Sun 01 June 2014

S U N D A Y COVER 18

APC And The Challenges In 2015

Edo APC Crisis: POLITICS 56

Beyond A Struggle For State Resources

E D I T I O N

Unemployment: ‘Excavating Gold’ In Cooking Pots CITYFILE 6

2014 Budget:

BUSINESS 36

Implementation Faces Tough Challenges

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Vol. 30, No. 12,938

www.ngrguardiannews.com

ECOWAS Leaders Endorse Jonathan’s War On Terror

From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja EADS of states and govH ernments of the Economic Community of West African Sates (ECOWAS) met in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, at Friday’s Extra Ordinary Session to endorse President Goodluck

• President Meets Senegalese Islamic Clerics In Abuja Jonathan’s campaign against terror. They also pledged to offer full support to guarantee Nigeria victory against insurgency.

This came as Jonathan held a closed-door meeting

with some Islamic clerics from Senegal yesterday, as part of ongoing dialogue with religious groups.

Of particular interest to the leaders of the West African sub-regional body

was Jonathan’s mobilisation of international support in the war against terror. Apart from the issue of insurgency in Nigeria, the leaders also deliberated on the situation in northern Mali and elec-

N300

APC Senators Lobby To ‘Kill’ Report On $49.8bn Missing Funds From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja HE Senate is set to debate T and adopt the report of its Finance Committee’s investi-

tion in Guinea Bissau.

In a communique made available to State House correspondents in Abuja, the leaders expressed heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with President Jonathan and the entire people of Nigeria for the loss of lives and economic

gation into the alleged $49.8 billion oil funds this week.

It was learnt that the leadership has instructed its Committee on Rules and Business, led by Senator Solomon Ita-Enang, to immediately schedule the report for debate before Thursday to allow the chamber take position on it as a way of halting and reversing the disquiet that has arisen in the Upper Chamber since the Ahmed Makarfi- led committee sub-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

BRING

...DAY 48

BACK

OURGIRLS NEWS 3

PDP Petitions Ekiti Judiciary Over ‘Controversial Judge’ NEWS 4

Confusion As New Electricity Tariff Takes Off Today

Fresh Boko Haram Attacks In Borno

NEWS 4

Emergency Ineffective, Says ACF

President Goodluck Jonathan (left), receiving a document from the Head of the Tinaiya Sect, Khalifa, Sheikh Ahmad Tijani INYASS (right), and member of the delegation, Sheikh Mansur INYASS (middle), during a meeting between the President and Islamic clerics from Senegal, at the State House, Abuja... yesterday.

2 | NEWS Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWS APC Senators Lobby To ‘Kill’ Report On $49.8bn Missing Funds CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 mitted the report last Wednesday.

The major thrust of the report was its submission that “there was never any unremitted $49.8 billion” as it stated “The committee could not see how the figure of $49.8bn was arrived at by the CBN governor in the first instance.”

Amidst reports of serious lobby by some All Progressives’ Congress (APC) Senators to get the report thrown out when it is brought out for debate this week, a member of the committee and former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki (APC) has raised serious objections to the report.

He denied reports that the senate finance committee had cleared the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke or the National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of allegations relating to the $49.8 billion missing oil money.

Saraki said: “Though I could not attend the last meeting of the committee, I have been very active in the investigation,” he said, adding that nothing significant has changed to suggest the clearance of anyone.

The Senator said: “the Committee is yet to receive the report on the forensic audit and independent analysis on the subject clearly indicates we have a lot of grounds to cover in order to determine the level of culpability or otherwise of (the) agency on the alleged non-committal; so, to suggest any clearance for anybody at this stage is out of the question.”

He advised the media to wait for the Senate to release the details of the Committee’s report to the public and avoid jumping into conclusions.

The report, which was duly signed by all 11 members of the Finance Committee, specifically stated on its page 59 that “the Senate is invited to note that there was never any unremitted $49.8 billion.”

Another member of the committee, who preferred not to be mentioned until the report is debated, wondered why any member of the committee could publicly disown the report even after endorsing it by signing it after having participated actively in all the processes leading to its production.

“My brother, the report is the outcome of serious legislative investigation. A lot of pains were taken not to politicise or personalise it. That is why you would have noticed that, during the public hearings, all those who testified were invit-

ed, not on personal basis, but on the basis of their official position. There was no effort from any quarter to influence or lobby anybody, let alone writing a report to favour particular interest. I think whoever has any issue to raise should simply be patient until the report is made open for debate on the floor of the Senate,” he said.

In dismissing the allegation of missing oil funds as untrue, the committee informed the Senate, through its report, that “the CBN governor at the first hearing had forwarded the figure of $12bn as money to be reconciled and changed his position to $20bn at subsequent hearings.

“At the conclusion of his written submission, Sanusi posited that it could be $20bn, $12bn, $10.8bn or anything in between. The CBN governor orally or in writing never outrightly submitted that money was missing but that money was not remitted to the Federation Account by the NNPC,” the report explained.

Suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had written President Goodluck Jonathan on the non-remittance to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of $49.8bn, representing 76 percent of the value of crude oil lifting from January 2012 to July 2013.

But the committee stated that all the agencies, which made presentations to it, agreed, after reconciliation,

that $47bn out of the $67bn had been credited to the Federation Account, leaving only $20bn yet to be accounted for.

According to the report, part of the outstanding $20 billion was the $5.254bn spent on subsidy for Premium Motor Spirit by the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, which was covered by the Appropriation Acts of 2012 and 2013.

The report also stated that

the $3.512bn spent for kerosene subsidy as certified by PPPRA for the period January 2012 to July 2013 was still part of the $20 billion.

During the public hearing conducted by the committee, the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, had informed Senators that the NNPC was right in spending some money it generated for its operations as opposed to remitting all its generated revenues to the Federation Accounts.

Adoke, who appeared before the Senate Committee on finance to provide legal opinion on some of the issues raised during the investigative hearing on the alleged missing $49.8 oil funds, declared that despite the constitutional provisions requiring that all revenues be paid into the Federation account, NNPC could still deduct its cost of business.

Adoke had also accused Sanusi of attempting to undermine his powers. “The

resort by the CBN governor to paid legal opinion from private counsel on the interpretation and application of certain constitutional provisions, the enabling statutes of government wholly owned corporations, regulatory agencies and policies, is not only irregular, but a deliberate attempt to whittle down the powers of the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation as enshrined in section 150 of the constitu-

Director, Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department, African Development Bank, Dr. Chiji Ojukwu (left); Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; and Director General International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, at the ‘Initiative Conceptualization Workshop on Engagement of Youth Entrepreneurship for Agricultural Transformation in Africa’ organised by IITA in Ibadan… at the weekend.

PHOTO: NAJEEM RAHEEM

President Meets Senegalese Islamic Clerics In Abuja CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 losses caused by Boko Haram’s terrorist acts, even as they condemned acts of terror that threaten regional peace and security.

The communique read in part, “The Heads of State and Government welcome the measures adopted by the Nigerian government to bring the insurgency to an end, particularly in the Northern States.

They encourage President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to continue to be steadfast in mobilising all the forces in the country in order to put an urgent end to these acts of terrorism. The Summit also encourages the Government to pursue national dialogue and reconciliation.

“The Authority commends the mobilisation of the International Community behind Nigeria. It expresses appreciation to partners in particular France, the United States, the United Kingdom, People’s Republic of China, Israel, the African Union and the United Nations for their cooperation and support in the ongoing efforts to rescue the abducted Chibok’s schoolgirls…as well as in the ongoing fight against this (Boko Haram) terrorist group.

“The Authority further commends the positive outcome of the 17 May 2014 Paris Summit on the security situation in Nigeria. More importantly, it welcomes the commitments made with a view to strengthening bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation in the

fight against the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

“The Heads of State and Government commend President John Dramani Mahama President of the Republic of Ghana, and Current Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government for the steps taken to provide a regional response to the security challenge posed by the Boko Haram sect.

“The Authority,” according to the communiqué, “urges the Member States to strengthen their cooperation, particularly in information sharing and in coordinating the efforts of intelligence services and in law enforcement.

“To that end, the Authority decides to establish a highlevel partnership with Central African States to effectively combat terrorism. It urges the member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) to pursue the operationalization efforts of their action plan and cooperation in the fight against terrorism. It also supports the development programmes of the Lac Chad Basin.

“The Authority urges the Member States to enhance their defence and security system through increased human capacities and the provision of adequate equipment.

“The Authority directs the President of the Commission to take all the necessary measures in that regard and support the Member States in the expeditious implementation of the ECOWAS Counter-

Terrorism Strategy.

“With a view to ensuring a better coordination of ECOWAS support to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the fight against terrorism, the Authority took some special measures. The Authority calls for the diligent implementation of the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel and the operationalization of the ECOWAS Sahel Strategy.

On Guinea Bissau, the leaders welcomed the successful conclusion of the transition process, which resulted in the smooth holding of the general elections in transparent and peaceful conditions. They congratulated José Mario Vaz, President-elect of the Republic of Guinea Bissau.

“The Authority expresses deep gratitude to H.E. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the Regional Contact Group on Guinea Bissau (RCG-GB) and the members of the Group, as well as H.E. Alpha Condé, Mediator in the crisis in Guinea Bissau, for their assistance to the country and their valuable contribution in ensuring a successful conclusion of the transition process in Guinea Bissau.”

President Jonathan’s yesterday’s meeting with Islamic clerics from Senegal, which took place at the First Lady’s conference hall at the Presidential Villa, was also attended by some cabinet ministers.

Khalifa Shiek Ahmed Tijani

Inyass, the grand son of the founder of the Tijjaniya Islamic sect, who led the group, said he was in the State House, at the invitation of the President, to offer special prayer for Nigeria to get out of the current insecurity.

Other members of the delegation were Sheikh Ahmad Tijani Sani Awwalu, Sheikh Muhammadul Makky Inyass, Sheikh Mansur Inyass, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Inyass, Sheikh Bashir Inyass, Inyass Mustapha Inyass, Abdullahi Muhammad Maigemu, Sheikh Ibrahim Dahiru Bauchi, Aliyu Ibrahim, Khalifah Shehu Nasiru Hamisu, The President has been under pressure from local and foreign observers over the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, as well as the increasing spate of killings perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect.

Auwalu, who spoke to State House correspondents after the meeting that lasted 45 minutes, said they were in the country to participate in the Maulud of Ibrahim Inyass in Gombe, and on their way home, the President requested for a courtesy visit, which the leader granted.

He described the visit as history repeating itself because similar visits had been paid to two last Nigerian rulers — General Thomas Aguiyi Ironsi and General Yakubu Gowon — during their times in office.

On whether he raised any issue of concern with the President, the spokesman

said, “The main purpose of coming here is (to offer) prayers for peace in this country. We must come together, Muslims and non- Muslims, and work for peaceful co- existence… prayers so that we can all fight insecurity in this country.

Also present at the meeting were Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, Chief of Staff to President, BrigGeneral Jones Arogbofa (rtd), Head of Service, Bukar Goni Aji; Minister of FCT, Bala Mohammed; Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke; Minister of State for Health, Khaliru Alhassan; Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; and Minister of State for Agriculture, Asmau Ahmed.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan had earlier held closed-door meeting with Malian President, Muhammadou Keita, in continuation of series of meetings aimed at solving the problems of insurgency in northern Mali and northeastern Nigeria.

The President had met with Keita and other West African leaders in Ghana on Friday.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting held at the President’s residence, the Malian leader said: “I have come to meet my brother, on the issue of insecurity to see what we can do. That is why I’m here this morning. I came to meet my brother; I’m also grateful to him and Nigerian people for their warm reception since I came into Abuja; and Good luck to Nigerians.”

Sunday, June 1, 2014 3

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWS LUTH’s Resident Doctors To Resume Strike Tomorrow HE Lagos University TeachT ing Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos branch of the Associa-

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (left), exchanging pleasantries with the Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, at the burial ceremony of the mother to the wife of the Ondo State governor, while the Chief of Staff to the president, Brigadier Arogbofa rtd (middle) watches with excitement in Ondo…on Friday.

Amnesty For Boko Haram: Presidency Faults Boni Haruna From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja HE Presidency yesterday distanced itself from the amnesty reported to have been granted to members of Boko Haram, as claimed on Thursday last week by the Youth Development Minister, Mr. Boni Haruna.

Haruna, had in his speech, while giving an overview of the youth agenda by the President Jonathan administration as part of the this year’s Democracy Day in Abuja, noted that the President had declared amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect, who would surrender their arms and embrace peace.

He, therefore, called on behalf of the federal government on members to “embrace the government’s gesture and key into the amnesty programme.”

But the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati in an interview with State House correspondents in Abuja yesterday said, the President never offered

T

Says Jonathan Never Granted Amnesty To Terrorist Group Saddened At Emir’s Murder amnesty to members of Boko Haram, but instead offered constructive dialogue if they renounced violence and terrorism.

He made allusion to the President’s Democracy Day speech where Jonathan said

the doors of his administration remained opened to dialogue, provided they renounced terrorism and embrace dialogue.

The spokesman also expressed the President’s sadness over the murder of the

Emir of Gwoza in Borno, Alhaji Idrisa Timta by the Boko Haram members, and described the development as troubling for Jonathan.

He said, the “President got the news and he was sad about it because what it

means these terrorists who are threatening peace and stability in Nigeria, they are desperate and they continue to show that desperation…

But as the President made it clear in his democracy day broadcast, that was his main message to Nigerians, that at the end of the day it is the people of Nigeria that will prevail.”

PDP Petitions Ekiti Judiciary, Raises Alarm Over ‘Controversial Judge’ HE national secretary of T the Peoples Democratic Party, Prof. Wale Oladipo, has petitioned the Chief Judge of Ekiti State over “cases assigned to one Justice M. O. Abodunde of High Court 4, Ado Ekiti,” saying, “we believe it is in the interest of Ekiti State Judiciary not to allow a controversial judge to decide these volatile political cases.”

The cases are: Mr. Adeniyi Ajakaiye and Mr. Olufemi Ajayi vs Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose and two others; and Citizens’ Popular Party and two others vs PDP and three others.

Oladipo said: “In as much as

we have implicit confidence in our judiciary to dispense justice in accordance with the rule of the law, we shall not however hesitate to object to an established convincing likelihood of bias on the part of the Presiding Judge.” He therefore prayed the Chief Judge to, “graciously transfer those cases with clear intention of disqualifying our candidate (Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose) in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.”

Given reasons for the concern raised, Oladipo said: “The suit between Mr. Adeniyi Ajakaiye and Mr. Olufemi Ajayi vs Dr. Peter Ay-

odele Fayose and two others was instituted by members of E-Eleven, a socio-political group sympathetic to the ruling APC government in Ekiti State. The case between Citizens’ Popular Party and two others vs PDP and three others, also before the same judge, is the same in content and relief sought.

“Mr. Banji Abodunde, the husband of Justice M. O. Abodunde is a principal member of the E-Eleven group who are the sponsors and originators of the two cases. (See the affidavit in support of the originating summons where the two claimants claimed to be members of E-

Eleven).

“Mr. Banji Abodunde, the husband of Justice Abodunde is a consultant and contractor to the ruling APC government. He is also in the management board of Fountain Motel assigned to the E-Eleven to manage on behalf of the state government.

“The first son of Justice Abodunde, Mr. Abodunde (Jnr) was recruited from Glo, Ghana to work in the I.T. section of the governor’s office

by Governor Kayode Fayemi.

He is working directly with Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the gubernatorial candidate of APC.

Review ‘Forceful Takeover’ Of Bank PHB, Atuche Begs Jonathan

By Marcel Mbamalu

• Bank Targeted To Be Stolen, Says Utomi

RESIDENT Jonathan has P been urged to review the takeover of Bank PHB Nigeria

tor/chief executives and executive directors of five banks; namely, Afribank Plc (now nationalised and run by AMCON as Enterprise Bank), Finbank Plc (now acquired by the FCMB), Intercontinental Bank Plc (taken over by Access Bank), Oceanic Bank Plc (acquired by Ecobank) and Union Bank Plc. The affected chief executives were Mr, Sebastin Adigwe (Afribank), Mr. Okey Nwosu (Finbank), Dr. Erastus Akingbola (Intercontinental Bank), Dr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Ibru (Oceanic Bank), and Dr. Bath Ebong (Union Bank).

But Mr. Atuche, the former chief executive officer of Bank

Plc (now Keystone Bank) by the Central Bank of Nigeria under the suspended Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The apex bank, in October 2009, removed the managing director/chief executive of the bank, Mr. Francis Atuche, citing high level of non-performing loans arising from poor corporate governance practices, lax credit administration processes and non-adherence to the bank’s credit risk management guidelines.

Sanusi had, earlier in August, sacked the managing direc-

PHB, in a 19-page letter to President Jonathan, prayed for review of the “forceful take-over” on grounds that it was done without due process. According to the letter, a copy of which was made available to The Guardian, “subsequent events have shown that former governor Sanusi’s action” was done in bad faith “to subvert free enterprise in Nigeria and destroy shareholders’ investment in Bank PHB” (now called Keystone Bank).

Atuche, who described his removal, revocation of Bank PHB’s banking licence, nationalisation and takeover of the financial institution through the Asset Management Corpo-

ration of Nigeria (AMCON) as the beginning of a gloomy tenure at the CBN, said that it was marked by “unprecedented capacity for abuse of power, impunity in the exercise of authority by a public officer, gross distortion of financial facts and sustained random acts of manipulation of figures to suit predetermined outcomes – all in an effort to enable Sanusi Lamido, the former CBN governor, attain the ends of illegality appropriating Bank PHB Nigeria Plc.” According to him, “the forceful takeover of the bank was without any regards for due process or consultation, nor consideration for the opinion, thoughts and/or interests

of the directors, management, shareholders to the owners of Bank PHB Nigeria Plc.” Atuche’s position was corroborated by Founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) and Professor of Political Economy, Pat Okedinachi Utomi, who told The Guardian that the bank was “deliberately targeted to be stolen.”

Prof. Utomi argued that the purpose of government is to ensure dispensation of justice to citizens, saying Nigerians now have ample evidence that those in power at the time had intention of taking over the institution and selling it to their cronies in Pakistan.

tion of Resident Doctors (ARD), will resume its strike tomorrow, the association announced in Lagos yesterday.

The president of the association, Dr Omojowolo Olubunmi, said in a statement that the resolution to resume strike was reached at an emergency general meeting of the association, held on May 28.

“Rising from the emergency general meeting, the association unanimously agreed to resume our suspended industrial action and embark on an indefinite strike, commencing on Monday, June 2, by 8 am.”

He said the strike was due to a lack of progress in negotiations and deliberations with the hospital’s management on the issues raised in the three-day warning strike in April.

Umeh Shocked Over Death Of Sun’s Former Deputy MD CHIEFTAIN of All ProgresA sives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, has said that the death of the former Deputy Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Ltd, Mrs. Ethel Nmezi, is a big blow, not only to the management and staff of Sun Newspapers, but also to the accountancy profession. Recalling Nmezi’s contributions to the success stories of Slok Group and Sun Newspapers, the APGA chieftain said her demise is a big blow to both organizations. He called on the Managing Director, Mr. Femi Adesina, the management and entire staff, to bear Nmezi’s death with fortitude, and also extended his heartfelt condolence to the chairman and publisher of the newspaper, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu.

East Africa’s Leading Renewable Energy Expert On Glo/CNN African Voices AST Africa’s leading light E in the area of renewable energy, Patrick Ngowi, will be the special guest on African Voices, CNN International’s 30-minute magazine programme sponsored by national operator, Globacom. Ngowi who hails from Tanzania has dedicated himself to bringing light to the lives of Africans living in rural areas. Viewers will hear the inspiring and amazing account of one of Africa’s pioneer solar energy entrepreneurs on the 30-minute magazine programme which will be aired at 9am and 6.30pm today. There will be further repeat broadcasts tomorrow at 2.30am, 10.30am and 5.30pm, and on Tuesday at 6.30am. The final repeat will be done at 9.30am on Wednesday.

4

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

NEWS

CAN Condemns Attack On Emirs From Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna) and Nkechi Onyedika (Abuja) HE president, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, and Arewa elders, under the umbrella of the Arewa Consultatative Forum (ACF), yesterday condemned the attack on the convoy of three highly placed traditional rulers in Borno State — the Emirs of Gwoza, Uba and Askira, by the dreaded Boko Haram sect. The Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta, was killed and several others injured.

A statement issued by Pastor Oritesajafor in Abuja lamented the attack, saying that it came at a time the wise counsel of the traditional institution is most needed to fight insurgency in that part of the country and to help check moral decadence in society.

He described the killing of the Emir as “most unfortunate”, saying that it demonstrated the evil plans and agenda of the Boko Haram sect.

The statement read, “On behalf of my family and the entire Christian community in Nigeria, I wish to commiserate with the family of the late Alhaji Idrissa Timta, the Emir of Gwoza and the families of those, who lost their lives in the recent attack. It is true that words alone cannot console the families of the deceased but I urge them to take solace in the fact that God is in control.”

Oritsejafor, who reminded Nigerians of the need to continue to unite in the fight against terrorism in the country, said it is an act that all must denounce and fight “with all that we have got.

Probably, the emirs were attacked for their condemnation of Boko Haram; but this must not

T

• ACF Says Emergency Rule Ineffective deter us.”

ACF elders, who reacted to the attack by Boko Haram insurgents on the emirs, said that the Islamic militant group must be told that enough is enough and embrace the Federal Government’s amnesty offer.

In a statement by the ACF Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammed, the elders said: “The callous and wicked manner in which the late Emir was killed calls to question the escalating insecurity situation in the North east zone despite the emergency rule imposed on the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

“ACF, therefore, appeals to the Boko Haram members to accept and embrace the amnesty proposal of the Federal Government and stop the wanton destruction of lives and property of innocent people who do not even understand the grievances of the sect”.

Muhammad argued: “Governments at all levels should also commit themselves and show transparency in the execution of the amnesty programme in interest of peace and reconciliation.”

“It was with grief and shock that ACF learnt of the cruel and gruesome killing of the Emir of

Gwoza, Alhaji Shehu Idris Timta, following a bloody attack on him and other royal fathers by gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram while on their way to Gombe to attend the funeral ceremony of late Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Usman Abubakar.”

According to him, “the late Emir of Gwoza had been on the throne since October 1981 as third-class chief and rose to first class emir in January 2014. During his 33 years of reign, Gwoza emirate has witnessed tremendous achievement in the areas of education, improved farming and peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic groups before the advent of Boko Haram insur-

gency in the area.

“Late Alhaji Idris Timta would be remembered for his diligence, commitment to service, fight against insurgency and most importantly his humility.

May his soul rest in perfect peace and May Allah grant him Aljannah Firdausi.

“ACF hereby commiserates with the people of Gwoza Emirate and pray to Almighty Allah to grant the departed soul eternal rest and the bereaved family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

“ACF equally extends condolences to the government and people of Borno State over the death of its illustrious first-class emir, Alhaji Idris Timta.”

Photo:NAN

Candidates writing CBT Exams in Lagos ... yesterday

Gunmen Kill 42 Borno Villagers In Fresh Border Attacks From Njavara Musa, Maiduguri USPECTED Islamic militant group, in 20 Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles, in the early hours of yesterday, attacked three border villages in Ngala Local Council of Borno State, killing 42 people.

The attack came barely 24 hours after the killing of the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Shehu Idris Timta, and abduction of two other monarchs by suspected Boko Haram gunmen.

Ngala is a border council area with Cameroon, and 138 kilometres northeast of Maiduguri, the state capital.

The seven-hour attack, which commenced at 3am yesterday, ended with the torching of several houses and huts and injuring of 16 other people, who attempted to protect their houses from being razed down with explosives and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

One of the villagers, who escaped to Cameroon, yesterday, told The Guardian: “We were shocked and terrified, when a convoy of 20 Hilux vehicles and motorcycles, laden with explosives and petrolbombs, burst into three villages of Ngala Local Government Area; and chanted God is great in Arabic, before firing sporadically at persons fleeing the villages.

By 5am, the insurgents proceeded to another village, five kilometres away and directed the people to come out for

S

their safety, before setting their houses ablaze.”

On casualties in three other villages that were attacked, he said: “After killing our people and torching our houses, many cattle, camels, sheep and goats were also snatched

and taken across the border to Cameroon, leaving behind only handful of chickens and ducks that fled into the bush.

As I speak to you from this border location in Cameroon, the bodies are still lying in front of the torched houses, and

mosques, in which some of the villagers took refuge, before the attackers slit their throats.”

The Borno State Police Commissioner, Tanko Lawal yesterday in Maiduguri, also confirmed the multiple bor-

der village attacks and killings.

He said over three dozens of villagers were feared dead in the Ngala village attacks by suspected armed hoodlums.

He said neither the police nor the military had made any arrests.

Confusion As New Electricity Tariff Takes Off Today From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja ITH the review of the W Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) by the Niger ian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), a new electricity tariff officially takes off in Nigeria today.

The announcement of the new tariff is already causing tension and confusion in some quarters, as some members of labour kick against it.

But NERC, the regulator, insists that the review is in the interest of consumers, as they would, otherwise, have paid higher tariffs, going by initial projections for June 1, 2014.

Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Sam Amadi, told The Guardian, yesterday, people would be paying less for fixed costs than they would have paid after May 31, if there were no ‘minor’ reviews.

“The result of the minor review will give confidence to investors and other stakeholders that the new Nigerian electricity market is maturing fast. I know some people may not like the mention of investors, but the reality is that we need

• NERC Allays Fears investment to revive this sector.

“A regulator is a realistic animal. He or she must deal with the world as it is and bring out the best out of a bad or notgood enough situation.”

The review, he said, confirms that the regulator will follow the rules and maintain regulatory certainty.

“This is also good for the consumer because he can have faith that the operator will not fool around with pricing,” he stressed.

He explained: “Without the review, a residential consumer in Benin would be paying N1,500 as monthly fixed charge. But after the review, they will now pay only N750. This is the story everywhere. Fixed charge has to be reduced.

“Let us not forget that the greatest complaint from consumers has been about fixed charge because in the context of unstable supply of power, it looks as punitive and many discos could focus on collecting fixed charge without bothering to service consumers bet-

ter and receive more energy charge.

“So, we have shifted the incentive. We have reduced the burden on consumer without altering the revenue requirement of the discos and asking them to go out and serve consumers and collect energy charge.

“In absolute terms, all consumers are paying less if you consider that fixed charge is the highest charge. But even in relative terms, it is only R2 consumers who have slight increase in energy charge.”

R2 consumers, according to NERC, are those who are residential and who use either single or three-phase meters.

“The reason why the tariff increased slightly is because they were subsidised before June 2014. So, they (R2) are paying the least cost efficient price apart from R1 who are lifeline customers and continue to be subsidized even after review,” he noted.

On possible difference in charge between customers with prepaid meters and customers with estimated billing

system, he stressed: “There is no difference in the design of the tariff. But in practice, those without meter risk more exposure to risks because the discos may overestimate against them. We need to do more to monitor and sanction delinquent discos.”

Customers, he said, should expect better service, because NERC would step up monitoring of DISCOs’ performance.

“We will activate Performancebased regulation to move the Discos to higher level of customer service. We will also mandate better communication with consumers. We want to build strong citizen engagement with the power reform.

NERC itself will improve its communication with all stakeholders,” Amadi told The Guardian yesterday.

“First and foremost,” he said, “June 1 is already in the MYTO Order.”

Amadi stated that there would be minor review every six months to reflect changes in preceding months in terms of rate of inflation, foreign exchange, cost of gas, and generation capacity.

UN Agencies Complete Study On Displaced People In Nigeria, Others From Joke Falaju, Abuja NITED Nations High ComU missioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have completed its study of internally displaced people in Nigeria, Cote d’lvoire and Liberia The UNHCR/ECOWAS study was a respond to internally displaced persons in the ECOWAS Region, using Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Nigeria as a case study.

The activity was an ECOWAS Ministerial Conference on Humanitarian Assistance and Internal Displacement in West Africa, organised in Abuja, in collaboration with the African Union (AU), UNHCR and the Government of Finland.

The aim of the study conducted in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Nigeria was to provide ECOWAS member states with information on national response to internal displacement, against international best practices and under the obligations of the Kampala Convention on the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa.

It contained recommendations for domestication and implementation of the Convention, as requested by member states during the 2011 conference.

The ceremony was attended

by ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Dr. Fatimata Dia Sow, UNHCR Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Angèle Dikongué-Atangana, Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Riitta Korpivaara and Nigeria Professor of Law author of the study, Pr. Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan.

Funeral Held For Mimiko’s Mother-inlaw IFE of the President, W Dame Patience Jonathan, Chief of Staff to the President, Rtd Brig. Sehinde Arogbofa and other eminent Nigerians, including the governors of Kogi, Akwa-Ibom, Cross Rivers and Plateau States at the weekend converged on Ondo town for the burial of Mrs. Felicia Modupe Adeniyi, mother of the wife of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Olukemi.

Dignitaries at the ceremony also included the Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson; former governor of Ondo State, Bamidele Olumilua; former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State; former National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun; businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim and Chief Olabode George, among others.

At the funeral service, held at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, OkeAluko, Ondo, the Bishop of Ondo Diocese and Archbishop of Ondo Ecclesiastical Pronvince, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Latunji Lasebikan, stressed the need for everyone to make the best of life for the fulfilment of God’s plans.

THe GUArdIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014 NeWS 5

NeWS rePOrT: China’s Shale Gas Bonanza May ‘Hurt’ Nigeria, Others

By Marcel Mbamalu recent report released by A the Overseas development Institute (OdI), the UK’s think tank on development issues, has x-rayed the dynamics of China’s oil economy and its impact on African countries, including Nigeria. .

The document, which OdI was made available to The Guardian, indicate that a massive increase in shale gas production in China is projected to mean the Asian tiger will import 40 percent less gas — with a big impact on some of the world’s poorest countries.

Angola and the republic of the Congo are predicted to suffer a 13 percent hit to their national earnings because of increased energy production

by China. equatorial Guinea and Sudan could lose 5 per-

cent, Yemen 4 percent.

The report looks at the ripple effect of a Chinese government forecast that they will produce between 60 and 100 billion cubic metres of shale gas in 2020, up from 6.5 billion in 2015. .

The huge increase in production will make China more economically independent. But the country’s ability to hit the target is dependent upon harnessing technology, which requires huge amounts of water.

The report, estimates that, if successful, China’s imports of gas could be up to 40 percent lower in the future. But this increase in home production could hit the economies of poorer countries , who currently export gas. .

Zhenbo Hou, a researcher into the growing BrICS

NATIONAL (Brazil, russia, India, China and South Africa) nations at the OdI, said: “China has run a very successful shale gas pilot scheme. “Starting from a low base, they now seem on course to increase their production ten-fold to between 60 and 100 billion cubic metres by 2020.

“This will make them less reliant on countries like russia for energy in the future — so it is a very important geopolitical moment. .

“Combined with the increased shale gas production in the USA, it will hit the economy of small exporters in the developing world. .

“This increased production could lead to smaller markets and lower incomes for poorer countries that export gas – like

Yemen, Mozambique, Ghana, republic of the Congo, Mauritania and Nigeria.

Asked, however, to explain how the expected increase in China’s shale gas production could significantly affect Nigeria — in view of the fact that very little crude oil business currently exists between both countries — the following exchange ensued: How would you place China’s annual crude (and gas) imports from Nigeria; what percentage of the country’s exports does China take?

Very small. According to NNPC’s Annual Statistical Bulletin, only about one percent of NNPC’s crude oil is exported to China.

Since, according to your report, the increased production would hit the poorest African countries, do you re-

ally think Nigeria whose economy (thanks to GdP rebasing) recently became the biggest in Africa, falls within this category?

No doubt, major energy exporters such as Nigeria will be hit, but the effects would come more from the loss of exports to the US With specific reference to Nigeria, what advice do you have for African countries, which, according to you, will be adversely affected by this China’s new-found capacity in shale gas production?

China’s new found shale-gas capacity would only have limited impact on Nigeria at the moment, as very little of Nigerian oil exports depend on China It is well known that China’s economic ties with Nigeria, is not so much about oil; Nigeria’s big developing economy provides some critical (‘virgin’) training ground and job opportunities for China’s technocrats. don’t you think that China would still need

Nigeria a great deal — shale gas or not?

Nigeria is a very important friend for China in Africa and there are many experienced and well-qualified Chinese companies and engineers working in Nigeria. The Chinese Premier’s visit to Abuja this week (last week) will highlight and showcase this ever-growing relation.

The increased shale-gas production is also not without risks within China itself, as it could divert water from agriculture and human consumption. The supply of water is likely to be more constrained in China than in the USA, which is also becoming energy self-sufficient thanks to fracking. .

America is set to overtake Saudi Arabia as the world’s biggest oil producer. This increased production by the world’s two economic superpowers – China and US - will lead to smaller markets and lower incomes to poorer countries that export gas, according to OdI. .

Kwankwaso Warns Council Chiefs Against Corruption Murtala Muhammed, Kano ov. rabi’u Musa G Kwankwaso, yesterday, inaugurated the 44 newly elected local government chairmen during which he reiterated his zero tolerance for misappropriation of public funds.

Kwankwaso charged the chairmen, who came to office via the All Progressives Congress (APC), to make accountability their watchword.

The council heads alongside 484 councillors emerged winners of the May 17 local government elections that

KANO were conducted by the Kano State Independent electoral Commission.

Shortly after the oath taking that was administered by the Commissioner for Justice and the State Attorney-General, Maliki Kuliya Umar, at the Government House, governor Kwankwaso reminded them to guide generously the confidence reposed in them by the electorates.

He also asked them to imbibe the philosophy and manifestoes of the party, which he said has come to transform the country.

WAMCO Joins Others To Celebrate Milk day Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo(left); His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Okojie; and immediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi(right), during the requiem mass for Sir Michael Otedola at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Epe, Lagos State… Friday.

rIeSLANdCAMPINA Fmaker WAMCO Nigeria Plc, of Peak, Three Crowns and Friso, has joined the rest of the globe to cele-

Arepo Pipeline explosion: PMS Consumers demand Full Investigation, Allege Sabotage

By Geoff Iyatse Lagos-based advocacy A group, the Petroleum Consumer Group (PCG), has called for a full investigation into recent Arepo pipeline explosion, alleging that the incident was an act of sabotage. The group said timing of the occurrence indicates that unpatriotic individuals are working behind the scene to undermine efforts made by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) and other stakeholders to stabilise supply of the premium motor spirit (PMS) in the country.

It would be recalled that petroleum pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was recently vandalised at Arepo, leading to a crossfire that claimed several lives, including policemen.

Coordinator of PCG, Olawale Ogundele, described the incident as “handwork of enemies of the country” who will stop at nothing to frus-

trate every move to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

He said the incident was targeted at upsetting petroleum product distribution in Lagos, the country’s economic hub, to put PPMC in bad light.

Hence, he said, it happened at a time sanity was just returning to PMS distribution.

He wondered why people would embark on activities that are capable of throwing millions of people into mourning just to achieve agenda.

Ogundele, in an extensive interview, said: “Could what happened be an act of ordinary criminals who are merely motivated by survival instincts? We have pondered on this but it does not appear logical. Going by the timing, it is more likely going to be an act of sabotage.

History and economic exigency surrounding the incident support this possibility.”

He said dislodged cabal that have been feasting on

NATIONAL the huge corruption in the sector would not rest as long as heads of key petroleum agencies put them on the toes are still in charge.

“We are quick to point accusing fingers at the Ministry of Petroleum, NNPC and PPMC whenever there is scarcity. But what we forget to ask is: what is responsible for the scarcity? NNPC and PPMC don’t operate the filling stations. We have a situation where some individuals have constituted themselves to lords of the industry who must not be touched. When you make any decision that affects their stronghold, they fight back, with any means.

Observing that there is sufficient supply of PMS that could last for several months, he commended Managing director of the Pipelines PPMC, Prince Haruna Momoh, for the competence he displayed during the recent scarcity. He said Momoh and his team exhibited outstand-

ing competence, which consumers did not appreciate because of agitation from individuals who more interested in their pockets than the common good. He regretted that this has become a national challenge.

The group pledged to continue to work with the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs diezani Alison-Madueke, and the PPMC boss to consolidate the reform in the sector, while urging them to continue to discharge their responsibilities without fear.

Ogundele, who is a lawyer, called on the government to commence full investigation

into the Arepo fire incident to bring the perpetrators to book, saying there is no better way of stopping few individuals from throwing the country into chaos than when criminals are made to face the wrath of the law.

Supposing Arepo the pipeline explosion was more disastrous, Ogundele noted, it would have thrown Lagos and other major cities into another era of scarcity and triggered call for sack of heads of key agencies. The usual outburst of emotion that accompanies shortage, he said, is the aim of the perpetrators of the act.

brate the 2014 World Milk Day with a commitment to continue to work with relevant groups to improve the quality of the product.

Its Public and regulatory Affairs Manager, Ore Famurewa, said the company is committed to ensuring that Nigerians get the best quality dairy nutrition from the product.

In a press statement, Famurewa said WAMCO, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and rural development, is working with various communities to build capacity in dairy farming.

“The ddP currently boasts of four highly equipped milk collection centres in Fasola, Alaga, Maya-eruwa and Iseyin, communities of Oyo State, and milk bulking centres with about 72 farming communities actively engaged in dairy farming.

Utomi, Others Pray For Abducted Chibok Girls

By Isaac Taiwo and Ijeoma Opera OUNder and Chief executive Officer of Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, has described Nigeria as an unjust society, saying violence naturally follows injustice.

Speaking at an event organised to mark abduction of

F

NATIONAL Chibok girls where prayers were offered for their freedom, Utomi advanced the need to reconstruct Nigeria into a just and peaceful society.

“We gather with pains in our hearts, as we contemplate the troubles of young

innocent girls,” said Utomi, who agonised over the state of the nation. .

“If we must tell ourselves the truth, today is marked by a collapse of culture; those in power are corrupt and care little for the people,” he said.

Utomi blamed the woes in the country on the political office holders. .

du bu pec 60 com 250 pre wh tha wo aro hig do

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

6 Sunday, June 1, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cityfile

Unemployment: Unemployment Bowls of Edikaikong soup waiting for dispatch

PHOTO: ITUNU AJAYI

In Abuja, There’s Money In Everything…Even Soups!

.

How One Woman Excavates Gold In Her Cooking Pot

From Itunu Ajayi, Abuja PSEUDONYM had to be adopted to protect her from her A clients whom she said might not be comfortable with her disclosure. She expressed fear of losing her customers if they ever knew she spoke to The Guardian. But with the assurance that her name would be ‘covered’, the ball was set rolling.

Risikat is a cook: a special one. She neither owns a conventional restaurant nor is she a mobile food vendor. In her early 30s, the lady relocated to the FCT from Lagos some eight years ago pursuit of a better life. Like many Nigerians not on the payroll of the federal government, Risikat was optimistic Abuja would smile on her, come what may.

A holder of the National Certificate of Education (NCE), Risikat had no plans to teach in the city. She had always had the belief that teachers were not well paid in the country.

Her late mother owned a restaurant back in Lagos, and so Risikat grew up assisting her. She made sure she was always at hand during vacations to help the woman, even when she was undergoing her teacher training at the College of Education.

On arrival in Abuja, she struck an idea on what she wanted to do with her life. She desired to take up her first love – cooking, but not in the style of her mother. She told The Guardian that commercial cooking is a good but very stressful business. And unwilling to pine away, as a result of the attendant challenges, she settled for the venture in a rather unconventional way. Risi, as she is fondly called by friends and customers, makes soups for the city’s married and single ladies who are either too busy to cook –or do not know the art of cooking at all.

According to her, most of her customers are children of influential people; children who were not taught how to cook. And in order to stave off embarrassment from their husbands and their families, they engage her to cook large quantities of assorted soups for them. These they keep in deep freezers. Thereafter, they get their house helps to cook the meals that would be eaten with the soup. Others in the category of the too busy are bankers, women in the advertising business and in other private corporations.

Risikat no longer desires a salaried job. According to her, no government job can be more rewarding than her soup business. She explained that the cost of a pot of soup depends largely on what goes into it. Her delicacies range from stews to edi-kaikong, edi-tan, ofe-onugbu, ofe-isala, ogbono soup, mixed okro soup and others. She said stews come cheaper than any other vegetable-based soups. And even at that, the price of her vegetable-based soups depends on what type of meat a client wants. As a rule, a client gives a list of what she wants in the soup and Risi does the rest. But she maintained that a modest pot of stew would go for at least N3,000 while soups of various vegetables and meat could go for as much as N10,000, depending again on the size of the pot.

She said: “Over time, my customers become aware of the price.

So most times, all they do is just call me on phone and tell me to bring a specific soup on a specific day. When the soup they have at home is about to finish, they call me to prepare another variety. And again, I have had cause to go and cook for some of them at home on a large scale, especially whenever they have special occasions, like naming ceremonies or birthdays.”

She explained that some of her customers confided in her that they didn’t want any house girls in their homes because of the randy nature of their husbands. Given the cooking shortfalls of the wives, there is the possibility the man would rely on the housemaid for his meals, and other duties, like washing of his cloths, which according to the wives is cause for concern. To avoid ‘accidents’, they are more comfortable with Risi’s cooking. And besides, their husbands are oblivious of the fact that another lady out there has been doing the cooking.

Risi said that in fairness to some of her customers, they had made remarkable efforts to learn how to make some of her soups. But once in a while they experience some inadequacies or face a lack of time to cook, and so they come calling. According to her, the bulk of her customers consist of children of the rich who had spent time overseas and have returned to Nigeria but without local cooking skills.

“You know, there is this saying that the way to a man’s heart is his stomach. Men love food and a lot of marriages have scattered because of the inability of the woman in the house to cook. When a man continues to eat in bukas and eateries all over town, it’s only a matter of time before he gets into the wrong hands. If he chooses to have a girlfriend, then he might decide to have her as cook, especially if the wife at home is a bad cook. Men may not know how to cook, but they sure know the taste of a good meal,” she said.

Risikat no longer desires a salaried job. According to her, no government job can be more rewarding than her soup business. She explained that the cost of a pot of soup depends largely on what goes into it. Her delicacies range from stews to edi-kaikong, edi-tan, ofe-onugbu, ofe-isala, ogbono soup, mixed okro soup and others... As a rule, a client gives a list of what she wants in the soup and Risi does the rest.

But she maintained that a modest pot of stew would go for at least N3,000 while soups of various vegetables and meat could go for as much as N10,000, depending again on the size of the pot.

Asked whether she has competitors in business, she said: “Sure, there are pockets of ladies out there who heard about this business, and they also are trying to find their feet. But I tell you; I already have my customer base. As a matter of fact, there are times I would be too busy to take more jobs. You know, cooking is not a child’s play; it is serious business. I have no fear of competition; I already have those I cook for. And over the years, they in turn have introduced others to me. If I tell you the people I cook for in this FCT, you will be shocked. But I thank God. I think He just decided to honour me with this unusual job.”

Risikat said she came to the FCT on a night bus from Lagos, but today she is the proud owner of a modest car, which she uses to distribute her products to customers. When The Guardian spoke with her in her home, she had two sets of soups ready for dispatch.

Risi was honest: she admitted she could not appeal to mothers to teach their daughters how to cook. According to her, one man’s misfortune is the fortune of another. She, however, stressed that ladies should learn how to cook for their husbands.

“If every woman knows how to cook, what would people like me be doing, especially with the rate of unemployment in Nigeria? So, their inability to cook, in some way, is a blessing for someone like me. But I still believe that every woman should know how to cook and take care of her husband. No one knows how to do all things, but at least, women should be able to do some kitchen stuff and then people like us can complement the effort where there is need.”

…In Makurdi, Hotels, Dance Halls To The Rescue From Msugh Ityokura, Makurdi NEMPLOYMENT remains a major problem in the country.

And government’s efforts to tackle the problem appear to be yielding little results, as many youths still roam the nation’s streets without jobs. Successive governments have put up policies and programmes towards alleviating poverty and putting food on the table of the average citizen. The task, however, seems herculean, partly because corruption continues to undermine progress. The fallout has been unpleasant, as idle hands have turned to robbery, thuggery, kidnappings, petty crimes and other social ills to make ends meet.

Christened: ‘Food Basket of the Nation’, Benue State is agrarian and is predominantly a ‘civil servant’s state’.

There are no industries or factories in Makurdi, the state capi-

U

tal, talk little of other towns like Gboko, save Dangote cement in Otukpo and Katsina-Ala. Besides truck drivers and labourers who load and offload bags of cement, a sizeable number of other staff of the cement company in Gboko, an economic hub and traditional headquarters of the Tiv people, are foreigners.

The industrial layout located on the dilapidated Makurdi/Naka expressway, built by the previous government has gone comatose. The factories in the layout have closed.

When it was still functional, the layout played host to a plastic manufacturing company, fertilizer blending plant, flourmills and a fruit juice factory. Many people were gainfully em-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

THE GUARDIAN

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

7

CITYFILE

Child Sex Abuse: ‘Why Society Must Act Now’

By Ijeoma Opara HE sexual abuse of minors is without doubt T one of the disturbing trends in society today. Now and again, the public receives rude shocks from media reports about adults who take unfair advantages of the underage. In Edo State recently, commissioner of police, Folusho Adebanjo, raised the alarm over what was becoming a new wave of criminality. The Guardian, in that report, noted that not less than 13 cases of defilement of girls as young as three years have been reported in the state, and the perpetrators, shockingly, are sometimes men as old as 60 years.

Adebanjo had expressed concern, calling on parents and guardians to monitor the whereabouts of their wards at all times. He also cautioned residents of the state to be alert and ensure suspicious movements and persons are reported to the police.

Seventeen-year-old Tope (not real name) started living with her married aunt at a tender age. Her aunt’s husband, however, raped her repeatedly through the years. Tope became pregnant and was forced to undergo an abortion. She confided in her brother, urging him not to speak out because her violator had threatened to kill her if anyone knew about the affair. Her brother eventually spilled the beans.

In another case, a Sunday school teacher molested three-year-old James. The lady led the little boy to the toilet to ease himself. There, she fondled his genitals and made him suck her breast. When James got home, he tried to simulate the incident. He caressed his mother’s breast and asked his sister to stroke his genitals. His action raised suspicion, prompting questions. In the process, the child dropped the name of his Sunday school teacher. These are just a tip of the iceberg on disturbing cases of sexual abuse of minors in the society.

“The society is becoming more permissive and both young and old now have access to pornography,” said Executive Director of Gender and Development Action (GADA), Ada Agina-Ude. “Young ones are into experimenting.

And from being adventurous, they start losing control, which is very central to sexual decorum. There is so much out there in the public domain that gives the impression that sex is cheap, life is cheap, and freedom of expression

is limitless. But are we sending a strong message to let people know that when a person’s freedom causes harm to another, it becomes violation?”

Agina-Ude stressed that good old values and exemplary standards would mitigate the trend. “Moral instructions should be part of education from kindergarten level all through secondary school. Missionary schools should be encouraged and assisted to get back to their pre-civil war standards. Wholesome recreational activities for young people should be made one of the priorities of communities and government. And offenders must be tried and punished.

Programmes Officer of Project Alert, Oluwatobi Asekun, however, is cautious about statistics that suggest child sex abuse is on the rise.

“We cannot exactly say it is on the rise,” she said, “because there was zero to almost non-existent data on the rate of child sexual abuse before now. Right now, Project Alert has data to show that children aged 0-17 are 69 per cent more likely to be victims of sexual abuse. There has, however, been an increase in reporting such cases by victims, their families and the media, as a result of various efforts by civil society, especially in advocacy, education and awareness about such issues.”

Asekun blamed parents and guardians who abandon their kids and wards to caregivers, relatives or neighbours without paying adequate attention to them, or disbelieving their children when they report abuses to them, especially when the culprit is an acquaintance.

She added: “It is also the fault of the government and the judicial system for not displaying seriousness in enforcing existing sexual offence laws, enacting stronger ones, prosecuting culprits or providing rehabilitation and welfare for the victims and families.

“I blame the society for their hypocritical and ignorant attitude to rape and other sexual offences. This attitude is displayed mostly where the culprit is a known public figure, like the infamous case in Ogun State where the director of an orphanage was accused of sexually abusing young girls in his care. Project Alert has a secondary school advocacy programme called ‘Sexual Violence and Young People’, where we educate students and teachers about sexual violence.”

