get mad, don’t say anything until you’ve cooled down. Your love life will thank you for it! Trust me. Its as simple as ABC! Now here’s the bonus tip I mentioned earlier. How do you make sure he keeps doing the things you like? How can you make sure you don’t have to keep telling him what you like? The answer is simple: “positive reinforcement.” Which means that you should simply thank him profusely when he does something nice, especially when he does it voluntarily. It’s easy: “Honey, thanks for taking me out to dinner tonight.

I really appreciate it.” “Love, thanks for buying me that bag. That was really thoughtful of you.” “Baby, thanks for going out of your way to be with my family this weekend. I really love you for that.” Trust me - it works! It boosts his ego, which he likes very much, and it tells him that he’s doing a good job as your man. It makes him think: “Oh, so this is what Kemi likes. I should do it more often.”

The four techniques we took up today will help your man learn about the little gestures you like and convince him to do them more often. Household chores, date schedules, recreational choices, you name it, he’ll take the hint! But what about the bigger things in life? What about things like commitment, marriage, the kids and their schooling and your finances? How can you make him do what you want regarding those aspects of life? The four techniques we discussed today will help you win his mind. But when it comes to handling the bigger things, you have to win his heart too. When you win his heart, he’ll actually want to tackle these big challenges of life. He’ll take more initiative. When it comes to making the big decisions in your relationship, he’ll stand up, take charge, and say: “I’ll take care of it.” Wouldn’t it be of just asking, “Can we talk for a bit?” we say, great to spend the rest of your life with that time?

“You watch too much TV.” You’ve heard me say kind of a man? You can if you know how to Ask Nicely.

Surprisingly, many of us don’t know how to askthis before, but it does bear repeating: ‘when win his mind and his heart. To do that, you nicely. For instance, instead of just asking, “Can you’re angry, don’t say anything’. In a relation- have to be a powerful seductress.

We’ll talk about the secrets of seduction we go out this weekend?” we say, “We never go ship, anger is poison. In fact, many psycholoout during the weekends anymore.” Or instead gists know that when you’re angry, you’re in a next week. I hope you had a wonderful

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

LOVE & LIFE 21

08033832503 Email: amara@amarablessing.com

WEEKEND withAMARA

Masculine Body Hairs T

HE hair grows out of the follicle at an angle to the surface of the skin, following the natural contours of the body. A terminal hair consists of two main portions: The root—- below the surface of the skin at the base of the follicle The shaft —- above the skin surface and is made of dead keratinized cells.

The masculine nature makes it necessary for a man to have hairs all over his body. Most ladies don’t fancy men that are hairless, but guys, life is all about moderation. I will talk on hairs present on different parts of the body -- the head, the face (eyebrows, nostrils, ears) back, shoulder and the pubic region.

There are several methods of hair removal available in the beauty industry; shaving, waxing, laser, sugaring, tweezing, depilatories, threading.

The Head The first thing people look at when they come in contact with you is your hair style. It speaks everything about you. It doesn’t matter how you want to carry your hair —- afro, short, dreadlock or bald. What matters is your ability to keep it neat at all times. I must say this, don’t go for a style simply because it’s in vogue. Make sure it’s suitable for your facial structure, career and lifestyle. It should also match your body shape, complexion, eye colour and hair type.

It is always advisable visiting a qualified hair stylist if you can’t make this choice alone. Don’t let your hair age you. They say that men with graying hair look distinguished. Well that’s great and all, but please don’t be too eager to welcome the grays. Save the “distinguished” for later. Keeping your hair short if you are balding; it’s better than some sort of combover or funky grow-out where you still have hair. And let’s be honest, a combover isn’t fooling anyone, embrace your balding self.

The Face The beauty of a man’s face lies more in his ability to take care of his facial hair. Let’s take a look at the beards. Because the hair on your face is somewhat different from that on your

head, caring for your beards requires a modified set of instructions. From a full beard to a goatee, mustache or soul patch, you should keep clean at all times. In addition to cleaning and conditioning, keeping your beard well maintained is essential. Below are tips on caring for your beard: *Find a good barber and have your beard trimmed professionally.

A clear shaving oil will allow you to see what you are shaving and will help ensure clean lines around your beards. *Get a good trimmer Colour carefully if you must.

For the boys who want to show off a clean shave that is free of redness and nick, using a glycerine or aloe-based shaving cream will, not only soothe your skin, but will allow your razor to glide across your face. Finish with a soothing after shave balm or your daily moisturizer with a sun protection factor (SPF), not less than 15. Please, stay away from alcoholbased after shaves; they will only irritate your

skin.

The Pubic Hair Guys, it’s time to clear that bush in your “no trespass” area. Bikini waxing is no longer gender-specific. Your woman may not tell you, but she is irritated by the sight of that forest. I know it could be a very tough task for some guys. If you are one of such people, it will only take a 30 minute visit to the spa to get it done professionally. It shouldn’t cost more than N3,000.Whether you do it at home or in the spa, learn to use a very mild exfoliator 24 hours after. Shaving only takes hair even with the skin, waxing will keep hair away, weeks at a time. Use a cortizone cream if area starts getting itchy. You can also use depilatories which take care of hairs just within five minutes after application.

The Back Almost all ladies dislike hair on the back, but are too embarrassed to tell their mate. According to a Harris interactive survey of 1,000, more than 90% of women between the ages of

18 and 44 find back hair unattractive. Women want to see the man’s back smooth and sexy. I would sincerely advice you to visit a trained beauty therapist who will do an analysis of your skin, use the right product or method for your skin type, and advise on home care products. Back and chest waxing cost between N3,000 and N6,000.You can as well decide to shave at home but I must tell you this; shaving, while simple and relatively inexpensive, can leave you prone to ingrown hairs, and may leave the hair more noticeable as it grows due to the blunt tip of the hair shaft.

The Nose, Ears And Eyes Guys, stop thinking grooming is a lady’s thing. It’s time you take care of the hairs growing out of your nostrils and ears. Please don’t turn yourself to a goat because you were not created one. A simple trimmer for the nose won’t cost more than a thousand naira. Visit a spa to have the hairs removed professionally. Get the grays off your brows.

Let the professionals give you the right arch and thickness to frame your face beautifully.

The Underarm The armpit, if left unshaved for a long time can lead to excessive sweating and body odour. Boy, can you boldly lift your arms in public without getting people to speak with their eyes? If your answer is “no”, you have to do something. If you are one of those complaining of dark under arm, try this simple tip. Use a pumice stone to scrub your dark points daily and exfoliate weekly. Apply a brightening serum and a moisturizer after.

It’s time to say goodbye for the week but not without an assignment for you. please get rid of those unwanted hairs. ‘Manscaping’ as it is donned, would include trimming and shaving where necessary (or permanent hair removal if you so choose). Most guys move around with freckles on their faces and neck.

There are machines available in the beauty industry, specially designed to get rid of those freckles as well as unwanted hair. It will take a course of treatment (4-6 times) to effectively control it.

08167089656 (SMS only).

IMAGE AND ETIQUETTE WithPamela E-mail:regalgraces@yahoo.com Proverbs 16:32 – ‘He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.’ – (NKJV) OISE is something to be admired, to be desired and to be pursued. Poise is that element you see in precious few

P

people that keep them composed in every situation, both light and demanding. It is the ability to think on ones feet and still be as courteous and self-controlled as one is required to be. It places people under the flow of your influence and subtly dictates what the prevailing atmosphere should be.

Poise is described in the dictionary as “Great coolness and composure under strain” - (Wordweb). Another definition by D. Stark is that “Poise is a power derived from the mastery of self”. For instance, while everyone else is screaming accusations over the top of your head you answer with self-detached reason and great composure. Not being subject to the emotions of others or even of yourself and staying focused on the vital matter at hand; being courteous and even understanding of your critics put them to shame and subjection. The self-detachment doesn’t mean that you are inhuman or indifferent but that you rise above provocation and strong feeling to be able to perceive the crux of a problem and address it matter-of-factly.

Some of the advantages of poise, especially those in leadership positions and those aspiring to master themselves and situations are To wield positive influence To get your message across clearly, precisely and with authority To be solution-oriented To be perceptive To be in control of one’s self thereby taking charge of chaotic or uncomfortable situations, etc.

From the above, it’s clear that poise is really all about the individual and his mastery of self.

Most people are sensual beings and highly predictable; a little provocation here and sometimes a particular word or phrase is capable of

Mastery Of Self pushing them into a rage such that a lifetime’s work can be destroyed in a moment of self-indulgence (for this is what is). Emotions, especially, get in the way of the delivery of a message.

But a message should not only be heard but understood. There is very little likelihood of convincing or exhorting if a message cannot be understood amidst the rant and tantrum of an underdeveloped adult. To attain poise therefore, one must cultivate an attitude and lifestyle of self-control.

Cultivating Poise Breathing deeply to calm an erratic pulse, gently and practically restoring your heart to its steady rhythm. Further from being just a short respite, the very act of being still for a moment and concentrating on the exercise at hand compels your thought pace to slow down and in return puts you in a state where you can rise above demanding emotions.

Staying In The Sane Zone Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath: but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (NKJV) Anytime I remember this scene, I am still awed.

The scene is a meeting held in a boardroom. The room was embarrassingly loud with the raucous and uncontained laughter of men and women in response to a belittling jest that was suspiciously not thought through. The recipient sat still with a slight smile on his lips, unresponsive to careless, provocative questions thrown in for good measure. When he finally opened his mouth to speak, it was not to raise his voice above theirs but to quietly put his accusers in their place in the most noble and courteous of fashions that it established his status as being undeniably – without contest, far above! His gaze was both authoritative and mildly amused.

Every voice was hushed and every posture leaned

toward him for he spoke in a tone barely above a whisper. He had turned the meeting completely around and under his authority. I believe this example clearly explains what staying in the sane zone implies.

Decorum And Etiquette.

Proverbs 22:11 ‘He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend’ (NKJV) It is important to make a conscious decision to keep a good attitude. Being well-mannered and gentle should not be dependent on other people’s etiquette or lack of it. I admit, some people really do not deserve to be treated with courtesy or respect, but of what value is it then if you are only courteous to those deserving it?

We ought to be above certain provocations; above in a manner that no one can make us angry and no one can make us lose control of ourselves. Well, you might say that little niceties have no significant impact on situations where a greater response is required. However, consider this: you cannot give anything more than

what you already have within you when demanding or light situations call upon you.

Moreover, it is those seemingly minor situations that indeed build your character for if one is faithful in little he will be faithful in much.

(Consider Luke 17:19) Image and Etiquette addresses general perceptions, societal norms and expectations and personal expressions with the goal of cultivating social graces, suavity and a dignified presence for interpersonal relationships. If you have questions on Image and Etiquette please send them to askpamela@regalgraces.com or SMS 08038240870. Pamela also covers Online Correspondence Courses, Workshops and Keynote speeches on Corporate Image and Etiquette, and manages Perfect Healthlife Wellness Center. For online correspondence courses email info@regalgraces.com with the title “Online Course (Saturday Guardian)” for our promotional price.

22 LOVE & LIFE

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

MARITAL SEX

Consequences Of Infidelity 1

By Juliana Idoko OY is a 35-year-old lady who is pregnant with her third child. She was devastated when her husband owned up to his unfaithfulness and left her for another woman days later. She really wanted her 10-yearold marriage to work. She remembered their wedding, their years together, and the love they shared, or so she thought and she broke down uncontrollably. “Now, I have nothing. No job, no trade, no catfish or goldfish. See me; my husband has followed another woman. I have lost everything!” she lamented.

John on the other hand is a street child of about 11 years. Two events have remained indelible in the mind of the poor boy. The day his father drove his mother away against their children’s wish as they pleaded and cried, and the day his step mother poured hot soup on him leaving a big scar on his face.

The father carried on well and they lived peacefully after the separation until the other woman (the step mother) packed into the house. “My father always left home at about 6.30am for work and came back by 6.00pm. My step mother was always a different person from 7.00am to 5pm, but my father refused to believe me,” he narrated. “Our home is hell now. I’ll rather live on the street than go back there and die. I know I will find my mother one day,” he said, after running away from home.

These are true-life stories of the devastating effects of infidelity to people, families and even the society.

Infidelity, which is the breach of that express or implied expectation of exclusivity in sexual matters in marriage has remained the most dreaded word in marriage and spares neither the rich nor the poor.

It has never been a good mix with marriage as the aftereffect has always been traumatic and sometimes tragic. Extramarital affair, adultery, cheating or whatever

J

“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” – Isaiah 43 Vs 18-19.

name you choose to call it, marital unfaithfulness has continued to take a tragic toll on families around the world.

Each infidelity is different, caused by a different thing but all take the same devastating toll. According to Dr Favour Nwolisa, a counselor and lecturer in the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, “two things control marriage -- sex and money. Most marital problems are traceable to them and the sooner the society acceptet that fact the better for us. Sex within the precincts of marriage should be treated with all the respect, seriousness and sacredness it deserves if the marriage is to succeed,” she said.

“When a third party enters a marriage, the faithful spouse is always the worst hit,” she added. “The tendency to feel abandoned and rejected replaces the love and the trust he/she once had for the spouse. He/she feels replaced by a much younger, better, richer or more attractive person. “The pain is always hard to describe and harder to overcome.”

The blame game starts and most times, the faithful one is made to pay for the spouse’s bad behaviour.

He/she is portrayed as an inadequate partner, which left the cheating spouse with no alternative than to find an adequate replacement.

Unfortunately, the fact that always comes out at last, when the damage is already irretrievably done is that the thrill with the intruder is short-lived.

It turns from euphoria to ennui in no time. The third party is only out to get whatever he/she can get and ruin whatever you have laboured for and didn’t really love you as you think.

There are serious consequences in a family when the lid is blown and the cheating spouse is exposed. All hell breaks loose as the betrayed spouse suffers from indescribable emotional pain, which sometimes leads to suicidal thoughts. That single irrational act of infidelity snowballs and affects terribly, a lot of people you care so

much about. We have grouped these consequences of infidelity into social, psychological, health and spiritual effects.

Social consequences of infidelity Whatever affects the family indirectly affects the society. Studies have shown that there is a link between the rising number of problems in marriages and the increasing cases of crimes in the society.

According to Mrs. Theresa Odunukwe, a counselor and an active member of Counseling Association of Nigeria, “When infidelity happens, the children are always the innocent victims caught in the crossfire,” she said. “If they are living with one of their parents, the step parent may never accept them wholly and most times maltreats them. This can make them to run from home, join the street children, and turn to crime to make a living,” she said.

“If the couple choose to stay together and manage instead of getting a divorce, their lives will never remain the same again. The trust, the love and the harmony is gone leaving suspicion

Let’s Begin Again

OD likes a restart. He takes away G the old to establish the new. If you read the Bible, you would see New Covenants, New Commandment, New Heart, New Life, New Wine, New Heaven and New Earth. That doesn’t mean that the old things are bad, but He makes the old things in a new way.

Sometimes our relationship becomes boring. We wear out. We lose creativity. We seek something new. But we think we shall find fun in a ‘new spouse’, ‘a new partner’, ‘a new relationship’ totally away from the person who already shares our lives. That’s not how it is done. God brings the new of the old.

Every relationship should be in constant repair. If we do not take care of our relationship, it will wear out and become outdated. Then we seek another relationship that will in time go sour if not properly attended to. Let your relationships, marriages feel fresh, new and healthy. You don’t need

‘another’; there is no better person out there. Everyone you are married to is someone you can be with and take care of. There are simple things we can do to keep our relationship fresh and exciting.

1. Forget In life, memories are powerful we

really don’t forget. But we can. Just as we make effort to remember, we should also try to forget. To forget means that you shouldn’t give the memory a chance to awaken the emotion behind the event. Choose not to bring it to mind. To forget effectively, you need to remember.

and quarrel behind. They will just be cohabiting and children are always fast to discover that all is not as it used to be. This affects them psychologically and they take solace in their peers who may introduce them to what the parents may not like,” she enunciated.

“It is good to remember, though, that there is no excuse if your child grows up different from what you wanted him/her to be.

Infidelity also deals a considerable blow on the betrayed spouse. The feeling of inadequacy rejection and sometimes guilt rises, especially in the midst of the peers and the society.

“Men feel that you are their body,” Mrs Odunukwe said. “You can take anything from a man, but not his wife. That is why he can kill if he finds any man going out with his wife. If the wife gets adulterous, he finds it difficult to cope with the shame and so only a very small percentage of men can still continue with the marriage after an infidelity is discovered,” she explained. “A woman was forgiven by her husband after her confession, repentance and contrition, but was

sent away again by the same husband some months later claiming that he could not live with the shame,” she narrated.

“On the part of the woman, she feels dejected, isolated and demoralised after her unfaithfulness is discovered.

It is this rejection and isolation by the society that leads to mental illness and other illnesses and not the gods,” she declared. “African society does not condone infidelity but in a patriarchal society like ours, the unfaithful women are the worst hit and their male counterparts go scot free because the society does not frown at their infidelity,” she explained. She ended with a story of a young lady who ran to her elderly sister-in-law to complain of her husband’s philandering and hear the response she got “What do you mean? The fact that my brother married you does not mean that he will not shake his body againo. You are the one that should keep to your self; but my brother, for goodness sake is a man. Leave him alone!”

The poor girl went home dejected not knowing what to do.”

To be continued.

Remember good times in that relationship, it will gradually drown the bad memories. Life is too short. Don’t carry a baggage of wrongs and bad feelings all through. Remove things that should remind you; the letters, pictures, documents, texts that have wounded the marriage in the past. Put away some pictures deliberately. Focus on the good and expect better. There were once good times. Relive them.

2. Do old things in a new way (Mark 14 Vs 25). Jesus spoke of drinking the wine “new” in the kingdom of God. Celebrate your love again. Watch your wedding movies and pictures. Give your spouse surprise meals at work. Send messages to the Internet, drop flowers, cards. Call a pastor to the house, renew your vows.

Go on vacation. Go to places you have not gone before. Make love in a special new way. You can even change the outlook of your home.

3. Speak new tonuses Use new language. Let the insults and abuses go. Don’t call each other bad, nasty names. Joke some more. Laugh some more. Smile some more. Change the entire vocabulary in your home.

Words can set the mood and atmosphere in your home. Develop the right language for situations. Even when you argue and want to correct a wrong, say it well. Let words be seasoned with grace.

Call your spouse a special endearing pet name. Give a new name that redefines your relationship. God gives new names too.

4. Allow for human error There is no perfect person. Accept that

first. Everyone in this part of the world wants to be a leader; no one wants to learn. Many books on leadership; little on loyalty and submission. That is the trouble in our world.

We are too ‘assertive’, we forget the benefits of being a follower.

Submission and loyalty is now a foreign word because we have ‘fantasies’ and expectations that must be met. That someone is your head is not merely a function of expertise, it is divinely arranged. No matter how bad our parents are, we are to honour them, treat them with love and regards, otherwise we may not live a fulfilled life. We want to make everything perfect and destroy good. We eventually do not have perfection because only God is. There are things we should simply ignore. In a bid to make a cloth clean, we wash it torn. Is it tears? Is a bitter realization in human relationships I hope we will understand.

5. Make a way in the wilderness.

Make difficult things easy. Make some efforts to be better. Develop your moral muscles. Beat expectations. Help your spouse solve a challenge. Don’t ask your spouse to make a way, you do. Divide the Red Sea so that they could pass. Provide rivers in the desert. Be creative, make things happen in your home. Bring in some innovations. Be the answer they need.

E. C. Samuel Intimatefaithministry@yahoo.com 08027173447 SMS ONLY

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

23

WOMAN

For The Love Of Igbo Language Mrs. Obiageli Hope Ofomata is the Director of London Cultural Education Centre and Project Coordinator, ‘Journey of the Igbo in Greater London,’ a project funded by National Heritage Lottery Fund, London. She is also founder, Igbo Resource Centre, London and founder of some charity organisations. Prior to leaving for the United Kingdom, she was Vice Principal (Academic), University of Nigeria Secondary School, Nsukka.

By Ekwy P. Uzoanya RS. Obiageli Hope Ofomata will not sit M idly by and watch the United Nations Educational and Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) warning that the Igbo language would go into extinction in the next 50 years, if care is not taken, come to pass.

In the United Kingdom where she resides, she picked up the gauntlet to address the issue of dwindling number of speakers of Igbo, especially the children of parents of Igbo extraction.

During this year’s celebration of the International Mother Language Day last month, Ofomata came down home to Nigeria to further raise the awareness that parents should teach their children the language, and also drum up support that the process she has been following through to include Igbo language as a subject for examination by the Oxford Cambridge Rapid Exam Board (OCR) in the United Kingdom, is successfully concluded.

At the celebration of the event in Lagos, held at the palace of His Royal Highness, Igwe Nwabueze Ohazulike, Eze Igbo Lagos with various Igbo community leaders in attendance, Ofomata made a strong case that the Igbo language could be “utilised to develop the thinking, cognitive and emotional growth of Igbo children, all of which help the children learn foreign language.”

She added: “We must go beyond this narrow idea of thinking that speaking Igbo will be a deterrent to the child’s learning in school; rather, it helps in building the child’s confidence, self-esteem, inter-cultural awareness, social responsibility and language skills.”

To underscore the seriousness of her campaign, she established her private Igbo school in London. “I’ve been called to help promote Igbo language because when I did my masters degree in 1999 in UK, I established a training centre for women in IT. “From there, we established supplementary school to do English, Maths, Science, IT and basketball. But with time, the Igbo women among them started saying that there was need for their children to learn Igbo. That was how I started having discussion with others,” she recalls.

To her credit also is a project titled, ‘Journey of Igbos in Greater London.’ The project details what the Igbos have achieved in their country and what they have put into the economy of their host country. “The outcome of that project was that our people wanted their children to learn Igbo language,” she says.

The effort to promote Igbo language in the UK has seen various Igbo kindred groups setting up schools where Igbo is taught. “In some village meetings in London, they have established Igbo schools; I also have established Igbo school in my centre. We have at least 13 of such schools. There are now many Igbo schools established in Manchester, Coventry, Liverpool, London, Leeds, Bristol.

There are many Igbo schools because of the

We must go beyond this narrow idea of thinking that speaking Igbo will be a deterrent to the child’s learning in school; rather, it helps in building the child’s confidence, self-esteem, intercultural awareness, social responsibility and language skills.”

idea that we are going to have a national curriculum. There are individuals also that have Igbo schools.

“It is a supplementary school; we teach only Igbo in the Igbo schools. But with OCR coming on board, we are going to have a national curriculum, which they will develop with us.

Now we are going to negotiate to have them attached to the mainstream, so they can have some input in the preparation at the examination. The Yorubas started their own Asset Language Examination long time ago.

“We have Somalia, Bangladesh and some of the Asian people who started earlier and the government developed their own curriculum when there was economic boom. It is not just Igbos that want to learn Igbo language, there are non-Igbo people who are married to Igbos. Some people just want to learn Igbo because they want to come and do business in Nigeria, knowing that Igbos are very entrepreneurial. I’ve had people from South Africa who came to tell me they want to learn Igbo.”

It was in 2007 that she started the negotiation for inclusion of Igbo language as a subject of examination by the Oxford Cambridge Rapid Examination Board (OCR) in the United Kingdom, which is responsible for Asset Language Examination for the minority languages in the UK. “By the grace of God, we are negotiating for the international examination in the Igbo language. It took about five years and eventually we teamed up with other communities like Albania, Eritrea and Ethiopia. We got the OCR to agree in June 2012 to include it as one of the exam subjects if we pay up the money we are supposed to pay. They have tabulated it and it’s about £100,000. Because of the economy, the government does not help any community again. Even the £100,000 will be paid to our people because they will develop the curriculum, assess, set the exam because the English do not know the Igbo language.

“Initially, we are expected to present 1,000 per year for three years because they want to pilot it to make sure that we are interested and that we will continue presenting candidates for the next 10 years, after which we will present 500 candidates in a year.”

So far, she reveals, she has pursued her campaigns with her resources and support from her family members, without any assistance from any quarters. But raising the £100,000 is a challenge she is currently facing in driving to its logical conclusion, the process of having Igbo language approved as one of the examination subjects administered by OCR. Last December, she visited home to seek the support of prominent Igbo men and women, including the government of her state, Anambra, but nothing has come forth. She is equally looking up to getting assistance to fulfill the monetary condition for inclusion of Igbo as examination subject by OCR in the UK, and not fritter away the opportunity of recognition of Igbo language internationally.

The length she has gone in this quest, she ascribes to God the glory. “God will take the glory because when I was doing it alone, nothing was achieved but when He came into it, they just sent for me one day to come and discuss which showed that it was God that said the time had come”.

Ofomata obtained a Bachelor of Science in Economics (Education) and a Masters in Educa- Ofomata tional Administration. She was the Vice Principal (Academics) of the University of Nigeria Secondary School before she went on study leave in 1993 and Initiative based in Nnewi, which looks after did masters in Information Technology at the Uni- orphans, young people and other groups of versity of East London. When she finished in 1999, the less-privileged.

Born in Kano to Igbo parents, Ofomata sees she established women training centre in different estates in London. “When I graduated in 1999, a cord running in her charity work with women were afraid of learning IT and I did encour- that of her mother, Mrs. Beatrice Ejembe, popularly known as Mama Red Cross in age them by establishing training centres for Nnewi. She, it was, who built the motherwomen at three housing estates.” less babies home, Nnewi. Her father Later, she got employed as a visiting tutor at Hackney Community College. “I was doing it on a “worked at John Holt and later they established their own business at Onitsha where voluntary basis and from there, the government saw what God has helped me to do there and gave they were trading on textile before he died.”

She added: “My mother influenced me beme indefinite leave stay.”

From her creative spirit also sprang a cultural or- cause she used to tell us, ‘when you have ganisation called Great Women Organisation, now finished living this life, what did you do?

Victorious Women, a charity, and Cultural Educa- Those were the words you would always hear in our home.” tion Centre, London. Back home in Nigeria, she She is married to Prof. Chibuike Ofomata, has also set up Women of Grace Empowerment emeritus professor of Geography. Of their

marriage, she says: “God blessed us with six children; two are in the UK and four in Nigeria. When I established the first IT girls’ club and basket club, my daughter took advantage of it and became a wellknown basketball player. She went to the United States and they trained her on scholarship. She is in the women’s team of British basketball.”

Her advice to women is to “take care of their children, teach them Igbo as they do the chores in the house, speak Igbo to them as you are bringing them from school; make the Igbo language in the home to be fun. When they make mistakes, don’t ridicule them; encourage them because as you do that, you are motivating them. Take care of your husbands.”

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

24

PEOPLE

‘If People Live Less For Selves, Our Societies Will Be Better’

By Ozo Mordi NGINEER Chris Okpala is the immediE ate past president of Rotary Club of Amuwo in Ojo Local Council, Lagos State. His one-year tenure in office offered him the rare opportunity to give back to society. While being president, he sacrificed a lot of time and his business suffered because the entire year was devoted to Rotary.

Rotary is a charitable organisation with reach beyond Nigeria. This afforded Okpala to be part of several charitable outreaches within and outside the country, through which the less-privileged have been blessed.

He however believes that charity must begin from home. This, he says, explains why the fight against Polio remains a major focus of the international organization.

Though government has been engaged in the war to eradicate the polio virus for some time now, Okpala observes that there are still several reported cases. And this gives him much worry.

According to him, Southern Nigeria still has a few cases of the disabling disease while majority are seen in the North. “Statistics as at November 2012 are 108 cases in the North. Niger State recorded two cases of the Wild Polio Virus Type One (WPVI) while Jigawa had six WPVI and one WPV3; Kaduna saw 12 WPV1 and two WPV3; Kano had 18 WPV1 and four WPV3; Katsina had 32 cases of WPV1, and Sokoto had eight cases of WPV1.

“Zamfara State saw six WPV1 while Bauchi reported three cases of WPV3.

Bauchi also saw the cases of WPV1, while Bornu reported three of WPV1 and five of WPV3. Taraba did not have a case of WPV1 but the state saw one of WPV3 and Yobe recorded three WPV1 and two WPV3.”

He blames the culture that forbids free access to women in Purdah as being responsible, even when there were fellow women to immunize the children.

“These days, through the help of traditional rulers, politicians and government, they are beginning to gain access.

So, I am sure that polio will be eradicated totally, soon.”

Engineer Okpala however lamented government- employed care-givers’ attitude, noting that total commitment is lacking.

“Even when materials are available, they may not use them the way they were meant to be used. Rotary is only a monitor who supports what World Health Organization (WHO) does. The federal government supplies materials to local governments who should carry out the immunization. But in some instances, they have not covered some areas even when they claim to have done so. So, when we discover these areas, we do the immunization ourselves.

“We choose the riverine areas because people do not want to go to such places because of the risks in plying boats. We distribute mosquito nets to prevent malaria when we go to immunize children. Although some local governments receive such allocations, they are not available in these communities, so we buy them with our money.

“There are many riverine communities in Amuwo, which takes about 30 minutes to reach by boat. And we go, we invite local government officials to take

note of what we see and assist us. We immunize children from age zero to five years,” he recalls.

Life in these communities can be pathetic, he observes, adding that the nearest medical centre is at Ojo Local Council headquarters, which they have to reach by boat. “But they are not interested, so we go to them. Even then, they have to be given incentives by the visitors before they are allowed to treat them,” he adds.

On the suggestion that local foundations have become more popular than Rotary Club, he says that Rotary International had chosen to work quietly in the past. These days, however, we advertise our activities and invite the media when we organize symposia, workshops and other activities, he says.

Prodded on the issue of NGOs that do not live up to expectations, Okpala bemoans the proliferation. “You wake up daily to hear of a new one. I am not condemning anybody, but I think some of them are there for business.

They collect money and disappear.

“In Rotary, we do not solicit money from the international community. When we have huge projects like providing boreholes for a community, we seek help from Rotary international.

“We do other things too. Presently, 20 students in three secondary schools enjoy scholarships from Rotary Club of Amuwo. We donate computers to schools as well as organise Career Fairs. The aim is to guide students in secondary schools in making career choices.

“We organize ethics forum because we take ethics in business seriously in Rotary. Yearly, we take on a particular profession and invite speakers from that industry to address the public. You can report a grievance also because we invite a member of government who may take up the case and deal with it, when possible.”

As an Engineer, how did Okpala get involved with humanitarianism? “I am a human being who has passion for giving and helping the less privileged. If you do not have the heart to help, do not aspire to be in Rotary. You do not have to be rich, just contribute the little you have so that it goes round.

“Rotary is a serious business. You have to give your three Ts, which are time, talent and treasure. In giving your time, you must attend meeting every Monday. If you are not at home, there is Rotary where you are, go there. Treasure is your money, give it. I will definitely take up any engineering project in Rotary, free of charge. By doing that, I am giving my talent, which is engineering.”

Given his background as an engineer, Okpala decries the haphazard nature of infrastructural development in the country.

“Construction work must have expert analysis which is approved by government. But the way things are done here, there is no infrastructure in place. People just go to virgin land or bush and start to build houses.

Government is supposed to provide infrastructure like drains so that issues like blocked drains and flying cables do not occur.”

In addition to being member of professional bodies in Engineering, Okpala is a member of the National Bridge and Structural Engineers, Switzerland.

Foreign contractors are often favoured with major jobs from the government. This, Okpala believes, is because construction requires a lot of money and multinationals have the backing of their governments and banks unlike here. This explains why they are often favoured during selection of project engineers. He however expressed confidence that local contractors would get to that stage soon because “they are immensely talented.”

Rotary is a serious business. You have to give your three Ts, which are time, talent and treasure. If you do not have the heart to help, do not aspire to be in Rotary. You do not have to be rich, just contribute the little you have so that it goes round.

Okpala

Foreign contractors are often favoured with major jobs from government because construction requires a lot of money and multinationals have the backing of their governments and banks unlike here. This explains why they are often favoured during selection of project engineers. But I am confident local contractors would get to that stage soon because they are immensely talented Engineer Okpala joined Ette, Aro and Partners, an Ibadan construction firm where he worked before he set up his business in 1995. He has been privileged to design and build bridges in Port Harcourt.

“In those early years, I was more interested in knowing the job than in how much money we were paid, which was not much.

I had a good time with Ette, Aro and Partners. I still relate to my bosses who are still in Ibadan, the head office. Engineer Ette is the Principal, Engineer Arokodare is late now, though there are others.

“My father, the late Mr. Charles Okpala

influenced my choice to become an engineer. He was a timber merchant who worked closely with Ina Olaji, an Ibadan contractor. He took me sometimes to see what they did and I became interested from there,” he recalls.

Okpala confesses to being an Ibadan man. “I was born there, at Mokola, and I enjoyed life as an Ibadan man.

“Growing up, I did not notice any difference until we began to travel to the East during the holidays. Eventually, I went to St. Peter’s Secondary School, Achina and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.”

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

| 25

FOOD&DRINKS Unripe Plantain Porridge Served With Red fruit Smoothie

By Chinelo Nwagbo

pregnant and lactating women because the dish is richn in provitamin A, iron and calcium, which are needed during stages of life. It is also beneficial for diabetics and those that want to prevent retinal disorders, anaemia and malnutrition.

IGERIANS enjoy quite a variety of porridge meals. Some N examples are yam porridge, potato porridge and plantain porridge. Other porridges include beans porridge and mushroom porridge.

Many people love plantain. Some people love it ripe, while others prefer to have it unripe. Since eating healthy is not just about what feels good to the taste buds, there is always the need to choose how a meal best benefits the body.

Plantain porridge is a very nutritious dish containing high quality protein from meat and fish. At the same time, it supplies provitamin A (beta-carotene) from spinach which provides antioxidant effect, iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamins, soluble and insoluble fibre.

Unripe plantain, the main ingredient of this dish, supplies high levels of potassium, iron, B-complex vitamins, magnesium and low levels of sodium. Additionally, plantain, contains small amount of serotonin, which has ability to dilate the arteries and to improve blood circulation.

Plantain porridge is good for children and adults because it provides them with energy for carrying out their day-to-day activities. Consumption of this nutritious dish helps normal bowel movements, thereby reducing constipation problems; boosts the immune system, maintains healthy mucus membranes, enhance skin complexion and enhances the health of the whole eyes from the conjunctiva to the retina.

This dish is ideal for people suffering from diabetes because its sugar is easily metabolised and digested by the body. Also, the carbohydrate (sugar) contents are absorbed slowly in the body and do not produce a sharp rise in blood glucose (sugar) level.

Plantain porridge cooked with fish, little oil preferably olive oil, little or no salt is an ideal food for those suffering from coronary disease (heart failure, hypertension, arteriosclerosis) because of its richness in potassium, B group vitamins, vegetable fibre that are essential for a healthy heart and has so many medicinal properties.

Individuals taking medications for the heart or arterial hypertension need a great supply of potassium, which is ob-

Ingredients Quantities Unripe plantain 4 medium sizes Kidney 4 medium pieces Smoked fish 1 medium size Spinach 1 medium bunch Fresh tomatoes 3 medium sizes Fresh pepper 2 medium sizes Crayfish (ground) 3 tablespoons Onion 1 medium bulb Seasoning cube 3 Palm oil 1½ cooking spoons Salt To taste Method of preparation Wash and season the kidney for 8 minutes.

Peel, wash and cut the plantain into pieces.

Add water, salt, tomatoes and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

Add palm oil, seasoning cube, and fish.

Cover the pot and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Pick and wash the spinach.

Shred and add to the plantain.

Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir again.

Add salt to taste and serve warm.

Red fruit smoothie Smoothies make a healthy and refreshing drink that can be taken anytime. It is rich in vitamins and minerals that are essential for body nourishment. This nutritious drink is prepared with varieties of fruits and is essential for the general wellbeing of the body.

tained from this dish. For people suffering from heart problem, it is advisable to cook unripe plantain with fish, little oil and little or no salt.

There are many more health benefits that can be derived from eating this dish. Eat plantain porridge today and enjoy all its health benefits.

Recommendation Plantain porridge is highly recommended for children,

Ingredient Quantities Banana 1 medium size Plain yogurt 3 tablespoons Frozen mixed Red berry fruit 115g Pineapple juice or 600ml Method of preparation Place the banana, yogurt and berry fruit in a blender or food processor.

Pour in the juice and blend until smooth.

Chill in the refrigerator.

Serve with unripe plantain pottage.

