The Nation December 28, 2011

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Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

News Judgment day for Jonathan, Buhari at Supreme Court P9 Sport Dutch club terminates Olympic Eagles star’s contract P24 Business Nigeria’s unemployment figure rises by 4.5m annually P11 www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

VOL. 7, NO. 1988 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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Revealed: Victims of Xmas Day bombings 17 Damaturu attack suspects flown to Abuja From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

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EADERS of St. Theresa’s Church, Madalla, near Abuja, have begun the grim but necessary task of listing the dead in Sunday’s suicide bombing. The toll has risen from 26 to 32, it was learnt yesterday. Some of the dead are: Paul Ehis (St. Theresa’s security worker); Joseph Igbla (Just admitted at IBB University); Williams Dike (an oil trader who died with his three children); Inspector Titus Eze (police officer); Sgt. Kadiri Danjuma (policeman); Chioma Obiukwu (student); Ifeoma Obiukwu (student); Uchechukwu Obiukwu (student); Chidinma Obiukwu; Francis Maduka; Jennifer Maduka; and a one year old child. The names of the other victims were not immediately known yesterday. The cleric in charge of the church, the Very Rev. Isaac Achi, said yesterday”: “So far, as at Monday, we can confirm 22 dead, including our church members, motorcyclists and some Muslims, who were probably passing by. “I am going to the hospitals to take stock of the situation. Thereafter, I can still brief you on the casualty figures. “We still have many parishioners, who were injured, in the hospital. We are preoccupied with how to give them the best medical attention.” On those killed, Rev. Achi said: “We intend to give them mass burial, but we have not decided the date. We will make it public when we are ready for the burial. Continued on page 4

INSIDE •President, Sultan meet •Niger governor: Jonathan should go after sponsors •It is sad, says Atiku •Umar: bombings aimed to cause religious war •Bombings irresponsible, says Governor Aregbesola •Comments from TIME magazine and The Telegraph, UK •SEE PAGES 2,3&4

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DISTRESS: Mrs Dike ... yesterday

My agony, by woman who lost husband, five children From Yomi Odunuga, Abuja and Jide Orintunsin, Minna

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OR the family of Williams Dike, Christmas was to be celebrated in a grand style – going by the preparations a week before the day. All was set for the family of seven – husband, wife and five children - to rejoice that another year was gradually coming to an end. They planned

been asking ‘forI have my husband and my children – three boys and two girls – but nobody has been able to tell me where they are.

SOME OF THE DEAD •Paul Ehis (St. Theresa’s security worker) •Joseph Igbla (Just admitted at IBB Varsity, Lapai, Niger State) •Williams Dike (an oil trader who died with his three children) •Inspector Titus Eze (police officer) •Sgt. Kadiri Danjuma (policeman) •Chioma Obiukwu (student) •Ifeoma Obiukwu (student). •Uchechukwu Obiukwu (student) •Chidinma Obiukwu •Francis Maduka •Jennifer Maduka •One year old child SOME OF THE WOUNDED AT GWAGWALADA HOSPITAL •Innocent Okoronkwo •Justina Uche •Chinyere Amaechi •Ifeanyi Emenaha •Chimaera Bright Anthony •Fidelity Onugwu •Chinwere Anthony •Sadiq Idris •Clara Iwuzor NATIONAL HOSPITAL •Paulina Konji •Chukwuma Ume •Christianah Kadri •David Agbo SULEIJA GENERAL HOSPITAL •Ali Sanni (passerby) •Danlami Isa (passerby) •Owen Sylvester •Chore Bello •Esther Agbor •Onugu Fidelia •Most of them in Suleija General Hospital may be evacuated to referral hospitals. MAYOR HOSPITAL, KWAMBA •Sunday Priscilla Edeh •Egeh Christianah LUCAS HOSPITAL, MADALLA •Kochi Egbo DELIGHT HOSPITAL, SULEJA •Roselyn Okeke •Chisom Okoye SUSAN HOSPITAL, SULEJA •Beatrice Otogo •Chukwuegbuka Obiakor •Jennifer Obiakor •Chidera Obiakor SOLACE HOSPITAL •James Francis

’ •SUSPECTED CULT LEADER DIES IN BENIN CITY HOTEL P57 Continued on page 4

Sources: St.Theresa’s Church, Nigeria Police, Hospitals.


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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NEWS XMAS DAY BOMBINGS

• Muslims and Christians at a peace meeting with officials of the state government

• Rev. Father Isaac Achi (left) with another church official praying for peace

After Nigeria’s church bombings: the advent of Christian-Muslim conflict? O

N the blood-splattered front walls of the blasted church, somebody scrawled two messages using wood burnt into charcoal from the flames of the explosion: “Revolution now” and “No more peace in the country.” In the aftermath of the attack by Islamist militants against the Christian sanctuary in Abuja and four other churches in Nigeria, those are the symptoms of a sectarian backlash that Nigerian authorities are most alarmed about. At least 32 people were killed as they poured out of the packed Christmas morning mass in St. Theresa’s church, near the capital Abuja, Interior Minister Abba Moro Told TIME. Four other bombs elsewhere in the country took at least three lives. Boko Haram, a group whose aim is to impose a strict interpretation of Muslim Shar’ia law on Africa’s most populous country, took credit for the attacks. A third of Nigerian states already have Shar’ia law. Authorities are now battling to keep a lid on the bubbling threat of a sectarian civil conflict that would pitch one half of Nigeria’s population of 155-million against the other. “The fact that Christian facilities were bombed was intended primarily to provoke Christians into attack-

ing Muslims,” Interior Minister Moro told TIME. “We have appealed to our Christian brothers for them not to do so.” But two days after the bombing, the area around St. Theresa remained tense as angry young men loitered just beyond military cars patrolling the area. “If the government cannot protect us, we will take revenge by ourselves,” said Josiah Agbo, 18, whose mother was killed in the blast. He left only after a priest from St. Theresa took to the streets urging Christians not to attack Muslims. In a country where religious leaders wield enormous power, Muslim counterparts in the powerful Sokoto and Kano caliphates — which are what the country’s historic Islamic communities are called — likewise denounced the bombings. “The people lying in hospitals after the Christmas bombs were ...Muslims and Christian,” Interior Minister Abba said. “Boko Haram aren’t aliens from another planet. People know who they are. We want to draw members of the public into sharing that information to prevent future attacks.” He said two arrests in connection with the Christmas bombing were made because of just such collaboration. But there have been almost 500 deaths in near-daily bomb blasts and shootouts in the predominantly Muslim northeast this year alone. And Boko Haram (a name that means “Non-Islamic Education is Sacrilege” in the north-

Nigeria in turmoil

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HE problem is that the Nigerian state shows no sign of being able to contain this threat to its existence. The line where the Muslim north of Africa meets the Christian/animist south has long been a sectarian battleground. Think of Sudan before it split into two, or the attacks on Christians in Ethiopia last March. Even more volatile is the religious divide in Nigeria, where on Christmas Day a bomb killed at least 35 people outside a Roman Catholic church near the capital, Abuja. The country has been plagued by sectarian violence, with both sides guilty of atrocities, for over a decade. But a new and deeply disturbing factor is the role played by Boko Haram, an Islamist sect that

would impose Islamic law throughout the federation and during this year alone has been responsible for attacking the UN headquarters in Abuja, destroying a police station at Damaturu in the northeastern state of Yobe, assassinating several prominent individuals and now these bombings. Tension over land rights and ethnic background as well as religious differences have contributed to civil unrest in Nigeria. Boko Haram’s motivation is, by contrast, purely ideological and directed as much at Muslims who do not share their extreme views as at Christians. Their name in Hausa means “Western

ern Hausa language) at times seems perilously close to plunging the country into a chaos. “The Islamic militants want Nigeria to be an Islamic republic like Iran but we may end up becoming a Sudan or Somalia if the violence continues at this pace and scale,” says activist Shehu Sani, who heads the Civil Rights Congress of Nigera and led attempts to mediate a ceasefire with the group. “It all depends on the ability of the leadership to handle the crisis.”

A diplomat who requested anonymity told TIME that Boko Haram had splintered into different factions prepared to use varying degrees of force. In a December report, a report by the U.S. congress said that Boko Haram had morphed from homegrown criminals to international terrorists with the capability of forging international links. Boko Haram spokespersons have claimed members have travelled as far east as Somalia, where Al-

education is a sin” and they are suspected of links with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Before his death last May, Osama bin Laden identified Nigeria as a key arena of sectarian warfare. The Christmas Day attacks have been condemned by both Pope Benedict XVI and Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General. The problem is that the Nigerian state, at best incompetent and under continuing weak leadership, shows no sign of being able to contain this growing threat to its existence. Given the large number of Nigerians in Britain, the Government is also rightly concerned that rivalries back home could spill over into this country. •Culled from The Telegraph of United Kingdom Shabab militants have shared financing and techniques. In December, a serving senator for Boko Haram’s home state of Borno state was charged with financing the organisation. He denied the charges and has been released on bail. Countries such as the United States, France and the United Kingdom are stepping up assistance to Nigeria in areas such as explosives forensics and intelligence-gathering, one of the country’s military spokesperson said. “How

does one keep one step ahead of not just one but all these groups? That is what we in Nigeria, just like in developed nations, need to work out,” the spokesperson added. “Some people see Boko Haram as the right irritant to sting the government into action over poverty and corruption,” says Sani the activist. For some, however, the response from Nigeria’s ruling elite has often seems lackluster. “Still not a single [senior] government has visited,” Josiah said at St Theresa’s church. “It’s always the same. They are too busy with themselves to bother with us.” Some of the Boko Haram mayhem can be traced back to the government. Its attempts to crush the group in 2009 led to the killing of Boko Haram’s then-leader and 900 deaths as sectarian riots erupted. The move may have further radicalized the organization, pushing its leadership underground and into neighboring countries. Meanwhile, the Muslim elite is grumbling over the ascendency of President Goodluck Jonathan — a southern Christian. His succession to the office ended an unwritten agreement that the highest office should rotate between north and south every two terms. A former university lecturer, Jonathan was dubbed the Accidental President by the local press after he succeeded Umaru YarAdua, a Muslim, who died midway through his first term in 2010. The following year, Jonathan ran successfully for office.

Bombings by sect irresponsible, condemnable, says Aregbesola

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said the Christmas Day bombing in Madalla, Niger State, is a sad, irresponsible and condemnable act, which has no justification in Islam. Addressing a retreat of Nasrul-lahi-l-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo, the state capital, the governor urged genuine Muslims to condemn the sect’s action as ungodly and dastardly. He said as a Muslim, he was outraged by the action of the bombers, which he noted was not justifiable by any religious teaching or doctrine. Aregbesola said no genuine Muslim should accept the activities of the Boko Haram sect in the name of Islam.

Expressing displeasure over the incident, the governor noted that even in a war situation, women, children and even the dead are protected. He said the killings and maiming by the sect must not be tolerated anymore. Aregbesola condemned those hiding under the guise of waging a religious war (Jihad) on defenceless people, saying Islam has never been a tool of oppression, exploitation, crisis or chaos. He said: “The time has come for Muslims and indeed NASFAT, as the most educated and organised Islamic organisation, to urgently convene a national summit where the meaning and implications of Jihad in a modern state like Nigeria will be spelt out.”

This national summit, the governor posited, should involve Islamic scholars, leaders and groups from all parts of the country. He noted that NASFAT is the most appropriate Islamic group to convey the summit because of its large following. Aregbesola warned that if NASFAT and other Islamic groups fail to urgently address the issue, the outrageous acts of the Boko Haram sect would rub off negatively on Islam and Muslims. The governor also addressed the 13th annual National Conference of another Islamic group, the Jamaatu Tawunun, in Iwo, Osun State. He warned those hiding under the guise of propagating Islam but are terrorising innocent civilians and causing violence to stop using the name of Allah to kill.


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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

NEWS XMAS DAY BOMBINGS

•A general prayer at the church.

• Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu (second left) inspecting the scene of the explosion at Madalla.

Aliyu to Jonathan: go after Boko Haram sponsors N

IGER State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to fish out the sponsors of the Boko Haram Islamic sect and punish them for their evil activities. The governor prayed that the nation’s political leadership and security agencies would have the courage to take decisive action against sponsors of the dreaded group to end the incessant bombings across the country. He spoke after visiting the families of the victims of the Christmas Day bombing at St.

From Yomi Odunuga and Jide Orintunsin, Minna

Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla. Aliyu said it is high time the sponsors of the Islamic sect were told that “enough is enough”. The governor, who was on his first visit to the scene of the Sunday blast, said: “I pray that God will give Mr. President, all of us in leadership position and security agencies, the courage to take the right decision and to declare to the sponsor of this dastard acts that enough is enough. “The sponsors are out there.

It is high time. We must go out and get them. What happened here at Madalla should be the catalyst for ending Boko Haram insurgence in the country.” Urging victims of the explosion to avoid retaliation, Aliyu noted that through vengeance, “you will be falling into the plan of these evil perpetrators”. The governor described the sponsors and perpetrators as “terrorists” who sought to gain public attention by creating fear, disunity and chaos. He said Nigerians must rise

up against them, cautioning, however, against retaliation. Aliyu said: “We should not fall into their trap by retaliating, because it will lead to a vicious circle. If we retaliate, we are taking the place of God. Let us allow the law to take its course.” Aliyu, who was in company of his deputy, four members of the National Assembly, Speaker of the House of Assembly and members of the State Executive Council, assured victims of the explosion of government’s assistance. “We shall ensure that those

Tinubu urged to convey stakeholders’ meeting for President

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HE National Chairman of the National Action Council (NAC), Dr Olapade Agoro, has appealed to the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to convey a stakeholders’ dialogue to assist President Goodluck Jonathan tackle the Boko Haram religious sect. In a statement yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, over the Christmas Day bombing of a church in Madalla, Niger State, the politician noted that Boko Haram’s activities have gone beyond the capacity of the Jonathan administration. He argued that a leading opposition figure like Tinubu needs to convey a national summit where strategies that can prevent a religious war in Nigeria would be adopted. Agoro said the dialogue would enable stakeholders to curtail the dangerous dimension the activities of the group

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

are assuming. The statement reads: “The birth of Jesus Christ, annually, is the manifestation of the love of God towards men. The bombing of Christ’s church on Christmas Day by sons and daughters of Satan in Madalla, Niger State, which claimed so many innocent lives, came with meanings that the national security situation, now bloody, has gone far beyond the capability of the Jonathan administration. “Torching of churches, homes and shops owned by Christians in some states in the North and with threats of more yet to come, leading to Christian adherents taking flight to safety in other areas of the country is beyond what could be simply termed the ordinary “Boko Haram” insurgency but an unnecessary invitation with capable intendment leading to a religious war.

Agoro also urged Jonathan to learn from the job creation initiatives of ACN governors, adding that the devil finds jobs for idle hands. He said: “If only President Jonathan could be wise enough to spend half of the N950 billion he has appropriated for non-achievable security to copy the great examples of the stratagem set by Governors Abiola Ajomobi (Oyo); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), on job provision and employment generation, this would have gone a long way in eliminating or reducing the readily available free hands for the devil’s workshop of the Boko Haram insurgents and other agents of death in the land.” “Before Christians are called upon to… arm themselves with all means of defensive acts and actions, it calls on right-thinking oppo-

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Christmas Day bombing of churches in the North. Scores of worshippers died and many other injured in the bombings. The governor noted that evil days lie ahead for the nation, if the bombers do not change. He described the Christ-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

mas Day bombing as a dastardly act against humanity, urging rational beings among religious and ethnic groups to condemn the perpetrators. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Eni Akinsola, the governor said the bombers’ activities thrive on the absence of a national consensus to condemn their lack

of feelings for the sacred lives of fellow beings. Beyond the immediate condemnation by the elite, which the governor said is pretentious, he said the elite go about fuelling the embers of discord and sharpening the edges of the ethnic differences across the country. Mimiko said: “There is no reason, sound enough; no justification, logical enough; and

Theresa’s Catholic Church, Rev. Father Isaac Achi told the governor that 22 bodies of his members were picked up after the explosion, besides those who died in the hospital. Achi said the Boko Haram insurgence, which started as political, has become religious. He urged the government to suppress the activities of the sect, saying: “Boko Haram is a group; it cannot be more than the government. A decisive action should be taken against the group.”

It is sad, says Atiku

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•Tinubu

sition political leader to be led by Asiwaju Tinubu …to quickly summon an emergency meeting of all stakeholders in Lagos, where we must meet to save the situation and prevent the potential self-annihilation dangerously confronting us. “…The security situation has run too wild out of control of President Goodlck Jonathan. He needs our help, and we must be ready to help.”

Dangers ahead with bomb attacks, says Mimiko NDO State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has condemned the

who suffer loss as a result of the explosion are compensated. All the damaged buildings shall be properly reconstructed,’’ Aliyu said. It was at that point that his attention was drawn to a woman, Mrs. Chioma Dike who lost her husband and five children to the bomb blast. Moved by the development, the governor set up an inter-ministerial special committee with the Chairman Suleja local government as member to carry out assessment and recommend how victims can be assisted. The Parish Priest of St.

no injustice, grave enough, to warrant recourse to such grave tactics as bombing and mass murder. “Nigerians should rise above politics and the quest for political relevance and see how to fashion out a credible preventive as well as response mechanism to those who have deliberately chosen violence as a means of pursuing their cause, whatever it is.”

ORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar yesterday decried the Christmas Day bombings. In statement by his Media Office, Atiku commiserated with the families of victims of the bombings and wished the injured quick recovery. He warned that violence can lead to retaliation, adding that more innocent Nigerians would suffer, if this is not prevented. The statement reads: “The former Vice-President, while condemning the callous destruction of lives in the violence at Madalla, Gudaka, Damaturu, Maiduguri and Jos, said there is no cause that could

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

justify the snuffing out of innocent lives. “It can also lead to the erosion of confidence in an organised society and the government setting the stage for anarchy. It is precisely the time when our support for the authorities needs to be at its strongest.” He urged Nigerians, without bias for religion or ethnicity, to be good, kind and supportive of one another in this difficult period. Atiku called for greater respect for the sanctity of life in different cultures and religions.

Umar: Bombings aimed to cause religious war By Leke Salaudeen

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ORMER Military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Umar (rtd.) has said the bombing of churches in Madalla, Niger State; Jos, Plateau State; and Damaturu, Yobe State, on Christmas Day was an attempt by the Boko Haram sect to plunge Nigeria into a religious war. He said: “The ultimate goal of the perpetrators of the dastardly act is to sow the seeds of disaffection between Muslims and Christians and as well as destabilise the country.” Rather than succumb to the evil machination of the sect, the former governor urged Muslims and Chritians to unite and confront the threat against the nation‘s unity and security. “We should not engage in discrimination that can divide this country, which is the ulterior motive of those behind the senseless killings of innocent people. “We must, as faithful Muslims and Christians, confront this threat to our national unity and well-being by forging a united front against destructive agents in our midst. “It goes without saying that all true believers – particularly Muslims and Christians - whose religions emphasise peaceful co-existence, are shocked by the bombings of churches and other places in northern Nigeria on, of all days, Christmas.”


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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

NEWS XMAS DAY BOMBING S

Sultan condemns bombing after meeting with President

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ORTY-EIGHT hours after the blast at St Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, near Abuja in which 32 people died, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, was at the President Villa yesterday to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan. The Boko Haram Islamic sect, which has been responsible for major suicide bombings across the North, has claimed responsibility for the incident. The Sultan is the head of the Islamic community in Nigeria. Yesterday’s meeting resolved to call for a larger meeting involving religious and traditional rulers to seek a lasting solution to the increased deadly activities of Boko Haram. National Security Adviser (NSA) Gen. Andrew Azazi (rtd), who attended the meeting, admitted the inability of the security agencies to police all the nooks and crannies of the country. Condemning the bombings, the Sultan told State House reporters that members of the Boko Haram sect are evil. He said: “We came in here to commiserate with Mr. President over the unfortunate incident that happened at this period. We have had a very positive meeting with Mr. President on so many things and how to move this country forward, how to make our country stable and to approach those challenges that are facing Nigeria. “I want to assure all Nigerians that there is no conflict between Christians and Moslems, between Islam and Christianity. It is a conflict between evil people and good people and the good people are more than the evil doers. The good people must come together to defeat the evil ones and that is the message. We want to assure all our Christian brothers and leaders that we stand on the part of truth, according to our religion; we will continue to work Insha Allahu, for the greatness of this country.” On the way out of the bombings, the Sultan said the

Revealed: Victims of Xmas Day bombing Continued from page 1

•President Jonathan (left) and Sultan of Sokoto ... yesterday

Oritsejafor: security agents not sincere

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ATIONAL President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor yesterday bemoaned the Christmas Day bombing at the St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State. Pastor Oritsejafor said Nigerians need to be saved from the hands of those he called vampires. He described the incident as “a big shame”, saying evil persons are causing tension and apprehension in the country. He urged God to visit the perpetrators with fire and thunder. He said: “I condemn it with the anger in me. The perpetrators are worst than animals. In fact, they are not fit to be called human beings. I believe that if man fails to catch up with them, God will catch up with them mercilessly.” On security, Pastor Oritsejafor, founder of the Word of Life Bible Church, who poke in Warri, said: “The truth is that security system is not effective the way it ought to be. There are lots of security lapses. Government should spend more money to upgrade the equipment and gadgets used by security operatives because the hoodlums, including Boko Haram sect men, are using sophisticated weapons which our security outfits cannot match. “Besides, we cannot have good security system without sound information gadgets. We have fundamental problems. government will look at all the reports of some committees set up to examine the crises in the land. They, according to the Sultan, “include the one set up by the President on

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri and Kelvin Osa- Okunbor, Lagos

One of them is that our security agents have been polarised along religious lines. Some of them are protecting their religion to the detriment of their lawful duty. Some security agents are even collaborating with the wicked people that are destroying others.” Also speaking at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, the CAN President said Christians are not second class citizens in the country to be treated the way Boko Haram members are attacking them. He said Christian leaders will meet to fashion a way to bring the orgy of violence to an end. He denied calling for reprisal attacks saying only cowards hide under cover to unleash violence on people. Oristejajor said: “There have been calls for Christians to defend themselves. If you are the one will you not defend yourself? “Why should a man enter your house and kill you? “Why should mad people go to church and blow it up. “People who say they are Boko Haram, who are those sponsoring them? They are worse than animals. Boko Haram and their sponsors are cowards. If they are not cowards, they should come out to the public, and identify themselves. “I have many things to say, but I cannot talk now because I want to meet with other leaders for proper discussions before we know what to do. I think any normal and well-meaning Nigerian will condemn what has happened because it just does not make sense. “Did you see the one-year-old child whose head was blown off? So, you will do that and you will say God has helped you to do something?” he said.

the Northeast crisis, also the Solomon Lar report on the Plateau and other reports and, at the resumption of work, Mr. President and his team will look through all

those reports and then call a meeting of a larger body for consultations with religious and traditional leaders.” Continued on page 10

“We want those in hospitals to be stable or to have considerably recovered before the mass burial.” As at last night, the church was busy compiling the list of the dead, those injured in various hospitals and carrying out an inventory of houses/property destroyed. A church worker, simply referred to as Modestus, was conducting the inventory, in collaboration with some NEMA officials, led by Mr. Ishaya Chinoko. Modestus said: “We are still compiling the list of victims, the injured and items destroyed by the explosions. I cannot give you any exact figure now.” The church has opted for a mass burial for the victims, but the cleric in charge of the Parish, the Very Rev. Isaac Achi, yesterday said no date has been fixed. Also yesterday, it was learnt that 17 Boko Haram suspects behind the Boko Haram (western education is a sin) bombings in Damaturu, Yobe State have been flown to Abuja. All the suspects are being kept in an isolated cell by the Police under heavy security. Some of them, it was gathered, have admitted their involvement in the killing of an Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations), Ibrahim Abubakar and the Officer-inCharge of the Mobile Police Unit in Yobe State, Superintendent Kabir Musa. Rescue agencies have deposited 32 bodies of the Christmas Day bombing at the State House Clinic, Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, and National Hospital morgues in Abuja. More than 40 others are being attended to in three referral hospitals. There is a high demand for blood transfusion. A source in the National Emergency Management Agency, who spoke in confidence, said: “Although we will prefer the hospitals man-

My life is empty, says woman who lost husband, five children Continued from page 1

to start the day by thanking God in church and round it off with a family get-together. It was never to be. All but the woman of the house were set for the 6:30 am mass to celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. She stayed behind when others were leaving to enable her perfect the celebration of the day. She bid them bye with a promise to be set for the second mass. And that was the last time she set her eyes on her family members. All of them, except Mrs Dike, the woman of the house, were consumed in the Christmas bombings that ravaged the St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State. Mrs. Dike, who has cried herself to a state of stupor since Sunday, was a pitiable

sight yesterday. Some family members brought her to the church when Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu visited the church and victims of the blast. She said: “I have lost my husband and my children. I have lost all. My life is empty and void. I don’t know where to go now. No husband and no child; where do I start my life? Somebody should tell me I am dreaming.” Clad in a red and ox-blood skirt and blouse under a blue sweater, the Imo State-born housewife and mother of three boys and two girls spent the better part of the interview asking rhetorical questions. Nobody in the congregation, not even her husband’s relations could venture to answer her questions, because no one has answer for her.

When she was calm, our correspondent asked: “How did it happen?” “My brother, I cannot say how it happened. My husband and my five children left home for early mass. I stayed behind to perfect preparation for Christmas celebration, only for me to hear a loud sound and when I inquired, I learnt it was a bomb blast in our church. I ran to the church and behold all I saw was my husband’s burnt car. “I did not know what to do or who to ask about the whereabouts of my husband and children. All I recalled was that some people just came and carried me out of the church premises. I have been asking for my husband and my children, three boys and two girls, but nobody has been able to tell me where

“My brother, I cannot say how it happened. My husband and my five children left home for early mass. I stayed behind to perfect preparation for Christmas celebration, only for me to hear a loud sound and when I inquired, I learnt it was a bomb blast in our church. I ran to the church and behold all I saw was my husband’s burnt car.” they are. “Though I was told that my first son, Martins, is in Kubwa Hospital and Favour, his sister, is said to be at National Hospital in Abuja. The fact is I have not seen any of them since they left home on Sunday. Please, let the Presi-

dent and the Governor help me look for my family members,” Mrs Dike pleaded. Surrounded by family members, the bereaved woman was pensive. She often burst into tears as she spoke. “Where am I going to start from? I have no work, no husband, what is my future?” she asked her husband’s younger brothers who were with her. When it was time to take her home, Mrs Dike, who had agreed to leave, suddenly stopped when she got to the spot where she found her husband’s burnt car. After a few seconds, she cried out in her local language, “Williams, ebee k’ino din. Darling, ebee k’ino” (Williams, where are you? Darling, where are you?). It took the persuasive power of her relations to move her off the spot.

aging and releasing the figures, I can tell you that we were able to deposit 32 bodies in three hospitals. We have the records. “You will recall that on Monday, we rolled out an official figure of 26, but this is the situation as at Tuesday. “There are many lying critically ill in some hospitals and the government is doing its best to give them adequate care. “I believe there is hope for the living victims with better care as it is now.” The last members of suspected Boko Haram bombers in Yobe were ferried into Abuja on Monday. Although two more suspects were apprehended in Yobe, they have not been brought to Abuja. Those in custody are in detention in an isolated cell under Police custody. A source said: “We have put them in an isolated cell under heavy security surveillance. We made sure that none of them mingles with other detainee and they have no access to cell phones. “The interrogation of the suspects by SARS Unit is ongoing. Some of the suspects have admitted involvement in the killing of some top police officers in Yobe. “We are looking beyond routine interrogation. We want to get to the roots of the bombings. After preliminary interaction with them, other agencies might also be involved. It is going to be a comprehensive investigation.” Also, a fresh manhunt has been launched for what a source described as the new leader of Boko Haram, who is simply called Jafar. The source said: “We are after Jafar who has relocated to Yobe State where he has established some bomb factories and a military base to launch attacks against innocent souls. “The manhunt has started. We are already reaching out to neighbouring countries like Niger and Chad to collaborate with us in this regard. “We have it on good authority and from intelligence gathering that Jafar is now leading this deadly sect.”

•Rev. Achi ... yesterday

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5

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

NEWS Residents of villages around Shell’s Bonga oil field, which recorded a major oil spill on December 21, lament the effect of the spill on their health and livelihood, reports OLUKOREDE YISHAU

‘Bonga spill has turned us into debtors’ L UCKY Tema and Ayeomane Ayela live around the Bonga field, where a major spill occurred on December 21. Both men are fishermen. The spill, they said, has made them unable to fish. The thick slick of crude oil, which has taken over the river, sent the fishes packing. Tema said: “I have been in this fishing camp in Odioama for about 12 years. I am an Ilaje man and fishing is my main occupation; that’s what I do here. As you can see I am just returning from the ocean. If you go into the ocean you will find the thick slick of crude oil floating, tossed here and there by the waves. It is spreading according to the direction of the current. That is what we are seeing even right here at the waterside on St. Nicholas. “As a fisherman, one of the things I know about this crude oil is that, apart from killing aquatic life, it chases away the fishes that used to be around. If our nets get in contact with the crude oil it will stain the nets and, because of the smell and colour, fish will notice and avoid such nets in the water. You can see the little catch that I returned with. This is not how it used to be. Our efforts are yielding far below expectation these days.” Ayela said: “Actually we started noticing this crude oil on the Atlantic a week ago. But it came ashore about two days ago. Oil spills affect our fishing and, this one is not an exception. We used to catch enough fish before but it is difficult now. I go into the ocean almost every day and, since we began experiencing this spill we have been unhappy. If you had come when we had full tide, you would have noticed the crude oil slick all around the waterside. Now the water has ebbed, though you can still see signs of crude oil at the waterfront. We are not happy because it takes extra effort to avoid the slick from contaminating our fishing nets. Once your net has stains of crude oil fishes will run away from the net because they will see it. As you can see we are powerless; we cannot order the government on what to do.” He added: “But I think a responsible government should be able to appreciate our plight and assist us. Because of this kind of situation we are becoming debtors as we hardly even meet up the payment of the fuel we use for our ocean-going boats. We want Shell to clean up the spill and compensate us for loss of livelihood. Our business has been impacted. Bonga fish that used to come to the surface are no more. The company should not deny us of our Bonga with their Bonga Facility.” The Environmental Rights Action (ERA), in a report issued after monitoring the spill site, said the spill affected 923 squre kilometres. Its report reads: “Following an alert from fisherfolk in Odioma community on the discovery of oil slick suspected to be from Shell’s Bonga Field, ERA/FoEN monitors visited the Atlantic shoreline in the company of some of the

•A boat with fishermen and dead fishes...yesterday

“But I think a responsible government should be able to appreciate our plight and assist us. Because of this kind of situation we are becoming debtors as we hardly even meet up the payment of the fuel we use for our ocean-going boats. We want Shell to clean up the spill and compensate us for loss of livelihood”

Senator petitions Appeal Court By Emmanuel Oladesu Deputy Political Editor

SENATOR Ayo Adeseun (Oyo Central)has written a petition challenging the judgement of the Justice Uwa-led panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan on the case brought before it by Chief Bisi Ilaka. The Appeal Court had on November 23 ruled that Ilaka’s petition the election of challenging Adeseun be retried at the lower tribunal. In a letter signed by his lawyer, Oliver Okeke, the senator noted that there were apparent injustice and conspiracy in the judgment. Earlier, the panel had declared that only the tribunal chairman could entertain interlocutory application. It was this pattern and judgment that was followed and applied in the cases of Dr Wale Okediran Vs Agboola Hosea Ayoola, Adeleke Apapa Vs INEC and Adegoke Adewale Vs Sikiru Alli. Adeseun said: “The panel has, through its judgment worsen the matter by overruling an earlier decision by the same court, between the same parties on the same subject, that only the chairman could hear interlocutory applications.

Amosun hailed over appointment of NCP chief

•A river with oil patches in Bonga fishermen where spreading spill was sighted. “Odioama, a Nembe-speaking Ijaw community is on the fringes of the Atlantic Ocean in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and its people have a large number of fisherfolk who derive their livelihood from Atlantic Ocean. “Areas visited by ERA/ FoEN monitors in the company of three community folk - Elder James Sampson aka Ovie Kokori, Danyo Ogoniba and Ayeomane Ayela, included Fish Camp 2 opposite the Varnish Island and St. Nicholas. In the course of the visit, spreading slick was observed close to the coastline of Odioama and along St. Nicholas. More quantity was observed spread out at the Varnish Island. “Shell had, on Wednesday, December 21 announced that some 40,000 barrels of crude had leaked into the Atlantic Ocean from the 200,000 barrels per day Bonga Deep Offshore Oil Fields which it operates on behalf of the Nige-

rian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under a production sharing contract. The field, 120 kilometres southwest of the Niger Delta, was discovered in 1996, with government’s approval for its development given in 2002 and first production in November 2005. The field is run in partnership with Esso (20 per cent), Nigeria Agip (12.5 per cent) and Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited (12.5 per cent) and was built at a cost of $3.6 billion. “The December 21 spill at the Bonga facility is said to have occurred while a vessel was being loaded with crude oil. The River Ramos near Warri is reported to have also been affected by the Bonga spill, while local fishermen in Forcados on Monday (December 26) also raised the alarm about an unreported oil spill that has been on for about two weeks at Otumara in Escravos, Ugborodo area of Delta State. “On Wednesday, December 21, SkyTruth obtained a radar satellite image showing a

PHOTOS: ERA

major oil spill on the waters off the coast of Nigeria. The image, taken at approximately 9:30am local time on December 21, 2011 by the ASAR instrument aboard the Envisat satellite operated by the European Space Agency, reveals a slick covering 923 square kilometres (356 square miles). The image may be viewed and downloaded from the SkyTruth blog. “In the course of the field visit, ERA/FoEN noticed that the spread of the spill continued into Fish Camp 2, behind the community and by the entrance of St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas joins the Atlantic ocean from this point. However, even before visiting Fish Camp 2, the surface of the river showed signs of the slick sheen everywhere. Apart from what was observed in the Ocean, crude oil slick was noticed coming into St. Nicholas.” The group said the Federal Government should make the oil giant properly account for the spill. It said: “The Nigerian government should

compel Shell to state the actual amount of oil spewed from its facility. “We demand that Shell also reveal the names and types of chemical dispersants used in fighting the spill. “More importantly, the Nigerian government, in addition to carrying out an independent investigation of Shell’s claims that only 40,000 barrels of crude was spewed, should make the company pay adequately for the damage done to Odioma Community folk and other affected communities along the Atlantic coast of the Niger Delta. “An independent verification and cleaning up of existing mess (all over the Niger Delta) onshore and offshore should be the focus of NOSDRA and other regulatory agencies. “The international community, especially environmental and rights related groups should join in this just cause to defend the environment and livelihood of the people.

A GROUP, the Yoruba Initiative, has praised Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, for appointing Ogbeni Lanre Banjo as a director of Glanvill and Enthoven Company (GEC) of Nigeria, one of the companies in the Oodua Investment Group of Companies. GEC, which handles all classes of insurance through wholly-owned subsidiary companies, began operations in Nigeria in 1957 during the leadership of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western Region. Banjo, who contested for the governorship of Ogun State in 2003, 2007 and 2011 on the platform of the National Conscience Party (NCP), hails from Sagamu, Ogun State, and is a Certified Public Accountant (Chattered Accountant). Yoruba Initiative, in a statement signed by its President, Dapo Oladapo, said Amosun has demonstrated that the love of Ogun State supersedes party considerations with the appointment of Banjo, who has a tested and long-standing record of public service and contributions. Banjo once served as a policy-making expert for the government of the District of Columbia in the United States and has long sought ways to make contributions to his home state, Ogun and Nigeria. Oladapo in a statement, said Banjo has never lost contact with his place of birth, organising civil actions during the military era in Nigeria from America. According to him, these moves that contributed to the exit of the military from the political scene.


6

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

NEWS Ogun PDP chief kicks against committee •Berates Southwest chair’s action A CHIEFTAIN of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Buruji Kashamu, has condemned the purported appointment of a transition committee for the party. He described the action of the Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipoled Zonal Working Committee (ZWC) as an infraction of the PDP constitution because, according to him, it does not have the power to appoint an ad hoc body in place of the substantive State Executive Committee. His words: “A mere glance at the name of the committee portrays the ZWC of the Southwest as a busy body, one lacking in focus and knowledge of the PDP constitution. The name Transition, Reconciliation and Congress is inherently flawed and incurably contradictory. “The ZWC and even the National Working Committee (NWC) lack the power to dissolve any organ of the party without approval by the NEC. The arrogation of the power to set up the above Committee by the ZWC without approval amounts to usurpation of the function of Zonal Executive Committee under Article 12.54 (a) & (b) of the PDP constitution; hence it is void and illegal. It is very clear from the Article 12.54 (a) & (b) supra that it is only the Zonal Executive Committee that can exercise that power and not the Zonal Working Committee. It is fact that the Zonal Executive Committee has not met in the last one year.” Kashamu criticised insinuations made by Oladipo that the committee was set up to harmonise the various groups in the party, saying the PDP in the state is one united body, “except for a few individuals fomenting trouble for their own selfish desires. “This action is at once deceitful and disrespectful of constituted authority as represented by the NEC of the party. Assuming, without conceding that Article 12.54 (a) of the PDP Constitution empowers the ZWC to set up ad hoc standing committees, such powers must be exercised in accordance with due process, subject to the ratification of the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) and the National Executive Committee (NEC), both of which Bashorun Dayo Soremi, by virtue of his position, is a member. Even the said Article 12.54 (a) limits the powers of the Zonal Executive Committee ‘to harmonise, co-ordinate and review all activities of the party within the zone’.” The party chieftain said Oladipo, who announced the appointment, acted alone with some handpicked members of the Zonal Working Committee and not the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC) of the party, which comprises the party chairmen in the six states of the Southwest, with other notable leaders such as past party chairmen, elected and appointed public officials, among others.

ACN restates opposition to removal of fuel subsidy

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HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday re-stated its opposition to the planned removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, saying the pains that the action will inflict on Nigerians will far outstrip whatever ‘gains’ will accrue therefrom. In a statement in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the clarification of its stand becomes necessary in view of the insinuation by the government’s propaganda machinery that it has secured the support of 40 political parties for the removal of subsidy. ‘’The government should mention the 40 political parties it met on this issue. By the Grace of God, our party is the largest opposition party in the country today. We have not expressed support for the removal of fuel subsidy. ‘’We remain on the side of the people. We feel their pulse and their pains. We believe the removal of fuel subsidy is a great misadventure, and have conveyed our stand on the issue in a letter to the President,

•Party: we stand by the people By Nneka Nwaneri

though we never got a response,’’ it said. ACN also wondered what a government is elected to do, if it is now tying the provision of infrastructure to the removal of fuel subsidy. ‘’President Jonathan did not tell Nigerians, during his electioneering campaign, that his administration will only be able to deliver the dividends of democracy by removing fuel subsidy. Therefore, it amounts to arm twisting the people to say that funds saved from fuel subsidy removal will be used to build roads, hospitals and schools and other expectations from the government. The government should have been honest enough to say it is seeking ways to raise money for governance, and Nigerians would have been glad enough to let it know how to raise money without resorting to a phantom fuel subsidy removal. ‘’Our message to the President is that if he feels he cannot explore other areas to raise

“Our message to the President is that if he feels he cannot explore other areas to raise money for development, like cutting down on government excesses, then he should say so clearly and leave the stage...” money for development, like cutting down on government excesses, then he should say so clearly and leave the stage for those who can ensure development with minimal pains. Our party, the ACN, will provide good governance without removing fuel subsidy, and we are ready to do so today if the Jonathan government cannot,’’ the party said. It repeated its earlier statement that what the government is claiming to subsidise is corruption and inefficiency,

adding that unless refineries are repaired and built to refine enough products for local consumption and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is revamped to function more efficiently, no amount of fuel subsidy removal will end the current reign of the so-called cabal. ‘’There will always be a cabal in the oil sector for as long as local production cannot meet demand, and the government resorts to importation. This also applies to other sectors. Therefore, the best way to deal with the cabal is to ensure enough local refining of oil. ‘’With the knowledge that even if all the local refineries are working at full capacity, they may still not meet domestic demand, we have suggested that the government should build modular refineries. This does not require rocket science. After all, Niger discovered oil only a few years ago and now has a refinery,’’ ACN said. The party also took the Federal Government to task on its claim that whatever hardship is inflicted by removal of fuel

subsidy would be short-lived, wondering if at all the government even knows the kind of pain it will inflict on the citizenry by its fuel subsidy misadventure. ‘’Does this government know that the moment the socalled subsidy is removed, food prices will triple; cost of transportation will shoot skyhigh; health care will be further impaired; mortality rate will go up and the country’s ability to achieve the Millennium Development Goals will be affected?’’ it queried. But the party advised the government to tarry a while, desist from its divide-and-rule tactics against labour and the opposition, provide answers to critical questions like whether or not the NNPC even accounts for the 445,000 bpd of crude it receives, what is the current refining capacity of the functioning local refineries and how much fuel is being refined locally, what does the NNPC do with the balance, what is the ex-refinery cost of the fuel refined in Nigeria and how much is it sold for. ‘’By the time these questions and others are answered, the government will no longer be under any illusion that it is subsidising fuel and that what it needs to do urgently is to ensure that the country can refine enough oil to meet local consumption, and in turn stop the exportation of technology, jobs, growth and expertise that goes with crude oil export,’’ ACN said.

Health Insurance Act for review By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

T

•Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor Nsima Ekere (left) being congratulated by the Chairman of the Ukpum Ete Council of Chiefs, Clement Idemudo, after his conferment with the chieftaincy title of Ubokudom Ukpum Ete during the 2011 Ete Day celebration and reception in his honour at the Methodist Central School, Ete, Ikot Abasi...on Monday.

‘Why states must contribute to GDP computation’

N

ATIONAL Planning Commission (NPC) Secretary Mr Ntufam Ugbo has said each of the 36 states have up to December 31 to make their contributions towards the computation of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and per capita income. Speaking during a tour of the Centre for Management Development (CMD) in Lagos, Ugbo said each state is to contribute about N11.4million. He said the Commission and donor partners have raised N500million to assist the states, adding that the computation will enable them assess their level of development. Ugbo said:“The need to do the computation of the GDP is to ensure that we give the states an opportunity to compete among themselves, to be able to peer-review themselves. “The only way we can measure their prosperity is through the state GDP and their per-capita income. If

•NPC secretary backs subsidy removal By Joseph Jibueze and Nneka Nwaneri

states look at those, they will be able to compare and see how well each is doing. I think in the process it will engender competition among the states to strive to do well. We gave them a deadline of December 31st.” Ugbo backed the removal of fuel subsidy, saying it will guarantee the greatest good for the greatest number, as, according to him, only a few Nigerians have been benefiting. “Most people in Nigeria don’t buy petrol at the pump price. That is the truth. The price they sell fuel in rural areas is not what you will get in Lagos. So, if there is this inequality, unequal treatment, and we’re saying: Let everybody be treated equally, I think it’s the best thing to do. “The money that has been going to this small group

could be spread around. Government will come up with a programme of action to expend this subsidy so that it can touch more Nigerians. And in so doing, we’ll be better off. What are we talking about? Greatest good for the greatest number, not greatest good for a small number.” He said the Federal Government will withdraw subvention to institutions and parastatals capable of sustaining themselves by 2015 in a bid to save money. According to him, the withdrawal will be gradual. “The Federal Government is gradually moving away from providing grants to institutions capable of raising funds on their own. The process will be between now and 2015. So, such institutions will have to look inwards.” He said the Commission will collaborate with the CMD to train its staff and give them needed exposure with-

in and outside Nigeria to help them become a world-class training institution. Ugbo urged them to explore ways to depend less on subvention through “creative funding” by revising their fees, reviewing annual subscription for management practitioners, align their practice with inflation, plug loopholes, make facilities available for rent, and offer more consultancy services. On his expectations of CMD in 2012, he said: “There are CMD zonal offices. We expect that they will become centres that will reach out to most of the states. Secondly, most of his customers who come in here for training come from Abuja. “So there is need to develop a training centre in Abuja for CMD to cater for those in Abuja. That will help. He is also working on e-conferencing where they could sit down in Lagos and address a people in Kano, in Uyo or in Abuja.”

