The Nation March 4, 2012 by The Nation

PDP NEC CRISIS

Govs, NASS members clash in Aso Rock –Page 2

Amaechi

Mark

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.06, No. 2054

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

N200.00

MARCH 4, 2012

OCTOBER 1 BOMBING

Suspect dies in Abuja prison –Page 4

Dehydration blamed Panic over Charles Okah His lawyer, Keyamo accuses officials of murder

AMCON: Bank debtors get 2013 deadline –Page 5

Jega

L-R: Former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, Nobel Laureate , Prof Wole Soyinka and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, at the funeral service for the late Prof. Sam Aluko, at St. Mary's Anglican Church, Ode-Ekiti on Saturday.

Kogi: INEC acted to avoid confusion –Jega –Page 23

Sam Aluko laid to rest amid encomiums –PAGE 5

Aluko

He was a nationalist –Fayemi

NEWS THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

PDP NEC CRISIS: Govs, NASS members clash in Aso Rock

HE intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan in resolving the deadlock between PDP governors and National Assembly members over the planned expansion of the ruling party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has hit the rocks. A peace meeting convened at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday night by the President for the two sides to resolve their differences on the issue was deadlocked. The 58th meeting of the PDP NEC held earlier that day also failed to reach a consensus and this in the first place prompted the President to summon the Villa peace meeting. The planned NEC expansion, according to party sources, is aimed at injecting a large number of NASS members into the NEC with a view to neutralising the influence of the governors in the affairs of the party especially the election of its presidential candidate and principal party officials. The PDP national convention has been scheduled for March 24.A new chairman is to be elected at the convention.

• Senators, Reps dare state chief executives • Return to drawing board to amend Electoral Act By Our Reporter

The governors who are fully aware of the objective of the proposal, it was gathered, vehemently opposed the inclusion of Senators and members of the House of Representatives in the NEC. However, the lawmakers have vowed to take the battle to the National Assembly where they will amend the Electoral Act to make it compulsory for all parties in the country to have a reasonable number of Senators and Reps in their NEC. Apart from the President, some of those at the Villa session included VicePresident Namadi Sambo; President of the Senate, David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; 12 principal officers from the Senate and the House (six from each chamber); some PDP governors led by the Chairman of the Governors Forum, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and national officers of the party.

A reliable source at the meeting said: “The session was convened to address the grey areas in the proposed amendments to the PDP constitution which the NEC could not reach consensus on. The President did not want the NEC to become rowdy he used wisdom to shift the issues to the Villa. “Two of the issues had to do with number of delegates to the National Assembly Congress and State Congress and the inclusion of some lawmakers in the National Executive Committee of the PDP. “The session agreed that delegates to National Assembly Congress be reduced to between 400 and 600. About 1,200 would henceforth be at the state congress to elect the gubernatorial candidate of the

PDP. “But the governors flatly rejected a proposal to make 37 Senators and 37 members (representing each state and the FCT) as members of the NEC of the PDP. “In fact the session became charged when Governor Rotimi Amaechi stated the position of his colleagues that lawmakers cannot again have a say in how the party should be run. “He said with their legislative roles, the lawmakers have no business in the affairs of the party. “But Senators and Representatives insisted that they must be part of the decision-making body of the party. They cited instances where the party leadership ran to the National Assembly during the administration of ex-President

Olusegun Obasanjo on issues that could have been thrashed out at party level. “Some people at the session gave examples of the National Party of Nigeria in the defunct Second Republic in which some National Assembly members were in the NEC. “At the end of the day, the President could not convince the governors to accept Senators and Reps as NEC members.” But on Thursday, Senators and Representatives launched a counter-plot to checkmate the governors. A Senator said: “We will not allow the governors to have their way. We will amend the Electoral Act again to make a number of Senators and Reps as members of the NEC of all the parties in the country.

“Once a law is in place, it will become binding. The problem with governors is that they are already looking forward to 2015 and they want to have a firm grip on the machinery of the party. “It is a long-drawn battle but we will effect the change. The NEC of a party must be broad-based in the interest of all members. A member of the House said: “We thought we could enrich our party system and save the nation a lot of Executive-Legislative stress by making Senators and Representatives in the NEC of PDP and other parties. “But the governors do not want that for selfish reasons. They want to be in charge of parties. They won’t have the last laugh on this issue. “In the First Republic , some members of the National Assembly were party leaders in their own right.”

Ojukwu burial: Igbo re-open businesses • Soldiers beat up mourners

GBO traders across the country were back in business yesterday 24hours after giving a heroic burial to Dim C h u k w u e m e k a Odumegwu - Ojukwu in his Nnewi home town in Anambra State. Thousands of traders who had spent Thursday and Friday either at home or at the various venues for the burial arrangement began rushing to their stores and markets as early as 7am. However, a large number of sympathisers still thronged Chief Ojukwu’s compound yesterday to pay their condolences. Various cultural groups were also on hand to entertain visitors. Many of the sympathisers were whipped by soldiers and were not allowed inside. Those who were allowed in were thoroughly searched. A clergy Man, Pastor Martin Amanchukwu of Cross of Victory Ministry deplored the action of the military men saying “It is very unfortunate and I don’t like what is happening here. How can people come from all walks of life to pay their condolences and these soldiers would be

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

beating them? Look at what they are doing to old men. If people remain in their homes who will come here to make the burial lively? Don’t they know that if not for these people here nobody would know that somebody like Ojukwu is being interred?’’ The wife of the Anambra State Governor, Mrs Margaret Peter Obi who spoke for Bianca Ojukwu thanked the sympathisers for coming. Senator Andy Uba, Uche Ekwunife, Emeke Nwogbo, Victor Ogene were among the callers yesterday.

A school bus is lodged in a home where it came to rest after being tossed by yesterday's tornado in Henryville, Indiana, United States of America. Dozens of people were killed as severe weather and tornados ripped through the South and Midwest, yesterday. Photo: AFP

US tornadoes: 35 dead as two towns 'disappear'

DEVASTATING wave of tornadoes swept across the American mid-West and South on Friday, killing at least 35 people, injuring hundreds and flattening two towns. The powerful storm system stretched from the US Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes in the north, in the second deadly tornado outbreak in a week. The twisters splintered homes, damaged a prison and tossed around vehicles

across the region, leaving at least 14 people dead in southern Indiana, another 17 in neighboring Kentucky, three more in Ohio, and one in Alabama, officials said. In all, the latest line of storms battered a band of states from Ohio and Indiana on southward to Alabama and Georgia. "We are no match for Mother Nature at her worst," Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels said in a statement, adding that he would visit the stricken

southeast corner of the state on Saturday. Aerial footage from a TV news helicopter flying over Henryville showed wrecked houses and a mangled school bus protruding from the side of a one-story building overturned trailers. In the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Col Harland Sanders the high school was destroyed and the second floor had been ripped off the middle school next door. The outbreak comes two

days after an earlier round of storms killed 13 people in the Midwest and South. "It just hit all at once," said Blaine Lawson, 76, in Cleveland, Tennessee. "Didn't have no warning really. The roof, insulation and everything started coming down on us. It just happened so fast that I didn't know what to do. I was going to head to the closet but there was just no way. It just got us." The storm system was so wide that an estimated 34 million people were at

risk of severe weather, according to the National Weather Service regional office. "Then the gates of hell opened up," an emergency services call dispatcher told The New York Times. In Indiana, Gov Daniels said that workers were desperately searching through rubble in search of anyone trapped, adding, "our people are racing the nightfall". The town of Marysville, home to 2,000 people, was reported to be nearly flattened.

Column

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

N its classical formulation, the National Question deals with how certain contradictions arising from the complex interaction of nationalities and nationalism within the nation-state paradigm and in the larger context of nascent capitalism are resolved. Some of these contradictions are never resolved until the nation itself collapses under the weight of its internal contradictions. Others are resolved by force with the nation dissolving into armed conflicts and actual civil wars. Some simply wither away as new economic realities overtake old political divisions giving way to the emergence of new dominant power blocs. What historians call the cunning of history and the sheer confounding dynamics of human evolution play a crucial role in how the contentions unfold. What you see is not what you see. Temporary advantages become permanent disadvantages. What you fight for is not what you eventually get. It is then left to others to continue the exertion in a different format under the new templates determined and conditioned by emergent realities. Do human beings actually matter in this business? You begin to wonder. History, as Louis Althusser famously observed, is a process without a subject. It is sheer human hubris to believe that we are at the epicenter of the universe. The world began without human beings and it will end without them, Claude Levi-Strauss glumly concluded. Sigmund Freud spent his last days wondering whether the fate of humanity would be different from the fate of the dinosaurs. We are still searching for the real black box of that historic journey to extinction. It ought to come as a shocking surprise to many democrats of the post-colonial dominion that in classical socialism the idea of federalism either within the nation-state or between two existing nationstates was viewed as the perfect anarchist manifesto; a wayfarer’s bill for chaos. Federalism was seen as the enemy of the rigid centralization which allowed Europe to overcome the worst excesses of feudalism. Even where it leads to the emergence of absolute despots, centralization has done its historic duty. It is just the cunning of history at play. In any case, it is easier to smash up the old order when it is concentrated and centralized, not when it is dispersed and diffused. In all human societies, the fundamental impulse is towards the order and stability that comes with centralization. “Always centralize” seems to be the one irreducible and irrefutable dictum of the human condition. Societies that lack central organization and authority always suffer in the hands of better centralized and hence better organized societies. Even within the rubric of the nation-state, ethnic nationalities that are behind in the centralizing impulse and impetus, who luxuriate in their fierce republicanism and anarchic individualism always find themselves outsmarted and outwitted by better centralized nationalities even where they boast of better talented and more enterprising individuals. A collective of mediocrities finds strength in its cohesion and coherence and will always trump a pack of isolated and solitary geniuses. Even in the animal jungle, anybody who has witnessed a hunting duel between a stray lion and a pack of wolves does not need the lesson that god marches on the side of the bigger battalion. In America, the nation of classical federalism, it was said that until a later harshly centralizing amendment breathed backbone and muscles into the original constitution which was just nominal union between loose and semi-in-

Aspects of the National Question

nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

• Ojukwu

dependent colonies that America came into its own. It was on the strength of this fateful amendment that the rapidly industrialized and modernized north was able to subdue the last slave-holding emporium in the modern world. It ought to have been obvious that slave-cultivation is incompatible with the fundamental tenet of the nationstate. But since old habits die hard, the issue had to be settled by force of arms and not by any conference or constitutional amendment. The American south lost its human cargo but till date, its sedate aristocratic languor subsists. Iin the inevitable ideological disputes among the elite of a particular country, size and elite-cohesion matter. In the Spanish Civil War, it was the less-fancied and less fanciful conservative bloc comprising of the old aristocracy, the ancient military class and a reactionary Catholic church that won the day over the more attractive, more sophisticated, more enlightened and progressive socialist front in a bitter struggle for the soul of a demoralized nation. But eventually, it was the victorious conservative bloc that would see off the attempt by the Basque Separatist movement to precipitate a violent disintegration of the old nation. The story of modern nations is the story of sublime ironies and paradoxes. It is the story of subtle

and not so subtle contradictions by any other name. In the Commonwealth of Nations, irony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Even a nation in dire crisis and extreme distress is entitled to its share of ironies and paradoxes. Ever since the amalgamation of the north and southern protectorates by Lord Fredric Dealtry Lugard, Nigeria has been powered by paradox. Last week, Nigeria bade a final farewell to its favourite rebel and fiery symbol of resistance to unitarist evil. In life, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was an original. In death, he had become an iconic avatar. The tributes were earthshaking in their involuntary hypocrisy. The spendour and hoopla could only have been reserved for a departing divinity. The heavens themselves opened forth and comets were seen. Old Biafran hearts fluttered. There was a noisy nostalgia for the fallen republic. It was as if Ojukwu was being summoned from the high up to remind Nigeria of unfinished business. Forty five years after calling for a violent division of the old colonial contraption, Ojukwu was being buried as a wise Nigerian monarch. It doesn’t get more profoundly paradoxical. Meanwhile while this was happening, Ojukwu’s nemesis and im-

placable conqueror, the old north, was being given another type of burial, a different type of state interment. The north as we know it, the north of another prince and scion of the Sokoto caliphate, Ahmadu Bello, was finally and irreversibly dissolving in a huge fireball of political, economic and religious unrest. And Ojukwu, the scion of the emergent Igbo merchant class, was cocking a snook at the last feudal redoubt of modern Nigeria. What his guns and fiery rhetoric could not achieve internal contradictions and a historically remiss and ethically challenged masterclass were seeing off. How the great historians will chuckle in their graves. How did they lose the plot so completely! A society and its elite are doomed when they could no longer generate ideas for the visionary transformation of same society. Yet because it looms large and disproportionately over the rest of the country, the northern question is indeed the National Question. Where do we go from here? It is obvious that we are dealing with a complexly layered social reality and its nuanced and overdetermined complications. Yet it is even more obvious that without a resolution of the northern conundrum, the more pressing aspects of the National Question will remain with us for a very long time. Perhaps without amalgamation, the old north would have been able to resolve the contradictions on its own terms and in its own time. This was after all the same territory that the great and revered Islamic scholar, Usmanu Dan Fodiyo, overran with his revolutionary rhetoric of a return to a more pristine and puritan version of Islam. But the stitching together of other nationalities with different historical trajectories introduced new dynamics and fresh hurdles. To the west, there were the profanely secular, devastatingly mobile and rapidly modernizing Yoruba people to deal with. From the east, there was the fiercely republican, punitively enterprising Igbo race whose rowdy mercantilism clashed fundamentally with feudal lassitude to con-

As awuf runs belle, Okon fires warning shots

T is different strokes for different people. While we are still on the subject of the National Question, it is meet to report that the indomitable Okon has come up with his own contribution to the elusive quest for authentic nationhood. For those who have been asking about the whereabouts of the crazy wonder boy, snooper can report that Okon has been as busy as a worker bee on the political front. Three weeks ago, on a rainy afternoon when snooper was enjoying a derby duel between Aston Villa and Birmingham City, Okon suddenly showed up dressed like an Efik chieftain. Before snooper could ask what the matter was, the crazy boy volunteered priceless information. “Oga, I wan reach dem Banana Iceland where dem dey do welcome party for dem Duke boy. Dog don return to him own abasha”, Okon crowed with a knowing wink. “I think Donald Duke has joined the Labour Party”, snooper volunteered.

“oga, Labour Party na for people who wan do heavy labour. Dem come labour dem poor Duke boy. Suffer come whack am well well. Naim dem say man pikin be man piking. And you know say fine boy na good boy. Na dem ogbologbo baba for Ota him dey fight. Dem come say dem go look for job for dem baba. Make him dey travel to all dem bad places, may be dem mad people go finis am make we rest for obodo”, Okon snorted and departed. In the early hours of the following morning, snooper stumbled on a totally distressed Okon moaning fitfully on the sofa with his belly frightfully distended. He looked as if he was undergoing traumatic labour pains. “Okon, what’s happening? Are you pregnant?” snooper sneered, enjoying the mad boy’s discomfiture. “Oga, man no dey pregnant. Na awuf dey run belle”, the crazy boy moaned. “So what happened?” snooper pressed.

“Na alligator pepper soup I come chop for dem party. Katakata come scatter belle. Oga if I quench tell Sikira say na only six bastard children I get for Lagos”, the crazy boy muttered. Snooper went inside the room to bring a laxative. A heavy dosage after, the mad boy sent forth an apocalyptic anal fusillade which almost tore down the entire house. The whole place was invaded by an unbearable stench of rotten fish and decaying bushmeat. As snooper tried to lift the crazy boy, he let off another staccato burst of anal firepower and in the confusion and overpowering noxium snooper hit his head against the wall. “As long as you are in this house, this will be the last time you will attend any of those pathetic periwinkles parleys, you hear?” snooper screamed as the boy was thrown out of the living room. “Oga wetin dem go serve for national conference, abi Efik no dey dat one?”, the mad boy managed to moan as snooper shut the door against him.

tend with. In the event, it was from the emergent Yoruba elite that the toughest political challenge to northern hegemony arose. It was a bitter power struggle which eventually saw off the First Republic. Meanwhile, it was from the restless ranks of the new Igbo elite that some mid-ranking military officers sprang to decapitate the political and military aristocracy of the old north even as the political elites of the two southern majorities were being played off against each other by the northern power masters. As the duel progressed in other guises even with military rule, hitherto somnolent southern tribes like the Ogoni began putting in their own bid. Today, even as the rest of the country convulses with indignant passion, it is the indigenous Boko Haram sect that is putting final touches to the old north. What goes around must come around, and the chickens are coming home to roost. Boko Haram may be a more primitive and extreme strain of Islam. But in seeking to impose a theocratic state, its vision is not fundamentally different from that of Dan Fodio or his successor scion, Ahmadu Bello, who had hoped to rule Nigeria by proxy while sitting on a feudal throne.. The only problem is that Boko Haram cannot accomplish this task without overthrowing the old northern master class. And this cannot be done under the rubric of contemporary Nigeria. A theocratic enclave cannot exist within a modern nation-state. It is said that when you find yourself in a hole, you stop digging. While the Yoruba elite are trying to find a way forward through a return to the old route of regional integration, which is a form of centralization by any other name, while the South East people are enjoying their fifteen minutes of fame, and while elements in the South South are engaged in a covert destabilization of the state even while their son is our president, the northern political elite have come up with a nobrainers about derivation principles. Like feudal limpets, it is obvious that they still regard the state as a huge economic almshouse; a Babylonian bazaar for the sharing of spoils. It is obvious that as long as petro-dollar persists, this lot cannot come up with any visionary blueprint for the rapid transformation of a society trapped in bewitching backwardness and biblical misery. No wonder then that the situation on ground feeds religious insurgency. By the time the Boko Haram scourge renders the whole territory ungovernable, it will be clear that the crisis can no longer be resolved by elections and the current democratic charade. Unfortunately, they may drag the entire country along. Advocates of a Sovereign National Conference may not have a clear blueprint. The Conference of Ethnic Nationalities is beset by a million problems. But one incontrovertible advantage of these talk-shops is that they allow the elite to retain the initiative and the advantage. For such a huge and chaotic amalgam of a nation, one must shudder at what will happen when the elite on all sides lose the initiative.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

News

October 1 bombing: Suspect dies in Abuja prison • Dehydration suspected O • Lawyer alleges murder NE of the suspects standing trial for the October 1, 2010 bomb explosions in Abuja , Francis Osuvwo, died on Friday night at Kuje Prison,Abuja, apparently of dehydration. His lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, alleged murder. He said Osuvwo died “on the heels of series of complaints by counsel representing him and his co-accused about the maltreatment meted out on the accused persons by the Nigerian Government in custody.” General Gbokos, as the deceased was called by his friends, had been standing trial with three others Charles Okah, Obi Nwabueze, and Edmund Ebiware. Charles is the younger brother of Henry Okah, leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND),who himself is facing trial in South Africa for the Independence Day bombing in Abuja. There was also panic yesterday over Charles’ health. Security at the prison was immediately tightened yesterday following fears of reprisals by MEND. A relation of Osuvwo said he died at about 9pm in the prison on Friday and his corpse has been deposited at the National Hospital in Abuja . The source said when the suspect’s condition deteriorated over the last two weeks, some Ijaw youths and his relations responded by sending emissaries to the National Security Adviser and prominent Ijaw leaders to draw attention to his plight. Said the source, “We sent the representation because the Prison’s Medical Director, Dr. Bello, had no idea of what was ailing the man. “His symptoms included loss of memory, hallucination, weakness, loss of the use of his limbs, scaly and whitish skin from head to toe and his anal was full of sores. “Francis’ last days were really pathetic and shameful; he was left lying on the floor of his cell for days, immobile, stooling and peeing on himself with no medical attention from the prison doctors and nurses. “The death of Francis Osuvwo can be attributed to negligence by the Nigerian Prison Service offi-

• Security tightened at prison • Panic over Okah’s failing health From: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation and Kamarudeen Ogundele

cials who have allowed themselves to be used as agents of persecution and the prison itself as a concentration camp where the four suspects have suffered various forms of inhuman treatment, including the fumigation of the suspects inside their cells. “Francis reacted badly to the chemical components. Charles Okah too is in a critical state and everyone is praying that he too does not go the way of Francis Osuvwo. “Osuvwo is survived by his wife, Philomena, a son (Kevin), and four daughters among who are Precious and Princess.” Responding to a question, the relation said: “Please, let the world know that the late Francis Osuvwo was an innocent man but he got the maximum death punishment for a crime that he knew nothing about. “Also state that prior to their arraignment in court, the four men did not know one another save

for Charles Okah and Obi Nwabueze who have been family friends for a long time. “The first time the men accused of the October 1, 2010 bombing met was at the interrogation room of the State Security Service (SSS) headquarters, Abuja. They also met on the first day of their arraignment at the Federal High Court, Abuja on December 7, 2010.” A prison source said government had been notified of Osuvwo’s death. The source said: “It is true that the suspect died at the prison clinic but there was no negligence at all. We have a standard clinic at the prison and we gave the suspect the best attention.” Keyamo, Osuvwo’s lawyer, in a statement said : “We are solicitors representing some of the Accused Persons in FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA v. Charles Okah & others alleged of carrying out bombings during the October 1, 2010 Independence Day Celebrations in Abuja. “On, Saturday March 3rd,

2012 one of the suspects in the case by the name, TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO (ALIAS GENERAL GBOKOS) died in the Kuje Prison. “His death came on the heels of series of complaints by counsel representing him and his co-accused about the maltreatment meted out on the accused persons by the Nigerian Government in custody. “The sickness leading to the death of TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO (ALIAS GENERAL GBOKOS) started when their cell was fumigated with a strange substance on the 8th of January, 2012, which affected the health of all the four suspects. Suffice it to reiterate that we, their solicitors raised alarm about that development at the time. “Prior to his death in custody, ‘Gbokos’ had been urinating and defecating on himself in the prison and despite pleas by his solicitors requesting that he be treated properly, no one attended to him. “On the 21st of February, 2012 TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO (ALIAS GENERAL GBOKOS) collapsed in court which stalled hearing for that day but despite the order of the court on the day in question that TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO (ALIAS GENERAL GBOKOS) be medically attended to by the Prisons authorities, no medication was adminis-

tered on him. It was obvious therefore that the authorities wanted him dead. “May we for the umpteenth time resound our alarm that other accused persons in the October 1, 2010 bombing still in Kuje Prisons are facing similar conditions that claimed the life of TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO. “At this juncture, we are constrained to state that we find it extremely inequitable that virtually all the suspects linked to the Boko Haram bombings have been enjoying bail while our clients, the alleged masterminds of the October 1, 2010 bombings, (still presumed innocent) continue to suffer indignities in custody. “We therefore, respectfully, call on all well-meaning Nigerians join in the call for their bail and the Nigerian Government to facilitate the release of the other suspects in custody with a view to attending to their deteriorating health before they die in custody.” The four suspects were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja , presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, for alleged complicity in the two explosions which hit the Federal Capital Territory , Abuja on October 1, 2010 during Nigeria ‘s 50th Independence celebration. About 12 people died in the bomb explosions.

Niger needs N500m for NYSC orientation camp —Aliyu

VER N500 million is required to turn the cur-

rent temporary orientation camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Niger State into a permanent camp, Niger State Governor; Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu disclosed yesterday while emphasizing that the state is safe to host NYSC members this year. This is coming against the back drop of the decision of the Directorate of NYSC blacklisting Niger State as one of the states unfit to host corps members. It moved the orientation camp from Paikoro in Niger State to Ilorin, Kwara state. The Director-General of NYSC, Brig. General Nnamdi Okore Affia, during a courtesy

Jide Orintunsin, Minna

visit to the state governor yesterday stated that there is no security guarantee in Paikoro, where the temporary orientation camp is located. He stressed that the NYSC will not conduct orientation exercise in the state this year as corps members will be taken to Ilorin for the orientation exercise and will only return to the state for their primary assignment, pointing out that the decision was made by NYSC in a bid to safeguard its members from harm. According to Affia, “I received reports that Niger State has no security guarantee in the temporary orientation camp in Paikoro for corps members to hold orientation

this year. So, I have decided that they will be taken to Ilorin for the orientation like we have done in Yobe, Bornu and Kano. We will bring them back after the orientation exercise for their primary assignment. “But however, due to the letters forwarded by the state governor, I have come to the state to see the alternative temporary orientation camp provided for the orientation exercise and to inspect the place before rescinding or maintaining my decision on whether or not the next orientation exercise will be conducted in the state,” the NYSC boss stated. The state governor, on the other hand, pleaded with the Director-General not to brand the state as unfit to host NYSC members. He guaranteed the

safety of corps members posted to serve in the state, adding that adequate security will be provided for them during their orientation. According to Aliyu, “It is granted that with seven bomb explosions, Suleja has been classified as an emergency area but the federal government has already taken over the issue by declaring a state of emergency. It will be unfair to brand and declare the whole state unfit to host corps members.” Aliyu also urged the NYSC DG to pick any location in the state he feels would be safe for the orientation exercise this year, stressing that the state government is ready to provide whatever facility and security that would be needed for the orientation.

•Ojelade Olufunke and Adeyanju Taiwo of Itori Comprehensive High School, Itori, Ewekoro, receiving a cheque for N50, 000 from Navy Capt Raji Rasheed (rtd, 2nd left) and Chief Akanni • Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina (3rd r) in a group Akinwale, Ilagbe Egba and Apena Keesi, for the second place position at the Inter-School Debating photograph with Niger Republic Minister of Population, Women Promotion and Children Protection, Dr Maikibi Dandobi (2nd r) and others at the Nigeria House in New York, yesterday. Competition of the 2012 Lisabi Festival sponsored by Globacom.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

News

L-R: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; his Deputy, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; and Member, National Assembly, Senator Sola Adeyeye, during the funeral service for the late Prof. Sam Aluko, at St. Mary's Anglican Church, Ode-Ekiti... yesterday.

• Alhaji Umaru Kugama with Gov. Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State on queue at Mbilla Ward, Mayo-Belwa, during PDP ward congress yesterday.

Sam Aluko laid to rest amid encomiums R

ENOWNED economist and scholar, Professor Sam Aluko, was yesterday laid to rest in his Ode-Ekiti hometown in Ekiti State after a funeral service attended by eminent Nigerians. In the sermon at the service held at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, OdeEkiti, the Most Rev. Gideon Olajide (Rtd), a childhood friend of the deceased, described Aluko as a man of excellence who craved and won excellence. Rev Olajide noted that Aluko shunned unearned credits and stoutly opposed getting rewards beyond

• He was a nationalist –Fayemi From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

what he deemed to be his entitlement . In a tribute, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State said the late Prof Aluko was a nationalist whose interests transcended the confines of the state of his birth having taught at various times at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), University of Nigeria, Nsukka and even outside the country. The governor said the presence of the likes of the

second Republic Governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo and former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke at the funeral was a testimony to Aluko’s nationalistic standing. He recalled that just two weeks after assuming office as governor, the deceased sent him a two hundred page treatise detailing his prescriptions for the economic emancipation of the state. He said “Just two weeks to his death, Papa wrote me another three page letter

recalling the details of his earlier recommendations. “This was a proof that Prof was concerned with the development of the state up to the last moment. “We remain thankful to God that apart from leaving excellent children who have attained the peak in their careers papa has left a lasting legacy not only in the state but even in Nigeria as a whole.” He died on February 7. In attendance at the service were Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, Mr. Duke, Mr. Nwobodo, ACN

Ibori: Conviction indictment of Nigeria’s judicial system, says CPC

HE Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has described the London trial of former Delta State Governor, James Ibori as an indictment of the Nigerian judiciary. Ibori, last Monday pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering before the Southwark Court in London. He is expected to be sentenced in April. In a statement yesterday in Abuja CPC’s spokesman, Rotimi Fashakin said: “The latest twist and turn in this case, we view as a huge indictment of the nation’s judicial system. “It would be recalled that in 2009, Justice Marcel Awokulehin of the Federal High Court, Asaba absolved James Ibori of all the 170count charge of corruption and money laundering brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). “Earlier in 2004, Justice Hussein Mukhtar had dismissed a charge brought by two PDP members that Ibori had once been convicted by an Abuja upper area court. In a related matter, we are

From: Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

miffed by the subsisting perpetual injunction by the former PDP Rivers state governor, Dr Peter Odili, restraining the EFCC from prosecuting him. “This bizarre order, with no judicial precedence or any supportable Nigerian law, was issued by Justice Ibrahim Nyaure Buba of the Federal High Court. A

formal petition sent to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi on 20th November, 2009 by a UK-based Nigerian Lawyer, was dismissed as ‘unmeritorious’. “The pertinent question is: should we wait until the nation is thoroughly embarrassed again (from outside its shores) before vacating this egregiously lawless order?

“As a Party, we conclude by reminding the Judicial powers in the land of the admonition of Justice Frankfurter of the United States ’ Supreme Court: “All power is of an encroaching nature. Judicial Power is not immune to this human weakness. It must also be on guard against encroaching beyond its bounds and not the less so since the only restraint upon itself is self restraint.”

Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, past and serving Senators from Ekiti, Ondo, Osun and Ogun States including Senators Babafemi Ojudu, Olu Adetumbi, Tony Adeniyi, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, Iyabo Anisulowo as well as House of Representatives members from the state. Also in attendance were the state deputy governor,

AMCON debtors get 2013 deadline

HE Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) vowed yesterday that there is no going back on its debt recovery programme which has already yielded N600billion from debtors. A total of N3.14trillion was originally owed by the debtors but with the recovered N600billion what is left to be repaid is N2.540trillion. The corporation’s managing director, Mr. Mustapha Chike-Obi said in a telephone interview said that he expected the remaining debts to be repaid not later than next year. “We have 12, 000 loans. So far, we have been able to recover N600billion out of a total of N3.14trillion loans.

Arik resumes flight to South Africa

RIK Air says it is resuming daily flights to Johannesburg yesterday 24 hours after suspending them in protest over South Africa’s refusal to let in 125 Nigerians on health grounds. “Arik Air is reinstating flight operations between Lagos, Nigeria and Johannesburg, South Africa effective immediately with tonight’s (Saturday, March 3) scheduled service departing from Lagos,” it said in a statement.

From: Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

The airline had earlier said it suspended flights between Lagos and Johannesburg due to a dispute with health authorities over yellow fever vaccination cards presented at OR Tambo International Airport by passengers. The airline said that flights would now re-commence with operations over the weekend “to protect its

passengers in the interim period until the matter is resolved.” A meeting between the two governments over the dispute is scheduled for tomorrow, it said. Passengers who have new yellow fever vaccination cards issued in Nigeria or are/were travelling to South Africa for the first time would not be allowed to board last night and today’s flights to Johannesburg, it added. Arik, the only Nigerianowned commercial airline

Mrs.Funmi Olayinka; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi; and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu. It was also attended by former vice chancellor of Ekiti State University, Prof Akin Oyebode, VC, OAU, Prof. Tale Omole, Prof Oluyemi Omosini (EKSU), and several others.

on the lucrative Lagos-Johannesburg route, said 50 passengers were refused entry on Friday while 75 other Nigerian passengers on South Africa Airways were also turned back. “Many passengers have been detained and refused entry in recent months,” the airline said in an earlier statement. It said health authorities gave the reason as incorrect or unrecognised batch numbers on the documentation which is smandatory proof before entry.

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

We are not going to reach everybody in one day. But we are certain about our objective of recovering these loans this year and even up till next year,” Mr. ChikeObi said. The loan recovery exercise, according to him, is on course and no effort will be spared in meeting the target. The corporation recently issued a notice to debtors to pay all loans owed the corporation. It warned the affected people to ” disabuse their minds of any erroneous notions that such debt obligations will not be vigorously pursued and enforced by the corporation.” In line with its mandate to stabilise the banking industry, the corporation had, last year, acquired the nonperforming loans of banks which was totalled at N3.14 trillion. On the specific timeline set for debtors, Chike-Obi said the corporation was not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that the loans were recovered between now and next year. “We assure you that the same mechanisms we adopted to recover some of these loans would be deployed towards the recovery of all the bad debts,” he stressed.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

News

PDP ward congress: Jonathan leaves without voting •National committee members arrive late From Isaac Ombe, Yenogoa

HE late arrival of a five-man Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) electoral committee in Yenogoa made President Goodluck Jonathan leave without voting yesterday. But the Ward Congress Committee Chairman, Dr. Sylvester Omaje said it was not compulsory for every party member to participate in the exercise. Jonathan flew to his Otueke country home from Nnewi after the burial of the late Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu last Friday to participate in the ward congress. But he waited in vain at Otueke yesterday and left for Abuja about 1pm without participating in the exercise. Omaje explained his committee members arrived late because of shortage of aviation fuel. He added that “for participation, it’s not every member of the party that must vote; this is not the chairmanship election after all”.

Edo PDP primary was scientifically rigged, says aspirant From Osagie Otabor, Benin

GOVERNORSHIP aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Edo State, Barr. Kenneth Imasuangbon has alleged that last Saturday’s primaries of the PDP were ‘scientifically and environmentally rigged’. Imasuangbon came a distant second scoring 178 votes in the primaries won by Major-General Charles Airhiavbere. Imasuangbon told reporters yesterday in Benin City that he rejected the results of the primaries because it was not a reflection of the wishes PDP members in the state. He said he was already ‘‘cruising to victory’’ when the party leadership intervened and instructed the delegates to vote for Airhiavbere. According to him, “I reject the result of the last Saturday’s primary election because it was scientifically rigged in favour of General Charles Airihavbere. ‘‘Democracy was doctored and murdered in Edo State in spite of what we did to reposition the party in the state. “The leadership of the party has truncated the will of the people but it can never be truncated because power belongs to the people”.

Egun in Ado/Odo warns of ethnic crisis From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

HE Ogu (Egun) people in Ado/Odo in Ado/Odo Ota Local Government, Ogun State have expressed concerns over the increasing attacks on their communities by a section of their Awori neighbours. Speaking under the aegis of Ogu People’s Assembly (OPA) in Ado/Odo, they said such unwarranted attacks could provoke violent ethnic crisis between Ogu and Awori people. Spokesman of the group, Dr Senayon Olaoluwa urged the government and security operatives to caution one Prince Wale Alagbe, an Awori man, for fanning embers of ethnic hatred and discord through alleged spreading of rumours against the Ogu people. Olaoluwa said no fewer than five Ogu people, including two women were killed in an attack allegedly carried out by persons he called “degenerate, discredited and undesirable elements” among the Aworis. According to him, no fewer than 10 of their women and youg girls were allegedly aped in 2011 by their belligerent neighbours. Some of them, he stated, are unable to function in the community because of the associated stigma and trauma. He blamed land tussles for the attacks, claming that the land on which Ogu people reside in Ado/Odo belong to them long before the scramble and partition of Africa by Europeans. He said the land feuds began in their communities when some Aworis started coveting their lands and violently grabbing same using “gang of hooligans called Ajagungbale.” Displaying pictures of the dead allegedly killed when Akason an Ogu community was attacked, he appealed to Governor Ibikunle Amosun, to prevail on the perpetrators to resort to the rule of law and stop instigating violence.

Alvan Alumni condemn proposed demolition of Shell camp From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri HE Alumni Association of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education has condemned the proposed demolition of Alvan Shell Camp. National President of the Association Chief Josiah Ugochukwu told reporters that the proposal would diminish the status of the school. He recalled that the institution recently conferred a fellowship on Governor Rochas Owelle who promised to facilitate complete take over of the institution by the federal government. Ugochukwu regretted that the State Government is proposing demolition of part of the institution instead of fulfilling its promise to improve it. He submitted that the complex is an important component of the institution housing the admission offices for Degree and NCE students, the School of Social Sciences, School of Physical and Health Education, College Gym, Catholic and Anglican Chaplaincies as well as several other departments.

Surviving Madalla bombing victims get scholarship A

NAMBRA State Government has awarded scholarship to two surviving daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Emmanuel Obiukwu of Umuduru village, AwkaEtiti whose four daughters were killed at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church Madalla, Niger State. Governor Peter Obi disclosed this at a funeral service. He also announced financial support up to the tune of N2 million to the family and another N2million as part of the support for a memorial to be built in the church. The victims were Miss Chioma Obiukwu (23 years), Miss Ifeoma Obiukwu and her twin sister Uche Obiukwu (16 years) and Miss Chidinmma Obiukwu (13 years). Governor Obi said that the scholarship would cover all levels of study in any part of the country. The Governor called for collective efforts to ensure that public resources are used for the benefit of all. The Archbishop and Metropolitan of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace

•L-R: The Obiukwus, their children with Obi and his wife, Magaret at the presentation.... yesterday

Most Rev. Dr. Valeria Okeke lamented the killing of innocent children. Describing the victims as martyrs, the Archbishop prayed their death will

lead to a peaceful Nigeria.The Parish Priest of the church, Rev. Fr. Paul Nwanegbu commended Obi for remaining responsive to the yearnings of the

people and sustaining quality leadership. The father of the victims, Mr. Emmanuel Obiukwu expressed gratitude to Obi for the life line.

Jonathan urges universities to eschew strikes

R E S I D E N T Goodluck Jonathan has called on university staff to eschew the strike option as a means of getting their demands from government. Speaking during the 26th Convocation Ceremony of the University of Calabar yesterday, Jonathan said it is only when staff unions do away with strike that Nigerian universities would occupy their rightful place among great institutions of learning around the world.

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

The President, who was represented by the Minister for Education, Prof Raqqayatu Ahmed, said unbridled strikes inflict pain on the students and do more harm than good to the university system. He said the education sector is one of the key areas undergoing reforms to ensure that students and the nation are well served by the schooling system. Jonathan added that the Federal Government

has mandated tertiary institutions to introduce entrepreneurial skills into their curriculum. According to him, this will ensure that youths leave school with skills that will turn them into job creators, rather than waiting for years to secure their dream jobs. The President said it was dispiriting to receive reports of violence by students on the 26th and 27th of August last year which led to destruction of property worth hundreds of millions, adding that dia-

logue is the best way to resolve disagreements. He also urged the university to strengthen efforts at internal generated revenue and exploration of external funding possibilities as government alone cannot provide all the funds needed to run the institution. Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof James Epoke, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for donating N30 million to aid in repairing structures damaged in last year’s riot.

Knocks for Uwazuruike, Ojukwu Jnr. over titles

MEKA Jnr., the second son of late Ikemba Nnewi, EzeIgbo Gburugburu, Dim C h u k w u e m e k a Odumegwu Ojukwu and Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have received knocks from the 75-year-old Adama Nri, Chief Shedrack Mbanefo, who crowned the late Ojukwu the Ezeigbo Gburugburu. Mbanefo, the Adama Nri and the Head of Adama Nri Traditional Authority Kingmakers of Igboland, spoke yesterday in an exclusive interview with The Nation. ‘’Ikemba title and Ijele Ndigbo title or whatever name is wrong for anybody to have it before Ojukwu’s burial. It is against the Igbo spirit and nobody worth his onions should allow himself to go for that title until the Igbo leader is buried. “Late Ojukwu is still alive and he is not yet dead

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

until buried and therefore, nobody should take any title until he is interred. Now, they are struggling for the headship of the dynasty while their father is alive and Uwazuruike shouldn’t have gone for that title until Ezeigbo is buried,’ he said. The traditionalist who crowned Ojukwu Ezeigbo

Gburugburu in May 1996, wondered why people that opposed the title like Igwe Onyeso should allow himself to take glory of what he doesn’t know of and have used every means to frustrate the title when it was given to Ojukwu. ‘’Onyeso was spearheading a war against me and Ojukwu for giving him that title and he used police and every means available

to frustrate us and now he is taking the glory of having crowned Ezeigbo Gburugburu on Ojukwu when he was actually the person who called Ojukwu all sorts of unprintable names for taking the title. He added, “without Ojukwu, there would never have been liberation today for the people of Igboland but Ojukwu sacrificed all and gave us liberation.’’

Mark tasks grassroot leaders on PDP ward congress

ENATE President, David Mark, has called on leaders of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the ward levels to show good examples during the party’s ward congresses. He also reiterated the need for peace, unity and purposeful leadership in the country. He made the calls while addressing delegates to the PDP ward

By Sam Egburonu

congress in his Oturkpo, Benue State Ward 1. The Senate President also canvassed for smooth conduct of the exercise at the ward level, which he described as the foundation for leadership at the national level. “If we get it right at the ward level, you can be sure that leadership at the national level would

be right and just,” he said, adding, “Our officers at the ward level must be dedicated and be men and women of proven integrity.” A statement signed by Paul Mumeh, Chief Press Secretary to Mark, quoted him as urging “all party faithful to be guided by the principle of fairness, equity and justice in the election of party officials.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

CTION Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship aspirants in Ondo State stepped up their campaigns over the weekend. They unfolded their plans to transform the state if elected. One of them, Chief Jamiu Ekungba promised to embark on meaningful projects that will uplift the poor. He noted that the state has witnessed set backs with the current administration. Ekungba, who spoke while addressing supporters of the party in Igboroko quarters area of Owo local government, said the party remains the one to beat in the state. According to him, “It will be a beautiful idea if Ondo citizenry vote for ACN candidate that will restore the hope of the poor masses back; someone who will not waste our resources in re-dressing of Akure and a person that will conduct local government poll to allow people in the rural areas to enjoy dividends of democracy”. Ekungba, a former banker, flayed the extravagant lifestyle of the current administration, a development he said warranted the state going to the capital market for loan despite opposition by other political parties. Another aspirant, Dr Olatayo Aribo, denied a report credited to him in a national daily that he warned the leadership of the party against imposing a candidate. Aribo, an industrialist from Imoru in Ose local government, said the popularity of the party in the entire south west and Ondo State would translate into the emergence of the party’s candidate to govern the state. He described ACN as the foremost progressive party with people-oriented programmes, stressing that he joined the governorship race to bring desired transformation to the state. He expressed confidence

News

Our plans for Ondo, PDP holds peaceful congress by ACN aspirants T From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

… As ex- commissioner, others return to LP From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

in the ability of ACN National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande to pick an acceptable candidate that would send Mimiko’s administration packing. He promised to revive all the moribund industries and create additional ones to create employment for the people especially the jobless youths. The governorship aspirant also pledged to provide qualitative and accessible education, while agriculture would be prioritised as resources base in the state.

In another development, the former Commissioner for Works in Ondo State, Pastor Yele Omogunwa at the weekend led hundreds back to the ruling Labour Party (LP). Omogunwa, who left LP about 18 months ago for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and later the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), He returned to the LP in Ode-Irele in Ondo South Senatorial district. Omogunwa described Governor Mimiko as “the Moses of our time whom God is using as an instrument of positive change” On why he returned to the

party, Omogunwa said, ‘’I will be a mobiliser and canvasser for the Labour Party. ‘’I will work towards making the party a winning party again. Mr Governor must win the second term.’’ Mimiko described the returnee as a seasoned and determined politician, who had sacrificed himself for the success of Labour Party in the State. According to him, ‘’By the grace of God, we want to ensure that in the next election, opposition will lose their deposit. We are going to ensure that the new defectors get proper integration into the party.” ‘

‘Protect children from diseases’ From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

ARENTS have been charged to deworm their children regularly to prevent infections. General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs (PGPA) of NNPC/Chevron Joint venture Engr. Femi Odumabo, made the call at a De worming exercise in Owerri, capital of Imo State. He revealed Chevron has actively supported other health care related for safer living. State Coordinator Health Services programme Dr. Sam Madugba stressed that the health of school children is sacrosanct. He said they must be protected since their system is growing and delicate. Madugba called on the state government to claim ownership of its health programmes by properly funding them. He also charged foreign and local donors to demonstrate more trust in Nigerian workers. From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

•L-R: Deputy Corps Marshal Operation, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal Chief Osita Chidoka and Deputy Corps Marshal, Policy, Research and Statistics, Mr Ayo Omidiyi at a media parley on the infusion of Road Safety into school curriculum and approval of standard school bus in Abuja... yesterday. PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

tices in the country. Prof. Olurode, who spoke with reporters in Iwo, Osun state, said that with the establishment of the electoral offences commission, INEC would be able to concentrate more on its primary duties. He maintained that the responsibilities of the elec-

toral body were too enormous to allow it to prosecute electoral offenders dispassionately. “If the electoral offences commission is established it would be saddled with the monitoring of the activities of all the registered political parties and the INEC will have to concentrate on the conduct of elections alone,” he said.

He said heaping all electoral malpractices on INEC would not help the country’s electoral system. According to him, “An effective strategy at combating our electoral conundrum must involve all stakeholders in election administration if Nigeria is to escape from the frightening spectre of reversals of recent successes.”

Group faults BATN over investment in Nigeria HE Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN) has faulted claims by British America Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) that its investment in Nigeria has been beneficial to the country. ERA/FoEN in a statement said it was necessary to put the facts right following remarks by the Managing Director of BATN, Beverley SpencerObatoyinbo, at an investment forum last Thursday. She had said at the forum that the company’s investment initiative in had turned out to be “a win-win situation” for the company and Nigeria. BATN had in 2001 signed a Memorandum of Understand-

HE Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) held its wards congress in Benue State yesterday through out the 23 local government councils peacefully. . Reports from the councils said they exercise went smoothly because of the adoption of zoning formula. In Tombo ward, Gaambe-Tiev Logo local government area, the country home of Governor Gabriel Suswam, election of party ward officials was completed in 30 minutes. Most of them were elected by consensus to douse tension. The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on special projects Joseph Tsavsar popularly known as Jeo K said the party has set an example that would continue to the state and national congresses.

‘Why Rivers is paying attention to education’

INEC commissioner seeks establishment of electoral offences commission NATIONAL Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Lai Olurode has advocated for the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission. He suggested that the commission should be saddled with the responsibility of trying all cases associated with electoral malprac-

ing with the Federal Government to establish a $150 million tobacco factory in Ibadan. Since then, the company has been targeting young Nigerians in a bid to recruit them as replacement smokers. It has successfully done this through musical concerts, fashion shows and other promotional events like the Secret Smoking Parties that ERA/ FoEN alerted the nation about when the events held in Ajegunle and Victoria Island, both in Lagos. In a statement in Lagos, ERA/FoEN described the company’s claims as “sheer dishonesty”, insisting that BATN continues to rake in profits as Nigerians harvest death

and the health burden associated with the failure of the Federal Government to regulate the activities of tobacco companies operating in the country. ERA/FoEN’s Director, Corporate Accountability and Administration, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said, “It is extremely fallacious and vexing for BATN to describe its stranglehold on the huge and largely uninformed Nigerian consumer market as a win-win situation. ‘’That remark is unfortunate and can be likened to a victory song by a company that has an avowed mission of conscripting new smokers through the glamorization of a deadly

product.” Oluwafemi noted that: “For instance, in Lagos, one among the Nigerian states targeted by BATN for its image blitz, a 2006 survey in 11 government-owned hospitals revealed that at least two persons die daily from a tobacco-related disease. ‘’The survey also revealed that the Lagos government expends at least N216, 000 treating each of the 9,527 tobacco related cases documented while individual patient spends an additional N70,000.” Oluwafemi reiterated ERA/FoEN demand for the signing of the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) by President Goodluck Jonathan.