E-mail: chineloeby@yahoo.com

Fruity Dry White Wine Of Refreshment

By Ibukunoluwa Kayode F you are looking for a grape dry white wine can be ISauvignon served at any time and event, then think of Vavasour Blanc. It is a wine selected from different grape fruits for intensity and concentration.

The white wine made from New Zealand is a vintage wine to relax the palate with notes of refreshing taste of bouquet fruits.

This grape dry white wine can be served at any given occasion for refreshment such as birthdays, weddings, house warming and dinner cocktails. It is also suitable for diabetics due to its low sugar content. It can be well tolerated by lovers of non-sweet wines.

Vavasour Blanc can be purchased at any wine outlet in Nigeria and the conventional markets. This wine can as well be sighted in bars and hotels across Nigeria.

It holds 13.5 per cent alcohol in a bottle size of 750 millimetres. For better refreshing notes on the palate the wine is best served chilled.

Also, this dry vintage grape wine can be paired with, different food varieties to deliver a more luscious taste on the palate for a memorable refreshment. These include Parmesan-crusted chicken and spinach salad, Shrimp and brie linguine, New orieans red beans and rice, Black eyed peas and rice, Rosemary-glazed Vidalia onions, Smoked turkey and slaw on country toast, Quinoa corn and tomato salad with chiva infused oil recipes. With any choice of these recipes, Vavasour is well tolerated.

26

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

ELIZABETH DREAM WEDDINGSwithBADEJO elizabethbadejo2002@yahoo.com eb_africadreamwedding@yahoo.com 08097360766

Hey Brides, Getting Married In 2013?

Don’t Forget Your Wedding Do’s And Don’ts EDDINGS are becoming more and W more diverse than ever. While there are no fast rules to throwing a wedding of your dream, there are also some certain things you need to know if you want to make your big day beautiful, flawless and truly personal.

Do … choose a wedding dress that truly compliments your figure and personality.

Take someone with you to help you make that important decision so that you don’t end up looking like a bride on the runway.

Your wedding pictures will last a lifetime, avoid dress disaster.

Don’t … wear killer heels on your wedding day, you will be standing for a long while at the ceremony to take photos, standing while you get toasted, standing while you are dancing, standing while you chat with your guests. All these amount to sore feet. If your dress is long, who will notice your heels anyway? Therefore choose comfortable and moderate heel or sling back. Once you are comfy, you will be happy to mingle with your guests and party all night.

Do … engage the services of a wedding planner. You may initially set out to plan your own wedding and eventually realize that it is not an easy task when you also have deadlines to meet at work.

Every penny you spend from your wedding budget should be well managed and all

your service providers should also be able to give you good value for money. Your wedding planner will certainly ensure all goes according to plan and his/her fee is a fraction of your budget. Trust me, it’s definitely a winning solution.

Don’t … lose too much weight before the big day if you are a big woman and you have always been that same size. Why would you try and force yourself to lose so much weight before the big day? Your wedding is about you being your beautiful self and skinny ladies attending your wedding would probably be wishing they had your figure anyway. After all, your groom chose you and all the beautiful qualities inside of you, so why try to turn yourself into a scare crow on your big day?

Do … choose colours that you really love, have fun coordinating them and try to limit your colour palette to a few choice shades.

Incorporate these tones as you explore your options and make everything come together around your favorite colours. After all, it is all about celebrating your love and making the day special for you and your spouse.

Don’t … go over the top with your décor ideas. Remember that less is more and you don’t have to duplicate what your friend did at her own wedding. You can spend less and make it simply elegant. Don’t be fooled into splashing your budget on expensive décor ideas to impress your guests. Let your per-

sonalities radiate through the whole experience.

Do … allow your spouse to have a say in certain decision making and make him feel a part of the big day. You don’t want him looking displaced when all seem to be all about you alone and no input from him. Let him choose his groom’s men attires. You can limit his choices but let him have the final say in the end.

Don’t … do it the 2face/Annie style if you are really strapped for cash. Destination weddings are great for those who can afford to take a few families and friends abroad while they incur the expenses or rather ask them to pay very little towards the total cost. Yes, celebrities do set trends and ideas and a destination wedding is enjoyable for not only the bride and the groom, but for all the guests. But you also don’t want to spend your honeymoon worrying about the debts you have to pay back after the ‘I Do’.

Do … pamper your parents too. Your parents will want to be actively involved in planning the wedding especially if they are paying or contributing towards the cost.

Allow them but let them know your options and choices and you can also take them to dress fittings, venues and tastings. All in all, make sure that you make all the decisions.

It’s a fine balancing act but be respectful to all involved.

Don’t … compromise on good food. Choose good caterers who are well versed in serving good food, both continental and local dishes.

Remember that everyone is happy when the food is tasty and good. Mum’s favorite caterer may not be the appropriate one for your own style of wedding. Find good food vendors who can wow your guests with delicious delicacies at a price you can afford.

Do … serve a nice dose of something yummy to finish up the delicious menu. Your guests will not remember the décor, table settings or flowers but they will surely remember the delicious and mouth-watering desserts served after the meal. They will be looking forward to something memorable to talk about your wedding even after your big day.

Splashing on desserts is a real good choice.

Don’t .... forget what it’s really all about. The day will pass quickly and all the months of planning will be realized in just a few hours.

Guests will ooh and aah over your lovely dress as you and your spouse become the attraction for the day, while your guests enjoy the delicious menu as champagne is popped to toast to the latest couple in town. All those things really set the party mood. Remember that your wedding is the celebration of something much more important. It is the decision that you both make to join yourselves together and live your lives as one forever.

| 27

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

HOME&DECOR

Make Small Rooms Bigger

By Ekwy P. Uzoanya OUR living Y space may not really be as big as you would love it to be. But there is something that you can do to create a look and feel of a bigger space than it really is. Some small designs tricks of use of colour, furniture arrangement and lighting will change the scenario.

With the understanding that colours act in certain ways, it will make it easy to match every room’s colour to personal desires and taste and to the room’s purpose.

To make a room seem larger and brighter, use light colours because they are expensive and airy.

So walls in light colours such as cream and soft tones of blues and greens are just a few of the best colours that can open up a tiny room into a bigger living space.

Furniture sometimes occupies a lot of space that a room appears crowded and small. Some tips can be useful here.

Few large pieces will work much better than lots of small, cluttering ones. Also, multi-function furniture such as a sofa bed, a chest that can serve as a coffee table, chest of drawers, and a bed with

drawers for storage to reduce clutter are recommended. Using thin line furniture and folding tables, which can be put away when not needed, will go along way to make the room look bigger.

Consider furniture arrangement by placing large furniture pieces against the walls so as to open space at the centre. Furniture should be appropriate to the room size and not used to block the pathways. This will open up the space and make it feel larger.

Tall furniture that might make it seem as though the ceiling is lower than it actually is are better avoided. Let there be plenty of space between furniture and the ceiling height.

Allow plenty of light into the room and get rid of heavy draperies. Where the natural light is not enough to open it up, artificial lighting should be added.

OOD presents some kind of warmth and softness W that are not found in other materials. When it Natural Look With Kitchen comes to kitchen implements crafted from wood, they fit the kitchen richly. Wood pieces displayed on your countertop add a touch of earthy, natural look around your kitchen.

Wooden implements such as spoons, cutting boards and rolling spoons need to be cared for and sanitised.

Unlike plastic or metal, wooden items require a protective finish to avoid them splintering, cracking or warping with use. Protective finishes also help to keep moisture away from them and prevent acid damage and permanent stains from destroying the wood.

Oil wooden implements once they are brought home from the shop to prevent cracking. Coating products, however, often leave a film that sheds or cracks with time; so non-drying edible oils – ones that penetrate the wood – are generally durable and safe option.

Mineral oil is best for this. Never use olive or veg-

Wooden Implements

etable oils because they turn rancid with age, making the wood products unsanitary.

First warm the oil and rub into the wood with a piece of cloth. Wipe off excess oil not absorbed. Several coats can be applied. Re-oil the items periodically, depending on the frequency of use.

To clean other wooden spoons and cutting boards, wash as all other kitchen implements, in some mild dishwashing liquid and water. Do not leave them to soak, as this will cause water damage. Dry them as soon as they are washed to prevent bacteria harbouring in the boards and spoons.

Replace wooden boards that have cracks and scratches because germs hide in the crevices. To remove bacteria from the surface of cutting boards and spoons, rub a lemon half over the wood after cleaning. Store in a dry place.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

28

FASHION

Bow ties are cool

By Ibukunoluwa Kayode

One of the trends to try this season is the bowtie. Go raid your man’s wardrobe for one!

NCE associated with O men, this classic accessory has now become an avant-garde item in the female wardrobe.

The bow tie is no longer reserved for just formal occasions that calls for tuxedos and suits for men. The menswear item is now chic for women, too.

Over the years, ladies have been pairing their bow ties with motorcycle jackets, button blouses and chain necklaces. What’s more, bow ties are often pulled off when accompanied by neutral colours such as black and white as to give your fit a mere pop of colour or flair.

This retro piece of fabric tied around the neck is now revamped for the feminine fit to out shine statements that can also be made on the neckline for every fashion conscious woman.

Basically, there are three different types of bow tieself-tie, clip-on and pre-tied.

It is advisable to go for the self-tie or the clip-on. These are usually perfect ones for grown-ups to dazzle in.

Also when choosing to wear a bowtie, the width of your bow-tie should not overcome the width of your face and must not be bigger than the width of your collar too.

The slim lines, which are

great options to play with, should be paired with a wellshaped collar for that stunning look.

The standard one that tends to be a bit broad and big should be worn with a winged collar and it’s appropriate for a day wear.

Bowties are made from different fabrics with great patterns to work the neck for that stylish look. Flannel, suiting wools, selvage denim, cotton, seersucker and madras checks are an intelligent choice for a day wear. For formal wear, a safer bet would surely be a black satin self-tie, this is a very classic and elegant choice to feel in the mood for a formal outing.

Also, the wool texture gives the black bowtie a more modern feel with patterns like paisleys, polka dots, stripes and checks go down pretty well.

There are a few rules to follow to command a stylish look in a bowtie: . Wearing a bowtie is to sync the colours with that of your outfit; stay away from screaming colours, which could cause a distraction for people to even notice your face. Let your colour be dark and muted as the occasion demands. Your colour should emphasize your style and not overshadow your outlook. . When to wear your bowtie is also important. This piece of accessory can prep up any outfit if worn rightly with colours and patterns. You can pair it up with an elegant slim cut suit, be it corporate or evening affair. The rule is, make sure it is not overdone, in order to get that flawless look.

TheGuardian

Saturday, April 6, 2013 | 29

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Entertainment

Sony Neme nemesony@yahoo.co.uk 08111813096

Gospel Artistes, Others Bid Final Farewell To Patty Obasi Stories by Sony Neme HE remains of legendary gospel artiste, Patty Obasi (Nwa T Mammy Water), was finally laid to rest in his home town, Nmakwu, in Ogwu Local Government Area of Enugu State, recently. Patty Obasi passed away in his Enugu residence after losing the battle with kidney ailment. He will be remembered for his timeless gospel hits that shot him to national and international stardom. These were Nwa Mammy Water, Billionaire in a crate, Agu n’echemba and Ezi Nwanyi Di Uko and a host of others. In attendance were his family members, fans, scores of well-wishers. Christian brethren and fellow gospel musicians, who attended the event paid glowing tributes to one of the pioneers of traditional gospel music in Nigeria. Among all the elaborate funeral rites lined up for the late gospel music legend, his Tribute Night by Nigeria gospel musicians was remarkable.

According to Isaac Daniel, Editor, Nigeria Gospel Music News Agency, “It was an overwhelming event and well attended by celebrated and budding gospel artistes within and outside Nigeria.

These included the legendary Brothers Emma and Lazarus of the “Voice Of The Cross from their US base, Prince Gozie and PrincessNjidaka Okeke of the Akanchawa fame, Rosemary Chukwu, Asu Ekiye, Luke Ezeji, Chika Okpala, Ruth Ani, Israel Anyamele, Blessed Samuel, Gilbert Okolie , Felix Nidukwe, Oluchi Okeke, Uche Ndukwe, James Arum, Joy Okam, Vision Adike among others.

Daniels further revealed how the artistes later took turns to perform highly inspiring gospel tunes in honour of the diseased.

Highlight of the event, he explained, was a standout performance by Patty’s wife while his three children did justice to one of the songs of their father to the delight of the crowd. He said after the exciting and soul-nourishing diverse musical performances from the gospel artistes was an outpour of encomiums, tributes and testimonies on the life and music ministry of the deceased.

“Rosemary Chukwu of the “Nnam Narakele” declared that she Obasi was very sad that Obasi whom she described as her mentor and music father was gone: “Honestly, since I heard that he has songs, “But he has also made today’s gospel singers materially passed away, I have been crying.” richer with his trailblazing gospel hit songs. He was a ladder of “Patty Obasi, we will truly miss you. A legend and an undeniable success many have climbed to excel in the music industry.” force in the Davidic order. May your soul rest in the bossom of For Dupe Olulana who acknowledged Obasi as an exemplary Lord” Asu Ekiye, wrote in his touching tribute. gospel musician, “One should be comforted that he is spending For Daniel, “The kind of words of wisdom that come out of his his eternity in the Lord. He has faithfully run his race in the minmouth when he sings was unbelievable. He started his music istry meritoriously. His life and ministry were so excellent ... I ministry shortly after the civil war and since then he has so thank God that he is resting in the Lord’s bossom”. In her much impacted on most of today’s gospel musicians, especially solemn tribute, Aity Dennis – Inyang of the Unstoppable fame in the South East. Most gospel artistes are only copying what he said: “Blessed in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saint. has previously done to succeed.”

May his soul rest in peace and may God grant strength to his In his tribute, ace executive gospel music producer and C-Rose family members in Jesus name.”

Music label boss, Evangelist Chris Onumaegbu, described Obasi Pastor Kola Olulana in his tribute lamented that Obasi’s deas a legend who was not only spiritually rich with great gospel mise was an invaluable loss to the music industry. “He was a

Mike Aremu Returns With Coat of Many Colours ASKING in the euphoria of his B African Best Gospel Music Awards UK in the “Best Gospel Jazz

According to Aremu, the album has exceptional collaboration with some of the finest vocalists in Category” renowned Saxophonist, Nigeria such as Chidinma Ekile, Mike Aremu, is set to take the cen- Winner of MTN Project Fame West tre stage of the music industry Africa, season two and others. An with a new album Coat of Many elated Aremu who became a father Colours. The new album, 16 tracks recently revealed that three partic(8 tracks in each CD), which has ularly heartwarming songs in an taken the Oyo State - born artiste album are “Life Goes On”, “Doxseven years to produce, will be osology” (Featuring Chidinma) produced as a double CD interna- and “Akwaba” (Welcome in Ghana). tionally. It is a potpourri of world“My fans and music lovers should class music genres ranging from watch out for these palatable Jazz, Latino classical, Pop, Fuji, tracks. They are truly classical,” he South African blues to R&B, Hip reportedly declared emphatically. hop, Soul, Funk and a host of oth- He said he has been out of the ers. scene for the past seven years, In his efforts to meet with inter“In the past seven years, I have national appeal, Aremu ensured passed through a lot, both personthe album passed through Lonally, emotionally, physically and don SAE Studio in its production. professionally. So, I decided to sort Thus, the crew that plotted the myself out and that is why I left the breathtaking production of the scene. But now, things have really album included world-celebrated changed in my life and I am now producers as well as Nigeria’s best bouncing back to reckoning by producers like London-based the grace of God. This new album Frankin, Wole Oni and Flo among is the true life story of my strugothers. The album, which will be gles and successes in the past marketed worldwide, will be reseven years, that is why I gave it leased on his private label, MAV the testimonial title.”

(Mike Aremu Vision) Records.

genuine gospel musician and was singing pure and unadulterated gospel songs unlike nowadays when gospel singers are watering down their message to sound like secular artistes. He was a child of God and despite the language barrier (as his songs were mostly rendered in Igbo), I still buy and listen to his music, then my Igbo brethren will explain his message to me. In fact, my greatest regret about the departure of Patty Obasi, was my inability to understand Igbo language. He made me to realize the need to understanding and speak Igbo. Oh! He has gone, what a painful loss, but I thank God.” Olulana further lamented.

Afro Pop Princess, Adokiye Drops New Single On Her Birthday

By Tony Nwanne FRO pop diva, Adokiye A Kyrian, popularly called Adokiye by her fans recently released her latest single, ‘Love you better’ on her birthday, good friday, March 29th.

Adokiye is currently on a mission to elevate the status of the African Afro pop scene with her kind of music. Before now, Adokiye who stormed the music scene with her hit song, ‘Baby Baby’ featuring the hot street sensation, Olamide, followed up with the video, has continued to paved her breakthrough into the industry and the emergence of the Afro Pop Princess.

Her new single, ‘Love you better’ unravel an adventure of love between couples, and lovers, which also aimed at creating a good ambience at a point, in another form which will thrill his fans to enjoy.

Adokiye is a professional architect turned musician, singer, song writer, her genre of music cuts across RnB, Soul, pop, hip hop. She delved into the music scene as a result of her flare for singing while growing up.

According to the diva, “I’m a professional architect, but I have a huge flare for singing, and I don’t want my talent to just fade away like, which prompted my debut into the music scene”, she said. This time around she marked a memorable day in her life with her birthday celebrations that falls on the 29th of March,’ Good Friday’ with her ever growing fan base, media and the children at the orphanage. On the same day, CityFM 105.1 hosted a live party with the Afro Pop Princess, and she made a twitter birthday give out to her followers who also got a surprise package, courtesy of Adokiyez. Its an opportunity to win a ‘Love You Better’ treat which is free dinner for two give away, live on the show.

Before venturing into music, Adokiye has been modeling, which gave her an edge in her career. Though Love you better is a new song, it’s currently gaining ground and founding its way to the lips of her fans in Nigeria. Within a short while the artiste has already started pulling some strings, and gradually turning into a force to reckon with, in the entertainment circle.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

30 |

ENTERTAINMENT

Ibinabo

Jonathan

Stories by Sony Neme S practitioners continue to hail President A Goodluck Jonathan for the N3 billion grant for structures in the movie industry, a group of Nollywood practitioners under the auspices of Nollywood Monitors has come up with a formula they believe will enable the grant serve them better. In a four-point statement signed by Ejezie Emeka Rollas, Managing Director, Rolling Pictures Ltd, the group commended President Jonathan, “For demonstrating his love once again for the Motion Picture Industry in Nigeria a.ka. Nollywood by the 3billion naira Federal Government grant he announced during the presidential dinner with Nollywood at State House, Marina Lagos on March 2, 2013. However, the group strongly objects to Nollywood representation in the committee set up by government.”

Rising from a five-hour meeting on Saturday March 30, 2013 in Surulere, Lagos, the group

Obazele

‘N3billion Nollywood Grant Should Come Through Guilds’ issued a statement stating: “That the outcome of the so-called stakeholders meeting that held on Wednesday 27th March 2013 at Zen Garden Restaurant, No 60 Isaac John street, Ikeja, Lagos be ignored and set aside as it did not display utmost good faith both in conveyance and organization. This has become inevitable as all Guilds and Association heads were not duly consulted and represented.

“That all substantive and serving Guilds and Association heads be appointed into the Federal Government Committee as true representatives of Nollywood; namely: Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Screen Writers Guild of Nigeria (SWGN), Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Asso-

ciation of Movie Producers (AMP), Creative Designers Guild of Nigeria (CDGN), Nigeria Society of Cinematographers (NSC), Nigeria Society of Editors (NSE), Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Independent Television Producers Association of Nigeria (ITPAN), Film and Video Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FVPMAN) and Motion Picture Practitioners of Nigeria (MOPPAN); That all Non Guild and Association heads presently serving in the committee be withdrawn and replaced by duly elected Guild/Association heads and That the good intention of Government culminat-

ing in the approval of the three billion naira grant for Nollywood would only be fully realized if Government deals directly with existing elected representatives of the industry.”

In conclusion the group advices, “That any attempt by any individual or group of individuals to thwart the good intention of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) or to manipulate the equitable disbursement of the grant will only further polarize the unity of the industry and marginalize a greater majority. The group promises to continue to engage in meaningful dialogue and explore all legal means to push forward its agitations and the interest of the Nigerian film-makers. Since one of the cardinal principles of democracy is respect for constituted authorities, the group advices government to always listen to the yearnings and aspirations of core practitioners through their elected representatives who are the presidents of the Guilds and Associations.”

Multichoice Supports COSON Week, Obey Embarks on Mobilization ULTICHOICE Nigeria has M thrown its weight behind the weeklong COSON Week billed for May 19 to 25, 2013. This is just as Evangelist Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi (MFR), has begun full mobilization for the success of the event. The Guardian gathered that Mr. John Ugbe, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, commended the concept of the COSON Music Foundation which will be formally launched on Wednesday, May 22 in Lagos. The

launching which will be the high point of the COSON Green Ball, is one of the seven events of the COSON Week. Ugbe, who spoke during a visit by the Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, to MultiChoice Victoria Island, Lagos office, this week, described the objectives of the Foundation as brilliant.

According to a release signed by Chibueze Okereke, Head, Communications, Media & Strategy of

COSON, Ugbe reportedly noted that with the foundation fully operational, musicians in Nigeria should have the added confidence to continue to compete favourably at the global stage, knowing that there is a strong mechanism to support them in their times of need. He assured Chief Okoroji of their support, saying that, “As a leader in entertainment in the continent and an organization which places high premium on intellectual property, MultiChoice

will continue to nurture its partnership with COSON to produce better value for creative people in Nigeria.”

In his response, Okoroji said, “We are doing everything possible to make every event of the COSON Week absolutely fabulous. We appreciate your support, and as the countdown to May 19 to 25 continues, I want to assure everyone that we are determined to make Nigerians happy and proud. We don’t want to cut corners. Just like MultiChoice has done, we need every organization and brand in Nigeria which is interested in promoting Nigerian creativity to come out now and be counted.”

He further stated that music and movies are the two areas where the Nigerian nation has swiftly moved from being a major net importer to net exporter and that the nation must take every active step to protect and promote this leadership role which has tremendous, economic and social consequences and that these are the core objectives of the COSON Week pro-

gramme.

Meanwhile, Chief Ebenezer Obey has continued to mobilise for the COSON events. The Chief Commander, as he is popularly known, is mobilizing some of the most renowned ministers of the gospel in the country to be part of the first event of the COSON Week, tagged COSON in the Church on Sunday, May 19 at 1.00 pm. The red carpet event to be beamed live to the world from the beautiful auditorium of Household of God Church in Lagos will have stars, business icons and political leaders on parade. Already, celebrated gospel music greats like Sammie Okposo and Panam Percy Paul have taken on the responsibility of assembling the nightingales and coordinate the music for this big occasion.

In a related development, Prince Bisi Olatilo of BOS International has declared his support for the COSON Music Foundation. Prince Olatilo who described the idea as ‘magnificent’ has called on all Nigerians to rise up and fully support the foundation.

Femi Tayo Makes Waves With My Testimonies OLLOWING the success of her first FOlorunfemi album, Kabio o si, Evangelist Tayo-Akindele, talented

Ugbe

Obey

The 2007 graduate of Business Administration from Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State said, “To gospel music minister is out with My God be the glory who called me, He Testimonies. It was launched on Sun- has made My Testimonies the toasts day, March 31, 2013 at Music Hall of of music lovers. It is beyond my abilYinka Ayefele with the cream of the ity. Prophetically, I can say my musisociety in attendance. On hand to cal calling is not in vain.” The Kabio o grace the colourful event were Jibola si Queen further stressed that her misDabo, Segun Azeez, El-Hadj Niyi Ade- sion into gospel music is a divine call bayo among others. to win souls for God’s kingdom and Before the launch, My Testimonies, a further spread the word and messix-tracker, has been enjoying gener- sages of God, as well as impact posious air and visual wave reviews. tively on the society.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

| 31

ENTERTAINMENT

The Place of Artiste Management In Nigeria, Enebeli

Chris Aire Wins Major Ruling In Red Gold Trademark Infringement Case

Stories by Sony Neme HE entertainment industry in Nigeria and T the efforts of stakeholders in that sector have positively impacted on the economy of the country. This is the view of Ireland-based Collins Enebeli, President of Artiste Managers In Nigeria (AMAN). Enebeli, who spoke with The Guardian from his base said that Nigerian artistes have brought glory and positive spotlight on Nigeria. “Nollywood films and our music have done real well globally and are attracting commendations from various quarters from within and outside the country,” he said, adding that artistes are worthy ambassadors.

Enebeli, a thoroughbred artiste manager and father of Nigeria’s foremost producer and label owner, Don Jazzy, however lamented that, “In a country where credibility issues and lack of trust have bedevilled attempts of people to work together and harmoniously to achieve set objectives for the general good of all, we seem to be going round in circles endlessly. And the question is ‘how long shall we keep watching without doing something about it’.”

He added that unknown to artistes, “If all hands, including their managers and indeed all stakeholders, do not get on deck to get the industry well structured, we might continue playing into the hands of fifth columnists to permanently hijack the industry and frustrate out those who may have genuine intentions to bring about positive changes in the industry.”

The ideal situation, he advised, is for artiste managers to come together and articulate their position over a number of issues and speak with one voice so that they can jointly pull strings together to get the industry well structured. This way, he said, things will be better done and the right alliances cemented to carry everyone along for the good Enebeli of the industry.

“We must not give room for divisions which might negate or compromise the chances of Dubai. the Nigerian artiste managers from earning In a statement earlier this month, the their professional respect and making it a governor defended his gift, saying: noble career for those who have made it “…looking carefully at the surrounding their choice of livelihood. The days of errand events in perspective, Mrs. Annie Idibia, nee Macaulay, is a daughter of Akwa Ibom boys and girls artiste managers are over for State and the gift of a Prado SUV from her good. This is the way forward,” he said.

He went down memory lane to buttress his governor is only a gesture of love and goodwill. Her resolve to stand by her hus- points. His words: “It would be recalled that prior to 1990, attempts had been made to band on his journey right from his days bring artiste managers together to help put of youthful beginnings to stardom even a platform in place to address issues borderHE much-awaited wedding of 2Face in the face of challenges was commending on the professional practice of artiste able and a true attribute of the Akwa Idibia and Annie Macaulay has management in Nigeria. At that time, it was Ibom woman. come and gone with hard lessons learnt as their white wedding in Dubai He further said, “It is however unbecom- difficult to distinguish between those who at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The glit- ing that mischief-makers and enemies of were into the professional practice and those who were carrying out strictly promotional progress have decided to inflame the sotering double affair which were held cial media with incongruous reports that services for artistes. This was made worse as in Nigeria and Dubai proved highly most of those who prided themselves as controversial as angry fans wondered the state government is sponsoring an why their idol could abandon them in entourage of party supporters to the wed- artiste managers were more or less glorified errand boys and girls doing the biddings of his hour of real glory. Another aspect ding in Dubai, when in fact the governthe artistes they served without much proment is only sponsoring the travel of the wedding that attracted public fessional commitments that will make sigoutcry was the lavish gifts to the stars expenses of 20 of her family members at an estimated cost of roughly three milnificant difference to their economic status. from public officials. The wedding, lion naira only. I wish to therefore urge “So it became expedient to have the manwhich was reportedly attended by a members of the public to discounteagers and the promoters working together host of Nigeria’s top celebrities had in most cases and even sharing the same asstars like Rita Dominic, Don Jazzy, Jim nance the misrepresentations made out Iyke, Kunle Afolayan, Banky W, Ini Edo, of a well-intentioned act of the governor.” sociation hence there was an association At the ceremony in Dubai, the couple then called ‘Artiste Managers And Music ProDR. Sid, Davido, Chidi Mokeme, Kate also received a Chevrolet Corvette Luxury moters’ (AMMP). This was rested in 1991 folHenshaw, Juliet Ibrahim and many Coupe worth more than N12m. The gift lowing due constitutional provisions of the more in attendance. association as witnessed in their delegates’ The couple, who are believed to have was reportedly from Senate President dated for over a decade and have had a David Mark, who is from the same conference in Lagos in April 1991 with music Oturkpo as 2Face, in Benue State. The sen- business stakeholders, media and PMAN repchild together, had attracted lots of controversy as a result of wedding gifts ator later denied through a spokesman resentatives in attendance. The dissolving of that the gift was from him. On his Facefrom government officials from AMMP was orchestrated to give room for the Annie’s home state Akwa Ibom. Gover- book page, 2Face has a photo of the car birth of the professional practice of artiste nor Godswill Akpabio gave the couple with a card on it stating it is a gift from management culture in Nigeria with music a Prado SUV and N3m to send guests to the senator. promoters separated from those who want to strictly practice artiste management to avoid a situation of endless quarrels within the association as it was then.”

He explained that, “With that development, Artiste Managers Association In Nigeria (AMAN) was born and registered. The pioneer president was the late Chief Gilbert Oboh and I was his Vice and Secretary was Mr Tunji Olalere”.

After the passing on of Chief Oboh, Enebeli assumed leadership of the organization as president in line with the constitutional provisions .The executive batons also changed as Mr. Eddie Jay Omodiaogbe emerged as secretary with Mr. Sony Neme and Mr. Toscar Roberts and other members helping to run the office. Many entertainment business veterans are members of AMAN. 2Face and Annie

2Face &Annie’s Star Wedding:

All You Need To Know T

Enebeli T was a deserved Uhuru for Chris Aire on the infringement of his right in America. The United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit in Pasadena, California has reversed a lower court’s dismissal of a suit by Solid 21 Inc., which sells the work of designer Chris Aire, accusing Breitling USA Inc. of infringing on Aire’s Red Gold® trademark. The case, filed on behalf of Chris Aire Fine Jewelry and Timepieces, is one of 15 cases Aire had filed in January 2011 to protect the company’s Red Gold® mark.

In the lawsuits, Aire had accused Breitling, Swatch, Bulgari, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and several other watch brands of using the Red Gold® mark despite the fact that his company has held a trademark registration certificate for Red Gold since 2003. The Patent and Trademark office had also deemed the trademark incontestable as far back as 2007. Since obtaining his trademark, he has expended millions of dollars to brand the mark and create demand for it in the marketplace via tastemakers and other celebrities.

In his ruling, the Ninth Circuit held that U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fess of the United States District Court, Los Angeles had erred in ruling that the Red Gold® mark was generic and not protectable. “Solid 21’s federal registration of its trademark constitutes prima facie evidence of the mark’s validity,” the Ninth Circuit ruled. An obviously excited Aire said that, “This ruling reaffirms that we live in the greatest country in the world and that the rule of law bends towards truth and justice”.

Ninth Circuit’s noted that Aire “has submitted supporting documentation indicating that its Red Gold® mark is registered in accordance with the Lanham Act”.

I

Lara George Moves Higher With New Album And Video ITH a third album in her W successful music career, gospel music performer, Lara George is out with a new album and an engaging musical video to go with it. The new effort titled Higher is a sure reflection of the height the diva has attained since she stepped into gospel music. Higher is her third album and it features hit tracks like Dansaki, Higher and Rise, which Lara had earlier released as singles. According to the Ex-Kush singer, these top songs are already becoming crowd favourites from the album.

Surely, more good things are happening fast to Lara George, the multiple awards wining Ijoba Orun crooner, as any step she takes moves her to higher grounds in her music ministry.

The reigning African gospel music queen, courtesy of African Gospel Music Awards, recently released the new album on her Sorfte Entertainment label. Lara revealed that what makes this album special was her contact with a new wonderful producer:

Lara “I worked mostly with an amazing new producer, Mr. Jay. He is simply phenomenal in helping to mould the beautiful sounds you will hear in that album.”

Other impressive tracks in the album, according to her are Ayino and A new day. The mother of two also stated that she has shot and released the video of title track Higher which is already enjoying rave reviews.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

32 |

SOCIETY …When Anyaoku Marked His 80th Birthday and 50th Marriage Anniversary Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku recently celeFareORMER brated his 80 birthday and 50 marriage anniversary in Obosi, Anambra State. Here some dignitaries that graced the occasion. th

th

Dr. Gabriel Soyoye (left), Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi; Deacon Gabriel Onosode, former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President South-East South-South, Professionals of Nigeria, Emeka UgwuOju

Chief Emeka Anyaoku and his wife Bunmi

Anyaoku and his wife, Bunmi and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon

Peter Obi (left) Archibishop, Metropolitan Primate of All Nigeria, Most revd. Nicholas Okoh and Anayaoku

Deputy Governor Anambra State, Emeka Sibeudu and Minister for Finance, Okonjo Iweala

DG Security and Exchange Commission, Aruma Otteh and former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili

Professor Ben Nwabueze and Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole Asiwaju Tinubu, Governor Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola and Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji

Senator Chris Ngige, Gov. Obi (right) and his wife Margret (middle)

Cross section of the High Chiefs

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

33

DIARY

North-Central Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Management, Dr. Raymond Ihenacho; President and Chairman of Council of the Institute, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole (MFR) and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Waziri Aminu Tambuwal, during NIM courtesy visit on the speaker… recently

Chairman, Governing Council, Bowen University, Dr Gamaliel Onosode, President, Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr. Samson Supo Ayokunle and the Provost, Baptist College of Theology, Oyo during Bowen University Fund Raising Dinner at Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos… recently

Supply Chain Manager, P&G Nigeria, Imran Ali Ahmad; Managing Director, DHL Express, Anglophone Africa, Randy Buday and Commercial Manager DHL Express, Chrysanthus Okereke at the DHL stand during the Economist Summit in Lagos…recently

Pastor Faith Praiz; Pastor Funmi Johnson; Author of The secret Book of Wealth Series; Pastor Tokunbo Johnson; Senior Elder,The Capstone[Church Without Walls], Ige Kachi, one of the Nigeria foremost Classical Singers during the Easter Concert organised by Lagos Mainland Community Choir held at The Capstone, Yaba …recently

Students of Laureates College in Aviation Estate, off Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road, Lagos during this year’s inter-house sports competition… recently.

Oba of Odeda in Ogun State, HRM, David Olorunisola (middle); Yeye Akeweje of Odeda, Chief (Mrs.) Caroline Lawrence and Proprietor of Paragon Schools, Chief Holumide Lawrence after his installation as the Akeweje of Odeda in Ogun State…recently

Mr. & Mrs. Livinus Ilegbunam at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Igbariam after their wedding…recently

Mr. Kelvin Oshionebo of Nigeria Bottling Company, Uyo, Akwa Ibom and former Miss Comfort Effiong Okon of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic at their wedding ceremony at Uyo Itam, Akwa- Ibom state…recently

Mr. Richard Oyoamoakwe Richard and his wife Obichukwu Udodi Mba during their wedding ceremony at Winners Chapel, Canaan Land, Otta, Ogun State... recently

The wedding of identical twins and their husbands: Taiwo and Oluwasegun Kareem (left), Kehinde and Oluwaseyi Ogunyemi (right) held in Lagos...recently

TheGuardian

34 Saturday, April 6, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Arts&Culture ‘We Are Not Nigerians By Mistake’ Titi Horsfall recently launched her new novel, From an Orphan to a Queen Esther, a bible-based story of a Jewish girl, who became a queen in a foreign land and did great things like her great forebear, Moses. In this interview with ANOTE AJELUORU, Horsfall highlights the significance of the Esther story in modern times. She sees it as a product of her environment, a poor girl who rose to overcome challenges through God’s help and which should serve as example for modern-day individuals for their respective societies N projecting Esther in fiction, were you reIworld sponding to a need to create heroines for a largely dominated by men?

On the contrary, the story projects hope to anyone who is under the impression that life gave him or her, the short end of the stick. The circumstances in which Esther grew up were most pitiful and disheartening. Through conscious acceptance of her ‘silver linings’-that is, identifying and preserving the ‘good’ in her bad situation, she secured her future.

Some are born great, but encase their dreams within the limiting circumstances around them. We are to believe in ourselves and what God has put into us. We can all aspire for greatness; for there is a drop of greatness and a seed of favour in every man, irrespective of gender.

Even our President Goodluck Jonathan exhibits this Esther story: rising from a repressible foundation to a height of unimaginable glory. Esther is, therefore, a person worth celebrating, irrespective of her sex. She lived an exemplary and outstanding model of life.

What do you expect your readers to take away from the life of Esther?

While the novel is on Esther’s life, her exploits were not achieved in isolation. She worked in tandem with people who I would call, “helpers of destiny”; people who keyed into a single vision and persevered to see its realization. The various characters in the novel throw in our path many life lessons. Many consider this novel to be a life manual.