HEALINGHEARTFOUNDATIONNG.WORDPRESS.COM

Speaking on a case the NGO, Children Emergency Relief Foundation (CERF), is handling presently, the founder, Mrs. Abosede Oyeleye, narrated the ordeal of 11-year-old Tomi Adelafe (not real name), the third child of late Mr. and Mrs. Adelafe. The girl is mentally retarded and is under the care of her grandmother, alongside her three siblings. “Tomi has been raped several times by neighbours and artisans in her vicinity alike,” said Oyeleye. “We got to know recently after we received hints from a good neighbour. Upon questioning her, she told us how she was sometimes led into the toilet, and how some elderly people would force her to sleep with them and give her money in return.

She said whenever she reported to her grandmother, she just told her to stay away from them.

“The issue is further complicated by the fact that some of the people that want to abuse her come around under the guise of wanting to send her on an errand. And her grandma would insist she went and met them. This shows some complicity. I feel very bad about

Tomi’s case because the people abusing her sexually are taking advantage of her physical challenge and vulnerability.

“Not only are we, as a foundation, prepared to prosecute anyone who further abuses the girl by handing such to law enforcement agents, we are also going the extra mile to warn the abusers she identifies to us, to keep off from her or face the wrath of the law.

“Children are vulnerable and we need to protect them against predators. Neglect is very high on the part of parents who do not take time to communicate, understand, and hence remove risks of rape that the child might be facing. Children also, are not informed and therefore too trusting. People that generally rape children are not complete strangers. They are usually people they know and respect.

“Those who perpetrate the act are not brought to book. Thus would-be paedophiles are encouraged to go ahead with the dastardly act, also parents and guardians are not ready to divulge information to avoid stigmatization.”

The Street Long Forgotten...

Separate views of Kogberegbe Street in Isolo, Lagos State

I Earn N20,000 Monthly, Says Graduate Waitress CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 ployed. It was gathered that political bickering and poor government policies led to the collapse of the layout, established by former governor, George Akume.

But amid the spate of unemployment, residents seem to have found an escape in hotels, dance bars and car wash centres. There is hardly a street in Makurdi that does not host a

PHOTO: CHARLES OKOLO

drinking spot. Some of these places operate under trees and are patronized even at daytime, as men take shelter from the scorching sun and sip their beers. The hotels and lounges are frequented all day. At night, they become a beehive of activities, as fun seekers gather in their numbers.

Many of the state’s top political appointees and public office holders seem to have turned to this cash cow. And while they smile home with their gallons of ‘milk’, many of the workers they have employed to man these places are no less happy to be off the streets. The industry has absorbed a large number of waiters, waitresses and security men.

“I earn N20,000 monthly. At least, it is better than nothing at all,” said Suzanne, a graduate and waitress in one of the bars.

Her view was corroborated by Ngbede, a steward in a dance

bar who also described his job as a blessing: “You can meet any one here and your fortune could change forever,” he said.

The most popular of the dance bars are: Jackiess, located less than a kilometre from Government House; Makurdi Metropolitan Hotels; District 24, said to be owned by a former permanent secretary, and Exclusive Lounge, reportedly owned by a serving commissioner. Others are: TC Wine Bar; Kimbi’s hotel; Harley Days Hotel, and Barcony, said to be owned by one of the governor’s associate.

The rise of these new entrants might have negatively affected old players in the business, forcing them to go under. An example is the old Makurdi Plaza and Benue Hotel. Although, these are bigger, their facilities have become obsolete, compared to the state-of-the-art hotels and bars that have just

8 Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN

www.ngrguardiannews.com

NOTEBOOK

NCAA Director-General: The Intrigues, The Politics, Our Nation

By Chris Aligbe N the year 2006, the Nigerian Civil Aviation AuIdisastrous thority came to limelight in the aftermath of the crashes of Belview, ADC and Sosoliso with over 300 lives lost in 2005/2006. The operational standards of domestic airlines had become so ignoble and disreputable that only an irresponsible leadership and nation could have kept quiet. The then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, called a stakeholders meeting at the Villa to rub minds on the rot the industry had become. Among the fallouts of the forum was the appointment of Dr. Harold Demuren. Demuren was the first Director of Airworthiness in FCAA at the awakening of a nation to the imperative of safety regulation in the aviation sector. That was in the mid-80s. But Demuren, along with Agbabiaka, then Director-General of FCAA, was fired in the ignoble reform of Air Commodore Nsikak Eduok in 1995.

The appointment of Demuren came at a time when Nigerians were bleeding from the loss of not just prominent persons, which included Sultan Maccido, but also young promising students of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja. As at 2005/2006, Nigeria was in dire need of a sound professional of repute with integrity and resilience, as well as the resoluteness needed to bring sanity to an industry that had gone awry. At the time, it appeared that the person most synonymous with the above set of qualities was “Dr. Harold Demuren”. As at then, the appointment of NCAA DG did not require the approval of the National Assembly.

But on assumption of office, Demuren set out to square the country with global standards and best practices by first producing comprehensive guidelines to underpin aviation safety regulations. This compendium of guidelines and regulations was passed into an Act: the NCAA Act of 2006 by the then highly purposeful and patriotic National Assembly, which easily drew lines between national and self interest without any prompting, let alone illicit inducement.

Between 2006 and 2011, in his five-year tenure, Dr. Demuren transformed an otherwise derided and innocuous establishment from the doldrums to the pinnacle. NCAA took pre-eminence over other parastatals and became a cynosure of professional efficiency. In these years, Demuren was NCAA and NCAA was Demuren. At International Civil Aviation forums, he was reverently called “Dr. D”. At home, he bestrode the “narrow world” of aviation like a colossus while the other CEOs of Aviation Parastatals peeped under his huge legs.

Demuren’s success of six years of accident-free industry made of him a highly self-confident manager who could resist—and indeed did resist—ministerial and political interference in vital areas of safety regulation and fund disbursement. By 2009, Demuren had become powerful beyond the imagination of stakeholders. Having taken no lessons in “Power Plays”, he did not realize that those in political authority, both at the executive and legislature, and masters of the power game, do not allow any independent power cells

outside their circles. Such cells are either brought under the control of these power brokers or are altogether destroyed.

As Demuren sought extension and renewal of his tenure at the expiration of his first fiveyear term in 2011, he used politicians of no mean status. During the 2011 launch of Oba Femi Ogunleye’s book on Aviation, the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who chaired the occasion, reinforced the eulogies of Demuren in Oba Oguleye’s book, erstwhile giving a veiled call for Demuren’s retention as he lamented profusely the potential fate of the industry should Demuren leave. This was the high point that engendered the intense political manoeuvres that saw Demuren out. The Joint Aviation Committee of the National Assembly played out this drama during the Public Hearing on the 2012 Dana crash when they initially refused to listen to Demuren’s presentation on the grounds that the Assembly had asked the Executive to remove him. Eventually, Demuren left, not for incompetence or corruption, but for the complaints of “stakeholders”; not in the industry but in the political arena. Following Demuren’s ousting, festering political crucibles, through which new appointees would pass, were installed at various levels. This was the fate of Capt. Fola Akinkotu who was appointed to replace Dr. Demuren.

Fola Akinkotu was largely unknown in the industry in spite of his extensive experience in various fields of the industry: from active flying to management and training of professionals sorely needed in the industry. By qualifications and experience, Fola met the requirements stated in the NCAA Act. For over four months, he ran from pillar to post to ensure his screening and confirmation by the Senate. The longer his confirmation stayed, the higher the stakes became, as intrigues from the industry and political circles reached a crescendo. The delay not only created a bad image for the Senate but also left a vacuum of devastating impact on the industry, one of which was the Associated Airline crash. The industry was in fact awash with gossips of horrendous illicit incentives to ensure that Akinkotu emerged from the deliberately installed screening crucibles. One cannot confirm the veracity of such claims. But in the wisdom of elementary school rhymes, “Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I. But when the trees bow down their heads, the wind is passing by”.

However, after a protracted wait and eventual clearance to assume his duties, Fola was surprisingly booted out after only six months on the job. No reasons were given. Albeit, some industry sources said he sauntered into the arena of political forces. It is quite unfortunate that just as Akinkotu was settling down to put a system in place, shenanigans took him out.

But was his fate ineluctable? The answer is blowing in the wind.

It has been close to three months now since Fola Akinkotu was removed and Captain

Why It’s So Sweet To Abuse Jonathan

By Steve Oboh HEREis nothing wrong in lambasting President Jonathan when things seem to go wrong. The ability to lambast the President when things go wrong is the hallmark of democracy. This happens in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy etc. If we must be counted among the democratic countries of the world, we must imbibe all the dos of democracy, and the opportunity to lambast any of our leaders is one.

The President has portrayed himself as too “small” and “too nice” to handle the “big shoe” that is Nigeria. Nigeria needs a President that demonstrates leadership by being tough or soft when the need arises. This is why Nigerians have maintained a love/hate relationship with former President Obasanjo and he has remained a point of reference in leadership in the country. Nigeria needed a follow-up of the leadership tempo of Obasanjo. Unfortunately, late President Ya’Adua and now President Jonathan came “too soft”.

Nigeria does not need the cunning of a Babangida or the brutality of an Abacha. We need a fair mix and an effective mix. Only Obasanjo has successfully created such mix hence he has remained a recurring decimal in our political life.

We need a President with carrot and stick, one that can strengthen federal institutions. Without strong federal institutions, state governors and their appointed local government chairmen would trample on citizens’ rights and welfare without any challenge. You wonder why Jonathan is lambasted? Where is the EFCC and other federal institutions that were strengthened and empowered under Obasanjo?

Why would a President not be lambasted if every-

T

one, including the First Lady has become chief spokesperson? Why would the President not be lambasted when he has admitted not using 60 per cent of his constitutional powers? Why would he not be lambasted when he appears indecisive on all major decisions? When he changed the name of the University of Lagos and later retracted? When no ex-governor has been successfully prosecuted under his watch?

It took forever to take a decision on Stella Oduah despite damning evidence of corruption.

Who is in-charge of the Presidency’s communications unit? Abati has lost his credibility; Dr Okupe who was fired by Obasanjo is a comedy of errors. Now the DG of the National Orientation agency has become the chief spokesperson during this Chibok crisis. We hear that the President is going to Chibok; next we hear he isn’t because his being there would make no difference. No difference to the feelings and emotions of the parents and people of Chibok?

Could you imagine the US President making such a remark?

Why did it take at least three weeks before the security chiefs visited Chibok? Governors are treating the President with disdain like their errand boy. Under President Obasanjo would Governor Nyako dare write the sort of letter he wrote against the President? Would Boko Haram have festered under Obasanjo?

The President will continue to be lambasted as long as he places himself in the same position he has placed himself today. We have the most outspoken First Lady on national issues in the Presidency today. Why would the President not draw heat?

Muhtar Usman was named Director-General designate to replace him. Unlike Fola, Usman is a far better known figure to the industry and the public, having been in public glare as the Commissioner and CEO of the Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau. He boasts some pedigree and a track record of performance that acquits him as an outstanding professional. Immediately Usman was approved by the President as a replacement, the same meddling and obtrusive shenanigans went to work; again. Much like Akinkotu’s case, those with the self-conviction that they are more qualified to take up any position in the industry, along with their godfathers, began their arguments on how “unqualified” Capt. Usman is.

With varying motives, these persons have clogged the cob-webby labyrinth of bureaucratic processes to ensure that the President’s approval does not leave the Executive realm to the National Assembly. As at Monday May 12, 2014, over two months after Usman’s appointment, checks revealed that his letter was yet to be transmitted to the Senate whose function it is to clear him.

A review of Usman’s qualifications will show that he has 14 years experience in Accident Investigation and Prevention, where he rose to become the Commissioner and CEO. Prior to this, he had spent 21 years as an active Pilot, flying B737 and B727 for Nigeria Airways and Chanchangi Airlines. Between 1981 and 1985, he was a Flying Instructor at the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, where he had in 1977 secured a Professional Diploma in Aero Electronics and Telecommunications. This was in the era when the school was rated number one in Africa, and the college was under the funding and technical assistance from global agencies.

As an Airline Pilot, Flight Safety Engineer, Flying Instructor, Air Safety Inspector and Aircraft Accident Investigator, Usman has trained in other prestigious institutions in Miami for CPL/IR and FE, in Oxford for FI, New York for ATPL, USC for AA1 and HA1, Singapore for SO1 and Cranfield for AA1.

Beyond these qualifications, Usman, as the Commissioner for AIB, demonstrated the sort of dexterity, passion and commitment which none of his predecessors had done before him.

Usman was able to put out the Reports on Belview and ADC Accidents of 2005/2006, and in record times, brought out Preliminary Reports on Dana and Associated Airline crashes. Under him, the AIB acquired the Laboratory for Black Box analysis.

Put side by side with Part III, section 3 of the NCAA Act of 2006, which states clearly that the Director-General of the Authority, inter alia, shall be a person of recognized expert knowledge, qualifications and experience of not less than 10 years, in one or more of the following fields: Aeronautical Engineering, Aviation Law, Air Transport Management, Aerodrome Engineering and Aircraft Piloting Telecommunications, it is easy to deduce mischief in the arguments of non-qualifications of Usman. The revealing insight in the four accident reports under Usman clearly demonstrates a grip on the challenge of safety oversight and the underbelly of conformity to safety issues by the airlines.

As at now, the more critical questions are: WHO IS HOLDING BACK USMAN’S LETTER? WHO IS UNDERMINING THE PRESIDENT? WHERE IS THE LETTER AND WHY HAS IT NOT BEEN TRANSMITTED TO THE SENATE FOR ACTION? Whoever is behind and is responsible is wittingly or unwittingly engendering an unfair image of a weak President or at least a weak administration. More critically, such persons risk smearing Nigeria’s hard earned global reputation. It is utterly incredulous that Nigeria holds the Presidency of ICAO and the Headship of AFCAC but cannot appoint a Director-General for its own Civil Aviation Authority.

Finally, these persons intent on delaying Usman’s appointment must, inevitably, be ready to accept vicarious responsibility in the event of an incident or accident in the industry. Associated Airline’s accident happened when we allowed a vacuum after Demuren’s exit by toying with Akinkotu’s confirmation. We, as a nation, tend to forget too soon or perhaps are altogether guilty of neglect.

In conclusion, word has it that the new Chief of Staff is a focused and well-rounded officer. If so, one proposes that he sorts out this matter once and for all for the sake of national interest, so we are saved from further degradation at home and abroad.

THE GUARDIAN

Sunday, June 1, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

9

NOTEBOOK

Return To Chibok...

Presidential Fact-finding Team Visits Chibok, Holds Interactive Session

Four of the students who escaped from Boko Haram abductors in a photo with the Presidential Fact-finding Committee

Members of the Committee listening to a parent whose daughter was abducted

Some parents and relatives of the abducted schoolgirls during the interactive session

Another section of parents and relatives of the schoolgirls

Boko Haram And ‘Man’s Darkest Impulses’

By Louis E. Eke N his reaction to the abduction of the over 200 Chibok girls in Borno State and the rise in sectarian conflicts across the world, President Barack Obama expressed shock and lamented that humanity has “not extinguished man’s darkest impulses”.

Obama’s comment may have emanated from a sense of utter frustration and disappointment that in spite of the advancement that has been recorded by man in his quest to conquer his environment and truly ‘have dominion’, some humans still remain captive of the bestial or ‘darkest impulses’ of the unregenerate man.

The U.S. President may have been making a veiled reference to the primary factor or tool that has been used by man in the conquest of his environment — education. Through education, man has recorded breakthroughs in areas that were at best left to the imagination in time past, and changed the world in a remarkably radical way. It, therefore, rankles to see a set of beings that refer to themselves as belonging to the human family exhibiting tendencies that are far removed from those associated with the civilized world.

Truth is, education in all its ramifications, including Western and so-called religious education, may be a tool of enlightenment and attainment of power and recognition in the modern world, it cannot ‘extinguish man’s darkest impulses’.

Education empowers people for existential purposes but lacks the capacity to eliminate the ‘animal in man.’ Similarly, any set of moral instructions can only at best awake man’s consciousness of right and wrong but cannot hold back a mind set on following the wrong path.

The notion that the emergence of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, is rooted in the high rate of illiteracy and poverty

I

among the population in the North is rather fallacious. Indeed, the modus operandi of this group, particularly its leadership and some of its foot soldiers reveals well co-ordinated actions proceeding from well ‘educated’ minds, albeit twisted. This is not to say that the region is not educationally disadvantaged and requires a radical intervention in this regard.

Boko Haram is a group driven by an ideology, a belief system fed by jaundiced notions of pietism. Although most who profess Islam as their religion have condemned in clear terms the activities of the terrorists, it would amount to playing the ostrich to deny the fact that this is at the core of the current violence being perpetrated by this murderous sect, bizarre as the ideology may appear to them.

A group that condemns Western education yet uses products of that educational system in its campaign of death and destruction is merely displaying the highest degree of insanity, resulting from years of ruthless mind-bending. It is a tragedy of immense proportion that a people opposed to this educational system, have thrust upon them as leaders, men and women who are not only beneficiaries of the same Western education they claim is ‘forbidden’, but are the leading lights of their own society.

Boko Haram is not pursuing any agenda based on reason or aspiration sensible to any rational mind; this is where some who have compared their militancy to that of the Niger Delta youths have missed the point entirely. The demands of the youths in the Niger Delta are considered rational given the years of despoliation of their resources by international oil companies and the attendant destruction of the environment, leaving the people with little or nothing to show for it.

Therefore when the militants were finally invited for talks, they had something to bring to the table; and the outcome is

evident to all.

One is not surprised, therefore, that Boko Haram has rejected calls for dialogue. The reason for their lack of interest in talks is because the ground for such discussions is non-existent in the first place. For them, the only basis of appeasement is the enforcement of their belief system, a position that attacks and offends every sense of civilized behaviour and the individual’s right to their religious belief. Such can only be an outgrowth of man’s ‘darkest impulses’, a worldview that should only meet with resistance by the civilized global community.

That said, beyond this fight, we must begin to pay attention to much of the mind-twisting that feeds these dark instincts and wakes up this bestial nature, which takes place in some of our schools and religious places. It is this brainwashing that has turned many of our school children into cultists; boys (and girls) who are no longer repulsed by the sight of human blood but rather derive fiendish pleasure from watching fellow humans bleed to death from their wounds.

A recent video, which appeared on YouTube, of a so-called church in South Africa where the members were told to eat grass because Christians are described in the Bible as sheep, is one such outcomes of manipulating the human mind to achieve self-centred and evil intents.

Boko Haram, just like those that manipulate the ignorant ones in other religious settings, must be called by what they are – evil; a people in the full grip of dark spiritual forces and used as tools in the mortal fight for human destiny. It is for this reason that many who identify with Islam, which the group claims to be fighting for, are quick to dissociate themselves from the activities of the marauding sadists.

Eke lives in Lagos

10

Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Backlash Abraham Ogbodo

08055328079 (Sms only) abogbodo@yahoo.com

2015: Bring Back Our Democracy T appears democracy has come to stay fiIingnally.

Before now, the thing had been comand going like abiku and causing so much pain to the people of Nigeria. The First Republic ended up in the grave after less than six years. The second attempt also died in infancy at age four or so. The third, which actually was some strange arrangement that shared authority between the military and civilians expired after less than 24 months of experimentation. But thank goodness, in its fourth reincarnation, the mysterious child has been arrested and detained by a powerful dibia; helping it to stay alive for an unprecedented 15 years; since May 29, 1999.

It is something to crow about and politicians are actually saying that in addition to whatever benefits they have been able to put on the table, the 15 years of unbroken operation should be appropriated as one of the high dividends of this democracy. The issue today is not to interrogate this claim but to affirm it so that this democracy can continue to run and count more years. After all, it is not always that age translates to real growth.

Some time, we can count years without growing up. And when age does not add up to growth, it is called arrested development. It is not an entirely hopeless condition. There are experts that can do a thing or two to correct the anomaly. For instance, if the arrest is induced by lack of food, in the case of biological growth, nutritionists are called in to arrange a diet that is complete with all vital nutrients for healthy growth. If it is caused by lack of ideas in case of social, economic or political growth, persons with the right ideas are invited to unlock the bottled potentials. In all cases therefore, the job is not beyond humans.

It is 15 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria. No sweat! But we shall begin to sweat

when we stretch this assessment further to seek real content and value. In actual growth, there is very little to show and people are saying that we have simply run for a decade and half without democracy. They explain that democracy was kidnapped right from the beginning by very powerful forces. The people are asking the kidnappers to bring back their democracy on or before May 29, 2015. This is unlikely without a fight.

Just as it is with the Chibok Girls, the rescue operation to recover democracy from the kidnappers requires tact and courage. If we storm recklessly, the kidnappers might kill democracy in the ensuing crossfire and we get nothing in the end. Yet if we delay too much, democracy may suffer a massive disorientation in the hands of the kidnappers and transform to something else. It is a delicate mission made even more difficult by the fact that the US, UK and other western countries cannot help us this time around with surveillance and other technical assistance as the case with the Chibok Girls. We must do it ourselves.

The search area is well defined. We cannot look outside those to whom democracy was entrusted in 1999. I am talking of the current class of political actors who have also operated like army of occupation. They are the kidnappers but they are a special breed of bandits who do not operate by the rule of their own game. For instance, they are not asking for ransom or the fulfilment of any condition to let go as Abubakar Shekau has done regarding the Chibok Girls. They do not want a one-off kind of ransom and it is in keeping democracy hostage forever that they also steadily earn their huge ransoms forever.

This is not to say that all politicians in Nigeria are kidnappers of democracy. It is just that

it is difficult to tell which lizard has stomach ache since all lizards lie down on their bellies.

There should be a few politicians who think differently and with whom we could ally to dislodge the kidnappers and set democracy free.

Therefore, as we plan for yet another rescue operation in 2015, a bigger task, for me, is to identify and separate the good guys from the bad ones so that we do not work at cross purposes.

Even so, making an objective list of the good guys is not a simple task because there are not too many of them around. My colleague, Mr Martins Oloja says things will get better if 10 per cent content of good men and women is achieved in government at all levels.

In the circumstance, I do not know if Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola could pass for one of the good guys. Maybe I should just run his profile the way I understand him and leave the verdict for others to make. He is among the very few state governors who command the reputation of a super performer and he has a way of reinforcing this with flowering words if the opportunity comes for him to speak. He is always cutting the right picture and it is extremely difficult catching him off guard. He is ever prepared to face any verbal encounter. He speaks more than he talks and even when he has to talk, he avoids talking anyhow. His articulation and smoothness of delivery constitute a completely separate attraction. Almost always, he will win you over and when he fails to do so, which is very rare, he will leave you confused.

Last Thursday, I was part of a four-member panel that interviewed Governor Fashola on the state owned television station, LTV, as part of activities to mark Democracy Day. Ophie, my 18 year-old daughter watched the 90-minute live telecast from start to finish. Later at home, she began a post-mortem of the session.

“Fashola was ready for all of you. I like him; he is very sound. He was not even doing em...em... em in search of what to say; everything from him was just flowing like water. He has answer for every question. He defeated you people.

Daddy, tell him to contest for the presidency when you meet him again; I will vote for him...”

She suddenly paused as if she had said the wrong thing and then resumed. “But he is in APC; APC cannot win when the PDP is there” she added, almost as an afterthought, to defeat her own aspiration.

Following day, it was a different medium, location and characters, but same theme –

AY is gone and now we are in June, yet, no M decidedly good news from Sambisa or wherever. The Chibok Girls have been away

SUNDAY NARRATIVE

since the night of April 14-15 and we do not appear close to the end of the nightmare. Last week, on the occasion of Democracy Day celebrations, President Jonathan announced that government would embark on a total war against Boko Haram. That sounded rather risky, knowing that the insurgents have our girls jealously kept in their custody. Later that day, the minister of Youth Development, former governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna announced that government had proclaimed amnesty for those members of the outlawed sect who are willing to lay down their arms and embrace peace.

Which of the two pronouncements do we believe – more firepower against the insurgents or an amnesty that will soften the grounds for the safe return of the girls? If only one could read the minds of the parents of these girls and other Nigerians, they would give anything to have these children back in good shape, mentally and physically. But for a country, the stakes could be much higher. That, perhaps, explains why our president appears to be dithering. In the morning, one government official would say one thing, in the evening another would counter. Our President is having a difficult time deciding what to do to bring back (release) the girls. The insurgents have named their price; they want an exchange of the girls for Boko Haram sect members who have been in government custody for many years (without trial).

It sounds easy on the path of the insurgents, but not exactly so for a sovereign government.

On June 4 2013, the federal government outlawed the Jamaatu Ahlis-Sunna Liddaawati Wal Jihad otherwise known as Boko Haram and the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan also known as Ansaru. By that action, the government authorized the gazetting of an “order declaring their activities illegal and acts of terrorism.” That action, also seemed to have frozen the possibility of any relationship between government and the sect, either for purposes of negotiation, or otherwise. Perhaps, government was too much in haste to outlaw the sects, without working with the possibility of Chibok. As it were, government had embargoed itself and such diplomatic traps are difficult to wriggle out of. In November 2013, after much pressure, the U.S. expressed solidarity with Nigeria by designating Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organisation.

To show support for Nigeria in the effort to de-

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

Chibok Girls: A Nigerian Dilemma feat Boko Haram the U.N. Security council only recently added Boko Haram to its 1267 sanction list of organisations subject to arms embargoes, travel bans and asset freezes. Though Boko Haram is a Nigerian breed, the global community has already shown commitment to help Nigeria deal with it.

Recently, President Jonathan was in France, where he met with leaders of neighbouring Francophone countries to fashion out ways of working in concert against Boko Haram. He was also in South Africa for the same purpose. The convention out there is that you do not negotiate with terrorists and Nigeria may have preferred to work along that line, except that the number of innocent girls that are out there in the cold makes our case an exception. A lot of calculations are going on out there, especially inside Aso Rock, I can imagine. You possibly cannot use force to rescue 200 defenceless girls in the bush. You have no idea the next plot Boko Haram would hatch. You have no idea the number of land mines they have buried around the girls. The best thing to do, it appears, is wait, pray and think hard. But time is going and delay is dangerous.

While waiting, some reasonable Nigerians and others who are confused have suggested the option of agreeing to swap prisoners. They say we should eat the humble pie and meet Boko Haram halfway. Their premise is that we cannot afford to lose our girls in this most horrifying manner. Others are in a hurry to see the humbling of Jonathan and Nigeria, materials of which capitulation they will reproduce very soon as campaign effigies.

For others, acceding the request of Boko Haram would amount to signing away the sovereignty of Nigeria to a bloodthirsty band of hounds, whose end game is to see Nigeria thoroughly bruised with the unrepentant whips of religious bigotry. Abubakar Shekau does not mince words. He wants Sharia and that is his life. The whole world has seen videos of the hapless girls, who were largely of the Christian faith, accord-

ing to reports, forced into Islamic uniforms upon criminal conversion (at least, going by the Nigerian constitution) and tutored to chant in the manner of adherents of the Islamic faith.

This is the dilemma of Jonathan and many patriots.

The challenge is, if government is blackmailed to surrender to the repulsive demands of the insurgents this first time, how much more will it be forced to cave in hereafter? Will Boko Haram accept this exchange of prisoners as an opportunity to warm up to government’s previous offers to negotiate and begin to wound down? Do the vitriolic rant and rave of Shekau suggest a mindset with which one could enter into a rewarding and lasting negotiation? Is Boko Haram, a ragtag army of outlaws qualified to challenge government into any kind of negotiation? Yet, something has to be done.

If Jonathan must do something without having to ridicule the assistance of Nigeria’s foreign partners on this matter, I suggest that we wind back to see how far we have managed similar cases of kidnap, especially of high profile citizens. That could offer some leeway towards retrieving our Chibok girls locally and also saving face internationally.

Nigeria is listed number six among 10 leading countries that are notorious for kidnapping Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechyna, Philippines, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico. These are countries where some criminals have elevated the crime of kidnapping into an art. Usually, they take their victims to locations and make contact with their owners or relations.

What Boko Haram has done with the Chibok girls is similar to what kidnappers have done in several locations across Nigeria, except that this is on a large scale and a far more deadly one at that. And this allusion is not intended to trivialise the enormity of the matter, but to proffer a homegrown solution.

Many people in government have had to negotiate for the release of their loved ones who were captured for ransom. President Jonathan’s

Democracy Day. Ebullient governor of Akwa Ibom State was struggling to explain a point to Channels Television team of interviewers.

The governor had mobilised the station from its Lagos headquarters to Uyo, the state capital for that purpose. The point he tried to explain was that it is perfectly in order for the state to pay ex-governors and their deputies mega pensions, so that they can remain the same in shadow and substance even outside office. The man was mentioning millions in hundreds as money had become outdated.

He was talking real big because there is big money to spend. The state’s share of the 13 per cent derivation fund from oil producing states is put at about N15 billion every month by one estimate.

But about the same time that the legislators in Akwa Ibom State were busy appropriating big benefits, including the provision of a fivebed mansion in Abuja or such other high brow location for ex-governors of the state, Mr Peter Obi, who governed Anambra State for eight years, was said to be haggling over price with a local estate agent whom he had enlisted to procure, probably a three-bedroom flat in Abuja for him. The man does not own a room and parlour how much more a mansion in the Federal Capital and while still as governor, he foolishly forgot to instruct the Anambra State House of Assembly to pass a law to take care of his housing, health, travelling and other needs to guard against this ugly scenario of his having to trade bargains with a property vendor in order to secure for himself an apartment in Abuja.

My girl did not wait for the Akpabio’s TV session to end before she opened commentary.

“Why is this man talking like this? See how he is calling millions, millions as if he is talking about recharge card money.”

Sincerely, I am not making this up. I am only reporting her reactions in the two scenarios stated above, and to say the least, I was alarmed by how much Our Girls (and Boys too), including perhaps, the 200 plus in captivity, understand the Nigerian system. But I tried not to betray any emotion so that I would not inadvertently interfere with her cognitive capabilities. Enough to say her understanding of the big issue of the day, a sort of, gives me hope that if everything fails, Our Boys and Girls will not fail. They will rise up tomorrow to rescue and bring back our democracy. cousin, one Chief Inengite Nitabai, was reported kidnapped on the night of February 23, a Sunday, in Otuoke, Bayelsa State. He is said to be of the same family compound as that of the President, a foster father kind of relation. The Joint Military Task Force operating in the state confirmed the kidnap of the 70-year old man.

But the good news was that after 18 days in the kidnappers’ den the chief was rescued. The report was that the kidnappers rejected the N30m they were offered, after they initially demanded N500m. Whoever carried out that rescue and negotiation that yielded no dime for the kidnappers should be commended and brought forward to assist in the Chibok case.

The coordinating minister of the economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also had the unfortunate experience of having her 82-year old mother kidnapped in December 2012. But the good news was that after five days she was released, hale and hearty. Oronto Douglas, Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy also had his moment of grief when his elder sister, Mrs. Augusta Douglas-Ayam was kidnapped in October 2013. She was released nine days after.

On and on, we have had countless cases of negotiations, which were clandestinely carried out in order to secure the lives of those involved. Nigeria might not need to offend foreign partners in order to release the Chibok girls. Government does not need to be involved in the negotiations. At the last count, a number of men of goodwill have volunteered to negotiate the release of the girls. One only hopes that these men are sincere. Too many persons want to earn cheap accolade on this matter and that was how they paraded CNN news reports to offer jaundiced views. We don’t need such men.

If I were government, I might settle for the respectable Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, who recently asked government to negotiate with Boko Haram. He sounded very authoritative on the matter. Let him galvanise the rescue process.

If we leave this matter to this government alone, the next video from Boko Haram could turn out to be very offensive. This government is slow, and prefers to run on committees and that is why men of goodwill must rise up today and do their bit.

At this point, we need to thank our women and men who sincerely mounted the campaign to bring back our girls. We also thank those whose conversation now seeks to release our girls. The goal is one, never mind the semantics. The good thing is that Nigerians know the difference, when the time comes.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014 11

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Outlook Msgr. Pedro Ayodele Martins (1910-2014)

By Matthew Hassan Kukah OUNG man, why are you looking at my car? Is yours missing? Before I could answer, the voice thundered, And who are you and what brings you to my house? It was almost like a miniature scene of God asking Moses why he was staring at the burning bush. Sorry Father, I am looking for Rev. Captain Edward Bako, I stammered with my voice literally shaking. Well, this is the house of the Director of the Chaplaincy. Is Fr. Bako your friend or your brother? I was not sure if an admission of association with the subject could further cause me personal injury, so I merely managed to say: I am sorry, but I was directed to this address. I still stole glances at the exquisite sports car, notwithstanding.

His face dropped and suddenly, I saw a flicker of hope, but again, he thundered back: What do you mean you are sorry? Who are you and where are you from? I gathered myself, paused and said as calmly as I could: My name is Matthew and I am a priest from Kaduna. Like an aborted clap of thunder, his seeming anger receded and by some miracle, he now beckoned me into his house and offered me a seat in his sitting room. Soon, he had come back with a cup of tea and I marveled at the transformation. I left convinced that he actually liked me and that his seeming harshness was a cover for a very soft, kind and loving heart as I would later realise.

That was my first encounter with the Msgr.

Martins the great and it was in 1978. The house was 7, Point Road, Apapa. The car was a sleek Volkswagen coupe. It seemed a scandal to me that a priest would have such a sexy car and that was why it caught my attention. Much later in life when my friends, the late Msgr. Brigadiers Mike Ngirika and the same Fr. Bako occupied the same residence, I remember entering the house, stamping my feet on the same grounds as if killing a cockroach, sitting down and putting my feet up and silently saying: Msgr. Martins, if only you could see me now.

My next encounter with Msgr. Martins was in 1983 when he visited Abuja and somehow miraculously showed up in my residence. I came to visit Abuja and I thought I should look you up because I heard the Cardinal had appointed you here.

I was humbled. When I reminded him of that memorable encounter in his house, he said: If you still remember, then it means you are holding a grudge against me. No, I said, not at all, but you really rattled me that day, I said, taking advantage of the fact that he was now in my own humble turf and I had home advantage. You must find a bottle of red wine and let us toast and then I will know the matter is over, he said. Red wine was an extra ordinary privilege and I had not matured into that league, not to talk of how expensive it was. Being a good host, I went up to my room, gathered all I could find from my drawer and went out to one of the very few shops in Abuja. I did not know much about the classifications of wines and so I simply asked for a good bottle of wine. I made the mistake of asking the shop owner for a good bottle of wine even though I really did not know which was the best. Unfortunately, what he came with was above my pocket and I said so, but being a good Catholic and my parishioner, the shop owner decided to forfeit the balance. When I arrived with it, Msgr.

Martins seemed impressed. He commended my good taste and, hiding the pain of the hole in my

Y

CONversation

pocket, I accepted his compliments. He took a good sip and, tilting back, he said to me: You will be a great man, my son. I rather like you, but you look rather stubborn and I actually like that, because people say I am stubborn too.

In my tribute to Msgr. Martins when he turned 90, I think I spoke about our times in Lagos. Readers might recall my story of how Msgr. Martins punched me in the belly on the grounds that I said that for him to get a letter endorsing his application for a visa, he needed to show me a letter from the Archbishop’s office to say that he is a priest in good standing. This was the law, but Msgr. Martins insisted that he was above the law. It was always safe to know that he was the law. But I did not finish that story in my tribute and I think I can continue with it now.

Msgr. Martins had returned from the trip rather early, barely a week after he left. I decided to go to his house to welcome him.

When I asked what he brought for me, seeing how much I did for him to get a visa, he accused me of asking for bribe. Ole, he said.

He then threatened that he would report to Archbishop Okogie and the President of the Conference that their Secretary General was a bribe taker! I pleaded with him and the matter died down. Ok, sit down, he said as he walked back to the cupboard. He opened it and took out a bottle of Baileys Irish cream and seemed to weigh it. When I ask him why, he said: People like you can sneak in and help yourself, so I usually weigh it because I will know if someone has stolen some of it in my absence. He then poured me a drink and went on to tell me two stories relating to his sudden return.

Do you know that my brother that I told you I was going to see in London? Yes, I said, I recall, you said you had not seen him for too long and it might be your last meeting. Do you know, I went to the house and found that he had moved and no one knew where the bugger had moved to. My God, I said, and what did you do? What did you think I did, you fool? I looked away to allow the return of the rhythm of his voice. I checked into a hotel and the next day I decided to go to Switzerland. Wow, I said, Switzerland? Did you plan to ski as part of your holiday? I said mockingly but also making

Pedro Martins sure I had enough elbowroom if he became aggressive and moved to punch me, as I knew he would. Switzerland was an even worse experience for me, he said.

He adjusted his seat and continued: You know, when I was in the army, they sent us out to one of those official foreign trips and we had estacode. We went through Switzerland and I decided that I would open a Swiss Account just for the heck of it. After my retirement, I never went back to the Bank as I did not have a reason to travel. Since I did not find my brother, I remembered this account, which I had opened some twenty or so years ago. I said let me go and collect my money and use it at home. I was convinced that by now, the money would have gathered some substantial interest. My intention was to take my money and close the account. I had my papers and was able to trace the Bank. I got there, went to see an Account manager and

You know, when I was in the army, they sent us out to one of those official foreign trips and we had estacode. We went through Switzerland and I decided that I would open a Swiss Account just for the heck of it. After my retirement, I never went back to the Bank as I did not have a reason to travel. Since I did not find my brother, I remembered this account, which I had opened some twenty or so years ago. I said let me go and collect my money and use it at home.

I was convinced that by now, the money would have gathered some substantial interest. My intention was to take my money and close the account. I had my papers and was able to trace the Bank. I got there, went to see an Account manager and when he looked at my papers and my account, he said that I owed the bank. The bastard said that the cost of servicing my account had wiped out my original deposit and that I was now in debt to the bank! I just got up and left and went straight back to the airport to head home

when he looked at my papers and my account, he said that I owed the bank. The bastard said that the cost of servicing my account had wiped out my original deposit and that I was now in debt to the bank!

I just got up and left and went straight back to the airport to head home.

In sympathy, I told him I will never eat Swiss cheese again in protest, but when I noticed he had taken it well, I gently added: Msgr., is it possible that God allowed this to happen because of what you did to me in my office, punching a poor, helpless priest? He stood up, moved towards me and said: Now, leave my house, leave, Ole, he added. I knew him too well to worry and the safest thing to do was to keep a distance from his punch. But we soon resumed small talk again.

I got the news of the death of Msgr. Pedro Martins through a text message of condolence from my friend, Mrs. Maryam Uwais. Of course, as everyone else, she acknowledged that he was a good man. I wonder how Msgr. Martins would have wanted his death to be announced. I recall a mild drama when Msgr. Omisesan of the Holy Cross Cathedral died. I was seated beside Msgr.

Martins when a young lady went to make the announcements for the Sunday. After she announced the death of Msgr. Omisesan, she ended by saying, May the gentle soul of Msgr.

Omisesan and the souls of all the faithful rest in perfect peace. Msgr. Martins literally jumped from his seat and almost shouted: Woh, this girl is stupid. Come here my friend, he said to the frightened young lady who, like all parishioners knew him only too well. Who said Msgr. Omisesan had a gentle soul? Did you know him at all?

Ask us to pray for his soul to rest in peace, but not his gentle soul. That man did not have a gentle soul. He was a tough and hard man. Now go, he waved at her.

Of course, nothing Msgr. Martins did shocked anyone any more. Everyone had grown so used to the style of one of the greatest human beings one would ever meet. He lived a full life, was a pride to the Church that owned him, a loyal military officer and a great patriot. He will be said to have fought the good fight, a fought many wars, lost only a few battles and won the hearts of many. About Msgr. Pedro Martins, no one could be neutral. For him, truth had no sheds of grey. He came, he saw, he conquered without stooping. Those of us who fell victims to his punches can now say aloud, free at last, thank God Almighty we are free at last!

He went only like Msgr, Martins would have left, on his own terms. For some years, his head was in heaven while his body remained here leaving both heaven and earth in suspense.

Here on earth he could not speak for years, but the angels said they had not seen him at the gate yet. He took off and arrived heaven early enough to hand Arsenal the FA Cup and made it easy for Cardinal Okogie (the official Chairman of the Arsenal Clerical Supporters’ Club, with Bishop Ajakaiye as able Secretary) to rejoice rather than mourn him. Rest in peace, the great one. Take bow and receive the crown of glory.

• Father Kukah is the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto.

By Obe Ess

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

12

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Editorial Engaging The Boko Haram ITH news making the rounds that the military forces have allegedly identified the location of the Nigerian girls abducted from Chibok, that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has begun some kind of dialogue with the Islamist group, Boko Haram, which is behind the traumatizing abduction, Nigeria must keep the resolve ever resolute to bring back the girls.

Since parents have identified 77 of their wards amongst the abducted shown in the video allegedly released by the Boko Haram, the government must, however, be cautious with the next step of action it has to take to rescue the girls alive. This need for caution has become necessary given the conflicting positions of analysts and commentators who have volunteered solutions to the Chibok debacle.

Following the release of the video recently, a spokesman for the Boko Haram, who appeared to be its leader, Abubakar Shekau, made an offer demanding a swap of some of the abducted girls for Boko Haram members held in government prisons. In reaction to this, there has been a flurry of opinions regarding the modus operandi for rescuing the girls.

Connected with this is the fact that many Nigerians have become flatteringly positive about a successful rescue mission by the envisaged presence of American personnel and other such assistance.

While some respected Nigerians have called on the Federal Government to accept the negotiation deal in so far as it will encourage meaningful dialogue, others have denounced it as morally and legally wrong, and therefore unacceptable since it would entail exchanging criminals for innocent children.

It is understandable that in this state of glaring uncertainty and gross incapacitation, and considering the global dimension the Chibok event has taken, the Nigerian government would be inundated with all kinds of proposals suggesting modalities to rescue the girls.

However, this is the time for government to be very methodical, astute in dealing with issues. Officials should extricate themselves from the morass of party loyalty and primordial sentiments that may impair well-thought out resolution of the crisis. The government must explore all available options at its disposal, and carefully weigh the odds against any choice it deems needful.

The animosity generated by political ineptitude and seeming insensitivity of the Federal Government should be put in abeyance, and the blame game must stop. Those who have turned the continued abduction into a cash-cow should be sidelined in the ongoing discussion to bring back the girls.

The government must not be seen to be dancing to the discordant tunes, which many people are singing over the issue.

The lives of Nigeria’s daughters are involved, and this is not the time for grandstanding.

Inasmuch as the nation desires the assistance of foreign powers, the government should not allow the current challenging national crisis to become an opportunity for turning Nigeria into a casual guinea-pig in social engineering.

Nigeria should regard foreign assistance with consideration for its sovereignty, and should learn from the tact and tactics of the experienced nations in dealing with issues of this kind.

To this end, the government should be wary of so-called foreign commentators, who have overnight become experts on the present crisis in the country. While these experts may be genuine authorities in their own right, the nation’s political leaders and advisers should consider the solicited and unsolicited proposals with extreme caution and diligence. This is to ensure that such submissions do not sway the nation’s leaders to steering the polity into perdition. Nigeria cannot afford to become a case study for an already programmed outcome.

Above all, the Goodluck Jonathan administration has no right to peace until it brings back the girls.

W

LETTERS Fight Against Corruption, A Challenge For All When will Nigeria be SmostIR:deleted from the list of corrupt countries of the world! It appears to me as though there is no cure or an end in sight. Corruption in Nigeria has eaten deep into every system — social/economic life. This is glaringly evident in our bad roads, non-functional hospitals, unemployment and poverty to mention but a few.

Most worrisome is the fact that, it appears Nigeria and Nigerians are not ready to stamp out corruption. People see corruption as a way of life and more than anything else it is seen as a common phenomenon among those in authority, especially politicians. The society rather than tame corruption sing-praise the corrupt especially the politically exposed persons that are being prosecuted by the anti graft agencies. This is a trend that should be discouraged if our country is to move forward.

However, corruption as a challenge is not insurmountable. All it requires is attitudinal change. In the words of Jonathan Okeke, “Corruption is not a being; it does not exist on its own ... it is an attitude. It is a human behavior”. In other words, what is needed is a deviation from the normal way of doing things in the society. That is, business as usual.

If we all imbibe this as our

guiding principle, politicians will not divert public funds to private pockets, civil servants will not compromise official business for selfish gain, youths will not indulge in social vices, professionalism will not be compromised for mediocrity, teachers or lecturers will not take bribe to pass students and our society will be better for it.

The anti-graft agencies such as EFCC need to step up their

campaign against the hydraheaded monster and ensure that no stone is left unturned in their efforts to rid this country of corruption. Moral education or Civic responsibilities, ethics and values should be included in the school curriculum from primary to tertiary level. Religious bodies should also rise up to their responsibilities by educating their followers on the ills of corruption. Government at all levels should lead by example.

• Nnenna Nwajah, Abuja.

Darkness As Nigeria’s Friend IR: On May 22, 2014, you Sentitled published an editorial “The problem of power supply.” You then followed it up on the 25th by publishing a letter to the editor, “The roadmap to no electricity”. In that powerful editorial, you called the Generating Companies (GENCOs) jitteriness over proper metering of consumers and inadequate supply of gas to power plants, and their giving lame excuses for their failure “distasteful and unacceptable.” You also said “It is a gratuitous insult to the collective intelligence and sensibilities of Nigerians.” Kudos! Please, add my voice to this chorus.

I believe that if we can get it right with power supply,

every other thing shall be added unto us. The issue of power supply must not be allowed to leave the consciousness of those responsible for providing it until we have achieved the target power supply! Even those who used to see “little” light, before the privatisation, that “little” has been taken away from them. It is as if darkness is Nigeria’s friend.

You and other newspapers can devote a small portion of your front page for a daily and sustained campaign called “For Light in Nigeria”. We want it to be like the ongoing campaign to bring back the missing girls. The National Labour Congress and civil society groups should support it.

Darkness must no longer be Nigeria’s friend!

• Cosmas Odoemena, Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014 13

14

Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

... Baby Factories, More Harm Than Help?

COVER P/18 BUSINESSAGRO APC And The Challenge In 2015

P/38

Cassava Farmers, Stakeholders Access e-market

JUNIORGUARDIAN

Children’s Day Special

P/24

16

Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Never Too Old To Reap The Rewards O ODAY, Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate the World Milk Day, a day set aside by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an arm of the United Nations (UN) to underscore the importance of the milk and dairy industry to the health and wellness of mankind.

Milk is a great source of healthy nutrients required by the body. It is a very energetic diet that provides instant energy to the body as it contains high quality proteins including both essential amino acids and fatty acids.

Milk is an important part of our diet.

People shy away from milk because they fear that it will add too much fat to their diet.

Others leave it out because they believe that they no longer need it. Consumers are never too old to reap the rewards of drinking milk. It is a great source of vitamins and nutrients, and has several health benefits.

Milk has several nutrients which help skin look its best. It has lactic acid which can act as an exfoliant and enzymes to help smooth skin. It also has amino acids that help keep skin moisturized. Milk can help prevent damage from environmental toxins because it has antioxidants. However, if you have a sensitivity to milk or dairy products, milk can actually aggravate your skin.

Milk is a great source of calcium,

T

which is essential for healthy bones. Not only do young children need it while their bones are growing, but adults need it to keep their bones strong and to prevent osteoporosis. Milk is also good for strong teeth, and it helps prevent tooth decay and cavities. In order for the calcium to be absorbed by the body, Vitamin D must be present. If you have a vitamin D deficiency, buy milk that is fortified with extra vitamin D to ensure that your body absorbs the calcium.

Milk contains protein, which helps to rebuild muscles.

Drink a glass of milk after you exercise to give your body what it needs to recover. It will help to keep soreness at bay while replenishing fluids that you lost during workout.

Studies show that women who drink lowfat or skim milk lose more weight than those who exclude milk from

their diet. It is a great appetizer and makes a healthy snack. Add a glass to your dinner, or drink a glass while eating a piece of fruit.

Milk is a great way to de-stress at the end of the day. A glass of warm milk will help to relax tense muscles and soothe frayed nerves. Milk has also been proven to reduce symptoms of PMS and boost energy. The next time you are feeling frazzled, try drinking a glass of milk while you soak in a bubble bath.

Milk also has properties that lower high blood pressure and risk of strokes. It reduces the liver’s production of cholesterol, and it can act as an antacid. Vitamins A and B in milk can help build good eyesight. Milk has been shown to help lower risk of certain

cancers.

There are several varieties of milk in the market, such as whole, 2 per cent, low-fat and fat free. With all of the types of milk available, one should be able to find something that fits our diet and nutritional needs.