IVERS State Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi has stated that the Rotimi Amaechi’s administration is paying special attention to education to improve the quality of living. She spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, at the third edition of the Moni Pulo Limited (Petroleum Development)-sponsored Annual Secondary Schools Science Quiz Competition. Lawrence-Nemi who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Higher Education, Mrs. Mae Solomon, urged parents and guardians to invest heavily in the lives of their children and wards. She noted that imbibing reading culture in children would help them to learn faster and become useful towards the development of the country. The Commissioner said: “It is necessary for parents to invest in their children by ensuring that they (children) are educated. Parents should also inculcate in their children a reading habit. Moni Pulo’s chairman, who was represented by the indigenous oil firm’s Executive Vice Chairman Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs stated that the quiz competition reflected the oil firm’s emphasis on the value of learning and having a solid, relevant education.

Oyo Council distributes farm inputs to 3,000 From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

ARELY a week after he took over office, caretaker Chairman, Oyo-East Local Government, Alhaji Mutahir Adekunle at the weekend distributed inputs to about 3,000 farmers in the council. The inputs include fertilisers, seedlings and chemicals. Adekunle said the inputs were made available in collaboration with the FADAMA II projects. He declared the determination of his administration to boosting food production to check growing hunger and starvation. Adekunle also charged members of the caretaker committee to rededicate themselves and brace up for prompt service delivery. Adekunle warned that abdication of responsibilities would no longer be tolerated.

CAP to unveil 2012 Dulux colour

AP Plc, a subsidiary of UACN Plc and the Dulux technological licensee of AkzoNobel (World’s largest paint and coatings manufacturer), is set to unveil the 2012 Dulux Colour of the Year on 14th March, the Managing Director, CAP Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide, has said. According to her, “the 2012 Dulux Colour of the Year is one of “Possibilities”, challenges us to explore the whole world.“ Elemide said the unveiling of the Dulux Colour of the Year, the seventh in the series, has become one of the most thrilling moments in the world’s colour calendar because the outcome holds such great expectation for the paint industry. “The Dulux Colour of the Year concept was launched in 2006 to meet the growing sophistication of the Nigerian paint consumers. Dulux brand’s pioneering research efforts in the use and application of colour continues to lead the market in colour inspiration. With over 12,000 colours, Dulux is established as the custodian of knowledge in the area of colours with the objective of helping customers realize their wellbeing”, she added.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

NEWS REVIEW

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

LTHOUGH the scene of the butchery may seem somnolent after every deadly attack by the Boko Haram Islamist sect, the scars and pains run deeper still. This short anecdote becomes apposite in describing the far reaching implications of the several bombings and increasingly horrendous killings masterminded by the radical Islamist sect in the north. Boko Haram, which wants Sharia law entrenched in Nigeria, killed more than 250 people in January alone in a series of bomb and gun attacks in across cities in the north. Besides, the sect’s numerous attacks have reportedly claimed the lives of over 1, 200 since 2010. Modus operandi The sect mostly focuses its violence on the police, government institutions and lately schools, churches, police stations, banks, prisons, army barracks, etc. In fact, the impact of the recent attack on schools in Maiduguri, Borno State has prompted the Registrar of the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Dibu Ojerinde to say that it may not conduct its examinations in the state next month! The sect easily coaxes into its campaign a boisterous army of disillusioned youths angry with the government which offers them little or nothing. Catalogue of attacks Since late last year, the Boko Haram militants have struck with ferocious venom beginning from the attacks in Yobe State, where over 60 people died and the Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, where over 40 people died. The Kano multiple explosions, prison break in Kogi State and several other atrocities with severe consequences on human and material resources in towns and cities, in mainly northern parts of the country have remained the sect’s stock-in-trade. Counting cost of terror attacks There is no doubt that most of the fatalities recorded in these attacks have serious implications on the polity. But the Federal Government, in the past had always chosen to maintain a rather mute indifference; fuelling fears that it is clueless about the enormity of the crisis. But faced with the grim reality of the unpalatable state of the economy, the Federal Government appears to have found its voice at last. This became apparent last Tuesday when the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi raised his voice above the din, telling anyone who cared to listen that the bombings and other violent attacks launched by terrorist groups are major threats to the economy. Sanusi spoke in Abuja at the inauguration of the Business Continuity Institute of Nigeria, a body established in 1994 to promote the highest standards of professional competence and commercial ethics in business. The CBN governor, who is never afraid of courting controversy, said the economy was becoming increasingly vulnerable to the disruptions caused by terrorists’ attacks. “The current spate of bombings

How Boko Haram is bombing economy After several months of seeming indifference to the socio-economic impacts of the Boko Haram attacks, the federal government is beginning to count the cost of these attacks, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

•Sanusi

•Rewane

•Security forces at the scene of a bomb explosion at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Suleja, Photo: REUTERS

across the country by terrorist groups alludes to the fact that our business environment is becoming more and more threatened and therefore the need to urgently develop a framework that will enable us to effectively respond to any crisis and thus safeguarding lives and properties and ensuring stability and growth in our economic system,” the CBN governor said. Sanusi pointed out that only a sound, stable and robust business environment could lead to economic growth, increased per capita income and enhanced quality of life for the people. The governor said the threat from terrorism had made it imperative for the bank to urgently develop a framework that would enable it to respond to any crisis. This, he noted, would not only help to safeguard lives and properties, but also ensure stability and growth in the country’s economic system. He said, “While we may be lucky not to have been hit by extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, snow and earthquakes, our experience as a nation reveals some vulnerability. “We are still combating the impact of the global meltdown on our national economy. In our own specific instance in the financial sector, we have had to engage a combination of measures, including injecting millions of naira into some ailing banks to prevent failures, and thereby saving depositors’ funds and restoring confidence in the system.” Like Sanusi, an economist, Dr. Rewane Bismarck has warned that the Boko Haram problem would

cause a collapse of confidence in the nation’s economy and high cost of borrowing at international financial markets. Speaking with The Nation, Bismarck, who is the Chief Executive of Financial Derivatives, said the country’s reputational ranking in the investors’ market has fallen considerably. On the balance, he said the rating will affect interest rates at which Nigeria can borrow at the international money market. This also means higher insurance premiums. Confidence in the economy, he added has deteriorated because of the bombings, indicative of the sense of uncertainty that businesses feel about the macro-economic picture. He explained that the effect was more of quantitative and not direct as the economy is neither deteriorating nor stagnating. According to him, the loss of confidence was as a result of perceptions of the economy as being unsafe for business by foreign investors. Since the nation is exposed to international trade and cross-border financial activity, Bismarck noted that wrong perception of the economy by foreign investors could lead to international trade decline. He observed that except the threat is curbed, the damage it has done to the country’s image would be tough to redress. The cumulative effect of all these, he maintained will take its toll on businesses, and result in deteriorating outlook for business flow from around the world.

He said the crisis may not have major impact on the local economy but will not improve attractiveness of Nigeria as investment location thus affecting employment prospects. He pointed out that it is hard to gauge the economic impact of the sect’s offensive in terms of the direct economic impact. In recent past, several countries have given travel advice to their citizens not to visit the country whether for business or leisure. This, in the long run will affect business prospects. Opposing views Dicey as the situation appears, there are few individuals who feel that Sanusi and his ilk is being unnecessarily alarmist. The Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala holds the view and very strongly too that there is no cause for alarm. At a public forum in Davos, Switzerland, she said increased terror attacks in the country have failed to deter foreign investment as Africa’s largest oil producer presses ahead with plans to sell power companies and keep spending under control. Dr. Ayo Teriba, the Managing Director, Economic Associates, is also on the same page with Okonjo-Iweala. He believes that the activities of the sect will not affect the economy as its attacks were concentrated around the Northern part of the country and so affected business operations in that area alone. According to him, the sect’s activities were not big enough to cast a negative cloud on the

•Teriba

economy. Like other open economies, Teriba said the nation will be affected by common economic trends and that terrorism is an issue developed economies are battling with. He said with Boko Haram, the nation is dealing with a completely different level of severity. Light at end of tunnel But is there a way out of the present crisis enormous as it seems? Some believe the problem is surmountable. Buoyed by a patriotic fervour, Mr. Manoj Kumar, P&G’s Managing Director for West Africa says matter-of-factly that things would definitely shape up anytime soon. “For 20 years, different crises have come and gone but the nation has remained strong enough to withstand it. You watch CNN and even in my country, India, these kinds of things happen. So we are very much aware of the situation but this does not dampen our enthusiasm and commitment to the country”, he enthused. Talk of different strokes for different folks. However, the time to act is now...a stitch in time...

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

News Review

Ojukwu’s glorious exit and Pressure mounts on Tambuwal, Lawan to dilute subsidy probe report

PEAKER Aminu Tambuwal of the House of Representatives and Alhaji Farouk Lawan, Chairman of the House Committee that probed the controversial N1.3trillion fuel subsidy are under massive pressure to keep the panel report in the cooler in the ‘national interest’ or water it down .This is to give indicted officials a soft landing. Certain top presidency officials and lobbyists acting on behalf of major stakeholders in the oil industry met with Lawan and told him to soften the report to avoid “embarrassing some government officials.”

Imoke returns as Cross River governor

R. LIYEL Imoke of the PDP recorded an incredible 90.11% or 451,544 votes to win the Cross River State governorship election held penultimate Saturday.His closest opponent, Pastor Usani Usani of the ACN was credited with 31,026 votes. The election followed the recent sack of Imoke and four other governors by the Supreme Court on the ground that their tenure exoired last May.

A HAT TRICK So what happened to the president’s fedora? The Guests were no doubt expecting him to wear his, so they came wearing theirs. Imagine the disappointment marked by diplomatic smiles. L-R: Incoming Executive Director of Shell, Andy Bronw and the outgoing Executive Director of Shell, Malcom Briended and the President Goodluck jonathan during their courtesy call at the President Villa on Thursday. Photo: AKIN OLADOKUN.

Six killed in Boko Haram’s attack on Gov’s church

IX persons were killed on Sunday after a lone suicide bomber drove into the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) in Jos midway into the Hausa service. Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State who worships in the church was scheduled to attend the English service that was to follow. The State chapter of the Red Cross put the casualty figure at around 50. Thirty vehicles were damaged in the blast. The church is located behind the Jos branch of the Central Bank and is about 500metres from the State Police Command Headquarters and that of the Special Task Force. The Islamic sect, Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attack. The church has been accomodating Christians displaced from the sect’s attack in Damaturu and Potiskum, both in Yobe State. President Goodluck Jonathan condemned the attack and declared that “Those who sek to divide us by fear and terror will not succeed.”

Ojukwu’s final journey home

HE final journey home of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu began on Monday with the arrival in Abuja of his remains.At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to receive the body was a high powered delegation led by Vice President Namadi Sambo. The remains later went on a whistle-stop tour of Aba,Abakaliki and Enugu where a requim mass was held for him. The funeral service took place in Nnewi on Friday followed by the interment.

SWEET FREEDOM

Supreme Court frees cannibal 15 years after

IFTEEN years after he was sentenced to death by hanging, the Supreme Court, Thursday, discharged Mr. Edet Mbang, accused of eating the flesh of one Baba Okoi who was murdered on October 7, 1989. Mbang and his three alleged accomplices, Obeten Essien, Mbang Mbang and Fidelis Obeten, were said to belong to the Enyim Society, which the •Musdapher prosecution described as “a group whose purpose is to kill human beings, share and eat their meat as a communion ritual.” The quartet were, on June 19, 1997, found guilty and subsequently sentenced to death by a Cross River State High Court, Ugep Division.. When the matter was taken to the Supreme Court, it remitted the case-file back to the appellate court for re-trial.

WHAT A PARTY! Thousand of supporters of Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe turned out for the finale of the weeklong party celebrating the leader’s 88th birthday. Organised at a reported cost of more than £600,000, the bash last weekend in Mutare, about 300km east of the capital, Harare, featured an array of birthday cakes for the aging leader – including one in the shape of an alligator.

ORMER governor of February 26, 2012

Ibori pleads guilty in London

Delta State,James Ibori, on Monday,pleaded guilty in the Southwark Crown Court,London to charges of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud. He admitted nearly 50million pounds fraud said to be part of total embezzlement which could exceed 250million pounds (about $400million). Prosecuting counsel,Sasha Wass said Ibori,53, ‘tricked’

CONFIRMED Supreme Court upholds Okorocha, Uduaghan elections

his way into becoming governor by giving a false date of birth andclaimed he had no criminal record.he is due to be sentenced on April 16.

DEADLY TORNADOES

HE Supreme Court last week upheld the victory of Gov ernors Rochas Okorocha (Imo) and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) in the April 26, 2011 governorship elections. Okorocha of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) defeated the PDP candidate, former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, in the election. In Delta State, the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) candidate, Great Ogboru lost to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of the PDP in the January 6, 2011 rerun election. The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had dismissed the petition of Ogboru on the grounds that the petitioner failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on him. In a unanimous judgment, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta struck out the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Okorocha for lack of merit. He declared the judgment of the Court of Appeal which is the basis of the appeal a nullity because reasons for the judgment were given outside the 60 days allowed under Section 287 of the 1999 •Uduaghan •Okorocha Constitution as amended.

28 dead in US Storms

RESCUE effort has begun in the South and the Mid west United States after fast-moving tornadoes and severe thunderstorms tore through the regions on Friday and early Saturday morning, leaving at least 28 dead and hundreds others injured. The National Weather Service estimated that 34 million people were at risk of being affected by the wide-ranging storms, with 17 states on high alert as the first wave zeroed in on southern Indiana, northern Alabama, and parts of Kentucky and Tennessee. At least 15 were killed in Indiana alone, as the tiny town of Marysville was completely flattened by a twister. Some 250 troops were called into Indiana to bring aid to those in Maryville and the surrounding towns. At least 12 were killed in Kentucky and one in Ohio.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

News Review

one free cannibal More electoral reforms coming-INEC chairman Jega

ORE electoral reforms, including the possible introduction of electronic voting in 2015,are in the offing,according to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega. Jega, on a visit to The Nation’s corporate head office in Lagos on Wednesday, said the proposed electronic voting would depend on the appropriate legal backing and funding.The current electoral act does not recognise electronic voting. Also coming is a permanent voter register which will be embedded in electronic chips on cards. Each card will contain all information about the voter,his biometric data,fingerprint and photograph.

North protests capital votes for South South

ALL FOR OJUKWU A soldier stands guard during the funeral of the late, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, in Nnewi, on Friday, March 2, 2012.

Oni loses to Fayemi

HE Court of Appeal on Monday dismissed an application by the PDP governorship candidate in the 2007 election in Ekiti State,Mr.Segun Oni to review the October 15,2010 ruling that ousted him from office as governor. He wanted an order setting aside the ruling and the setting up of a new panel to start the case afresh. However,Justice Tijani Abdullahi said the application lacked merit. “If there is any case of bias,Oni and the PDP ought to have raised their objection against it at the trial appeal court in Ilorin,” Justice Abdullahi said.

JUDGMENT DAY

Charles Taylor gets war crimes verdict date

HE verdict in the war crimes trial of Liberia’s exPresident Charles Taylor will be delivered on 26 April, the UN-backed court trying him has said. Taylor is accused of fuelling Sierra Leone’s civil war in the 1990s by arming rebels. He denies 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is the first international trial of an African former head of state, and Mr Taylor could spend the rest of his life in prison if found guilty. His trial, at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, relates to his alleged role in the brutal civil war in Liberia’s neighbour, where he is accused of backing rebels responsible for widespread atrocities. The court hearings in The Hague included a testimony by supermodel Naomi Campbell about a gift of diamonds she had received. Mr Taylor is accused of trading in so-called “blood diamonds” to fund the rebels. If convicted, Mr Taylor would serve a prison sentence in the UK. •Taylor

HE Northern Caucus in the House of Representatives has protested the N116.5billion capital allocation to the South South and called for the immediate rectification of the ‘imbalance’. The protesters say the allocation which represents 29.65% of the total is unfair to the rest of the federation . The breakdown of the alocation is as follows: North Central–N63.9billion (16.27%), North East – N40.8billion (10.40%), North West –N56.96billion(14.50%), South East –N49.2billion (12.52%) , South South – N116.5billion (29.65%), South West –N65.5billion (16.67%) several Southern federal legislators dismissed the protest saying it lacked merit.

THE WEEK IN QUOTES “Security vote is corruption. Any governor or anybody taking security vote is stealing.” –Governor Rabio Kwankwaso of Kano State.

“There’s one instant way to sustainable peace which is if Nigerians want to sleep well in their homes from now; let them decide that crude oil should lie buried in the ground for at least six months. And let us return to our basic pre-occupations before amalgamation, before independence; back to our cocoa, groundnut and cotton culture, palm oil culture and rubber culture.” –former Vice -Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professsor Tekena Tamuno on Nigeria’s over dependence on oil revenue.

“I am the Jega that I have been before I came into INEC.I am not about to change .I have not canhed.The day I realise I can’t do this job,I will leave it.” –Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega on whether he has not derailed since his appointment.

“The government has five different figures for what they are selling on the so-called subsidy.So they are not even sure.They don’t even know the amount of petrol that comes into the country.” Former Petroleum Minister, Professor Dtam David-West on the controversial fuel subsidy.

•David-West

•Jega

TEMPORARY REPRIEVE

Court quashes Daniel’s corruption charges

N Abeokuta High Court sitting in Isabo last week quashed the 43-count charges filed against former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on grounds of its failure to obtain the court’s consent before filing the charges. Justice Olanrewaju Mabekoje, described the EFCC’s action as “a fundamental error.” The judge said that the •Daniel prosecution filed criminal charges, against Daniel contrary to Section 430 (2)of 1999 Constitution. The EFCC has, however, described the ruling as a pyrrhic victory for Daniel, saying he had not been been discharged and acquitted by the Abeokuta High Court.

•Tamuno

•Kwankwaso

OBITUARY

James Akwari Iroha alias Giringory dies at 70

OPULAR comedian,actor and producer of the television series,The Masquerade,James Akwari Iroha otherwise known as Giringory died last Tuesday,aged 70. He died in Item, Bende local Government area of Abia State following a prolonged battle with illhealth. He is the third member of the cast to die over the last few years. First to die in 2003 was Claude Eke known as Jegede Sokoya in the series followed last year by Christy Essien-Igbokwe alias Apena. Iroha lost his wife four years ago. •Iroha

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

COMMENT and ANALYSIS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Festus Eriye efestus2003@yahoo.com

Who needs another state? The 45 requests for new states pending in the Senate is another example of our divorce from reality

08052135878 (SMS only)

EPORTS that as many as 45 requests for new states have been presented to the Senate are further evidence of our penchant chasing shadows. At a time of more pressing national challenges, the National Assembly is expected to devote valuable time and resource on this expedition to nowhere. In the past, the rationale for agitation for new states was ostensibly the desire to spread development. Given the state of our states, that expectation has become little more than another pipe-dream. Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and other key managers of the economy have warned in recent times that most states are broke. Many cannot pay the new minimum wage; those who manage to pay salaries have little left to plough into infrastructural and other important investments. The reality is that without the monthly federal handouts from Abuja most states would be out for the count. They do not, and cannot, generate much from their local economies because aside government, there is nothing else going on in their states. There is no manufacturing, and agriculture is prostrate. We can argue from morning till tomorrow about whether states are getting enough from our collective purse, still no one can ignore the fact that in virtually all states of the federation there seems to be an affliction that can only be described as a paralysis of the imagination. In state after state, after paying salaries and overheads, what is left is blown on meaningless populist projects that have very little long term developmental value. We see this being replicated from place to place: buy taxis and motorcycles with the governor’s picture pasted on them and distribute same to a few dozen people with much fanfare. And as recent reports in the cases of James Ibori and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha have shown, the governor may very well decide to spirit a hefty helping to purchase choice property and other luxury items in some foreign lands. Nothing suggests that this sort of conduct is about to change soon. Obviously, there may be all sorts of political reasons for wanting to create states, but the fundamental economic questions render them irrelevant because in the end politics has to be funded. Rather than be an agent of development, the state structures as we know them today have become the means of creating terrible income inequality. Those who can get into government or political

“The performance of the existing states is the best argument for not creating any more. If anything people should be discussing consolidation – rather than further fragmentation. If this were the private sector we would be talking of mergers and takeovers”

•Mark

office, become richer by means fair and foul, and those who cannot, get poorer and poorer – especially in the largely rural states. The performance of the existing states is the best argument for not creating any more. If anything, people should be discussing consolidation – rather than further fragmentation. If this were the private sector we would be talking of mergers and takeovers. In this connection, new figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) are very revealing. The

organisation has just released its Harmonised Nigeria Living Standard Survey (HNLSS) which shows that the bulk of the population lives in abject poverty. Hardly news, you would say! The NBS’s summary indicates that in 2004, 54.4% of the population lived in relative poverty. This figure rose to 69% (112,518,507 Nigerians) in 2010. The Bureau’s zonal breakdown identifies the North-West and North-East as areas with the highest poverty rates in the country with 77.7% and 76.3% respectively in 2010. The South-West geo-political zone recorded the lowest at 59.1% - although, at almost 60%, that figure is nothing to crow about. The NBS then listed Sokoto as the state with the highest poverty rate at 86.4% and Niger as the lowest at 43.6%. Of the existing 36 states, Sokoto is one of the oldest – created 36 years ago in 1976. In its nearly four decades of existence, billions of naira have passed through its coffers. If all it has to show after such a long time is to bring up the rear in the poverty stakes, then there is something fraudulent in the assumption that once you designate an expanse of land a state, development would magically manifest. All that new states will produce is another batch of parasitic “big men” attaching themselves to the federal allocation to their states in order to fund their obscene lifestyles and massage their egos. New states will make absolutely no difference to the lives of ordinary people whose present relationship with government is distant and almost nonexistent.

Boko bonfire

ALMOST titled this sub-piece ‘The Fire Next Time.’ The terrorist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, has tried everything under the sun to get Nigerians to understand why they are fighting. They have bombed the Nigeria Police headquarters, blown up sections of the United Nations building in Abuja, and supervised a massacre in Kano, and still no one has been kind enough to give them an award. Now they have upped the ante by setting fire to at least seven schools around the Maiduguri metropolis. This new phase in the sect’s struggle for a Sharia Eldorado should surprise no one given that their name is translated “Western education is sin.” I have always been, and will remain, a strong critic of this extremist group. But on occasion I have tried to find some redeeming feature in them. I have listened to all the rationalizations and attempts to excuse their mindless violence and serial murders on grounds of injustice and extreme deprivation. What I still cannot fathom is how shooting everyone in sight and blowing up innocent passers-by to smithereens can produce a just society under any religious platform. I cannot understand how setting fire to schools betters the lot of a people over whom the Boko Haram leaders expect one day to rule as overlords. Every new atrocity by this sect just shows how little those who advocate a dialogue between them and the Federal Government understand about this band of thugs. Rather than trying to railroad Abuja into some sort of blood-facilitated negotiations, let the likes of Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State and Alhaji Ali Monguno of the Borno Elders and Leaders of Thought (BELT) first explain to

contrarians how it is possible to talk to elements who can descend so low as to burn the roof over the heads of children. Can’t these leaders understand that rather than try to make Boko Haram look respectable, they should actually be denouncing them strongly because of the farreaching damage they are doing not only in Borno – but across the North East. They have devastated the local economy; put non-indigenes to flight. In this latest phase of their scorched earth policy they are attacking the minds of the people by scaring them away from school. That can only deepen the scourge of poverty ravaging the North. The African-American United Negro College Fund has a famous slogan that says: “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” Boko Haram, by making a bonfire of the schools has exposed itself again as having only one agenda: mindless destruction. They deserve to be ostracised and defeated, not embraced by reasonable people.

•Shettima

Lekan Otufodunrin lotufodunrin@yahoo.com 08050498530 (SMS only)

Somebody shout 70 Hallelujah

WISH to add my voice to the numerous congratulatory messages for the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye who clocked 70 last Friday. Attaining 70 in a country where life expectancy is less than 50, is worth celebrating especially when the person has accomplished a lot. Pastor Adeboye has cause to celebrate though his simple lifestyle will not allow him to roll out the drums like many who have not achieved much would have opted to. The revered clergy’s life is a lesson in humility and how to be an obedient servant of God. Not for him the flamboyant lifestyle like some others despite the tremendous growth RCCG has attained under his leadership. It is a credit of the academic-turned Pastor that RCCG has become an international church with branches worldwide ministering to not only the spiritual but physical needs of its members and nonmembers. His nomination as one of the world’s Top Global Elites in 2008 by the United States-based international newsmagazine, Newsweek among others, was indeed a confirmation of how well he has succeeded in fulfilling the ministry God has called him into. Ahead of this landmark birthday, various individuals and groups have been planning how to have a grand celebration for Daddy G.O as he is fondly called, but he would not have any of such. He was reported to have said that the cost of advertisements and gifts should be converted to cash and donated to funding of the Redeemers University which is very dear to his heart. That is vintage Pastor Adeboye. He prefers to stick to the title of Pastor, while some younger minsters have ordained themselves Bishops and Archbishops. If only many other Church leaders can emulate Pastor Adeboye, there would probably be less of the atrocities by supposed men of God we keep reading about. I always have the opportunity of listening to Pastor Adeboye preach from the altar once in a year when he comes to our Church in Otta, Ogun State. He doesn’t leave anyone in doubt about the need to live a holy life. He doesn’t try to get anyone excited. He delivers his message in measured tone and by the time he is through, the response to the altar call is usually unprecedented. For those who may not know, Adeboye’s story is a typical grass to grace one. I remember him once saying that while growing up, his family was so poor that poor people called them poor. He could hardly afford a shoe until he got to secondary school. That he is being celebrated today for his numerous accomplishments is a reward for his willingness to allow God to use him when he could have refused to heed the call to ministry. Our prayer is that Pastor Adeboye will live for many more years and not only take RCCG to greater heights, but continue to play the leadership role expected of him in Nigeria and worldwide. Pastor Adeboye never starts his sermon without saying “Let somebody shout Hallelujah”. Join me in shouting 70 Hallelujah in honour of this distinguished servant of the Lord.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Comment & Analysis

Thoughts upon Ojukwu’s departure Ogochukwu Ikeje ohgeeoh@gmail.com 08084235961 (SMS only)

IS greatness has become even more apparent in death than in life. Like every historic figure, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu was a subject of intense curiosity and study during his lifetime. As he passed, sundry analyses and perspectives once kept closely to the chest have been shared with the public. A great man, he is mourned by great people. A much-travelled man, people have come in from beyond the national borders to pay their last respects. He was a man of great learning, and people of great learning have hailed one of their own. He was a man of courage, and people have found courage to give him his due. Even those who hated him have stepped forward and shown that beneath what people saw as animosity lay profound admiration. Ojukwu was a leader, and even those struggling with leadership claims have seized upon his passing to dust up their profile and quest. Ojukwu is leaving in a blaze of glory. In Zungeru where he was born, now in Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger State, he has attracted a formidable crowd of protégés and mourners. In that historic town, once the colonialists’ capital of Northern Nigeria Province, politi-

A great man exits a much-challenged country cal leaders have paid tribute to the Ikemba. In Lagos where he schooled and once taught a jaundiced white teacher how not to dehumanise a black woman, Ojukwu made a greater statement in death than he did in life. The mega-state literally stood still for him. The traffic snarl was telling and almost unprecedented. Great men and women who would otherwise have had a thousand reasons to be elsewhere gathered in one place to praise and honour him. In the Southeast where he was buried on Friday, there had been no greater activity in recent memory. All of that should give every Nigerian something to think about. From his ancestral Nnewi where he was interred to his first world of Zungeru, and from Lagos, the city of his grooming, to Enugu where he reigned, the question should be: what sort of country did Ojukwu leave behind? Is the region he governed and defended now united, coherent and progressive or

is it in disarray, cacophonous and vulnerable at his death? Is the country any more cohesive and inclusive as Ojukwu departs than it was when he led his people in that bitter and memorable three-year war? In the Southeast, commerce has displaced learning. When Ndigbo pursue academics, they often and generally do well, even distinguishing themselves. But sadly, buying and selling seems to be getting the better of Igbo children. Individual survival is natural, primary and imperative, but it has eclipsed the collective wellbeing. The Igbo society has since become that of pockets of well-off and powerful individuals, rather than that of enduring popular leadership. It counts against this otherwise infinitely blessed ethnic nationality. Ojukwu’s education helped to shape him into the great man that he became, and not merely the wealth of his father. Sir Louis, that is, Ojukwu’s father, was

“From his ancestral Nnewi where he was interred to his first world of Zungeru, and from Lagos, the city of his grooming, to Enugu where he reigned, the question should be: what sort of country did Ojukwu leave behind? Is the region he governed and defended now united, coherent and progressive or is it in disarray, cacophonous and vulnerable at his death?”

a thriving transporter in pre-colonial Zungeru. I imagine that the town was friendly and gave him enough space to live out his business dreams. Today, the North, of which Niger State is a part, has become a stomping ground of Boko Haram bombers. Igbo settlers are getting increasingly unsettled by violence. Many have relocated homewards. In death, the Ikemba is described as a man of love, who cared so much about the unity of the country that he led a rebellion. It is almost an oxymoron but you can see the truth in it. Today, how much love, how much passion for unity do we see in our leaders? I mean passion that lives in the heart and not in press statements. In death, Ojukwu is hailed for his passion for justice and equity. How much of such passion is left beneath the left breasts of our leaders today? Former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon with whom Ojukwu was locked in a nasty war for three years, said his erstwhile foe would be remembered for his courage and unwavering will to fight injustice. Lots of other folks have also said this about the departed man. But if Ojukwu’s courage and champion stuff fired everybody up so much, why did the war go on anyway? And why is there not much effort to stamp out injustice in the land? Why are great things not said about great people until they die? If half of the people mourning Ojukwu so enthusiastically united to fight injustice in Nigeria and put things right, surely the country would be much better than it is. These things are worth chewing on as the great man departs.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Comment & Analysis

To bake or to rake? The North-South tiff over revenue sharing shows the fundamental flaw in Nigeria’s tottering federalism

HE raging North-South controversy over the fairness or otherwise of capital votes in Budget 2012 could not have been more topical. But the bickering is only a symptom of Nigeria’s chronic federalism disease: how to push resources to best develop all parts of the country. The present system is based on raking as much readymade cake as each part of the country can corner, using licit or illicit means, from the so-called Federation Account. From the atrophy all round, it is clear the extant system is hurting everyone. But the question of fairness and equity, even under a moribund system, is legitimate. If the present system is hurting everyone, it logically follows that an alternative paradigm be tried to stem the rot. That alternative is creating wealth rather than sharing it, as a basis for Nigeria’s federalism. That has found strong advocacy in the South West and its push for integration through regional federalism; and in the clamour for a national confab to forge a new federal structure. The present bickering over capital pork must be put in context. The Nation, in concert with a private consultancy firm, held a three-day 1stLegislative Summit on Regional Integration, in Ibadan, Oyo State, to discuss the legislative nitty-gritty for implementing a regional collaboration agenda among South West states and Edo, as a developmental strategy, under a proposed restructuring to get Nigeria’s federalism working again. That set an agenda, to which perhaps other parts of the country, not so sold on the integration idea, are reacting. The North would appear diametrically opposed to restructuring, pushing instead “fairness and equity” under the present sharing system. Niger State Governor, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, called for the amendment of laws governing Nigeria’s continental shelf. That clearly is to slash the 13 per cent derivation accruing to Nigeria’s oil-bearing states of the Niger Delta, on the pretext that offshore oil wells belong to all Nigerians, and their proceeds should go to a common pool to be shared. He then claimed the mass poverty in the North resulted from too little quantum from the federal purse. This line only amplified Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

“I

THINK as I came in, I saw this SURE book being distributed; we are withdrawing it; this is the old one. We developed this with the expectation that we are going to completely deregulate the downstream sector of the oil industry. “ President Goodluck Jonathan. This is how the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE) died before its birth. The struggle over the fuel price hike has entered its second phase with the still-birth of SURE. We need to answer some frequently asked questions from the last phase of this struggle if we are to win this fight. We will answer the questions as they arise allowing them to follow the dictates of their own logic. Why did the FGN impose the fuel price increase on January 1, 2012? The IMF handbook on fuel subsidy removal (IMF Working Paper 07/71, Washington: International Monetary Fund) explains when to impose a fuel price increase. It states: “Raising petroleum prices tends to be politically costly, with a number of countries suffering civil disorder, protests, and strikes in recent months….Abrupt large price increases may not be feasible, or desirable. A gradual, predetermined, approach to phasing out subsidies could allow time to build up political support, design the new system and protective measures, and

Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s theory. In an interview with the London Financial Times, Sanusi claimed that the North was wilting and was home to Boko Haram menace because it had too little nourishment from the federal manna, in comparison to derivation-enjoying states. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has since weighed in on the argument of “fairness and equity” on the present sharing system, having earlier dismissed the call for a sovereign national conference, saying that the ingredients of good governance in Nigeria are ingrained in the controversial 1999 Constitution. It then appears the North’s dominant political elite would rather defend the present failing system, than give an alternative template a look-in. An applied segment of the Northern campaign of “fair and equitable sharing,” it would appear, is the grouse of its House of Representatives caucus over capital projects in the 2012 budget, which it claims were skewed in favour of the South-South, where President Goodluck Jonathan comes from. A percentage analysis of capital allocation in the budget shows South-South: 29.52%, South-East: 12.52%, South-West: 16.67%, North-Central: 16.27%, NorthEast: 10.40% and North-West: 14.50%. Figuratively, the insinuation is clear: the South-South, with almost double the capital vote of the other geo-political zones, has got things skewed in its favour because its son is president! That could well be, except there are extenuating circumstances that mere display of figures cannot paint. If a road project is on sand and other shifty soil texture, it logi-

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye •Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile •Associate Editors Taiwo Ogundipe Sam Egburonu

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi

cally follows that it would cost much more to develop. But of course, in the political ardour of revenue sharing, such logical reasoning becomes an angry bore. But even if the capital projects were brazenly skewed – and that is not impossible, that was what the North, at the height of its political power, did without blinking an eye. Indeed, the North, at the height of its hegemony, rigged in its own favour, not only budgetary votes but also creation of states and local governments, just to maintain an advantage, which by the way, still stands. It is absolutely indefensible: the South-South is guilty as charged; and should be condemned by all. But it is grim irony that an unjust system would come back to plague everybody, including those that only, virtually the last second, seemed to profit from it all. That is the most convincing argument against the centralised sharing with little regional productivity or initiative that the present Northern dominant elite seem very keen at reforming. But there is no reforming poison. So long as it is poison, it is sure to kill. The northern offensive has got the worst emotional response as could be imagined from the South-South. The elite of the area have risen up to defend their honour – but not on clinical rebuttal of the charge by giving justifiable facts and figures. Rather, theirs have been a sabre-rattling response which scornfully dismisses the northern lobby as parasitic, teeming with an annoying sense of entitlement. But passion seldom solves any problem. Whereas the South-West has been pushing restructuring and regional integration, the “North” seems stuck to the present centrist system, though the three geo-political zones in the regions have not taken any specific zonal stand. The SouthSouth too appears committed to restructuring and “resource control”, even if you could sense some smugness from its end. For the South-East, there is no particular stand in the raging controversy. It is time therefore for all the geo-political zones to take specific positions on whether to bake or to continue to rake the much abused “national cake”. That is why a national confab looms large. If this bickering gets out of hand, all would be a common loser.

LETTERS

Still on fuel price increase get the public used to the idea of petrol prices changing frequently…..The post-election period often offers a useful window for governments to push through tough policy measures.”. The federal government’s plan was to impose the fuel price increase in May 2011 immediately after the 2011 election in accordance with the IMF strategy. Therefore, it only budgeted for subsidy payments until April 2011. Unfortunately for President Goodluck Jonathan, the election was inconclusive with post-election riots and vio-

lence. Furthermore, General Buhari (rtd) took his case to court. This put the fuel price increase on hold while the Supreme Court was dealing with the case. The Supreme Court verdict on the 2011 elections on December 28, 2011 triggered the immediate execution of the IMF sponsored fuel price increase plan. The price increase was announced on January 1, 2012. Nobody in government anticipated the public would view it as a poor inhuman New Year gift from the presidency. Will the government in-

crease fuel prices again? Yes. It would not have agreed to reduce petrol prices from N140/litre to N97/litre without an agreement to raise it to N140/litre or the prevailing international market price on a fixed date in the near future. The new price is now N165/litre as of February 2012. The PPPRA calls it the Expected Open Market Price (OMP). The next increase will occur without any warning or debate. It will be ambush politics. The PPPRA will make a sudden announcement and we will wake up the next day with soldiers in our streets. If we

Thanks to Nigerian Railways

SEIZE this opportunity to congratulate the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for the skeletal services it has started in some parts of the country. Despite the fact that some cabal in haulage business in some parts of the country, have drawn the hand of the clock back for many years, efforts are being intensified to put the

railways back on the tracks. Several millions of dollars have gone down the drains in the effort to resuscitate the Nigerian railways through bogus contracts awarded to Indian and Chinese firms. Now that the Nigerian railway is about to be born again, I feel what is worth doing is worth doing well. It is mandatory for the

corporation to install barriers at all the rail crossings all over the country to avoid avoidable accidents. It will also create employment for millions of jobless citizens. We should not wait till accident occurs before the right thing is done. a stitch in time saves nine. By Israel Oyegbile, Sabo Tasha, Kaduna.

want to know the exact date this will happen, we should ask David Mark and the few labour leaders he was negotiating with. They know. How much petrol did Nigerians consume in 2011? Thirty two million litres per day! The 2010 OPEC annual statistical bulletin reports 24.84 million litres per day consumed in 2006, 22.64 million litres per day in 2007, 25.92 million litres per day in 2008, 26.71 million litres per day in 2009 and 29.81 million litres per day in 2010. These are hard NNPC figures published internationally before the controversy and struggle over fuel subsidy began. All those figures of 59 million litres per day that you hear about nowadays are the paper works that the cabal used to justify the looting. Even SURE was based on 25.44 million litres per day at $90 per barrel (N140/litre) for 2012. How much was the fuel subsidy bill in 2011? The different arms of government could not agree on a figure because it depends on what you decided the NNPC should pay per barrel for the 445,000 barrels of domestic allocation. The N245 billion of the appropriation bill, NNPC’s N1.3trillion, PPPRA’s N1.5 trillion or CBN’s N1.73 trillion are

just book transfers calculations based on the assumption that the NNPC should pay fluctuating international export prices for its domestic oil allocation. Actually, there was no subsidy (Zero naira) based on the premise that NNPC should pay production cost for domestic allocation. Why did the Governors support the fuel price hike? They were bought over. The IMF fuel subsidy removal handbook says: “In Nigeria, for example, the domestic pricing scheme entails an implicit subsidy, and the government is considering incorporating estimates of the subsidy in its budget reports. Given that half of the implicit subsidy is effectively paid by the states, more transparent reporting of the subsidy could result in the state and local governments pushing for higher revenue transfers rather than across-theboard subsidies” The SURE programme explained how the monies will be divided. “The total projected subsidy savings per annum is N1.3 trillion, out of which N633 billion accrues to Federal Government, N349 billion to State Governments, N269 billion to Local Governments and N49 billion to Special Transfers to the Judiciary and the National Assembly in compliance with the Appropriation Act.” Izielen Agbon, Dallas, Texas USA.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Comment & Analysis

Petroleum and restructuring of the polity Ropo Sekoni ropo.sekoni @thenationonlineng.net

ECENT announcements since the removal of oil subsidy by various regional blocks have put the issue of restructuring of Nigeria back on the front burner, after several years in which the issue had almost become a concern of crying babies from Southwest’s autonomists and MASSOB’s Southeast. The new stridency in the voice of the Southsouth and the old North (Northeast, Northwest, and Northcentral) for national conference or restructuring throws new light on what has been taken to be the hidden cause for calls for true federalism by most sections of the polity. This column said a few weeks back that the strike over the removal of oil subsidy brought into the open the hidden recesses of Nigerian nationhood. The disclosure a few days ago by the summit of northern leaders regarding the cause of underdevelopment in the North vis-à-vis other re-

Femi Orebe femi.orebe @thenationonlineng.net 08056504626 (sms only)

HERE is Hon. Justice Marcel Awokulehin now? In his fishing expedition of a judgment in the EFCC Vs IBORI case at the Asaba High Court on Thursday, 17 December, 2009, the Hon Justice Marcel I Awokulehin found as follows: “I want to say by way of recapitulation that it is an elementary but most vital requirement of our adjectival law that before the prosecution takes the decision to prosecute, which is a fore runner or precursor to the charge decision, it must have at its disposal all the evidence to support the charge”. The above quotations speak for themselves and the applicability of same to the instant case. Therefore, based strictly on the evidence before this Court, I hold that the application to quash dated and filed on 28/7/09 has merit and succeeds. Accordingly, the Further Amended Charges dated and filed on 3/3/08 be and are hereby quashed and the accused persons are hereby discharged. That was how Ibori, who a London court described this past week as a ‘thief in state house’, got manipulated out of a staggering EFCC’s 170 counts holding that ‘the prosecution failed to make out a prima facie case against any of the accused persons. But God was at work. Had the closest politician to then President Yar’ Adua been allowed to have his comeuppance he might jolly well had been handed a phony plea bargain to enable him get away with a slap on the wrist. But that is only one of the many ways the PDP has bought the Nigerian judiciary under extreme pressure and had, in fact, almost buried it un-

The call for restructuring is not just about revenue allocation from the federal government to mini states gions reinforces the popular belief that Nigeria is a state that is sutured largely by the existence of petroleum. The claim by northern leaders at the recent summit that revenue allocation is an issue for discussion at a national conference may shift attention away from the democratic deficit created by concentration of power and resources at the center at the expense of the states. Yet it raises a fundamental problem about an issue that has defined the tension in the country long before the onset of Boko Haram. The speedy rejection by Southsouth leaders of the call by their northern counterparts for allocation of more funds to northern states only demonstrates the centrality of oil to the nation’s tension. Whether tenure-conscious federal legislators and President Jonathan who have been quick to dismiss the belief by many in the inevitability of national conference like it or not, the chicken appears to have come home to roost: the region that has been most disdainful of calls for SNC or new constitution has joined the ranks of those that want Nigerians to dialogue about how to make their country functional

and modern. Of course, the allocation of funds from petroleum has shaped the destiny of the country since the civil war. Under the guise of ideology of even development, military dictators changed the direction of the country’s development. They first moved from the model of reserving 50% of revenue to states from which they are derived. They later created mini states from the four regions they inherited from the Tafawa Balewa government. Successions of military dictators created new constitutions that pushed more powers and resources to the central government. They initiated the policy of three-tiered government and used this to create in the course of thirty years 774 local governments. In 1999, military rulers created a constitution that gave 52% of national resources to the central government and distributed the rest among 36 states, one special federal territory, and 774 local governments without giving any consideration to communities whose native environments are destroyed by the exploration and exploitation of petroleum, the goose that lays the country’s golden egg. When it became clear after the end of military rule in

1999 that the oil-producing communities were not likely to allow free flow of oil from the bowels of their communities to Europe, the United States, and the Orient, a decision was made to give 13% of funds from petroleum and gas to states that house such resources and whose communities exploitation of these resources damages by the day. The recent worry by northern leaders that the funds that come to their states in relation to what goes to Niger Delta states needs to be an issue for review at a national conference is as important as the concern of Niger Delta leaders that the North is crying wolf where there is none. However, this issue must not be allowed to take attention away from the structure of the polity, particularly the erosion of federalism during the tenure of military dictators and the civilian successors made possible by the constitution foisted on the polity by military rulers. The call for restructuring is not just about revenue allocation from the federal government to mini states that may not be viable and are likely to increase, if the National Assembly has its way on creation of new states. There is much more at stake at a

national conference than who gets what from resources from petroleum and gas exploitation: creating a constitution that gives regions and communities the freedom and power to develop at their own pace. No state or section of the country is likely to achieve modernization and sustainable development from funds allocated to it by the federal government that relies largely on selling petroleum to other countries and feeds and clothes its citizens from imports from other lands. Sovereign National Conference is about creating a new constitution that allows federating units to generate funds to sustain their development and without feeling dominated by any section of the country that happens to be the place of birth of managers of bloated federal power. Calls for restructuring the polity are to prevent the country from the artificial character that military rulers had given it since 1966 and which current civilian rulers are afraid to review and re-invent. States and regions that are not oil-producing and do not want to be parasites on oil producing states should ensure that the discourse on restructuring is not turned into a shouting match between competitors for sharing petroleum funds.