HE House of Representatives Committee on Health is set to review the National Health Insurance Scheme. Besides, the Committee also has a plan to ensure that the aims and objectives of the scheme, including making good health care services accessible to Nigerians is not thwarted. The contentious areas in the scheme like the distribution of health care costs by service providers; the registration of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and Health Care providers (HCPs) under the scheme and the method of contribution by employers and employees will be discussed to pave the way for a better service delivery. According to the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Dogo Muhammed, the scheme will keep faith with the Act establishing it .The scheme was established to protect families from the financial hardship of huge medical bills. He said:“We are set to limit the rise in cost of health care services; ensure equitable distribution of health care costs among different income groups; maintain high standard of health care delivery services within the scheme and ensure efficiency in health care services. “The scheme will improve and harness private participation in the provision of health care service; ensure adequate distribution of health facilities within the federation and the availability of funds to the health sector for improved services.”


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

7

NEWS Two judges of the Lagos State High Court have set two men free after they were jointly detained for 23 years without trial. The courts ruled that the detention of Mamman Keita and Sule Sanni violated their rights, JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports.

‘I developed kidney problem awaiting trial for 13 years’ W

HAT is 10 years in the life of a man? A lot, especially if spent behind bars in a Nigerian prison. The story of their sorry and excruciating state are very familiar. For Mamman Keita (43) and Sule Sanni (33), it is an experience they would not forget in a hurry or wish to happen again. Keita spent 10 years behind bars without trial; Sanni spent 13. They were freed within one week by two judges of the Lagos State High Court. Nigeria’s prisons are filled with people whose human rights are systematically violated, said the Amnesty International (AI) in a report. Approximately 65 per cent of the inmates are awaiting trial. Most of them have stayed behind bars for years. Only one in seven of those awaiting trial have private legal representation, AI said. Keita and Sanni could not afford to hire a lawyer, but a group, the Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative (PRAI), led by Mr Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, came to their aid. It filed actions on their behalf against both the Lagos AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner of Police. It was a long and arduous walk to freedom for the detainees, but freedom come at last. On December 16, Justice Habeeb Abiru freed Keita, who hails from the Republic of Niger, 10 years after he was arrested for manslaughter without trial. The judge ordered his unconditional release, and asked the respondents to pay him N7million damages. They are also to apologise to him. Keita was charged with manslaughter at the Magistrate’s Court, Ebute-Metta, on July 23, 2001. He was never tried. Justice Abiru said his continuous detention for over 10 years without proper arraignment and trial is unlawful . He added that it constitutes what he called an unbridled violation of his fundamental rights person, personal liberty and freedom of movement. In an October 24, 2011 Motion on Notice, Adetola-Kazeem prayed the court to enforce Keita’s fundamental human rights. He asked for N100million compensation for his client. The respondents allegedly did not reply the motion. Abiru said his records showed that they were duly served, adding that although a counsel appeared for the Attorney-General at the hearing, the respondents did not file any affidavit challenging or denying the applicant’s claims. A state counsel had argued that Keita was not arrested or detained by the office of the Attorney-General, but the judge dismissed the submission. He said: “The Attorney General of Lagos State is accountable for all matters and issues relating to remand proceedings. It is a ministerial responsibility owed by the Attorney-General of the state and as such is a strict liability issue and is not dependent on his knowledge of the proceedings.

•Sanni ...after his release

My father has died. My mother has died. My father’s junior brother die. My grandmother died. All of them die as I dey prison. That is why I wan rush go home make I know wetin dey happen

•Lagos Attorney-General Ade Ipaye

•Adetola-Kazeem

“These provisions impose on the second respondent (the AttorneyGeneral) a heavy responsibility which includes taking concrete steps to make itself aware of all criminal prosecutions commenced in all the courts in Lagos State.” On why he was arrested, Keita, who sells rams at the Alaba Rago and Apogbon areas of Lagos, claimed that in 2001, on the eve of the Sallah celebration, his bag containing N177,000, being the proceeds of his sales for the day, was snatched. He said one of his assailants stabbed him in the buttock. In a

struggle to save his life, Keita said he stabbed one of the hoodlums in self-defence. His attacker reportedly died some days later due to the injuries he sustained. Keita was subsequently arrested, but was never brought to trial. On December 22, Justice Olabisi Akinlade freed Sanni (33) who was detained for 13 years and two weeks without trial. She ordered his unconditional release from the Maximum Security Prisons, Kirikiri, where he had been held since his arrest on December 8, 1998. The court awarded Sanni N1million damages, although his

lawyer, Adetola- Kazeem, had asked for N100million. Justice Akinlade said the arrest and continued detention of Sanni without arraignment is unlawful and unconstitutional as it violated his fundamental human rights, personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed by sections 34, 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution. The judge restrained the respondents from further arresting and detaining Sanni without preferring a criminal charge against him before a court of competent jurisdiction. Sanni, who hails from Ganye Local Government in Adamawa State, was arrested a few months after he came to Lagos in search of employment at the age of 20. While in prison, he said his parents died, while he developed a kidney problem. He is urging the government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to his aid. According to him, he set up a small grocery store at 10 Ado Avenue, Apapa in 1998. In December, some thieves came to loot his shop, which also served as his temporary dwelling place. To protect his wares, he fought back. In the process, one of the assailants fell and lost consciousness. “I did not even hit him nor did I use any weapon on him. They were the ones beating me, to the extent that I passed out. By the time I woke up, I saw a lifeless body beside me. The others had ran away. I was later arrested and charged with murder.” On January 8, 1999, a Magistrate’s Court, Yaba, ordered that he be remanded n prison. He was never brought to trial. Speaking in pidgin, Sanni said:: “They arrest me on December 8, 1998. Na attack some boys attack me, then the thing come turn to murder. I dey my shop. I was selling. I dey sell provision. They boys dey always come there to be begging me for something. I dey always give them. “So they come dey do like say I get leg pass them, so they come attack me. Na people wey I know. We’re all from North. The thing happen around 9.pm in the evening. I don dey arrange say I wan go home. As I no give them something, fighting come start. “They beat me till I faint. As I stand up, people tell me say one person fall. I no even know whether he fall or he no fall but they come tell me say e fall. I no beat am. I no use anything hit am. They come arrest me. I’m the one who call police as everybody run commot. “Some army people wey dey patrol na them come carry me with the body go to Tin Can. From there na im they carry me to Area B. When those people run I come dey with the body. As they run, I said why the people wicked like this? They run leave person for ground. So I no know say the thing go turn like this to me. “The next day, they carry me to Panti. After more than 20 days they carry me to court. When I reach court, they read for me say on December 8, 1998, I stabbed Abubakar Saluda. The judge asked whether I hear wetin they read. I say yes. From there they carry me go prison. They no bring me come court again.

“Feeding well no dey for prison o. Me wey I no well. Doctor said make them dey give me food. I dey fight before I collect that food o. “In 2001, cholera enter Ikoyi Prison. I am the first person wey e catch. I faint. I vomit for two days. But I no die. But the rest people wey faint for my back, all of them die. “When the cholera come go, na im my body come dey swell up again. They come say this one no be cholera. They come go for medical check again. Na im doctor come back say na kidney, before they come dey serve me kidney drug. “The treatment – if I no try look for drug, if to say I follow warder, I for don die, because they no get your time. I want to go back to Adamawa State. I have been speaking with my junior brother. “But my father has died. My mother has died. My father’s junior brother died. My grandmother died. All of them died as I dey prison. That is why I wan rush go home make I know wetin dey happen.” Adetola-Kazeem said his clients were detained for so long because prosecutors had no evidence to secure a conviction. He said: “I attribute it to failure to adhere to the law, one. The second reason is the inefficiency of the Attorney-General’s Office and the police. If these two institutions had woken up to their responsibilities, then this wouldn’t have been so. ” But the Lagos Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), attributed the state’s inability to prosecute some cases after arrest to lack of prosecutors’ control of the police. He said the state would study the judgment later and know the next step to take. His words: “We are yet to get reports of the judgments to be able to take decisions on them. Maybe by next week, we’ll see the judgments, the reasons behind them and why. “Without even reading the judgment, I can tell you that is the problem we have in the criminal administration of justice in Nigeria, where we have the police – a federal agency arresting, investigating and dumping on the state Attorney-General to prosecute. “And when it is time to prosecute the case, they will tell you the police officer has been transferred to Sokoto or Bauchi. The court will continue adjourning the matter. I am very sure that you notice that there will be a state counsel in the court. But the problem is getting the witnesses. “Who arrests? The police. Who knows the witnesses? The police. Where is the man to produce the witnesses? He is in Sokoto. Ask him to come to court; you will never get them. “My personal opinion is that there is need for a bit of police control by the state for effective criminal justice system.” Spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr Samuel Jinadu, said he would get in touch with the legal department after the holidays to know the next step the police will take.


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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NEWS Benue House members resolve differences From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

FOLLOWING the intervention of Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and some elders of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), proponents of the impeachment plot against Speaker David Iorhemba have shield their sword. Iorhemba yesterday held a met with the aggrieved lawmakers and resolved to look into their grievances and addressing the contentious issues. Speaking with The Nation on phone, Iorhemba said: “Politics is about give and take. You must give in order to received. “For peace to reign, there must be crisis, but the ability of people to settlement their differences at the end of the day is what matters most. “What I’m saying in essence is that there is no more crisis, as we have resolved to put everything behind us and move ahead said Iorhemba. He said members have decided to put the past behind them and work for the interest of the state. Iorhemba said the issue of impeachment has been resolved.

ACN alleges illegal thumb-printing of ballot papers in Kogi T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kogi State has alleged that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been thumbprinting ballot papers to cover up for the alleged rigging of the December 3 governorship election. ACN’s Chief Strategist in the state, Dino Melaye, spoke with reporters yesterday in Abuja. The former House of Representatives member said ACN has authentic information that the PDP leadership in Kogi summoned some political appointees in the state and mandated them to assemble 50 people from each of the local governments. He alleged that the 50 persons were asked to thumbprint ballot papers for N1,000 at designated places in the local governments. Melaye said the media briefing became necessary to alert the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Police and other security agencies on the development. He said: “We have very authentic revelations that the PDP leadership in Kogi State met with all political appointees in

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor the state two day ago and resolved that every appointee should get 50 people in his/ her local government to thumbprint ballot papers for N1,000 each. “The ACN and its candidate filed a petition at the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Lokoja, against the scientific rigging that characterised the December 3rd election. “Having seen what we have filed, the PDP realised that the figures appropriated to PDP and its governorship candidate does not tally with the ballot papers that were submitted to INEC. “Because of this, they initiated the thumb printing of ballot papers, knowing fully well that there would be forensic investigation of the ballot papers. “They want to ameliorate the situation by thumbprinting ballot papers that will tally with the vote allocation.

‘We will continue to monitor them to see how these ballot papers would be transported to INEC in either Lokoja or Abuja. Many have alleged that INEC is an extension or parastatal of PDP, but we are waiting to see if this is true or not’ “We are crying out to INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega and Nigerians to reveal what they are doing. No amount of intimidation or blackmail will distract our attention from pursuing this just cause. “We will continue to monitor them to see how these ballot papers would be transported to INEC in either Lokoja or Abuja. Many have alleged that INEC is an extension or parastatal of PDP, but we are waiting to see if this is true or not.

“We urge INEC to stop these illegal ballot papers from finding their way into its offices anywhere. We were told that the ballot papers were serialised, but nothing is impossible in this country; they could have been duplicated. “The battle to save our people and reclaim our mandate is a battle of no retreat no surrender. We will do everything within the ambit of the law to reclaim our stolen. “Recent revelations and judgments in the Appeal Court have proven that, indeed, Kogi PDP has rigging flowing in its DNA. “The election of Senator Attai Idoko of the PDP was upturned by the court. That of the PDP’s candidate in Vassa local government was also upturned. The House of Representatives election in Dekina Bassa has been cancelled by the Court of Appeal and a retrial ordered, another in Ibachi has been cancelled and a retrial ordered. “No other opposition par-

‘PDP-led govt has lost control of Nigeria’

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KURE lawyer Morakinyo Ogele yesterday said the bombings in the North were an indication that the Federal Government, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has lost control of the country. He urged security chiefs, including the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz

By Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

Ringim, to resign within seven days or face mass protest by Nigerians. Ogele said: “The IGP should, within seven days, resign or face mass protest by Nigerians. Also, all the security chiefs should resign

honourably or be sacked, because the killing of innocent citizens is increasing on a daily basis. “The President should summon the courage to tighten security in the country. “It is regrettable that the Police are doing nothing to save lives and property. And to worsen matters, they are involved in extra-judicial killings. “It is bad that people worshipping in the house of God are killed in cold blood.

“It is imperative that a state of emergency should be declared in all the states where there is frequent loss of life and property. “The Nigerian Army should also take over those states. “I condole with all Nigerians and those relations have fallen victims of the endless killings.” Ogele urged Nigerians to be security-conscious and advised security agencies to stand up to their responsibilities.

Kwankwaso sets up peace committee over House crisis

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ANO STATE Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has set up a committee to resolve the crisis rocking the House of Assembly, which led to the impeachment of the former Speaker, Yusuf Falgore. The committee was set up when Kwankwaso met with stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Government House, with a view to finding out the circumstances that led to the impeachment of the former Speaker. The stakeholders meeting was attended by members of the PDP’s state executive and party leaders from the 44 local government areas . The stakeholders were asked to interact with their representatives in the House and report their findings to the governor. Speaking with reporters yesterday, spokesman of the committee Alhaji Gambo Danpass debunked the speculation that the governor is plotting the removal of the new Speaker. He said it is the handiwork of mischief makers and enemies of the state. Danpass said: “The opposition will stop at nothing to see to the downfall of the Kwankwaso government. “The notion that the governor would not support the new Speaker, Gambo Salau, is wrong. “We were directed by the governor to meet with representatives in the Assembly and

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

restore unity among members.” He said they have five days to complete the assignment and report to the governor. Gambo accused the PDP National leadership of plotting to bring down Kwankwaso. He alleged that the party’s National Leadership has been after the governor, ever since it failed to stop him from picking the party’s ticket at the last governorship primaries. The governor’s media aide, Saidu Tudunwada, said Kwankwaso has never contemplated plotting the removal of the new Speaker. Tudunwada said the governor has always seen the issue as the business of the House, adding that the relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government is intact. He said: “We all know that the opposition has always towed the line of antagonism against the PDP government, which is expected, but one thing is certain, the governor has never shown undue interest in the leadership change in the Assembly.” Falgore was impeached by the House last week, while on an official trip to Abuja with the governor. Salau was elected after defeating two other candidates and immediately sworn in.

•Melaye

ty, the ACN and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), has lost any seat to the PDP. All the elections upturned in Kogi State were against the PDP. That proves that the PDP, with its rigging machinery, actually rigged the last governorship election. “Everything legitimate, right and just will be employed to make sure that the purported victory of the PDP in the last election is upturned in favour of the choice of the masses. “The purported victory of PDP in the December 3rd election is temporary and, in a matter of months, it will evaporate.”

How baby survived church blast, by mother From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

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IVE-MONTH-OLD Isaac Ibu dramatically escaped the Christmas Day bombing in Madaila, near Suleja, Niger State. He was in the arms of his mother in front of the church when the explosion occurred. The boy, who was brought to the National Hospital, Abuja, yesterday, by his mother for xray investigations, was reportedly flung out of the woman’s arms by the blast. But his mother, who sustained injuries on her feet, picked him up. He was unhurt. Recounting her experience, Mrs. Esther Ibu said: “My daddy, my mummy and I went to mass together. We came out after the mass and we were waiting to be picked up. “We were standing in front of the church. Before we knew it, there was a very big sound and I found myself on the ground and my son was flung out of my arms. “I stood up. I was like a drunk when l was looking for my son. But luckily, I saw him not too far away and I picked him up. I then went round looking for my people. I thought my daughter was with my mother. I searched everywhere but could not find them. Everywhere was littered with bodies. “I ran to the house to see whether they would be there but I didn’t find them there. But to God be the Glory, we have reunited. I thank God, there’s no single scratch on my son. I sustained injury on my right foot, as you can see. My son and l are going for x-ray now.” Another victim, 30-years-old Chukwuekwu Ajuwe, who hails from Delta State and just completed his service year under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has facial burns and injuries in his leg. He said: “After the mass, the Reverend Father instructed that we should come and collect powder as a sign of joy. People went to collect the powder and I was in front of the church when the explosion occurred.”


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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

NEWS

Supreme Court determines Jonathan’s fate today T HE Supreme Court will, today, deliver judgment in the appeal by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) challenging the April 16 electoral victory of President Goodluck Jonathan. The verdict will be handed down by a seven-man panel chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Dahiru Musdapher. The appeal arose from the November 1 judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, which declared that Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo won the election. CPC counsel Mr. Oladipo Okpeseyi (SAN) said the lower tribunal wrongfully evaluated the evidences given by the party’s witnesses.

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

Okpeseyi said: “The return of the President and Vice-President by the lower court was wrong and should be upturned by this court because it was unconstitutional. “There was an application before the lower court that the Principal Witness 1 (PW1), Mr. Buba Galadima, be recalled, but it was turned down on the grounds that there was a mix-up in the evidence of the PW1.” Counsel to Jonathan and Sambo Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) urged the court to dismiss the appeal

for lack of merit. Olanipekun said the tribunal’s ruling of September 12, which expunged the statements of CPC’s National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh, after it was wrongly interchanged with that of the party’s Secretary, Galadima, invariably rendered the petition null and void. He argued that the notice of appeal is amorphous and generic, as it did not state what aspect of the ruling it is challenging. “The case was dead on arrival,” he added. Counsel to the Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC) Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) also urged the panel to dismiss the appeal. The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, on November 1, upheld Jonathan’s election. It dismissed the petition filed by the CPC for lacking in merit. The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kummai Bayang Akaahs, said CPC failed to prove its case. The tribunal held that Jonathan and Sambo were duly elected, having scored the majority of the lawful votes cast. The CPC had urged the panel to cancel results of the election in 20 states and order fresh elections between it and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in

•Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Osita Chidoka (second right); Assistant Corps Marshall, Operations, Boboye Oyeyemi (right); Corps Public Education Officer, Nseobong Akpabio (left); and Assistant Corps Public Education , Bisi Kazeem; during the monitoring of traffic on the Gwagwalada-Lokoja road in Abuja...on Monday PHOTO:ABAYOMI FAYESE

Oyo lawmaker escapes attack by hoodlums •ACN members protest insecurity From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

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HE member representing Afijio at the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Femi Adelakun, yesterday said he was trailed by suspected assassins. This is coming barely 72 hours after another lawmaker, Otunba Gbenga Oyekola, escaped being killed by some hoodlums in Oyo town. Adelakun and Oyekola are both members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Adelakun said he was travelling from Ibadan to his home town, Awe, when he noticed that a black Prado vehicle with the old number plate was trailing him. He said there were five men in black suits and dark glasses in the vehicle and the driver refused to overtake his (Adelakun’s) vehicle. Adelakun said he increased his speed, but the suspected assassins gave him a hot chase. When their vehicle developed a fault, he said the hoodlums parked and chased after him on foot, but he escaped. The Chairman of the ACN Caucus and House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters said: “Were it not for divine intervention, which made their vehicle develop a fault, the assassins would have succeeded in their nefarious plan. “It was around 4:30pm. The assassins could have shot at me, but that would have attracted the attention and made it difficult for them to escape. “I think their plan was to take control of my vehicle and take me to an unknown destination for their evil deeds.” The government vehicle that was hijacked in Oyo town by Oyekola’s attackers has been recovered at Gambari. It was learnt that the vehicle was abandoned near the bush. The driver, who was held hostage, has also been released unhurt. Also yesterday, ACN supporters in Oyo town peacefully protested the attacks on their leaders. They carried placards with various inscriptions, such as: “Enough is Enough”, “Stop Threatening Our Leaders’ Lives”, “Test Your Popularity At Coming Council Polls and Not By Elimination” and “Battle Line Has Been Drawn Now”. The protesters’ spokesman, Mr. Stephen Oluwadamilare, lamented the rising level of insecurity. Oluwadamilare said: “It is worrisome that since the assassination attempt was reported to the Police, no policeman has been detailed to our leader’s residence for security. “We urge the Police and State Security Service (SSS) to fish out those behind the dastard missions and bring them to justice. We will not fold our arms and watch some disgruntled politicians unleash terror on ACN members.” Former Governors Lam Adesina and Rasheed Ladoja condemned the attacks and prayed for God’s protection on the ACN leaders. The Chairman, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Prince Sulaiman Afonja, and the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Alhaji Lasisi Ayankojo, paid sympathy visits to Adelakun yesterday.

Mimiko’s achievements will earn him second term’

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•Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Adeseyi Sijuwade, an engineer speaking at the corporation's endof-the-year management meeting in Lagos...yesterday. With him are Director, Corporate Planning, Timothy Zalanga (left) and Director, Operations, Mr Niyi Alli PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

Why PDP can’t reclaim Southwest, by Lam Adesina

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ORMER Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot reclaim the Southwest. Adesina, who is the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State, spoke during an exclusive interview with The Nation in Ibadan. He said: “The PDP is known for the mismanagement of resources, a vice so much abhorred by the Yoruba.” Adesina said: “Yorubaland is not PDP’s base, because Yoruba people never accept rulers who are rogues or vagabonds. It is not in our blood. “Have you ever seen all Yoruba people gather in a place and agree on where to go? Every time there is a new political formation, the peo-

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

ple of each state meet to deliberate, but the decisions of the different states always coincide. That is what has been happening. “When the progressives win rightly, the conservatives use federal might to drive them away, but God has a way of dealing with them. In 1983, they forcibly drove away Bola Ige. In 2003, they drove me and my colleagues away, with the exception of former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu. Ten years after, we are back to power in Yoruba states. That is what will always happen. “If tomorrow, they decide to do the same thing, it would not be up to 10 years before the people will revolt. So PDP cannot do anything again in Yoruba land. This is its end in

Yoruba land.” The ACN chieftain said more cases of corruption would be brought against former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and his Ogun State counterpart, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. Adesina said: “How can an Alao-Akala PDP resurface in Oyo State? His administration looted the treasury tremendously. We have seen it. The Ecomomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is just scratching the surface. “There is going to be more cases against Alao-Akala and Daniel, and I do not see how they can come out of them. The law would soon catch up with other former PDP governors, who stole our mandate. “They are all thieves and Yoruba people do not want political thieves. Even when

the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was running an oligarchic government in the Western Region, many people in the region rejected the Action Group (AG). Ibadan was one. Ijebu-Ode was another one. Ilesa, Ila-Orangun, Benin and several other places rejected his party. They said they did not want oligarchy. “It was only when Awolowo changed his style that everybody supported him. Nobody wants thieves in Yorubaland. We are not thieves here. You can’t see any ACN leader being arrested by the EFCC. “We want good governance. See what is happening in Lagos. If you give PDP only six months to run Lagos, it will mismanage all the money there. That is their stock in trade.”

MEMBER of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr. Akindele Adeniyi, yesterday said Governor Olusegun Mimiko will win the 2013 governorship election. He said: “The unprecedented achievements of the present administration will earn Mimiko a second term.” Adeniyi spoke at Iju/ItaOgbolu during the presentation of empowerment items to the people of Akure North Local Government Area by the council’s Caretaker Chairman, Mr. Femi Opakurin. The items included 16 motorcycles, 12 golf cars, sewing machines, hair dressing equipment, electricity generating sets, deep freezers and computers. Adeniyi, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Works, said none of the governorship aspirants can match Mimiko. He said: “There is no vacancy at the Ondo State Government House. Mimiko has done well and brought smiles to the faces of the people. “There is no sector Mimiko has not touched in the last

From Damisi Ojo,Akure

three years. Many of the projects he has executed have direct impact on the lives of the people. “His achievements are there for everybody to see. He has built Mother and Child hospitals, about 14 mega schools to bridge the gap between private and public schools, and the Arigidi Tomato Factory. He has empowered artisans; built markets, auto marts and many others. “The governor also embarked on the urban renewal of Akure; the dualisation of Arakale, Ondo and Owo roads; payment of bursaries and the award of scholarships to students and a host of others.” Adeniyi praised Opakunrin for complementing the empowerment efforts of the state government. Opakunrin said since everybody cannot work in the civil service, it is important for the people to be self-reliant. He urged the beneficiaries to put the equipment to good use.


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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

NEWS

•Unity Park deserted over fears of Boko Haram attack ...yesterday

•Senior Public Relations Officer of Julius Berger Nigeria, Grace Ayoola (left), Matron, City of Refuge Orphanage, Okafor Felicia (right) and a well wisher, Comfort Ozigi during the presentation of food items to the orphanage in Abuja...yesterday

•Children at the Apapa Amusement Park...yesterday •Children enjoying a horse ride at the Kuramo Beach... on Christmas Day

• Enjoying a rollercoaster ride at the Apapa Amusement Park PHOTOS: OMOSEHIN MOSES, ABAYOMI FAYESE AND ADEJO DAVID

•Crowd at the Kuramo Beach... on Christmas Day

Sultan condemns bombing after meeting with Jonathan •Continued from page 4 “We believe that is a very good way. We have to close ranks because our two religions abhor violence in dealing with one another.” Reacting to allegations that Boko Haram gained notoriety because the North’s leading religious leaders have not been speaking up against the sect, the Sultan retorted: “Have we not been speaking out? Did you read the press statement I issued the day before yesterday? What else do you want us to say? We are totally against what has been happening; we totally condemn all this. Nobody can take anybody’s life; its un-Islamic; its ungodly; nobody can take anybody’s life. All lives are sacred; must be respected and protected by all. So, we have

been speaking out. We all know what the situations are and we can only advise the government and we have been advising the government on many occasions.” On the allegation that those who dare to condemn the sect openly often go back to recant and pledge loyalty to it of fear, the Sultan said: “There is no fear. I only speak as the Muslim leader and you know that we don’t say what we don’t mean and what we don’t do. It is against Islam. There is a special verse in the Holy Qu’ran that says ‘so, don’t speak what you don’t do.’ It is distasteful in the eyes of Almighty Allah, but we are quite aware of Almighty Allah’s instruction to always speak the truth because we will go back to him to give account of what we have

done on earth. So, whatever we say to anybody or any group at any time, we wholly mean so.” Azazi, who assured Nigerians that security operatives are working to ensure safety for all, regretted that it is difficult to police all trouble spots in Nigeria. Asked why it was difficult to check the recurring incidents along the Suleja-Zuba area, he said: “It is absolutely difficult to man every point in the country when there are security problems. Like I have said before, there is need for security awareness. There is need for public participation so that; there must be cooperation between security and the society for us to make progress.” On possible reprisal by the Christians over the

Christmas Day bombings, the NSA said, “We can’t have a situation where we think that one bad turn deserves another. We are Nigerians and like we always say, I don’t see any major conflict between the Christian community and the Moslem community. You will find a situation where, certain individuals for whatever reasons, are causing these problems. Have we thought of what their ultimate intentions are? Why will somebody go on to bomb Christians on a Christmas Day? Look at the ultimate intentions. Do they want to really raise temper elsewhere? I think the Christian leaders are meeting tomorrow (today) to emphasise to the Christians that we must live together as a nation. Retaliation is not the answer be-

cause if you retaliate, at what point will it end? Nigeria must survive as a nation. That is the key thing”. Asked if the nation should expect an overhaul of the security system and change in its leadership, he said: “When you say overhaul, what do you mean? We need to improve security certainly. What changes are you talking about? Why changes in leadership? Everybody thinks that if you change leaders in security, everything will work fine. If you ask very simple question; what kind of security system have we been managing? Are the structures all been so good that we can overall produce result? It is a gradual process, anywhere there has been this level of terrorism, it takes a long time for the

security to be overhauled. Even whatever you do, at some point, you expect limited successes but to ensure that over a period of time, you can actually put things in place that will work for the betterment of the society”. On what was preventing government from holding dialogue with members of Boko Haram, he asked, “Do you know them?” On the suggestion that one of the leaders of the sect has been shuttling between Nigeria and Niger Republic, Azazi turned to the reporter and said: “I think I will like you to tell me more, I am talking of working together. So if you understand that one of the key leaders has been shuttling between Nigeria and elsewhere, come and tell us so that we know how to follow the key leader”.


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

While we are not opposed to the maintenance work on gas facilities or PHCN generating and transmission stations, the commision will not allow the flagrant violation of due process and procedures, especially as if relates to desruption of power supply to Nigerians. - Dr Sam Amadi, Chairman of NERC

Oil spill contained, says Shell

Dangote donates N75m to Ogun security fund

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OYAL Dutch Shell said yesterday that an oil spill offshore Nigeria, the largest in the oil-producing African nation since 1998, has been contained after less than 40,000 barrels leaked into the Atlantic. The December 20 spill, which Shell said happened while a tanker was loading oil, led to the shutdown of the company’s 200,000 barrel per day (bpd) Bonga facility, about 120 km off the coast of Nigeria. “The oil spill has now been dispersed and contained. We had five ships working to disperse it. It was dispersed over the weekend and that was completed before it hit the shore,”Precious Okolobo, Shell Nigeria spokesman told Reuters by telephone. “It did not wash up on the shore,” he said, adding that chemical dispersants had combined with natural dispersion to clear the spill. But environmental groups Environmental Rights Action (ERA) and Friends of the Earth Nigeria (FoEN) said in a statement that local communities in Odioama in the Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region, had spotted suspected slicks from the Bonga spill near the coast. ERA and FoEN said in a statement that monitors from the organisation visited the Atlantic shoreline in the company of some local fish farmers on December 26 where spreading spill was sighted. “In the course of the visit, spreading slick was sighted close to the coastline of Odioama and along St. Nicholas,” the organisations said in the statement, including testimony from a fisherman who said he spotted a slick at sea.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$107/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,800/troy ounce Rubber -¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N6.503 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -10.5% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending-22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $33.01b FOREX CFA EUR £ $ ¥ SDR RIYAL

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0.2958 206.9 242.1 156 1.9179 238 40.472

P

• From left: Christopher Moore, Publisher, EMEA Finance; Segun Agbaje, Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, and Tim Burke, editor, EMEA Finance, during the presentation of the best local bank award to GTBank, at the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards and Dinner in London.

World Bank: 4.5m Nigerians unemployed yearly A

BOUT 4.5 million un employed Nigerians join the labour market yearly, Private Sector Development Specialist of the World Bank in Nigeria, Richard Sandall, has disclosed. Speaking during an interview with The Nation in Abuja, Sandall said the number of the unemployed is growing. He noted that measuring unemployment anywhere in the world is difficult because there are not enough formal jobs in the country, i.e. formal sector jobs are lower than the number of people coming out looking for such jobs. He said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has just published the unemployment rate for 2010, which was 21.4 per cent. This, he explained, “is not a static picture – the overall figure was just 19.7 per cent in 2009. He noted that the Ministry of Youth Development re-

From Nduka Chiejina, Asst. Editor and Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

leased the ‘Nigeria Youth Employment Action Plan’ in 2008, which estimated that there would be around 13.5 to 14million new entrants to the labour market between 2009 and 2011, or around 4.5 million new people a year looking for jobs. “So even if we are creating jobs in Nigeria, the number looking for them is increasing all the time. That’s why the task is so urgent, so important, and so difficult,” he said. Sandall admitted that Nigeria like many other countries does not have a national register of the unemployed, noting that the NBS arrives at its figures from data gathered from household surveys. The World Bank, he said, is supporting the YouWin project of the administration

because Nigerians have entrepreneurial spirits and have to be encouraged. The reason the World Bank is supporting the YouWin initiative, he added, is “to help the best of entrepreneurs to develop and get investment, we will pick the very best ones with the greatest potential for growth and job creation.” Because there are many small businesses in Nigeria some of which will never grow, the World Bank, he pointed out, has opted to support Small but Growing Businesses (SGBs) instead. “The World Bank is working with the Federal Government of Nigeria to help understand and reduce unemployment and underemployment in the country. The World Bank shares the Federal Government’s recognition that increasing employment opportunities is

one of Nigeria’s biggest and most urgent priorities,” Sandall said. On how the World Bank is supporting the Federal Government of Nigeria’s job creation programme, Sandall said: “The Federal Government has a number of projects directly tackling unemployment, which the World Bank is supporting. For example, the Federal Ministry of Finance’s ‘YouWin’ programme, designed to launch hundreds of would-be and existing entrepreneurs into new business ventures, is supported by the World Bank and the UK’s Department for International Development. These new business ventures should not only provide income for the entrepreneurs themselves, but will also create employment for others when the most successful of them expand.”

Nwuche seeks legal framework to guarantee fuel subsidy funds F ORMER Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, has backed the call for a law that would guarantee judicious use of the funds that would accrue from the planned removal of fuel subsidy. Nwuche, who expressed his support for the removal of the controversial subsidy because “of corruption and graft that surrounds” it, said Nigerians should be more concerned about making the government more accountable to the people. Speaking to reporters in Abuja on some burning national issues including the Christmas Day bombings in some parts of the country, Nwuche saidsomething should be done to halt the trend where few people are being enriched while the larger society suffers. He said: “The difficulty I

From Yomi Odunuga, Abuja Bureau Chief

have is that we need to trust government more and make them more accountable. We should not elect people we don’t trust and they must be more vibrant and observant. “I think there is a strong argument for the money to be warehoused under a legal framework, that will give at least more assurance to Nigerians. But in the absence of that, there is still tendency for the government to withdraw these funds inappropriately, but people will be more confident if there is a structure.” Nwuche, while arguing that there exists fraudulent dealings in the handling of fuel subsidy, noted: “My worry is that subsidy as a concept is targeted at those who make subsidy. The subsidy is

used to further enrich these few persons. If we want to fight corruption seriously, then we should tackle those wrongly placed subsidy that enrich few people - cabals. “I think we should remove subsidy. I don’t believe that its removal will add much to inflation because Nigerians must also stop the habit of rumoured increase in petroleum products whereby people will hike their goods like 100 per cent. They should ask themselves, what is the proportion as an input into production for that particular PMS – in this case, it is PMS? “People should not be emotional about debate. We should ask ourselves, can we afford to pay N1.4 trillion, which is 1/3 of our national budget on subsidising just

fuel alone? That money is better used to provide infrastructure, such as roads, health care, e.t.c. in intelligent manner that is devoid of corruption. “I support removal of fuel subsidy if the products are going to be delivered to those who need the subsidy directly.” On bombings, he dismissed insinuations that the attacks were religious, stating that those perpetrating the heinous acts were out to cause disaffection and mistrust in the country. “The bombing of churches is unfortunate because it tends to create the impression that the matter is religious when we know that the matter is not religious, but political. That is why government agencies must hurry up and unearth those behind these activities so that it doesn’t spread,” he said.

RESIDENT, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has donated N75 million to the Ogun State Security Trust Fund. Speaking during the inauguration by the state Security Trust Fund in Ogun State, he said security and the protection of lives and property should not be left for the government. He called for the co-operation of the citizenry with the security agencies to stem the rising spate of insecurity in the land. Dangote explained that the citizenry had their own role to play to make the society safe and have crimes and other social vices reduced to the barest minimum. At the inauguration, the state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, handed over 120 double cabin patrol vans to be used as operational vehicles, noting that much as it was the duty of the state to ensure effective security measures are put in place, such measure could hardly work except the people play their part. He commended Dangote and others who contributed towards the take-off of the Security Trust Fund. According to him, Dangote and his business organisations have proven to be responsible citizens who are never found wanting whenever their contributions are required on any give matter. Amosun urged other personalities to emulate Dangote’s good gesture in partnering with government for effective service delivery in so many sectors of the economy.

NASSI, NERFUND sign MoU From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

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HE Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industri alists (NASSI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) on projects funding for its members. The MoU, which was okayed by the National President of NASSI, Chief Chuku Wachuku and the Managing Director NERFUND, Alhaji Baba Maina Gimba, was for NASSI to present projects that require funding to NERFUND, to evaluate these projects before the disbursement of funds. The NASSI chief lamented that given the enormity of demand for funds and the nation’s quest for development, there were too few development finance institutions (DFIs) in the country supporting small scale industries. He said: “I am calling for more DFIs, a country of 167 million people with some 59 million small scale industries, having only three functional DFIs? That is clearly inadequate.


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Tackling e-payment scam

•CBN building, Abuja

It was meant to ease payment. But fraudsters have cashed in on it and turned electronic payment into another thing. They defraud individuals and institutions electronically, raising doubts over this mode of payment. With the proposed cash-less economy set to take off soon, there are fears that this issue, if not addressed, may truncate the project, ADLINE ATILI reports

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HE cash-less economy, promoted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), will revolutionise the financial landscape just like the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) changed the face of telecommunications, experts have said. They, however, argue that much of the success of the initiative will be from the development of mechanisms to combat fraud and other drawbacks in the payment system. Electronic payment is the term used for any kind of payment processed without using cash or cheques. This payment option enables businesses to accept and process credit cards, debit/Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, fleet cards and gifts/ loyalty cards as forms of payments. Trans-

actions are processed and authorised instantly through a card terminal or gateway. The development of cash-less solutions in Nigeria, according to the CBN, is to ensure financial inclusion of the un-banked and under-served and to reduce the presence of cash in the economy, by making electronic payment (e-payment) channels available; riding on proliferation of telecommunications devices and other e-payment channels. According to the apex bank, e-payments have exciting potential within Nigeria given the low infrastructure requirements and the transformations expected in the financial system. Nevertheless, the identification of fraud as barrier to the success of the initiative creates cause for concern.

Vulnerability of e-payment channels Fraud is identified as a major problem in electronic payment systems because of the thriving nature of the crime and difficulty in holistically tackling the menace. Possible frauds are: card fraud, money laundering, mobile communications fraud, computer intrusion, ‘card-not-present’ transactions and ‘card-present’ transactions. Analyses show that card fraud losses are growing every year. Consequently, for most organisations, fraud detection is becoming an important issue for research. Despite the shift to more secure electronic payments in the past few years, fraudsters continue attacking bank accounts, filching account numbers, hacking databases,

capturing keystrokes and even shadowing people as they log into their bank portals. Despite the transformations e-payment is expected to bring about through the CBN’s cash-less proposal, stakeholders have stressed the need to ensure that there is continued confidence in the safety and integrity of payment systems, especially as more cards are expected to be used to achieve the initiative. They argue that should data breaches and related fraud or theft threaten consumer confidence in electronic payments, the system as a whole could be threatened. Director, Information Assurance and Risk Management at Digital Encode Lim• Continued on page 13


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Tackling e-payment scam • Continued from page 12

ited, an information security firm, Mr Oluseyi Akindeinde, maintains that e-payment merchants and operators lose huge sums of revenue to Internet hackers who capitalise on loopholes in transaction bearing intermediary, such as banks and payment gateways. He explained that while attention is being focused on regulations, mobile payment and deployment of more Point of Sales (POS) terminals as “the next big thing” to drive a cashless economy, online fraud being perpetrated on e-payment platforms remains the greatest challenge. According to him, despite the security measures already put in place by the players in the e-payment sector, it is still convenient for hackers to order for goods and services online without paying any money. At an e-payment forum, Akindeinde narrated how his firm tested the extent of vulnerabilities of some e-payment networks and some airlines, which showed that the epayment sector is not yet shielded from the treachery of online fraudsters, who according to him, are always ahead of technology. He revealed how he and his team were able to purchase return tickets on an airline’s eticketing portal through a payment provider, without paying anything and how they were able to carry out successful online shopping on an online shopping portal through a payment gateway, without paying money. He said: “Last night, we booked a return ticket from Kano to Lagos online without actually paying anything by simple manipulations of some codes on the airline’s Website; while on an online shopping portal, the goods we ordered for were confirmed and delivered to us, following simple manipulations of some codes on the shopping portal.” Describing it as ‘Card-not-present transaction,’ Akindehinde showed the audience the tickets for and iPad and laptop computer ‘purchased’ from the shopping portal, adding that: “This shows the extent of the vulnerability of our e-payment networks and platforms to online fraudsters where a lot of revenues are lost to these ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ guys.” “The industry is vulnerable to a large extent and that is our main focus of coming to this forum; to tell stakeholders that the industry is highly vulnerable and that something has to be done to raise the bar of security certification and network authentication in electronic transactions because the form of security these portals have is not what they should have in this kind of payment system.” Explaining how it works, Akindehinde said: “The portals operate what we call a relationship-based transaction. Essentially, it is composed of three providers -the online merchant, the transaction bearing intermediary, such as banks, and the gateway. The merchant will trust the bank; the bank will trust the payment gateway and the payment gateway will in turn say, ‘bank, credit this merchant.’” “The risk is that, that trust can be exploited. While most of the gateways are routing controls on the card, they are verifying details, but they don’t validate transactions. Therefore, there is need, not only to verify details, but to validate transactions. Most of the epayment providers only secure the amount paid and not the validation parameters. “There is a difference between verification and validation. Verification has to do with the system but validation is the medium of transaction, communications, the network, and that can be a loophole.” Reacting to the revelations, Chief Executive Officer of Chams Plc and President of the Nigeria Computer Society, Mr Demola Aladekomo, said though the disclosure might appear bitter, it was a clarion call for stakeholders to ensure adequate security of e-payment infrastructure. “We have a great security challenge in the industry, which we have to tackle. It is good that it is being pointed out to us as this will put us on our toes to protect our shareholders’ interest and those of our customers,” he said. Akindehinde advised that to mitigate such occurrences, there should be second-layer

• Mallam Sanusi

• Lemo

• Adewale

verification of payment before products and services are delivered, adding that the need to secure electronic payment platforms by ensuring that operators comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) being advocated by the CBN is critical. He noted that the PCI-DSS would help the e-payment network operators and other merchants to be able to secure their IT infrastructure platforms from being attacked by online fraudsters. PCI-DSS is a set of network security requirements agreed upon by five of the major credit card companies (American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa International) in an attempt to stem the growth of card fraud around the world and to give a common interpretation of what security is all about. Since PCI-DSS was launched, it has helped to expose serious security shortcomings, companies’ failure to follow security best practices and a general lack of awareness of the security threats facing organisations today. But the Central Bank of Nigeria maintains that it is on top of ‘the game,’ calling for concerted efforts by relevant stakeholders in battling e-payment fraud.

landscape was increasingly becoming worrisome among stakeholders, which include the payments system service providers, banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other relevant government agencies. “Various reasons have been adduced as contributing to the problem, some of which are beyond simple resolution from the CBN as they are better tackled through concerted efforts of the relevant bodies. The CBN is therefore, very receptive to noble ideas that may help resolve the challenge that card fraud poses to the financial system. “The issues of identity management, illiteracy, poor public awareness, and operational lapses of payments services providers, to mention a few, require efficient and practicable solutions. I am particularly delighted to mention that since the Bank put in place a Fraud Prevention Group, the rate of ATM fraud has gone down by 98.5 per cent.” He said further: “The Committee had as its objectives, to identify all the causes of card frauds and to proffer solutions and restore public confidence on card usage and the epayments system. Following the Committee’s recommendations, the CBN had enforced the migration of all cards from the magnetic strip technology to the EMV or chip + PIN technology. “CBN has mandated each bank to maintain ATM-complaint help desk, with the CBN leading by example with its own ATM help desk which currently aids resolution of ATM card dispute between bank customers and banks. The Bank has also been collaborating with relevant agencies such as the NCC, EFCC, and NIMC to ensure that payments system frauds are mitigated. “May I emphasise that it is in our overall interest that we promptly nip electronic card fraud in the bud before it becomes intractable. Co-operation among various stakeholders is, consequently, very desirable in the fight against this problem. We should therefore start with a resolve to re-examine our individual processes and systems towards identifying and addressing weaknesses therein, to ensure that none of us represents a weak link in the chain of the collective effort. “We are aware that money matters are delicate, hence, we should ensure that our technologies should not just be state-of-the-art but should also provide the necessary security required for the business; that our personnel do not only possess the requisite skills but also the integrity to operate in this fastgrowing industry; that we have not only processes, but ensure that requisite controls are implemented and regularly reviewed. We must collaborate in information and knowledge sharing to build a virile anti-fraud mechanism for the industry. CBN’s Deputy Governor, Tunde Lemo, also

disclosed that the apex bank had set up the Nigeria E-Fraud Forum to serve as official body to represent the industry on fraud related issues. He added that the forum will also serve as platform for payment stakeholders to collaboratively share data on fraud attempts and proactively tackle the issues, with the objective of minimising fraud attempts and limiting losses. While making out a case for hitch-free implementation of the cash-less initiative, President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS Commission), James Victor-Gbeho stressed that the ability of stakeholders to minimise fraud in electronic payments will go a long way in aiding the ECOWAS Commission in its quest to develop a payment system and establishment of a common currency in the ECOWAS region. He said this would create strong regional financial markets integration (RFMI) to achieve the regional integration agenda of ECOWAS.