Milk has been adjudged as a healthy and balanced diet by the International Dairy Federation. Milk is a great source of healthy nutrients required by the body (calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, iron, potassium, folates, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B12, protein, healthy fat etc. It is very energetic diet, provides instant energy to the body as it contains high quality proteins including both essential and non-essential amino acids and fatty acids.

As we celebrate the World Milk Day, Nigeria celebrates those companies in Nigeria that are committed to providing high quality safe milk products that consistently meet customer and legal requirements. Products such as Dano and Cool Cow milk, Peak and Three Crowns milk, Cowbell, Hollandia, Loya Milk, Luna milk are arguably some of the high quality milk that have the entire nutrients needed to build body system.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014 17

TheGuardian

18

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cover

APC leaders

APC And The Challenge In 2015

By Armsfree Ajanaku DVERSARIAL in nature, the American style presidential democracy Nigeria has been practicing since 1999 has had its peculiar challenges, especially with respect to the formation and sustenance of the opposition. The overwhelming dominance of the polity since 1999 by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has had far reaching implications for opposition politics. The stranglehold of the PDP in Nigeria for the last 15 years has gone on without a real, robust and successful challenge from the opposition. The wide powers of a constitutionally created imperial Presidency with ship loads of patronage to dispense has rubbed off negatively on the cohesion, ideas formulation, and the resolve of the opposition to take a credible shot at power at the federal level. This is in spite of the major fissures that have appeared over the years in the PDP, creating a series of openings for the opposition to take advantage and make a free run to Aso Rock.

It is pertinent to recall that political party formulation in the build up to the transition to civil rule programme in 1998 was at best a knee jerk reaction. The sanguinary dictatorship of the dark goggled General Sani Abacha had suddenly ended; General Abdulsalami Abubakar eagerly began implementing the transition to civil rule to last for less than a year. This resulted in the formulation of parties without a philosophical interpretation of what their roles, norms and projections would be within the new Nigerian democratic sphere. And because these processes for party emergence were not particularly thought through, the political terrain was littered with too many poorly manufactured political vehicles, which would later crash on democracy’s tortuous road.

The Alliance for Democracy (AD), for instance, made a clean sweep of the Southwest in 1999 on the back of its cooptation of the legacies and electoral assets of the Action Group (AG)-Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) structure. The party did

A

not however interpret the extant realities of 1999 well enough to survive. The consequence was the squandering of the goodwill left behind by the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, precipitating dire effects, including the atrophy, and eventual extinction of the party after the 2003 general elections.

Lost were the initial gains from the 1999 opposition alliance, which produced a joint ticket (Olu Falae/Umaru Shinkafi) featuring the AD, and the then All Peoples Party (APP).

On its own, the APP, which was later rechristened the All Nigeria Peoples Party, did not show sufficient ambition to make a push to get power at the centre. The two runs of former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari for the presidency on ANPP’s in 2003 and 2007 ticket fell through partly because the party did not have the capacity to scour for votes beyond its conservative strongholds in the north.

There are those who talk of the problem of electoral malfeasance and how the lack of credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the com-

ing of Professor Attahiru Jega robbed the opposition in some elections. While that is a point to note, the other truism is that the opposition did not really step up to the plate in terms of defining and challenging the ruling party in the build up to the polls. It is trite to note that in a democracy, the role of the opposition revolves around the creation, nurturing and ultimately, the marketing of that alternative to the people. These exertions require astute levels of organisation, with the aim of creating a credible counterforce to unseat and outperform the ruling party.

However, with the coming on stream of the All Progressive Congress (APC), after a merger of legacy parties including the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), there is a buzz around the notion that the opposition might just nick it this time. The optimism stems from the fact that the opposition is making fundamental mathematical calculations revolving around how its big Southwest/core northern voting bloc, with pockets of other domains could

Beyond the need to tell Nigerians what exactly the party would do in government, and why it would take certain steps, the APC has a lot of work to do with respect to its identity. Soon after merger of the legacy parties took place, the party seemed to have placed a lot of premium on wooing governors and legislators from the very political party, the PDP, which the APC is seeking to replace. This contradiction has been so glaring, that it has undermined whatever claims the APC has made about offering a fresh platform and alternative to the Nigerian electorate.

By going to a party which is being accused by the APC of ruining Nigeria for 15 years to poach members, the opposition is implying that the PDP has produced many good political manpower that it (the APC) is now seriously coveting. This is has created a serious identity crisis for the APC, while showing what seems like its disdain for the Nigerian people, whose votes it is hoping to win come 2015

deliver the Presidency in 2015. The APC strategists seem to be tapping into the sentiments around power returning to the northern establishment, which is apparently feeling shortchanged that the pendulum swung to the South South, which is currently having a taste of the presidency under President Goodluck Jonathan.

These cold calculations and the stratagems being put in place to bring them to fruition suggest that the opposition is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to unseat the ruling PDP. One dimension of this seriousness to clinch the holy grail of Nigerian politics, the presidency, may be gleaned from the combat readiness of the opposition Information Bureau. In terms of harassing the government by constantly taking it to the cleaners over policies and programmes, the arrowhead of the APC propaganda machine, Lai Mohammed has been up to the task. His ceaseless and virulent critique of the Jonathan administration on a range of issues has left the government info machine scrambling for appropriate responses on many occasions.

It is in this context that many see the opposition’s definitions of Jonathan as a “clueless” President tag, one the President’s image managers have really struggled to get off his neck. However, the APC has its many moments of reversals due to its brand of overzealousness rhetoric manifesting in such descriptions of the Jonathan as “a kindergarten President.” The sly tactic required to attack the President’s policies, without denigrating the high office he occupies appears lacking in the APC propaganda strategy.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

THE GUARDIAN

Sunday, June 1, 2014 19

www.ngrguardiannews.com

COVER

Those Who May Make Or Mar APC

By Kamal Tayo Oropo

Abubakar to Abuja, where he was to serve as vice president to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Atiku, who was referred to as the de facto president during Obasanjo’s first term lost gravitas in their second term and since then, the man has harvested a handful of political turbulence and crisis.

When Obasanjo made their party, the PDP too hot to stay, Atiku migrated to the opposition Action Congress (AC), where he was presidential candidate in 2007.

He returned to PDP for a brief spell, only to return to the newly formed APC, where the prospects of a more peaceful political environment seemed bright.

If the APC provides a level-playing field towards 2015, Atiku has good prospects to ply his trade in the party. But he has to put his ambition under close watch so that he does not make the party uncomfortable for himself and others.

Bola Tinubu

HILE it cannot be said that former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu owns the All Progressives Congress (APC), the way it was almost ascribed to him during the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), he is certainly a critical shareholder in the new progressive fold. His word may not be law in the party but he stands out of the crowd and he is a critical factor.

Indeed, and as demonstrated in recent times, Tinubu’s influence in APC is modest in the face of a more national outlook of the party as against the ACN that was localized in the Southwest.

At varying times he was reported to have met stiff opposition to some of the positions he canvassed. At the last meeting of the party in Abuja, Tinubu’s choice of national chairman of convention planning committee, Abubakar Baraje, suffered opposition. He is also said not have been able to provide suc- Buhari cour to the belligerent crowd in Ogun State chapter of the party. Other times, the man had been told in no uncertain terms that he does not own the party. Chief Tom Ikimi and former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, are two of Tinubu’s sources of trouble in the party.

It is widely believed that, but for the nature of politics in Nigeria, Tinubu would have loved to aspire for the presidency. As alternative to that ambition, he would love to settle the vice-presidency. But even that is not assured. On one side, his ambition could affect the party’s sharing formula for the Southwest. Tinubu has never hidden his desire to see the interim national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, continue as the substantive chairman. But the zone may have to settle for either the chairman of the party or the vice presidency. All that is now subject to further permutations as the Southsouth is said to have interest in the national chairmanship of the party.

W

Muhammadu Buhari

Tinubu

Nuhu Ribadu

Atiku

Sheriff

Easily one of the most experienced leaders in the country, former head of state and three-time presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, is hugely popular; not only in his primary constituency in the northern part of the country, but in the minds of many Nigerians who have come to respect his frugal and disciplinarian dispositions. However, Buhari is not getting any younger and his last shot at the presidency in 2011 met with some misgivings from people who perceived his call for resistance to electoral fraud as the basis for the circle of violence in north. While nothing untoward had been established against him, and after taking one or two legal actions in this regard, Buhari still has to endure the unfortunate perception.

Beyond this however, having relaxed some of his hard line position on issues that once made interim national chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, dismiss him as a wretched politician, Buhari still has the chance of playing well at the centre come 2015.

Bisi Akande

Tom Ikimi

Chief Tom Ikimi, former foreign affairs minister, is no stranger to Nigerian politics.

He was the national chairman of the ill-fated Third Republic’s National Republican Convention (NRC). His role in the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief MKO Abiola of the rival Social Democratic Party (SDP) did not recommend him to a chunk of those with whom he now takes prime place.

Currently, Ikimi is in the core of those to decide whether the APC swims in good health into 2015 or drowns by the wayside.

He is the Interim national Vice Chairman (South south) of the party, and is said to be at loggerheads with Tinubu over where the next national chairman of the party should come from.

In the next few weeks, it will be known how far Ikimi can go and what good he does to the APC. Osoba

Akande

Just when it was almost certain that the former Ogun State governor, Chief Segun Osoba, could be taken for granted in the party, he has gradually shown that being a party man is all about putting party interest first.

He is a kingmaker in his home state, which

Nasir El-Rufai

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir El-Rufai is one of the intellectual arrowheads in the party. What he seeks to achieve through his membership of the party in terms of political gain is yet uncertain. Some see his membership of the party as a matter of convenience, not necessarily conviction. He is believed to be in the APC to demonstrate the idiom that ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’.

While this may be uncharitable to the former Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise, El-Rufai has remained a consistent voice in the party against some of the policies of the present government.

Former factional national chairman of the defunct Alliance for Democracy, national chairman of both AC and ACN and presently interim national chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande is no stranger to murky waters of politics. Since his emergence as the Osun State governor in 1999, Akande has remained in the political spotlight, which he has managed well, while keeping his integrity intact, but what does life out of the spotlight hold for him?

It is to his credit that the APC has managed to survive this far, waxing stronger and conquering more grounds. However, if current calculations could be relied on, Akande may not be returning as the substantive national chairman of APC after the June 13/14 conventions. What role is there for the man whose political umbilical cord is closely tied to that of Tinubu? Would he continue to play his famed leadership role in the APC as characterised or go on voluntary retirement?

Segun Osoba

In a country bed-ridden by consequences of corruption at high and low places, the name of policeman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, cannot be waived away. He was the chairman of the EFFC at the brightest moments of the commission. However, his foray into partisan politics as the presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria met with little success. The stint was enmeshed in controversy. The highpoint was when his party lost in its traditional stronghold of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo States. Many believe that the system was compromised against him.

With age still firmly on his side and much of his integrity still intact, Ribadu may not be a hard sell for the APC as presidential hope. But as events had shown, the presidency is not exactly a tea party and the mistakes men make live after them. For example, many in political circles still believe that Ribadu was used by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to intimidate and harass opponents. Incidentally, most of these ‘opponents’ are in the same political circle with Ribadu and could make or mar his political fortunes.

Ali Modu Sheriff

Ikimi

is currently boiling over. In spite of that Osoba has managed to keep a dignified silence, until recently when he decided to speak out to his followers. A lot depends on him if APC is to survive in his state.

El-Rufai

Atiku Abubakar

First elected as the Adamawa State governor in 1998/9. But before he could take oath of office, fate propelled Alhaji Atiku

Allegedly one of the major financiers of the APC, former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, is working hard to ensure that he is not pushed over. While his ambition for higher political office is unclear, he is seen as one of the kingmakers in the APC. But he’s unlikely to support ascendancy of any candidate that may not guarantee protection of his vast business empire. He has invested heavily, and like many of his kind, will expect return on his investment.

20Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

COVER

All Now Set For The APC Power Game From Niyi Bello, Akure HE emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the fusion of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a faction of the All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) to challenge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a power contest to create a two-party structure for Nigeria, did not come as a surprise to keen observers of events in the country’s political landscape.

The western democracies that Nigeria is trying to emulate i.e. Britain and the United State of America (USA) are mainly of two dominant party structure and history of political party formations in the country, especially in the turbulent independence years have shown that alliances of different political platforms are needed if participatory democracy must achieve its highest potentials.

Although the early constitution allowed formation of small political platforms that are restricted by scope, even by their names, these small entities cannot muster enough strength to take overall control of a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria with so much diversity.

The ground for the emergence of alliances was further laid by the nature of party politics in the First Republic during which period, major ethnic groups were identified with their own political platforms making it difficult for a single party to have the needed spread to take absolute control of the centre such that a fraternity across the Benue was needed before the Balewa/Azikiwe government could be formed at Independence while the mantle of opposition moved to the West. The same tilt towards a two-party arrangement was exhibited towards the 1964 elections in the formation of the Nigeria National Alliance (NNA) and the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA).

This trend of regional platforms needing a handshake across either the Niger or the Benue to take central control continued in the Second Republic when the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) had to reach an accord, though shortlived, with the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) after the 1979 elections and during the preparations for the 1983 exercise, the formation of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) to form a formidable opposition to check the ruling NPN. Apart from the historical antecedents, the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, drawing mainly from the Hegelian dialectic of the triad; thesis, antithesis and synthesis, had predicted that the country would, in the course of political development, eventually come up with a two-party structure.

Barely two weeks to the collapse of the Second Republic, Awolowo, one of the tripods that the leadership of Nigeria rested at independence, predicted that the political field would be divided into two with each side belonging to politicians according to their ideological leanings.

Perhaps, the historical facts and the Awolowo hypothesis which also postulated that the formation of a new structure would in itself possess qualities of self-destruction that would eventually create a new beginning in an endless cycle, influenced the formation of a twoparty structure in the Babangida transition to civil rule programme when two platforms “a little bit to the right and a little bit to the left of centre” were decreed by military fiat.

Even at the commencement of the current democratic dispensation, two major candidates in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Olu Falae, a product of an alliance between the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All Peoples Party (APP) emerged to contest the presidential election to further strengthen the belief that the country’s political landscape is custombuilt for two dominant political parties.

Although the APC as presently constituted is not in strict compliance with the Awolowo hypothesis of having clearly identified ideological differences with its major rival, the PDP, and not in consonance with the discernible divides between the Labour Party and the Conservatives in the UK or the Republicans and Democrats in the US, the fact remains that the frontier of choice have been expanded for the average Nigerian voter.

And for the first time in the country’s political history, full merger of political platforms took place in the formation of the APC as the opposition parties fused into one party while dropping their earlier identities, a complete departure from the mergers and accords of the past where the associations are defined along each platform’s differences.

This is also the first time that handshakes will

T

Ikimi be made simultaneously across both the Niger and the Benue raising the hope that if properly managed; the new opposition platform would provide the necessary impetus for participatory democracy to thrive in the country.

With the emergence of the APC, the monopoly of the PDP as the only political platform with national spread has been broken, as opposition flags are now hoisted in all the six geo-political zones with the highest population of electorates like Kano, Lagos and Rivers.

However as much as the voice of the opposition has been amplified, the party itself is having a lot of internal troubles to create the impression that the platform might indeed be running after a mirage in its quest to take over the lever of power in Nigeria.

From a genesis rooted in progressive politics of the Awolowo era when the Western regional government under its control raised the quality of life in the area a notch higher than its counterparts across the country and high investments made on the people’s welfare and social infrastructure, the ACN unfortunately could not divest itself of the toga of tribal followership.

As the AD in 1999, even though failing to meet the standard of party registration because its presence could not be felt outside the South West enclave, but registered anyway, the party confirmed its control of the region by winning all the states, following the trend it has always followed since that controversial pre-independence cross-carpeting on the floor of the

Although still in control of the greater part of its regional stronghold, the lack of internal democracy may turn out to be an albatross on the neck of the new party as a major stakeholder in the person of Opeyemi Bamidele has been lost to the Labour Party (LP) in Ekiti.

Bamidele, who refused to abide by the directive of the party leadership to allow incumbent Kayode Fayemi have his second term, has picked the ticket of the LP creating loss of membership for the APC, while in Ogun, the supremacy tussle between the governor, Ibikunle Amosun and the party leader, Osoba, is allegedly said to be a result of lack of reverence for party supremacy on the part of Amosun.

Because of its way of managing its internal democracy which many democrats argued is at variance with the principle of the majority having its way in any situation, the APC may be digging its own grave especially as with the process of picking candidates for next year’s elections would soon commence.

Except a new method of approach is employed, the Ekiti scenario may repeat itself in Lagos, where speculations that the leadership has endorsed a particular candidate are already heating up the polity which under a transparent process should be made to produce an acceptable flag-bearer.

Indeed, all the problems confronting the APC in the South West could be traced to the lack of democratic structure. The leadership displays some arrogance, even telling those who ask questions “to go and form their own party.”

With statements like this, an ownership crisis where certain leaders became godfathers dictating the pace of party growth and determining even the roll call on the membership list cannot be said to augur well for healthy political competition which the APC has created especially in the South West region.

Analysts believe that failure of the party to hold on to its South West stronghold could spell doom for the politics of the region and rub off at the national level as a loss of the grip to the PDP or LP which is seen as a tentacle of the former, would destroy the bastion of opposition politics in Nigeria.

Although the APC seems to have lost some steam in its political voyage, which reached a climax when sitting PDP governors defected Regional Assembly. to it with some political heavyweights like forRelying on a system of absolute party loyalty mer Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in tow, its that many politicians particularly the young ones consider as obsolete, the AD became a vic- quest to take political control of the nation may be hampered more from within it than tim of modernity when in the process of pickfrom outside. ing its presidential candidate in 1999, it A major problem that has been identified by employed the unusual mode of conducting priwatchers of unfolding events is the crisis that maries even though the electoral college conmay engulf the party in the process of picking sisted a handful of old loyalists. its presidential candidate as the North, where The aftermath of that exercise at D’Rovans Hotel in Ibadan, when Falae, a new entrant into the defunct CPC held sway might not be too keen on any other candidate except the regional politics emerged as the candidate over the old warhorse, late Chief Bola Ige, culmi- Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari, whose cult-like following in the nated in the bifurcation of the regional politics North is not in doubt, is believed not to have as loyalists of Ige, led by his former Deputy as Oyo State governor, Chief Bisi Akande, then the given up on his presidential ambition. He remains a viable option to many Nigerians Osun governor, leading a splinter group that who have been swayed by his Spartan lifestyle included the governors of Ogun, Segun Osoba, Ekiti; Niyi Adebayo and Bola Tinubu; Lagos gov- and commitment to discipline, which he demonstrated when he was a military head of ernor who later became the only one standing state. after the PDP tsunami of 2003.

Antagonist of his emergence however argue While it could be said that Akande, Osoba, that his candidature would prepare ample Tinubu and Adebayo, left the mainstream room for opponents to revisit the draconian regional movement for their Oyo and Ondo laws he enacted and other anti-democratic counterparts, late Lam Adesina and Adebayo Adefarati to continue their monthly pilgrimage steps he took as a military ruler are highlighted. to Ijebu-igbo to pay obeisance to Abraham Adesanya on whose custody the mantle of lead- Another problem that may confront the APC ership resided, to create the new path that even- is the age of its leaders who are mainly in their seventies and from which crop the flag bearer tually led to the formation of the Action Congress (AC), they are believed to still hold that is likely to emerge. respect for party supremacy is better than inter- While it could be argued that the ACN had once fielded a relatively young candidate in nal democracy. the person of Nuhu Ribadu, the stakes appears to be much higher now as bigger players with eyes on the crown have joined the fray which is now more expanded that what it was when the former EFCC boss was picked.

The party could however do well by resolving its presidential candidature in a manner that would be acceptable to the majority and draw votes from the electorate, create internal democratic mechanism that will promote equality no matter how old or how long a member is on the platform, focus on creating avenues for the emergence of younger elements in taking over party control and occupation of elective offices, and create a line of difference between its ideology and that of the PDP because as it is now, the difference between the APC and the PDP is like between six and half a dozen.

For the first time in the country’s political history, full merger of political platforms took place in the formation of the APC as the opposition parties fused into one party while dropping their earlier identities, a complete departure from the mergers and accords of the past where the associations are defined along each platform’s differences. This is also the first time that handshakes will be made simultaneously across both the Niger and the Benue raising the hope that if properly managed; the new opposition platform would provide the necessary impetus for participatory democracy to thrive in the country.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

21

COVER

ENUGU: APC’s Many Triumphs And Travails Ahead 2015 From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State has had minimal crisis. It has also presented a picture of a party that looks determined to confront the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections.

The sound beats from the party also shows that it is not going into the elections for the fun of it, but to wrest power from the PDP, which it believes has failed the state. In the court of public opinion, the opposition has continued to reap from the mistakes of the ruling party and is drumming support for itself.

The party, which emerged from the defunct mega opposition parties, including the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the All Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), among others was initially confronted with the challenge of evolving a fair ‘sharing formula.’ This arose from the ACN, which was already factionalised in the state before the merger; the ACN had contended that its members should dominate in the positions accruing from the new arrangement.

On several occasions, the meetings had ended in deadlock, raising doubts about the readiness of the party to provide the needed change.

But the contentions, which many thought could have divided the party further, actually gave it a quantum leap, coupled with the bitter politics of imposition, sanctions and sit-tight syndrome among others being played out in the Enugu PDP. These provided the leeway to the APC, such that it presently looks like a serious opposition party ready to challenge the political dominance of the ruling party.

For instance, it claims that it recorded over a one million members during her

T

last registration exercise in the state, stressing that several members of the ruling party was knocking on its doors to join.

The Guardian gathered that the majority of those who registered with it felt marginalised and disenchanted with the way things had been in the PDP, which many of them claimed they had followed since inception with nothing to show for it.

The party has continued to wax stronger. An opportunity to etch her mark in the politics of the state came during the November 2013 local government election, where, to the chagrin of residents, the party, which then emerged from registration, presented candidates for the election after undergoing the primary.

Its candidates in the election however had the singular ill luck of being disqualified by the Enugu Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) for alleged presentation of “fake documents,” leading to some of the candidates challenging the matter in court.

Last month, however, the successful conclusion of the party’s congress appears to have set the tone for competitive politics in 2015.

Through affirmation, the 27-man state executive committee of the party was elected in the congress where security agencies had a swell of time controlling the mammoth crowd that graced the event held at its party secretariat.

Meanwhile, ahead of the 2015 governorship election in Enugu State, the APC has zoned its governorship ticket to Enugu North senatorial district, known as Nsukka zone.

The decision to zone the ticket to Nsukka was in the spirit of brotherhood, equity, fairness and justice.

The party explained that Enugu East and West senatorial districts have

produced the governor for eight years each since the return of civil rule in 1999 and therefore, equity, fairness and justice demand that power should shift to Enugu North district.

“In 1999, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani from Enugu East became governor in Enugu State and he ruled for eight years.

Sullivan Chime, who hails from Enugu West, took over in 2007 and by the time his tenure comes to an Nwoye end in May 2015, he must have ruled for eight years. So, we believe in APC that for equity, fairness and justice to prevail, the next governor should come from Enugu North, which is Nsukka zone,” the party said.

It called on the people of Nsukka zone to support APC to ensure the emergence of a governor who would meet all their aspirations, including infrastructural development and provision of social amenities, job creation and enhanced security.

State Chairman of the party, Dr Ben Nwoye, while explaining the development, said APC would continue to accord sense of honour and recognition to all manner of persons in the state, stressing that with the arrangement, other positions in the party would be shared among other zones in the party.

The positions include chairman of the party and Speaker (Enugu East), while the Enugu West will produce the Deputy

Governor in 2015.

It would be recalled that the PDP has zoned its governorship slot to Enugu North for 2015 and is working assiduously to produce a candidate for the position.

But asked how the party would tackle the PDP over the zoning arrangement, Nwoye said he was convinced that, at the end of the day, there would be crisis in the PDP, “because somebody must impose the candidate which will in turn work to the advantage of the APC”.

He added that APC was searching for a credible and acceptable candidate that could emerge from people’s choice, adding that what the party was looking forward to was total victory next year.

He advised members from Nsukka zone to conduct and organise themselves in the spirit of the manifesto and constitution of the party, stressing that they would not condone do-or-die variant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He described the APC as the product of a merger constructed with the sole objective of uniting Nigeria divided between the extreme rich and the poorest poor, restoration of the middle class and hence healing the wounds stimulated by monumental corruption.

Meanwhile, though the party sounds

tough and has not hidden her intention to do well in the next general election, what might constitute a hindrance, especially in the governorship position, are the resources to move the party further and ambition of certain members who joined the party for the sole purpose of it.

Apart from the secretariat building said to have been donated to it

by Mr. Maduka Onyishi, who wanted to use the platform to run for governorship election before he was cajoled into leaving the party for PDP, APC has no other functional party secretariat in the state. The story is the same in the local governments and wards where no party offices exist.

Although the secretariat had been occupied for some time now, it is yet to take the form of an office as it lacks furniture, electrical fittings among others that could mark it as one. APC has no operational vehicle in the state.

A source told The Guardian on Thursday that certain members from the area have insisted on being granted ticket to contest the election against the popular will of the people.

It was also learnt that funds might play a major role in determining the future of the party in the state, as presently the resources to run the party are being sourced from a few members, especially chairmen at the various levels.

“That is why our activities have remained very low. We need constant interface with our members being a new party but the resources are not there. But we are hopeful that as the coast is getting clearer, APC will be strong enough to face the PDP, which we know controls a lot of resources”, the source said.

APC And The Challenge In 2015 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 Still on the information battleground, while the APC has been very adept at going on the offensive, it has not been able to correspondingly lay out a framework for its vision of a prosperous, stable and united polity.

Crucially, it seems the party’s cannons for attacking the government are always programmed to be on an auto shoot mode, such that everything government brings to the table is shot down. No time is taken to craft nuanced responses depending on the details and variety of government’s positions. This was apparent when the National Bureau of statistics (NBS) announced that Nigeria had rebased its economy with the implication that it had overtaken South Africa to emerge as the largest economy in Africa. While many Nigerians choose to see the sunny side of things, while calling on the government to urgently get the wealth to trickle down, the APC info machine slammed the rating. That attack tended to suggest that the party runs with the impression that nothing good can come out of Nigeria, until it is in government.

The party has also not provided a clear glimpse to the Nigerian people in terms of what policies and programmes it will implement, and which ones of the current administration it will upend, and why it would do so.

Apart from a sketchy roadmap launched earlier in the year, the expected follow up collage of concrete policy directions the party will take if it wins the presidency, have not materialised. If the current insecurity ravaging the country is to be taken as an example, the APC has merely made a generic promise about ending “insecurity.” It will however have to explain to Nigerians how it came to be that states managed by ANPP elements that have now morphed into the APC, are the current strongholds of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Beyond the need to tell Nigerians what exactly the party would do in government, and why it would take certain steps, the APC has a lot of work to do with respect to its identity.

Soon after merger of the legacy parties took

place, the party seemed to have placed a lot of premium on wooing governors and legislators from the very political party, the PDP, which the APC is seeking to replace. This contradiction has been so glaring, that it has undermined whatever claims the APC has made about offering a fresh platform and alternative to the Nigerian electorate.

By going to a party which is being accused by the APC of ruining Nigeria for 15 years to poach members, the opposition is implying that the PDP has produced many good political manpower that it (the APC) is now seriously coveting. This is has created a serious identity crisis for the APC, while showing what seems like its disdain for the Nigerian people, whose votes it is hoping to win come 2015.

The real estate of time and space that has been devoted to the catfights between the ruling and opposition parties over the flurry defection of members, point to how little the electorate count in the eyes of the gladiators. While the battle lasted at National Assembly, the APC did all within its power to harvest as many members as possible from the PDP. The resultant talks about the declaration of the seats of defecting legislators vacant as well as the allegations of financial inducement in the House of Representatives, all pinpoint both parties as structures peopled with politicians in a perpetual search for morsels, rather than ideas.

The conclusion has thus been that in a political party brimming with cerebral minds, opportunistic defections, akin to bazaars would not be the defining theme for political engagement, especially in a year preceding the crucial general elections in 2015. Although complicit through what seems to be their incurable apathy, the Nigerian people expect the political parties, especially the opposition, which is supposed to showcase its sagacity in governance to engage with the thematic issues that touch their lives most, including creation of jobs, revamping agriculture, power generation, the development of infrastructure, the war against corruption, as well as other issues closely related to the welfare of

the Nigerian.

Instead of making the harvest of the legislators and governors of the ruling party its fundamental strategy, Nigerians expect an opposition party that would put forward fresh, innovative and practical ideas with respect to issues like power generation, jobs, corruption etc. Some of the questions the opposition has glaringly ignored include; would the APC reverse the unbundling of the privatization of the power sector? What exactly would it do, in the face of the floundering generation and distribution companies that have taken over the sector, but are not delivering regular power supply to Nigeria’s longsuffering people?

Does the APC agree with the direction of the Agriculture Transformation Agenda? Does it think agriculture in Nigeria should be driven by big businesses or small-scale farmers?

What are its views on programmes like the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES)? Would it implement the recommendations of the ongoing National Political Reforms Conference? If not, why, and would it allow all the public funds that have been expended on the conference to go down the drain? This is the nature of the conversation many Nigerians expect to see an opposition party drive, not the bickering and the unimaginative undercutting that it has been dragging itself into with the PDP. In the area of internal democracy, the APC has to justify its claim of being a party of true democrats. The process of picking candidates for elections has not been one in which all contestants slug it out on a level playing field.

The overbearing influence of a coterie of elders and party leaders in determining who gets what in the party tends to challenge the primacy of the people in the a democratic contest. While the logic of ensuring that the party is not torn into shreds as a result of the ambitions of intra party contestants may be compelling, the upending of the role of the electorate is not an act easy to explain away. This is already manifesting in congresses across the states, where an array of tendencies are bent on tearing the party apart. It is in the face of all of these that many are asking the question

whether the APC is ready for the Presidency.

Those asking that pertinent question are projecting towards the future, to look at life and governance beyond the period of electioneering. The process of governance requires a thoughtful and meticulous approach; it goes beyond tagging a President “clueless,” it is about finding real clues, and turning them into practical solutions needed to tackle the nation’s challenges.

Finally, the APC must be willing to submit its record in the states under its control to critical scrutiny. Since it is interested in taking over government at the centre, the party must show what it has done in its states, especially in areas like education, healthcare, other social services and infrastructure. From the APC states there are apparently many positive achievements in a number of the states. But there are also several appalling cases of governance deficits. How will the party bridge these gaps? Lagos for instance which is a bastion of the APC is now on record as the state with the public university (Lagos State University; LASU) that charges the highest tuition fees in the country. Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana recently alluded to this hike in LASU tuition, describing it as a Boko Haram policy, designed to deny children of the ordinary Lagosian access to western education.

Should the APC win at the centre, would it also implement a fee hike policy like this in federal universities? For all of the vaunted achievements of the Babatunde Fashola administration in healthcare, there are still general hospitals in the state with just five beds in their delivery wards, resulting in long queues of pregnant mothers waiting to give birth. In the end, the APC must be willing to engage in a debate to defend its overall record in the states.

As the 2015 general elections draw nearer, Nigerians are eager for these debates revolving around the core of issues that matter most to the people. How creatively the APC responds to these posers, and many more, would determine whether it is ready for governance at the centre or not.

22 Sunday, June 1, 2014

THe GuARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

COVeR

Ogun APC Heading Towards Self Destruction Osoba’s faction was holding its own congress at a separate venue.

All hopes that the party’s crisis would be solved through dialogue faded when, on Thursday, May 8, Osoba addressed his faithful and accused his opponents within the party of blackmailing him.

He said his opponents had been peddling rumour that he had collected huge sums of money from Governor Amosun and that was why he had not been making public statements in defence of his supporters.

He told his party men “It (blackmail) is not new to me, it is the same agenda that they used to plot against me in 2003. But this time, I am prepared for them and I want to urge you to remain resolute.”

By Charles Coffie Gyamfi, Abeokuta

T

He All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State appears to be heading towards selfdestruction. The only to become formidable, as it was in the beginning, is for the two factions presently engaged in supremacy battle to subdue group interest in the overall interest of the party.

The factions are that of Governor Ibikunle Amosun and former Governor of the State, Aremu Segun Osoba, the bone of contention being the control of the party structure.

All efforts, including those by the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, to settle the dispute before the party’s ward, local government and state Congresses met the brick wall.

Concerned party faithful assumed that, after the party in the state held congresses along parallel lines, the national leadership would be able to resolve the issues. But news from Abuja last week indicated that a meeting by the party’s leadership to resolve the dispute failed to achieve any positive result. The fear by some concerned party faithful is that, if the issue is not resolved soon, the possibility of one of the factions decamping to another party remains very high.

The APC is the ruling party in the State. The impressive performance of the government, under the leadership of Governor Amosun has attracted many admirers, especially those at the grassroots. But due to the lingering division, the party is gradually and steadily heading towards self-destruction. unless something is done urgently by the party leadership at the national level to check the division, the end of the imbroglio remains predictable, even in the face of the impending elections. The interesting thing is that, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State treaded the same dangerous path in 2011 to its detriment. Observers, therefore, believe that if the APC would not learn from history, they should at least allow history to guide them.

The lingering discordant tunes and infighting within the party was said to have begun as soon as Amosun appointed his Commissioners but the leadership managed to suppress it for some time until the bubble burst on Thursday, January 9 when the two factions publicly went for each others’ throat. Before then, both Amosun and Osoba, at different occasions publicly denied that there was a quarrel between them.

The Osoba faction, led by Senator Gbenga Kaka, is accusing Amosun of being so dictatorial, saying the Governor had hijacked the party for selfish reasons. Kaka told some of his party faithful who held parallel congresses: “This is not a party where a single individual will dictate how things should go. In this party we are all equal.”

Kaka was reported to have stated that the party is “currently under serious threat of non-inclusiveness. In fact, some of our members are already warming up to leave for Labour Party.

They are planning to abandon the party because the administration in the State is running noninclusive government and we (party members) are disenchanted with it.”

But a party Chieftain and supporter of Amosun’s faction, Chief Doja Adewolu, denied Kaka’s allegation and accused members of the Osoba faction of being “people who cannot be satisfied”, insisting that “their grouse borders on personal greed, aggrandisement, ego and lack of understanding.”

Adewolu alleged that one of the major reasons Osoba’s faction wants to “destroy the party is because they (all the National and State Assembly legislators) want automatic ticket for their second term but the governor is insisting that all candidates must be elected through the party’s primaries.”

Genesis of the Crisis He crisis began as soon as Amosun assumed power in 2011. Amosun joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) at a time when nine aspirants were jostling for the party’s Governorship ticket but Amosun managed to clinch the ticket. It must be pointed out that all the other eight aspirants were members of the ACN before Amosun came in.

But before joining the party, all the elective positions available were said to have been allotted to Osoba’s faithful. These included the three Senatorial, nine House of Representatives and the deputy governor’s positions. Also, the leadership positions at the State Assembly were said to have been allocated. The Governor’s efforts to get some of the positions allotted to his faithful, Adewolu alleged, were rebuffed.

Amosun, therefore, saw it as an opportunity for

T

Observers Fears OMe party faithful, who spoke to The Guardian, expressed the strong view that the party was heading to self-destruction as the PDP did in 2011.

Their fear is that the APC may lose the State to an opposition party in the 2015 elections as the PDP did to the then ACN in 2011. Some people believe that the PDP lost as a result of the power tussle between the then Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The fight between Obasanjo and Daniel factions also resulted in holding two parallel conventions and election of separate candidates.

The effect was that Daniel and his supporters defected to the People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN).

Some PDP faithful strongly believe that they lost the election because of the division within the party. They also ascribed the defeat of former House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, and Senator Iyabo Obasanjo to that division.

Amosun has urged all party members to sacrifice their selfish interest for the party’s overall interest. After the Congresses, the Governor appealed: “I enjoin all members of our party to forget their personal interest so that we can forge a common unity in order to overcome the challenges ahead.”

Chief Doja Adewolu, also spoke in the same vein said: “I appeal to all aggrieved members of our party to forget their selfish interest, ambition and ego and join hands to build a united and formidable party to confront the challenges ahead. We must not be our own opponents.”

S

Amosun

Osoba

revenge after his victory at the polls, as he was said to have jettisoned the party’s list in appointing commissioners by ensuring that most of those perceived to be Osoba’s faithful did not make the list.

In the local government elections too, it is said that about 80 percent of the 236 councilors were Amosun’s faithful. All the 20 Council Chairmen were also said to be the governor’s men. It must be pointed out that Amosun was able to effect leadership changes at the State Assembly by putting his own men as speaker and deputy speaker.

After the open confrontation by the two factions on January 9, the party leadership intervened and impression was given by Amosun and Osoba that the crisis had been solved permanently.

But the crack again became manifest during the ward, local government and state congresses in April when the two factions held parallel congresses to elect their own party executives.

Osoba told journalists in Abeokuta a day

before the ward congresses, which were first to be held that differences within the party had been resolved and based on that it was assumed that there was going to be a smooth congresses but that was not to be. The two factions have elected their officers at the parallel congresses and it is now left for the party’s national leadership in Abuja to decide, which of the executive to recognise.

The Congress Committee set up by the national leadership, headed by Mr. Ope Salami, to supervise the election witnessed only the Congresses held by the Amosun’s faction.

But the Osoba faction had sent a petition to the party’s national leadership over the conduct of the congresses, accusing the Salami-led committee of bias.

On the day of the State Congress, Amosun told the large crowd, “I spoke to our party leader, Akinrogun Olusegun Osoba, this morning and he gave his blessings to our gathering here (venue of congress) and we shall continue to work together so that we can face the next elections as a united body.” But while Amosun was speaking,

KOGI: Opposition’s ‘Game-changing’ Rigmarole From John Akubo, Lokoja

A

LTHOuGH the All Progressives Congress (APC) was perceived as the party that could change the game and make politics more appealing and rewarding to Kogi electorate, it had been an uphill task for the party to present a good picture of itself. The party had to grapple with a lot of issues at the outset following division among leaders of the three merging political parties that formed the APC. Apparently worried by the near-factionalisation of the party, the Kogi APC leaders rose up to reconcile aggrieved members and to ensure that the state congress was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere. The reconciliatory effort by the national leadership coalesced all the factions into one unified body, and the outcome of the congress surprised political pundits.

Should the PDP treat the 2015 elections with kid gloves, Kogi State could become one of its major upsets. The APC faction that was created as a result of personality clash between Prince Abubakar Audu, the former governor of the state, and one Barr James Ocholi (SAN), a Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) governorship aspirant in the last gubernatorial election, was one of the initial problems for the APC. The duo held the party at its jugular in an epic leadership battle until the national body intervened in Abuja to resolved the contentions. According to Honorable Buba Jibrin, representing Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency at the National Assembly who is a member of Barr Ocholi led group of the APC, the issue of factionalisation in the party has been laid to rest in the state.

The federal lawmaker reiterated that they have all agreed to queue behind Prince Abubakar Audu to work wrest power from the PDP-led gov-

Audu ernment in the state.

The Abuja-brokered peace in the party seems to have done the magic, as all parties involved in the bickering were recently seen at the former governor’s residence in Lokoja, mapping out strategies for hitch-free congresses. The like of Honorable Dino Melaye, Buba jibril, Barr James Ocholi and Tom Ohikere and other party stalwarts from both factions were part of series of meetings held with Prince Audu at his Lokoja residence.

According to Audu, “in APC, we don’t believe in forcing candidates on people, we believe in true democracy, we believe in all elections being conducted in

tandem with the tenets of.

He said those were the factors responsible for the positive out come recorded.

On the alleged presence of many PDP chieftains who have pitched their tents with the APC, the former governor said: “They have studied the pedigree and antecedents of the two parties and discovered that they would be better with he APC than the PDP and that is why so many stalwarts of PDP in the State decamped; and we are grateful to God that virtually everybody in Kogi State has seen the light.”

Chairman of the Kogi State Congress Committee, Dr. Saa’du Ayinla Alanamu, said the congress in Kogi State was very peaceful, adding that in congresses like the one his party had just conducted, one cannot rule out the possibility of problems ‘here and there’ but said all the skirmishes have been under control before the State Congress.

He said: “From the look of things, the APC is already on ground. You can see from the turnout of the people and not only this place, but when you go to every nook and cranny of Kogi State since the beginning of congresses, you will find out that APC is not only winning but also on ground.

On consensus candidate, Alanamu said APC is a progressive party that is looking for everybody irrespective of their religious and ethnic or social background.

“The unity in the party will make the party to win elections in the State without controversy.

“We had some problems here and there but the committee has done justice to them.”

On the issues emanating from local government congresses, a chieftain of the party, Mr. Rotimi Obadofin, noted that they have been resolved.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

23

PERSPECTIVES

Exploring The Secret Of The Success Of J F Ade Ajayi, The Passionate Historian

By Michael Omolewa ROFESSOR Jacob Festus Abiose Adeniyi Ajayi, the accomplished and highly respected university administrator and iconic historian, turned 85 on May 26th. It may be helpful to attempt to identify the secret to his life and career in order to inspire the new generation.

One feature that seems obvious is his tenacity of purpose. Ade Ajayi was interested in History very early in life – we know that he was introduced to the subject as a young man and continued his studies at secondary school. At the tertiary educational level, on his arrival as one of the pioneer students at University College, Ibadan (UCI) in January 1948, he fought hard to achieve his ambition of an honours degree in History. This was at a time when the Nigerian educated elite considered the study of law more relevant than the study of Nigerian history. He remained unwavering in his choice in spite of the opinion articulated in the editorial of the University Herald published at UCI in 1948: “We are at a loss to understand why the Elliot Commission was silent about the Faculty of Law. While we believe that the study of Nigerian history and languages is not worth the trouble at present since there is not much available to be learnt, we at least expect a School of Law to be opened at the same time as the faculties of Medicine, Arts and Science.”

Ade Ajayi would settle for nothing less than an honours degree programme. After passing the London Intermediate Examination in October of that year, his set of students was told that there was no immediate provision for an honours degree programme in the faculty other than in Classics, because the available staff and facilities were inadequate. Four of the students opted for Classics, but Ade Ajayi left UCI for one year while the authorities deliberated on the matter. When he returned to the college in October 1949 he was told that only a general degree was available, but that the Classics Department was willing to register students for the honours degree programme.

Ade Ajayi and others decided to pursue the general degree. He registered for courses in Modern European History, Modern British History and the history of European activities in Africa from the middle of the 14th century to the present, as well as Latin and English. He successfully completed his general degree in 1951. Rather than join the civil service, which recruited the young graduates of his time, he decided to teach at the Ibadan Boys’ High School for one year. The following year in 1952 he left for Leicester University College to continue his studies in History. While at Leicester, Ade Ajayi had hoped that he would only be required to spend one year there to gain an honours degree. But it was not to be. As he later explained, the department insisted that he could not graduate in less than two years, as he would have no exemptions from any of the nine papers of the London external degree that Leicester required.

He therefore ended up spending another three years there and obtained first-class honours in History in 1955.

Again, with his excellent results Ade Ajayi would have found immediate employment, but he decided not to follow that path. In the meantime he won the Derby Research Fellowship, which enabled him to leave for London to register at King’s College for his PhD degree programme in History. As a student of the university, he made use of the facilities at the Institute of Historical Research and was offered a Fellowship, with which he completed writing his thesis. He successfully defended his thesis in July 1958 and returned to Nigeria, where he took up the position of Lecturer at the Department of History at UCI. It is remarkable that Ade Ajayi has not left the field of teaching and writing History for any moment of his professional life from the time of his appointment as Lecturer in the Department of History at UCI in 1958. Thus, he taught courses in the department and supervised graduate students during the entire period from 1958 to 1972.

His tenure as Dean of the Faculty of Arts did not interrupt his work as a researcher, although it limited his teaching load. The same can be said of the period from 1972 to 1978, when he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos. Some people have chosen to describe this period as his “national service years”. His colleague and head of department said that his career was “interrupted for just over six years – July 1971–September 1978 – when we (the University of Ibadan) loaned him to the University of Lagos as Vice-Chancellor”. But even while he was out of the Department of History, it

P

is evident that Ade Ajayi remained active, serving as General Editor of several Longman titles, President of the Historical Society of Nigeria and Spokesperson for the Ibadan School of History. In the same period he also served as an external examiner and assessor in History for various universities and continued to contribute to learned journals in History. In 1978, instead of securing a sinecure or accepting any of the offers from the international community, he gave up the position of Vice-Chancellor in Lagos and returned to the History Department

research and teaching to the field of African History. On his arrival at UCI in 1958 he was disappointed to be asked by the head of the department to teach European History; his PhD thesis after all was classified as Modern West African History. He obliged of course and spent much time preparing for his teaching load. On meeting his students, he approached the teaching of the French Revolution in a manner somewhat different to how the subject was traditionally taught, encouraging the students to think more about the class struc-

Mr and Mrs Ade-Ajayi and their daughter with former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon

at the University of Ibadan.

In seeking to explain the decision by Ade Ajayi to pursue a course in History, investing many years to obtain an honours degree in the subject, his tenacity to stick to one subject all his life, his continuous service and work in the Department of History, and his continuous work as historian after retirement, we can single out one factor: passion. Defined as intense and overpowering emotion, an eager outreaching of the mind towards some special object, ardent affection or feeling, passion satisfies and generates the capacity for persistence, focus, dedication and perseverance. Passion also ignites an unswerving commitment to a cause, a lasting endurance and loyalty, a strict attachment to the pursuit of one’s choices, whatever the cost. Passion gives strength, energy, zeal and courage, and it abhors opportunism, manipulation or betrayal of a chosen path or purpose. This passion was implicit in the work of Ade Ajayi, his commitment to the historian’s craft, his endurance, dedication and perseverance, as shown in the episodic account of his career and his emergence as trailblazer in the field of African History.

One way in which passion manifests itself is in hard work, and Ade Ajayi worked hard, as his students and colleagues will testify. He worked hard as an undergraduate student, as he did as a postgraduate student abroad writing his PhD thesis. On his arrival at UCI, Ade Ajayi was known for his industry and dedication, eventually earning him a professorship.

He applied his passion for the principles of

ture of French society and the reasons for discontent. When the department began to focus attention on the teaching of African History, he swiftly joined the team of pioneers of the field.

Professor Ade Ajayi’s passion is evident in his attitude to the study of history, particularly in his crusade in the Department of History along with Professor Kenneth Dike in the late 50s and early 60s to have the history of Africa firmly established in the curriculum. Having had to endure the unpleasantness of using Harry Johnston’s The Colonization of Africa by Alien Races in his undergraduate days at the UCI, “in spite of its transparent racism,” he was glad that new materials were being prepared for courses in the History of Africa. He worked with Charles (later Abdullahi) Smith and the Historical Society of Nigeria, which, together with the West African Examinations Council organised a workshop to develop the curriculum and material for examinations in African History. In the process he became a co-author with Ian Espie of one of the two books produced by the workshop, titled A Thousand Years of West African History. He played an important part in the design of new courses for an independent degree programme of the University of Ibadan, a large portion of which dealt with African History.

Ade Ajayi felt especially fulfilled when he was finally able to establish courses in West African History and publish materials on the subject, editing with Michael Crowther one of the most authoritative publications in the field. On his retirement from Ibadan, he donated practical-

ly all the rare books for teaching Problems of Theories, and Methods of History, a key course in the master’s degree programme.

But the passion of Ade Ajayi is equally demonstrated by the attitude he took to his post-doctoral research work. It will be recalled that his thesis combed the archives of the different missionary societies in Britain, in addition to the materials at the British Museum, the Public Records Office and the libraries of the International African Institute and the Royal Commonwealth Society.

In his passion to tell a fuller history than did his PhD thesis, Ade Ajayi decided to invest his time, energy and resources into collecting additional evidence and expanding his earlier work. It is important to note that Ade Ajayi insisted on expanding his thesis instead of following the recommendation of the Academic Registrar of the University of London, contained in a letter dated 18 September 1958, to publish his thesis “in an abridged form”. This act further demonstrated his drive for the pursuit of excellence and intellectual perfection. He obtained a grant as Lecturer in History at Ibadan to travel to the United States to explore the archives of the Baptist Mission and to expand his thesis for publication as the first in the Longman series on the Ibadan School of History.