Nigerian Judiciary needs deliverance from PDP stranglehold! A whole book deserves to be written on how far the PDP has pauperised the judiciary and how that legitimate arm of government has, in turn, permitted itself to be so treated der its well known ‘family affairs’ doctrine. The most audacious, however, is how it had pressured the courts to manipulate election matters. So horrible, and all pervading is it that the Supreme Court itself now routinely runs away from giving consequential orders arising from its decisions especially where such consequential orders are likely to hurt the PDP. A particularly distressing case is what is currently playing out in Benue between the A C N gubernatorial candidate Prof Torkuma Ugbah and the incumbent, governor Suswan . Initial technicalities associated with the mode of application for pre-trial had led the Benue State Elections Tribunal to abort Professor Ugbah’s case upon which he proceeded to the Supreme Court which on 14 December, at its full session of 7 members decided that the case be started de novo. But because in that decision the court did not make a pronouncement on how the 180 maximum days permitted by the constitution to complete election matters will affect a case that on its orders will start afresh, being well aware of that provision, the state Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal, on Tuesday, 28 February terminated the case for lack of jurisdiction whereupon the A C N candidate has again indicated he would head back to the apex court. Nor is that all the court has done in an obvious pandering to the ruling party. In the now very popular, if not notorious –given PDP’s totally asinine manipulations in Kogi state – case of the five governors whose tenure it recently truncated, the Supreme

Court had once again kept mum on consequential orders. But sensing the lacuna, the Attorney- General and Minister for Justice, very uncharacteristically, moved pro-actively to correct the mistake of the apex court by instructing, lest confusion takes over those states, that the Speaker of the respective House of Assembly should take over as directed by the Supreme Court without exempting Kogi state where, a now anomalous gubernatorial election has recently taken place with Captain Wada of the PDP pronounced the winner. Ever the criminally minded party, the PDP proceeded to swear in Wada just as the Speaker was sworn in by the state Chief Judge who, acting on the directives of the Attorney-General, had earlier refused to swear in Captain Wada. But from nowhere, the state’s former governor Idris, whose illegally extended tenure had just been terminated, and now nothing more than a private citizen, allegedly directed the Kogi state Chief Judge of the Sharia Court to swear in Wada. The courageous and Law respecting Speaker who was now the legally installed state Acting Governor would be muzzled out allegedly on the orders of the Vice –President , acting on behalf of the PDP rather than on behalf of the country and the rule of Law, a position which, in a most bizarre manner, a thoroughly complicit INEC concurred. Happily, much litigation has arisen to enable the courts, hopefully, serve justice. A whole book deserves to be written on how far the PDP has pauperised the judiciary and how that legitimate arm of government has, in turn, permitted itself to be so

treated. The author will obviously have a rich reservoir of literature on how timidity, insufficient learning, corruption, federal character and a rampaging PDP have combined to humble the Nigerian judiciary. It must be mentioned in extenuation, however, that under the short term of the current Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Hon. Justice Musdapher, a lot is being done to cure the judiciary of its sundry ills. Like Justice Belgore before him, even though also on a short term, Justice Musdapher seems set to leave his name in gold. This article will be grossly incomplete without a comment on the recent case instituted by Engr Segun Oni before the Appeal Court sitting at Ado-Ekiti asking the honourable court for a review of the judgment that ousted him from office and pronounced Dr Kayode Fayemi as the validly elected candidate in the 2007 gubernatorial elections in the state. Two questions have been repeatedly asked with regard to the case, namely: should Engr Oni have instituted this case and should the Acting President of the Court of Appeal have obliged him by setting up a panel to hear the case? I answer both questions in the affirmative. The litigant has every right in the land to seek remediation of a perceived wrong and by virtue of the provisions of section 6(6) and 36 of the 1999 constitution, every suit/appeals properly initiated in our courts must be heard and determined by the court concerned. The Acting President acted constitutionally, therefore, to allow the case run its course. That way, justice is served and we thereby re-affirm, that ours is a country under the rule of

law even though the PDP serially makes you wonder if this is truly the case in Nigeria. For me, however, the question really is: should Engr Oni have instituted that case? I think not. I assume here that one of the things that must have weighed heavily on him is the raging controversy over whether he was ever constitutionally a governor of Ekiti state going by the decision of the Court of Appeal and as recently re-affirmed by the recent case, that Dr Kayode Fayemi won the April 2007 gubernatorial election as well as the re-run election. If Engr Oni was concerned mostly by the verdict of history, not so many others who believe he was being used by forces more powerful than him. It has been suggested that the motivation for the case, which he has indicated would go to the Supreme Court, is an overriding intent to frustrate the recall of Justice Salami who the PDP holds as their nemesis and the reason for their loss of relevance in the South-West. Only Engr Oni can conclusively affirm or disprove this conjecture. In summary, as I watched former Supreme Court Justice Kayode Esho alongside the likes of Justices Ayoola, and Olayiwola, Profs Ayo Ajomo and Epiphany Azinge (SAN) at a recent memorial seminar in honour of the inimitable Late Justice Akinola Aguda, by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, at which event I was present, and with reminiscences of the good old days of the likes of Justice Elias and his departed brother judges, all I could do was say a silent prayer that the good Lord will deliver the Nigerian judiciary from the claws of a rampaging PDP.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Comment & Analysis

You be thief? I no be thief! Oh, yes, I be thief! Tunji

Adegboyega tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

ET no one celebrate or dismiss what is happening to James Onanefe Ibori in far away London as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ‘affair’. The Ibori case has little to do with partisan politics; it is a national tragedy over which Nigeria should bury its head in shame. Indeed, prosecutor Shasah Wass’s statement to the effect that “He was never the legitimate governor and there was effectively a thief in government house. As the pretender of that public office, he was able to plunder Delta State’s wealth and hand out patronage”, is particularly humiliating, but it is a can we as Nigerians must carry for glossing over things we should have taken seriously. No doubt the PDP should feel ashamed that its governors are the ones so far arrested abroad for corruption. But it would seem shame was out of stock when God was creating most of the people in leadership positions in that party because it doesn’t look a bit perturbed by these. It started with the former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State who was arrested in January 2004 at a hotel in London, in connection with money laundering offences. About £93,000 cash was recovered from his hotel rooms, which he had to forfeit to the state government. The celebrated case of the former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye

Postscript, Unlimited! By

Oyinkan Medubi 08187172799 (SMS only) puchuckles7@gmail.com ODAY, dear reader, we are veering off the difficult and too-hot-tohandle topic of Nigerian politics because it is getting too dangerous for my health. Instead, we are going to wade in the jazzy world of music where the strings are vibrating vigorously and the drums are throbbing off wildly in all kinds of beats, known and unknown. If you are anything like me, and I bet most unreasonable people are, music does not leave you indifferent. The moment the throbbing beats of a song you recognise begin, you are lost. First, your heart rate begins to throb along in sympathetic skips that would have had your doctor worried if he knew you were doing something as dangerous as listening to music. Then, your feet seize their own independence from you, and of their own accord, begin to move left and right in complete disregard of your wishes. Then, reader, your fingers threaten to join your feet in that universal declaration of independence. They start to snap in regular rhythm to the throbbing beats. And, most treacherous of all, your entire body gets up and begins to gyrate like a zebra panting desperately for the nearest water-

Ibori, former ‘briefcase’ governor and ‘Sheikh’ of Delta admits to monumental fraud in London Alamieyeseigha, is also still fresh in mind. The former governor was detained in London on charges of money laundering in September 2005. At the time of his arrest, Metropolitan police found about £1mworth of cash in his London home. Later they found a total of £1.8m ($3.2m) in cash and bank accounts. He was found to own real estate in London worth an alleged £10 million. He jumped bail in December 2005 from the United Kingdom by allegedly disguising himself as a woman, though Alamieyeseigha denies this claim. But on July 26, 2007, he pleaded guilty before a Nigerian court, to six charges, and was sentenced to two years in prison on each charge; however, because the sentences were set to run concurrently and the time was counted from the point of his arrest nearly two years before the sentences, his actual sentence was relatively short. Many of his assets were also ordered to be forfeited to the Bayelsa State government. Alamieyeseigha later said he only pleaded guilty due to his age and that he would have fought the charges had he been younger! On July 27, just hours after being taken to prison, he was released due to time already served. But the point has been made.

An ex-convict, and one committed to prison for corruption for that matter, remains an ex-convict. The only difference is when the person is a political prisoner or a prisoner of conscience. And now, Ibori, or is it James Onanefe Ibori, also a PDP former governor and elder, who arrived London a penniless teenager a few decades back but suddenly became stupendously rich after becoming governor. Ibori’s case took a dramatic turn on February 27 when he pleaded guilty in a British court on Monday to siphoning off $250 million of Nigerian state funds which he spent on luxury houses, cars and a private jet, police said. He had earlier said he was not guilty. Ibori, whose earning as governor was less than $25,000 a year had portfolio that included a £2.2 million house in the upmarket London district of Hampstead and a £3.2 million mansion in Johannesburg’s wealthy Sandton district in South Africa. He also reportedly owned a $20 million jet and a fleet of armoured Range Rovers and spent money on fees for exclusive British boarding schools and expensive hotels. He was first arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2007, after losing immu-

“We should keep praying that whatever spirit is propelling these big thieves to steal so unconscionably should let them do it abroad, where they will not only be caught but will be treated like the common criminals that they are”

nity after leaving office. But two years later, a court in his home town of Asaba dismissed 170 charges of corruption against him, citing a lack of evidence. Ibori’s wife Theresa, his sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie, and his mistress Udoamaka Oniugbo, are all currently each serving five-year sentences in British prisons; a number of his associates have also been jailed. Any use asking Ibori to show us his friends? We’ve seen that indeed, birds of the same feather flock together. But Nigerians should be happy that the thieves that would have been amassing more traditional titles at home and be seen in the highest quarters with the movers and shakers of the society (if caught here) are having their comeuppance abroad. Imagine that it was the same Ibori who was freed by an Asaba high court which had tried him a few years ago, because the court said it was not sure whether he was the same James Onanefe Ibori that was once convicted? Thank God, in London, there was more than enough evidence to send him to jail. We should keep praying that whatever spirit is propelling these big thieves to steal so unconscionably should let them do it abroad, where they will not only be caught but will be treated like the common criminals that they are. In Nigeria, they are in good company once they have the money to hire senior advocates to handle their cases. That is part of the reasons why our so-called efforts to fight corruption have remained the huge joke that they are. We are yet to see a king

Let the music play on hole. Your legs take turns to throw up the feet backwards aiming them to reach the back of your neck while your arm continue now to aim for the skies, fingers still snapping madly to the beat. And your voice, hollow and grating at the best of times, would not be left out of the show but it must lend its own voice into the bedlam, so to speak. Unconsciously, you find yourself keeping in vocal step as you belt out the lines of the song, whether you know it or not, to the jarring ears of anyone unfortunate to be near you. Have I just described you, dear reader, and your reaction to music? I know; you can’t help it when the music begins to play, mostly on Friday night at the disco, in the church, on the streets, at that party especially when you were in your prime. I believe this is why many musicians were thrown out of heaven and banned down to the earth– the dins they made got too much for the almighty. They also might have contributed to Satan’s fall. Just as women agree that men are always wrong and men also agree that women are always wrong, so do young people agree that older people have no knowledge of anything and older people agree that the young people have no other role in this world except to be pests. Each group is as far from the other as it is possible for a criminal to be far from the law, which is immeasurable. This is the exact measurement between modern Nigerian youth music and my understanding. There is no bridg-

ing the gap. We Nigerians were not too alarmed when youthful pieces like ‘Lover Boy’, ‘Send down the rain’, ‘Rat race’, etc., of the eighties and nineties were crooned into our innocent ears. While we slapped our ears around a bit, we also tapped our feet in sympathy, and we tolerated them. I mean, there is just so much you can do to a singing, mosquito; you at least recognise its whine as something harmless. It is when it stops singing that it becomes dangerous and you begin to worry. Since the years two thousand and something came however, a great deal has changed and it has not been the audience. What changed was the music; well, the musicians as well. Let’s look at the music first. While the youthful beats of the eighties were not entirely for the oldies, it at least did not antagonise them. For one thing, the oldies could identify with some of the needs the crooners sang about largely because they spoke English. Who, for instance, could not appreciate having a lover in whatever guise? Who could not appreciate rain coming down to relieve the world of an inclement hot weather? Who could not appreciate the need to have a united Nigeria? Who, I ask? So, the beats might have belonged to the youths, but the needs were universally national and understood. Not so these days, however, for neither the needs nor the beats speak anything near what

the oldies can identify with, and it’s not because those ones have gone deaf. Mostly, it’s because our youths have gone and picked a language the oldies cannot even identify, let alone understand. Have you noticed that most of them belt out their messages in rap? Who, for instance, speaks rap? I mean, what African language family does it belong to? What, in the Nigerian experience, explains its ancestry around here? It is no wonder that I cannot make out head or tail of what they are saying because I not only do not speak rap, I don’t even recognise it and have to ask each time, ‘What language are they speaking?’ Occasionally, I make out some words of pidgin and even an indigenous language and I go, ‘So, pidgin now comes wrapped in rap?’ What baffles me is the fact that I cannot fit this rap into our national or even regional history and here are our youths reeling it off like they were to the manner born, as our dear Shakespeare once put it. Now, he I understand because somehow, he fits into our national consciousness. I had to learn him in the classroom. Then the message our youths send out in these pieces is clearly beyond me. Many times, I really wonder what they are saying. The young ones get it though; it’s only us oldies who are baffled. Most times, you can see the young ‘uns bending their necks sideways like cranes listening to the wind in rapt enjoyment of a piece, even mouthing along in silent agony of that enjoyment. At such times, I make myself scarce since I do not want to

who does not know corruption in Nigeria; when we see one, we need nobody to tell us because all these thieves that are being cuddled in the corridors of power will simply lie low if they are not in jail. At least we will see less of them and they won’t have the opportunity of offending our sensibility with their ill-gotten wealth. We should feel concerned as Nigerians because the arrests of otherwise influential Nigerians abroad have implications for us all as a people. How can any of us complain if we are frisked at Heathrow airport or some other airports abroad? The arrests also call to question the kind of characters we place in positions of authority as well as rubbish whatever security checks our security agencies conduct on these people before clearing them to contest elections. If proper checks had been done on Ibori, they would have known that he had falsified his age before the election. They would also have known that he had been convicted twice in London for theft and is therefore unfit for public office. Then, look at Dariye, in spite of the question mark on his integrity; he is a sitting senator today. We can only make ourselves the laughing stock of the international community the way we do some of these things. Yet, we keep blaming some of the foreign countries for keeping the illgotten wealth of prominent Nigerians in their bank vaults. The ones we know in Nigeria, we keep swelling their profile instead of shunning them and treating them like outcasts. Alamieyeseigha too is now worming his way into the heart of the Nigerian authorities. He is not just seeking relevance in Bayelsa politics; he is now in comfortable standing at least in the politics of the state.

come between a youth and his music. It could turn me into an unhappy victim like the man who shot his wife for changing the TV channel while he was engrossed in a football game. Worse still, I cannot even make out the beats they use in these pieces. I honestly have often mistaken our very own Nigerian music products for American products. When I am told they are Nigerian, I have gone incredulous. I am thrilled that our children can master a type so effortlessly and even achieve near-native (American) perfection in it; but that makes me just wish that the form could be original to Nigeria! Seriously, methinks, rather than ape Americans so perfectly, our youths should rather evolve a Nigerian form, even if imperfectly, that would not alienate us oldies all together and still manage to keep the integrity of the youths intact. The same goes for the appearance of the singers themselves. I am tired of having to ask, ‘Who are those visiting us from America?’ They are easy to recognise – short dresses, rough T-shirts, high, kneelength boots, dazed looks, and even strange accents with all the Nigerian accompaniments like ‘ai’ (for ‘hi’). Then I learn that they are Nigerian musicians, and I think, this means war! The Nigerian music industry is growing as fast as our film industry but for all the wrong reasons. They do not identify the Nigerian element in us, they do not speak to our national consciousness and they definitely do not address the Nigerian needs. Both the films and music industries collectively only deepen the country’s contradictions and problems. This just means that our youths are growing, but which way?

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Comment & Analysis

WO days gone by, March 2, 2012, to be precise, an epoch-making day… So fresh in the mind, the earth had taken its latest occupant, a giant in the sun, transmitting from being once misconstrued as a villain to now an accepted hero. In true reconciliation, the Federal Government and the Nigeria Army, provoked tears as top ranking officers bore the hearse draped in Nigeria colors of green-whitegreen, and his dark soldier jackboots neatly and resplendently strapped on the golden casket. What a spectacle to behold be it in Abuja, Owerri, Aba, Abakaliki, Enugu, Awka enroute Nnewi, the final resting place. The army colonels in show of solemnity , in slow match, shoulder to shoulder, carried for the last time the remains of the Oxford-educated historian turned soldier and man of steel, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, lying so cold in that encasement. What a pity! What a turning point for the colossus! Indeed the Nigeria Army, in which he had served as the first indigenous Quarter-Master General, following the departure of the British; Commander of 5th Battalion Kano, when Nigeria had just five battalions in the late fifties, and also a former Military Governor of old Eastern Region, one can vouchsafe that the Army had indeed paid Ojukwu his full dues in glittering military honours. As he moves over in the spirit world, the celestial plane , there is no gain-saying that those he dutifully served, stood in for in time of great need and want, when faced with the most heinous genocidal war- the heroes and heroines of the old Eastern Region in what was former Biafra Republic, would have long been waiting at the other side at attention, standing majestically with a bugle in the mouth, all clasped in the traditional combat French Commando Biafra camouflage, itching to outdo each other to mount a guard of honour. What an irony. The Nigeria Army had given a similar parade in Abuja as he was pulled out of the aircraft that brought him from London, but this time around, exBiafrans who had died in the cause of executing the three- year civil war, would naturally be eager to take charge of proceedings and welcome their general home. So how will they serenade him home? Will they hum one of the sonorous songs? Will it be via cymbals, tambourine or will the drums awaken the angels in Ibo language that there goeth our leader in the following lyrics: “General Odumegwu Ojukwu, nwoke mma ra ma another soldier so be ni ya”: “Emela Ojukwu ni ime la, imela Ojukwu ni imela, aga me soru maka ibemu kwa trigger, wore ezigbo madizon lu ogu, imela Ojukwu imela. In English: ‘General Ojukwu nice looking man, great soldier, lets follow him and thank you, thank you Ojukwu for allowing me to join the army and for me to use the trigger of my Madison rifle to go and defend my fatherland.’ Perhaps the great Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, killed during the Nsukka operations, fearless fighter Major Archibong who fought relentlessly and was killed in a bid to defend his homestead, Ikot Ekpene, handsome Colonel Chude Sokei from Onitsha, whose deaths drew wailings from Ojukwu and Biafrans, Captain Dokubo from old Rivers State now Bayelsa State, whose mother has not stopped crying over the loss of her dear first son and often sub-

•Military officers and pall bearers carry the coffin of Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu during the inter-denominational funeral rites at Michael Okpara Square in Enugu, Thursday.

OJUKW U: How would comradesin-arms welcome him? By Obinwa Nnaji

consciously accosting whoever is in sight to ask if they had seen her son. Of course, Captain Anthony Asoluka, killed by a sniper at the Owerri sector also defending his homestead… His mother then went hysterical as his remains were brought for burial and she moaned: ‘Who would buy me my lux soaps?’ The greatest of them Brigadier Tim Onwuatuegwu, fighter extraordinaire... He had survived the war but had been tricked by one of his batmen to escape through Ikom into Cameroun only to betray him to Nigerian troops stationed in that area in 1970 well after the war had stopped. He was famous for his large, bushy moustache with very broad smile exposing all his dentition – a visage that belied the ferocious general. Tim, as Ojukwu fondly called him, was the darling of troops wherever he had been the commander. It is to his eternal credit that history could record him as having fought the last battle. It was January 8, 1970. Onwuatuegwu had rushed into the Biafran School of Infantry in Orlu, the only surviving town, and ferried away officer cadet’s still undergoing training to do the last battle. It was too late. Biafra was already in the throes of death and there could be no redemption. He must have taken flight from there with

his batman who turned Judas to sell him out to the Nigeria troops. So much was the outrage over his death that the Nigerian commander in that sector ordered the summary execution of the soldier who had deliberately killed Onwuatuegwu instead of taking him in prisoner of war. Onwuatuegwu was close to Ojukwu and had been commander of ‘S’ Division that liberated Owerri amongst other dangerous sectors. He had also taken part as captain in the first military putsch of January 1966. This song, a rendition by his soldiers when he had been the commander of 15th Battalion, speaks volume of the man. The narration is by one of his soldiers, my kinsman who survived the war but got killed in cold blood in one of those senseless Kano riots in late eighties. ‘Obu gini onye nna bam ba, emala Onwuatuegwu, Iya Iho ho, Ima la Onwuatuegwu.” This is translated as: “Are you aware of whom you are challenging to a fight? Do you know the fearless Onwuatuegwu, Iya Iho ho? Do you know Onwuatuegwu?” This song was a great morale booster especially when the soldiers want to be psyched up to dig in for battle against the enemy. The man who refused to die, Brigadier Wilson Nnamalu Odo, from Ikem although survived the war but he never quite recovered from the pangs of losing. He told this writer in 1970 that it was difficult for him to forget that pain-

ful experience. He had in his usual bravery as Brigade Commander far away from Umuahia raced to the hottest zone when it was obvious the Federal troops were keen in overrunning Biafra once Umuahia fell. The only barrier was the ‘4 Corner Bridge’ that was an easy access from Mbaise- Owerri and Biafra would have ended quite on time. Brigadier Odo then as Captain at Agwu axis had bullets ripping open his stomach with intestines protruding, but he never gave up. Rather, he sought for a leaf in the bush and held it on against his intestines and crawled to safety before being ferried to hospital. The ‘Ogbunigwe’ or ‘Ojukwu Bucket’ personified, the larger than life Engineer Roy Umenyi, who survived the war but died several years ago. He had told me as editor of Daily Satellite how the Ogbunigwe mine bucket he and others had manufactured was very dear to his heart. Surely, big Roy, former Deputy Governor to Chief Jim Nwobodo, then governor of old Anambra State, must be in his elements to welcome his leader, Ojukwu, home. Of course, Ojukwu’s second-incommand, General Phillip Effiong, should be reaching out for a deserved handshake - having held the fort when the leader was in exile before handing over the historic surrender notes. Even Hajiya Laila Dogonyaro, the fiery northern woman activist, had a soft spot for Ojukwu. In 1976, while this writer worked on the

stable of the New Nigerian Newspapers in Kaduna, had invited me secretly to her Kakuri home to watch a controversial BBC video documentary then banned by the Nigeria government, which featured Gowon and Ojukwu. Nothing, however, will be more apt for the memory of Ojukwu than excerpts from Ojukwu’s memorial event held this February in Dallas, Texas, USA organized by Dr Chido Nwangwu, publisher USAfricaonline. The over 500 participants , amongst them Biafran war veterans, priests and Igbo youths and intelligentsia , chanted for minutes “Never Again”, will the Igbo and the world allow almost three million of their fellow Igbo to be killed. They chanted:” The Igbo must learn and live like the Jews did after the Holocaust inflicted by Hitler by saying ‘Never Again.” “The Igbo should learn from Ojukwu’s public service, selfless dedication and courage to stand up to the challenges of history. The Igbo must learn from Ojukwu’s resolve and sacrifices during Biafra and say ‘Never Again’. In these parting words, Dr Nwangwu describes the farewell in Aba in his latest dispatch from Texas: “I reflect a fitting tribute, historically, meaningful celebration, popular regard and deserving appreciation of the greatest Igbo, in my opinion to have ever lived - like him or hate him.” “I salute Aba (Enyimba City), the robust and fearless town I was born and bred and raised for giving the Ikemba, our Ochiagha, Gburugburu, Oka Oburu uzo, dike na ndu ma n’onwu, Mgbadike anyi, a hero’s farewell. To the Ikemba may your valiant soul rest in peace and dignity. We will and I Chido Nwangwu, will never forget to continue to tell my generation and the next about your towering courage through tempest and thunder through sorrow, pain, tears and blood.”

POLITICS THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

AHEAD PDP NATIONAL CONVENTION

Power blocs mount pressure on Jonathan

•Jonathan

•Obasanjo

•Atiku

As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commences its congresses ahead March 24, 2012 National Convention, pressure is mounting on President Goodluck Jonathan to endorse one of the selected candidates as the National Chairman of the party. It’s a desperate battle for the soul of PDP, reports Sam Egburonu.

ASUAL observers, unaware of the current power maneuverings within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the intense pressure mounted on President Goodluck Jonathan over the choice of the next National Chairman of the party, may not have read between his lips, on Monday, when he spoke against the party’s culture of imposition and on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, when he pleaded with leaders of the party to embrace principle of unity. “Let us begin to move away from the culture of imposition, because if we let our party elect officers of the party, then of course, we are sure that primaries or general elections in 2015 will also be democratic and of course the general elections will also be free and fair,” he said on Monday. He made that appeal at the emergency meeting of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC), which was inconclusive, forcing the leadership to reschedule another emergency NEC meeting for Wednesday, February 29. Notwithstanding the appeals, The Nation gathered that various power blocs took their matter to Jonathan, insisting that their candidates be endorsed as the next National Chairman. Besides PDP governors, who constituted a five-man committee, made up of Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Martins Elechi of Ebonyi, Suntai Danbaba of Taraba and Jonah Jang of Plateau, to press their quest for adoption of a consensus candidate, other powerful PDP leaders, like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku

Abubakar expressed differing views on the matter, which insiders said have put Jonathan in a very tight corner. A source said Obasanjo and other top leaders, especially, members of the party’s Board of Trustees, are of the view that a free and fair election would further divide the party, instead of unifying it. They had argued that being popular and thus capable of winning the election at the convention was not enough consideration to hand over the leadership of the National Working Committee to a member. So, they have selected three aspirants who they preferred to the others and are allegedly mounting pressure on Jonathan to anoint one of them as the consensus candidate before the convention. Although their choice of consensus candidate differs from that of the governors, they and the governors have, as our source puts it, “warned the presidency against allowing uncontrolled election of the next National Chairman and that of the National Secretary.” While the BOT members allegedly informed the president of the need to ensure emergence of a conservative and reliable National Chairman, who would not betray the president and the party’s National Caucus, we gathered that the governors are kicking against the choices, said to be mainly older aspirants, as they (governors) preferred a younger aspirant, who is yet to get Jonathan’s endorsement. But other powerful leaders, like Atiku, our source said, were more disposed to a free and fair election, so that the best candidate would emerge. Such leaders are saying that imposition, or the so-called consensus candidate,

•Amaechi

which has become a tradition in PDP National Conventions, will ruin what they described as another opportunity of uniting the members and reforming the party for the future. A source close to the out-going National Working Committee of the party, said party leaders bent on discarding imposition and embracing open ballot are increasing by the day, thereby putting the presidency on the edge as that option may threaten its hold on the party. The source said “Just like the Monday NEC meeting, which ended inconclusively, several meetings with President Jonathan between Monday night and Tuesday, witnessed heated arguments on the issue, which were not resolved.” This explained why, at the beginning of the Wednesday NEC meeting, Jonathan again, harped on the need to change old party cultures which are clearly undemocratic. “As a party,” he said, “we have to unite… Here, we disagree to agree and that makes us stronger.” A top party official confirmed that the president is worried because of what he described as unnecessary heat over the next chairmanship candidate. He alleged that Jonathan would prefer to tow the line of consensus, but is being careful not to do anything that will further divide the party, since opponents of this option have chosen to be so passionate. The point is that with the flag-off of ward and local government congresses, ahead state congresses and the national convention, unresolved disagreements within PDP and personality clashes have resurfaced and are combining to further expose the disunity threatening the party’s future successes. All eyes are currently on President Jonathan, who is believed to have the final say on how the convention would be conducted. The Nation checks show however that the president is not likely to shoot himself on the leg, though there seems •Continued on Page 21

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Politics

AHEAD PDP NATIONAL CONVENTION

Rumbles over party scribe Dare Odufowokan reports the latest intrigues of PDP leaders in the Southwest ahead the election of National Secretary

•Ladoja

•Adeniran

tion, contenders for the position of national secretary must all be from the Southwest and the contest has attracted a large clan of prominent, qualified and determined party members who are now jostling as aspirants in the race for the job of PDP’s scribe. Before now, the race was believed to be a tango among the likes of Professor Tunde Adeniran, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, Chief Tunde Daramola and Chief Wole Oke, who had been more pronounced in their activities towards cornering the position. But the contest was further widened recently with further declaration of interest in the said position by other prominent party leaders from the Southwest, including Chief Bola Olu-Ojo, Senator Bode Olowoporoku, Otunba Femi Pedro and Senator Rasheed Ladoja. The coming of Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State, who until recently was a memN March 3, 2012, the Peoples Demo- ber of the Accord Party, is believed to have cratic Party (PDP) started the proc- been facilitated by a caucus of the party in the ess that is expected to culminate in Southwest made up of party elders across the election of its national executive mem- the six states of the region. Also, the former bers. The process, which has been postponed governor represents the claim of Oyo State to twice in the past, eventually started across the position of national secretary by the virthe country with party faithful trooping out tue of being the only state in the zone to proto elect their leaders at the grassroots level. duce a senator during the last general elecThe process which started with the election. tion of officials to man the various ward chapFor Pedro, a former deputy governor of ters of the ruling party, is also expected to Lagos State, the race allegedly became attracelect delegates to PDP national convention, tive after former national deputy chairman of who are expected to elect the substantive na- the party, Chief Bode George, identified him tional officers. as the man to fly the banner of Lagos State in Already, the national offices have been the tussle for the position. According to party zoned to the various geo-political zones sources, George, who is bent on scuttling the in the country. In some cases, the zon- ambition of one or two of the aspirants, pering has even been narrowed down to suaded Pedro to join the race with the assurparticular states. This, the leadership ance of clinching the job for him. of the party will argue, is meant to If the frenzy with which the likes of Ladoja portray the readiness of the self and Pedro entered the race is placed side by styled ‘largest political party in Af- side with the determined efforts with which rica’ to ensure equity and fairness the likes of Babatope and Adedoja have been in all its affairs. pursuing their aspirations long before now, While all the available positions then the stage is clearly set for a showdown in the national executive council of the among the contestants and their supporters. party are attracting hordes of aspirants, And when one adds the various speculathe offices of the national chairman and tions that have been rife of how some power national secretary, perhaps because of players from the President to former Presihow strategic the positions are, have elic- dents and even current party leaders have ited more interest from potential occupants. endorsed a particular candidate, the immiC o n s e q u e n t upon the zoning nent rumble will appear stiffer. arrangement Of serious concern to the camps of some adopted by of the aspirants, especially those of Ladoja’s, the party, is the reported interest of former President ahead of Olusegun Obasanjo in who becomes the naits national secretary of the party from the zone. In t i o n a l the Southwest zone in particular, Obasanjo’s conven- support or otherwise for any candidate will surely carry weight. Given the unending face-offs between the former President and Ladoja, news that the Egba high chief is opposed to Ladoja’s ambition didn’t come as a surprise. Expectedly, moves are being made to counter his influence. One of such is the effort by party leaders in Oyo State to package Ladoja as the state’s candidate at the expense of others like Adedoja. But the allegation that Obasanjo is poised to foist a particular candidate on the party has been debunked by some party leaders. Even some of the candidates said it is not likely the former President has anybody in mind for the job. •Pedro “I don’t react to rumour or gossip whatever and in the meeting we held with Baba Olusegun Obasanjo in his house at Abeokuta, there was not a single mention of a chosen aspirant. So, when I saw it on the pages of news•Babatope papers, I just laughed. I k n o w t h a t a n y

serious journalist will not embark on speculative stories that are sensational and that is not fair. “We never took such a decision at the meeting we held at Chief Obasanjo’s house. It was attended by leaders of the party in the Southwest and there was never a decision that anybody has been given the mandate to be the candidate of the party. So, as far as I am concerned, the story is speculative and a mere gossip,” Babatope had said of the rumour. The plot to present Ladoja as a pan Oyo candidate on its part has generated stiff opposition from the camp of former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala. With Adedoja who is one of Akala’s allies in the race, the former governor and his people expectedly see nothing good in Ladoja’s candidacy. With the argument that Ladoja’s return to the party, barely a week ago, was still in contention, they said he should not be rewarded with a position as strategic as that of the national secretary of the same party he worked against during the last general election. “It is not possible for us to support Ladoja. In think he should go and contest for the leadership of Accord Party. Those talking about reconciliation are not sincere if they think we will be happy to see Ladoja emerge as secretary of our party after all the things he did against PDP during the election and even after,” a former state chairman of the party told The Nation during the week. And if the Ladoja camp thinks persuading Akala, Adedoja and others like that to support him is the only hurdle they have to cross on their way to Wadata Plaza, they are wrong. This is because the claim of Oyo state that the position is zoned to it is being punctured across the zone. With strong indications emerging that the current national vice chairman, Chief Tajudeen Oladipo, who hails from Osun State, will retain his seat, barring any last minute political manoeuvrings, the other states in the zone are left to struggle over the post of national secretary. This probably explains the entrance of the likes of Bolu-Ojo and Olowoporoku into the race. Ekiti State, where the duo is from, was earlier believed to have the position of national vice chairman zoned to it, alongside Osun State. But when it appeared Oladipo may have found a way of securing his job ahead of the convention, other aspirants from Osun and Ekiti joined the race to become the party’s scribe. Also, Chief Ebenezer Babatope’s ambition may have been threatened as some party leaders in other states outside Osun, are pointing at the possibility of Oladipo retaining his seat. They are arguing that one state should not get the two top party positions in the zone while others have nothing. The fact that none of the state chapters of the PDP in the zone has a seating governor is even making the competition tense. All the states are agitating that having a national NEC member around will help strengthen the party in their state. This is believed to have informed the drafting of Pedro into the race from Lagos State. Though the former deputy governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro, while indicating his interest to contest the position, had said his desire stems from a burning desire to team up with other party members to help President Goodluck Jonathan actualise his transformation agenda for the country, party sources in Lagos say there is more to his ambition than that. Thus, it may take more than the impressive credentials and commitment of an aspirant to emerge as the national secretary of the ruling party. Top on the list of factors likely to determine who wins the tussle are the influence of certain power blocs within and outside the zone, outcome of ongoing political realignments across the zone, the thinking of the presidency and such related considerations. But whichever way the pendulum eventually swings, one thing that is certain is that the outcome of the current tussle for the vacant position of national secretary of PDP will affect the state of the party in the southwest.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2011

HE long expected Bayelsa State gubernatorial election has come and gone, but the question that has been asked by many is if the crisis that hitherto infested the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state will continue? This fear is coming on the heels of concerted but fruitless efforts by the party’s hierarchy in the state to embark on reconciliation moves. Although the no-love lost situation among members of the party had been on since, even before the primary election of the party, the squabbles come to the open when the former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, boycotted the primary elections. Some other aspirants also walked out and headed to the courts. Since then, the hitherto shaky centre of the party in the state, literarily tore apart, resulting into two factions of PDP in the state, with Sylva leading the transformation team that wanted to hold on to power. The other group was led by the then PDP leadership. It supported Mr. Seriake Dickson as the candidate for the governorship election. Insiders told The Nation that the grassroots political structures in the state were still in tacit support of Sylva’s ambition as they waited for his formal acceptance into the PDP fold for the 2012 elections. They waited in vain as the courts formally recognised Dickson before the election took place. An indication that all was still not well with the party further came to the open on the day of swearing-in ceremony of the Governor-elect and his deputy as none of the National Assembly members, who are on the side of Sylva on the state’s political divide, were present. They were also conspicuously absent at the victory gathering of not only PDP members but virtually the whole Bayelsans, who graced the Peace Park to mark the beginning of a new administration in the state. The Supreme Court axe on Sylva was the final blow that crumbled the formidable structures of the former governor. The final political assault began with the crisis situation that took place at Oporoma headquarters of Southern Ijaw LGA, which witnessed the arrest and deten-

Politics

tion of the Chairman of the Council, Chief Tiwei Orunimigheh, who was not only an important pillar of former Governor Sylva, but said to be a deputy governor hopeful, if Sylva had succeeded in his second term bid. It would be recalled that at the starting point of preparations for the formal declaration of intent by Sylva at the Peace Park in Yenagoa, Orunimighe, who was also the Chairman of the State ALGON, had warned that the state would be made ungovernable if the PDP does not present Sylva as the flag-bearer of the party in the state. “If not him who,” the ALGON members had asked at that rally? To nip that threat in the bud, ‘the ALGON Chairman was taken care of’ shortly before the last election date as he was kept in the cooler, and not only released but was allegedly made to resign as the chairman of the largest LGA believed to be Sylva’s support base. Now, the Vice Chairman of the council, Chief Bonnie Ayah, who managed to stick his neck out to be part of the people that

•Sylva

graced the controversial PDP primary election that was boycotted by most of Sylva’s supporters, and later produced Dickson as the flag-bearer, was therefore seen as an enemy to Sylva and he was hunted since then by his boss, Tiwei who moved impeachment processes against him. But Ayah, also said to be a boss in his own right in the act of militancy, repelled all the moves by the chairman to remove him as the vice. The situation lingered till the day of the Restoration team’s Campaigns at Oporoma, where the long drawn battle ended not only in a bloodbath but retained Ayah as the Acting Chairman while Tiwei ended behind the bar, and finally resigned. But seeing the hand writings on the wall, and with the fall of the head, other ALGON members also joined the bandwagon of the success train of Dickson as they showed face in most of the gatherings of the restoration

•Dickson

team. Even at the INEC’s presentation of Certificate of Return to the Governor-elect in Yenagoa, they all showed up as a sign of loyalty. Even with all these, some of them were said to have retained their legs both in the boat of the restoration team of Dickson and that of the transformation team of Sylva until the Supreme Court’s verdict. To further show that the PDP crisis in the state is likely to linger, none of the National Assembly members graced the occasion that marked the birth of a new government in Bayelsa state on the day Dickson and his Deputy, Rtd Admiral John Jonah, took oath of office. Although the event witnessed the largest turnout in the history of Bayelsa State, it was not difficult to note that members of the National Assembly from the state, including Senators Emmanuel Paulker, Heineken Lokpobiri, Cleaver Ikisikpo; Warman Ogoriba, Nadu Karibo, and others of the

Power blocs mount pressure on Jonathan Continued from Page 19 to be suppressed division in Aso Rock over this matter. President Jonathan for example, who is still likely to seek re-election in 2015, insiders said, will not like to lose control, being the official National Leader. “Only a novice in the game of politics will expect Jonathan to just fold his hands over the candidacy of the next National Chairman of PDP,” one of his close associates retorted, pointing out that “he may not, being a democrat, want to impose anybody, but he knows better than keeping aloof.” This position may however be the cause of the alleged suppressed disagreement as other interested stakeholders, like Vice President Nomadi Sambo, who may want to vie for the topmost office after Jonathan, are allegedly in support of uncontrolled election at the convention.

House of Representatives were all conspicuously absent. “For them, they believed that the Supreme Court will spring a surprise for Sylva to clinch his mandate, “noted a source who craved anonymity. The source believes that as “long as Sylva continued to insist that the mandate given to him by the PDP at the first primary election was the authentic, the crisis situation in the PDP will persist,” saying “until the Supreme Court ruled otherwise.” The State House of Assembly, another major pillar base of the former governor, has also fallen into the embrace of the new administration as shown by their presence at the events that ushered in the new dawn, and the actions of the leadership, including the former Acting Governor, Binabo, who issued the first congratulatory message to the Governor-elect; and the messages from the Acting- Speaker, Fini Angaye, and other members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly had shown that they are equally ready to join the moving train and forget the past. But the belief in most political circles in the state is that with the gradual crumbling of the Sylva structures, and with the large support base from a cross section of political heavy weights in the state, the much talked-about crisis situation in the state PDP would gradually be a thing of the past. In addition, with the governor’s olive branch to all the aggrieved persons even to those who contested the PDP primary election with him, the crisis situation in the party, it is believed, may fissile out soon. Aligning himself to this school of thought is Chief Douglas Naigba, a PDP chieftain in the state. He believes that “the crisis has ended as it has sorted itself out.” Naigba noted that with the elections over, and with Dickson having been sworn-in as governor the problem would soon be over. According to him, “all that is needed now is proper consultation; it will be a thing of the past.” But he advised the new governor to come up with all inclusive government that will take everyone along. “If he sets up an all inclusive government, the crisis will be over. Crisis is part of life because without crisis you can’t govern”, noted Naigba, who believes that the ability to manage crisis situation will boost your leadership abilities. Impeccable sources disclosed that in addition to the governor ‘s call on the aggrieved to sheath their swords and join the restoration team to build a new Bayelsa, the elders’ committee of the party in the state is reportedly still making efforts to bring aggrieved groups together. How far these efforts would go in resolving the issues will still need to be seen.

Can Dickson’s olive branch douse Bayelsa fire? Before the last governorship election in Bayelsa State, Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) was thrown into a major crisis, making the states political scene very volatite. In this report, Isaac Ombe, in Yenagoa, examines the current situation after the emergence of Seriake Dickson as governor.

In a way, advocates of fair play have argued consistently that the review of the party’s constitution will reduce the intrigues and intense disagreements within the party. But the proposed review has, itself, deepened the maneuverings. It would be recalled that the Monday emergency NEC meeting was scheduled to conclude the debate on the party’s constitution. The debate over the necessary constitutional reforms had been intense since the July 28, 2011 NEC meeting approved the establishment of 21-member committee to propose amendment for the party’s constitution. Since then, various power blocs and interests have been scheming to trim the powers of their perceived rivals in order to assume more powers. For example, while federal lawmakers have been seeking means of reducing the powers of PDP governors, the governors have used various means to acquire more

powers and influence. The latest of such schemes is the proposal to include at least one governor from each of the six geo-political zones in the all powerful National Caucus. The lawmakers, armed with the revised Electoral Act 2010 are insisting that PDP governors must no longer be allowed to take advantage of the outlawed automatic delegates’ policy and some other controversial privileges which the governors had used over the years to decide what would happen in PDP. Over the years, appointed, commissioners, special advisers and other aides were used, by governors, as automatic delegates at national conventions. But Section 86 (8) of the new Electoral Act says: “A political appointee at any level shall not be a voting delegate at the convention or congress of nomination of candidates for any election, except where such a political appointee is also an officer of

a political party.” Besides this, The Nation gathered that to curtail the powers of the governors, the presidency, which sources said had not been comfortable with the large number of governors in the 84member NEC, may have sided legislators’ scheme of ensuring the inclusion of one senator from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in the all important NEC. This is designed to increase the number of NEC and thereby neutralize the influence of governors as the development will reduce their percentage. Since this scheme has already been handled by the party’s Constitution Review Committee, a source said the governors, afraid of its toll on their powers, fought hard and ensured that the report of the committee was handed over to another committee for further scrutiny. The idea was to keep it in the cooler until after the March convention.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Politics

‘We must address issue of security in Nigeria’ Rafeequat Arinola Onabamiro, a former Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Civil Service, represents Badagry Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives. In this interview with Joe Agbro Jr., she spoke on her mission in politics, the ongoing discussions on NYSC at the House and other issues. Excerpts OU’VE been a legislator for eight years now. How has the experience been? Politics is totally different from what I was doing before. Yes, you would say I’ve been dealing with people. In the bank, you deal with people, in the public sector, you deal with people. But now, you’re really dealing with different kinds of people. Now, I’m having to meet them, I’m having to live with them, deal with them, and I’m having to relate with them. I have several telephone calls, messages from them, almost on a daily basis. It’s totally different. But, it’s a challenge to me. And I knew what I was going into when I decided I was going into politics. I retired from the civil service as a permanent secretary. Like now (10:00am), what I really ought to be doing is to still be in bed or have my breakfast in bed, that kind of thing. That’s the way to go when you retire but, I figured I still have some energy that I can put into the lives of my people. I know Badagry is not like Lagos Island. It’s not like Ikorodu. It’s not even like Epe. For instance, there is no federal presence here. We don’t have companies. We don’t have anywhere that people can work. The factories we had a few years back; coconut industry and the jute bag company; all of them are not working. People don’t have work. We don’t even have individuals that we can point to, saying these are the rich people in Badagry, these are the people who can help. We are so few. And the few of us, we are trying to get across together. We want to form something like the Island Club of Lagos, the Ikorodu Club in Badagry so that the few of us that God has been good to can come together and see what we can do for Badagry. My being in politics is to see how I can be an agent of change. Was that why you recently donated buses to all the unemployed youths in Badagry, popularly known as area boys? They’re not all the area boys in Badagry but these ones have already grouped themselves together. So, I said, let me start with these ones because they already have a basis for a relationship. If those ones’ lives’ change, it would be an impetus for others. I told them (Area boys), ‘we politicians usually use you during the political era. Between the elections, there are four years, what would you do with the four years? If you have something of your own and can earn your own daily bread, that is the way to go.’ One of them even told me when I was campaigning, that he came there purposely to destroy the whole arrangement. I said why? Do you have anything against me? He said no but all the people that had come in the past had just been making promises. And for that reason, he doesn’t see why he should believe me. And he wanted to break my windshield; he wanted to destroy the place. That particular day, I had to be smuggled out of there. So, we can’t do everything and we cannot get all of them together at this stage. Let’s start with these ones and if this goes well and if the others approach me to ask for the same request, it may not be vehicles, it may be

•Onabamiro

something else, then, we’ll see what we can do. I would rather do that for people than individual projects. I’ve had a lot of requests but I try to analyse what would be the greatest benefits to the people and to the greatest number of those that are really in need because it would be a legacy and a thing of joy for me if at the end of my term, I can say that I’ve touched the lives of people, I’ve improved the lives of people, and I’ve engaged them such that they focus on the importance of being somebody. How do you want to harness natural potentials of Badagry because that’s one area the youths can readily come in? You will be surprised. That’s part of the misconception. I don’t think there’s any youth that want to go into farming. I don’t think there’s any youth that wants to go into fishing. They all see their mothers and fathers who are into this business as if ‘you’re going nowhere.’ And these boys and girls are in a hurry. We must really identify what their interests are. Like I told you, these boys told me they want buses for transportation. If they had wanted to do fishing, they would have said so. If they had wanted to do farming, they would have said so. Badagry occupies an important point on the West African trade route but it seems it has not maximised the gains of its position I think the main issue is that of the Badagry Expressway and the transport situation. In those days, we used to make Mile 2 to Badagry in about half an hour. But, now, you cannot make Mile 2 to Badagry in less than two hours. If you come to Badagry, know that you can’t do anything else on that day. It’s a day project – coming and going. There’s no way you can get back on time to do any other thing. But, thank God for the government of Babatunde Raji Fashola and his insistence that the Badagry road project goes on. Badagry expressway is a federal road but the FG has not done anything. In fact, they wanted to

discourage the work. The project has been in the pipeline since Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was governor and the implementation has been taken over by the present governor and we’re hoping that we would be able to complete it very soon. I’m sure that by the time the expressway is completed, it’s going to open up Badagry. Now, there are security concerns about sending children to different parts in the country to participate in the mandatory NYSC programme. Is the programme really relevant and if so, how can their lives be guaranteed? I was in the second set of NYSC... I’m glad you raised that point and on the floor of the House, we have some motions that we’ve been discussing relating to the issue of the NYSC. Most of us do not believe that it should be scrapped. I completely enjoyed my national service and I think it’ a very good project. Maybe, if not for NYSC, I would probably never have left Lagos. I served in a village called Yandev (in former Benue/Plateau). It was a new experience for me, going from the city of Lagos to a village where there was no electricity, no water. I saw kerosene fridge for the first time. It was what I was using. We even had an accident because we didn’t know how to operate it and my room-mate got burnt. But, it was an experience that I cherish and I think people should not miss out on that. That is the essence of NYSC. That essence, we must preserve. If there are other issues that are now coming up, let us address those issues and that is what we are trying to address on the floor of the House. We have discussed the issue that there should be adequate insurance for each NYSC member really. We’ve been talking about their allowances, we’re talking of the welfare generally of these our sons and daughters in the NYSC. But, apart from that, this issue of security is what we need to address. It’s not just NYSC alone. How about the bombings in Kano where police stations were bombed at the same time? Luckily, no NYSC member was involved but lives were lost. The issue is, we must not lose lives. Lives must be protected. Security of Nigerians must be very prime on our mind and we must ensure that we can move freely in any part of Nigeria. At 62, you look young, what’s the secret? My life has always been an easy one. I don’t really let things bother me that much. If I have an issue, I face it, resolve it, and then I move on. If I have a personal issue with anybody, I don’t let it bother me so much. I only think about it very briefly and move on. I don’t have anything on my mind that I allow to bog me down. And I pray a lot. I believe in God and I always pray that He directs all my affairs. That gives me a lot of peace of mind.