On Esther in particular, she is a product of a good heritage. In local terms, we would say, “she is a well brought up girl”- train up a child in the way s/he should grow and when s/he is old, he or she will not depart from it. This is an advice to all parents. This was what God was projecting to all parents. Have you considered the fact that God could not risk sending just any maiden to the palace to fulfill His purpose? It

Horsfall

had to be someone who would not be entrapped by the palace grandeur and lewdness which harem life may stir up. In maintaining a purposeful and Godly life, Es-

ther was a good candidate for God’s use.

We are not Nigerians by mistake. We were born for a purpose and it is my hope that in our individual and collective yearnings, we will

find, understand and fulfill our purpose.

Why did you choose to fictionalize Esther’s story instead of through pamphleteering?

Pamphlets show a writer’s opinion or partisan stand on an issue. My writing is not aimed at portraying a female leader (if you want to consider this as an issue, of which I may be making a case for). I fictionalized the story of Esther in much the same way an anthropologist would visit the ancient ruins of Persia, take up all the factual evidences on ground and attempt to re-enact and explain the kind of society in which Esther lived in.

Fictionalizing Esther’s story came to the fore through inspiration. There are the facts, as laid down in the Bible. There are further evidences recorded in secular history. Then, there are the expected interplays in human engagements as seen in everyday living.

Herein, lies the fiction.

How did you manage to achieve a recreation of the world Esther lived in at the time?

Recreating Esther’s world was a journey through a time capsule. I looked into history to determine the exact time scale and geography, and then fit in the bits as they relate to the landscape - weather, architecture, food, clothing, names, culture, customs and traditions. The rest, however, is not history. As the legendry Gabriel Okara puts it, “This century old biblical story has been brought to life and relevance, for lovers of good literature”.

Critics might question Esther’s ambition for her son as ungodly, in view of the strife it engendered... What is your response?

Let me point out that the absence of strife in one’s life is not an indication of the presence of God. Strife may sometimes push us to our places of glory. That said, leaders are generally chosen by God. Years before Esther’s son was born, it had been prophesied by Isaiah that a king chosen of God will restore his people to the land of their fathers. Did this happen? Yes. Esther was just an instrument to serve that purpose, with the storyline further portraying a basal human instinct to preserve self and lineage.

What Esther quality does modern society lack? How can this be remedied?

Esther displayed great humility. She was humble enough to take direction and advice even as a queen. When she was crowned queen, her outlook on life did not change. She was still in touch with who she was and what her people meant to her.

As a society, we should believe in ourselves and play our respective roles in securing our future, positively. No matter how we are created, we are meant to complement ourselves in building strong frontiers.

What other literary projects are you working on?

I have a few ideas, which I am contemplating.

For now, what is foremost is listening and sharing with my readers, on how this novel is transforming their outlook on life.

Thread of Gold Beads… A Historical, Coming Of Age,

By Anote Ajeluorou HERE are very few historical fictions on the African continent, especially Nigeria. There is now a gradual or total loss of the stimulating ambience of folk or oral narratives in which young ones get firsthand historical re-enactment of the founding of their race. This is further compounded in Nigeria with government’s anti-intellectual stance with the non-teaching of history in schools. Indeed, all the great empires and kingdoms stand to be forgotten with the general populace none the wise for it.

But U.S.-based Nigerian, Nike Cambell-Fatoki has in part rescued from the ashes of forgetfulness the history of one of Africa’s great kingdoms with her new novel Threads of Gold Beads (The Three

T

Magi Publishing, U.S.; 2012). Her restoration effort on the kingdom of Danhome, with its famous Abomey capital, is a worthy literary enterprise that traces the Republic of Benin back to its ancient roots before and during the French invasion that routed the kingdom and left it in ruins.

But it is not all about the ancient history of Danhome that she has recounted. Campbell-Fatoki has also told love stories, of a king’s love for Amelia, his precious daughter, which endangers her life; how an entire kingdom also falls in love with its princess and how she becomes the army general’s wife. It’s also the story of a mother’s love for her only daughter, who soon inherits the burden of a falling kingdom and her personal odyssey through thick and thin to survive and how

she reincarnates into her own mother’s former existence and then finds what she had lost to war and the vagaries of life.

Campbell-Fatoki’s Threads of Gold Beads, relates the life of the last great king of Danhome, Gbenhazin.

Soon to-be-king, but he must remain on the outskirts of the capital and must not live in the same palace as the reigning king. At the death of Glele, an elaborate coronation ceremony is held to install King Gbehanzin, who is secretly taken away at night from his palace on the outskirts of Abomey. With the support of Kamlin, the Kpojito, one of the former wives of the late king, Gbehanzin is able to ascend his father’s throne in spite of opposition against him from other princes.

He proves a great king like his an-

It is not all about the ancient history of Danhome that she has recounted.

Campbell-Fatoki has also told love stories, of a king’s love for Amelia, his precious daughter, which endangers her life; how an entire kingdom also falls in love with its princess and how she becomes the army general’s wife. cestors but the advancing French did not please Gbehanzin; it eventu-

ally led to war that was to ruin a great African kingdom just like many others in the hands of European encroachers.

Largely from oral accounts, historical records and creative ingenuity, Campbell-Fatoki is able to fictionally reconstruct the kingdom of Danhome, the only kingdom that had a standing a female army in the world; called ‘mothers’, they functioned as the secret service that protected the king, his household and other high-ranking officials.

Amelia, the king’s favourite princess, is a young woman whose destiny is closely intertwined with that of Danhome kingdom. Her mother, Ajoke, was abducted from Abeokuta in one of Danhome’s wars of conquests. She is adopted

by Gbehanzin’s mother, a woman

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

35

ARTS From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja HE management of National Commission for T Museums and Monuments (NCMM) recently organized a three-day retreat for curators and senior staff members of the commission.

Tagged Strategic Management Plan and Signing of Performance Bond for 2013, the hallmark of the retreat was the signing of performance bond agreement by curators and heads of stations drawn from museum offices across the country.

The ceremony, which was replicated after President Goodluck Jonathan’s performance agreement with his ministers, was aimed at ensuring that curators are proactive in their stations with a view to making the commission relevant in the scheme of things within the culture sector.

Before the performance bond was signed, the curators presented their programmes and activities for the current year as well as means of achieving them. Thus, they are to be held accountable for any lapses at the end of the year.

Director-General, (NCMM), Mallam Usman Y. Abdallah, said both the retreat and the ceremonial signing of performance bond all aimed at ensuring efficient performance of management and members of staff of the Commission.

The D-G was, however, optimistic that though all programmes are time bound, they are achievable.

His words: “We are very sure that all the programmes we have set out to achieve are achievable and we hope to achieve them”.

Speaking further on the relevance of the retreat, Abdallah said it afforded management staff the opportunity to discuss issues would assist in bringing the museum closer to the people. According to hi, it was only by so doing that people will patronize the Commission as a centre of education and information about the country’s history.

“We hope that by the end of the year, we would have raised the level of awareness and increase the number of people that come into our museums, attend our exhibitions and other exhibitions organized by the culture sector.

“We are also working to ensure that each museum develops programmes that relate to conservation of artifacts, outreach, documentation of heritage sites and other movable sites as well as special exhibitions that will address, not only past but also contemporary issues”, he said.

According to the D.G, the retreat and signing of performance agreement, which was first in series, marked the beginning of an annual function that will present a yearly agenda for the management and staff of the Commission.

“This is the beginning; it is going to be a yearly affair. This is not the common retreat where we

Our retreat will focus on what the management staff and curators will do to ensure that we remain relevance within the sector and ensure that we make our contributions robust and clear and also in line with the developmental agenda of the nation. They will be held accountable for whatever programme they fail to do.

tell them what we want them to do.

“Our retreat will focus on what the management staff and curators will do to ensure that we remain relevance within the sector and ensure that we make our contributions robust and clear and also in line with the developmental agenda of the nation. They will be held accountable for whatever programme they fail to do”.

Aware of likely challenges on the part of affect and smooth running of museum outstations, the D.G informed that curators were earlier requested to carry out an analysis of their offices in terms of their strength and challenges with a view to addressing them. According to him, commonest among the challenges confronting the Commission outstations as presented by curators include environmental hazard, insecurity and public’s perception about museum and its activities.

“Before we came for the retreat, we asked each museum head to carry out a swart analysis of

their office; what their strengths are and the things that can make them unique. In the course of that, they have taken care of all their challenges and have advanced solutions.

“Common challenge is the environment because of the climate. Sometimes, some buildings are fallen due to excessive rainfall in the last two years. There is also security challenge in some places as well as the perception of the people about what we do. So, the challenge was to develop programmes that people could buy into and that has been taken care of by the swart analysis”, D.G noted.

Some of the participants who spoke to The Guardian lauded the management for the initiative. They agreed to have benefited immensely from the three-day programme and assured of enhanced performance when they return to their stations.

Mrs Iretiola George of the Institute of Archeology and Museum Studies, Jos, said: “The retreat

Museum Heads Sign Performance Improvement Pact

will enhance productivity and make museum managers more creative rather than the regular Civil Servants. We will to back to our stations to fulfill the mission and vision of the Commission. We will create more jobs for members of staff, generate more revenue for the Commission and look around our peculiar surrounding with a view to harnessing the museum communities for museum audience.”

For Mallam Aliyu Abdul, Curator, GadaMakama Museum, Kano, the outing was strategic to the management of the Commission as it helped to project the programme and plans for 2013.

He said: “It is more or less an action that was taken after the review of 2012 action plan. All the curators from museums across the country, each articulates a concrete action plan of activities and services that are rendered to his or her community and presents it in a document form for general presentation, for discussion, for analysis and finally, adoption.

At the end of the retreat, what has happened is that we all signed a bond with the Director General based on the activities we articulated.

We have been able to see one another’s programmes and have assessed what we intend to do and came out with realistic plans about the activities we intend to carry out in 2013.

“All those who presented unrealistic projects have been advised to adjust their plans so that they can come up with something that is achievable and measurable within the time frame of 2013. In all, we need to develop the projects within the statutory allocation given to us so that whatever we plan, we do it within the spending limit of what we have”, he said.

Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) Mallam; Yusuf Abdullahi Usman; Director, Planning and Publication, Prof. Barth Chukura; Director, Monuments Heritage and Sites, Oluremi Adebayo and Curator, National Museum Katsina, Mrs. Annah Dunkrah during the NCMM retreat on Strategic management plan and signing of performance bond for 2013 held in New Nyanyan, Nasarawa state

Adventure story who must suffer pariah from the kingdom she gives an heir out of a custom that forbids the heir-apparent’s mother to live once she has discharged her fateful duty of siring the king-to-be. Having survived her ordeal, she surfaces to claim a place in the king’s heart and ensures Gbehanzin marries Ajoke.

Eventually, the army general Dossou, marries Amelia, the love of his life from childhood. But by then, the forces of disintegration have set in. Danhome is at the verge of collapse. While Dossou is gone to war, Amelia’s mother and grandmother, the king’s mother, summon her and task her to leave the kingdom at once with the king’s recade, his symbol of power, to neighbouring Abeokuta to seek refuge at the court of Alake of Ag-

baland. Gbehanzin and his entire palace officials, wives, children and army flee into the forest to wage a gorilla war against the French. Not even having to sacrifice his own mother to the gods is able to save Danhome from collapse.

The journey through the unknown jungle proves a test of great proportion for the newly married woman. She arrives with her brother, Dare, the son of the woman with whom Ajoke was carried off into captivity years back. A combination of incidences and Amelia unknowingly finds self in the care of her mother’s sister, Madam Titilayo. From here, life takes a new turn; she gives birth to Dossou’s son but forces around her connive to deny her the joy of motherhood until much later when she reunites with Dossou,

again at the verge of marrying another man.

Indeed, Campbell-Fatoki’s Threads of Gold Beads is a great historical account of a kingdom at its twilight, a kingdom with a great culture, a kingdom that celebrated Africa’s quintessential virtues and vices. In telling Danhome’s story, CampbellFatoki has told the story of old Africa and its glorious and sometimes inglorious ways. Essentially, it’s also a story of Africa’s collision with the West and how the continent emerged worst off and broken under superior firepower. It’s also the story of the regular intrigues in a typical palace, how a favoured child falls on the wrong side of things. It’s also a story of redemption or reuniting of blood relations previously violently separated – Ajoke’s daughter, Amelia, reunites

with her lost aunts, Madam Tilayo and Jumoke, Ajoke’s halfsisters.

But Campbell’s story reads false in a particular respect.

Dossou and Amelia’s love seems too modern; their courtship and even after is not exactly reflective of love relationship in old Africa, with its strictness and non-contact of the sexes, even when betrothed.

It’s a love that is acknowledged rather than expressed. Theirs is too expressive and not particularly true of the timeline being recounted.

Also, the first person narrative format is suspect for a non-literate person like Amelia. Campbell-Fatoki could have chosen to write the story otherwise.

But overall, Threads of Gold Beads is a great creative effort for which the author is to be commended.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

36

sereba.agiobu.kemmer@ngrguardiannews.com

With Sereba Agiobu-Kemmer

GARDENING

Rock Gardens ROCKERY or rock garden is a landscapA ing feature which is made by arranging rocks and plants, often in a way which mimics a mountainous or alpine environment, along with plants native to rocky environments which usually prefer well-drained soil and less water.

In Japan, Korea and China, the art of creating rock gardens is over a 1,000 years old. Their stylized gardens are popularly known today as Zen gardens which are special kinds of rock gardens containing few plants. Some very fine examples of rockeries can be seen in these nations. In the West, rockeries became popular since the 17th century when they were introduced to Europeans from Asia. Rock gardens have become increasingly popular as landscape features in tropical regions seen as ideal for both residential and commercial gardens due to their easier maintenance and drainage.

The setting of a rock garden can vary.

Some people like to surround their homes with a rockery garden, especially if

they are trying to conserve water since rockeries lend themselves to low maintenance water gardening. Others prefer to site a rockery in a larger garden, typically close to a path or structure so that people can see it. In a big rambling garden, a rockery can be a pleasant and refreshing surprise, providing a counterpoint to lush greenery.

There are as many reasons for building a rock garden as there are people who want to build them. Rockeries are an easy and unique way to reduce lawn on a hard-tomow slope. They can re-create a piece of nature in the backyard. They can add element of movement to an excessively flat landscape. They make an ideal site for a collection of delicate alpine plants and also perfect for highlighting less delicate but tiny plants that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Fortunately, a properly designed rock garden requires little care. Most rock garden plants are drought tolerant, need little fertilizer and rarely require pruning. The

Japanese Zen courtyard garden with gravel sea and bonsai plant

Contemporary, Zen garden combines check board patterned hard landscaping materials with softscapes for easy maintenance

Creative use of rocks and plant materials alongside wall

only main task is weeding and this can be reduced to a minimum by making sure all perennial weeds are removed from both the site and any soil being added before starting the rock garden.

Best plants suited to rockeries are those which grow slow and low and are happy in dry areas i.e. alpines, cacti, succulents and agaves. Rockeries can be made to fit any available space. If your garden is on the small side, why not consider housing your rockery in a contemporary planter made of fibre glass, zinc or steel? If you don’t have room for large rockery, the artful application of stone could enhance the natural elements that you have already employed namely, your plants, or softscapes. You can create good aesthetic results with the use of shrubs and just a few strategically placed rocks.

A rockery can be a stunning feature of a garden, complementing cascading waterways or providing a backdrop for Rockery to enhance water and plants in pond plants and shrubs.

Miniature dry landscape with white pebbles and potted alpine purple aubretia

Rockery with drought tolerant cacti, and algave plants

Waterfall cascading over rockery into pool

Rockery built alongside wall

Rockery built in cobblestone with earthenware pot water feature

Bright pasque flower good candidates for rock garden

TheGuardian

Saturday, April 06, 2013 | 37

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Travel&Tourism

... Explore, experience the best of destinations!

HOSPITALITY With the historic mark of 1.035 billion international tourist arrivals figure achieved in 2012 and the expected continuous record-breaking growth in the travel industry with a projection of three – four percent growth rate this year, many of the key sectors and players are positioning for the expected windfall.

Andrew Iro Okungbowa looks at Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Incorporation’s growth projection for 2013 and beyond.

OLLOWING its phenomenal success in the last Fleading five years, especially in 2012, one of the world’s hospitality groups, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Incorporation, according to its President of Global Development, Mr. Simon Turner, “signed a total of 131 new hotel management and franchise agreements, which represented an increase of 17 percent over 2011 signings levels. The agreements included 31 conversions, 12 of which opened during 2012.”

President and Chief Executive of the Starwood, Mr. Frits van Paasschen, in unfolding the long term business focus of Starwood, expressed this optimism as he outlined some of the factors which gave birth to this projection. “Rising wealth, increasingly global businesses and a digitally connected world are creating unprecedented demand for travel and new travel patterns, and we would continue to be as bullish as ever about our long-term growth,” said van Paasschen.

He added that globalization is inspiring economic development and creating expansion opportunities for the hospitality business. Given this, Starwood, he said, is primed to latch on to this to continue to consolidate on its lead in the sector and increase its growing portfolio.

This point was emphasized by Turner when he said that following the success story of last year, “we are entering 2013 well-positioned for continued footprint growth in both emerging and developed markets. Our long-established global presence remains a competitive advantage, and our local teams provide know-how and strong relationships paving the way for future growth and the continued expansion of our nine brands.”

According to Turner, this year, two-thirds of Starwood’s new hotels would be in fast growing markets while it is looking forward to opening its first property in the year in Tajikistan. It would also expand into such countries as Peru, Mexico, Panama, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Hungary, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, China and India.

Turner further said that the searchlight would also be beamed on identifying the right partners for continued development in Brazil, Russia and sub-Saharan Africa. “Asia remains a high priority market for Starwood, accounting for approximately one-quarter of Starwood’s existing hotel rooms and over half of Starwood’s pipeline, he said.

With this expected development, Starwood’s investors and owners would have cause to smile.

“Our owners are uniquely positioned to benefit from Starwood’s global presence, scale, powerful systems and strong, growing base of loyal customers around the world. As part of our balanced approach to development, we are also seeing significant opportunities in established markets where conversion momentum continues, and record low supply and growing demand are driving growth,” he enthused.

In the Starwood’s growth projection document, expansion in brands specific are expected in the following areas: Luxury Brands – A projection of over 150 properties in its luxury portfolio under the St. Regis, Luxury Collection and W Hotels brands. Over the past five years, Starwood almost doubled its global luxury footprint. Fifteen percent of Starwood’s pipeline of new hotels is in its luxury portfolio while it hopes to celebrate the renovation of the St. Regis New York, the opening of The St. Regis Abu Dhabi and the re-opening of two luxury icons and members of the Luxury Collection, the Gritti Palace and Prince de Galles, following their multimillion dollar restorations.

Expected new openings for the Luxury Collection include The Castle Hotel, Dalian (China); Vana Belle, Koh Samui (Thailand) and Palacio del

Starwood Hotel

Starwood Hotels Inka (Peru) while it will open its first W Hotel in mainland China with W Guangzhou and the first W alpine ski resort with W Verbier (Switzerland).

Upper Upscale Brands – The hotels in this category are Sheraton, Westin and Le Méridien and each is expected to witness tremendous growth with Sheraton leading Starwood’s growth as nearly 20 planned openings are billed for 2013 with a projection of a historic 500th opening in 2015. Sheraton remains a leader in China with 57 hotels now operating and another nine this year.

Westin expects to open its 200th hotel this year. Openings for 2013 include The Westin Birmingham (U.S.), The Westin Chennai Velachery (India), The Westin Houston Downtown (U.S.), The Westin Haikou (China), The Westin Sanya Haitang Bay Resort (China), The Westin San Jose (U.S.), The Westin Chongqing Liberation Square (China), The Westin Qingdao (China) and The Westin Singapore Marina Bay (Singapore). Le Meridien, which is said to have gained significant investment would benefit from growing brand recognition and deal signing momentum around the world. Some of the expected openings are Le Méridien Dallas, Le Méridien Atlanta Perimeter, The Stoneleigh (U.S.), Le Méridien Zhengzhou (China), Le Méridien Saigon Vietnam); Le Méridien Dhaka (Bangladesh); Le Méridien Cairo Airport (Egypt), Le Méridien Mahabaleshwar Resort and Spa (India) and Le Méridien Jiaonan Resort (China).

Mid-Market Brands – They include Aloft, Element and Four Points by Sheraton. They are expected to continue to make inroads into key markets as Starwood plans to open its 250th mid-market hotel this year. The three brands account for approximately one-third of the company’s global development pipeline and nearly 45 percent of expected hotel openings worldwide.

Four Points is set to open its 175th hotel as more deals are expected this year than ever before in the company’s history, driving growth throughout the world. Aloft is to grow its portfolio by nearly 30 percent in 2013 and celebrate its 75th hotel with openings in China, North America and India. Aloft is growing through an increased number of conversions and will debut in Panama, Malaysia and Turkey during the year. Element will open its first hotel outside of the United

States with its debut in Canada this summer followed by the brand’s debut in Europe in 2014.

On record, Starwood has about 1,134 properties in nearly 100 countries with its collections (brands) - St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM. It has over 154,000 employees at its owned and managed properties, while its boasts of one of the industry’s leading loyalty programmes, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands.

Ghana, Nigeria Endorse Tourism And Culture Showcase 2013 S preparations for the second edition of A the Ghana-Nigeria Tourism and Culture Showcase 2013, an international travel, tourism, arts and creative industry exhibition assumed top gear, a significant boos has come its way with the government of Nigeria and Ghana giving a tacit endorsement of the event.

Billed to hold on April 18 and 19 at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana, the Nigerian Ambassador to Ghana, Ambassador Oluseyi Onafowokan, has confirmed his attendance as the chief host of the event even as the Ghana Minister of Culture and Traditional Affairs, Dr Henry Seidu Daana has expressed the support of the government and people of Ghana for the Ghana-Nigeria Tourism and Culture Showcase 2013 just has his counterpart, Ghana Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Aggyare has also given the assurance of her ministry during a courtesy visit by the event organisers.

The privately organized bilateral arts, tourism and culture forum in the West African sub-region, a significant move in the Private Public Partnership (PPP) collaboration for arts, tourism and culture, is geared towards promoting Africa’s tourism potentials as well as the restoration and sustenance of the people’s cultural heritage.

Accepting to play host to the event on behalf

of the federal government of Nigeria, Ambassador Onafowokan told a delegation of Tribe Media and Pan Africa Ghana who paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, that the government was especially committed to the promotion of Nigeria’s diplomatic cultural policy at such a crucial time when the nation is marking her centenary anniversary.

He assured the team led by the President of Tribe Media Company Nigeria, Bayero Agabi and President of Pan Africa Ghana, the co- organisers of the event, Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, that the Nigerian House in Ghana will gladly host a cocktail in honour of the Nigerian contingent to the event. He added that the bilateral tourism and culture initiative is one that should be sustained given that both countries share a lot in common.

On his part, Daana expressed the support of the government and people of Ghana for the exhibition because of the close socio-political and historical ties between both countries.

Agabi in his response assured the minister that the event would live up to its billing as every arrangement is in place to make it a success as it is driven by the need to promote understanding, foster sub-regional integration and economic development using tourism, arts and culture as a tool.

Mrs. Ofosu-Aggyare commended the collaborative efforts of Tribe Media Company, Nigeria and Pan African Ghana, while Appiah-Levi briefed the minister on the two-day event which is expected to feature among others a conference with stimulating intellectual discussions, presentation of papers, interaction and exhibition of arts, craft, fashion shows, gala/award night, and musical concert featuring top Ghanaian and Nigerian artistes with the theme: One Band, One Stage, One Tribe.

The exhibition is to be declared opened by the President of Ghana, John Drammani Mahama while some of the keynote speakers include Ambassador Onafowokan, Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, Ghana Minister for Culture and Traditional Affairs, Daana, Ghana Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, Mrs. Ofosu-Aggyare, Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Nigeria, Dr Munzali Dantata and a former lecturer at

TheGuardian

38 | Saturday, April 6, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Health Natural Health With G. C. Ihesie

Mobile phone no: 08033065263, E-mail: ihesie84@yahoo.com.

Natural Ways Of Maintaining Prostate Health (2) N last week’s publication, we noted that men are susceptible to three main types of prostate disorders, namely: i) Prostatitis, ii) Prostate Enlargement, otherwise known as Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH), and iii) Prostate Cancer.

But before we examine some of the natural ways of maintaining prostate health generally, let us first of all briefly look at the descriptions, symptoms, causes, complications, diagnosis and some home remedies for each of these prostate disorders. We shall start with Prostatitis.

I. Prostatitis: Prostatitis simply means an infection, inflammation or swelling in the prostate gland. Prostatitis is a common medical problem that affects millions of men of all ages all over the world.

Prostatitis usually manifest in different ways: Prostatitis caused by bacterial infection which can be further grouped into: i)Acute bacterial prostatitis - which has a sudden onset and may cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea and vomiting that are usually associated with bacterial infection), and ii) Chronic bacterial prostatitis - this may last for at least three months due to recurring infections. Between bouts of infection, chronic bacterial prostatitis may not show any symptom or may give rise to mild symptoms that become severe when infection flares up.

Bacterial prostatitis may be caused by sexually transmitted organisms like N. Gonorrhea, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, etc., or organisms that cause urinary tract infections like Coliforms, or those considered to be “Normal Flora” (e.g Streptococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus spp, Candida albicans, etc.,) from different parts of the body like the throat, bowel or the rectal area. Any of these organisms may infect the prostate gland and cause prostatitis. The condition often develops with or after certain disease conditions such as acute prostatitis, epididymitis, urinary tract infection, or urethritis.

Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis: This condition is usually nonbacterial in origin and is referred to as chronic non-bacterial (or abacterial) prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Most cases of prostatitis fall into this category. For some men, symptoms remain about the same over time. For others, the symptoms go through cycles of being more and less severe.

Symptoms sometimes abate over time without treatment.

Prostatodynia (painful prostate) is another type of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis. This is the term given to prostate disorder when the patient is psychologically affected and may then be sent to a psychiatrist.

The exact causes of chronic non-bacterial prostatitis and prostatodynia are not known; but infectious agents other than bacteria, e.g., viruses and parasites are suspected to be the cause. Also, there are several factors that are now suspected to be involved in non-bacterial prostatitis and these include: injury to the prostate resulting from previous infection of the region or due to trauma or irritation to the prostate gland resulting from indulging in activities like operating of heavy machinery, exposure of the prostate to strong vibrations, driving a truck, vigorous biking, jogging, mechanical obstruction of the ejaculatory

I

ducts, excessive masturbation, immune and nervous system disorders, etc.

Prostatitis that does not cause any form of symptoms. This type of inflammed prostate is called asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis and it is it found only by chance when undergoing prostate biopsy for cancer or infertility; urinalysis which may show numerous white blood cells in urine; or elevated PSA, i.e., prostate specific antigen.

There are certain factors that increase the risk of some young or middle-aged men to prostatitis, and these includes: Having unprotected sexual intercourse, engaging in rectal or anal intercourse, being under psychological stress, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, dehydration (not drinking enough fluids), having a history of pelvic trauma or perineum injury from bicycling or horseback riding, certain medical procedures such as inserting a urinary catheter into the urethra to drain the bladder of retained urine, and having some medical problems like HIV/AIDS, recent bladder infection, stone in the bladder, enlarged prostate, etc.

Symptoms of Prostatitis The symptoms of prostatitis depend on the type and cause of the inflammation, e.g. in acute prostatitis which has a sudden onset and may cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea

and vomiting that are usually associated with bacterial infection. Also, there may be painful bloody urination, burning sensation when urinating, or urgency or difficulty in urinating, lower back pain, lower abdomen pain, groin and testicular pain or pain at the perineum (area between the anus and scrotum).

The symptoms of chronic prostatitis mimic those of the acute condition but are less severe.

Other symptoms of prostatitis are: urinary incontinence (i. e, difficulty in holding urine when the urge to urinate comes, and the flow of the urine may be dribbling, with difficulty and sometimes uncontrollable), urinary disruption and obstruction. Also, there may be pain during and after seminal ejaculation. In addition, the ejaculation may be quick and the ejaculate (the semen) may be watery, or low in quantity and quality which may give rise to male infertility. In serious cases of prostatitis, there may be an inability to sustain penile erection or impotency – especially in patients suffering from prostatodynia.

Prostatitis should not be left untreated because it can result in male infertility, painful orgasm and ejaculatory disorders, epididymitis (inflammation of the epididymis), prostatic abscess and bacteremia (bacterial infection of the blood) and may worsen other health problems as its complications.

Diagnosis of prostatitis The prostate gland may provide a hidden and safe medium for most of the disease - causing microorganisms (viral particles, all kinds of bacteria, fungi and parasites) - where they may sometimes cause infections and inflammation. Also, the cause of prostatitis may be nonbacterial and because of these, prostatitis may sometimes be difficult to diagnosis using the routine diagnostic methods available to most clinics. However, a competent health-care practitioner will first of all – through careful questioning, rule out other conditions that may give rise to similar symptoms as in Prostatitis, e.g. irritation and inflammation of the bladder cystitis and other prostate problem like prostate enlargement and prostate cancer, Inflammation of the urethra (urethritis) and Kidney and urinary bladder stones and the narrowing of a spot in the urethra (structure) etc.

To arrive at a definitive diagnosis of prostatitis, the health carepractitioner usually carries out the following tests: (1) Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) –This usually involve the doctor inserting a gloved finger into the patients rectum to feel the texture, the size and shape of the prostate gland.

(2) The doctor will also massage the gland to express prostate secretion for microbiological examination e.g. microscopy culture and sensitivity (m/c/s), along with this, the practitioner may also carry urethral swab, urine and semen. m/c/s.

All these will help the doctor to determine the kind of organism responsible for the problem and the kind of treatment to give.

(3) In addition to the above mentioned tests the health care practitioner, may want to carry out a more expensive blood tests called PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) in other to distinguish between patients who might have a higher risks of developing prostate cancer from those who may not.

PetLife With Dr.Tunji Nasir

Why It Is Necessary To Control Dog Breeders A

LL over the world, discussions have been raging on the issue of domesticating wild animals, especially dangerous dogs. The discussions have proven to be both emotional and sentimental.

Presently, body counts are mounting; disfigurements soaring and a patent disconnect from animals appears to be gaining ground.

Laws and ordinances are daily being enunciated in several places to regulate the interactions of man and animals with a view to promoting harmonious relationship. However, some protagonists have argued that no one can restrict the choice of animals they can co-habit with; that, it is in fact a fundamental right of association they possess.

True, as this may sound, I hasten to ask whether these rights include irresponsible ownership and undue exposure of the public to the menace posed by wild animals called pets.

On a wider scale, municipalities around the globe are also grappling with the problem of dangerous dogs being bred by unscrupulous breeders who have no regard for the implications of their actions.

Another problem is the unbridled adventurism of certain breeders who cross breed known dangerous dogs to breed even more ferocious specimen. It is like playing God to create new breeds.

Dogs are no longer bred for their fecundity, intelligence and stature. This is why it is necessary to make it compulsory for breeders to obtain breeding licenses.

This is the responsibility of local governments which are supposed to conduct the necessary investigation as to the suitability of the applicant as a breeder in terms of persona, facilities and readiness to abide by the laws and statutes governing the issuance of such licenses.

In places where this obtains, a platform for control of breeding dangerous dogs, preserves good traits in lines, control diseases and encourage the practice of spay and neuter by owners is provided.

Where the control of issuance is not by the local authorities, the breeders association assumes the responsibility under strictly guidelines that must be adhered to by the members. It thus becomes illegal to breed without belonging to the association.

Despite these efforts, isolated cases of noncompliance are still seen but they are

promptly dealt with.

The general impact of this is that it is easy to identify the origin of pets and their pedigree, and generally curtails wanton experiments by owners who crave for ‘designer dogs’.

In Nigeria, none of these measures are in place. So, breeding of dogs is largely unregulated. There are no set rules, there are no standards. No records are kept in terms of lineage of dogs, no records are kept in terms of location of particular dogs; mating is conducted on the basis of who you know and the urgency it requires to mate the bitch.

The result of these is the domino effect we see today – stunted growth, splayed limbs, dysplastic hips, blindness, deafness, skin problems, short life span as a result of genetically-influenced morbidities; aggressive behaviours that are very difficult to correct and a host of other characteristics that limit the interaction that should normally exist between man and the animal.

Above all, the so-called ‘pets,’ especially the aggressive ones, are unleashed on the unsuspecting populace and they have continued to kill and maim silently without prominence being given to the stories.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

39

HEALTHFEATURE

By Joseph Okoghenun T is no longer news that there is a high level of Ipeople discrimination and stigmatisation against living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) in Nigeria. What is however news is that the scenario is killing more persons living with the virus than the virusitself does.

Stigma happens when others devalue a person or a group of people because they are associated with a certain disease, behavior or practice. And like a one-two punch, those who are stigmatised often experience discrimination in some fashions.

Experts say stigma and discrimination undermine prevention, treatment and care of people living with HIV; hinders those with the virus from telling their partners about their status, while threatening their access to healthcare.

HIV-related stigma is also said to affect people’s ability to earn a living, making it even more difficult for them to lift themselves out of poverty.

But Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Friends Africa, Dr. Akudo Anyanwu-Ikemba, said there is no need for society to stigmatise and discriminate against PLWHs, especially in a work environment: “We know that there has been a common practice of firing people living with HIV during routine screening and preemployment during employment process.

These are things that are done as a result of fear; they are not done out of genuine reasons.”

He added: “I am saying that they (PLWHs) are not dangerous. There is a lot of research to that effect. People worry that they will get infected with HIV when they share a common toilet with those living with virus. Do you how that could happen? The person living with HIV would have had to have a lot of cuts on his/her genitals and sit on the toilet seat weeping with blood, and the (HIV negative) person coming to use the toilet would have had to have a lot of cuts as well, weeping with blood and rub themselves around on the toilet seat to get infected with the virus. What is the chance of that happening?

So we emphasise things out of fear. One is not going to get HIV by working with somebody with the virus. We inflict so much pain on those living with virus and treat them as outcasts, instead of living closely with them. I have many people who are HIV positive as colleagues because of the work I do, and I have been working with them for years. It is a complete waste of time to stigmatise a group of people for no reason. We endanger their lives when we discriminate against them. Some of them refuse to go out for treatment because they do not want people to know that they are HIV positive. So, the biggest problem we are facing is stigma; stigma and discrimination are what are killing people.

It (AIDS mortality) is no longer the issue ...”

Anyanwu-Ikemba, a PhD holder in Medicine from Tufts University and MA holder in International Public Health from Harvard University, said the realisation that PLWHs have reason to live has prompted Friends Africa, a pan-African organisation, to train small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to fight AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria all over Africa. “We have trained over 2,700 SMEs to put in place health policies for their staff on AIDS, TB and malaria all over Africa,” the BSc holder in Molecular Biology from Lehigh University said.

“We do this because we know collectively, SMEs employ more than the larger corporation. So, there is an impact we can have at that level.

Another reason is that SMEs do not adhere to some international standards like large companies so that they can get away with not putting in place policies. We find out that if employers treated their employees very well by providing them with good healthcare, that would afford the employees the opportunity to build incredible loyalty, increase productivity and value addition to their organisations. So, we encourage companies to put in place health policies to help their staff,” he explained further.

Anyanwu-Ikemba, whose organisation is in partnership with The Global Funds, said The Global Funds is not pulling out from Nigeria as alleged some years ago.

“In 2011, articles flew around … that funds from The Global Funds were being mismanaged. What actually happened was that because The Global Funds is transparent and wanted to promote that transparency, it decided to have forensic audit of itself, though its regular audit was being done by KPMG. Unfortunately, the forensic auditor, a Chinese man, went too far and decided to suspect things that were not actually dubious... The Global Funds has since fired the auditor because he did things without understanding cultural sensitivity, how things work locally. There are things one could interpret to be fraud but are not fraud because one does not understand how things work basically.

For instance, it could be that he was not aware that there isn’t a form of transportation to cer-

Akudo

‘Stigmatization Kills Faster Than HIV’ tain areas unlike Europe where everything works. The auditor has never been to Africa before. So, he started misinterpreting things.

Therefore, there was outcry of fraud from him.