CBN’s preparedness Speaking at a conference on Emerging Trends in Payments Systems and Fraud Prevention Strategies organised by the E-Payment Providers Associaton of Nigeria (EPPAN), CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said: “The Central Bank of Nigeria, from the inception of the current reform efforts, had emphasised the importance of effective, efficient and safe service delivery to the populace. The enhancement of the National Payments System is crucial to the enthronement of good banking practices in Nigeria. “The Presidential directive of 2009 that electronic payments should be adopted for all government staff salaries, suppliers and contractors helped to add verve to the acceptability of electronic payment among Nigerians. This therefore compelled the CBN to put more efforts towards ensuring that safe and qualitative electronic payments services are rendered to Nigerians at reasonable cost while at the same time guaranteeing adequate consumer protection. “The Bank has issued, to date, guidelines, rules and regulations on different electronic payment schemes, to include the ATM and PoS guidelines and standards. The Central Bank of Nigeria has not been unmindful of the various concerns of Nigerians on the spate of electronic card frauds in the country. This malaise in the electronic payments

‘The industry is vulnerable to a large extent and that is our main focus of coming to this forum; to tell stakeholders that the industry is highly vulnerable and that something has to be done to raise the bar of security certification and network authentication in electronic transactions because the form of security these portals have is not what they should have in this kind of payment system’

Need for enabling laws To the Vice-President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Adewale Jones, tackling payment fraud is a complex process, which includes knowledge from many scientific areas and demands a multi-disciplinary approach. Jones, a telecom lawyer, believes that the speedy passage of the cyber crime bill currently being considered by the National Assembly, into law and enforcement of same could be relied upon to punish fraud in the payment system. He was, however, quick to add that there are drawbacks. “Independent monitoring of activities of law enforcement agencies is not provided for. There is the need for an Act to regulate the powers of law enforcement agencies and similar personnel. There is also need for pro-customer and consumer law like the UK consumer protection regulations (2000). “The Nigerian Consumer Protection Act is too general in terms of its provision. Its provisions are too vague to serve an electronic consumer’s interests. In the UK, consumers are not liable to the issuers for fraudulent unauthourised use of a card. The issuer may require an indemnity from the supplier to enable it charge-back. Charge-back arrangement will be unavailable if the supplier disappears with the customer’s money. The card issuer will be liable. “Nigeria needs laws of this nature to strengthen its consumer protection arrangement. The proposed law should, specifically, address fraud-related payment transactions and spell out in greater detail, the rights and obligations of parties to any payment arrangement,” he said. Executive Director, Operations and Technology at Keystone Bank, Ademola Adewale, maintained that effective implementation of cashless policy and other e-payment solutions require robust and integrated governance, risk and compliance framework. To him, the key ingredient of information security-confidentiality, availability and integrity-is largely dependent on the strength of governance and control processes among the various stakeholders. “All stakeholdersmerchants, acquirers, switchers, processors, PTSPs, PTSA, issuers, etc-should collaborate by building effective and efficient governance practices for e-payment services in the country,” he said.


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Economy slows to 7.4%, says Statistics Bureau T HERE was a drop on the economy from 7.72 per cent to 7.4 between July and September, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) slowed by 0.46 per cent compared to third quarter figures in 2010 of 7.86 per cent. While the non-oil sector remains the major driver of the Nigerian economy, the oil sector which generates 90 per cent of total exports, recorded a negative growth as a result of a decline in oil production. With a total contribution of 85.73 per cent to overall GDP, the non-oil sector also re-corded a growth of 8.81 per cent in the third quarter. The NBS said major growth contributors were agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale/retail trade, telecommunications and the finance/insurance sectors. Favorable

By Collins Nweze

weather conditions helped boost agricultural production. A noticeable improvement in financial intermediation as a result of the concluded banking reforms encouraged growth in financial sector. “The negative growth of 0.34 per cent in oil sector in Q3’11 compared to 5.08 per cent growth recorded in the corresponding period of 2010 was as a result of a drop in crude oil production. The decline occurred due to operational constraints encountered by some of the oil companies. Shell, enforced a force majeure due to constant sabotage on its pipelines. Despite the decline, crude oil production continues to play an important role in the Nigerian economy,” it said. The NBS reports that average daily production stood at 2.36 million barrel per day (mbpd) in the

third quarter 2011 against 2.49 mbpd produced in the corresponding quarter of 2010. The economy is expected to maintain its robust growth at 6.6 per cent in 2012, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU). As in-vestments increase and productivity improves, real GDP growth could double to 13.2 per cent by 2020. This will be driven by the non-oil sector. The government has stated it plans to rebase the GDP index to 2008 from 1990, which could lead to a superficial increase in the estimated size of the economy. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s trade balance worsened in the third quarter of 2011 compared to the corresponding period in 2010. The drop in the trade balance is a result of

Nigeria’s increasing import bill and its slow growth in exports. However, between second quarter and third quarter 2011, official trade statistics showed that Nigeria’s trade balance improved by 25.2 percent to N989 billion ($6.4 billion). The slide in Nigeria’s trade balance further lends credence to the argument that the external reserves might not see the desired accretion in 2012. It also forecasts an economic pitfall for the country if this trend continues. The impact of a further rise in Nigeria’s import needs will be an increase in the demand for Forex in 2012. If the oil prices fall in 2012 below the psychological $100 per barrel, as many analysts have predicted,

then Nigeria could find itself not only having trade balance issues but also declining external reserves, a negative current account balance and a de-preciated currency. The foreign exchange to pay for these imports has to be sourced from the official market or autonomous sources. Trade statistics released by the NBS indicates that the country’s total import bill for the third quarter is N2.88 trillion ($18.7 billion). This is a significant increase of 33 percent from the corresponding period in 2010 and 8.4 percent increase over second quarter 2011. Total exports rose by 31.1 percent over the third quarter in 2010 to N3.87 trillion ($25 billion).

How banking reforms affect finance houses, by expert

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HE reforms in the financial sector did not take the operations of Finance Houses into consideration, the President, Finance Houses Association of Nigeria (FHAN), Eddie Osarenkhoe, has said. He said the neglect of the sector during the reforms, made it easier for deposit money banks (DMBs) to corner businesses meant for it. Osarenkhoe, who spoke to The Nation, said commercial banks have no business pursuing transactions from Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), leasing and Local Purchasing Orders (LPOs), but should have left it to the finance houses. He said commercial banks ought to stick to big-ticket transactions and leave smaller deals for finance houses to handle. He applauded the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for planning comprehensive reforms of the sector next year, adding that the sector, still wallows in neglect and lacking clearly defined operational structure. Osarenkhoe said strategic reforms in the finance companies subsector is of paramount importance to the sector, as it would enable it to achieve its desired objectives, adding that the CBN is working on re-positioning and transforming the sub-sector into an efficient financial intermediation vehicle to operate at the middle tier of the Nigerian financial system. The sector is expected to address the financial services’ needs of the SMEs, leveraging on the resources from the banking system and other funding sources. He said it is necessary to redefine the roles of finance companies, stating that the sub-sector had over the years, gone through many challenges emanating from unfavourable business environment, which were engendered by the confidence crises created by the pervasive distress that occurred in financial services sector in the early ‘90s. He said the sector has not shown enough capacity to develop appropriate products that will attract investors to the market. “The apparent lack of focus on its areas of comparative advantage has put the subsector in grave danger of possible extinction. The void created by the sub-optimal performance of finance companies was filled by the resurgence of the activities of illegal fund managers (wonder banks), which also posed serious challenge to the sub-sector,” he said. Osarenkhoe said there is the need to broaden the funding of finance houses by authorising them to mobilise savings and idle funds from the public through fixed and

savings deposit schemes. He said the operators will welcome appropriate regulatory controls limiting deposit taking capacity to a percentage of the shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses. He requested that the CBN brings finance companies under the deposit insurance scheme of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) in order to boost investor confidence in the sub-sectory saying the present minimum capital requirement has become grossly inadequate and has reinforced the narrow funding base of operators. “We, therefore, wish to advise on the need to significantly raise the minimum capital base in the near future. This will immediately address, partly, the issue of funding as well as create a barrier to entry into the system for fringe players and mushroom institutions,”he said. He requested that finance companies be integrated into the various targeted economic development intervention funding platforms being promoted by the CBN and Federal Government, saying it is a good thing that the CBN has agreed to adopt a total approach to all the reforms, but regretted the encroachment by banks into its business constituency. “We are talking about role definition. The banks are supposed to be financing infrastructure and other big projects. The banks are supposed to help government in development. They are not supposed to be competing with finance houses. The banks are supposed to advance loans to professional firms, like finance houses, which will then loan the funds to SMEs. We are not seeing much of these,” he said.

•From left: Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Jibril Aku; Chairman, Olo’rogun Sunny Kuku and Company Secretary/Chiel Legal Counsel, Adenike Laoye, at the bank’s court ordered meeting in Lagos.

CBN to license more mobile money operators

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is set to license four more mobile money operators to deepen the market and make it competitive, the Director, Banking and Payment System, Gaius Emokpe, has said. Emokpae, who spoke at the Stakeholders’ Forum on Mobile Payments System in Nigeria, said eight other operators on pilot run may also be licensed before the year runs out, if they scale the necessary hurdles. He said mobile money would benefit the financial sector as it would be able to offer more products and services to Nigerians. He said before any mobile pay-

By Akinola Ajibade

ment operator is licensed, a series of procedures, from documentation, presentation, pilot run, data collection and assessment by foreign experts are carried out before an application for mobile payment license is granted. He said the apex bank is leaving its doors open for more operators to enable larger percentage of the population have access to banking services. Also, the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, represented by Lolia

Emakpore, Director, Policy and Competition, said the proposed model of mobile payments in Nigeria is the bank-led model, and quoted a World Payment Report from RBS that forecast that by 2013, mobile payments will represent 15 per cent of all electronic transactions globally and overtake card based transactions within 10 years, if growth continues at the same rate. He said the forum was necessary to determine the best platform and modality for mobile payments in Nigeria as the commission envisaged that there would be an upsurge in data traffic emerging.

BoI ready to extend more loans to SMEs

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HE Assistant General Manager, Operations, Bank of Industry (BoI),Joseph Babatunde, has said the firm is ready and committed to taking more challenges as long as it concerns lifting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Babatunde spoke last week when BoI presented its decade scorecard showing a cumulative N165 billion loan extension to industrialists in the last 10 years. This comprises a total 1,435 loans and investments with considerable developmental impact. The Managing Director, BoI, Mrs Evelyn Oputu, said the bank’s profit has grown by 2,322 per cent to N2.578 billion in 2010 from N105.36 million in 2001. She said BoI has, despite the challenging en-

vironment, the bank has recorded appreciable strides in pursuit of its mandate and its evolution into a strong, dynamic and flexible development finance institution (DFI) that proactively responds to the needs of entrepreneurs in Nigeria. “The banks average operational and financial performance confirms that enterprise profitability and development could be complementary,” she said. According to her, over N2.37 billion has been approved to various cooperative groups since 2008, comprising mainly of women and youths, while the cumulative direct and indirect jobs created exceeded one million as of December 2010. Oputu explained that BOI was established in October 2001 with the

mandate to provide financial assistance for the establishment of Small, medium and large enterprises as well as expansion, diversification and modernisation of ailing industries. The bank also on the occasion, signed N1 billion memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Oyo State government, for the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. “Our target is to provide financial assistance for the establishment of large, medium and small projects as well as expansion, diversification of existing enterprises,” she said. According to her, the bank has signed several MoUs with other state governments to enhance the activities of Small and Medium Enterprises in the country. She said that Small, medium and

large enterprises, excluding cottage industries can be funded by the bank. There is also room for funding new or existing companies, seeking expansion, mordenisation or diversification as well as credit worthy promoters who will be required to prove their commitment to the project by contributing at least 25 per cent of the project cost excluding land. As a bank, SMEs will remain our focus, our objective is to promote competitiveness in p roduction that will guarantee sustainable inclusive development, access to capital can no longer be an overwhelming limitation to genuine and enterprising Nigerians seeking to establish small businesses,” she stated.


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Islamic banking: NDIC to Lagos, Ogun partner on tax pay depositors N.5m each L T HE Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has allayed the fears that depositors of the proposed Islamic and other non-interest banks will not be duly compensated if the banks are liquidated. In a statement, NDIC said depositors in all, the non-interest banks will be paid a maximum insurance package of N500,000, just like their counterparts in the liquidated commercial banks. Assuaging the fears of potential cutomers on the issue of compensating the depositors of Islamic banks, the financial undertakers, said there would be no differentiation whatsoever between the payments made to the insured depositors of the non-interest banks and that of interestbased financial institutions. It said the commercial banks, microfinance banks (MFBs), primary mortgage institutions (PMIs), and non-interest banks were grouped under Special Insured Institutions Fund (SIIF)’s

By Akinola Ajibade

scheme, adding that all the institutions would be treated based on the funds approved for them. It said: “The Maximum Deposit Insurance Coverage (MDIC) for all Non-interest Banking Institutions shall be the same as the Deposit Money Banks, which is pegged at N500,000 per depositor per account and N200,000 per depositor per account of the microfinance banks. Funding of the Non-Interest Deposit Insurance Scheme (NIDIS) shall be exante. The ex-ante funding is the most acceptable internationally because of its advantage of building up a deposit insurance fund to assist the banking system in times of illiquidity, capital deficiency and liquidation”. It said factors, such as NDIC’s roles in the financial safety net, legislative powers relating to sources of funds and non-interest principles relating to the

sources of funding, were contained in the framework for payment of the insured deposits. The body said the internal source of generating funds include contributions (premiums) collected from Non-Interest financial institutions (NIFI), and Investment income from the NonInterest Deposit Insurance Fund (NIDIF). The external source, it said, involves raising funds from the Non-Interest Capital Markets (Sukuk), government/CBN and the special contributions by the insured Non-Interest Financial Institutions. NDIC’s Managing Director, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, said the body has reviewed the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) levels of deposit money banks(DMBs) from N200,000 to N500,000, while that of microfinance banks/Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs) was increased from N100,000 to N200,000 to foster growth of the sector.

AGOS and Ogun states governments are combining forces to tackle cases of multiple taxation among the people living on the fringe of the two states. The Executive Chairman, Lagos Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, has said. Fowler, while speaking on efforts made by the government to address cases of tax evasion, and multiple taxation at a Town Hall forum in Lagos, said the governments of the two states are working on how to solve the problem. He said the two states have set up a committee on resolving multiple taxation involving their indigenes, adding that the deputy governors of the states are heading the committee. Fowler said the committee has been tasked to look at the grey areas of collecting taxes, to proffering solutions to the problem, adding the committee hopes to resolve the issue, and further prevent wastage of funds on the part of inhabitants and companies operating on the borders of the two states. He said there are allegations that many companies are paying taxes to the governments of Lagos and Ogun states due to the fact that they are located in- between the bound-

Activists call for review of budget estimates

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•From left: Minister of Interior, Abba Moro; Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; Managing Director, ValuCard Nigeria, Agada Apochi; his wife, Ada; Executive Director, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Segun Ogbonnewo and Managing Director, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu, at a dinner hosted by Tambuwal in honour of Apochi’s appoinment in Lagos.

Cash-lite banking: Interbank transfers rise HE on-going Central by 27% to N83tr through electronic channels. “The direct cost of cash manBank (CBN) reforms on e-

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payment pushed interbank transfers from January to last month to about N83 trillion, representing 27.3 per cent increase over the N65.7 trillion attained last year. In a statement, the CBN said as a result of the policy, some segments of the financial system are already experiencing the growth, with the impending take-off of its Cash-lite payment system in Lagos State by January and other parts of the country in June 2012. The Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), Bismarck Rewane, also re-echoed the position at the Lagos Business School End of Year Dinner. He said the trend is likely to continue in 2012 as the economy moves towards less dependence on cash. He said the value of cheques rose by 21.4 per cent in the first nine months to N12.33 trillion, as against N10.15 trillion in corresponding period last year.

By Collins Nweze

He said total payments have improved considerably by 26 per cent compared to the available figure for last year. In the third quarter of this year, total payments in the system was N34.529 trillion, compared to N25.8 trillion in the corresponding period of last year. It is expected that credit would rise next year, with the impending take-off of ‘cash-lite’ transaction and the on-going e-payment system, as banks’ cost of operations decline due to the policy. The CBN said the scheme will be extended to other parts of the country at a date to be determined by the Bankers’ Committee. The e-payment initiative involves a transformation of the payment system and the idea is to permit banks to cut cost through moving the country from its present “cash-andcarry” status to one where people will make payments

agement borne by banks peaked at N114.5 billion in 2009 and is projected to increase to a whopping N192 billion in 2012 – an increase of about 68 per cent. The initiative is targeted at reducing lending rates by cutting down on banks’ operating expenses by as much as 30 per cent to make it possible for both large and small businesses to access credit at affordable rates. The CBN under the new cashlite banking regime, would allow a daily cumulative limit of N150,000 and N1 million on free cash withdrawals and lodgements by individuals and corporate customers, respectively. Individuals and corporate organisations that make cash transactions above the limits, would be charged a fee of N100,000 and N200,000, while third party cheques above N150,000 will not be eligible for encashment over the counter and are only paid through the clearing house.

By Akinola Ajibade

aries of the two states. He said: “To the best of my knowledge, we have not seen any of our officials collecting taxes from individuals or companies that are located outside Lagos. Though the issue arises often, nothing of such development has been seen so far. We have tax officials and consultants that have been directed to collect and supervise tax collection within our jurisdictions. Besides, there are fake agents going about collecting taxes. They come under different names, and it is the duty of everybody to report such people to the appropriate authorities for actions”. He enjoined residents to pay their taxes as at when due, to enjoy the dividends of democracy, stressing that the government is not interested in defrauding them in any form. Some towns and villages fall within Lagos and Ogun states, a development that can easily aid multiple taxation. Areas that are prone to multiple taxation, include Ojodu Berger, Agbole and Akute, Ijaiye, Saga, Agbado Crossing, Ajegunle and Sango Otta. Also, firms located within these areas have been complaining of paying taxes to the coffers of both states.

HE N4.749 trillion 2012 Appropriation Bill, tagged Budget of fiscal consolidation, aimed at the economy’s growth and job creation has been faulted by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), for tilting towards recurrent expenditure. The group has, therefore, called for increase in capital expenditure to allow for development in infrastructure and other indexes that will improve the people’s standard of living. The budget is based on oil production of 2.48 million barrels per day, a benchmark price of $70 per barrel, exchange rate of N155 per dollar, a projected growth rate of 7.2 per cent and inflation rate of 9.5 per cent. The fiscal deficit is projected at 2.77 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as against 2.96 per cent in 2011. The budget is coming at a time Nigeria’s economic out-

look has been upgraded by Fitch Ratings from negative to stable, based on the country’s “strong growth, low public debt and strong external balance sheet.” CSJ Director, Eze Onyekpere, said in a statement that the capital budget represents 28 per cent of the overall proposal as against the 26 per cent for 2011, while the recurrent expenditure came down from 74.4 per cent to 72 per cent of the overall proposal. He said the National Assembly (NASS) should review the estimates, cut down areas of waste and increase the capital budget, especially for critical infrastructure areas like electricity, roads and human development. Besides, he called on the legislators to demand across the board pruning of recurrent expenditure, particularly the overheads, urging the legislators should lead by example by reducing its N150 billion

How e-payment benefits entrepreneurs

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LECTRONIC payments allow entrepreneurs to grow their businesses better than what they would have achieved using cash, the Area Head, East & West Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, MasterCard Worldwide, Daniel Monehin, has said. Speaking at a forum hosted by the High Commission of Canada in Nigeria and its Trade section in Lagos, Monehin said there was the need to create business and investment linkages between young Nigerian entrepreneurs. Sponsors and speakers shared

their expertise and experiences to help delegates expand their skills and knowledge and facilitate business growth in the country. Speaking on the theme: Bright ideas: Capital access windows for young people’s entrepreneurship ventures, Monehin said: “Electronic payments aid the growth of emerging businesses in Nigeria, supporting entrepreneurs as they grow their ventures beyond the limitations of cash-based transactions. Once an entrepreneur has established their business, they often need funding to take it to the next level.”

$400m for local firms

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ROFIN, a financier with operations in seven African countries, plans to channel as much as $400 million in funding to small and medium businesses in Nigeria over the next three to four years, said Guido Boysen, chief executive officer for Africa. “We have $250 million under management at present and target between $500 million and $1 billion in the next three to four years, with Nigeria getting about 40 per cent of the investments,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg in Lagos. Grofin, based in Pretoria, South Africa, is investing funds contributed by partners including African Development Bank, International Finance

Corporation, Commonwealth Development Corporation and Shell Foundation. It targets the “growth economies of Africa, ”identified as Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Mauritius, according to Boysen. Grofin invested about N500 million ($3 million) in Nigeria this year and plans further lending and equity investments in agriculture, small-scale manufacturing, hotels, schools, maritime and hydrocarbons in the coming years. “Nigeria is our major market. All our investments in Nigeria are targeted at companies with local ownership and requiring $50,000 to $1.5 million intervention and can help grow the economy,” Boysen said.


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

18

INSURANCE

Insurers target high premium from vehicle licence T I

NSURERS will make money from the new vehicle licences through their partnership with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Managing Director of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Wale Onaolapo has said. Onaolapo told The Nation that insurers’ data have been built into the new vehicle licence issued by the FRSC, saying the measure will boost insurance premium which before now were lost to counterfeiters. He said the data development of the industry remains one of the best things to have happened in the industry, as it would help the sector in many areas, especially in planning for the future. The President, Lagos Area Committee of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Tunde Oguntade, said insurance has been properly built into the new licence scheme, adding that the effort would curb fake documents as it cannot be counterfeited. He said: “At our last annual general meeting, we had discussed

Stories by Chuks Udo Okonta

with the Assistant Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), who sent a representative. It was our initiative to create rappour with the agency. “We wanted to know the position of brokers and underwriters in the new licensing scheme and the benefits. We started on a good note. We have seen that insurers are now properly placed in the licensing scheme. Now, you cannot have your vehicle licence renewed without a valid insurance cover. It is a good step in the right direction. “Now that they have brought in the underwriters, the issue of agency would also be sorted out. It is a good step as it would lead to almost 80 per cent motorists buying insurance, even if it is just a third party. “We welcome it and would collaborate with them, and at the

same time, we are looking at a way of ensuring that brokers are properly located in the scheme of thing.” He said the proposed electronic licence is truly a wonderful development, because with it, the issue of fakes certificate would be curbed. “The device would help to develop the volume of patronage, ensure that people get valid insurance cover and when people get valid insurance cover and claims arises and they get prompt settlement, it would encourage them to look at other areas outside the statutory requirement. “If people get settlement in third party, it would encourage them to look at luxury covers such as life, assets protection, fire and burglaries and the likes. It goes beyond the ordinary statutory cover – third party,” he added.

CIIN to support insurance in higher institutions

HE President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Dr Wole Adetimehin, has pledged the institute’s support to strengthen insurance departments in higher institutions through mobilisation of visiting lecturers. Adetimehin, in a statement, said the institute will also support through donation of books and other measures, adding that the visiting lecturers would help mitigate the challenges confronting schools in getting qualified insurance lecturers. He said the institute is poised to enhance the quality of insurance education in Nigeria, adding that this has become necessary because the future of all professions depends largely on the quality of knowledge and skill possessed by the practitioners and insurance cannot be an exception. Adetimehin said the institute hopes to achieve improvement in its education standard through the development and completion of its College of Insurance and Financial Management and mobilisation of new entrants into the profession. Other strategies, according to him, include: “Establishment of a functional Research Department at the institute to pursue studies in the technical areas of insurance and products lines, aimed at propelling growth in the industry and the initiation of a national insurance debate among all tertiary institutions in Nigeria. “I am pleased to note that more tertiary institutions in the country are establishing insurance departments. Even relatively new ones are also in this vanguard. Our visit

to tertiary institutions in Enugu, show an encouraging trend in the acceptance of Insurance as a viable course of study by the younger generation.On our part, we will continue to support these Institutions and ensure sustenance of their insurance departments.” He said the professional examination has remained the fulcrum of the statutory roles of the institute and will continue to receive undivided attention. “The CIIN has continued to gauge the pulse of development in the financial services sector, especially the global financial realities, which had made obvious the vulnerability of the economies of nations including ours. We will therefore, remain resolute on the enthronement of the code of good corporate governance and best practice. “This we will pursue through the continuing deployment of our training and retraining modules to keep insurance managers abreast of the global dictates of good business governance. ”We are also promoting the establishment of Insurance Industry Forum (IIF), which will be solely charged to promote industry unified goals, inter government regulatory understanding and development. “The forum will be under the chairmanship of the commissioner for Insurance, while membership will encompass all the various arms of the industry. Meetings will be on quarterly basis to discuss and resolve industry issues while also initiating agenda that will proper future growth of the industry,” he added.

Firm woos retirees with annuity plan

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• From left: General Manager, Operations Alliance Life Assurance Limited Mr Andrew Agbaga; Managing Director Austin Enajemo-Isire and General Manager, Business Development, Bolaji Oladipo, at the launch of the company’s annuity product in Lagos.

PenCom to create more investment windows

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O provide Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders with choices of investments, multiple fund structure would be introduced towards the second quarter of next year, the Director-General, National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mohammad Ahmad, has said. Ahmad told The Nation that the framework is being worked out, adding that the move is part of the initiatives taken to reposition the industry. He said: “As we consolidate our achievements in the implementation of the pension reform in the coming year, a number of initiatives would be introduced. The Retirement Savings Account (RSA) transfer mechanism would be made operational as the framework is currently being reviewed by the industry. “To provide RSA holders with choices of investments, a Multiple Fund structure would be introduced, subject to specific guidelines by the end of the second quarter of next year. Additional disclosure requirements

would be required of operators to promote further transparency and accountability in the industry.” He said the Risk Management and Analysis System, which is the core supervisory application, would be finalised and this would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the commission, noting that operators should not lose sight of the fact that there may be challenges and attempts to undermine the system. He said it is the duty of RSA holders and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the scheme is not only protected, but nurtured to a sustainable and enduring system to be bequeathed to the next generation. Chairman, Pension Operators Association of Nigeria, Mr Dave Uduanu, who lauded the initiative, also called on the commission to see to the opening of the transfer window to give contributors the option of changing their pension fund administrators, ensure increased supervision and regulatory vigilance, to weed out

weak operators and improve the institutional framework of the industry by encouraging consolidation among marginal players. He said: “Without doubt, the Commission has done creditably well within the last six years. However, there remains unfinished business, which include opening the transfer window to give contributors the option of changing their pension fund administrators, as well as increase supervision and regulatory vigilance to weed out weak operators.” Uduanu said it will improve the institutional framework of the industry by encouraging consolidation among marginal players, by constantly reviewing the investment guideline to enable pension fund administrators to invest in secure instrumentsthat engage in impactful, but profitable investments and decentralisation of the activities of PENCOM by creating regional offices in each of the six geo-political zones of the country.

•Saved in Mac 27: Insurance-Small Biz-Biz Com - 21-12-11 - Wed

TANDARD Alliance Life Assurance Limited has launched an annuity product to cater for retirees. The Managing Director, Austin Enajemo, at the launch in Lagos, said the product, tagged: SA Life Annuity for Retirees (SLAR), offers more than the traditional annuity, adding that its withdrawal payment provides a life insurance cover and regular income throughout a life time. He noted that an annuitant, who subscribes to the product for N1million at the age of 40, would be entitled to N109 million annually for 10 years, and if the individual lives on, he or she would continue to draw the annuity till death. He said: “The plan has several features among which is guaranteed income that will never cease till death. It is devoid of speculation as obtainable in other investment vehicle. It has in- built indices to guide against inflation (Income escalator clause up to five years.), income is payable at regular intervals of monthly/quar-

terly/half-yearly or yearly, the regular income payable to the annuitant is tax free, the annuity payment is guaranteed for at least 10 years. Others are flexible because of the financial inclination of the retiree elites, free life cover up to age 70 and can be cancelled within two years of commencement.” He said there would be return of 50 per cent of the purchase money to the annuitant’s estate if death occurred within the first 10 years from the commencement date of the policy or provision of life cover up to 100 per cent of the purchase money by the company to a nominated beneficiary amongst the annuitant’s estate if death occurs within the guaranteed period of 10 years. He noted that the targeted individuals are retirees from public and private sectors, who retired after the Pension Reform Act 2004, and any person who detests the vagaries of the Nigerian investment environment and thus desires to protect his cash and earn an income throughout life time.

Great Nigeria Insurance pays N273.35m claims REAT Nigeria Insurance (GNI) paid N273million claims last year, its Chairman, Segun Oloketuyi, has said. Oloketuyi, who disclosed this at the company’s 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM), in Lagos, said the total assets of the company recorded a marginal growth of 3.8 per cent from N6.66 billion in the financial year-ended December 31, 2009, to N6.92 billion in the reporting period. He noted that the growth in assets was primarily driven by conscious efforts at growing short term investments portfolio and value enhancement arising from quoted stocks to the market.

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He said the company’s gross earnings rose from N1.05 billion in 2009 to N1.16 billion last year translating to a growth rate of ten per cent, while claims paid at the period also increased to N273.35 million in 2010 as against N212.34 million recorded in the corresponding period of the financial year-ended in 2009. Oloketuyi noted that to ensure effective value-base cost control to return the company to the path of sustainable profitability, the board succeeded at reducing management expenses from N629.43 million in 2009 to N563.10 million in 2010 representing a drop of 11.8 per cent.


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

COMMENT

Kogi crime wave •Police boss busy chasing govt’s perceived political foes instead of facing his core duty

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VEN by the deplorable standards of the times, the spate of serious crimes taking place in Kogi State cannot but give every law-abiding citizen of Nigeria great cause for alarm. Over the past few months, the state has witnessed criminal acts of outrageous daring that have called the competence of the state government and the law-enforcement authorities into question. Like other states, Kogi has suffered the unwelcome phenomenon of mass bank closures in response to repeated robberies. On December 21, three banks were robbed in one day, and more than 10 people were killed. A day later, on December 22, an Abuja-bound luxury bus was held up by robbers who dispossessed the travellers of their valuables and forced them to lie face-down on the expressway. About 50 of them were

‘Rather than go after criminals, the state commissioner of police is busy haunting travellers traversing the state to other places, particularly opposition politicians and perceived enemies of the government on their way to Abuja. He did this to politicians from Lagos, Osun and of recent, Bayelsa State, at times asking them to tell him their mission to the federal capital’

crushed to death by oncoming vehicles. In October, about 12 armed men stormed the Ihima High Court and freed a man standing trial for kidnapping and armed robbery. One person was killed and several sustained injuries. Kogi is not the only state of the federation undergoing an upsurge in crime, but the sheer impunity with which criminal activities are carried out there has put the state in a league of its own. Some of the contributory factors include the relatively high rate of political thuggery and violence that has traumatised the state in recent times; the state’s strategic position at the centre of the country, particularly its closeness to the Federal Capital Territory and its status as a transport nexus between the north and the south. Added to this is the seeming inability of both the Kogi State government and the Kogi State Police Command to come to grips with the situation. While it is true that the government and the police are hindered by the obstacles that confront other states, it is surprising that they have not appeared to devise strategies that would make the state less vulnerable to the depredations of criminals. Rather than go after criminals, the state commissioner of police is busy haunting travellers traversing the state to other places, particularly opposition politicians and perceived enemies of the government on their way to Abuja. He did this to politicians from Lagos, Osun and of recent, Bayelsa State, at times asking them to tell him their mission to the federal capital. In spite of the flak that his actions have caused the police command and the

Federal Government, he has continued to occupy a position which he has proved most incapable of making a success. It appears that Kogi is the latest victim in a crime wave sweeping across parts of the country. When criminals are faced with improved policing, they often respond by fleeing their current location and moving to another state. In this regard, it is possible that increased anticrime activities in Ogun and Oyo states may have led to an inflow of undesirable elements into Kogi. The strategic position of Kogi State makes a sustained fight against crime all the more important. If nothing is done, the security situation of Abuja itself could come under further pressure. Commercial activities across the nation would also be adversely affected if transportation between the north and south is hampered by the danger of travelling through Kogi. In addition, criminals elsewhere in the country would be encouraged by the apparent success of their counterparts in Kogi to engage in similar acts of impunity. The Kogi State government and the police command must take steps to ensure that the upsurge in crime in the state is reversed. More funds should be devoted to properly equipping the police so that they can respond effectively when crimes are committed. The state’s commercial nerve centres and major expressways should be given extra protection. A state that cannot protect those who live within its borders has lost the justification for its existence.

Excess luggage • Civil service must be pruned to keep recurrent budget disciplined

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ITH the latest critique and rejection of the recurrent expenditure-focused budget proposal for the year 2012 by the Senators Forum, indications are rife that the on-going budget debate may not just be a mere ritual; and the executive had better watch out for surprises. The Senators Forum, at a meeting in Abuja last week, openly rejected President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2012 proposed annual budget over the huge negatively skewed disparity in the amount voted for recurrent, as against the capital expenditure projections. Senate President David Mark and the senators in attendance clearly made their preference for higher capital expenditure projections over and above the recurrent, known at the meeting. We commend the forthrightness, nonpartisanship and patriotism of the Senators Forum. This is a clear departure from the usual glossing-over-the-budget approach of the past. The objective critique, revelation and the suggested way forward are particularly refreshing. First, the Federal Government’s proposed budget, if passed into law, will only filter away valuable resources paying for recurrent expenditure that adds little or no remarkable value to the common wealth. If such spending pattern is sustained over a period of time, and in lieu of capital project investments, the domestic economy will sooner than later suffer. Secondly, the major source of this drain has been identified as the cost of maintaining an over-bloated, top-heavy em-

ployee structure of the civil service. We hasten to add that the retinue of public office holders, diverse political hangerson within and around the corridors of power in the name of special assistants and assistants to the assistants to the special assistants, etc., makes the scandalous phenomenon of excess weight in the federal bureaucracy a recurring decimal, which calls for urgent attention. We recall that the Olusegun Obasanjo administration claimed to have fished out ‘ghost’ and ‘redundant workers’ that were subsequently laid off; thus saving huge revenue for the national treasury. Monetisation policy was introduced and rationalised as a credible means of keeping the burden of excess weight in the civil service and high wage bills of employed persons relatively low. The late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s regime, with Alhaji Ahmed Yayale as the head of service, also pruned the federal civil service. The pertinent question therefore is: between Yar’Adua and Jonathan, how and when did the federal bureaucracy become over-bloated again? As things stand, a comprehensive audit of the federal civil service is desirable and most appropriate. This is with a view to ascertaining the real figures. Logically, future projections become easier and empirically verifiable. In addition, there is the need to justify the essence and the functional relevance of the current size of the federal bureaucracy. Hopefully, this would help put a stop to the overshooting limits that specific government department(s) can hire.

Thirdly, the Federal Government must begin to deploy ingenious ways and update evaluation techniques to measure performance and productivity of the civil servants. The shortcomings of the present orientation are quite obvious and the effects-cum-opportunity cost permutation an alarming economic scandal. The head of service must respond to this shameful bug of over-bloated civil service under his watch. It is worrisome that no one has been prosecuted or indicted for culpable role in the bloated civil service scandal. It is obvious now that any system of public administration that relies on oiling of the wheels of corruption for survival cannot but have the phenomenon of an overbloated bureaucracy as a perennial problem.

‘We hasten to add that the retinue of public office holders, diverse political hangers-on within and around the corridors of power in the name of special assistants and assistants to the assistants to the special assistants, etc., makes the scandalous phenomenon of excess weight in the federal bureaucracy a recurring decimal, which calls for urgent attention’

Russia’s president talks reform as a protest movement gains force

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MITRY MEDVEDEV has proved timid, ineffectual and ultimately powerless during his tenure as Russia’s president. But give him this: The Deep Purple fan at least has recognized that the authoritarian regime built by his boss, Vladimir Putin, is unworkable. In his final “state of the state” speech, Mr. Medvedev proposed Thursday to undo key parts of Mr. Putin’s concentration of power over the past decade by returning to the election of regional governors, making it easier for political parties and presidential candidates to register, and establishing an independent state broadcaster. Some analysts quickly concluded that the presidential speech reflected a panicked Kremlin effort to defuse a protest movement that has brought tens of thousands to the streets of Moscow and other cities; it came just two days before a new demonstration. That could be true; but Mr. Medvedev has been delivering such addresses for several years. In 2009, he denounced Russia’s “primitive raw materials economy” and “chaotic” foreign and domestic policies “dictated by nostalgia and prejudice.” In 2010 he gave a speech noting the urgent need to modernize by attracting Western technology and foreign investment. Mr. Medvedev, in short, appears to have recognized, at least to some degree, that Mr. Putin’s bullying of domestic and foreign business, the massive criminality of his government, and his KGB-style repression of peaceful opponents is unsustainable. Though he was not able to significantly change the regime, he has been proved right by the uprising by members of the country’s urban middle class, which seems to have been jolted out of a decade of passivity by Mr. Putin’s decision to return to the presidency next year. The reforms suggested by the president would be a start toward a more democratic system better able to compete in a global economy. But the odds that Mr. Putin will embrace them seem long. Already he is talking about watered-down versions — like allowing the election of governors after he has screened the candidates. The principal project on the president-to-be’s agenda is a neoimperial Eurasian Union, restoring the Kremlin’s dominion over parts of the former Soviet Union. And Mr. Putin’s own public reaction to the protests has mixed ridicule with claims that the demonstrators are orchestrated and paid by the State Department and other sinister Western interests. Mr. Medvedev has been expected to return to the post of prime minister after the presidential election in March. If he does, he may have the chance to press for the kind of incremental political change he proposed — or at least to keep talking about it. How far he goes, and whether he has any more success than in the past four years, will likely depend on whether the popular protest movement continues and grows. The massive turnout of demonstrators on a freezing Christmas Eve may indicate that Mr. Putin will not have the free hand to which he has become accustomed. – Washington Post

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

20

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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IR: I am a Muslim of Northern Nigerian extraction. Therefore, it should not be surprising that whenever the shadowy group, Boko Haram, claims responsibility for one gun or bomb attack or another, I leap to the defence of my region and my faith in reaction to conspiracy theories which seek to paint them black. Let us be clear on one thing: I do not condone or support terrorism of whatever sort and on whatever justification. How can I be, when Islam forbids the termination of innocent lives? No, what I am saying is that no rightly guided Muslim would go out of his way to take innocent lives. So the reason why I am defensive of Muslims and the North is because real Muslims may not be behind these dastardly attacks. Indeed, there may be more to these attacks than meets the eyes. Therefore, we should not allow intellectual laziness to prevent us from digging deeper to unravel the perpetrators of these heinous acts, their motives and their backers. That said, I must say that I am extremely disturbed by the recent turn of events. I had hoped that the spate of attacks would subside eventually, having rationalized them as being politically induced. However, the Christmas day bombings at Damaturu, Jos and especially the church at Madalla, near the nation’s capital have ‘shined my eyes’ to see clearly that the whole set up was more complicated than I had earlier thought. It is very clear to me now that there is an extremely evil clique in this country bent on destroying it by hammering at the nation’s number one fault line of religion. They know that the fastest and most effective way to destroy the country is to have Nigerians

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This silence is not golden antagonize one another on the basis of religion. And this is where Boko Haram comes in. This evil group (or whatever group has impersonated it) commits one dastardly act after another and claims it is doing it supposedly for the sake of Islam and Muslims. And that is where the danger lies: that unsuspecting Christians would start believing erroneously that this group has the tacit support of Muslims! I hope my Christian brothers and sisters do not succumb to the temptation of believ-

ing such crap. For too long, our leaders up north (religious, traditional and political) have maintained sealed lips over the existence and activities of this group, no doubt pulverized into silence by a climate of fear. However, we cannot continue to be silent when this group scandalously uses the name of our religion to perpetrate evil. This is one instance in which silence is definitely not golden! We (Muslims especially) must all rise urgently and publicly distance our-

selves from this perverted group because they scandalize us and tarnish our image and reputation. The Sultan of Sokoto needs to put out a very strong statement. So also does the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA), Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), Jama’atul Izaalatul Bid’ah wa Iqaamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Tariqatul Tijjaniyya, etc. It would have been bad enough if Boko Haram was an ethnic militia or rebel group, but for it to claim to be working for Islam is a big lie, outrageous, obnoxious, non-

Sultan made my day at Christmas

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IR: Since Islam is said to mean submission to, and peace with God and fellow human beings, I believe it captures the essence of God, as I learnt about it in African Religion into which I was born, and in Christianity into which I became converted. Comparative Religious Studies taught me that any religion that is not traced to God is a pseudo-religion. Hence I am always in pain whenever I hear a Muslim talking of attacks against Muslim extremists and violent fundamentalists as if they are attacks against Islam. Such Muslims are oblivious of the negative image they are creating for Islam as a religion that encourages and promotes violence.