Political Politics turf

with Bolade Omonijo boladeomonijo@yahoo.com

Adieu, Ikemba Nigeria

T last, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu has gone to rest. Until the funeral rites, I did not realise that the man meant so much to so many people. Apart from Ndigbo from home and abroad who paid him respect, Nigerians of different persuasion, in and out of government, attended ceremonies organised to pay tributes to the mastermind of the Biafra secession bid. In a way, it indicated that Nigerians had put that ugly chapter in her history behind. It showed also the complexity of the departed leader. He was leader of an insurrection, but was nonetheless accepted as a Nigerian leader. Professor Wole Soyinka said as much. Despite attaining only the middle rank of Lt. Col in the Nigerian army and not dying on duty, he was accorded full military compliments. General Yakubu Gowon, his arch enemy in war time, paid tributes and sent a representative to the funeral. President Jonathan sent his deputy to deliver a written address, ex-Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings was there, as were so many others. When his death was announced, I wrote about the man and his politics. His foray into politics was not particularly successful as he never won any election, but the accolades he attracted at death showed that he was a King in the hearts of many. The important lesson now is what next for Ndigbo? It is my considered view that they have never got it right on the political scene. It is not clear if they now know in what direction to turn. One of Ojukwu’s titles was Eze Ndigbo gburugburu (or roughly translated, leader of all Igbo). No sooner was his death announced than a coterie of village chiefs who had very little knowledge of the man and what he represented gather to confer that title on Ralph Uwazuruike. In my opinion, that event was a disservice to the cause of the Igbo. Do they, the village chiefs and Uwazuruike, know anything about Ojukwu? He was a man, whose boots the MASSOB leader is not qualified to lace. In education, erudition, national acclaim, charisma and depth, Uwazuruike was not qualified to keep vigil around the corridor wherever Ojukwu was holding court. How would the likes of former Vice President Alex Ekwueme relate with Uwazuruike and the band he goes about with? Could the MASSOB leader lead a discussion in an assembly where the likes of Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Prof. Joseph Irukwu, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Admiral Allison Madueke, among so many illustrious Igbo are present? That is a joke. But, it is an indication of what has happened to Ndigbo. It is said that the Igbo are republican. However, how far and for how long would this work in the modern world? The human society is growing more complex by the day. In plural societies like Nigeria, this is even more evident. Everything is in a state of flux and nothing can be taken for granted. The strong rule. How then would the Igbo people, as important as they are to the Nigerian Project survive in discussions and negotiations? There is no doubt that Nigeria, very soon, will have to be renegotiated, who then will be the anchor man for the Igbo nation? Who will speak for the people? Who will attract the respect of the others at such a confab-U Uwazuruike? I would have loved to suggest some names here, but I am unable. The first man that would appear a natural candidate is Ekwueme. He was Vice President in the Second Republic. He is certainly a man of integrity. And a gentleman. He is deep as he has a chain of degrees, comes from a great family from Oko in the same Anambra that produced Zik and Ojukwu. He is prosperous, too. But, he lacks that charisma needed to mobilize the people towards the achievement of great ideals. It is doubtful, too, that when (not if) the going gets tough, Ekwueme would be in position to rise to the challenge. Another man whose name should ring a bell is former Governor Jim Nwobodo. He was Second Republic governor of old Anambra State. The other governor elected on the platform of Zik’s Nigerian Peoples party (NPP), Chief Sam Mbakwe, is dead. As it was when Awo died, the men in reckoning for leadership were Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Bola Ige. Ajasin succeeded. While Abraham Adesanya had to be brought in when Ajasin equally departed, Ige was deputy leader of Afenifere and deputy spokesman of the Yoruba. But, is Nwobodo available now to play the role? Where was he placed at the arena? When last was his voice heard? How many times has he spoken for the Igbo in recent years? Some would say he is first in need of rehabilitation. Ojukwu supported and gave life to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to give the Igbo a distinct political identity. The project did not really fly, but it did not fail. So what is the way forward? Are the men he left behind, more adept at fighting themselves, in position to reposition the party and place it on a pedestal of honour? Or, is APGA now destined for extinction? Where are the men that a time like this demands? Ojukwu has played his part. He departed in hail of glory. Fare thee well, champion of the Igbo cause.

SUNDAY INTERVIEW

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

•Jega

‘We acted in Kogi, others to avoid confusion’ Given his past record as an activist and president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), kindled hope that a new era of credibility was about to begin in electoral matters in Nigeria. His stewardship so far has received mixed reviews. Last Wednesday, while on a visit to The Nation, the senior editorial team took him up on sundry issues and controversies touching on INEC and the polity.

OME observers see INEC as being the same old institution in a very beautiful casket. What do think of this? Well, it is a view. But in my own view, it is a wrong view. I don’t think that we condoned any rigging or any illegality since we came in. We know our political terrain. We know that things have been so bad for so long that it will take time to clean the Augean stable. But we’ve been doing our best, and if you use very clear, rational, scientific indices, you will see that we’ve been improving almost on a day-by-day basis. Yes, elections have been rigged, but wherever they are rigged and we have the evidence, we have cancelled them ourselves. Where we don’t have the evidence, we expect that those contestants who are in the field should take the extra effort not just to win the election, but to have the evidence of rigging and so on so that they can prove their cases in court. So, our job on election day is wherever we are confronted with

evidence of rigging – and we have been very, very, consistent – every polling unit, every ward, every local government where we have evidence of rigging, we cancelled that election before the results were added. There are observers in the field and they can testify to this. What we don’t see, what we don’t have the evidence of what is not reported to us, there is nothing we can do about it. But we know that there are so many stakeholders in the electoral process. We are the umpire; we are the manager of the electoral process, but everybody has a role to play. If a contestant says an election has been rigged, and he is a contestant, he or she is supposed to have agents in every polling unit, in every ward collation centre and in every local government collation centre. If you say election has been rigged, you should have the evidence to prove that it has been rigged. Whoever has

evidence and needed our support, we have always provided that support. There is not a single person who can say he came to INEC with evidence of rigging and we have either swept it under the carpet or refused to cooperate with them. A lot has been said in the past, and if you’re aware regarding the Presidential election, a lot has been said accusing us very unfairly in my view. But we kept quiet while the litigation was going on, because if I had started talking people would say that I am already taking sides. But after the litigation, we issued on a sequential basis our interaction with the lawyers of the opposition parties – what they demanded, what we did; if we didn’t give them something, what was the reason for not giving it to them. They are all there documented and we circulated it. I am also hoping that some of your people here have also got that documentation. •Continued on Page 23

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 •Continued from Page 24 So, there have been a lot of accusations and these kinds of views which you have articulated, and to the best of my knowledge and ability, wherever we had evidence of rigging we did not condone it. We had cancelled the elections; we had requested for prosecution. Do you face challenges of prosecution? Now, it’s another matter. Yes, INEC is supposed to prosecute any cases of electoral malfeasance, but to have successful prosecution, you have to have police investigation and police report and you must have the courts also to take the cases seriously. There are cases we put in court since April that are still there in the courts. The courts are not hastening the process. There are cases where we wanted police prosecution and the police wrote back to us to say that they have no evidence of illegality taking place. I am not shifting blame, but there is a limit to what we can do if we do not have the support of all the other partners in driving prosecution. Until this INEC came in, I don’t think anyone could point to one case of prosecution of an electoral offender from 1999, even if we’re forgetting history. From 1999 to let’s say 2010, no electoral commission has prosecuted a single electoral offender. We prosecuted more than 200. Now, 200 is chicken feed if you compare it to the fact that even on voter registration alone, we had about 870,000 electoral offences. So, it’s true that we have not prosecuted as much as we should, but the demands of prosecution are overwhelming. Why do you have a few “highprofile” cases? First of all, I was misunderstood about high-profile names. I said highprofile, I admit it, but what I meant by high-profile was that we had caught ward and local government party executives. In Cross River in particular, we caught one local government executive. So, when I said high-profile, people thought I was talking about ministers or commissioners, but they were high-profile in the context of where the registration was going on. Yes, in Cross River, we arrested, we had the names, but again the prosecution problem. So, to be honest, prosecution is a major challenge for INEC. We have done our best. We’ve prosecuted 200. We have the evidence. I have circulated it at one time. It’s better than any electoral commission has done in this country. But obviously the offences were much more than we can handle. I have been privileged to be a member of the Uwais Panel. I supported the recommendation for the creation of the Electoral Offences Tribunal, and for some reason it was not one of the recommendations that was approved. Since my becoming INEC chairman, I have written two letters to the National Assembly requesting that they should go back to that recommendation and appoint the Election Offences Tribunal, because when I came to INEC, I realised how difficult it is for INEC to handle prosecution of electoral offenders. What is the situation with INEC’s legal department? We have a legal department, but it is already overworked. One, it’s too small; secondly, the assignment they have is a lot. One, they are always busy with pre-election matters, then after election they are always busy with tribunal cases, and doing all this, how are they going to prosecute 870,000 offences just on registration and about 3000 other cases on election offences generally? So, the work is overwhelming. It is not that we have not done our work, but we have not been able to do as much as should have been done. And there are technical reasons why we can’t do that. We simply don’t have the capacity to prosecute the large numbers commensurate with the offences that have been committed. So, I will be very happy if people are prosecuted as swiftly as possible. It takes more than just talking about prosecution.

Sunday Interview

‘It is difficult for INEC to prosecute offenders’ How is your partnership with the NBA on prosecuting working ? I was very, very delighted when we entered into a partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). They said they would help us prosecute the electoral offenders pro bono. But we have to bear the expenses. And paying the expenses meant much, so we had to agree on the modalities of having the lawyers. So, we said if we have cases in Kano State, then it has to be the NBA in Kano State that will give us the lawyers to help us prosecute. We started a process on that. Initially they wanted us to bring all the files from the states to Abuja and hand them to National NBA who will then hand it to the prosecutors. Again, we said that couldn’t work. So we said, tell us the lawyers who are going to prosecute in each state, then we will connect them with the Resident Electoral Commissioners who will then give them the case files so they can prosecute. Now, there were so many challenges about that. I must say and I keep saying that I commend the NBA for that initiative and we would want to see it succeed, but there are so many problems. You will find that some of the people who want to do pro bono cases for us are also busy as litigators of other contestants or candidates in the process. And you have to be careful who you allow to handle which case. So, it’s really a very difficult matter, very challenging. What do you see as the way out of prosecution quagmire? For me the easiest thing to do under the circumstances, after reflection, being on Uwais Panel and now chairman of INEC, is really to take that matter of litigation out of the hands of INEC. Let us concentrate as an election management body on managing elections, and let there be an Independent Election Offences Tribunal to handle the prosecution of electoral offenders. We’ll get the evidence, provide all the evidence and they will have their own prosecutors, investigators just as EFCC and ICPC do. The legal fees we spend, even with the little prosecutions we’re doing, if you take pre-election cases and the postelection tribunal cases, it’s a lot of money. And I’m beginning to imagine going to the National Assembly to say ‘Give us more money to prosecute.’ People will still say INEC is taking money and not delivering. So, frankly, if there is anything we have not done to our satisfaction, to my personal satisfaction, and to the commission’s satisfaction, it is the prosecution of electoral offenders. But it is not for lack of trying, because when I read some of the reports in the newspapers, it is like Jega made a promise and then reneged or didn’t do anything about it. But we have done our best. Do you think we have a persistence of election rigging? O yes, but you had much more rigging than we have this time around. No doubt about it. I said so. I said there is a lot of rigging. But again, if you separate the offences that we have had for the voter registration, and the offences of the election, I think they are incomparable. We did a successful voter registration. It’s bio-metric. It’s easy to see double or multiple registration. Every case of multiple registration is an electoral offence. People are not supposed to register twice. If you register twice, you’ve committed an offence. So the 870,000 offences we’re talking about is on voter registration. And it’s very easy. You can change your shirt or if you’re a lady change your hairstyle, but it’s your face. And if there are two photographs of you being registered, it is easy to have that information and we do have them. But in terms of the actual electoral offences, the figure we have is just about I think 3,500 maximum of electoral offenders, that is those who have either snatched ballot boxes or who have assaulted electoral officials or who have disrupted the electoral process while it was going on and so on. I think we need

•Jega

“And we didn’t want this confusion that was now brewing when the Attorney-General said ‘hand over to the Speaker’ and we knew there was a legally-elected governor, so we advised. If you read our statement, we said ‘we are advising that the governor should be sworn in.’ We said that in order to diffuse tension and remove unnecessary controversy. That’s what we did, but people accused us of all sorts of things” to separate that. Unfortunately there is no basis for comparison, because again in the past even the statistics were not there for you to compare. But we’re gathering the statistics and we’re doing our best to prosecute. Can you say your sense of integrity has not been tasked? As far as I am concerned, I am the Jega that I have been before I came into INEC, I am not about to change and I have not changed. The day I realise I can’t do this job I will leave it. I have done so before in other assignments I have taken, I can do it again. But I don’t run away from responsibilities. The challenges are there, that’s what life is all about. You have to face them frontally and do your best under the circumstances. Partisanship has often been alleged against other INEC members. How do you see this? As far as I am concerned, there is no difference from the way we have been running INEC from day one to date. We may have underestimated the enormity of the challenges, and obviously we adjusted. We’ve been doing our best. On the issue of who is appointed into INEC, we’ve been there before. I was a member of the Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee. I fully subscribe to the recommendations that were made about the procedure for appointing members of the election management body. But these are issues that are legislated. It’s one thing to recommend, it’s another to accept the recommendation and legislate. Obviously, there are still challenges about who is appointed to INEC and who is appointed as chairman. I supported the recommendation that INEC should be appointed by an independent body from the executive. But

now, I have been asked to come and chair INEC under a procedure that is different from what I supported as a recommendation. I accepted to do it because I know I can do it to the best of my ability without any compromise. I can do it on a non-partisan basis. I can do it impartially. I can do it by creating a level-playing field for everybody to the best of my ability. Obviously I expect everybody on the commission to do the same. And I am telling you as I speak with you now that I have not seen any evidence of partisanship by any national commissioner in the way we do our work. I don’t know for a fact that they are card-carrying members of any party. I have listened to the arguments in the newspapers before anybody is nominated. You know in our country people say things because sometimes it’s convenient to say so. If there is any evidence, up till now nobody has come to me to say: ‘This is the evidence that this national commissioner is a cardcarrying member of a party.’ If I had that evidence, I would take it to Mr President for whatever it is worth. I know I do not belong to any party, I have not been a member of any political party, and I expect that everybody will be non-partisan. But the way we do our job, I am telling you that I have not seen any partisan inclination. And that is what has helped us to guide the resident electoral commissioners and to guide the electoral officers. If we see anybody doing anything that is wrong, we deal with it. We’ve disciplined people. We’ve quietly sent people away from INEC, retired people. We don’t have to go on the pages of newspapers to advertise it. But if there is a conduct which is under disciplinary matters or unbecoming of your job, then you can be

disciplined and we have disciplined people in that regard. Many people didn’t know that we went back to Ekiti elections. The only high-profile case that people knew was that about Ayoka, the commissioner. But there are other lower-level people, some we have disciplined in terms of retiring them, some were indicted and also disciplined appropriately. We have been doing our best first on the principle that we ourselves will not do anything wrong. And whoever does wrong will have to answer for it. And we’ve been doing that in-house in INEC. So, I don’t know how to answer your question about partisanship, maybe that’s why I’m rambling around. We know in other countries there is deliberate effort to have partisan representation. In our country, given our past, we do not want partisanship in the election management body. Nigerians have made their point. The electoral reform committee has made its point. And we’ve done our best to ensure that no matter what your partisan inclinations are, if at all you have any, when it comes to taking decisions in INEC, they do not come to bear. And from day one up to today I have not seen that. Why did you take the steps you took in respect of Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections? On the issue of Kogi and Bayelsa, again, please look at how things unfolded sequentially. We are a law-abiding organisation. In fact that is one reason we have continued to have sanity in INEC. We may not like a judgment or a court order, but we obey it. If we don’t like it totally, we contest it; we go back to the court. If it is a court order, we ask that it be set aside. If it is a judgment we appeal it. That’s what we have been doing and we’ve done it consistently. But the starting point is if there is a judgment, even if you believe that the judgment is wrong, you have to obey it. And that’s what we have been doing. Give more explanation on the peculiarity of Kogi State? Now, with regards to Kogi, what happened? There was a Court of Appeal judgment that said that the tenure of the governors did not expire in May. So, it should expire as per the time they were last sworn in. Ok? We didn’t like that judgment, and we appealed it to the Supreme Court, because we felt it was wrong and would create a serious problem in terms of obeying due process. Even though we knew that with the new constitutional amendment, this kind of thing will not happen again in the future, we knew that it was important to go to the Supreme Court so that it will be declared as wrong. But while we appealed it, and before the Supreme Court ruled, we had to be in full compliance of the Court of Appeal judgment. That was the condition under which we conducted the Kogi elections. Now, the Supreme Court judgment said the tenure of all the governors had expired since May 29. Meanwhile, to the best of my knowledge – I stand to be corrected – it wasn’t the Supreme Court that said that incumbent governors should hand over to the Speakers. It was the Attorney-General of the Federation. Meanwhile, there is somebody who had been elected as governor, and then there is an order that everybody should hand over to the Speaker. As far as we are concerned and we have very sound legal advice, the fact that the Supreme Court had nullified the election – they did not say that they had nullified the Court of Appeal judgment – it is not done and they didn’t say so, so they had nullified the election because that was the matter before them. They did not nullify the judgment of the Court of Appeal, and therefore anything we had done in consequence of the Court of Appeal is lawful. So, all this arguments saying that we should go back and do another election in Kogi •Continued on Page 64

COVER THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

NORTH VERSUS SOUTH:

The politics of poverty

HEN, on Monday, February 13, 2012, the National Bureau of Statistics released the Nigeria Poverty Profile for the year 2010, not many anticipated the huge interest and seemingly endless heckling that have trailed the report across the Nigerian landscape. Little could anyone at the NBS have imagined that the report would attract the hair raising acrimonious reactions. For years, questions have been raised about the actual population of Nigerians that live below the poverty index of an average of a dollar per day which, in the local currency, approximates a meagre N160 going by the current exchange rate to the dollar. As expected, most governments always feel edgy when any form of truth index, especially the poverty index, points to a downward slide that could be indicative of the low impact such a government is making on the lives of the majority of the populace. Therefore, it is not uncommon for government, be it Federal of State, to pick holes in the figures as the case has been since the early 60s. Government’s pattern of playing the ostrich never improved but rather intensified when Nigeria began yet another process of democratic governance on May 29, 1999. In some sense, it is not surprising that the latest report by the NBS appears to have ruffled some feathers in state capitals because it touches on the dwindling fortunes of the poorest of the poor at a time when governance was assumed to have been brought closer to them. Rather than reap the dividends of democracy, the NBS report, in its enlarged Harmonised Nigeria Living Standard Survey (HNLSS), indicates otherwise. It shows an abysmal record in the growing number of the poor in certain parts of the country. Explaining the rationale behind releasing the data, the Statistician General of the Federation, Dr. Femi Kale, was quick to point out that the information gathered “would generally aid decision makers in the formulation of economic and social policies by identifying target groups for g o v e r n m e n t intervention.” Unfortunately, the affected state governments in the geo-political zones have taken up the gauntlet not only in faulting the data but also in ascribing politics to what Kale insisted was a professional assessment of the poverty question in Nigeria. Using four different approaches in the computation

index is dismal, but it does not in any way suggest that other states have any cause to celebrate, as shown in the SouthWest with almost 60% relatively poor. The North-West also tops the rating when the dollar-per-day measure was applied by the NBS. Kale stated that though the World Bank standard had been increased to US 1.25 dollar per day, its index was based on the a-dollar-per-day measure. Yet, the North-West geo-political zone recorded the highest percentage at 70.4%, while the South-West geo-political zone had the least at 50%. Sokoto again had the highest rate among states at 81.9% while Niger had the least at 33.9%. The subjective poverty level indicates that “75.5% of Nigerians considered themselves to be poor in 2004, and in 2010 the number went up to 93.9%. Interestingly, the FCT recorded the most number of people who considered themselves to be poor at 97.9%. Kaduna recorded the least number of people who considered themselves poor at 90.5%’” The findings were graphically illustrated thus: •Babangida Aliyu From Yomi Odunuga, Abuja Bureau Chief

of the data, including relative poverty measurement (reference to the living standards of majority in a given society by separating the poor from the non-poor); absolute poverty measurement (based on a general outlook of minimal requirement necessary to afford minimal standards of food, clothing and shelter and healthcare); dollar per day (with reference to the World Bank’s Purchasing Power Parity index, which defines poverty as the proportion of those living on less than 1 US dollar per day poverty line); and Subjective Poverty Measurement (based on selfassessment and the sentiments of respondents), the NBS estimates that 112,518,507 Nigerians (about 69 per cent of the official total population going by the last census) qualify to be categorised as poor and in dire need of help. The NBS’s summary analysis shows that in 2004, in terms of relative poverty, Nigeria’s relative poverty measurement stood at 54.4%, and increased astronomically to 69% (or 112,518,507 Nigerians) in 2010. The zonal log, the NBS insists, shows that “the North-West and North-

•Lamido Sanusi East geo-political zones recorded the highest poverty rates in the country with 77.7% and 76.3% respectively in 2010, while the South-West geopolitical zone recorded the lowest at 59.1%. The agency also listed Sokoto State, in its state-by-state analysis, as having “the highest poverty rate at 86.4% while Niger had the lowest at 43.6% in the year under review.” Although it is bad enough that the ratio of Nigerians within the range of relative poverty is scary, that of those groaning under absolute poverty is, by no means, flattering. Kale said: “54.7% of Nigerians were living in poverty in 2004 but this increased to 60.9% (or 99,284,512 Nigerians) in 2010. Among the geo-political zones, the North-West and North-East recorded the highest rates at 70% and 69% respectively, while the South-West had the least at 49.8%. At the state level, Sokoto had the highest at 81.2% while Niger had the least at 33.8% during the review period.” At this point, it should be noted that two prominent states from the North-West and NorthEast, Sokoto and Niger, have become a recurring decimal in measuring the highs and lows in the poverty index. There is no doubt that the Sokoto poverty

•Continued on Page 26

•Continued from Page 22

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Cover •Continued from Page 25

Income inequalities at National and State Level for 2004 and 2010

Politics and poverty in Nigeria

•Jonathan

As expected, some state governments have not only faulted the NBS’s figures but they have also made attempts to ascribe other reasons to why the figures should not be taken as a true reflection of the present realities in their states. None of the states is prepared to accept responsibility for the poor data on the poorest of the poor. Instead, they appear to be throwing the NBS figures back to the sender. While the NBS cautioned that its 2011 poverty forecast could show a reversal in the poverty trend due to what it described as a “potential positive impact various poverty alleviation strategies implemented since 2011 may have had”, the agency minced no words in raising fears that all the efforts aimed at poverty alleviation by various stakeholders might just be a drop in the ocean as it predicts a gloomy picture in the rise of the poverty index of about 71.5%, 61.9% and 62.8% respectively in 2011. Immediately the figures came into the public domain, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Sokoto State was the first to rubbish the NBS figures, describing it as politically motivated, aimed at tarnishing the image of its then ousted Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, who was on the verge of reclaiming his seat. According to the state Commissioner of Information, AlhajiDahiruMaishanu, the report was nothing but a political gambit adopted by the opposition in the state to dent Wamakko’s image. Despite spelling out the methodologies used in its data collection, Maishanu declared:”We don’t know the criteria used for the survey, but what we know is that the state government has been creating

jobs for the people. They should take a second look at the survey. Since 2007, we have been creating 25,000 jobs annually, and we have also been training youths in the state on vocational skills. “Sokoto State is the first to create a social welfare scheme, whereby disabled persons are paid N6,500 at end of every month. Over 5,000 disabled persons are on our register, and this scheme has in no small measure assisted a lot of disabled persons in Sokoto.,” Beyond the politicking however, it is obvious that those faulting the poverty index have failed to grasp the essence of its release. As the segmentation indicates, not much can be achieved in alleviating poverty if all the government does is the occasional doling out of free funds to a selected community of the poor. As the NBS puts it, the aim was to provide valid and reliable data for the development of effective intervention in the formulation and social policies that would ultimately affect the larger groups that are often out of the government radar when tackling the poverty issue. In essence, the figures are not targeted at any state government or group of persons but should be embraced as working tools in revving up the fight against poverty in the states and local government areas. Today, that objective is being blotted by the politicization of the poverty question such that the Niger State Governor and Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr. AliyuBabangida, whose state cannot be said to be doing badly going by the NBS report, has called for a review of the nation’s revenue formula to, as he puts it, “reflect current realities.”

•Akpabio

Lashing on the excuse that little or no money is left to tackle other developmental issues that could help in beating the poverty index down, Aliyu faulted a system which gives his state a meagre N4.2bn monthly while some other states receive 20 times more. He said: “The revenue allocation formula should be looked at. We are hoping that within 2012, there would be discussions and review of the allocation formula. But there are other issues that would come. For example, there were oil wells that were over 200 kilometres

away of the shore of the country. Those ones before the passage of law by the National Assembly were supposed to be oil wells for the whole country “It will not serve everybody well if certain parts of the country are not doing well while some parts are doing exceptionally well. So, the pressure will continue until we are able to find a solution.” Aliyu was to push his arguments further at a lecture titled “Governance, Social Conflict and the Imperatives of Communal Harmony,’ which he delivered in

Lagos. He said: “I deliberately did not expand much on specific issues like the current revenue allocation formula where some states are in paradise and some are in purgatory. We must remember that the idea of common nationality implies that the resources of the nation should be considered as a common patrimony for the common good of all the citizens. “We need to examine our revenue sharing arrangement to balance derivation with need requirements to guarantee the continued economic and political health of the nation. This is so since there is no formula for restricting the citizens of a particular part of the country from settling in another part. In Niger State, we have free education policy for every Nigerian child. Citizens from Rivers, Bayelsa, Osun or any other states are entitled to the free education which we provide from our meagre ‘non derivation’ resources. “I therefore appeal to my entire colleagues (governors) to be involved in deliberate efforts and activities to promote national integration and harmonious co-existence. A situation where the FG today takes 52.8 per cent with all the attendant wastages, leakages and abuses, while the states and the LGs take 47.2 per cent is abnormal.” He was also quick to point out •Continued on Page 67

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

‘I dislike copying trends’ –Page 41

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

•Long sleeve leopard turtleneck top

Copy i’s

look

NE of Nollywood’s best, Ini Edo was spotted in this stylish combined piece, wearing a long sleeve leopard print turtleneck top and a high waisted three-quarter pants with a pair of black pumps shoes. Animal print doesn't work for everyone, but it sure worked for Ini. Do you agree or disagree? Steal her style! I love her style and this trendy everyday outfit is no exception.

•Gucci high waisted pants

•Python clutch bag

•Chandeliers earrings

•Giuseppe Zanotti black pumps

•Ini Edo

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

She stole the show in her empire organza lace piece with daringly high heels. Kudos to LYNDA GIAMI

Nigerian Idol recently held the unveiling of its final 12 contestants at Dream Studios in Lagos. The event was graced by sponsors, celebrities, members of the press and fans of the show. Kehinde Falode brings fashion hits and misses from the red carpet. Some outfits made us wonder who, exactly, is styling these young fashionistas.

No doubt about it, petite and beautiful MERCY CHINWO can look sweet in almost any outfit. Kudos!

IBINABO ROMEO shined in a purple little dress and tops it off with a black pump. She looked absolutely stunning. Kudos! We know AREA FATHER is not afraid to make bold choices. On this choice, no comment! Or your guess is as good as mine.

DIWARI opted for a lot less colour at the idol. She wore a simple, but gorgeous, black velvety skirt with a shimmering blouse. Kudos

NAJITE EL-DAVID'S ebony skin practically glowed in this one shoulder dress with flicker. Kudos!

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Popular TV presenter, producer and vintage style inspirer, Yvonne Vixen Ekwere reveals her favourite things to Kehinde Falode

Favourite perfume WOMANITY by Thierry Mugler

Favourite music

Favourite wrist watch designer

I was born into an art oriented family so I'm deeply rooted in all forms of music; but my favourite genres would be neosoul, R&B and Hip-Hop

It would have to be Alexander Amosu's Nigerian Limited Edition Hublot

Favourite shoes designers

Favourite food Pounded Yam and Afang, Spaghetti and Bolognaise.

I'm not a huge fan of 'fashion brands'. I buy as it appeals to my aesthetics but I admire the works of Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and Vera Wang.

Favourite writers

Favourite quote

Chinua Achebe, John Grisham, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and TD Jakes

One of mine... " You don't know until you KNOW" meaning, do not speculate based on inadequate findings; when the truth is presented, then you will know the actual fact.

Favourite local designers Zebra for her warm feminine style, Kiki Kamanu for her eccentricity and edginess, Moofa for her vibrant and funky use of ethnic fabric, Republic of foreigner for their 'boho' and retro signature!

Favourite artistes Asa, K'naan, Common, Jill Scott, Esperanza Spalding, Toya Delazy, Tuface, Bez, Lauryn Hill and Sade

Favourite bag designers Channel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Burberry do it for me!

Vixenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

top

THEATRE

With VICTOR AKANDE

BIGSCREEN

Tel: 08077408676

She is described in some quarters as daring the Nigerian music scene with her unusual style and persona. But eccentric and talented artiste known to music lovers as Goldie Harvey seems all set to break new boundaries as she continues to up her musical act. In this interview with AHMED BOULOR, the award winning artiste relived her early days as a student in Sunderland, UK her love for the stage and how she was able to develop an endearing personality despite having no toys and friends while growing up.

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GISTS

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e-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

I was a tomboy mostly because I had no choice. My dad made me cut my hair till I finished secondary school and I was so skinny. My uniform hung loose on me; my skirt sagged (laughs). I was an unwilling tomboy...

I used to have brawls with boys while still in school â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Goldie heared you are very close to sealing a brand endorsement deal. Congrats in advance! Thank you. I feel humbled and flattered. I mean the label is such a huge franchise and I'm grateful to God for his grace. Why have you decided to take your music around schools especially in Lagos? It's not my music per say; it's more of a project I'm working on to sensitize the youth: The "Don't Touch My Body" campaign in conjunction with project alert. But of course my music will follow me everywhere I go. That's the nature of our job and the life we live. How's your current album faring in the market?

SOUND TRACK

So far, so good; I thank God. All the stores and music shops and marts we first placed the Gold Reloaded album have sold out. You seem to have a flair for stage drama considering your expressive nature on stage... I have been told so, yes. I feel it stems from my lifelong love for the theatre. I love the freedom of expression that could result from telling the story of a song from the beginning to the end. Be it in a video or on stage. Is it true that you were initially skeptical in getting more involved with your stage act considering the fact that close watchers felt that your videos and costumes are over the top and too flamboyant?

I was a little bit skeptical initially, not so much for stage stuff though but because I feel you can get away with almost anything on stage, as long as it's not vulgar or violent. I was more skeptical about my video ideas on the other hand, the video concepts that come to my head and my "over the top wardrobe ideas" are considered to be flamboyant in the Nigerian context, but my boss and CEO of Kennis Music, Mr Kenny Ogungbe, assured me that I was unique and I should never down play my uniqueness because I wanted to satisfy people. He said, "People are never satisfied no matter what you do and your best bet is to satisfy yourself and be at peace with God while doing so." I'm taking his advice to heart. How did the multi-cultural atmosphere in Sunderland help to improve you as a person? It helped me to be more creative, more self-expressive. I think it also helped me know how to relate with people better. While you were in Sunderland you were part of a girls group; were you girls able to make any kind of success together? We didn't make much commercial success but we did break personal boundaries. Most of us were really shy individuals. Coming together like we did helped us get over some of our hang-ups. How well have you brought your degree in Business Management to bare on your music career? (Laughs) Very well actually. I know for one that even though I'm very passionate about my music and my craft, it is business and like any business, you need to invest time, energy, and resources if you want to make anything from it. How have you been able to build an engaging personality more so when you grew up with no friends and toys? It did take a while; I remember I used to feel very uncomfortable in crowded places. I wouldn't know the first thing to say to break an uncomfortable silence and I used to feel inadequate if I had undue attention thrust upon me. But you grow into yourself so to speak. I think

my environment in Sunderland helped as well. Does your father still wish you were a lawyer? My father might have his wishes, though he hasn't discussed them with me. I do feel he's happy with my success so far though. He says often, that I have a lot of greatness within me; regardless of my chosen profession. I'm blessed to have his support. How did your career start in faraway London? That was in a pop rock group. We came together because we felt we were different to many other people around us. We had a shared love for music, for performing and play acting. It was a very fun experience. It was a mental and physical awakening. Which celebrity would you like to meet? I love Madonna! I think she's incredible. Jay Z would be next (laughs). Some critics are of the opinion that you are daring the Nigerian music industry with your unusual style and persona. What do you have to say about that? The opinions of critics aren't really something I bother about. But wait first oh: what is really unusual about my style? (laughs). Not much really? I just put in a lot more work and effort into everything I do. Is it true that you were a tomboy while you were still in school? Yes, I was a tomboy mostly because I had no choice. My dad made me cut my hair till I finished secondary school and I was so skinny. My uniform hung loose on me; my skirt sagged (laughs). I was an unwilling tomboy... What is your most rebellious moment while growing up? I used to put relaxer on my short hair; against my dad's wish. My dad also used to take me straight to the barberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop to shave off all of my hair (laughs). I'd soon let my hair grow again then I'd put more relaxer... What's your most embarrassing moment? I once had a wardrobe malfunction while performing on stage, in Benin. The front zipper of my corset pulled down. Thankfully, I caught it before it went too low to become an "unforgettable" embarrassment. If you could possess one super human power, what would that be? I would want to be able to raise people from the dead. My late mum would be first...

Entertainment

Sexy screen goddess Ini Edo stormed Nollywood over a decade ago. The Theatre Arts graduate has continued to soar higher in fame. Only recently, the pretty diva delved into movie production and already her second flick I Will Take My Chances is been applauded by industry watchers and fans alike. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, the actress opened up on the new flick, marriage, scandal and passion among other things:

HE premiere of I Will Take My Chances has come and gone. What is the possibility of its success when it finally hits the cinema? I am hopeful to God that it will succeed because it is a beautiful work. We are taking all the chances that we can get and hopeful that it will work. How long did it take you to make this movie? Two months. I did rehearsals for one month and then we shot for one month. Do you have any stage experience? Yes, I do because I studied Theatre Art. There is this notion that actors with stage experience are better actors. What is your take on that? Yes, because apparently they have some sort of training. You have to be trained to be able to do stage. Stage is not like movie that anybody can dabble into. So there is some level of truth in that because of the kind of training that they receive. Having played all sorts of roles, what still remains your dream role? A sniper… If you were not an actress, what other field would you have being in and do you think you would have excelled this much? Yes, because I'm a serious minded person. Everything I set my mind to do, as long as I love it, I excel in it. But probably I would have been a lawyer or a newscaster. In life we learn every

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

day. What is one new experience that you've come by of late? Never to have high expectation of anyone… How has marriage affected the kind of roles that you take now? I try not to limit myself when I'm working. But I will not do soft porn. I never did soft porn even before I got married so it's not something I will do now. I try to cut down on acts that may be offensive. Acting, to make it work, has to be as real as possible. So I would rather not do soft porn than to do it and not interpret it well. Have you ever considered quitting acting? No What is it that can make you quit acting? I honestly don't know because acting is a passion. It gets to a point that it is no longer about the money; it's about the love you have for the job. There is this saying that you don't leave habit, habit leaves you. What are the habits that marriage has taken from you? Pretty much nothing… Do you still smoke? Did I smoke? Because, you see me smoking on screen, I don't smoke. When are you going to start making babies? Soon. Are you scared of losing your physique? No. When the time is right, I will make babies. I'm not afraid of losing my physique. Oh no! I love children. I can't wait to have kids. What is the worst scandal that has been written about you? When a certain journalist wrote a drug story about me, I don't want to revisit the story because it's very ridiculous. You've come of age in this industry. How much do you earn now? Answer the question yourself…Seven figures… (Laughing), ten figures actually….I earn billions. How is it like combining work and being a wife? My dear, it is not easy. We just try. I set my priority straight. I plan ahead and know when to be where

I can’t wait to have kids

So when did the love for acting come? I used to love Wiliwili (laughs), though, I never saw the guy that acted it. I watched a lot of local dramas, Chinese and Indian films but I can't really place the particular actor that ignited the interest for acting in me. Tell us about growing up? Growing up was fun but I was like the rough coin. I was always beaten. I constantly had injuries because I played rough thereby receiving beating from my parents. I grew up in a very religious home and it stuck on me. I had good and bad times, economically and otherwise but at the end of the day, it prepared me for adulthood so to say. How religious are you now? Don't try me o. I won't say religious but I put God first in everything that I do. He's the only one I always run to at the end of the day! What would you say life has taught you? To believe alone in yourself, trust nobody and when not to be and hardwork pays off. where. I don't put too many How have you been able to keep this things on the plate at the same time that look? might prevent me from doing certain things I think I was prettier when I was much when I have to do them. I still do what a younger. I saw some of my old pictures and woman is supposed to do. I come back from I was like wow! Was this me? How did I work and cook. become like this? I don't know what I do How do you deal with emotional needs really; not that I do so much. I work out as when you're not with your hubby? much as I can and try to eat right. I try to He's always here and I'm always there keep my skin colour by moisturizing and when he's not here. Some emotional needs basically I try to be happy. are quite distracting sometimes when you In an industry where a lot of actresses try have something serious you're doing. It's not to bleach or tone their skin, has it ever food (laughs). crossed your mind to tone a little? What is your beauty routine like? I think it's the most stupid thing to do. It's Basically, I try to keep my face clean. If I'm a big sign of lack of confidence. And I have not working, or going for an event, I don't never been tempted to. wear makeup. If I'm just around, I don't What is the craziest thing a fan has ever have to make up. I try to keep my face clean. s the core message of the movie. My done to you? I don't do facials. I used to but it doesn't character is a girl who is possessed of a Painted me! really work for me because it gives breakout. spiritual force from her ancestral lineage. In What's the best birthday gift you have So, I wash, cleanse, scrub and moisturize. lieu of that, she has to serve the god of the ever received? Right now, you're dressed down; your land at the shrine. But she wants to go to A car hair is not made and no makeup. You must school, she wants to fall in love and get What do you look forward to getting this really have a lot on your plate. What are married. The consequence of her failure to time? you doing at the moment? obey the custom of her land is death and she I don't know what he has in store for me. I just got back from work. I was filming in decides to take her chances, even if it leads Whatever it is I will gladly accept it. Enugu. I got back yesterday and I had to be to death. here today so there was no time. Then again, What was the attraction? What is the similarity between that I'm making my hair for my premiere so I'm I don't know what he was attracted to. But character and the real Ini Edo? just taking my time. for me, he is a loving personality. He is very To be candid, there are some similarities. What fascinates you about the role you're I'm a goal getter. When I really want understanding and passionate. He's been a playing in the movie? strong pillar. something that I believe in, I go for it, not My character is a corporate And how does he react to scandals? minding its challenges. If I believe I can do a escort so to say. I don't He understands my profession and he thing and you say to me, you can't, if it's think I've ever done good and I am convinced that it has benefits, knows that I have that before. I wore to do what I I will go for it and take my chances. mostly big have to do. But How long have you been in this dresses, flowing industry? And would you say you're naturally you dresses, not the fulfilled as an actress? need to give contemporary Over 10 years. I am fulfilled as an actress a good , skimpy, although I feel I've not gotten to where I'm explanation boobs going yet but so far I'm satisfied with where for showing I am. I'm content, but there is still an urge to whatever dresses. push further. negative Tell What are you thoughts about story that's me Nollywood? written about about Nollywood is good and it's a place that we you. And most your can turn into our own Hollywood. Other of the time he role in than the fact that it generates a lot of revenue doesn't need to your new for the country, it is an industry that will ask because he movie? thrive if we do what we are supposed to do knows it's My and have the right people at the right place. not true. role At age 13, what was your passion? carrie I used to love news casting. I used to love the late Tokunbo Ajayi. So I used to think about being like her.

—Ini Edo

I've never done a soft porn even before I got married so it's not something I will do now. So I just try to cut down on the things that may be offensive

•L-R Nigerian Idol Judge, Jeffry Daniels; Analyst at Etisalat Nigeria Dayo

Nigerian Idol contestants switch to Highlife

YNAMISM has come into play in the ongoing Nigerian Idol contest, a music reality show sponsored by telecommunication company, Etisalat. The contestants, at the last recording of the event, displayed a rare disposition among young artistes, when they took turns to sing traditional Highlife music. For the first time since the season two started, content for the show was Nigerian themed, and rather than going the extra mile in performing foreign songs, all top eight contestants took their fans back to their home-base and made them feel right at home. The show started on a new dimension, with a live performance by one of the famous judges of the show, Charly Boy, who also was not left out of the highlife dance as he performed one of his songs titled “Kailewe”. White handkerchiefs were seen swinging in the air as contestants, studio audience, and judges sang and danced along with Charly Boy during his performance. According to the Head of

Youth Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Elvis Daniels, “celebrating Nigerian music on Nigerian Idol is another way of treating viewers to an exciting show. The performances also showcased the level of acceptance of Nigerian songs among our people. No matter what, our home is always our home. Watching the show sent a nostalgic feeling through everyone who watched the performances.” With just eight contestants now gunning for the top spot, competition has intensified with improved performances to the delight of viewers. The second winner of Nigerian Idol will emerge on April 1 and will walk away with cash prize of $100,000, a recording contract, with other attractive gifts which include a brand new SUV, a Galaxy Tab, a Blackberry, and an iPod. The first runner up gets N1.5 million, a Galaxy Tab, Blackberry and iPod; and the 2nd runner up will receive N1million, a Galaxy Tab, a Blackberry and an iPod. Finalists from 4th to 10th place also receive each, N100, 000, a Galaxy Tab, a Blackberry and an iPod.

Control influx of Ghanaian actors in Nollywood —Victor Edogun

ETERAN Nollywood actor, Victor Edogun said at a movie location recently that although Nollywood is in formative stages, it will soon assume full maturity in good time in nodistant future. The Edo State born thespian, who has starred in popular flicks and soaps like Time Bomb, Perfect Church, Enemy of State, My Cross, Super Story, This Life and Odd World among others also talked about the influx of Ghanaian actors and movies in Nigeria. “Nollywood, just as Nigeria was instrumental to politically liberating Southern Africa from the stranglehold of apartheid and has taken acknowledged stances of brotherliness to other •Victor African countries in the past till this, Nollywood actors need date, emancipating several similar working relationships nascent African film industries with Hollywood and other from obscurity. A direct internationally celebrated actors appendage of this development is the current influx of Ghanaian to secure a rise in their own universal appeal and value as actors in the Nollywood Film Sceptre. Nevertheless, this influx well as those of the movies.” He should be controlled. More than said

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

I am not leaving Choc City—MI

Stella Damasus is Women-4-Africa ambassador

What's up for Mr & Mrs?

AST year, not more than five movies sold more than N20m at the cinemas with blockbuster movies like Ije leading the pack that rocked our world in 2011. Mirror Boy, Anchor Baby, Tango with Me and The Return of Jenifa followed. This year, expectations are rife as to the movies that would surpass the N32m mark, as Mr & Mrs, a romantic comedy hits the cinemas. Mr & Mrs stars the duo of fastrising stars; Joseph Benjamin and Nse Ikpe-Etim in this very romantic drama. With a handful of movies to the credit of the two thespians, they appear not to be showing any signs of frailty as they upped the ante in the new movie which centers on the happenings in the average marriage and relationship in the Nigerian environment. The movie is produced by Chinwe Egwuagu, directed by Ikechukwu Onyeka, and shot with the Canon 5D by DOP Tom Robson.

HOSE who know him would agree that he always has something up his sleeves but still, when news leaked that Jude Abaga was setting up his own label, Loopy Records, the music community in Nigeria received it with disbelief. Mr. Incredible as he is fondly called has been working on Loopy Records, and is set to begin operations, having acquired a massive duplex, complete with a BQ at Gbagada Phase 2, Lagos. Though praises have been rolling in, some entertainment lovers are irked by the fact that the Africa's numero uno rapper will be leaving Chocolate City, a label that shot his career up, and a name he has come to be associated with. With public reactions building up, the acid-tongued rapper whose greatest endearment to his fans is his deft manner of delivering his lines says he is still very much with Choc City. “Public Service Announcement: I am not leaving Chocolate City. I am very much a Choc Boy and will be for a very long time, amen,” he said. With that confession, it is unclear what the nature of his agreement with his current label will be, if he is also going into the business of discovering, signing and promoting artistes. Attempt to get in touch with the artiste or his manager proved abortive at press time.

Obesere drops new album

ROMINENT Fuji musician, Abass Akande Obesere, otherwise called the Paramount King of Fuji Music (PK1st), on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, released a new album entitled Baba Baba. The audio album which is marketed by wavemaking company, Highkay Dancent, also hit the music shelves with its video CD. The multimillion naira video was shot at various locations in Lagos and was directed by Yomi Frederick fondly called Dr. Bee.

Oge Okoye speaks Yoruba

OLLYWOOD actress, Oge Okoye, has broken new grounds as she stares for the first time in a Yoruba language movie. Elegant queen of Yoruba films and producer of the new movie entitled Street Girls thought of exploring the versatility of Oge Okoye. Directed by Abbey Lanre and Tope Adebayo, the movie which was shot in the last quarter of last year, in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, also stars Femi Adebayo, Aishat Abimbola, Mercy Aigbe, and Seun Akindele, among others. Speaking on her role in the movie, pretty thespian, Oge Oke confessed that her perception of her colleagues in the Yoruba sector changed completely after the production of the movie. “They are professional and committed,” she said. The movie which is now in the pre production stage is expected to hit the cinemas this summer before a DVD release later in the year.

•Oge Okoye

FTER a keenly contested online poll across Africa and the United Kingdom, sultry actress, singer and motivational speaker, Stella Damasus was voted the new ambassador of Women4Africa, a United Kingdom based women empowerment organisation. In a statement by the coordinator of Women4Africa, Maya Angelou, said: the organisation was founded 20 years ago with a passion to

have impacted positively on the society. "Africa has over 40 countries and a large number of women who are unique and different in their own individual ways. Women from all walks of life tend to face a lot of challenges in today's society and we feel it is time this is recognised, hence the need to launch Women for Africa Awards to celebrate and encourage African women," Maya said.

EE publishers to celebrate Osoba

ROM the business of running a newspaper house, the publishers of Nigeria's foremost entertainment newspaper, Entertainment Express, are set to celebrate the lives and times of Nigeria's celebrated journalists, using Olusegun Osoba, as an arrowhead. Associate publisher of EE, Dimgba Igwe said the company rolling out the biography of the media guru from the perspective of his seniors, his contemporaries as well as his juniors. “We discovered that in the history of Nigerian journalism, Osoba occupies a huge place, a place of honour and that place of honour has to do with the level of his achievements as a reporter. He is probably Nigeria's greatest reporter alive. He is also a famous newspaper manager, in fact a turnaround manager,” Igwe said. He cited the ace journalist's achievements in the Herald as worthy of note saying that he was perhaps, one of the first, assuming there is any other person, who turned a government newspaper into a profit making venture. “Apart from New Nigeria,

Osoba was able to turn Herald into a profit making business; he was able to turn Daily Times under the military government's majority share holder into a profit making venture,” he added. Co-author of the book, Mike Awoyinfa said the work is basically the story of Nigerian journalism and its makers told from the point of view of Osoba. “He is a man we respect so much. He is the hero of our profession. A hero should be celebrated. His achievements should be

celebrated. Like the words of our national anthem say, the labours of our heroes shall not be in vain,” the publisher said. Titled Segun Osoba; The Newspaper Years, the 396 page book chronicles the active days of Osoba in journalism while containing memoires of media idols from different generations of journalists like Doyin Abiola, Femi Sonaike, Felix Adenaike, Peter Ajayi, Ray Ekpu and a host of others. It is set to be launched on March 22, at MUSON Centre, Lagos.