On occasions when he was confronted with what he considered injustice, Ade Ajayi remained focussed on teaching and writing History and did not allow his attention to be distracted. This was also his approach to partisan politics – his comments were often brief. It appeared that his calling was primarily to the pursuit of his immediate interests. However, in reaction to the sudden dismissal of another dedicated and highly respected academic, he wrote of: The flagrant injustice done to one individual, on the fateful Foundation Day when Oritshejolomi Thomas, the distinguished surgeon and nationalist […] was summarily removed as Vice-Chancellor. For no cause at all, he was humiliated and destroyed as a person.

He soon passed away, and Ibadan has hardly recovered from the blow. Injustice, even at the level of individuals, easily saps the vitality of institutions and can destroy the fabric of the nation itself.

The fact that Ade Ajayi is still to react to his own removal from office as Vice-Chancellor, while he was away on official duty to Canada in 1978 is interesting. Another Vice-Chancellor, Frank Ukoli, who faced a similar harassment by the military when he served as the Vice-Chancellor of Delta State University, has attempted to tell his own troubled story in graphic detail. Perhaps Ade Ajayi should have at least spoken about the need for governments and employers to demonstrate fairness, sensitivity and respect in matters of disengagement.

One can see the delight with which he will stand up and be counted as a historian. Indeed, in the most recent copy of his CV he takes pride in describing himself not just as Emeritus Professor, but as “Emeritus Professor of History.” He also lists his first book publication, Milestones in Nigerian History (Ibadan University Press, 1962, revised and expanded in the Longman Edition of 1980), to which he adds, “A revised edition is being planned.”

Ade Ajayi has made sure to encourage the younger generation to develop an interest in historical studies. There is no doubt that the passion in him must have led him to think of the need to cultivate a succeeding generation of historians.

An old African proverb states that he who thinks he is leading but has no one following him is only taking a walk. On his return to Ibadan in 1978 he resumed his passion for the discipline of History, becoming active in mentorship, student supervision, teaching and research, as his former students, Lawal and Adeboye have testified. The lesson is clear: stay true to your first love; it can be a soothing relationship.

Ade Ajayi has seized every opportunity to explore the subject of History. Thus during the independence period he covered the history of Nigeria in a series of seminal lectures entitled “Milestones in Nigerian History.” He has always emphasised the point that he takes a historical approach to analysing issues. Persistence, dedication and other elements of passion have certainly helped Professor Ade Ajayi to succeed in life and to make a name for himself.

Passion, then, is one of the major factors to have guided Professor Ade Ajayi into maturity as a scholar and fuelled the excellence for which his work is renowned. The main lesson we should take from the life of this scholar is that passion is essential for success in one’s profession.

Omolewa is Emeritus Professor of the History of Education at the University of Ibadan and Emeritus Professor of History at Babcock University

TheGuardian

Sunday, June 1, 2014 24

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Junior Guardian Children’s Day: Kids Urged To Imbibe Unity HILDrEN have been urged C to embrace unity, which is key to peaceful co-existence and development of the society. This was the message from the organisers of the Lagos Children’s Day celebration, held at the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island.

The event, which featured cultural displays, dance and games from participating primary schools, also witnessed a prayer session for the release of the kidnapped Chibok girls.

Founder of Triple X entertainment, Adeyemi Egbeoluwa and MD Firstline Nigeria, Adetola Okanlawon, organisers of the event, who brought together public primary school children in Lagos Island local government, said their aim is to help the children have good memories of the celebration.

Said Okanlawon: “We know the country is going through a lot right now. So, even as we get these children together to have fun, we let them know how important they are to the society.

Part of what we are doing is educating them on the importance of unity.

“The Bible tells us that the prayers of children are answered faster. Over the past few weeks, adults have been the

ones doing the ‘bring back our girls’ advocacy.

And we thought we should bring together children to support the cause, regardless of tribe and religion.”

The duo started the annual children’s day celebration six years ago and said it was the zeal to support the public primary schools sector that don’t get celebrated. According to Egbeoluwa, “we just thought it would be good to impact in their lives and memories and let them have a better childhood. Children’s Day is not a regular holiday and so, we just took it upon ourselves to give them something to remember, good memories as well as something to look forward to.”

The duo noted that they would have preferred to cover the 57 local government areas in Lagos State if they had the right finances, focused only on the Lagos Island region, even as they hope to spread the event in subsequent celebrations.

Participating schools include Command Primary School, Victoria Island Primary School, Army Primary School, Glittering Stars Primary School, Kuramo Primary School and Awoyaya Primary School.

— Ijeoma Opara Children in their cultural display at the event

POEM

SOLUTIONS TO BrAIN TEASEr (5) POSPErITY STrATEGY

TErrOrISM POSSIBLE

C OMPLETE rEVEAL

PENALTY DESTrOY

Black Is Beautiful As black as the sky at night Is the best complexion to have To be black is a pride And the best way to show off beauty For to change your colour Is like to become a failure Call me Blacky and I will smile Call me Ebony and I’ll oblige For Blacky is my name and Blacky, I will always be

By Salawu Rashidat Motunrayo Lagos

WOrD POWEr GAME Diverse a) varied b) assorted c) sundry d) various Assent a) agreement b) nod c) approbation d) approval Worthy a) earnest b) commendable c) well-intentioned d) well-meaning Castigate a) criticise b) scold c) rebuke d) reprimand Cease a) stop b) finish c) end d) conclude ruffle a) disturb b) upset c) annoy d) distress Brusque a) abrupt b) curt c) brisk d) rough

COMPILED BY KIKELOLA OYEBOLA

Pupils Of D-IVY Graduate T was a memorable day for She congratulated the gradu- Mrs. Elsie Obayemi, princiImanagement the students, parents and ating students, who though pal of the college urged the of the D-IVY Colhave now be- students to always have the

Cross section of the graduating students during the occasion

lege, as the school held its 2014 graduation and prize-giving ceremony held last weekend at the school hall.

The graduating students and other pupils were treated to some musical and drama presentations tagged: ‘Bring back our girls’ by the junior students to display their emotional feelings on the abduction of the Chibok girls.

The graduands were advised to maximise their potentials and have clear picture of where they are going. Mrs. Adebo Onabowale, guest speaker at the ceremony said education is one of the valuable assets parents should give to their children.

started young, come adults. “Now you don’t need to be pushed before you read. Education brings out the best in you to make a change in your family society and the nation at large,” she said. She encouraged them to engage in life-long learning by identifying their passion and developing it.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Director of the College, Mrs. Oyelola Ilo urged the students to take responsibility of their lives and actions and maintain good character, as the school and parents have invested so much in them such that they have no excuse than perform well.

right attitude to work. “Godgiven potentials are limitless and His purpose for each and everyone is unique. Seek for what you can give and not what can be given to you,” she said.

The Head Girl of the college said the school has been able to inculcate discipline into the lives of the graduating students. Said she: “The college is just like a refinery. It has cleaned and purified us, modeling us into new individuals, who can face the adult world with confidence and pride.”

— Gbenga Akinfenwa

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014 25

26

Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014 27

TheGuardian

28 Sunday, June 1, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Special Report

A cross section of pregnant teenagers in one of the homes

By Gregory Austin Nwakunor F you were childless and ageing, you’d believe in miracles. Jaiyeola Thomas was.

And the miracle came, but by another means. The 48 years old lady had crisscrossed the country, visiting almost every major hospital. Even abroad. When the doctors were done, all the hospitals said same thing: “Nothing is wrong with your womb.” But Jaiyeola kept wondering why it had been difficult for her to be a mother.

She was introduced to a herbal and maternity home ran by a woman. There, she was promised a baby. She was even shown young girls, who had taken one herbal mix or the other and were in advance stages of pregnancy. After ‘initial treatment’, she became pregnant, and nine months after, Jaiyeola was a mother of twins — A real miracle for a woman, who had been barren for 23 years.

How did it happen? Who was Jaiyeola’s magic doctor? Those were some of the questions that she had to answer. In deed, she provided answers by recommending the woman she called ‘Mama’ to some of her friends who were equally looking for fruits of the womb…

I

OR the first five years of marriage, FloFanything rence Ozoemena didn’t quite believe was wrong with her, and the series of tests ran wouldn’t even tell whether she had problem. But the truth came out, gradually, that she had scarred fallopian tubes and would be unable to have a child of her own. The best bet was for her to adopt a child. Florence and her husband, Henry, agreed and were, in fact, in the process, when his parents got wind of this.

Being traditional titleholders, they disapproved of the option, outright. So, Henry now had to think out the best way to satisfy his parents, at the same time, not offending his wife. He was faced with the option of either marrying another wife or looking for other ways of having children.

However, because his marriage was by act of the law, he couldn’t think of another

Baby Factory, Baby Farm: More Harm Than Help? woman except on the ground of desertion.

On a very fateful day while the thought raged in Henry’s heart, Florence got a call from her network that she could become a mother, but it would cost her a lot.

For the wealthy Ozoemena family, this was no problem. With the assistance of an orphanage, she became a mother by default. She led everybody into believing she was pregnant and kept away from prying eyes until the baby was born…

WO people, who heard of wonders from T Nigerian herbal and maternity homes, were the Camerounians — Ngala Nungu and Cecilia Mande. They came to Nigeria, and subsequently, had a feel of the country’s wonder homes.

Nungu, in fact, conceived and had a ‘wonder baby’, at over 50 years of age, after many years of childlessness.

On their way back to Cameroun with the baby, members of Nigerian Immigration Services at the Calabar Seaport stopped the two women. On interrogation, Nungu claimed she delivered the baby through the help of a woman in Okitipupa, Ondo State. But after investigations, it was discovered that she actually bought the baby with a colossal sum, which many other women in similar situation had done in the past years.

The incidence raised people’s consciousness to the growing child trafficking in the country.

Since 2008, when a network of baby factories/farms claiming to be orphanages, was revealed in Enugu, Enugu State by police, the media has been awash with news of their busting. These announcements now come with distressing regularity in Nigeria. The baby buying mess has morphed from an acute crisis into a chronic one. A crackdown by the Nigerian police in the last three years has led to the rescue of

name could be interchanged as they mean the same thing) where girls are deliberately encouraged or forced to become pregnant and give up their newborns for sale. Also regarded as the active drafting of parents and children for the adoption market, baby factories or farms, and subsequently, child harvesting, involves relinquishing family or parent for a new one. It is more like being duped into permanently giving away the child for adoption without any hope of ever re-connecting with the baby.

There are three types of workers who provide the object of desire in these factories or farms. The first ones are those, who, as a result of abject poverty, are recruited with understanding that they will be accommodated free of charge with other girls to engage in commercial sex, and if impregnated, their babies will be sold with a fraction of the total amount given to them.

The second are those girls, who, either as a result of their waywardness, can’t identify who is responsible for their pregnancy, and since they can’t take care of themselves and their babies if delivered, they run to the proprietors of these factories/farms.

The third category are those whose parents or relations secretly strike a deal with baby factory owners without their (victims) knowledge.

The young girls are usually offered pittance after delivery and their babies taken away from them and sold to unknown people. Surprisingly, many of the girls in this category are said to be secondary school dropouts, while some others claim to be students of higher institutions of learning.

over 500 young girls and ladies.

In a variety of ways, Nigeria has turned to a global player in the buying and selling of babies. It has erected no legal barriers for this trade, though; arrests have been made to discourage those involved.

From the 32 girls that were rescued in Aba, Abia State from a hospital of The Cross Foundation to 30 pregnant girls that were rescued in Ihiala, Anambra State from a hospital of the Iheanyi Ezuma Foundation, the number keeps growing by the day.

The growing number of arrests this year alone, made a senior police official in Delta State Police Command to warn Nigerians to desist from taking advantage of innocent girls.

It is estimated that in the last six years, close to N1 billion has exchanged hands in this illegitimate, underground business. Many even suggest that the figure may be higher.

Some of the horrifying details reported in the Nigerian media include four pregnant teenage girls —Chioma Obioma, 19, from Bende, Abia State; Chinyere John, 18, from Avu, Owerri West Local Council of Imo State; Chioma Obasi, 19, from Umunoha, Mbaitoli Local Council and 23-year-old Miss Jenifer Muse from Obubra, Cross River State. They were all rescued from a factory/farm in Amuzi, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Council of Imo State operated by Dominic Ahejuonu.

Only recently, the police rescued Blessing Saviour, 17, and Joy Okoro, 20, inmates of a Harmful or Helpful? baby factory in Ajuwon Akute, Ifo Local CounHE question many are forced to ask is cil, Ogun State. They were waiting to deliver whether buying and selling of babies their babies to be sold for stipends to be given are harmful or helpful? to them.

The baby factory or farm is a location, (the CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

T

Sunday, June 1, 2014 29 25

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

SPECIAL REPORT ... Baby Factories, More Harm Than Help?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 Proponents of its helpfulness have argued that the coming of baby farms/factories heralded a new era, and children are no longer abandoned in the streets, hospitals and dustbins. Motivated by the desire to provide a home to a needy child, many don’t like to talk about adoption as a business; but clearly, the market forces of supply and demand have been at work.

They also say that the economic slump in the country has led many to consider other alternatives of income.

“Now, young girls are making money from what they, hitherto, threw away or terminated in crude manner,” said Julie Majekodunmi, a University of Ibadan-trained sociologist.

Those, who argue against it say that though some of these children are purchased domestically by families desperate for children, the inordinate greed and get rich quick syndrome in the country has made ritualists to be ready and regular buyers of these kids.

They point out that increasing amount paid for the children by ritualists, not even childless couples, has spurred growth.

One of the arrested girls in Mbaise, who claimed to be a native of Abia State, told the media that their babies were either sold for N3000 or used for ritual.

Beyond being a baby factory/farm, it was discovered that the recently busted home in Adigbe, a busy suburb of Abeokuta, Ogun State, also served as a den of ritualists. Owners of the factory are suspected to engage in ritual practices based on the fetish items discovered in the building. Such items included an ivory plate containing fresh blood, coffin, effigy, scorpion, assorted charms as well as other ritual items and a bucket filled with blood.

According to Pastor Yemi Adebisi of Christ Crusaders Deliverance Ministry, Akute, Ogun State, “if the purpose of those homes are for the right reasons, that is, having compassion on childless couple, it is okay, but the truth is that ritualists are using those kids for other purposes, which they will account for.”

The man of God said, “what is happening symptomises the deeper problem in the society,” adding: “The lust for wealth by Nigerians is real reason the factories are everywhere. Everybody wants easy money.”

While encouraging those orphanages that sprang up, but are still locked down in the difficult process of registration, called on government to be more decisive in the treatment of those involved in the ritual.

Infertility Crises ESPITE arrests and demolitions of these D factories/farms, many child welfare advocates have said the figures of new discoveries will still be on the rise because there are infertility crises in the country For those who hold this opinion, though IVF method and surrogacy are gaining ground in the world over, they are still not popular in the country. Many Nigerians are shying away from it because of the cost and sociological implication.

Although advocates of surrogacy argue that women of various socio-economic backgrounds become surrogate of their own will and often do so without compensation and out of sense of sympathy for the infertile couple, the arrangement of surrogacy nevertheless involves payment for it to be legal.

Waiting for the next step

If the purpose of those homes are for the right reasons, that is, having compassion on childless couple, it is okay, but the truth is that ritualists are using those kids for other purposes, which they will account for... what is happening symptomises the deeper problem in the society. The lust for wealth by Nigerians is real reason the factories are everywhere. Everybody wants easy money.

In other words, the desire to have a child is borne out of some motive other than the desire to be a parent. The child is conceived not because his or her biological mother does want him or her, but because he or she can be useful to someone else.

In surrogacy arrangement, the child is treated like a kind of commodity, which may be bought or sold. It costs between N1 million and N1.5 million for IVF, which may not be successful while for lesser amount, say about N400,000 and N500,000, a childless couple can buy a baby boy.

According to Dr. Tunde Okewale of St Ives Specialist Hospital, Lagos: “In Nigeria, about 25 per cent of couples in their fertile age group are the sufferers of infertility. Whilst about 40 per cent of infertile couples will get pregnant by themselves, by changes in their lifestyles and by the standard gynaecological treatments up to 60 per cent will not.”

He said, “couples that come to infertility doctors for help want to have babies, not extended investigations and having to wait too long in achieving their objective. It is bad enough being infertile but going through tests that add no value to the outcome of the procedure drains the couples emotionally and financially.”

Apart from the rising infertility in the country, another reason for the growth in baby farms/factories is the high rate of school dropout in the country.

According to a 2003 report by UNESCO, 40 per cent of Nigerian children between 6-11 years of age do not attend any primary school, with the Northern region recording the lowest school attendance rate in the country, particularly for girls.

Despite a significant increase in net enrollment rates in recent years, it is estimated that about 4.7 million children of primary school age are out of school.

Many children do not attend school because their labour is needed to either help at home or to bring additional income into the family. Many families cannot afford the associated costs of sending their children to school such as uniforms and textbooks. For others, the distance to the nearest school is a major hindrance. Even when children enrol in schools, many do not complete the primary cycle.

According to current data, 30 per cent of pupils drop out of primary school and only 54 per cent transit to Junior Secondary Schools. Reasons for this low completion rate include child labour, economic hardship and early marriage for girls.

The Guardian gathered that in the Eastern parts of the country, majority of teenagers in the baby factories are school dropout. The secondary school students’ dropout represents an important problem in the area. Dropping out of school is not only an educational problem, but significant social problem as well. In deed, it has obvious psychological, economical and social ramification. For instance, dropouts may under go a loss of self-esteem, turn to drugs, and become a financial burden to society.

How It All Began HE nationwide scourge of baby selling in farms/factories T was almost non-existent 15 years ago. However, by 2011, it had reached a booming level with some wealthy Nigerians ac-

tively involved in the recruitment and sustenance of the factories/farms.

The Guardian gathered that the whole problem started in the 90s, when the wave of evangelism led many barren women to the church in search of fruits of the womb.

With a lot of miracle pastors, who overstated their spiritual ability on air, and some, ‘gifting’ women with babies in the spirit, it seemed in a little while that barrenness would flee from Nigeria. Many ladies, however, became unsettled with the evangelical and pastoral proclamations that did not yield desired result.

A Kalabari woman, who is resident in Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, said, “when I could no longer wait for the miracle promised by a pastor, I sought alternative arrangement in one of the orphanages around.”

The woman told The Guardian, “everything changed when greedy people came in and turned it into business venture.

They were the ones who gave herbal therapy.”

She said, “initially, missionaries and respectable charitable homes were involved in the South East of the country, and everything was done genuinely. Infertile couple, who couldn’t afford the fee of IVF and the unnecessary delays of adoption in the social homes went there and ‘adopted’ these babies from birth. Though token sums were paid, the overall welfare of the kids was all that mattered. The children were not sold, but given to them for care with proper documentation.”

The Guardian learnt that some women who went to these pastors were the ones who publicly announced that they had ‘miracle’ babies. The case’ that was unraveled by NTA Newsline anchored by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, when she was still a journalist, made many to keep mum over the issue.

A lady still looking for the fruit of the womb, who lives in Ejigbo, Lagos, who confided in The Guardian, said, “all they do in these herbal and maternity homes is to give out some herbal portion, which changes the features of the woman.

And, in fact, makes a woman appear pregnant. There is a small pot that the woman is made to wear like clothes, which is changed regularly to indicate growth in pregnancy. The herbs only help to create the impression that the person is pregnant when in fact, she is not.”

She also cited instances of two ladies living in Military Zone area, Idimu Road, Ejigbo, when those ladies started taking the herbal concoction from one of these ‘wonder’ homes, their physiognomy changed. “Everybody was joyous and happy that they were pregnant. Suddenly, they ‘lost’ their pregnancy about the same time. You know what happened? They couldn’t pay up the high fees charged, so, the secret was let out of the bag.”

Mrs. Olakitan Vivian Osuntokun, General Manager, Heritage Homes, an orphanage in Anthony Village, Lagos, said, the African culture is part of the reasons why buying and selling of babies thrive in the country.

While not admitting that orphanages are threatened by the activities of baby factories/farms, Osuntokun blames the African culture, which stigmatises barrenness and adoption.

According to her, “in this part of the world, people don’t want to be stigmatised with being childless. In UK, Europe and America, if you don’t have a child that is not the end of the world, but with our culture, if you don’t have a child, it is like the world has ended.”

The African cultural norms recognise only one natural mother — the genetic mother and one natural family — the nuclear family. In Surrogate Motherhood: A Philosophical Discourse, Falana Titi Christianah of the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, in Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies (JETERAPS), note that in Yorùbá culture, ‘motherhood’, ‘fatherhood’ and the family carry different connotations from that of the Western culture.

She points out that surrogacy or worse still, buying and selling of babies, renders problematic what African society has come to believe about personal identity, intimate relationship, the beginning of life and particularly the traditional conception of a mother.

Child welfare advocates say that Africans are often ‘flippant’ when it comes to adoption. “They want to tell you that the child is not yours, but a bastard. Even in your immediate family, they will make jest of you,” said an advocate.

Though he does not believe that the activities of those buying and selling kids illegally have affected the orphanages because of the way they are run, Ayodeji Adelopo, programmes’ director of the Save Our Soul (SOS) Village, Isolo, Lagos, said, “we have not admitted children for some time now because of the processes involved. All the children who come into this home are from the directives of the government; nobody picks a child and brings him or her into the home without a police report.”

On what could be responsible for the growth, Adelopo said: “There are two things; it is either they are just coming up, or we are just discovering them. Could it be that they have always been there and no one knew about it or they are increasing? It is a good thing we are discovering them.”

According to Adelopo, these activities are gross violation

CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

30 Sunday, June 1, 2014

SPECIAL REPORT ... Baby Factories, Baby Farms CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30

Inmates of a baby factory in Ogun State of the rights of those children. He said government has the right to prosecute these people. “There is need to protect their rights and provide for these children. The best place for a child to grow up is in his family and that is a violation of the right of the child, even if the parents willingly gave out their child or children it is still a violation. Government is a primary duty bearer – every child belongs to the government and so I am happy that they are being discovered.”

Evidence of bureaucracy within the adoption system means that childless couples are facing much longer waittimes. In the words of Dipo Osinubi, executive director, Society for Victims of Personal Injuries, the process approved for adoption is discouraging.

Osinubi noted, “generally, it is a very tedious process for a family that wants a child, and at the same time, wants to comply with all provisions of the law. Besides the financial considerations, it takes about two years to succeed in getting a child for adoption legally, which a lot of families may not have the patience to follow through.”

He also said the economic situation is not helping matter because it has made a devil out of many people. According to him, “when the economy bites too hard, a lot of people go into illicit businesses just to survive, as the hardship is so much that to sustain life people are lured into what they would ordinarily not do.”

A lady, who preferred to be known as Ifedayo, said a lot of young girls are being lured into buying and selling of kids because of lack of parental support. The young lady in her mid-30s, who abandoned her programme at the Lagos State University, in 2004, said when she became pregnant, her father, a pastor in one of the Pentecostal churches, chased her away. She didn’t have anywhere else to go until she was introduced to one of the factories/farms.

She revealed, “I would have sold my baby, but a friend of mine took me in. Her mother gave me love and comfort and I felt there was no need selling my baby.”

When she went back home, her father was ready to receive her and the child. He was not happy that he chased me away. “I was just imagining what would have happened if I had sold my baby. I know a lot of young girls who are not as lucky as I am,” she said.

Ifedayo, who had her baby in February 2005, said “a lot of these specialists in Di-

lute and Curetege (D&C) are involved in the racket. They are the people who advise some of these girls where to go and sell their babies rather than risking their lives. They are handsomely paid for recruiting new clients for the ‘homes’.”

When she was arrested, the Managing Director of Iheanyi Ezuma Foundation in Ihiala, Ihiala Local Council of Anambra State, Mrs. Ngozi Ezuma, said that the teenage girls were brought to her foundation with the consent of their parents and guardians, and that they were helping the girls out purely on compassionate grounds.

According to her, the foundation encourages their families to allow the young girls with pregnancy to carry them to term instead of abortion and that the foundation’s major trust includes providing love and care for the pregnant teenagers and home to the homeless.

Some advocacy groups believe that the best way to improve the lives of needy children is to provide services and support for families in their home countries.

As a result of poor support and the underfunding of children’s services in Nigeria, it will be difficult for the this black market to

be wiped out.

Caring for the world’s most vulnerable children requires both a long-term and a short-term strategy of alleviating poverty.

The country needs to step up efforts at curbing this menace. One of the ways is to be perpetually vigilant of activities around. Ogun State Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperatives, Chief Samuel Aiyedogbon, has, however, underscored the need for leaders of Community Development Associations (CDAs) in Nigeria to put in place community policing that will serve as neighbourhood watch.

The commissioner said this move, if made, would go a long way in checking rising crime rates across the country, particularly baby-making factories and ritualist dens.

Aiyedogbon, who stated this in his reaction to the discovery of a ritual den/baby factory uncovered at a residential estate in Adigbe, said the issue was shocking and worrisome, maintained that efforts to combat such unwholesome development should be the concern of all and not that of government alone.

“We all have major roles to play in securing our communities, our CDAs should live up to their expectations and should imbibe the idea of setting up neighbourhood watch within their communities to stem the ugly incidents of baby factories, ritual dens and other criminal activities. CDAs should be security cautious and report any suspicious moves in their various communities to security agencies,”Ayedogbon said.

The Commissioner pointed out that now, CDAs need to do more than embarking on self help projects, but go a step further to collaborate with agencies to ensure allround security of lives and property in their community, adding that “people will only be at peace to enjoy whatever amenities the CDA provides if they are sure of safety and protection at all times.”

He advised landlords to be mindful and always ascertain the nature of businesses their tenants engage in before renting their buildings to them, urging owners of uncompleted buildings to always ensure that the environment of such buildings are kept clean so as not to serve as hideouts for criminally minded people.

OSINUBI: Nigeria’s Adoption Law Does Not Help The Would-Be Adopters Barrister Dipo Osinubi is executive director, Society for Victims of Personal Injuries.

In this chat with GBENGA SALAU, he spoke on why people prefer illegal children adoption.

tion needs to be softened for would be adopters. If this is done, it will discourage people from wanting to adopt illegally.

What of the process of setting up orphanages, is it too cumbersome to make people think of doing so illegally?

Incorporating a non governmental orIs the country’s law on adoption discouraging ganisation (NGO) in the country is a very to people?

ENERALLY, it is a very tedious process for tedious process, also. As a lawyer, if I need to incorporate an NGO, about a family that wants a child, and at the same time, wants to comply with all pro- N400,000 would be required, besides the process that is tedious. Mind you, visions of the law. Besides the financial consome of these people, who are setting up siderations, it takes about two years to orphanages may have strong compassucceed in getting a child for adoption sion and human feelings, which, in fact, legally, which a lot of families may not have are motivating them to take care of these the patience to follow through. So, it is right children, but unfortunately, they often to say that the law, in its present state, does not help the would-be adopters, which could do not have the financial muscles to set up and sustain NGO or orphanage. Howbe why baby factories are on the increase.

What should be done is that, the law on adop- ever, there are people, who go into it be-

G

cause of the financial gains.

What you should understand is that before now, government did not interfere in the activities of orphanages springing up, government is doing so now because of those setting up homes that are not based on passion, but financial gains. The process approved by government is tedious and it requires a lot of finances to sustain the homes, and if the owners do not have the fund to sustain it over time, he or she may be tempted to part with the children for money, even though they may not have that in mind initially.

We should also bear in mind that the economic situation is not helping matter because it has made a devil out of many people.

This is because when the economy bites too hard, a lot of people go into illicit businesses just to survive, as the hardship is so much that to sustain life people are lured into what they would ordinarily not do.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

31

SPECIAL REPORT

EGHOSA: They Are Barbaric, Dehumanising Eghosa Erhumwunse is national director of the Save Our Soul (SOS) Children’s Villages, Nigeria — SOS CV Nigeria —a non-governmental organisation with presence in 133 countries across the world. In this interview with IJEOMA OPARA, he talks about the activities of the organisation and the challenges of having baby factories around.

Can you give us an insight into the activities of the SOS CV Nigeria?

INCE 1973, SOS Children’s Villages have been in the country. It actually came after the civil war. The idea was to provide a familylike environment for children, who lost their parents during the war based on the model provided by its founder, Herman Gmeiner. This, in fact, gave rise to the setting-up of the first SOS Children’s Village in Isolo, Lagos. In the villages, we have 10 to 12 residential apartments/houses, and in each, there’s an SOS mother, who cares for between seven to 10 children with the help of a family assistant/an aunty. This is quite different from an orphanage. It is an alternative family based care setting in the sense that they have a mother, though she is not their biological mother, and the children are given all the necessary support needed for holistic development.

We also have another programme called ‘Family Strengthening Programme (FSP)’. Here, we work with families in the communities so as to prevent child abandonment because we believe that the best place for a child to grow up is his/her biological family environment. Together with local community based organisations and other stakeholders, we try as much as possible to see that there are family ties and children grow up in their family units. We also support the youths and advocate for the rights of the child. We focus on issues that concern education, health and care. We have programmes in Lagos, Ogun, Plateau, Kaduna, Oyo and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

How are the children admitted into the Villages?

Basically, it is done through referrals, though we have laid down procedures that must be followed. During preliminary investigation, the social welfare is carried alongside the police, guardianship is established and then the formalisation of the whole process. Again, it is very important for us to follow the rule as enshrined by the government of the state so that we are able to minimise the issues that can arise during the process of admitting children. We are a responsible organisation with good accountability and we want to keep it that way. As a member of the SOS Children’s Villages International Federation with local rooting we always work to ensure that we are not involved in any form of admission that is not in compliance with the regulatory laws. Remember, we are complEmenting governments (Federal and State) who are the main duty bearers.

In the last three years, how many children have been added into the Villages?

Though we have set capacity, that is, the village (Family Based Care Programme) in Isolo, Lagos can take only 100 children while that of Ogun State is 120 children and so on. Therefore, based on the availability of space, we can take in more children. In other instances, we have children, who have parents; we, therefore, try to find out the best option for the children, and how to build the capacity of these parents to be able to care for their children through our Family Strengthening Programme. This can be in any area of our programme intervention; access to essential service (Education, Health and Care), capacity building and advocacy. The best interest of the child is our paramount concern.

Going forward and with the implementation of our programme policy, we are now exploring all forms of alternative child care options, including identifying and supporting foster parents as well as de-institutionalisation of child care. We are more concerned about quality childcare and not number of children, who come to the village.

What about giving up these children for adoption?

If adoption is part of the law of the state, we comply with that law, which is the final decision in cases of adoption. If you want to adopt, we refer you to the state’s agency concerned, and if the state says the child/children in our facility should be given up for adoption, as far as they are involved, they take them for adoption.

But we do not get directly involved with adoption if the government is not involved. The state is the regulator, and so, they are ultimately responsible for these children. But so far, in the

S

last three years, we have not had any form of adoption, we have people who come to make enquiry and we refer them to the state government, but they hardly come back.

What are the effects of baby factories in the country?

They have enormous negative effects, but it is still sad that these things still persist in our society today. We really don’t understand why anyone will abuse a child whether growing or unborn. Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and most states have domesticated the Nigerian Child Rights Act (CRA). It is still disheartening to see some people running baby factories for financial gain or for whatever reason. I think it is very bizarre for one to be engaged in this kind of activity. It is really dehumanising and one of the worst violation of humanity in all sense and the rights of the child in particular. As far as I am concerned, there should be full implementation of the consequences as enshrined in the law. Government and stakeholders have to be proactive about it, because this is now a serious issue and we must strengthen our task force and the entire system that is re- Erhumwunse quired to help bring the culprits and the need a system that can prevent the child cartel to book. Personally, this is dehufrom being sold while putting the child in manising and a clear violation of human the right ‘home’. The best place for a child rights especially the rights of a child. to grow up is within his biological or imWomen and children need special protec- mediate family. tion as they are worst hit with these sense- Would you say the baby factories have afless factories. fected SOS Villages?

Again when it comes to childcare and For us as an organisation, we are not conwith recent happenings, you find out that cerned about bringing children into the people want to make money out of it, home; we are concerned about the implethereby, violating the rights of the child mentation of the rights of the child in further. Quite complicated and so we their best interest. As far as the right of the

child has been violated, that means it has affected us as an organisation. Like I said, the capacity is 100 children in our Isolo Village, Lagos State and 120 children in Ogun State that is why we work together with stakeholders to strengthen the families in the communities so that the rate of abandoning a child will be reduced drastically. It is an advocacy issue that we need to take up not just by the SOS Children’s Villages, but also by all stakeholders, including the media. We need to ensure that all these people involved in this barbaric act against the child are brought to book.

OSUNTOKUN: Poverty, Greed, Ignorance Contribute To Growth Mrs. Olakitan Vivian Osuntokun is the General Manager of Heritage Homes, an orphanage in Anthony Village, Lagos.

She tells DANIEL ANAZIA reasons for the growth of baby making factories.

What is responsible for rise in baby making factories across the country?

IRST and foremost, we must look at the reason why people abandon children, one of which is poverty. The current state of our economy is not encouraging, therefore, quite a number of people, especially young girls, feel that the last resort for them is to find other means of making money. For these young girls, the best route is to get pregnant, and if possible, sell off their babies if anybody offers money. So, I will look at it from the viewpoint of poverty.

From the newspapers reports, such things happen outside Lagos —Akute, Abeokuta, Port Harcourt, Mbaise, Ihiala and Enugu. It is very impossible for them to happen here because the state government has standard policy concerning orphanage homes. The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Social Development is the supervising ministry of all the orphanages that are registered, and it has put in place, standard and effective monitoring policy and process. Most of those orphanages or rehabilitation centres that are involved in such heinous activities are illegal. They are not legally registered with government.

Before you take any baby into an orphanage in Lagos, it must be with the supervising ministry’s consent. Even if you were called or informed that a baby had been abandoned somewhere, you must first intimate the ministry, and thereafter, seek their permission.

The social works’ desk will come to the site and obtain on the spot situation report, and if the baby needs to be taken to hospital, it must be authorised. Also, you must obtain a police extract to give you a covering while taking the child into the orphanage.

We have had instances where people come to us that they want to give up their babies, and as social workers, we probe beyond what they tell us, counselling them, eventually.

Sometimes, you find they need help, they don’t know how to feed the unborn child. You know, generally these days, there is lot of promiscuity, and it is also the cause of societal challenges. There are cases where parents have sent away their child, especially the students for disappointing them. We counsel and rehabilitate them and they go back to

F

In the past, people preferred to do close adoption, as they don’t want people to know that they are adopting or have adopted a child. But with more enlightenment, it is open and people can proudly say I’m adopting a child. There is a lot of counseling going on; people come here and we counsel them, we also send to the ministry and they counsel them. As a result of this, more people are open for adoption than before.

So, because of this openness, the registered orphanages are not able to meet the needs of the number of people who want to adopt, it is not that the orphanages don’t want to give out a child or children for adoption. school. So, in a nutshell, I will say it is poverty, greed and taking advantage of ignorant young girls.

Could the rise be as a result of the failure of the orphanage homes?

One reason for the upsurge is the low awareness about adoption and the cultural belief in this part of the world. In the past, people preferred to do close adoption, as they don’t want people to know that they are adopting or have adopted a child. But with more enlightenment, it is open and people can proudly say I’m adopting a child.

There is a lot of counseling going on; people come here and we counsel them, we also send to the ministry and they counsel them.

As a result of this, more people are open for adoption than before. So, because of this openness, the registered orphanages are not able to meet the needs of the number of people who want to adopt, it is not that the orphanages don’t want to give out a child or children for adoption. The Lagos State government is serious with its regulating policy.

You don’t just give out a child for adoption like that; they make investigations about the person who is coming for the adoption. Also, they make social enquiries to ascertain if the child was abandoned genuinely or not. We have had reported cases, especially in the papers of people stealing other people’s children and claiming they have taken them to certain orphanage, but in actual sense, they did not, and subsequently, sell to people in need. If even the child was given birth to in a hospital and abandoned, there is still need to trace the mother; she might not want the baby, but the family may want the child. I have seen and handled a case of a young girl who came to us and said she didn’t want the baby because her parents sent her out for disappointing them. I met the parents and after counseling, they took her back. There must be justification in giving out a child for adoption. There are lots of infertility cases of and people seeing reasons to adopt a child. In other worlds, there is now more openness and awareness, and people who before now

did not want to adopted are better disposed and willingly coming forward for adoption.

What are the procedures for adopting a child, particularly in your orphanage?

For us at Heritage Homes, we have at different time gone on air to let the people understand the procedure and what it entails to adopt a child from our homes. We have our frequently asked questions pamphlet, but part of our procedure is directing the would be adopters to relevant state government authority — Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development, Block 18, Alausa Secretariat — to declare their intention.

They need to know what you want to do and how to go about it; this include writing and submitting an application and a visitation to your house to know where the child would be living, if it is comfortable and standard enough. This is in your own interest and the interest of the child. It is the standard all over the world.

When the ministry is through with investigation it will then issue you an approval letter duly stamped and also give you list of orphanages that are registered and approved that you can work with legally. In Heritage Homes, we want to bring up well-rounded children without low self-esteem. We don’t engage in special preference, our operation is based on first come, first serve. Again, we like people writing to us and stating their need; this helps us to satisfy you better. Some adopters will tell you they want babies born yesterday or today, and Lagos state do not encourage such; rather they investigate for a couple of months. Reason being that you could give out such baby yesterday and the mother comes back today to say she doesn’t want to give out the baby anymore. Also, you must have care order from the court, which legally empowers you to have the baby. Some people are impatient with the process, so they resort to these baby-making factories. Such cases are mostly secretive, because those involved do not want others to know that they are adopting a child; so they go to any length and place to get what they want.

32 | Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

IBRUCENTRE

Catholic Church: ‘Honour’ For Two Living Popes • There Is Only One Chair For Peter, Not Two. And That Is The Chair That Pope Francis Is Occupying. This Is The Catholic Church For You; No Other Church Will Do That I’m Sure

The Roman Catholic Church with a population of over 1.2billion worshippers worldwide is currently having two Popes — the incumbent Pope Francis 1 and the retired Pope Emeritus Benedict the XV1. Those familiar with the history of the church know that its members don’t joke with their popes, whether dead or alive. But what is happening right now is that the good Lord has preserved and sustained two Catholic popes, who are very much alive and kicking. So, what does this portend for the church in terms of managing these two Popes? Do the members owe allegiance to the two Popes? Do they foresee any conflict that may arise from this development? Is Benedict the XV1 now a Cardinal seeing as he sat with other Cardinals during the canonisation of Blessed John Paul I1 and John XXIII? Some clerics spoke with CHRIS IREKAMBA, ISAAC TAIWOand PAUL ADUNWOKEon the issue.

Pope Francis 1 and retired Pope Emeritus Benedict the XV1 in a warm embrace, during the last canonisation of Blessed John Paul I1 and John XXIII in Rome.

‘Allegiance Of The Church Is ‘We Don’t Have Two Popes In Office, One Has Stepped Aside’ tat to remove Paul Biya in Coadjutor. Pope Benedict XVI 100 Percent To The New Pope’ (Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu, SecreCameroon. Don’t forget that he (B16) resigned and he is not intary General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN)

(Anthony Cardinal Okogie, Archbishop Emeritus of Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos)

T doesn’t really portend anyItaught thing negative, except that it the whole world an im-

HAT you are saying exists W between Bishop Martins and I. What does it portend for the church? Same relationship. First, the Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins is my boss. I’m no more there. He is the person in charge now, not me.

There was a time I was the Metropolitan See of Lagos including Abeokuta, and anytime I spoke then people hailed me.

Now, Martins is the Archbishop of Lagos and the new Metropolitan See of Lagos.

Whatever he says, we have to obey. If we attend any meeting, he (Martins) presides. I’m just a member now. It’s the same thing that is happening between the two popes. The whole church knows that Benedict the XV1 is Emeritus Pope and doesn’t have any say.

He can only give advice or suggestion to the new pope just like what is happening between Bishop Martins and I, when sometimes I make suggestions. Because it has been pronounced that this man (Benedict the XV1) is an emeritus, he is retired and there is a new pope, who is accepted.

The allegiance of the church is 100 per cent to the new Pope. For example, the allegiance of Catholic Church here is 100 per cent to Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins. They can only respect me because there was a time I was commanding and doing everything. But that is no more.

On whether there will arise a conflict or not with regard to

Okogie the situation, I don’t think so.

There will be no conflict at all.

For instance, there was this conference Bishop Martins attended and some people wanted me to come, but I said ‘no,’ as I have a boss. I told them I had to get permission from Bishop Martins. They asked me why and I replied that he is my boss. If I want to travel, I usually tell him that I want to go to so and so place and I will be back so and so time. This is the position of the church. He cannot just say ‘go.’ He can still question it or say ‘don’t go’ if there is something very important he wants you to do for him.

On the issue of Pope Emeritus sitting with the Cardinals, where else do you want him to stay? Sit with Pope Francis? No. That is the reason he is called Pope Emeritus. He is a senior and when the Cardinals are emerging, Pope Emeritus takes the first place and they accord him that respect. There is only one chair for Peter, not two.

And that is the chair that Pope Francis is occupying. This is the Catholic Church for you; no other church will do that I’m sure.

‘Pope Benedict XVI Still Gives Advice’ (Very Rev. Fr. Patrick Obayomi, Parish Priest, St. John, The Evangelist Catholic Church, Shogunle, Lagos/a Dean of Ikeja Denary of the Archdioceses of Lagos) OPE Benedict XVI has resigned into a private life, where he says his prayer, reads and writes. He is so busy that he has no time to think that somebody is doing something elsewhere. During the canonisation of the two Roman Catholic popes, John Paul II and John XXIII, the Pope Emeritus came like any other person. He sat with the cardinals because he is a priest. Every bishop is a priest. Pope Benedict XVI retired from office as Pope, but he’s still a priest and bishop in the Catholic Church.

Therefore, when all the other

P

cardinals, who are Archbishops, sit, the retired Pope sits down with them out of humility. It is demanded, as he retired from office into a private life, which is not in conflict with what the substantive ruler Pope is doing. The issue of tussle for power does not happen in Catholic Church.

The person in control takes total charge and all eyes are focused on him. You cannot have two kings ruling at the same time. You will never hear that two persons engaged in fighting to become a bishop in a place. The incumbent and emeritus Popes will never clash. Pope Benedict XVI did not step aside anytime his expertise is needed he gives it gladly without claiming credit.

The credit will go to the person

portant lesson, which is to learn not to sit-tight in whatever position of authority. But then we have only one Pope actually. Pope Benedict XVI (B16) is Pope Emeritus and you know that in many Dioceses, even here in Nigeria, we have two Bishops but one is the Local Ordinary. It is not like the Bishop thing in any way because in that case, you can have an Auxiliary Bishop, as well as a Coadjutor Bishop. In these two cases, there are two bishops occupying one post. But from the point of view of a Local Ordinary, one can be a Local Ordinary and resign as in the case of Orlu. Bishop Ochiagha is the bishop Emeritus, while Bishop Ukwuoma is the substantive

Madu Local Ordinary. Even though he doesn’t interfere with the activities of the Diocese, he is no longer in charge though if there is anything he can do, he still does with the understanding of the Local Ordinary. That of the Pope is a little bit more complicated because there is no room for two Popes as in the case of having an Auxiliary Bishop or a

terfering in any way in the administration of the current Pope. We don’t have two Popes in office at the same time because one has stepped aside through resignation, while the other is the person occupying the chair of Peter for now. That is why Pope Benedict is not engaging in many things, even though he is an academic. He can write or do so many things but those things are somehow suppressed taking into cognisance the fact that there is somebody on the seat of Peter now, and is thus in charge.

I don’t foresee anything like a conflict. Don’t forget that it is not like politics, where someone would say he is coming back to power because one individual is marginalising his people such as in the case of Ahidjo and Paul Biya. Ahidjo resigned and when he discovered that he shouldn’t have done so, he came back with a Coup d’é-

is no longer the substantive Pope. He is also not a Cardinal in the real sense of it, but he was a Cardinal. It is just like a bishop who is now a Cardinal such as Onaiyekan, who though a Cardinal, is the Archbishop of Abuja. Just like all the Cardinals, the Pope and the rest of them are all priests and clergymen.

These are generic terms that cover all of them. The Pope Emeritus cannot be sitting in a completely different place, as it would give an impression that the two of them are operating from two different angles. I think sitting in company of the Cardinals is also a sign of conjugality of the church; that the Holy Father is sitting with his fellow colleagues and clergymen instead of sitting separately. Where he sat during the canonisation also accords him the recognition of Pope Emeritus, which he very much deserves.

‘Any Allegiance To The Old Pope Emeritus Has Lapsed’ (Monsignor John Aniagwu, Parish Priest, St. Leo Catholic Church, Ikeja and Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lagos) HE former Pope or Pope T Emeritus Benedict XVI has resigned and left the office for the incumbent. He has ceased to perform any official assignment of a Pope.

Even though he was present at a ceremony two weeks ago, the incumbent presided over it and not him. In the Catholic Church, we do not owe allegiance to any Pope that has left office.

Aniagwu We do not have two Popes.

When the incumbent took

over, we all took oath of allegiance to him, just as we did with the Pope that resigned.

Once we did that, our allegiance automatically switched to the incumbent.

It was only one time he appeared and sat in front of the Cardinals and not among them and the incumbent went to embrace him, which was normal.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has left office and so, he is no longer recognised as a Pope.

It is similar to the case of Archbishop Adewale Martins, who is the new Archbishop of Lagos. When he

assumed office as the Archbishop, Metropolitan See of Lagos, our allegiance immediately switched to him and not to Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie. The latter has left the office and can no longer function in that capacity; every attention is now concentrated on the incumbent. There is no conflict of loyalty in the Catholic Church. Once we have all taken the oath of allegiance to the new Pope, our allegiance to the old Pope Emeritus has lapsed. We do not have two captains in Catholic Church.

‘Pope Francis Is The Visible Head Of The Catholic Church’ (Fr. Raphael Igbaoyinbo, a priest of the Missionary Society of St. Paul Gwagwalada Abuja, Nigeria) T is noteworthy that Pope Francis is the Iisvisible head of the Catholic Church. He called Pope because his authority is supreme and because it is to be exercised in a paternal way, after the example of Christ. It implies that the Pope is to use his office in a way that makes manifest the plan of the Almighty as revealed in Christ Jesus. He is father of all and is responsible for steering the Church towards the path that leads to holistic and lasting development.

The presence of a retired Pope (Benedict XVI) in the Church could be seen as a genuine acknowledgement of the Church; that when human beings reach a particular age they need to retire, rest, do something else in life and give room for fresh hands to lift the Church forward. It

means the acceptance of the reality that old age is a blessing and those that attain it ought to be given the opportunity to enjoy such ripe age without threat of being seen as a nuisance that should be long dead to give room for younger hands. This could be termed ‘subtle promotion of euthanasia.’

The existence of two Popes, thus point to the need for the elders to respect the younger ones, as well as the young respecting and taking care of those, who have laboured and served the Church properly. The ability of the incumbent Pope to live in peace and loving respect with the Pope emeritus communicates Christ-like attitude of love for one’s neighbour. It portrays one who is at home with himself and is also comfortable with the growth and progress of others.

These qualities are very much inherent in Popes Francis and Benedict XVI. The

Pope Emeritus corroborates these qualities, when in addressing the Cardinals on his last day as incumbent Pope, on February 28, 2013, he declared: “Among you, the College of Cardinals, there is also the future Pope, to whom, here today, I already promise my unconditional reverence and obedience.” Attitudes and worldview like these have and continue to nullify all possible conflicts between the incumbent and the emeritus Popes. The situation is also enhanced by the Church’s teaching, which holds that the assumption of a position of authority is a mission and a call to selfless service, after the example of Christ, Who showed that authority is not to be used to lord it over people but to serve them.

The foregoing elements which have helped to promote peaceful coexistence of the two Popes thus remind all that nothing in the world lasts forever.

Sunday, June 1, 2014 | 33

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

IBRUCENTRE

Sunday School Prayer

... With Pastor Enoch Adeboye

Memory Verse: “O Lord, O Lord, forgive; O Lord hearken and do; defer not, for thy own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name” - Daniel 9:19.

Bible Passage: Daniel 9:1-19.

EW people realise they can alter their destiny, the course of FOutlines: history and the fortunes of nations by praying.

You Need To Pray Prayer cannot be outsourced. You cannot delegate your prayer

quota. God needs to hear from you concerning your needs, the needs of your loved ones and your burdened cry for others. God loves the whole world - Jn. 3:16. He needs faithful intercessors to pray for a worldwide revival and repentance of all men and women - 1 Tim 2: 1-4. Every human being is created in the image of God. One of the main reasons God kept you on this side of eternity after your salvation is so you can be an agent of revival and salvation for Him - Isaiah 56:7; Mark 11: 15-17.