I was highly delighted when I read the caption: “Global fight against extremism, not against Islam – Sultan of Sokoto” in Sunday Tribune, December 25. In the words of the Sultan, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar 111, “Islam is always against violence, we don’t support extremism and violence”. I am still sad that certain Muslims found nothing wrong in the 2001 September 11 bombing of the World Trade Centre in New York, USA, in which people from all over the world converged. It beats my imagination that certain Muslims were blind to Saddam Hussein’s annexation of Kuwait, and what he was doing to his own people of Iraq, and they were condemning without

any reservation the intervention of the Western forces. The Sultan was quoted as attributing the problem of violence in Nigeria to “lack of sincere leadership”, stressing that “political leaders must fear God, and also lead by example for others to follow.” Permit me to explain. Leaders must learn to abide by the rules, rather than cutting corners, and truncating order, such as the rotational presidency agreement floated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). With specific reference to the Boko Haram, the Sultan “called on the government to dialogue with the group as a way of resolving issues with them.” I have said it time without number that flexing muscle with

Ibadan: filth at Christmas

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IR: Here is what I observed on the streets of Ibadan on Christmas day. From Ojoo to Dugbe and from Dugbe to Molete you cannot but be saddened by the experience of a Merry Christmas in a dirty city. Let’s face the fact: Ibadan is dirty inside out! I am a son of the soil but we need tell ourselves the home truth. The most disgusting aspect of it is that, local government councils within the city metropolis; instead of supporting both the Ibadan Solid Waste Management Board and the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources to keep Ibadan clean, they

sensical and intended to achieve an evil agenda of setting Muslims against Christians in this fragile country, in a senseless conflict out of which nothing good can materialize. Ultimately, the security and wellbeing of Nigerians is the responsibility of the Federal Government, but it seems as if the government is either far removed from the reality of the enormity of the situation, does not care, or is just terribly incompetent. My message to the government is simply this: wake up! Boko Haram does not represent Muslims in any way; they are well and truly on their own. Therefore, find your thinking caps, put them on, hunt down these murderous fellows and bring them to justice fast. So much time and blood has already been wasted. We cannot afford any further waste. • Yusuf Adamu Adeiza Benin City, Nigeria.

are putting the cart before the horse, by planting flowers side-by-side mountain of wastes deposited on the culvert in between Dugbe-Ojoo dual carriage way. This I have termed ‘Waste Beatification Project’. Even a village man knows that the best way to beautify a flirty highway is to evacuate mountainous wastes contesting the space with vehicles. In Ibadan of my adolescence, I do struggle with fellow commuters to sit at the front of buses; but these days, I take my seat at the back, after I realized that sitting in front is injurious to health, especially when there is a

heavy traffic jam in a location where wastes have invaded the road. Sango is a reference point. Both weekly (every Thursdays, market only) and monthly (last Saturday of the month) environmental sanitation exercises have been tokenized and ritualized, to the effect that their observance has not significantly reversed the unsanitary status of Ibadan metropolis. At any rate, may I use this medium to appeal to local government councils in Ibadan City, under caretaker committees to abandon their zero impact ‘Waste Beautification Project’

and instead focus attention on improving environmental health of Ibadan city. The state government should adopt or adapt the Lagos model of Public-Private-Partnership in waste management. On Christmas day, around Oke-Ado/Oke-Bola I saw one state government-owned refuse collection truck. That truck, by my conservative estimation cannot go beyond Dugbe before it will be filled to the brim. Government alone cannot effectively manage gargantuan wastes being generated in Ibadan city daily! • Olusoji Ajao, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

Boko Haram cannot yield any positive result, even if you bring America, Britain, and France together to face them, because anybody who engages in suicide bombing is saying: death is superior to sickness. Nigeria is now facing daily rampant bombing. Unfortunately, President Goodluck Jonathan is surrounded by political jobbers who can’t tell him the truth, because they value their jobs and the spoils of office than Nigeria’s order and peace. Let no one be deceived, the Boko Haram is now a political battle. Remove the political logjam, and you will see a different north fighting a religious Boko Haram. Did a northern segment not struggle tooth and nail to ensure the presidency stayed in the north to complete the eight years that seemed to have become the norm? Particularly because of Boko Haram, Jonathan’s government is spending heavily on security and unable to maintain our universities, etc. He should stop wasting human and material resources, and engage in dialogue with Boko Haram. Together with the National Assembly, they should enshrine rotational presidency and equitable electoral system in the constitution. • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D, University of Ilorin.


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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28 , 2011

EDITORIAL/OPINION

GLJ’s New Year present : repair refineries first -3-6 months, subsidy removal second?

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T year end, take stock. So far, not good. Nigerians are still spending up to 20-30% of budgets on ‘power subsidy’ i.e. fuel, candles, generaTony tors. Government Marinho should not require 24 months for refineries to be repaired. Refinery repair will immediately reduce importation of fuel to zero and kill fuel subsidy and enrich the pocket of the government by the equivalent of N1-2trillion. Who is blinding government from seeing this? Why cannot government wait the few months to realise this simple reality. Why does government want to jump on the citizens to extract this pound of flesh? Did the citizens steal government money or get mega-lucrative NNPC contracts designed for the ‘NNPC Club 100’ and Forbes Africa Billionaires? So leave the people out of the ‘wayo mathematical fuel subsidy equation’ and its solution. The current solution of 24 month refinery repair and a massive tax seems economically more concerned with raising extra funds for government than attempting to solve a megaincompetence/ corruption scam in a major government parastatal -NNPC. Nigerians have had it far too roughroads, rail, water, electricity, to name a few areas- for too long at the hands of profligate governments who do less work with more money. The naira is fighting a losing battle in Nigeria. Every kobo of the money to be made by government from removal of subsidy will come from the citizens unless the refineries are repaired as a precondition. The burden on the citizenry can be avoided 100% by fixing the refineries first in any 2012 reforms. Government puts the cart before the horse by removing nonexistent subsidy before repair of refineries. This is wrong. The citizens did not destroy the refineries or refuse to do the turn around maintenance or award massive contracts to build fuel tank farms for those importers profiting from a planned permanent re-

finery murder. These importers are dependent on Nigeria’s refining incompetence. They capitalise on Nigeria’s need to import fuel through their storage tank farms. Nigerians should not be forced to suffer any more for the sins of corruption, incompetence, neglect and antiNigeria policies of past administrations and government employees. Even tank farm builders should not hold Nigeria to ransom. Why did they go into a business fuelled by and dependent on Nigeria’s administrative irresponsibility, corporate corruption and managerial/ technical incompetence? Such a business can only thrive in an incompetent nation. Are refineries deliberately corruptly crippled to maintain the clamour for imports? Certainly the seasonal fuel queues of the past were orchestrated to maximise suffering and ‘emergency’ imports at exorbitant contract prices! Nigerians have truly suffered and seem to be in the process of being psychologically programmed to suffer even more in 2012. All we are saying: ‘Repair Refineries today - Subsidy Will Disappear Tomorrow’ = KG1 mathematics. Refinery fixing can be done and it must be done in a short time span, by emergency powers. Are we not a country that ‘concessions’ and mortgages our children’s future to rice and cement importers and now in 2011 gives 25-50 year concessions to toll gate operators? The toll in Nigeria is an avenue to perpetual wealth except for the road user. What moral right has government not to repair the roads or refineries immediately, urgently? Government thinking is far too mundane and slow because government officials have not used their own money to buy fuel or pay fuel bills in 20 years. Unfortunately we, ‘Fellow Nigerians’ do use our hard earned money for fuel. Therefore, we see the provision of power, fuel and electric, as emergency relief for us. They are interchangeable as the more electric power is provided, the less ‘power subsidy’ Nigerians will have to provide. The electricity power subsidy currently provided by the citizens is of the order of 65-70% of power needs in the country – a very heavy burden on Nigerians as yet unappreciated by

any government. Governments should apologise to Nigerians for incompetence in this area. Now government want to add a totally avoidable ‘fuel subsidy’ which will disappear when refineries function. What benefit is there being a Nigerian? One day government will give a contractor the contract to bottle the air we breathe and sell it to us or else we will buy an ‘Air Permit’ to breathe a certain number of times a day –in the interests of preserving the environment no doubt. If we exceed that number of breaths, by running unexpectedly or laughing at a First Lady or Presidential joke, we will have to pay a fine to the ‘Fresh Air Police’. If you want to dance or have sex you will have to buy extra air in advance, O! In 2012 ‘say YES to refinery repairs and only after that say YES to fuel subsidy removal when refineries are operational and Nigeria imports no fuel. This is the Happy New Year Present Nigerians expect from President Jonathan’s Speech on 1-1-2012. As the matter is an emergency we expect that ‘Emergency’ 24 hour, seven days a week’ within 3-6 months refinery turn around contracts be awarded employing three shifts of technical staff under emergency powers. Or turn to the ‘Niger Delta Local Refinery Association’ who operate 500 refineries in safety and security against vandalisation and sell for N20/ litre. In Africa all state should ‘Solar States’ as a substitute, not just as a ‘environmental public relations stunt’ for street lights but for many other needs. Happy and Prosperous 2012!

‘What moral right has government not to repair the roads or refineries immediately, urgently? Government thinking is far too mundane and slow because government officials have not used their own money to buy fuel or pay fuel bills in 20 years’

This sacrifice is too much

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lot of excitement is packed into Christmas festivities. From the homes to street corners, there must be something to remind you that Christmas is here again. If you happen not to have noticed anything in your neighbourhood, at least, you will notice the traffic jam everywhere as people shop for their needs. Besides, the fireworks that are exploded now and again around you can only occur during the Yuletide. My family had just left for church on Christmas day when I tuned to Al-Jazeera Television Network. Time was about 9 am. I was stunned when I overheard the newscaster talking about a bomb explosion in Abuja. Then came the graphic display of a map of Nigeria indicating Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. I was shocked with anger and disbelief. A bomb had been detonated on the outskirts of the Federal Capital City very close to a church where worshippers had started trooping out after giving praise to God. Subsequent news bulletin on this network and other networks like the BBC, Sky news and CNN indicated that more explosions had taken place in Damaturu and Jos. My first reaction that morning was to call my children in Abuja and ask them to remain at home. That was the first time they would stay outside Lagos during Christmas. My decision to ask them to stay back in Abuja was informed by the need to avoid the hiccups as-

sociated with travelling at this time of the year in Nigeria. They would have come by air to Lagos but even the airlines and their services are very epileptic and unreliable. There are frequent cancellations and postponements that could keep an air traveller at the airport for upward of six, seven or nine hours. Such reschedulling can eventually end up in cancellation. As for the roads, we all know that Nigerian roads are death traps. They are full of potholes, some so wide that they could upturn a vehicle if you are reckless. Most of the culprits are commercial drivers who drive at top speed probably under the influence of alcohol and other drugrelated substances. Many lives are lost in this process. In addition, you have the menace of armed robbers to contend with. Only God knows how many people were dispossessed on our highways during this last Christmas. Anyway, the Boko Haram sect had issued notice that they would stage several bombing runs during the Christmas. During my last visit to Abuja, I had told my children to avoid crowded places and possibly get all they need and stay indoors during the yuletide. Evil people take advantage of such periods to perpetrate their nefarious activities. Last year, there were bombings in mammy markets and other drinking joints on Christmas Eve in Abuja, Jos and elsewhere. And there was nothing to indicate that the sect could not repeat the same scenario all

‘During the last Id el-Kabir festival, no bombing was recorded near any Muslim praying ground. Why should such occur near churches on Christmas Day?’

over again. All they did, this time around, was to go to remote areas or isolated places where nobody expected such a thing to detonate their lethal ware. What matters to them is the uproar the thing will generate and not really who becomes the victim. Since the big towns and cities came under a blanket of heavy security cordon, the bombers simply looked elsewhere and wreak havoc on innocent citizens. From the account of a clergyman who was continuously featured on Sky news, the bombing in front of the church claimed the lives of some families. According to him, there was a vehicle that had three occupants; another had four; and the other five occupants. They were all roasted inside their vehicles. On a day like that, it is customary for a whole family to take a ride together in a single car to church without knowing that the bomber was lurking around. All of a sudden, the whole joyous family is wiped out by one Improvised Explosive Device, IED. I do not know what to call the rage of madness and senseless killings that has become the order of the day in some parts of the country. If you look around, except for the bombing that took place in the United Nations building in Abuja, most of the victims are in a particular class in the society. They are neither political office holders nor influential members of the society. They are purely people at the middle or lowest rung of the social ladder who have also been at the receiving end of useless and worthless government policies that have pauperized the people for many years in this country - policies that have brought more criminals than development. That is why I am amused each time the government comes up

with a policy and appeals to people to make sacrifice. The fact is that only a section of the populace makes such sacrifice while the privileged ones live in opulence and secure environment. I remember in 1976, when the regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd) came up with its austerity measures. Nigerians were asked to tighten their belts. Ever since then, no government, military or civilian, has asked the people to loosen their belts. Rather than ask those who have been tightening their belts since 1976 to loosen them, successive governments have come up with one measure or another that have tightened the belts further. I wonder the type of fate that will befall a man who tightens his belt and makes it tighter every day. It is either he stops doing it in order to survive, or allows it to cut him into two. For Nigerians, the former is the likely way out. I am sure by now people are tired of making sacrifice. Many families have lost loved ones in the orgy of violence that has gripped the nation in the last one year or so. Children have not been spared either. All the bombers do is look out for a target and hit it. Bombs do not discriminate. They cannot differentiate between a man and a woman, between the rich and the poor and between an adult and a toddler. They cannot even identify the relations of the bomb thrower or whether the would-be victim is a Christian or Muslim. But then, in the latest bombing in Abuja and Jos, the bomber is very much aware that the likely victims would be Christians. If not, why will the bomber choose to detonate the bomb near or in front of a church? During the last Id el-Kabir festival, no bombing was recorded near any Muslim praying ground. Why should

Dele Agekameh such occur near churches on Christmas Day? It is obvious that those who are throwing these bombs know exactly what they are doing. If they feel that the society has not been fair to them and as such, their grievances have found expression in violence, they should know that those probably responsible for their woes are still walking free, unharmed. Those who introduced Sharia legal system in the North in January 2000 are living comfortably in their homes today, far from the prying eyes of the bombers. I am sure, if they had not done so at that time, no group of people will be demanding the complete Islamisation of the country now. Or is it the Islamisation of northern Nigeria that they are talking about? By and large, it is those Chinua Achebe will prefer to refer to as “Poor Innocent Victims, PIV”, that have constantly been at the receiving end of the incessant and reckless bombings in the country. Is this part of the sacrifice the poor will have to make to enable the rich to continue to enjoy better life? If it is so, then this sacrifice is too much! Send reactions to: 08058354382 (SMS only)


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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EDITORIAL/OPINION FROM THE CELL PHONE ‘...If GEJ cannot punish those who perpetrate this crime against Nigeria, must he punish Nigerians for government’s inefficiency? You journalists have a great role to play by asking government the following questions: Why must Nigeria, an oil producing country, import fuel? How much does it cost to import a litre of fuel? Why is government reluctant to punish the so-called cabals having identified them? If GEJ nust remove fuel subsidy let him tell us his annual salary’ - Bola F.R.

• Jonathan

For Dare Olatunji My best Christmas greetings! Your comment on Daniyan and conservative politics has brought forward a long-nursed desire to get in touch with you. Please, I am eagerly waiting to read your commentary on the policies and actions of the progressive government of Lagos State epitomised by the new regime of fees in LASU and the brutality against protesters over toll on the Ajah expressway. May the good Lord bless my Professor. From Iboro Otongaran, Lagos. Your piece on Daniyan was fantastic. I always admire your piece. Too bad, I never had the opportunity of meeting you while I was in Michigan. Anonymous Daniyan was a staunch member of SDP. Anonymous Thank you for the tribute on the great man called Daniyan. From Lanre Oseni, Lagos. Re: “Daniyan: a witness departs”. The late Pa Silas Daniyan had played his part

and, indeed, played it well. This gentleman I knew was close to Dr Olusola Saraki in the NPN days when the present Kogi was part of Kwara State. May his gentle soul rest in peace, amen. Thank you Mr. Dare. Anonymous “Daniyan: A witness departs” is a proof that the late Daniyan lived a meaningful life. May his soul rest in peace. But, that he ran for elective post on the platform of conservatives, based on a realistic assessment of his chances than from conviction, sounds opportunistic. Should one rob because robbers rob one? Must we join, if we cannot beat them? We should stand by our conviction, win or lose. From ADEYCorsim, Oshodi Lagos

For Gbenga Omotoso I pardon you for leaving out yourself. I know it is because of your sense of modesty. Take a bow, Gbenga Omotosho for the satirist of the year! Anonymous The times are hard; but everytime I read editorial notebook you always make me laugh. Anonymous I appreciate and concur with you in totallity. Next time, you stand a chance to earn my honour. Anonymous I am not surprised that this came out of you because of your upbringing. Can FEC and IGP have the wisdom to decide this message? Oracle for the DEAF is always at its highest volume. It is a message for

only the wise. From G.O.D., Irun Akoko You are correct about Jonathan, but most correct about Mrs Alison Madueke. Anonymous Have you seen your front page caption which has to do with PDP zoning. Also see your story on the conduct of council poll in Kogi. From Adaji, Kogi State GEJ wants Nigerians to trust him to spend expected income from subsidy wisely yet, he is planning to spend N1 billion on food alone. Action speaks louder than voice. Anonymous In Ogun State, OGD allegedly embezzled the fund released from excess crude account in December. Also, the incumbent collected money since June and has not disbursed a kobo to any of the 20 local governments. If GEJ thinks he can still fool us he will be in for a surprise. Anonymous Which honour do you have for Justice Katsina Alu and Governor Ikedi Ohakim. Anonymous I can’t stop reading your piece of December 22. It is, to me, a classic. It is quite revealing as well as educating. I think you deserve the best satirist award for 2011. Keep it up. From James. For a didactic cum intellectual articulation of these ‘horrors’and ‘honours’, “the most constructive polity observer and editor of the year” goes to you indisputably! Only that Father Santa Claus will present the medal! Keep the fire burning. From Nonso Ginikanwa, UNN GEJ’s claim that he feels our pain is a lie.

• Daniyan

His approval of FRSC current number plate and driver’s licence renewal is fraudulent. He ought to know. From Edo Osa Don, Benin. Did you hear what the Works Minister said about kerosine scarcity and why government must remove subsidy? He said the company handling road project hijacked kerosine. Anonymous Present at the town hall meeting to discuss the issue of subsidy removal were the so-called cabals holding the nation to ransom. But none of them was bold enough to admit collecting money not meant for them. If GEJ cannot punish those who perpetrate this crime against Nigeria, must he punish Nigerians for government’s inefficiency? You journalists have a great role to play by asking government the following questions: Why must Nigeria, an oil producing country, import fuel? How much does it cost to import a litre of fuel? Why is government reluctant to punish the so-called cabals having identified them? If GEJ nust remove fuel subsidy let him tell us his annual salary. From Bola F. R. Idiroko

OPINION HOUGH not a Nigerian, Mr. David McRae, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria spoke the minds of most of our countrymen when he recently told journalists that the brewing controversies over subsidy in the country was about trust or lack of it between the government and the governed. As a Nigerian, I have also at different occasions engaged in intense arguments during which I questioned why we should trust government, and by this, I mean the three tiers of our government with extra funds that will accrue from the stoppage of subsidy on petrol when they have not demonstrated enough prudence with the revenue they currently derive from various sources. The widespread believe is that any such extra funds to be derived from savings made from the removal of petrol subsidy will be frittered away without resulting in any appreciable improvement in socio-economic circumstances of the generality of Nigerians. This, in essence is at the core of why many Nigerians are not willing to support the move to end fuel subsidy. But then, there is another aspect of the Ambassador’s comment on the issue which I believe the media did not give the desired prominence: how countries should view subsidy on products like petrol. ”I think the Nigerians have to be informed of the facts of the matter. In a general context, subsidy on petroleum products is not a thing that countries generally want to do. If you want to help poor people you have to look at the social sectors —water, health, education and access to jobs,” he said. Talking specifically about countries in the European Union, the Ambassador had noted that what they do is to “provide basic services like water, health, education and mass employment. Rather than subsidise petroleum products, we impose heavy taxes on fuel because it is our source of revenue.” This is an argument that government has consis-

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A matter of trust By Musa Tanimu tently put forward as it tried to earn the support of Nigerians on its plans to remove subsidy. The fact is that as it is presently done, the big gainers from the ridiculously cheap prices of petrol in Nigeria are the elites who had taken advantage of the controlled price of the commodity to stock their garages with all sorts of fuel guzzling vehicles. The mass transit buses and lorries which transport food products and other goods from the different parts are powered by Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, otherwise known as diesel. Therefore, why it cannot be argued that ending the regime of subsidy will not result in any form of discomfort for the masses, the ongoing spread of climate of fear on the potential inflationary fall out of the policy will in the end of the day turn out to be scaremongering carried too far. This aside, I am even more excited that just like the Ambassador has stated, removal of subsidy will also allow our government to initiate policies and programmes that have direct impact on the masses, courtesy of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment, SURE Programme, document I recently came across in some newspapers. The

production of such document which comprehensively states how much each tier of government will receive in additional funds as a result of stoppage of subsidy and the areas the funds will to be spent on, especially as regards Federal Government’s portion of the savings is another testimony to the fact that government has not be unmindful of genuine concerns of Nigerians on its plans to stop petroleum subsidy. As stated in the document, at a projected price of $90 per barrel of crude oil, the total projected savings from stoppage of petrol subsidy will be N1.3 trillion per annum. Out of the amount, Federal Government will receive N633 billion, while States and Local Governments will receive N349 billion and N269 billion respectively as additional revenue annually. It is also gladdening that just as the EU Ambassador said is done in other countries, the Federal Government has listed pro-poor programmes it will invest its portion of the savings on after the removal of subsidy. Included in the SURE document for instance are series of social safety nets programmes with specific objectives of mitigating the immediate impact of stoppage of subsidy on the poor and the vulnerable in our society as examples of other countries that have gone through such route in the past have shown. To

‘The construction of the roads will lead to the creation of direct and indirect employments. And this is why I believe this proposition is worth sincere consideration because we can no longer accuse the government, especially at the federal level of lacking well-articulated plans on how it will use savings from stoppage of subsidy’

address fears of likely astronomical rise in the cost of transportation for instance, the Federal Government in the document stated it would provide zero interest loans that will enable operators of transport services to increase their fleet. Additional buses on the road, going by simple law of economics of demand and supply will help keep transport fare down. But the government will also through this scheme be creating more employment as more people will be employed as bus drivers and conductors. I’m also excited that the Federal Government as indicated in the document will also carry out rehabilitation, expansion or total reconstruction of roads and bridges with a total distance of 1,326 kilometres with funds to be derived from savings to be made from stoppage of subsidy. Good enough, government was categorical on the roads which are scattered across the six geographical zones of the country. The roads include the 200 Kilometre Abuja-AbajiLokoja dual carriageway, the 295 kilometres Benin-Ore -Sagamu dual carriageway, 317 kilometres Onitsha-Enugu-Port-Harcourt dual carriageway, 510 kilometres KanoMaiduguri dual carriageway, construction of two kilometres Oweto Bridge and the much sought second Niger bridge of the same length. Anybody familiar with Nigeria’s road network will not but agree that these are some of the most economically important, but long neglected roads in the country. The construction of the roads will lead to the creation of direct and indirect employments. And this is why I believe this proposition is worth sincere consideration because we can no longer accuse the government, especially at the federal level of lacking well-articulated plans on how it will use savings from stoppage of subsidy. Maybe we should for once trust our government. • Tanimu writes from Kano.


Gambo leads 6 new PVS terminates Rabiu Ibrahim’s contract Eagles to camp Pg. 24

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Nation PAGE 23

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

•Super in training

Eagles beat Abuja selected 1-0 Pg. 24


WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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NATION SPORT Our investment in amateur sports is beginning to reap fruits –Fashola

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AGOS state governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Monday attended the third Governor’s Belt edition on Boxing Day with an assertion that the state’s investment in amateur sports is beginning to have its footprints all over the face of Nigerian sports. Governor Fashola who spoke at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Yaba, venue of the amateur boxing championship organised by the Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame and Lagos Amateur Boxing Association, said almost from nothing and a seeming impossible task, amateur boxing has been revived. The Governor noted that judging by the number of Clubs that sponsored boxers to the boxing Show, it could be readily seen that the whole State from Epe to Lagos Island, to Badagry, Ikorodu, Ikeja, everybody is involved in boxing at the amateur level in Lagos State. While thanking the former Commissioner for Finance and current Chairman/Co-ordinator of the Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame, Mr Wale Edun for leading the initiative, Governor Fashola gave a commitment that government will provide the means wherever it finds the organisational support which must be a people-driven thing. Governor Fashola explained that at the last National Sports Festival, the results of Lagos investment in amateur boxing was there for everyone to see because the state won the national boxing championship. “So, it confirms therefore that there is no short cut to success. This is a story that started three years ago and I promised that I will be here every December 26 to come and witness and support the finals”. The Governor also counseled the boxers who are already becoming recognised faces, stars and leaders in their own rights, to consider spending the time they use in painting their hair, tattoos on the bodies and wearing earrings to training, to improve their skills. Governor Fashola who also spoke on how sports is organised in Nigeria, said it should be a sequence of events and not an accident, expressing the belief that as Lagos prepares to host the National Sports Festival in 2012, he would want to see a sports festival where secondary school students and senior secondary students will lead Lagos to the championship. “This is the time to begin to create a new army of champions for Nigeria from the secondary schools. We must go back to the basics. From the National Sports Festival, we must move to the All African Games and from All African Games to the Commonwealth games and from there we must produce Olympians that will represent Nigeria and dominate the world”. To the administrators of sports, the Governor said: “it is not just enough to organise events. It is important to sequence the calendar of our events so that they cascade in this order. “When we see a sports festival in Nigeria, we should genuinely expect to see an African champion and when we see an African champion, we should be sure we have a Commonwealth champion and when we produce a Commonwealth champion, we should be sure there is an Olympic champion in the making”. “Look at the story of late Sunday Bada, Egbunike, Mary Onyali, Davidson Andeh, this is the road they had to walk. It is a long road but from what I see here, Nigeria is waiting for your best.

Egueke, Papa dazzle in trial game …Battle of the gloves hots up

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•Gov Fashola It is truly yet to come”, the Governor stated. The Governor who also spoke about the discovery of new talents in other sports said: “At the last Beach Soccer championship which we hosted here, there were two candidates who were from Lagos, one was a product of our street soccer, while the other was a product of our local football club here. it means there are so many talents waiting to be discovered”. The Governor commended the Senior Special Assistant on Grassroots Sports, Prince Wale Oladunjoye for his commitment to grassroots sports development and Mr Tunde Bank Anthony as well as all the association chairmen for their efforts and sacrifices in taking sports to the next level. He also praised the former Commissioner for Sports, Prince Ademola Adeniji Adele and the new Commissioner for the smooth transition that took place in the sports ministry. In one of the fixtures, Shina Adeniji of D&DBC Club defeated Babatunde Shokunbi of Margan BC Club in the exhibition match, while in the 56kg category, Kazeem Oliwo of Star Club defeated Sikiru Fatai of Police Club. Other bouts decided were in the 60kg category, Joseph Otto of Paramount Club defeated Rilwan Oladosu of Ajetumobi Club, 81kg category in which Gabriel Francis from Champion Club defeated Azeez Olumegbon of Kamlat Club, 75kg category, Segun Ibrahim of Warrior Club defeated Muri Shango of Eleto Club. In the 51kg category for female, Mutiat Adebayo of Champion Club defeated Elizabeth Osoja of Brightness Club while in the 60kg female category, Mariam Adedun of Police Club defeated Kate Peter of Golden Weapon Club. In the 52kg category, Taiwo Agbaje of Young Star Club defeated Ibrahim Ali of Paramount Club while Olajide Fijabi of Star Club defeated Taiwo Oyegunwa of Faleke Club in the 64kg category. Prizes were presented to the winners in the various categories by the Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Mr Adepitan Babatunde, Mr Wale Edun, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Grassroots Sports, Prince Wale Oladunjoye and several sports personalities who witnessed the event. The Governor’s Belt for the 2011 Edition was presented by Governor Fashola to overall winner, Taiwo Agbaje of Young Star Club. Fijabi Olajide of Star Club and Mutiat Adebayo of Champion Club emerged second and third prize winners respectively.

OING by the secret rating officials have been giving to players at the national team’s camp, two players have so far stood out and shockingly one of them has not trained even for once with the team. Kaduna United’s Papa Idris joined the team only on Monday night and was drafted to play the trial game the following morning. Starring in the central defence role, Papa, was a delight to watch as his calmness, swift play and initiating attack from the defence was hailed by all who watched him. Keshi said he was shocked too at the rate of communication on the pitch of the player as he was calling each player by name when he wanted the ball. Keshi therefore asked him whether he knew all the players before the game, to which he answered in the affirmative. Another excellent player so far, is Azubuike Egwueke, the lanky central defender, who has been a constant top player during training sessions and in trial games. His commanding presence, ability to read the game, marshal his teammates and above all is never under pressure, is akin to the playing days of Gentle Giant Uche Okechukwu. These are not the only two players ho have so far impressed as Bathlomew Ibenegbu, has been good in the midfield, Corps member Stephen Morah, has also shown that his small frame bellies his dazzling runs down the left side of the attack. In general, the team seem to be taking shape gradually.

Meanwhile, the goalkeeping department seem to be the most competitive as the coaching crew is finding it difficult to decamp any of the four goalkeepers in camp. The goalkeepers are Warri Wolves Chigozie Agbim, Okemute Odah of League Champions; Dolphins, Enyimba’s first choice Godwin Paul and Sunshine Stars Moses Ocheje. So far, it has been battle royale among the four, for the man who will stand between the posts and the other who will deputise. It sure will be a tough task, but goalkeepers’ trainer, Ike Shorunmu, will give answers to the puzzle in the coming days.

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OP Dutch club PSV Eindhoven have terminated the contract of Nigeria Olympic midfield star Rabiu Ibrahim with immediate effect. Ibrahim failed to break into the PSV first-team and was subsequently fired as the contract his England-based agent negotiated for him was strictly a performance-based one. The Dutch club activated a clause in Ibrahim’s contract which stipulated they can cancel his contract at any time. There are also three other central midfielders at PSV now which makes the competition even stiffer for the young Nigerian. A top agent based in Europe told MTNFootball.com: “It’s a very sad development but it was mainly because of the contract, which did not protect the player at all.

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OME-BASED Super Eagles continued their build-up for the Nations Cup qualifier against Rwanda , in February, with an impressive display against an Abuja selected side. Playing two different teams in each half, it was the first time the team will be playing before Head

coach Stephen Keshi who was away in Ghana, when the first warm up game was played. Parading the likes of Okemute Odah in goal, Azubuike Egwueke leading the defence line, Bartholomew Ibenegbu, alias mosquito in the midfield and and Kalu Uche powering the attack

“The contract was skewed in favour of the club “I have watched the player for the second team of PSV. He has potentials but he is not a player for a top club like PSV.” The former Gateway of Abeokuta star has played only handful of games for PSV mostly as a substitute. In March, the former Nigeria U-17 star signed a three-year contract just before his 20th birthday. This was after he impressed while on trials there. Last year, he was released by top Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon after he also failed to make a first-team appearance in three years. It was only four years ago that Ibrahim was widely hailed as one of the hottest young prospects in world

•Rabiu Ibrahim football after he anchored the Golden Eaglets midfield as they soared to win a third World Cup in South Korea. MTNFootball.com has further learnt that Ibrahim would now most likely be shipped to a lower league club in Belgium or England after the latest setback to a once promising career.

alongside, Sunday Mba, the Eagles had much of the possession like it was the case in the first game but poor finishing was their undoing. The opposition gave their all in the game but it was nothing to trouble Odah in goal for the Eagles, who was virtually on holidays in the first 45minutes. The only goal of the match came when Kalu Uche’s dazzling run from the left flank, was coolly finished by Mba to the delight of Keshi and his technical crew. It was in the 42nd minute of the game. Goalkeeper Moses Ocheje, led a new set of players into the game in the second half, but it was new comer Papa Idris and 22-year old youth corps member Stephen Morah that lighted up like a million stars. Izu Azuka also improved on his midfield play in the game, but for all their efforts the Abuja X1 refused to be intimidated and left with a slim defeat. Addressing the players after the game, Big Boss Stephen Keshi, said he was very encouraged by the display but will not use the word impressed yet, until the players work to earn it. The team will file out this morning against Ranchers Bees of Kaduna at the mainbowl of the Abuja National Stadium.

HERE is a general consensus among the coaching crew that the home-based Super Eagles can defeat Rwanda , in their backyard if they continue with the manner of training they have been going through and also have a decent attitude to the games. Head coach, Stephen Keshi, started the pumping up, on Tuesday after the training match against Abuja X1, by again challenging the players to give him reasons not to invite any foreign based professional. “Almost all the Rwandan players are home-based and their league is not better than ours so why can’t we do the same here and create a team that other countries will fear”. Amokachi, spoke in the same vein, and also Sylvanus Okpala, whose

•Team to start Shooting practice

daily physical drilling of the players has been excellent. Gentleman, Ike Shorunmu, said with what he saw in camp, it’s a new dawn for Nigerian football. The team is expected to start shooting training after their Wednesday trial game against Ranchers Bees. Keshi, said it has become necessary, because of the wastages he has seen of the players in front of goal.

Gambo leads 6 new Eagles to camp •Six others decamped

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ANO PILLARS gangling attacker Gambo Mohammed is expected to lead teammate Kabir Umar and four others to camp as the Steve Keshi Super Eagles coaching crew begin the process of elimination by substitution. Others who have been invited are Omomo Osas of Sunshine Stars, Kaduna United duo of Papa Idris and Ishaya Daniel, who are already in camp and Obinna Nwachukwu of Heartland of Owerri. In the same vein, six players have been decamped for not measuring up to standard. They are Fade Adebayo of Kaduna United, Wikki’s Ibrahim Mustapha,

Markson Ojobo of Enyimba, Rangers James Okwuosa and Dolphin duo of Fortune Chukwudi and Uche Ochendo. The players have since left camp. Players In: Omomo Osas, Gambo Mohammed, Kabir Umar, Papa Idris, Ishaya Daniel, Obinna Nwachukwu. Players Out: Fade Adebayo, Ibrahim Mustapha, Markson Ojobo, Fortune Chukwudi, Uche Ochendo, James Okwuosa.

•Super Eagles’ players at a training session in Abuja recently

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HAIRMAN Delta state football association Amaju Pinnick has pin-pointed the National Sports Commission (NSC) as the major problem bedeviling sports in Nigeria. The leadership of the sports ministry continues to receive bashes from imminent persons following disclosure by the house committee on sports that the DG has failed to provide the relevant documents on the sports ministry budget for 2009 and 2010. Speaking in a chat with brilafm.net, Amaju described as unbelievable the declaration of the DG that henceforth athletes schooling abroad are no longer qualified to participate in national meets such as the national sports festival. He further said that instead of Ekeji looking for solutions he has busied himself compounding the woes. “I think the sports ministry is a chunk of the problem associated with Nigerian sports, instead of getting themselves busy to develop sports in Nigeria to international standard they compounding the problem” “The ban of athletes schooling abroad from National competitions is pretty biased”, he wrapped up. •Amaju Pinnik

Enyimba eyes Frimpong APFON tasks Academy duo NFF Congress on

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Nigerian wrestlers, rusty –Igali believes they still have two months to knock the wrestlers into shape before the qualifiers. “They were laxities on the part of the wrestlers, they were not in my opinion, ready, they were rusty but I think we still have two months before the African qualifiers and six months before the Olympics so I believe there will be a lot of improvement".

•I’m encouraged, not impressed –Keshi

PSV terminates Rabiu Ibrahim’s contract

2012 OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIERS ECHNICAL director of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel Igali has declared that the wrestlers selected for the 2012 Olympic Games qualifiers in Morocco are too rusty and need to be knocked into proper shape. Speaking in a chat with brilafm.net, the Sydney 2000 summer Olympic Games Gold medalist however

Eagles beat Abuja selected 1-0

‘Home-Eagles can trounce Rwanda ’ T

NATION SPORT NSC killing sports –Amaju Pinnik

ERENNIAL Nigerian champions, Enyimba International, are considering two prospects from the Minna based Frimpong Football Academy as the 2011/2012 Nigeria Premier League season draws closer. The players are Daniel Frimpong, an attacker, who a younger brother of Enyimba legend, Joetex Frimpong, and Sadick Abdulrazak, a defensive midfielder. SuperSport.com learnt that both players arrived Aba in the first week of December with their team mate, Mohammed Kanawa. However, Kanawa has since returned to Minna, while the duo of Frimpong and Abdulrazak have continued to impress the technical crew. "I'm happy that a big team like Enyimba has offered me a chance. The exercise is not over and I'm determined to work hard soas tosecure a contract," Daniel told SuperSport.com. Abdulrazak equally expressed his readiness to maximize the opportunity at Enyimba. "As a young lad in Minna, I've heard a lot about Enyimba. I'm excited with the chance to attendthe trials here," the youngster told SuperSport.com Founder of the academy, Joetex, who made his name at the Aba side expressed satisfaction with progress of the youngsters. 'It's a good development that these young lads are training with a great African team like Enyimba. I hope they make the grade at Enyimba," Joetex said to SuperSport.com. Both players have been with the academy since inception in 2010. If offered a contract, Daniel will be the third footballer from the Frimpong family to play for Enyimba after Joetex and Eric. The academy was established by Joetex, a former Ghanaian international and Nigeria Premier League legend to enable youngsters begin a career in Minna.

players’ welfare

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HE Association of professional footballers of Nigeria (APFON) wants the congress of the NFF to intervene and address the lingering issue of club indebtedness to players and coaches and non-existence of a National Regulation Governing the status and transfer of professional players in the leagues which encouraged the abuse of the administrative procedure of the transfer system by club s and the leagues. Failure by the affected clubs to comply with the decisions of the players status and Arbitration Committee and the refusal of the disciplinary committee of the NFF to enforce relevant sanctions on the defaulting clubs in line with football laws, has exposed hundreds of players and coaches to untold economic and social hardship for more than one year. As a responsible union desirous of creating a playing pathern that will help players maximise their playing and income-earning potentials, we appeal to the congress of the NFF as a last resort to tackle this issue and others in line with the provisions of the law. While the union do not kick against the commencement of the leagues as already decided by the league bodies, but the union will not expect anything short of the deduction of points from the affected clubs in line with football regulations. As a law abiding organisation, and having exhausted all internal mechanisms to resolve these issues, the union will not shy away from taking options as provided by the law to get justice for the players. The union has already communicated its expectations to congress members for their intervention for the sake of `industrial peace and harmony.


PROJECTION

EXPENDITURE

ACTION

Ogun development anchored on 2012 budget

Kebbi spends N151m on human development

Oil firm fights maternal mortality

Abeokuta

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Kebbi

37

Bayelsa

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Email: news_extra@yahoo.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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EDICINE dealers have put personnel of Anambra State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a cheerful mood. A sizeable power generating set donated by the Nigerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) in the state will help put the command’s electricity challenges behind it. A split-unit air conditioner also came with the generator. The donation boosted the morale of the NDLEA officers. At the command, like in most places across the country, electricity from the national power firm, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) had been erratic, hampering its operations. It was the second time the medicine dealers would lift the spirits of the state command of the NDLEA. In 2009, they furnished its offices with television sets with cable services. NAPPMED president in the state, Comrade Amaechi Macpaul Ozobia told Newsextra that the partnership with the agency was formed because of the good work of the commander in checking the use of illicit and hard drugs in the state. According to him, the state command of the agency has had a cordial relationship with their group even before the present commander took charge in 2009, adding that the commander has changed the profile of the command for the better by dint of hard work and diligence since he assumed office. He disclosed that the gift items presented by his group were belated especially when they had initially planned the presentation for the world drug-free day on June 26, 2011. He regretted that due to unforeseen circumstances they had

•NAPPMED President, Comrade Amaechi Ozobia (left) presents the split-unit air conditioner to the state commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Zikiye Timinipre

Medicine dealers light up Anambra NDLEA Command gets generating set, air conditioner From Adimike George, Onitsha

to delay it up to five months. He said that by June next year his group will present more gifts to the agency to help it rid the state of illicit and hard drug use

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•Pastor Latona

and sale. Ozobia disclosed that the decision to partner with the NDLEA was taken because the agency and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) were the

monitoring agencies of their association. He added that they were also seeking ways of aiding NAFDAC to make its job easier. The NAPPMED chief commended the NDLEA for the

Yuletide in Lafia

HE Christian community in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, celebrated Christmas with gusto, in spite of the security challenges in the country. Life Gate Provincial Headquarters, Nasarawa Province 2 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) wrapped up the year with a carol session alongside members of other denominations in the state capital. They sang, danced and prayed, praising God. The three-hour programme that kicked off at 5pm terminated

From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

shortly after 8pm, with praise and worship, children presentations, Bible readings, candle light procession and a host of other activities. Explaining the origin of Christmas to worshippers at the crowded event, the wife of the Life Gate parish pastor, Mrs. Boma Latona, said it started as far back as 378 years ago after the death of Christ. Christ’s birth, she said, is celebrated because he came for the

salvation of mankind. The height of the occasion was the lighting of the candle and the singing of “Silent Night, This little light of mine”. The parish pastor, Gabriel Latona, said it symbolises the lighting of “our lives” by God Almighty who has called us unto himself. Latona prayed God to continue to light the worshippers’ ways and take darkness away from them. Latona explained that the purpose of lighting the candle was for

seminars and workshops organised for members of their association, urging them not to relent in their good work. He praised the agency for the direct accesses which they gave their group to ensure that the fight is sustained, a development he said was alien to other state commands of the agency. He, however, urged the command to step up surveillance, especially in rural areas of the state, promising that his group is ready to assist the agency in •Continued on Page 26

God to guarantee our direction, assuring those who lit their candles that they would not walk in darkness anymore. The life Gate Children drama group also made presentations depicting the birth of Jesus. Present at the occasion that also made presentations were the Host, Life Gate Choir, Throne of Praise Choir, House of David, Anglican and Methodist Choir, Living Faith a.k.a Winner’s Chapel and Opeyemi Oke. They all thrilled the worshipers who later went into a long singing and dancing before the end of the service.


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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Ondo NDLEA to burn impounded Indian hemp From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Ondo State (NDLEA) is set to burn over 50 tons of Cannabis otherwise known as Indian hemp seized from January to November this year from its black spots. The spokesman of the agency, Peter Archibong, told reporters in Akure, the state capital, that the bulk of the substance was seized in Owo, Ogbese and Idanre. He however noted that the agency would only destroy the substance after getting directive from the state High Court. Archibong added that once the court gives the NDLEA the order to burn the cannabis, the agency would not hesitate to set the cannabis ablaze He urged traditional rulers in the state to desist from giving out their land to Indian hemp cultivators, stressing that security intelligence indicted community leaders for releasing their land to Indian Hemp growers Nicholas added that the agency was ready to discharge its duties by making sure that no highly placed individual would be allowed to undermine the effort of government against the fight of Indian hemp cultivation. “As an agency, we are walking round the clock to ensure that cannabis cultivation is reduced to the barest minimum in Ondo state. “We have continued to organize programmes to educate traditional rulers on the need to monitor what people plant on their farms”. ‘The war against Indian hemp cultivation is a collective one that must be fought by all and sundry including traditional rulers, opinion leaders and security agencies.

•Children having fun at Apapa Amusement Park, Lagos

PHOTO: NAN

Medicine dealers light up Anambra NDLEA •Continued from Page 25

sustaining and winning the fight against illicit and hard drugs. The Secretary of the group, Evangelist Edwin Ohanebo, in his remarks, commended the command for the camaraderie which has existed between the agency and their group. He said the cordial relationship has aided and sustained the fight against drug abuse in the state. He equally praised the agency for the sustained programme on re-orientation and awareness creation for members of their association on ways to tackle the problem of hard drug use and traf-

ficking. Ohanebo urged them to always come to the assistance of the association whenever they report any issue relating to the use and sale of hard drugs or substances. Earlier in his address, the state commander, Mr. Zikiye Timinipre welcomed the group on behalf of the entire NDLEA family and expressed appreciation for their efforts in uplifting the working conditions of the agency in the state. He recalled that when he took over in 2009 there was nothing in the command to suggest that the fight against drug abuse in the state was real. He recalled further that the group dashed them the first sets

of their television sets then. He reminded them of the Biblical injunction that givers never lack and that the hand that gives always remain on top, urging them to bear in mind that the gifts were not only meant for his Command alone but the entire society at large. He commended the state governor Mr. Peter Obi who, he said, has aided the agency by providing operational vehicles to the command which he said has aided in no small measures in the successful raids by the agency on drug traffickers in the State. The state NDLEA chief reminded the group that the drug war should always be a collective one because of the adverse effects it has on the society especially on areas of violent crimes. He warned them not use the

cordial relationship with the command to suppress or intimidate dissident members of their association as the agency would not be part of the personal war but was determined to rid the state of hard drug use and abuse. He urged them to report anybody that deals on illicit or hard drugs to the command, promising that they will not hesitate to act on any information once they certified it as genuine and not borne out of any malice. In his vote of thanks, the leader of the legal unit of the command, Mr. Ogaga Azugo praised the group for the donation which he described as visible work of charity, praying God to reimburse and replenish the association. He prayed for a healthier relationship between the command and the association.