•Dimgba Igwe and Mike Awoyinfa

Entertainment

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Regaling the La Campagne boss

HE government of Benue of State has appointed Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye, President, La Campagne Tropicana group, Corporate Guards and Cash-inTransit, as its Chief Cultural Consultant. The appointment was conveyed in a letter signed by the state's Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Barrister Comfort Ajene. This is the latest of three recognitions of Akinboboye’s effort at cultural exportation. Not long ago, the World Conference of Mayors, Inc (United Nations of Cities) made him its Ambassador for Tourism for Africa on the basis of the Motherland beckons Project, a pilgrimage-like tourism promotion which he initiated and which has drawn lovers of Africa to visit the motherland as frequently as possible. The government of Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean through its honorary Consul General in Nigeria, Wallace W. Williams also appointed him its attaché in-charge of marketing, promotions and tourism. Akinboboye's real deal with Antigua is the assurance and approval for the building of a replica of his Ikegun, Lagosbased beach resort-La Campagne Tropicana in Antigua. The building of the African-

themed resort in Antigua and Barbuda is designated as Motherland Beckons headquarters for the Americas (North, South and the Caribbean). A letter to Akinboboye by the Prime Minister of Antigua Hon. W. Baldwin Spencer pledged “to ensure the successful take-off of the Motherland Beckons project in Antigua and Barbuda, which will enhance appreciation of our African culture by the experience that those who wish to travel home will gain here first in the Motherland Beckons village as a transit point for Africans in the Diaspora and lovers of Africa, prior to them making the pilgrimage back home thereafter.” •Chris Chijioke Okoroafor, flanked by Shaker Barschool, Nigeria representative, Guy Nixon, and the manager Luminous Lounge, Ms. Elizabeth

•Akinboboye with Mayor Walls

A P-Square's rare collabo

HESE days, the music scene in Nigeria is bursting with a festival of collaborations, cross-genre or not, and for hip-hop duo, P.Square, things are looking good. This becomes more pronounced given the recent release of their Chop My Money video, featuring Akon and MayD. Not known for featuring in too many collabos, the twin brothers have left a remarkable footprint in the music scene. In what was considered a crowning glory, they were named representatives on Konvict Music in Nigeria last December by Senegalese American singer and music producer, Akon, CEO of the label. Screening currently on TV, the video was shot in Atlanta, USA and directed by their very own brother, manager and business partner, Jude Okoye along with Ben Mack. The duo has been making waves across Africa for years, and they have been proud entertainers, across the world. Famous for their earlier tracks

like "Do Me", "No One like you" and the most recent club banger, "E no Easy" it's clear that Peter and Paul are well endowed with talent. In the earlier part of last year, the Koko Master, D'banj made headlines when he had a collabo with rap king, Snoop Dogg whom he refers to as his uncle. The latter part of the year saw Akon sign on three of Nigeria's top musicians, Tuface idibia, Wizkid and the P.Square duo to his Konvict Music Label, a move which signaled progress for the industry. A remake of Wizkid's Don't Dull is said to be in the works. However, while the alliance might be a major career move for the artistes in the eyes of industry buffs, it still remains to prove itself a collaboration. For instance, though it generated a major hype for the artistes, for Akon, it appears to be just a talent export, especially considering that they don't get to work in Nigeria, thus enabling the industry benefit from foreign music repertoires.

HE name of the top student at last year's Jack Daniel's International Bar Staff Training has been revealed. He is Chris Chijioke Okoroafor, a staff of Luminous Lounge, Opebi, Lagos. Chris's result was sent to Nigeria, after about two months of anticipation. His victory earned him a cash prize of N100, 000, plus several Jack Daniel's branded equipment. A breakdown of the grades sent down by the international bar school revealed a keenly contested finale. The result reflected that Chris merely beat the first runner-up by a slim margin, having scored 88.50 percent, against 88.25 percent scored by the first runner-up Guy Nixon, representative of

Winner emerges in Jack Daniel’s trainin g

Shaker Barschool in Nigeria said; “the international adjudicators were highly impressed with the written scripts emanating from Nigeria after such an intense period of training. The grades were excellent and definitely competitive on international level.” Chris at the presentation of his International Barschool Certificate expressed great delight and gratitude to God for the opportunity to come out tops in the course, says it wasn't as if he was more knowledgeable than most of the other students with

him on the course but everything was just by the grace of God. “I actually didn't believe there was anything to this course the first day I heard about it from the Jack Daniel's team that visited our bar. But, when I got to the training and saw things for myself, I knew immediately that this was an opportunity of a lifetime and it's something I really wish every other bar staff in this country could partake in as it would have a really positive impact on the Hospitality industry in Nigeria,” he added.

Content providers decry hike by TV, Radio stations

HE Electronic Media Content Owners Association (EMCOAN) have rejected the new price regime announced by electronic media houses. President of the Association, Wale Adenuga, decried a situation whereby the cost of running programs on television stations has become unrealistic. Adenuga described the situation as “a cruel gang-up to run us out of business.” “All over the world, the business of broadcasting is such that broadcast stations must commission independent producers to create and produce optimal content upon which the station hopes to drive viewership to her channel. Since viewers only tune in to watch programs and not the station, it is believed that the stations in those climes cannot do without independent producers and their programmes,” he said. He lamented that in Nigeria, independent producer operate in an environment that is quite cancerous to his existence and growth. The effect, he noted, is that professionalism is thrown overboard. “The situation has also been

worsened recently when most television houses unilaterally increased their rates astronomically without recourse to the content providers who occupy a good percentage of their air space and have also contributed to the growth and current ratings these stations enjoy,” Adenuga lamented. •Wale Adenuga The Body called on the Independent Broadcasting out between both bodies. They Association of Nigeria (IBAN) to also want IBAN to shelve the revert to the 2011 quarter four April 1, 2012 takeoff of the new airtime rates until a mutually airtime price regime until further agreeable negotiation is carried notice.

Julius Agwu clinches African Achievers Awards

OMEDIAN and singer, Julius 'D'Genius' Agwu was last Wednesday, in London conferred with the African Achievers Awards. Organisers say it is for his resourcefulness and contribution to the development of the entertainment industry. An elated Julius said the award is an indication that the world is watching him. “It only goes to show that my efforts and strides are not in vain, and an encouragement to do more to take African entertainment to the

world. I dedicate the Award to God for my talent and His Grace upon me, my wife and family for the prayers and support, and my fans for believing in me”. The organisers said: “African Achievers Awards (AAA) is a canonical strive of praise for entrepreneur, philanthropist, community builders and those who have efficiently contributed in the rising of Africa. With great courage and utility, we sincerely wish to identify and appraise the brave hearts that uphold the nation Africa”.

Entertainment

UPCOMING ACT

MC Eok releases demo CD

OSPEL artiste Esinjemine Okorodudu known by the stage name of MC Eok has released a demo CD. The fourtrack CD is a mixture of gospel songs and comedy strip. Eok, a student of Delta State University, Abraka, described the CD as a reflection of his talent of being at home with music and comedy. “The music is great and I think people will get to love it. Those that have listened to it actually testified. I think it is going to be a blessing to everybody that gets to listen to it.” MC EOk is a familiar face in many campuses especially in the South South and wants to use the CD to reach more people beyond the campus. He combines entertainment with his academics which he said he perfectly juggles together well, “I've been asked about my academics and my career in entertainment a couple of times. I think schooling is something that is very important. It has really built and helped me to do what I do right now. For any young person that wants to go into entertainment, school is very essential. When I am in school I try to concentrate, I try to study my books and when I am on holiday that is when I try to do all that I do. While in school, at times I put something together. Like sometime during the next semester, I will be having a show. It is called the Punchline. Since I am still in school, I try to put things together on campus. This something I want to do on a bigger scale when I leave school. I want it to be a strong brand that people will look forward to in a couple of year. It encompasses comedy, music and dance. Combining the two has been challenging but I have been able to cope. The grace of God is there, and nothing is impossible.” On the kind of gospel music he plays, Eok said: “ “I do gospel music and in it I take in different kinds of genre. I do rock, reggae and so on. I am influenced by so many kinds of music. The inspiration to write a song comes depending on how I'm feeling. When I receive the inspiration to do Fuji music, I write something on that line. “Why I decided to do that is that I am just an up coming musician and I want to take it one step at a time. I will soon come out with a video. So it is a gradual process; I want to take it one step at a time. Sometime next year, by next year, I should be ready to come out with a full album. “

•MC Eok

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

BIG

CINEMA GUIDE

PICTURE Supported by: SILVERBIRD CINEMAS

This Means War

In love or not

HE spy world may be all serious-minded and business-like but you would think that when it comes to love, the reverse is the case. When CIA agents and best friends FDR Foster (Chris Pine) and Tuck Henson (Tom Hardy) played the cupid game, they both end up in an online blind date with the same woman, Lauren Scott (Reese Witherspoon). Both are deployed to Hong Kong to prevent international criminal Heinrich (Til Schweiger) from acquiring a weapon of mass destruction, but the mission goes awry, resulting in the death of Heinrich's brother Jonas and Heinrich swearing revenge against them. For their protection, their boss, Collins, assigns them to desk duty upon returning to America. FDR is a womanizer, whose cover is that he's a cruise ship captain, while Tuck, who presents himself as a travel agent, has an ex-wife, Katie, and a son, Joe. After seeing a commercial for online dating, Tuck decides to sign himself up and is paired with Lauren, a product testing executive who's dealing with the recent engagement of her ex-boyfriend. Her best

friend, Trish (Chelsea Handler), has signed her up for the same online dating site. FDR and Tuck soon discover that they're seeing the same woman and decide not to tell her that they know each other, to interfere with each others' dates, nor have sex with her and let her come to her decision about them. However, they soon break their rules and use CIA technology to spy on her and discover her preferences, as well as try to sabotage one another. FDR and Lauren eventually have sex, and Tuck and Lauren nearly do as well. One day, Lauren invites Tuck to lunch, while FDR discovers that Heinrich has come to America to get revenge against them. He interrupts Lauren's date with Tuck to warn him, but Tuck doesn't believe him and they get into a fight, during which Lauren discovers that they're friends and decides to leave, alone, with Trish. At that moment, they are captured by Heinrich and his men, who are pursued by FDR and Tuck. Laced with humour, the movie then takes on an even faster pace.

Safe House takes espionage tales a notch higher

OUNTERINTELLIGENCE, insurgency and betrayal are words that will always be associated with the spy world. And so, when Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington), an ex-CIA agent turned international criminal, acquires a file detailing the criminal activities of several worldwide intelligence, all hell is let lose. He got the information from renegade MI6 agent Alec Wade (Liam Cunningham) but, attacked by the mercenary Vargas (Fares Fares), he enters an American consulate and is moved to a CIA safe house in Cape Town, South Africa manned by Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds), a low-level agent yearning for field action. When Vargas and his men attack the house, Weston escapes with Frost captive. Weston contacts his mentor, David Barlow (Brendan Gleeson), at CIA headquarters. Catherine Linkater (Vera Farmiga), another CIA operative, orders Weston to lie low and call back later.

Weston hides with Frost while Linkater later tells him to go to Cape Town Stadium to retrieve a GPS device with the location of a nearby safe house. He retrieves the GPS at the stadium, but Frost creates a diversion and escapes by disguising himself as a policeman. Weston is ordered to go to the nearest American embassy for debriefing. He then locates the house of Frost's contact, Carlos Villar (Rubén Blades), where Frost is attacked by Vargas and his team, but escapes with Weston's help. They learn that Vargas is actually working for the CIA, which is seeking to retrieve the files Frost received from Wade. A blaze of attacks, counter attacks and betrayal thus unfolds.

PORT HARCOURT Mausam Genre: Drama Gossip Nation Genre: Drama In-time Genre: Science Fiction Johnny English Reborn Genre: Action/Adventure What's Your Number Genre: Action/Adventure The Change Up Genre: Comedy Dolphin Tale Genre: Drama Suing The Devil Genre: Comedy ABUJA Gossip Nation Genre Drama Sinking Sand Genre Drama What's Your Number Genre Action/Adventure Contagion Genre Action/Adventure Unwanted Guest (Nollywood) Genre Drama Friends with Benefits Genre Comedy Conan the Barbarian Genre Action/Adventure The Smurfs Genre Science Fiction

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

HAT does the word fashion mean to you? As a fashion designer, I have a passion for fashion. Fashion encompasses trends in culture, clothes, jewelry, architecture, music, dance, furniture and much more. How would you rate the Nigerian fashion industry today? From a steady rise, the fashion industry in Nigeria has exploded in recent times and it's no surprise that lots and lots of the younger generation are caught up in this explosion. Graduates in all professions are venturing into all areas of fashion such as modeling, photography, apparel design, shoes and bags etc. The media have had a lot to do with the visibility of trends in fashion. We even have many fashion magazines that feature only glamorously dressed ladies at parties and events. Lots of fashion shows have come up here and abroad and all these have created profound interest in fashion in recent times, encouraging sponsorship deals by big companies Tell us a little about your background, education, career and how your fashion career started? I was a full time housewife for several years before I veered into the fashion business.

Fro m my university days, I always enjoyed designing my own clothes because I valued my own unique look. I don't like to ape trends. I always gave my dress makers my own designs to make. So, naturally when I thought of a career after raising my six children, being a fashion designer was the natural choice and I knew that I could make a success of it. My mum went to missionary schools back then and they were taught to be ladies and home makers. She made my clothes as a child. They were professionally made and so, I knew that dress making was for the intelligent ones and not for school drop outs as earlier believed. Schon Afrique is the name of your fashion label, what informed the choice of that name? I speak French and some German. Schon in German means beautiful and Afrique is the French word for Africa. So, I married the two words which mean Beautiful Africa. What inspires your designs? I aim for the visually stunning, the glamorous clothes fit for royalty, captains of industry, media gurus, stars and lovers of high fashion. I am inspired by what will appeal to my clients from lovely fabrics to accessories, colours and other influences that I pick here and there. What is your area of specialisation and why the focus on that aspect of designing? I focus on occasion clothes, mainly clothes for that unforgettable entrance. Unique clothes, the glitter, the dazzle

e k i l s i â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I d â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s d n e r t g n i copy From being a full time housewife to a fashion designer, Folake Majin, mother of six and founder of Schon Afrique, has a success story to tell with the numerous awards to her credit. In this interview with Kehinde Falode, Majin talks about the challenges of the fashion industry and what it has taken her to get this far

yet understated. I absolutely detest gaudy outfits. I am very comfortable with doing clothes for special occasions, because I make designs that are painstakingly detailed. Who are your target clientele? They are women who are not afraid of standing out or being admired; women who love fashion and are thrilled with endless creativity; women who love the one-offs created exclusively for them. How do you deal with the challenges you face as a designer? It is definitely tough doing business in Nigeria and the major problem is lack of constant electricity. Getting professionals is also another area of challenge. Many designers have to import professionals, who are more exposed and have better work ethics from the west coast of Africa and even the far east of Asia to move their business forward. Our tailors, cutters need to be patient enough to learn the job properly instead of rushing to establish their outfits. At Schon Afrique, we train our staff in these areas of specialization. When aspiring designers want to come to me for mentoring, I tell them to go to training schools first. We have Nobel, Ginnani and a few other training schools. They need to be professionally equipped with

some knowledge of pattern making, drafting etc. to succeed. Another area of challenge is finance. To break into bigtime fashion now demands capital. Getting media attention, sponsors, professionals etc is not an easy feat. Is it profitable doing fashion business in Nigeria? Yes and no. Without being equipped with the passion, knowledge and skill, it can be an absolute disaster. Many have started the fashion business with stateof-the art fashion equipment only to close down in a matter of months. With skilled workers, creativity, passion for the job and visibility, I can confidently say it can be profitable. Give your client what they want, churn out creative, beautiful designs from time to time, keep their interest going, give value for money and you will definitely keep your clientele. And because beautiful clothes are self- advertising, you will get more clients to keep the business going. Do you have a market for your clothes outside Nigeria? I stand to be corrected, but I don't believe we have any resident Nigerian designer that is truly international in the real sense of the word. Do we have outlets in other countries like the Gucci or the Pradas. Are we in major departmental stores like Selfridges, Macys. To compete with international designers needs more than a rare mention in an international magazine or participating in international fashion shows. It requires a complete make-over of our fashion industry, proper structure, deliberate government participation and huge finance. I am happy that Duro Olowu, a Nigerian designer based abroad has been able to break into the mainstream international fashion scene.

Your job must be very time consuming. How do you balance your personal life and your job? It is indeed very time consuming. But I strive to create a balance otherwise work will be overwhelming and capable of creating problems at home. I make a

conscious effort to close early (latest 6pm) a n d rarely t a k e express jobs that

overstretch me. You have two daughters who have followed in your footsteps. What was it like taking them through to where they are right now? I will not say that I tutored them directly. They have their God given talent, which eventually got expressed. But along the line, they must have been influenced by what I did. My daughter Patigi, referred to as Miss Majin by many, created the Breathless Experience collection for the fashion show, while my other daughter Gogo, created GM4FM collections. I am really proud of them. Now, let's talk about your experience in the MTN sponsored Schon Afrique Fashion show. What inspired your designs for that exhibiton? It was a professionally rewarding experience. Doing a collection with my daughters was a unique and interesting angle to the show. This was not about hype, but about three related designers putting up distinctly different collections. What are your dreams and aspirations for Schon Afrique It will be really nice to have a company that will outlive me; a company that is financially strong, with solid structures on ground; a company that is not a one- man show; a company that will stand the test of time and remain unshakeable, in good times or bad times! Give us a peep into your vision for Schon Afrique five to ten years from now? In five to ten years time, I hope to be able to have a chain of retail stores in the country of some kind of fashion accessories geared towards a larger market. So help me God!

Glamour

Basking n u S e h t in

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL (08033572821) raphseg2003@yahoo.com

ENULTIMATE Saturday,The Sun newspaper held its annual awards night to honour outstanding Nigerians in politics, business and public service, who have distinguished themselves in their calling in the preceding year. The star-studded event held at the Expo Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos with Governor Godswill Akpabio carting home 'The Sun Man of The Year “ award; Chief Arthur Mbanefo and Dr Christopher Kolade bagging the Lifetime Achievement Award, among other honorees, reports Olusegun Rapheal.

•L-R: Access Bank MD, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Gov. Adams Oshiomole

•Chief Arthur Mbanefo

•L-R: MD/Editor-in-chief, The Sun, Mr. Tony Onyima, Gov. Godswill Akpabio and wife, Ekaette, receiving the Award

•Aremo Olusegun Osoba and wife, Derin

•Akwa Ibon Deputy Governor, Hon. Nsima Ekere and wife

•Mrs Folorunsho Alakija

•Donald Duke and wife Onari

•Charles Ahize and wife Maureen

•Mr Tunji Olugbodi

•L-R: Dimgba Igwe and Mr. Mike Awoyinfa

•Mr and Mrs Ben Bruce

•L-R: Ini Edo and Emem Isong

•L-R: Shade Odele and Mrs Jumoke Oyeneyin •Nike Oshinowo-Sholeye

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Octavia Spencer's surprising post-Oscars splurge Octavia Spencer's portrayal of spitfire maid Minny Jackson has brought the 39-year old veteran some well-deserved accolades. Her performance in The Help has won her Golden Globe and SAG awards. But her greatest triumph so far has been winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at the recent Academy Awards. She spoke to Parade.com in the week leading up to the awards.

HAT did you do before you when your car broke hitting it big? down. Have you run into him since? “I was a production assistant. I saw “No, I haven't, but I what people who are full of themselves still go to all of his are likeanother reason not to lose your humility! I have a mouth on me so I movies on opening weekend.” wasn't the best PA.” What would When you hear your name announced as the winner at an awards p e o p l e b e show, what goes through your mind? s u r p r i s e d t o know about ”I'm shocked. It's very, very you? humbling that people are singling out ”I have an that performance.” affinity What's been your favorite celebrity for encounter? “I can't say one experience is better than the other one but if I had to, I would say Steven Spielberg. I saw him quite a few times and he was always smiling. And I literally probably looked like a stalker. He and Oprah. They're right there together. Oprah changed my dream of what I could be and Steven influenced every ounce of my artistry. I think he's just the best ever. The fact that I got to do a movie for his studio and had conversations with him is like 'Oh my God.'” When you first moved to L.A., Keanu Reeves helped

the law. I like looking at the small type on contracts, and if I could have afforded law school, I probably would have gone.” What was it like growing up in such a big family? Especially being the sixth of seven children. “I honestly wouldn't know how it would be without that many siblings. I was a big reader and sometimes it was like I didn't have brothers or sisters at all because I would be in a corner somewhere reading. We all have one or two we talk to all the time but we all are pretty close.” Does coming from a big family affect whether you want children yourself? “I hope the guy I choose is not an only child. But I do want kids. I definitely want at least three, but I'm about to hit 40, so we'll see.” I read your Oscar date will be someone from The Help so there's no familial drama. True? “If I could take all of my siblings, it would be easy and I would do that. But since I can't, I have to keep it in perspective since we got there as a team. Even if only a few of us are singled out, I would rather have as much of us there as possible because they worked on the film and should bask in all of its glory. I think that is the right thing to do. If my mom would be alive, it would definitely be her, but she's not.” Speaking of dates, do you get asked out more? “Oh, you keep that in perspective, too. A little bit more, but it feels weird if it's not coming from the right place.” You were the comedic force in The Help. What makes you burst into giggles? “I love the wry sense of humor. That's why I'm obsessed with Tate [Taylor, The Help director] and Viola [Davis]. They're like the funniest people on the planet. I like a person who knows how to say something dark at a very dark moment. The darker the moment and the darker the comic, the better. Something that is so wrong on all levels.” Because Minny was so sassy, are people nervous to approach you? “Well, they should be intimidated! [laughs] When people look at me they know when I feel like being bothered and when I don't. If I feel like being bothered my eyes are up and looking around. If I don't feel like being bothered I'm looking at a book and my eyes are closed. I think you have to read people's signs if they are tired, but I haven't really had a problem. So I guess people are reading me correctly. But if someone comes up and says hello, I'm not going to be rude.” Have you gotten yourself a splurge gift? “Well, I am going to get my boobs lifted. That's going to be my first gift. I'm going to do that. I figured going into my forties I want my boobs where they were when I was 17.” Are you doing that pre- or postOscars? “Oh definitely post because right after the Oscars I start a Diablo Cody movie. We're taping out of the country for four months so I wouldn't be back here until about August. So I would want to do this around November. Then that way I could just relax until January.”

Glamour

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Social KAYODE ALFRED

(E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com, Tel: 08035733605, 08099400057)

Deolu and Tope Adeboye get busy

DEOLU, the handsome son of the revered man of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and his wife, Tope, are the beautiful couple who runs the one-stop shop for the urbane gentleman, Wisemen Apparel and Duchess, the ladies' arm. For some time now, the couple seems to have taken a back seat on the social scene, much to the surprise of their friends. Until now, they relished the attention that came with glamour of their business. Tope, who was based in London before her marriage, enjoyed the attention even more. A gorgeous dresser, she made a graceful and resounding entry into the social scene, which created nervousness in the minds of veritable socialites. But presently, she has decided to take a break from social happenings so that she can have more time for her family and business. Adeolu, sources say, has also added another line to his growing business concerns. SC gathered that the young man now supplies bullet-proof doors to high net worth clients and of course smiling regularly to the bank.

Toyin Lawani celebrates three decades

High society gears up for Abah Folawiyo's 70th birthday

T promises to be the mother-of-all-parties that would take place this year. Though the event is still about five months away, A-list women who dictate the pulse of high society are not taking chances with preparations to celebrate one of their own who sometime in July would be joining the septuagenarian club. For Hajia Abah Folawiyo, her th friends believe her 70 birthday provides a golden opportunity to celebrate a woman, whose footprints on the social scene and the fashion industry remain indelible. Though SC gathered the birthday is likely to fall during the Ramadan period, friends of the celebrant have concluded plans to shift the celebration forward to a more auspicious time. There are also speculations that three citiesLagos, Abuja and London would host three big parties in honour of the fashion icon. Already, a committee of friends led by Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and Yinka Onileere will coordinate the various logistics to make the celebration one to be talked about in a long while. The grand finale of the event, SC gathered, would take place at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, with King Sunny Ade on the bandstand.

OYIN Lawani, proprietress of Tianna's Place, a spa centre in Victoria Island, Lagos was in a gaily mood last week when she celebrated th her 30 birthday. The well-connected lady, who is very close to most of the money-bags in town celebrated her birthday with a classy party, which was graced by many guests that matter in the social circles. This parade of top shots was not unexpected as Toyin had always wined and dined in the right circles. That life has been very good to Lawani is like stating the obvious. A few months ago, she was gifted a brand new Range Rover Sport with registration number ATM by one of her many admirers.

Unity Bank director, Timehin Adelegbe hits gold

HIS is also celebration time for Unity Bank director, Timehin Adelegbe, whose th 50 birthday comes up this week. To mark the special day, sources say friends, colleagues and family members of the top banker are throwing a big shindig to herald him into the 'golden club'. A quiet achiever, who would rather allow the day to pass like any other, however, Adelegbe's friends have reportedly told him to take a back seat and allow them take charge of the day.

All set for 'The White Gig series 5’

HE White Gig, series 5, the celebration of Encomium Magazine's 15th anniversary, an annual revelry of thanksgiving, is coming up on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at The Haven on Oba Akinjobi, GRA Ikeja, Lagos. Speaking on what to expect at the show, the magazine publisher, Kunle Bakare said, ''We are fine-tuning the gig with a difference where over a thousand jolly and joyous souls, stars of movies , music and comedy and leading lights of fashion and style, creative entrepreneurs and serious professionals, enjoy the annual revelry of thanksgiving, the yearly communion of gratitude. It would be a six-hour extravaganza laced with music and dance as constant recurring elements in the atmosphere of bliss and jollification with many other goodies on offer.''

Much ado about D’Banj’s Koko mobile

APO Oyebanji otherwise known as 'D' banj in the music industry has, no doubt, made a success of his calling as an entertainer. With soar-away albums that have sold millions and multi-million naira endorsement deals that have catapulted the young man into the affluent class, D' banj could not have asked for more. To further diversify his investment base, the artiste had delved into other business ventures that are raking in good money. But it seems his foray into the telecoms sector via his much hyped Koko mobile phone has not recorded much success. Some months ago, D'banj had boasted that the phone will take over the market in no time. However, a recent survey showed that the Koko mobile brand is nowhere to be found in the market, with critics even suggesting that all the noise about the product was simply PR stunts and nothing more.

FROM THE CAMPUS Prof. PAGE 46

OKOCHA Nickname: Jay-Jay Position: Midfielder Years active: 13 Duration: 1993-2006 Caps: 73 Goals: 14 Austin Okocha was so good with the ball at his feet that Bolton fans claimed it was the reason he was named twice. His nickname ‘Jay-Jay’ 2010, when he eventually called time on his was originally his elder brother’s international career. The man with the lion but it is something that is heart had played at six AFCON indisputably his today. For the most tournaments and won a silver medal and part of 13 years, Okocha held sway four bronze medals. These could never as the unrivalled creative engine detract from his record of being the most room of the Nigerian midfield as decorated Nigerian footballer ever with they evolved a style of play that was winners' medals at the UEFA Champions a delight to watch. The robustness League, English Premier League, FA Cup, of Okocha’s ball juggling and Dutch Eredivisie and UEFA Cup amongst passing mesmerised opponents as others. he quickly became the focal point of 3. MUDASHIRU LAWAL the team. Nickname: Muda Position: Midfielder The diminutive midfielder, who Years active: 10 always carried a big smile on his Duration: 1975-1985 face, drew many comparisons with the best in the game as he was Caps: 86 selected by Katongo Pele in his FIFA 100 list Goals: 12 •Christopher In just 10 years, Muda Lawal set the bar of of the 125 greatest living footballers. appearances for his country’s national team In Nigerian colours, Okocha won his first title – the AFCON trophy in so high that it’s still the yard stick for judging records 27 years on. Lawal, an auto- 1994 – and played in three World mechanic, was discovered to possess Cups, between 1994 and 2002. He was later named captain of the prod igious football skills. squad. He was awarded the most He made his valuable player award at the national team debut in 1975, the AFCON in 2004 where he won the same year that he Golden Boot award and scored the was signed on by 1000th goal in the tournament’s history. Shooting Stars of Okocha retired from the national Ibadan. team in 2006 after persistent injuries. That first game His last official game was the thirdset the tone for his place match victory against Senegal career as Nigeria defeated Cameroon 1- at the 2006 AFCON in Egypt. He scored 14 goals and made 73 0 in a friendly match. appearances in a career that He would lead the Green Eagles’ midfield as tantalised fans all over the world. 5. PETER RUFAI Nickname: they went on to win the 1980 Afcon on home soil, Dodo Mayana Position: Goalkeeper scoring the last goal in a Years active: 15 3-0 win over Algeria. Duration: 1983-1998 Lawal played in five Caps: 63 consecutive AFCON Goals: 1 tournaments, the first Peter Rufai was among a rare player to do so, between breed of African goalkeepers who 1976 and 1984. He also found fame and fortune in Europe opened the scoring in in the early 1990s, as more and more the 3-1 final loss to players sought to build their careers Cameroon at the 1984 away from the continent. The 1.87tournament in Cote metre tall goalkeeper, who is a d’Ivoire, the last time prince in his hometown of Idimu, a he played for the suburb of Lagos, left Nigeria national team. through the Republic of Benin Lawal sadly died at where he played for a year before the age of 37 in arriving at Belgian club Lokeren in 1991. 1987. 4. He had already made his AUS debut for the Super Eagles TIN in 1983 but would not establish himself as the • Kanu No. 1 until the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. He would later lose his place to Aloysius Agu and Wilfred Agbonavbare in the lead up to the 1994 AFCON and World Cup. At Tunisia ’94, Rufai held the fort as • Yobo Nigeria won their second continental title in Tunisia, where he was influential in the semi-final penalty shootout victory over Cote d’Ivoire.

Yobo,Kanu lead the pack

• Muda Lawal, Okocha,Rufai complete the list

OAL.COM looks at five of the most capped players in Nigeria’s history and their impact on the game. 1. JOSEPH YOBO Nickname: Jo-Yo Position: Defender Years active: 11 Duration: 2001-to present Caps: 87 Goals: 7 Current Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo has reached into a firmament where he is all by himself, the primus inter pares, first among equals. As he filed out against Rwanda in Wednesday’s AFCON qualifier, Yobo surpassed the record of 86 caps that he jointly held with both Nwankwo Kanu and Muda Lawal. It is no mean feat to attain 87 international appearances for a national side that has seen so much turbulence in the last decade, with 11 coaches having held the job. It is due to his hard work and consistency that he is able to warm his way into the hearts of all of those coaches in order to continue to hold down the central defensive position. Yobo earned his first cap under Amodu Shaibu as the national team prepared for the 2002 AFCON and World Cup. 2. NWANKWO KANU Nickname: Papilo Position: Forward Years active: 16 Duration: 1994-2010 Caps: 86 Goals: 12 Nwankwo Kanu’s 16 years spent in the service of Nigeria’s national team belied his tall, lanky and lazy look. Starting out as a youth international with the victorious Under-17 team of 1993, Kanu made his senior debut the next year in a friendly against Sweden. From that point on, he would become a regular player of the national set-up as he went on to have an eventful career. Kanu led Nigeria’s Olympic Under-23’s to win a gold medal in football at the Atlanta ’96 games, where they terminated the ambition of illustrious opponents Brazil and Argentina. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with a heart defect while concluding his medicals at Inter. A shocked nation prayed as he made his way through surgery and recovery to return to football and again continue to delight with his amazing skills. Kanu’s national team career would never be as successful as it was before his operation as he failed to win any trophies with the Super Eagles. But he was part of the squad that played at three World Cups in 1998, 2002 and

Emmanuel Ojeme

THE NATION SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

FIVE MOST CAPPED NIGERIANS

With

MR. ISAAC AKINDAYO AKIOYE Reminiscences of a former student

N February of 2007, the sun set for Late Mr. Isaac, Akindayo, Akioye, Nigeria’s foremost sports pragmatist and educationist. During his life time, I had the privilege of being his student between 1973 and 1976 at the famous University of Ife Institute of Physical Education where he pioneered a new BSc Physical Education programme. My first encounter with Late. Mr. Isaac A. Akioye was during an interview programme he organized in the summer of 1973 for into a BSc (Hons) Physical education programme aimed at selecting candidates with the requisite academic qualifications as well as athletic skills and potential in one or two sports. All the candidates who appeared for the interview were asked to choose sports of interest. So I chose football, having been a footballer of note in my primary and secondary school days. On the football field was Mr. Akioye who tested candidates. He made us to play and prove our capabilities. During this process, I saw a man who was well groomed, very athletic, courteous and positive minded. I saw a detribalized and dynamic Nigerian, whose main and only denominator of assessment and decision about one’s suitability for the programme, outside of your academic qualification, was your performance potential and ability. I saw a pragmatic and dynamic sports personality. I was very happy to encounter such a magnificent personality. I was full of pleasant stories about this encounter on getting home to my base in Agbor. The University of Ife Sports Centre, where this exercise was conducted was very infatuating as were other infrastructural facilities on campus which were also of very high aesthetic quality. As a young man just 20 years then, I seized the opportunity of the germane, productive and positive atmosphere which Mr. Akioye created at the Institute of Physical Education to excel. The integrated nature of the University of Ife programme within the Sports Centre was a model in Nigeria. The students studied and practiced sports in the Sports Centre unlike what operates in other Nigerian Universities where students are embedded in the Faculties of Education. Mr. I.A. Akioye had a personal relationship with every student. Really, Me. Akioye was a catalyst to academic and athletic success. He made me to become a footballer, playing for the great Ife team, a 400m hurdler, 400m and 400x400m athlete with medals to show. I came to Ife a village boy, and left the University shinning with a second class upper degree with sports medals in football and track and field. This was how Mr. Akioye turned many of his students from green horns in sports to athletic champions. Our set of 1973/1976 was like a mini Nigeria. Students were recruited from all zones of the Federation. Mr. Akioye was a sports icon. Very pragmatic. He was not a sports administrator who delegated responsibility and sat down in the office. He was right there on the field seeing what the coaches and athletes were doing and made his own contributions. The University of Ife of our time was a gem and leader in varsity sports. Mr. Akioye ensured that Ife varsity athletes were among the most competitive in all sports. He developed his own athletes and made them succeed. Through his mentorship, I discovered myself both in sports and in physical education. He made me and other students to develop so much love for the subject. I attribute the foundation of what I have become today to this great Nigerian. All students who passed through him have similar stories of success. Definitely he has left his indelible marks of excellence in the sand of time. He has touched the lives of many and demonstrated how best physical education and sports programmes should be organized in Higher Education. His own life was full of ground breaking achievements. The 1st UK tourist Nigerian football team member (as a goal keeper); showing the way in the acquisition of higher degrees in physical education; establishment of the pioneer Institute of Physical Education; foremost pragmatic sports administrator and Lecturer, and 1st Nigerian University Lecturer to be appointed Director of Sports at the National Sports Commission; model facilitator of scholarship for athletes and staff exchange programme; utility coach and motivator of no mean proportion. He was also a disciplinarian and sublime family man. That he left can promote longevity. Pa. Akioye is gone to rest with the Lord, having completed his assignment here on earth. However, his sports philosophy, thoughts, deeds and achievements will never die. Rest in peace papa.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MHARCH 4, 2012

VOL 1 NO. 037

Advertising professionally I

T turns out that most times some brands communication and advertising persons fail to connect with the truth that advertising or indeed brands communication is not always about selling. It follows also, that beyond the most dominant desire to sell, as a determinant factor towards the development of most advertising messages, there are other equally important considerations that should influence the process even if they are not expressly stated. True, brand communication is most commonly determined by identified objectives; the responsibility every such creative product carries with it also requires some careful handling in order to guide it towards achieving set objectives. It follows, therefore, that there are fundamentals demanding of special skills and attention, which has qualified the practice of brands management especially in the areas of advertising and marketing communications, as a profession. That explains why we have always stressed the need for the appreciation of the profession by constantly looking out for compromises in the application and demonstration of those ingredients that qualifies professionals and their contributions. Such effort will help critical consideration of the creative products paraded as adverts for purpose of quality analysis and control, as is done with other product/service categories. MC&A DIGEST holds that advert materials (and other such creative products) are too delicate as mind influencers to be permitted without quality standard check. It is pertinent to state at this point that advertising is only an aspect of brands management. It is therefore subsumed within an operating model based on laid down procedure that permits what is commonly referred as creative license. Brand management and advertising thrives in creativity and innovation, hence there is a constant harvest of new ideas in the practice and creative process. The most dominant challenge among practitioners is achieving differentiation which is a product of innovation and creativity. So we appreciate that it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that with all the fluidity characteristic of brands management and advertising, there are grand rules that must be obeyed. Yes, brands management requires the acquisition of certain skills and abilities that must be put to work in the discharge of related function; and that is one of its qualifiers as a profession. In so far as there are compromises in the quality of human elements engaged in executing duties within the ambit of the practice, the immediate and extended areas within its influence will (continue to) suffer. As one of my senior colleagues mentioned some time past, the most dominant differentiating factor between success and failure in brands management is deep knowledge and insight – of brand and the market. To the untrained mind this could turn out confusing because that simple directive involves a whole world of activities/involvement. But that has only come to fore at this point as a pointer to the many other considerations as would be mentioned later. But let us consider brand and market knowledge at this point. For every good quality advert material, knowledge and insight are very important. It is the duty of the creative team to develop working knowledge in the areas of (a) THE BRAND in question – its person, image, past market performance, its reputation, its strength & weakness, its offer and promise. (b) THE MARKET environment – who are the competitors within its market, how are they positioned and how are they doing versus own-brand, what are their areas of strength and weakness and what are those market areas opportunities of competitive advantages are open to ownbrand and (c) CONSUMER INSIGHT – detailed target con-

sumer profiling, their expectation, traits and habits, their buying pattern and psychographic considerations that bother on lifestyle and even media habits. Beyond these basics, however, is the issue of process adherence. If you throw issue of deep knowledge and insights at anybody on the street you are most likely to get quick answers demonstrative of top-of-mind awareness. The challenge is more in the area of the ideal advert development process. It smacks of repetition for us to replay the ideal creative process for developing advertising material because we have done so amply in the past, but it is impera-

tive for purpose of emphasis here. Aside manifest message advert messages bear character and flavor. So most times, the challenge is not in developing the message, but in the delivery of the message. So the choice of words and pictures in the case of materials demanding of audio-visuals, are judged by their tone of voice, use of models, quality and style of audio delivery and creative treatment. That is why some top-end creative products are meant to go through intense creative process for distinctive effect (because most times the medium is the message). In same vein, advert materials are judged on the basis of credibility and believability. Far beyond creativity and production quality, most campaign materials today fall short of credibility. It is not that those behind such guilty creative products set out to tell lies, but the reason is that because they do not have the competence to creatively develop and produce their intended messages for public consumption properly (brand valueessence and promise), they turn out adverts in formats that tilt towards deceit. Consequently, brands begin to lose equity as a result of wrong image perception. As case studies, we will quickly make one or two mentions here. I was exposed to Fidelity Bank's “GOOD TO YOU” TV commercial on one of DSTV Super Sport chan-

nels and was at a loss on so many fronts. I subjected myself to a review of that commercial, considering use of models, ambience, relevance of over-all treatment to brand's brandworld and credibility, I was left more confused than I was before the exercise. Whatever brand Fidelity Bank decides to do with itself would not frontally be my problem, though, but some of those who saw the commercial with me asked a few questions because they have connected me with brands management over the years. To recall the TVC broadly, it starts with select camera focus on individual members of what turned out to be a youth musical group rendering a Fidelity Bank music in the format of a jingle. The predominant lyric is GOOD TO YOU. It runs for about 45% through inaudible song session. At the end of the tvc, the only memorable item is GOOD FOR YOU. This comes across as a corporate campaign material by its profile, and perhaps the concept was built around what should be the brand's promise the execution and treatment ran at tangent with what we can now consider the campaign objective, so badly, the effort did not expressly register the brand's promise or distinct offer. At least among those that were with me when this commercial was considered, it left a bitter after taste in the mouth that everybody asked: “what is wrong with Fidelity? On the part of Etisalat, the question is “do they really think anybody believe the promise of one Blackberry phone every one hour promo?” we s would rather that you the readers answer that question for yourselves because from the opinion sample so far across mobile phone service user-segments, this is simply a lie; one too important for Etisalat to ignore. In some ways, both brands have subtly injured themselves in ways that could ambush their image perception now and in the future. But we will have to leave it at that, considering that the issues we dwelt on above explains the reasons for such results and the roadmap towards developing creative products that add value. ON AIRTEL I really cannot imagine what excuses there are (perhaps technical reasons?), but the prevalent situation right now is that for some time now (I can recollect vividly about four months now), AIRTEL deducts between N1.75 to N3.00 every early morning, daily, from me as the charge for 'my last call' when I e barely woken up. Put clearly, when I do not use my phone they charge me for calls made! Now, this has continued for such a long time it is amounting to so much I can not continue with and I am sure so many other subscribers like me are worried about. To make matters worse, on Wednesday February 22, 2012 alone, between 6.53am and 7.15am, AIRTEL deducted a total of about N135.00 in successively as charges for last call when I did not even touch my phone. It was funny to me because I was watching the deductions happen as I was reading that early morning. This has to stop. It amounts to stealing because this has become a persistent and compulsive act that robs me of my hard-earned money. It can only be imagined now much is falsely deducted from every subscriber to this service provider across Nigeria on a daily basis. Since they “collect” it in trickles, it readily pass as inconsequential to the individual (but constitutes a huge lot to ETISALAT), and that is why they continue in this dishonorable act. Please ETISALAT let this stop immediately. National Communication Commission (NCC) should please take note

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

How I blogged my way to success Myne Whitman traded her job as a Business Development Officer in a Bank to write romance novels for contemporary readers. Having carved a niche for herself in the creative sector, this founder of Nigeria's most popular and lucrative social networking site for writers, Naijastories.com, speaks with Rita Ohai on her passion and the challenges her industry faces.

HAT inspired you to venture into writing and creating a website for short stories? I've been writing for quite a while now, I remember writing while still in primary and secondary school, but I only became serious when I got to University. I was inspired by my love for reading. I found it very amazing that people could create stories and others would enjoy them so much and also learn from them. Creating the website was because I wanted to share that love of reading. It was my way of making stories available in a general place so that more people will have access to them. The idea includes also helping aspiring Nigerian writers to improve their skills and gain confidence in sharing their stories. This came from my experience blogging and coordinating an online interactive story. I felt Nigerian aspiring writers could benefit from a platform like Authonomy. Today Naijastories.com is not only committed to telling Nigerian stories, we also promote Nigerian authors, writers and book publishers through publishing news, events and literary opportunities. What were the challenges you faced in the early days of venturing into writing? One of the challenges was in trying to bring myself up to date in writing. I had been out of the game for about 5 years and in that interval, so many things had changed. I had to equip myself with up to date information on submission proce sse

Working life s to publishers, the options now available and also how to target my stories. Also, I realized that my writing was far too amateur for the market I was writing for, it might have been good enough for my sisters and friends, but I had to polish it up for a wider audience. Can you highlight some of the rewards of your job?

I love what I do. I have always had the passion to pursue a goal in develop ment in Nigeria. The path I took in my education and some of my work experience was in health systems but at the stage in my life when I started blogging, that path was not open to me. Instead, I saw this opportunity to make an impact in the reading and writing sector and I decided to take it. It helps that I have had encouragement from my immediate family and the Nigerian online community along the line. The fact that feedback generally has been positive is rewarding. My books are geared toward an international audience and I'm glad that the positive responses are across board. Some readers are surprised by either the characters or the setting, but it's a pleasant sort. I've head emails from readers from as far as Indonesia, Mexico and India, writing to tell me what an eye opener it was for them to read a romance novel set outside of the usual and how much they appreciated a different outlook. Even Nigerian readers love the books. Since most of the country's writers focus on literary fiction, a reviewer described my first book as a "breath of fresh air". I also receive emails on a regular basis saying how the writers have been inspired by my actions which motivates me. I have to admit that I make money through my books, b l o g a n d naijastories too. Are there some things you find upsetting about the Arts industry in the country? I don't think there's anything I find upsetting per se; I just feel it is desperately under resourced and under-funded. I believe that if the economy of the country as a whole improves, it would have a domino effect on the Arts. The biggest gap I see is in the industry currently is in the sparse number of publishing houses, and the distribution channels available to get books to readers. Anothe r main

difficulty Authors face in Nigeria is that of finding publishers. I definitely felt this when I tried to find a publisher for some of the stories I wrote while in University and hit a brick wall. There were only a couple of publishers in the market then and they weren't taking any new manuscripts. Till date, things haven't changed much. Other difficulties lie in the quality and availability of education. We have a lot of talented writers but what is obvious is that their grasp of English is not up to standard, unfortunately the educational system has failed them. We also lack a lot of creative writing departments in our higher institutions. I also think the current publishers have a focus on books written for an international audience, and while this is not intrinsically bad, it also means that the books cannot excite Nigerians because majority of readers don't get the stories in them. This becomes very obvious when you compare the publishing industry to Nollywood or the Music scene for example. Any advice for up and coming writers who are struggling to succeed in view of the harsh economic state? There are ways for aspiring writers to succeed without breaking the bank. They have to network with one another. With the availability of the internet, the environment of writing has changed. Far from being a solitary affair these days, writers can engage with both published authors and other writers and utilize available opportunities to polish up their talent and improve on their writing. Specifically, they can form writing groups, initiate book clubs, send articles to online journals and magazines, while also building their platform through a personal blog. What tips do you have on how women succeed in their careers or businesses? Women with business or careers have to be sure that they have the necessary skills and training for what they intend to do. They also need to network with one another and make use of opportunities available to them, both on ground and online. Could you give some insight into your family history, educational background and your childhood experiences? I grew up during the 1980's and remember as a child studying a lot, reading everything I could lay my hands on, and then trying to play the rest of the time. I attended Ekulu Primary School and Queens School in Enugu, and Loretto Science School and Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Anambra. I am from Asaba, Delta State and that is where my parents live now. I also lived and worked in Abuja for a few years. One thing that stands out from my childhood was our annual trips to Asaba from Enugu. It was a completely different experience for me, both the environment and the people. And it was also vacation time from school, and we got to play all day. My first degree is in Biological Sciences from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Anambra State. I also have a Masters degree in Public Health Research from the University of Edinburgh. If you were not working to produce books and promote young writers, what other job would you do? I believe I can do any job. My preference though would be working in Health Systems Administration or making policies to improve health systems.

Women with businesses or careers have to be sure that they have the necessary skills and training for what they intend to do.

â&#x20AC;˘With respect to the interview published last week; Mrs Njide Ndilli was the Managing Director of Hygeia Community Health Plan and obtained her Maters of Business Administration from the University of Houston. We apologize for the error.