You Can Reign God reigns, irrespective of your belief system. We can reign with Him. That is by choice. He has made us joint heirs with

The Lifter Is Here “Thou Oh LORD, art a shield for me, my GLORY and the LIFTER UP of my head.” (Psalm 3:3) EGATIVE forces are at N work to keep many human beings in a state of stagnation, obscurity and limitation. But today, the LIFTER is here. The Power that brought the universe into existence is here. The power of darkness over your life is destroyed. JESUS, whose anointing destroys

every yoke, is standing in front you. You will rise.

The Mercy and Grace of God incarnate – JESUS – Yesuah visited a man, who had been on the same spot for 38 years. JESUS lifted this man from a recurring hopelessness and long-term paralysis. Every force that has been working to paralyse you is arrested and destroyed in the HOLY NAME OF JESUS. Put your hand by faith into the Hand of JESUS CHRIST – the LIFTER. You are LIFTED right now in JESUS MIGHTY NAME. You shall no longer remain in obscurity.

Christ. With a robust prayer life, you can foresee and avert natural and man-made disasters or alleviate their consequences Psalm 2:8-9. Please intercede for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its leadership - Ezekiel 22:30-31. A robust, consistent and sustained prayer will stay the hand of the destroyer and entrench righteousness in our land.

Conclusion Stop looking towards state houses and political leadership for solutions to problems that have spiritual foundations. You can stand in the gap for your family and your nation and secure your well being by praying. The Lord Jesus Christ will grant you the grace to live a victorious prayer life.

THE

FAITH

You will rise and fulfill your divine destiny.

PRAYER: I boldly confess that the LORD JESUS is my GLORY and the LIFTER UP of my Head. I am lifted in JESUS MIGHTY NAME. The chains of the wicked one over my life are all destroyed in the Anointed Name of JESUS. My head will never be bowed down. I remain Highly favoured and Lifted.

Email: bishoplanreobembe@yahoo.com; Prayer Lines: 08128110565, 07033477441, 08023280877.

&

GRACE

DIMENSION with

BISHOP (DR.) OLANREWAJU JOSEPH OBEMBE

PFN Demands Unconditional Release Of Chibok Girls HE Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has expressed T shock that after more than a month the Chibok girls are still been held captive by their abductors, Boko Haram insurgents. According to the leadership of Christian body, “it is unbelievable that the perverts who perpetrated this heinous crime are still holding these girls, in spite of several appeals from all over the world for their immediate and unconditional release.”

In a statement made available to The Guardian, the PFN under the leadership of Rev. (Dr.) Felix Omobude described the act as callous.

“We condemn, in the strongest terms possible, this callous act on the part of these rogue ele-

ments who claim to be motivated by a desire to foist on Nigeria their own perverted ideology. They should be ashamed of their wickedness and desist forthwith from this meaningless waste of innocent lives and unwarranted shedding of the blood of Nigerians.

We are without any doubt whatsoever, that the evil they have continued to perpetrate will find them out, and they will be made to face justice soon.”

Alarmed at the recent upsurge of criminality and terrorism by this group, the Christian organization said it is saddened by the barbarism being exhibited by the group and called on the Federal Government to do more in addressing this monster at all levels, by deploying all

necessary resources to tackle the problem head-long.

“We also call on both the Federal and state governments to increase their level of cooperation. We salute the courage of our Armed Forces, some of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice in the process of fighting terror. We enjoin them to re-dedicate themselves to this cause, and expedite action in ensuring the safe return of our girls.”

The statement added: “The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) remains resolute that evil shall not overcome our land. We categorically maintain that there is no place in Nigeria, and there will never be, for such anachronistic and retrogressive philosophy, which the so-

Prelate and Moderator, General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. (Prof.) Emele Uka (centre) flanked by Principal Clerk, Rev. Ndukwe Eme (right), Deputy Clerk, Rev. Daniel Etim (behind the Prelate) and General Assembly Accountant, Elder E. E. Effiong (second left), during the commissioning of the multi-million naira PresbyWaters factory in Aba, Abia State. PresbyWaters Ltd was built at over N30m in an effort to diversify the revenue base of the Church and create employment opportunities for the unemployed.

called Boko Haram terrorists ignorantly espouse. There cannot be accommodation for a misguided ideology, which operates directly in opposition to civilisation, stands against education and seeks to relegate our women to the background.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the parents of these children at this very difficult

time and we urge them to be strong as we all pull together, to ensure their safe release. We call on all Christians to continue to uphold Nigeria and the leadership with prayers and a renewed commitment to their civic responsibilities.

“We note, with immense appreciation, the generous support of the international

community in this fight, especially the concerted efforts by them towards securing the release of our abducted girls. We commend the positive efforts taken by well-meaning leaders of the Islamic faith, especially in condemning the recent terrorist attacks. We urge them to even do more in joining hands with all of us to checkmate this raging evil.

Why Fathers Need Mothers

By Gabriel Osu N today’s world, some have come to question the validity or otherwise of the marriage institution. For the ignorant lot, the biblically instituted union between a man and woman has become obsolete. But this is not true.

No matter what anyone or group of people may say, the marriage institution; the union between man and woman under the sacrament of matrimony; remains as valid and relevant just like the union between Christ and His Church.

It takes two to tango. The responsibility of procreation lies with a legally married couple (male and female).

Also, the task of bringing up God-fearing children can better be achieved, when the father and mother act in unity.

Man must first acknowledge his wife as a helpmate and love her, as Christ loves the Church. It is by loving his wife and children that a man can naturally understand and fulfil his own fatherhood. Indeed, the place and task of the father in and for the fam-

I

ily is of unique and irreplaceable importance.

Men are called to be co-creators with God the father. By giving man free will and his own portion of responsibility, God is then placing man in the position of co-creator with God. The wife must be submissive to the man. I am not saying that the woman should be a slave. No. All I am saying is that women should learn to respect and accept the headship of their husbands. Similarly, men must learn to nurture and love their wives as their own body. (Eph. 2: 25) ‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her’ Some men enjoy beating their wives. It is an act of cowardice to turn your wife to a punching bag. Though the woman is the weaker vessels or physically weaker than the man, she is not meant to be an agent of combat. She is a gift from God to be cherished, as all gifts of love should be cherished. Unfortunately, many at times we allow the pressures of life to

make us vent our frustration on our family, particularly our wives. This should not be so. Remember that we are to nurture our family just like Jesus nurtures His Church. If Jesus should become angry with us or relate to us the way we deserve, I don’t believe any of us will survive it. I agree that many times our wives can make us angry.

How do we react? We have a choice. We can join them in throwing tantrum or we can remain composed or just stroll out of the house to allow the heat to cool down.

If you are in the habit of beating your wife, stop it. Ask God to change your heart of stone.

Your children are watching how you relate with their mother. Your sons will one day become fathers and your daughters will one day become mothers. They need to know and expect that real gentlemen are respectful to and protective of women.

Very Rev. Msgr. Osu, Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

34 | Sunday, June 1, 2014

IBRUCENTRE Springs Of Wisdom

Living Waters Our Help Will Only Come From God

By Pastor Lazarus Muoka “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else 23. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear”- Isaiah 45:22.

ELOVED, the words of authority on which hinged B the survival of mankind, have been issued by our Creator and nothing can revoke it. God’s declaration above is the only panacea to human problem.

As long as mankind refuses to give heed to this counselling, the problem of man will continue unabated. And this is the situation we, in this part of the world, have found ourselves.

There is no doubt that the greatest concern in our country today is that of insecurity.

On a daily basis, there are accounts of several security threats arising from kidnappings, armed robberies, insurgencies, financial fraud, militancy, etc. Everybody, regardless of gender and status, is apprehensive of the situation we are in but none has paused to enquire what God’s counselling is. This is because the wisdom to excel in all endeavours and overcome our challenges comes from the allknowing God, the Omniscient God, Who is the embodiment of wisdom. And until His will is done, we will be beating about the bush, while claiming to source for solution.

All the acclaimed powerful nations of the world have converged on the invitation of the government to address the problem of insecurity in our country. While not opposing the hand of help extended to the world powers, I assert that the only solution to insurgency, kidnapping, robberies,

militancy, etc is in the hand of God and not in the hands of America, China, France or Japan. These people and their countries have their own problems and have not thoroughly eradicated crises in their respective countries, thus, not perfect and cannot provide final solution. God remains the only answer to our problem. If we want peace, we must talk to the owner of peace, the God Almighty and not to man.

Psalm 121:1-2 says, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.”

It is in vain to look for help from any other than God. If we can humbly lift up our eyes with hope and cry to God from Whom help would come, I am sure He will answer us. Let us not allow Satan to keep our eyes upon our sorrows that we may be disquieted and discouraged. Let us resolve to keep our eyes upon the Lord,

for they that lift up their eyes to the eternal hills shall have their hearts lifted up also.

If we are swayed by the opinions of fellow men to source for help elsewhere, rather than from God, we will be betrayed into innumerable errors, which will at the end become a snare to our soul.

We must not rely upon men, means and instruments of warfare but on God alone.

Our confidence should be in God only. We must look to God, Who makes all earthly things what they are, for He alone can avert the looming danger that is hanging on our horizon. It is to Him alone that we can confidently look for justice and deliverance and not to the strength of man.

What we need is help; we need a very present help in trouble. And thank God we have it in Him, for those who have God, as their defender need fear no evil.

Church Marks Pastor’s Appreciation Day

By Isaac Taiwo EMBERS of Olivet Bible Church, Festac Town, M Lagos, recently honoured their Senior Pastor, Owen Nlekwuwa and his wife, Esther. The occasion was the maiden edition of Pastors Appreciation Day held to thank God for the gift of both servants of God to the Church.

They showed their appreciation with gifts.

Appreciating the gesture, Nlekwuwa remarked that ‘it is always good to say “thank you” to anyone, who has laboured on him or her in one way or the other. He added that, “our Lord Jesus Christ indicated His hand of approval, when one leper out of 10 that were cleansed came to thank Him for His good deed and He asked, ‘where are the other nine?’

“I feel elated and have not seen it this way since my 20 years in the ministry. I am an Architect by training and my mother, though she did not argue with me, when I decided to go into full time Ministry, she later confessed she had her fears just like those, who have the notion that going into the ministry rubbishes the future of someone having a good profession,” he said.

The cleric called on the Church to play its role as agent of transformation in the nation and major on those essentials God asks it to do.

He said: “Revolutions in places like Germany, France and Britain among others, were preceded by revivals and so, the Church should make its impact felt in the society to bring about the needed transformation, which can only be effected by it.”

The guest minister, Director General, Institute for National Transformation, Professor Vincent Anigbogu, urged the Church to understand the signs of the time, adding that Nigeria is in its midnight and if the Church does not rise up and do something, there is no hope to end the crisis in the northern part of the country, where innocent lives are being terminated

Fatima Tinubu Foundation and Women for Peace and Justice recently organised an inter-religious prayers for the release of the abducted school girls in Chibok, Borno State at Onikan Stadium, Lagos. The group was led by Alhaja Fatima Bintu Tinubu and activist, Ms Yemisi Ransome-Kuti. Here, Alfa Agba of Lagos, Imam Tijani Gbajabiamila prays at the gathering of a cross section of Nigerian women.

CCC Condemns Boko Haram Kidnap Of Chibok Girls

By Gbenga Akinfenwa HE Chairman, Shepherd T Council Nigeria Diocese, Rev. Dr. Lagun Adesanya and Rev. Pastor Dr. Stephen E. Orovboni of Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide, in a joint press statement on behalf of the church, have condemned the unprecedented bombing and wanton destruction of lives and property and the abduction of the school Girls in Chibok, Borno State by the Boko Haram sect.

The cleric said: “This is the ample time for the North to rise in one voice in condemnation of what the so called Boko Haramis inflicting on the country particularly in the North where lives of people both young, old and infants are being wasted on a daily basis.

Even with the present state of emergency in some states of the North, it seems that we are not doing sufficiently well

enough in terms of securing both lives and property of the citizenry.”

They also praised the Senators from the Northern part of the country that have reconsidered their stand by voting in full support of the President’s request for extension of emergency rule in the three major trouble states of Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa. “We equally expect the past presidents, Heads of State and leaders from these regions; namely Alhaji Shehu Musa Shagari, Generals Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, Muhammad Buhari, Abdulsalam Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, Col. Abubakar Umar, (rtd) Balarabe Musa and all the Muslim leaders from the north to come out in strong terms in condemning the act of Boko Haram from further embarrassing the Islamic religion and the country altogether.

“No religious teachings be it Is-

lamic or Christianity approve of taking other people’s live at will or causing violence and unrest within the country.

Therefore let us all (irrespective of religious belief or political affiliation) go back to our history in order to search for the missing values that have led to this insurgency and other likeable causes of political instability in the country,” the cleric stated.

They urged the delegates at the National Conference to be honest to themselves and ensure that their deliberation are devoid of primordial sentiments and pretensions but more paramount to uphold the truth, justice and wellbeing of all in the Nigerians.

“We therefore call for urgent and unconditional release of these girls to put an end to the psychological torture of their parents, as the church worldwide is observing a seven-day hourly prayer for the nation.

Catholics Mark World Communications Day HE Catholic Church all over the sation and positive societal clergy in a procession into the Tworld will today mark 2014 change.To mark the event today a Church. In the course of the World Communications Day mass will be celebrated by the mass, there shall be reading of with the theme “Communication at the service of an authentic culture of encounter”. The day is set aside by the Church to celebrate Media Practitioners and the importance of communications in evangeli-

Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins at the Holy Cross Cathedral at 10am, he will be assisted by other priests.

Media Practitioners are enjoined to arrive early in order to join the

the papal message and blessing of the tools of trade of Media Practitioners, followed by a brief reception after the Mass at the Church Hall.

By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi

Trust God, He’ll Preserve You HE natural tendency in man is to become fearful in the face T of threats, including persecutors, who do not know God. Religious persecutors are merely nominal worshippers, who are faithless and unfaithful. They often frighten weak Christians, who do not consider how powerful and faithful God is. Yet, we must realise that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men”. Never should we be afraid of man, no matter how faithless, wicked or boastful he may be. “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” God admonishes.

“I, even I, am He that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man, which shall be made as grass; And forgettest The Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?” The unbelief of man, of all men, of the whole Gentile and Jewish world, cannot change or alter the faithfulness of God. The faithlessness and unfaithfulness of multitudes of men will not decrease or diminish the faithfulness of God. “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar.”

Men are faithless but God is faithful. Sinners and persecutors are merciless but God is merciful and mighty. All the darkness of the world cannot extinguish a ray of God’s light and all the dark powers of persecutors cannot overcome the least power of God, Who promises to protect and to “keep us from evil.”

God is faithful to His promises and His purposes. “If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself”. When people are unkind and perverse towards us, we can always go to God, we can always confide in Him, trust Him, believe Him and lean on Him. We shall always find in Him, One who keeps His promises. This is a constant encouragement to all, who are disappointed by unfaithful and undependable men and women of the world. Faith in God, looking up to the Lord and confiding in Him, Who is always faithful, will save us from many heartaches, disappointment and backsliding. Those, who put their trust in man, will soon discover, to their sorrow, that “all men have not faith”; not all men are trustworthy. We witness men’s infidelity everyday and everywhere. We see how they turn away from the truth. We see many who once professed “faith” now abandoning it all. There are many around us, who seem to have no true, transforming faith and many professing believers, who do not “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints.”

What an encouragement to always turn to God, Who is faithful; Who never fails and Who will certainly fulfill His promises and assuredly accomplish His unalterable purposes! Men, who do not have faith, may refuse to embrace the gospel and even set themselves against it, but God will not abandon His great purposes nor forsake His saints. God’s purpose is to establish all, who are saved in the family, in the truth, in the faith, in holiness and sanctification and in the love and kingdom of His dear Son, Jesus Christ. Not even the devil can thwart God’s purpose, nor can his emissaries and messengers. God will keep His children, citizens of His righteous kingdom, partakers of His holy covenant, from all evil. The best of men with the greatest resolution possible cannot live in obedience to all of God’s commandments, continually, without any interruption, in his natural strength. We all need God’s Grace – His saving grace, His sanctifying grace, His sustaining grace, His steadfast grace, His sufficient grace, His supernatural grace and His superabundant grace. And grace is available to every true child of God, and for all who genuinely turn away from their sinful lifestyle and embrace Jesus Christ as their Lord. The rapture of the saints, the resurrection of the righteous and our final gathering unto Christ at His coming must remain the focus of the faithful, not the present pain and persecution. From the beginning of our Christian life, after repentance and faith in Christ, we have committed ourselves “to wait for His Son from heaven”. We are, therefore, to live daily in great expectation, so that we would be the joy of the Apostles, of our leaders “in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming.”

The heart is the source of all our thoughts, affections, actions, plans, desires, character and life. And out of the heart, “are the issues of life.” When God cleanses the heart and directs it into His love, all the passions of the heart will be kept pure and pleasing to Him. Then will our lives be peaceful and pure, when persecuted; righteous and resigned when reviled, humble and holy though hated, tender and teachable, when tempted and tried, diligent and determined when despised, saintly and sanctified when slandered, gracious and godly when grieved, lowly and loving when unloved. This way, living soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, we daily look up expectantly, waiting for Christ’s return. So that nothing that we suffer here on earth can subvert our faith and trust in God. References: 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13; Isaiah 2:22; 51:12,13; 2 Timothy 2:13; Romans 3:3,4; Hebrews 10:23; 1 Peter 4:19; 1 Thessalonians 3:12,13; 1 Peter 5:6-10; Psalm 121:7; 119:101; John 17:14,15; 2 Timothy 4:18; Jude 20-25; Matthew 28:20; John 15:14; Romans 6:17,18; Philippians 2:12-16; Colossians 3:16-25; 1 Thessalonians 4:1,2,10; Philemon 21; 1 John 2:3-6; 3:22; 5:3,4; Revelation 22:12-14; Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31:33,34; Romans 5:1,5; Matthew 10:3739; Galatians 5:6,22,23; Luke 12:36-38; Proverbs4:23); 1 Thessalonians 1:3-10; 2:19; Titus 2:13,14; Revelation 3:11. All scriptures are from Kings James Version.

Sunday, June 1, 2014| 35

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

IBRUCENTRE

By Ernest Onuoha

‘…In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,’ Jh. 16v33 (b).

From The Rector

T is an incontestable fact that Jesus has soothIhave ing words for every situation in life. He may Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor known the agony His disciples would face, as a result of His bodily absence from the world.

He, therefore, rightly said to them: ‘…be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’.

The world in which we live is full of heartaches and which if not properly understood by the believer, may cause him to derail from his faith.

For us in Nigeria and particularly at this time, we pray for God’s quick intervention in so many areas of our national life to avoid the shipwreck of our faith. Yes, we have events that are causing us nightmares already.

Suddenly, a bomb explodes and many lives are shattered, people become emergency widows, widowers and orphans in a twinkle of an eye.

Most horrifying at the bomb scenes is the mangled human flesh, occasioned by these senseless bombings and also the attendant damages done to people’s sweat: cars, buildings, shops,

Jesus Has The Right Word For Every Situation etc. Painfully, people’s sources of livelihood are blown off just like that.

It becomes more tragic, the more bomb factories are discovered, the more ferocious and bloodthirsty suicide bombers become. You begin to wonder if there would ever be an end to this destruction being done to human lives and properties. As if it is not enough with the Chibok girls yet to return, more people are still missing on a daily basis. What a horror!

Indeed, one is bound to wonder if the end is not at hand.

However, we sympathise with the President of our country, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Methodist Church Holds Retreat At Ibru Centre

By Gabriel Kpagban HE Methodist Church Nigeria, Archdiocese of Enugu held its ministers and deaconesses retreat at the Ibru International Ecumenical Retreat Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta. The retreat, which started on April 14 and ended on April 17, 2014, had over 190 delegates in attendance, including their Bishops. The theme of the retreat ‘The Methodist Minister in the 21st century A.D,’ was addressed by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese, Most Rev. (Barr) Christopher N. Ede, who said the theme was appropriate since ‘the Church is ministering in a changing world and needs to continue to update itself to meet the changing society, which it is serving’.

He averred that Church workers need continuous selfdevelopment to be able to

T

cope with a dynamic Church.

He said the reason for the choice of the centre was to enable them be in an environment that would enhance maximum concentration. The Church father enjoined his flocks to emulate the kind gesture of Dr. Alex Ibru of blessed memory, who donated such a wonderful Centre for the use of all Christians.

In his remark, Very Rev. B. N. Eze, the Archdiocesan Director of Evangelism and Coordinator of the retreat, observed that the retreat was wonderful, impactful and indeed a time of spiritual renewal for the ministers and deaconesses in Enugu Archdiocese.

As a strategy, the Church is embarking upon a repositioning programme to re-awake and rekindle the spiritual flame and give adequate focus on evangelism, soul winning

and scriptural holiness. This commitment is in line with the vision statement of Methodist Church Nigeria ‘to be the largest and spiritually vibrant Church’ and a mission ‘to consistently win more souls for Christ, develop spiritually fulfilled members and remain very active in serving humanity.’

Other bishops who were present at the retreat are; Rt. Rev. G. A. Agupusi MFR, Bishop of the Diocese of Abakaliki, who spoke on ‘leadership and integrity.’ Rt. Rev. Sunday Eze, Bishop of the Diocese of Onitsha, who did an exposition on the theme of the retreat. Rt. Rev. B. L. Onuagha, Bishop of Agbani Diocese gave a lecture on ‘human relationship in the ministry’ as well as John Okorie of the Diocese of Ngbo, who lectured on the topic: ‘The minister and his/her family.’

At Ministers Retreat: Clerics Urge Participants To Be Steadfast duro, “There are several areas, Transfer Is For Your Own Good, Do Not Be Angry where INISTERS and workers in M the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Region 13 have been enjoined not to allow discouragement lure them away in the course of rendering their service to God. At the just concluded Region 13 Ministers Retreat with the theme “Take Heed Thy Self” held at the Regional Camp Ground, Benin City, where thousands of ministers from Edo and Delta State were in attendance, the Pastor-incharge of the Region, James Dagunduro in his message: ‘Coping with discouragement in the ministry,’ noted that there were many areas dis-

couragement could occur in the course of serving the Lord.

He said discouragement is one of the devices being used by the devil to destabilise ministers from forging ahead in their services and ministries.

Other men of God, who also spoke at the event, were Pastor Peter Olawale; Pastor-incharge of Region two, Joseph Obayemi and Rev. Sam Iguebike. Olawale spoke on ‘Ministers and his prayer life,’ while Obayemi delivered the topic, ‘Minister and Holiness in this last day’ and the ‘Minister and his family’ was handled by Iguebike from God’s Family Assembly.

According to Pastor Dagun-

discouragement comes upon ministers’ lives, while serving the Lord. Among such is when you need somebody to assist you, while planning programmes and nobody comes forth. Be patient, the programme will work another time. There must be reason for that. Also when maybe people are not cooperating with you, just continue with what you are doing.

“Several other areas such as when you are not being appreciated, that is when people do not know how to say ‘thank you.’ This brings discouragement but just focus on God, Who is the only One to reward you.

and the security personnel, as these senseless killings, bombings and kidnappings are painting Nigeria black in the eyes of the world. Sincerely at such situation, no one should be proud; whether or not we belong to any political party about what is happening currently.

Just think of the number of human lives and properties that are being destroyed without provocation. That is why at this time, we value the man with the right word at every situation of our lives, Jesus, the Saviour of the world, as He says to us: ‘…be of good cheers, I have overcome the world.’

Therefore, Jesus’ message to us and all those

we represent is that of hope. He was crucified on the cross of Calvary and He bore the physical pain. But He was to shame the devil and his cohorts, when He rose again, thereby making a public disgrace of the dark forces of this world.

People of God, deep down in my heart, I have a strong persuasion within me that very soon, we will overcome this present quagmire and imbroglio. His words are ever sure, let us, therefore, trust and commend our lives to Him. Ven. Ernest Onuoha, Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. www.ibrucentre.org

Resilience For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again…

Proverbs 24:16a (NASB)

By Taiwo Odukoya HE ability to remain composed, adapt appropriately, and forge ahead in the face of challenges and opposition is at the very heart of leadership. In this age of constant change, disruption and upheaval, resilience becomes inevitable to the survival of individuals, organisations and nations. As someone said, “If we cannot control the volatile tides of change, we can learn to build better boats.”

Resilience is not the result of genetic transference or a trait that a leader either possesses or does not. Rather, it is a skill rooted in habits of mind that can be learned and developed, hence the common phrase a company’s staying power or a national culture of resilience, where an environment of mutual trust is created to allow people of diverse interests and skills respond adaptively to problems and challenges.

The 9/11 attacks, which left an entire country devastated and the whole world in shock, produced one of many such stories of resilience. It is the account of Cantor Fitzgerald, a bond-trading firm that lost most of its employees, when the first Tower collapsed. About a decade later, the firm, which had lost everything in the shattering event, was back on its feet. Speaking in an interview, its CEO, Howard Lutnick, said none of the executives felt like going on. But in

T

spite of how they felt about what had befallen them, Lutnick called his leadership team together and gave them two choices — give up or rebuild the firm so they could take care of the families of the victims. They chose the latter.

Lutnick’s resilience was hinged on seeing the bigger picture. He identified a purpose for continuity. It would be near-impossible for leaders to move their organisations forward in the face of adversity, if they do not see something in the horizon bigger than their current predicament.

The whole of scripture is one robust interwoven tale of resilience. From the creation of man for dominion, to his fall and restoration, we find different examples of individuals and societies, who bounced back from severe adversity. One of such is Joseph.

God had given Joseph a vision.

But a series of extremely adverse events that ran completely contrary to his dream befell him. In spite of these, Joseph rose out of his ordeals to become the first foreign Prime Minister of any civilisation recorded in history.

This was because he maintained resilience in the face of adversity. And he did this by seeing the bigger picture. When confronted by the scared and remorseful brothers, who sold him into slavery, he said, “And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So, now it was not you who sent me here, but God.” The legendary Nelson Mandela is a perfect contemporary example of resilience in leadership. Few leaders in history have been put through as fiery an ordeal as Mandela. In 1985, the

Pastor Taiwo Odukoya apartheid regime offered him a conditional release that compromised the core purpose of his struggle and leadership, but he turned it down. He withstood his adversities and won a great victory for his people by keeping his core purpose in view and staying resilient. This ties in with Andrew Zolli’s definition of resilience as the capacity of a system, enterprise, or a person to maintain its core purpose and integrity in the face of dramatically changed circumstances.

So, if there is one quality the leaders of today must possess in order to navigate the complexities of our times, it is resilience.

Today’s struggling global economy, pervasive terrorism, and growing unrest further buttress this fact. We must, in the words of the Republican Senator, Alan Simpson, be a million rubber bands in our resilience.

Leaders must remain optimistic in the face of adversity and failure and transmit the same to those they lead.

In our fight to expunge terrorism and bring the country to greater heights, Nigeria may be going through a difficult time.

But we must keep going. It was Winston Churchill that said, “If you are going through hell, keep going.”

Nigeria Has a Great Future Pastor Taiwo can be reached at pastortaiwo@tfolc.org

world for good.” He believes that one word from the Lord can change your entire life.

The cleric has been invited again to Costa Mesa, California to be a special guest speaker on an upcoming edition of the “Praise the Lord” television programme on TBN on June 5, 2014. The episode will be broadcast worldwide, including airings in Nigeria and throughout Africa from June 6.

To find out more about this great Man of God, Pastor Nelson, and his ministry, visit www.churchoftheanointing.net.

Pastor Nelson Ugwuzor

Nigerian Born Pastor Makes Waves Abroad NIGERIAN born cleric, A Nelson Ogbonna (a.k.a.

O.G.B.) Ugwuzor is making waves outside the shores of his fatherland. The prayerful and prophetic man of God has become an inspiration to the body of Christ worldwide. Pastor Nelson is a voice that God is using to speak into the lives of “who’s who” in America and across the globe.

Born in Aba, Abia State to the late Mr. Reuben Ugwuzor and Chief (Mrs.) Pleasure Mercy Ugwuzor (a.k.a. Nneohaaba) and educated in Nigeria and the USA, Pastor

Nelson now oversees one of the most powerful and fastest-growing churches in Los Angeles, California.

He has received numerous honours and awards from the United States Senate and members of California State Congress; the Mayor of Los Angeles; and the most recent former Governor of the State of California, actor/politician Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Awards and Certificates of Appreciation have also been bestowed upon him from ministries, spiritual leaders and politicians across the globe for his ministerial in-

spiration and humanitarian service to the world.

Pastor Nelson received the 2012 Stellar Award for his radio programme “Spread the Word,” which airs every Sunday on Stevie Wonder’s legendary radio station in the U.S., KJLH, 102.3 FM; a programme that attracts a listening capacity of over one million listeners weekly. He is known as the Pastor to the celebrities and stars in Los Angeles, Hollywood and Beverly Hills. He led the city of Los Angeles in a prayer of victory for President Barack Obama a week before his election at a

gathering of over a quartermillion people, during the city’s Taste of Soul Family Festival. His face can be seen and his voice heard across the globe; he is a constant voice and face on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the world’s largest Christian broadcasting network.

Pastor Nelson declares: “I am so humbled to be used by the Lord Jesus Christ to touch the hearts of men and women for God’s glory in a time like this. I am thankful that God uses me to go from house to house, city to city, and nation to nation changing our

36 Sunday, June 1, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

TheGuardian

BUSINESS 2014 Budget: Implementation Faces Tough Challenges

By Geoff Iyatse N public accounting, executives are allowed to spend certain fraction of appropriation to keep the government going. But what is worrisome is that a practice, which should have been an exceptional case, has gradually become the rule. In recent times, especially 2013, when the budget was presented to the National Assembly months before the end of the previous year, the executive have perfected the art of spending unallocated funds under the cloak of “the Constitution allows it.”

Coordinating Minister of the Economy/Minister of Information, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, slipped into the relief zone two weeks ago when she explained that the Federal Government had commenced implementation of the 2014 Budget. According to Okonjo-Iweala, the Constitution allows her ministry to spend a certain portion of the budget up to the end of the first six months, which it has done faithfully, releasing funds to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAS) to fund their operations pending the passage.

Of course, there are no legal gaps in the minister’s position except that it reinforces the unpleasant public perception about government and their penchant for abusing privileges and every weak link. As many people have said, while it is convenient to spend unallocated funds, the practice can only lead to haphazard implementation.

Tunji Lardner of the West African NGO Network (WANGONET), as many others would admit, said there is nothing logical about spending money that has not been appropriated. The practice, he said, would have been more valuable when adopted, occasionally, to prevent breakdown of governance than now that it has become a regular approach to filling gap resulting from official rascality.

“There will certainly be problem when allocation is struggling to catch up with expenditure.

The normal approach is to allocate before you spend and not the other way round,” he noted.

Lardner observed that the collapse of normal appropriation is part of breakdown of the entire country. rather than fretting to get budgetary right, he charged, Nigerians should work at fixing the Nigeria problem as a whole, identifying quality leadership as the missing link in the political circle.

ommendations of MTEF, the Fiscal Strategy Paper and the Performance Management Act. By not supplying the National Assembly quarterly review report, he said, the executive is denying the National Assembly power of oversight. He describes the action of the executive as unfair, saying: “you cannot exercise power to appropriate without getting the necessary support to monitor performance.”

I

LSO speaking, Managing Director/CEO of PartA nership Investment Company Plc, Victor Ogiemwonyi, said it was unfortunate that the

budget submitted December was allowed to “suffer executive/legislative bickering to the extent that it was passed in the middle of the second quarter.

“First, there was argument on oil price benchmark; then, the issue of crude output. One would have expected that the parties involved would realise the importance of early passage and do the needful. What makes this even more appalling is that each year, they are the same issues that cause disagreement between the executive and the legislature. One would have expected that by now, there should be a way of harmonising positions so that less time is spent debating these issues.”

The renowned merchant banker recalled that the lawmakers had passed the bill earlier jus for the President to withhold assent dues to several distortions by the National Assembly. This challenge, he said, could only be addressed if we are clear with the role of lawmakers in budget planning.

“Do the legislators have a right to distort a Okonjo-Iweala presents 2014 Budget to the National Assembly. budget plan submitted by the executive or is their role purely advisory and supervisory? We need to be clear on this so that we do not have to experience the usual bickering every fiscal year.”

Strategy Paper and the Medium-term Expendi- (being an electioneering year) could face On what he considers as association risks of the ture Framework (MTEF), you also send permore severe challenge. Just as public offilate passage, he said the process put key decision formance review of the budget, showing what cers may result to bending or relaxing rules on hold, leading to loss of time as a resource. Dehas happened in the past one year. Since they for political convenience, campaign also fending the economic value of time, he said have seen three quarter reports, they would may be more crucial to lawmakers than the many institutional investors are wary of taking have gone out three times for verification, demand of oversight mandate. Hence, if major decisions until they are sure of the policy meaning that everything would not be piled last year’s budget implementation was less thrust of government in a particular fiscal year. up end of the year,” he said. than satisfactory, 2014 will be worse, said “We have seen a slow down in the capital market Ife. since the beginning of the year. This is due to a N why key performance indicator strategy He pointed out that capital expenditure combination of several factors, among which is has not addressed the challenge in budget would suffer a major setback, saying: “Con- non-passage of the budget. Investors are waiting performance, he said, practice stops at the Pres- tractors have certificates but they have not to see direction the government is going to take ident’s table. He noted that the practice does been paid. If you mobilise today, when will and determine what steps will best guarantee opnot extend to the National Assembly, wonder- they start work? What this implies is that timum returns,” Ogiemwonyi, who is also councontractors will not be able to complete EAD Consultant to the Economic Community ing why the executive does not make returns, cil member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), at least, on quarterly basis.

According to him, their work on schedule.

Meanwhile, there of West African State (ECOWAS), Dr. Ken Ife, noted. the failure increases the complexity of due diliare unspent funds of last year that would said it is worrisome that Nigerians just got apHis fear is that the implementation might sufhave been carried over.” proved budget five months into the year. What gence on the part of lawmakers, which in fer major setback since the country is in an elecThe economist attributed the perennial the delay portend, he said, was that the govern- turns, rubs off on subsequent budget debate. tion year, a period of huge and unnecessary If Ife’s position on oversight is true, this year’s budget gridlock to the failure to apply recment could not spend capital allocation — the most crucial aspect of the budget.

As much as the law says money cannot be spent without appropriation, Ife said, nobody puts a country on hold as a result of budget ted, the quality of public instituafter they won awards of excelWith Group Managing lapses. He said the reasonable thing to do, which By Geoff Iyatse tions could not be better than lence.

Only government’s guarDirector/CEO of Diamond Bank the Constitution must have considered, is to HErE is no doubt. The trathat of political leadership.

Plc, Dr. Alex Otti; Professor of Eco- antee’ he said, can unlock the continue to fund essential operations. vails and exploits of Otunba Even with excellent public infrafunding potential of the sector. nomics, Adegoyin Soyibo; During the 16-day shutdown of the United State Olasunbomi Balogun have structure, Utomi concluded, the Otti also wondered where Government last year, essential service workers become a case study at a number Founder/CEO of H.Pierson, Eileen economy is not sure of its standbanks are expected to source Shaiyen; Director General of the were retained and paid despite funding gap that of entrepreneurship training ining. His fear is based how Lagos Chamber of Commerce and funds for long-term loans the was created when the Congress failed to enact stitutes and seminars in the economies that etched their economy needs when depositors Industry, Muda Yusuf and a host legislation appropriating funds for 2014 fiscal country. Business managers pay names and institutions that beother hotheads on the panel that do not leave money beyond 90 year. The same happened during the previous to learn the documented proofs come models crashed at the days. were moderated by Prof. Pat two shutdowns suffered by the country. It is a of how the entrepreneurial Otti’s position was a response to speed of light.

Utomi, it was rich and, of course, classical example of how the government can banker started from the scratch Yet, there was a consolation from Shaiyen’s call for a more liberal sustain critical operations during a stalemate. and climbed up the ladder, build- balanced discussion. the Otunba. After every speaker credit market. She listed power While many raised concerned “You are only allowed to spend recurrent exing one of the most successful fihad exhausted himself about the penditure. For instance, there is nothing you nancial groups. But at an evening about the seemingly lack of inter- sector as well as small and concerns of the market, he shared est in public infrastructure fund- medium enterprises (SMEs) as can do about salaries. But capital expenditure is with the erudite banker and his personal experience, a story key areas that could unlock the where the problem lies… And don’t forget that lawyer in Lagos last week, partici- ing, Otti said the tide would not capital expenditure is what create jobs and get pants — lenders, borrowers and likely charge in coming years until economy if they access to require that triumphed limitations. the economy going. The delay meant it was held journalists — paid nothing but the country “put its balance sheet capital. Against excuse that SMEs He traced his can-do-attitude back for five months, which is terrible,” he said. got much more than any school are not credit worthy, he charged started in 1960s before he joined behind it (infrastructure).” He Ife, who said he wrote the President last Febru- could about the octogenarian. banks create borrowers they can NIDB. Since then, Otunba resaid government must take reary on the impact of budget delay on the econcalled, he has remained resolute. give money.

The event, the 11th Sector Leader- sponsibility for the challenge in omy, observed that the government could He said he established the first Yusuf’s postulation was not far public sector execution before ship Tribute Series of the Centre prevent the usual occurrence by implementing from Shaiyen’s thoughts. Beyond Nigerian wholly-owned merbanks can put their put their for Values in Leadership (CVL) orthe Performance Management Act, which rethe challenge of building a mar- chant bank to prove “we can do money behind them. quires the executive to send quarterly returns to ganised in honour of the first anything the whites are doing.” ket that desire the support of Arguing there is no 100 per cent principal counsel and company the National Assembly on the state of expendiThe retired bankers also spoke banks, he made case for the viability guarantee in infrastrucsecretary of the Nigerian industure. Merits of this approach, he said, include regrooming of public institutions his travail to regained the license ture project, he said there were trial development Bank (NIDB), ducing the complexity of legislative oversight to of the bank, which, according he, that earn the confidence of the public private partnership (PPP) took off with a panel session on mere verification of the reports. initiatives that collapsed few years market. Unfortunately, he regret- was established when he had no the over-flogged credit challenge.

“In December when you present the Fiscal

Politicking, Insecurity Pose Major Threats, Say Economists

O

L

Why I Established Merchant Bank, By Balogun

T

37

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, June 1, 2014

BUSINESS tively cheap cost plus and unparalleled excellent academic experience.

How is it ranked in the UK and globally?

Globally, the university is ranked in the first 200 in the QS World Rankings and the Law School as well. Within the UK, there are various rankings, which proceed on the basis of different parameters; the ones we tend to focus on are Times Good University rankings, we are ranked among the top 50 in terms of general education.

In terms of research, we are always ranked even What does Swansea offer Nigerian students? more highly, because it’s a research focused UniFirst of all, we offer high quality education, that was set up in 1920, we we offer good natural environment in the UK. If versity. A University th you are familiar with the geography of the UK, celebrated our 90 anniversary in 2010; so, we’ve got a very good track record. If you Swansea is one of the coastal cities and if you want a solid traditional university and you want live in Lagos for example and you love Bar Beach, if you want to study in the, Swansea, our to get away from the hurly burly of London and the larger cities, Swansea is an ideal location.

University is just across the road from the beach. It is a very beautiful little city. It’s the sort What has brought you to Nigeria this time around? of place where once you go, you’ll find it very As I said, it’s primarily for recruitment purdifficult to leave.

I went there over 20 years ago, I said I would poses. I make two trips per year and I find that if spend just a couple of years and lo and behold students are able to meet and interact with people who actually live and work and teach there, today, I’m still there. It’s a lovely little quaint it gives them a more realistic experience of life in city, friendly people, safe environment, relaSwansea and what they can expect.

‘How Economics Of Education Encourages Foreign Studentship’

Iwobi

Dr. Andrew Iwobi, An alumnus of the University of Jos, took a PhD in Law from Birmingham University and now teaches at the school of Law at the University of Swansea.

He recently led a delegation from Swansea University to Nigeria to attend a series of educational fairs to attract more Nigerian students to Swansea University. In this interview with IKECHUKWU ONYEWUCHI, he says the institution is already home for many Nigerian students.

Nigeria after my PhD years and I know how bright, enterprising and hardworking Nigerian students are. So, we have a particular focus to pursue an international agenda for postgraduate programmes and the Nigerian market has proved not only fertile and lucrative but we get some of our best students from Nigeria.

I get some of my best students from Nigeria twice a year for recruitment purposes as well as catch up with families and friends; so, it’s killing two birds with one stone; that’s why I’m in Nigeria, primarily for students recruitment and to renew my academic links with various university and institutions.

You are a Lecturer at Swansea, did you study there?

O. I did my first degree in law, my LLB degree at the University of Jos. And after I was called to the Bar from the Law School and my National Service in Ilorin, I proceeded to Swansea for my PHD and I started off with my LLM and when that was concluded, I did straight PhD, so I’m a proud alumnus of the University of Jos. What took you to Swansea in the first place?

When I was applying, first of all, I said I wanted to do Research; so, I looked for a Masters’ Degree

by Research and the attraction of Birmingham was that if you submitted your Masters and it was of good enough quality, you could convert it straight to a PhD. Again, the supervisor I had (that’s where the personal touch comes) is of the uttermost importance. He taught in Ghana as a Professor of Law. He was familiar with African Law and Customs, he had a Ghanaian wife; so, it was good that I had a friendly face, who would protect my academic interest.

That’s why I went to Birmingham when all my friends were going to London and Manchester.

Why has Swansea sent you to Nigeria?

My primary role is academic; I’m involved in lecturing and assessment but I have vested interest in the Nigerian environment, because, Director General, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Arunma Oteh (left), President, South-East/South-South Professionals of Nigeria, Emeka Ugwu-Oju; and Managing not only did I study in Nigeria, I also taught in Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo at the just-concluded African Development Bank (AfDB) meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.

N

Are Lekki Landlords Scaring Investors Out of Lagos?

By Sopuru Uwadiegwu AGGING behind in infrastructure and urban development, Nigeria struggles against odds to meet global standards, including those already set by its peers, a good example of which is South Africa. No doubt, basic infrastructure and urban development are key elements in attracting local and foreign direct investment (FDI).

Indeed, the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo emphasised urban development, a principle that seemingly fired up Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) against those seen to be violating the Abuja Master Plan. Of course, many supposedly beautiful houses were pulled down as Nasir stepped on big toes in a bid to force residents to conform to the original master plan of the FCT. Many mansions as well as shanties (erected in contravention of that plan) were pulled down.

Nasir’s bulldozers also hit structures belonging to senior government officials. It appeared Nigerians loved the “action minister” for daring the devil, while others criticised him for being biased.

Not surprisingly, failure by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to sustain the ‘Abuja action’ remains one of the reasons some critics give the present administration ‘thumb down.’

While the pain inflicted by the reign of El-Rufai lasted, some well-meaning Nigerians commended his strength of character and vision in taking sides with common good and constitutionality as against personal interests and self-seeking individuals. Little wonder his popularity soared in the process.

Sadly, less than a decade after the exit of Chief Obasanjo and his ministers, the FCT is gradually becoming defaced with no strong resolve to abide by the master-plan.

But the situation is different in Lagos State, where

L

environmentalists now take solace in the drive by the Gov Babatunde Raji Fashola administration to position Lagos as megacity.

This drive is commendable because it has seen the visionary governor set up professional agencies like the Lagos State New Towns Development Agency to ensure the vision is achieved. Suffice it to say that ElRufai and Fashola share the common character of championing the supremacy of law over men, irrespective of social, religious, political or economic status. This has seen Lagos State become a reference point on discipline and rule of law in Nigeria’s democracy.

The strong leadership disposition of Gov Fashola has seen opinion leaders from other states call on their governments to take a cue from him leadership.

This good reputation has come under several tests, which the administration has overcome.

However, there seems to be another test for Lagos — this time in Lekki Phase 1 — as few residents of Lekki Phase 1 estate insist that the master-plan of the estate will not stand. One wonders whose responsibility it is to plan estates, even as I understand that few powerful individuals have taken it upon themselves to confront and fight businesses that want to follow the masterplan of the estate in opening branches there to a standstill. This action points towards impunity, impudence and decadence — banes that Nigerians must fight and get rid of or face retrogression.

The late Moshood Abiola, with all he was in Nigeria, did not champion any class system that killed businesses or confined other citizens behind the walls or to a safe

distance from his residence. He lived in a people’s area of Ikeja and all manners of businesses, so long as they were legal, existed close to his residence. His cherished and well-respected family still lives there with common people and businesses as neighbours!

There is inherent danger in having a state government under Gov Fashola order the stoppage of certain commercial developments at Lekki Phase 1 estate upon the complaint of people who can boast of having the ears of those that matter! This could lead to impudence and decadence. Laws are made for men and when men feel they are above the law, it spells anarchy, especially if they carry on as such. The drift of society towards anarchy is often gradual and Lagosians must watch out for those minded towards possessing the State under any guise as this might derail the ship of state.

If claims that some powerful individuals have vowed to stop businesses from going on with developments provided for in the master-plan of elite estates like the Lekki Phase 1 are true, then there is the justifiable fear that the opinion and interest of common people could be jeopardised. If this is allowed to fester, a dangerous precedence could be in the offing.

Should these few people succeed in altering the master-plan laid out by the LSNDA, it makes a statement that whoever does not like the master-plan of the estate of his/her residence can follow the footsteps of these fellows and alter it to suit personal motives. This is clearly avoidable.

If the state government bows to pressure and stops the commercial developments at the Lekki Phase 1 estate, understood to include a filling station designed to international standards,the masterplan of the area would have been thwarted.Would that not amount to

changing the rules in the middle of the game?

My simple mind tells me that the government should count on the impartiality and professionalism of its officers and reach proactive decisions should the need arise.

Where one or two persons feel comfortable to coerce government into cancelling developmental projects that could benefit the masses in today’s Nigeria, it questions the integrity of leaders, professionalism of government officials and defines our quest for democracy!

I am not of the opinion that government agencies are infallible; what I stand by is that master-plans are strategic and corrections to strategic plans must be done cautiously not at the behest of persons who can be adjudged to be pursuing personal interests, rightly or wrongly. Government must at all times be seen as unbiased and protect, rather than expose, the weaker segments of the society.

As governments and well-meaning individuals strive to attract investment and businesses, it would amount to foolhardiness to allow a few people chase businesses away from Lagos, which currently has the reputation of being the economic capital of Nigeria?

The master-plan of any estate is set out blindly, that is without any knowledge of who the owners or occupants would be; and, if it comes to the point of altering such a plan because certain people have bought into it or now live there, it spells doom. The ball is now in the courts of decision makers to send the right signals to all stakeholders by taking the right decision in the interest of the generality of the residents and businesses therein.

Uwadiegwu, a public affairs analyst, writes from Lekki, Lagos

THE GUARDIAn www.ngrguardiannews.com

38 | Sunday june 1, 2014

BUSInESSAGRO

Cassava Farmers, Stakeholders Access e-market Stories by Fabian Odum MAjOR milestone in the A establishment of a sustainable market for vitamin A cassava products was accomplished when major players and investors along the vitamin A cassava value chain were linked to the HarvestPlus-nigeria’s e-market portal at a workshop last week.

In a release by HarvestPlus, the portal is designed to create business opportunities towards sustaining the demand and supply of products like fufu, flour, gari and stems derived from vitamin A cassava.

The workshop identified bulking agents, cassava stem traders and investors, who were then linked with farmers and cassava processors to create market for the products. These identified groups were subsequently registered on the HarvestPlusnigeria’s e-market portal.

HarvestPlus says this linkage is a successful outcome of the training, which had as its goal – to establish products standards and link investors to markets.

One of the participants, Mr. Adeola Odedina of Envoy Consulting, a major cassava commercial investor in nigeria, commended the workshop as achieving its purpose when he said, “I came to meet other partners to exchange ideas about chal-

lenges, opportunities and constraints. This has been met as I have met with and linked with those who want to go into commercial farming and cassava processing”.

Mrs. Olufunwa Mobolanle, Treasurer, nigeria Cassava Growers Association, Lagos State Chapter, said, “we want to get it right (cassava farming). We want to grow cassava and set up our own processing mills and even become trainers ourselves. This workshop has been of tremendous help.

We want more (trainings).”

The workshop identified various stages in the processing of cassava food products - gari, fufu, flour and cassava leaf soups and came up with guidelines for standards in processing. The challenges encountered in processing vitamin A cassava food products were equally addressed.