The state NDLEA chief reminded the group that the drug war should always be a collective one because of the adverse effects it has on the society especially on areas of violent crimes

•Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako (left) and Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Isa Abubakar, during the latter’s Christmas homage to the governor in Yola


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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Cleric blames national woes on religious, traditional rulers A CLERIC, Ikeya Ezejiaku has blamed most of the economic and socio-political problems in the country on some religious leaders and traditional rulers. He said such leaders have abandoned their primary duties of condemning evil and actually embraced vice. Ezejiaku who is the General Overseer of the Mountain of Yahweh Synagogue, Ibolo Layout, Obosi Idemili North Local Government of Anambra State said some religious leaders in the country are not only behind kidnapping but are also ben-

From Adimike George, Onitsha

eficiaries of evil proceeds. “Those religious leaders left what they were supposed to do to pursue material things,” he said. “Our church leaders should distance themselves from politics. They should keep God’s commandments; train their flock to help our society”.

He lamented that some of those counterfeit church leaders have the opportunity to admonish President Goodluck Jonathan and the governors, warning that political leaders should receive less message from religious leaders especially false ones. On the part of traditional rulers, he alleged that some of them are bent on splitting this country, apart from being behind Boko Haram

bombings and the Jos crisis. He predicted that some of the traditional rulers who were behind the spate of bloodshed in the country will sooner or later be arrested and their evil plot exposed. The cleric noted that God’s anger is on this country because of the iniquities of its leaders. He warned that if drastic measures are not taken to stem these iniquities, there will be more bombings in the country. He also predicted that if serious effort is not made to frustrate the plot, Nigeria could possibly split into four or even more nation states.

•Ezejiaku

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HE Ibikunle Amosun administration has demonstrated its capacity to take Ogun State out of the woods. This has been exemplified through the 2012 Appropriation Bill otherwise dubbed “Budget to Rebuild” presented to the state House of Assembly on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. The budget, which was the first appropriation estimates to be conceived and prepared by the Amosun administration on behalf of the people of Ogun State, clearly shows the realistic roadmap the governor and his team intend to travel in fulfilling his five-point agenda in order to make life better for the residents of the state. The 2012 budget estimate is an articulation of a vision which represents a radical departure from the past by establishing common and unique standards as well as providing a roadmap for finding the correct path to the state’s short- and long-term growth and development. To paraphrase the governor, the 2012 Appropriation Bill is a veritable strategy to position Ogun State’s fiscal and overall institutional capacity in a manner that will facilitate accelerated growth and improve the socio-economic well-being of the people of the state as the Amosun administration begins its first full year. With the budget size of N187.9 billion in 2012, the sum of N99.6 billion or 53 per cent is set aside for capital expenditure while N88.3 representing 47 per cent is set aside for recurrent expenditure. According to Amosun, “The projected IGR of N63.60 billion for the Year 2012 represents an ambitious increase of 96 per cent over the Year 2011 budget. We remain unwavering in our resolve to maximise IGR with a view to reducing dependence on external sources. Internally generated revenue is ultimately the most sustainable means to fund development. We are therefore blocking leakages, widening the tax net and increasing the efficiency in collection through technology. Accordingly, all revenue generating agencies will be re-engineered and empowered to increase their performance and output.” The governor also made reference to other sources for funding for the Year 2012 budget including N40 billion from internal loans; N5.5 billion from external loans; and N8 billion from grants. As a way of mobilising resources and technical support for the development of Ogun State, the Amosun administration planned to interface with the donor community with the

•Governor Ibikunle Amosun presenting the 2012 Appropriation Bill before the state House of Assembly in Abeokuta

Amosun anchors Ogun development on 2012 budget By Idowu Sowunmi

hope of hosting a Donor Community Summit in 2012 in order to sell the Ogun State Agenda to willing and worthy partners. The 2012 Appropriation Bill, however, exceeds the 2011 budget by about N63.3 billion representing 49 per cent. Thus, the governor said: “In 2012, we will pursue the objective of allocating maximum resources to capital projects. Hence, the proposed capital expenditure is 117 per cent higher than the 2011 figures. The recurrent expenditure shows a 12 per cent increase which is primarily to accommodate the newly employed workers into the state public service, the new minimum wage and attendant increase in pension.” He added that the percentage share of the capital budget in 2012 is 53 per cent of the entire budget from about 36.75 per cent in the previous year, noting that the recurrent expenditure will account for 47 per cent as against 63.25 per cent in

We are blocking leakages, widening the tax net and increasing the efficiency in collection through technology. Accordingly, all revenue generating agencies will be re-engineered and empowered to increase their performance and output

the 2011 budget. The sectoral allocation of the 2012 budget estimates demonstrate the Amosun administration’s determination to remain focused on its five-point agenda distinctively designed to rebuild Ogun State. For example, Ogun State Government proposed an allocation of N41.48 billion for programmes/ projects in the education sub-sector for Year 2012, making education sub-sector to account for the largest percentage of the budget by 22 per cent. The governor identified some of the key projects to be implemented including: sustenance of the provision o qualitative and affordable education at primary and secondary school levels; construction of additional buildings in public educational institutions in a bid to decongest over-populated schools and classrooms; embarking on massive renovation/maintenance of dilapidated structures in our schools and supply of furniture to enhance students’ enrolment, retention and performance; and establishment of five ultra modern model secondary schools with hostel facilities in the three senatorial districts of the state. Others are procurement of science and technical equipment for secondary schools and technical colleges; promotion of skill acquisition/entrepreneurial training; regular payment of running cost and grant to all public secondary schools and technical colleges; development of State Education Sector Strategic Plan and Maintenance

of Education Management Information System (EMIS) for keeping reliable data for the purpose of policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and impact assessment in the education sector; procurement of instructional materials and textbooks for all students attending public schools; and construction of 50 new secondary schools as part of the school rehabilitation programme. In the area of health, the Amosun administration plans to pursue an enviable primary health care system. Thus, a sum of N15.71 billion has been earmarked for the health sector in 2012, representing eight per cent of the total budget. He said priority attention will be given to free antenatal health care for pregnant mothers in line with WHO’s recommendation; free medical service for children from 0-5years and the elderly from 70 years and above; aggressive rehabilitation and construction of new primary health centres in each of

the wards across the state; massive rehabilitation of existing health facilities across the state; provision of medical equipment; strengthening the accident and emergency services (OGSAS) through the provision of ambulances, training and construction of additional ambulance points; provision of essential facilities and equipment for Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Schools of Nursing and Midwifery to ensure accreditation and smooth running of all programmes; upgrading of Central Medical Store at Oke-Ilewo into a mini-drug depot for distribution; and construction of a new Public Health Laboratory. With agriculture as the mainstay of Ogun State economy, the Amosun administration planned to spend the sum of N8.8 billion, representing five per cent of the total budget on agricultural production/ industrialisation. The state govern•Continued on Page 38


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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Nyako distributes free uniforms OVERNOR Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has flagged off the distribution of free uniforms to primary school pupils in the Mubi South Local Government Area of the state. Nyako, while inaugurating the exercise at Gella village in Mubi, said his administration had initiated a free uniform programme in all public primary schools in the state. He said the gesture was to enhance discipline and expand the scope of school enrolment in the state.

G • Nyako

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Sultan decries disunity among Muslims

HE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, has expressed concern over what he described as the lack of unity among Muslims in the country. Abubakar made the observation while declaring open the 92nd Islamic Vocation Course (IVC) organised by the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Zone B. He said although Muslims were in the majority in Nigeria, they could not speak with one voice because they were not united. Abubakar, however, said that there was hope as Muslim leaders had identified the problems and were finding solutions to them. “It is important for the Muslims to gather and talk about issues affecting Islam where leaders will interact with the youth,’’ Abubakar told the youth, who were drawn from the Southern part of the country. He said that it was through interaction at such meetings that problems facing Islam could be discussed and resolved. “We have many problems but with Allah’s

help, we will solve them. “Our youths should utilise the knowledge gathered at this occasion to make positive changes. “This will make you become better Muslims and Nigeria will be a better country,’’ Abubakar said. Speaking on extremism and violence in the country, he said Islam was never in support of those who use violence to achieve their aims. He said the media were not helping matters as they were always quick to label any act of violence as handiwork of Muslims “without waiting for investigations to be concluded’’. Abubakar said the press and many Nigerians usually labelled any incidence of violence as “Boko Haram” or “work of Islamic extremists’’.

Kebbi spends N151m on human resource development

Adamawa The governor said this would also support parents as his administration was providing free uniforms to all pupils in primary one to primary six. “This is also to instil discipline and promote personal hygiene habit in the pupils,” he added. Nyako said further that his administration had executed various school development projects designed to re-invigorate the education sector and enhance access to free quality education. He urged parents and teachers to ensure effective utilisation of the uniforms by their wards. In a remark, Alhaji Salihu Umar, the Education Secretary in the council, said the state government had donated 779 bundles of textiles materials for distribution to pupils in the area. Umar said a complete set of uniforms would be distributed to the 20,594 pupils in the 65 primary schools in the area. He added that the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board had also provided 3,102 library textbooks for distribution to public primary schools in the area. Umar said the board had also constructed various classrooms and had also provided furniture and instructional materials to the schools.

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HE Kebbi Local Government Service Commission spent N150.7 million on promotion, training and welfare of its workers in the past three years to boost their performance.

Traders decry low patronage

V •Wife of Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mrs Abiodun Opeifa (left), presenting cash and gift to Mrs Muibat Shoboyejo, a widow, at the presentation of cash gift and food items to widows by Hydra Edge Foundation in Lagos. PHOTO: BOLA OMILABU

Kukah donates cow to prisoners

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ISHOP Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese has donated a cow to inmates of the Sokoto prison for them Christmas celebration . Speaking shortly after presenting the cow, Kukah charged the prisoners to use the Christmas period to “get closer to God.” He advised them to use their stay in prison to acquire education or skills with which they could contribute positively to societal growth,

Sokoto after serving their terms. “There are many people that had taken advantage of being in prison to acquire even higher degrees; you should emulate them. “This place is a school; do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not feel that imprisonment has robbed you of the time to execute your goals

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•Hon Durosinmi (fourth from left) during an inspection of the construction work

The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Bello Dantani, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that about 80 per cent of the staff had been promoted. He said that the commission had embarked on development of human resources, especially in the training of staff, adding: “and we intend to sustain the tempo to boost performance.” Dantani appealed to workers of the local government to shun corrupt practices, truancy and indolence as violators would be sanctioned. He said that funds would be promptly

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‘Comply with tax regulations’

•Mr Aloy Okezie presenting an award to Miss Ijeoma Uwakwe at Osamca Award Night in Port Harcourt. Mr Amaka looks on

Group pleads for the needy

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HE president of National Problems and Solution (NPS), a frontline pressure group, Dr. Wale Omole, is angry over the worsening plight of the needy in the country. Therefore, he wants government at all levels to waste no further time in rising to the occasion. He seethed with indignation and fear while speaking with Newsextra on the growing rate of poverty, unemployment, deprivations and mindless murder of Nigerians by the dreaded Boko Haram sect, pleading: “It will be too dangerous to continue this way. It is time our leaders at every level lost sleep and do the needful.” Also a seasoned medical practitioner, Omole, the medical director of T & S Hospitals, Lagos, was bathed with hearty prayers by some patients he treated free-of-charge at his Mushin branch. “This is no big deal. It is the culture of selflessness we imbibed from our mentor, the immortal Dr. Tai Solarin. We’ve got to do it in his memory. This is one of the ways one can immortalise the rare human being named Tai Solarin,” he responded, smiling when asked for clarifications. Exuding sobriety, he could not hide his feelings when asked why the association founded in memory of the late foremost educationist appeared to beheading for sleep. “Well, the kind of leadership you have matters everywhere. The leadership charts the way. I don’t know what to say about the present crop of people managing the affairs of we exstudents popularly called Mayflower Old Students Association (MOSA). Solarin’s legacy is not being adequately taken care of because the leadership is not doing anything about it,”

By Dada Aladelokun

he said He spoke further:“We have two major branches of the association; the international and there is the other one within the country. Incidentally, the one at home is the umbrella body - MOSA. The international one holds its annual event regularly either in US or England. The leadership of that one happens to be more dynamic; some of us here in Nigeria attend the convention annually. He blew hot when his attention was drawn to the recent take-over of the school by the Ogun State government. Hear him: “Naturally, that should be of great concern to our association. It is one of those things we are talking about. The leadership of the association, to the best of my knowledge, is not doing much to address the issue. Although there are diverse opinions among the members, some people thought that taking over the school by the military government in 1974 was a slap on the ownership of the school. It was like a thief taking over your property when you can’t properly act. Some believe that since the government had decided to hand over the school back to its original owner, why is t h e government rescinding that particular step? •Omole

call has gone to tax payers to ensure street compliance with existing tax regulations to avoid double taxation and loss of corporate image. The call was made by a legal practitioner, Mr Akimola Olugbuyire at a review of the federal tax laws in Lagos. He said tax payers must understand not only current changes in legislations but also the judicial interpretations in tax legislations. Besides, each tier of government must understand its power to impose tax and what to be levied and they must know whether such amounts to double or multiple taxation. He said: “The existing Nigerian tax law reports do not consider the understanding of lay citizens and other professionals like accountants, estate valuers and tax consultants.” Akinola, who is of Rustone Publishing Limited, said the federal tax law report would provide a ready hand book of latest judgment of the superior court of record. He advised the public to get acquainted with the judgments of the superior court as compiled in the book by associate editors, with the aim to create awareness for tax professionals whose main job is to advise other businesses for optimal tax planning.The same goes for board of companies or even clients businesses. Due to dwindling oil revenue, federal and state tax authorities are now aggressive in their tax drive to shore up revenues these days. “Therefore, tax payers most especially corporate ones, must be vigilant and tax payers must constantly challenge any wrongdoing through law courts”, he said.

•Mr Joshua Bamidele Daramola inaugurating a brnach of OMAK Microfinance bank Ltd at Iresi town in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State. Oba Sikiru Adeseun, Ibitoye Oluresi of Iresi watches with keen interest

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released for the execution of development projects, describing the performance of the commission as adequate.

Bauchi Abdullahi further explained that the state had since 1999, achieved the WHO target of leprosy elimination of less than one leprosy case per 10,000 persons. According to him, the state has more than 150 leprosy treatment centres offering free treatment to patients. He said that disabilities resulting from leprosy had increased to11 per cent as against the five per cent recorded in previous years, due to late reporting of cases. He said that the disease is curable once patients take their medication regularly within the period of six months to one year. “Leprosy strikes all age groups as it has been diagnosed in infants as well as in adults over 70 years of age while male to female ratio of 1:1 in Africa and 2:1 in India has been recorded,.” Abdullahi urged against discrimination especially by family members. The coordinator described leprosy as contagious but said that an estimated population of 95 per cent have natural resistance to leprosy. “It is also a communicable disease which can be transmitted by droplets either through coughing or sneezing. “Leprosy is one of the chronic diseases caused by bacteria which progresses very slowly and mainly affects the skin, peripheral nerve and mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract,” he explained.

Shema reiterates commitment to road projects

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ATSINA State Governor IbrahimShema has reiterated his administration’s commitment to roads construction to enhance socio-economic activities in the state. Speaking while inaugurating the 76-kilometre Kurfi-Batsari-Jibia road project recently , Shema said his administration had completed 38 road projects and the dualisation of seven others since 2007. He explained that the state government had enough funds in its accounts to handle all its programmes and called on the people to live in peace withone other. The governor also urged them to pray for the success of the administration. “Government has received more demands for

Ibom medallion project inaugurated ROFESSIONALS from Akwa Ibom State both in Nigeria and abroad have met in Abuja for the inauguration of a social economic and political organisation known as Ibom Medallion. Seasoned broadcaster and clergy, Pastor Michael Bush, founder and Director General (DG) of the medallion project in his remarks said that the organisation is aimed at making Akwa Ibomites living outside the state and abroad contribute to good governance in the state . “Akwa Ibom Project belongs to all of us , it’s time we partake in deciding those to be at the helm of affairs in the state ; so that we can assist in articulating policies that will impact on the economic well being of our people with the sole aim of having a better state .” Mr. Iniobong Jackson , an industrialist and chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria ( MAN), in Akwa Ibom State, who is also the coordinator, Southern Nigeria of the medallion project , said the organisation in its economic agenda is working towards changing

• Dakingari

Bauchi records 490 cases of leprosy yearly

HE Coordinator, Bauchi State Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Centre,Dr Yakubu Abdullahi says the centre records 490 cases of leprosy yearly. Abdullahi told journalists in Bauchi that the figure represents 0.4 per cent of the population of the state of 4.9 million, with children constituting five percent of cases.

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By Dayo Adewunmi

The first batch of youths is billed to be given N 10,000 each as kick-off grant in their chosen trades. He said 50 street sweepers has just being engaged in addition to the existing ones with their tools. The chairman said the renovation work at the secretariat has almost completed. The secretariat is to be upgraded from one to two - storey for a conducive working environment. Durosinmi also said the old people stipends’ scheme has been improved upon because “they are our mothers and fathers and they deserve the best ”. In his humility, the chairman gave all the credit to God and the residents who repose confidence and trust in the Action Congress of Nigeria, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and ACN national leader ,Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the good people of Agbonyi Ketu LCDA, saying “ I cannot afford to fail or disappoint them”. He advised the people to pay their taxes promptly for more dividends of democracy. He thanked the council manager Mr. Kehinde Yusuf and other members of staff for their dedication to service and urged them to do more.

in life. “Use the opportunity in prison to improve yourself so that you won’t lose anything,” the clergy said. He reminded the prisoners that all things were possible with God, pointing out that incarceration was always an opportunity to reform one’s life.

EGETABLE and meat sellers in Malumfashi and Kafur markets in Katsina State, have complained of low patronage during the Christmas period. A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who went round the markets, reports that traders attributed the low sales to non-payment of salary to workers. Malam Yakubu Haruna, Chairman of Vegetable Sellers’ Association at Malumfashi Market, said vegetables and other items were supplied in large quantities from nearby villages and township markets, but patronage had been low. Haruna said prices of commodities were low this year, compared to last year. He expressed the hope that patronage would be high.

Kebbi

By Charity Williams

Council begins projects HE Chairman, Agboyin Ketu Local Council Development Area, Hon Monsurudeen Obafemi Durosinmi, has begun construction of a new culvet at Oriola Street,beside Doyin Omololu and Bakare Junction to ease drainage in the area, Durosinmi said by starting with culvet construction, the road will easily link Balee and Adedoyin Streets as these roads are very important to residents of the council. The council chief said that full rehabilitation will begin soon, saying that if there is a proper drainage system the road will last longer and there would not be incidents of flood. Durosinmi, who was the former Vice Chairman of Kosofe Local Government Area and a former member Lagos House of Assembly, has also procured seven computer machines at the council secretariat where there was none before . He also bought seven units of 8.2 KV generating sets for the council’s Public Health Centre and repaired the ambulance that has not been functioning for some time now. The council chair also said that the skill acquisition programme is on course with youths receiving training in different skills.

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By Wale Ajetunmobi

the mindset of the people from the civil service mentality to a producing and industrialised state . “We must take our economic destiny in our hands, our people henceforth must be actively engaged in the socio-economic development of our state by taking advantage of the economic opportunities that abound in the oil and gas sector in the state which has always been in the hands of none indigenes. This would be achieved when only those with economic foresight are elected to political offices “ Highlights of the event was the decision of members to unanimously accept and support Mr. Umanah Okon Umanah , the current Secretary to State Government ( SSG) in the coming 2015 elections in the state . Mr. Bush , DG of Ibom Medallion described Umanah Umanah as a tested and experienced politician that has a private sector background that will drive the aspirations and ideals of Ibom Medallion .

Katsina new roads from various communities across the state and I will only urge you all to be patient as we will meet your demands,’’ he said. The governor expressed optimism that the

Kurfi-Batsari-Jibia road would improve the social and economic condition of the people of the state. “This will be more in the area of transporting agricultural commodities and accessing health facilities,’’ he said.

Assembly to investigate fire

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HE Borno State House of Assembly is to investigate the cause of the fire that gutted part of Gamboru Market in Maiduguri, Abubakar Tijjani, a member of the Assembly, says. Tijani, representing Maiduguri Metropolis, gave the indication shortly after an assessment visit to the market . Tijjani told newsmen that he would table a motion at the House to compel the state

Borno government to provide assistance for traders who lost their goods at the market. “It is an unfortunate situation but, as Muslims, we believe everything comes from God and to him we shall all return. I really sympathise with the traders, I want them to take the disaster as an act of God.’’

•Wife of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Chairman, Mrs Modupe Oke, flanked by the mother of the baby, Mrs Ariz Esther, (left) Chief Mrs Monsurant Adeyemi; Mrs Olofin Modupe and Mr Abayomi Ariz at the presentation of cash to the babies born on Christmas day at Ifako-Ijaiye Health Centre in Lagos PHOTO: BOLA OMILABU


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

Life

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Text only: 08023058761

‘LagosPhoto is bigger than me’

‘Give your wards story book gifts this Yuletide’

– Page 32

– Page 35

•Lagarde receiving a bouquet

The IMF mission to Lagos museum

– SEE PAGE 30


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•Duke, Legarde and Yussuf

The IMF mission to Lagos museum International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christen Lagarde was at the Lagos Museum during her visit to Nigeria. The visit, which followed that of the Vice-President of Ford Foundation, Mr Darren Walker, demonstrates the place of culture in global networking, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

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HEN the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ms Christine Lagarde, vis-

ited Nigeria, not many expected her to visit the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos. She had earlier met with President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate president, David Mark and chieftains of the organised private sector (OPS), among others. Her visit came a few weeks after that of Vice-President of Ford Foundation Mr Darren Walker during the opening of Nigerian arts in the cycle of life at the museum. Lagarde was received at the museum by the Minister for Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, and Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) Yusuf Abdallah Usman. Lagarde toured the on-going exhibition, African Lace:A history of trade, creativity and fashion in Nigeria, which first opened in Vienna, Austria in February and the permanent exhibition, Nigerian arts in the cycle of life, which opened last month. Lagarde’s visit showed her willing-

ness to work with African leaders in providing a platform for the expansion of their economies. Impressed by the exhibits on display, she praised the museum’s management for mounting a classical exhibition, saying she “recognises the quality of what Nigeria has in its cultural heritage”. “It is really a great pleasure for me to be here and I recognise the beauty you have. What you have is the beauty of a remarkable time and period. Unfortunately, for me, my time is too short ... So, I will like to come again,” she added. Duke later presented her with an artefact, a reproduction of a crown head of an Ooni of Ife as a gift from his ministry.

Duke said Nigeria has the largest collection of art on the continent, spreading across most leading museums and galleries in the globe. According to Duke, the IMF boss has been busy attending business and political meetings, adding that it would be appropriate for her to have a feel of the other side of the country. “None of these memories would last longer than what she would witness at the museum. Economic policies and postulations can be the same in all countries, but when she walks through any of Nigerian museum’s exhibitions, the experience will be memorable. With her visit, the sector will be better for it,”

‘It is really a great pleasure for me to be here and I recognise the beauty you have. What you have is the beauty of a remarkable time and period. Unfortunately, for me, my time is too short ... So, I will like to come again’

he noted. Duke said Lagarde’s visit would deepen her knowledge and awareness about the biggest black nation in the globe, especially its rich culture. “It is when a foreigner visits Nigeria that he will appreciate the abundance and colour of its heritage,” he added. Duke, while explaining that funding from IMF was not likely to be on Lagarde’s schedule, said future support from the organisation could not be ruled out especially “when the nation is working on its Endowment Fund for the Arts. There could be collaboration and support from IMF.” Last month, Walker hailed the partnership between Ford Foundation and the museum that brought about the hosting of the Nigerian arts in the cycle of life exhibition. He said the gesture was in recognition of the value of a Nigerian culture, which is vibrant and rich. “In Houston, Texas, there was a long queue of visitors wanting to view Nigerian arts. This is because it is rich and vibrant. Also, that is why there is much interest by Ford Foundation,” Walker said.


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‘Eko Hotel too elicit for photo festival’

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PARTICIPANT in the LagosPhoto Festival, Mr Nana Kofi Acquah, from Ghana, has described the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos venue of the opening ceremony as too elitist and restrictive for the appreciation of photography. Acquah said the event would make better impact if held at a venue that reflects Lagos and where people can feel free to interact. “Take the photographs to the people where they will feel free to view them,” he said. LagosPhoto Festival, which was organised by African Artists Foundation in collaboration with the European National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), had as theme: What’s next Africa? The hidden stories. It held at Murhi Okunola Park, MKO ABiola Park and Falomo Underpass, in Ikoyi. It featured over 40 photographers from Nigeria, Ghana, Italy, South Africa, India, Holland and France, among others. Acquah observed that the festival has greater potential than other similar festival in the continent because of the huge market in Nigeria and the calibre of photographers in and outside it. He, however, noted that such potential could only be transformed into reality if the organisers look outside the box in the planning and execution of events. He noted that it would make economic sense if the festival is held once in two years like a big biennale in the continent.This, he said, would allow for better planning and reduction of donor fatigue. “It does not make sense holding the festival every year as donors will soon get fatigued. And this can affect the survival of the event. Also, if staggered it will allow photographers enough time to create quality works that will make the festival,” he said. He observed that much as the festival was successful despite the rain, organisers should consider hosting the event when the rain is less to allow good attendance of the various outdoor shows. Acquah decried the organisers’ non-payment of per diem to participating photographers, as many photog-

‘It does not make sense holding the festival every year as donors will soon get fatigued. And this can affect the survival of the event. Also, if staggered, it will allow photographers enough time to create quality works that will make the festival’

•Nana By Ozolua Uhakheme

raphers went through tough time during the festival.“It was of no use lodging me in a five star hotel like Eko Hotel and Suites and I can’t afford a breakfast. It is bad still if am not given per diem to support my stay in such

hotel,” he said. On the quality of works, curatorial and presentation, Acquah observed that all of that could still be improved upon in future editions. This year’s theme is aimed at using the power of photography to showcase everyday hidden stories on the continent as opposed to the over represented, sensationalised, dramatic images on Africa popular across the globe. Over 200 colourful photographs of Africans, places and institutions shot by 41 international photographers drawn from across the globe adorned the walls of the underground park of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos at the opening. The festival curated by Mr Marce Prust featured incredible, historical and awesome images of the continent.

Duke seeks corporate Nigeria’s help for National Theatre

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ULTURE, Tourism and National Orientation Minister, Chief Edem Duke is not moved by the tasks ahead of him. He said even though they are daunting, they are not insurmountable. The tasks included human capital development; reinventing the National Theatre complex, re-engineering the Abuja National Carnival, and implementating the tourism master plan, among others. At the opening of a permanent exhibition, Ezi Na Ulo Ndi Igbo (Igbo Household) at the National Museum, Owerri, Imo State capital, Duke said the exhibition has the magnifying effect of not only boosting tourism in the state but also reminds us of the peaceful co-existence and harmony that existed before now among the Igbo people. The minister, represented by the Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman, said the exhibition, which is a recreation of the Igbo life style, was curated to integrate all aspects of the nation’s cultural heritage for development and enjoyment. “This is one task that needs the unalloyed support of international organisations, corporate bodies and well-meaning successful business men in Nigeria to actualise. The concerted effort will in great measure deliver mutual benefits for the development of our great country,” he said. The director-genral commended Imo

•One of the exhibits at the Owerri National Museums By Ozolua Uhakheme

State governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha for providing the expanse of land for the construction of a new museum in Owerri. Among dignitaries at the opening were House of Representatives’ Committee on Culture Chairman, Mr Ben Nwankwo, representative of Imo State governor, and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Alex Ogwazuo; the Eze of Owerri, Samuel Emenyonu Njemanze, OzuruIgbo V; Dr. Musa Hambolu, Ms Ronke Ashaye and Mr Ozoboile Alasan, among others. The exhibition, which captures the various socio-political and economic life of the Igbo people, is put together following the realisation that the technology and other intangible heritages are being threatened in the waves of modernisation and globalisation. The exhibition is made to capture and preserve the Igbo world views and the sustenance of the rich cultural civilisation and institutions, for which the people are known

worldwide. Earlier in an interview with The Nation, Duke said there is need to skew the reorientation of the nation’s leadership towards making creative industry be at the centre of national developments. He stated that the foundation of the nation’s development must first draw from sources of its being- culture and values that make Nigeria. He added that failure to do this would amount to building a house from the roof. According to him, this requires lots of advocacy to address this fabric for the sustenance of the nation state. “This advocacy can only be led by the government but, most importantly, the media must lead the campaign for value orientation…This is an agenda for the sector for the period of transformation,” he said. As an advocate of private-public partnership (PPP), he said we must move away from the old ways of doing things, though change is very challenging. He said the ministry is seeking the help of corporate Nigeria to rescue the National

Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, noting that four proposals have so far been received on the re-investment plans. He said this is a significant development for a complex that has been lying fallow for years. He said the Presidency has approved a plan for the establishment of a Museum of National Civilisation in Abuja. On the new spirit of Abuja carnival, the minister said: “I have spoken with Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to Nigeria on the need to hold workshop on creative industry, especially on carnival. We have to open the eyes of the youth to the fact that not only is carnival a tool for economic empowerment, but also that of fulfillment. “Carnival is not an expression in of useless energies. We must prove to our youths that when you drum and dance, you can earn a ticket to mount stage of global performance. There is no reason why in two years, we should not have an institute of carnival...In 2012, you will see an Edem Duke’s hand in Abuja carnival.”


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‘LagosPhoto is bigger than me’

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OUNDER of African Artists Foundation (AAF) and organiser of LagosPhoto festival, Mr Azu Nwagbogu, has described the last edition of the event as “challenging”. He said despite the challenges the festival recorded impressive turnout of participants and quality works. He disclosed that the foundation did not get its first payment by sponsors until three weeks to the opening, which made things very difficult. “The maiden edition was great in terms of my emotional attachment to a debut show of that magnitude. The format of the presentation was imposing. Though energy sapping, this year’s festival also made great impact, especially the quality of its content,” he said. The LagosPhoto festival was initiated by AAF as a new yearly photography festival aimed at representing African sensibilities. It hosted an indoor and outdoor exhibition featuring a mix of 41 Nigerian and international photographers, workshops, and a fashion exhibition. LagosPhoto attempts to challenge the idea that “discourses on the African continent are not necessarily applicable to their object and that their nature, their stakes, and their functions are situated elsewhere.” Nwagbogu admitted that AAF promised to take care of the welfare of the participating photographers at the initial stage, but that due to paucity of funds, the foundation could not meet their demands. According to him, this was one of the setbacks experienced at the opening of the festival because some of the sponsors had not redeemed their promises to the foundation. “Still overheads cost continued to increase. Above all, we had a wonderful interaction with both local and international participants,” he noted. But he assured that organisers of the festival would, among others, expand the outdoor centres in order to reach a larger audience, increase the number of indoors across the state, as well as open the centres simultaneously. Nwagbogu is not unmindful of the need to preserve the collection of photographs in the foundation. He said efforts are on to build a rich collection in collaboration with major sponsors of the festival adding that the project would be discussed with similar

•Some of the photographers on the street of Lagos By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

festival organisers in Africa, such as Bamako photo biennale, in Mali. Nwagbogu, who once contemplated entering the world of professional boxing before pursuing a master’s degree in public health from Cambridge University, switched his focus to promoting African arts, and photography took the prime position among visual arts. On plans for African photography, he said: “We would love to show LagosPhoto, and we have been speaking with other partners like Foam in Amsterdam. We want to represent African sensibilities to a wider audience. I don’t mean showing the work of local photographers—I mean showing the photographers who we think are

representing the continent in a truer fashion, as opposed to showing the work of people who are coming for two weeks on an assignment and heading back to New York and sitting back with a drink after their hardship posting on the continent. We want to show the work of people who actually spend time here, who are emotionally invested, who have captured sensibilities on the continent. It’s very important that the world take notice of these stories.” He recalled how he started his journey into the world of photography. “I’m a fan of photography as an artistic medium. I flirted with a bunch of ideas around photography: I have set up a photo agency because there’s a massive pool of talented photographers here. But there isn’t really a formal school for photography here, and I thought, how do I

‘We would love to show LagosPhoto, and we have been speaking with other partners like Foam in Amsterdam. We want to represent African sensibilities to a wider audience...photographers who we think are representing the continent in a truer fashion, as opposed to showing the work of people who are coming for two weeks on an assignment and heading back to New York and sitting back with a drink after their hardship posting on the continent’

stimulate this industry? Beyond that, in my international travels I have been to various exhibitions, various art shows around the world. Going out there and being inspired by images captured on the continent, especially in Lagos, made me think. Foreign photographers coming to Africa, working here, are documenting something really important, and a lot of people back home are not able to dialogue or really engage in these images because they’re not exhibited here,” he said. Nwagbogu added: “So, I thought it would be great to have a festival where local and international photographers can dialogue and exchange ideas, can share work and have a working partnership. This is really the key thing for LagosPhoto -to create a dialogue for local photographers and photographers based elsewhere to tell the stories and give voice to the stories that we feel are underrepresented on the continent.” He explained that it is also meant to develop the talent pool and tell our own stories in our own way adding that a lot of the stories that ‘we want to tell are less commonly seen or represented in popular media. But his dream is for the festival to be bigger than him and the foundation.

Plateau won’t become ‘house of pain’, says govt

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LATEAU State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Yiljap Abraham, has praised the media for bringing peace to the state. He said circumspection; sense of proportion, fair play and accommodation should be the watch-words of the profession. He spoke at the second Plateau International Film Festival, organised by Deborah Ododo’s Media Initiative on Film and Social Development, at the National Film Institute Jos. Yiljap said in the past, it would have been difficult converging on Jos and sitting under a convenient mood celebrating the film industry. He said the unending Plateau crises have been reported by national and international media for wrong reasons. He said parts of the country were continually under attack by forces, which sought to cripple social, cultural and the economic life of the state. These forces, he said,unleashed terror on the state,to reduce the home of peace and tourism to a house of pain and sorrow. According to him, “today as we look back to those days of horror we can only but thank God almighty for his mercies and blessings. The peace we are enjoying should make us resolve

to work, even work harder to ensure that peaceful co-existence is sustained and such tragedies do not visit our land again. Your presence here should be seen as a bold statement by us all that we shall stand against evil and prosper everything no matter what betides us” “Today, the sad reality is that these anti-Nigeria forces are out to set one tongue against the other, one faith against the other and one region against the other. They have shown that they will spare nothing to severe the bond that has long held us together and they are very adept at using our diversity for our adversity. But they are doomed to fail because our diversity can only be for our prosperity” he said. The Managing Director, Nigerian Film Corporation, Mr Afolabi Adesanya, said film is used to popularise government policies and ideologies among the masses. He explained that following its ability to hold a captive audience, films are used more than any other means of mass communication as well as to consolidate and build new relationship between culture and national development. “It is, therefore, obvious that a welldeveloped film industry can contribute immensely to peace and national

•Participants at the film festival building. We must exploit the full potential of this medium to meet the twin challenges of peaceful co-existence and national development” he said. He also added that film serves as a

means for social mobilisation and national solidarity. “The colonial government used film effectively to mobilise the citizens to identify with their programs and take part in the process of national development.


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•Sango with the children.

•Children having fun at the Cinema

PHOTOS: EVELYN OSAGIE

Christmas fun for 'Dustbin Estate' children Over 120 children at the 'Dustbin Estate' got a big Christmas treat when LOTS Charity Foundation took them out on a FUN Trip, reports EVELYN OSAGIE.

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HE children at the 'Dustbin Estate' were given a treat during the FUN Trip organised by LOTS Charity Foundation. The trip was part of the foundation's activities for the year. The foundation, based in a section of Ajegunle, Lagos, known as the 'Dustbin Estate', took 120 children under centre and 10 children from Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative (SCCWI), home for rescued street boys on a trip around Lagos. The trip took them to the Cinemas at Silverbird Galleria and Shoprite. They were given breakfast, lunch and dinner; and sent them home with lots of freebies that included bags, books and pens, snacks, toiletries, among other goodies. According to LOTS founder, Tolu Sangodare, the FUN Trip is aimed at giving the children what they would always remember. "Growing in that environment comes with a lot of challenge. We want to make them feel like loved. A FUN Trip like this would have deep psychological effect on them. This trip is special to me because today is also my birthday," she said. To mark the day with the children was

Wale Adebayo, popularly known as Sango for his role in Femi Lasode's Sango, the Legendary Afrikan King. This was the first time the actor would be engaging in such feat, it was learnt. It was his birthday that day; and so, the actor said, he chose to celebrate the day with the children because of his love for them. His presence at Dustbin Estate caused a stare as residents rushed out to have a peek as he went about organising the children for the trip. "Today is my birthday and I have chosen to spend the day at LOTS Foundation and with the children. I love children a lot. We hope that this would be a memorable day in their life. And at the end, we would have given them a rea-

‘I have chosen to spend the day at LOTS Foundation and the children. I love children a lot. We hope that this would be a memorable day in their life’

son to remember this season for good. Even though I grew up differently, I also understand with what it means growing up in such an environment. They need a lot of love. So, I wanted them to know that they are loved and we love them," he said. Indeed, Children at the 'Dustbin Estate' would not forget this Christmas in a hurry. They stood out in their adire attire provided them by the foundation. They went in a train of four buses. As the train moved into the Island, they were overtaken by excitement. As they moved into the Galleria and Shoprite, their chatter seemed to increase. Chisom Alozie, 11, could not take his eyes off the Cinema screen. Not long af-

‘I loved the films, the foods - the snacks, salad, mineral, spaghetti and chicken. I go remember today forever o!" Ambrose Adams, 11, said at the close of the day’

FirstBank backs Calabar Carnival

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OR the fifth year, Firstbank of Nigeria Plc has sponsored the Calabar Christmas Carnival. The month-long carnival, which started on December 1, is expected to witness an influx of local and foreign tourists into the Canaan City. Prominent among the activities lined up for the festival include the musical concert, which paraded local and international stars on December 19; the Mary Slessor Golf Tournament, which took place from December 20 to 23; the world-class Calabar Carnival Queen 2011, which threw up Miss Udonquak Emem Mbuofidem as winner; the Governor's masked fete, which featured old school musicians including Cool and the Gang, the Street Party and Carnival Calabar fiesta which has held. The street party and carnival, easily the most important and highest crowd puller of all the activities, will witness processions by five major competing bands namely: Passion-4, Seagull, Bayside, Masterblaster and Freedom Bands while other organisations, including FirstBank, the Army, Police, religious organisations

will also feature their bands. The12-kilometre procession is expected to kick off at U.J. Esuene Stadium with gaily dressed participants dancing and singing along the major streets to music provided by disc jockeys positioned at strategic locations. Expected at the carnival are top government functionaries including the State Governor, Mr. Liyel Imoke and his wife, Obioma (Masterblaster Band); the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Mr Bisi Onasanya; CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; governors, ministers, heads of governments, local and foreign tourists. Speaking on the bank's sponsorship, Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, said FirstBank is committed to the Federal Government's quest to grow the non-oil sector of the economy, of which tourism is very key. "As a financial institution, we are committed to the economic growth of Cross River State. We have been involved in all the initiatives that are germane to the development of the tourism industry of the state from the Tinapa Business Resort to financing of key infrastructure", she said.

•Some celebrities at the Calabar Carnival

ter, he would jump and smile whenever any character in the animated film, Happy Feet II at jumped or smile. He would hold the seat handle in attempt to do a seesaw game with flexible puffy seat. It was a whole new experience for him. "It is my first time at Silverbird Galleria and Shoprite. I will tell my friends about my experience. I watched film in a big television. I enjoyed it all." Chisom was not alone; it was also the first time for many others like Mudi Blessing, 15. She said of the experience: "It blew my mind. I have never had an opportunity to be in all these places. I have dreamed of it though, I am excited. Thank you sister Tolu and LOTS Foundation." "I loved the films, the foods - the snacks, salad, mineral, spaghetti and chicken,”Ambrose Adams, 11, said, “I go remember today forever o!" Members of the Harvesters International Christian Centre (HICC) also celebrated the day with the children. According to Tosin Onalaja, a member of HICC, the visit is a yearly affair for the group. He said: "We do this every Christmas. It is our way of showing love to people who many may not show love to. Last year, we were at the Old People's Home."


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Hotel De Jordan: Foundation to its rescue

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HE NTA Benin Production Centre Ultra-Modern Hall was full of dignitaries from royalty to fans of the popular TV serial, Hotel De Jordan. The major characters – Chief Ajas (Sam Osamede), Dr. Milo Moro (Last Eguavoen), Lord Mayor (Musa Yesufu), Chief Igho Bob Allan, the reporter (Professor Richard Idubor) Ewhrudjakpor (David Oteri) Brefa (Florence Anyanru) and Gbemwuan, the wayward girl (Philo Obi Arinze) were all there. Members of the families of late cast members were also present and this attracted loud ovation when they were introduced, thus unveiling a lasting relationship created by the departed members. This link among the cast was further established by those who are still alive, in spite of old age, such as the Lord Major (Musa Yesufu) who is in his eighties and Chief Ajas (Sam Osamede) who suffered a stroke and still attended the revival of the serial in clutches. Also, Bob Allan, the Jordan reporter, who is a Professor of Law at the University of Benin, showed up and, indeed, gave a bit of his jaw-breaking journalistic jargons to the delight of the audience. The scene got sometimes shaken with emotional expressions when Sam Osamede (Chief Ajax) entered the stage with clutches under his two armpits. It registered a profound demonstration of his love for the arts and Idemudia’s rendering of one of the Jordan’s poor man lyrics, livened up the piteous tempo earlier created by Osamede’s appearance. Dr. Milo Moro (Last Eguavoen) opened up with a stanza of inexplicable big words that expectedly forced the audience into a rib-cracking laughter. The representatives of the Oba of Benin, led by Chief Eso Eghobamien, who retired from the Station as its General Manager, was also very much involved in the technical production of the slot at its early stage. He let the audience into a Bini folklore wherein all subjects of the reigning Oba at that period were decreed to observe a three-year mourning for the loss of the monarch’s children who died suddenly: “For the duration, no man should sleep with his wives and no bathing. But one citizen violated the decree and at the end of the mourning, the citizen took his three-year-old son to the palace and told the Oba this was the product of the period his decree lasted. Hotel De Jordan is a slot that unveils the widening gap between the rich, the poor and the wretched in Jordan City (Nigeria). At its inception and throughout its duration on NTA, the slot never had sponsorship before it went off the station’s chart. The lessons the slot generate, qualifies it to enjoy a permanent screening if only because of its rib-cracking scripts which equally send messages to the corrupt and rich ones at all levels –government and the private sectors. For a continuity, a writer, Professor Tunde Fatunde of the Lagos State University, who knows the Benin terrain after a ten year sojourn at the University of Benin, believes the slot will never die, suggesting that a Foundation for Hotel De Jordan will enhance its continuity thus saving it from NTA domination at all levels”. He would also want to see the drama series in a published form as this would create a permanent documentary evidence in addition to encouraging a reading habit in Nigeria. A monarch, Alhaji A.Y.E. Dirisu, the Okwuokpellagbe of Okpella aligning himself with the continuity of the slot, said “the slot relaxes the nerves and a thing like this shouldn’t be allowed to die”. By royal protocol, he wouldn’t make public his donation, but he wrote a cheque. Rev. Aderibigbe, a onetime Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in addition to issuing a cheque said the slot was “a manifestation of unveiling the ills and injustices visited on the Nigerian masses”. The Edo State Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, who also played a part in past episodes, rendered his lines as Chief Ajas. Poet, writer and a pioneer Director of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Mr Frank Aig-Imuokhuede also witnessed the ceremony. Also present were Mrs. Ray O. Slater, wife of the late Casino Manager and her son. The Late Kokori’s (David Ariyo) siblings were also there.