New WOMAN

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

35-year-old mother, who declined to be named to avoid stigmatization of her family, says she was raped when she was 7. Her daughter was also raped at age 3 and infected with syphilis. The mother says this is the first time she has told anyone that she was raped. And she hasn't told her daughter, now 14, that she was raped as a toddler. "It is a stigma that never leaves one no matter how much you try to bathe yourself." “I think history is repeating itself,” the mother says. “And these two incidents, especially that of my daughter, have completely left me disturbed in my entire life.” The mother grew up as an orphan in Mendankwe, a village in the Northwest region of Cameroon. Her father died when her mother was pregnant with her, and her mother died while giving birth to her. Her uncle raised her in the village until age 7, when a maternal aunt came and took her to Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. She started attending a primary school that was about five kilometers away from her aunt's home. Her aunt dropped her off at school every morning and picked her up every afternoon. But one day, about three weeks after she enrolled, her aunt did not come to pick her up from school. “I couldn't go home alone because I did not know the way to the house,” she says. “I stayed in school until places were dark, and I then decided to go to my aunt's office since I felt I knew where the office was.” She walked a long distance to her aunt's office. As a child, she says she could not have imagined that her aunt would not be in the office at that hour. When she got there, the building was locked. Frustrated, she sat outside, hoping for a miracle. Soon, a tall man she estimates was older than 40 parked a beautiful car outside the building and asked her where she was headed. She says she felt relieved that at last God had sent someone to rescue her. “Joy ran through my heart that finally I have someone to take me home,” she says as a tear runs down her cheek. The man offered to take her home after she described the quarter in which she lived. But on the way, he stopped at a football stadium. He told her to step out of the car, that he was taking her home. “I told him that where he was taking me to did not look like the way to our house, but he said it was a shortcut,” she says. She followed him into the football stadium, and he asked her to keep her mouth shut. He then told her that what he was about to do was a normal thing that all fathers do to their daughters at some point in their lives. She says he started kissing her everywhere. “I struggled, but because of fright, I couldn't shout,” she says. Then, he raped her. Before I knew it, I felt something hard trying to penetrate my vagina,” she says, crying. “I felt a sharp pain. I shouted, he closed my mouth, and in a short while, he was done. At this point, I felt some wet stuff running down my legs, and he took me back to the car, drove me around our house and asked me to go home.” She says she did not understand what had happened to her because at that time, she knew nothing about sex. But she says she was concerned about the pain she was feeling and the fact that she was returning home so late. Her aunt, offering no explanation for why she never picked her up, asked her how she had managed to get home. She told her that she had trekked. “I rushed to the bathroom, took my bath, and dashed to the room and slept without eating a thing,” she says. She says it never crossed her mind that she could report the incident to the police as she only realized what had happened when she started

‘My family’s rape tragedy’

learning about reproduction in secondary school. Since it was years later, she figured she had no proof. She says the incident still pains her, though finally talking about it gives her a bit of relief. These days, she is more haunted that it did not only happen to her, but that it also happened to her daughter. “The case of sexual abuse to my daughter is something that lives with me every second of my life,” she says, her voice strained. “I think about it during the day, before I go to bed and immediately I wake up from bed. I think about it every moment that I look at my daughter in the face.” She says she gave birth to Mado, her daughter's nickname, when she was in secondary school. By this time, she and her aunt and uncle were living in Buea, the capital of Cameroon's Southwest region, because of their jobs. “It was the toughest moment of my life during and after pregnancy,” she says. “My aunt grew so annoyed that she maltreated me for that. Even after giving birth to my child, my aunt did not love her. I don't blame her she could not believe I was capable of doing such a thing.” Mado grew up quietly in the house and started kindergarten at age 3. One day, her mother noticed that Mado began to pull back and cry whenever she washed her private parts during her bath. She says she eventually realized that little Mado's vagina was also releasing an unpleasant vaginal discharge. She took her to the hospital. The doctor examined Mado and told her that Mado's hymen was broken. Further tests revealed that Mado was also infected with syphilis. “I couldn't believed what I heard,” her mother says. After much questioning, Mado eventually said that a man at school who stays by the gate had “put a stick in [her] pee-pee.” Her mother says there was only one man who worked at the school the gatekeeper. She says she reported the matter to the proprietor of the school, but the man disappeared the next day.

Sources told her that the proprietor had asked the man to stay away in order to maintain the image of the school. “I never saw the man again,” Mado's mother says. “I don't even know where he ran to. I never heard anything about him anymore.” She says she wanted to report the man, but her aunt refused to let her take legal action because she didn't want her name to be soiled in town. A neighbor had helped her to get a lawyer, but her aunt told them to forget about the case. The doctor prescribed medication to treat Mado's syphilis. She took the complete dosage of the drugs twice, but both times there was no improvement. Rather, her symptoms worsened. Finally, after eight months, the doctor said he had no other choice than to administer an adult dosage of the drugs to the 3-

year-old. This worked, and Mado was finally healed. But her mother says this didn't mark the end of the incident. “Even though my daughter does not know about this incident, I still feel much tensed about what she will do when she comes to know about it,” she says. “She is 14 years today, in high school, and she tells me every day that she wants to keep her virginity until she gets married. She doesn't know how painful it is for me when she says these things.” She says the worst moment came about a month ago. “My daughter told me that they have announced the administration of a vaccine to all virgins in her school, so she desired my consent to be vaccinated,” she says. She says she felt so bad about how she could tell her daughter that she

Relationships Deola Ojo

08027454533 (text) Pastordeegfc@yahoo.com

Marriage anchors (3) Continued from last week His wife on her part keeps him sexually satisfied. She is a good woman who loves her husband and children but just does not like cooking or cleaning the house. Her husband understands her and does not mind that she hardly does anything around the house. They had tried having house helps, but after they caught one house help breastfeeding their baby, they decided that they would do without them. This marriage is surviving because it is built on the anchors of “Financial provision” and “Sex”. Sex is a powerful anchor, especially where fidelity is practiced. A man who has

restricted himself to having sex with his wife alone has a stronger need to keep his marriage. Sexual fidelity is a very strong anchor, however it is not strong enough to keep the marriage going if the other anchors are absent. It is possible for a couple to have sexual fidelity and seem to have a happy marriage until one partner commits infidelity. It then becomes glaring that the only anchor that the marriage was standing on was marital fidelity. There are some couples who do not recover from an affair. Even if it was a thoughtless and spontaneous affair that only happened once. The problem is that the marriage is like a stool with only one leg, even though the leg of the

wasn't a virgin that she was unable to go to work the next day. She finally sought the help of her husband, who asked their daughter not to take any vaccine administered in school because it's not a hospital. She knows the day will come when they will have to tell Mado that she was raped as a toddler. Underreporting of rape is especially an issue in Cameroon among child victims, who may not yet understand what sex or rape is to know to report it to parents or authorities. Doctors say it's important for victims to seek immediate medical attention so doctors can collect evidence and provide treatment. Lawyers encourage victims that the law is there to help them and that proceedings assure privacy. The Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family strives to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and to encourage victims' families to report rape instead of settling it within the home. Human rights organizations aim to provide counseling and financial assistance to aid families in the reporting process. The Cameroon Penal Code defines rapes as compelling any female, whether above or below the age of puberty, by force or moral ascendancy to have sexual intercourse. Elizabeth Ngalla, a social worker for the Northwest Regional Delegation of the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family, handles cases such as child sexual abuse and rape on a daily basis. She says less than 10 percent of rape cases in the Northwest region are reported because victims and their families fear stigmatization. “Even the few that come to us here are cases that have tried home settlements and failed,” she says. Ngalla says experience has shown her that perpetrators are typically members or friends of the family, such as, fathers, uncles, brothers, nephews and neighbors. She says this tie makes it even more difficult for victims to report rape. Instead, the victim's family tries to talk things out with the rapist or the rapist's family. Most often, the rapist compensates the victim for damages. Sometimes, the rapist is forced to marry the victim. If the families can't resolve the matter amongst themselves, they then take it to the delegation, Ngalla says. She says punishment must match the permanency of the pain from rape. “It is a stigma that never leaves one no matter how much you try to bathe yourself,” she says Source: www.globalpressinstitute.org

stool is quite fat and in the middle, once it is removed, the stool ceases to stand. This is the way some marriages are. They look really lovely, but once there is a crisis, the marriage cannot withstand the storm. Every marriage needs many anchors to make it strong and lasting. Some of these anchors will transcend national, financial and traditional barriers. While every marriage needs many anchors, the anchors will not be of the same weightiness or significance. The anchors holding up each marriage will be unique. Some marriages have very strong anchors based on Children. Healthy, successful children are an important anchor in most marriages in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Couples in some other parts of the world may not give this important anchor the same place in their marriage. Whatever anchors your marriage is built on, you must ensure that they withstand the turbulence that may come your way. You will also need to add more anchors as the years go by to build a strong marriage that will last a lifetime.

Continued next week

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

Arts & Life

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

POLITICKLE

Lyrical cynicism

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

If you ever stopped to probe man’s biological complexities, then the following deductions should not surprise, for they reflect the irony of existence as captured in the English Language. WHAT really makes a man? Definitely shaped at birth, he is one of the most vulnerable animals at infancy. He rapidly develops, but faces emotional challenge at adolescence. He has an Adam’s apple that isn’t really an apple, two calves that will never become cows and a nose bridge that doesn’t lead anywhere. He has a roof of the mouth that doesn’t cover much, twenty nails that can’t fix a board and a chest that won’t hold folded clothes. How about a belly button that won’t button, two shoulder blades that support rather than cut and an Achilles heel that doesn’t necessarily make him a warrior? Or a small intestine that is much longer than a large intestine? What of a chin that invariably doubles in middle age, eyelashes that do not lash anyone and an arm that is only equal for everyone in measurement of the length for keeping unsolicited company at bay? And when the man chooses a highly skilled profession, he could be a psychologist, the one who concentrates on everyone else when a beautiful woman enters the room, or a professor, one who talks in someone else’s sleep. Then again, he could be a consultant, someone who takes the watch off someone else’s wrist so as tell him the time, or a diplomat, one who calls the bluff of another in such a way that he does not perceive the slight. There is always room for scepticism in any vocation or profession as further allowances infer. If the man turns barber and makes a mistake, it’s a new style. If he is a tailor and makes a mistake, it’s a new fashion. If he makes a mistake as a dancer, it’s a new move. If as a teacher he makes a mistake, it’s a new theory. If he makes a mistake as a scientist, it’s a new invention. If as a politician he makes a mistake, it’s a new law. If he chooses to be a businessman and makes a mistake, it’s a new experience. If he is employed as a driver and makes a mistake, it’s an accident. If he works at a newspaper and makes a mistake, it’s our error. If as an artist he makes a mistake, it’s a masterpiece. If he becomes an officer and makes a mistake, it’s a new order. If he operates as an engineer and makes a mistake, it’s a new design. If he becomes a parent someday and makes a mistake, it’s a new generation. Now if the boss makes a mistake, it’s the subordinate’s mistake. And if the subordinate makes a mistake, it’s a MISTAKE!

Readers’ Response Why, oh why? That was really a wonderful piece: ‘Why, oh why’. Keep it up. Kole in Port Harcourt +2348038692014

CHEEK BY JOWL

Thanks bro. Will do. Kudos! Please are these fuzzy thoughts yours or it sounds as if you are referring to me. I’m happy to know that I’m not the only one thinking along this line. Because I think like this everyday coupled with the stress of unemployment I do find it difficult to think outside the box. Please can you suggest a way out? May your ink never run dry. Amen. Please refer to the article ‘Job for all seasons’ published here on Jan 29 for ideas. In addition, determine as soon as possible your talent or interest and find a way to apply it before or after some polish. Good luck! +2348039302882

QUOTE

Problems are only opportunities with thorns on them. —Hugh Miller, Snow on the Wind

Humour Jokes Dog Talk A MAN tried to sell his neighbour a new dog. “This is a talking dog,” he said. “And you can have him for N50.” The neighbour said, “Who do you think you’re fooling with this talking dog stuff? There is no such animal.” Suddenly the dog looked up with tears in his eyes. “Please buy me, sir,” he pleaded. “This man is cruel. He never buys me a meal, never bathes me, and never takes me for a walk. And I used to be the richest trick dog around. I performed before kings. I was in the army and was decorated ten times.” “Hey!” said the neighbour. “He can talk. Why do you want to sell him for just N50?” “Because,” said the seller, “I’m getting tired of all his lies.”

Opposite Ends ED and Ted met for the first time in twenty years. “So, how’s life been for you?” Ed asked. “Not too good,” Ted replied. “My first wife died of cancer, my second wife turned out to be a lesbian and ran off with

another woman and took all our savings, my son’s in prison for trying to kill me, my daughter got run over by a bus, my house was hit by a low-flying aircraft, my vintage car rolled off the dockside into the sea, I had to have my dog put down recently, my doctor says that I have an incurable disease and to cap it all my business has just gone bust.” “Oh dear, that sounds terrible.” Ed said. “What business were you in?” Ted hesitated. At last he said: “I’m a consultant on appropriate organisation.”

Emergency Excuse A GUY walks into work, and both of his ears are all bandaged up. The boss says, “What happened to your ears?” He says, “Yesterday I was ironing a shirt when the phone rang and shhh! I accidentally answered the iron.” The boss says, “That explains one ear, but what happened to your other ear?” He says, “Well … I had to call the doctor!” •Culled from the Internet

se correct spelling, Writer ’s Broth punctuation, and takes distract even the most sympathetic reader. grammar: Yes, there is a time to turn on the proofreader. A The reader does not necessarily even know the rule book is like housework. you’ve broken, but he feels uneasy. No one notices when it is done well, but they The best reference material will deal with writsee your mistakes clearly. ing tips about troublesome grammar, punctuation, The guest who visits concentrates on conver- and word choice. sation and a developing friendship – unless the Work the details: windows are streaky or a cobweb hangs in the Your ideas come through more clearly when they corner. She is polite so she says nothing, but her are supported by details. Sensory details bring a attention is divided. scene clearly to mind. Most of us rely on sight, so Those troublesome flaws in your writing will visual details are most common in writing. But use make some readers turn away in disgust. Mis- other senses, too. Psychologists tell us the most evocative sense is smell. Extraordinary but true: Give specific names for things. ‘The mango tree’ •A group of officers is called a mess. is better than ‘the tree’. •Bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield Give evidence for your point of view. Anecwipers, and laser printers were either dotes, quotes from reputable sources, statistics, all invented or improved by women. add credibility. •The colour blue has a calming effect. It Cut, cut, cut: causes the brain to release calming Writers often fall in love with their own words and phrases. Cutting them can feel like killing a person. hormones. It only feels like that. •Bone is five times stronger than mild steel Cutting words from writing is like pruning in and almost a quarter of our bones are in the garden. When we get rid of the dead, diseased, our feet and ankles. •If you get water flowing fast enough, it and ugly, we are left with a stronger, more beautiful, fruitful plant. can cut metal.

THE ARTS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Black History month tackles gender equity issues This year’s Black History Month’s celebration which was held at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, at the instance of Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), pushed the issue of feminism to the front burner, writes Edozie Udeze

HE theme of the lecture evoked a resounding applause especially from the womenfolk. As Professor Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome of the Brooklyn College, City University of New York, USA, mounted the rostrum to deliver her paper entitled Gender, power and leadership in the culture of Africa and its Diaspora, Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, venue of the programme, came alive with spontaneous approval and applause from the audience. The lecture was delivered as part of the celebration of this year’s Black History Month as packaged by Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC). Okome, a professor of Political Science and a renowned feminist in America and beyond, said the topic was deliberately chosen to find ways of helping Nigerian and African women look forward to the future with renewed zeal, hope and enthusiasm.”Do women have power?” She asked, musing as she surveyed the gathering with her keen eyes. “Yes, mainstream feminists told us that we live a dominant world where patriarchy is the order of the day. The essence of patriarchy is that women have no power, whether in the public or private sphere. They are also assumed to belong to the private sphere, tied to home and hearth and hotwired to fulfill domestic functions of reproduction and the allied arts connected with it – birthing, nurture of children and the spouse, elder care, care for the sick, food processing, et al.” Naturally, it is those women who learn and take to heart the strategies involved that have their successes guaranteed. Those vrange of successes help to propel them on. However, Okome did not fail to go into history to mention those women or incidents handled by women that showed that they could not be intimidated. For her, the Aba Women Riots of 1929 still remains a watershed in the annals of gender equity and bal-

BOOK REVIEW

ancing in Nigeria. “My point is that women are badly represented in politics and that there are cultural and policy contexts which produce such a dreadful circumstance. However, we should not take a simplistic understanding of culture as the final word. Instead, we need to think about the extent to which it is separable from other cultures that it has encountered over the millennia. Therefore one important issue that should concern those interested in women’s advancement in politics, and their power in the economic and social systems is the matter of representation.” While she paid glowing tributes to the likes of Bolanle Awe, Margret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransom Kuti, Nina Emma Mba, Madam Tinubu and such other powerful women of history, Okome insisted that more needed to be done by modern day women to measure up with what obtains in the Diaspora. “You see, an African woman who does not understand her history and continues to believe in the Western origins of progress in human life, rejects the possibility of drawing upon the legacy of strength among her female predecessors. For us becoming modern should not be taken to mean aping the Western colonizer.” In the main, Okome advised women never to allow culture or social imbalance of any sort to limit their quest for power and equality. She agreed somewhat that even in the Western world, power is never given to women on a platter of gold. “You work to gain it, except that you may not do most things men do to get there. Therefore, African traditions that invest women with the right to hold and exercise power must be recovered from the detritus of past and contemporary history. Such recovery can be construed as facilitating the improvement in our understanding of not just what the mores and ethos of African cultural traditions are, but of the restoration of the philosophies and deep meaning that

•NANTAP troupe performing at the event

underlie social practices.” Going back into history, when Dr Carter Godwin Woodson of USA started the struggle to establish the necessary leeway for the Black man in world affairs, the Negro History Week then was intended to embtellish what the race stood for in human emancipation. And with Africans spreading all over the world and occupying positions of prominence in all facets of life, it has become imperative to celebrate this history with pomp and ceremony. Chairperson of the occasion, Professor Bolanle Awe made it clear that African women needed to be allowed to do what can help to advance the society. “This is what I have been agitating for; women have to rise to the occasion to see themselves as bona fide members of the society. We need them in governance, in social circles, in the corporate world, in the academia, and more. Women have to push themselves to overcome what we have come to term as traditional impediments to achieving their goals in life. This is what we have to first of all overcome both as

•L-R: Okome, Babawale, at the occasion.

individuals and as a group,” she said. Professor Tunde Babawale, the Director General of CBAAC, reminded the gathering that the theme was chosen in order to look into the achievements of Black women both in the past and in the present and see how more can be done to encourage more women to be up and doing.” Our choice of the theme for this year’s

Bringing hope and zeal

ANY young Nigerian poets are beginning to give special attention to the power of the written words. Poetry has, over the years, remained the strongest and most powerful form of literature that brings to the fore the inner recesses of the poet. It is just like the life of a traveller; words alone are often not enough to describe what he sees and feels. “At times too, silence, sighs, laughter and even tears are more apt”.These and more are some of the thematic issues Chinyere Ezeigwe dwells on in her latest collection of poems entitled Beads of Essence. In it, you see the beautiful collection of deep words etched in the heart of man, describing love, true

By Edozie Udeze

love, in its total essence of divine providence and beauty. The topics and themes centre on the need for humanity to use love, genuine love and concern for one another to change the face of the earth. She quotes Andrew Clements to justify her stand thus: “People talk about crying for happiness. It’s not really happiness that makes the tears. It’s everything at once, everything that’s good and sad and wonderful all at once, except the things that are wonderful and mean so much more than the sad things”.In Giving, the poet says: “Like air in a tyre”. A genuine good morning. Along side a genuine smile. Bearing the force of a thousand pleas.

A genuine sorry. From a penitent heart. Forming a team’s fortress. A genuine friend. With an open heart… wiping doubt and fear. A loving hug. In a motherly bosom. Give me that thing. The real thing I mean! That whether I sleep or wake. I shall forever be grateful”Ezeigwe is indeed cautious of the power of the lines she delivers and why people have to often douse the ember of anger in order that man lives in peace. This is why she chooses to use topics and issues that appeal to the sensibility of man. In another equally provocative offering entitled Mother, she opines that no matter how old a mother is, she watches her middle aged children for signs of improvement. “Yes indeed, o mother. Portrait

Photos: Edozie Udeze

celebration is informed by the need to acknowledge, showcase and celebrate the contributions of women in Africa and African Diaspora irrespective of where they are domiciled in different parts of the world. Our choice is also informed by the need to direct attention to the importance of women to our desire for national and continental development.” of heart divine. Your curdle gives life a meaning (a profound meaning). Your counsel points to greatness. Your blessing is sure and abiding. Your rebuke brings saneness… The rainbow’s beauty is naught beside you. A thousand words cannot describe you. Your worth is more than the treasures of Babylon. Mother dear”.These positive lines throw huge challenge to mankind now in the throes of wars and threats of extermination to come together to overcome evil. At creation, God made it a perfect world, but man has since turned it into a theatre of wars and wickedness. This is about you and I, about what we do everyday to keep the earth in constant peril; perpetual agony and so on.The poet reinforces the age-long aphorism that God is the perfect poet, who in His person acts His own creations.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Arts/Reviews

Poverty is killing literature Nigerian authors decry state of economy and why their books are not selling, writes Edozie Udeze

IGERIAN authors have decried the state of literature in Nigeria, hinging their inability to live maximally on their works on the collective apathy and indifference of the Nigerian public towards reading. The first to cry out was Dagga Tola, the chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Lagos State chapter, who placed the blame squarely on the state of the economy. In his words, “the poverty level in Nigeria is very high. Now with the removal of oil subsidy, a lot of people, writers inclusive, will find it difficult making ends meet.” “How then do you expect someone who does not have money to buy food to think of buying books? It is also due to this poverty situation that a lot of authors go for selfpublishing and that, for me, is not neat enough for the industry. This is why Nigerians had to fight to ensure that this monster called the removal of oil subsidy did not stay”, he said. Tola is a poet and has just released his latest collection of poetry entitled This country is not a poem. In his reaction to this issue, Odili Ujubuonu, author of two award winning books said, “Even

RECENTLY read Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the epic on American slavery. Ironically I read the book 25 years after I had first listed it a must-read and sequel to Alexander Haley’s Roots. But I have been encountering Harriet Beecher Stowe, its author, on pages of history. I am often fascinated by history’s interests on the female writer that pricked the dark conscience of America on racism and slavery. I am fascinated that America had often sought to canonize “the little lady” for her prodigious work, and she had always shunned sainthood. Stowe cautioned that societies must distinguish ordinary goodness from ‘saintliness’. She described the former as ‘certain quality of magnanimity’ and the latter “a rarer greatness” that oozes from the soul, which “inevitably brings a life within the circle of the heroic”. For Mrs. Beecher Stowe, goodness is common and sainthood is not. Ile-Oluji, a major community in Ondo State, is where The Saints at Ile-Oluji has chosen to distinguish the heroic. The author, Olufemi

before I started writing, I was working as an advertising practitioner and now that I am writing I have not stopped working. So, I may be living on two professions – my earning as a writer and as an advert practitioner. But if I understand what you mean very well by our not being able to live exclusively on what we write, I will state that there are a few writers living exclusively off their works.” He however berated the publishing industry whom he said does not make the desired effort to market books. “But the truth of the matter is that if we have a vibrant publishing industry that provides a lot of resources for writers, that will help their earnings and ours too. When books are not properly marketed and publishers are not helping matters, how will the public see and appreciate our works? So even if we have a million books and no one sees them, how will they be seen?” Ujubuonu described the book distributive system in the country as epileptic and worrisome. “So I think we have distribution problem in the system and once that problem is properly tackled, we can begin to think of books being available to readers and writers reaping

where they sowed.” Most authors contended that for the book industry to grow and encourage a writer to live purely on his works, the industry has to be totally overhauled. In the first place, the publisher has to take the book business as a real business. He has to take the book to the reader and announce the presence of the book to him. Then it is left for the reader to decide whether to buy or not. Chinyere Obi-obasi, a specialist in children’s literature, equally keyed into this contention. “Yes, the whole distributive system has to be wellorganized. But above all it is left for the author to fashion out ways and how he can live on his works. It is possible; in fact this can be made possible. For example we have over 150 million Nigerians. If only one million can show interest in books and the publisher makes the book available to him, we can conveniently live on that. But when the books are not there, when the reader doesn’t know about what people write, how does” he get the book to read? She asked, frowning. For Akachi Adimora – Ezeigbo, an author and a professor of English, the whole thing boils down to lack of money to buy books.

“People are thinking of how to survive on two meals a day, and you are talking of buying a N1,000 book, where will he get money for that? Apart from that, Nigeria is not a viable reading public. What I am saying is that many people do not read here and that goes to affect the fortunes of writers in the country.” Ezeigbo’s contention is that if publishers feel that what they have published are not being read, that will demoralize them. I believe that is why many publishers bring out only a few titles. Sometimes too, authors publish themselves. This is not totally healthy for the industry. Most of the authors advised government at all levels to make books available to the public and also reintroduce literature into the academic programmes of secondary schools. This, they argued, will help to bring back the interest of school children to literature and literary matters. Ezeigbo equally harped on the need to bring back the mobile library that was the culture in the 1960s and 1970s. “This will help to bring books closer to the people”, she reasoned.

BOOK REVIEWS

On the trails of saints By Wole Akinyosoye

Oyawale, former diplomat, public relations practitioner, now a clergyman, attempts to catalogue the history of different personae who, in his view, had contributed to the community since the last century. Apparently he is also aware of the nature of a slippery concept like sainthood, so he reached for the poet’s licence from the start. Here, Sainthood is not an apostolic concept. It is not even beatification of the piety as did the Catholic Church to Mother Theresa; the nun mostly known as Servant of the Least. The Saints at IleOluji are men and women whose aggregate actions, in the author’s view, had moved the community onto the present material pedestal and good reckoning. Painting a canvass that stretches across generations, the 156-page work features 210 people in an arch that straddles class and gender.

Farthest past is 1851; birth year of Abraham George Adetipe, prince, farmer, tailor and footsoldier in the West African Frontier Force. Like Geoffrey Chaucer’s Knight, Adetipe wore the colonial tunic of battle as far out as “Dahomey and Ashanti around 1890.” He retired to and “introduced Christianity into Ile-Oluji in 1895.” The church planted in

the veranda of the ex-soldier mutated “into St. Peter’s Anglican Church in November 1901;” and is now a fledging cathedral. But Oyedakinni Adeoba; a contemporary of the early Saints class somehow comes across as a ‘traditionalistapostolic’. You will find that oxymoron fitting if you consider his traditional status and cited disdain for certain traditional precepts. The Sasere demurred from dancing around town during annual Ogun festival, citing the constraints of his Christian faith; “.... as Christian, he would not bow down to (an) idol.” The chieftain one of the highest in the traditional echelon was also “one of 12 first Christian converts (in) IleOluji; baptized (on) 27 November 1901, at the dedication of ... St. Peter’s Church by Bishop S.C. Phillips.” Apparently Adeoba a “great contributor to

•Tola

•Ujubuonu political awakening ….from 1914-1944 and leader of politics from 1935-1944” also had a nose for politics. A nosey researcher reconstructing that era might be keen on the exactitudes of the local politics he played from 1935 -1944. Recall it was about the same time the British, rulers of IleOluji and Nigeria, were sparing with Herr Hitler; the German Furher that nearly became the Nemesis of the British Empire. Simon Alfred Ademulegun Adekeye, born in 1877, also made the Saints’ scroll. Early embrace of Western education and adroit entrepreneurship skills were the quintessential of this Saint. The readers wouldn’t be certain as to whether he was the pioneer indigene in a primary school but the author left in no doubt he was the first at St. Andrews College Oyo; a premier teacher training institution in colonial Nigeria. Adekeye’s sketch as teacher, timber contractor, politician and patriarch speaks directly to the concept of early Saint as lightbearer. Samuel William Oladimeji belongs in the immediate generation of the early Saints, and

Telling a new story

N The Great Fall Chinyere Obi-Obasi shows that she has great sense of adventure as a writer. In her determination to teach children the beauty and essence of story-telling, she retold the well-known story of the many cunning ways and antics of the

Tortoise and the Hare. This is a story that has so far captured the attention of the world, mostly children. The book symbolizes the centre-point of moonlight story tactics as epitomised by the Mba family. The author herself sees this book as the proverbial old

By Edozie Udeze

wine in new skin. In it, the writer rehashes the Hare and Tortoise escapades in a more fervent and boisterous form using a modern family of the Mbas resident in Lagos to reach out to the people. The children are drawn

into it by the sheer curiosity established in the beginning by the head of the family. This is why it is seen as a total revolution on the new art of telling children’s story. The family is indeed peculiar and appealing. It is a story so perfectly packaged and told that it

encourages kid’s interest in story-telling. No wonder the book made the shortlist of the Nigeria Prize for Literature last year. By emerging the third best Literature for children in 2011, The Great Fall has come to re-direct attention to animal and indeed bedtime tales.

to the team that brought western education into the doorsteps of the community. Born in 1901, he left the confines of his hometown to primary school at St. Peter’s, Lagos in 1922 at the ripe age of 21. He later enrolled at St. Andrews College, Oyo from 1930 following the footstep of the early Saint. For Oladimeji, sainthood also robed in khaki; the emblem of selfless service in colonial Nigeria. Back home in 1950, following his teaching stints abroad at Edunabon, Ondo and Owo, he reportedly joined community efforts that led to founding Gboluji Grammar School in 1954. The Grammar School, still the premier institution in town; is a veritable fountain from where many latter-day Saints would grow academic muscles. Essentially, The Saints at IleOluji is also a reminder that community service is the best route to “bringing life within the circle of the heroic.” If only on that score, Harriet Beecher Stowe would have nodded in agreement to the relevance of this work. Akinyosoye writes from Bamikemo, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Partners in love, partners in crime —PAGE 54

About to get married but killed for ten naira A young man at the point of starting a new life with his partner was cut down in his prime because of a minor disagreement. Okorie Uguru reports.

•Chukky

•The improvised bridge that led to Chukky’s death

AST Monday morning for Chukwuma Ezeaka (Chukky), a staff of Etisalat Communication company came with promises of a pleasant life. The plan to go to the court registry to begin the process of formalising the relationship between him and his fiancée had been concluded. In fact, the last couple of months had been quite good in his life. He had just secured a new apartment. He was looking forward to his wife joining him after the wedding in a few weeks. With all things in place, all plans for his marriage seem to be going on with no hitch. Can life offer anything better, he must have thought. He had a good job, and it was time for him to start planning on how to ‘settle down’. However, it is part of the irony of life that when everything seems to be working out perfectly tragedy often strikes. Maybe, if Chukky, had known what lay ahead of him that fateful Monday, he might have been more circumspect in his dealing with people. They say the sunrise in the morning does not give inkling on how the evening will be. How true it was for Chukky. Hiding in the shadows He had prepared for the day’s activities, he came out of his apartment, exchanged banters with some of his neighbours, being the jolly fellow that he was, and headed for the office. The activities of the day went well until when he came back home, at Ilamose Estate, Oke-Afa, Lagos. That was some few minutes after six in the evening.

He passed through Ajao Estate, a community separated from his area by the infamous Oke-Afa canal. There is no link bridge between the two communities separated by water, but the construction of a link bridge by the Lagos State government has started. To make it easy for residents of the area, there is a makeshift wooden bridge fabricated by the Community Development Association. To cross the bridge, one had to pay a token of N20 to the toll collectors at both ends of the bridge. He did so unfortunately he had an argument with one of the toll collectors. He had been accused of not paying the N10 at the Ilamose end of the bridge. According to eye witnesses, Chukky was said to have been infuriated by the way the attendant accosted him. He went back to his apartment which was just about 200 meters from the makeshift toll bridge, changed and returned to accost the attendant asking why he was insulted because of N10. A fight ensued. According to the eye witness, Chukky was

having the upper hand when one of the toll attendants, named Wasiu, alias Oko Ashewo, who was not involved in the fight joined to help his colleague. He allegedly hit Chukky with an object suspected to be charm and he slumped down drained of all strength. Too little too late A resident said he got to the spot when Chukky was already down. He was lifeless and couldn’t talk but was still conscious. He tried to communicate with those assisting him but his strength failed him. The eye witness said he called a doctor friend to ask what to do. After describing the symptom, the doctor asked him to try and give Chukky liquid with sugar to see if he would regain his strength. One of the bystanders rushed to buy a soft drink, a bottle of La Casera, but as they raised Chukky to give him the drink, white foam began to come out of his mouth and nose. He died shortly after. That was around 6:50 pm. Immediately it became clear

“It is part of the irony of life that when everything seems to be working out perfectly tragedy often strikes. Maybe, if Chukky, had known what lay ahead of him that fateful Monday, he might have been more circumspect in his dealing with people”

that he was dead, all hell broke loose. The aggrieved residents and users of the bridge went on rampage burning the makeshift wooden bridge. Wasiu who allegedly hit the dead man with a fetish object immediately jumped into the Oke-Afa canal and escaped. The other toll collectors also took to their heels. Between 7 pm and 10pm there was pandemonium as the mob searched for the toll collectors. Asimawu who used to be one of the toll collectors until he was recently relieved of his job, was around. He did not flee, probably because he was no longer one of the toll collectors. The mob that gathered saw him and immediately recognised him as one of those that worked at the bridge collecting money from users. They pounced on him and beat him to death. He left behind a pregnant wife. When this reporter got to Chukky’s house the grief was very palpable on the faces of his neighbours. According to them, the late Chukky, although it had not been long since he moved into the compound, there was no dull moment with him. His apartment was locked since nobody was living with him. Speaking with some of the residents on why an inconsequential issue such a dispute over N10 would resort to loss of lives, some of them explained that it might partially be as a result of accumulated annoyance. According to them, to understand the genesis of the crisis one needed to understand how the wooden bridge came about. Ilamose residents had for many years tried to convince their neighbours on the other side of the canal, that is Ajao Estate, of the need for a foot bridge to be built across the canal. This idea initially met with opposition because Ajao Estate residents felt it would compromise the security of their estate. But after

series of dialogue and meetings, the two communities decided to build the bridge. A joint committee made up of members from the two communities was formed. The mandate of the committee was to collect toll that would be used to maintain the bridge and also pay the collectors at both ends of the bridge. The bridge was opened to the public on December 2, 2010. Everything was moving smoothly, according to the residents, until on July 10, 2011 when the traditional ruler in the area allegedly sent some members of the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) to take over the bridge from residents at the Ilamose end. The landlords protested but to no avail. The new toll collectors, according to the residents were very aggressive and discourteous in their collection of the toll constantly leading to altercations with the users of the bridge. They said it was the inbuilt anger that resulted in the tragedy that consumed Chukky! According to them, it was also part of the reason the bridge users who were around when the incident occurred reacted very violently, killing one of the workers on the spot and also burning down the bridge. Efforts to speak with the traditional ruler alleged to have hijacked the bridge and brought the toll collectors were rebuffed. At around 11am on Wednesday when the reporter got to his palace, a police corporal at the gate with the name tag S. Odeyemi said the Oba would not see anybody without an appointment. Meanwhile, peace has gradually returned to the Ilamose area. They are only hoping that the toll collectors would not return when they perceive that normalcy has returned. Chukky has lost his life because of N10, his wedding plans have dissolved like sugar in water. What a life!

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Life

Partners in love, partners in crime The Police recently arrested a gang of suspected armed robbers in Lagos who are lovers. Tunde Busari writes

ARY Eghana was a cynosure of eyes at the Special Anti Robbery Squad at Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja. She attracted so much attention not because she was one of the Nollywood celebrities. Rather, she is a member of an armed robbery gang with her boyfriend named Bello Segun. Wearing a gloomy look like someone in mourning, 24-yearold Eghana said she was not a member of the gang, and expressed surprise at the turn of event. “I have told them (the police) that I don’t know anything about the matter. They have shown understanding so far. I told them I did not know that Segun is into armed robbery because I only know him as commercial bus driver. I have seen him at different occasions driving the bus. So I was surprised when the police came. I was arrested because I was at his place when the police came,” she said. A great lesson According to her, she was found in Bello’s place because she had a misunderstanding with her mother, and had to move in to her boyfriend’s apartment at Owode. But having passed through trying moment at the solitary confinement in the past weeks, she said she had learnt her lesson. She promised to return to her parents as soon as she is let off the hook. “I should not have been here

if not because of what happened at our house. But that is over now because I don’t like the situation I have found myself. How many people who have seen me here would understand my situation? I am an apprentice hairdresser. I completed secondary school in 2008 at Abibat Mogaji Secondary School at Cement. Believe me I am not an armed robber. I was surprised when Segun could not deny when we got here,” she said. On his part, Segun did not deny that he was an armed robber. He attributed his involvement in crime to his inability to break even in transport business, culminating in his search for a new business idea, which he found in the one that has now put him behind the bars. His nefarious plan was aided by his contact with Akin whom he regarded as his childhood friend back home in Owo, Ondo State. The 26-year-old would later visit Akin in Ilaro, Ogun State where he passed a night. The duo discussed a number of issues. Segun told Akin how surviving in Lagos had posed a big problem for him, and his willingness to seek alternative means of livelihood. Impressed by the concern Akin showed to his cry, Segun in clear terms told his friend his readiness to join any company that would improve his standard of living. “When he told me he belonged to a group I quickly

TRIBUTE

•Segun

begged him to take me to the group so that I become one of them. After some weeks he called me and we went to the leader of the group. I did not know they are into robbery. I thought they were into smuggling of vehicles. “The day I met the leader was my first operation with them. We were coming from Iyana-Ipaja and we saw a woman driving a Toyota Sienna. They used our car to block the woman and asked me to drive our car and follow them. After some days, they gave me N30,000. I was very happy because I was broke,” he said. Having been baptized with the Iyana-Ipaja successful operation and his proceeds, Segun saw a better future in the new vocation and determined to give it all it takes to succeed until a recent operation at Lekki-Aja

axis shattered the dream. The gang had trailed a business man (name withheld) to his residence after which they successfully overpowered him and snatched his car aside from dispossessing him of other valuables including an undisclosed amount of money. Not long after the operation, a vigilant neighbour of the victim at Obalende incidentally sighted the car being driven by strange young men. The neighbour quickly alerted the owner who told him that the car had just been snatched. The neighbour immediately informed the police and the car and the young men were intercepted. Attempt by the gang to escape was thwarted, hence their arrest and subsequent transfer to the SARS where they made

confessional statements, leading to the arrest of Segun. Other members in detention are Akin, Biodun and Yunusa who all confessed to the ownership of two locally made cut-to-size guns, 27 catridges,15 live ammunition and assorted charms. Police Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Command, Joseph Jayeoba, said the arrest was a result of public collaboration with the police. He encouraged the public to assist the police in fishing out criminals hiding in their neighbourhood. “This is a welcome development and it is an indication that together we can fight crime in the state. The investigation is still in progress after which the suspects will be charged to court”, the PPRO said.

Ben Tialobi: What a life? B

•Tialobi

•Eghana

ENJAMIN Ezebeuro Tialobi lived an exemplary life. He was quiet, loving, steadfast and accommodating. He was a Christian, if ever there was one. Throughout his sojourn here on earth he never wore his Christianity like a lapel as many are wont to do in Nigeria today. He lived it. He would never introduce himself as a “born again Christian” at least not on any occasion that I can remember. However, you are bound to notice that in his relationship with you and in his mien. For all the years we worked together first on the Sub Desk of The Guardian and later at Daily Independent where our path crossed again some years later. He was soft spoken and a man to run to in times of trouble and when you seriously need candid advice. The fact that he would henceforth be referred to in the past tense is what I still find hard to come to terms with. Even after our ways parted again when a certain predator took over at the Independent Ben, as we all took liberty to call him, even though he was well older than us all still kept in contact. He was a journalist most readers of newspapers never knew. As a sub editor his job was to remain anonymous and make the sometimes sloppy copies hurriedly written by reporters to be readable and tightly edited. He had all the qualities that job requires: he was sober, reflective, with an absolute command of English language and a keen eye to ferret out the story in case a reporter has buried it inside or at the tail end of the story. His death on January 24, 2012 has robbed the newspaper world, especially

By Olayinka Oyegbile

the print medium, of a man whose contribution to the strong Sub Desk that The Guardian could pride itself of in those heady days of military dictatorship and post annulment agitation of the June 12 election. It is true that when people die as Africans or most especially Nigerians we don’t speak ill of the dead. Even those who wished a person dead would weep more than the bereaved on the death of a person they couldn’t tolerate while he was alive. However, in the case of Ben, I am a living witness to it that he was a man no one could ever find anything contrary to say about him. He was a man who could not hurt a fly. He was too gentle and self effacing to attract any ill feelings from any one. He was committed to his Christian life as a member of the Deeper Life Bible Church, while many of us have ready excuse with our tight work schedule and as men who worked in what was generally viewed as the “graveyard section” of the news chain Ben created time to be useful in the vineyard of the Lord. After leaving the Daily Independent he moved to African Standard published by the now defunct Financial Standard where he equally distinguished himself and discovered many young talents who were not in the mainstream journalism but could hold their own in financial reporting, a new niche he carved for himself and excelled in. This experience was to come handy when he later moved to Stockswatch Limited where he helped transformed

the hitherto monthly to a weekly known as Stockswatch Weekly. He was first the editor and later rose to become the Chief Operating Officer, a position he held until his demise. At the service of songs held in his honour on February 29 at his residence in Okerube Abaranje, Ikotun Egbe, Lagos many attested to his worth and dedication. Mr. Abayomi Obabolujo, Publisher, Finance & Investment Watch, his employer before his death said, “After the going became tough with the market crash and plummeting sales of our newspaper, many that we thought were loyal and would always remain through thick and thin left to find their destinies somewhere else. Ben was one of the very few that remained; he chose to stay with the vision until a new concept emerged, which he also pioneered. I can say that Ben was committed, he loved the profession of journalism.” What else can one say of such a man who was an encourager and never believed there was anything impossible? He demonstrated his Christianity, he did not preach it! Benjamin Tialobi, 54, who was buried in his Oruworun village, Delta State, on March 3 left behind his wife Josephine and three children Jerry, Tejiri and Israel. As one of our colleagues Adebola Adebayo quoted Henry Rollins in a tribute to Ben “It’s sad when someone you know becomes someone you knew.” It so sad when good people die so prematurely. Rest in perfect peace our own dear Ben.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

•Animal parts

Life

Photos: Taiwo Abiodun

•Eze

Protecting wildlife

In a new bid to protect wildlife, the National Environmental Standards Regulations Agency (NESTREA) has embarked on a campaign to discourage sale of animal parts. Taiwo Abiodun reports

F the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Environment Agency [NESREA] has its way, the sale and public display of wild animals’ parts such as lion’s skin, other reptiles skins such as the snake’s, crocodile’s and bracelets and elephant tusks would soon be illegal and attract arrest and prosecution for the sellers. Other ornaments such as carvings made from animal bones, furs, and wild animals’ teeth, feathers, beaks, skin of antelopes, tortoise, egg shell of birds and many more remained banned. The agency noted that most of those who engage in this illegal business are Indians, Americans and the Chinese. It warned that it would no longer tolerate this dubious and dangerous business in the country. The organisation’s Deputy Director, Mrs Eunice Eze recently carried the concern of the agency to marketers and dealers of these products at Elegunsi Market in Ajah, Lagos State. She said the essence was to sensitise the marketers on the implications of the illegal business and counsel them to stop the illegal business. She advised the sellers of these materials to stop flouting the rules and regulations that banned the trafficking in such materials because it is a violation of international protocol on the protection of endangered species of which the country is a signatory. The campaign involved the distribution of leaflets, education of the market women and men on the dangers inherent in depleting the population of wildlife in the bush. According to Eze, the organisation has taken the campaign to various places markets and cities around the country where such trafficking is common. It has also visited hotels and other tourists places to enlighten the patrons. According to her, “When we have done enough awareness and given them sufficient education for them to know the implications of what they are doing and they refuse to yield then we would be making arrests and charge them to court for prosecution.’’ The Deputy Director described the attitude of the sellers as criminal, adding that whoever is found guilty will be prosecuted and jailed in addition to a fine of about N5 million as stipulated in the government gazette. She said the federal gov-

ernment is concerned about the extinction of animals in the wild. Eze said “You cannot see any animal in our National Parks any longer. Our animals in the zoo have gone. Go to Universities of Lagos, Ibadan and other places you will not find all those animals we used to watch at the zoos again. If care is not taken our children and unborn generation will not see a lion in their life time.’’ She accused foreigners, especially the Chinese of being the guiltiest of this offence, adding that most of them hide under the guise of buying souvenirs by purchasing these prohibited items. Mrs Eze observed that some of these foreigners bring in the rare species from countries like Kenya and South Africa saying they want to put them in Nigerian zoos but end up killing such and selling the parts. A booming trade However, the traders who engage in the sale of these animal parts asked the NESREA director what she expects them to do if the business is stopped, “The best thing is to stop without stress and find another business to do before you are arrested and sent to jail”, she warned sternly. Further investigations of the business by The Nation showed that it is a booming business that has continued to rake in millions of naira for those engaged in it. For instance, a piece of a lion’s skin costs between N280-300,000, while an elephant’s tusk goes for N500,000 depending on the size. One of the traders, Mr Obinna Nwachukwu said he buys his lion’s skin from Senegal and the business has been thriving. He said to buy and keep a lion’s skin requires good chemicals for preservation. He added “I sell a lion skin for N300,000. It is expensive and there are very few and special people who know the value. It is used to make leather shoes, belts and for decorations at home. It is also a symbol of status in the society. That is why you see them in the living rooms of the rich, the high chiefs and monarchs of high class.’’ He appealed to NESREA that rather than an outright ban the trade should be regulated “We don’t even have the animals here, so the thought that it would go into extinction here does not rise at all. I think the NESREA should think about that.’’ For the high and mighty For Emma Ogunba, another marketer

•Lion’s skin

who deals in ivory tusks, he appealed to the agency not to throw them into the labour market but instead should give them enough time to sell what they have at present before enforcing the law. He said: “I go to palaces of chiefs in the villages in the East to collect my own materials. I buy old souvenirs but not the fresh ones so I don’t believe that I am contradicting the law. Yes, there is money in it as foreigners do come here to buy ivory carvings especially the Chinese.” According to him, the carvings go for as much as N450,000 while some very small ones for go for N25,000 depending on their qualities. He added that many people do not know the difference between an original ivory and the fake. The fake, he said, are the ones that are very common and seen everywhere and they are very cheap compared to the real ones. Joseph Obi, who deals in animals bones said “They (animal bones) are very rich and strong. I use it to construct whatever the customer wants. You can get a lion bones for between N100,000150,000.They are costly. Some leather bags from animal skins go for N50,000 while shoes go for as high as N200,000. In a hotel visited by our reporter, a dealer who does not want his name in print said the price varies depending on the location where the purchase is made. He said majority of the bones were imported from neighbouring countries and

sent to sculptors and carvers who carve them into whatever the customers want. “We buy the finished products from them. We buy and sell at affordable rates, but we must have our profits too. Don’t be surprised that some sculptors go for as much as N10million depending on the materials and the patron’s bargaining power.” On the other hand, herb sellers displayed prominently heads of wild animals such as that of lions, tortoises, leopards etc as well as furs, skins of various animals. According to Madam Segilola popularly known as Iya Alagbo, a tiny piece of a tiger’s skin is sold for N50. Over 100,000 pieces of such can be got from the fur of a tiger. A baboon’s skin is sold for between N30,000 to N50,000. The heads also have price tags. On what they are used for, Iya Alagbo told the reporter, “Oh you don’t know the usefulness of the tiny skin of a leopard? It is used as a medicine for charm for good luck [awure] this one would be applied with other leaves and ingredients.’’ Asked where they get the materials , she explained that the animal skins and parts are bought from hunters , “One needs a good and powerful hunter to get the wild animal skins for us. We source for parts requested for and we go into the local places to search for the items.’’ She added that she was not aware of any campaign by NESREA. She, however, said “Nobody can arrest me for having animal parts. I did not steal them I bought them. Above all, these big men and women do patronise us all the time, so they will find it difficult to chase us out of the business. We are selling herbs to rescue children from death and assist the barren to conceive through all these’’. An old man who begged for anonymity described all wild animals’ skins and bones as highly potent and efficacious in the mixture of traditional medicine “whether the wild animal skins are fresh or dried they are good and are parts of ingredients in making traditional medicine. I must confide in you” she stated with confidence. Eze reiterated the determination of NESREA to stop this trade emphasising “Ours is not an empty boast. We have cases in court. At the airport many of these products the foreigners called souvenirs have been seized by the Customs. Our job is not to prosecute it is the job of the court. We discovered that most of these items are carried away with the pretence of calling them souvenirs saying they want to use them to decorate their homes is a ruse. How can you pack hundreds and say they are for personal use? It is a pity we don’t obey simple laws in Nigeria but this time around, after our awareness campaigns, the next thing is prosecution and imprisonment so that we can keep our animals.’’ How far can this go? The answer is in the winds of time.