Also, a visit to the cassava fields by the participants addressed challenges and solutions in growing vitamin A cassava. At this moment, one of the participants, Mr. Tunde farmer, a Adewummi, observed that the field visit has given him a better understanding to the non – viability of his cassava farm in the last planting season.

Practical demonstrations in processing and making fufu, gari, flour, cassava foods, soups and confectionaries were carried out showcasing best bet practices and standards.

A cross section of participants being trained on processing vitamin A gari during the workshop The workshop was organised by HarvestPlus-nigeria and had about 85 participants in attendance made up

Firm To Set Up Duck Farm In Ekiti OISED to remain a trail P blazer, Fountain Ducks Farm will soon commence raising ducks in Ekiti State, the biggest of its type in the West African sub-region. The farm when fully operational, will be second only to that in Morocco, the leading specialised duck farm in the whole of the Africa.

According to the Managing Director, Fountain Ducks Farm Ltd., Rev. Gabriel Ayorinde, the farm will occupy a land area of more than 70 hectares and employ 300 direct workers.

Also, the ducks will produce about 1,000 ducklings per hour or 16,000 in a day. “The choice species of birds would be brought in from the US and Europe acknowledged for being the best quality for eggs and meat production,” Ayornde said, “adding: “Every part of the duck is useful for its potential to improve on the protein intake of people. It also has high export value, which is an added advantage as it will generate foreign exchange for government thereby boosting the revenue available to the state to exe-

cute its developmental programmes.”

Other qualities of the duck, Emmanuel ntekume, a director in the company explained, include: high fertility rate with each laying as many as 300eggs in a year; less prone to diseases because of its aquatic nature thus involving lower cost of maintenance; lean meat which is reputed for improving consumers’ intelligence quotient as well as producing bigger eggs with larger albumen which makes it preferred by bakers and makers of pastries.

AGRO BRIEFS States Or Corridors To Participate In The SCPZ The Staple Crops Processing Zone (SCPZ) scheme was established by the Federal Ministry Of Agriculture And Rural Development as part of the Transformation Agenda. This scheme is aimed at drastically reducing post harvest food wastage and creating job opportunities in the rural areas. 14 states including Anambra, Enugu, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Kano, Kogi, Kwara/Lagos, nasarawa, niger, Ogun, Rivers, Taraba and Kebbie/Sokoto are involved.

Vegetable Business, Monsanto Company To Improve Yield Of Farmers Mr. Michael Frank of the Monsanto company said the aim of the company is to improve the yield of farmers though environmental compliance technologies and to improving 95 per cent of the lives of small farmers worldwide. The minister of state for Agriculture, Mrs. Asaba Ahmed, in response to the views of Monsato Company said that nigeria is open to technologies that will alleviate poverty. The Mosanto company is one of the largest seed companies in the world operating in Africa, Asia, and Europe and deals in corn, soybeans, cotton, etc. According to Mr. Michael Frank of the Mosanto company, nigeria will need to double their corn production to meet the rising demand for poultry and that his company will be pleased to be part of that noble drive.

Adesina Suggests Creation Of Additional Grazing Lands For Cattle Herdsmen Agriculture Minister, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina suggested the creation of additional grazing lands to reduce herds’ movement and giving animals the best opportunity to thrive better. According to him, the essence is to create more movement of beef but less movement of livestock.

Abia State Government Moves To Forestall Future Farmers, Cattle Rearers Clash Abia State government in a bid to forestall clash between farmers, communities and herdsmen in the state has announced plans to create modern grazing reserves. The state commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Kenneth nwosu said the reserves would be established in collaboration with private investors.

CREDIT: farmingadvice.com

of farmers, processors, entrepreneurs, investors, extension agents from farmer organisations’, development

and commercial partners of HarvestPlus, tertiary agriculture institutions, public and private investors and the

media.

The training will be replicated by the participants at their various levels of operation.

Ogun To Upgrade Its Slaughter Houses n line with international best practices and Meat Vans will soon be introduced to transIthepromoting quality health in its meat sector, port meat from different slaughter faciliOgun state goverment is to embark on a ties to various markets in a clean and phased development and upgrade of its slaughter houses in Abeokuta, Sagamu, Ijebuode, Ijebu-igbo and Isheri-kara.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Ibironke Sokefun revealed this at a ministerial press briefing as part of activities marking the third year anniversary of Senator Ibikunle Amosun led government.

According to her a preferred partner has already emerged for the development and upgrade of the Lafenwa Slaughter House in Abeokuta, which will be ready in seven months time at a cost of n507million while the rest will also be upgraded through public-private partnership.

The Commissioner also said Refrigerated

hygienic manner in order to curtail the spread of pathogens and reduce the risk of post abattoir contamination.

Mrs. Sokefun also disclosed various achievements of the state government to include purchase of farming equipments and implements for the use of farmers at highly subsidized rates, rehabilitation of farm settlements and fish farms, cultivation of rice at Eggua, cassava multiplication project in Ibiade, establishments of Model Farm Estate in Owowo, 50ha Cocoa plantation in Alagbagba, 50ha cashew plantation in Afon, Green House in Kotopo among other achievements in the Livestock and Produce Services.

CAREER / 43

LAFETE /48

Abdullah Ibrahim…

African Heritage Is His Inspiration

MONDAYS–FRIDAYS IN THE GUARDIAN

SUNDAY, June 1, 2014 acceptance to host the event affirmed its commitment ESPITE the crisis rocking towards sensitisation and the Obafemi Awolowo development of space science University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, and technology. “The developstudents of the institution ment of space science and rd have won the 3 African technology is the core of the Regional Round Manfred Lach NASRDA. This really shows that Moot Court Competition, we are partners in progress, which was organised by the working to uplift the study of International Institute of space science and technology Space Law and held in Abuja Youth Leadership development in Africa.” recently.

Training and On his part, Prof. Seidu Miss Lulu Makapela, Mohammed, the DirectorCouncilor, South African Nigeria’s Fortune, their brilliant performance at Africa; Bayero University Kano, Johnson, represented by the General of NASRDA, said the Council for Space Affairs, dur- the Federal High Court, Abuja. Babcock University, Ileshan Permanent Secretary of the

By Kolade ing an award night organised Out of five schools that con- Remo, Ogun State and Obafemi ministry, Mrs. Shuaibu Jimeta, competition was a wake-up

By Geoff Iyatse by the National Space and tested, three were from Awolowo University, Osun State commended the participating call for scholarship, adding Research Development ITH the conclusion of its Nigeria and two from South schools for releasing their stu- that the competition was an Nigeria. eight workshop series, in avenue to promote healthy Agency (NASRDA), commend- Africa. They are University of In her remarks, the supervis- dents to participate in the Lagos at the weekend, associate ed OAU and the University of Zulu Land, South Africa; competition intended to competition. ing Minister of Science and membership of the Nigerian Pretoria that came second for University of Pretoria, South enhance advocacy skill.

She said that Nigeria’s Technology, Mrs. Omobola Leadership Initiative (NLI), has hit 300, just as its founding patron, Dr. Christopher Kolade, said the organisation would continue to impact on the country’s socio-economic development through value-based training.

Kolade, who spoke with The Guardian, shortly after his session, said training young people on how to overcome difficulties and imbibe ideal leadership qualities is one of the few ways the country’s glory can be restored. With the recent 25 trainees plus others who passed through previous seven series, he said, the initiative is adding some its quota to the search for enduring future.

Ahead the training held at Epe Resort and Spa, Lagos State, the associates, Nigerians between 25 and 35 years, drawn from different parts of the world through a screening exercise, read 181-page dissertation on ancient as well as contemporary leadership thoughts and theories.

CARTOON SERIES /40

Stories By Daniel Anazia

D

DR. DO-WELL

OAU Law Students Win Manfred Lach Moot Court Competition

W

Kogi State University Students Unhappy Over New School Fees of Kogi State SnotTUDENTS University (KSU), Ayingba are happy with the new school fees regime introduced by the school management. The university authority has increased the school fees from N35, 500 to N57, 500 for fresh students.

The students, who had just resumed a new academic session, described the fee hike as anti-student not in their interest. While some are kicking against the increment, others are commending the school for the upward review, saying it is in line with realities of the 21st century education.

According to a student who craved for anonymity, the management disappointed them with them increment.

Salsa dance group entertaining guests at the Pepsi Samba Party organised to unveil new Pepsi Football ambassadors in Lagos recently.

ICAN Accredits Veritas University Accounting Programme HE Institute of Chartered accreditation status from the Department, Mr. Solomon Soji, a Examinations of the Institute to qualify as Chartered Fellow of ICAN. T Accountants of Nigeria National Universities Accountants.

Speaking on behalf of the (ICAN), has approved and Commission in 2012. accredited the B.Sc Accounting Programme of Veritas University, Abuja.

Receiving the accreditation certificate on behalf of university management, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Michael Kwanashie, noted that the Accounting programme was among the University’s programmes that received full

The Dean of the College of Management Sciences, Rev. Fr. (Dr) Basil Ekot, noted that the accreditation was a landmark achievement by the University authority.

Also present at the certification presentation ceremony is the Head of Accounting Department, Dr. Emmanuel Ozor and a lecturer in the

Accounting Department, Soji, said the accreditation qualifies Veritas University graduates in accounting to have exemption from the Foundation and Intermediate Examinations of ICAN. He added that VUNA Accounting graduates would only need to pass the Professional 1 and Professional 2

BUSNESS ETIQUETTE /40

Impressions – What Does Your Voice Say About You?

Every week, Life Campus Reports on events in students’ communities across the country. You can contribute by sending stories, gossips, reports on events and your pictures for Campus Faces to us at: counarconsult@gmail.com; evangelistdan@yahoo.com

CAREER /41

Youth & Graduate Jobs Powered by Jobberman.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

40 Sunday, June 1, 2014

CAMPUS

YOUTHMAGAZINE

Redeemer’s University Holds Conference On Humanities, Conflicts And Development

By Gbenga Akinfenwa OWARDS the sustenance of peaceful co-existence in Nigeria, the Redeemer’s University (RUN), Mowe, Ogun State held a-two day conference on Humanities, Conflict and Development in Africa, to find solution to the unrest in the country.

Tagged: CULRUN 2014, extremist’s conflicts, institutionalised corruption and degrading institution were identified as major challenges that must be urgently addressed if any meaningful development would take place in the country and entire continent.

Prof. Dele Olowu of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Europe Mainland Mission Office, in his keynote address, noted that of the three identified challenges, the most visible and pressing in Nigeria is conflict.

According to him, conflict might indeed have their uses as they could help clarify differences and provide opportunities for synthesis and compromise, he however, said perpetual conflicts lead not only to the tragic loss of life and property, they also lead to loss of opportunities to make progress.

“Conflicts relationships aggravate and are aggravated by corruption and institutional capacity decline. But the problem confronting most of the African countries, especially the ones with the best potentials is a special form of

T

BY SEGUN DUROWAIYE

conflict, ones borne out of extremism,” he said.

Olowu revealed that the currently suggested cures, global campaign, military and political options, to end Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria, are improbable or ineffective, because the conflicts currently witnessed in the country is symptomatic of the failure of the Nigerian and several other African states.

“With the present global campaign of ‘Bring Back Our Girls’, the question is who would do the bringing? Is it the Nigerian military that is incapacitated by institutionalised corruption, lack of espirit de corps, equipment or intelligence in spite of an annual budget of US$6 billion for the 6000- strong military over many years or the international community that lacks the resolve and confuses engaging extremists with human rights, which they deny to the extremists that confronted them in Afghanistan, Pakistan or even close to us here in Somalia and Mali?,” he asked.

The Don stressed that the crucial quality required for effective states is resilience, adding that it enables a state to sustain its core purpose and integrity in the face of dramatically changed circumstances.

He suggested prayer for peace, Christian ethics, political engagement, policy lobby, institutional revitalisation and campaign for change, as recipe to avert further problem in the country.

Business Etiquette with Rita Okoye

Rita Okoye

Impressions – What Does Your Voice Say About You?

OU never get a second chance to make a first impression. Impressions are made in the first 5 seconds of meeting someone. The impressions we make can be created in several ways. Most are non spoken which is referred to as body language. We make impressions from our expressions, body movement, facial expressions, the words we say and by the tone of our voice. In this article we will look at how the tone of our voice affects we come across, especially in a professional setting.

An easy way to discover how you sound is to say, ‘I am happy’ with a sad face and then say ‘I am happy’ with a happy face. You will notice instantly that you probably sound better when you say I am happy with a happy face. You haven’t changed the sentence but your tone will deeply affect how you come across to others.

People pay a lot of money to make sure their voice sound good. Some even invest in elocution training to advance their careers because they value how much a good voice means in today global. We do not believe anyone should fake their accent but you do need to speak clearly, confidently and accurately to make a good impression. The best way to improve the way you sound is to tape your voice and play it back to yourself. If you want to improve speaking clearly then be mindful of your mouth techniques. Open your mouth widely when you are speaking. A wider mouth will sound clearer than a person who speaks under their breath or keeps their mouth slightly open.

Speaking clearly could be the difference between being selected for top management, so we advice that you do invest in some, if it’s a challenge for you. There is a lot of information on youtube and on how to speak articulately.

Let’s look at some examples. Chichi said she phoned up for a job at a popular office. The lady on the other end asked if she wanted to speak to her mummy.

Chichi was so embarrassed but realised that she must have sounded like a child.

Y

She asked a few of her friends who also confirmed that she does sound child like. Chichi worked on her voice and now sounds more mature and does not get mistaken for a child.

David had a similar problem. Every time he made a call, he was often mistaken for a woman.

He is addressed as madam, instead of sir.

David is making efforts to project his voice stronger so that he is correctly identified.

Unfortunately the moment we speak we are judged. We are judge on whether we sound intelligent or not. We are judged on whether we can deliver a service. So it is important that we work at how we sound. If two candidates apply for a job and have the same experience and the same qualifications, the candidates who sounds the most confident and appealing will get the job. Don’t let the tone of your voice be a disadvantage to your career advancement. Seek ways to improve it.

If you would like more information on our business etiquette training contact us at info@majesticallyrare.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

YOUTHMAGAZINE

Sunday, June 1, 2014 41

42 Sunday, June 1, 2014

JOBS & CAREERS

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

YOUTHMAGAZINE

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

YOUTHMAGAZINE

Sunday, June 1, 2014 43

JOBS & CAREERS

44 Sunday, June 1, 2014

JOBS & CAREERS

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

YOUTHMAGAZINE

Sunday, June 1, 2014 45

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

YOUTHMAGAZINE powered by

National Development Strategy Series

NICHOLAS OKOYE, Founder EMPOWER NIGERIA Initiative,

FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO PILLAR 3 SYSTEMS, STRUCTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE PAPER 6 NIGERIAN STRUCTURE N paper 5 I broke down the basis for which we must start to look at the Nigerian structure. And I broke it down into Political Structure, Economic Structure, Educational Structure and Medical Structure. All other important elements of our lives will be fitted into one of these structural pillars.

We have a golden opportunity to restructure Nigeria with the ongoing National Conference but the feelers I am getting is that the delegates want to come back to the Nigerians people with the same old structure that they met when they started. I wonder why they believe that the National Conference was set up in the first place? So they will go there spend billions and billions, waste our time and come back to the Nigerian people with the same old 36 state structure? That would be a big shame and the delegates who are proposing this position stand the risk of becoming part of the ranks of the infamous collection of Nigeria’s failed Leaders, we have their names and we will make sure their history is told. To make matters worse these delegates are even going further, I have read recently that the same committee that is trying to recommend that we maintain the 36 states or create another state for the South East bringing the total to 37, is also recommending that we include political rotation of power of the President between the six regions (By the way, the same regions they did not recognize), and that the Governors in the States should also rotate between the senatorial Zones in the State. There is nothing that can be more stupid, childish and dangerous to the future of Nigeria than putting this ridiculous clause of Power Rotation in our Nation’s constitution.

It beats me how intelligent people can sit down in Abuja conduct debates and come back to us with a document that recommends rotation of power in a modern society? That is how we got into this mess Nigeria is in, in the first place, by selecting our Leaders based on tribe, religion and so on, now some “WISE: people are trying to put it into our constitution, so they can put the final nail into the Nigerian coffin? There are so many things wrong with this approach I will only address the most important ones 1.

Power Rotation will destroy meritocracy, it will undermine innovation and it will ensure that no creative people will ever get to power in Nigeria ever again, once you have a national constitution that says that the Presidency is turn by turn, then you have destroyed Nigeria as a Nation. All the future Presidents will owe their allegiance to the zoning formula and not to Nigeria, and so that is the kind of country you will build.

Once it is the turn of one zone, all other

I

about Power Rotation based on sex, sexual reasons I have listed above are the most preference, skin colour, family background, important. In any case what are the reasons I mean it will go into the most ridiculous that the so called delegates who claim to be levels of rotation as people will even representing the Nigerian People are advodemand power rotation based on family cating for a Power Rotation? The only reason name, whether you have children or not, I can find from some of the interviews these whether you studied in Nigeria or abroad delegates have conducted is that they want etc etc. Please delegates of the National all zones and every Nigerian to feel a part of Conference get rid of this useless clause. the Nation. Sounds lofty right, but this only 3.

Power Rotation will lead directly to holds a little water because this same comconflict and a dismembered Nigeria in the mittee has rejected the regional structure not too distant future. There is no way that which is what over 80% of the Nigeria people smart and intelligent people will agree to want. Once we have a regional structure live under a System where their National there will be no more interest in who Political Leaders are chosen officially and becomes the President of Nigeria. The constitutionally based solely on where they Regions will be strengthened and most of are from in the country and officials are the issues that effect every days lives will be appointed based on the sole fact that it is handled at the regional level. The Education, their turn to rule. Young revolutionaries Health, Agriculture, Water Resources, will rise and they may be violent, to oppose Transportation, Commerce, Mining, such an outdated and retrogressive system Exploration, will all be handled at the and Nigeria may not survive it.

Regional level. The National Government Nigerian Political Structure need only concern itself with Defense, There are so many other reasons why this Security, Foreign Affairs and integration. This Power Rotation nonsense should be rejectis what the Nigerian people are looking fored by the Nigerian People I believe these ward to. And this is what we want from the delegates at the National Conference. And we will work together to make sure that a campaign to give us the structure we want is launched to guide our delegates and remind them that they are representing the Nigerian people and not themselves. The Delegates should be advised that the Nigerian people will reject any structure that does not provide solutions to our present predicament.

A New Nigerian Political Structure A lot of the opposition to the creating of a workable political structure for Nigeria can be traced to fear. People are afraid of what will happen in a new structure, people are afraid of what their fate will be in this new structure. People are afraid of losing their status now which they believe to be good and so they do not want to rock the boat. I know this because the delegates from Ebony State have made this clear all the time that they do not know what being part of a larger South Eastern region and that it would be like after they have gained their independence by gaining Ebony State. This fear is shared in the North as well and indeed all over the country mostly by the older generation of failed political leaders. However when you speak to the younger more educated, more enlightened people from the same Ebony State or the North the story is completely different. So how do we get to a meeting point for a new Nigerian Structure, that will satisfy all stake holders?

1. The first thing we must all agree with is that the present structure is not working. It is too expensive, too cumbersome and very very clumsy. It does not allow for innovation and creativity, two of the most important elements for any Nation in this 21st century. If we do not get innovative Leaders into Government at all levels really quickly there will be more insurgencies in the months and years to come and it will get more and more violent. Our present generation of Leaders who are the same generation that ruled Nigeria for the past fifty years, are not capable of tackling this problem as the problem is complex and it requires strategic and innovative responses and positioning. It requires the creative minds of the younger generation who must be brought to the table based on merit and not zoning, not rotation and certainly not because it is their turn.

2. The second thing we must do is to design a new structure that is workable and that will General Ike Nwachukwu RTD is one members of the Political Structure committee of the National promote economic growth, jobs for the Conference that is advocating the outdated and ineffective rotational presidency and a retaining of the young people and higher standards of living.

36 state structure ( they are recommending one extra state foe the south east making it 37 states) the The six regional structure is the best way to South East Leaders have however rejected this Greek gift, the South West have also rejected this status go in terms of border lines however we must quo as well as some delegates of the North Central and the South South. In fact 80% of the Nigerian also provide an insight into what the people have insisted on a Six Regional Structure which will have a weak centre and strong Regions so Government will look like. that Nigeria can meet its full potentials. The Committee stands the risk of failing in their mandate and 3. Proposed Regional Government Structure. ( please read paper 7) incurring the angry of the Nigerian People. It makes you wonder whose agenda are they proposing??

zones will suffer neglect. Corruption in Government will be legalized as favoritism, nepotism and all other forms of ills we are currently suffering will be expanded and widely practiced. No modern Nation chooses its Leaders based on zoning as the results are always disastrous.

2.

Power Rotation will destroy our weak and shaky unity. As it will give rise and play up all our differences and demands for a rotation of all kinds of differences will take place. Politicians will play up all these differences and all future political offices and officials will be appointed NOT ON MERIT, but based on your zone, your religion or even your gender. In addition all appointments, all contracts and even jobs in the private sector will start depending on differences and rotation after all it will be in our constitution so its legal and it must be right. The rotation will play up our religious differences, why stop at power rotation based on regional zones?

We must also include power rotation based on religion. Then will also start talking

46 Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

EMPOWERNIGERIA

YOUTHMAGAZINE

CASE STUDY

Guide to Personal Development

GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURAL LEADER

By Nicholas Okoye

nokoye@empowernigeria.com

STRATEGY UR Journey will cover the personal strategy for Professionals, business people and Political Leaders over the next week months. I will provide you with the strategy for Peak Performance and success which in turn will give you the money you deserve. You can get rich by positioning yourself and driving up your creativity. As I have always said getting rich is about creating value through creativity and innovation and not the sad way in which wealth is promoted in political circles in Nigeria. My audience are the professionals, entrepreneurs and businesspeople who want to play on the global stage, together we will define the path for greatness.

Personal Strategy In order to define your personal strategy we have to define what your purpose in life is. In Nigeria many people tend to limit their purpose in life to the need to make money, be rich or wealthy.

However that is a lame definition of purpose and that is what fuels the Nigerian way of life which the rest of the World sees as a largely corrupt society. Your Personal Strategy will include your overall life journey, where you have been where you are going ad how you intent to get there. In developing your personal Strategy we must go through the following a. Determination b. Positioning c. Connecting d. Excursion Determination To determine what should be your purpose in life you have understand your true passion.

What excites you? What would you do for free? What would you rather be doing in place of what you are doing now? If you love educating people then maybe you should be a teacher, or even own a school or a University. If you love numbers then you should be involved in the finance industry as an investment banker, financial analyst or asset manager, or if you have the means or you can create the means then you should own a bank. Whatever you decide it should be something you are passionate about. If you have gone far in your career.

O

EG WHITMAN is the successful corporate M executive, serving as CEO of eBay and later Hewlett Packard. In 2010 she lost her bid to win the California governorship.

Meg Whitman was born Margaret Cushing Whitman on August 4, 1956, in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, New York. The youngest of Hendricks and Margaret Cushing's three children, Meg grew up in Cold Harbor Spring, New York, the product of a father who worked on Wall Street and a stay-at-home mom.

Confident and bright, Whitman didn't shy away from her intelligence, and in 1974 she graduated from high school after just three years. Whitman then enrolled at Princeton University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in economics. She then took on the MBA program at Harvard Business School, graduating in 1979.

Following Harvard, Meg moved to Cincinnati for a job as brand manager at Proctor & Gamble.

There, Whitman cut her teeth in the marketing and business world, working with future Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

But Whitman's time in Cincinnati was short.

After two years, she packed up with her new husband, neurosurgeon Griff Harsh. They moved to San Francisco, where Harsh completed his residency. Whitman's job search eventually landed her at Bain & Company, a wildly successful business-consulting firm, where she worked with future Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

From Bain, Whitman would go on to land a number of high profile positions at big firms like Disney, Stride Rite, FTD and Hasbro. In 1998, she changed course a bit and landed in Silicon Valley as CEO of eBay. Still in its relative infancy, eBay, with its non-traditional start-up culture, seemed like an odd fit for the more traditional Whitman. But under her

MEG WHITMAN: THE TOP ONLINE AUCTIONEER direction, the young company soon grew into an online auction giant that went from sales of $86 million her first year to $7.7 billion a decade later, when Whitman stepped down as CEO. She purchased Skype, the Internet calling company, for $2.5 billion, in 2005. Later, eBay took a $1.4 billion write-down on the purchase.

In 2009 Whitman, a conservative Republican announced her plans to run for governor of California. In a state mired in an economic meltdown with hefty deficits to overcome, Whitman and her supporters believed California would benefit from her business background.

It helped that Whitman, who had served as an advisor to John McCain during his 2008 presi-

dential run, was also willing to pump a record $119 million of her own cash into the campaign.

In all, her race would end up costing some $175 million, enough to win the Republican nomination, but not enough to defeat former California governor Jerry Brown in a tight race.

Following her political loss, Whitman, who is estimated to be worth more than $1 billion, found that she was still in demand in the world of business. In September 2011, she was tapped to run computer giant Hewlett-Packard.

Whitman has two adult sons with her longtime husband, Griff, who works at Stanford Hospital. The couple resides in Atherton, California.

Sunday, July 1, 2014 47

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

YOUTHMAGAZINE

Keshi, Amokachi Rock Pepsi Samba Party HE recently staged Pepsi Samba Party in Lagos provided a perfect setting for the duo of Stephen Keshi and Daniel Amokachi, coaches of Nigeria’s national team, to forget about the World Cup even if momentarily as they shuffled, mingled and chatted with other guests.

Pepsi, the soft drink global brand to unveil Keshi, Amokachi and Elderson Echejile as Pepsi Football Ambassadors, put the event together. It was also used to officially present the one million goodwill messages from Nigerians for the team.

A foretaste of the fun and excitement that awaited guests inside was evident at the entrance as guests were handed a facial mask by pretty Samba girls dressed in the Brazilian samba attire.

For effect, Pepsi brought all their music Pepsi Music ambassadors: Banky W, Tiwa Savage and Wizkid Olishe Adibua of Beat FM and Head of Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Mr. Norden Thurston at the ambassadors: Lynxxx, Tiwa Savage and Pepsi Samba Party organised to unveil new Pepsi Football ambassadors in Lagos recently.

Wizkid to thrill their guests. The party got underway with the very seductive and sensational performance by the scantily clad samba girls who gyrated and wiggled their waist to the delight of the guests especially the male.

Ladies man, Lynxxx came on and sustained the tempo with Fine Lady and other hit tunes in his repertoire. Delectable Tiwa Savage was next as she set the audience waltzing with Eminado. But it was Wizkid that finally found his Caro with his very good performance climaxing with “On top of your matter” his 2013 hit which set everybody dancing. It was a night of football, music and fun fare as the guests danced to early Friday morning.

Head of Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Mr. Norden Thurston said Pepsi has always been at the fore in engaging its consumers either in music or football noting that the Samba party is in tandem with Pepsi brand values of fun and excitement.

Other celebrities who were at the Pepsi Samba party included Banky W, Daddy Showkey, Chidinma, Eku Edewor who was co-host of the event, among others.

Salsa dance group entertaining guests Guests at the event

T

MTN Project Fame West Africa Holds Concert, Auditions in Benin HERE will be a lot of exciting moment an entire week will be dedicated to 2 Face as the 7th edition of West Africa’s most Idibia’s renditions. Also, competitive rendiproductive musical reality show, Project tions of D’Banj’s, P-Square’s renditions and Fame, begins this month in Nigeria. more are part of what will make the season Starting in Benin, a concert and audition one of the most enlivening. is in the offing, during the first weekend of the month. The concert will feature musical superstars such as Iyanya, Timaya, Wizkid, Kcee, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Dr. Sid and other MTN ambassadors, asides the O further the perpetuation of the cultural reality show’s past contestants. and artistic legacy of Nigerian Nobel Speaking with the last winner of the Laureate, Wole Soyinka, the Wole Soyinka show, Olawale Ojo, he said, “the concert is Society in collaboration with the University of going to be a convergence of musical superstars.”

The LAUTECH undergraduate, who will be performing at the concert, also spoke about his new single, Is Nothing, and expressed optimism that his fans will love it.

Moreover, concerts will also be held in Ilorin and Lagos as a build-up towards the opening gala in July. Expectations are, however, high among entertainment buffs in different parts of Nigeria, especially at the locations.

In Lagos, students of the Yaba College of Technology and University of Lagos are exceptionally excited, as this year’s concert will hold in the mainland, a decision they said, is ‘considerate and worthy of commendation’. The concerts in Lagos and Ilorin, like Benin, will also feature heavyweights in the Nigeria music industry.

This year’s edition of Project Fame will be the most thrilling ever, according to the sponsor, MTN. The ICT and telecommunications company revealed that the 13-week academy and performances have been restructured and will feature a lot of African hip-hop moments. Nigerian hiphop superstars will be part of the show, as Soyinka

T

Project Fame, having been the most consistent reality show in the sub-region, holds a wider appeal to TV audience and youths in the region. Backed by the innovative and leadership spirits of MTN, the show has con-

sistently produced superstars who have gone ahead to produce hit songs and ensure the high profile of the indigenous music industry is maintained in terms of quality and talents.

Soyinka International Conference 2014 Holds In Lagos

T

Lagos will hold a four-day international con- Theme: Art, Humanity, Transitions and ference to celebrate Professor Wole Soyinka’s Permanence: Calibrating Soyinka @ 80 and the 80th birthday. Below are the details of the venue is University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. conference: Title: The ‘Soyinka Impulse’, The co-conveners of the conference, which holds from July 10 to 14, 2014 are Prof. Duro Oni and Dr. Bisi Adigun. Programme of events include: Conference keynote lecture, entitled WS and the Nigerian/African Left: Clarifications and Reflections On That ‘Jacobin’ Moment, by Prof.

Biodun Jeyifo of Harvard University; five plenary sessions of conference paper presentations, each of which will be keynoted by the following distinguished scholars: Nigerian Prof. Niyi Osundare, Indian Prof. Anjali Gera Roy, British Dr James Gibbs, Nigerian Prof. Isidore Diala, and South African Prof. Motsa Zodwa; the staging of Death and the King’s Horseman at the main auditorium at UNILAG; Presentations of a few sketches from the Soyinka’s Blackout, Blowout and Beyond – Satirical Sketches; and a visit to Abeokuta, where a site-specific performance of excerpts from Soyinka’s very first Yoruba tragedy, A Dance of the Forests, will be presented.

For further information, please contact either: Prof. Duro Oni, Deputy Vice Chancellor (MS), University of Lagos durooni@yahoo.co.uk or Dr. Bisi Adigun, Lecturer of Visual & Performing Arts, Kwara State University. bisiadigun@gmail.com. You can also visit: www.wolesoyinkasociety.org/conference for more details.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

48 Sunday, June 1, 2014

LAFETE

BY BENSON IDONIJE benidoni@yahoo.com

All That Jazz

Abdullah Ibrahim… African Heritage Is His Inspiration M Y encounter with South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) at the 2004 NorthSea Jazz Festival in Capetown remains unforgettable. The memory has continued to linger: His poise.

His sense of rhythm. His depth. The intensity.

The emotion.He has been decorated with many accolades and descriptions including ‘Keyboard Maestro’, ‘virtuoso soloist’ and ‘composer of emotive melodies’. He is all of them and more! One of Africa’s biggest artists abroad, he continues to keep the flag flying, enjoying the same level of recognition and acceptance as Nigeria’s Fela Sowande, piano virtuoso and pioneering composer of modern African art music.

Ibrahim had his first major breakthrough on the platform of the North Sea Jazz Festival, the type that featured several promising musicians on the just concluded Lagos International Jazz Festival mounted for two days by Inspiro Productions - at the now popular Freedom Park in Lagos. A major fall-out of these Festivals held on African soil is the exposure and international recognition they give to musicians from Africa. And this is why there is need for musicians to brace up and uphold the tenets of the art form in its purity – as exemplified by the great Abdullah Ibrahim who is today being hailed as one of jazz’s great musicians.

As a matter fact, international recognition and acclaim have come to a few jazz musicians in Africa – for using African music as vehicle for self-expression. Honour and fame have greeted some others for taking jazz – in its naked, straight- ahead fashion – to an extremely creative limit: Among them are trumpeter Michael Falana of Nigeria who played avant garde jazz with the esoteric Don Cherry in Germany before his final exit from the scene; Fela Anikulapo Kuti whose straightahead jazz eventually transformed to the passionately Afro centric Afro beat, a bold fusion that can be described as ‘modal’ jazz; Kofi Ghanaba (Guy Warren of Ghana), a percussionist whose rhythmic concept demonstrated by his drums of passion – is well articulated and defined in his Africa speaks, America answers album; South Africa’s Abdullah Ibrahim(formally known as Dollar Brand) whose compositions and piano-playing continue to astound audiences for the emotional impact and spirituality. His writing and play-

ing complement each other in terms of exploration and illumination with an expressive range that does justice to the subject matter.

As a pianist, Ibrahim ranks very high among his peers with a technique and approach comparable to Oscar Peterson or Wynton Kelly.

A highly individual pianist-composer, Ibrahim is influenced by Duke Ellington and Thelonius Monk, especially his South African heritage. Abdullah Ibrahim who, until the 70s was known as Dollar Brand, performs exploratory originals that are full of strong melodies and spirituality.

He started on piano when he was seven; and was a member of the Jazz Epistles, recording South Africa’s first jazz album in 1960.

Ibrahim went into self-imposed exile from the apartheid system in 1962, going to Zurich.

Duke Ellington heard them perform and arranged for recording sessions. Ibrahim was also sponsored by Ellington at the 1965 Newport jazz Festival.

In 1966, Ibrahim worked with the drummer, Elvin Jones, otherwise, he has generally been a bandleader. Ibrahim has recorded for many labels in settings ranging from a piano soloist and head of a large band to his septet, Ekaya including numerous sessions for Enja. Ibrahim, who visited South Africa in 1976, has returned home several times since its liberation from apartheid.

As a matter of fact, when South Africa celebrated 10 years of freedom in 2004, he was top of the bill at that year’s North Sea Jazz Festival in Cape Town. He was there with a formidable trio, which featured him on piano; Belden Bullock, bass; and George Gray, drums.

Ibrahim’s spiritual and melodic South African folk music is always worth hearing; his individuality has always remained incredibly impressive. Previously recorded in live setting at the Montreux Jazz Festival, he knocked his audience out at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2004 with a tune called South Africa, dedicated to his country. The pianist added his emotional voice to the proceedings to give the ensemble sound the cultural identity it deserved. While Ibrahim has received acclaim for his piano playing, he is also at ease with nine other instruments. Early in his musical career, he played drums. In Beautiful Love on the album, Mantra Mode, Ibrahim plays drums, featuring on percussion

in Knysna Blues in 1993. He is heard on flute in two tracks of Mindiff, which he recorded in 1988; and on xylophone in the famous Duke Ellington sessions. Having studied Cello at the Julliard School of Music in 1967, Ibrahim employs the instrument in Hamba Kahile recorded in 1968, African Horns in 1975, The Art of Abdullah Ibrahim (1975).

Few people know that Ibrahim is a poet with works already published. Ibrahim’s Twelve Tone Pius Finale is published in six books in different parts of the world. The pianist’s poetry also appeared in Cape Herald between July 1968 and February 1969 when he was the newspaper’s columnist. His column was ironically called, The World Of Dollar after his previous name, Dollar Brand. Four different poems of the pianist-composer can be found in liner notes of four albums.

Having had to fight at the age of seven against the stereotype that the piano was a ‘feminine instrument,’ Ibrahim rose to be South Africa’s musical ambassador. With more than 200 albums and 300 compositions, Ibrahim has won followers all over the world. His film scores for movies are numerous and brilliant. Now back in his country after many years in exile, Ibrahim shuttles

between his Cape Town and New York homes, and also travels to Europe, North America and Asia.

Despite all these achievements, Ibrahim’s roots remain deep in the South African soil.

His music still contains the repetitive, but inventive Marabi cultural groove.

“Whether performed in America, Europe or Japan, our music moves people. It heals them,” says Ibrahim whose performance at the 2004 North Sea Jazz Festival (now Cape Town International Jazz Festival, usually referred to as Africa s Grandest Gathering) was his first.

Though held in high esteem overseas for his prolific compositional skills, little of his works has found itself into South African music academy. Like Fela Sowande of Nigeria, Ibrahim enjoys more recognition and acclaim overseas than his country—South Africa. It was only recently that he received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Cape Town, Western Cape and Natal. The doctorates from the three universities were in recognition of his contributions to music.

Some of his recorded works include Ode To Duke Ellington, African Portraits, African Piano, Zimbabwe, Anatomy Of A South African Village,

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI

Around and about...

shaibu70@yahoo.com

Nollywood Goes To Paris Again

for me to come down and next thing they switched off on me even when I have watched all the 70 films they sent to me. It is one experience I just don’t want to talk about. If you didn’t mention it now, I thought it was even postponed,’’ he said. But the festival was not postponed. It held as advertised, though, in the estimation of a lot of stakeholders it was the worst edition of Zuma ever held both in terms of programming, content and attendance. But officials of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) would not agree that they put up a ‘shabby’ festival. In fac,t Head of Public Affairs of the NFC, Brian Etuk, put up a strong defence when he said that the NFC “did the best it could within available resources. Indeed, the best the NFC could do for a festival, which held under the theme Nationalism and Patriotism was what a filmmaker described as ‘a poorly attended five-day event’ that featured screenings, film and video market exhibitions and panel discussions. At the L-R Mr. Alvero Castillo, Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Dadu (MD of NFC) opening ceremony, NFC’s Managing Director, Dr Danjuma Dadu, remarked that the Nigeria movie industry has proand Ms. De La Verga, former Vice Prime Minister of Spa in at the opening of moted and united the various social cultural ethnic groups Zuma Film Festival 2014 in the country. Dadu stated in a released issued by Etuk that ties of the times. The association, in a statement to mark the 2014 Democracy Day, dismissed the suspension order as primi- the movie industry had pursued global peace, progress, as well as contributed significantly to the growth of the econtive, unconstitutional, illegal and highly anti-intellectual even omy, through various productions over the years. Dadu as the Rights group has asked President Jonathan to apologise also remarked that this edition of the festival and future for this show of shame by the Director General of the NFVCB in editions would showcase the nation’s creative ingenuity in suspending ad infinitum the film in question. HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the movie production, adding that the festival would be renamed the ``Nigerian International Film Festival’’ as National Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, reminded governHURIWA Wants Ban On HOAYS Lifted ment that the constitution allows for right to freedom of expres- from 2015.

N appeal by Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeri sion. It reminded government that it was unwise to deny (HURIWA) has gone to President Goodluck Jonathan to Nigerians the right to view the entire movie when the rest of the Nollywood Joins Campaign To Bring Back lift the suspension imposed on the new film adaptation of World had already started pouring encomiums for the unprece- Abducted Chibok girls Half of a Yellow Sun (HOAYS). The Rights group said the faildented creativity that the film of an important period of OME top Nollywood practitioners including the popular ure of the central government to allow Nigerians enjoy the Nigeria’s political history represents. actress Patience Ozokwo and Chinedu Ikedieze aka Aki freedom to watch the creative work of a talented Nigerian, took to the streets during the week to protest the continMs. Chimamanda Adichie, based on incoherent excuses ued abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls by the terror At Zuma Filmfest, Nationalism offered by the Nigerian Films and Video Censors Board group Boko Haram. All wearing red coloured t-shirts with On Front Burner (NFVCB), is the greatest breach of fundamental human the ‘Bring Back our Girls’ inscription, the artistes took to FILM journalist from Nigeria at the recently held Cannes rights, which are universal, inalienable and sacrosanct.

International Film Festival asked the Nigerian-born filmmak- the streets and at each stop along the busy Allen Avenue in Specifically, the film adaptation of HOAYS was directed by Ikeja, they called for the release of the abducted girls so that er, Newton Aduaka, why he didn’t honour the invitation to be the Nigerian-born, but United Kingdom-based playwright, they could reunite with their families. At a point during the head of Jury of the 2014 edition of the Zuma International Film Biyi Bandele, and has been shown internationally including rally coordinated by the coalition of civil society groups, Festival, which held in Abuja between May 4 and 8, Newton Toronto, United States and the United Kingdom. HURIWA Ozokwo who is popular as Mama Gee screamed and wailed recalled that the NFVCB has reportedly suspended the show- posted a one-liner that left the journalist startled. “Did it hold?

Well, I never knew it held because they were trying to get tickets and practically begged the abductors to release the girls ing of the movie in Nigerian cities based on the uncertainunconditionally.

IGERIA has another opportunity to showcase works of its vibrant movie industry to European audiences through a platform called Nollywood Week in Paris. The first edition held in Paris last year (in May) and most of the filmmakers and critics, who attended affirmed that the event was roundly successful. The organisers are ready with the second edition, which they have announced will hold at the Cinema l’Arlequin, Paris, France, as from June 5 to June 8. They have also announced films that will be showcased this year. They include multi-award winning film, Confusion Na Wa, by Kenneth Gyang. Also selected is Half of a Yellow Sun by Biyi Bandele and Daniel Emeke Oriahi’s dramatic thriller, Misfit.

This year’s line-up also includes a good selection of female directors with Flower Girl (Michelle Bello), Journey to Self (Tope Oshin-Ogun) and The Meeting (Mildred Okwo).

NollywoodWeek is a film festival organised by the Frenchbased association, Okada Media, headed by Serge Noukoué, Nadira Shakur and Shari Hammond. The three co-founders started the festival after they realised the absence of Nigerian cinema in the French market. “France is the birthplace of cinema and Nigeria has the second largest film industry in the world- it just made sense that we showcase the best of Nigerian cinema in France,” executive director, Noukoué, stated adding that the director of the winning film, voted by the audience, will be offered top-of-the-line equipment for their next production.

N

A

S

A

Sunday, June 1, 2014 49

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

CSRFiles Digest TM

50 Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Birthdays OLA-OLUWA, Pastor Olatunde God-is-Able, scripture teacher, bible scholar, educationist and current affairs commentators is 59 today. He is a member of Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International; former secretary Board of Follows Institute of Strategic Management, Nigeria; former chairman, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, Lagos State branch; former secretary Institute of Management (Chartered), Lagos State branch. He is the managing director and managing consultant of Everfirst Tutors and Joel 2-26 Consult.

AREGBESOLA, Engr. Rauf, politician, administrator and Osun State Governor is 57. Born in May 1957, he had his primary and secondary education in Ondo State and later proceeded to The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State where he studied Mechanical Engineering. He is a Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM); Nigerian Association of Technological Engineers (NATE) and Certified Marketing Communications Institute of Nigeria (CMCIN).

Some of his awards include: Chairman, Aurora Nigeria Limited (1986), Ambassador

Ola-Oluwa

Aregbesola

Momodu

of Goodwill for the State of Tennessee, USA, Nigerian Society of Engineers Merit Award (for his contribution to Engineering Discipline).

The Commissioner in Lagos State Award. He was the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, he contested for the governorship post of Osun State under the platform of the then Action Congress (AC) (now All Progressives Congress), and presently Governor of the State.

master’s degree in Literature-in-English in 1988. He taught A-level Yoruba at the Oyo State College of Arts and Science in Ile-Ife, from 1982-83, while on National Youth Service. Between 1983-85, he was private secretary to the former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Chief Akin Omoboriowo in May 1988; he got his first job as Staff Writer with the African Concord Magazine, owned by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

He also started a public relations outfit, Celebrities’ Goodwill Limited, which managed the accounts of some distinguished Nigerians. In 1993, he resigned to join the Moshood Abiola Presidential Campaign Organisation and was arrested and detained at Alagbon Close in Lagos, after the annulment of the June 12 pres-

idential election. He started Ovation International in 1996 and today, it is a global brand. He was the presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP) in April 2011 general election.

MOMODU, Chief Dele, scholar, teacher, administrator, writer, polemicist, reporter, columnist, photographer and publisher of Ovation Magazine is 54. He bagged a first degree in Yoruba Language from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, in 1982, and a

Compiled by Gbenga Akinfenwa gbengaherkin@yahoo.com The couple, Mr. & Mrs. Patrick and Andrea Affun at their engagement ceremony… recently.

Professor of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Yaba, Lagos and former Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Prof. Akin Oyebode (second right), his daughter, Jumoke (who just graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where she obtained her LLM), her mother, Chief (Mrs.) Bose Oyebode and brothers, during Jumoke’s graduation.

Managing Director, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola (left); Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola and a representative of Lagos Contingent, during the closing ceremony of the maiden edition of SouthWest Secondary School Games (DAWN Games), in Lagos…on Saturday

Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko (4th left), his Wife and daughter of the deceased, Olukemi (3rd right), and her siblings, at the funeral service for the late mother of Ondo First Lady, Chief (Mrs) Modupe Adeniyi, at St Stephen’s Cathedral, Ondo... on Friday.

Stakeholders at a media interaction on the Status of Remediation in NEITI Implementation in Nigeria, which took place at the Airport Hotel, Lagos...last Wednesday

Retired Prelate of the Methodist Church Archbishop Sunday Makinde JP, blessing Archbishop Magnus Adeyemi Atilade during Atilade’s 70th birthday Thanksgiving, praise and adoration service held at Dr. Akinola Maja Memorial Gospel Baptist Cathedral, Mushin Lagos...last week.

Director Project Design and Development, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr. Patrick Irabor (left), Director General, Dr. Gloria Elemo and Commandant, Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi Lagos, Air Vice Marshal, Monday PHOTO: PAUL ADUNWOKE Rikku Morgan, during the Commandant’s courtesy visit to the DG, in Lagos…recently.

Osun State PDP governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore (middle) flanked by Prof. Tunde Babawale and his wife, Adetola Babawale during their installation as Bobagunwa and Yeye Bobagunwa of Inisha respectively in Osun State.

52 Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

TheGuardian

Sunday, June 1, 2014 | 53

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion As Greedy As Governor Akpabio KWA Ibom (AI) State Governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, plans to be a Senator by this time next year.

The constitution bars governors from a third term in office, and a Senate seat has become the political destination of choice for graduates of that office.

That Mr. Akpabio will get his wish is hardly in doubt; an outgoing governor is rarely troubled by another contestant or the electoral commission if he wants such an office.

The Senate is a good place to rest, and to hide, after the exertions of the gubernatorial chair. Since a president such as we have at the moment requires regular diaper changes and a feeding bottle, a Senatorial chair is the best way for a former governor— whether he has been a looter, child abuser or a murderer—to guarantee his political survival.

History shows that the Nigerian Senate has been very effective in that regard. In his case, Mr. Akpabio is doing it differently: he is forcing the people of AI to keep him in luxury and great style for as long as he lives.

He got his wish in one week. Here is how: On May 15, two weeks ago, he sent to the House of Assembly a bill he called the Akwa Ibom State Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Bill 2014.

He told the Assemblymen to pass it right away, not later than June • The Assembly, in unison, said two words, “Yes Sir!” Actually, the Assembly saw the bill on May 19, four days after its arrival. There are many literate people in the AI Assembly, but none of them bothered to read the bill in anything other than a formal sense, as Akpabio had been greasing his path for a long time.

Whatever Akpabio wants, the Assemblymen thought, Akpabio gets.

And so, on May 27, just one week after the

A

bill appeared in front of them, the Assemblymen said to the governor, “Yes Sir!!”

What did Akpabio want? He wanted a scandal. He wanted to throw dirt into the drinking water of service. He wanted to stab in the heart the concept of service. He wanted to make the governorship of AI particularly attractive to every scumbag and every bounty hunter with a drop of AI blood in his veins.

And he wanted to rob every AI child in perpetuity, and enslave his potential to any looter who has the ruthlessness to travel through its governorship.

How did he do it? First, he assembled a band of shameless legislators.

From them, Akpabio demanded, and received approval for an annual pay of N200 million for the governor (with slightly smaller provisions for the deputy governor), at the rate of a monthly pension for life equivalent to his current salary.

Akpabio demanded, and received, a 5-bedroom mansion in Abuja or AI for the Governor and a yearly accommodation allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary for the deputy governor; the construction of a mansion as a retirement home and furnishing.

He demanded, and received, brand new cars for as long as he lives.

He demanded, and received, up to $50,000.00 per month allegedly to hire cooks, chauffeurs and security guards.

He demanded, and received, free medical services for himself and his spouse “at a sum not exceeding N100 million or an equivalent of $600,000.00.”