The Global Funds took what he said seriously and where there was need to take action, they took action. The Global Funds is not pulling out of Nigeria as it is fully committed to the country,” explained Anyanwu-Ikemba, who serves on the Board of Roll Back Malaria and the Nigerian arm of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF).

The healthcare advocacy expert urged Nigerians to take responsibility for their health, especially in the area of malaria, TB and HIV care. “These diseases are still with us, and everything we need to know to protect ourselves is also with us. We need to apply protective measures on malaria by making pregnant women and children under five to sleep under insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). We have the treatment for malaria now. Ten years ago, there was controversy over whether the treatments should be brought to Africa, as there was fear whether Africans can afford it.

But right now, everything is here. We no longer have excuse. The information is there on how to prevent and treat malaria with

artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs).

“As for TB, please do not ignore a cough that has lasted for over two weeks along with weight loss and night sweat. Please, do not stay in close proximity to someone who has cough; protect yourself and children from cough by

The focus should be on stopping stigma and discrimination. That is what prevents people from getting their treatment; the treatment is available.

We should accept people living with HIV. It is not a virus we would get infected with when in close proximity with others. The more we make people living with HIV feel better, the less they would have the need to close their doors to the world or die early because they are stigmatised

sleeping somewhere else from someone who has cough; sleep in cross ventilated rooms and wear masks. One should get properly diagnosed and treated for TB on time.

“We should imitate the Japanese who always wear masks even when they have common cold.

The Japanese took a very serious public health stand some years ago when they decided to wash their hands and take responsibility for their healthcare by not spreading to and receiving germs from others. It is a standard practice to wear masks in Japan. Even in the US, people do not carry a baby when they have cold. There is full disclosure and transparency about health conditions in the US. That is a sign of responsibility. As a country, we can adopt that as our policy.

We should stop hiding our ailments from others.

“On HIV, the focus should be on stopping stigma and discrimination. That is what prevents people from getting their treatment; the treatment is available. We should accept people living with HIV. It is not a virus we would get infected with when in close proximity with others. The more we make people living with HIV feel better, the less they would have the need to close their doors to the world or die early because they are stigmatised,” the young global award winner

TheGuardian

40 |Saturday, April 6, 2013

Weekend Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Halima Atete, Kannywood’s Bright Star

By Shaibu Husseini ANNYWOOD, as the movie industry up K North is called, has, like Nollywood, produced a crop of shinning acting stars. The pretty, humble and unpretentiously friendly Halima Yusuf Atete is one Kannywood bright star that is so overwhelmingly accepted by fans, producers and directors. They say she interpretes roles well and does it with unerring skills. They say it is for that reason that her acting sun has continued to shine and will shine on as long as she remains focused and keeps at her art that is gradually turning her into a household name up North.

An old girl of Government Girls Secondary School, Yerwa in Borno State and an alumnus of the Borno College of Islamic and Legal Studies, Halima who holds a diploma in Sharia and Civil Law has always wanted to be an actress. The star of Kona Gari and Maza Da Mata watched a lot of Indian and Kannywood films as a tot and was also a major part of the plays produced while she was in secondary school. As she watched films, she fell for the acting runs of some of the screen stars including Amitab Bacchan and then Ali Nuhu and Maryam Jankunne both of whom she said inspired her incursion into acting. “I yearned to also grace the screen like them and to even act side by side with them. So when I finished schooling and an opportunity came for me to do some acting, I just grabbed it. It is like a dream come true for me because I now act side by side with great names like Ali Nuhu,” she said.

A book worm who loves reading and writing, Halima left the Borno College of Islamic and Legal Studies with grades that should earn her automatic paid employment in any Islamic and legal establishment, but she would not take up the many offers she got upon graduation. “I made up my mind that I was going to act and I knew that if I accepted any paid job, it won’t allow me to do any serious acting which was where my heart lies. So for me it was acting or nothing’,” she said.

But Halima didn’t just walk into acting as she explained. The Kannywood actress has

done some acting in early school as a member of the debating and dramatic society and so she was confident that she would pull off any role she is given. “We acted in school as if we were professionals because we had good teachers as instructors,” she said. In fact, it was as a member of the dramatic society that Halima caught the acting bug. She didn’t hide the fact even way back then that she was going to get headlong into acting after high school. “I knew I was going to further my education no doubt and I also knew deep down that what I wanted for a career. So it wasn’t for the money or fame. I wanted to entertain people and use my works to educate people and create awareness about certain societal ills. That was the motivation for me.”

With her mind firmly made up, Halima followed her heart and veered straight into acting after higher education and since she took the decision over a decade ago, the star of Yaudarar Zuciya and Zama Da Masoyi has not looked back. She has continued to earn screen credits with so many of her credits still at various stages of production and post-production.

However, veering off was not an easy task for Halima. She had to ‘lie’ to her parents that she wanted to join her brother Mustapha in Kano to produce some films. Mustapha was already in Kano and was doing some work at Bifa Productions. Her parents approved of her decision to join her brother to produce movies but certainly not to stand in front of the camera. They were later enraged when they saw her in a few movies but after much persuasion, they gave her their blessings. “My parents are now very supportive. They are my biggest critics. I thank them for their love and support and for letting me follow my heart.”

Said to be very humble to a fault and disciplined off and on set, Halima shot herself into reckoning after she interpreted delightfully the role of a prostitute in Kona Gari, a movie on the

CELEBRITY subject of prostitution. The movie was shot in a brothel and the role required that the actors be clad in skimpy dresses. Moviegoers liked their portrayal of the screen characters but a few of the fans frowned at how some of the actresses bared aspect of their bodies.

Halima admitted that she heard some of the side comments. But she explains: “I was even badly dressed in the film. But even at that, we were only interpreting a role – that of prostitutes, that’s why we had to act like them and all we did was to do our research, ask questions and play it so it can look real. There is no way we can create awareness or educate people about the dangers of prostitution without playing it well so that people will first believe that yes, these people acting are acting as prostitutes. That is why acting is to make believe. Outside that, you cannot find any of us, and I speak of myself particularly now, dressed like that. I value my pride and dignity and I won’t stain it even if you give me all the millions in the world.”

Halima’s first day on a movie set ranks as her most memorable screen moments. “It is one experience I would never forget. It was as if I was dreaming. The excitement inside of me almost made me give up but I composed myself with the help of the cast and crew and here I am today, doing just

what I want to do”.

Based fully in Kano now, marriage is on Halima’s immediate wish list but she said there is no haste to it. “I would like to be married someday but Allah’s time is the best. Allah knows what time is best for me and who will be best for me. It doesn’t matter if he is from within or outside the industry. So far he is Allah’s choice for me and he is a man I truly love. What is important is Allah’s blessing and then the love between the both of you.

Once that is there, then the marriage will last for life”.

Halima’s career ambition is to get to the top of her career and along the line do some work in Nollywood and Bollywood. “A lot of people think some of us cannot read or write and so when there are opportunities to cast us in movies other than in Hausa films, they shy off. But that is a wrong perception of some of us here,” she said in reaction to a question on why she has remained in Kannywood and has not worked outside of that industry. “I look forward to doing some work outside of this industry given the opportunity. In fact, a few of us have been looking for the opportunity to change certain impression people have about us. The people in Kannywood are as decent as those in other professions. We are guided by some professional and work rules and ethics and so there is no room for dirty acts here. If anyone has slept with any director or producer for role, then it is unfortunate. The person is just desperate. It has never happened to me and I have never heard of it. I am just focused on my work and career and hoping for the very best. And by the time marriage comes, I will Insha Allah ensure that the marriage last for life”.

Halima

Celebritygist…

Bishop Umoh, Aka Okon Lagos, Lights Up Nse’s Wedding HE people of Akwa Ibom love and adore their movie stars.

T They showed it when they turned out massively to witness the traditional wedding ceremony of their daughter and

Nse and her husband

screen diva, Nse Ikpe Etim held at the open field of the IkotEtobo Primary School in Nsit-Ubiom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday. The member representing Nsit-Ubiom in the state House of Assembly, Barrister Anniefiok Luke chaired the ceremony which lasted till late. The wedding attracted several other dignitaries, top ranking government officials, a few of Nse’s colleagues in the industry and the singer Waje who was on point with her performance. In fact, Waje made the television host Katherine Edoho dance as though there is no tomorrow (apologies Tuface Idibia). Anyway, guess who almost stole the show at the wedding outside Nse’s husband – Clifford Sule – whose dance steps and designer Indian robe will be talked about in Ikot-Etobo for a long time. Enter the popular comic actor and a ‘son of the soil’ Bishop Umoh aka Okon Lagos. But for the fact that guests already knew why they were in Ubiom, a lot of them, considering the way people cheered at Bishop Umoh and crowded him, would have thought that Okon Lagos was in town for some stand up comic performance. No, truth be told. Bishop is loved and adored by his people. He is also at home with his people and will win any election at home if he decides to throw his hat in the ring. So too for Nse Clifford Sule (nee Ikpe Etim).

Bishop Umoh

tHE GUArDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

41

NEWSINtErVIEW

Slow Pace Of Justice Delivery Discourages Foreign Investors Mr Osaro Eghobamien (SAN) is the Founding and Managing Partner of Perchstone & Graeys, one of the leading commercial law firms in Nigeria. He speaks on the policy somersaults by government, slow process of justice delivery and insecurity. On June 7, his firm will hold the seventh edition of its Annual Law Series. Osaro, who was conferred with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2008 explains why the event would hold in New Delhi, India, and what Nigeria could learn from the country.

By Laolu Adeyemi and Yetunde Oyegbami-Ojo Don’t you think the slow pace of justice delivery can discourage foreigners from investing in Nigeria?

DmINIStrAtION of justice is obviously something, which we all have to begin to pay particular attention to. the slow pace of justice delivery is very worrisome. However, as you know, alternative dispute resolution is now being introduced, and it is providing comfort for a lot of foreigners. Even at that, in the court system, I think Lagos State in particular has done quite a lot to speed up justice delivery and some other states are following suit.

Do you think we are progressing?

We are not where we should be. We’re copying from other developing countries, and one of those places is India, where their justice delivery system is also slow. But through various mechanisms, especially interlocutory applications, we have been able to provide some comfort for local and international clients. So, although there are problems, the progress that has been made in a number of courts in the country is commendable.

Policy somersaults is another factor said to discourage investors. Is this still a problem? to a large extent the government is working on it. I’m very impressed by the minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman. recently, he came up with a roadmap, which ensures that infrastructure, for instance, is focused on for a period of 50 years. So, a policy on infrastructure would not be interrupted for that period. they’re still putting the framework in place. But the important thing is that people are beginning to think and realize that we need longterm policies for sustainable development. that is a key factor. Incidentally, the minister will be giving the keynote address at the seminar.

Do you agree that plea-bargaining encourages corruption and should be completely done away with?

I think like everything else, it has its advantages and disadvantages. the advantage is that where you have a system that is slow, ponderous and inefficient, it makes sense sometimes to use plea-bargaining so that you don’t lose the possibility of convicting someone. It is one of the ways to overcome some of the challenges the administration of justice poses in Nigeria. But, yes, there are possibilities of abuses if there is no proper framework within which to act. I think that if the right framework were to be introduced, plea-bargaining is something that may help overcome the difficulties of proof in court. It is one thing to be accused of committing a crime, it is another thing to prove the guilt. It’s very tough.

Insecurity remains a challenge in attracting investors, do you think government is doing enough in this regard?

If you study India and some other developed countries, certain crimes are also committed there. Yet, they have been able to attract foreign investors to their country, and they have been able to invest in other countries. I think in Nigeria, sometimes crime issues are exaggerated. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not suggesting there is no crime.

But where the total focus is on crime and there is no focus on other issues that would overshadow crime, then it becomes a prob-

A

Osaro (SAN) lem.

How do you mean? there are more to do beyond that. the Inspector-General of Police is someone who I have had an interaction with. I was very impressed by the level of discipline that he tries to instill among the Police force. If you notice, there has been a disbandment of Police checkpoints. Now, statistically, it hasn’t been proven that as a result of that disbandment, there’s been increase in crime, but the Police will continue to gain our confidence and respect the more we see that they are not collecting bribes on the streets. there is a lot to be done, but I think that we can’t just focus on just the negatives. there are many things we do. If you think about it, the Boko Haram issue is a menace – there’s no doubt about it. We also have terrorism in India. But with the greatest respect to families and friends who have lost their love ones, you can’t tell them anything else other than the fact that they know there is crime. the truth of the matter is that there are many things to focus on other than the

If I were to advice the Attorney-General, the first thing is to ensure that the justice delivery system is transparent. In other words, that people have confidence in the legal system. You must deal with the issue of corruption and the perception of corruption. Today, the fraternity between judges and members of the public is what calls for concern. Not because I think the judges can easily be compromised, but those who are watching can see the fraternity between judges and the public. That might create the impression that they are compromised. I think the first thing to do is to ensure that there is transparency in the administration of justice. There are other issues, but for me, you need to clean up the image of the judiciary.

export of crime.

If you were opportuned to be the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, what would you address first?

If I were to advice the Attorney-General, the first thing is to ensure that the justice delivery system is transparent. In other words, that people have confidence in the legal system. You must deal with the issue of corruption and the perception of corruption. today, the fraternity between judges and members of the public is what calls for concern. Not because I think the judges can easily be compromised, but those who are watching can see the fraternity between judges and the public. that might create the impression that they are compromised. I think the first thing to do is to ensure that there is transparency in the administration of justice. there are other issues, but for me, you need to clean up the image of the judiciary.

Are you satisfied with the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s efforts in that regard?

I am very satisfied with path the present CJN is toeing. Yes, I am. I’ll give you two examples. the first was where she refused to swear in a judge. Legally, some argued that she was wrong. But what is most important is that she took a decision and stood by it.

And she was objective about it. the point is that, you cannot be right all the time. But whatever decision you take must be independent, transparent, and backed up by reason. Once you do that, you begin to win people’s confidence. She’s sitting over the Privileges Committee and recently they withdrew the rank of SAN from one of our members. Again, I don’t know the full facts, so I need to be careful. But I think we need to start taking firm decisions and I think that is what the CJN is doing. I’m very impressed by that.

Why did you choose India for your seventh Annual Law Series?

By a convergence of factors, worldwide events are affirming the eastward shift of global economic power with India as one of the new epicenters. Aside a shared colonial heritage, India’s developmental experience closely mirrors that of Nigeria. the volume of trade between Nigeria and India was reportedly over $17billion last year. With its over a century-old economic and investment footprint in Nigeria continually expanding, the rise of India as a significant source of investment in Nigeria suggests it requires an even more collaborative effort to mutually take advantage of the unfolding opportunities.

India shares a lot of our problems and aspirations. But they have gone way ahead of us.

As a firm, we’ll be able to demonstrate that there are firms within Africa that can work alongside Indian firms and do as well as they have done. there is a lot to learn from India.

Any other reason?

Last year, a distinguished Nigerian was appointed as the co-President of the India Africa Business Council with a mandate to grow the volume of trade between Africa and India to $90billion by 2015. As at 2011, Nigeria had about 30 per cent of the volume of trade between Africa and India. the current trends indicate that Nigeria’s energy, power, telecommunications, information technology, medical/pharmaceutical and consumer goods sectors hold considerable appeal for Indian businesses. Perchstone and Graeys will be hosting the conference in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and they have graciously offered to match-make any interested Nigerian company attending with Indian companies.

Where do you see your firm in five years? the way I’ll put it is, where is our firm seeking to go, and are we there yet? Are we going to arrive there in the next five, 10 years? I hope we do. We see ourselves as competing at the global level. So, to that extent there are a lot of challenges. We see ourselves standing side by side by any law firm in the world delivering the same services that we are delivering. We want to be able to match them. We want to be able to tell clients –— both foreign and local –— ones that we can deliver the same services they are accustomed to receiving anywhere in the world.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

42

NEWSINTERVIEW

‘Nigerian Rulers Using Satanic Forces’ Mike Omoleye, veteran journalist, cabalist and close associate of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo warned the late nationalist years before the latter’s demise of plots to send him to the beyond prematurely. Now in his early seventies, Omoleye spoke to DEBO OLADIMEJI on the genesis of Nigeria’s current problems, the spiritual dimensions to them and the way out.

HAT led to the situation we find ourselves W today as a nation?

There is a proverb in Yoruba land Amukun eru re wo, o ni oke l’enwo e o wo isale. Told that the load he bears on his head is slanted, the knock-kneed calls attention to his crooked knees down below as the real cause of the crookedness above.

There is an anomaly in the foundation of the nation. First, the British and some leaders in the North who connived to give us this terrible state of the nation before independence are the people leading us astray even up till now.

I was of voting age in 1959. I was in Lagos then.

I suspected something was wrong with the result of the election. Chief Obafemi Awolowo did a lot of campaign that shook the whole country. Apart from that, other regions, East and North were using the western region as a yardstick of progress in the country.

Thank God, Harold Smith, a Briton and an official of British government has written about the 1959 election. In his book, Blue Collar Lawman, Smith confirmed my suspicion that the 1959 election was rigged in favour of the North.

The result of the election of 1959 was skewed in favour of the North even before any vote was cast. That is the foundation of Nigeria’s troubles. The British first of all gave half of the vote to the North which they know was an arid desert. That is why the North is still enjoying that population advantage till now. And you know that in the North, you can travel hundreds of kilometers without meeting any village or hamlet. You cannot find that even from Kwara to western region. You cannot travel 20miles without coming across a village or hamlet. The British have planned everything so that they can stay behind the scene and continue manipulating Nigeria according to their whims and caprices. That is one side.

The other side is that I don’t know how reasonable it was for those who said they were ruling Nigeria then to go into an agreement

Omoleye

with the British to host the national flag in the midst of darkness at Tafawa Balewa square. They lowered the Union Jack and hosted our national flag in darkness. I saw it—You mean that was the beginning of our darkness as a nation?

Have we not been in darkness since then? If you want to do anything good in the world, do you do it in darkness? Look at it from any point of view. Even if they are doing any traditional festival in darkness, something is wrong. Nigeria’s independence was done around midnight.

It was the British that taught Nigeria how to rig. Which was latter perfected and which we are suffering till now. There is hardly any election you can do in Nigeria without rigging. British taught the northerners how to rig. They taught them how to manipulate figures even before the election ever took place.

That is the foundation of Nigeria. From then the British has not left Nigeria. They are the ones ruling by proxy. After making sure that Awolowo was rigged out of the 1959 election, in 62 they engineered a crisis in the Action Group —- the most powerful and well-organised party then in Africa.

And because even the British themselves don’t like the Action Group. They hate Awolowo and the Yoruba because of the progress they had achieved within the period of self-government to independent.

They disrupted the whole atmosphere and immediately, the Federal Government declared a state of emergency despite the fact that each region was enjoying self-government before independence. Awolowo, who was the leader of opposition and his lieutenants were detained. Those who were in favour of the Federal Government—- Akintola and others—- were left free. We were battling with that, when a state of emergency was declared in the House of Parliament in Lagos.

The late Chief Anthony Anahoro made a prediction then. He said “Look, Federal Government, you have set up a chain of reactions whose end in this country nobody knows.”

That chain of reactions is still part of the state of the nation today. This was followed by the treasonable felony trial of Awolowo and the Action Group leaders. Enahoro was able to escape to Britain. But because of the rapport with the Federal Government and British government, Enahoro was repatriated to Nigeria. He was tried and jailed 10 years.

Since then, there has never been any peace in this country. By 1965, during the western regional election, that rigging system which the northerner inherited from the British had been so perfected in the West that the NNDP, the party of Akintola, boasted that whether the Yoruba voted or not, they had already won.

And that presumed winning caused the problem of Operation wet e, during which they were torching both people and houses. I witnessed it. Even by then, the British were still influencing the northerners to incapacitate the Western region.

So, let the analysts say whatever they like. This is my personal opinion.. the coup of January 15 1966 headed by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu was a godsend to us in Yoruba land. Let the people say it is tribalistic or ethnic, bias. It was godsend as far as we, when I say we, I speak for my race: the Yoruba nation. I could have died in the wet e or something. I was covering the Senate for the Morning and Sunday Post when the 1966 coup occurred. There was calm all over the country. People say the thing was not fully implemented. But we all knew what was in the mind of Nzeogwu, the leader

Omoleye

of the coup. It was not tribalistic; even though some officers might not have that nationalistic motivation. Well that is their problem.

When there was a counter-coup in July 1966 when Gowon came to power, he went on the air and said: “The basis for Nigeria’s unity no longer existed.” But the British quickly corrected him that that was a mistake. That he should go and eat his words: “Didn’t he know that right from the time of the British, they were using the resources of the South to maintain the North?” Which is what is still happening now. Eventually the chain of events Enahoro predicted went up and ended in a civil war. I was a war correspondent then only God saved me. I remember my photographer Bisi Alake, of blessed memory had bullet wounds. And I was injured too. I am just recovering from the injuries I sustained since 1968.

In an attempt to destroy the Action Group a bloody civil war ensued in which million of people perished.

What was the stand of Awolowo then concerning the civil war?

It was after Awolowo came from prison that I became his friend. We were friends for 20 years. I wrote two books on him. I was not a politician but we were together in spiritual matters. Before the war broke out, there were efforts here and there to nip the secession in the bud. Awolowo, Professor Sam Aluko and Tai Solarin went to the East to meet Odumegwu Ojukwu to dissuade him from going to war.

I remember Awolowo told me that he advised Ojukwu to put up a claim on behalf of the Easterners as reparation for the damage done to life and property and everything

in the North. But Awolowo said Ojukwu did not take kindly to the advice.

And recenly, my mind went to that discussion which I had with Awolowo. Look at the Odi community which sued the Federal Government when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo went to destroy their village. The court ordered that the Federal Government should pay billions of naira to that community.

And papa told me that he even told Ojukwu that as the Vice Chairman, Federal Executive Council and Commissioner of Finance, if the Federal Government refused to pay the reparation claim, the West would take a decision.

Not only to support the East, but if there was need to leave the country, the West would leave. Ojukwu rejected.

What was Awolowo’s stand, was he for one Nigeria?

Awolowo was a true democrat. He believed in the unity of Nigeria even though at one point, before he died, he regretted not taking Western Region out of Nigeria. Because I asked the question: You took Cameroun out of Nigeria in 1953, why did you not follow suit?

But he replied that the vision he had for Nigeria was to make Nigeria another United States. We have the human and the mineral resources, the landmass, the climate, we are in the tropics. There are so many mineral resources in Nigeria now that have never been tapped which the man would have tapped to elevate Nigeria and make it the leader of Africa.

He still believed that one day they would allow a true leader to emerge in Nigeria.

Unfortunately, since independence, we have never had any leader we are having rulers.

He always said that this was not the Nigeria he fought independence for, the way things

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

43

NEWSINTERVIEW

Our leaders are not having good contact with God. From the way I access things, they have enveloped the country with complete darkness.

That is why people are praying day and night and their prayers are not answered.

were going —- unemployment, armed robbery, roads were uncared for and poverty everywhere. It would have been better, at least, to bring development into a portion of his own area. …If he had developed the Western Region, may be others would have followed the cue.

But you said in one of your books that Awolowo talked about a revolution?

Are we not moving toward a revolution?

Look at the rate of graduate unemployment the Federal Government released recently; and this year more will join. Governments in the country don’t cater for the people; they are only sharing our money.

The state of the nation?

Since independence we have had corruption, unemployment; there is no money in circulation and I suspect, from the spiritual point of view, that our leaders are using satanic forces to rule this country. Any nation where you have bloodletting every time is a bad ritual. For example, petrol tanker accidents killing innocent people—as many as sixty at a time. Is that good in a country? Assassins running after potential leaders who could help the country. You have Alfred Rewane, Bola Ige and others. If you don’t die by motor accident the Police will be annoyed and shoot you. Is that not bad omen? That is the state of the nation.

Let’s thank the present Inspector General of Police. The man who could stop roadblock in this country is a hero. Since it took them into their barracks, he had saved many lives from untimely death at checkpoints.

And unless it wants to keep us in perpetual darkness, how can the ruling party be boasting that it will rule for 60 or 100 years when

we say we are running a democratic government is that ideal?

Can some people be saying they are still born to rule in the country and others are born to be servants as you said in your book?

That has not changed. Who sponsored a person from the minority to become the president? It is the northerner. We thought that Jonathan would make it. But he belongs to the party that is British- backed. Now the only economic programme Jonathan government is pursuing is election 2015 when we cannot eat in 2013, when there is no job, there is no light, the roads are bad, no water, no anything. If you want to live in Nigeria, you must get your own a generator and dig your own well or a borehole. You are running a government in your own house. That is the state of the nation. We have been so conditioned now that we must buy used materials condemned in other countries. That is part of the state of the nation…

What is your take on the alleged marginalization of Yoruba race?

The problem of the Yoruba race started since 1962 when the Federal Government created a division within the Action Group. So if they are crying of marginisation of Yorubas, it means they fail to look back to what happened in the past. Those who are in government do not wish Yoruba nation well. Obasanjo was part of them.

He ruled for eight years. What project did he do for the Yoruba nation? He came twice to Ibadan here to launch an express road between Ibadan and Ilorin, two times, that project is still there. Look at Lagos- Ibadan Express road.

Look at Ota road. It is the same thing. Anybody working for the Federal Government must subjugate the Yoruba nation.

Is the Rosicrucian order to which Chief Awolowo belonged not a secret society?

It is not. It is a group for spiritual development Personal spiritual development is quite different from going to church. They say Nigeria is a praying nation, buy I don’t know how their prayers have assisted this country.But in the spiritual realm, you meditate. There are trainings for spiritual development.

How do you mean?

We have courses in universities overseas for spiritual development. Have you heard of BSc in Occultism, BSc in Astrology etc? When you are trained, all the impurities in your body are removed. With that you have direct communication with your creator.

Is that way to another religion or what?

No. You can use any religion as the foundation upon which you build your spiritual development. What Christ founded was a spiritual embodiment of development. That was why he was able to heal and have control over the devil and so on. If you read the Bible, you will see that the apostles did the same thing. If you are trained, you will be inspired to carry out programmes which will benefit humanity.

That was what Awolowo did.

What can Christians do to make the society better place?

They have discarded the spiritual aspect of Christianity. It is in one of my books: You can Control your Destiny. The agnostics were the fore runners of the Essene community of which John the Baptist was a member in those days. It is the early church fathers that waged war on both the agnostics and the Essene community thereby driving the spiritual aspect of Christianity underground.

Is the esoteric knowledge not from God? It is here that we don’t know anything about that, I am sure that the British deliberately kept the Africans in darkness and also went as far as destroying our own religion. We have our own metaphysical aspects of traditional religion.

Is that what the Europeans are using for technological development?

Yes. I am working on a book on the missing aspects of Yoruba religion and the way the Europeans destroyed it. When our people go abroad to study, they beat the white men in the class. But once they come to Africa, they cannot invent anything. I am a cabalist and I trained in England for 13 years.

Why are you different from me as a cabalist?

As a cabalist, I live my life like yours, but I put planning and execution into my planning. You have access into the inner planes where so many things are revealed to you. I have eighteen herbal inventions revealed to me.

Something like anaemia you don’t need a drug for that. If Nigeria had been a good place, I would have been a millionaire from that alone.

I have the medicine that can cure hypertension, stroke and kidney disease. Professor Adekunle of University of Ibadan (UI) did a biochemical analysis of my herbal invention, the

report is here. I have cured so many people suffering stroke.

Why did the God of Africa allow Africa to be enslaved?

One of the flaws of African religion is lack of written records. I have researched into the Yoruba religion. The gods are active and potent. It is the same thing all over he world, but the gods have different names in different localities…

The Europeans cut us off from our gods ... One, they brought Christianity and Islam. And they said the first commandment is that we should do away with idols and everything.

Why are they now coming back to buy these idols at fantastic prices and even steal them if possible? The day I visited the British Museum in London I was almost searched to my pant.

They will never allow you to go inside with your camera. And you will see where these effigies are packed. And the protection they give them is greater than the protection they give their Head of state. They communicate with those things. Remember that the effigies in Africa are animated. They are now using them to invent mysterious things. I know that.

What do you think about same sex marriage?

It is an abomination. It was the British who brought Sodomy to Nigeria. Harold Smith exposed them in his book. That is part of the freedom democracy has produced in America which they want to extend to other parts of the world. It is spiritual aberration.

Any spiritual dimension to our problem as a nation?

If there were no spiritual dimension, we would not have been in a mess in Nigeria.

None of the leaders is having good contact with God. From the way I access things, they have enveloped the country with complete darkness. That is why people are praying day and night and their prayers are not answered.

Rulers don’t rule their people like slaves as it is happening in Nigeria.

Would you say Jesus’ mission is a success?

It is one hundred percent successful. He himself wondered if he were to come back again, will he meet Christianity on earth? Are we practicing true Christianity today? Church leaders are now cruising about in jets and bullet proof jeeps.

What do you think the government can do to tackle Boko Haram menace?

Boko Haram is the outcome of not only neglect but misplaced priority over the welfare of the people. There are millions of Almajiri in the North. Their leaders are sending their children to overseas for training, so that they could come back and continue to use those boys and girls as slaves. It is also an offshoot of the dark forces they are using to rule this country, which relishes human blood.

Boko Haram is born out of frustration and aimless philosophy. All they could fabricate as the basis of their wanton destruction is that they want to Islamize Nigeria. Is that possible?

Is that why they are killing children, pregnant women, shedding innocent blood thereby feeding the demons they are using to rule Nigeria. That will not happen overseas. The spiritual ones among them would have sat together and neutralized the nucleus of the evil forces and they will just disperse naturally.

Who are the forces behind Boko Haram?

The local supporters are in touch with AlQaeda getting funding from them. To say that there is no Arab money coming into the North to sustain Boko Haram is a lie.

Some say America is behind Boko Haram menace?

If America, Syria, Saudi Arabia or Iran are behind them if they don’t have collaborators in Nigeria, they cannot succeed.

Do you think that Nigeria will break up in

There is an anomaly in the foundation of the nation. First, the British and some leaders in the North who connived to give us this terrible state of the nation before independence are the people leading us astray even up till now.

Omoleye

‘We Are Heading For Disaster’ 2015?

With the situation in the country, you don’t need to be a soothsayer to know that one day the eggs will crack and the yolk will fall out.

You see, the Americans are so developed that they check every nation to see whether they are progressing or retrogressing. If you like, agree with them, if you like disagree, it will come to pass. What is on ground now that makes Jonathan so bold as to be talking of 2015? With all the mess going in the country.

Look at the level of corruption. The money for pensioners they have squandered. Look at the amount of money they are stealing everyday. The proceeds from the oil money for a month is sufficient for us to start a new life.

They are exporting 2.6 million barrel of oil everyday. Even if at 100 dollars, multiply that!

From the spiritual level what is the solution?

I don’t think I can offer any tangible solution. There is one thing they ought to do now that can start giving us a ray of hope about the future. A national conference, where we can all sit down and decide how we want to be governed and so on and so forth. If things continue like this, the country is heading for disaster.

What is your take on Alamieyeseigha’s pardon?

The problem of Alamieyeseigha started when he was canvassing for resource control.

The Federal Government doesn’t want to hear anything of such because they are using the resources of the South to sustain the North.

To get rid of him, Obasanjo made it possible to impeach him and he was hunting him around the world until he had problem with them in Britain.

Jonathan was Alamieyeseigha’s deputy then, All efforts to install Jonathan as governor he resisted because he knew Alamieyeseigha was fighting the cause of the South South. He was an obedient deputy. All the pressure put on him by Obasanjo did not work. Eventually, Alamieyeseigha came back. Immediately he came, Jonathan said “Oga! this is your thing”.

That was the virtue that Obasanjo saw in Jonathan that made him choose Jonathan to be vice president…. If the third term did not manifest, he could still stay outside and rule from behind. Jonathan has paid back Alamieyeseigha. One good turn deserves another. He wants to go back for election in 2015, Alamieyeseigha is a man of the people in their area.

When he was in trouble, the people were saying even if he stole their money, they are satisfied. So Jonathan has pardoned him in preparation for 2015.

What is the hope of the Mega party in 2015?

The problem of mega party will come from the Federal Government. If they don’t want the All Progressive Party (APC) to succeed they know what to do. INEC is Government’s creation.

44

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

NEWSINTERVIEW

‘Traditional Rulers Should Have Constitutional Roles In Governance’

Alabi our children and their children is most assured. Our aspiration is to put the feet of our leaders in the three tiers of government to fire in order to run a government that will be second to none in Nigeria; a government dedicated to the creation of wealth and the building of a solid middle class.

Ondo State is rich in both oil and gas. What blueprint has OSEG for the development of this natural endowment?

The poverty of Africa is the poverty of the mind and not that of resources. Africa is just 10 per greatly contribute to attaining this goal. cent of the world whereas 40 per cent of the Democracy is the best way of achieving these resources in the world is in Africa. Therefore, it objectives; it is also the only political system that is not the natural resources that create wealth has the capacity for self-correction. but the resources of the mind.

And how well has the group contributed to the Today, the people of Ondo State are economipolitical and economic development of the state? cally dependent. We are blessed with abundant OSEG is a most influential and politically connect- natural resources. We have huge reserves and ed organization whose membership is made up of deposits of crude oil, granite, bitumen, kolabrothers and sisters from Ondo State who are cap- nut, cocoa, palm oil and the like. We have the tains of industries, professionals, academicians finest crude-oil deposit in the world. What and eminent citizens resident in Lagos. It is an stops us from obtaining a license and establishorganization dedicated to the advancement and ing a State refinery through private and public progress of the state and her people. Over the partnership and create some 20000 jobs. years, OSEG has played vital roles in the political Why not create a seaport at Olokola and take life of Nigeria and Ondo State in particular. Our half of the revenue from that sector from Lagos efforts in a way have helped to usher in a better State and in the process create some 50,000 and brighter future for our people. The future of jobs. We have the finest glass, granite for mak-

Banji Alabi, a lawyer and an accountant, is the chairman of Ondo State Eminent Persons Group (OSEG). He was also the secretary of the Committee for the celebration of the 14th Coronation Anniversary of the Olowo of Owo, Oba Victor Folagbade Olaterun-Olagbegi. Alabi, who is also a culture renaissance campaigner, spoke with ABIODUN FANORO on how OSEG has impacted on the economic development of Ondo State and the tourism potentials of Owo, among other issues.

HAT necessitated the setting up of W OSEG? Our aims, essentially, are to preserve and promote the dignity and fundamental rights of people of Ondo State, to achieve social justice, foster unity of the people, help accelerate the economic and social development of the state, and to create a climate that is favourable for peace.

We are using this to promote genuine partnership between men and women of Ondo State in the conduct of the affairs of the society in which they work in such a manner that they would draw mutual enrichment from their differences. We are of the view that strengthening the democratization process and representative institutions will

Our aspiration is to put the feet of our leaders in the three tiers of government to fire in order to run a government that will be second to none in Nigeria; a government dedicated to the creation of wealth and the building of a solid middle class. ing marbles and tiles; the cocoa and kolanut industry, tourist attraction of Idanre Hill, Igogo Festival in Owo, bitumen in Agbabu and so on. Our Bitumen covers a regional belt of about 720 km sq and spans across Ondo and Ogun States.

What is your relationship with Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko considering the role you played during the last election?

Dr Mimiko is our brother, our leader and Governor. Those of us in OSEG have tremendous respect for him. Mimiko will go down in our history as the best politician we ever had in the state. In my opinion, anyone who wants to succeed him in must start in earnest to cultivate the friendship of the people of Ondo State or use the Iroko recipe.

Mimiko has extended a hand of fellowship. It is my view that in the larger interest of the State, those in opposition should collaborate with him. As a leader with vision and foresight like Mimiko, the State would surely move to greater heights.

As the secretary of the Committee for the celebration of the 14th Coronation Anniversary of the Olowo of Owo, Oba David OlateruOlagbegi, what is your view on the clamour for constitutional roles for the traditional institution?

The 1999 Constitution is generally believed to be replete with imperfections largely because it was hastily packaged by the military. The two chambers of the National Assembly have been trying to aggregate views and ideas on different issues as part of efforts to kickstart another round of amendments, intended to make the constitution more acceptable to the people. I will support a constitutional framework for the creation of a Council of Traditional Rulers at the federal level and the reintroduction of the House of Chiefs (which existed in the First Republic) at the state level.

You hail from Owo, what are some of the rich cultural heritage in the ancient kingdom?