•From left: Ihonde and Prof. Fatunde

•From (right) Mr Layi Ademokoya of NTA Benin Zone and representatives of the Oba of Benin led by Chief Eso Eghobamien (extreme left) The characters were lively, but the audio output wasn’t By Usman Abudah

Areas needed to be made clear surrounding the slot, among others, are: Are there prospective sponsors? This question has become imperative as a result of the non-attendance of the ceremony by the two main outfits headed by Mr Eno Louis and Mr Moshood Alao Olagunju, as shown in the invitation card. No explanation from the creator and producer, Comrade Jonathan Ihonde. While members of the audience were munching, a clip of a recorded version was screened, which was shot at a hotel in Benin City.

smooth enough: there has been recordings done in hotel rooms and the audio never drowned the lines of characters. “Hotel De Jordan” has an imperative future, if only for the sake of the teeming fans. The facilitators need to put their acts together in order not to kill Ihonde’s contribution to the dramatic format, especially the commanding and effective language in the scripting and the naturalness of the cast members in deliverance. Why wouldn’t the NTA, at the national level, consider the slot a permanent schedule which it deserves? •Abudah is a Benin-based Art writer

Swazi King loses two wives, still has 11

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ING Mswati the third, the absolute ruler of Swaziland, is having marriage problems. Two of his wives have abandoned him and gone to South Africa;one of his remaining 11 wives reportedly also tried to leave but is under house

arrest. One of the 13 wives attended the yearly Reed Dance, at Ludzidzini in Swaziland, on August 28, 2011. Bankrupt Swaziland is struggling to treat people in hospitals and educate children at schools, and many citizens are blaming King Mswati’s lavish lifestyle for the country’s financial predicament. Mswati’s Chief Officer, Bheki Dlamini, confirmed that two of the kings’ wives had left the monarch, but said this happened some time ago. He said he did not know that another wife wanted to flee the small southern African king-

dom. Independent newspapers in neighbouring South Africa report that Queen Inkosikati LaDube is trying to leave the country, but is under house arrest and feels she cannot leave without her three children. Lucky Lukhele, the spokesman in South Africa for the Swaziland Solidarity Network, said many are concerned about the physical safety of the queen. “She is under house arrest. She is not allowed to go out and attend any functions, only when she is sick, and she has been beaten twice by the security force,” said Lukhele. The Swaziland Solidarity Network encourages a cultural boycott of Swaziland and works with other organisations to isolate King Mswati. The network describes the king as an absolute ruler who tolerates no democratic organisations, trade unions or free media.

Swaziland is bankrupt, and in August, South Africa offered Mswati a loan of about $400 million. But the South African government said it would administer the disbursement of those funds and tied the loan to democratic reforms. So far, the king has not taken up the offer. Meanwhile, prodemocracy activists say that hospitals are without drugs and that large numbers of people with HIV/AIDS can no longer access anti-retroviral drugs because the state does not have the cash to import them. Political analysts in South Africa say that although the British-educated king rules by decree and has expensive tastes, he still has considerable support from many traditionalists in much of the mainly rural kingdom. King Mswati ascended to the throne in 1986, and no law can pass without his signature and that of his mother, also known as the ‘She Elephant.’


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‘Give your wards story book gifts this Yuletide’

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NEW innovative, interventionist group in the arts and culture sector with radical ideas for change, Creative Alliance, has called on parents and guidance to go beyond the usual this Yuletide season and include story book gifts in their boxes as they give gifts to their children and wards. Co-ordinator of the N1million grand prize in the short story category, Literary Star Search contest, the flagship project of Creative Alliance, Onoriode Enodano, urged parents and guidance to spare a thought for story books as they buy clothes for their children and wards this season. Enodano noted that the season should be more than mere celebration but one in which parents should reflect on the future of their children and the need to entrench literacy, pointing out that story books that develop the young, impressionable minds of children should form a part of the Christmas festivity. He urged that since children and wards no longer enjoyed the beauty of listening to moonlight tales as told by the old folks – parents and grandparents – as was the case in years gone by, it would be proper to supplement that pastime with written stories from books. He said it was the only way young ones could bridge the gap modernity has created to rob them of the beauty, colour and drama of moonlight tales. On the Literary Star Search contest designed to throw up Nigeria’s best short story writers with a view to nurture, promote and handsomely reward the overall winner with N1 million star prize, Enodano stated that Nigerian writers also deserve to be treated to a measure of true stardom. He also noted that fame and fortune had continued to elude Nigerian writers much as they have exerted their skills in writing beautiful, award-winning stories. He stated that Literary Star Search has been so carefully designed to high-

•Children

light writers as true models for society and worthy of being treated as celebrities, since their literary craft has uplifted the country on the global cultural scene more than any other art form. Enodano stated that the second and third runners-up in the contest would go home with N300,000 and N200,000. Creative Alliance has recently thrown open the doors of its competition, Literary Star Search, a search for true stars deserving of praise in the short story category. Writers are to submit a short story of not more than 3,500 words long with an entry fee N3,000 in bank

draft to Creative Alliance payable to any Zenith International Bank Plc branch nationwide. As part of its innovative intervention in the creative industry, Creative Alliance would partner with and support the Femi Morgan-led Artmosphere, an Ibadan-based literary group scheduled to hold its January book reading and music performance at its Agodi office. Author of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi Wives, Lola Shoneyin, an Ibadan girl, will read from his novel and interact with the audience.

WHAT A JOLLY RIDE!

Enodano said supporting a writers’ group in Ibadan is symbolic of a homecoming of sorts since Nigeria’s literary spirit took root in that ancient city with the birth of Nigeria’s premier university, University of Ibadan, and its pioneering students, such as JP Clark, Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Christopher Okigbo, Isidore Okpewho, Chukwuemeka Ike, Molara Ogundipe, and the Femi Osofisan, Odia Ofeimun and Niyi Osundare generation that followed them.

POETRY

CREDO By Isidore Emeka Uzoatu

Father forgive me, If by this I do sin! Holy Mo! We are on the road to Damascus Lost, flustered, bedraggled and penitent A gourd of palm wine at hand… Supplicants at the altar Of an anonymous Being Else we be misconstrued, Big time Belief hooks our entire frames Gripping lengths, breadths and crosssections Like the wedding wine at Cana Reincarnated in bottles of Chartreuse, Benedictine, Altar wine, red alcoholic nectar Brewed by and for omnipresent gods And their ubiquitous messengers – Ever as whimsical and wise – Served at the head of the quest...

•This truck was moving from the Apapa port on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos.

PHOTO: EVELYN OSAGIE

The mist persists somewhat And we can’t but joust with God In this undeclared Armageddon Before the dawn of the Apocalypse For numbered are we, one and all In the litany of the redeemed: One forty-four thousand In roll and number According to the last book In His son’s autobiography Authored by surrogate hacks Before the birth of magical realism In the West and Middle East Long after we had tired Of weaning leaders of our tomorrow On sacrilegious, diverse tales About many-headed beings Wise tortoises, devious spiders And winged man-goats…


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The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

...In the spirit of Christmas

Children enjoying themselves at Alausa, Ikeja PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

•From left: Justice Mbaba, Robert and Dr Ushie

• Justice Isua presenting Ibom voices

Transforming Akwa Ibom through creative writing Last week, Akwa Ibom came alive with literary festivities. The literati, under the auspices of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, held a three-day literary feast that climaxed in the presentation of Ibom Voices. It was attended by writers from within and outside the state. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.

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HE literati in Akwa Ibom State is set to transform the state through creative writing. This was the submission at a three-day literary feast organised by the state’s chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) last week. According to Justice Ita Mbaba, who presented the lecture on Akwa Ibom Literature: Imperative for societal transformation, justice and development, writers have great role to play in nation-building. He urged writers to be fearless as they document their thoughts and observation in whatever genre they choose, saying they serve as power check on dictators and leaders alike. He added that they are usually dreaded by the powers that be because their ability to influence public opinion, policy formulation, among others. Hence, he said, leaders have often tried to suppress or control such robust voices. He said: “What Nigeria is, today, accounts

for the type of stewardship of her leaders! A major developmental role of a writer, either as journalist, composer, lawyer, lecturer, author, is his power to influence and get leader (whether political, economic, ecclesiastical etc) to act responsibly, while in office. No matter how wicked or corrupt a leader may be, he hates bad publicity (even if that tells correctly who he is). A fearless press or creative writer, who writes and documents what the leader does, as it is , therefore, constitutes a source of fear or check (through an irritation) on/to a wayward leader, and an encouragement to the good. I, sometimes, wonder how deep Nigeria

would have sunk, if not for some brave, patriotic and private press in the country, especially during the reign of the maximum military rulers.” Justice Mbaba called for more writings portraying home-grown cultures, values and experiences. On the part of the chapter’s chair, Dr. Joseph Ushie, the literati are determined to part of development and change in the state. And winning the hosting rights for next year’s ANA international convention, he said, would position the state as a tourist destination for writers within and outside Nigeria. In ensuring that more vibrant voices in the

‘I, sometimes, wonder how deep Nigeria would have sunk, if not for some brave, patriotic and private press in the country, especially during the reign of the maximum military rulers’

state are heard for the benefit of the society at large, he said, inspired the publishing of the literary collage entitled: Ibom Voices. The book was formally presented by the state’s Chief Judge, Justice (Mrs) Idongesit Ntem Isua at its Gala Night held in Governor’s Office Annex, Uyo. According to Justice Isua, the collage is welcome fresh voice that would educate, and inspire many in the state. The book reviewer was Mr Eyo Etim. He described Ibom Voices as “a song of divergent tunes with an unmistakable harmony” touching on every aspect of societal development. The feast also featured literary lecture, readings, and performances, among others. Attendees included former chair, ANA Akwa Ibom, Dr Martin Akpan; Hon. Tiebet Joshua, Transitional Chairman, Obot Akara LGA (who chaired the Gala Night); Uduak Akpabio; Senior special Assistant to the Governor on inter-party Affairs; ANA Secretary, Akan Essien; Hon. Uoibuana Esu, and Prince Nsikak Robert, among others.


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•Continued from Page 27 ment is poised to act as a major facilitator in stimulating agricultural development at every level of the supply value chain. “Our strategy is to concentrate on facilitating huge investments by private sector operators in this sector through the creation of an enabling environment. Some of the projects to be executed in the agricultural sector in 2012 include: procurement of heavy duty agriculture equipment such as bulldozers, low-loader, tractors with implements for land preparation; seed multiplication; establishment of cassava model village; resuscitation of old farm settlements and estates across the state,” the governor said. The administration would also embark on the process of industrialisation through the implementation of the Industrialisation Master Plan which is currently being fine-tuned. “We will also play a major role for small and medium scale entrepreneurs. A major initiative in this regard will be the creation of several Industrial Parks across the state while access roads will be constructed in the rural areas to link the existing major roads,” he said. The Amosun administration also harped on its desire to provide decent, affordable houses to

Amosun anchors Ogun development on 2012 budget our people by embarking projects like construction of two and three bedroom low income housing units across the state; creation of a robust real estate market that can deliver development at an accelerated rate; and renovation of existing Quarters within Ibara Housing Estate. “Pursuant to the above, the sum of N3.96 billion is being proposed for the provision of housing in 2012 across the state. This provision is expected to complement funding from other sources such as the Federal Mortgage Bank and Public Private Partnership. The administration is also planning to partner with private sector operators to invest in estate development in designated

areas in the state,” the governor explained. The governor planned to give priority attention to infrastructure development initiatives through his comprehensive infrastructure master plan. A sum of N33.4 billion, representing 18 per cent of the total budget will be spent on rural and infrastructure development/employment generation. Some of the roads to be constructed in 2012 include: Somorin to Ajebo Road; Abiola Way Junction/Muda Lawal Stadium Road; Presidential Mandate/Laderin Ewang Road/Hilltop Estate Road; Ago-Ika/Itoku/Sapon/Ijaye/ Iyana-Mortuary/OGTV Road; OGTV/Ajebo Road; Mowe/

Our strategy is to concentrate on facilitating huge investments by private sector operators in this sector through the creation of an enabling environment

Ofada/Owode Road; Moriamo/ Adetoro/Olorombo Road, (Ijeun Titun); Ake/Ilugun/Ago-Ika Road; Ikangba/Obalende/LagosGarage/Oke-Owa/Ilese; Ilese/ Imushin/Ijebu-Ife/Itele/ Sagamu-Benin-Express Junction; Obalende/Alapo/Olisa/SakaAshiruRoundabout/Ondo Road Junction; Sagamu/Benin Express Junction/Remo Secondary School Roundabout/Isale Oko/ Akarigbo Street/Sabo-Oba Erinwole Junction; and Sango/ Ijoko/Agbado/Oke Aro/Akute/ Ojodu Abiodun Road. Others include Imasai/IganOkoto/ Ayetoro Road; Ilo/ Awela/Ota Road; Ilara/Ijoun/ Eggua/Oja-Odan/Ilase Road; and Joga-Orile/Iboro/Imasai/Ilaro Road. The provision of potable water, the governor said, will also be given priority attention in Year 2012. “This government has approved N63 billion for the state Water Corporation to procure water treatment chemicals, especially aluminium sulphate. Approval has also been given for the procurement of another consignment of chemicals for water treatment. Our administration is working in collaboration with the Federal Government and the

World Bank regarding increasing access to pipe-borne water in line with the Millennium Development Goals through on-going rehabilitation of water treatment plants at Abeokuta, Papalanto (Ifo/Ilaro), Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ogere and Apoje in Ijebu-Igbo. In 2012, we will spend over N5b on water supply. Some of the investments that our government will undertake in 2012 in this area include the following: construction of Motorised Borehole Water Schemes for semi-urban communities, Government Secondary Schools, Primary Health Centres and Government Institutions; rehabilitation of existing small town water schemes; and establishment of Rain Gauge and River Gauge Stations,” he said. When the 2012 Appropriation Bill is approved by the state House of Assembly, the first full year of the Amosun administration would have established clearcut guiding milestones within which the Action Congress of Nigeria-led government in Ogun State can work for a secure future through realistic and achievable action programmes. •Sowunmi is Media Assistant to Governor Ibikunle Amosun

NGO urges help for hole-in-heart girl

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WIDOW and mother of four, Mrs. Silifatu Kilaso, is seeking help for her daughter diagnosed with a hole in the heart. A non-governmental organisation, Healing Heart Foundation (HHF), has also joined her in the appeal, after donating the sum of N400,000 towards the young patient’s rehabilitation. Earlier this year, after diagnosis at the Lagos state Teaching Hospital (LUTH), doctors told Mrs Kilaso that her 12-year-old daughter, Alimotu, would need to undergo surgery to survive. The surgery, they said, should be performed in India, known for its expertise in that regard. Alimotu’s report was signed by a consultant paediatrician at LUTH Dr. E.N. Ekure. The reports from Paediatric Cardiology Unit of LUTH diagonised, among other heart ailmens, Rheumatic heart disease. Healing Heart Foundation was moved by the plight of the widow. Their gesture came at its end-ofyear programme tagged: “Putting Smiles on the Face of Widows”. Knowing full well that the donation was meager considering that the required sum is $5,000, the NGO called on corporate organisations, government parastatals and well-meaning Nigerians to aasist financially Mrs Kilaso in her bid to save Alimotu. “Silifatu has no one to run to. She is counting on well-meaning Nigerians to help save her daughter. She is lonely and hopeless. His husband would have known what to do if he was alive. God will bless you if you will help save Salimotu’s life,” said Mrs Sorphy Mbanisi, founder of HHF. Sorphy set up the NGO to empower widows through various skill acquisition programmes. They have given out various sums of money to widows who have successfully acquired one form of empowerment training skills or the other in its training scheme. “Look, there are up to 500 widows here today and by the end of the day everybody is going to smile home. We are going to give

•Mrs Silifatu Kilasho and daughter, Alimotu Kilasho middle; Mrs Mbanuisi Sorphy, Founder Happy Heart Foundation (HHF) and Hon. Samsondeen Fatuyi representing Hon. Samsondeen Olaleye Chairman Isolo Local Council Development Area By Paul Oluwakoya

some money to open business on the skill they have acquired, some food and some domestic materials to be able to celebrate the season happily with their family; some set of people will soon embark on vocational training. This is what the foundation is called for. And today we are fulfilled. The sum of N200, 000 financial empowerment will be shared among 20 successful widows that have acquired one skill

or the other. The high point of the event was the award and prizes the foundation gave to its ex-trainees. Mrs Sorphy said they have been good ambassador of the NGO. She said. “We gave them prize because they have been able to empower some other people. Some where trained on how to produce tissue paper, some perfume, liquid soap, wrapper, beads in bags, neck lace, wrist lace and so on and they did not go and put the knowledge to bed but to work. This we are happy

of. Our motive is to wipe away poverty away from the land.” She said She however enlightened the various listening hears in her address that being a widow is not the end of the world. Speaking with Newsextra, Silifatu who was surrounded by widows at the NGO’s end of the year award and financial empowerment, said, “The NGO has been assisting us in various ways including giving us food and offsetting some of the medical bills. I have no other person. My hus-

band’s family members are also empathetic and kind but not buoyant. I am afraid, my world seems to be collapsing, the way Alimotu is breathing is frightening. I know it’s big money to travel out of the country for medical treatment. I have no hope. Please, Nigeria help me, “ she pleaded. Donors should please contact Mrs Kilaso on phone number 08055734559 or send their cash donations to Titilope Kilaso, Oceanic Bank, 0050806125


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HE Aladeshoyin of OdoNoforija Kingdom, Epe Division, Lagos, Oba Babatunde Ogunlaja, has urged members of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) to always act in accordance with the dictate of the Holy Quran. Oba Ogunlaja urged the students to be peaceful with their neighbours at their various institutions. The monarch spoke during the formal opening of the 92nd Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) organised by MSSN Lagos State Area Unit at Human Capital Development Centre (HCDC), Noforija, Epe-Lagos. The ongoing camping programme being held on the land owned by MSSN has recorded over 4500 delegates three days into the commencement of the camp. The delegates are from various higher institutions, secondary schools and primary schools across Lagos. There are indications that the population might increase as the camp progresses with a lot of Muslim youths showing enthusiasm for the annual December IVC. Oba Ogunlaja expressed happiness over the manners the youth comport themselves in the camp. “I’m happy for you all and your parents as well. You have displayed how truly religious people should behave. Our town is blessed with your presence. I pray you will record success in your various chosen professions,” he said. The monarch presented the Amir (President) of MSSN with a check and promised to contribute more towards the building of the centre. He urged the delegates to always be their brothers’ keeper and avoid arguments that could create friction among them. “Peace is key to development of any nation; we are brothers; let’s be peaceful with ourselves. I promise you will enjoy this town; we will support your programmes because you have brought development into our land,” he said. The Amir (President) of MSSN Alhaji Qasim Badrudeen thanked the monarch for his magnanimity. Badrudeen prayed Allah to grant him long life with good health. He promised the monarch and his

•From left: Amir, Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, Alhaji Qasim Badrudeen; Aladeshoyin of Odo-Noforija Kingdom, Oba Babatunde Ogunlaja and Director, Vanguard Academy, Dr Zafaran Adeniyi during the formal opening of the 92nd Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) at Human Capital Development Centre (HCDC), Noforija, Epe, Lagos

Monarch urges Muslim students to behave well By Tajudeen Adebanjo

chiefs that the students would always display best form of character. An elated MSSN leader thanked Allah for making the hosting of this year’s December Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) possible at the site of their Human Capital Development Centre (HCDC) in Epe. Badrudeen said: “It is a thing of joy and indeed a dream come true giving the fact that several attempts made in the past to hold a camp here had not materialised. We never in-

tended bringing our members down here but because of the challenges we do encounter in the course of securing befitting venues and the huge cost of the venues spurred us into taking this difficult but bold initiative. “You will recall that some years ago, we had to run from pillar to post to secure the Queen’s College, Yaba, for the camp when the former Deputy Governor, unceremoniously revoked the approval granted us by the State Ministry of Education to use the Lagos State Model College, Badore, less than 72 hours to the commence-

ment of the camp. “That episode was indeed traumatic and highly demoralising for the cabinet and the entire members of the society. However, that infamous action gingered us the more into vigorously pursuing the acquisition of this site. Although, we have not reached our destination with respect to provision of befitting structures on the site, we are convinced that with Allah’s assistance and the support of you all, next camp programme will be more comfortable and befitting. Insha Allah! Let me inform you also

Council rehabilitates roads

By the time we are going to celebrate 100 days in office, we will flag off free education, free health care system

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HERE were sighs of relief from residents of Oluwalogbon, Elegbeleye, Association Avenue, Shangisha, Adeyemi Odunkomoya and Oladele Streets of Ikosi Isheri Local Council administration, Lagos as the streets were given a face-lift. The council chairman, Hon Abdul Fatai Ayodele Oyesanya said the council undertook the rehabilitation of the roads for free flow of human and vehicular traffic. Hon Oyesanya said, his administration would not only rehabilitate roads but would also maintain them. “One of the problems we are having on our roads is drainage, but as far as this road is concern the drainage is still very much in order. In fact, any road that we are rehabilitating we will ensure that it has good drainage system, so that the flow of water will be very free to prevent flooding. We are going to continuously maintain our drainage systems across the entire council,” he said. He urged the residents whose streets are yet to feel the presence of government to exercise patient adding that very soon the roads would be rehabilitated. “Previously we have done

that our sisters and younger ones are camped at Homat Comprehensive, College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu.” The guest speaker Dr Zafaran Adeniyi blamed government for the restiveness of youth across the country. Government, Dr Adeniyi, Director, Vanguard Academy said, has neglected its duty to provide affordable education and employment for the growing masses. He lamented the increasing rate of falling in the standard of education in the country.

•An ongoing rehabilitaion work in the area By Amidu Arije

phase one and this is second stage. We can not do it all at the same time it has to be in stages. So, I will appeal to our people to be patient, from time to time we

will be moving from one street to another from one ward to another so that the change can be all encompassing and all embracing,” he said. The council boss assured the residents of the council of his administration’s determination to

bring the dividends of democracy to the door steps of every citizen. “By the time we are going to celebrate 100 days in office, we are going to flag off free education, free health care system,” he said.

He, therefore, urged the residents to eschew violence and show love to one another during and after the yuletide celebration as he wished them a prosperous Christmas and New Year celebrations. “The people should live with love and peace, sharing in each other’s grieved and let us eschew any form of violence. The people should hold on to God, show understanding love and have good relationship with people so that there can be lasting love in the land “ he said.


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Eating food in the various food classes like carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, etc, in the right proportion is key to keeping mother and child healthy

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PETROLEUM development firm, Seplat has joined efforts to curb maternal mortality in the country. The Bayelsa State-based company initiated what it called The Safe Motherhood Programme under which it urges expectant mothers to embrace safe delivery methods. Seplat said it is mounting the campaign as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Already, the firm has found an ally in the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Delta State Chapter. The Safe Motherhood project was successfully executed in carefully selected five different communities spread across Delta and Edo states, namely Sapele, Amukpe, Ovhor, Ugboren, Ugberikoko and Oben. In all, about 3,000 women benefited from the exercise in all the five communities with each getting a Safe Motherhood Delivery Bag with each bag containing items required for delivery. Also in the package was an insecticide treated nets for the prevention of Malaria during pregnancy. Expectant women had on-the-spot anti-natal screening in all the venues just as Seplat handed over cartons of Oxytocin and Ergomentrine drugs to the health centres and clinics they used in the communities. At the Sapele programme and presentations, various resource persons harped on the need for pregnant Dr Omo Aghoja, Zonal Medical Director of the Central Hospital, Sapele, and one of the resource persons for the Safe Motherhood project, enjoined pregnant women to always eat balanced diet using local examples. She said there are various kinds of food that pregnant women are required to eat and which can be sourced cheaply within their environment. She added that eating food in the various food classes like carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, etc, in the right proportion is key to keeping mother and child healthy. Dr. Umueri, the President of MWAN and another resource person for the project, highlighted the following as danger signs in pregnancy: vaginal bleeding, gush of fluid before full term, swelling of the feet, face and hands and lack of foetal movement after 16 weeks. She stressed the need for women to see

•Members of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria Delta State Chapter attending to pregnant women during the Seplat’s Safe Motherhood Project

Oil firm fights maternal mortality From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

their doctors immediately if they notice any of these symptoms. Seplat’s initiative to intervene in this critical aspect of Nigeria’s healthcare delivery, expectedly has received many commendations as Nigeria is understood to be one country with very high maternal mortality records in the world. Nigeria said to hold an unenviable record of the second country with the highest rate of maternal death in the world, as one in every eight women die while giving birth Besides, this noble vision of

Seplat reinforces the fact that one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is to improve ma-

ternal health care worldwide as adopted by the international community at the United Nations Mil-

lennium Summit in 2000 with the aim of achieving 75 per cent drop from the level of maternal mortality in the year 2015.

Niger Delta contractors owed N17.4b

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HE Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has revealed that the Federal Government is owing contractors on capital projects in the region N17.4 billion. The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder GodsDay Orubebe disclosed this when members of the House of Representatives’ committee on Niger Delta visited him on oversight functions.

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

He listed some of his challenges to include inadequate and dwindling budgetary allocation for which 25 ongoing community related projects on which huge expenditures had been incurred will be discontinued due to lack of allocation. The Minister also pointed out that

•A section of people at the reception of new members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Itaji, Ekiti State

there is inadequate appropriation of funds to the agriculture and commerce sub sector since 2009 which would have created job for several youths in the region. He sought for augmentation by legislation of the 5% of the revenue accruable from increase in oil production from 700,000 to 2.5 barrels per day so as to encourage growth and development. The Minister also urged the committee to look into the issue of supervision of the Niger Delta Development Commission{NDDC} as provided for by section 5 of the 1999 constitution as duplication of efforts has led to wastages of funds. On the need for NDDC supervision citing example of the coastal road project, he said: ‘When we advertised it, we were confronted by the federal executive council with the fact that the NDDC has said it will do the job at N350 million. But when the NDDC finally awarded the contract behind our back it was awarded at N29 billion.’’ The supervision of NDDC should be released to the ministry for effective co-ordination of developmental activities in the region and to ensure accountability and transparency.’ he added Others challenges, he said included hostility and excessive financial demands by host communities and intermittent disruption of projects by youths. On achievements, he said about 7000 jobs have been created in line with local content policy, construction of 360 units housing projects in 9 states at 55% completion, land reclamation and erosion control projects in five communities in the Niger Delta and the training of 701 non militant youths locally and overseas in oil and gas, maritime and agriculture.



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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Former Minister of State for Agriculture, Chief Olu Awotesu died recently while planning for his 80th birthday. Ahead of the ceremony, he had an interview with The Nation. He bemoaned the fragility of the Nigerian state and canvassed a return to true federalism, following the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference (SNG). Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reports.

Sovereign National Conference is imperative W

HAT led you to study of law as a youth? That has something to do with my family. In the first place, housewives of those days would not call the male children they met at home by their names. They gave them appellations. They were calling me “ibadi-aran”, which I considered a very nice name. But my mother called them one day and said, don’t call him “Ibadi-aran” and that they should call me lawyer because I would become a lawyer one day. I was just looking. I did not understand at that time. But when Chief Awolowo came from England in 1947 and I saw the vigour that attended all his political activities, I became interested. For example, there was this Sole Native Authority in Remo and anything Akarigbo did was final. It could only be changed by the resident in IjebuOde. Awolowo came back in 1947 and joined the late M.S. Sowole and some other political leaders to go into Remo Council. I saw the boldness. Akarigbo Adedoyin at that time was lord to himself; nobody dared challenge him. The youths of nowadays do not know why Obas covered their faces with flowing beads. In those days, nobody could look straight into the face of Akarigbo. But Awolowo and Sowole and Ogunranwo in Remo would stand up in council and face Akarigbo, to the extent that anytime Akarigbo was coming into the council, he would not cover his face again. He wanted to face the boys and he did so with curses. Anywhere Awolowo went, I went with him. No school as long as Awolowo was around. Akarigbo was a slow speaker. He would say: “you these kid-lawyers, we have been conducting administration before you returned from abroad. Since you came, trouble started. We cannot work together”. Akarigbo cursed them. Sowole was the first to rise up. I remember all these things like yesterday. He said: “Kabiyesi, we will run this administration together, until you handover to us. We and your son, Adeleke, would run it together. If you would not run it together with us, you can go to where the elders go”. Akarigbo got up from his seat and left the council. So, Awolowo was a councillor? Yes, he was a councillor. Unlike people who want to be governor overnight, Awolowo was a councillor in Remo and I was a councillor in Remo. So, the idea blossomed in my heart to go and study Law. The third reason made me study Law was this. I was in Remo Council. Then, Awolowo had gone to be part of government of Western Region. There was only one lawyer left in Remo Council then. He was in the habit of coming with his wig; smartly dressed. I envied him. I was the youngest councillor in Nigeria and I was made the Chief Whip. Awolowo said he was coming to Remo to meet the councillors at 11 o clock. 12 noon, Awolowo had not arrived. In those days, courts usually closed at 2 pm. This lawyer said: “the Leader has not come, I am going to look after my daily bread”. I said: “Excuse sir, you cannot go. Leader will be the last person to go late to anywhere and there must be a

reason. Wait for another 30 minutes”. He replied: “What the hell do you mean? You think I am one of those jobless people who followed Awolowo about? I am a professional lawyer. I am going to court to look after my daily bread”. It was as if a dagger was put in my heart. From that day, I decided that I would go to England to study law. How did you join the Action Group Youth Association? I was a member of Action Group at the inception of the party in 1952. Action Group started in 1952. Action Group Youth Association started in 1953. Fani-Kayode, N.A.B Kotoye, Akintola jr, Ayo Adebanjo started the agitation against coronation in Nigeria; do it in England. They said they would cook food for students in Nigeria. The headmasters got carried away. So, it was that year that FaniKayode and our leaders started the Action Group Youth Association. Our uniform at that time was a khaki and a black shirt and we used mosquitoes as our emblem. We chose mosquitoes because we believed it would drive the Europeans out of the country. When the agitation was too much for the colonial government, they arrested Fani-Kayode and Kotoye. At that time, we had been joined by the NCNC Youth Association led by Fayemi. I don’t know where the man is now. We were also joined by NEPU Youth Association. One leader of NEPU, one leader of NCNC and five leaders of AG Youth Associations were arraigned before the Magistrate Court, Tinubu, and sentenced to one month imprisonment to make the coronation arrangement possible. Azikiwe, Awolowo and other political leaders were in court that day. Rhodes was the one who sentenced them. When they were taking them to Broad Street Prison in Black Maria, all the youths followed them there. We kept a vigil and we started stoning the Prison Department. The following day, Fani-Kayode was released. Our leaders arranged for a white horse charger to bring FaniKayode back. Rather than being active in the parent association, we became more organised and active in the AG Youth Association. Was Action Group then also referred to as Afenifere? No. The leader of AG in Iperu was an illiterate, but versatile politician. He was Awoniyi Jogbodo. But, when he mounted the rostrum, the only person who could beat him was Akintola.He would describe AG as “Egbe Aniyikaye”, Egbe Jekinje”, “Egbe Olowo”. “Egbe Oloro”, “Egbe Afenifere”. That was how the whole thing started. That was how it started. Some people said the name originated from Adisa Akinloye... Those people were the campaigners in those days. They were the first generation of Awoists. Ayo Fasanmi, Bola Ige, my humble self and others were the second generation of Awoists. A third generation of Awoists rose up, but the fourth generation was a fraud. Why did you call them fraud? Awolowo had become popular and they were using his name to make money and eat. Are people calling themselves Awoists now Awoists? Do they stand for what Awolowo

stood for? How would you remember Bode Thomas? A good leader, soft-spoken. He was one of the foundation financiers of AG. He had a chamber. Thomas, Williams and Fani-Kayode set up the chamber at Idumagbo. That was the meeting place of AG. He was very outspoken. He played politics like Europeans. What eventually got him into trouble in Oyo was that Oyo was not as open as it is today. They were very primitive. In those days, when Alaafin was passing in the night and they blew the trumpet, even a man on top of his wife would jump up and prostrate in his room. Many people warned Bode Thomas that the politics you played in Lagos, you could not play it in Oyo. You must have heard what happened. I loved him much. He always encouraged the members of the AG Youth Association. How would you remember Akintola? Apart from Pa Jogbodo, nobody could beat Akintola at campaigns. Anytime there was an election, the group was always divided into two, Awolowo’s group and Akintola’s group. Fani-Kayode and I would go to Akintola’s group because Akintola was a man of wit. He had answers to any question at political rally. But the person I was much attached to was Fani-Kayode. When he resigned from AG, I was very sad. Later, we did a lot of havoc to him in London. At the airport in London, he asked: “Olu, why are you treating me like this? You are my brother”. I replied: “They call you Fani-Power. Come and show your power in London”. I mobilised Akinyosoye, Adamo Yesufu, Rafiu Jafojo for action and I had absolute confidence. Those were my boys in AG Youth Association in London. If you see them, you better run. So, you were a party to how Ola Yesufu disrupted Prime Minister Balewa’s Press Conference in London? It was not only disruption, they fell the Prime Minister down. They attacked him and the Prime Minister fell down. Before the incident, there was no barrier at 10, Downing Street, London. If you get to London today, you will see the barrier. When I pass through the place, I laugh because I know how the barrier got there. How about Rosiji? He was the General Secretary of AG. They called him Professor. He was highly knowledgeable, respectable, but the quarrel that started in AG was one of the causes of Nigeria’s problems today. I used to accuse Bola Ige until he died. I used to tell him that he and myself were part of the people who caused the trouble in Nigeria today. He would always deny it. When the crisis in the AG started, the elders and obas tried to mediate between Akintola and Awolowo during the reconciliation. The idea came that Awolowo and Akintola would respect us. I was the leader of AG in London. Dr Hussein was the leader of AG in Moscow. So, myself, the leaders of AG in America and Moscow were joined by Banji Akintoye, later Professor, to go and reconcile them. That was what brought us home. So, when we got to Ooni Aderemi’s place, he was happy. But he said that

• The late Awotesu

‘I did not part ways with Awolowo in 1979. Awolowo was my idol. But there is no one in the world without a weakness. One of the weaknesses of Awolowo was that Awolowo put his wife over and above any member of AG’ he would not see us at Ibadan and that we should come to Ife. He said we were the only hope of reconciling the people. When we were going from Ibadan, we were accompanied by Bola Ige. When we got to Ife that day, Kabiyesi entertained us very well. May be, that got to our heads. Ooni implored us to wade into the crisis and settle the rift between Awolowo and Akintola. Myself and Bola Ige said “No, No compromise. What Akintola did was wrong”. We started to pontificate. Banji was looking at us. We said: “No negotiation whatsoever”. Ooni stopped talking. If I am going to blame the crisis on anybody, it was those of us who came from abroad. We were just behaving like children. I could not understand it. We were educated people. I and Banji had finished our Masters programme. I wouldn’t understand why we behaved like that. When Coker Commission of Enquiry started, I went to the sitting with Chief Awolowo. The cars that brought Awolowo and Akintola arrived at the scene at the same time. When Awolowo came down from the left door at the back, I came out from the right. Akintola came down from the left door at the back. I said to him: “Good morning, sir”. He said: “Olu, you are greeting me. Since you arrived last week, you have been abusing me on the pages of newspapers”. I was stupefied. We contributed to it. So, anytime I look back, I regret it. Did Akintola make overtures to you

to join him? No. It was like making overtures to Awolowo to come and join him. The only thing was that when Awolowo left the Senate Hall, the sitting of the enquiry, I and Akintola were still discussing. Awolowo asked me what he was discussing with me. I told him that Akintola said I was abusing him in papers. Why did you part ways with Awolowo in 1979? I did not part ways with Awolowo in 1979. Awolowo was my idol. But there is no one in the world without a weakness. One of the weaknesses of Awolowo was that Awolowo put his wife over and above any member of AG. And there were complaints. I was the nearest to him. I was hearing all these complaints. I was going to tell him. He knew my qualities, that I was very honest and straightforward. Awo and I were coming from Ibadan one day. That was before I went to London. The Alaye of Ode-Remo was Awo’s teacher at Wesley College, Ibadan. He had respect for the man. Awo branched at his palace. Within five minutes, Awo stormed out. Baba was shaking. He was over 70. We left the palace. I told Awo that what he did was not good. He asked me to shut up. I kept quiet. When we got to Iperu, I said I wanted to get down. He said we should go to Ikenne together for dinner. When the driver was taking • Continued on page 46


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POLITICS

Sovereign National Conference is imperative • Continued from page 45

me back to Iperu, I asked him to drive to Ode. I told the Kabiyesi that Awo was annoyed from Ibadan, where he attended the meeting of the AG and that it had not suppressed. I told him that he asked me to come back to apologise on his behalf. Five years after, at my wedding in London. He got up, saying that he loved me like his first son. He recounted the event that happened in Ode and how I took charge of the whole thing and bailed him out of the trouble. When we were eating, I asked how knew about it. He said: “You think I am a stupid man? Was it not my driver that took you there? When my driver didn’t come back in time, I asked him. There were complaints against Awo. The first deputy leader of AG was Bode Thomas. There was no quarrel between Awo and him. The next deputy leader was Akintola. They quarreled. After that was Adegbenro, they quarreled eventually. After that was Enahoro, they quarreled. Ditto for Akin-Olugbade. Though I was young, they said it to my hearing. We were councillors in 1976; myself, Yesufu and those AG boys in Sagamu. The councillors were asking who would go to the Constituent Assembly to represent Remo. I asked them to go and ask the Leader, if they wanted to know because he was the best person to go so that it would create a platform for him to know and interact with many people across the country, preparatory to the presidential election. I asked him in his house when we were eating. He asked: ‘Olu, what is your age?”. I said I was over 40. He said during the Macpherson Constitution, he and Odutola represented Ijebu Division and since then, he had been representing the whole of Western Region. He said the councillors were wrong in thinking that he would go and represent Remo again in the Constituent Assembly. He said: “You, Olu, will go to the Constituent Assembly. You are a lawyer and you will justify yourself. Anybody you think I should meet there, bring them to me”. Three weeks later, he said we should finalise the discussion because his wife had a candidate, Awoniyi. Out of 16 councillors, only nine were there. My die-hard supporters were not invited. I said we had discussed already and I had told the councillors. He said Mama had a candidate. I asked: “Who is Mama? Is Mama a politician?”. He said I was insulting his wife. I left. Four out of nine councillors left. Chief Awolowo said, whether we liked it or not, Dele Awoniyi would go to the Constituent Assembly. Awo had been grooming me, introducing me to the traditional rulers and elders in Remo. They went to him, but he refused. Later, the elders came to me and said Awo had agreed that Chief Dele Awoniyi and I should contest. The Obas intensified their efforts. They went round. I got elected. Oba Akinsanya, the Odemo of Isara, said we should go and appeal to Awo. Yesufu said he would not go. 54 cars left the venue of the election in Sagamu for Ikenne. Mrs. Awolowo said they should not open the gate, saying that we were useless youths. I told her that we were not and that the advantage she had was that she married our father from Ilishan and brought him to Ikenne. Why did you not join UPN? UPN did not start as UPN. We were in the Committee of Friends in Lagos and our leader in Remo. Akanbi Onitiri usually hosted the meeting in Lagos. TOS Benson and Adeniran Ogunsanya took me to Chief Awolowo’s house. Ogunsanya said, “Bro, you can’t fight Olu, he has stood beside you all the time”. Awo did not listen. I told Chief Awolowo that, “you taught me ABC of politics. If you say I should not join UPN because of some people who were look-

ing for an opportunity to supplant me, I am going to join others to form a political party. When I got to the Constituent Assembly, the first thing I did was to organise people preparatory to the formation of a political party. Eleven of us formed the NPN in Abubakar Saraki’s house in Surulere. Abiola was my personal friend. I asked him to join, he refused. But when the party was growing, he joined. When he was to join us, he did not do it in Ogun State, he joined us in Bida. How did you feel campaigning against Awolowo in Remo? It was the easiest thing. Remo people knew how well I had served Awolowo. If the decision that I should not go to the Constituent Assembly was Awolowo’s, I would respect it. It was his wife’s decision. If anybody should disagree with Awo in Efon-Alaaye, the people would want to kill the person. In Remo here, we survived. They sympathised with us. How did you become the Minister of State for Agriculture? I was the one who brought NPN to Ogun State. I joined as a member of the Constituent Assembly. Toye Coker was in Group 19. Our political leaders; Fadairo, Akin-Olugbade, Oyalowo, Sodipo asked us to come and convince them on the group to join. Toye Coker spoke about Group 19; I spoke about NPN and that we would win the election in Nigeria because we had geographical spread. So, they decided to go for NPN. The Olowu and the youths said I would be the governorship candidate. Yesufu was with me. At Hotel Frontier, Ipokia, for the first time, Toye Coker said he wanted to be governor. The boys refused because I contributed to the formation of NPN greatly. Consultation started. Awujale invited us and said we should allow Toye Coker to go for it. Then, it was decided that, since I brought NPN to Ogun State, I would become the minister. MKO Abiola was not our member that time. In May that year, Abiola joined and trouble started. At a meeting in Abeokuta, in Akin-Olugbade’s house, Abiola refused that, if an Ijebu was governor, that is, Bisi Onabanjo, Ijebu cannot be minister. Abiola started distributing money to people. The matter was recalled recently when Harold Sodipo died in London. Sodipo insisted that I would be minister. Somehow, Ebun Oyagbola’s name surfaced at the Presidency. Shagari said I brought him into NPN and that he would appoint me as Minister of State, but in a key ministry. That was how I became Minister of State for Agriculture. I later became the chairman of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome. Did you ever reconcile with Awolowo before he died? Anytime I went to Remo, I toured the whole place before going to sleep. Those obas, including Odemo of Isara, Ologere of Ogere gave me support. All those thugs that were used during “operation wetie”, I paid them when Awolowo was in prison in Calabar. Awolowo refused to meet them. So, they saw me as their leader. So, we were not molested. One day, Awolowo’s driver came to me to tell me that Awo and Mama were fighting because of me, that Awolowo said she was responsible for the quarrel between him and me. So, the driver advised me not to criticise Awolowo again. During the wedding of former Ogun State University Vice Chancellor, Sodipo’s child in Ilishan, inside the church, he hailed me as the “Alagbara of Remo”. Yesufu was “Kiniun of Remo”. Awo said he did not like how IBB was ruling the country and that the boy would ruin Nigeria, and that we should go and write it down. So, we discussed in the church. The news was in town that I had settled with the leader. Later, at Sagamu, at the installation of chiefs, Akarigbo Awolesi offered me a seat, but I went to sit beside Awolowo. After the ceremony, I opened the doors of the car for Papa and Mama. Awo said, Olu, where would you be next Friday.