He also demanded and received, among others: Furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary once in every four years; yearly maintenance and fueling of

vehicle allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary; severance gratuity allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary as at the time the officer leaves office; yearly utility allowance of 100 percent of annual salary; and entertainment allowance of 100 percent of annual basic salary.

To be fair, a few other states in Nigeria have similar laws; aimed at providing for former chief executives once they are out of office. None, however, is as callous, greedy, self-serving or dangerous as Akpabio’s. sonala.olumhense@gmail.com Any Nigerian who has paid attention Twitter: @Sonala.Olumhense knows that Mr. Akpabio is pretty free with public funds. He is the poster-boy for the anyone else, but that they are devoted into gubernatorial jet set. In the past seven serving the people. years, Governor Akpabio has also become The problem that AI illustrates is that it is widely-known for his reckless donation of difficult to identify who is now on the side public funds and gifts at private events. of the people. The legislature is in bed with He loves to travel with large caches of the governor in a political polyandry in cash, and to get high by donating expen- which, somehow, either side can make the sive cars everyone knows to have been other pregnant. Together, they have taken bought with public funds. sides against the people, having deterBeyond politicians and artistes, some mined that paramount promotion and journalists are known to have benefitted protection of the powerful matter take from his warped generosity, and the only precedence over the perpetual privation of thing worse than a governor willing to the people. divert the public purse in order to look The question as to who is on the side of the good is a journalist happy to collect such people of Nigeria has come full circle with bribes to pay his children’s school fees. a president who says he “does not give a In a political culture where the objective damn” about leading by example, and has was service of the people, the road ahead proved he only gives speeches about the would have been clearer, even if the road welfare and security of its children. Neither back were murky. It is the AI House of he nor anyone else in high office has the Assembly, in the interest of the people, moral authority to challenge the Akpabios. which would have sought to control The National Assembly, led by the corrupt, Akpabio’s gubernatorial extravagance. protects the corrupt. It is difficult to imagBy doing so, the Assembly would have ine what else we are to expect, given that been fulfilling its constitutional duty to our laws are being baked by the Akpabios, ensure not only that public funds are not who live in opulent mansions in an ethical squandered recklessly by the governor or Sambisa forest.

Kaye Whiteman: Ode To An Obituarist

By Adekeye Adebajo T feels so strange to be writing an obituary for a serial obituarist. Kaye Whiteman, who died on May 17 at the age of 78, was one of the most prolific names in African journalism over the last five decades. He wrote eloquent obituaries regularly for The Guardian of London on such diverse figures as Nigeria’s Emeka Ojukwu; Sierra Leone’s Ahmed Tejan Kabbah; Gabon’s Omar Bongo; Germany’s Ulli Beier; and former British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lord Thurlow.

Kaye was the editor of the London-based West Africa magazine for nearly two decades from 1982 to 1999 (having been deputy editor between 1963 and 1973). He was a walking encyclopaedia, and was as comfortable speaking about history and politics as he was about obscure aspects of literature and culture. He was a true Renaissance man, and cosmopolitan citizen of the world.

Kaye grew up steeped in Quaker education in Saffron Walden, a charming English market town. We visited the town five years ago with his Barbadian wife, Marva (with whom he had a son, Simon) to stay in a palatial mansion of a mutual bond-trader friend. Kaye graciously showed us around his birthplace; favourite play-grounds as a child; and even his former family home. As a young man, he attended Oxford University where he read history in the 1950s. It was in this beautiful but conservative city of dreaming spires and lost causes that he had his political awakening. During the Suez crisis of 1956 when Britain and France, allied with Israel, tried to steal Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser’s Suez canal, he recalled a moving speech by Labour leader, Hugh Gaitskell, at the Oxford Union, and his shame at the Britishled neo-colonial invasion.

Kaye cut his teeth in journalism from 1961 as an assistant to the news editor of the now defunct picture paper, The Sphere.

He covered the Congo crisis and constitutional conferences to liquidate African empires. He was particularly impressed with the South African musical King Kong, and became friends with Todd Matshikiza (who wrote its score) and his wife Esme. He immersed himself in African highlife, art exhibitions, and writers in cosmopolitan London. He covered the First World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar in 1966, later describing it as “an unfurling piece of magical realism”. He also attended similar grand festivals in Algiers and Lagos, and was in the secessionist “Republic of Biafra” just after it

I

surrendered to the Nigerian government in 1970.

I first got to know Kaye in South Africa when we both served as international observers during South Africa’s historic 1994 election. I lived for three months in Johannesburg’s cosmopolitan Yeoville, and Kaye was so fascinated by the bohemian cafés and restaurants of Rockey Street that he would often sign off emails years later with nostalgic expressions about the hope that the “spirit of Rockey Street” survived. In the middle of the 1994 election campaign in South Africa, then rising intellectual, Chris Landsberg, hosted both of us to a memorable talk at the Centre for Policy Studies on the “Politics of West Africa”. After the election, Kaye put together an issue of West Africa on “Nelson Mandela’s South Africa” with articles by Chris Landsberg, Ibrahim Gambari (Nigeria’s then Ambassador to the United Nations), Tunji Lardner (one of Nigeria’s finest journalists), and myself. In fact, Chris Landsberg and I got our big writing break from this article, and would write regularly for West Africa as graduate students at Oxford (as would Ghana’s Kweku Ampiah), receiving free copies of the magazine in lieu of payment from the struggling publication.

The breath of Kaye’s writing was truly impressive. As a journalist, he covered summits of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU); Franco-Africa; Commonwealth; and European Union (EU)/African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) States. A great raconteur, he would often describe how he watched Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah put his hands in his head in utter frustration at the inaugural OAU summit in Addis Ababa in 1963, when he realised that his ideas for Pan-African integration had been soundly defeated. Kaye vividly recalled the “spirit of Rabat” while attending the OAU summit in 1972; and the “spirit of Lomé” in 1975 that united ACP states in negotiations with the EU. He was particularly fascinated by the relationship between France and Africa, and spent much time travelling through francophone Africa.

He also moved more in his later life from the short sprint of journalism to longer studies, writing a history of Ecobank and a politico-social study of Lagos. We co-edited a book together in 2012 on EU/Africa relations. Kaye also contributed insightful pieces to academic books: a magisterial essay of breath and elegance on Africa/Europe relations from the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 to the Tripoli EU/Africa summit of 2010; a rich chapter on Nigeria/British relations since 1960; and a comparative study of the French, British, and American roles in Africa.

While visiting Brussels to research and launch our co-edited book on the EU and Africa, Kaye nostalgically recalled his time

there as a fonctionnaire and senior Information Official at the European Commission between 1973 and 1982. He recounted to me how he was told by a French colleague as he was departing Brussels that his career had been “perfectly horizontal”: he had failed to play the ruthless politics of the eurocrats in the quest for perpetual promotions up the career ladder. The fact that Kaye gave up a comfortable existence and chance for a cushy pension to take up the editorship of West Africa in 1982 demonstrated his commitment to both his craft and the continent.

As the problems in West Africa piled up by the mid-1990s, I sometimes visited Kaye in his office in London. He cut a morose and forlorn figure who was seeing much of his life’s work undone by the mismanagement and military autocracy of the magazine’s distracted Nigerian government: owners of West Africa since 1979. He would complain over tea about the “barbarism of Cold Harbour lane”: the site of West Africa, near Brixton. But through all the difficult times of irregularly paid salaries and political interference, he somehow kept producing an interesting magazine, which was forced to pull its punches about the deteriorating political and economic situation in the Nigeria of the 1990s. After West Africa’s collapse by 1999, Kaye served as Director of Information and Public Affairs at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London (and enjoyed a close relationship with its Nigerian head, Emeka Anyaoku). He then launched and edited Business Day in Lagos between 2001 and 2002, writing a weekly column for them until his death. He was a Trustee of the Africa Centre in London.

Kaye believed in the “supreme power of language to change the world,” and talked of writing his memoirs. He loved Oxford and always relished visits there, going often to reunions at his old college, Queen’s, and as a trustee of the Noma Awards for Publishing in Africa. We were together at Oxford in March, launching two books on the EU and Africa; and Nobel Peace Laureates of African Descent. We rode the bus back together from Oxford to London, chatting all the way. It would be the last time I would see him alive. In a special issue of West Africa to commemorate its 80th anniversary in 1997, Kaye had expressed the hope that the magazine would reach its centenary in 2017. Sadly, neither he nor the magazine achieved this milestone.

• Dr. Adebajo is Executive Director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution, Cape Town.

TheGuardian

54 | Sunday, June 1, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Get Out Of Trouble!

OME people want to get Trouble out while others want to get out of Trouble. Dafeed Nomata Omowale Trouble has made his landlord to wish not ony to get Trouble out but also to get out of Trouble. The Landlord is a retired officer, retired captain, nothing fancy at all. But he was a major slum plus low income housing landlord and a general trader in anything and everything. And he did not like Trouble. It was beyond simply hating to be around Trouble or to have Trouble around you. He wanted Trouble out of the bungalow that he had paid rent on for two years. So, it was not for the usual reason of non payment of rent that he wanted his strangely named tenant out of the bungalow. He did not like his name. How can a human being look at his or her child and call him or her Trouble? What has that got to do with buying to rent, Trouble wanted to know. To you, Ajereke, it would mean nothing but for us, name is everything. If you are named Trouble, sooner or later, at the end of the day, when push came to shove you would cause trouble. To make sure that I do not suffer from the fall out of your troublesomeness, I want you out of the house. Well, I am protected by the laws of Nigeria relating to tenants. So, go jump! Captain Tembelenkun snorted and shouted. By the time I jump on you, you will be begging to get out of this house and I will not be speaking to you. We shall see, replied Trouble.

Trouble liked the area, somewhere between ObaIle and Fiwasaiye Grammar School, the girls’ school opposite the Mobil Petrol Station. There were only 10 bungalows built on a site and service place and Trouble liked it. But just as he was settling down to enjoy the house and the environment, his landlord needed him out.

S

The Retired Captain Landlord began his campaign to get Trouble out by going to the offices of the local vigilante group, He laid out his trouble and ordered what he wanted done and paid his money and went away, waiting to have things happening. They would arrange for parts of the roof of the house to be ripped off with a partiality for the library and the bedroom that Trouble used most of the time. They would arrange for a truck to hit a wall or two to expose what should be shrouded in secrecy, the holy of holies of a home. But Trouble had also gone there to solicit the services of the vigilante group to put the fear of the Lord into the retired army officer. The ultimate result was that one incantation incapacitated the other and the medicine from the landlord was nullified by the toxin ordered by the tenant. But the Captain would not be defeated. He must get Trouble out so that he could get out of Trouble.

Captain went to the magistrate court with an affidavit and a waka-pass actor (an extra on filming set) to play Trouble at the magistrate court. My Lord, my tenant here Mr. Trouble would not leave the property I rented out to him after I had given him six months’ notice.

When I went to ask him to leave he threatened me with a machete and I barely escaped with my life. Please get him to leave my house. Is Mr. Trouble present in court? Yes My Lord. Why did you threaten your landlord with a machete and would not leave when you have been told to leave? The Devil made me do it Your Worship. I have since prayed and I will not do it again. Why do you want to get rid of Mr. Trouble, Mr. Landlord? His name is Trouble,

that’s all. Does he pay his rent? Regularly My Lord. Sometimes he pays way in advance. Is that not what a Landlord wants, money in the bank at the end of the month? Yes, My Lord but from Trouble? Does he cause you any trouble? No! Did he cause you trouble in the past? Never! But I worry about the future trouble that he might cause me. The mere fact that his name is Trouble, you know. Have you asked if he would change his name to stay your tenant? He swears he will never change his name. Mr. Trouble, would you change your name to stay the Captain’s tenant? I will never change my name. It is a name that has been proudly in our family for generations!

Well, are you prepared to vacate the house within twenty-four hours then? I am, your Lordship.

At this point the magistrate signed the order for Mr. Trouble to vacate the said house immediately, and within twenty-four hours.

Outside the court, the Captain commended the waka-pass actor for his sterling performance. He paid him off. He did not notice that the actor had recorded his performance on a video with which he hoped to advance his career. At one am the following day, the bailiff arrived with a team of

police men and they knocked at Mr. Trouble’s house. You are still here, Mr. Trouble? Where should I be? Who are you waking me up at this impossible hour? But you told the court that you would leave this house within twentyfour hours. We are here to make sure you leave. What’s all this about court and leaving the house? Here is the order from the magistrate court which you agreed to at court and all I have to do is to get you out right now! As Mr. Trouble’s mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water, the police began to throw his things out of the house into the street. By five am he was truly out of the house.

The following morning he went to protest that he had not been at court, that a waka-pass actor had been hired to play him and it was against the law. The magistrate said he would listen to him if he could produce his latest utility bill showing his name and the address of the property! Trouble did not shout, but he wanted so much to shout! Utility bill, in Nigeria, where every household is a municipality unto itself, producing its own electricity, its own water, its own security, its own transport as well as its own road? What utility

Sikiru Adetona, A Phenomenal Monarch

By Tola Adeniyi HEN in December 1959, king makers and the royal lineage of the Ogbagba Dynasty of Ijebu-Ode sent emissaries to their son, Prince Sikiru Kayode Adetona in London literally commanding him to abandon his Accountancy Studies and head home to submit his head to be crowned King, little did they or him know that the man who fate was about to make the 58th Awujale was going o be a rare phenomenon.

Nobody in their widest imagination could have thought that this young dashing prince was going to outclass all his contemporaries whose education was not rudely interrupted in all facets of human endeavours. So successful did he become that he attained greater reach, greater notice, greater national acceptance and international recognition, and above all, an uncommon dignity, respect and respectability than his previous peers.

Alayeluwa Kaabiyeesi, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona was crowned King and Paramount Ruler of the vast Ijebu kingdom on April 2, 1960 having been presented publicly to his subjects on January 14, 1960. It was a turning point in the monarchical history of the ancient kingdom. On the day of the formal presentation at Itoro Hall in Ijebu-Ode, the whole community went wild with joy and outpouring of love and affection for a youngish 26-year-old whose facial beauty was stunning, his physical frame imposing, and his carriage bewitching.

Within days of ascending the throne he took his seat in the Western Region House of Chiefs, and was offered the position of Secretary of the prestigious Assembly. The region’s Premier, the incomparable orator, Chief Samuel Oladoke Akintola who had days earlier handed to him the Instrument of Office appointed him a Minister. The well-spoken Monarch almost had the entire world at his feet. There was nothing they did not offer him. He was the darling of the hour, and the new symbol of the Ijebus.

Born May 10, 1934, Dr Sikiru Kayode Adetona who marked his 80th amidst pomp and pageantry befitting his unique status as the Monarch of Nigeria’s most prosperous sub-ethnic group of over three million (in a proper human head count) was beaming with smiles and satisfaction as he received unending homage.

Oba Adetona, Ogbagba ll, whose linage is reputed for annihilating insurgency and driving perpetrators down into the bowel of

W

JAW JAW By Didi Onu

the earth, is not just all beauty. Beneath his towering figure is a heart as solid as iron. His most prominent attribute is his courage. His boldness and outspokenness are beyond comparison while his forthrightness and incorruptibility are in ‘A’ class.

The Awujale’s courage in the face of any tribulation has virtually raised him to the pantheon of Gods such that many an Ijebu man would swear by his name. His people almost literally worship him. And this is not servitude; King Adetona has earned all the adulation paid him both by his subjects and throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria and beyond.

The Oba is always there for his subjects. The saga of Abacha-Diya provide instances: Diya was accused of planning a Coup d’état.

His head was to be put on the block. All first class traditional rulers were invited to Abuja to watch a video implicating General Diya. All the respected rulers gave their hearts to the chicken! But the Awujale rising to his 6’5 frame with his voluptuous agbada in tow cleared his throat and looking straight into General Abacha’s intimidating face declared: “Yes. I have seen the ‘video’ but remember Diya is my son!” It was dead silence!

This writer was about to be bedraggled by our dear former Chairman of the 8-member National Population Commission.

Alhaji Shehu Musa. The Kaabiyeesi got a wind of it and summoned Musa to his palace. Said His Royal Majesty: “Alhaji, if you expect any Ijebu son or daughter to hold the horns of a cow for you while you milk the cow silly and drink all the milk, you are mistaken. The Gods of our land don’t tolerate such travesty”.

That was 1988. This writer was the Commissioner representing the entire Yoruba race on the Commission.

In 1985, after stabilising his first 25 years on the throne, King Adetona installed his very first set of Chiefs and constituted them into the Awujale-In-Council. Later in the year, he also installed Otunbas, who like the Chiefs are to constitute another arm of Advisory Council. The King proceeded to create several coronet Obas, which boosted the morale of hitherto relegated baales, and heads of smaller towns. All these traditional-political moves and the guidance the Awujale rendered all of his younger Obas have combined to endear him more to his people and the entire citizenry of the United Ijebu Kingdoms.

Although not a politician, the Awujale commands the respect of all political players in the land. He presents himself as the father of all, and he is thus so trusted and respected by all politicians of different and diverse shapes and colours in the land.

During the political crisis which engulfed the country as aftermath of General Abacha’s and Abiola’s sudden death, it was King Sikiru Kayode Adetona who became the rallying figure for all the national leaders who were desirous of finding immediate and long-term solution to the political logjam. The Awujale hosted meetings upon meetings some of which lasted all day and all nightlong. Every region of the country descended on Ijebu Ode to seek King Adetona’ wise counsel and guidance.

A peacemaker of monumental stature, his palace has become a court of some sort. A day hardly passes by without the King settling one dispute or the other. And this is not limited to Ijebu sons and daughters. This writer has witnessed visitors from the East, the North and the South-South regions of the country bringing cases for mediation to the Awujale.

Oba Sikiru Adetona’s mobilisation prowess is unequalled. His 54year reign has brought so many improvements, developments and innovations too many to mention. Ijebus are reputed for their business entrepreneurship. An average Ijebu person is a PhD holder in Economics! And so successful are the Ijebus that they harbour the largest number of millionaires in their rank and file. Nobody can dispute the fact that the resourceful Ijebu people parade the largest number of mansions and palatial buildings in Nigeria. And since coming on the throne, King Sikiru Adetona has harnessed the energies of his people to produce more, build more, and continue to be the leaders they have always been.

Ijebu-Ode where the expansive Aafin of the Awujale is situated is also home to the Mini Royal Stadium attached to the palace. King Sikiru Adetona will go down in history as the first and only Monarch to have got a Stadium built in the palace solely with resources of his people.

On the 80th birthday of this great King, we rejoice with the Ijebus for a most prosperous period in their nation’s history; we wish Oba (Dr) Sikiru Adetona, Ogbagba ll, the King and Paramount Ruler of Ijebu nation, many more years on the throne of his forefathers.

• Adeniyi is Akogun Ijebu.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

55

GRASSROOTS

OKPELLA: Leaders, Youths Demand Equity

By Geoff Iyatse FTER several years of grumA bling over what they consider as marginalisation, leaders of Okpella Kingdom, the economic nerve centre of Edo North Senatorial District, are finally coming together to table their grievances before Gov. Adams Oshiomhole.

Okpella community, which is about 15 kilometres from Iyamho, the governor’s hometown, is asking Oshiomholeled administration to justify the support it gave to his party during the electioneering campaign, as there are no projects to show for it in the community.

Amid the general displeasure, youths of the community recently mobilised to challenge the governor, accusing him of victimising Okpella people. Led by Lukman Akemokue, the aggrieved youths stormed Oshiomhole’s home to demand an explana-

tion on why the community has been left out of the administration’s urban renewal programme.

Akemokue said it was unfortunate that the community had not benefitted from any project from the administration, challenging the administration to point out a single project it has executed in the area apart from a few renovated schools. He said the governor has conveniently schemed the kingdom, which stood behind him, out of government’s developmental agenda.

Six years into the administration, not a single state road is constructed or rehabilitated in the community. During his campaign, according to information, Oshiomhole promised to fix Ogriga-Imiakuri Road and Okpella-Ojirami-Edo Road. He also gave assurance that the spoilt portion of Okugbe-Awuyemi Road would be rehabilitated.

A contractor who was

former labour leader would treat Okpella as part of his home when he gets into powmobilised to rehabilitate er. Unfortunately, he regretted, Ogriga-Imiakuri Road in the twilight of Oshiomhole’s first the governor has ignore all tenure was withdrawn imme- pleas for better attention.

Dismissing speculations that diately the second term was the poor representation of inaugurated. Community members said the only thing politicians from the area could be responsible for the lack of they heard about the other government presence in the two roads were speculations community, Eshieshi said the of awards, but no construcexcuse is diversionary. He tion machine has come anyobserved that there are perwhere close to them in the sonal interests in every politipast six years. cal entity, but that such should Godwin Eshieshi, former not prevent government from Chairman of Etsako East discharging its constitutional Council and one-time Edo responsibilities to the people.

State House of Assembly member, said he felt personal- Admitting that the people ly disappointed by the gover- have resigned to fate, he disclosed that Okpella leaders nor. He said the administration has failed the community have no choice than to source in both political appointment for an alternative political platform to realise their dream of and project delivery.

Eshieshi said the community building a better community.

John Okodo, president of supported the governor’s canOkpella Forum, an association didature financially, aside of professionals, who stood by from mobilising voters for the governor during the legal him on the promise that the

EDO

battle to reclaim his mandate, also lamented the neglect. He said Oshiomhole should consider it worrisome that roads in neighbouring community are in terrible condition while he constructed roads that will not be useful for several decades to come in his hometown.

Okodo, who spoke from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said, “not a single promise made by the governor before 2007 election has been fulfilled, adding that series of meetings have been held with the governor to remind him of his pledge, but none of them has produced result.”

Last year, the administration moved the Inter-state Veterinary and Produce Control Post from the Edo/Kogi border it was located to Iyamho, saying the action was taken to stop the perennial conflict of interests over the facility. But the aggrieved youths, who spoke with The Guardian, dismissed the claim as unfounded, saying the relocation was part of the grand plan to victimise Okpella community.

The community leaders observed that the relocation amounts to ceding Okpella and Uluoke, another community on the northern fringe of Edo, to Kogi since such posts are statutorily located at state borders. “ The people of Okpella and those of the neighbouring towns before the new checkpoint at Iyamho, like Ayoghena, Uluoke, Egbido and Ikholo will now consume diseased animals and farm produce. These peo-

ple can, in turn, sell the goods to parts of Edo State and beyond. By extension this spread would endanger the health of the Edo people,” noted Segun Idogun, a youth activist.

Several community-based organisations have written to the governor protesting the relocation. Among associations that have demanded for the return of the post to its original location is the Okpella Youth Circle (OYC). Sunday Ofemile, a member of the body, said the governor has neither acknowledged the two separate letters addressed to him on the issue nor acted on them.

SMS was sent to Press Secretary to the governor, Kassim Afegbua, to give government’s perspectives after he failed to answer several calls made to his mobile line. But there was no response from the media aide, who, incidentally, is from aggrieved Okpella.

Peter Imoudu Marcus, president of Ogute Development Union, said, “the lack of government attention in Okpella betrays the status of the community as the economic hub of Edo State.”

He wondered how the government could have neglected a community that plays host to many companies, including the Edo Cement Company now owned by BUA Group, that generate huge tax revenues for the state, while providing jobs for hundreds of Nigerians.

Enugu Group Tasks Ekweremadu On Zoning

By Onyedika Agbedo HE Nsukka Zonal Union (NZU), Lagos State chapter, has faulted the recent comment by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, claiming that Enugu State had always had four zonal political blocs comprising Enugu, Nsukka, Agbaja and Nkanu.

Describing the claim as untrue at a press conference in Ikeja, Chairman, NZU, Lagos State chapter, Chief Matthias Ezema, noted that Ekweremadu made the statement out of his selfish ambition to govern the state.

He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the old Enugu State had three senatorial zones — Nsukka, Enugu and Abakaliki.

Enugu then included Awgu, where Ekweremadu comes from. Before the old Enugu State, we had old Anambra State, which Chief Jim Nwobodo governed. That time, each state had five senators and those who represented the people in the Senate included the late Isaiah Ani (Nsukka), the late Chief Nathaniel Anah (Onitsha), Senator Offiah Nwali (Abakaliki) and Chief B. C. Okwu (Enugu) as well as the Senator, who represented Awka, whose name I cannot immediately remember.

“When the new Anambra State was created, Onitsha and Awka became part of it, leaving only Abakaliki in the old Enugu State before Abakaliki was eventually

T Ogute-Imiakuri Road, Okpella, washed away by erosion.

ETSAKO CENTRAL:Oshiomhole Remains Leader Of APC In Edo Emmanuel Momoh is the chairman, Etsako Central local government of Edo State. He spoke to ALEMMA-OZIORUVA ALIU on the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The Edo State chapter of APC is embroiled in crisis. What do you think is the way out? ell, the so-called perceived problems to me are normal to every political process and are bound to happen and I consider it, as internal affairs of the party.

No doubt, we are people from different shades and opinions coming together under one umbrella, so these things are not problems per se. Like I said, it’s an internal family crisis and it will be settled internally because the party has its internal mechanism of settling challenges.

But a section of the party leaders have dumped the party, accusing the governor of

W

imposing some ideas, especially to council chairmen?

To me, what you see now is not enough for any loyal party man to want to pull out from the party and people should consider a lot of factors when they want to leave a political party. They should ask themselves where they are going? However, I believe that everybody has his own political agenda, but in any case, it is not enough for anybody to consider jumping to another political party.

Some people have accused you of leading a faction in the party and also saying, they are disappointed having worked for your emergence as chairman, you tilted to a faction?

I don’t want to use the word faction, as far as our party is concerned; some people just take interest in running personal vendetta and it has nothing to do with the party. They cannot assume that they control the majority because the party guidelines suggest consensus as

far as our primaries and congresses are concerned. I was meant to be neutral and I still remain neutral, but some people who have personal scores to settle, resulting from my emergence as chairman of the council are still angry and they feel its time for them to pour out their anger. Their mission is to drag me into a faction of the party. If they say I am leading a faction, then, the question is, which faction are they leading? As far as Etsako Central is concerned, I stand by the majority.

Don’t you think the battle for the structure is connected to 2016 governorship?

Why would anybody be eyeing 2016, when we are still in 2014? However, every governor is interested in who succeeds him and Adams Oshiomhole cannot be different. For now, he has charged chairmen to concentrate on giving the dividends of

democracy rather than thinking of 2016.

How far have you fulfilled your electoral promises to the people?

I want to say, I have lived up to my mandate and I want to be assessed based on certain criteria. Like, where you able to install peace, security within the system? Improve on the psychology of the people and mortality rate. What is the level of compliance on immunisation? What is the children performance and level of cleanliness in my locality? So for now, we have a minimum of two projects in every ward and before I leave, every community will have a maternity and referral centre.

Do you comply with the governor’s order that councils’ bosses must reside in their locality?

I live in my locality and even if we were not instructed to do that, I would have done it. I love it because my presence creates activities.

ENUGU merged with Afikpo to become the new Ebonyi State.

Throughout this period, Awgu/ Oji River remained with Enugu Senatorial zone.

It was during Abacha-led administration that Nsukka zone was shortchanged as IsiUzo was carved out of Nsukka and merged with Enugu, which was then split into Enugu East and Enugu West Senatorial Zones with the remaining part of old Nsukka Cultural zone becoming a minority.

We, therefore, wonder where Ekweremadu and his supporters are getting the statistics for their voodoo arithmetic from,” he said.

Ezeme noted that it is ridiculous that Ekweremadu, who was largely made by the PDP is now trying to destroy the party because of his vaulting ambition of either remaining in the Senate or becoming the governor of Enugu State when his kinsman, Governor Sullivan Chime completes his tenure in 2015.

He noted: “With the completion of Chime’s term, Enugu zone would have ruled the state for 16 uninterrupted years, as Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, from Enugu East handed over to Chime after ruling for eight years also. We are aware that Ekwermadu had perfected his plan to defect to APC, if he fails to achieve his aim. Must he pull down the roof in attempt to achieve his selfish ambition?’’

56 Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

POLITICS

Edo APC Crisis: Beyond A Struggle For State Resources

By Dr. Edoba Omoregie

OLLOWING the crisis which recently engulfed the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, the State Governor, Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, has been hard pressed to explain why the party suddenly became fractured under his watch. Exhibiting his mastery of rhetoric, the Governor is said to have declared that “he will not be intimidated to use the resources of the state to service private individuals who do not have the interest of the people at heart” (see Guardian newspaper of Sunday, May 25, 2014 at page 57). He then made strenuous effort to narrow the conflict in the party to the alleged struggle by some party members for “individual personal empowerment” as against his quest to “better the lot of the people”. He carefully sidestepped the fact that as fallout of the crisis, four members of the State House of Assembly, one member of the House of Representatives and a Senator elected on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which merged with three other political parties to form the APC and who could hardly be said to be hungry, left the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Governor did not also explain why serving chairmen and members of strategic state boards, agencies, the state university governing council, state Colleges of Education; special advisers, executive directors, who are on attractive official salaries and allowances all resigned their appointments en masse.

The Governor’s accustomed attempt to twist facts is unfortunate. The rhetoric is simple: since the downtrodden people of Nigeria and in this context Edo State, correctly believe that their lives have been made worse by those who have converted the public till to their private pockets, it is convenient to touch on the cord of defending the people in order to gain unearned accolades and popularity. The reality however is that the crisis within the APC in Edo State has nothing to do with any struggle over state resources. It has everything to do with the Governor’s grand design to emasculate stakeholders in the politics of the state especially those of his party and subjugate them to his personal whim. The self-respecting good people of Edo State and indeed the whole of our country would never accept subjugation under whatever guise. To accept it is to submit to dictatorship and arbitrary rule.

Nigerians have witnessed the reign of dictatorship in the past under military rulers who announced their coup with sweet, populist words. When these usurpers began to bare their fangs and show their true colours of oppression, Nigerians rose up in unison to throw off the yoke of dictatorship.

To be sure, the crisis in Edo APC was simply sparked off by the Governor himself when he and his small band of closet anti-democrats hatched a scheme to politically asphyxiate stalwarts of the defunct political parties, especially of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state. He went about this first by handpicking the Interim State Executive Committee of the new party. Second, not convinced of their ability to do his biddings, he shoved the committee aside and hijacked the membership registration process using all manner of unwholesome tactics including hoarding of registration materials. His meddlesomeness came to a head when the ward and local government congresses which were to usher in new party executives were rigged under his watch. The Governor’s sole motive for these unfortunate actions is to seize the APC by the scruff of the neck and single-handedly determine the fate of each and every member of the party in the state.

The Governor has continually offered the patronizing refrain that his intention is to serve the people. Nothing could be further from the truth. While there will be enough time soon to deconstruct the performance of Governor Oshiomhole compared with the unprecedented huge amount of state resources at his disposal, it may suffice to say, as a foretaste to the deconstruction process, that the Governor is probably the most overrated Governor in the country. A visit to the state would show that the Governor’s much touted performance is a ruse. His government has no policy position on any sector. It is a government founded on ad hoc-ism, crass populism and well-crafted posturing. In the end, there is no real substance in all decisions and actions taken. Take infrastructural development for instance. While the Governor has spent unverifiable billions of naira re-designing and resurfacing a number of roads in Benin me-

F

Oshiomhole

The Governor’s accustomed attempt to twist facts is unfortunate. The rhetoric is simple: since the downtrodden people of Nigeria and in this context Edo State, correctly believe that their lives have been made worse by those who have converted the public till to their private pockets, it is convenient to touch on the cord of defending the people in order to gain unearned accolades and popularity. The reality however is that the crisis within the APC in Edo State has nothing to do with any struggle over state resources. It has everything to do with the Governor’s grand design to emasculate stakeholders in the politics of the state especially those of his party and subjugate them to his personal whim tropolis, roads that have existed for many years before his administration, most roads across the city and the surrounding suburban local government areas of Egor and Ikpoba/Okha have been left untouched and impassable. The Governor has done this deliberately to secure cheap popularity among the conscious elites who ply those city roads but hardly visit the suburbs and who are therefore more likely to take the Governor to task for non-performance if the metropolitan roads are left untouched.

Even the Benin Water Storm project at which site the Governor made those remarks above has become a mere show piece almost six years on. After the initial euphoria about its immediate impact, government officials have turned around to say that this will be felt when the project is completed in 30 years time!

The Governor has no doubt renovated many primary and secondary schools. While this is a commendable effort, it must be noted that this is not unique to Edo State. After Nigeria became signatory to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the federal government took deliberate steps to intervene in infrastructural development of schools across the country in consonance with one of the eight point agenda of the MDGs. One of such steps has been the grant of federal funds to states to improve such

industries to the state. The tourism potential of the state has remained unexploited. Hoteliers are being harassed with taxation even as they struggle to stay afloat from the effect of the harsh economic environment. Motorists are harassed daily and their vehicles impounded only to be made to pay outrageous fines for inexplicable reasons. His government has no coherent transport policy. While placing a sudden blanket ban on the use of motor bikes, no plan was put in place to cushion the harsh effect of the ban. Rather, after about a year of taking the decision, the Governor acquired a few brand-new Suzuki low capacity vehicles and has earmarked them for those he described as “former bike riders” to purchase at prohibitive cost of about N2 million each.

How can a bike rider who could not afford to purchase a motor bike costing as low as N90,000.00 (Ninety Thousand Naira) and had to resort to hire purchase afford those vehicles? It is a notorious fact that the Governor is hardly in the state to focus on governance. He spends more time overseas than in the state.

Whenever he returns, he makes sure his every activity gets maximum media coverage all to gain unwarranted public attention. On a number of occasions, he has been challenged to submit his international passport for public scrutiny given his constant absenteeism. Up till now, he has not had the courage to respond. And by the way, who pays for these frequent private trips abroad: Edo State tax payers.

This piece would be incomplete without saying something about the strange similarities between the Governor and the propensities, which were the hallmark of Adolf Hitler; the German leader who brought Germany to her kneels using a deadly combination of oratory, rhetoric, bigotry and fascism. Everything about Governor Oshiomhole suggests that he may have undertaken a careful study of Hitler and his obnoxious approach to government.

Hitler fed on the frustration of the Germany people from the aftermath of the country’s defeat in the First World War and established himself as a populist by deploying his considerable capacity for oratory and rhetoric. By the time he committed suicide in 1945 to avoid being captured by the Allied Forces, he had succeeded in slaughtering over 400 of his core loyalists in the night of the long knives. He had also exterminated about 6 million Jews, not to talk of the millions of lives lost in the World War II, an avoidable conflict he initiated.

Governor Oshiomhole may not be known to have killed anyone, but his pugnacious attitude and rhetoric writ quite large. His notorious inability to brook dissenting views and his propensity to blackmail and throw mud at people in the public domain remind one of Hitler’s rhetoric against the Jews which preceded his murderous assault against those innocent people. Those who had the courage to question Oshiomhole’s Gestapo approach to politics in the APC were facing the prospect of being slaughtered politically in a manner reminiscent of what Adolf Hitler did to his SA Nazi party members in the night of the long knives (without the actual killings) but they wisely chose the option to stay alive politically hence the spate of decampment from the APC to the PDP in the state in the past few weeks. The Governor’s attempt to obfuscate the reality of the situation only demonstrates his painful regret for being denied his negative intentions towards these hitherto avid supporters who, unlike the SA Nazi party members in Hitler’s Germany, saw through Oshiomhole’s anti-democratic and anti-people posturing and forestalled their political slaughtering.

What are the benefits to the people from the resistance to Oshiomhole’s antics, one might ask. The Edo people stand to benefit two democratic dividends. First is the air of freedom to make an informed choice of who to cast their votes for in the coming elections. Oshiomhole’s intention is to compromise that freedom of choice and the good people of Edo State must say a resounding NO to that. Second, in making the free choice of who represent them, the people are more likely to choose those who have what it takes to provide good governance. Oshiomhole does not want that. He wants those who will pander to him when he vacates office and help to cover his tracks which may yet be laden with cockroaches and skeletons. These are the issues at stake in the crisis within the APC in Edo State and not any phantom dispute over access to state resources.

infrastructure. But as it is typical of Governor Oshiomhole, he has found a way to claim sole credit for the renovation of government schools in Edo State. Let the Governor point to any new school he has built in the past six years of his administration. There is none. But for the effort of private proprietors of schools in the state who have established new schools despite the overbearing attitude of a hostile government, the enrolment figure in government schools would have exploded to unmanageable level due to the Governor’s zero policy on establishment of new schools. Even the recent decision to upgrade one of the state’s Colleges of Education to a University of Education in the face of daunting challenges with funding the existing state university demonstrates the lack of focus of the administration.

In his six years in office, the Governor has had no discernible policy on job creation. His vigilante outfit, Neighbourhood Watch, which initially created jobs for the vast army of unemployed youths, was soon disbanded when it was gaining traction. The agricultural sector, a veritable job creator, is comatose. The initial promise to strengthen cooperative programmes of past administration was soon Dr. Omoregie, a politician, legal practitioner and scholar abandoned. There is no clear policy to attract wrote from Benin City.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

57

POLITICS

IGIEHON: We Have No Leaders In Edo, Only Election Winners Tony Igiehon is the leader of the Diaspora movement known as the Edo Peoples Forum (EPF) based in the United States. In this interview with foreign Affairs Editor Oghogho Obayuwana, he said there is leadership vacuum in Edo State and promised to intervene.

Elsewhere, like India, China and even parts of Africa today, citizens in the Diaspora bring their special knowledge to bear in trying to entrench best practices in their place of birth. Are you on this page also?

OU are right. It is part of the motivation for seeking to make our own contributions towards the advancement of the state. We are also pulling resources together and a database of expertise, which can assist in streaming knowledge towards our state. It is a mighty task we have decided to undertake. It is being fired by the love for our state.

What do you think about the leadership situation at home?

In other to properly address this question, it is important also to first define a leader and what his or her role should be in our communities. A leader can be defined as one who takes necessary steps in resolving any challenge, by enlisting the best minds in trying to deliver to the greater good of the people. Leadership can also be said to be an art of leading others to deliberately resolve challenges and by so doing creating results that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. People often confuse leadership to mean being a ruler. Leadership must evolve.

Leaders are never just chosen or appointed.

They evolve. It is about personal sacrifice and the willingness to serve. Late Obafemi Awolowo built massive following by doing just one thing. Personal sacrifices! Awo pursued free education for his people with vigour; he awarded thousands of college scholarships every year to his people, who in turn rewarded him with loyalty. It does not matter at which level or by what means you serve your people.

If you keep them first and stay focused on developing people, you will be rewarded with loyalty. Such a character must show his people his roadmap to lead the way. Awolowo did that by his dogged and uncompromising approach to developing future leaders by his two cardinal programs of Free Education at all levels, and Free Health Care. He was mostly known for his conviction that education was the key to future development. To a certain extent, you will agree that he was right. Historically, the Yoruba have had a better economic base and a better-educated workforce. This was the handiwork of Awolowo. He was also able to clearly articulate his vision and people bought into it.

Related is the idea of a clear goal and mission.

Good leaders must have a clear understanding of what their mission is and what it takes to fulfill that mission. Also is the ability to motivate.

You will agree with me that great leaders don’t lead by telling others what to do, they lead by rolling up their sleeves and getting involved, a leader must cultivate the attitude and desire to help others selflessly. It must be about the common good of all, followers can only key in when they see your selfless sacrifice for their common good. In fact, they will take it further than you ever dreamt. Most so-called leaders in Edo today are political actors who are focused on winning elections and that’s where it ends.

It is important to note here that leadership cannot be left only to the political actors; it must evolve. A leader must therefore be able to synchronise the people’s needs and desire with realities on ground.

Leadership is not restrictive at all. Which is why we have noted the contribution amongst the NGOs, which have taken up the challenge to fill the gap created by the vacuum amongst the political actors. It is also a fact that government by itself cannot resolve all challenges without input and partnership with NGOs, I am greatly encouraged by the role played so far by many of the NGOs. Can we know exactly what you are dissatisfied with in the present leadership in Edo? If anything, it is the leadership vacuum in Edo State, which has reached a catastrophic level. A state where true leaders are neglected in favour of pretenders, a state where leadership is defined by the number hoodlums or thugs on your pay roll, a state where true leaders are not appreciated, but thugs and hoodlums are

Y

celebrated. That’s why it is in recognition of these challenges that we at EPF decided to host an annual leadership award, to celebrate true leaders and encourage them to continue their good work in their various fields of expertise. This was done with the understanding that until we as a people can truly identify good leaders and encourage, recognise them and challenge them, true leaders will continue to shy away from their responsibilities and the vacuum created will be filled by thugs and hoodlums.

For instance, last year, we recognised many leaders including the current Gov. Adams Oshiomole for his performance in the first four years in office; other recipients were Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, Apostle Hayford Alile, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Mr. Daniel Omoigui, Prince Parry Osayande, Hon. Justice Otutu Obaseki, Hon. Justice Samson Uwaifo, Justice Constance Momoh, Mr Austin Eguavoen, Mike Onolememhen and Mr. Lancelot Imasuen. We also gave posthumous award to the following: Chief Humphry Omo Osagie, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Prof. Ambrose Alli, Hon Justice Ephraim Akpata, Engr Imariagbe Igiehon, Sir Andrew Wilson, Dr. Abel Guobadia, Arch Bishop Benson Idahosa, Chief Dele Giwa, Alhaji Inu-Umoru, Hon Justice Omosun, Chief Michael Imoudu, and Admiral Augustus Aikhomu.

But what is your honest assessment of the performance of the incumbent governor of Edo state?

To be honest, by all standards I will give Comrade Adams Oshiomhole a pass mark for his first four years. Firstly, he meant well for the state. Secondly, his urban renewal program, despite its shortcomings, has not only inspired confidence, but has reawakened the people’s faith in government. If his goal was to arrest insanity and inspire confidence, to some degree he succeeded. But Oshiomhole has his shortcomings as well, which he must aggressively correct. He has however failed to take advantage of the goodwill that he enjoyed as a loved labour leader. Despite being in opposition, Oshiomhole could have cashed in on this goodwill by engaging the President and his executive to influence more federal projects to Edo State. Rather than focus on building alliances and unity within the ranks in Edo State, he has succeeded in creating more division and alienating willing and potential partners. He could do with some skills in political sagacity and pragmatism. Instead, he is loud-mouthed, unnecessarily alienates people and short in constructive stakeholders’ management.

I also personally believe Oshiomhole has not demonstrated enough knowledge of modern state building. For example, he has not been aggressive enough in job creation. Look at what we have: Okpella Cement Factory, Edo line, Bendel Breweries, Ehor Fruit Juice Processing factory, New Nigeria Bank (Unity Bank), Bendel Insurance, The Nigerian Observer, Ikpeshi Fertilizer Blending Factory, Bendel Food and Flowers Mill, and the rest.

Some of these assets are currently tied down in litigation, but it takes a decisive governor to call a truce, considering the employment potential available through these assets if brought online. The governor must act decisively in other to create employment. Apart from the direct employment available through these assets, let’s also not forget the indirect employment that is possible via the supply chain. These companies have contractors and SMEs with potential to generate employment. Modern economies cannot do without the SMEs. The government has also not been aggressive in embracing technology in trying to build an economic base for the state. Technology is the new vehicle for modern economic development. His focus on infrastructural refurbishment, instead of infrastructural development has not generated any new jobs. They now appear stuck. What is the next step after beautification? Where is the money to give legs to the beautification program? What will happen in a few years when the roads are due for resurfacing? Has he made the right development choices? Probably not!

What is your assessment of governance, when one looks at contract awards and quality of appointments?

From a professional point of view, every gov-

ernment is required by law to follow due process in contract awards. Many have argued that the governor has concentrated most of these contracts in the hands of his kith and kin, and political allies from other states without following due process. Secondly it is been echoed even within his own party, the APC, that strategic political appointees in the state are mostly extracts of Edo North. These should not be the case, the governor must demonstrate leadership by following due process at all times and ignore any form of tribal distraction in critical issues such as these. So as it is now, the Edo State government has concentrated its efforts on infrastructural refurbishment (Development); this ordinarily should create more jobs in the project communities, but it did not, because these jobs were contracted to companies that have no stake in Edo State, whereas, infrastructural development worldwide is the easiest way to create localized jobs within the project communities. Great economies worldwide, including the US pay attention to infrastructural development in other to maintain steady growth in employment.

What contributions can the Diaspora movement make in this regard?

There has to now be a constructive engagement with the Edo Diaspora. According to the International Conference on Diaspora and Development, held at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC, African countries, including those in North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, have over 30 million international migrants. The size of the African Diaspora, including unrecorded migrants and second and third generation migrants, is significantly larger. Migrant remittances to Africa exceeded $40bn in 2010, providing a lifeline to the poor in many African countries. The potential contribu-

tion of the Diaspora to the continent’s development goes much beyond personal remittances. Those contributions range from collective remittances that assist in philanthropic activities to knowledge exchange, increased trade links, and better access to foreign capital markets. It is estimated that the African Diasporas save up to $53bn annually, most of which is currently invested outside Africa and which could potentially be mobilized for Africa via instruments such as Diaspora bonds. It is estimated that Edo State has a minimum of 500,000 indigenes in the Diaspora. That’s more than two local government areas combined. This is one group that can make the difference in terms of intellectual and financial investment targets. We ought to have a knowledge based and knowledge driven economy. That’s why we have been saying that the beautification program in Edo could have been augmented with new roads network to speed up access and movement of goods and people across the state.

The comparative advantage of the 21st century is speed and agility. The ability to design policies and implement programs effectively is critical to government’s mission. Last year (2013), Edo State government was only able to implement about 70 percent of its Capital Budget targets. In 2012, it was marginally less.

This can only be a result of inadequate technical know-how or funding problems. Edo with an inland population of 4,102,798 budgets only N160bn per annum, compared to Akwa Ibom’s estimates of N450bn for roughly the same size of people and challenges.

How can Edo State take advantage of Diaspora bond for development?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 58

To be honest, by all standards I will give Comrade Adams Oshiomhole a pass mark for his first four years. Firstly, he meant well for the state. Secondly, his urban renewal program, despite its shortcomings, has not only inspired confidence, but has reawakened the people’s faith in government. If his goal was to arrest insanity and inspire confidence, to some degree he succeeded. But Oshiomhole has his shortcomings as well, which he must aggressively correct. He has however failed to take advantage of the goodwill that he enjoyed as a loved labour leader. Despite being in opposition, Oshiomhole could have cashed in on this goodwill by engaging the President and his executive to influence more federal projects to Edo State. Rather than focus on building alliances and unity within the ranks in Edo State, he has succeeded in creating more division and alienating willing and potential partners

Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

58

POLITICS Major Gen. David Medayese Jemibewon (Rtd) is a former military governor of Oyo State and a former Police Affairs minister told.

He told JOE ADIORHO that there is need for compulsory military training for Nigerians, beginning with national youth corps members.

THERE are security challenges in the Northeast and Nigeria is not at ease.

As a former military man how do you perceive all of these? mUST be honest with you, what is happening in the country today is very sad. I don’t have what I may call total solution. It’s just to express a view based on your question and then also to work on the suggestions being put forward by most Nigerians. I think it’s unfortunate but we must understand that conventional war is slightly different from the situation we have today. It’s not exactly a total war, because in a war, you know your opponent and your opponent knows you, even by the uniform he wears and by the weapon he carries. So that when you hear the shooting of a gun, by your experience, you can almost say this is the calibre of the gun that is being shot. But now, you won’t know who is a member of this group.

So to say that our soldiers are not well equipped, not well armed, based on the few things in the papers are not appropriate statements. I can understand that many people who do the writings or who make the statements never had any form of military training and this is why in some societies they advocate compulsory military training.

If everybody had gone through military processes, they will know that this is not a total war and that makes it more difficult to fight.

I am just hoping that solving this problem will require a combination of most of the suggestions being put forward by various Nigerians; that is through dialogue, negotiation and a little bit of application of force and action.

And we must realise that with these girls adopted in Chibok, if we apply full military force to attempt to liberate them, they would be killed. So at the end you will ask yourself what have I achieved? most people are of the view that Boko Haram insurgency would have been tackled earlier if Nigeria had done the proper thing, like gathering intelligence?

Intelligence gathering is simply information gathering before and during events and then you project into the future to see what is likely to happen. I will expect that some people ought to be assembled somewhere to be thinking what would happen if this Boko Haram crisis comes to an end because it will still have some after effect. Perhaps, our problem as a nation is that we did not anticipate what is happening so as to get prepared for it. But now that it has happened, how do we get information, analyse the information and also anticipate that when this comes to an end, what should we do? This is important because even when it ends, something will come out. We ought to learn some lessons. For example, how are we going to rehabilitate those who are bereaved and what actions are we going to put in place to prevent re-occurrence of such attacks? Intelligence comprises of many things. For example, it must have taken those giving us headache today some time before they acquired the strength they have and the weapons they have.