The ancient town of Owo is historical; it is the home of democracy in the Southwest. Owo was the birthplace of Afenifere and the hometown of Chief Adekunle Ajasin, reputed to have drafted the policy paper of the free education programme of the defunct Action Group (AG), a programme that popularised the government of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Owo people are very passionate about Igogo Festival. Why this passion?

The Igogo Festival which comes up in September annually is a valentine activity and a display of the culture of the people of Owo with the main aim of celebrating love, preaching love and peace, offering prayers and aligning the youth with the culture of the land that should attract both local and international tourists, guests and clients from all over the world The young urban professionals, would find comfort in our rich culture, and at our eatery, in our hotel palatial rooms, suites, restaurant, stores and ease in our rich tourist centres, as they move from stores to stores, enjoying the sights and sounds that make the festive period. Igogo festival is an annual festival, which spans a total of 17 days, featuring a number of ceremonies including the blessing and release of new yams. The festival is in commemoration of the king’s wife whose name was Oronsen, believed to have turned into a tree while being pursued by the king’s slave seeking her return to the palace after her rivals violated her taboos.

During this festival, the Olowo usually dresses in a coral beaded crown and in addition, plaits his hair like a woman. The Olowo leads his people, including the chief priest and the male youths from Iloro quarters to dance round the town to celebrate and appreciate the woman and women in general.

During this period, the ancient Olowo Palace, reputed to be the biggest in West Africa, will be opened to tourists and visitors. It has over 120 rooms, some as big as a football field and contains many artefacts. The beddings were made of the best materials available at that period of time.

TheGuardian

Saturday, April 6, 2013 | 45

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

YourMoney

By Don Abraham ASHEW nuts are grown a lot in Nigeria.

C They are one of the most wholesome foods around, they are rich in oil, carbohydrates, protein, vitamin C, linolic acid, fat soluble acids (A, D, C, and K), and contain large quantities of calcium, phosphorus and iron. Virtually every part of the harvested cashew fruit has high commercial value with guaranteed local and export market.

The processed nuts when exported are used as snacks and confectionery (nutty ingredients, ice creams, chocolates, sweets, gravies, production of cashew nut flour, etc). Seventy percent of world cashew nuts production is accounted for by the Americans followed by the Middle East and Asia.

The nuts’ shells can be processed to extract the dark, reddish brown viscous substance called the cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL). This liquid commands great commercial value and has not less than 15 uses in automotive, paints, electrical, paper and other industries, etc.

The residue of the shell after the liquid extraction serves as a source of energy for boiler plants while the pressed juice can be used to produce vinegar and wine. The fruit can be used to produce juice, which is adjudged to be more nutritional than orange juice.

Cashew nuts have continued to emerge as one of the important export products in the country. In March 1996, a six-man delegation of the Council of Nigerian Farmers travelled to India to promote cashew nuts export from Nigeria.

Information has it that although Nigeria’s cashew trading and export trade is presently (2012) worth N24 billion yet there is still room for more investors in the area. Forward-looking investors can cash in on this and the fact that cashew nuts are grown in almost all the states of the Federation to establish cashew nuts processing plants to add value to them and earn scarce foreign exchange by capturing part of the world market currently dominated by India which processes eighty percent of world cashew nuts output.

This plant can be established in any part of the country. Supply bulk comes from peasant holdings or wild growth (planted mainly for erosion control), as very few organised plantations exist. See my other article on “Cashew Tree Plantation Development.”

In this project, we shall look at the economic exploitation through modern processing and export of processed cashew nuts to earn scarce foreign exchange.

Overseas Market There are two major overseas centres for the consumption of processed cashew nuts - USA (60%) and Europe. Other emerging outlets are South East Asia, Middle East, Australia and Japan.

In order to ensure that the processed cashew nuts meet international standard, the nuts must be properly graded, packed in tins weighing about 11.34 kg and gassed with carbon dioxide to prolong their shelf life before being exported. For the local market, the nuts are bottled and supplied to supermarkets and other outlets. One has also witnessed instances where they are packaged in small nylon wrappings and hawked along the roadside, bus stops and market places. These are not well processed but roasted.

Raw Materials The raw materials, which are cashew kernels, come mostly from few organised plantations around, wild trees and smallholdings owned by peasants. Packing materials and accessories needed especially for export processing include tin and carbon dioxide, while bottles and nylon are needed for the local market. Cashew nuts are usually harvested in Nigeria between April and May. Equipment And Accessories The method whereby cashew kernels are roasted in open fire to have them charred before being cut open with knives to extract the nuts is outdated. Modern cashew nuts processing involves two methods, the butler process and the steam roasting process.

Listed below are the equipment and accessories needed for the steam roasting process.

They are: auto clave, cutter soldering equipment, roasters, blowers, carbon dioxide packaging machine, filling machines, and boiler.

Accessories include: grading table, scales, oil, buckets, wheelbarrows, etc.

The size of the equipment that can be procured depends on the financial ability of the

Cashew Nuts Processing:

Great Money Spinner promoter and ranges between 320 kg and 1,250 kg (or even more) of raw cashew nuts per hour.

The project lends itself to cottage (micro), small and medium scale production. The choice is the promoter’s. We, however, advocate an equipment of adequate capacity, which should be in line with the prevailing level of technology in order to optimally utilise one’s available resources. Embarking on very big and sophisticated plant could be counter-productive.

Processing Technology Briefly, the processes involved in cashew nut extraction, roasting and packaging include: purchase and proper storage of cashew nuts, cleaning, grading, roasting, cooling, cutting, drying, another cooling, peeling, sorting (grading), re-conditioning, turning (packaging), weighing, filling with carbon dioxide and soldering. For want of space detailed description of each stage is excluded here but further information can be obtained from this writer.

Labour Requirement The labour requirement will depend on the level one goes. This is a project that is generally labour-intensive. All the calibres of labour required are available locally.

For further assistance in the areas of market research, equipment acquisition, industrial profile and feasibility report writing, only serious investors should please contact: DONALD ABRAHAM through Tels: + 234 – 1 – 803 – 725 - 1974 ; 0704 – 149 – 5314 ; E-mails : akumgbedee@hotmail.com ; letustalkCashew nuts wealth@yahoo.com

Cashew fruits

46 YourMoney

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

BRANDNEWS

BRANDINTELLIGENCE

Consumer Promotion: League Game In Crown Corks Berths With Star ‘Text & Play’ Promo HILE it is has become commonplace for W brands to deepen penetration and visibility through various compelling media, and more recently, the cyber space, very few brand custodians have deployed creative engagement of youths to achieve brand sustainability in the ever bustling market arena.

Edward de Bono, the father of literary thinking and creativity directly espoused creative thought processes when he said, “creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.”

In its bid to do things in a different way and keep its consumers actively engaged in the process, Star Lager beer from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc has unveiled a unique and exciting consumer promotion tagged ‘Star League – Text & Play’.

Speaking at a special event heralding the promo in Lagos, Marketing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Walter Drenth said “over the years, Star Lager Beer has risen to become the number one favourite beer (Lager and Stout) in Nigeria. As the undisputed market leader, Star is undoubtedly the biggest beer brand in Nigeria.

The brand has continued to keep its consumers actively engaged all year round through its exciting consumer engagement platforms that cut through music, football and consumer promotions”.

Drenth stressed that Star Text & Play would be a consumer promotion with a difference. “It is an innovative platform where consumers would be actively engaged throughout the duration of the promotion, while they stand the chance to win exciting prizes in the process. It is unique, interesting and different. The Star League-Text & Play will run from April 2 to May 31, 2013,” he announced.

The promotion is crown cork based. Consumers will buy and open a bottle of Star, enjoy the rich taste, look under the crown cork and there, they

Brand Manager Star, Mr. Obabiyi Fagade (left) and Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Walter Drenth at the unveiling of the ‘Star League Text and Play’ promo in Lagos…recently.

find their ticket to be part of the exciting Star League. There will be two categories of winning crown corks: The crown corks will have codes with differentiated points in five bands of 10pts, 20pts, 30pts, 40pts and 200pts.

To participate, consumers will send by SMS the code under the crown cork with their full name, age and state of residence to short code 30383.

Consumers must have a mobile telephone line from any of the mobile service providers in Nigeria, registered in their name.

The mobile phone number used to send the code will be used to register the consumer on the Star website and Star database. They will

automatically get a response with the number of points earned per crown cork and a directive to check their “standing” on the “League Table” at (www.star-nigeria.com). This applies to every subsequent successful entry. The consumer will accumulate points over the period of the promo using the registered mobile number. With every subsequent successful entry, they will get a response with the cumulative points to date on that particular phone number. Consumers will have the opportunity to view their position by the points accumulated on a specially designed League table per State of entry on the Star website. At the end of the Offer Period, par-

ticipants with the highest points from each “State League” will be rewarded as follows: For each of the 36 States and Abuja, the top 15 winners will get iPads with customised sleeves; the next 550 winners will get Premium head phones, while the next 1000 winners will get Exclusive Star DVDs. The company said the prizes will be delivered personally to the different winners wherever they may reside in the country at their advised and verifiable physical addresses.“For Star, this is the least of its gestures at appreciating the consumers’ unwavering love for the brand,” Drenth noted.

How Returnee Heritage Bank Intends To Woo Customers, By MD you die, you write a Will and somebody carries the Will and walk away. We are talking about continuity and growth.”

T is a resounding feat for Heritage Bank in making a return to The Managing Director also highlighted that the bank is lookthe financial services sector after 10 years of going moribund, ing to carve a niche for itself especially within the Small and the Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, has said.

Medium Scale entrepreneurs. “The SMEs is a sector we believe Speaking with The Guardian, Sekibo said: “Heritage Bank is like can grow this economy, and this has been a philosophy that we any other bank. If you may recall, Societe Generale Bank of believe in; philosophy of possibility, philosophy of tenacity, phiNigeria, as we were known then, had some challenges with capilosophy of hardworking and so on,” he stressed. talisation as a result of the capital review by the Central Bank of On plans to expand beyond the three branches they now have, Nigeria (CBN) in 2006/2007. Before then, they have had some Sekibo said the bank is expected to grow by 13 more branches by challenges in other areas including issues connected with clearJune 2013 from the three branches it has presently. ing. The management at that time was unable to manage the Speaking further he said: “We are targeting 16 branches by June storm so things caved in. We came in as core investor when iniand from there, we will grow further. Although, having many tial attempts to capitalise the bank failed. We made a bid like branches is not the ultimate because we are going to use techevery other person to see if we can recapitalise it and on that nology to drive our business. There is mobile money, Automated basis, we were able to win that bid. We had negotiations with the Teller Machine (ATM) and online banking transaction, all driven legacy investor or former investor of the bank and came up with by technology. an agreement that led to the emergence of Heritage Bank.”

“We will deploy adequate technology as point of presence matSekibo further revealed that the bank’s path to recovery was by ters a lot. We would show point of presence rather than build no means easy. In his words, ‘‘we recapitalised to the tune of N12 branches everywhere. If you can transact your business seambillion, took up all liabilities and assets of the bank and found lessly without difficulty, it is better. You can get a loan from the Sekibo some form of accommodation for depositors whose money had comfort of your home by asking for it. If I want N10 loan as a been trapped for 10 years. In a nutshell, that is the bank transitsmall business to start a trade of pure water, should I go and do a bank that people will believe and know that generation banking from SGBN to Heritage Bank. Our vision is simple and clear— documentation for trading and go and bring my grandfather’s ing is the way to go.

When we say generation banking, we are today, we might look quite new in the market, but our idea of land because I want to take small loan? No, there are other alterbasically saying it is not enough to amass wealth and when what this bank should be was clear from day one; we want to be nate channels of delivery.”

By Ntia Usukuma

I

Destination Branding: Maltina Thrills Guests With Flash Mob At Lagos Carnival

By Sola Ogbodo HOUSANDS of guests that turned up for the T annual Lagos Carnival, which took place at the Tafawa Balewa Square last Monday had the

Maltina crew performing at the Carnival

fun of their lives as Maltina made its presence felt during the carnival with an array of fascinating Maltina-branded carnival costumes.

The Carnival is the highpoint of the week-long activities of the Lagos Heritage Week.

The “Maltina Stand” at the Carnival was stationed outside the Tafawa Balewa Square where consumers trooped to and won different gift items by participating in various exciting competitions.

The highpoint of the event was the Flash mob performance organised by Maltina. The flash mob involves a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place to perform an unusual act for a brief period of time.

The flash mob staged by the brand was the first of its kind ever witnessed in Nigeria. The Maltina flash mob performance captivated spectators who were somewhat bewildered and stunned at the ingenuity through which the

flash mob performance was carried out.

A spectator, Seun Olashile, stated that he was indeed elated to be at the carnival especially at the Maltina stand where they had continuous music, freebies and different competitions going on. He said he looks forward to being part of it again next year.

Speaking at the event, Senior Brand Manager Maltina, Mrs. Ngozi Nkwoji, pointed out the rationale behind the brand’s partnership with the Lagos Carnival.

She said: “Maltina is about sharing happiness and where else can you share happiness than where there are lots of people including adults and children having fun at this colourful carnival. This is an ideal environment for Maltina to share happiness. Maltina is all about “sharing happiness” and family bonding.

“The Maltina story has always been the story of sharing, friendship, togetherness and a good time with loved ones which is the core essence of the Maltina brand. Maltina is the biggest malt brand in Nigeria. It can only get bigger. We associate with big events like this where we can share happiness.”

YourMoney 47

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

BRANDINTELLIGENCE

With DESMOND EKEH desmondekeh@yahoo.com; 08023215535

African Union Backs APRA Summit In Ethiopia HE African Union Commission (AUC) has given its full backT ing to the forthcoming First All Africa Public Relations and Strategic Communication Summit, holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia between May 8 and 10, 2013.

The APRA Secretary General, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya stated this at a press briefing on the summit in Lagos recently.

Okusanya disclosed that the choice of Ethiopia for this year’s event was not accidental. “It was strategically chosen to enable APRA get closer to the seat of the AU, especially as the organisation marks 50 years of its existence. In fact, you will be pleased to know that the First All Africa Public Relations and Strategic Communication Summit has been designated as one of the official events to mark the 50th Anniversary of the African Union, a fact which we are immensely proud of,” he said.

He said the ultimate goal of the conference is to set a communication agenda for Africa while a road map for positioning Africa in the global context will be produced at the end of the conference.

The conference, according to him, will also produce and catalyse the much needed synergy between the AU, national governments, communications professionals, the media and of course, the people of Africa towards the ultimate goal of a positively viewed Africa.

FLP Launches FAB Energy Drink OREVER Living Products Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Forever International Inc. USA, has increased the profile of Energy drinks in the market with Forever Active Boost (FAB).

Marketed in Nigeria by distributors of Forever Living Products, the energy drink is endorsed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC).

The regulatory agency described FAB as “a functional Energy Drink”, that is non-alcoholic. It also stated that FAB does not contain caffeine as an added ingredient.

Unveiling the product in Lagos, recently, FLP Managing Director (Nigeria and Benin Republic), Mr. Cornelius Tay, commended NAFDAC for the clarification, which he hoped, would enable Nigerians benefit from all the natural goodness that FAB offers.

He said FAB was an addition to the several natural juices, drinks, nutritional supplements, personal hygiene, weight management and beauty products the company has been supplying to Nigerians over the years.

“These are the products that Nigerians have come to love and cherish”, he said.

At the briefing were the Vice President, Africa, FLP International Inc., Mr. Gary Shreeve and Company’s Director of Operations, Africa, and Nairobi, Kenya based, Mr. Jackson Adagala.

F

Ekulo Plans Re-launch Of Baron De Valls KULO International Limited, one of Nigeria’s top distributors E of consumer products and international manufacturers’ representatives, is set to re-focus one of its valued brands in the Nigerian market, Baron De Valls wine.

The wine, which comes in the variants of Red, Rose and White has been in the Nigerian market for a while; and has enjoyed excellent patronage.

In re-launching the brand, the company hopes to further furnish its vast retinue of loyal consumers with information on the advantages of the product, its competitive price regimes and its availability.

StarTimes Woos Customers With Easter Family Reward Senior Member of APRA, Mr. Kunle Ogedengbe (left); Secretary General, Africa Public Relations Association (APRA), Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusany; Conference Coordinator, APRA Summit, Mr. Kayode Yeku; and MD/CEO Core Media Services, Mr. Olajide Adediran at the APRA press briefing in Lagos…recently.

Technology Drives Africa’s Growth, Says Etisalat CEO ECHNOLOGY has been identified as the biggest driver of T change for developing across nations of the world, and has been instrumental to Africa’s transformation over the past

decades.

This was the position of Etisalat Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Steven Evans at the just-concluded Economist Conference sponsored by Etisalat and held at the Expo Centre of Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos.

According to him, most developing nations around the world have come to recognise the importance of information technology in the development of their various countries.

Evans who was represented at the event by the company’s Director of Network Engineering, Mr. Temi Ogunbambi, highlighted some of the obstacles to the growth of the telecoms sector, identifying tough regulatory and policy situations at both federal and state levels.

“There need to be some form of national integration. Etisalat Nigeria invests a significant sum in base stations. There needs to be public education and inclusion, to develop a sense of purpose and ownership so that subscribers become aware that if base stations are destroyed, the community will be deprived.

Until the environment and policies are friendly, we cannot fully unleash the potential of investments,” he said.

In his keynote address at the conference which had the theme: ‘Nigeria Summit 2013: Enabling and Implementing Change,’ President Goodluck Jonathan said Africa is one of the world’s most rapidly growing economies.

Brandhealth Seeks Better Development Through Research LAGOS-BASED research agency, Brandhealth, has developed a research tool that would propel citizens’ participation in public policy formulation and development to a new level.

The pilot scheme of the new project tagged “Akwa confluence” which begins in Akwa Ibom State would ensure that the state taps the public’s wisdom for better decision-making.

According to the Managing Director of Brandhealth, Emma Udowima, “Akwa Confluence is a brandhealth initiative aimed at contributing to a robust future for Akwa Ibom State and its people by providing a new thinking about citizenship and participation. It is a platform for interface between the citizens and the state. It intends to play an increasing role in bridging the gap between the citizen and the state while inputs from the initiative would enhance responsibility as well as responsiveness on all sides. It is initiated to reposition citizens’ participation in Akwa Ibom”.

He added: “Akwa confluence adopts a straight and a simple approach to achieve results. Each year, Brandhealth would send out questionnaires to various groups in Akwa Ibom to specify what they want from the government and the results communicated to the government. The emphasis, therefore, is placed on gaining insights into citizens’ needs and preferences so that the government can anticipate their needs and deliver proactively.

This would help in resource allocation. It would also help the government to provide what the people want.”

A

TARTIMES, a top digital terrestrial television pay TV provider in Sseason Nigeria, is offering three bumper family packages this Easter to all its subscribers this season.

These are More Channels, Same Price; Easter Family Reward, and M35 Mobile Phone TV price slash In continuation of StarTimes effort and mission to ensure that every Nigeria enjoys affordable digital entertainment this Easter, it has embarked on a price slash on its M35 Mobile Phone TV from N10, 900 to N8, 900. Now every subscriber can save up to N2, 000 on purchase of M35 Mobile Phone TV and enjoy 12 exciting channels on the move with StarTimes. The M35 Mobile Phone TV features include Dual SIM, dual standby, two batteries, and Wap 2.0 GPRS class 12, Java, MSN, yahoo messenger, Bluetooth, FM radio, video recording, voice recording and a camera.

StarTimes, ‘More Channel, Same Price’ campaign is to ensure that its New and existing subscribers in Nigeria enjoy quality and affordable digital entertainment with upgrades of its various bouquets.

Guinness Nigeria Gets Award For Supporting Water Sector UINNESS Nigeria Plc has been recognised by the Ministry of G Water Resources and Rural Water and Sanitation Initiative (RWASI), as the Most Socially Responsible Private Sector Company supporting government to ensure the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for safe water and sanitation in the country.

Speaking during the 2013 Water Awards commemorating the World Water Day in Abuja, the honourable Minister for Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe said, “Guinness Nigeria’s commitment to improving access to potable water and sanitation in rural and urban areas of the country through integrated water resources projects is commendable. The company has shown outstanding commitment to the development of the water sector by delivering effective and efficient water projects to a large number of Nigerians. For its commitment, we are presenting Guinness Nigeria a special recognition award as the Most Socially Responsible Private Sector Company to encourage it to do more to support the water sector.”

While calling on private sector organisations to emulate Guinness Nigeria to enable the country achieve 100 per cent access to potable water by 2025, Ochekpe urged the three tiers of government, especially the local government, to treat the provision of potable water as a priority.

Receiving the award, MD/CEO, Guinness Nigeria, Mr. Seni Adetu, represented by Head of Sustainability and Responsibility, Mrs. Adrianne Nwagwu, said, “Guinness Nigeria is a leader not just in the alcoholic beverage industry, but also in the Corporate Social Responsibility space, and has remained the benchmark for innovation and performance in both spheres of influence in Nigeria.

GSK Unveils Sensodyne Rapid Action LAxOSMITHKLINE Consumer Nigeria Plc has launched a G new variant of its Sensodyne toothpaste—Sensodyne Rapid Action.

The fast-acting 60 seconds toothpaste was unveiled to dentists at an expert launch held in Lagos.

Sensodyne Rapid Action is formulated to offer relief within 60 seconds to consumers who are experiencing sensitive teeth.

With more fluoride, more mint and less abrasion, the new variant provides rapid relief from the discomfort of sensitive teeth.

For individuals with dentine sensitivity who desire quick and easy solution, the new Sensodyne Rapid Action gives relief when massaged directly onto the exposed sensitive dentine. It also provides the benefits of ordinary daily toothpaste including allround protection, cleaning and freshness.

Speaking at the launch, the Managing Director, GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Chidi Okoro said, “so many people are not aware of the available treatment options and are also under the perception that treating sensitive teeth can be a time consuming process. However, with this Sensodyne Rapid Action variant, many will immediately experience quick and effective teeth sensitivity relief in the most practical way.”

TruContact Unveils Plan For 2013 SERA Award N its unrelenting bid to envision a scenario where businesses Ioperations and stakeholders will work together to engender harmony in among all parties concerned, TruContact Ltd is poised to reward innovative minds in the marketing communication industry.

The Nigeria CSR Awards (SERA), which recognises and promotes the role organisations play in positively engaging the communities is set to take centre stage.

The theme for this year’s awards which has been scheduled to hold on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos is: “Shaping The Future Through Innovative Value Creation: Making A World Of Difference”.

Speaking with journalists, the Managing Partner, TruContact Ltd, Mr. Ken Egbas said the epoch-making event is relevant to the Nigerian economy.

According to him, “as partners in further promoting the ideals of the flagship CSR Awards in the country, the 2013 SERAs will continue where we stopped last year. This year, we are increasing the stakes—promoting innovative thinking and strategies that explore the less trodden paths, businesses that are creating and adding value while differentiating their brands because they are bold, deliberate and not afraid to stand apart in a bid to re-write history. In this edition, we are going to tell soul-stirring stories of brands that have begun and will continue in the near future to impact positively the environmental, social and governance structures in the places where they do business.”

Managing Partner, TruContact Ltd, Mr Ken Egbas (left); immediate past Chairman, NIPR Lagos State chapter, Mrs. Nkechi Ali Balogun; Chairman NIPR Lagos State chapter, and Barrister Jide Ologun at a press briefing to unveil the theme for 2013 SERA Awards recently.

Medical Director, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Anglophone West Africa, Dr. Bode Adesoji (left); Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof. Godwin Arotiba; Managing Director GSK Consumer Healthcare Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Okoro; Sales Director, GSK, Vaibhav Bhanchawat; and Medical Director, Oral Health Scientific Excellence, Sensitivity and Acid Erosion, GSK, UK, Dr. Steven Mason at the unveiling of Sensodyne Rapid Action in Lagos...recently.

Another Unilever Brand, Close Up Fire Freeze, Debuts Nigeria Plc, has launched a new variant of its flagUTheNILEVER ship toothpaste, Close Up. variant, Close Up Fire-Freeze, was launched at an event tagged ‘the magical chemistry of opposites’.

Closeu Up Fire-freeze was launched at an impressive media and consumer launch held in Lagos where Unilever Nigeria Plc reinstated its commitment to manufacturing products that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life.

Speaking at the launch, the Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Thabo Mabe disclosed that the widespread patronage Close Up has enjoyed over the years has challenged it to do all that is possible to remain on the cutting edge of innovation.

“Innovation is absolutely essential if the world must combat the incredible rates of tooth decay that prevails globally and promote oral health. We today live in a world where tooth decay affects around 90 per cent of people worldwide, while up to 20 per cent of the world’s adult population suffer severe gum disease. We are proud that through innovations like Close Up Fire Freeze, we can play a part in promoting oral health in Nigeria and globally.

“Fire freeze truly embodies the timeless qualities that have made Close Up the number one toothpaste brand in Nigeria.

This includes ingredients that offer consumers long lasting freshness and protection from germs that cause tooth decay.”

48

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

NEWSMAKER

Bitten By The Environment Bug, Beautiful Oluchi Bags UNESCO Award Dr. Eucheria Oluchi Nwaichi is the youngest lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt. In her 30s, she is an environmental biochemist whose research has helped to solve several community problems in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. She was recently honoured with a Fellowship Award as a young scientist by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). And the icing on the cake is that she will today tie the nuptial knots with her heart-throb who incidentally is also a PhD holder.

Oluchi, as she is fondly called, spoke with ANN GODWIN in Port Harcourt.

PART from her excellent performances A in science subjects and keen interest in the environment which spurred her to study Biochemistry, environmental damage into the soil, water and air which she noticed while carrying out her industrial training with the Eleme Petrochemical in Rivers State, one of the devastated areas in the Niger Delta region, spurred her to think of how to contribute in remediating the environment.

Hear her: “What actually inspired me to go into the environment was when I went for my Industrial Training with the Eleme Petrochemical, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). I was attached to the environmental monitoring team so we went about looking at the environmental degradation in the Niger Delta. That actually inspired me to go into deep research because I found out a whole lot needed to be done to protect our environment and to see how we can remedy the already damaged environmental component, the soil, the water and the air.

From there, I started thinking of how to make a meaningful contribution in that regard. That’s how it started.

“After my IT, when I was doing my research project for the first degree, I worked on the pollution status on the Eleme Creek. That was my first research in the environment as a researcher and the findings were so significant that they even assisted in solving a crisis in Eleme community when they were looking for whom the polluter was, whether it was the Eleme Petrochemical company or artisan group in the community. The research assisted so much in that regard. My Master’s programme was supervised by an environmentalists, Dr. Marks Unegbu who was especially interested in the aquatic environment. My interaction with him continued to spur me on.

“I went into the PhD programme with so much enthusiasm and my supervisors were great, always urging me on to compete with international researchers, to make my research findings known in their journals and other forms of communication. That’s how I started”.

On the research which won the UNESCO award for her, excited and calm-looking Oluchi said: “The research that won the Fellowship Award on 28th March 2013 at the Sorbonne University, Paris is on the remediation of the environmental compo-

Nwaichi

In the Niger Delta, it is well known that we have more water than soil. The little soil environment has been polluted by the increased exploration activities, mining and all the activities of the oil practitioners. When we succeed to biologically remediate the soil, we do a reclamation of soil lost to pollution and when you look at the health implication, we have also done toxicology study to look at the soil, cost remediated and the fruits that maybe harvested from such soil. nents, the soil particularly, using two avail- Development Goals (MDGs) is to make sure able local species in a bid to make it cost- that there is food on the table of every avereffective. That’s why we are looking at the age Nigerian. In the Niger Delta, it is well local available species instead of importa- known that we have more water than soil. tion of species. When you are trying to rec- The little soil environment has been polluted by the increased exploration activities, ommend a new technique, it is always good you to look at the advantages. That’s mining and all the activities of the oil pracwhy we are advancing this technology that titioners. When we succeed to biologically is cost-effective and also environmentally remediate the soil, we do a reclamation of soil lost to pollution and when you look at friendly in nature. In the oil sector, they the health implication, we have also done are using chemical methods and excavation methods. It’s just like fixing the goal toxicology study to look at the soil, cost post of a problem when you excavate and remediated and the fruits that maybe harvested from such soil. transfer to another site. You just trans“We have found that there is a biological ferred the problem, so here we are trying to do a holistic remediation using biologi- chain of the transfer of the contaminant from the polluted soil to the fruit and cal means”. when eaten by man and animals, it goes on On how her research could assist Nigeria’s , amazing and energetic Oluchi in the chain, degenerating the health circles of living things. So when we are able to noted: “Now, one of the Millennium

reclaim the soil by remediating biologically, it is going to also affect the quality of the fruits and the crops we raise. It has agricultural and economic implications because when this sector starts flourishing in our country, we are going to have more farmers cultivating these local species, creating jobs and the economy will be improving. We would then spend less on effective cleaning of the polluted environment.”

Oluchi who did her National Youth Service at the University of Uyo as a lecturer, had worked in various capacities in different companies before she was called to take up the teaching job in the University of Port Harcourt where she bagged all her degrees.

“I am so excited working on the environment, I derive joy studying the environment. Every experiment I do, I get inspired to do more. I have been doing a lot in toxicology and I also have an ongoing research on water that is cleaning up the aquatic environment on wetland and rivers . I am also doing that with my post graduate students. It’s full of practical and not abstract,” she enthused.

In the next 10 years, an intelligent Oluchi is looking forward to transforming more graduate students to great researchers who can interpret data because according to her, there is major challenge and gap between the research done here and the ones done outside the country. She says it is difficult to interpret data with what is available here but her international exposure and quest for knowledge has taught her how to interpret data independently so she looks forward to getting more people to understand science and how interpret their data and be able to independently design their research.

What challenges does she face as a female researcher? “ Female researchers have a culture barrier that you train a male child better than you train a female child because she ends up in a man’s home and that is the end of her career. Parents feel that investing on a girl-child is not really very rewarding as they would lose everything to the husband. So in that line, some parents are discouraged in training their female children. My father died early and the resources were quite small but thank God my mum was a teacher and we managed. I also had the challenge of many bosses behaving as if I wanted take over their jobs but before I get fired, I give them my resignation letter and move on.

“Finance is another challenge. We do not have money available to encourage research. You go to some labs you see dilapidated equipment. Most of my research analysis, I go to the oil industry. They have good laboratories. It takes a lot of money to do these analysis, some equipment can cost N10 million. Some of the ones we have donated to the university, there are no technologists to man them because their training does not match the new equipment.”

What’s her advice for young women, especially those who aspire to go into the sciences like her? “You just have to carve a niche around yourself. You may fall but you just have to keep moving.”

What was growing up like? “My father is late Donatus Nwaichi, a public servant, while my mother, Mrs. Eunice Nwaichi, was a teacher . Both of them were educated. My mum had 11 children. Two are late, so we are now nine, six boys, three girls. I am the second girl and all the nine children are graduates because my father insisted that everybody must go to school.

“My father combined being strict with being nice. He could dance, play, chat but then when my father flogs you when fail to do your home work, you will never believe he is your father. And my mum can’t help the situation. Whatever he believed was not bad, he enforced it. So I learnt discipline from him.”

For relaxation, Oluchi likes to swim. She also listens to music, likes comedy and dances very well. With her pretty looks and intelligence, why is she still single? “I have been quite selective about who to marry. I am a career woman, most career women like men who can appreciate what they do and encourage them. So you don’t just rush into marriage because everyday you have proposals from people that admire you. You just have to sit down and be careful but good enough, I will be tying the nuptial knots on Saturday (today) with my darling husband who is also PhD degree holder. I told myself I must get my PhD before I marry,” she said.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

49

TheGuardian

50 | THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Politics Tukur: Things Falling Apart In PDP

By Samson Ezea HE frosty relationship and suspiT cion playing out between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur now dates back to the time President Goodluck Jonathan anointed Tukur as his new choice for the coveted seat of national chairman against all expectations. During the build-up to the election of a new PDP national chairman early last year, President Jonathan had at the time made up his mind to install Tukur as national chairman, seeing him as a statesman with a fatherly figure who can help bring the party together.

Some of the governors, particularly from the North-east geo-political zone to which the national chairmanship position was ceded among them governors, Governor Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), were strongly opposed to Tukur’s candidacy. It was revealed that one day in the build-up to the election, the President had invited the northeast PDP governors over to Aso Rock Villa to state their grievances and present their candidates.

Unknown to them, the President had also invited Tukur to the Villa. As they settled for the meeting without allowing the governors to say much, the President reportedly called on Tukur, saying: “These governors are opposed to you. You better come and address them so they can support you.” Tukur instantly did as instructed.

The governors were disappointed.

Not resting on their oars on their oppositions to Tukur’s candidacy, a few days to the PDP national convention in Abuja where Tukur eventually emerged the national chairman, the governors from zone had conducted a zonal primary to select a candidate from the zone for the position.

During the primaries, Tukur was defeated by the then Acting National secretary of the party, Dr. Musa Babayaro who happened to be the anointed candidate of the Northeast PDP governors for the position of the national chairman against Tukur. It took presidential pressure and intimidation on the governors from the zone to compel Babayaro to step down for Tukur at Eagle Square Abuja, venue of the party convention.

Since then, the centre could no longer hold between Tukur and the governors. The governors didn’t trust their chairman, seeing him as the President’s candidate who would always do the president’s bidding.

Tukur on the hand did not trust the governors. He saw them as wielding too much power in the party and the country.

The first sign of what would become of Tukur and the governors’ cat and mouse relationship became clear just a week after Tukur’s emergence as national chairman. This was at the launch of a book titled ‘Global Villager’ written by veteran journalist and poet, Eddie Aderinokun in commemoration of Tukur’s 77th birthday. Of all the 23 PDP governors, only three attended the book launch, yet there were indications that virtually all the governors were in Abuja at the time.

The three governors who attended the book launch were Mallam Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), late Patrick Yakowa (Kaduna) and Theodore Orji (Abia).

Governors Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and Jonah Jang (Plateau) sent their deputies. Some observers have said the move by Tukur to engage in reconciliation and bring back aggrieved former chieftains into the party’s fold has irked the governors as they feared it would whittle down their influence in the party. But others are of the view

Tukur that it is all about politics of 2015 which Tukur is accused of planning to install his son as the governor of Adamawa State by all means.

That marked the genesis of Tukur’s battle for supremacy with the governors which is now assuming a dangerous dimension as the governors, according to a source, had compiled Tukur’s offences waiting for an opportunity like National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to pass a vote of no confidence on his leadership.

The Guardian investigations reveal that the governors, especially from the North, are determined to remove Tukur and some members of the NWC from office. Some of the governors, it was gathered, are angry about the role being played by some NWC members. A governor, who disclosed the compilation of the breaches against the party’s constitution by Tukur, said they were waiting for the party to call its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting before making their position known.

He said he and his colleagues are not happy with the refusal of the Tukur-led NWC to call for NEC meeting which he said was one of the offences being listed against the party’s leadership.

He said: “I can tell you that we are not relenting in our desire to stamp our feet that the constitution of the party must be obeyed. The party’s constitution says there must be a NEC meeting at least in a quarter, yet there is no meeting for about nine months and they want us to keep quiet.”

The governors at their meeting on January 9, this year had “resolved to call for National Executive Committee meeting of the party to be held as and when due as provided in PDP constitution.” Twenty-one governors were in attendance when the demand was made.

Part V111 of the party’s constitution which deals with NEC meetings says: “National Executive Committee shall meet at least once in every quarter at the instance of the National

congress, Oyinlola who is appealing the court ruling which ousted him from office, has since been replaced by his deputy, Mr. Solomon Onwe in acting capacity.

Another bone of contention is the refusal of the party to constitute its Disciplinary Committee as provided in Chapter X of its constitution.

Since the dissolution of the last committee headed by the former deputy chairman of the party before his elevation to the position of acting national chairman, Dr. Haliru Bello, the party has refused to constitute any committee to handle disciplinary issues.

Besides, Tukur is alleged to have allowed a battalion of personal aides to distract him, having created the highest number of offices for aides in the history of the PDP. Also infuriating to party officials, especially members of the National Working Committee (NWC), was his decision to recognize the state executive committee of the party in Adamawa led by Mr. Joel Madaki, against the decision of the NWC to confer recognition on the faction led by Alhaji Umar Kugama.