APGA flexes muscle as PDP falters in Ebonyi

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O the surprise of many analysts in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had a landslide victory in the April elections in Ebonyi State. The party got more than 100, 000 votes in the state’s governorship election which was keenly contested by the party’s candidate, Chief Martin Elechi against the pioneer Speaker of the state House of Assembly; a two-term Senator, Julius Ucha and the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Ambassador Franklin Ogbuewu. The ruling PDP also won the three senatorial seats at the national assembly and five out of the six seats at the House of Representatives. The party also won 22 out of the 24 seats at the state House of Assembly, leaving the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) with one seat at the House of Representatives including two of the 24 at the state House of Assembly. Notwithstanding the poor performance of the opposition parties in the state in the general elections, there still appears to hope for the opposition, especially the ANPP. There were high hopes that APGA and the Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA) would give PDP a fight for its money except for the political crisis that rocked both parties shortly before the general election over choice of governorship candidate. Chief Jude Nkama, a Londonbased solicitor who hailed from the Ebonyi South Senatorial zone was the first to indicate interest in the governorship slot under the platform of APGA. In an interview with the state chairman of the party, Chief Jarry Obasi, he noted that Nkama alongside himself laid the foundation and nurtured the party to emerge the party to beat in the just-concluded governorship election in the state. Nkama, it was said, contributed both financially and morally to making the party what it was before the emergence of Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu. The party chairman blamed the poor performance of the party on the

• Elechi From Ogbonnaya Obina, Abakaliki

entrance of Ogbuewu into the race under the platform of APGA. Obasi noted that “immediate Ogbuewu joined the party, he wanted to hijack the structure of the party, he also plotted to sack the executive and to install his own executive, but the whole arrangement did not go down well with the executive.” “The governorship aspirant frustrated all the effort of the party in emerging victorious at the polls. All the money released by the party for the campaign was not properly channeled. Some of the people who posed as the party’s ward chairman were members of the PDP which planted people in the party to reveal all the party plans to the PDP. That act robbed the party of victory”. The same political crisis that rocked the APGA also rocked the PPA and the London-based solicitor was the worst hit. Shortly after being denied governorship ticket of APGA, he joined PPA and was also denied ticket with the emergence of Hon Princes Francise Mgbada. Jude Nkama had the financial muscle to have prosecuted the governorship election under both APGA and

• Ucha

PPA, but political gimmicks and also the fact that he was coming from Ebonyi South senatorial zone robbed him of the tickets. The APGA party chairman in the state expressed optimism that the party would not only dismantle the PDP but also hijack power from the party in 2015. While Obasi is working tirelessly to restructure the party and set it for 2015 general elections, the same could not be said of the PPA since the seeming collapse of the party. Unlike the PPA, APGA has two governors that are determined to support the party for 2015. Governor Orji Uzor Kalu who is the sole financier of the party in Ebonyi State may be unwilling to continue with the project having realised the current form of the party in the state. It is expected that with the crisis that is gradually rocking the PDP in the state ahead of the party congress billed for January 7 next year and the decision to hand over power to Ebonyi South zone by Chief Martin Elechi against the interest of major stakeholders and the people of Ebonyi North and Central zones. If the emerging crisis is not properly handled by Elechi, it may be the end of PDP in the state.

• From left: Former Chairman Ikeja Local Government, Mayor Alani Okikioposu, wife of Hon. Faleke, Olubukola and her husband, Hon. Abiodun Faleke at the presentation of tricycle, foods, sewing machine and gift items as part of poverty alleviation programme by Hon. Abiodun Faleke in Lagos. PHOTO: BOLA OMILABU


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SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

I started business with N200, says Coscharis boss C HIEF Executive, Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, lives and breathes automo-

bile. He is one man who carries the torch of business with passion and preaches entrepreneurship as a way of lifting millions of Nigerians from poverty. Amazingly, he started business with just N200. At the outset, he was faced with so much challenges, with all the trappings of failure, but he never allowed them to distract him. Maduka said he lost his father at the age of four and as a result, his education was cut short at the age of seven. He was addressing young people at the convention of the Christ Bride Tabernacle in Ibadan, Oyo State at the weekend. As there was no money to send him to school, he started hawking Akara (bean cakes) for his mother to support her in managing the home. His elder brother continued school, while he continued petty trading with his mother. His uncle, who was into automotive parts business in Ebute-Metta area of Lagos, later decided to take him in his business as an apprentice.

• Maduka By Daniel Essiet

Maduka worked for his uncle for seven years. When he left his uncle, in 1975, he was given N200 as settlement. The amount was so small to start a good auto parts business in Nnewi. He didn’t al-

low the reality of the small seed capital to hinder his drive for success. He started in a one-quarter size shop by buying motor cycle parts from Lagos and selling them in Nnewi. He was using night bus to transport himself and the products. Maduka said he made some money. Few years later, he recorded monumental business failure. As result, he took to offering body weight scaling services to Nigerians at a cheap amount, a humiliating business for him after making so much money. He was carrying the scale along the streets and around markets. After some time, he found a friend who loaned himN5,000 to start his business again. After making some money, he became an importer of motorcycles and motor spare parts. As the business grew, Maduka started travelling to Taiwan and other Far East countries together with some of his colleagues. When they made money from such business trips, they will not bother to pay back their creditors or suppliers, diverting the money to other personal things. He chose to be

consistent and honest by paying his creditors. This gave him credibility among his foreign business partners. After years of diligently reinvesting those profits back into the business, he is now a business colossus Maduka has been able to turn his one-man business into a large conglomerate with over N15 billion in shareholders’ funds in less than 30 years. In the Nigerian automobile market, the name Coscharis, rings bell. Coscharis motors specialises in the sale of BMW and Landover; the company partnered with BMW of Germany. Today, Coscharis Group has several subsidiaries, which include, Coscharis Auto Industries Limited, Coscharis Technologies and Foods Limited, Coscharis Exports Limited, Coscharis Securities Limited, Coscharis Finance and Investment Limited, among others. On the whole, there are 10 subsidiaries under the Coscharis Group. The parent company is Coscharis Motors, which started with the importation of automobile components and later metamorphosed into the production of motor cycle roller chain. He said what a lot of young Nigerians need is good advice, good ideas and lots of enthusiasm. Rather than lament over adversity, he said they need to explore every opportunity to create self-employment. For many jobless Nigerians, he said starting a small business is the answer. Maduka encouraged Nigerians to break free from the emotional treadmill of a non-secure job and enjoy the self-esteem of starting something on their own.

He told The Nation that the issue was not having much capital but the readiness to sniff business opportunities everywhere. According to him, nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Maduka counselled young Nigerians to resolve to make their own living and not wait for opportunities to come. As a good entrepreneur, Maduka told The Nation, he identifies good business ideas , package them for target markets and fit the products and services into what customers want. He said money follows service and essential service will sell to a wide audience. Today, exporting is an integral part of his good business strategy. He understands international markets, and this is being instrumental to his company’s success, in the commodities export. He has lofty goals. He has retooled some of his core products and done extensive business outreach in partnership with state and local politicians and economic development officials. The economy, Maduka said, is looking for business ideas that solve problems and so, he selects his ideas based on viability, popularity among customers, value, and longevity in the marketplace and ease in the startup. He said the market has something for every interest and budget and urged young Nigerians to search for the right business to start and spend time to make the business work. He urged young Nigerians to undertake businesses which startup costs are minimal.

House construction as money spinner

F •From left: Vice-Chair, Global Business Units, Procter and Gamble Group, Dimitri Panayotopoulos; President, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) Laurent Philippe and Managing Director, Procter and Gamble Nigeria, Manoj Kumar; at the inauguration of New Home Products Industries Limited (NHPIL) plant for the manufacture of Safeguard soap in Lagos.

Cooperative societies to boom in 2012 By Risikat Ramoni

•Orolugbagbe

A

S the nation continues to struggle with unemployment, the Chief Executive Officer of Exchange Limited, Ibadan, Oyo State, Adebola Orolugbagbe said co-operatives hold the key to building the economy. Speaking in an interview with The Nation , Orolugbagbe said the

economy is losing a lot because co-operative societies are not well utilised. Co-operatives, he said, are important local business actors and protagonists of economic development everywhere. Addressing economic development though cooperative , will advance the economic stability of local areas; increase the circulation of capital locally; and anchor new productive capital in urban and rural communities. Promoting co-operative movement, he said, will anchor small, independent businesses, generate jobs, support economic development and grow wealth . He said it was high time, the government made effort to reposition co-operatives to ensure maximum impact on poverty reduction.

Orolugbagbe said co-operatives benefit the communities they serve while building opportunities for shared wealth. In line with this, he said his organisation supports the development of competitive local private sector through building local institutional and business capacity, promoting SMEs and co-operatives, adding that that the co-operative sector is going to witness a boom next year, as 2012 has been declared by the United Nations as the year for the cooperatives. The International Year of Cooperatives, he noted, will be used by the global co-operative movement to drive home the seriousness of the co-operative business. He said his company is going to educate Nigerians in knowing what advantage the cooperative movement can do to them.

OR Mrs Yetunde Ogunbiyi, Chief Executive, Positive Property, building lives is multi-faceted. By helping people attain their dreams, like building or buying their own homes, or starting a business, or obtaining affordable housing. She is building lives. Mrs Ogunbiyi, who was given an award as most promising real estate entrepreneur by the Nigerian Entrepreneur Magazine, in Lagos, told the story of overcoming early life obstacles to make it in life. She came into Lagos from Ilorin with a National Certificate in Education (NCE). She started as a dry cleaner and later moved into estate management. Mrs Ogunbiyi, an investor in houses and rental properties, told The Nation, she makes money by helping people to have low income apartments and building a nice stream of income to cover the mortgage and provide additional cash-flow each month. She makes money from having low income people acquire affordable land, get them to make a down payment, and saving onwards to build their homes. She said working Nigerians must focus on a specific goal, owning their houses even if it is a room, or a self-contained apartment. She has begun some initiatives directed at encouraging home construction, and promoting home ownership. The programmes target families and individuals whose yearly income is less than what can build a decent house within a year. Right now,

she has schemes to take care of different categories of income earners. As the gulf in standard between low cost housing and luxury homes increase ever further, Mrs Ogunbiyi urged people to move to the outskirts to build their homes. With her approach, many Nigerians have been able to build and pay for their dream homes with little incomes. Most of her financial advice is geared towards building up a big account to retire on. These include significant reduction in expenses, which makes it feasible to live very comfortably on little income and work towards achieving life’s dreams. Mrs Ogunbiyi believes the key to doing this effectively is putting more attention into it, and choosing the right houses’ financial plan. For her, there’s no better feeling in the world than deciding on how one wants to live and making it happen. For her, life is accessible and abundant and doesn’t depend on incomes and permits. As an entrepreneur, she accumulates a wealth of ideas and assemble them into a way of life. She finds it irritating that people paint such a dismal picture of the future and refuse to do something about improving their situation. Though most people who rent a house, have a lot of expenses, she counsels they must work real hard, and put some per centage of their income away towards owning their dreams homes.


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

49

THE NATION

INVEST NVESTORS ORS Quoted firms forecast bright 2012 H

OW will 2012 be for companies listed on the Stock Exchange? Many of the quoted firms feel it will be a good year and are projecting positive bottom-lines and improved returns for shareholders. Emerging forecasts from the companies for the first quarter ending on March 31, 2012 showed that they expect improved sales and profitability, with many loss-making companies hopeful of return to positive net earnings. Oando Plc has estimated that sales could be about N141.84 billion within the first three months of the year, indicating a possible fullyear turnover of N567.4 billion. The board of the company has also estimated net profit of about N2.98 billion during the period, which could put the company on the path to a full-year profit of some N12 billion. The projections by Oando indicate that net earnings payable to shareholders per share could be N5.25 during the year, representing a probable earnings yield of 24.1 per cent. Distribution of net earnings however depends on the dividend policy of the company. Cement Company Of Northern Nigeria Plc also expected total sales to hit N3.60 billion by March 2012, indicating a probable simple turnover projection of more than N14 billion for 2012. The Sokoto-based cement company estimated that net profit after tax attributable to shareholders could be N425.16 million for the three-month period, representing a fullyear simple projection of nearly N2 billion. The projected net profit indicates that investors that buy shares of the cement company at current market price could achieve a probable earnings yield of 32 per cent in 2012, a strong probability of double-digit dividend yield during the year. Similarly, RT Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc said its sales could be more than N4.73 billion during the first three months of the year while profit after tax was estimated at N85.55 million during the period. Several companies, such as DN Meyer Plc, Evans Medical Plc and Morison Industries Plc that had recently struggled with losses indicated the new business year might be rewarding to shareholders. DN Meyer has estimated that it could make modest net profit of N4.9 million on total sales of N503.1 million during the period, an

T

•Frm left: Director, Investment, Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), Thailand, Mr Ruj Heraba; Mr Pakhin Khirwan and Ms Sutida Sindhvanada, during their visit to Nigeria to explore ways to boost energy distribution. By Taofik Salako

indication that the company might be on course to break its four-year dividend drought. Also, Evans Medical, which had suffered a major relapse due to accounting scandal, stated that it expected to start 2012 on a positive note. The company predicts that turnover could be N1.62 billion while profit after tax would be more than N62.4 million during the first three months. Morison Industries also expected a modest net profit of N4.55 million on total sales of N136.84 million during the first quarter.

Several analysts have said the relatively low current market prices of equities and upbeat projections by quoted companies could put returns on the Nigerian stock market far above other emerging and advanced markets. Chief Investment Officer, Renaissance Asset Managers, Plamen Monovski, said investors should focus on sub-Saharan Africa where equities are trading at “exceptionally cheap” levels. Renaissance Asset Managers manages a subSaharan fund which portfolio includes MTN Group and Zenith Bank Plc.

Managing Director, GTI Securities Limited, Mr Tunde Oyekunle, said the capital market would witness recovery in 2012, especially as the impact of the reforms in the banking sector becomes more evident. According to him, there is a strong expectation from the banking sector, because the impact of the reforms is yet to be duly felt by the economy. He noted that the recent mergers and acquisitions have provided a more competitive banking industry where banks can achieve their potential and contribute immensely toward economic recovery and growth.

Union Bank to raise market capitalisation by N195b

HE ongoing recapitalisation of Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc may in-crease the capitalisation of the stock market by about N195 billion. This addition is expected to raise the bank’s capitalisation from N28.24 billion to about N223 billion, making the bank the fourth most capitalised in the country. At the moment, Guaranty Trust Bank leads the banking stocks with a market capitalisation of N412 billion, Zenith Bank and FirstBank of Nigeria are second and third with N377 billion and N294 billion. Under the deal struck by existing share-

Forecasts Q1 2012 JULIUS BERGER Turnover N37.85bn Profit after tax N1.14bn PRESCO Turnover N2.60bn Profit after tax N800.9m ETERNA Turnover N6.31bn Profit after tax N436.8m OASIS INS Gross Premium N900m Profit after tax N409.3m PHARMA DEKO Turnover N491m Profit before tax N13m STUDIO PRESS Turnover N1.90bn Profit after tax N16.9m

holders and new core investors in September, the bank is expected to issue about 16.6 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to new core investors. Also, the bank is expected to offer 1.41 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo to prescheme shareholders in the ratio of five new ordinary shares for every nine ordinary shares as at the September 30, 2011. Already, the application list for the rights issue has opened and would run till January 20, 2012. Union Bank had last week completed the

UACN Turnover N13.80bn Profit after tax N950m UPDC Turnover N2.33bn Profit after tax N317m MRS OIL Turnover N25.60bn Profit after tax N356m TOTAL Nigeria Turnover N47.92bn Profit after tax N1.05bn SCOA NIGERIA Turnover N1.08bn Profit after tax N25.45m OKOMU OIL PALM Turnover N2.69bn Profit after tax N1.075bn AFROMEDIA Turnover N1.077bn Profit after tax N40.214m

BERGER PAINTS Turnover N781.04m Profit after tax N74.0m BETA GLASS Turnover N2.80bn Profit after tax N166.22m RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS Turnover N634.8m Profit after tax N75.46m GT ASSURANCE Gross Premium N5.0bn Profit after tax N368.92m CUSTODIAN & ALLIED INS Gross Premium N4.44bn Profit after tax N935.02m REGENCY ALLIANCE INS Gross Premium N589.13m Profit after tax N209.8m GOLDLINK INS Gross Premium N1.62bn Profit after tax N430.1m

reconstruction of its pre-scheme shares, reducing its outstanding ordinary shares from 13.51 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to 2.53 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each based on exchange ratio of 16 pre-scheme ordinary shares for three post-reconstruction shares. With the rights issue and new issue to new core investors, total outstanding shares of Union Bank is expected to consist of 20 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each, which translate to N223 billion market value at the current market price of N11.15 CORNERSTONE INS Gross Premium N2.33bn Profit after tax N165.32m CONTINENTAL RE Gross Premium N3.07bn Profit after tax N402m GUINEA INS Gross Premium N500m Profit after tax N18.1m Skye Bank Plc Gross Earnings N29bn Profit after tax N109m NESTLE NIGERIA PLC Turnover N22.70bn Profit after tax N2.78bn ETRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC Turnover N952.91m Profit after tax N125.45m

that was used as benchmark for the listing of the reconstructed shares at the weekend. Under the September, this year recapitalisation deal, Union Bank would receive about $500 million equity capital and $250 million Tier 2 capital from international investors, thereby ensuring that the bank retains its nearly century-old brand and regain its competitive verve as one of the strongest and reliable banks in Nigeria. African Capital Alliance (ACA) is leading other partners including many reputa-

LAW UNION & ROCK INS Gross Premium N2.40bn Profit after tax N238.21m ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC Turnover N411.15m Profit after tax N62.96m UNION VENTURES & PETROLEUM Turnover N283.5 million Profit after tax N1.5m CADBURY NIGERIA Turnover N8.73 billion Profit after tax N339.2 million ACADEMY PRESS Turnover N591.142 million Profit after tax N8.91 million LAFARGE CEMENT WAPCO Turnover N18.658 billion Profit after tax of N1.02 billion

•Continued on page 50 BOC GASES PLC Turnover N2.28 billion Profit after tax N359.6 million CHAMS PLC Turnover N2.34 billion Profit after tax N238.1 million NEM INSURANCE PLC Gross Premium N4.12bn Profit after tax N1.16bn

(Q4 ENDING APRIL 30 2012) CUTIX Turnover N590.0 million Profit after tax N67.45 million BECO PETROLEUM Turnover N860.84 million Profit after tax N8.156 million (H1 ending Jan 31, 2012)


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

50

THE NATION INVESTORS F the ongoing ground testing offers by some companies succeed, others may adopt the measure, it was learnt yesterday. Four quoted companies including Flour Mills of Nigeria, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals, International Breweries and Union Bank of Nigeria show floated supplementary offers in recent months. Most analysts regard the recent offers as test-offerings, which success will show the state of the primary market, which has suffered considerably from the stock market meltdown and loss of investor’s confidence. The primary segment of the capital market has been inactive since 2008; with this year witnessing the lowest level of activities in recent years. The Nation’s investigation, indicated that no fewer than 10 companies have indicated interest to float new offers and many of them might be encouraged by the successes of the recent rights issue to round off the pre-offer processes and open application lists for their issues. The companies that have indicated interests in raising new funds include RT Briscoe, DN Meyer, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN), Lafarge Wapco Cement Plc, May and Baker Nigeria, Fidson Healthcare, UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) and Promasidor Nigeria Limited. The companies have already in-

I

More firms to float offers for capital By Taofik Salako

timated shareholders with the necessity of accessing new funds and many have started and completed some key steps in the new issue process. Already, CCNN has secured shareholders’ approval to raise N45 billion. While some of the companies plan to use net proceeds of their offers for business expansion, most of the companies would use the funds to restructure their balance sheets by reducing bank loans and providing additional working capital to support longterm growth. Inability to access equity funds due to investors’ apathy has made several companies to build up huge bank loans, with attendant high interest expenses that have become drags on returns to shareholders. RT Briscoe, DN Meyer, May and Baker Nigeria, Lafarge Wapco and UPDC would use large chunks of the net proceeds of their new issues to reduce their financial leverage while further supporting the balance sheets with additional equity funds or long-term debt funds. Meanwhile, CCNN and Promasidor are raising new funds to finance business expansion. Promasidor, which plans to float an initial public offering (IPO)

next year, is seeking to raise funds to partly finance its new factory. Although the size of the IPO is yet to be finalised, Founder of the Promasidor Group, Mr Robert Rose, has said the new factory would be four or five times the size of the Promasidor’s operations in Nigeria. According to him, the group plans to build a factory in another part of the country, which will not only enable it to do existing business better but go into new businesses. Shareholders of CCNN recently approved a multi-instrument capital raising exercise to enable the cement company to finance its N45 billion expansion project. Shareholders had empowered the board of directors to raise N15 billion each through rights issue, public offer and a rightsbased secured convertible debenture issue. This implied that the company would be seeking to raise up to N30 billion from existing shareholders while new investors and existing shareholders would contribute N15 billion. A secured convertible debenture would give opportunity to debenture holders to choose to convert their holdings to ordinary shares at a later date. Capital market analysts said the new issues by CCNN might suc-

FACTS

TO

ceed given the commitment of the major shareholders. Damnaz Cement Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abdulsamad Rabiu’s BUA International Limited, holds about 51 per cent equity stake while Nasdal Bap Nigeria Limited owns about 11.5 per cent stake. The two major investors are thus expected to contribute 62.5 per cent or N18.8 billion of the

N30 billion expected from rights issues. Chairman of CCNN, Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, said the net proceeds of the three issues would be used to finance the installation of a new one million metric tonnes production line to increase the installed capacity of the cement company from 500,000 tonnes per annum to 1.5 million tonnes per annum.

Union Bank to raise market capitalisation by N195b •Continued from page 49

ble fund managers, investment funds of The Netherland and United States Governments and Nigerian investors under the Union Global Partners Limited, a special purpose vehicle formed for the recapitalisation of the bank. Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) had already raised UBN’s capital base from negative to zero through investment of N305billion in the bank. AMCON has become the first major investor in the bank owning about 20per cent of the bank, with the funds already deposited for shares since October.

The board of directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the United States’ Government’s development finance institution, has also approved the $250 million Tier 2 capital. There are strong indications that the rights issue might be successful as shareholders have generally expressed interests in picking up their rights. Major shareholders blocs and investment managers have said they would pick up their rights, aligning with initial book-building survey by investment advisers that showed that shareholders had placed funds on standby preparatory to the opening of the rights.

FACTS

Bagco vs Avon Crowncaps: Different packages

N

IGERIAN Bag Manufacturing Company (Bagco) Plc and Avon Crowncaps Plc are leading stocks in packaging sector. With Bagco leading as the most capitalised packaging company, Avon trailed as the third ranking company in the N25 billion sector. The packaging sector is closely related with the manufacturing and retail sectors of the economy. Packaging sector serves as major input sector for the manufacturing sector and consequently thrives during a period of product innovation, repackaging and corporate expansion. Bagco and Avon shared many similarities including foreign shareholding and presence of many expatriates in the top management. Bagco, the bigger of the two companies, is owned largely by the foreign-controlled Flour Mills of Nigeria while more than 80 per cent of Avon's equities are held by foreign core investors. Avon manufactures and sells drums, crowncaps, pilfer-proof caps, containers, metal printing, inks, colourants and pigment pastes amongst others. Bagco manufactures woven and laminated polypropylene bags. Latest fundamental reports of the two companies showed considerable improvements on stand-alone analysis. But in comparative analysis, Bagco consolidated its lead in all key margins while Avon struggled to overcome the negative hangover from the previous year. Sales Generation Both companies have maintained positive top-lines in recent years with average yearly sales growth in double digits. Bagco was ahead in sales as turnover grew by 15.2 per cent in 2011, five percentage points on 10 per cent recorded in 2010. This implied two-year average growth rate of 10 per cent. Avon's average yearly sales growth stood at about 11 per cent, driven largely by 16.2 per cent growth in 2010. Turnover growth slowed down in 2011 with an increase of 5.7 per cent.

FACTS TO FACTS Turnover growth Gross profit growth Pre-tax profit growth Gross margin Pre-tax profit margin Net profit growth Return on Assets Return on Equity

Avon Crowncaps

Bagco 2011 %

2010 %

Average %

15.2

10

71.6

224.1

8.1 191.8 4.4 11.2

5.4 363.3 1.7 3.9

12.6 0 147.85 0 6.75 277.55 3.05 7.55

Pre-tax profit margin (Bagco)

By Taofik Salako

Profitability Bagco has improved on its profitability over the years with pretax profit margin rising from 5.4 per cent in 2010 to 8.1 per cent in 2011. The company had recovered from negative position in 2009 to set a new positive trend of stable profit growth. Pre-tax profit rose by 72 per cent in 2011 while net earnings also grew by 192 per cent. Average pre and post tax profits growths ran into three digits over the past two years. Meanwhile, Avon remained on a delicate balance as high cost of sales whittled down margins. Gross profit margin dropped from 14 per cent in 2010 to 12 per cent in 2011 while pre-tax profit margin

Turnover growth Gross profit growth Pre-tax profit growth Gross margin Pre-tax profit margin Net profit growth Return on Assets Return on Equity

2011 %

2010 %

Average %

5.7 -5.2 3.3 12.4 1.5 26.6 1.4 5.3

16.2

10.95 -2.60 -26.2 13.1 1.5 -19.15 1.2 4.85

-55.7 13.8 1.5 -64.9 1.0 4.4

Pre-tax profit margin (Avon)

stagnated at 1.5 per cent. Gross profit thus declined by 5.2 per cent. But with internal cost management, actual pre-tax profit inched up by 3.3 per cent in 2011 compared with a decline of 56 per cent in 2010. Profit after tax also increased by 27 per cent in 2011 as against a drop of 65 per cent in 2010. On the average, Avon's actual profits however remained negative. Average pretax profit growth stood at -26 per cent while average post-tax profit growth closed at -19 per cent.

posted in 2010, representing average return of 1.2 per cent. Return on equity improved from 4.4 per cent in 2010 to 5.3 per cent in 2011, averaging 4.85 per cent over the years. Bagco nearly tripled returns in the immediate past year with return on assets rising from 1.7 per cent in 2010 to 4.4 per cent in 2011. Actual return to shareholders improved from 3.9 per cent in 2010 to 11.2 per cent in 2011, representing average return of 7.6 per cent over the years.

Actual Returns Both companies improved on their actual returns but Bagco maintained unassailable lead in terms of quantum leap and size of returns. Avon returned 1.4 per cent on total assets in 2011 as against 1.0 per cent

The Bottom-line The peer review underlines the negative impacts of the slowdown in the manufacturing sector and the financial crisis that left most companies struggling with relatively

low sales, paucity of capital and high operating costs. Manufacturers and allied sectors are usually the first casualties in a depressing and inflationary economy. Poor national infrastructures which have seen most institutions especially manufacturers, and even individuals, functioning as the state generating all basic amenities have compounded the vagaries and left most companies in the manufacturing chain vulnerable. Avon appears more susceptible to the shocks. Bagco is insulated to a large extent by the extensive bagging requirements of its parent company. From flour to pasta and cement, Flour Mills Group's in-house demand for bags guarantees a sizeable order for Bagco.


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

51

THE NATION INVESTORS CORPORATE SCORE BOARD

G

LAXOSMITHKLINE Consumer Nigeria (GSK) Plc recorded modest growth in sales in the immediate past year but improved internal cost management and a strong balance sheet magnified the returns to shareholders. Audited report and accounts of GSK for the year ended December 31, 2010 showed appreciable improvement in the top-down cost management of the company a marginal gain in gross margin widened into larger gain in pre and post tax earnings. With 54 per cent decline in interest expense and modest increase of 15 per cent in operating expenses, the 13 per cent increase in sales pushed up pre and post tax profits by 37 per cent and 45 per cent respectively. The strong growth in net earnings enabled the company to increase cash payouts by 60 per cent while still maintaining payment coverage twice the size of amount declared. The balance sheet remained supportive of the long-term growth of the company with zero financial leverage and equity-to-total assets ratio of 57 per cent. However, the liquidity position of the healthcare company reduced slightly with lower working capital and easily available capital for possible emerging financing obligations. Financing structure The financing structure of the balance sheet became more supportive during the year with relatively less current liabilities, higher equity funding and zero financial leverage. Group paid up share capital was unchanged at N478.4million but shareholders' funds rose by 27 per cent from N6.6 billion in 2009 to N8.33 billion in 2010. Total assets increased by 22 per cent to N14.7 billion as against N12.1 billion. Assets were driven by 44 per cent increase in fixed assets from N4.8 billion to N6.9 billion. Currents assets inched up by 7.8 per cent from N7.29 billion to N7.86 billion. Meanwhile, total liabilities rose by 17 per cent from N5.5 billion to N6.4 billion. With no bank loans, the proportion of equity funds to total assets increased to 57 per cent in 2010 compare with 55 per cent in 2009. Current liabilities/total assets ratio dropped from 38 per cent to 35 per cent while the proportion of longterm liabilities to total assets de-

Fiscal Year Ended December 31 Nmillion Profit and Loss Statement Main Business Segment Total turnover Cost of sales Gross profit Operating expenses Interest and other incomes Finance expenses Pre-tax profit(loss) Post-tax profit (loss) Basic earnings per share(kobo) Gross dividend Cash dividend per share (kobo) Net Assets per share (kobo) Balance Sheet Assets: Fixed assets Total long term assets Trade debtors Current assets Total assets Liabilities: Trade creditors Bank loans Current liabilities Long-term liabilities Total liabilities Equity Funds Share capital Total Equity Funds

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria: Improved cost management By Taofik Salako

creased from 46 per cent to 44 per cent. Efficiency Average number of employees reduced marginally from 355 persons in 2009 to 347 persons in 2010. Staff cost, however, rose from N1.22 billion to N1.43 billion, indicating average staff cost per employee of N4.13 million in 2010 as against N3.44 million in 2009. Meanwhile, there was corresponding improvement in employee productivity with increase in average contribution of each employee to the bottom-line from N7 million to N9.7 million. Total cost of business, excluding financing charges, slipped to 82.8 per cent in 2010 as against 82.9 per cent in 2009. Profitability GSK rode on the back of modest but widespread growth in sales and better cost management to improve both actual and underlying profitability. A generally positive outlook for all key underlying profitability measures underscored the real improvement in profit during the year. Gross profit margin inched up to 44.1 per cent in 2010 as against 43.5 per cent in 2009. Pre-tax profit margin rose from 16.5 per cent to 20 per cent, implying that the healthcare company made more profit from every unit of sales in 2010 compared with 2009. Return on total assets stood at 23 per cent as against 20.5 per cent made in 2009 while return on equity improved from 26 per cent to 29.5 per cent. The multi-business healthcare group recorded growths across all business categories with improvements in the consumer healthcare products and pharmaceuticals businesses, complementing into an appreciable improvement in group performance. The consumer healthcare products category, the largest business segment, increased sales by 7.9 per cent from N10.47 billion to N11.3 billion. The pharmaceuticals segment provided a major lift for the total turnover with 24 per cent growth in sales from N4.48 bil-

2010 12 months

% change

•MD, Glaxosmithkline Nig. Mr Chidi Okoro

lion to N5.56 billion. Total turnover thus increased by 13 per cent from N14.95 billion to N16.86 billion. The company also appeared to be making inroad into neighbouring markets with export sales of about N2.2 million last year0s. Meanwhile, cost of sales rose by 12 per cent from N8.44 billion in 2009 to N9.42 billion in 2010. Consequently, gross profit rose by 14 per cent from N6.51 billion to N7.44 billion. Total operating expenses rose from N3.96 billion to N4.54 billion. Marketing and distribution expenses had increased by 14 per cent from N3.02 billion to N3.45 billion while administrative expenses rose by 16 per cent from N932 million to N1.09 billion. With 54 per cent reduction in interest expense, profit before tax grew by 36.5 per cent to N3.37 billion from N2.47b in 2009. Profit after tax also increased by 44.6 per cent from N1.7 billion to N2.46 billion. Consequently, earnings per share increased from N1.78 to N2.57. Segmental analysis of profitability of the business categories showed that the fast-growing pharmaceutical business remained the most profitable, although its margin dropped marginally in 2010. Profit before tax rose by 64 per cent in the consumer

2009 12 months

11,300 16,864 9,420 7,443 4,537 466 696 3,371 2,461 257 1,148 120 8.20

7.9 12.8 11.6 14.4 14.7 -668.3 -53.6 36.5 44.6 44.4 59.9 60.0 19.2

10,473 14,952 8,444 6,508 3,955 -82 1,500 2,470 1,702 178 718 75 6.88

6,881 6,881 1,066 7,857 14,738

43.7 43.7 30.5 7.8 22.0

4,788 4,788 817 7,290 12,078

876 0 5,143 1,264 6,407

-7.6 0.0 11.2 45.5 16.6

948 0 4,626 869 5,495

478 8,330

0.0 26.5

478 6,583

healthcare products group to N1.62 billion as against N986.23 million. Pharmaceuticals' sales totaled N1.75 billion as against N1.48 billion, representing an increase of 18 per cent. While pre-tax profit margin dropped in the pharmaceuticals segment from 33 per cent to 31.5 per cent; average profit per unit increased in consumer healthcare segments from 9.4 per cent to 14.3 per cent. With earnings on the high, the company declared a regular cash dividend of 90 kobo per share and a special cash dividend of 30 kobo per share to mark its 40th anniversary, bringing total cash dividend to N1.20 for 2010, 60 per cent increase on 75 kobo paid for 2009. Dividend cover remained reassuring at 2.14 times in 2010, though relatively lower than 2.37 times indicated by the distribution in 2009. Liquidity The liquidity of the company position slipped last year, although key indices remained substantially above acceptable benchmarks. Current ratio, which measures the company's ability to meet emerging financial obligations by comparing current assets to relative liabilities, slipped from 1.58 times in 2009 to 1.53 times in 2010. Although the company continued to maintain positive working capital position, the adequacy of this relative to total sales diminished in 2010 with a working capital/sales ratio of 16.1 per cent compared with about 18 per cent in 2009. Debtors/creditors ratio stood at 122 per cent in 2010 as against 86 per cent in 2009. Governance & structures GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc is a subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based global healthcare company- GlaxoSmithKline Plc, which holds majority equity stake of 46.4 per cent through two whollyowned subsidiaries. With a market capitalisation of about N26 billion, GSK Nigeria is the largest healthcare company and its shares are held by more than 27,000 shareholders. GSK

Nigeria's board and management compositions intertwined with other African operations of the multinational and many global executives provide direction for the Nigerian business. Meanwhile, there were no major changes on the board and management during the period under review. Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, still chairs the nine-man board of directors while Mr Chidi Okoro, leads the executive management team. The company subscribed to the international ethical and anti-corruption codes of the GSK in addition to compliance with code of corporate governance and listing rules issued by Nigerian regulatory authorities. Analyst's opinion The performance of GSK is commendable, especially against the global and national macroeconomic variables. With continuing investment in capacity expansion, new innovative products and aggressive marketing, GSK has shown more drive for performance. The company's five-year strategic plan aims at expanding market share as well as basket of products over the years. However, the company's outlook depends to a large extent on its exclusive imported products, which may be endangered by unfavourable import restrictive policy or tariff changes. GSK needs to work to fully domesticate its growth potential by building up its Nigerian-based product basket. Meanwhile, GSK may need to build up supportive capital to drive its business growth to avoid the complication that may arise from high interest-based financing. Already, this is evident in the latest interim report and accounts of the company. While turnover grew by about 24 per cent by third quarter 2011, average profit per unit declined from 19 per cent in comparable period of 2010 to 15 per cent in 2011. With this, pre and post tax profits of the company were flat. Interest expenses and similar charges had jumped by 7,637 per cent from N10.83 million in third quarter 2010 to N838 million in 2011. This raised major concerns for the bottom-line and investors' returns as the company rounds off this business year. Notwithstanding, with current earnings yield at 6.5 per cent, the outlook for the company is still positive.

Fiscal Year Ended December 31

2010 %

2009 %

Financing structure Equity funds/Total assets Long-term liabilities/Total assets Current liabilities/Total assets Debt/Equity ratio

56.5 43.5 34.9 0.0

54.5 45.5 38.3 0.0

Profitability Gross profit margin Pre-tax profit margin Return on total assets Return on equity Dividend cover (times)

44.1 20.0 22.9 29.5 2.1

43.5 16.5 20.5 25.9 2.4

Efficiency Pre-tax profit per employee (Nm) Staff cost per employee (Nm) Cost of sales, operating exp/Turnover

9.7 4.13 82.8

7.0 3.44 82.9

Liquidity Current ratio Working capital/Turnover Debtors/Creditors

1.53 16.1 121.7

1.58 17.8 86.2


52

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

53


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

54

EQUITIES

Investors take positions in equities ahead of full-year results

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 27-12-11 2ND-TIER SECURITIES Company Name LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 22 2 1 25

Quotation(N) 0.63 22.00 7.87

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 6,235,500 3,748,365.00 11,000 229,900.00 5,400 43,416.00 6,251,900 4,021,681.00

AIR SERVICES Company Name NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 16 16

Quotation(N) 5.15

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 89,929 450,318.44 89,929 450,318.44

Quotation(N) 1.29

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 537,774 696,519.06 537,774 696,519.06

Quotation(N) 4.76 2.14 1.73 4.10 1.55 9.00 14.00 8.11 4.06 1.05 2.73 11.15 0.54 0.57 12.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,660,347 8,016,054.39 2,176,001 4,641,322.14 26,266 45,342.18 1,007,743 4,106,424.35 112,609,592 167,805,628.87 11,866,926 107,752,844.45 7,325,822 104,057,569.03 788,950 6,425,437.50 4,305,363 17,569,390.78 860,000 903,000.00 16,313,011 42,642,692.32 36,738 389,422.80 3,248,627 1,705,586.04 299,865 170,889.40 4,506,695 54,088,222.49 167,031,946 520,319,826.74

Quotation(N) 245.00 5.70 110.10

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 594,112 145,428,234.78 20,000 108,400.00 1,292,427 142,273,862.75 1,906,539 287,810,497.53

AUTOMOBILE & TYRE Company Name R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 12 12 BANKING

Company Name ACCESS BANK PLC DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC GTBANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC SKYE BANK PLC. STERLING BANK PLC UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC UNITYBANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC ZENITH BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 51 29 6 28 141 361 204 26 48 11 135 10 26 10 101 1,187 BREWERIES

Company Name GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 60 1 111 172

BUILDING MATERIALS Company Name ASHAKA CEMENT PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 48 7 8 9 72

Quotation(N) 11.62 4.20 105.50 44.89

Quantity Traded Value 1,310,886 42,700 3,278 72,341 1,429,205

of Shares (N) 15,513,966.12 179,340.00 363,104.06 3,167,830.80 19,224,240.98

Quotation(N) 8.49 14.50 8.59 0.52 5.11

Quantity Traded Value 150,500 311,930 700 2,000 120,000 585,130

of Shares (N) 1,236,750.00 4,611,167.40 5,719.00 1,080.00 583,200.00 6,437,916.40

CHEMICAL & PAINTS Company Name BERGER PAINTS NIGERIA PLC CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC NIGERIAN-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 8 2 1 3 18

COMMERCIAL/SERVICES Company Name COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 17 18

Quotation(N) 0.50 2.25

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 40,000 20,000.00 742,400 1,651,084.00 782,400 1,671,084.00

Quotation(N) 1.32 5.89 28.00 0.60 30.01 27.00

Quantity Traded Value 1,254,360 21,781 449,472 2,013,428 188,197 162,651 4,089,889

Quotation(N) 31.60 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 87,602 2,771,237.68 10,000 5,000.00 97,602 2,776,237.68

CONGLOMERATES Company Name A. G. LEVENTIS (NIGERIA) PLC JOHN HOLT PLC PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC UAC OF NIGERIA PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 14 3 33 19 20 31 120

of Shares (N) 1,678,538.80 121,973.60 12,441,917.94 1,204,046.77 5,661,344.03 4,439,143.70 25,546,964.84

I

NVESTORS seem to be taking positions in quoted equities as companies round-off their financial year and prepare to announce operational results and dividends for the 2011 business year. Most quoted companies, including banks, major manufacturers, oil and gas firms, breweries and cement companies, use the 12-month Gregorian calendar year as their business year. The business year for 2011 thus terminates on Saturday, December 31. Post-listing rules at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) require that quoted companies submit their reports, not later than three months after the expiration of the period. Many companies with predictable result announcement pattern, such as Nestle Nigeria and Guaranty Trust Bank, are expected to announce their full-year reports in February, 2012. Market analysts said the stock market might sustain its recent rally till the end of the year as investors take advantage of relatively low prices and good earnings’ yields to increase their equity holdings. Analysts at Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), said the panic that has been echoing around the market over the last six months appeared to have gone down as investor confidence improves. “We expect market activity to continue on the posi-

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

tive trend in January as the end of year result season approaches. The equity market has declined considerably and investment opportunities certainly exist. Good stock picking should yield superior returns,” FDC analysts said in their latest update. Analysts at GTI Securities, Sterling Capital, FSDH Securities and Cowry Asset Management Limited, were also positive on the market outlook, citing the probable returns on investments. Several investors are particularly showing keen interests in banking stocks, many of which may deliver double-digit dividend yields Interim reports and accounts of nearly all banks have shown growths in incomes and profitability during the nine-month operational period, ended September 30, 2011, which analysts said could boost the secondary market valuations of banking stocks. Most banking stocks carried double-digit earnings yields with yields as high as 21 per cent. Average industry yield stands at 11.4 per cent. Earnings yield measures the return on investment for the investors, although the dividend payment policy of the company may determine the proportion of the

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 27-12-11

CONSTRUCTION Company Name JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC MULTIVERSE PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 11 1 12

LEASING Company Name C&I LEASING PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 7 7

No of Deals 1 1 2

Quotation(N) 1.63 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 200,000 326,000.00 9,000 4,500.00 209,000 330,500.00

FOOD/BEVERAGES & TOBACCO Company Name 7-UP BOTTLING CO. PLC CADBURY NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIGERIA PLC HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC NESTLE NIGERIA PLC TANTALIZERS PLC UTC NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 14 17 67 51 25 9 19 31 4 2 239

Quotation(N) 48.91 11.30 4.65 4.72 62.50 2.31 4.02 445.66 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,362,881 64,207,853.15 163,991 1,823,852.30 3,611,934 16,528,237.82 1,258,060 5,951,037.15 106,509 6,659,547.82 83,630 194,532.00 683,033 2,712,596.60 132,147 58,694,836.00 2,090,000 1,045,000.00 41,436 20,718.00 9,533,621 157,838,210.84

Quotation(N) 0.70 0.76 23.00 1.90 1.13

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 11,327 7,928.90 1,769,299 1,381,987.64 11,105 255,415.00 70,000 134,299.19 10,150 10,962.00 1,871,881 1,790,592.73

Company Name JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 49 49

No of Deals 3 21 6 6 2 38

No of Deals 12 12

Quotation(N) 1.96

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 6,659,000 13,108,086.00 6,659,000 13,108,086.00

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTS Company Name VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 9 9

Quotation(N) 4.89

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 442,827 2,193,845.00 442,827 2,193,845.00

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Company Name CHAMS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 9,000 4,500.00 9,000 4,500.00

INSURANCE Company Name AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC LAW UNION AND ROCK INSURANCE PLC. MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC. SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 61 30 4 9 3 1 1 10 2 3 1 1 2 128

Quotation(N) 0.84

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 19,579,235 15,847,296.70 19,579,235 15,847,296.70

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 10,000 5,000.00 10,000 5,000.00

MORTGAGE COMPANIES Company Name ASO SAVINGS AND LOAND PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 10,000 5,000.00 10,000 5,000.00

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Company Name NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 1.02

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 50,000 51,000.00 50,000 51,000.00

Quotation(N) 1.71

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 100,248 170,536.52 100,248 170,536.52

PACKAGING

HOTEL & TOURISM Company Name IKEJA HOTEL PLC Sector Totals

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 205,000 122,990.00 205,000 122,990.00

MEDIA Company Name AFROMEDIA PLC Sector Totals

HEALTHCARE Company Name EVANS MEDICALPLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Sector Totals

Quotation(N) 0.60

MARITIME

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Company Name CUTIX PLC NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. Sector Totals

earnings to be distributed, subject to the approval of shareholders. Banks are known to be investors-friendly and generous in dividend policy. Average dividend payment policy ranged from 50 to 60 per cent, but some banks may do better, given their trimmed, fit and proper shapes, which require relatively lesser capital retention. With the third quarter 2011 reports, earnings per share within the banking industry was as high as 137 kobo, with industry average of 53 kobo per share. Earnings per share represents the distributable earnings that could be paid out entirely or partly to shareholders or retained in the reserves of the company, depending on the company’s dividend payment policy. The Nigerian stock market has witnessed appreciable rally in recent period. The stock market had gathered N212 billion last week as the market sustained five-day bullish rally. Aggregate market capitalisation of all equities rose to N6.543 trillion as against its opening value of N6.331 trillion, representing an increase of 3.35 per cent. The All Share Index (ASI), the benchmark index at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Nigeria’s country index, also improved by 3.6 per cent from 20,025.94 points to 20,763.26 points, reflecting the gains made by 41 stocks.