They live within human beings. Soldiers were not based in those areas.

If these people had come to the appropriate authorities to say we are seeing some strange faces in these areas it would have helped. That is intelligence.

I

end, if they really cherish their coming together, there must be a way to reconcile their differences by coming to a consensus for the good and unity of that association. In Africa, they started with the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), but each country exists on its own. What about United Nations? So, there will always be disagreements.

That some people say except this, we are not going to be in the country, will be sorted out. They are now in a forward. Do you agree? conference, they have to sit down to The country requires restructurdiscuss. There must be trade offs if ing. There was a time there were no they still want the existence of this states in Nigeria. Then we started country, one way or the other. What with twelve states. We went to will be surprising is if they are so nineteen. Now we have thirty-six rigid. states. That is restructuring. Those The principle is that you must have advocating restructuring are not an aim and you must maintain your wrong. But let them come with aim. But also, we have what we call what exactly they mean and how flexibility, and as such we do not say do we see that restructuring. any position is wrong. We only look The Southwest says that the mini- at advantages and disadvantages in mum requirement for the zone to relation to other people’s opinion. If remain in Nigeria is the devolution some persons have taken a position, of power to the regions. How do it is expected that they must be you perceive that? amenable to discussion, listening to I want to believe that other reothers and at the end, find means gions could also have their posithrough which you can proceed. tions. But what does an association Some people are not happy the way mean. It simply means a group of the military is managing information people who have agreed to form regarding Boko Haram. What should that association. There will cerbe the standard? tainly be discussions, one or On insurgency, it is difficult. Sometwo will disagree, but and at the times if you criticise you will be making things difficult. I think there ought to be a central point where information must go to and where decisions as to what goes out or disseminated is taken. But I know that there are competent people there that probably know better. But to answer your question, I think there ought to be a central control. However, what we need to do now is to encourage the military and wish them well.

Is there any thing that you think that Nigeria overlooked on this issue of terrorism?

Let me use this opportunity to put forward a suggestion. If we all believe that what is happening is a national tragedy, something that every Nigerian should be concerned about then we ought to make an effort at the national level to support our security men. During the Nigerian civil war, some people came up with the troop comfort fund and it encouraged us.

The fund raised was applied in many ways, providing food and other needs.

So, I advocate the setting up of Security Trust Fund. All those involved will know that the Nigerian society sympathised with them and know how this money will be used. Now, many of our troops including the police may come back with amputated legs and hands. This money can be ploughed into a central medical centre for the rehabilitation of those who would have been maimed during this crisis.

And the fund will be such that every Nigerian who believes that what we are facing now is a big tragedy will contribute to the fund. This is my idea. We need a National Security Fund to assist our security men in this operation, particularly if you believe that this is a national problem and needs the support of everybody.

JEmIBEWON: It’s Ridiculous To Blame military For Current Problems How would you react to the comments that military intervention is responsible for Nigeria’s problems?

That sounds ridiculous to me, because it is similar to the general statement that the British created the problem of Nigeria. If after independence we are still blaming British, then I feel sorry for us.

What would you recommend to deal with similar occurrence in the future?

There should be compulsory military training for Nigerian youths.

That is what I advocate. It has been written many times in the past. It is becoming very stale now. The National Youth Service Corps should also be introduced to basic military training. They should be taught how to handle weapons.

It was predicted that Nigeria will breakup in 2015; do you think the current security challenges might be

a prelude to that break-up?

They did mention it. At that time many people were writing in newspapers insulting the source of the information, instead of working towards ensuring that it did not happen. I am praying that the country does not break up.

The trending thing now is the National Conference; can it stem this breakup that appears to be imminent?

I wouldn’t say break-up is imminent. But in any case, what we have to do is to work towards ensuring that the prediction does not work.

And to ensure it doesn’t come to reality is the responsibility of all of us; to promote peace and understanding. And in this regard, the press becomes very vital organ.

A lot of people are talking about restructuring, saying it is the only basis on which Nigeria can move

‘No Leaders In Edo, Only Election Winners’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

progress of Edo State; do you seek to play a much more active role in the governance process, either as opinion moulders or an influential pressure For Diaspora Bond, one area Edo can take huge advantage is its committed group?

Diaspora resources. Edo State embracing the huge intellectual and financial Edo political forum (EPF) was formed to address the prevailing lack of politresources of its Diaspora will yield huge economic gains on the long run. In ical civility amongst our leaders. What you will find is that there is not a sin2012, according to IDEA, Edo Diaspora remitted $800m to the state (this is gle platform where leaders, irrespective of their political leaning or ideology equivalent of the Edo State Annual budget). This can easily be turned into a can seat together and address the common challenges of our people, withdevelopment tool if properly managed. The cost of doing business is still too out bickering and pointing fingers. For this reason we decided to create a high in Nigeria. Despite the relative cheap labour and potentially high replatform where members irrespective of their political party, can participate turn on investment, governments can target indirect costs associated with and contribute solutions to prevailing challenges and also expect members running businesses, such as energy costs, transportation and high cost of to critically analyze and examine the solutions and yet be able to offer alteradjudication of disputes. Edo government can selectively invest in these arnatives when necessary. The task of rebuilding Edo State and restoring its eas to make the state attractive to investors. Pursuing policies with a degree past glory is a task EPF does not take lightly. EPF will leave no stone unturned of consistency is important. Projects can be tweaked or re-launched but you to empower people to become more aware of the contributions they can must not lose sight of the ball, the big picture. The Rule of Law is one clear make to take Edo State to the next level. Apart from this, we are also carrying international best practice that’s still not optimally observed in Nigeria. out various physical projects in various local governments to augment govGovernments must invest in strengthening institutions and as a citizen iternment presence. This is done with the understanding that government self (government) must respect all court judgments. alone cannot solve all problems.

What has been the contributions of your forum to the socio-economic

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

59

PERSPECTIVES

Chibok And Further Thoughts On Black Emancipation

By Chigachi Eke BN Khaldun, 1332-1406, was an Arab scholar whose thesis forms the basis for Islamic prejudice and jurisprudence today. After studying black slaves he concluded that without exception blacks were “as a whole submissive to slavery, because Negroes have little that is essentially human and have attributes that are quite similar to those of dumb animals.”

Negroes were unserious in serious things like self-definition, education and freedom. They displayed emotion where situation called for calm judgment. Their docility disqualified them from leadership position thereby reducing them to followers or slaves.

Centuries after Ibn Khaldun, the black scholar called WEB Du Bois also detected docility in emancipated Negroes in southern United States of America, a region notorious as the Bible Belt. The Bible Belt, brimming with churches, fought the civil war to keep slaves. In “The Souls of Black Folk” Du Bois classified this strange complex as “patent defense” against white racism. Patent defense involved living two-life where the Negroe’s real personality and ambition were carefully masked. He played the fool and overlooked insults. As long as he showed no interest in being manly or industrious, he was relatively safe from physical attack.

Otherwise it was race riots, lynching and migration. Du Bois concludes, “The price of (surviving) a (hostile alien) culture is (by telling) a lie.”

Caveat: Ibn Khaldun’s “Negroes” were black Muslims castrated upon conversion as condition for importing them into the Arab world.

Their castration was responsible for low black population in the Arab world. This varies from the West where Negroe slaves were encouraged to breed for economic reasons, resulting in high black population. With machines doing all the works today, abortion clinics are built for descendants of these slaves, for reversed economic reasons. Secondly, du Bois “Negroes” were black Christians. This clarification becomes necessary to properly distinguish the said Negroes from free blacks in their natural environments who behaved differently.

Ibn Khaldun obviously misread the black Muslim’s real character. Du Bois, who was more analytical got the true picture. “Docility” is empirical evidence in psychology of oppression. It is a phenomenon first detected in Jews of the Middle Ages. Jews had to flatter and cajole a hostile Europe where the Romans dispersed them following the sacking of their Jerusalem capital in 70AD. William Shakespeare explored this theme in “Merchant of Venice,” where the Jewish money-lender, Shylock, had to endure insults from his own debtor who spat into his beard to spite him.

But empirical study also demonstrates that an oppressed people transmute from docility to hostility with the first opportunity. In Kenya, the Gikuyu formed the Mau Mau to teach their British tormentors a lesson or two. In Zanzibar, the ex-Mau Mau fighter from Uganda called John Okello allied with the black Afro-Shirazi Party to execute the bloodiest revolution imaginable. Forty thousand Arabs and Indians who subjugated the black population were killed within two days in January 1964. The Arab Sultan was overthrown and blacks took over the government of Zanzibar. Ugandans under Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada expelled Asians for practicing Asian Apartheid.

Elsewhere, the Shiites of Iran who were “docile” for more than a millennium in the face of an overwhelming Sunni persecution bared their fangs in the 1980s after Ayatollah Khomeini took over power. All hell was let loose as they fought Sunnis in Iraq close to a decade.

And, of course, none these days dared spit on a Jew without answering to the Israeli Mossad.

And remember that in the US the slave called Nat Turner hatched his rebellion. Turner and his fellow travelers vented their primordial anger on their enslavers in an orgy of violence.

These instances sufficiently demonstrate that docility is not natural to the Negro or human spirit. It is more an acquired syndrome given a life and death condition.

Slavery was integral to Islam. Mark A. Gabriel was a devout Muslim before converting to Christianity. He holds two Doctorates in Islamic History and Culture, and Christian Education.

In Chapter 12 of his “Journey into the Mind of an Islamic Terrorist,” he recounts that “After Muhammad became sure of his power in Medina, he entered the third phase where he engaged in direct confrontations with his enemies. He killed the men, took the women and children captive; and distributed the captives as spoils of war among his men. These captives eventually became slaves that were bought and

I

sold in the markets, which gained a remarkable fame in the Arabian Peninsula.”

On the strength of the above, Islam tended to tilt toward inequality. Black Muslims, who embraced it as chattels, did not advance in status or leadership. That is understandable.

But what if they still behave like bond men long after their condition improves? That is the puzzle this paper hopes to grapple with why black Muslims seem to tolerate servitude into the 21st century long after Ibn Khaldun indicted them. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia outlawed slavery in 1960, why then do black Muslims toy with slavery? I limit instances to two.

One, in 2007 I monitored an al-Shabaab interview on the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation Two, SABC 2. Al-Shabaab is a black copycat “terror” group in Somalia modeled after Arab-owned al-Qaeda. In this interview its headman refused to speak the Somalian language. No Slave talks to the Master in the former’s language. The headman spoke Arabic, which the station reduced to English under title. He said his members would (1) impose an Islamic Caliphate from Cairo to Cape Town; (2) fight side by side with their Arab brothers to actualize this Caliphate; (3) marry black girls and give their daughters to Arabs for marriage, and (4) kill blacks who resisted Islam.

After hearing the above, I immediately detected a shadow war. Arab-on-black violence will draw a worldwide condemnation, but arming black slaves with the stones to crush their own testicles could be the new order. Secondly, what blacks in al-Shabaab failed to realise is that no amount of selfhatred will guarantee them Arab brides, not when their prospective fathers-in-law were taught in Cairo University that black Muslims were natural slaves whose only desire was to look and lisp like Arabs. I could cite contemporary sources where Arabs openly call black Muslims “Abed” (dogs). Till date I have never seen a black Muslim who is a man before an Arab. What I see is a confused Slave unsure of

his fastidious Master.

Two, in April 2014, a black Muslim called Abubakar Shekau kidnapped nearly three hundred black girls in Nigeria and threatened to sell them into slavery. Shekau issued his threats in English, Arabic and Hausa; leaving no one in doubt about his relationship with his targeted audiences. His English listeners (the West) were the enemy; Arabic listeners (Arabs) the ally and local Hausa listeners (blacks) the victim. In other words, Shekau who heads another black copycat “terror” group called Boko Haram is on the same page as Somalians in his determination to sacrifice black progress to please Arabs.

The West came down heavily on Shekau, asking him to release the girls without harm or hindrance. Arabs refused to condemn this crime committed in their name. Then from the ranks of his victim Ayo Oritsejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, issued a statement declaring that the abduction of these girls, the majority who were Christians before being forcefully converted to Islam, was a declaration of war on Nigerian Christians by their Muslim counterparts.

I fault Oritsejafor’s statement because it lacks sincerity. What condemnation has he for those Christians who breed human babies for sale, or are these babies less human? What condemnation has he for the enraged Christian father daily threatening his stubborn son with slavery, “I don’t blame you. I blame the white man who came and abolished slavery. Otherwise I would have tied you up and sell you into slavery this very day!” Secondly, I disagree with Oritsejafor as he unwittingly played into the enemy’s hands. His statement is a recipe for black-onblack violence. He sees the war to come as religious when it is racial-Arabs Vs Blacks.

Fight the man behind the mask.

Call it the Third World War, we blacks will stop Arabs from exporting violence into black Africa. We refuse to do nothing while

Black Muslims must stop fearing the Last Day and start reinterpreting the Koran, as black Christians did with the Bible, to make it relevant to the Black Experience. Islam has a provision known as “progressive revelation” where a new message from God supersedes and invalidates an earlier one. So what are they waiting for? No race has a monopoly on revelation. If God is infinite, believe it or not, black people are part of His infinity

wicked men roar over our heads in the name of God. We refuse to enter the long night of one thousand years of slavery the second time. If our Muslim brothers decide to see themselves first as blacks and secondly as Muslims, then we are in business. Otherwise we go it alone.

But they must understand that Arab expansionism, camouflaged as Islam, will gobble them up after dealing with Nigerian Christians.

To the esteemed Oritsejafor, our only hope is solidarity between Nigerian Christians and Muslims.

The more Arabs spit on black Muslims the more the victims believe they had something to gain by identifying with their victimizers.

Such was the case between black Christians and whites. Whites murdered black Christians in Africa. Rather than the victims arming themselves against their tormentors, you see them kneeling before the white missionary to confess their culpability in their own oppression, “Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa” (Through my own fault, through my own fault, through my most grievous fault). The white missionary winked at the white colonialist, there was nothing to fear in these bleating goats.

White theologians so manipulated black Christians, just as Arab theologians are doing today, that the victims believed anything. It was a mind game. It took Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement to reveal that; “the most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” Biko urged blacks to vote out the conniving white missionary from heading the black Church, as everything was wrong in the oppressed seeing their God through their oppressors. Such aberration could make blacks to hate their God equally. Black Christians complied and the result was Black Theology best articulated by John Cone.

Black Muslims must liberate themselves and stop telling us that they are different from copycat “terrorists.” For a thousand years Islam made itself a whip in the hands of racist Arabs for flagellating blacks and Louis Farrakhan is there telling me about the Nation of Islam.

What nation when Arabs in Janjaweed are killing black Muslims in Darfur? But how many Arab unbelievers has your al-Shabaab killed?

Black Muslims must stop fearing the Last Day and start reinterpreting the Koran, as black Christians did with the Bible, to make it relevant to the Black Experience. Islam has a provision known as “progressive revelation” where a new message from God supersedes and invalidates an earlier one. So what are they waiting for? No race has a monopoly on revelation. If God is infinite, believe it or not, black people are part of His infinity.

Eke writes from Port Harcourt.

60 Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

EGYPT: Getting Set For A Fresh Start

By Oghogho Obayuwana, Foreign Affairs Editor ITH a very important election now concluded in Egypt, and the ascendancy to power of former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, it should be a new dawn for the land of the Pharaohs.

Sisi, not a surprise winner, is the sixth military man to run Egypt since the army overthrew the country’s monarch in 1952.

The Tahir Square and other street protesters may finally now beat their chests. They have managed to achieve democracy through blood and sweat. Yes, there are still grumbles around. The Muslim Brotherhood may not have given up just yet, but for now, the watershed elections bring a sigh of relief and allows for a time of national reformation. This gives an impetus for reconciliation and a genuine reason for a fresh start. The people can now ventilate.

The new leader may have gained more than 93percent of the votes with ballots from most polling stations counted, but the overall turnout put conservatively at about 46percent was still far lower than Sisi would have hoped for as an endorsement. That was always going to happen with Islamist and some secular groups boycotting the election.

The legitimacy walkway has however been bolstered by the public admittance of defeat by sole opponent Hamdeen Sabahi, whose voice on Egyptian television rang; “I accept my defeat and respect the people’s choice,” would do the Sisi legitimacy enterprise a lot of good in the days ahead.

The world has not forgotten how the gale of people power manifesting as protests led to the fall of former president Mohamed Morsi, an extremist, even after an earlier fall of his predecessor, the grand old conservative Hosni Mubarak!

And long before those two leaders kissed the dust, analysts had concluded that Egypt was on the brink of a Volcano. First it was Turkey.

That was after Greece and then it became the turn of Brazil. These were citizens protests on the surface, but underneath, freshly bottled up angst were simmering all the while in Egypt before it eventually boiled over.

By Wednesday last week, Egyptians were urged to vote on a hastily added third day of a presidential election after lower-than-expected turnout threatened to damage the credibility of the man widely forecast to win, former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The twoday vote was originally due to conclude on Tuesday but was extended according to state media, to allow the “greatest number possible” to vote.

Today, Mohammed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, banned as a “terrorist group,” called for a boycott of the polls. More than 1,400 people have been killed and 16,000 detained since authorities cracked down on the movement in July 2013. Morsi and other Brotherhood leaders are on trial on a raft of charges, including murder.

But it has to be understood that after what appeared to be months of adulation by the Egyptian media plus the prodding by his supporters in government, the security services and the business community, many were shocked when the election failed to really rally the expected mass support as was even predicted by Sisi himself. Yet for the General, locked in a battle with the Muslim Brotherhood after toppling Islamists last year, the stakes are high.

In the increasingly polarised country, if the Egyptian people do not give him maximum backing, chances are that Sisi’s legitimacy as head of state of the Arab world’s most popular nation may be harmed at home, in the Middle East and even in the international arena.

Now, unlike the previous election, which brought Morsi to power and was contested by a dozen candidates, Sisi faced only one rival the leftist Hamdeen Sabahi. Sabahi’s campaign organisation actually rejected the extension of voting as “unjustified” given the lack of enthusiasm displayed by segments of the Egyptian population.

Interestingly, the justice ministry said Egyptians who did not vote would be fined, after all, train fares were waived in an effort

W

Jubilation in Egypt for al-Sisi

to boost the numbers. Local media apparently loyal to the government also chided the public for not turning out in large enough numbers.

Looking back, the turnout in the 2012 election won by Morsi was 52 percent. And the respected professor of political science at Cairo University, Hassan Nafaa has said that as a matter of legality, that 2012 level has to be exceeded for Sisi to enjoy full political legitimacy.

According to professor Nafaa, were it to fall short, then Sisi who was actually expecting 40 million, or 80 percent turnout of the electorate would have failed “to read the political scene and his miscalculation has then to be corrected through reconciliation” But were there any issues on the campaign burner beyond the approach to governance (you can call that ideology), which is seeing a people trying to crate a liberal state while avoiding the extremes of conservatism and fundamentalism?

In trying to lower sky-high expectations in the run-up to the election, Sisi had stressed for instance, “the need for austerity and selfsacrifice,” a message that cost him some support and drew some ridicule in a nation of 85 million steeped in some degree of poverty.

Sisi comes from a constituency - the military that had been both hero and villain for the people involved in the ousting of President Mubarak in 2011. They were heroes when they put themselves between protesters and the Mubarak regime’s enforcers. But later they were widely criticised for trying to hold onto power for too long and even at today. That episode of distrust ended with the swearing in of the head of the country’s

Constitutional Court, Adly Mahmud Mansour, as interim leader. The world would listen to theorists who at the fullness of time would argue that the military all through the period of Morsi and Mansour never really gave up their critical role behind the scenes, which also includes huge economic power!

International relations experts have variously said that the happenings in Egypt have shown that people power would eventually triumph over unpopular regimes and intransigent leaders everywhere.

Dr. Nwangu Okeimiri in an interview with The Guardian on the matter stressed the importance of “awareness and the need not to suffer amnesia of any kind.”

He said, “there is always a place for street politics in governance, which is available for study and analysis. It is left for the people to draw inferences for coming generations. For instance, the Egyptian people on the streets, not through a lawsuit or any such things, maintained that there had been “no justice” for people killed by security forces during the uprising and at antigovernment protests since 2011. They sustained that momentum through thick and thin, weathered all the storm, over saw Morsi’s anti climax up to the referendum until the elections that have now taken place.”

Also giving some insights, professor Oshita Oshita of the Institute of Security Studies, Abuja, said the poor governance profile of many governments in Africa may make the fate of more countries on the continent to be decided by movements that can start like mass street anger.

“Right now, the statistics are frightening.

But it has to be understood that after what appeared to be months of adulation by the Egyptian media plus the prodding by his supporters in government, the security services and the business community, many were shocked when the election failed to really rally the expected mass support as was even predicted by Sisi himself. Yet for the General, locked in a battle with the Muslim Brotherhood after toppling Islamists last year, the stakes are high

Mass movements have been testing the waters in Nigeria. For instance, during all those protests over fuel pump price increments. We look at Egypt, Brazil and Turkey where development indices are better than Nigeria’s and yet they seek improvement. In a globalized world, people learn from what’s happening even on a cliff edge of the world.

The Egyptian protests are definitely to be seen as a form of wake up call. The question is what happens now that they have a new president? Reconciliation should be high on the agenda.” He added.

Before the elections, Egypt was tense politically and embittered socially! It is in fact, badly in need of a social contract. This was before a referendum validated the new draft constitution that has now put into the shade, the country’s 1971 and 2012 constitutions.

Sisi’s supporters actually see him - a hero (after riding on mass protests to remove Morsi) as the man to rescue the Arab world’s largest country after three years of upheaval.

The new leader has already announced his priorities to include fighting Islamist militants who have taken up arms since Morsi’s removal, and reviving an economy badly in need of tourists and investors. He would need a lot of money and a lot of goodwill from within and outside the country. He can already start by judiciously collecting the 500 Egyptian pounds ($72) fine to be extracted from the people for the “national crime” of non-voting. The money from the pipes that once flowed from Egypt’s thriving tourism industry but that have steadily been drying up can now start flowing again.

From all corners of the earth, interested minds saw and heard the people’s popular refrain “No dignity is left” for Egyptians or our country. Yes, the people felt assaulted by that. They were angry that Egypt had been deeply polarised. But they did not rationalize that by bringing ethnic sentiments into it they were looking for trouble.

It is now up to Sisi to toe the line of reconciliation or play the politics of exclusivity. He cannot afford to go the way of fallen Charles Tailor, who was so bent on showing just how strong he was that after winning his country’s presidential elections of 1997. He did not recognise the need to work constructively with the other former warlords who subsequently went back into the trenches and fought harder until Taylor was brought down. Goodluck Egypt.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

THE GUARDIAN, www.ngrguardiannews.com

61

FOREIGNNEWS

Peter Mutharika Sworn In As President MALAWI ETER Mutharika has been P sworn in as Malawi’s president after the High Court

rejected a request for a recount following allegations of vote-rigging.

The leader of the Democratic Progressive Party urged the 11 other presidential candidates to “join me in rebuilding the country”.

Outgoing President Joyce

Banda had alleged ballot fraud but has now admitted defeat.

Malawi is one of the world’s poorest nations.

It is heavily dependent on aid, which provides 40 percent of the government’s budget.

A protester died on Friday as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse an angry crowd demanding a recount of last week’s ballot

in the south-eastern town of Mangochi.

Mr Mutharika is the brother of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in 2012, and had served as his foreign minister.

He obtained 36.4 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission, and said he felt “very humbled” to become Malawi’s fifth president.

“It’s obvious we are facing serious problems in this coun-

try. All of us together, let us build the country which is almost on the verge of collapse,” he said.

Former preacher Lazarus Chakwera came second in the election with 27.8 percent of the vote. He represented the Malawi Congress Party, which governed from independence in 1964 until the first multi-party poll in 1994.

Mrs Banda, who came to power after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika two years ago, was third with 20.2 percent of the vote. Her administration had been hit by a corruption scandal dubbed “cashgate”, which led donors to cut aid.

Khartoum To Free Death Row Woman SUDAN UDANESE authorities are Ssentenced to free a woman who was to death for hav-

Newly elected Malawian President Peter Mutharika (sitting), a young brother of the former late President Bingu wa Mutharika, signs a document as he takes an oath of office at the High Court, in Blantyre, Malawi… yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP

US Soldier Freed By Taliban US soldier who has been A held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly five years has been freed in deal that includes the release of five Afghan detainees, US officials say.

US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, 28, was handed over to US forces in good health, the officials said.

The five Afghan detainees have

AFGHANISTAN been released from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

They were handed over to Qatar, which mediated the transfer.

Sgt Bergdahl was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Officials said he was in good

condition and able to walk. He is expected to be transferred to Bagram Air Field, the main US base in Afghanistan, and then on to the United States.

In a statement, President Barack Obama said Sgt Bergdahl’s recovery “is a reminder of America’s unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield’’.

ing abandoned the Islamic faith, a foreign ministry official says.

Meriam Ibrahim, who gave birth to a daughter in custody, will be freed in a few days’ time, the official said.

Abdullahi Alzareg, an under-secretary at the foreign ministry, said Sudan guaranteed religious freedom and was committed to protecting the woman.

Khartoum has been facing international condemnation over the death sentence.

The UK Foreign Office this week said that it would push for Ms Ibrahim to be released on humanitarian grounds.

Ms Ibrahim, 27, was brought up as an Orthodox Christian, but a Sudanese judge ruled earlier this month that she should be regarded as Muslim because that had been her father’s faith.

She refused to renounce her Christianity and was sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy.

The court said she would be allowed to nurse her baby for two years before the sentence was carried out.

Police Tear Gas Protesters On Taksim Anniversary TURKEY URKISH police have used T tear gas to disperse demonstrators at Istanbul’s Taksim

Square on the first anniversary of last year’s deadly protests there.

Some 25,000 police have been deployed in the city

Washington Accuses Beijing Of Destabilising South China Sea UNITED STATES HE US defence secretary has T accused China of “destabilising” the South China Sea, saying its action threatened the region’s long-term progress.

Chuck Hagel said the US would “not look the other way” when nations ignored international rules.

Mr Hagel was speaking at a three-day summit - the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore - that involves the US and South-East Asian countries.

He also urged Thailand’s coup leaders to restore democratic

rule soon.

The forum comes amid growing tensions between China, Vietnam and the Philippines, with Japan-China ties also strained over disputed islands in the East China Sea. The summit gives senior delegates from the region a chance to meet face-to-face to try to resolve tensions.

“In recent months, China has undertaken destabilising, unilateral actions asserting its claims in the South China Sea,” Hagel said in his address yesterday.

amid calls for nationwide rallies to mark the anniversary.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier urged youths to not take part.

Protests against plans to redevelop Gezi Park in Istanbul turned into mass anti-government rallies after a heavy-handed police response.

A number of people were killed in the unrest, with thousands more injured.

A 64-year-old woman, who fell into a coma after inhaling tear gas during another crackdown on protesters in the capital in December, died on Friday.

Clashes broke out yesterday after protesters marched on Taksim Square despite a government ban on gatherings in force there.

Riot police, water cannons and armoured vehicles were deployed to block access to the square and nearby Gezi Park.

A number of demonstrators have also reportedly been arrested.

Security forces earlier kicked and detained a CNN reporter during a live broadcast from Taksim.

Ivan Watson said in a Twitter post that he and his film crew were “released after half an hour”.

The main organisers behind last year’s Gezi Park protests - Taksim Solidarity have called for a demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary.

Rallies were also expected to take place in several other Turkish cities, including Ankara, Izmir and Antakya.

But Mr Erdogan warned young people not to join, saying: “One year later, people, including so-called artists, are calling for demonstrations, but you, Turkey’s youth, you will not respond to the call.”

Industrialisation Can Help Address Africa’s Market Failures –– Report

By Kamal Tayo Oropo HE 2014 edition of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) flagship report was launched midweek in Pretoria, South Africa, with the unanimous view that industrialisation and diversification is crucial to Africa’s continued development. Aptly themed, “Dynamic Industrial Policy in Africa,” the report outlines several key messages, including the crucial fact that “industrial policy in Africa is essential if we are to address market failures and build capabilities within the continent.”

In remarks at the opening UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa, Mr. Agostinho Zacarias, noted that, “having previously been viewed as a continent rife with uncertainty, the current dominant view is that Africa remains the last of the greatest untapped global markets ripe for rapid growth and development”.

“African countries are growing rapidly, but their growth has been largely non-inclusive; an industrydriven diversification strategy is key to ensuring that future growth is inclusive and not merely commodity-based,” he said.

Zacarias outlined a number of imperatives for Africa to embark on its industrialisation agenda, including top-level coordination of industrial policy frameworks, platforms for public-private dialogue, addressing skills deficiencies, and recognizing the importance of innovation policies and linking-in with global value chains.

Implementation of the key findings of Economic Report on Africa (ERA) 2014 is the vital next step, and he affirmed that “UNDP and the UN system in general stand ready to work with ECA, the African Union Commission and African countries”.

In presenting the findings of ERA 2014, Mr. Adam ElHiraika, Director of ECA’s Macroeconomic Policy Division, emphasized that “with effective industrial policies, Africa’s growth can be translated into enhanced structural transformation and social development”. Contrary to the common narrative, Africa’s growth is not commodity-dependent, and is rather the outcome broad-based growth in a variety of sectors. For too long, African countries were told to focus solely on natural resources, but now countries are re-examining the potential of industrialization to yield inclusive and sustainable growth.

However, said Elhiraika, “industrial policy has not been sufficiently effective in Africa because governments rely on a set of incentives that are rigid, not flexible and not attractive enough.”

Furthermore, it was noted that inequality is a large and growing problem across the continent, and that governments must seriously address these issues while pursuing an industrialization agenda.

Elhraika presented the report’s outcomes, listing the requirements for a successful industrial policy framework. These include among others, the need for the framework to be dynamic and organic, to foster continuous dialogue between the country’s public and private sector, and the assurance of high level coordination and political support from the country’s government.

In response to the report, Mr. Garth Strachan of the Industrial Development Division at the Department of Trade and Industry concurred that Africa as the new global growth frontier “has become a new buzzword in academia and other circles, as has the notion that industrial policy has come back into vogue”.

Yet, stressed Strachan, we need to have a better analysis and understanding of the impact of the “blueprint approach” towards industrial policy, and the impact of liberalization agendas have had on aspirations for industrialization.

In addressing the Continent’s potential, Mr. Strachan noted that an industrial policy, which ignores Africa’s resource endowment is not complete.

“Early industrializers used their resource endowment – whether it was the United States, Europe or others – for a host of industrial policy efforts”, he said.

Strachan stressed that policy coherence is a central issue for Africa’s success in industrial policy. He highlighted successful capacity building programmes, such as support the Department of Trade and Industry is providing to the Nigerian automobile sector.

Executive Director of Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, Ximena Gonzalez-Nunez, honed in on the issue of regional integration. She noted that the issue of regional integration is a political one, and that we need to examine how industrial policy, which is more national and firm-oriented in nature, can fit into this mix. She challenged ECA and those in attendance to address “what kind of framework does one use to identify opportunities, engage firms and pursue a practical regional integration agenda?”

T

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

62 | Sunday, June 1, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sports RGUABLY England’s best-ever goalkeeper, Peter Shilton A undoubtedly ranks as one of greatest players to have pulled on the Three Lions shirt.

Not only is Shilton his country’s record cap-holder with 125 across 19 years, he has appeared at three successive FIFA World Cups™ – helping England achieve their best finish away from home by reaching the Italy 1990 semi-finals – and won back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest on the way to over 1000 club appearances.

While his achievements are plentiful, Shilton also remains synonymous with England’s defeat to Argentina at Mexico 1986, featuring the ‘Hand of God’ goal by Diego Maradona.

His relationship with that iconic moment was discussed in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com that also covered his experiences at the World Cup and England’s chances at Brazil 2014.

FIFA.com: Your first appearance at a World Cup was at Spain 1982. What are your memories of that?

Peter Shilton: I had a good World Cup as we only let in one goal in five games and we went home on a league basis unbeaten. In a funny way that was quite disappointing and weird, as we had not lost a game. Then of course 1986 was blighted by the Hand of God situation and Italia 90, when we needed a bit of penalty shoot-out luck. overall I feel my World Cup record is fairly good. Fabian Barthez holds the record for games played to goals conceded, but I probably would have got the record if it wasn’t for Diego Maradona. My biggest disappointment in my career was actually not qualifying in 1973. Not to qualify for that World Cup and have to wait eight years at that point in my career was a massive blow.

Looking back to that Argentina game in 1986 and the ‘Hand of God’, how has it been being linked with such an infamous part of football history for so long?

Having had the successful career that I did, the game gets highlighted for all the wrong reasons. I do a lot of speaking around the world, and I do talk about that incident, people remember it and with the work I do it’s not a bad thing. It’s very disappointing in some ways that people do remember the incident.

Can you still picture how the goal came about, or have repeatedly seeing the TV images of the last 28 years blurred the memory somewhat?

No, no. I think Maradona just took a chance, he knew he wasn’t getting the ball. In a situation like that everybody’s just looking at the officials to give the right decision, which is just a free-kick, and Argentina don’t lose anything because they get everyone back behind the ball. It’s one of those situations that you just pray you are going to get a free-kick, carry on playing and keep the score 0-0. It was the most important goal in the game, the first goal, because it was a tight game up to then.

And there was never any doubt?

Yes, there was not. I was going to just knock the ball away – I wasn’t getting a totally clean punch – as Maradona was favourite for the ball, he was running in and I had to go from a standing position. I think the fact that he didn’t head it and put it in with his hand tells the story that he knew I was going to get the ball and just took a chance, like any striker does. I think the England team and the country as a whole was cheated in that moment.

The incident has become a bit of a long-running saga between you and Maradona since.

I just think it’s left a bad taste, because of the way he dealt with it after the game. I think after the game you should just say ‘sorry, I got away with it really and the officials should have seen it’. That’s the thing, Maradona never did that.

It wasn’t until recently that he actually admitted putting it in with his hand. These things happen, the referee’s at fault and the linesman’s at fault. I wouldn’t blame Maradona for doing it, because Gary Lineker – who is one of the best sportsmen in the world – said he would have put it in with his hand, it’s just one of those things strikers do. What I do find leaves a sour taste is his reaction after the game.

What was it like seeing the second goal unfold, where you anxious when Maradona picked the ball from his own half?

I think mentally our team was really on a low, I think we’d realised we were 1-0 down after being cheated with a goal that should have been disallowed. I think mentally we were subdued and I do think that had an effect on the second goal. Although Maradona ran from the half-way line, in effect he shouldn’t have even been

Maradona scoring ‘Hand Of God’

Shilton: I Don’t Blame Maradona For ‘Hand of God’ Goal allowed the ball.

I think Glenn Hoddle, one of our players, was tackled around the waist by an Argentine, then the ball broke to Maradona. I think after that moment he didn’t actually beat too many people, I think he beat Terry Fenwick on the edge of the box – who had been booked – but his finish at the end was pure quality that you would expect from a world-class player.

Were you all driven by that game four years later?

Yes, definitely. It was going to be my last chance in a World Cup. You dream of winning a World Cup and want to do everything you can. I just think you look back on certain things. There was a game against Egypt, when they had a great chance at 0-0 and the player should have scored. You think if that had have gone in we would have gone home.

Those are the little bit of luck that you get sometimes, and we also had that against Cameroun. Then you think your luck’s in, but unfortunately it just turned again against the Germans All three knockout games went to extra-time, do you think that was starting to take its toll in the Germany game?

No, I think the Germans, for the first time against my team, were on the back foot in the last period of extra-time and were settling for penalties. I think we were really in the ascendancy.

They are proven as the best in the world at taking penalties, they’ve got this attitude and this mentality. I only faced four penalties but every one was hit like a rocket into the corner, you just hope you’re going to get a bit of luck. Stuart Pearce hit the ball almost straight at Bodo Illgner and Chris Waddle blazed it over the bar.

Given the chance, would you have swapped your two European Cups for a World Cup? oh, definitely. After last winning it in 1966 at home - which I do feel was an advantage, but they still won it. To have won it away from England would have been the ultimate. It just

wasn’t to be, you do your best and everything you can. There’s only one World Cup and it’s every four years, so it’s not the easiest trophy to win.

Is being part of the side to have England’s best performance since 1966 a particular highlight of your career?

You never like to lose semi-finals, but when we came back to England we had a massive crowd – I think 200, 000 or 300, 000 fans came out at Luton Airport. We thought we were just going to get into the cars, go to the hotel, then go home. We were astounded with the reaction of everybody. I think the whole country was very proud, but we all looked at each other as if to say, ‘What would have happened if we had won it?’ But you can’t change history, and I am proud about being the best we’ve ever done away from home, although I’m hoping the boys in this World Cup might better that.

Are you optimistic about England’s chances?

Yes, definitely optimistic. But for the first time, I’m not 100 per cent sure about where it’s going to go as Roy Hodgson has changed the squad around quite a bit and has got a lot of young talent in there, but also one or two players who haven’t played in World Cups. And obviously we aren’t used to the conditions in South America.

How do you feel about England being dealt a tough group, with Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica?

I think in a way it could be a blessing that we know we have to be on our A-game right from the word go. Italy in Manaus, that’s probably the best time to play in the toughest conditions any team will face in the World Cup. The first game is when we are going to be at our freshest, so we may be able to cope with the conditions better than in the second or third game. Italy are also notoriously slow starters, I think.

Any particular goalkeeper you’re looking forward to seeing at this World Cup? I’ve always been a big fan of Gianluigi Buffon, but I hope he doesn’t play well in the first game. I think the World Cup is the best time to judge the keepers. Chile’s Claudio Bravo (against England at Wembley in 2013) looked like an international outfield player when the ball was passed back to him, he was passing the ball 30 or 40 yard balls into midfield. I just want to see if he’s confident enough to do that in a World Klose Cup.

Saturday, June 1, 2014 63

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

SPORTS Countdown To Brazil 2014 World Cup

Van Persie, Sneijder, Robben In Netherland’s Final Squad ATRICK van Aanholt, the P Chelsea left-back who has spent the last two years on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, has been dropped from the final Netherlands squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

Karim Rekik, Tonny Vilhena, Quincy Promes, Jean-Paul Boetius and goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet were also cut from the party, which will travel to Brazil as coach Louis van Gaal trimmed his preliminary squad to 23.

Rafael van der Vaart has already been ruled out of the tournament through injury.

Van Gaal has included 10 players from the Eredivisie, including five from Feyenoord, and six based in England.

Netherlands squad Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Tim Krul (Newcastle),

Michel Vorm (Swansea) Defenders: Daley Blind (Ajax), Daryl Janmaat (Feyenoord), Terence Kongolo (Feyenoord), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Joel Veltman (Ajax), Paul Verhaegh (Augsburg), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord) Midfielders: Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Leroy Fer (Norwich), Jonathan De Guzman (Swansea), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven) Forwards: Memphis Depay (PSV), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Dirk Kuijt (Fenerbahce), Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev), Robin van Persie (Manchester United), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich).

Sturridge Form Key To England’s Success, Says Gerrard Gerrard believes SbeTEVEN Daniel Sturridge’s form will key to England’s progress in the World Cup after his Liverpool team-mate’s manof-the-match performance helped guide the Three Lions to a comfortable victory over Peru.

After an uninspiring start, Sturridge scored a delightful opener in the 32nd minute, curling a sweet left-footed shot into the top corner from just outside the box.

That paved the way for England to add some gloss to

the scoreline after half-time, with centre-backs Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka converting corners from Leighton Baines.

Sturridge led the line for England, having sometimes been deployed as a wide-man

by Roy Hodgson, and he rewarded his manager by converting his prolific club form to the international stage.

The 24-year-old notched 27 goals last season, and Gerrard - his captain for club and country - was not surprised by Sturridge’s latest stunning strike.

Greater Tomorrow Wins MRS U-12 Kids Cup

By Daniel Anazia HE Campus mini stadium in Lagos came alive during the week as the final of the second edition of the MRS U-12 Kid’s Cup competition climaxed. The competition, which started on May 11with 64 teams, saw the first, second, third and the fourth positions going home with various rewards.

The final between Greater Tomorrow Academy FC,

T

Ebute-Meta, and De-Grace FC, Lagos Island thrilled all spectators present at the stadium.

It ended in favour of Greater Tomorrow Academy.

Speaking at the venue, the Managing Director of the MRS, Paul Bissohong, commended the organisers, the National Youth Soccer Association, saying that it is imperative for Nigeria to develop their players from their tender age.

Torres

Van Persie

Costa, Torres Make Spain’s Final Squad

• Jesus Navas, Alvaro Negredo Dropped IEGO Costa and Fernando Torres have both been included in Spain’s final squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but Manchester City pair Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas were left out.

The Spanish Football Federation announced yesterday that both strikers had made the cut and were in Vicente Del Bosque’s 23-man party for Brazil.

Costa was an injury doubt with a hamstring tear after lasting less than 10 minutes for Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final last Saturday, and still faces a race against time to be fit for Spain’s first game, against the Netherlands, on 13 June.

Torres has experienced a tough season for Chelsea, but

D

Winners of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) ‘Fly me to Brazil’ Promo with the tickets

scored from the penalty spot during La Roja’s 2-0 friendly win over Bolivia on Friday night.

It meant no place for Negredo, while Navas was also left disappointed, along with the likes of Fernando Llorente, Ander Iturraspe, Alberto Moreno and Daniel Carvajal.

Torres’ club-mate, Cesar Azpilicueta, Santi Cazorla of Arsenal, Juan Mata and David de Gea of Manchester United, and City’s David Silva, were all

included, however.

Chile and Australia are the other two teams in the defending champions’ group.

Spain squad Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), David De Gea (Manchester United) Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Raul Albiol (Napoli), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Juanfran

(Atletico Madrid), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea) Midfielders: Xavi (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Juan Mata (Manchester United), David Silva (Manchester City) Forwards: Pedro (Barcelona), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid), David Villa (Atletico Madrid), Fernando Torres (Chelsea).

Players Transfer

Liverpool Make £25m Offer For Lallana IVERPOOL have made a final L offer of £25m for Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana.

The Reds want to complete the deal swiftly or they will consider moving on to alternative transfer targets.

Saints captain Lallana is due to fly to the United States with England today ahead of the World Cup. The 26-year-old played 73 minutes of England’s 3-0 friendly win over Peru at Wembley on Friday, his fourth senior appearance for his country.

Lallana scored nine goals in 38 Premier League appearances in 2013-14 for Southampton, who lost manager Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham on 28 May. Saints finished eighth with 56 points and Lallana’s form earned him a place in the Professional Footballers’ Association Premier League team of the year, along with Luke Shaw.

Lallana, who was spotted by Southampton playing for Bournemouth’s centre of excellence, is wanted by a Liverpool side who narrowly missed out on their first

Premier League title in 24 years.

Brendan Rodgers’ team finished two points behind eventual champions Manchester City, who won their second title in three years.

Lallana came through the Southampton academy, which also produced Gareth Bale,

Theo Walcott and Alex OxladeChamberlain, and has become an integral member of a side that achieved its highest Premier League points total this season.

Southampton must pay 25% of any transfer fee for Lallana to Bournemouth, who sold the midfielder to his current club.

Pastore To Stay At PSG HE agent of Javier Pastore T has brushed aside reports linking his client with a move away from Paris St Germain this summer.

PSG are reportedly willing to listen to offers for the Argentinian playmaker, who made just 18 Ligue 1 starts for the French champions this season.

Pastore moved to PSG from Italian side Palermo in 2011 in a 42million euros transfer deal and has been linked with a return to Serie A, with Roma among the clubs keen to acquire his services.

“There is no possibility that Pastore will return to Italy next season,” Pastore’s agent Marcelo Simonian said to tut-

tomercatoweb.com. “Pastore will remain 100 percent at Paris St Germain.”

The 24-year-old is under contract with the French champions until June 2016.

Pastore

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

French Open Nadal Beats Mayer, As Ivanovic, Kvitova Crash Out EFENDING champion, D Rafael Nadal moved to the second week the French Open without dropping a set as upsets continued in the women’s tournament with the exit of former Grand Slam title holders, Ana Ivanovic and Petra Kvitova.

The top-seeded Spaniard defeated Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 on a sunny day on the main Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros in Paris.

“Always a very emotional thing when I am here on Chatrier, a lot of memories come through my mind,” Nadal said in a court-side interview after extending his win streak at Roland Garros to 31 matches.

Nadal, the top performer in Roland Garros with eight singles titles and only one defeat, was tested in the second set by the hard-hitting Mayer. Trailing 4-2, Mayer won the next three games as he put the Spaniard under pressure with cross-court backhands. Nadal then regained control as he took some pace off his serve and reduced his errors.

Earlier yesterday, the 11thseeded Ivanovic, a former top-ranked player, was beaten 6-3, 6-3 by Czech Lucie Safarova on the Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Ivanovic, the only player to have defeated top-ranked Serena Williams and former winner, Maria Sharapova this season, won Roland Garros in 2008.

Banned English Fans To Hand In Passports ORE than 1,400 football M hooligans in England will have to hand their passports to

Nigeria’s midfielder, Nosa Igiebor (right) vies with Scotland’s striker, Chris Martin during their international friendly match at Craven Cottage in London ahead of the FIFA World Cup .

The game ended 2-2.

PHOTO: AFP

Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup

Bosnia Sends Warning Signal To Super Eagles

By Gowon Akpodonor with agency reports UPER Eagles’ Group F opponent in the Brazil 2014 World Cup, BosniaHerzegovina, has reminded Nigerian soccer fans that the battle for ticket to the second round won’t be an easy one, having secured a 2-1 victory over Cote d’Ivoire in a friendly game.

The Super Eagles who are currently in Philadelphia, USA, preparing for the World Cup, will open their group campaign against Iran on June 16 in the city of Curitiba and then travel to Cuiaba to face Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 21. Nigeria’s last group

S

Beats Elephants 2-1, As Chile Down Pharaohs game is against Argentina in the city of Porto Alegre on June 25.

Some football analysts have suggested that Nigeria and Argentina are favourites to pick the two available tickets in Group F. But Bosnia-Herzegovina took a bold step yesterday in a pre-World Cup friendly, beating Africa’s highest rated team to the Mundial, Cote d’Ivoire 2-1 with Manchester City striker, Edin Dzeko scoring both goals.

Dzeko scored in the 17th and

53rd minutes to set his side on the way to victory with veteran forward, Didier Drogba reducing the deficit in stoppage time for the Ivoirians.

Already, the Netherland and Spain have named their final squad for the World Cup,

while Coach Stephen Keshi is expected to release his final list of 23 players later today or in the early hours of tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Chile fought back from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in Santiago.

Mohamed Salah and Khaled

Kamar had Egypt 2-0 up inside 16 minutes, but Marcelo Diaz pulled one back for the home side before half-time.

Eduardo Vargas then bagged a brace after the interval to hand the home side victory.

Elsewhere, Christian Stuani grabbed the only goal in the 62nd minute as Uruguay claimed a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland.

police in the coming days to stop them going to the World Cup. Passports must be surrendered tomorrow or Tuesday, ahead of the tournament in Brazil, which starts on June 12.

Police said the rule applied to people convicted of footballrelated violence and given a banning order including a condition to hand in their passport. Anyone keeping his or her passport in breach of an order could face court action.

Courts imposing football banning orders have had the power to make people convicted of football-related violence hand in their passports before overseas matches since 2000, and 1,452 are required to do so in the coming days.

Ch Supt Rachel Barber, who will lead the English police delegation in Brazil, said banning the minority of England fans who wanted to “cause disorder” had proved “extremely effective”.

“We are the subject of envy of some of our colleagues across the world for the legislation that we have in the UK,” she said.

Ch Supt Barber, of South Yorkshire Police, said there was a “stigma” attached to England fans based on past incidents and as a result they “may become targets” for hooligans from other countries.

Published by Guardian Newspapers Limited, Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos Tel: 4489600, 2798269, 2798270, 07098147948, 07098147951 Fax: 4489712; Advert Hotline Lagos: 7736351, Abuja: 07098513445 All correspondence to Guardian Newspapers Limited, P.M.B. 1217, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria.

(ISSN NO 0189-5125) Editor: E-mail letters@ngrguardiannews.com ABRAHAM OBOMEYOMA OGBODO • A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation •ABC