But reacting, the National Legal Adviser of the party, Mr Victor Kwon averred that the executive is not deliberately breaching the party’s constitution. “We are handling issues which has not allow us to hold our NEC meeting as and when due. We are not deliberately breaching the constitution of our party. We are law-abiding and believe so much in the party’s constitution,” he said.

It was disclosed that most members of the NWC are not happy with Tukur’s leadership style and accuse him of using his office to achieve personal political interests.

Remarkably, while Tukur is alleged to be still supportive of the political aspirations of President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2015 presidential election, the president is however now said to be under serious pressure to dump him.

A member of NWC said: “The problem is that Tukur has too many aides, even his political aides are more than those of the president.

He has many senior aides and they are either former members of the National Assembly or former ministers and they are not giving him proper advice.”

Tukur’s first problem with the NWC arose when he was accused of allowing his personal aides to run a parallel secretariat different from that operated by the NWC. The faceChairman or at the request of twooff with the NWC members led to thirds of its membership, who shall notify the chairman at least seven days the disengagement of Alhaji Habu Fari as his Chief of Staff a few prior to the meeting.” months after the inauguration of Investigations reveal that since the emergence of the Tukur-led executive, the present NWC. Another straw that might finally the NEC meeting which should have break the camel’s back for Tukur in been held at least four times since then, has only been held once with no the battle was his recent failed peace tour to the six-geopolitical zones of prospect of a meeting in the immedithe country that is compounded by ate future. As such, crucial issues that ordinarily should have been taken up the successes of the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chief by the NEC have been left unresolved.

Another allegation against Tukur and Tony Anenih in bringing back disaffected stakeholders and governors. his team is his alleged determination Anenih, to the delight of the to conduct a zonal congress for the President, was said to have made election of the party’s national secretary and his role in the removal of the deals with the governors on his behalf, A development a source in former governor of Osun State and ousted National Secretary of the party, the Presidency disclosed might Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola whom he make the President bow to pressure saw as the governors’ mole in the par- and remove Tukur.

Meanwhile, undeterred, Tukur’s ty. recently made it clear that he has no Tukur had once said that a fresh congress would be held in the South-West apology to anybody over his leadership style. Will he survive the goverzone to elect a replacement for nors’ onslaughts and mend his ways Oyinlola. or will he go the way of his predecesAlthough he has not conducted the sors? Time will tell.

thE GUaRDIaN, Saturday, april 6, 2013

51

POLItICS Ms. Anko Briggs, a Niger Delta environmentalist and human right activist, spoke to SONY NEME on the recent presidential pardon for former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), ownership of oil blocks and other topical issues. hat is your view on the controversy that trailed President W Goodluck Jonathan’s pardon for former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye alamieyeseigha, and others? alamieyeseigha was not the only one pardoned; he was pardoned alongside others were convicted before now. are you saying that after alamieyeseigha had helped in stabilising the polity with his roles in getting the aggrieved youths out of the creeks, he has to be left out of national scheme of things?

Moreover, he was not the only ex-governor indicted or accused of mismanaging state funds, but his case went to that extent because the corruption battle then was skewed, due to lack of political will. the government then never took northern governors through the same EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) route. I am not supporting corruption in any form or shape, but what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

We should bear in mind that people like former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) and former President Shehu Shagari, among other past leaders, alongside retired Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJN), sat down at the Council of State meeting and agreed to pardon to these people. this is an assembly of the most senior citizens of the country.

So, why is it that alamieyeseigha’s own is generating controversy, or is it because he is from the South-South?

Don’t you think it could be because he was indicted for looting public treasury as governor?

Why make people from a section of the country scapegoats?

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was a beneficiary of state pardon before he was allowed to contest election in 1999.

Why is it that whatever President Goodluck Jonathan does is wrong?

Could it be because he has not been providing good governance?

It is a pity that people who want to govern the country hate Jonathan with passion. For us, who are from the same region with Jonathan, it translates into hating us, as a people and where we come from.

Recently, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai was on a local television and the issue was whether Boko haram should be given amnesty or not, but his response was that Jonathan should have listened and accepted the suggestion that Boko haram should be given amnesty.

For him, Jonathan shouldn’t have his own mind.

But El-Rufai has right of response?

No! You can disagree with the policies of government and not disparage Jonathan as a person.

Jonathan alone is not the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; he is the President. he has a cabinet, made up of people. he consults with his party, whose membership include Obasanjo, Chief tony anenih, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and so many notable people, even from the northern part of the country.

So, why are they not abusing these people as they do to Jonathan? It is very offensive and very childish, and this is what I totally disagree.

Ironically, the ordinary Nigeria is wiser, so the so-called political elites should stop thinking that they are thinking for the masses, because we know they are speaking for themselves.

What is your view on amnesty for Boko haram members, vis-à-vis the Niger Delta militants?

It is not the same as Niger Delta crisis, so it should not be compare at all.

Niger Delta militants fought against instituted injustices and deprivation, while Boko haram members are fighting for religious belief. how do you see the controversy that has dogged the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) so far?

We need to know what goes on in the National assembly, in terms of numbers. When a region has more states and local government areas, they will be more in number at the National assembly. the northern region consists of North Central, Northeast and Northwest zones. Within these zones are 19 out of 36 states in the country and each state produces three senators.

In the Southern region, we have the Yoruba in the Southwest and the Igbo in the Southeast, while the South-South is made up indigenous people, with so many ethnic groups.

So, whenever a bill concerning a region comes up in the National assembly, members who have no interest in it ensure that that bill is dead on arrival. a PIB that is offering 10 per cent to a community of whatever comes off it is being made to look as if it is the first time the issue of what goes directly to a community producing oil is coming up.

In this case, on whose land is oil being taken from? We shouldn’t forget that the Ogbemudia Report, which was fallout of a commission by the government then that was occasioned by the Niger Delta crisis. that Report was specific, as it recommended that a minimum of 50 per cent of the wealth that is being taken out of the Niger Delta should be given to the communities in the region.

Is that what is being discussed today at the National assembly, where majority of the people there are not from South-South? We are not talking about a majority of a party voted in, but majority of a region, language and religion.

It was the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua that offered 10 per cent for oil communities during the discussion that led to the laying down of arms by agitated Niger Delta youths.

I don’t see any respite in all these, so I am not interested. What I am interested in is the total ownership of the resources that is in our land, for which we have been destroyed and the Ogonis have

Briggs

‘Nothing Wrong In Alamieyeseigha’s Pardon’ been killed in their land. along these lines, our people would make a case for themselves, irrespective of whether it is on the questionable 1999 Constitution or not. how do you tackle the issue of sellouts, as the South-South region has been described as having the highest number of political harlots in the country?

I don’t agree with the assertion. It is not a collective agreement of the people from the region to be political sellouts or whatever you call it.

From what I remember as a little girl, it is the South-South that has always given the North the support it needed to have the upper hand in the politics of this country. that was so because our leaders then believed that if they went along with the North, the North would at some point reciprocate, since the law of natural justice demand that if you have been nice to somebody, he/she will appreciate you and you will be rewarded. the military factor, as it were then, was used to manipulate us in the past. there is no doubt that there are some people in the South-South who are greedy and selfish, but it is in every geopolitical zone, as the Yoruba, Igbo and other tribes are complaining of the same characters in their midst.

It has become clear, with the recent disclosure that 83 per cent of the private oil block allocation is actually held by a handful of people in Nigeria, that the South-South, where the resources are located, is still marginalised.

What were the criteria used in doing the allocation? Is it because they come from a particular region? Is it because they have always been in the position of political authority, where they could easily manipulate us? Or is it because they are retired military men?

From this, I don’t see how somebody who is an underdog can be further called other names (as a harlot). there is no doubt that there are people who are not part of our agitation and do not want to be part of it, but want to be rich.

Such people are found in all geo-political zones.

So, such people don’t deter us from agitating for what is due for the region.

Do you agree with the notion that with the Jonathan presidency, most people believe the Niger Delta people have nothing to complain about, as their son is in the saddle?

Jonathan is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and was voted into office by Nigerians. People in the action Congress of Nigeria (aCN), Labour Party (LP) and all Progressives Grand alliance (aPGa) came out and voted for him, not just members

of his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Recall that every other Nigerian rose up for Jonathan during the so-called take over by a handful of Nigerians, when some people close to late Yar’adua took advantage of a sick man and tried to take Nigerians for a ride. to say because Jonathan is the President, the people of the Niger Delta should not have any issues in Nigeria is unbelievable. I don’t know where such thinking is coming from.

So, a man married to a woman who was once married with children should not aspire to have kids from the same woman, if she has not reach menopause? It appears that is what people are saying.

We were not happy with the state of affairs in the Niger Delta for decades before Jonathan became President. For example, the East-West road has always been there before Jonathan came in.

We are driving to abuja airport from abuja city on an eightlane road. Where did abuja get the money to build the roads, if not from the Niger Delta oil?

Yet, the same abuja hasn’t been able to build the East-West road that is actually a federal government road.

So, when the people of the Niger Delta agitate, it is not with Jonathan, whose presence has made us know that the East-West road could be built. It is not proper for the road to remain so.

Now with peace in our region, oil output has edged to over two billion barrels per day and to shift such an important road project to the Ministry of the Niger Delta that has so far proved incapable of doing anything for the Niger Delta region is unfair. the argument for me does not hold water. Is Jonathan President of the Niger Delta? I supposed they are expecting it to be like that, because every other President has done things for their people and region.

Now that our own is there, doing things differently, they are already accusing him of favouring his people even before he contemplates such.

So, we find ourselves in a Catch 22 situation, as my people will say, ‘whether you die facing up or down, death is death.’ that is the situation we are faced with now.

What I must tell you is that the opposition is not against Jonathan, but the region and the so many ethnic groups that make up the region.

I believe this will encourage my people to unite as one and confront issues collectively as Niger Delta people, because if we don’t unite now, it will be different for our collective interest, as a people. that we are yet to get our deserved development is not because Jonathan chooses not to develop the region, but

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

52

POLITICS

‘The OGD That I Know’

Kawonise

Daniel

By Sina Kawonise HE year was 2010. The characterization in T the Nigerian media was as negative as it could get. The portrayal was that of a hardheaded businessman who came into politics with the brutal business sense of doing anything and everything to achieve results. He was depicted as a ritualist, one who would demand all forms of scandalous oaths from those around him to secure their loyalty.

There was also the story of how he had privatized the purse of the government under him; and there were enough people to sing these stories on account of the persisting factionalisation in the state House of Assembly, pitting majority of members against him.

The foregoing was the context in which Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD), the then Governor of Ogun State, approached me with the offer of serving as his Commissioner for Information. Many that I contacted for advice on this did not think it was a good offer to consider or accept. The opinion was that this man had shown the kind of person he was given the portrayal in the media and that it would not be good for me to go and soil my name with him or get entrapped in his evil vortex. There were, to be sure, a few dissenting opinions, those who thought that I could serve basically as a professional and perhaps with enough safeguards to ensure my quick bailout if I found the going not comfortable and acceptable.

My decision was to consider the intervention of some of those through whom I got acquainted with him to give the offer my acceptance with the proviso that this would be strictly a professional engagement since I

was not a politician anyway. And there began the engagement with OGD that resulted in my being his Commissioner for Information and Orientation for the last 15 months of his momentous eight-year government in Ogun State.

The revelation, to me, was of epiphanic proportion. I speak here from the depth of intimate information available to me as I was at every meeting involving the discussion of government business as the spokesperson of government for those 15 months. And the first factor was the level of transparency with which OGD transacted the business of government and even his own personal businesses and his life.

Contrary to the idea of a mysterious person widely depicted in the media, I found and continue to find, a very transparent figure, always ready to do things in the open and in such a way that everybody involved would have a sense of participation and contribution.

This level of transparency was such that could evolve from a very clear mind about the nature of human relationships and the realization that everything ultimately gets into the open. This was a very fresh vista for me and I couldn’t but get myself fully committed to the objectives of government as I knew everything going on and had nothing to fear about what I knew to be the truth.

My commitment to defending the OGD government was, therefore, not a service to him, but an outgrowth of my personal conviction of standing always by what I know given that nothing was hidden from me about the ways and activities of the govern-

governance in place then.

One other thing I also discovered getting close to OGD, was his simple but great and gracious taste. To those who see him from afar, this is a very rich person that must indulge in vainglorious spending that is the nauseating hallmark of the moneyed class in Nigeria. But the OGD I know is blessed with an eye for taste without the encumbrances of riches. His is that perception of good taste streaming out of his striving for excellence and perfection without sacrificing his shrewdness.

There we were, for example, at the VIP Lounge of the old terminal of the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport , Lagos one day with a flat screen television screwed to the wall. He noticed that the television was screwed to the wall without balance and without symmetry. All I saw was the governor turned his back on the television as he could not imagine why Nigerian artisans and technicians couldn’t understand that they must do all things with balance, symmetry and precision. It would not matter to him whether the television was the costliest in the world! To OGD, the fact of its inappropriate placement removed from its value. Perhaps this is the place to say then that the splendor of his residences has more to do with his great taste and eye for detail – the combination of colours, appropriate placement of ornaments, etc. – than with the advertised expenditure of fortunes on them.

After 15 months of working closely with OGD and benefiting from his acute business sense, transparent life and leadership style, his hard work and great taste, I had no problems making up my mind to continue to stick to and stand by this proven leader. I, therefore, didn’t have any hesitation in accepting to be the Managing Director of the Compass Newspapers, the publishing house in which he has interest, after we left government.

And I must state that my continuing experience has been that of a worthy leader, creating spaces and chances for others to grow and leaving them to manage whatever he has entrusted to them to the best of their abilities.

It is significant that in spite of my closeness to OGD, I have not sworn to any oath for him and I don’t know of any other person who has been asked to do that. Rather, we continue to relate in an atmosphere of transparency and hard work with him showing the way and accepting contributions from all of us around him. I dare say that I continue to find his brilliance, shrewdness, capacity for hard work, love for others and great taste not only dazzling, but a testament to what true and invigorating leadership is all about. This is the uncommon leader that I bear witness to as he celebrates his 57th birthday today. I congratulate my beloved sister, Yeye Olufunke Daniel (who in humility addresses me as ‘Uncle Sina’ and virtually kneels down to greet and serve me food). I greet Rotimi, Adebola, Taiwo, Kehinde, and Mayowa, the well brought up children of the governor – unobtrusive, selfeffacing and respectful. And it is our prayer that God continues to preserve him for further contributions to the progress and development of Nigeria as his attributes are needed to take this country to great and greater heights. Happy birthday, Sir.

ment after I joined.

Added to this was his brilliance. It would seem that God had endowed him with such leadership qualities and that he had prepared himself so well as to have the capacity to grasp all kinds of arguments in virtually all areas of human endeavor without wearing this brilliance on his lapel or not allowing others their contributions. And in OGD we have the confirmation that there is no success without hard work as he was such a leader that would push you to, if not beyond, the limits in the quest for satisfactory performance. This is a reflection of his striving always for perfection.

OGD’s attitude was that whereas it was impossible for the human being to attain perfection in an imperfect world, the only way to have passable living would be to continuously strive for and work toward attaining the perfect world. The end result, though not perfect, leads to the highest level of satisfaction attainable.When this attitude is combined with his shrewd business sense and the capacity to squeeze water out of stone, the basis of OGD’s sucesses becomes apparent. Anyone working with him, who is sincere and with capacity to learn, cannot but pick many positive and useful attributes helpful in the attainment of success in life.

Any time I remember the agony we had to go through after every FAAC meeting to decide on how to allocate the funds for the state among competing needs, I am amused by the allegations that this man Sina Kawonise, is immediate past Commissioner converted funds of the government into for Information and Orientation, Ogun State, and personal use. That was simply impossible Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, Compass under the transparent and shrewd style of

Anambra PDP Re-invents At Awka Peace Rally From Chuks Collins, Awka HE Emmaus House ground in Awka, the Anambra State capital, last week hosted efforts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, when the Prince Ken Emeakayi-led executive called out members to a unity peace rally.

This, from all indications, was to put the party in proper shape for the forthcoming governorship election in the state in November.

PDP had in the past taken the electorate and virtually everything for granted, leading to its distant third position at the last governorship election on February 6, 2010, a situation many saw as a self-inflicted defeat.

Top members of the party had openly worked against the interest of the party before, during and even after that election.

T

Some had vowed to teach their candidate and his henchmen at Abuja a lesson. Yes, they did, but at the expense of the party and its members, as the party that was before then seen as the unbeatable numero uno was dealt a severe blow.

And in an apparent effort to avoid a repeat, Emeakayi took the battle cry to the Wadata House national headquarters in Abuja, where it was reported that even the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, expressed special worry on the state of affairs of the party in the state.

He should, after all, the history of the G-34, which later transmuted into what is today known as PDP won’t be complete without a full chapter on Anambra sons’ contributions.

Little wonder speaker after speaker told the Awka gathering that they were tired of sitting by to watch all the legacies left behind by former PDP administrations in the state go into ruins.

The party had noted that the next election would be a battle of sort for the PDP and the emerging opposition umbrella party, the All Progressives Congress (APC, if it is finally registered as such) on who would carry the day.

With tested hands, like Senators Chris Ngige and Annie Okonkwo, and the ruling, though embattled, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), the state looks good as a stage for a real mega political battle for supremacy.

And if President Goodluck Jonathan is going to make impact in the entire Southeast zone in pursuit of his second term ambition, then Anambra must return to PDP. Sounding almost desperate to return to the driver’s seat, the party’s members urged the electorate to forgive their past ‘sins,’ saying they have learnt their lesson.

With a flood of goodwill messages from former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, and business mogul, Prince CONTINUED ON PAGE 53

53

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

POLITICS

The Visit Of APGA’s Leadership Has Vindicated Me, Says Okorie

Okorie Chief Chekwas Okorie, founder of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), now National Chairman of the United Peoples Party (UPP), on Wednesday hosted a faction of APGA loyal to Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, which came to make peace with him, following the protracted crises in the party that made him to leave. He spoke to SAMSON EZEA on the significance of the visit, why he accepted their apology and other issues.

OW did you feel when the All H Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) faction loyal to Anambra State Governor Peter Obi came to apologise to you for the alleged injustice done to you in the past?

I and my associates, who were on hand to receive them at my residence in Enugu, did so with open mind and pleasure.

Maxi Okwu, the interim National Chairman of APGA, came with a very strong contingent of the leadership of the party to tender unreserved apology on behalf of the party for the injustice done to me in the past.

To state that the atmosphere was electric at my residence during the visit is an understatement.

Don’t you think that the visit was to gain your support in the lingering crisis rocking the party?

I want to remain positive about this historic development. Any person or group that overcomes his ego and humbles him/herself to admit a wrongdoing and tenders unreserved apology must be appreciated and his gesture reciprocated.

As a Christian, it will be out of character to begin to read motives into this act that is commendable and worthy of emulation.

Our interaction, which was covered by the media, did not go beyond what I will refer to as a family reunion.

Okwu was the Deputy National Chairman of APGA under my leadership and most of those present at the event from both sides were my associates and colleagues.

There is no doubt that the visit has laid the foundation for other possibilities, especially of political nature. The important thing is that the foundation for the laying of political blocks has been laid and other things can logically follow.

Did Obi personally reached out to you before and after the visit?

There has not been any personal interaction between Obi and I before and after the The APGA leadership that visited me must visit.

Do you think he has really changed, having be appreciated for their sense of maturity, supported Chief Victor Umeh in the leaderhumility and integrity for choosing to toe ship tussle against you for years? the path of rectitude.

I do not want to go into character assessI was touched in a very special way. It was ment of Obi. the best thing that has happened to me to Okwu was emphatic that the visit and live to witness my own vindication. apology were done with the approval and For eight years, the most vicious propaganda machine ever mounted against any- mandate of Obi. I want it to be noted that body was mounted against me to smear my Umeh had an influence over those he image, malign my character and demonise encountered in the APGA saga.

At any time any person rediscovers my person. him/herself and decides to reconcile with My defence of the fabricated allegations man and God, and perhaps does certain was vehemently suppressed, especially in restitution, he/she ought to be appreciated the media. and commended, instead of being suspectThe judiciary was roundly compromised ed of ulterior motives. and I witnessed first hand the nakedness What is your reaction to the insinuations and ugliness of the Nigerian judiciary.

Within the period, there were 25 attempts that you have sold out again by accepting their overtures? at reconciliation, which failed. There is It is unfortunate if any person in the right nobody made of flesh and blood and who frame of mind regards an unconditional has passed through my kind of vicissitude acceptance of an unreserved apology as an that will not be moved by emotion at the overture that amounts to a sellout. sudden and dramatic turn of events.

My Christian upbringing and belief

enjoins me to forgive those who ask for my forgiveness. I am guided by the prayer that we “… forgive those who trespass against us.” It is only in this way that we can expect God to forgive us our trespasses.

If it was alleged that I sold out before, by the apology of my accusers, it ought to be understood that that allegation has been retracted.

It, therefore, means that the issue of selling out again does not arise.

What now happens to your new party? Are you collapsing it into APGA or are they collapsing into your party?

The historic and epoch-making visit of the APGA leadership to me, as the founder of the party, signifies the opening of doors that may lead to other possibilities that may be explored.

I am positive that the improved relationship will enrich our country’s democracy and strengthen the third leg of Nigeria’s tripod. It is too early in the day to begin to conjecture what shape these possibilities will take.

I am elated at the excitement and positive disposition of the Nigerian public at home and abroad towards this rapprochement between erstwhile political rivals. Nigerians should watch out; Igbo politics has come of age.

I am an incurable optimist; I am not given to the suspicion of a good gesture. I have received the gesture extended to me by my brothers with gratitude to God that made it possible.

It will subtract substantially from the overall benefit of the reconciliation process that is in place if I allow any iota of suspicion to affect my attitude towards what is clearly God’s design.

Would you say you have been vindicated by the visit?

I remain eternally grateful to God that I am alive to witness my vindication and for giving me His grace to found yet another political party to continue propagating my vision, even after the APGA situation became out of hand.

I appreciate my associates, whose steadfastness and convictions about my innocence and integrity, have also been vindicated.

I appreciate my former colleagues in APGA who showed commendable sense of maturity, humility and forthrightness in initiating the reconciliation process that started with this historic apology.

Anambra PDP Set For Reconciliation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52 Arthur Eze, as well as other notable members, past elected office holders, the crowd was wild in excitement, convinced that the party was back on the winning train.

This was reinforced when Emeakayi reiterated Jonathan’s assurances that he would not allow the imposition of candidates in any part of the country. The state chairman, therefore, urged all governorship aspirants in the party to go to the wards and seek their mandate first.

He stated that members at the grassroots actually hold the power and no one else, stressing that the days of going to Abuja to acquire power and authority were long gone, as it is the people that would choose who they wish to give their mandate.

He disclosed his desire to transmit the party’s governorship primaries live from Awka for the entire world to see and witness how the winner would emerge, noting that been in the sideline for the past eight years has given every member ample opportunity for self-appraisal and rediscovery.

To ensure a total grassroots mobilisation, Emeakayi set up a Peace, Reconciliation and Harmonisation Committee, led by the immediate past Chief Judge of the state, Justice Paul Obidigwe.

Other members of the committee are former Idemili North Council chairman, Okey Muo-Aroh (Secretary); Beatrice Ekwueme; Chika Ibeneme; Anyanyo; Bright Nnebedum;

B.C. Umeanuka; Roma Mocha; and George Okoye.

The committee was also given free hand to enlarge membership, if that would help achieve the aim.

Its first assignment was at the Eze N’Ukpo Royal Palace, where the committee was led

by Emeakayi to register and re-issue a new party card to the National Grand Patron of the party, Prince Arthur Eze. Party chiefs, including Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe, witnessed the brief, but colourful, ceremony.

Both Eze and Ekwueme expressed confidence in the committee, assuring that they would assist in bringing back all factions and divergent opinions and aggrieved members into the party’s fold.

Eze, in a brief remark, bemoaned the bad image of the party in the state and called on all members to support the Jonathan administration, believing this would bring peace, cohesion and stability in the country, just as he advised anyone nursing any presidential ambition to shelve same for now.

He said: “I do not feel happy seeing my state always in the news because of PDP crisis and I have found out that those causing the confusion are the power-drunk individuals.

“We must be very careful on whatever we do. We should support Jonathan in his mission, because for now, he is the only person who can tackle the problem of Ndigbo. Our

Emeakayi people are very difficult to lead.”

“The people of Anambra and indeed Nigerians need peace. There is need to love one another. We should live in peace, instead of all these troubles everywhere.

“God loves this country. Our people are just fighting for selfish interests.”

At the rally, Deputy Chairman (Central), Chief Amechi Onowu, conveyed the support and goodwill wishes of Ekwueme for the peace and reconciliation moves.

He later told journalists that the members

of the committee was painstakingly drawn from all factions, including those led by Senator Andy Uba, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Emeakayi, Chief Mike Nwakalor and Chief Chris Uba, with a view to eliminating any claims of alienation that could arise at the end of the day.

The committee is to gather all membership registers in possession of the factions, harmonise and unify them into one.

Ibeneme said she became interested to ensure PDP victory in forthcoming elections in the state once again.

Muo-Aroh congratulated members for the new zeal towards peaceful resolution of the internal crisis before the next major election in the state.

According to Frank-Anthony Igboka: “From the look of things, this is the way forward.

The turnout and attendance was unlike anything I have ever seen before in this state.

“Emeakayi needs to be encouraged, because he is fighting the battle for all of us.”

To Ngozi Agudosi, from the galaxy of groups and their dance troupes at the rally, it was evident that grassroots politics and participation has returned in the state through PDP. Harry Oranezi expressed joy that the national headquarters of the party has eventually seen the need to return the party to the people, while Ugochukwu Okeke said the reconciliation was timely and auspicious.

54 |

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

POLITICS From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado-Ekiti HAT the people of Ekiti State will T next year go to the polls to re-elect the incumbent or elect a new gover-

Erinjiyan Killing: Ekiti ACN, PDP In War Of Attrition

nor is no longer news, but what is worrisome and disturbing is the spate of politically motivated violence that has in the recent times claimed many lives.

Though many would not forget in a hurry the bloodshed that charaction for their switch to the PDP the foltaken over the job of the Nigerian terised the governorship election of lowing day, the crisis broke. police.

2007 and re-run of 2009, as well as Apart from the killing and injuries sus“It is a reminder of the dark days of political unrest that almost marred tained, many cars had their windscreen dictatorship and impunity and we the three and half years tenure of shattered. An account of the crisis by shall resist any attempt to intimidate Segun Oni as governor of the state, the PDP alleged that ACN members in ACN leaders and members under any but since Governor Kayode Fayemi the town, who saw the decamping as an guise.” assumed office in October 16, 2010, affront on Awe, disrupted the meeting.

The party, therefore, called for the the state had witnessed relative peace The source said most of the defectors immediate release of Awe. and a noticeable development of eco- were Awe’s aides and loyalists, who In the same vein, the Chairman of nomic and physical infrastructure. were not happy with the sharing of the House of Representatives But the peace seems to be taking political offices and perks in the ward.

Committee on Communications, flight as a result of precipitated politi- In fact, Awe was alleged to have led the Oyetunde Ojo, described Awe’s arrest cal violence, most times, orchestrated onslaught. and detention as a political harassby the two rivalry political parties in But another account by ACN members ment, accusing the police of not the state- the Action Congress of blamed the crisis on the deep factional being thorough in their investigaNigeria (ACN) and the Peoples crisis within the PDP. tion.

Democratic Party (PDP).

They denied involvement in the PDP Ojo, who is representing the comOne of such was the fracas between meeting that led to the fracas and wonmunity in the House, said: “The the two parties at Erinjiyan Ekiti last dered why ACN and its chairman could killing and the crisis in Erinjiyan was weekend, where one 37-year-old be dragged into PDP internal affairs. an intra-party crisis within the PDP. Ayodele Jeje was shot dead and two While the controversy of who killed “The ACN knows nothing about this others, Mrs. Juliana Adewunmi and Jeje was going on, the police swung into crisis,but it disheartening that our Jeje Gbenga Adewunmi sustained gun action and invited Awe and some ACN Awa chairman was arrested by the police, injuries. members for what the Police Public the Adewunmi family- the leader of ACN while no member of the PDP has ty.

As at yesterday, they were still receiv- Relation Officer (PPRO), Victor But shortly after the party commend- members who wanted to defect to the been invited for questioning since ing treatment at Federal Medical Babayemi, called “fact-finding.” ed Wakama, it turned back to pass vote PDP- alleging that ACN was still planthey started investigation into the Centre in Ido-Osi, where the body of He said Awe was just invited to explain of no confidence on him and did not ning to foment more trouble. matter.”

Jeje was is also deposited. his alleged role in Jeje’s murder, but only ask Abuja to take over the matter, But the ACN members, worried that the He alleged that Segun Adewunmi, Although there are different that invitation later turned to arrest and but that he be redeployed for allegedly police was yet to arrest any PDP member who led the defectors, is still a staff of accounts of the crisis, but The detention, as Awe has not been released aiding and abetting lawlessness in the alleged to have precipitated the crisis, Police Pension Fund in Ikeja, Lagos Guardian learnt that the Erinjiyan since then. could not but marvel at the turn of state. and wondered why he should be town had been tensed up since last

By Wednesday, Awe and others in PDP, in a statement on Thursday by its events. involved in politics. week Friday afternoon when news fil- police custody were taken to the Force Director General, Information and To them, the scenario is a persecution According to him: “Adewunmi wanttered in that some hitherto ACN loyal- headquarters in Abuja on the orders of Media Communication, Gboyega of ACN members in the state and the use ed to contest on the platform of the ists would be defecting to the PDP. the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Aribisogan, said people’s confidence in of federal might to suppress the opposi- ACN during the last election, but he And curiously, ACN Chairman in the Mohammed Abubakar.

Wakama had waned and urged the IGP tion. was disqualified because he did not state, Chief Jide Awe, is a High Chief of At the first press conference held on to commence the overhaul of the Specifically, the party, through a state- resign. Now, he is fomenting probthe town. the matter in Ado Ekiti, PDP state ment by its Publicity Secretary, Tunde lem in Erijiyan.” policing system in the state.

A source hinted that several inciting Chairman, Makanjuola Ogundipe, who The statement said: “The spate of rob- Adeleke, accused the Minister of Police Former governor of the state, Ayo leaflets were distributed in the town commended the Commissioner of bery and politically-motivated crises in Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd) Fayose, who was the first politician in by the defectors, which had pitched Police, Sontonye Wakama, over the Ekiti State are becoming worrisome. and PDP of using federal might to harass the state to plead with Abuja to take members of the rivalry parties arrest of Awe and others, described as and persecute its members in the state. over the matter, accused Fayemi of “It has become obvious that the CP against themselves. And with the diversionary and criminal, the stateAccording to the statement: “Police appears compromised and helpless. trying to protect members of his pararrival of their party leaders from ment credited to Awe that the murder His relationship with the ruling ACN, investigation has been manipulated ty allegedly fingered in the murder.

Lagos and Ado Ekiti, the source said it was caused by internal crisis in PDP. at the expense of his duties and as the and skewed against Awe and other ACN But Commissioner for Information, was obvious that hell would let loose Ogundipe stated that it was unfortu- man in charge of the state police com- members by Olubolade, who is an inter- Tayo Ekundayo, described Fayose’s that weekend. nate for Awe to have denied the killing, mand, can no longer be tolerated by ested party, a governorship aspirant and allegation as a figment of his own And true to his prediction, while Jeje even when the victims could recognise the teeming people of Ekiti State.” factional leaderof PDP in the state. imagination, saying the people know and others were a holding meeting at him vividly among the “We view the latest development as an who the real killers are.

While the PDP called on the IGP to Adewunmi’s compound in prepara- hoodlums that attacked the communi- probe Jeje’s killing and the attack on abuse of office by Olubolade, who has

Abia Is Not A State Of Dirty Politics, Says Ugwa Sunday Ugwa, a former member of the Abia State House of Assembly between 2007 and 2011 and two-time treasurer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, spoke to ONYEDIKA AGBEDO on the politics of the state, planned return of former governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu to PDP, the merging of opposition parties and the 2015 elections, among other issues.

What is your take on the merger of some political parties in the country to challenge the PDP in the 2015 elections?

S far as I am concerned, there is no cause for alarm. It might sound somehow, but it is true.

The issue is that one cannot run away from having oppositions. If you are afraid of having opposition, it then means you are not serious about your business, as that makes the business even sweeter.

But what is important now is the implication of the merger to the PDP, where I belong. I think the party does not need to be afraid, in as much as it knows or is sure of what it is doing for the people.

As far as the party is giving the people the needed governance and dividends of democracy, we don’t have any reason to worry about the merger.

PDP needs to look inwards and see where they have some cracks and amend those cracks in time. The only thing that can give the opposition parties any advantage is if the PDP leaves any crack un-amended.

Once there is no crack in PDP, the coming together of one million parties will not make any difference.

Coming to Abia politics, without our working for it, we have a near one party state in Abia. Nobody

A

Ugwa created the situation; it was a result of good governance, which attracted the majority.

If there is any state in the federation, including the FCT, that the opposition party will not thrive, it is Abia.

It will be impossible for the opposition to thrive in Abia, not because we will persecute them or go after them, but because there is no fertile ground for them to work on.

But many Nigerians feel PDP has not done well for the country since assuming power in 1999..?

(Cuts in) Actually, I don’t blame people with such notion. All of us have to appreciate the fact that the deterioration in the system had gone too far that it won’t just take one or two days to correct it perfectly.

But the truth is that there is some level of improvement in the system.

For instance, in my own village, for about four whole years, we never had electricity supply.

But now, if I have a job that needs constant elec-

tricity supply to execute, instead of going to a hotel to lodge to get it done, I stay in the village, because I am sure of constant power supply.

If you go to other sectors, there are similar developments.

There had been problems left un-attended to for so long such that dismantling them cannot be an overnight issue. We have to look at what was obtainable yesterday and compare it with what is obtainable today.

I also think that when we judge by the changes we are noticing in the system, PDP has better prospects than the party we never know where they are coming from.

It is alleged that Governor Theodore Orji and PDP stalwarts in the state are obstructing Kalu’s bid to return to PDP. Why is it so at a time the party is trying to woo back its former members?

I was once a state working committee member, so I am conversant with the state chapter of the party.

There is one thing that is peculiar with Abia- we are strictly a law-abiding people. We always want to go by what the law says. So, sometimes it is not easy to cut corners in the state.

Sentiment apart, I don’t think that if what is happening now between the state chapter of the party and Kalu is happening between the same chapter and another person, the same thing will not be applicable. Definitely!

The chapter is insisting that due process must be followed. The process of his re-admission must start from the ward and progress to the national level.

So, if he has not been re-admitted, that means certain things have not been properly done. I don’t see that as dirty politicking; I see it as insistence on the rule of law and due process.

Has he approached your ward for re-admission?

Actually, he is from my area, to the extent that we are from the same constituency and I have represented the constituency in the state Assembly.

The issue of re-admission is a business of the ward. I don’t come from the same ward with him; he is from Igbere and I am from Item.

If his ward has not re-admitted him, it means certain things have not been done properly at that level.

But do you support his re-admission?

I will never stand anywhere else except where the party stands. Remember it is a party thing and I am just a subject of the party.

Wherever the part stands is where I stand.

Do you agree with the notion that in spite of the so-called liberation of Abia State from the stranglehold of the former governor, the state is still not working?

I totally don’t agree! With due respect, that impression is totally wrong.

I am not an appointee of the state or holding any party position in the state; I am just an ordinary Abian and I am talking to you as an ordinary Abian, who is not interested in any side of the divide.

I have given some instances concerning the Federal Government under PDP; it is the same thing in Abia. The system had been so rotten that it can’t just take a day to amend all the wrongs.

The other I drove through the rehabilitated Azikiwe and Eziukwu roads, through Okigwe road in Aba, which were inaccessible for years and the roads were very smooth. The story is the same for Okigwe and Fox roads.

Other sectors, from education to health, agriculture, trade and commerce and housing, among others have experienced improvements.

So, it is not true for anybody to say that the state has not been working. People are free in their assessments to argue that may be the speed is not as they had wished it to be, but they cannot say that it is not working. It is too bad for anybody to say that.

55

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

CELEBRATION

When Ikale People Honoured The Guardian Editor, Oloja And Prof. Ogen

By Felix Kuye and Abiodun Fanoro KALE leaders, from home and abroad, thronged Okitipupa in Ondo South last weekend to celebrate two of their kinsmen, Mr. Martins Oloja, the newly appointed Editor of The Guardian and Olukoya Ogen who has just been promoted professor of History by the Osun State University.