Quotation(N) 0.50 0.95 2.09 0.61 1.42 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.94 0.50 0.50 0.52

Quantity Traded Value 6,121,300 13,161,000 152,535 2,174,756 9,670 40,000 3,000 716,966 12,000 5,020 2,000 46,000 89,258 22,533,505

of Shares (N) 3,061,709.86 12,257,600.00 329,142.80 1,284,211.04 14,026.40 20,800.00 1,500.00 358,483.00 6,000.00 4,919.60 1,000.00 23,000.00 46,414.16 17,408,806.86

Company Name NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 18 18

PETROLEUM(MARKETING) Company Name MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA OIL & GAS PLC. FORTE OIL PLC MOBIL OIL NIGERIA PLC. OANDO PLC TOTAL NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 6 11 15 7 4 112 9 164

Quotation(N) 60.67 31.50 3.10 12.87 133.91 21.76 188.10

Quantity Traded Value 2,684 123,844 194,162 12,355 17,396 662,698 53,681 1,066,820

of Shares (N) 155,258.00 3,857,664.56 574,561.43 151,632.55 2,277,684.00 14,464,248.42 10,100,846.10 31,581,895.06

PRINTING & PUBLISHING Company Name LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 5 7

Quotation(N) 2.95 3.40

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,220 3,550.20 100,500 342,200.00 101,720 345,750.20

Quotation(N) 12.16

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 25,120 317,024.00 25,120 317,024.00

REAL ESTATE Company Name UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 4

ROAD TRANSPORTATION Company Name ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 9 9

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,177,087 589,714.37 1,177,087 589,714.37

THE FOREIGN LISTINGS Company Name ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Sector Totals Overall Totals

No of Deals 26 26

Quotation(N) 9.97

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,287,084 12,541,500.11 1,287,084 12,541,500.11

2,368

247,673,462

1,123,207,535.06


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

55

MONEY LINK

Cash-lite banking: NIBSS guarantees take-off infrastructure

T

HE Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) has assured of ad equate electronic payment infrastructure needed to commence the cash-lite banking on January 1, 2012 in Lagos. NIBSS, at the instance of the Bankers’ Committee, has acquired cutting edge technologies for the operation of the Nigeria Central Switch (NCS), which is crucial to the effective take-off of the cash-lite banking initiative. The Acting Managing Director, Chief Executive, NIBSS, Niyi Ajao, said the necessary electronic payment infrastructure is already on ground for the take-off of the exercise, first in Lagos, and subsequently in other parts of the country. Speaking at a Cash-lite banking policy seminar in Lagos, last week, Ajao said there is need for banks and other electronic payment service providers to embark on massive enlightenment campaign to educate the people about the availability and benefits of electronic payment channels. He added that the body is ready and committed to the effective implementation of the policy. He explained that the industry proposal was not designed to place limit on cash transactions, but rather to ensure that customers who make high volume cash transactions, bear the associated cost, if they opt to ignore electronic payment channels. The NIBSS boss, said the policy is one aspect of the programme of mordernising the financial system in the country, adding that the only way to move the nation from cash-based economy to cash-lite one was to invest in modern infrastructure that will make the process seamless. By January 1, 2012, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy limiting daily cash withdrawal and lodgements in a bank to N150,000 by individuals and N1 million by a company would commence first in Lagos. It will subsequently be implemented in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Port FGN BONDS

Stories by Collins Nweze

Harcourt, Kano and Aba in the first instance, while it would be extended to other parts of the country at a date to be determined by the Bankers’ Committee. The apex bank took this step to curb dominance of cash in the economy with its implication for cost of cash management to the banking industry, security and money laundering. The NIBSS is owned by all licensed banks, including the CBN and discount houses. The body has put in place modern world-class infrastructures for handling inter-bank payments in order to remove potential bottlenecks associated

with funds transfer and settlement. The firm equally operates the Nigeria Automated Clearing System (NACS), which facilitates the electronic clearing of cheques and other paper- based instrument, electronic funds transfer, Automated Direct Credits and Automated Direct Debits. More so, telecommunication firms like MTN and Globacom are also involved in the process of bridging the infrastructure gap in the implementation of the cash-lite banking policy. The apex bank recently partnered with both firms to enable it get dedicated lines for electronic-backed transactions in delivering services to the peo-

ple. The target of the apex bank was to achieve 95 per cent Point of Sale (PoS) availability in the course of implementing the cash-lite banking policy. The CBN intends to deploy 150,000 PoS machines by the end of December 2012, which would be scaled up to 375,000 PoS machines by the end of 2015. It also plans to attain a benchmark for PoS penetration of 2,200 PoS per 100,000 adults. Currently, the penetration is 13 PoS per 100,000 adults. The apex bank is using Brazil as a benchmark and hopes that by 2015, it should be able to get to the Brazilian standard of 2200 PoS machine per 100,000.0 Also, 40,000 PoS will be deployed in Lagos

T

HE Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has struckout the name of the former Group Managing Director of Oceanic International Bank Plc, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru from its membership list. Ibru was before the act, an Honorary Fellow of the Institute. The Bankers’ body said in a statement obtained by The Nation that

of the Institute, at its Meeting of Tuesday, December 13, 2011,” the statement said. This followed a decision by a Disciplinary Tribunal, which agreed that Mrs. Ibru’s name be struck-out of the list of members as provided by S 14(2) of CIBN Act. It added that she should cease from being a member of the banking profession

the step is in furtherance, maintenance and observance of ethical standards and professionalism among practitioners of the banking profession in the country. “The action was taken in line with the decision of the Institute’s Disciplinary Tribunal on Monday, December 12, 2011, which was confirmed by the Governing Council

T

HE CDL Asset Management Limited has raised its profit before tax by 126.6 per cent during the financial year ended December 2010 to N185 million from N82 million in 2009. However, profit after tax increased by 95.2 per cent from N61.2 million to N119.47 million during the period. The Chairman, CDL Asset Management Limited, Mudashiru Shittu, said the modest performance confirms the firms’ sound financial health in the group. He added that the firm in 2010, grew its gross earnings by 39 per cent to N370.8 million from N266.72

According to him, shareholders’ funds also increased by 28.9 per cent from N412.32 million in 2009 to N531.64 billion in 2010. It was company’s improved financial result that impacted positively on the its Earnings per Share (EPS) which rose from 18 kobo in 2009 to 60 kobo per share in 2010. He said that year 2010 was challenging one for all operators in the financial services industry. However, the company remained resolute and exploited the opportunities within the environment. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company,

million recorded for the period ended December 31, 2009. Also, the asset base of the company increased from N2.1 billion as at December 2009 to N6.34 billion in 2010, representing a growth of 194.9 per cent. He said the increase was due to significant increase in customers’ deposits from N1.66 billion to N5.64 billion during the period. Shittu said the improved performance of the company was due to significant increase in business volume coupled with the general decline in interest rates on deposits in the year.

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2011 “ 14-04-2011

GAINERS AS AT 27-12-11 SYMBOL STERLNBANK LIVESTOCK UBA JAPALOIL NB CONOIL REDSTAREX CONTINSURE IKEJAHOTEL NPFMCRFBK

O/PRICE 1.00 0.60 2.60 0.80 105.00 30.06 2.15 0.91 1.88 0.98

C/PRICE 1.05 0.63 2.73 0.84 110.10 31.50 2.25 0.71 0.95 1.96

CHANGE 0.05 0.03 0.13 0.04 5.10 1.44 0.10 0.04 0.02 0.95

LOSER AS AT 27-12-11 SYMBOL FIDSON TOTAL SKYEBANK VITAFOAM CUTIX BTBRISCOE AGLEVENT CUSTODYINS JBERGER FIRSTBANK

O/PRICE 0.80 198.00 4.27 5.14 1.71 1.35 1.38 2.18 32.96 9.38

C/PRICE 0.76 188,10 4.06 4.89 1.63 1.29 1.32 2.09 31.60 9.00

Amount

Offered ($) Demanded ($)

MANAGED FUNDS

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Bade Adeshina said that the asset management industry had improved rapidly compared to what it was in the past. He noted that the sector was new in the country, adding that in the coming years, it would become a more recognised and reckoned with in the Nigerian financial system. “I see a rapidly growing industry in the asset management sector of the economy. And I also foresee a sector that will compete favourably with other financial services industry and make great impact on the economy,” Adeshina said.

DATA BANK

Rate %

Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

as well as to hold herself out as a member of the banking profession. Mrs Ibru was in October 2010, convicted of bank fraud and was sentenced to an 18-month imprisonment on a three-count charge which, however, ran concurrently. She forfeited a long list of assets valued at N191 billion.

CDL Asset Management grows earnings by 126%

Amount N

OBB Rate Call Rate

before December 31, to make Cash-lite Lagos a reality.

CIBN delists Cecilia Ibru’s name from membership list

Tenor

NIDF NESF

•CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

Amount

Exchange

Sold ($)

Rate (N)

Date

450m

452.7m

450m

150.8

08-8-11

250m

313.5m

250m

150.8

03-8-11

400m

443m

400m

150.7

01-8-11

EXHANGE RATE 26-08-11 CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD

147.6000

149.7100

150.7100

-2.11

NGN GBP

239.4810

244.0123

245.6422

-2.57

NGN EUR

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

Bureau de Change 152.0000 (S/N)

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

Parallel Market

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NSE CAP Index

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N)

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

(S/N)

153.0000

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Aug ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

8.75%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 9.4%

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 118.85 98.43 0.76 1.04 0.88 1,642.73 8.24 1.39 1.87 7,351.90 193.00

9.08 1.00 118.69 97.65 0.73 1.04 0.87 1,635.25 7.84 1.33 1.80 7,149.37 191.08

ARM AGGRESSIVE KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY THE DISCOVERY FUND • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED

CHANGE 0.04 9.90 0.21 0.25 0.08 0.06 0.06 0.09 1.36 0.38

• STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 24 Aug, 2011 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 26, Aug, 2011 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 July, 2011

07, Aug, 2011

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement


56

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

57

NEWS Imo commercialises ministries

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MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has unveiled the procedure for the commercialisation of ministries, parastatals and agencies in the state. The governor made this known at a briefing with state executive members, permanent secretaries and directors at the Concorde Hotel, Owerri. He said from next year, ministries and parastatals would source for their funds, engage in commercial ventures and pay their staff according to their finan-

From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

cial strengths. He said each ministry would be given subvention of N500million as a take-off grant for the full commercialisation process. The governor warned heads of parastatals not to employ workers without the consent of his office. Okorocha said civil servants must undergo compulsory computer training to prepare them for digitalisation of government services.

Obi condemns obstruction of road

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•Anambra State Governor Peter Obi (left); Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Anthony Cardinal Osagie (middle) and Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor of Awka Diocese, during the dedication of St. Peter's Catholic Church, Nkwelle, Awka...yesterday

Attempts to bomb UNN, ESUT foiled

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ARELY three days after the radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram, bombed churches in some states, an alleged attempt by a group to bomb the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) was foiled by a local vigilance group on Monday night. UNN has been under surveillance by the Police Anti-bomb Squad, following alleged threats to bomb the institution earlier this year. A member of the vigi-

From Chris Oji,Enugu

lance group said one of the suspects, an indigene of Kano State, was arrested at the boundary between Imilike Agu and Ogbodu-Aba communities in Udenu Local Government of Enugu State. He said six other suspected members of the group escaped . Police spokesman Ebere Amarizu said the suspect was arrested by the vigilance group and handed over to the police. He said he could not confirm if he was a member of

Boko Haram. The spokesman insisted that there was “nothing like that”. He, however, promised that the police would get to the root of the matter and make its findings public. A source alleged that the suspect, who appeared lost, was found moving from one place to another. His words: “We were alerted by some villagers that a stranger purchased some packs of cigarette and has been moving from one place to another. “We got to the place and

upon interrogation, he confessed to being a member of a group planning some bombings. “He claimed that they were hatching a plan to bomb UNN and ESUT.” He said when the suspect led the members of the vigilance group to a hideout, located in a bush, six of his colleagues, on sighting them fled, abandoning some items, among which were some local devices for manufacturing bombs. But Amarizu said the police were not aware that any device was recovered from the scene.

Septuagenarian hacked to death by son in Delta

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70-year-old man has been killed by his son at Tuomo community in Burutu Local Government of Delta State. Ekumene Kosin was said to have had several scuffles with his father. A source said on Christmas Eve, some friends and relatives were in front of the family’s house when they saw Kosin run out, soaked in blood. He said: “When we accost-

‘Kosin said they were fighting and he collected the machete from his father and in self defence hacked him to death’ From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri

ed him and asked him what happened, he said he had just killed his father. “He alleged that his father attacked him with a

machete. “Kosin said they were fighting and he collected the machete from his father and in self defence hacked him to death.” The source said as the

news of the murder of the late Pa George spread, the family insisted that the suspect must be killed to avenge his father’s death. However, the traditional village head intervened, pleading that the law must be allowed to take its course. The suspect has been handed over to the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) at Bomadi to be transferred to the State Police Headquarters, Asaba.

Akwa Ibom to release White Paper on crisis

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HE Akwa Ibom State Government yesterday said it would release a White Paper next year on the communal clash between Ikot Akpan Udo village of Ikot Abasi Local Government and Amazaba community in Eastern Obolo Local Government. Deputy Governor Nsima Ekere announced this during the Ete Day celebration and reception in his honour.

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

He said the Commission of Enquiry set up by the government to find out the causes of the conflict had completed its work and government was about to release the White Paper on its report. The Amazaba and the Ikot Akpan Udo people have been quarelling over the ownership of a piece of land.

The two communities had boundary problems in 1987, which prompted the then military administration to set up a peace committee to intervene in the lingering feud. While the Commission of Enquiry was meeting, government had directed that the communities vacate their homes. Ekere urged the elders and youths of the two communities to continue to ex-

T

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

hotel management forced the door open after repeated calls to the room were not answered. Sources at the Aideyan police station, where the incident was reported, said they found the man dead but did not disclose the state in which the body was found.

The sources said the body was deposited at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital mortuary while investigations are on-going. Immediately the news of the death was broken, the hotel was besieged by members of the cult who went there to demand what happened. It was learnt that the cult

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

cult and expensive to execute the project. He called for the cooperation of the people as his government is determined to impact positively on the people. A resident, Nnadi Okoye, said the people had suffered because of the deplorable condition of the road. He said the owner of the house obstructing the project was advised against building on top of the road but he refused.

Community petitions Elechi

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HE monarch of Ishiagu Autonomous Community in Ivo Local Government of Ebonyi State, Eze Moses Ngene, has petitioned Governor Martin Elechi and the Commissioner of Police over what he described as “a plot to install another traditional ruler in the area.” In the petition, Ngene expressed bitterness over the purported scheme by some stakeholders to impose another monarch, warning that any attempt in that direction would lead to a crisis. Briefing reporters in Abakaliki yesterday, the Chairman, Elders’ Forum of

From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakaliki

Ishiagu Autonomous Community, Ubani Okoro, said the community had crowned a monarch. He said: “I want to tell you that we have already crowned our Eze and nobody has the right to reinstall another person. He is Moses Ngele, the Agu III of this community. “We are here to prove to you that we are the ones who crown Ezes in this community and not those in government or the youths of the land. “We, the elders, are the ones who decide the next traditional ruler of this land.”

Support for Andy Uba

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LAWYER and President of the African Centre for Inter-Cultural Dialogue, Chris Ajugwe, yesterday drummed support for Senator Andy Uba ahead of the Anambra South senatorial rerun. He urged the people to vote for Uba. Ajugwe recalled that Uba’s opponent and candidate of the All Progress Grand Alliance (APGA) in the rerun, Chukwuma Nzeribe, had bad antecedents, especially during the tenure of Chinweoke Mbadinuju.

From Adimike George, Onitsha

“Uba has contributed to the state, the Igbo nation and the country as he was instrumental to the appointments of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Oby Ezekwesili, among others who made the country proud during the Obasanjo administration.” He called on the electorate not to vote on party basis but on personalities, adding that Uba is the man of the moment to clinch the senatorial seat.

LP greets Christians •Ekere

ercise restraint, saying conflict does not profit anyone.

Tension as suspected cult leader dies in Benin City hotel HERE is tension in Benin City, the Edo State capital, following the discovery of the body of a suspected cult leader in a hotel room on Monday. The deceased, whose name was yet to be ascertained, was said to have lodged at the Envoy Hotel. It was gathered that the

NAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi has said structures obstructing the construction of Majuo Road, Umudioka in Awka will be removed. He spoke yesterday while inspecting the project, adding that the road was part of the state’s initiative to upgrade infrastructure in Awka. Obi said the state was facing challenges of buildings obstructing the project. The governor said this was because the area had been filled, making it more diffi-

members insinuated that their leader might have been killed by a rival group. The hotel manager, who refused to give his name, told The Nation on phone that the hotel’s spokesman was on leave and that it was not his duty to talk to reporters. Security has been strengthened at the hotel.

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HE Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State has felicitated with Christians on Christmas, which symbolises the birth of Jesus Christ. It urged them to imbibe the ways and lives of the Holy One. The party in a statement in Akure, the state capital, by its Director of Publicity and Research, Koye Odogiyon, congratulated Christians for witnessing this year’s festivity. “The Labour Party is happy to celebrate this year’s Christmas with Christians. It is a thing of joy that we all witnessed this year’s

celebration to mark the birth our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray that all the good tidings of the occasion will be for us all,” Odogiyon said. The LP spokesman said there were a lot of good lessons to learn from Christmas which, according to him, included humility, love, the act of giving and sober reflections. “This occasion is not only to eat and drink but rather to reflect on our ways of life and to practice all those virtues associated with Jesus Christ which include simplicity, humility, love, act of giving and moderation, among others.”, he said.


58

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

FOREIGN NEWS

Syrians protest under watch of Arab League observers

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UGE crowds of Syrians gathered in the streets of Homs yesterday during a visit by Arab League observers, eager to demonstrate their opposition to the government in an atmosphere of relative safety, organizers said. A team of 50 observers is charged with assessing whether Syrian authorities are implementing an Arab League agreement to withdraw troops from cities and end a violent crackdown on the protest movement. With news that Arab League observers were on the way, Syrian tanks began withdrawing from positions they’ve held inside the city of Homs for weeks. .The monitors arrived in Damascus on Thursday and deployed Monday to the city of Homs, for months a center for the protest movement. As the monitors visited the hard-

hit neighborhood of Baba Amr, tens of thousands of people gathered in the streets and headed toward Time Square in the city center, said Rami Abdulrahman of the Londonbased Syria Human Rights Observatory. Abdulrahman said soldiers were using tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowds. “They cannot shoot them, because of the observers,” he said. Activists have reported heavy death tolls in both Homs and the southwestern city of Daraa in the past few days, particularly in Homs, which members of the opposition said was besieged by hundreds of tanks, with soldiers digging a wide trench around the city. Some activists reported Tuesday morning that tanks were withdrawing from Baba Amr, while others said tanks were being hidden in government build-

ings. It was not possible to verify the claims. An explosion at an oil pipeline outside Homs on Tuesday threatened the main power station in the area, jeopardizing an already shaky electricity supply. Medical supplies are said to be short, and in some areas residents report that dead and wounded people lie in the streets, with soldiers preventing all movement. The observers are traveling with Syrian security forces, raising doubts for those in the opposition as to whether they will be able to monitor the situation effectively. The relatively small number of monitors — an initial figure of 500 was discussed, of whom only 150 are now likely to enter the country — also has prompted some opposition leaders to dismiss the mission as a waste of time.

Egypt’s court stops virginity tests in military prisons

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CAIRO court has ordered forced virginity tests on female detainees in military prisons to be stopped. The court made the decision after a case was brought by protester Samira Ibrahim. She accused the Egyptian army of forcing her to undergo a virginity test after she was arrested during a protest in Tahrir Square in March. Human rights organisations say the Egyptian mili-

tary has used the practice widely as a punishment. “The court orders that the execution of the procedure of virginity tests on girls inside military prisons be stopped,” judge Aly Fekry, head of Cairo administrative court said, according to Reuters. The ruling was greeted by cheers from hundreds of activists inside the courtroom. Activists had demanded that the authorities prosecute anyone responsible for sub-

jecting protesters to such tests. Earlier this year, an Egyptian general was quoted as acknowledging that the military had conducted such tests, saying that they were used so women would not later claim they had been raped by authorities. Human rights groups say such tests are a degrading form of abuse and the general’s justification a legal absurdity.

Guinea-Bissau arrests coup plot leader

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UINEA-BISSAU’s navy chief has been arrested after an attempted coup on Monday, the country’s army chief and defence minister have said. The army said there were more clashes overnight in the hunt for suspects, the AFP news agency reports. President Malam Bacai Sanha is in France, where he has been receiving medical treatment since early December. Last year, navy chief Rear Adm Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto was named by the United States as a “drug kingpin”. In recent years the tiny West African nation has become a major transit hub for cocaine smuggled from Latin America to Europe and suffered much political unrest as a result. The unrest began in the early hours of Monday morning in the capital, Bissau. Correspondents say it was initially unclear what was behind the trouble, which saw

Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior briefly take refuge at the Angolan embassy in the city. Some reports suggested it was soldiers attacking the army head quarters, demanding more pay. Bissau-based journalist Alberto Dabo told the BBC’s Network Africa programme that there was also speculation that it was two factions of the armed forces fighting for control of the drug-smuggling trade. But at joint press conference on Monday evening, army chief of staff Gen Antonio Injai and Defence Minister Bacrio Dja said it was an attempt by a group of soldiers to overthrow the government. They said that 30 people had been arrested including Rear Adm Na Tchuto - who denies US accusations that he has played a key role in international drug trafficking. A source within the military said that many soldiers had been injured in Monday’s

•Sanha

fighting, including two generals and a lieutenant, Mr Dabo said. An army captain told AFP on condition of anonymity that he had lost a soldier in more skirmishes overnight as his men attempted to make further arrests, including those of politicians. “They took advantage of the exchange of fire to vanish. We are actively looking for them,” he said. Vladimir Monteiro, the UN spokesman in Guinea-Bissau, said the coup attempt did not come as a surprise.”

Street fights hit Yemen as US mulls letting in Saleh

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OES and backers of a plan to ease Yemen’s president out of power fought each other with stones and clubs yesterday, deepening the country’s chaos as Washington said it was considering a request from the leader to fly to the United States. Youth activists, who have led months of protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 33-year rule, were split on him leaving the country saying it might ease the conflict but could also let him escape justice.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh bowed to months of protests and international pressure by agreeing last month to a deal that would grant him immunity from prosecution over his violent crackdown on the uprising but see him hand over power to his deputy. Far from resolving the crisis, the settlement has sparked further tension between groups who opposed the immunity deal, and groups who backed it - many of whom have since joined an interim government.

Activists said least 20 people were injured in the clashes in the capital Sanaa yesterday between supporters of the Islah party, which backed the immunity deal, and the Houthi movement, a Shiite rebel grouping in the north of the country.

PUBLIC NOTICE ONIFADE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onifade Afolakemi Olajumoke now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Babatunde Afolakemi Olajumoke . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.


59

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

NATION SPORT

• Petit (right) after winning the World Cup with Vieira (left)

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legend in French football circles from the moment his shot hit the net at the Stade de France on 12 July 1998, Emmanuel Petit can look back on a hugely successful career in the game. The midfield linchpin rounded off the scoring as the hosts beat Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final and he then followed that up with continental glory at UEFA EURO 2000. At club level Petit racked up an equally impressive collection of winners’ medals during spells with Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea. Since hanging up his boots in 2004, Manu has become one of the most respected television pundits on the French scene, offering the public the benefit of his excellent insights and genuine candour. Earlier this month, he also provided his analysis during the announcement of the final list of candidates for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or Award, and afterwards he agreed to share his thoughts with FIFA.com. Petit gave his views on the three contenders, his own illustrious career and the state of the French national team. Xavi, Lionel Messi and Cristiano

• Petit

Petit: France are better as outsiders Ronaldo are the three candidates for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or Award. Do you agree with that shortlist? It’s easy to lose objectivity in this type of discussion, but the list of the three contenders makes some sense. Spanish football is enjoying a certain supremacy at the moment and this list fits in with that reality. Do you have your own favourite among that trio? For me, they all deserve the Ballon d’Or. Xavi has redefined the position of midfield anchorman and taken that role forward. He’s Barcelona’s jack of all trades: he moves the ball forward from deep, organises attacks, scores goals and creates them. His talent is immense. As for Lionel Messi, he adds magic to Barcelona’s team work. He’s exceptional, a PlayStation player. That said, Cristiano Ronaldo would get my vote, and God knows how much I like the other two! But in a Real Madrid environment where things are maybe more complicated than they are at Barcelona, he boasts some impressive statistics. Despite dominating in England, he didn’t think twice about testing himself again by going to Madrid. He’s assumed his responsibilities perfectly and maybe has more of an ability to score with his head compared to the Argentinian. He’s just a tad out in front, but I’m still waiting for both of them to finally make full use of their abilities with their national teams. You crossed paths with a number of Ballon d’Or winners during your career. Which of them impressed you the most? I loved Marco van Basten, Michel Platini and also Zinedine Zidane. For me, you have to fulfil a whole list of criteria to deserve the Ballon d’Or – and being an example off the pitch is a fundamental one as far as I’m concerned. Attacking players tend to win the most votes. As a player confined to more defensive roles during your career, do you find that

unfair? Guys like Paolo Maldini, Lilian Thuram, Franco Baresi and Marcel Desailly were giants at the back. They were all good enough to win the Ballon d’Or. Maybe we should have one Ballon d’Or for each position! What did you enjoy most about being a holding midfielder, a typically unsung role? The unselfishness and importance of the position. The midfield anchorman is at the crossroads between all the various aspects of a team. He’s like a roundabout and everything goes through him. If the midfield isn’t working well, the whole team feels it. I adored players like Fernando Redondo and Frank Rijkaard in that position, even if they were very different. I was fortunate enough to share the pitch with them – and the danger is that you end up standing back and watching when you play against them (laughs). France coach Laurent Blanc has tried a few different options in that position, giving chances to Yohan Cabaye, Yann M’Vila, Alou Diarra, Abou Diaby and Maxime Gonalons. Do you see any of those players as the next Emmanuel Petit? I’m left-footed, and that’s one of a number of things missing in the current France team. Les Bleus tend to favour one side of the pitch more than the other. Cabaye is improving his game at Newcastle and I hope he manages to add another dimension to his play in the Premier League. He mustn’t confine himself to a role as a holding player; on the contrary, he should look to be involved in moves going forward. That will require him to have a more physical profile, real tactical clarity in his movement and a more refined technical finesse. In England, teams move the ball around quicker and that means you have much less reaction time. In total, you spent six years in England and just one in Spain.

Why did you experience less success in Spain than elsewhere? I arrived at Barcelona at perhaps the worst possible moment in the last 20 years (laughs). I laugh about it now, but I found it less funny at the time. I’m not bitter, though. We had a squad that was coming to the end of an era. Rivaldo, Pep Guardiola, and the De Boer brothers were fantastic players, but they were on their way down, as was I. That explains what happened. Barcelona had an impressive contingent of players in the initial list of 23 candidates for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or and now boast two in the shortlist. Are they the best club in the world? They’re the team that keeps winning everything, anyway. They’re the club that sums up modern football perfectly at the moment. Plenty of people are growing tired of watching them knock the ball around, but their players have given new life to terms like ‘pressing the opposition’, ‘winning the ball back’ and ‘possession’. For me, this Barça team right now are what football is all about. They’re one of those rare sides who manage to raise football to its highest possible level, like Brazil in 1970. You played for Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea. Which of those clubs left the greatest impression on you and why? The year 1998 with Arsenal and the France team was the pinnacle

of my career. To win six titles in one year is something extraordinary. As a former international, what did you make of France’s qualifying campaign for EURO 2012? I’m not going to fall into the popular trap of patriotism. I think that, right now, Laurent Blanc’s France team has neither the mental capacity nor the football ability to be considered among the favourites. France have a number of top-quality players, but those players still haven’t managed to express the full range of their talent in the national team. Still, it’s all the better if we’re able to shake off the tag of group favourites, as we showed in friendly wins against England and Brazil that we’re better in the role of outsiders. What are thoughts on your former France team-mate Laurent Blanc as Les Bleus coach? He’s trying to do the best he can, and I think he’s doing it well – Les Bleus are on a long unbeaten run. In terms of their play, I think we’re right to expect much better, but he would be the first to say that. After the events in Knysna [at the 2010 FIFA World Cup] and the awful image left by the France team, it was suicidal to take the reins of that side. At the moment, he must simply be frustrated that certain players are a long way from their best when they play in blue. He must also be frustrated that generations change: football is becoming more and more of a sport for individuals. Taking that into account, I think he’s doing a more than competent job in charge of the France team. Can you see yourself moving into a coaching role like him? I have other priorities right now. To be a club or national coach, you need to dedicate yourself 200 per cent to that job. At the moment, I’m not willing to make such significant sacrifices in my private life and professional career.

“I’m not going to fall into the popular trap of patriotism. I think that, right now, Laurent Blanc’s France team has neither the mental capacity nor the football ability to be considered among the favourites.”


60

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

NATION SPORT

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TRANSFER WINDOW

Fergie: Money may not buy City success

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ANCHESTER UNITED boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists neighbours Manchester City will not be allowed to buy the Premier League crown this season. Cash rich City have spent £400million in the transfer market since Sheikh Mansour took control of the club back in August 2008. Most of the money has helped manager Roberto Mancini assemble a squad which has seen them climb to the top of the standings this season. But Ferguson believes that, although having the financial clout can help, it does not necessarily take you all the way. The Red Devils’ boss said: “Yes, money can buy success as we saw when Chelsea suddenly became cash rich. “And we are witnessing a similar surge by Manchester City under their wealthy owners. “Their transfer clout has taken them to the top of the league and they are favourites to win the title. “But, while recruiting some of the world’s leading players can lift you into contention for honours, it doesn’t necessarily take you all the way - as I hope we will be able to demonstrate before the end of the season as other factors come into play.”

I can keep doing, scoring goals and getting goals and playing well, then hopefully force my way in. “The players we have, it’s packed in areas, obviously the manager rotates certain players around, but I have to keep working hard and keep trying to play. “When I found out I was starting against Stoke I was happy and I don’t mind the rotation system as long as it is fair, hopefully that’s going to continue. I understand I’m at a massive club and I am happy with that.”

• Fergie

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• Bent

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ANCHESTER CITY winger Adam Johnson admits he wants to be playing more regularly. Johnson is keeping his fingers crossed that the crashing left foot drive from outside the box nudged two managers born in Italy. “Obviously I’m disappointed I haven’t played as many games as I would like, everyone wants to play games,” he told City’s website. “But I think that was my fifth Premier League goal so it’s all

• Jonshon

Bent not for sale—McLeish STON VILLA manager Alex McLeish said the club have no plans to sell striker Darren Bent. There has been speculation over the England international’s future in recent weeks, and he has been recently linked with QPR. Rumours were fuelled when Bent was seen out shopping in the 2-0 loss at home to Liverpool while he was out with a thigh injury. The striker has scored five goals this season, falling short of the rate he sustained in the second half of last term when he netted nine times after a club record 18 million pounds move from Sunderland. McLeish had earlier spoken of the need to sell players in order to free up money for new signings, but he has now moved to clarify that this does not involve the sale of Bent, telling reporters: “I wouldn’t think anybody can afford Darren.” “It would send out the wrong message unless we went out and signed Luis Suarez or something. A striker of Darren’s ability would be difficult to replace,” McLeish said.

Johnson: I have been frustrated

Houghton: Liverpool must score more goals to gain top four spot

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Ba: Leaving Magpies difficult

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N-FORM Senegal striker Demba Ba has admitted he has mixed feelings about leaving Newcastle for the African Cup of Nations next month. The former West Ham United hitman switched to the Sports Direct Arena in June and has since netted 13 goals in 18 appearances in all competitions this season. With the remaining four strikers at the club only contributing only 9 goals all together, the 26-year-old’s absence will be a huge blow for Alan Pardew’s men. Ba recognises his absence will adversely affect the Magpies, but also revealed he is determined to succeed with Teranga Lions when the competition begins in January. “It will be a terrible blow to leave the team next month. This is my club and I am proud of it but this is for my country,” he told The Sun. “I am going there to play for my country and to try to win. “I am not going there for a holiday. It is a big tournament. “I have mixed feelings about going away, but I have to do it. “I want to make my people and my country proud in the African Nations Cup. “I will feel sad leaving at this stage because everything is going well, although we need to improve some of our results.”

AY Houghton believes Liverpool must start converting more of their chances if they want to have a serious shot at claiming a top four spot. The former Anfield favourite Houghton insists if Kenny Dalglish’s men are more clinical in front of goal, they can get back into the Champions League. “It’s just a matter of time before Liverpool start beating teams two, three or four nil,” Houghton told talkSPORT. “At least they are making chances but they have to start finishing them though. “When you’re playing a team and you get 1-0 up then get the second and try and get

a third. There have been times when Liverpool haven’t played that way and let others team back into the game. “Liverpool have the best defensive record in the league, they have worked on that that, the back four have been brilliant. Jose Enrique has been absolutely superb, as good as anyone and he looks the complete left-back, in an area that Liverpool have struggled in over the last few years. “They must need to start winning games more comfortably and when they start doing that there’s no doubt that Liverpool have a great chance of making the top four.”

Silva: Mancini has helped me AVID Silva believes he is playing the best improve football of his career

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• Demba Ba

this season and has credited Roberto Mancini’s attacking philosophy for his improvement. Silva was slow to settle into the Premier League following his move from Valencia 18 months ago, but found some sparkling form during the second half of last season and has gone from strength to strength at the start of the current campaign. He has been at the heart of a blistering run that has seen City rise to the top of the table at Christmas after scoring 53 goals in 17 league games.

The Spanish playmaker has been given free rein to demonstrate his creativity and is thankful to Mancini for his approach to management. “The manager plans all our matches with an offensive vision and this is so positive for my style of game,” Silva said in The Sun. “Mancini is not the habitual Italian coach who thinks only about maintaining a lead. “I remember how he insisted that it is better to win 3-2 than 1-0. Thanks to that philosophy I have improved my game and I am grateful to him.”


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

62

NATION SPORT Inter ‘need Champions League’

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL...EUROPEAN FOOTBALL...EUROPEAN FOOTBALL...

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NTER general manager Ernesto Paolillo admits the club must qualify for the Champions League “or we’d have to further reduce our budget.” The Nerazzurri have had a tough start to the campaign and have climbed back up to fifth place, but next year only three Serie A representatives will enter Europe’s top competition. “When UEFA’s new financial fair play regulations come in, we will all sooner or later have to knock down our expenses,” Paolillo told Tuttosport. “Do not expect any big January buys, as we will only do what is necessary to fill the gaps. There is less money around and the rules wanted by Michel Platini force a more careful gestation of resources. “Qualifying for the Champions League is fundamental, as without third place we’d have to further reduce our budget. “I’d give the team 6.5 out of 10 for this season. It wasn’t a great start, but we did well to get back on our feet.”

• Buffon

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UVENTUS goalkeeper Gigi Buffon admits there’s been a change in “direction” at the club in 2011. Juve go into the New Year in great shape. “There has been an evident change of direction from July onwards, but getting ahead of ourselves would be stupid,” said Buffon.

BUFFON WARNS JUVENTUS

Don’t get carried away “We are not even halfway there and up until now the journey has been a strain in every respect, including

psychologically. All it takes is a moment and you find yourself back on the floor. I never want to experience

those first few months of 2011 again. It was awful.” “However, I wouldn’t blame Gigi Del Neri, as he is

Platini: Barca v Man United was 2011’s best

U • Paolillo

We’ll be ready for Old Firm clash, says Rangers boss

R

ANGERS manager Ally McCoist has insisted that his side will be confident going to Celtic in Wednesday’s Old Firm game despite their recent dip in form. The Gers were beaten 2-1 away at St Mirren on Christmas Eve after having two players sent off, and are now only one point ahead of Celtic who won 2-1 at home to Kilmarnock on the same day. Rangers have now conceded a lead over their Glasgow rivals that once stood at 15 points, albeit with two more matches played, yet McCoist is confident his side will be ready for the Parkhead clash despite the momentum being with Neil Lennon’s men. “We will be ready for the game, I can guarantee you that,” McCoist told The Guardian. “It’s going to be a tough game but we will be ready and the players won’t need lifted for that one because it’s a big, big game. I take where you are coming from, Celtic are on a good run of form at the moment in terms of victories. But it counts for absolutely nothing.”

EFA president Michel Platini has branded the Champions League final encounter between Barcelona and Manchester United as the best match of an “exceptional” 2011. The Catalan club triumphed 3-1 over the English champions at Wembley in May, and Platini believes that the encounter was the finest of a great year of football. “2011 will be remembered as a year that saw many

• Platini

exceptional moments in the world of football. There have been many moments in both large and small competitions,” Platini said, according to Sport.es. “However, if I had to choose one, it would be the Champions League final at Wembley. “Not only was it a legendary match, it also reminded us all that we’re here to serve the sport and the players, without whom nothing would be possible and that make these dreams

come true.” Despite feeling that 2011 has been a vintage year for the sport, Platini added that he felt that 2012 could be even better. “2012 will be essential for football. The European Championships in Poland and Ukraine promise to be

unique,” the administrator enthused. “Next year we have a new purpose. We enter a new era in club football due to Financial Fair Play, which is supported and carried out worldwide as in a symbol of unity and responsibility.”

Coentrao: I was right to join Real Madrid

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EAL MADRID leftback Fabio Coentrao has insisted that he has no regrets over moving to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer. The Portugal international signed for Madrid in a •30 million deal and has been a regular contributor for coach Jose Mourinho, with 17 appearances in all competitions. Chelsea and Bayern Munich were also attributed with an interest in Coentrao during the summer, but the 23-year-old has revealed that he would have stayed at Benfica if Madrid had not come knocking. “The truth is that I had other concrete offers, as you all know,” he told Record. “Half of Europe was after me back then. “But, as I also said, my desire was to stay at Benfica. Between all the clubs interested in me and Benfica, I always preferred to stay, but when Real made an offer everything changed.

• Coentrao

“Every player dreams of reaching the top and I am no exception. I am not belittling Benfica, who are a very good club, but Madrid are at a much higher level. “Joining Madrid was the right thing to do. I am realising a dream, no doubt about it.”

a great Coach and a good man. He was just unlucky. With a far weaker Juventus side than the current one, he was in the Scudetto race until December 2010, then in January it all went wrong. Endless injuries, heavy bans, we often ended up playing the youth team.”

Dhorasoo: Ancelotti the best coach

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ORMER Paris SaintGermain midfielder Vikash Dhorasoo has declared Carlo Ancelotti the best coach he has ever worked with. The ex-France international was at AC Milan while the 52year-old was in charge at San Siro and, although he soon departed for the French capital, the Italian left a lasting impression on him. “He’s the best coach I came across in my career. With him, Milan won everything, and he was a great player,” 38-year-old Dhorasoo told Le Parisien. “He’s a mate who loves his players, and who is loved by them. He’s also a great psychologist.” After the departure of Antoine Kombouare, rumours are rife that Ancelotti, who has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in the summer, could take up the reins at Parc des Princes. Dhorasoo believes that his former boss would succeed at the Ligue 1 leaders, despite the notoriously difficult atmosphere at the club.

• Ancelotti


THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

63

SPORT EXTRA

Service of songs for UBC champion, council chair Bada holds today lament poor promotion of boxing A T

HE winner of the Universal Boxing Council (UBC) Super Middle Weight champion, Mr. Mojeed Okedara, and the caretaker chairman of Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State, Prince Soji Ajayi, have lamented the poor promotion of boxing in Nigeria. Okedara condemned what he called the non-chalant attitude of the Federal Government to the promotion of boxing, saying that he would not have won the UBC title with out the financial support of the Osun State government. Addressing his admirers, who thronged the reception held in his honour by the Irewole Local Government in

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo Ikire, Okedara called on the FG to show commitment to the promotion of boxing in the country. Okedara, who is an indigene of Ikire, won the UBC Middle Weight title on October 23, 2011, after defeating his opponent, Eric Kwardy of Ghana via a technical knockout, at Blue Roof, Lagos Television Channel 8, Ikeja. Okedara said that boxing will bring fame to Nigeria more than other athletic sport if adequate support is given to the boxers. The boxer, who was disturbed by the poor attitude of corporate bodies and individuals towards boxing

which brought world honour to the country, stated that despite the support of the state government, he went ahead to take a loan for the promotion of the UBC fight. Okedara, who needs N10

million to off-set the debt incurred in the course of the fight, said it was his enthusiasm towards making his state and the country proud that made him to risk taking the loan.

McCarthy hails Wolves’ resilience after Arsenal draw

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OLVES boss Mick McCarthy praises his side's fighting spirit after they hold out for a draw at Ars e n a l , despite playing the last 16 minutes with 10 men. Gervinho gave the Gunners the lead but Wolves levelled through Steven Fletcher before

Nenad Milijas was sent off for the visitors, a decision McCarthy says he cannot understand. The Wolves manager also reserves special praise for keeper Wayne Hennessey for an " o u t s t a n d i n g " performance in the Wolves goal.

service of songs for the late Sunday Bada has been slated for today at the Police College Ikeja, Lagos from 5pm to 7pm. Bada until his death was the technical director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). He slumped and died at the National Stadium, Lagos December 12. The quarter miler, who would have clocked 42 on June 22 next year, won three medals at World Indoor Championships, including a gold medal in 1997 at the Paris event. He also won silver medals at the 1993 (Toronto) and 1995 (Barcelona) competitions Bada was a part of the Nigerian team that won the silver medal in 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2000 Olympics. Nigeria established a national record time of 2:58.68

minutes in that race. He set his personal best of 44.63 seconds at the 1993 World Championships where he finished fifth. This is the second fastest time by a Nigerian sprinter, after Innocent Egbunike best of 44.17 s. Bada's indoor best of 45.51 s is still the African record for the event. The former Olympic sliver medalist would be taken to his home town, Kogi State for interment tomorrow.

•Late Bada


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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011


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