Your HEALTH THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Preparing for the rain

Proper diet for the weather

•Oranges

A T

HE rainy season is a refreshing time for the planet as trees-plants and even we humans get a relief from the scorching dry weather usually associated with Nigeria. Along with the rainy showers comes the risk of various diseases like food poisoning, diarrhoea, dysentery and cholera. According to Dr. Seun Braimoh of the University of Illorin Teaching Hospital, “The increase in the amount of health diseases we find in the rainy season is due to the fact that this is a time when the humidity levels are high in the atmosphere and the capability of our body's digestive system is at its lowest and as such digestion is generally weak which can eventually reduce the natural immunity level of the body. Therefore we need to be careful about the food we eat and the water we drink.” Other very common diseases of this season are cough, cold, flu, poor digestion, jaundice and typhoid. Also, skin related problems such as abscess, prickly heat, and eczema are also very common. To be healthy during this period, it will help to follow these tips:Skin:-The skin gets clogged with dirt easily which is why we need to cleanse it regularly but we need to be extra careful so that it is not stripped of its natural moisture. The cleansing agent should be gentle and yet, it should be strong enough to remove every trace of dust and dirt from your skin. Wash hands with soap and disinfected water before eating or handling food, and after handling flood water-contaminated items. Diet:-Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly, particularly leafy vegetables and cauliflower, which not only contain larvae and worms, but also collect dirt from the

streets. Garlic, pepper, ginger and coriander help enhance digestion and improve immunity. Clothes:-One should wear cotton clothes and loose clothes and use talcum powder that are anti-fungal in areas more prone to fungal infections. Avoid wearing wet clothes, especially jeans which does not dry immediately, it pays to wear dry cotton most of the time because it is skin friendly. Please do not walk bear footed and avoid wearing wet shoes. Safety:- Stagnant water after a

rainy downpour is a breeding place for mosquitoes. Drain all standing water and empty water from outdoor items such as old tires, cans and flower pot bases. Protect yourself with appropriate insect repellents and nets if you live in mosquito-prone areas. This will help keep malaria and jaundice at bay. Exercise:-Exercise is an important part of our health care regime and it's very essential to look at different options to regulate the exercise to stay active, fit and healthy. There are multiple exercise options you can try, such as indoor sit-ups, stretching and on-the-spot jogging.

PART from giving relief from the intense heat of the harmattan and dry season, seasonal showers could bring some health risks but this can be prevented if the right kinds of meals are eaten. Here are some food hygiene precautions and diet modifications for the damp weather: Avoid heavy salty food as it promotes water retention and bloating. It is better to have medium or low salt food. Eat foods which are drying in nature, the most popular being corn and oats. Eating watery foods like rice and watermelon can create swelling in the body. Maintain the general hygiene while eating out and definitely avoid roadside vendors as very few people have the high immunity to handle the bacterial overload at such places. Milk is a great diet to be taken this season. Drink butter milk as it improves digestion. Oily food should be taken in less quantity. Eat light foods like vegetables, fruits and cereals and avoid too much of meat or fish. Fresh is ideal for the weather, so go for freshly cooked food. Also, you can add ginger and garlic to your food to improve your immune system .

Avoiding skin diseases this rainy season

LL the heat that accumulates in the body in the summer season is aggravated in the rainy season and so we need to protect skin from high humidity levels and infectious environment. If care is not taken, the chances of getting skin infections and skin problems are high during rainy seasons. Two of the main causes of diseases are wrong diet and lifestyle, which an individual follows either knowingly or unknowingly. Following a diet or life style that is against the season or the nature of a person, creates an imbalance in bodily energies, thus contaminating the body tissues to produce a skin disease. Fungal infections affect your feet, especially if you wear closed shoes all day. Staying dry is the best way to avoid them. Carry a set of dry clothes and footwear to the

office and change immediately if you've gotten drenched on your way. Here are some tips to protect your skin from causing various skin problems during rainy season Be cautious with the kind of soap you use to wash your face as most commercial soaps may dry your skin without really washing away dead cells and impurities. Use scrub made from prepared almonds, honey, olive oil and orange juice to regain the shine and youthful look of your skin. Use sun screen to save your skin from UVA & UVB raise as sun rays can be very harsh after rain. It also helps to take a shower after each time you get wet in rain. While working in office or doing desk job for long duration always take your shoes and socks off to allow air circulation. Wear sandals or floaters to prevent accumulation of sweat and moisture on skin & save your skin from fungus infection. Always wash your feet thoroughly after wading through stagnant water and dry them completely. Wear clothes which cover your body completely while driving on high ways.

BUSINESS THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Rising GDP, rising poverty T

HE socio-economic potential of Nigeria is not in doubt. Anybody who thinks differently is probably not well-informed. That was the conclusion reached by a director in the Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mr. David Adejuwon, during the strategic stakeholder’s consultative forum on trade facilitation in Lagos recently. Upbeat, Adejuwon declared matter-of-factly: “After China and India, Nigeria is the fastest growing economy in the world, with a growth rate of 7.2% that is expected to increase to double digit growth typical of the Asian tiger economies.” The growth rate, he said, was being achieved despite the energy challenges, financial crisis and global economic meltdown. No escape from poverty trap Promising as the country’s economic prospect seems, the irony however is that over 100 million Nigerians pine under the yoke of poverty, living on less than $1 a day. Current statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), presents graphic details of the country’s poverty index. According to the Harmonised Nigeria Living Standard Survey (HNLSS), “The percentage of Nigerians living in absolute poverty — those who can afford only the bare essentials of food, shelter and clothing — rose to 60.9% in 2010, compared with 54.7% in 2004.” “It remains a paradox ... that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty is increasing every year,” Statistician General Dr. Femi Kale told reporters in Abuja. “NBS estimates that this trend may have increased further in 2011 if the potential positive impacts of several anti-poverty and employment generation intervention programmes are not taken into account,” Kale further said. Although Nigeria’s economy is projected to continue growing, poverty is likely to get worse as the gap between rich and poor in Africa’s largest oil producer continues to widen. It is anybody’s guess why the country has remained caught in the poverty trap these past years. While attempting a prognosis of the nation’s poverty situation, Prof. Pat Utomi, foremost political economist blamed it on defective leadership and the corruption at the highest level. “In my view, part of the challenge is the nature of leadership, a political class that is disconnected completely from the people. It is not wickedness, it is just their limitations in understanding that leads them to

‘Our public policies aren’t poor-friendly’ -- Page 59

Briefs

Despite promising economic growth in the last couple of Tax seminar years, the irony however is that for over 100 million Ni- holds Wednesday gerians, poverty remains a metaphor of existence, reports TAKEHOLDERS involved in tax administration and manIbrahim Apekhade Yusuf

thinking essentially that politics is about politicians, for politicians, in the interest of politicians”, he deadpans. Short of calling the leadership elite a leech on the economy, Utomi, who once served as a Special Adviser to the then Shehu Shagari administration, cites a ready example to buttress his point. “How can you explain to me a situation where we have a presidential fleet of airplanes that is bigger than most airlines in the c country, except possibly Arik Air”, he queried. Discomfited, he further raises a poser: “What do they do with these planes? Girl friends are flying all over the place, official assignments whatever those are. Do you also know you can project how many children will not live to be five years because of that next presidential jet that is being ordered?” Public policy, he emphasised, “Is not poorfriendly. Public policy, in fact, often without meaning to do it, moves to deepen poverty.” Socio-economic effect of

poverty Like Utomi, Wale Olowu, CEO, Investment Banking, BGL, is equally worried that things are in pretty bad shape for the country as far as growth and development is concerned. “When people are not employed and they are not in a position to participate in economic activities, it creates a lot of problems”, Olowu said, adding: “When people are not employed and you are not giving them money to be able to be part of the economic activities, to move around, to be able to feed and to be able to do basic things, we are going to suffer on two sides... “We are going to suffer on the economic activities side. On the other hand, there is what we call a multiplier balancing or automatic stabiliser, which is to say that the aggregate level in the macro economy can only be maintained if we continue to have people who can spend and buy and as this chain moves, it means manufacturers can produce more and consequently be able to employ more people to boost the production chain.” Measurement of poverty index One way to measure poverty

“The percentage of Nigerians living in absolute poverty — those who can afford only the bare essentials of food, shelter and clothing — rose to 60.9% in 2010, compared with 54.7% in 2004”

is through identifiable policy matrix of government as it concerns the standard of living of a given population. Olowu shares the same sentiments. According to him, “What an average individual wants is to be able to wake up and find somewhere to go and at the end of the day he or she can be able to take care of themselves and seek further improvements in their lives...this is what makes up the standard of living.” Standard of living, he further stressed: “Is a very broad measure but it is not limited to education, health or even goods and services...it is more than that. “Your leisure period impacts on your standard of living, the wealth of the nation, how are they concentrated, who is benefitting, and who is being shortchanged. these are social issues to make up the standard of living... even it is not purely an economic issue where you say there is a GDP of X then we have a population of Y, those are the average.” Way forward For most analysts, the way forward for the country in the short term is to look inward and begin to seek other sources of revenue. In the view of Baba Omojola, a renowned economist, the only way to ensure even growth is to cut down on the wage bill. “The Federal Government takes 54 and further takes 3 under the Ecological fund. The state takes about 20+ and the local government will take the rest. You cannot eradicate poverty by so doing. “The truth of the matter is that there is a linkage between income growths. If you look at Lagos state, it is committing a lot to infrastructure; it is just because some incremental incomes are being appropriated to these areas.” Most of the state, he observed, “When they plan their budget, their capital expenditure is usually between 40-45 percent. It is only at the Federal level we see capital expenditure of about 22-30 percent… “Above all, the Federal Government needs the will to be able to plug all the loopholes in government. This is the only way it can be committed to capital projects.”

agement have concluded arrangement to host a two-day seminar on personal income tax law as well as challenges of payroll administration in the country. The seminar which holds on Wednesday and Thursday at the Julius Berger Hall, at the University of Lagos, is being facilitated by UNILAG Consults in collaboration with TPSS. According to the organisers, the seminar is timely because there are lot of gaps noticeable in the administration of personal income tax and other allied matters. Among the topics to be addressed by the panel of discussants include: New Template for PIT Computation & Payroll Deduction and Practical Challenges of Implementation of Residency Rules for residents of Border Community: Recent Developments, Issues and Challenges; Residency Rules for Residents of Border Community – Implications for Tax Authorities, employers and employees. Some of the facilitators expected at the seminar include: Mrs. Bimpe Balogun, Managing Partner, Saffron Professional Services; Dr (Mrs.) Teju Somorin, Vice President/ Dean, Tax Administration Faculty. Others are: Mr. Bicci Alli, Secretary, Lagos State Internal Revenue Board, Mr. Temidayo Sokunbi, Legal Adviser, Ogun State Board of Internal Revenue, Mrs. Titilayo Fowokan, Head of Tax Dept, Oando PLC and Dr. Abiola Sanni, University of Lagos.

Centre inducts professionals EADMODE Resource Centre, a foremost international supported distance learning organisation in West Africa, in alliance with its UK partner universities held its 37th induction in Lagos and Abuja offices. The induction programme, a professional-focused event, had 25 students inducted into various UK Universities. It was the first for the year 2012 and the subsequent ones for the year will hold in May, August & November. The Leadmode office manager, Miss Blessing Egbe emphasised the benefits of the induction event. She said, “The induction affords the students an opportunity to have a face-to-face interaction with other successful students, who passed the admission process and who may be on the same or similar programme of study.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

Firm to reduce IT infrastructure costs

RGANISATIONS in the country have been urged to utilise Unified Computing System (UCS) to drive business efficiency and reduce operational expenditure. UCS, developed by the technology solutions firm, Cisco, helps Information Technology (IT) companies effectively manage disparate components of their data centres to help reduce IT infrastructure costs.

By Adline Atili

At an IT workshop on UCS in Lagos, Business Solutions Manager, (Enterprise Servers and Storage) at Resourcery, an IT solutions firm, Mr. Nsikan Udo, noted that organisations in Nigeria and across the West African region are placing greater demand on their data centres to provide business services at a faster and secured rate. According to him, this

had become necessary because IT managers need to achieve business goals by aligning data centre strategy with unique business objectives. Speaking in the same vein, Data Centre Engineer, Cisco Nigeria, Mr. Tosin Amusa, explained that UCS provides an integrated solution for organisations to simplify movement of virtual workloads and reduce operating costs.

Experts task FG, businesses on MDGs

EVELOPMENT experts and speakers at a forum in Lagos have urged the Federal Government and the organised private sector to step up efforts towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria. The experts spoke at the 3rd Posterity Media Business Forum (PMBF) in Lagos recently. Tagged: “Three Years to 2015: The Imperative Roles of Nigerian Businesses in Achieving the MDGs”, it drew participants from different walks of life including media, academia, diplomatic community among others. The forum which was anchored by Mr. Shola

Oshunkeye, Editor, Magazines, The Sun, had Prof. Friday Okonofua, Programme Officer, Ford Foundation; Mrs. Foyinsola Oyebola, Economic Empowerment Portfolio Manager, MTN Foundation and Mr. Olusina Olulana, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA) as speakers. Also present at the occasion was Dr. Joe OkeiOdumakin, President, Campaign for Democracy; Dr. Ken Egbas, Managing Partner, TruContact, and Mr. Ola Thompson, CEO, Hope Worldwide Nigeria among others. The event was chaired by elder statesman and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Ethiopia, Chief. Segun

Olusola. In his keynote address, Okonofua disclosed that although awareness on MDGs is relatively high in the country, not much has been achieved in terms of actual human development while the private sector has played minimal role in contributing to official efforts at achieving these goals in Nigeria. Speaking with journalists at the occasion, PMBF Convener, Mr. O’Femi Kolawole, said the forum is a platform created by organisation towards engaging top leaders and experts to proffer insights and ideas in addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic and development challenges.

PHOTO SHOP

•L-R: Deputy President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Knut Ulvmoen, presents a gift to the Head of Delegation and President, Metro Group of Companies, Mr. Muhammad Imtaz Ahmed, with Mr. Muhammad Azhar Aslam and Mr. Irfan Ahmad Ayub, and the Director General of LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf (left) during a visit by the Pakistani Trade Delegation to the Chamber, recently

•L-R: Ms. Funke Opeke, Chief Executive Officer, MainOne; Olubunmi Ogun, Head, Enterprise Sales, RightClick Nig. Ltd and Bolaji Finnih, Managing Director, RightClick Nig. Ltd, at the MainOne Ikeja PoP Launch recently in Lagos

• L-R: Charles Osezua, 2nd Vice Chairman of the Aret Adams Foundation, Mrs Izarene Adams, wife of the late Adams and Dr. Sidon Adinuba, Special Adviser to Minister of Power

Nnaji, others differ on new electricity tariff

INISTER of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji has reiterated the Federal Government’s plan to revamp the nation’s power sector by enforcing a new tariff regime at the beginning of the second quarter. The minister dropped this hint in Lagos at the 9th annual Aret Adams Memorial lecture series, where he was the guest speaker. The minister, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media Matters, Dr. Sidon Adinuba, empahasised that the new tariff became necessary so as to improve on infrastructure and capacity building in the sector. “Attracting new businesses and investments in the power sector is a desideratum. However, new investments are unlikely if there is no tariff adjustment because the current tariff in uneconomical”, the minister said. He further stated that,

By Rita Ohai

“The new tariff ought to have come into force on January 1, 2012, but it has been postponed to the end of May to allow for greater improvement in power supply and for authorities to have more time to explain critical issues to the public.” But not many are in support of the proposed tariff regime in the sector. In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Pascal Dozie, who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, said infrastructural deficit is at the heart of the problem the economy. Nigeria, he stressed, suffers from “lack of adequate planning, lack of followthrough, poor co-ordination and insincerity due to self-interest.” Echoing similar views, Chief Lawrence Amuh, who could not hide his indignation, said: “It is not fair to the

Nigerian tax payers. This power sector reform bill is not a perfect document and it has so many bugs that without competent people who have a sound knowledge of the industry, you will not be able to implement the reforms that you are crashing into.” The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of Special awards of recognition to deserving members of the public including the minister by Mrs. Izarene Adams, wife of late Aret Adams. Also in attendance was the Deputy Director of the British High Commission, Mr. Peter West. The Foundation was launched to immortalize the late Aret Adams, the first Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation from 1988 to 1990 and former Presidential Adviser on Petroleum Matters.

Tyre dealers get 60 days ultimatum

EALERS of substandard tyres, popularly known as tokunbo tyres have been issued a 60 days ultimatum to dispose them off or face sanctions, the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Dr. Joseph Odumodu has said. He gave this warning while on a sensitisation visit to Amalgamated Tyre Dealers Association (ATDA) in Nkpor Market, Onitsha recently. The SON boss, who regretted the influx of substandard goods into the

By Toba Agboola

country, emphasised that substandard products are not meant for Nigerians, even as he assured that the agency was determined to continue to partner with well articulated businesses in Nigeria in its efforts at encouraging local industries. The Director General noted that “substandard products are danger not only to life but to our economy because they do not add value; rather they destroy life and cause economic hardship and lack of employment of our teaming youth.”

Odumodu reiterated Standards Organisation of Nigeria’s resolve to improve life through standards and urged all Nigerians to reject in all ramifications, attempts by some unscrupulous businessmen and women to make Nigeria a dumping ground. Earlier in his address, the President of the Amalgamated Tyre Dealers Association, Chief Callistus Onyilo, pledged the willingness of the association to work and support SON in its drive to rid the nation of substandard products including tyres.

Stakeholders canvass support for youth’s empowerment

HERE is need to equip the youths with the right skills in order to prepare them for life’s many challenges, experts have said. This was the submissions made by stakeholders present at an interface and discussion session organised by the Youth Empowerment Foundation (YEF), anongovernmental organisation focused on health, education, social and sports development, recently. The event, which drew participants from the academia, civil society and the organised private sector, was part of effort to set store for ideas concerning the ‘Goal Project’. The Project Director of the foundation, Miss Deola Johnson, while speaking at the event emphasised the need for the training of young females in the society saying, “Looking at the

By Rita Ohai

fact that a lot of young girls are being exposed to the risk of sexual violence, teenage pregnancy and a lot of vices we hope that at the end of the project, young girls would be empowered with life skills that will help them to cope with their daily adolescent problems, design budgets and have saving plans for themselves which will push them to become financially independent in the future as well as hope that they do not expose themselves to risk as a result of their financial status but that they would instead know their rights’ and know what to stand for.” The Goal Project which is being implemented in Abuja and Lagos simultaneously, according to Mrs. Iwalola Akin-Jimoh who co-founded the organisation in 1995, serves “as a holistic project that would draw the organisation closer to our vision and mis-

sion which is to empower young people to take up leadership positions not just in the future but right now as teenagers and to ensure that they are not used as instruments in perpetrating violence.” Ije Ifeyinwa, a beneficiary of the programme who serves as the President of the Goal Club, in Itolo Girls Secondary School spoke eminently about the programme, saying it has been a value addition to her life and her contemporaries. “It has made me become a great leader because I have been made a class captain in school and it has helped me be out-spoken and I can speak with confidence in public”, said an elated Ifeyinwa. So far, 640 girls have been trained in the first phase. The second phase will run till the end of July, 2012 and giving corporate and financial support is Standard Chartered Bank.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Business

‘Our public policies aren’t poor-friendly’ Professor Pat Utomi, foremost political economist and Director, Lagos Business School, in this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf gives useful suggestions as to how Nigerians can get out of the poverty trap, among other issues

HERE are worries that the country is gradually sliding into pervasive poverty, if we go by the report released by the National Bureau of Statistics. Do you think the leadership understands the enormity of the poverty crisis? First of all, let me say that the challenge of why there is poverty is one that haunts me personally. And in many ways, it frightens me that many people in decision-making positions don’t really see the long term consequences of pervasive absolute poverty... Years ago, an American journalist called Robert Kaplan, wrote a book, “The Coming Anarchy”, which was really a projection of what will happen in West Africa, with so many poor people, with so many cleavages: ethnic, religious, economic and all of that. And he actually focused on a city in Nigeria called Jos, as a flashpoint, this was long before the Jos riots started. So, you see the capacity of the system to create problems for itself is very predictable and was predicted already. And yet, public policy did not begin to respond to the challenge of poverty. And in my view, part of it is the nature of leadership, a political class that is disconnected completely from the people. It is not wickedness; it is just their limitations in understanding that leads them to thinking essentially that politics is about politicians, for politicians, in the interest of politicians. That’s our democracy. How can you explain to me a situation where we have a presidential fleet of airplanes that is bigger than most airlines in the country, except possibly Arik Air? What do they do with these planes? Girl friends are flying all over the place, official assignments whatever those are. Every governor travels in long motorcade and the people they are governing can’t even eat two decent meals a day! For me, these are so fundamental. If public life is about service, then sacrifice must be part of it. Do you know that you can calculate how many women die at childbirth everyday from how much the Senate President uses public resources? Do you also know you can project how many children will not live to be five years because of that next presidential jet that is being ordered? But people don’t think in those terms. And if you raise it, they see you as an enemy. That’s my story. But for me, it is a matter of conscience. If you can’t live your conscience, you’re better dead than alive. The truth of the matter is that public policy is not poor-friendly. Public policy, in fact, often without meaning to do it, moves to deepen poverty. Let us take this famous fuel subsidy matter. You say that the way to do things to prevent the poor from being poor is to tax the poor to pay for petrol because that’s the logic of what has been said. I’m not saying people should not pay an appropriate price for what they consume, but let’s find what the appropriate price is and then let them pay for it. They say that they are subsidising by so much, so I say fine. How? They say oh, the price of petrol in London is so much... And we’re paying so much in Lagos. And I say, what constitutes the price of petrol in London? It is mainly taxes by the British government for a variety of reasons. There is need to decongest the cities because they don’t want the cars coming into London. There is need for highway maintenance. In America, there is gasoline tax and all of that. Why is there a subsidy in Nigeria? Subsidy, in my understanding, may be my eco-

INTERVIEW nomics is badly taught, is supposed to be something that you add to reduce the cost of production of something so that it can be sold more. But I can tell you without any doubt in my mind that I have an idea what it costs to produce a barrel of crude oil in Nigeria. How much it costs in a normal environment to refine a barrel of crude oil. And that when you do the arithmetic, it works out to something like N32 for a litre of petrol after adding the various costs that are involved. Am not saying sell it at the cost price, I’m saying determine a decent profit you want; determine a tax you want to pay on it. But even at N65, you have covered a decent profit... Ok, say you want more tax. Don’t tell us you’re subsidising something that you are giving to criminals who are just collecting these monies. The NNPC doesn’t know who it has paid how much. If you listen to the so-called hearing, it is so bizarre! But it is just because of their gross insensitivity to the poor. Now since the whole increase was introduced, you will hear calculation from the Central Bank of Nigeria that the spread of inflation, the way that it goes the real impact, inflationary consequence cannot be more than two or three per cent. But you and I know that the week those prices changed, pure water went from N5 to N10 and it has not come down. That’s 100 per cent! You can go through several others. Now the statistics are out from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of government for January. Inflation is up by 12+ per cent. It is the poor who bears the brunt... they don’t do anything that they can pass on the cost so readily to anybody. What they have mainly to offer is their labour cost. And nobody’s salary has gone up since January. Whereas the guy who produces the pure water can mark it up to 100 per cent, the guy who sells the pure water on the streets, his commission or whatever hasn’t gone up much. So, you see that the poor really bears the brunt of these things. But my worry is that people can take these things for so long and then it leads to anti-social behaviour.That has been my central concern. I know there are some quasi-government agencies like the NAPEP and many others set up to alleviate poverty. Have they in your view made any impact? Part of it is the nature of elite consciousness in our country. It is such that when you set organisations to solve problems that have to do with poverty of a group of people, that organisation becomes a conduit for more rentseeking by those who have access to power. So you set up the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), to provide loans and create employment opportunity and the guys who know somebody who knows who, will go and corner the money and go and buy a four wheel

• Utomi

drive and the problem remains there. The biggest challenge for me in Nigeria has been a collapse of culture. There has been a crisis of values that has not enabled us to focus on best advance common good of the people of Nigeria. So, we are stuck. You need a kind of political revolution, a kind of new consciousness on the part of the leadership elite that politics is not where you go to feather your nest or where you go to be the big man. But essentially, where after you think, you’ve done what you should do in life, you go to give something back. Use the knowledge you have, the experience you have to make conditions better for all or may be your cravings is for a place in history, so you go and do great things so that you’re in the hearts of people, for a very long time. But it doesn’t seem to have been the case with many of the people who seek public life in our country. At best, what we’ve got are adventurers, who are looking for opportunities to use public resources to advance their own private interest. So, where does this leave the masses? Now people have to begin to, in a manner of speaking, pretend that there is no government and begin to ask what kinds of social organisations or how do we organise ourselves in the society to give people opportunities to earn their freedom, to advance themselves? I think civil society or social enterprise has a very critical role to play here. Well-meaning people who give up on the possibilities that public policy will do the right thing, should not give up, they should be able to get together, create in a way platforms that would enable them to empower others, because the greatest part of this empowerment thing is knowledge. People who don’t know and because they don’t know they can’t break away from poverty. But if people are trained, if the idea of entrepreneurship is deeply entrenched in the culture and not that young people would be looking at the day they will graduate, get certificate and be hired

“The truth of the matter is that public policy is not poor-friendly. Public policy, in fact, often without meaning to do it, moves to deepen poverty. Let us take this famous fuel subsidy matter. You say that the way to do things to prevent the poor from being poor is to tax the poor to pay for petrol because that’s the logic of what has been said”

by this big corporation, then we can begin to make a difference... 51 years of Nigeria’s as nationhood, there are fears by many people that considering the socio-political and economic upheavals besetting the nation, chances are that the country may break way. Do you share these sentiments? Not really. I’m one of those who worry about things alright, but still optimistic about Nigeria’s long term prospect. There is often misquoted, misunderstood warning credited to the US government. The truth of the matter is that the US government, like any responsible government anywhere in the world, set out to look at trends in the world so that their strategic goals can be structured. And they publish every five years what is called the Global Trends Report, to determine where the world is going. And every region of the world is considered. In fact, the process is a very rigorous one. It involves academic around the world, not just the US, it involves intelligence people, CIA, and all the information they’ve gathered, which results in the draft of a report. These graphs are then brought before eminent think-tanks, in different places and ways. Incidentally, I was privileged to be one of the so-called eminent leaders of thinktank invited to Stockholm, in 2008 September, to discuss the current five-year term report. I know that in that room, there were at least three former Prime Ministers, quite a number of leaders from think-tanks around the world. The idea was to ask each and everyone, what’s your opinion on this draft report, does it reflect global trend. So the report of the one before that one, basically that the way Nigeria was going, if nothing is done dramatically, given 15 years, it would be a failed state. Now, that did not say Nigeria would break up as it has been generally interpreted in the common sense. What it says is that Nigeria is progressing backwards, which is the truth. There is now a Failed State Index. If you take a look at it, you discover that Nigeria is from Ghana than heaven is from the earth on the Failed State Index. If you were to take that Failed State Index as a measure, the truth of the matter is that the prediction has barely come true. Nigeria is technically a failed state. But it does mean that it can get better. And my view is that what they should do is to may be encourage us to say wait a minute, this can’t be our lot; that we can change things. I don’t take intellectual predictions as things cast in stones; it is something for people to reflect on.

Business

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2011

COMPANY NEWS

HE Federal Government has set machinery in motion aimed at improving the country’s ranking on the global trade index up from the 144th position out of 189 countries in 2010 to 72nd position by 2015 and 20 position by 2020 respectively. The Director Trade, Ministry of Trade and Investment Mr. David Adejuwon disclosed this during the strategic stakeholder’s consultative forum on trade facilitation in Lagos recently. Adejuwon who observed that Nigeria has a lot of potentials, said: “After China and India, Nigeria is the fastest growing economy in the world, with a growth rate of 7.2% that is expected to increase to double digit growth typical of the Asian tiger economies. The growth rate, he said,

Ministry to improve Nigeria’s trade ranking From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

“is occurring despite the energy challenges, financial crisis and global economic meltdown as well as the lack of strong contribution from the non-oil export trade regime”, adding: “It is inexplicable that despite the enormous human and material resource endowment, including a very long coastline with incredible marine resources, vast and diverse agro- ecological zones suitable for cultivation of various agricultural products many of which we have com-

parative advantage.” Expatiating, he said: “We still have a population of about 165m people that should act as catalyst to stimulate the economic development of Nigeria, economic activities have not gathered enough momentum to improve trade performance and reverse the severe deterioration in economic and trade indicators. “Nigeria has very high corruption perception index of 121 out of 180 countries in 2008 and low global enabling trade index that shows that Nigeria has excessive high cost of trad-

ing environment which is discouraging foreign investment, affecting trade performance and export competitiveness and stifling the growth of domestic economy,” he stressed. Adejuwon noted that it was for this reason that government in its effort to transform the trade sector, constituted a task force on trade facilitation, as recommended by the World Trade Organization, to its member countries to support the enforcement of policy on trade facilitation as well as ensure that all barriers to trade are quickly addressed.

Association hails decision to scrap export expansion grant

EATHER and Allied Product Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (LAPAN) has commended the Federal Government for scrapping the Export Expansion Grant, (EEG), which he lamented resulted in the loss of 1million jobs in the sector. Chairman of the association, Mustapha Nabegu, who made the commendation in a press statement made avail-

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

able to The Nation in Kano noted that investigations revealed that while the EEG was operational between 80 and 120 million pairs of shoes were imported into Nigeria every year to the detriment of local producers. “It is our belief that with little assistance from the Federal Government, our Local Footwear Industry will be

capable of taking care of its needs like in the good old days of Bata.” This, he said, will in turn create jobs for thousands of Nigerians in the value chain, as well as create enormous wealth which will help conserve the country’s foreign exchange, with the subsequent export of leather products to our neighbouring countries.

“Among our cardinal objective is to create an acceptable brand out of Nigerian leather just like in the past when Nigeria has vibrant footwear industry, namely, Bata, which is now known as FAMAD, Anita, Silver, Superior Shoes, Lennerds, Top Crown, Whanu Shoe, John White footwear Ltd, Unik Shoes, Lado Ltd among others.”

‘Why Nigerians root for multi-level marketing’

OR Dr. Jummai UmarAjijola, who worked at different dispensation with the United Nations (UN), Actionaid and Microsoft, today, she says she has found fulfillment, above all else, as a multi level marketer of Forever Living Products. As a guest speaker at the Forever Living Products Success Showcase, held recently in Abuja, Dr. Umar-Ajijola said that as an FLP network marketer, she has been freed from financial bondage. She was speaking at the second edition of the FLP Nigeria series of 2012 Success Showcase held at the Shabak Centre in Uthako District, Abuja, recently. Speaking at the occasion, FLP Managing Director, Nigeria/Benin Republic, Mr. Cornelius Tay, said the new outreach programme of the company through a monthly event across the country is aimed at recognizing excellence in the business of distribution of FLP healthcare and beauty products; and to teach people new ways of doing the “home based family business” more successfully. He revealed that the first edition of the Success Showcase in 2012 held in Lagos, late

By Rita Ohai

last month, attracted over 1,480 participants. “Coming to Abuja, therefore, is simply to give Abuja distributors an insight into the new business year which promises to be even greater and more rewarding for all our diligent distributors”, Tay said, adding, “One

of such indicators is the growing population of FLP network marketers which has risen to over 250,000 in Nigeria and projected to reach 15 million worldwide.” Tay also said the attraction to the business is because of the ability of the company to make available a range of natu-

ral healthcare and beauty products which help to promote healthy living and fight poverty by ensuring that everybody, within the network -receives a reward for using the products, organising a sales force to retail the products to non-distributors and for recruiting people into their team.

•L-R: Mr Bolaji Balogun, representative of Lagos State governor; Col. Festus Meghoma, National Patron, Agbekoya Farmer’s Association; Dr. Olajide Ayinla, representative of Agriculture Minister and Chief Kamorudeen Okikiola, President, during the inaugural ceremony of the State Executive of the Association in Lagos. PHOTO: BADE DARAMOLA

Monarchs kick over N41,800 monthly salary

OME monarchs and traditional rulers in Lagos State have charged members of the state House of Assembly to work towards ensuring that their take-home pay of N41,800 at the end of the month is increased. The monarchs lamented that what they get from the state government as salary is too small to cater for their families and their communities.

By Oziegbe Okoeki

The monarchs made the appeal recently when the House of Assembly Committee on Local Government Administration and Chieftaincy Affairs visited the Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area (LCDA) on oversight function to inspect the level of development in the council area. Members of the committee have been inundated with

the same complaints in practically all the council areas visited since the visitation started about three weeks ago. Addressing the lawmakers at the council secretariat, the Elejirin of Ejirin land, Oba Rafiu Balogun, pointed out that what the state government is paying monthly as salary is nothing to write home about. According to him, “we want you our representatives at the House of Assembly to assist us

in the area of our salary, because what we get as obas every month is just N41,800. We are not being taken care of and we have been making noise about this issue, but nothing has been done. The money is too small to take care of us.” Responding, Chairman of the committee, Olanrewaju Oshun said his committee hopes to address the concerns raised by the monarchs.

Beyond Talent By Adetayo Okusanya Email: adetayookusanya@hotmail.com

Find your zone and stay in it

RECENTLY attended an event in Lagos, where I saw a young man sing and perform in front of what I estimate to be at least two hundred other young adults. His passion, energy and talent were so obvious and electrifying, that my eyes were glued to him and I could not keep a dopey grin from spreading across my face as I watched his every move. This young man was in the moment, connecting with his audience, and having such a good time on the stage that I could not help but be carried along by him. I thought to myself, “This is someone who is in his element and doing what he was born to do”. Similarly, I have found myself “in my element” when writing, researching a topic of interest or solving a complex problem. These are activities I can spend all day doing and walk away feeling energized, happy, content, alive, at peace and on top of the world. When are you “in your element” or “in the zone”? When have you found yourself so single mindedly immersed in a task that you lose track of everything else and all that exists is just you, the stimulating challenge of what you are doing, the joy and positive energy from doing it, the confidence that you have the ability to succeed and the anticipation of the sense of fulfillment that will come from mastering the challenge? This is what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, known for his work on positive psychology, calls FLOW. Mihaly describes flow as the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement and success in the process of the activity. Mihaly’s research shows that frequent experiences of flow lead to higher productivity, performance improvement, innovation, motivation and personal growth. I have outlined below steps, based on Mihaly’s work, which you can take to set yourself up for finding and staying “in your zone” this year. Set Clear Goals: Since flow is associated with achievement, schedule meetings with your key stakeholders (supervisors, colleagues, business partners, customers, spouse, etc.) to clearly articulate mutually desired outcomes for the year and reach agreement on performance goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. You are more likely to get “in the zone” when your work goals are clear and you perceive your actions as directly contributing to the desired outcomes. Engage In Work That Match Your Abilities: Your goals must not be too easy such that they do not require your full concentration, nor should

they be too hard such that you suffer mental defeat before you start. Spend time with your supervisor early in the year to identify stretch assignments (In-The-Zone Projects) that you can include in your scope of responsibilities for the year. You will experience personal growth when the work that you do furnishes you with higher than average challenge, demands greater than average skills set from you and keeps you in your strength zone. Focus Your Attention, Energy and Emotion: Look for work assignments with levels of difficulty and importance that will deeply engage your mind and require a high degree of concentration. Such projects must provide you with the opportunity to connect emotionally with the challenge and intensely enjoy the process of losing yourself in the task at hand. You will find yourself “in the zone” when the work you do utilizes all your attention and heart and leaves no room for your mind to wander. Seek continuous feedback: A friend said to me that feedback is a gift. Schedule regular meetings with your stakeholders to obtain their feedback on how well you are performing relative to your mutually agreed performance goals. This way, you get timely information regarding the potentiality of success or failure, and you have sufficient time to improve your outcomes by course correcting or adjusting your behavior. You will stay “in the zone” when you see that your work contributes directly to the desired outcome. Pursue intrinsic rewards: Your “In-The-Zone” Projects should be activities that have intrinsic value to you. That is, you must derive pleasure and fulfillment from doing the activity itself because it affords you the opportunity to operate at your best, whilst contributing to something greater than yourself. You are more likely to be “in the zone” when your ego is absent and you are motivated by internal rewards rather than extrinsic rewards such as money and promotion. If your definition of success in 2012 involves achieving a high sense of fulfillment in your work, maintaining a strong internal motivation, experiencing personal growth and operating at peak performance, then seek out environments and tasks that are conducive to being “in the zone”, and cultivate personal characteristics such as curiosity, persistence, low self-centeredness and intrinsic motivation which will facilitate your flow experience.

• Okusanya is CEO of ReadinessEdge

WORLD NEWS THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

N December 10 last year a huge crowd rallied in Moscow. The people were fired up about alleged election fraud and fed up with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. It was unprecedented in the country’s post-Soviet history. Unthinkable in Putin’s Russia. It inspired predictions of a Russian Winter to rival the Arab Spring. Now three months, and several huge opposition rallies later, Putin looks certain to be elected president again. So what happened? The big protests were ultimately triggered by claims that widespread cheating boosted the results for Putin’s United Russia party in December’s parliamentary election — claims the Kremlin denied. But there were other factors. Putin’s announcement three months earlier that he would bump Dmitry Medvedev and seek the presidency again for himself was a key moment. It wasn’t a total surprise. Many had long suspected that Medvedev was just a seat warmer, helping the real boss work around the constitution and its limit of two consecutive presidential terms. But there was also hope Medvedev, who is considered a reformer, would find the fire in his belly to openly fight for the top job. It was a naive hope. The brazen admission of their private deal was like an open hand slap to the face — a stinging reminder of who really has the power. Suddenly Russians were confronted with the possibility of 12 more years of Vladimir Putin’s rule. Russia’s youth back Putin in droves, singing songs praising him and even getting tattoos of his face. The pro-Putin youth group Nashi, meaning “ours” in Russian, was formed in 2005 by the United Russia party to promote patriotism and support for the Kremlin and for Putin. Former world chess champion Gary Kasparov is among Putin’s critics. “I think if anybody told us in August 1991 that nine years later, the country would be run by a KGB lieutenant colonel, this person would look like a laughingstock,” Kasparov has said. Putin, the married father of two daughters, rose from humble beginnings to become one of Russia’s most powerful men. He was born in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad), the son of a factory foreman, and raised in a communal apartment shared by three families. He joined the KGB in 1975 and later was selected to attend the Red Banner Institute of Intelligence, where he learned both German and English. He was briefly assigned to counterintelligence duties in what was then East Germany before moving back to Leningrad, where he was assistant rector for international affairs at Leningrad State University.

Putin on road to another win

•Putin

He left the KGB in 1992, and served several posts in St. Petersburg’s government before accepting a job as deputy business manager for the State Property Administration in 1996, then head of the Presidential Administration and Control Department of the Presidency under Boris Yeltsin. When Yeltsin resigned in 1999, Putin — then acting prime minister — was appointed acting president. He was elected to the office the following year. He has received credit for consolidating post-Soviet Russia and bringing stability to the nation. He’s also demonstrated a talent for selfpromotion. Television viewers have seen him riding horseback without a shirt; on a motorcycle; diving; flying an aircraft; and demonstrating his judo skills (he holds a black belt). A primary focus of Putin’s campaign has been modernizing Russia’s military, saying it’s the only way to improve Russian standing and clout in the world. He’s proposed spending 23 trillion rubles (about $768 billion) on the military and the defense industry over the next 10 years. While he hasn’t said where the money is coming from, Putin has maintained that Russia can’t afford not to spend it. Still, Putin’s critics show no sign of disappearing. Andrew Wood, a former British ambassador to Moscow, said earlier this week he believes the Kremlin has been “taken aback by the degree of opposition” — so much so, he said, that it’s conceivable that a reported assassination plot targeting Putin may have been a scheme to build support for him. “There was a similar

alleged plot against him the election before last,” said Wood, who is now a Russia expert at the London-based think tank Chatham House. “...It’s conceivable, but it seems improbable.” Even if Putin wins the March vote, “which one must assume that he will, it won’t necessarily mean he has strong and durable support,” Wood said. Many of the people most appalled by that idea have done well under Putin. They’re educated, well traveled and economically comfortable. For Russia’s new middle class the authoritarian stability of the Putin years has brought prosperity. But it’s no longer enough. Now they want their vote to count and they want to use it to get rid of Putin. “The most educated, the most responsible part of Russian society has come together to deliver a single message,” one first-time protester told me. “The current government has no right to represent Russian society. They don’t say what we want to say. They don’t take actions we want to take.” So says the urban middle class. But they don’t speak for the country. “It’s pure mathematics,” says Putin’s spokesperson Dimitri Peskov. “Yes we have something like 70,000 people out there [protesting] on Sakharov Avenue but at the same time we have to keep in mind they are a minority. The majority of the population does not live here in Moscow. We have a huge country and if we look eastwards we’ll see lots and lots of big cities, small towns and rural populations that still support Putin pretty well.” There’s another important reason why Putin appears set

to win. There’s no obvious alternative. Putin’s closest electoral competitor is the Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov — a serial election loser. This would be his fourth defeat. Two other candidates, right-wing table thumper Vladimir Zhirinovsky and left-leaning Sergey Mironov have also run and lost spectacularly in the past. Billionaire businessman Mikhail Prokhorov is the only fresh face in the pack. On paper, his manifesto of democratic and economic reforms should appeal to many of Moscow’s protesters. But he’s struggling to shake off his reputation for being too close to the regime. Cynics call him a Kremlin project, a candidate designed to credibly attract the middle class vote without posing a genuine threat. Prokhorov’s repeated denials and slick campaign have not seen his polling move beyond single figure territory. The line-up of wannabe presidents is said to be another example of what’s known here as “managed democracy” where opposition candidates and parties are tolerated but only if they know their place. Critics describe it as the illusion of democracy. While Vladimir Putin’s victory seems assured, we don’t know what it will look like. Will there be more allegations of fraud? Will he win comfortably? Or will he get less than 50% of the vote and be forced into a runoff with the second place candidate? The last scenario appears increasingly unlikely but it’s what leaders of the opposition movement are desperately hoping for. It would be a clear sign Putin’s support is eroding as well as an opportunity to weaken him further. But however he wins, the next Russian president can expect continued public dissent. “We want to see new elections,” says leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny. “Vladimir Putin won’t win on March 4. He will appoint himself as tsar. He’ll try to remain Russian president for the rest of his life. We need to fight and stop him from wrongly taking power. Our goal is to keep pressure on Putin.” In light of that intent, the answer to one question will sharply define Russia’s immediate future: How would President Putin respond to further challenges to his authority? Vladimir Putin remains a sure bet for the presidential election. Beyond that there’s only one other certainty. He’ll be leader of a country that has changed dramatically in the last three months.

Suu Kyi falls ill addressing huge Mandalay crowds

•Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (C) smiles to supporters as she campaigns in the country’s second largest city of Mandalay yesterday. AFP PHOTO

Y A N M A R ’ S opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi fell ill yesterday as she addressed the largest crowd of her election campaign so far in the second biggest city of Mandalay. More than 100,000 people gathered to cheer on the tiredlooking Nobel Peace Prize laureate as she delivered a speech on the outskirts of the city, but she was forced to take a break saying she did not feel well. NLD sources said the 66year-old, who is travelling with two personal doctors, had then vomited several times, but she returned to the stage about ten minutes later to continue her address. “She is feeling better now,” her doctor Tin Myo Win later told AFP, saying Suu Kyi had recently been suffering from a cold. The international icon has

had a punishing schedule ahead of by-elections on April 1, campaigning in various parts of the country and meeting a stream of foreign dignitaries in her hometown of Yangon. Her decision to run for a seat, in a constituency near Yangon, is the clearest sign yet of the surprising change taking place in Myanmar since an army-backed government replaced decades of outright military rule last year. “I came to Mandalay to ask for help,” she told the crowds, asking the people to vote for her National League for Democracy (NLD) party in the by-elections, which will see her stand for parliament for the first time. “I haven’t seen such a big audience since 1988,” she said, referring to the year she swept to prominence as Myanmar’s leading pro-democracy campaigner, before being put under house arrest by the junta.

Concordia voice recorder analysis may take months

HE first evidence hearing into the Jan. 13 shipwreck of the luxury cruise liner Costa Concordia began yesterday. Lawyers for survivors, the dead and the missing, and some passengers themselves, crowded the closed-door hearing in the Tuscan city of Grosseto where the probe of the captain, several other ship officers and officials of the Costa Crociere SpA cruise company is being conducted. Thirty-two people either died or are missing and presumed dead after the Concordia rammed into a reef near the island of Giglio during dinner hour on the Mediterranean cruise. The ship — with 4,200 passengers and crew aboard — quickly took on water after a rocky reef gashed a hole in the side of its hull, then capsized near Giglio’s

•The sunk Costa Concordia

port. Prosecutors say the captain steered the ship too close to the island to show off the vessel to islanders in a publicity stunt. Participants acknowledged as they arrived that the search for truth and justice will be a long one. “Today is just the beginning,” said Francesco Compagna, a lawyer for some passengers and an injured Russian crew member, Irina Nazarova. Costa Crociere again came under the spotlight earlier in the week when a fire broke out in the generator room of the Costa Allegra, leaving the cruise ship without power and adrift in waters known to be prowled by pirates in the Indian Ocean. The ship arrived in the Seychelles after three days under tow. There were no injuries.