The event tagged “2013 Award of Excellence” and organized by the Ikale Distinguished Award Committee (IDAC) under the chairmanship of former Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, was not just to honour Oloja and Ogen, but to promote the unity of the people and the advancement of Ikale nation. And indeed, it turned out a reunion gathering for eminent Ikale sons and daughters as well as friends and associates who had lost contact over time. They hugged, exchanged banters and proved that they had not completely lost touch with the way of life of their people as they rapturously danced to the familiar lyrics of the Ikale traditional Biripo music rendered by the popular Ugeleji Cultural Group headed by Chief Omotola Emaye. Among the dignitaries at the event were the Orungberuwa of Ode-Erinje, Oba S.A.O Akinlalu; Jegun of Idepe, Oba Michael Akintoye Obatuga; Ahaba of Ajagba, represented by High Chief Akinmusere Joseph; the Regent of Akotogbo, High Chief Iwalewa; Lisa of Idepe, High Chief Adekanmi; Lemikan of Ikoya, Chief Oreke Awotula; Chief E.O Adetuyi; and the Bishop of Irele Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Felix Akinbuluma.

Also in attendance were the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Deputy Editor-in-chief and Deputy Managing Director of The Sun Newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina and his wife and daughter; Communication Manager of Chevron, Mr. Sola Adebawo, represented by Mr. Kayode Adeboboye; Director, Sportsday and former Sports Editor of The Sun, Mr. Ben Memuletiwon; Provost, College of Social and Management Sciences, University of Osun, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa; Mrs. Ogunboye A.K; Mr. Bayo Eyinmosan; Acting Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Osun, Dr. Wole Atere; Chief Security Officer to Oyo State Governor, Mr. Ojomo Francis; Chief Press Secretary to Ondo State governor, Mr. Eni Akinsola; Erelu Dupe Akindele; former Chairman of Okitipupa Local Government, Mr. Olaniyi Olayeye; Ondo State representative in the Federal Character Commission, Mr. Abayomi Sheba; Prof. Sola Fapetu of the Federal University of Science and Technology, Akure; former chairman of Ilaje Local Government, Mr. Banji Ajaka; Dr. Dayo Faduyile of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital; Chief Bode Akindele; Prince Oloyede Akindele; Mrs. Mode Akindele; former chairman of Okitipupa Local Government Mr. Segun Aiyerin; former House of Representatives member, Mr. Agboola Ajayi; Publicity Secretary of Ondo PDP, Mr. Ayo Fadaka; and Mr. Felix Aiyejunikanwa.

In his speech, the chairman of the award committee, Olafeso, noted that Ikaleland has produced seasoned leaders and eminent citizens, including the late First Republic Minister, Chief Olu Akinfosile; Major General Olu Bajowa (rtd); former Military Governor of the defunct Western Region, Admiral Akin Aduwo (rtd) and former Ondo State governor and Minister of Aviation and Power and Steel, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, who have made remarkable contributions to the development of Nigeria. He how-

I

Auditor-General of Ondo State, (left),Mr Sunday Adegoke, Mr Ayo Fadaka, PDP spokesperson, Ondo State, and Mr. Felix Ayejunikanwa ever lamented the seeming absence of the culture of celebrating the achievements of Ikale people to spur the young ones to strive for excellence in their areas of endeavor, and by extension boost the development of Ikale nation.

According to Olafeso, IDAC will henceforth stop at nothing to appreciate, propagate and celebrate the giant strides of Ikale people, home and abroad. The former commissioner who recalled his personal relationship with Oloja through the Teacher Training College, Ode-Aye and at Ajagba (Oloja’s town), described him as a seasoned journalist and public analyst who has made Ikale proud. He congratulated Oloja on his appointment as Editor of The Guardian, which he described as the most influential newsSome of the traditional rulers at the ceremony paper in Nigeria. By the same token, Olafeso hailed all those who contributed to the establishment of the Idepe High School, Okitipupa which produced Prof. Ogen, whom he described as a young and respected scholar who rose, by dint of hardwork and determination, to become a professor. The chief host and chieftain of Afenifere in the United Kingdom, Kole Omololu, lauded what he described as the spirit of oneness among Ikale people wherever they live, especially in the diaspora, noting that the award would present another opportunity for the people to strengthen their unity. He lauded appointment of Oloja as Editor of The Guardian, which he also described as the most credible newspaper in Nigeria. Omololu urged the organisers of the award to Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE)President, Mr Femi Adesina, (right), greeting Oloja strengthen it and widen the scope to cover excellent achievements of Ikale people in all fields of endeavour.

Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Seinde Fadeni, encouraged Ikale people to always strive for greater heights in their profession and imbibe the culture of giving back to the society. He called on the leaders and the elite to always be concerned about how to make the youth more successful in life. Fadeni urged Oloja to groom more successful journalists among Ikale youths. President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Adesina, who ran into some of his old friends in the university, including Olafeso, at the event, admonished Ikale people to preserve the music of the legend from the area, the late Comfort Omoge.

Speaking after the award presentaProfessor Ogen,(right), Bishop Felix Akinbuluma, Irele Diocese Anglican and Oloja

tion by the Jegun of Idepe, Oloja, who said he had never witnessed celebration of achievements of Ikale people, lauded the works of Prof. Ogen which he described as eye openers, particularly his PhD thesis which is on the history of Ikale people. Oloja dedicated his award to God, calling on the state government to pay more attention to education. Oloja, who noted that the benefits of education goes beyond employment, tasked the government on what he described as functional education that will produce graduates who will be able to fill the skills gap in the employment market in Nigeria and beyond.

The Guardian’s editor stressed the need to strengthen technical education to produce young experts who will be able to competently handle many tasks which their foreign counterparts carry out in many sectors of the nation’s economy today.

This, he added would reduce youth unemployment. According to Oloja, there should also be focus on research, which he described as the foundation for development.

In his response, Ogen took the audience through the challenges he faced, including the punishments he suffered at home and in the hands of family friends in efforts to instill discipline in him, and thanked all those who gave him moral training which prepared him for visionary education that culminated in becoming a professor. Ogen, who noted that he had never met Oloja until the day of the award, told the gathering how Oloja, who was then the Abuja Bureau Chief of The Guardian, facilitated the publication of an article in The Guardian which thwarted an alleged attempt by a past administration in the state to deny Professor Akere from Ese Odo (who beat other contestants to the office on merit) the vice chancellorship of the Adekunle Ajasin University. Ogen was a lecturer in the university at the time. He expressed appreciation for the award because, according to him, it was not bought, not lobbied for and it came from home. The historian urged award-givers to always ensure that awards are on merit.

The professor said his thesis on the history of Ikale people was a service to his kinsmen, to put Ikaleland on the map of the world.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April, 6, 2013

56

Change of Name ADAMS: Formerly Apostle John Osazuwa Adams now Apostle John Osazuwa Onyemaechi Abraham.

Former documents remain valid. UNIPORT and public note.

ADEDEJI: Formerly Adedeji Adepeju Olawade now wish to be known as Ejueyitchie Adepeju Olawade. Former documents remain valid.

Public note ADEGBILE: Former Adegbile Deborah Oladunni Olateju now Akinade Deborah Oladunni Olateju.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ADEJARE: Formerly Miss Adebukola Kafilat Adejare, now Mrs Adebukola Kafilat Yusuf. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

ADEKOYA: I, formerly Miss Adeola Adekoya now Mrs. Adeola Ajayi. Former documents remain valid.

Public please note.

ADELANA: Formerly Miss Adelana Abosede Mary now Mrs. Falaye Abosede Mary. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

ADELEKE: Formerly Adeleke Kehinde Lizzy now Mrs. Aigbokhai Kehinde Lizzy. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

ADEMEHIN: I, formerly Miss Ademehin Elizabeth now Mrs. Ayodele Elizabeth.

Former documents remain valid. UBA and general public note.

ADEMOLA: Formerly Ademola Ajao Afolabi now Lord Frank. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ADEOYE: Formerly Miss Idowu Esther Adeoye, now Mrs Idowu Esther Alani.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ADEROJU: Former Miss Abimbola

Omobolanle Aderoju now Mrs. Abimbola Omobolanle Ene-Ita Okon. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

ADESUGBA: Formerly Miss Adesugba lyabode Abigail now Mrs. Aina Iyabode Abigail. Documents valid. Public note.

ADEYANJU: Formerly Miss Abidemi Adedoyin Opeyemi, now Mrs Abidemi Adedoyin Opeyemi Akinloye.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ADU: Formerly Olajide Adenike Adu now Mrs. Olajide Adenike RotimiFadipe. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

AGANNA: Formerly known as Miss Aganna Eyitope Susan now Mrs. Momoh Etitope Susan. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

AIGBOGUN: I, formerly Miss Aigbogun Omodunni Deborah now Mrs. Orepo Omodunni Deborah. All former documents remain valid. Public note.

AINA: Formerly Olubunmi Racheal Aina now Mrs. Olubunmi Racheal Ajayi. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

AIRIHENBUWA: Formerly Airihenbuwa Destiny now Mrs. Ihegie Destiny. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

AJAYI: Formerly Bolanle Aboyede Ajayi now Mrs. Bolanle Aboyede Adelaja. Former documents valid. Public note.

AJEWOLE: Former Master Ajewole Gbenga Steven now Mr. Imolehin Gbenga Steven. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

AJIDE: Formerly Miss Ajide Rukayat Temitope now Mrs. Alabi Rukayat Temitope.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

AKEEM: Formerly Akeem Abiola Bankole now Alfred Abiola Bankole. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

AKINGBESOTE: Formerly Miss Akingbesote Olubunmi Oluwaseun now Mrs. Opayemi Olubunmi Oluwaseun. Documents remain valid.

Public note.

AKINOLA: Formerly Miss Akinola Kafayat Omowunmi now Mrs. Alagbada Kafayat Omowunmi.

Former documents remain valid. Stanbic IBTC, public note.

AKINTAN: Formerly Miss Morounfayo Susan Akintan now Mrs. Morounfayo Susan Ojuokaiye. All previous documents remain valid. General public note.

AKINYEDE: Former Miss Akinyede Adeyinka A. now Mrs. Ashaolu Adeyinka A. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

AKINYEMI: Formerly Miss Akinyemi Islamiat now Mrs. Adeniran Islamiat.

Former documents valid. Public note.

ALOZIE: Formerly Miss Chioma Alozie, Mrs. Chioma Agboo Nkwo, Mrs. Chioma Offor now to be addressed as Mrs. Chioma Treasure Winsouls.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ANAEKWE: Formerly Miss Anaekwe Christiana Adugo now Mrs. Igbeke Christiana Adugo. Former documents remain valid. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and public note.

ANANA: Formerly Akan Bernard Anana now Akan Victor Bernard. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

Public note.

ANIE: Formerly Lawrence Ifeomagunuwa now Lawrence Ifeomagunuwa Joseph. Former documents valid. Public note.

BEJIDE: Formerly Miss Bejide Oyeyemi Deborah now Mrs. Adebo Oyeyemi Deborah. Former documents remain valid.

UBN Plc, public take note.

ANI: I, formerly Mr. and Mrs. Ani Vincent Chukwudi and Chidinma Agnes now Mr. and Mrs. Okemefuna Vincent Chukwudi and Chidinma Agnes.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ANJORIN: Formerly Mosebolatan Funmi Anjorin now Mrs. Soremekun Funmi Mosebolatan. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ANORUE: Formerly Miss Anorue Joy Nkechinyere now Mrs. Oji-Eleazar Joy Nkechinyere. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

APPOLUS: Formerly Miss Appolus Adaku Gloria now Mrs Promise Adaku Gloria. Former documents remain valid.

General public note.

ARAJUWA: Formerly Miss Bosede Esther Monisola Arajuwa now Mrs. Bosede Esther Monisola Ashonibare. All former documents remain valid. Public note.

ARUMA: Former Miss Loveth Chidimma Aruma now Mrs. Loveth Chidimma Chukwuma. Former documents remain valid. Public take note.

ASADU: Formerly Miss Asadu Mary Nwakaego now to be addressed as Mrs Bello Mary Nwakaego. Former document remain valid. Public note.

AWOJOODU: Formerly Awojoodu Mayowa Abayomi Daniel now Oladele Mayowa Abayomi Daniel. Former documents valid. Public note.

BALAMI: Formerly Helen Nvwa Balami now Mrs. Helen Kubili Dada. Former documents valid.

BEKEE: Formerly Miss Caroline Chinenye Bekee now Mrs Anyanwu Caroline Chinenye. Former documents valid.

General public note.

BELIA: Formerly Miss Belia Abimbola Tolulope now Mrs. Ola Abimbola Tolulope.

All former documents remain valid.

General public note.

BISIRIYU: Former Abimbola Tolulope Bisiriyu now Mrs. Abimbola Tolulope Ayoola. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

CHUWAH: Formerly Miss MaryAnn Chinasa Chuwah now Mrs. MaryAnn Chinasa Ifeanyi Unozo.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

CHUKWU: Formerly Miss Chukwu Ijeoma Sandra now Mrs. Isaiah Ijeoma Sandra.

Former documents valid. NYSC, Public note.

CHUKWU: Formerly Magdalene Chilaka Chukwu now Mrs. Magdalene Chilaka Ngwu. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

CHUKWUMA: Formerly Chukwuma Lilian Uju now Mrs. Ojukwu Lilian Uju. All former documents remain valid.

Public note.

COKER: Formerly known as Miss Temitope Kafayat Coker now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Temitope Olajumoke Idems. All former documents remain valid. Public take note.

COSMOS: Formerly Mr. Okoro Cosmos Eberechukwu now Mr. Okoro Emmanuel Chukwue-

meka. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

DIKE: Formerly Miss Ezinna Fortune Dike now Mrs. Ezinne Fortune Bright Williams. Former documents valid.

General public note.

EBEDE: Formerly Miss Ebede Amarachukwu now Mrs. Okwudifele Joy Amarachukwu. All former documents remain valid. Public note.

EGBELEYE: Formerly Miss Egbeleye Kehinde Elizabeth Oluwakemi now Mrs. Adefarasin Kehinde Elizabeth.

Documents valid.

Public note.

EGUNLAE: Formerly Miss Egunlae, Feyisayo Abike now Mrs. Olanubi, Feyisayo Abike. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

EHIDIAMHEN: Former Miss Ehidia m h e n Onuwabhagbe Kate, now wish to be known as Mrs. Tongshinen Onuwabhagbe Kate Ehinomhen. Former documents remain valid. NABTEB, general public note.

EJIRINDE: Formerly Ebun Oluyemisi Ejirinde now Ebun Oluyemisi Ejirinde – Emelogu. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ELUWOLE: Formerly Beatrice Bukola Eluwole now Mrs. Beatrice Bukola Orekoya.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ENEGBEYI: Formerly Enegbeyi Adeola Babatunde now Loxley Adeola Babatunde.

All former documents remain valid.

General public note.

ERUEDOJA: Formerly Miss Atarhe Evelyn Eruedoja now Mrs. Atarhe Evelyb Olafeso. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April, 6, 2013

57

Change of Name ESTHER: Formerly Miss Esther Havilah Helen now Mrs. Olukunke Havilah Helen.

Former docuemnts remain valid. Public note.

ETIM: Formerly Miss Sylvia Atim Etim, now Mrs Sylvia Atim Wali. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

ETIM: Formerly Miss Johnson Precious Etim, now Mrs Johnson Precious Akpan.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ETUK: Formerly Miss Aniedi Jeresa Etuk, now Mrs Annie Ifiok Etukudu.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

EZEAGWULA: Formerly known as Ezeagwula Kingsley Hart now wish to be known as Eze Kingsley Hart. Former documents remain valid. Public please note.

EZEAKA: Formerly Miss Chinonso Eziamaka Ezeaka, now Mrs Chinonso Eziamaka Akinsanya. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

EZUMEZU: Formerly Ezumezu Abraham Valentine now Mrs. Stephen Abraham Valentine. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

FABINU: I, former Miss Fabinu Adebukola Kudirat now wish to be known as Mrs. Odometa Adebukola Teniola. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

FABUNMI: Formerly Fabunmi Abayomi Tobi now Clement Abayomi Tobi. Former documents remain valid. Public take note.

FAMUYIDE: Former Miss Famuyide Foluke Olutoyin now Mrs. Obanor Foluke Olutoyin.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

FAMUYIWA: Foremrly Famuyiwa Aminat Oyindamola now

Mrs. Fayanmira Aminat Oyindamola. Former documents valid. Public note.

FOLORUNSO: Former Miss Folorunso Oluwaseyi Kemisola now Mrs. Irabor Oluwaseyi Kemisola.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

FUNMILAYO: Formerly Sule Funmilayo now Sule Muyinbat Abike. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

GHAZAL: Formerly Miss Ghazal Olawunmi Rebecca, now Mrs Iyiola Olawunmi Rebecca.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

HADESMAN; Formerly Iniobong Jerry Hadesman Etukakpan now to be called Iniobong Jerry Noah Etukakpan. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

IDIMEH: Formerly Richard Sunday Oyoamoakwe Michael Idimeh now Richard Sunday Oyoamoakwe Michael. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

IGBINEDION: I formerly Miss Igbinedion Ifueko Patience now Mrs. Adeniyi Ifueko Patience. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IKE: Formerly Miss Nkemfuru Winifred Ike now Mrs. Nkemfuru Winifred Iwuamadi.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

IKPEH: Formerly Patience Ikpeh now Mrs. Patience Stephen Obaulo.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ITOHAN: Formerly Folake Itohan Salami now Folake Iiohan Oke. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

IWUAJOKU: Formerly Sandra Onyinyechi Njideka Akulome Iwuajoku now San-

dra Onyinyechi Njideka Akulome Oyeku. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

JINADU: I, formerly Miss Doyinsola Titilayo Jinadu now wish to be known as Mrs. Doyinsola Titilayo Awodumila. All former documents remain valid. Akintola Williams Deloitte and general public take note.

JOSHUA: Formerly Joshua Richards now Niyi Adeshina. Documents remain valid.

Public note.

KALU: Formerly Miss Rose Udeagha Kalu now Mrs Osiri Pamela Rose E. Former documents valid. public note.

KAZEEM: Formerly Mr. Sanusi Oluwaseun Kazeem now to be known and addressed as Mr. Sanusi Oluwaseun Emmanuel. All former documents remain valid. Public note.

KOLAWOLE: Formerly Kolawole Oluwabunmi Florence to be addressed as Odelola O l a w a l e Oluwabunmi Olasope. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

LAWAL; I, formerly known as Miss Hauwa Oshiokeama Momoh Lawal now Mrs Hauwa Momoh Roti. All former documents remain valid.

Public note.

LAYEFA: I, formerly known as Miss Layefa Olivia Kemebradikumo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Johnson Olivia Kemebradikumo. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

LUKESON: Formerly Mike Lukeson now Mrs. Joy Yeneime Apiyantede. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

MADU: Formerly Miss Prudence Ngozi Madu now Mrs. Prudence Ngozi Onyeji-

aka. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

MAJA:: Formerly Miss Karimot Ajibola Maja, now Mrs. Karimot Ajibola Jaiyesimi. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

MUSTAPHA: Formerly Mustapha Hannah Oluwatosin now Mrs. E m m a n u e l Oluwatosin Hannah (Nee Adebayo). Former documents remain valid. Public note.

MAWANU: Formerly Miss Titilola Temitope Mawanu, now Mrs Titilola Temitope Ojo. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

MBA: Formerly Obichukwu Udodi Mba now Obichukwu Udodi Micheal. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

MICHAEL: Formerly Foluke Bosede Michael now Foluke Bosede Oluwadare.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

MOJEED: Formerly Mojeed Lateef Yomi now Banjo Lateef Yomi. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

MOKWENYE: Former Miss Irene Elile Mokwenye, now wish to be known as Irene Elile Emeribe. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

NJEPU: Formerly Dr Miss Vivian Onyinye Njepu now Dr. (Mrs) Vivian Onyinye Orjaih. All former documents remain valid.General public note NWAEZE: Formerly Miss Nwamaka Nwaeze, now Mrs Nwamaka ChidiUgwa. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

NWAKWO: Formerly Miss Peace Ndidiamaka Nwakwo now Mrs. Peace Ndidiamaka Okoro. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

NWANKWO: Formerly Miss Nwankwo Ebele Christiana now Mrs. Chikwendu Ebele Christiana. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

NWAOKPUHU: Formerly Nwaokpuhu Solomon Obinna Chimezi now Nwoke David Solomon Obinna Chimezi. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

NWOBODO: Formerly Miss Nwobodo Chidera Best now Mrs. Nzedinma Chidera Best. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

NWOGBO: Formerly Miss Nwogbo Chinelo Augustina now Mrs. Obinyirioha Chinelo Augustina. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

NWOSISI: Former Mrs. Boma Victoria Nwosisi now Miss Boma Victoria Ediyekio. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

OBEKE: Formerly Miss Obeke Grace Chinwendu now Mrs. Ochiogu Grace Chinwendu. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

OBI: Formerly Miss Obi Cecilia Kelechi .J. now Mrs. Ogwuegbu Juliet Kelechi. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ODABE: I, formerly Miss Odabe Onyinyechi Naomi now wish to be known as Mrs. Elendu Onyinyechi Naomi.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ODIWO: Formerly known as Miss Titilayo Ogere Odiwo now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Titilayo Ogere Ogunlade.

All former documents remain valid. Public take note.

ODUMUYIWA: We formerly surnamed Odumuyiwa now to be known as Olumuyiwa. This applies to Olumuyiwa Christopher Adefemi, Olumuyiwa Felicia Ikeolu (Mrs). Former

documents remain valid. General public note.

ODUNAIKE: I, formerly Miss Oluwamayowa Ayobami Odunaike now bear Mrs. Oluwamayowa Ayobami Okutubo.

Former documents remain valid. Olabisi Onabanjo University and General public note.

OGBA: Formerly Ogba Chinonso Uche now Ogba Chinonso Uchenna.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OGBONNA: Formerly known as Ogbonna Eunice Uchenna now wishes to be known as Adeyemi Eunice Uchenna. All former documents remain valid Babcock University and General Public note.

OGUNJIMI: Formerly Miss Oluwakemi Abosede Ogunjimi, now Mrs Oluwakemi Abosede Badaru. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OGUNKOYA: Formerly Miss Abiola Monsurat Ogunkoya now Mrs. Abiola Monsurat Kassim.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OGUNLEYE: Formerly M o t u n r a y o Oluwayemisi Betiku Ogunleye now Mot u n r a y o Oluwayemisi Fasan.

Former documents valid. Public note.

OGUNMUYIDE: Formerly called Ogunmuyide Olukemi Comfort now called Olumuyide Olukemi Comfort. All documents remain valid.

General public note.

OGUNSANWO: Formerly Miss Ogunsanwo Mosunmola Iyabo now Mrs. Lawal Mosunmola Iyabo. All former documents remain valid. Public note.

OGUNSOLA: Formerly Ogunsola Ayowole Adekunle now Olusola Jasper Ayowole Adekunle. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April, 6, 2013

58

Change of Name OGUNTOWO: Formerly addressed as Oguntowo Abiodun Matthew now Olaniran Abiodun Matthew. All former documents remain valid. Public note.

OGWU: Formerly Ogwu Nneka Stella now Mrs. Stephen Nneka Stella Mine.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OIKU: Formerly Miss Patience Ebanehita Oiku, now Mrs Patience Ebanehita AyoUmoh.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OJANSAWO: Formerly Miss Ojansawo Funmilayo Mutiat now Mrs. Fadairo Funmilayo Mutiat. Former documents valid.

Public note.

OJINNAKA: Former Miss Cynthia Onyeka Ojinnaka now Mrs. Cynthia Onyeka Umeh. All former documents remain valid. Unilag and general public note.

OJO: Formerly Miss Ojo Temitope Grace now addressed as Mrs. Ige Temitope Grace. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

OKAFOR: Formerly Okafor Amaka MaryMartin now Mrs. Nwokeji Amaka Mary-Martin. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OKANLAWON: Formerly Miss Okanlawon Janet Bamise now Mrs. Adekunle Bamise Adenihun.

Documents valid.

Public note.

OKECHUKWU: Formerly Miss Okechukwu Chika Jennifer now Mrs. Nzeribe Chika Jennifer.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OKE: Formerly Miss Oke Grace Suuru now Mrs. Adediran Grace Suuru. Former documents valid. Ipokia LGEA, public note.

OKEKE: Formerly Miss Okeke Njideka Ifeyinwa now Mrs. Ajemba Njideka Ifey-

inwa. Former documents valid. Public note.

OKOENE: Formerly Mrs. Okoene Chika Miriam now Miss Ede Chika Miriam.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OKONJI: Formerly Dr. Uchechukwu Oby Okonji now Dr. (Mrs.) Uchechukwu Oby Agboje. Former documents remain valid. Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria, general public take note.

OKONKWO: Formerly Miss Anthonia O g o c h u k w u Okonkwo now Mrs. Ikemefuna Anthonia Ogochukwu. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc and public take note.

OLABISI: Formerly known as Miss Olabisi Francessca Alabi now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Olabisi Francessca Dare-Alabi. All former documents remain valid. Public take note.

OLADIMEJI: Formerly Miss Oladimeji Moriliat Odunola now Mrs. Ogunbunmi Moriliat Odunola.

Former documents valid. Public note.

OLAITAN: Formerly Miss Olaitan Abolanle Enitan now Mrs. Enitan Abolanle Adejoke. Documents valid. FMC Abeokuta, public note.

OLORUNSAYE: Formerly known as Olorunsaye Samuel Ekundayo now wish to be known as Oloruntoba Samuel Ekundayo.

Former document remain valid. Public note.

OLOIDI: Formerly Miss Oloidi Oluwakemi Abolanle now Mrs. Adeyemi O l u w a k e m i Abolanle. All former documents remain valid. General public note.

OLOIDI: Formerly Miss Oloidi Olufunmilayo Olakunbi now Mrs. Dedewo Olufunmilayo

Olakunbi. All former documents remain valid. General public note.

OLUWAKUADE: formerly Ogunkuade Theophilus Oluwole, now Oluwakuade Theophilus Oluwole.

Former documents remains valid. Public note OMOBOYE: Formerly Miss Omoboye Abisola Fatimah now Mrs. Familusi Abisola Fatimah. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

OMOREGHA: Former Miss Omoregha Uhunoma Mary now Mrs. Oshoma Uhunoma Mary. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

OMOSEBI: Formerly Miss Omosebi Deborah Adeyoola now Mrs. Adeyinka Deborah Adeyoola. All former documents remain valid. Public note.

ONI: Formerly Miss Oni Adebukola Ayinke now Mrs. Adebowale Adebukola.

Documents valid.

Public note.

ONOFURHO: Formerly Miss Onofurho Joy Ojiyovwi now Mrs. Okafor Joy Ojiyovwi.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ONUH: Formerly Miss Rosita Ginika Onuh now Mrs. VCNwosumba Rosita Ginika. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

ONUOHA: Formerly Miss Onuoha Priscilla Nkeiruka now Mrs. Nkwekegbu Priscilla Nkeiruka.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ONYIRIMBA: I, formerly known as Miss Onyirimba Lynda Onyenonachi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anyanwu Lynda Onyenonachi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OPARA: Formerly Sylvia Chikodi Opara now Mrs. Sylvia Chikodi Bello. Former documents remain

valid. Public note.

ORJI: Formerly Miss Orji Ruth Ogechi now Mrs. Okechukwu Ruth Ogechi. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

ORUKPE: Formerly Miss Orukpe Mercy Oselumenose now Mrs. Idowu Mercy Oselumenose. Former documents valid.

Public note.

OSHINLARU: Formerly Oshinlaru Abimbola Bakre now wish to be known and addressed as Abimbola Bakre. General public take note.

OSUALA: Formerly Miss Amoge Osuala now Mrs. Amoge Egesionu. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

OYINDOLAPO: Formerly Oyenike Oyindolapo now to be addressed and known as Oyenike Oyindolapo Adesokan. Former documents valid.

Public note.

OZOVEHE: Formerly Chinelo Ann Ozovehe now Chinelo Oranye.

Former documents remain valid. Public note.

PELEMOH: Formerly Miss Patience Olaoluwa Pelemoh, now Mrs Patience Olaoluwa Akingbasote. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

RAFIU: Formerly Miss Rafiu Moriamo Tunrayo now Mrs. Adekunle Grace Tunrayo.

Documents valid. Public note.

SALAMI: Formerly Folake Itohan Salami now Folake Itohan Oke. Former documents remain valid.

Public note SAMUH: Formerly Miss Sandra Samuh now Mrs. Sandra Mngufan Kwaghfan. Former documents remain valid. ASCON, general public note.

SANI: Formerly Maryam Sani now Mrs. Ibrahim Maryam. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

SHAFAU: I, former Miss Omolola Shafau now wish to be known as Mrs. Omolola Jimoh.

All former documents remain valid. Akintola Williams Deloitte and general public take note.

SHOFOLUWE: Formerly Miss Busayo Elizabeth Shofoluwe now Mrs. Busayo Elizabeth Olajide. Former documents remain valid. PHCN, public note.

Olabosinde. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

UBAH: Formerly Miss Ubah Peace Ogechukwu now Mrs. Enemuo Peace Ogechukwu. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

UCHE: Formerly Uche Ijeoma Celine Collins now Mrs. Umunna Ijeoma Celine. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

SHOKUMBI: Formerly Miss Shokumbi Funmilayo Abebi now Mrs. Sodunke Funmilayo Abebi. Documents valid. FCE Abeokuta, public note.

UCHENDU: Formerly Miss Uchendu K e l e c h u k w u Oluchukwu now Mrs Isiguzo Kelechukwu Oluchukwu. former documents valid. public note.

SHONUBI: Formerly Miss Adeola Tolulope Shonubi, now Mrs Adeola Tolulope Akinsuyi. Former documents remain valid.

Public note.

SOBANJO: Sobanjo Opeyemi Abimbola Aina now wish to be addressed as Ayobanjo Opeyemi Abimbola Aina. Former documents remain valid.

General public note.

UMARU: Former Oshiomah Mustapha Umaru now Oshiomah Mustapha Joshua Umaru. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

SOBANJO: Sobanjo Olajumoke Oluwaseun now wish to be addressed as Ayobanjo O l a j u m o k e Oluwaseun. Former documents remain valid. General public note.

UMOH: Formerly Miss Enobong Blessing Umoh now Mrs Enobong Blessing Abdulramon Adams.

Former documents remain valid. General public note YAKUBU: Formerly Miss Yakubu Kudirat Abolanle Abolore now Mrs. Ogundele Kudirat Abolore. Documents valid. Public note.

SOBANJO: Ireoluwamide Eriifeoluwa Daniel now wish to be addressed as Ayobanjo Ireoluwamide Eriifeoluwa.

Former documents remain valid. General public note.

TAIWO: Formerly Taiwo Basirat Iyabode now Taiwo Basirat Iyabode Taiwo. Documents remain valid.

Public note.

TAJUDEEN: Formerly Miss Olajumoke Fauzeeyah Tajudeen, now Mrs Olajumoke Fauzeeyah Tijani. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

TEWOBOLA: Formerly Miss Tewobola Olufunke Mercy now wish to be known as Mrs. Olufunke Tewobola

UMEZURIKE: Formerly Miss Oluchi Umezurike, now Mrs Oluchi Onuoha. Former documents remain valid. Public note.

IF FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CHANGE Of NAME YOU WANT TO BUY A COPY PLEASE CALL 0802 306 4437

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday,April 6, 2013

59

TRANSITION

Achebe And The Candles Of Hope And Empathy

By Chudi Onwuasoanya N adaptation of Things Fall Apart was on TV during my Onitsha childhood days. I never watched it but caught references to Ikemefuna and Okonkwo at miscellaneous small talks. So, when Rosemund, the grown-up girl at the other side of our quarters lent me her copy of the novel, that should have induced a quitting of my disrespectful ways of not referring to her as “Auntie” as the well-mannered kids did. I remember the hunger with which I grabbed for the book after each compelled pause. This was probably Primary 5. My mother’s story-telling was already losing out to other sets of story-tellers – the writers of the Pace-Setters series, the Drumbeat series, the erotica called Mills & Boon, and J.T. Edson whose magical tales of cussing, trigger-snapping cowboys in distant Texas pumped my infant adrenaline to bursting.

So Things Fall Apart became the first serious novel I read. Its significance was lost on me that first time. There was no making sense of a line, which stuck vaguely in my head: “Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger”. River Niger lay 15 minutes from my home, languorous behind Ose market. Primitive tribes on it, was not a picture of intelligibility since the river or at least the bridge over it, clearly visible from the beginning of my street, was simply a fixture of everyday life. And what did pacification mean? Yet, it turned out to be one hell of a story. My mind kept trying to make out Ikemefuna’s face the moment the machete struck whilst he jumbled numbers for good fortune at the same time as it searched for the woman in my own village who most resembled Nwanyieke.

A

Things Fall Apart became the doorway to a long lounge in that orange-tinted orchard of Heineman’s African Writers’ Series and its cousins. The pluck was bountiful. Mongo Betti’s Mission to Kala with that unforgettable urchin who relished scandalising his drooling priest with invented sexcapades easily comes to mind as do Serumaga’s Return to the Shadows’s hero treading an imperceptible line between staying alive or being murdered or Wa Thiongo’s Weep Not Child and its hint of the perplexity of the man who, ignoring for a moment that he had become a mere serf on his ancestor’s land, pitied his plunderer for owning such a thin pale wife, and only ONE for that matter. A few years in this orchard and what started as boy’s lust after a good story morphed into honey-dipped education for a teenager at the cross-roads of realisation.

On Friday morning, my mind struggled through these memories to the point of acknowledgment: Achebe’s first book was the beginning of my education on identity. No flamboyance. No nonsense. Simply an inquiry into how whence I have come could explain who I have become. When I read Things Fall Apart again and again, each time finding new meanings that make me wonder that I had actually read it before, the experience always resolves with the same wish to perceive who I was by taking a more searching look at where I had walked. Which brings me to the point.

Things Fall Apart is probably the most aesthetically sophisticated of Achebe’s works, but it is not my favourite. That would go to No Longer at Ease. Achebe’s second novel is perhaps less celebrated because of its more familiar subject-matter – the tensions that

Achebe followed the forced grafting of foreign cultural scions onto diverse pre-colonial rootstocks, the ensuing failures of the crop, and the (inevitable) Frankenstein monsters that trail us in the names of corruption, mediocrity, cynical citizenship, and mercenary-kings. The first novel, in taking us on a time-travel, comes charged with romance. In contrast, No Longer at Ease does not take us far away. It confronts us with our todays in all their sordid, tedious details. Yet when you look beyond romance, you find in this second novel’s measured irony and restrained judgment, Achebe’s concern with empathy that is sober and considered. It is a rendering of the ultimate blueprint for a collective self-evaluation of today’s Nigerian society. Now, this is no longer a pure question of art. It is equally a political and social question. And please don’t give me that Oscar Wilde eye. Among the literary greats of all times are Trollope and Tolstoy, despite the arguable characterisation of their work as social commentary.

Why is it that Obi Okonkwo, with all his advantages, could not broaden his imagination beyond the immediate: paying off the town union, paying for Clara’s abortion? Why did he not call upon his broadened horizon to say: “the hell with all of you, I’m going to marry Clara, osu or not!” More fundamentally, why did

…He Was Ogidi Man First, Ogidi Man Last

By Nnamdi Ken Amobi HE departure of High Chief Chinua Achebe (Ugo belu n’oji, the Eagle on the Iroko) is painful to many well-meaning Nigerians and numerous peoples all over the world.

For Ogidi nation, it is particularly agonizing. Our loss is immeasurable. The “Eagle on the Iroko” has fluttered its fatigued wide wings and flown away; and disappeared.

The man that put Ogidi on the world map of literature and culture has joined his ancestors. He has gone to commune with Ezechuamagha, the progenitor of the Ogidi nation. Oral history tells us that Ezechuamagha is the father of Inwele; and Inwele is the father of Ogidi.

This historical teaching was embraced and given resonance by Achebe.

Achebe, in the characteristic style of the master wordsmith himself, penned a tribute to Igwe Amobi III at Igwe’s funeral in 1985. He prayed and dedicated the soul of the departed Ogidi ruler to Ezechumagha; now it is our turn to do the same for Achebe.

We send our fervent supplications to our great progenitor to receive Achebe, listen to him, guide and protect him.

Achebe will dutifully and willingly carry our message to Ezechuamagha to intervene in the currently troubled affairs of Ogidi.

Presently in Ogidi, the “arrow of God” may have been mis-directed; the ebullient and proud Ogidi man is “no longer at ease;” the centre is not holding securely, even though “things have not fallen apart” completely.

Achebe was born in Ogidi in 1930. His early life experiences were shaped from exposure and interactions with the rich and admired Ogidi culture.

His magnum opus, Things Fall Apart, is undoubtedly influenced by Ogidi culture. If you like the African culture, as narrated in Things Fall Apart, you will also like Ogidi cul-

T

ture.

Achebe was indeed a proud Ogidi man.

His Christianity did not becloud his acceptance of Ogidi culture.

He was a one-time president general of Ogidi Union and served the community creditably with a high sense of pride.

He fully accepted the Ogidi culture; become initiated into all traditional adolescent groups; became a member of the Ogidi age-grade of Government; took the Ogidi Ozo title; got inducted into the Ogidi Ndi-Ichie society; and wears the symbolic red cap with pride.

To cap it all, he was appointed a member of Ichie Ume, an Ogidi High Chief, one honour he accepted with grace and gratitude.

The courage, candour and character you saw in Achebe, was symptomatic of the resolve of the many Ogidi people. It is the same dogged resolve exhibited by the fictional Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart.

Christianity came to Onitsha in 1857. Even though Ogidi is less than 10 kilometres from Onitsha, it took over 20 years for Christian evangelists to fully penetrate and reach converts in Ogidi.

The reason? Ogidi man was opinionated, dogged, and proud of his heritage and beliefs. Doesn’t that remind you of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart? Doesn’t that remind you of Achebe, the man?

If you have issues with There was a Country, this personal account was written with pride, not prejudice.

“The Eagle on the Iroko” was an Ogidi man first, before we all knew him as the world’s master storyteller, the renowned master wordsmith that reshaped the English language to accommodate Igbo voices and Ogidi concepts.

Achebe is Ogidi man last; it is in Ogidi that his remains will be committed to mother earth.

Obi’s society and his civil service status – place such a burden on him? Was there fair reflection about his circumstances or about how much of his earnings went to keeping up with the Joneses?

By the way, did Obi need to keep up with the Joneses, or did he also lack the imagination to conceive of an Obi Okonkwo, free of all that shackle?

The questions raised by Obi’s tragedy implicate everyone since he was not the sole architect of his failure. His society prodded him with its lack of empathy. And because there are so many Obis being egged on by a society consisting in itself of several other Obis, what eventually emerges is a cycle perpetually spinning towards its doom. The point seems buried in speed, but when his interviewer asks for his take on tragedy, Obi explains that the man who sips an eternity of bitterness invokes more pathos than the one who dies upon his first sip. For one there is immediate closure, for the other, there is tragedy endless as Dante’s vision of the pit of the Inferno. And that is exactly where Nigeria seems to be at today, in Hell, in infinite gyres of mediocrity, graft, and condonation.

Obi Okonkwo is not a very distant figure. He could be near you at this moment. In fact, you could be him. And ditto, for his society. Obi’s catechist father does not notice any incongruity in accommodating his Christian pretensions to a tradition that decreed other human beings untouchable from birth. You would imagine his type died out long ago but wait until marriage is being negotiated in today’s Igbo land. Then you might learn that in certain things, emotions don’t count.

It is easy to give up on Nigeria. When you consider its multitude of challenges and the improbable coordination required of a critical mass of 150 million-strong cacophony, the sheer contemplation of logistics could immobilise you. So it is uplifting when a man like Achebe, who had once given up on Nigeria and worked assiduously to bring about its dissolution before being forced back in, comes back and speaks hope despite being too aware of all the crippling impediments. He was under no illusions. He had a tenable account of how we got where we are and the ultra-powerful factors at work in keeping us there. So why did he hope we would get out someday?

We as a people, or at least the critical mass of us, have accepted defeat. My first shock on arriving the university was finding undergraduates (the supposed cream of social consciousness) gleefully urinating into the gutters in front of their rooms. Students who lived on the ground floor had to endure the abominable stench of urea after Enugu’s unforgiving sun soaked up the wet.

Those on the upper floors did not bother about the mess they made. When I think of my university days today, I shudder at the memory that even I, crusader-in-chief-against-indiscriminatepeeing, did not always resist the urge to do as Romans while in Rome, during my latter days. At this time, I had moved to an upper floor, dulling the nerves of empathy alongside.

So today, thinking of Achebe’s life, his treatment of his protagonists, the stubbornness of his hope, I want to remember that the gentleman gave me an early education in identity. So whenever the temptation comes, empathy and hope should help me resist the urge to piss wherever it is convenient.

Mr. Onwuasoanya wrote from Old Strathcona, Canada.

Ezinne Victoria Gbandi (1923-2013)

By Emmanuel Nwagboniwe HRONICLING the life and times of Ezinne Victoria Akuchukwu Gbandi (nee Ogbo), wife mother, teacher, community leader and devout Christian who passed on at 87, is certainly an exciting but tricky task. It is so because deconstructing this woman of many virtues who lived in the realm of the extraordinary would certainly confront any writer with the dilemma of situating this icon and legend of many exploits, triumphs and a life of paradoxes in her rightful mould.

Despite not being born into an aristocratic home, she braved all odds early in life and at end of her earthly race, left indelible marks in the sands of time.

Her 87 years sojourn on earth was one of outstanding feats which unarguably made her life phenomenal.

Beyond her genteel mien, she was compassionate, humane, urbane, amiable, affectionate, and she also served humanity and God with unsurpassed candour and unimaginable passion.

As a mother and teacher, Ezinne was caring and loving, yet a disciplinarian. No wonder she successfully brought up her 10 biological children and a legion of siblings and wards who had made their unique marks in all fields of human endeavour.

As a community leader, she

C

After her Standard Six, she taught at St. John’s Primary School Akwukwu-Igbo and briefly at Onicha–Ugbo. In 1945, the elder brother Mr. Robert Kerry, then a Manager with UAC took her to Sokoto where she trained as copy typist and secured employment with an organization that rehabilitated victims and the relations of the displaced during the second World War. In 1947 she got married to the late Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Gbandi then a Technician with the P & T Gbandi (Post and Telecom) and a epitomised service, humility paramount Chief, Iwegwe and became an enviable moOjiba of Akwukwu Igbo who biliser and motivator. She was a died in January 1992. This emrallying point for women acployment took them all over tivism and empowerment.

Nigeria including Kaduna, As a Christian, Ezinne served Zaria and finally to Enugu God with unequalled zeal and where they sojourned for untainted commitment; she about three decades. was a devout Christian who She settled down in homelived an exemplary. She betown Akwukwu- Igbo when came a Lay Reader in 1985 at St the Nigerian civil war broke John’s Anglican Church, Akout and became a popular wukwu-Igbo and later conseamstress that could make ferred with the honour of the modern day fashion deEzinne (Good Mother) of the signer green with envy.

Church.

She also engaged in soap Ezinne was born on May 11, (Soda) making and all kinds 1926, to the family of Mr. and of pastries for students and Mrs. Joseph Ogbo, an Anglican the public.

Catechist of Ogbe-Iyase, AkAs Ezinne and Ada Ogbo! Ada wukwu-Igbo. She attended St. umu Juwa is laid to rest today, John’s Primary School from March30 at her hometown, 1936 and finished her Standard Akwukwu-Igbo,one inexplicaSix in 1942 in Okpare Primary ble fact remains:Ezinne has School in Ughelli North Coun- ran good race and gone to cil of Delta State. rest in the bossom of her Cre-

TheGuardian

60

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sports

By Christian Okpara UST recently, Joseph Yobo was the glamour boy JEverton of the Super Eagles. Between 2002 and 2010, the of England former defender was the only

player sure of a starting shirt in the Super Eagles no matter the opposition.

Between 2001, when Yobo made his senior debut and the 2013 African Nations Cup, Nigeria has had nine coaches, and all of these trainers, including the foreign managers, have always identified the Ogoni-born defender as the fulcrum of the national team.

Over the 12 years, the Fenerbahce defender has been in the Super Eagles, the issue has always been who would partner him in the heart of the defence because it was taken for granted that he would be in the team.

But that era seems to have come to an end suddenly.

It started at the Nations Cup hosted by South Africa, where after only one game, Coach Stephen Keshi thought it wiser to pair youngster Kenneth Omeruo with Sunshine Stars’ Godfrey Oboabona, who has suddenly become a sure bet in the team’s line up.

Initially, the reason given for dropping Yobo was that he got injured in the opening game against Burkina Faso.

When Yobo was brought in a few minutes to the end of the matches from the quarterfinal stage the coaches said he was being used sparingly to protect him from aggravating the injury, as well as keep him fit for action when the need arose.

But followers of the game believe that Keshi was simply being courteous to Yobo by giving him playing time after the Burkina Faso clash.

Events since the team returned from the Nations Cup shows that the coach has moved on from the Yobo era.

When Yobo was omitted from the list of players for last month’s World Cup qualifier against the Harambee Stars of Kenya, Keshi said he did that because he didn’t need the services of the former Michelin of Port Harcourt star in that game.

His argument was that “it was difficult to disrupt the Omeruo/Oboabona combination because they were doing well, and it would have also been an insult to Yobo to call him to Calabar and keep him on the bench for the duration of the game.”

But some analysts see that defence as a mild way of telling Yobo that his

Yobo

Questions Over Yobo’s Eagles Career national team career is over.

That belief was reinforced on Thursday when Keshi announced the players he would use for Nigeria’s qualifiers in June and Confederations Cup, which holds in Brazil also on the same month.

“That Yobo is not listed in the Super Eagles team for the next 10 games is an indication that his time is over,” a sports analyst, Sabinus Ikewuaku posits.

According to Ikewuaku, a lawyer, “Keshi’s actions in recent times should tell Yobo that he has no future in the national team under the current technical crew.

“But I think there are better ways of retiring a national team captain. It is unfortunate that the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) technical committee has not lived up to its duties because they should have liaised with Keshi and Yobo to ensure that this issue did not get to the press.

“For many years, Kanu Nwankwo was not a regular in the Super Eagles but he was still the team’s captain. Even now that Kanu is no longer playing for the Eagles, he still commands respect among the coaches and players.

That is how things should be.

“If a player, for whatever reason, is no longer relevant in the team, there should be a way of disengaging him than the acrimony that has trailed this Yobo issue. It was the same thing that happened in Sunday Oliseh’s case and it is not fair to these players that served Nigeria so well.”

To Super Eagles’ former defender, Mike Onyemachara, “there should not be any quarrel in the Yobo issue because I see it as just a misunderstanding.”

According to the former captain of Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Heartland), “Keshi has consistently said that Yobo still has a place in his team and we have no reason to doubt his sincerity.

“Instead of encouraging the media war that is brewing on the issue, we should advise the parties to meet and sort

out this thing so that then national team does not suffer. What is happening is capable of distracting the team from the task of qualifying for the World Cup and doing well at the Confederations Cup. “This is where the NFF should step in and ensure that the two prominent members of the national are on the same page in this busy period. We have had enough of the acrimony.”

Looking at the issue from a different perspective, Super Eagles’ former striker, Joseph Akpoborie, says there is nothing wrong in Keshi dropping anybody from the team.

Akpoborie, who spent most part of his career in the German Bundesliga, says the Nations Cup exposed the reality that Yobo no longer has a place in the Eagles.

According to Akpoborie, “Keshi has options who are better than Yobo and are doing well. Yobo has not been playing regularly for the Eagles lately and he should know what that means.”

Germany’s former captain, Michael Ballack, recently left the national team in acrimonious circumstances and till date, he is not on talking terms with Coach Joachim Louw.

To Akpoborie, most players don’t easily come to terms with then fact that they cannot play the game forever.

“Yobo cannot play for the Eagles forever or captain Eagles till eternity. The coach on his own picks his captain and players, and what the coach does, everybody must respect it because when he fails, he gets the boot, not any other person including the players.”

Akpoborie added: “You cannot be the captain of the Super Eagles from the bench. That’s the honest truth.”

Recently, NFF President, Aminu Maigari, promised to mediate in the face-off between Yobo and Keshi, saying he was unhappy with the way things were

going.

“This is a highly untoward development and the NFF and entire Nigeria football family are disturbed. Less than two months ago, we lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in a blaze of glory, and this was made possible by hard-work and teamwork in an atmosphere of peace, unity and tranquility,” said Maigari.

“The recent exchange of words between coach Keshi and captain Yobo is worrisome, at a time that we have so many important matches and a major competition (FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013) ahead of us.

“I have therefore ordered the chairman of the technical committee and his members to immediately intervene and restore sanity.”

But coming less than three days after Maigari’s comment on the face-off, Keshi’s omission of Yobo from his latest list of players is an indication that the Former Marseilles star has finally played his last game for Nigeria.

“If that is actually what it is, I think Yobo deserves a testimonial for Nigerians to thank him for his meritorious service to the nation.

He should not be dis-

carded Keshi unceremoniously, after all, we are a civilized country.”

THE GUARDIAN Saturday, April 6, 2013

61

SPORTS

Exit of A Peacemaker to do this. Permit me this day to pay a little tribute to my IItNEED elder brother. Only God knows what really happened that night. was Monday, March 4, 2013.

That was the day I arrived from a trip abroad. We spoke shortly after my arrival that morning, my brother and I. I caught up with him later in the office we shared. For six hours we worked together. We parted at about 5:30pm.

At about 7:30 pm a freak storm appeared suddenly from nowhere and punctuated the night with streaks of lightning and the sound of thunder announcing an approaching thunderstorm.

Shortly after that the heavens opened their floodgates and released their content of torrential rain that lasted for about an hour or so.

At about 9:30pm the nightmare began. My phone rang. It was Zainab, my brother’s wife. It took a while to understand what she was saying. When I finally did, time stopped!

I learnt later that my brother had been caught in a traffic jam created by the rain along Agege Motor Road between Mushin Olosha and Idi-Oro, a notorious stretch of road, known for flooding during even the mildest of rains.

The poor drainage and the resultant floods often have created deadly havoc for residents and users every time it rained. It was on that stretch that my brother was held up, alone in his Toyota Camry car.

Only God knows what happened afterwards. Through the ordeal of that night he was on the phone with his wife, narrating how the water level was rising and the dangerously rushing flood. At one point during their conversation she screamed at him to abandon the car and get out to save himself. For some reason he assured her to stop worrying, that he would be fine, and remained in the car.

Why did he not get out of his car and wade through the floods to safety? Why did he not break the windshield of the car if he was trapped and could not open the door of the car due to the pressure of rushing water outside? Why did he not do any one of several possible things that everyone that hears the story thinks he should have done?

Flood water obviously entered and extinguished the car’s engine.

That must have shut down the car’s entire electronic system. The windows could no longer be wound down. The car could not be restarted. The door of the car on his side had been faulty for years and could not be opened from the inside. Indeed he must have

been trapped.

Passersby, who eventually came to the rescue, obviously intervened too late.

At 9:30 when I was called up, he had been rushed to a nearby hospital and referred to the teaching hospital. By the time they arrived LUTH, within a few minutes, he was dead.

The autopsy revealed later that he died of Asphyxia, lack of air in the car. That must have set off a cardiac arrest.

In the 21st Century, it is hard to conceive the possibility that a relatively small rain, poor drainage creating a flood on a major road right in the heart of Lagos, with people and other cars around, at about 8 O’clock in the evening, could so easily have terminated the life of a healthy man. It still is like a bad dream.

This is a brief story of that man!

John Bamidele Odegbami (1946-2013) Bamidele Odegbami was born in the city of Jos, Plateau State, on July 21, 1946. He started his primary school education at St. Luke’s Primary School, Jos in 1952. On completion in 1959, he moved to Lagos, stayed for one year before gaining admission into Ebenezer Grammar School, Iberekodo, Abeokuta, for his secondary education in 1961, and was top of his class throughout his five-year stay in the school.

In his final year in 1966, he was both the school’s head boy and football captain.

In 1964, he led the school to win the most coveted trophy in secondary schools football in the Western Region at that time called ‘Thermogene Cup’.

He did his Higher School Certificate, HSC, at the famous Abeokuta Grammar School.

He was a regular defender in the teams of the schools he attended, and in the Abeokuta Town team with Olu ‘Shankar’, ‘Ojingolo’.

Mike Ileberejeme, Albert Akpekpe, Ogun, Kashimawo (Ameh) Laloko, and later, George Hassan, Tokunboh Morris, Akin Wowo, Victor Oduah, and so on, and also in the Western Nigeria Academicals team.

He attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for a degree programme in Geography.

He graduated in 1973, and was a pioneer member of the NYSC scheme. He served in Sokoto in the then North Western State alongside other Corp members like Ray Ekpu of Newswatch, Wale Oshun of the Afenifere Renewal Group, Bob Agoi, and so on.

On completion of his youth service, he returned to the West and

Ekiti battles with Rivers in the hockey event of the 18th National Sports Festival, tagged Eko 2012. The annual National Indoor Championship is expected to add a new impetus in the development of hockey in Nigeria.

PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI.

Segun Odegbami to teaching. He taught at Molusi College, Ijebu Igbo, until 1975 when he was employed by Paterson Zochonis. He worked with PZ in various capacities in Lagos, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kano and left in 1988 when he teamed up with a friend to set up an electrical engineering firm in the city of Kano. He moved back south permanently in 1994.

Since 1994 when he moved back to Lagos he had ventured from one adventurous project to another, always exploring the possibilities in various disciplines from electrical engineering to food processing, travel and tours, construction and farming.

His last project was the establishment of The International (Sports) Academy, Wasimi Orile. He supervised all of the construction work in the school, designed the administrative blueprint, returned to the classroom as a Geography teacher when teachers of the subject became scarce and unavailable, and was preparing to return to Abeokuta from where he would have taken over the full administration of the school. Then the angel of death came calling.

Dele Odegbami was a gentleman who worshipped at the altar of humility, simplicity and the uncomplicated things of life. He was the quintessential peacemaker, reconciling feuding family members, friends, neighbours, and even his church members.

He was father to an army of people that treated him with the utmost love and respect. His mantra was a constant admonition to celebrate life, to think less of problems, and to live honestly and decently.

He loved people with an uncommon passion and had a good word for everyone that crossed his path. He loved his family with an intimacy that made him to always keep in regular contact with all his children, nephews, uncles, nieces, in-laws, brothers and sisters and friends.

His relationship with me was special just as it was with everyone that was close to him. He spoke to me everyday no matter where in the world I was. He would call and tell me to take care of myself, to rest and to enjoy myself as much as possible.

His was a life, not so brief, yet fulfilled. Like our father before him, his life and his six surviving children - Funke, Femi, Gbenga, Kemi, Ayo and Funmilola - all still young and climbing the ladder of success in their various fields, have become his own legacy to the world and his gifts to mankind.

As he rests peacefully now amongst the angels of heaven I believe and testify that if there was one person in the whole world that would have gladly and willingly put his life down, and on the line, for any one of his siblings and children, without hesitation or even batting an eye, it would be my brother – Dele.

Somehow, even as I think through it all now, all things considered, beyond the ephemeral and materialistic world, and into the spiritual realm, I believe that that’s exactly what he has done – ‘signed’ a contract with the elements to die now just so that some of us may live a little bit longer!

‘Kwara Indoor Tourney Set To Lift Nigerian Hockey’ From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin OVERS of Hockey may once again be enjoying the beauty of the game across the country, as some philanthropists, led by Mike Omotosho, the President of Centre for Attitudinal Healing, Abuja, have commenced plans to take the game to the nooks and crannies of the country.

Already, Omotosho, a pharmacist by training, who sponsored the first Five- Aside National Hockey Competition in Ilorin, has promised the sustenance of the competition towards discovering more talents and keeping a larger percentage of the nation’s youth engaged in meaningful exercise.

The event, an indoor game, which drew participants from across the 36 states of the federation, featured men and women events.

At the event, Niger State won the gold medal in the men’s event, with Benue taking the silver and Edo going home with the bronze medal.

In the female category, Edo State took the gold medal, while Kwara State won the silver.

Officials of the Nigerian Hockey Federation (NHF), who were heavily represented at the event, described it was the first of its kind in Nigeria.

According to Omotosho, the game has been moribund in Kwara and indeed some states of the federation for the past 16 years.

The trend, he believes, could lead to the extinction of the game in the state and Nigeria

L

as a whole if no one intervened.

He said, “I was first introduced to hockey as a freshman in college. Before then, the thing that intrigued me about the sport was the fact that able bodied men deemed it fit to chase after a ball maneuvering it into the goalpost with a stick.

“But at some point, I began to observe that the game was gradually fading away. The people that gave us the game may not be happy that we have lost it.

“Again, I see that the game is about youth because you need to be 100 per cent fit to play it. Rather than allowing our youth to be docile and be involved in crimes, we have made a way for them economically to become whatever they want to become in life, through the resuscitation of hockey.”

For Omotosho, the staging of the competition would enhance unity of purpose among the nation’s youth, just as it will enable them to see Nigeria as “our country” rather than seeing the country as “their own country.”

He said the event would assist the youth in developing leadership traits, adding, “especially you could see their mien when various prizes were doled out to them. We called their captains and others joined them to celebrate their successes.”

He pledged that the competition would be an annual event.

While thanking the state government for the facilities inside the indoor hall of the Kwara

State Stadium complex, Omotosho pleaded with the government to replace some of the damaged plastic chairs in it and improve on the cooling system of the hall.

Speaking at the end of the competition, Technical Adviser for Kwara State Amateur Hockey Association, Tunde Adeyemo, expressed his satisfaction with the perform-

Omotosho displaying the Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award

ances of the teams at the tournament.

Adeyemo, a World Bronze Medalist in 1972 Armed Forces Hockey Competition in Brussels, Belgium, said it would take some time to produce world-class hockey players in the state, just as he urged the state government to provide more hockey playing pitches across the three senatorial districts forming the state.

“We thank the Governor of Kwara State for reviving hockey and other sports outside football. In view of this, we only assembled some young men to fill in the vacuum in the competition,” Adeyemo said.

Also speaking on the event, the President of All African Student’s Union (AASU), Yinka Dallas, said Omotosho has been given the 2013 Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award for his role in the lives and affairs of Nigerian youths.

AASU is a continental representative organization of democratic students union founded in 1972 with 54 affiliated members from Francophone and Anglophone Africa countries.

Dallas added, “AASU secretariat initiated this popular and prestigious leadership award 14 years ago to honour eminent sons and daughters, institutions and corporate concerns of Africa origin that we see to have distinguished themselves in their various endeavours.

“Omotosho has distinguished himself in his commitment to youth development all over Africa.”

THE GUARDIAN Saturday, April 6, 2013

62

SPORTS European Round-Off

Wenger’s Trust Helped Me Settle Down, Says Monreal RSENAL fullback Nacho Monreal claims the confidence shown in him by Arsene Wenger has helped him settle quickly in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old Spaniard was a January deadline-day signing from Malaga with Andre Santos — who has since joined Gremio on loan — out of favor and following an injury to Kieran Gibbs. The former Osasuna left back was thrown straight into the starting lineup just two days later against Stoke, an immediate involve-

A

ment that Monreal believes helped him adjust to the English game.

“Since I’ve been here the manager has given me a lot of confidence and he’s been starting me,” Monreal told the club’s official site. “This has been very important for me, because it helps a lot to feel that the manager has faith in me, especially as I’ve just arrived. This in turn this leads to good performances.

“Everything has been challenging in different amounts, because the league is com-

pletely different to La Liga.

Coming here and not speaking the language, being unable to communicate with my teammates, is one of many difficult situations that is making me grow as a person and as a player.

“It has been tough adapting to the type of football played here in England as the players are a lot more physical.

There’s also a different style of play, as I’ve said before there’s an emphasis on reaching your opponent’s goal as quickly as possible.

Barca Close On La Liga Title, As Injury Knocks Out Messi LOOK ahead to the weekA end’s action in the Spanish Primera Division, including Barcelona’s clash with Real Mallorca.

Barcelona will aim to take a step closer to the Primera Division title when they play host to Real Mallorca this weekend - but will have to do without record-breaking playmaker Lionel Messi.

Messi secured himself yet another place in the history

Bayern Aiming To Wrap Up Title LOOK ahead to the weekA end’s action in the German Bundesliga, including Bayern Munich’s trip to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bayern Munich can secure themselves another first in a record-breaking campaign when they travel to Eintracht Frankfurt looking to clinch the Bundesliga title.

No other team has ever has been crowned champions with six games to spare but that will be the case if results go Bayern’s way this weekend.

They are currently 20 points clear of nearest challengers Borussia Dortmund and therefore a victory in Frankfurt would see them crowned German champions for a 23rd time.

Even if they do not manage a three-point haul at the Commerzbank-Arena, they would still win the title if

Monreal

WEEKEND FIXTURES English Premiership Today’s Matches Reading v Southampton (1145) Norwich v Swansea (1400) Stoke v Aston (1400) Westbrom v Arsenal (1400) La Liga Today’s Matches Sociedad v Malaga (1400) Real Madrid v Levante (1600) Deportivo v Zaragoza (1800) Barcelona v Mallorca (2000) Ligue 1 Today’s Matches Rennes v PSG (1500) Nancy v Troyes (1800) Sochaux v Ajaccio (1800) Montpellier v Valenciennes (1800) Bastia v Brest (1800) Toulouse v Nice (1800) Serie A Today’s Matches Juventus v Pescara (1600) Bologna v Torino (1845) Bundesliga Today’s Matches Bayer Leverkusen v VfL Wolfsburg (1330) Borussia Dortmund v FC Augsburg (1330) Borussia Moenchengladbach v Greuther Fuerth (1330) Eintracht Frankfurt v Bayern Munich (1330) Werder Bremen v Schalke 04 (1330) Hamburg SV v Freiburg (1630)

books last weekend when he became the first player to score against every other side in the Spanish top flight in successive matches after netting for the 19th consecutive league game.

However, a hamstring injury picked up in Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg draw with Paris St Germain means the Argentina superstar will be absent for the visit of

Dortmund fail to beat struggling Augsburg at home.

Bayern have already broken a number of records this season, including their current 10match winning streak in the league and becoming the earliest autumn champions in the 50-year history of the Bundesliga, and winning the title this weekend would be a suitable testament to their stunning campaign.

Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri is hoping that will be the case, although the Switzerland international insists his side cannot afford to take fifthplaced Frankfurt lightly.

“We’re determined to win the league there. It would give us a boost for the game in Turin,” he said, referring to next Wednesday’s Champions League second leg against Juventus, where Bayern will defend a 2-0 lead.

Juve Set To Bounce Back Against Pescara head coach them foaming at the mouth. Winning tomorrow would be JhisUVENTUS Antonio Conte wants to see “Getting three points from another brick on the road to players “foaming at the tomorrow is essential if we winning the league.” mouth” against Pescara today as the Serie A leaders look to end a disappointing week on a high.

The Bianconeri now face an uphill battle to reach the last four of the Champions League after Bayern Munich claimed a 2-0 victory in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

Conte will not stand for any dejection or complacency in his squad at the Juventus Stadium, though, with bottom side Pescara both fighting for their lives and desperate to avenge November’s 6-1 defeat.

He told juventus.com: “I want

are going to achieve a realistic goal.

“The league title is that goal and other targets are perhaps just dreams, and dreams rarely come true.

“Success is not guaranteed.

They’re still fighting for their lives and will have worked hard during the week.

“We are wise to potential banana skins. As a player I won championships that had seemed lost and lost titles that I thought we’d won.

“To retain the Scudetto would be marvellous, however, and so we remain focused.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who had an indifferent night in Munich, will be rested as he struggles to recover from a bout of flu, with Conte confirming Marco Storari as his deputy.

PSG Plot Defining Victory ARIS St Germain boss Carlo P Ancelotti believes victory against Rennes today could be the key to winning the Ligue 1 title.

PSG are seven points clear of Marseille at the top of the table with eight matches remaining, leaving the Parisians close to winning their third championship.

Rennes are 10th in the table with no threat of relegation and eight points off a European spot and although Ancelotti was keen not to undermine any upcoming fixtures, he conceded this one could be more important than most.

“We must manage our sevenpoint lead and win the game tomorrow,” he told reporters in the pre-match press conference.

“All games are important, but tomorrow may be the key to winning the championship.

“We must give all possible energy to win the game in Rennes. They are a very tough team.”

Despite Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg clash with Barcelona and the corresponding fixture this week, Ancelotti will not be tempted to rest his key men.

“I will not change much tomorrow, the players have recovered well,” he added.

“Tomorrow I will put the best team to win.”

Their opponents come into the match without a win in five, but boss Frederic Antonetti is confident his side will soon find their form.

Buffon

Mallorca.

Losing Messi, whose firsthalf goal against PSG took his club tally to a remarkable 57 in all competitions this season, is undoubtedly a blow for Barca but defender Dani Alves is viewing his absence as a chance to prove they are no one-man team.

He said: “The fact that we don’t have him is an incentive to prove to everyone that we have enough quality to compete without him and show that we can do it just as well as when he’s here.”

It is not yet known if Messi will be fit in time for next week’s second leg against PSG, but one player who will definitely be missing is Javier Mascherano after he was ruled out for six weeks after suffering knee ligament damage at the Parc des Princes.

Mascherano’s injury adds to Barca’s defensive headaches with Carles Puyol and Adriano also sidelined while Eric Abidal is yet to feature for the first team since returning from more than a year out having undergone a liver transplant.

Right-back Alves has offered to step in at centre-back if required, saying: “It’s easy for me to adapt. I’m ready to do what the manager asks.”

Despite their injury problems, Barca should be too strong for second-bottom Mallorca as Tito Vilanova’s men look to maintain their 13-point lead over Real Madrid.

Madrid play host to Levante today in buoyant mood after earning a 3-0 first-leg advantage over Galatasaray in their Champions League quarterfinal.

However, with Barca so far clear, Jose Mourinho’s men now only look to be playing for second spot in La Liga and they will hope to keep thirdplaced Atletico Madrid at bay.

THE GUARDIAN, Saturday, April 6, 2013

63

TheGuardian

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

150 Players Dropped From Ogun Football Talent Hunt BOUT 150 players have so A far been dropped from the Ogun State grassroots talent hunt competition for students between the ages of 13 and 15 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.

The talent hunt is the baby of Ogun State First Lady, Olufunso Amosun, who is always at the venue to ensure that things run smoothly.

Thursday’s screening of players had in attendance former international star, Segun Odegbami, Football Ambassador, John Fashanu, as well as Jim Colston, a renowned scout for the English Premiership League in the United Kingdom.

The remaining 150 players are expected to go through another screening process, which would bring the number to 30 players.

The final 30 players left after the exercise would play a final match today at the stadium to produce the best 15 male talented players in Ogun State.

The programme, tagged UPLIFTing Under-15 Grassroots Football, is designed to identify young people with flair and passion for the game of soccer and to help them build their skills and expose them to international football.

For ease of selection and identification, all the 236 wards in Ogun State were asked to come forward with their best players under the ages of 13 and 15.

Venus Outlasts Lapchenko, Williams Sisters Face Tough Draw ENUS Williams outlasted V fellow American, Ververa Lapchenko, in three sets yesterday to start a long day of tennis for the Williams’ family at the rain-delayed Family Circle Cup. Venus was up a set and held a 3-0 lead in the second set before Lapchenko won six of the next seven games to force a third set.

Lapchenko led 1-0 before Williams found her game and closed out the set, 6-2.

Williams faced 18-year-old Madison Keys later yesterday for a spot in today’s semifinals.

Top-ranked, Serena Williams, also played twice yesterday after a 7 1-2 hour rain delay wiped out much of Thursday’s schedule.

Serena met Mallory Burdette, and was expected to play either sixth-seeded Lucie Safarova or Sorana Cirstea if she won the first game.

Enugu Rangers and Heartland battling for honours during a game in the local league. The Flying Antelopes will meet Vital ‘O of Burundi in the second leg of a CAF Champions League first round tie in Enugu…tomorrow.

CAF Champions League

Pillars, Enugu Rangers Eye Second Round IGERIA’S representatives N in this year’s CAF Champions League, Kano Pillars, and Enugu Rangers, go into this weekend’s ties sure of making the second round of the competition.

Kano Pillars defeated AC Leopard of Congo in the first leg of their tie 4-1 at the Sani Abacha Stadium, and hopes

for another victory over the East Africans today.

Rangers, on the other hand, held Vita O of Burundi to a goalless draw in Bujumbura and fancies its chances of finishing the job at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, tomorrow.

Pillars captain and goalkeeper, Theophilus

Afelokhai, said his team will progress to the next stage of the CAF Champions League.

“Even though we have the advantage, it is not over yet,” stated Afelokhia.

“I am however confident that we would sail through to the next round.”

Pillars will be without international defender, Papa

Countdown To Botswana 2013 WCL Division Seven Play-Off

Team Nigeria Begins Campaign Against Fiji

By Christian Okpara IGERIA will today at the Botswana Cricket Association Oval One meet Fiji in its opening match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League (WCL) Division Seven play-off in Gaborone.

The Nigerian contingent arrived in Gaborone on Wednesday morning, and began its final preparation for the championship on Thursday. It had its final training session yesterday ahead of today’s opener.

Looking forward to a successful opening game, veteran star, Endurance Ofem, said Team

N

Nigeria was prepared for everything Fiji would throw at them, adding that the players were only praying for a good weather.

“We have gone through this route before so we know what to expect when the matches begin.”

“We are not under-rating any team here, but we are sure of a successful outing here to move to Division Six. “Last term, we finished second in this Division, and now we want to go one better by finish-

ing tops at the end of the day.

That journey begins with the game against Fiji.”

Also speaking on the country’s chances in the competition, which will see the best two teams gaining promotion to Division Six, Wicket Keeper, Ricky Sharma, said Nigeria has no reason to fail in Botswana.

According to the Lagos Asians’ wicket keeper, “we have been training for more than one month and I think the quality of players we have in this team will

see us through in Botswana.

“Everybody involved in this team, including officials and players, know the importance of qualifying for Division Six hence they have all come together to prepare the squad well for the challenges.

“In Uthe Ogbimi, we have a young trainer, who played the game at the highest level. The coach knows what it means to play at this level and the players are ready to work with him for success.”

Idris, who this week signed for Scottish club, Kilmarnock, after he featured in the first leg in Nigeria.

The Kano darling club has thus drafted Ikechukwu Gabriel and former Sunshine Stars’ ace, Ado Ali, in place of Papa Idris, otherwise it has kept faith with the squad involved in the first match.

Nigeria U20 star, Shehu Abdullahi, has been ruled out of this fixture, officials said, because he failed to rejoin the team in time on arrival from the African Youth Championship in Algeria.

Pillars, though, will be buoyed by the form of striker Nafiu Ibrahim, who scored a brace in the first clash, as well as their form in the Nigeria league.

In Enugu, Rangers will hope to see off Vital ‘O to book a place in the CAF Champions League second round.

Rangers coach Okey Emordi told MTNFootball.com they

Published by Guardian Newspapers Limited, Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos Tel: 4489600, 2798269, 2798270, 07098147948, 07098147951 Fax: 4489712; Advert Hotline Lagos: 7736351, Abuja: 07098513445 (ISSN NO 0189-5125) Acting Editor: All correspondence to Guardian Newspapers Limited, P.M.B. 1217, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria.

TAIWO AKERELE

E-mail letters@ngrguardiannews.com; www.ngrguardiannews.com

••ABC

will advance to the next stage of Africa’s most lucrative club competition.

“The spirit in camp is very high and we expect a very good game but with the ticket to the next round our sole aim,” said Emordi, who led Enyimba to win the 2004 competition.

“We have been boosted by the arrival of Alhaji Gero from the Nigeria U20 team, but we would have loved it more were goalkeeper Daniel Emmanuel also available for this tie.

“From the experience of the first leg, I expect a compact game from the Burundian team, but we have what it takes to break them down. I am very optimistic of progressing to the next round.”

Rangers captain Godwin Ayalogu, who stood between Vital ‘O and goals in the first round, added: “It is not over yet. We got a good result in the first leg and we are working at finishing off what we started three weeks ago.

The atmosphere in camp is very cordial and I strongly believe that we will make it to the next round.”