World News

Thousands told to evacuate as floods hit Australia

HOUSANDS of Australians were ordered to evacuate their homes in Sydney’s northwest and elsewhere in New South Wales state as heavy rainfall flooded rivers and waterways. State Emergency Service Commissioner Murray Kear yesterday said that 3,500 people were subject to evacuation orders as 75 percent of the state as affected by flooding. The swollen Hawkesbury-Nepean was threatening areas on Sydney’s semi-rural northwestern outskirts near the town of Richmond, with several towns, caravan parks and low-lying homes evacuated. “This is a moderate flood but it’s unusual because we haven’t seen water in this river system in a while,” Kear said of the waters, which have swamped bridges and closed roads. Days of heavy rain after a damp summer have seen Sydney’s Warragamba Dam, the main source of the city’s drinking water, reach capacity for the first time in 14 years — causing the water to flow over its spillways Friday. Authorities said the rainband stretching across the southern half of New South Wales has produced up to 200 millimetres (eight inches) of rain over a three-day period and the downpour would continue over the weekend. Kear said people needed to be prepared for flash flooding, with the prospect of a further 200 millimetres of rain over the next two days. “This could lead to homes being isolated or inundated by water,” he said. Across New South Wales, some 2,300 people had been cut off by the surging torrents and more than 1,500 evacuated from areas south of Sydney and from towns near the national capital Canberra due to rising flood levels. Kear said no homes had been inundated in the past 24 hours, but he said there had been more than 40 flood rescues — including saving people trapped in cars — and warned people against attempting to drive through floodwaters.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Al-Qaeda offshoot claims Algeria attack

Senegal presidential challenger Sall gains support A

ORE Senegalese opposition figures said yesterday they would throw their support behind candidate Macky Sall in his bid to oust longruling President Abdoulaye Wade this month. The president — aged 85 and in power for 12 years — is seeking a third term in a move that has triggered weeks of sometimes deadly protests in Senegal, a country long seen as a beacon of democracy in west Africa. Sall, a former prime minister who trailed Wade in a first-round vote last month, this week won the backing of the third-placed candidate and has now also gained the support of the men who came fourth and fifth. Sall, 50, has also won the influential support of homegrown music icon Youssou Ndour in his bid to thwart the sit-tight leader. The fourth-placed candidate from the first round election, Socialist Party leader Ousmane Tanor Dieng, said he would back Sall in the vote on either March 18 or 25, according to a report in the Le Soleil daily. “We’re going to campaign together because we share common beliefs... We will work together to ensure that the charter of good democratic governance is applied. And we will also govern together,” he was quoted as saying. Former premier Idrissa Seck, who came in fifth in

•Wade the first round on February 26, also voiced his backing for Sall, saying he would give his unconditional support to the best-paced opposition candidate. Moustapha Niasse, another former prime minister and the thirdplaced candidate to emerge from the first round, has

previously voiced his support for Sall, as has the opposition June 23 Movement (M23). M23 — which counts Sall, Niasse, Dieng and Seck among its members — has called a gathering yesterday in Dakar in memory of six people killed in rioting ahead of the first round vote.

HE Queen’s diamond jubilee this year is on course to be marked by Britain’s biggest national celebration for decades, according to local government officials. Councils across England and Wales have

already received 3,500 applications for street parties over the official four days of celebration from June 2 to 5 to mark the queen’s 60 years on the throne. The Local Government Association (LGA) said

Ahmadinejad rivals lead in parliament vote

ONSERVATIVE rivals of President M a h m o u d Ahmadinejad were leading in the race for parliament, according to early election results yesterday, an indication the Iranian president may face a more hostile house in the remaining

chatting with Fidel Castro. Chavez, 57, flew to Cuba on Feb. 24 to have a growth removed from the same part of the pelvic region where a larger, malignant tumour was extracted last year. Earlier in a telephone

•Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez in a photo said to have been taken on Friday after the Venezuelan president had a tumour removed in Cuba

Wade garnered 34.8 percent of the vote in the first round, Sall won 26.5 percent, while Niasse trailed with 13.2 percent. UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday called for “civic responsibility and democratic commitment” in Senegal ahead of the second round.

Queen’s jubilee parties could be biggest for decades

18 months of his second term in office. State media said the turnout was estimated at over 67 percent from among 48 million Iranians eligible to vote. The conservatives’ lead had been expected as the balloting for the 290-seat parliament had

Cuba releases photos of convalescing Hugo Chavez RESIDENT Hugo Chavez said Friday he’s recovering quickly from tumor surgery in Cuba, and the first photographs of the Venezuelan leader to appear since the operation show him smiling and

•Sall

call to Venezuelan state television, Chavez said doctors have put him on a special diet, and he’s taking daily walks and spending time with close relatives. There has been no word on whether the new lesion is cancerous. During his phone call, Chavez did not provide specific details of the surgery or the tumor that was removed. “I cannot neglect my recuperation treatment for even a minute,” Chavez said. “I continue recovering, thanks to Venezuela’s support, the Cuban people, the doctors here in Cuba, to the love from the people that fills me.” “I’m taking flight, raising the fatherland of the future,” he added.

boiled down to a popularity contest between two conservative camps — those opposing Ahmadinejad and those backing the president. The elections were the first major vote since Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in June 2009 and the mass protests and crackdowns that followed. Out of 189 winners that emerged by yesterday noon, at least 97 were conservative A h m a d i n e j a d opponents. Also elected were six liberal-leaning candidates opposed to Ahmadinejad. The remaining 86 seats were split between A h m a d i n e j a d supporters and centrists. Authorities said 15 seats will have to be decided in runoffs. More than 3,440 parliamentary hopefuls — all vetted by Iran’s ruling Islamic system and none with links to the opposition Green Movement that led protests after Ahmadinejad’s hotly disputed re-election — ran in the elections.

when combined with other events planned for village greens, town squares and in parks and pubs, the revelries were set to outstrip those held last April for the wedding of the queen’s grandson Prince William. There were some 5,500 applications for street parties last year, but three months before the occasion only a handful had been submitted. “Councils told us back in January they were surprised by how many inquiries they were receiving from residents wanting to celebrate Diamond Jubilee weekend,” said Flick Rea, chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board. Major celebrations over the June weekend include a concert at Buckingham Palace and a pageant involving a flotilla of 1,000 ships on the River Thames.

•Queen Elizabeth II

N Al-Qaeda splinter group claimed yeserday to have carried out a suicide attack on a military base in southern Algeria which left 24 people wounded. “We inform you that we are behind the explosion that occurred this morning at Tamanrasset,” a message sent to AFP and signed by the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa said. The website of the Algerian Arabic-language daily En Nahar said 10 gendarmes and 14 civilians were taken to hospital after the attack at the paramilitary gendarmerie headquarters in Tamanrasset, 1,970 kilometres (1,220 miles) south of Algiers. Some of the injured were said to be in critical condition, while the suicide bomber was blown apart in the blast, which also caused major damage to the building. It was the first time such an attack had been reported in the area. The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (Jamat Tawhid Wal Jihad Fi Garbi Afriqqiya) surfaced in December, when it claimed to be holding three Westerners kidnapped from a Western Sahara refugee camp in Algeria in October.

Four dead in Yemen blasts

WO suicide bombers drove a car packed with explosives into a Yemeni army base in the southern province of alBayda yesterday, killing one soldier, the Defence Ministry said, in an attack for which al Qaeda claimed responsibility. Another soldier was killed by one of two blasts aimed at a central security forces building in the southern coastal town of Mukalla, where a suicide bombing a week ago killed at least 26 people. Authorities said they had made several arrests. Militants linked to al Qaeda have exploited political upheaval to strengthen their foothold in Yemen. Yemen’s south has been mired in violence since protests against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh took hold early last year, weakening already loose central government control over whole swathes of the country. Yesterday’s attack in alBayda, which targeted barracks of the Republican Guard forces, came just days after the interior ministry said it had information about an al Qaeda plot to blow up eight cars in the capital Sanaa and the port city of Aden. “The explosion was very loud and took place in Dar al-Nasr, which is a military site of the Republican Guard,” said an opposition website.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Essay

Possible financial crisis: Africa plays follow the leader R

ECURRENT economic crises, born of financial imbalance, are the blight of the times. Over the past year, I have written about America’s financial struggles and the European debt undertow which threatens to take Greece into the deep sink. I have done this as an indirect warning. If the financial masters of the world would push their fellow inhabitants of western democracy into peonage, pray tell what misfortune is in store for Africa should she continue to play tail in a costly game of follow the leader concerning economic policy. The time for subtle precautionary notes has passed. Storm clouds gather with rapidity. The first quarter of 2012 bears an eerie resemblance to the last quarter of 2007, when the world was just months away from its worst economic implosion in three quarters of a century. It is time to sound the alarm because time is fleeting. African nations would be wise to get their economic/financial house in order by figuring out what is best for themselves instead of listening to the advice of those who fashion themselves as Africa’s financial masters. There is one thing a master rarely does: he rarely tells the servant the secret to becoming his own master. Instead, he points the subordinate to the narrow alley that will keep him an obedient tool. This reasoning cannot be assailed. To gainsay it is to reveal one’s bias for fantasy over one’s acceptance of cold fact. Reality can be harsh but it is a more reliable instrument and friend than either theory or dreams. Debt-driven calamity transudes the chambers of the world economy, moving about like a gathering contagion. The Eurozone, once thought the peak of monetary policy innovation, is in a state of acute dishabille. The zone now experiences record unemployment. One third of its members suffocate under debt burdens they cannot alleviate under classical economic theory without first undergoing severe fiscal austerity and attendant socioeconomic dislocation. Greece has turned into a guinea pig, a living laboratory showing the disemboweling effects of neoclassical cures on a sick economy. As a result, Greece has suffered five years of dark recession. If it continues down the path its German and EU masters indicate, Greece still has another decade of contraction to endure. In other words, Greece will be strapped in a depression as severe as the 1930’s Great Depression. Ireland is not much better off. Italy, Spain and Portugal are queued to join the parade of misery. These nations will sample from the chalice of recession albeit not as severe or long as the Grecian debacle. Already, the entire Eurozone and much of the rest of the EU are in recession. The spurt of growth America experienced toward the end of 2011 will prove transitory. It will be replaced by an economic sputtering, causing growth to be so anemic that it will be nigh indistinguishable from recession. Japan has been dealing with chronic deflation for twenty years. 2012 will be no different. The island nation is locked in recession as if married to it with no foreseeable chance for divorcement. China, Russian and India are slowing down economically, undermining the hope that emerging markets will keep the world economy sufficiently buoyant given the debt exhaustion of developed economies. Worst, world food prices are slowly climbing to where they may exceed previous highs. For African nations that import much of their comestibles and for their struggling populations without the extra disposable income to meet increased costs, this means a dire reduction in food consumption. Poverty and hunger will become even more dangerous, stubborn intruders into millions of households throughout the continent. Given the disputatious geopolitics of the moment, global fuel prices also soar near all-time highs. This is an ambivalent blessing for African nations that produce oil. The joy of higher revenues from the sale of crude will be diluted by the realization that higher prices for imported refined petroleum goods will also be suffered. For those countries naturally bereft of this resource, the higher prices will be an exorbitant penalty compounding their already imposing destitution. Even within the rich nations, there is a newfound disregard for the working class. They are being tossed like jetsam into the night sea to make the tossing ship more comfortable and

The truth shall set you free but who shall do the same for truth?

•Christine Lagarde, Managing Director IMF

•Obama

By Brian Browne stable for the luxury passengers. In his book “The State of White America; 1960-2010,” archconservative intellectual Charles Murray, who once authored a book premised on the theory of innate black intellectual inferiority (The Bell Curve), aimed his poison pen at working class white America. Murray said working class white men were less industrious and less inclined to work than in past generations. Instead of focusing on the declining living standards caused by declining wages, he attributed the malaise to a distortion of cultural values. His answer was not to increase wages or living standards but to admonish the upper class to increase its contact with the lower class. This would allow the superior moral values of the affluent to rub off on the poor. At one point, Murray opined, “Insofar as men need to work to survive – an important proviso – falling hourly income doe not discourage work.” According to Murray, a person who makes less the more he works should not feel the slightest tinge of discouragement. That person should continue working smilingly like a clown notwithstanding that his wage descends toward poverty. I raise Murray’s madcap attempt at social theory not because of its intellectual value but because it mirrors political reality. We live in a global age of inequality unlike anything experienced before. Murray is a well-paid vocalist for the elite; he sings its song at every opportunity. While the song is mellifluous to the wealthy, it is nothing but the blues for rest of the people. In effect, Murray’s answer to the demise of the white American working class during this era of inequality is to tell them to mind what the rich tell them and cheerfully take whatever meager wage the rich gives them. If this is the prescription the financial masters have for their fellow citizens and racial brethren, one dares contemplate the sour course they would shove down the maw of Africa. Murray’s literary effluent tracks conservative Republican economic ideology. Republican presidential hopefuls recently contested a primary in the state of Michigan, home of the American automobile industry. In one of the few unmitigated successes of his economic stewardship, President Obama used federal funds to save the auto industry from bankruptcy. Insolvency would have ruined thousands of companies that supply and depend on this industry. It would have caused the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs. In so acting, the president stopped the recession of 2008-9 from becoming the depression of 2010. Because of government input, automobile companies not only survived, they rediscovered the way of profitability. However, each of the four Republican candidates decried the government action. They claim it was a failure not because it

did not rescue the industry and jobs but because it contravened how they believe the economy should run. In their minds, economic rules are not to serve man but man is servile to their fanciful economic abstractions. They felt government should have let the industry fall into the abyss then watch to see if the nation would follow behind it. This scenario did not frighten the Republican candidates because their fortunes were not tied to the auto industry nor were they much concerned about the jobs of the working class people who man the car factories. If these leaders can be this coldly indifferent to the sector that is the symbolic backbone of American manufacturing, they would not have the slightest care for what happens to any African industry or national economy. The sheer futility of classical economic theory has caused intellectual ferment and political backlash in the West. Although Africa has suffered more and longer due to this caustic brand of economics, Africa does not play much of a role in the brewing intellectual rebellion. In fact, Africa has entered a period of conservatism unparalleled in its post-independence era. African economic policy makers as a group are among the world’s most conservative although they objectively have the least reason to be. Like the claptrap Soviet-style economics, conservative economics has worked an evil turn on this continent. Fortunately, Soviet economics lies in the sepulcher. Conservative economics still walks the streets, picking the bones of the weak and poor. This should be a period where both African and African-American economic minds draw important lessons from the grotesque austerity experiments conducted on the pinioned Greeks. Additionally, they should question the wholesale myth that unbridled financial liberalization and financial innovation promote real wealth creation. What they would find would shock them but alas few dare to look to new answers to old, unsolved questions. Part of the reason is deeply psychological. Too often we feel constrained by our collective poverty and our blighted history. A sense of inferiority permeates our thinking. Because we are ashamed to acknowledge this uncomfortable reality, we cannot exorcise it. Because we pretend it is not there, we live with its damaging influence. Consequently, too many of us are too fixated on proving that we can be as disciplined and responsible as those in the Western. We need to prove ourselves by being more European than the Europeans in economic outlook. We seek so much to prove that we are their equals that we don’t even see that the very people we emulate now fail themselves. Martin Luther King once pondered whether his efforts were worthwhile because he feared America was in such a state of moral decline that blacks might be “integrating into a burning house.”

The man was prescient. The embers he noticed are now at full burn. Yet, black people continue to walk into the edifice because that is where the bullion of progress was once deposited. Another reason is intellectual snobbery. Those who have studied economics and finance have mastered complex disciplines. They have invested time and effort learning the arcane precepts and liturgy of economic orthodoxy. With so much invested in this structure, they would rather defend than condemn it. However, the complexity of an idea does not denominate its accuracy. A complex undertaking can be as wrong-minded as a simplistic one. Incumbent on these minds is the duty to divest themselves of an intricate yet counterfeit view of economic reality. What they might find could be nothing less than a better path to African economic development. Along the way they would discover that austerity/balanced budgets at the national level produce more harm than good. For a nation that issues it own currency and does not peg that currency to another, austerity and budget balancing are not inherently wholesome. Under the current fiat monetary system, a national currency has no intrinsic value. It is mere paper. This paper becomes special because it represents a legal convention established by government; as such it is essential a public asset. The legal convention is that the paper represents a unit of economic value far above the inherent worth of the paper itself. Money is but a vehicle to allocate value in an economy in such a way that labor and productive economic assets are put to efficient use. When too much of an economy lies dormant, the efficient allocation of value within that economy has gone awry. Usually, the private sector cannot unilaterally correct this malady. If it could, the malady would not exist in the first instance. Government expenditure directed toward activating idle labor or assets is required to move the economy toward fuller employment. This expenditure usually means government deficit spending. This very fact is why almost all advance nations run budget deficits almost all the time. Budget deficits are prerequisite to private sector expansion over time. When an economy has massive idle capacity and unemployment, the issue is not whether to run deficits but how to direct deficit spending to have the desired effect of producing real growth. Wise deficit spending produces private sector vitality. Reckless deficit spending produces inflation. Where there is substantial idleness, austerity begets a recessionary trajectory. In the situation of unused capacity, economic growth almost always requires government deficit spending. However, deficit spending does not always produce good growth. The pedigree of spending must be sound. In this situation, austerity never brings growth; it serves only to bring recession closer to the front door. Africa must more critically scrutinize the rush to import the current western financial model and structure to the continent. Today’s western financial structures are not the same vehicles that lead to the growth of the productive sectors in those nations. In the postWWII heyday of these economies, their financial systems were smaller, simpler and less politically powerful. More importantly, they were not populated with a surfeit of exotic financial investment instruments that encourage incestuous financial investment within the financial sector, thus depriving the productive economy of needed investment. Over the past thirty years, the financial systems of these nations sophisticated themselves exponentially while the productive sectors only grew arithmetically. In actuality, the modern multi-tiered financial condominium now in existence has cluttered these economies, causing their current malfunction. If this financial structure is noxious to the larger economies, common sense says it is a disaster with a short incubation period for African economies that do not have strong productive sectors. If the deeply rooted productive sectors of Western economies fell victim to this financialism, to superimpose this weight on our weaker productive sectors will overburden the continent’s economies for years to come. In the end, the world again marches toward the economic skids. The odds for significant downturn are equal to those against it. Recurrent financial and economic crises are the shape of things to come during this era of inequality. Africa does have a choice. It can continue to play follow the Western leader and accept the way things are. Alternatively, it can explore its own mind for its own solutions and create its own destiny. When you write your own story, the conclusion is usually more congenial than when your competitor pens the tale. Enough said.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Sunday Interview

• Idris Wada •Continued from page 26 State – as far as the legal advice we have and the position of the law are concerned, he is properly elected, and unless another court now nullifies his election, he is the elected governor. And we didn’t want this confusion that was now brewing when the Attorney-General said ‘hand over to the Speaker’ and we knew there was a legally-elected governor, so we advised. If you read our statement, we said ‘we are advising that the governor should be sworn in.’ We said that in order to diffuse tension and remove unnecessary controversy. That’s what we did, but people accused us of all sorts of things. What of Bayelsa State? In Bayelsa, what happened? Again look at it sequentially. What happened was that PDP had arranged to do primaries. We were invited to monitor the primaries. We prepared to monitor it. Then we got a court order. And our interpretation of the order was that we should not monitor the primaries. It’s very interesting and this is one other challenge. It is a different matter we should discuss about our own legal and judicial process. It’s an order that if you read it substantively, it says don’t monitor, even though the judge did not categorically say ‘don’t monitor’. But it’s clear. Anybody who has done WAEC English and reads it will see what it’s saying. So, if we had gone to monitor and they wanted to embarrass us or penalise us, I could have been cited for contempt. So we said we were not going to monitor the primaries and we didn’t go. But Nigerians ought to know that whether INEC monitors a primary or not, it does not invalidate the primary. So after the primary, the party sent us the list of the candidates that they said had emerged. We again knew that there was a litigation going on, and again, we had been indicted in the past for taking action even when we knew there was a court case. So, again to be on the safe side, we refused to recognise the candidate that was brought to us from that primary. We were obligated to publish the names of the candidates before the election. We published the list. Under PDP, we didn’t put the name of any candidate. They now went back to the court and got an order which said INEC must put Dickson as the candidate of the PDP. And we had to comply and we complied. So what

•Liyel Imoke

• Wamakko

‘We are pursuing review of Electoral Act’ is the problem? Why should we be accused of obeying the law? Should we disobey the law? Is that what you’re saying? Why did INEC not appeal? We did not appeal the order because there was already a case in court. You have to comply. Even if you know that the judge knowingly violated the Constitution and gave a wrong order, you have to comply. There was no need for us to appeal. The case is already in court. INEC had been joined. That was why we didn’t put the name in the first place. So, really I think there needs to be sufficient understanding of the process in order to understand the positions that we take. It is very difficult navigating this minefield. Whatever position we took we took it properly. And we have the best legal advice. It doesn’t mean our lawyers will always be correct. But so far they have not been wrong. And that’s the interesting thing for us. We have a legal consortium; we have in-house lawyers. Where the in-house advice coincides with the external advice, it’s a comfort level for us. But wherever the external advice conflict with the internal, we take the external, because we have at least four Senior Advocates. Unfortunately we don’t have any Senior Advocate in-house. Even the ones we have we have difficulty in paying them. So these are the issues. What of the cases of Cross River and Sokoto States? The problem in Cross River and Sokoto is that we had a Supreme Court judgment which is unique. It was a precedent – there was nothing like it before. You had a judgment that said the tenure of certain state chief executives had expired nine months ago. Therefore, we felt, as INEC, that the idea of appointing – even though the Constitution didn’t want to allow a vacuum and had allowed for a Speaker to be there, is an aberration. We should not have a Speaker acting for a very long period. Doesn’t the law say the speaker should be in office for 90 days? I’m sorry sir. You do not seem to have interpreted the issue of 90 days appropriately. The judgment says ‘Conduct election within 90 days’. It didn’t say ‘after 90 days’. It says ‘Within 90 days’. We can do it a week after the judgment. You jettisoned your already released time table?

A time-table had been released, but that time-table was under an old assumption, which was that the tenure of the governor of Cross River State would not end until a particular time. Now you have a Supreme Court judgment that says that tenure had ended several months ago. If we stick with the time-table, we will also be accused of non-compliance with the decision of the Supreme Court. So, we have to interpret this law one way or the other. Our position is such that at a particular point in time, we have to be proactive and interpret decisions. It is when people disagree with the position, then they can go to court and get another interpretation. But we can’t sit back and say ‘we’re sorry we can’t interpret this because it is not our job to interpret.’ We can’t even do what some were saying: ‘If in doubt go back to the court.’ How long will it take to go back to Supreme Court and say we now want you to tell us what we should do under the circumstances. We have to take the plunge and say, look, given all the legal advice that we have got, what is the right thing to do under these circumstances, and we do it, and if everybody is happy, well and good. If people contest it, they now go back to court, which can say that what we have done is wrong. That is what we have done under these circumstances. When will the tenure of the Kogi governor end? It will end from the day that he was sworn in. That is the spirit of the judgment. How are you handling electronic registration and voting ahead of 2015? We are working slowly and steadily to ensure that if by 2015, the legal framework is amended to allow electronic voting, we may be able to see it through provided the funding and facilities are available to get electronic voting machines. What have we done? We have gone very far with the award of the contract for the permanent voters register. We are working to ensure that the permanent voters register is going to be in embedded chip contact lens cards. Each card will carry all the information about the voter, with all his biometric data, from the fingerprint to photograph and so on. Our hope is that in 2015 at the minimum, we are going to have an

authentic verification of anybody who presents himself or herself at the polling unit for voting. We will have card readers, and if you bring your voter’s card, your fingerprint will be taken, the card will be read, and it will automatically verify whether you are the genuine holder of that card. That is a remarkable improvement on the present process. The law now says electronic voting is prohibited. If the law is amended in good time and we’re able to have the resources and to convince the public that we can do electronic voting, then we will also be ready because with that the chip-based card, it can be made compatible with an electronic voting system. Also, we have been working very hard to integrate our database. It wasn’t easy doing bio-metric registration, cleaning up the data, integrating the data, so we have to do it in stages. We did the registration. We gave temporary voters card. People used it for the purpose of identification and voting. Now we have integrated our database. In many states, it’s now easy for somebody to do continuous voter registration. We did that in Kogi, Adamawa, Bayelsa. We have registered anybody who has become 18 since the last registration, who came out and wanted to register before the elections. We have virtually completed it in Sokoto, but because we adjusted the time-table, if we proceeded to use the new register we would have run afoul of a clear requirement that the new register must be displayed 30 days before the election. So, even though we have a new register in Sokoto, we put it aside and used the one we used in April for the purpose of that election. That’s what we’ve done also in Cross River State. In Cross River, we can now immediately roll out the voter registration. Everything is ready. We just had to postpone it because we adjusted the election forward. So, really we have been doing a lot in terms of investment in ICT and ensuring that by 2015, we will have a more technologically-enhanced electoral process than what we have had in April 2011. Can anything can be done to curtail the advantages of incumbency? Since the April election, there are things we have been doing very, very quietly. Soon after the election we brought all the electoral officers from all the 774 local governments to a re-

treat and we told them: ‘Forget what everyone is saying that INEC has done a wonderful job. Tell us what we did wrong in the field so that we can learn from it and see how we can improve.’ We have extensive documentation of proceedings of that retreat. Then we had a retreat for all the electoral commissioners from the states and the national commissioners. We now put this report of the electoral officers and we accessed it; we took the appropriate lessons. In all this, we have been factoring in the series of elections that we have done since then in terms of how we can improve things. One thing we also have to do is to engage the legislature about an appropriate review of the legal framework. There are so many things; what you have mentioned is just one. The other issue is about political party registration. Should we have this number of political parties? Some say we shouldn’t. Some say we should have. But even if you have this number of political parties, is it every one of them that should contest the Presidency for example? Shouldn’t there be a requirement of certain criteria that you have to meet before you can field a candidate for that kind of office? There are a lot of good ideas about additional legal reforms to do, and we have already engaged the National Assembly and are sensitising them, that we will engage them appropriately for either a review of the Electoral Act or even the Constitution itself, because in some cases you require amendment to the Constitution also. These are thing that we are trying to do. Are you doing anything about INEC reformation? We are doing a massive reorganisation and restructuring of INEC itself as an election management body. We have a vision. We said by 2015, we want INEC to be the best election management body in Africa. It’s difficult, but it’s achievable. But then what do we do to achieve that? We have already started that process. We have one of the best management consulting firms helping us restructure the organisation. And it’s after the restructuring that we will now see whether we will do a recruitment to bring in new faces and energy into INEC. So, all this things we have been doing since the April elections. Certainly, a review of the legal framework to address some of this issues raised is high on our agenda in terms of engagement with the legislators.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY MARCH 4, 2012

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Reuben Abati’s reply T HE GUARDIAN of February 21 toed embarrassing lines trebly: “Towing (Toeing) the path of research for national development” “Govt approves NIMASA’s representation at oil platforms” This way: representation on oil platforms. “His passion to see a just and egalitarian society is unparallel (unparalleled).” “Eagles begin acclimatization…train under (in) the sun” This is quite different from an expression like ‘there is nothing new under the sun’, which is correct. Similarly, we play football in—not under—the rain. THISDAY EDITORIAL of February 21 raised a poser: “It is believed that close to one thousand of such prisoners are currently languishing in the various Nigerian congested prisons.” What is the function of ‘currently’ here? “Environmental health, panacea to reducing Lassa fever” My panacea for (not to) good English…. “SME’s owners converges at VConnect Business Forum on Digital M a r k e t i n g ” (BUSINESSDAY, February 21) Get it right: SME owners converge on…. As my kindergarten daughter, Chiamaka, would say, ‘again and again’: “Five suspects arrested over (for) Suleja bombing” (The PUNCH, February 21) We cannot be tired of correcting this stupid and careless mistake that keeps recurring! DAILY INDEPENDENT of February 20 circulated three infractions: “Fix bad roads before wet season, LASG urged” Property & Environment: either dry or rainy season “This deficit (a comma) Okonjo-Iweala said (another comma) will (would) be financed through the traditional sources such as….” “His media allies have been parroting the same lies, hoping that by piping Sylva’s dictated (called) tune….” (Dr. Reuben Abati’s ‘Much Ado about Stones’—also published in other newspapers). “Nor does that statement translate into an admission of involvement in the stoning of ex-Governor Timipre Sylva at (on) a previous occasion….” (Source: as above) For those who did not know, there was a slight altercation between President Goodluck Jonathan and former governor of Bayelsa State Timipre Sylva shortly before the re-

cent governorship election in the state. Of course, some newspaper commentators feasted on the faceoff, which necessitated Abati’s caustic reply. “Police beef-up security in Abuja” (Vanguard, February 20) “The use of multimedia devices have (has) brought about improved service delivery in many companies.” (THE NATION, February 20) Charity, they say, begins at home: “That was a hard pill to swallow.” (Saturday Mirror, February 18) “For sometime now....” (Newswatch, February 27) Nigeria’s leading weekly newsmagazine: some time (two words in this context). Last week’s edition of this medium blundered copiously: “Sanusi and the politics of generousity” Spell-check: generosity “As the contending political parties conclude arrangements for next (this) Saturday’s governorship elections (sic) in Cross River State….reports on the last minutes’ alignments….” Politics: last-minute alignments…. “The Ministry said it has (had) now taken over the regulation of the location….” DAILY INDEPENDENT Editorial of February 17 defeated its own voice on three occasions: “With the opposition…as usual working at crosspurpose (sic)….” My own voice: cross purposes “Added together is the combined anti-PDP vote….” Rudimentary knowledge shows that ‘add’ and ‘together’ cannot co-function as the former encompasses the latter. “With troops being deployed on (in) the streets at the drop of a hat….” From the Editorial we move to two headline blunders in the same edition: “Karu market to take-off soon” Once more, phrasal verbs abhor hyphenation. “PGAN electioneering activities gathers momentum” Drop ‘activities’ and behold a classical headline. Vanguard of February 17 showed its weakness on a tripod: “Edo caucus group woos support for PDP aspirant” You canvass support, but woo people. “Is the break up of this country inevitable?” Why is it that sub-editors (and some writers!) omit hyphens when they are necessary and add them when not needed? Noun: breakup/break-up

(which applies here) and break up (phrasal verb). “The association is determined to restore public confidence in (to) the public.” (THE NATION, February 17) “Chisora happy to go into lion’s den” (THE GUARDIAN, February 16) Conscience, Nurtured by Truth: the lion’s den. National Mirror Editorial of February 16 misinformed its readers in three ways: “…who arrested four senior editors and other employees of the newspaper over (for) reports that offended the government in the October 3rd and 5th editions of The Nation.” “Besides, while the Jos crisis lasted, soldiers deployed to (in) the Plateau State capital….” “…a batch of plaincloth (plain-clothes) security personnel” Next on the line-up is DAILY INDEPENDENT of February 16: “…although the economic problems persisted but the downturn have (has) ceased.” “The reoccurring (recurring) menaces of the NURTW members has (have)….” “Stakeholders react on (to) ASUU strike as varsities re-open (reopen)” (Vanguard Learning Headline, February 16) “…tertiary healthcare providers and HMOs to run the scheme under (on) an information technology platform….” (THE GUARDIAN, February 16) From National Mirror of February 16 come the next three blunders: “Police commend Akwa Ibom youth over (for) role in crime control.” “The lock out of aviation correspondents” (Editorial Headline) Get it right: lockout. “…the suggestion Nigeria took without query which resulted into (in) cuts in university funding in the 80s.” “The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) insisted yesterday that Jonathan must resign his position on moral ground (grounds) because of increasing insecurity and Boko Haram idiocy in the country.” Nobody resigns from his job/position in Nigeria! “This is neither the time or (nor) the place to discuss about the fractured lives of the….” In the interest of lexical sanity: yank off ‘about’ because it is otiose. “The President has a (an) onerous responsibility not to give in to the expensive desires of his ministers….”

HE article ‘Lamorde’s Lie Detector Test’ which appeared in a national daily recently attracted my attention because it is a subject that I have dealt with for seven years of my professional life. The Polygraph is not new in many forward thinking jurisdictions and it is a tool that investigators always rely on when they come to a dead end in their investigations. Trying to educate Nigerians about polygraph and also dispelling some of the myths that accompany it should be our primary aim. Without your article many Nigerians in various walks of life would not be aware of the existence of this instrument. So, therefore your article has introduced your readers to the most accurate and reliable tool available today in determining whether someone is being deceptive or non deceptive. You went on to list some of the ways by which the integrity of the polygraph test could be compromised. This is where I disagree with you. While it is the duty of journalists to inform and educate the public, certain information should be handled with care. The weaknesses of demystifying polygraph tests, in my view, fall under this canopy. I honestly do not understand why you have attempted to educate us only on how to outsmart the polygraph test? I would not have responded to your article if you had incorporated measures that examiners could also take to guarantee the integrity of the polygraph test. A trick can only succeed in beating the polygraph test if the examiners are unaware of such a trick. Surprisingly, all the tricks itemised in your report are known antics, and there are measures to deal with them. For the benefit of your readers, polygraph examiners are trained to identify countless countermeasures. Whilst potential examinees will try to beat the system, the polygraph examiner is well trained to identify these countermeasures. This is one of the reasons the largest and foremost polygraph association – the American Polygraph Association (APA) is continually conducting research and training and information dissemination to keep its members at the top of their profession. Further, this is the reason that polygraph instruments and software are constantly being upgraded and new tools being developed and utilised. For instance, knowing that applying chemicals to the fingers and palms could affect the result of a test, polygraph examiners always wipe the hands of their examinees with rubbing alcohol or similar liquid to remove “antiperspirant” or any other sweat reducing substances. In any case, an examinee that is found to have deliberately applied these chemicals to his fingers prior to a test, will obviously have left tell tale evidence that he has

The truth about ‘Lamorde’s Lie Detector Test’

•Lamorde By Ekpedeme Otuokon

something to hide. Moreover, contrary to the information in your article, all polygraph tests require the examinee to answer only in monosyllables. All questions are structured to be answered as, Yes or No. So doing so has no impact on the test, since that is how they are designed. Whilst it seems simple enough to answer firmly without hesitation and do mental long division to keep your mind on something else, the human brain and mind are not so simple. If you have been accused of a crime, counting backwards is the last thing on your mind. You may think you are controlling your physiological responses, but you are unlikely to be able to control the tiny differences and changes in your blood pressure, breathing rate, etc, that the polygraph instrument and the fully trained polygraph examiner is able to detect. Your mouth can lie and try to beat the test, but your body (autonomic nervous system) cannot be controlled and this is what is measured and recorded during the test. The American Polygraph Association now mandates all its members to utilise the countermeasure cushion for those examinees who might desire to “clench their bum.” A highly trained polygraph examiner has all examinees sit on a countermeasure cushion to address the “bum clenching” and any other antics that some examinees might attempt to try. These are just a few examples of how a polygraph examiner is trained and equipped to deal with the myriad of countermeasures. Finally, whilst popular TV programmes show the polygraph examiner calling the test immediately it

comes up on the screen, it must be noted that the polygraph examination is not a relatively short process with the person connected to the instrument, rather it is comprised of:(i)Pre test interview and careful crafting of specific questions (ii) The polygraph test (iii)Test data analysis (iv) Post test Interview Effective training of polygraph examiners and quality control make beating or distorting a polygraph examination even more difficult. There are processes and procedures that are employed to ensure that tests are conducted in the prescribed manner. Peer reviews and quality control by other examiners also makes it highly unlikely for an examiner to fabricate the test data. It is unrealistic that polygraph examinations alone will rid Nigeria of all corruption. However, it can be an exceptionally useful weapon in our war against corruption. A significant use of polygraph testing is to assist in narrowing the range of issues that need to be investigated, using polygraph and other investigative tools. The polygraph is not a substitute to good investigations. It is a compliment to other investigative processes. Rather than giving law breakers ideas about what countermeasures to employ, let us applaud Mr. Lamorde’s efforts to find new tools for his arsenal against corruption. Indeed he will also need to ensure his office has several tools at its disposal to work alongside polygraph testing, that his officers are motivated and patriotic and that there are strong systems of checks and balances. •Ekpedeme Otuokon is a Polygraph Examiner based in Abuja.

66 CHANGE OF NAME ENIOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Eniola Bolanle Oluwakemi Mary, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Alonge-Akin Bolanle Oluwakemi Mary. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Ministry of Health and general public should take note.

AYODELE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ayodele Rasidat Abike, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Agbetuyi Priscilla Abike. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OLADUNNI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oladunni Comfort Funmilayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Bello Comfort Funmilayo. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission, Ado-Ekiti and general public should take note.

BELLO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bello Adijat Morenike, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Agbaje Adijat Morenike. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Local govt. Service Commission, Ado-Ekiti, Ido-Osi Local govt. Authority and general public should take note.

OLADIRAN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oladiran Olubunmi Funmilola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Akomolafe Olubunmi Funmilola. All former documents remains valid. Federal Polytechnic, AdoEkiti, ICAN and general public should take note.

UNUIGBE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Patience Unuigbe, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Patience Blessing Oyeogbe. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

OLAJIDE I,formerly known and addressed as Olajide Oluwafunmilayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs Ayebiiwo Oluwafunmilayo. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF DATE OF BIRTH I,Eze, Collins Chukwuma (male) was born in Enugu, Enugu State of Nigeria on 12th day of June, 1973. My correct date of birth is 12th day of June, 1973 in Enugu but my birth certificate got lost in transit.All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ALENKHE I,formerly known and addressed as Alenkhe Anita Ifedayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Adedeji Anita Ifedayo. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OGUNNIYI

I, formerly known and addressed as Ogunniyi Funmilola Omolara, now wish to be known and be addressed as Adebayo Funmilola Omolara. All former documents remains valid. SUBEB, Abeokuta, LGEA, Ipokia and general public should take note.

OGONNA

I,formerly known and addressed as Julliet Ogonna, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Nwachukwu Juliet Ogonna. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

COLE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Helen Cole, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Helen Adonkie. All former documents remains valid.General public should take note.

AJONUMA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Kate Chinyere Ajonuma, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Kate Chinyere Ikeagwu. All former documents remains valid.General public should take note.

ONYIA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Peace Ogechukwu Onyia, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Peace Ogechukwu Ihemereze. All former documents remains valid.General public should take note.

IKUELOGBON I,formerly known and addressed as Oluwaseyi Agnes Ikuelogbon, now wish to be known and be addressed as Oluwaseyi Agnes Ogunkoya. All former documents remains valid. Skye Bank Plc. and general public should take note.

OYELEYE I,formerly known and addressed as Oyeleye Juliana Adeola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Oladejo Juliana Adeola. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OKERAYI

ALAO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Okerayi Oluwabukola Toyin, now wish to be known and be addressed as Ajiide Oluwabukola Toyin. All former documents remains valid. ETISALAT and general public should take note.

ESHOR

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Eshor Joy, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Udofe Joy Godwill. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OMOTADE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omotade Opeyemi Busayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Akinyemi Opeyemi Busayo. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ONI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oni Toyin Abigeal, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Odede Toyin Abigeal. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OGUNFUYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ololade Olubusola Ogunfuye, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ololade Olubusola Kuku. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

AKINYEMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwayemisi Dorcas Akinyemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oluwayemisi Docrcas Awe. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OGUAGHA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Angella Ukamaka Oguagha, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Anyadiegwu Angella Ukamaka. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

AWONIYI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Awoniyi Obedatu Abolore, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Alabi Obedatu Abolore. All former documents remains valid. Osun State government and general public should take note.

MAXWELL

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Alao Adebimpe Victoria, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adeniran Victoria Adebimpe. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ATAGHER I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Atagher Iveren Blessing, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Mondo Be Iveren Blessing. All former documents remains valid. Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture, Yandev and general public should take note.

ASUQUO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Uduak Bassey Asuquo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Uduak Archibong Uwen. All former documents remains valid. Ministry of Defence and general public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that Okocha Isioma Patience and Okocha Isioma Rosemary is the same and one person. All documents beraing the above names remains valid. School of Health Technology, Benin City and general public should take note.

IKOSIN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ikosin Aina Judith, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Salamis Aina Judith Ikosin. All former documents remains valid. Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp and general public should take note.

ONYEWWELI

I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Onyewweli Emmanuel, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mr. Oyenweli Akuba Emmanuel. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

FADIPE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olufunmilayo Aderonke Fadipe, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aderonke Obiajunwa. All former documents remains valid. UNILAG and general public should take note.

MUSA

I,formerly known and addressed as Nasser Egbomiade Maxwell, now wish to be known and be addressed as Nasser Egbomiade. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Musa Memunat Ajoke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Salami-Olalekan Memunat Ajoke. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OSHADARE

AKINTUNDE

I,formerly known and addressed as Olujide Adebimpe Osahadre, now wish to be known and be addressed as Timothy Olujide Adebimpe Oluwatumbi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OMONIYI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoniyi Esther Olushola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adewumi Esther Olushola. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

SULE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sule Lynette, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Mudashiru Yemi Lynette Omonigho. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

BARRAH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Barrah Onyekachi Georgeline and Miss Uche Onyekachi Georgeline, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oge-Chimezie Onyekachi Georgeline. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ANOKWUTE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Anokwute Nora Onyinyechi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Michael Nora Onyinyechi. All former documents remains valid. NYSC, IMSU and general public should take note.

AGU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Agu Enyiocha, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Florence Enyiocha Chimezie. All former documents remains valid. Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public should take note.

EGWUATU I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Anthonia Ugomm Egwuatu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Anthonia Ugomma Okeke. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

DARAMOLA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Daramola Oluwatosin Odunayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aina Oluwatosin Odunayo. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akintunde Sakirat Omolola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Daodu Sakirat Omolola. All former documents remains valid. Oshodi Isolo Local government and general public should take note.

OLAKANMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olakanmi Titilope Opeoluwa, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Sowemimo Titilope Opeoluwa. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ASAMU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Asamu Adedamola Nafisat, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Akinsunloye Adedamola Nafisat. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

PETER

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Peter Uwem Vivien, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ogbonda Uwem Vivien. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

BETE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bete, Baribefii Lekpugi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Neewa Baribefii Ledogo. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

AZEBAMWAN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Azebamwan Eunice Imi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ugboyobi Eunice Imi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

DAMINIKPARO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Daminikparo Gift Amada, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Gift Freedom Enebagha Obi-Williams. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

MATHEW I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Mathew Rebecca Kalu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Rebecca Henry Asuzu. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME GEORGE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Geraldine Ada George, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Geraldine Emmanuel Ekpo. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OGBONNA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ann Ogbonna, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ann Samuel Onyeama. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,Anita Helen Sunday and Ihechi Blessing Sunday are one and same Person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Anita Helen Sunday. All documents bearing the above names remains valid. General public should take note.

ADENIYI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwakemi Elizabeth Adeniyi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oluwakemi Utip Ekpedeme. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ODO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Odo Scholastica Ngozi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Eze Scholastica Ngozi. All former documents remains valid. Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School, Enugu and general public should take note.

NWANKWO

I,formerly known and addressed as Nwankwo Udochukwu Victor, now wish to be known and be addressed as Chukwunekwu Udo Chukwunekwu Victor. All former documents remains valid. ESUT and general public should take note.

HAPPINESS I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Happiness Nwanosike, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ekeke Happiness. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ONYIA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyia Veronica Akunna, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Mgbakor Veronica Akunna. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

AJAGA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajaga Aisha Atinuke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adekolujo Aisha Atinuke. All former documents remains valid. LGSC and general public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Mr. Kubiri Kelvin Piri Diepiri and Kelvin Mieadoye Fubara are one and same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Kubiri Kelvin Piri Diepiri. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

FAKAYODE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olufunmilayo Toyin Fakayode, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olufunmilayo Toyin Mulero. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JIMOH I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Busirat Adunni Olamide Jimoh, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Busirat Adunni Salako. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Ministry of Education, Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Education Authority and general public should take note.

AKINBO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Aderonke Bolajoko Akinbo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Aderonke Bolajoko Adedeji. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

ABIDAKUN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Abidakun Iyadun Margaret, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Okajare Margaret Oluwafisayomi. All former documents remains valid. Hospital Management Board, Ekiti State and general public should take note.L

OSUNTADE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Osuntade Funmilayo Alice, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olaogun Funmilayo Alice. All former documents remains valid. JAMB, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State and general public should take note.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME SAKA

ADEOSUN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Saka Aminat Olanrewaju, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ajose Aminat Olanrewaju. All former documents remains valid. AIICO and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeosun Jadesola Esther, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Falade Jadesola Esther. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

FATAYO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Okunuga Bintu Fatimah, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Osoni Bintu Fatimah. All former documents remains valid. Teaching Service Commission, Abeokuta and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Fatayo Muibat Modupe, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Rotipin Muibat Modupe. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,Abisere Francis Posi is the same and one person as Abisere Francis Posi-Egbewei.. All documents bearing the above names remains valid. University of Nigeria, Nsukka and general public should take note.

OLOTO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oloto Yetunde Islamiat, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Opayemi Yetunde Islamiat. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ADEBAYO I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Adebayo Adenike Tolani, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Osalade Adenike Tolani. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

OJO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojo Rosemary Folukemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adeyemi Ojo Rosemary Folukemi. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

OYEWOLE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyewole Temitope Mary, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ogunrotimi Temitope Mary. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

OZIOHU I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Jummai Oziohu(Daniya), now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Jummai Oziohu Idris Jatto. All former documents remains valid. Kogi State Government and general public should take note.

ODUMOSU I,formerly known and addressed as Odumosu Oluwaseun Niyi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Odumosu Taiwo Oluwaseun. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ODUMOSU

I,formerly known and addressed as Odumosu Oluwaseun Niyi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Odumosu Taiwo Oluwaseun. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,formerly known and addressed as Nofiu Serifatu now wish to be known and be addressed as NofiuOtubanjo Serifat Olubunmi. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Ministry of Education, SUBEB and general public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,formerly known and addressed as Sunday Yemisi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Odeyemi Oluwayemisi Okikiola. All former documents remains valid. U.I., Ogun State SUBEB and general public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,formerly known and addressed as Sanni Momodu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Ogunfuwa Mohammed. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Ministry of Educatio, SUBEB, Ogun State and general public should take note.

AMIDU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Amidu Ganiyatu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Abolanle Alice Alake. All former documents remains valid. Olumo Primary School, Ogun State Ministry of Education, SUBEB and general public should take note.

OKUNUGA

ADENOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adenola Abosede Mary, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ado Abosede Mary Bunmi. All former documents remains valid. TASUED, Ijagun, NYSC and general public should take note.

OLAIYA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olaiya Modupe Deborah, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oluwasegun Modupe Deborah. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JIMOH

I,formerly known and addressed as Jimoh Bashiru Kehinde, now wish to be known and be addressed as Ashiru Kehinde Jonathan. All former documents remains valid. Ijebu East Local government and general public should take note.

OLAITAN

I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Olaitan Mufutau Abiodun, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mr. Salaudeen Mufutau Abiodun. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

ADEKOYA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adekoya Saheedah Aderonke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adigun Saheedah Aderonke. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

UGAGU

I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Agagu Chukwuebuka Martinjoe, now wish to be known and be addressed as U-Dominic Chukwuebuka Martinjoe. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,Oparanozie Ugochi is the same and one person as Oparanozie Ugochi Desire. All former documents remains valid. Delta State Polytechnic, Uzoro and general public should take note.

ABOLADE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olabisi Abibat Abolade, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olabisi Abibat Pecku. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

FAYAN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Fayan Serah Olaoye Bolarinwa, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olasehinde Serah Olaoye Bolarinwa. All former documents remains valid. Ondo State Ministry of Education and general public should take note.

OKESOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Okesola Adebisi Oluwabunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Owolabi Oluwabunmi Adebisi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

SALAMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Salami Temitope Dayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Sulaiman Waliyat Temitope. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

ONYIA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyia Chioma Euphemia, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Chime Chioma Moudline. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ASAKE

NWOSU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Asake Oluwakemi Abosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeniyi Oluwakemi Abosede. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BAKARE

I, formerly known and addressed as Osakede Yohana Esther, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esther Alechenu Idoko. All former documents remain valid. Nasarawa State University Faculty of Agric, Economic and Extension, N.Y.S.C and general Public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwosu Edith Nneka, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Isikalu Edith Nneka Olufunke. All former documents remains valid. Teaching Service Commission, Abeokuta and general public should take note. I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bakare Oluwakemi Hannah, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Garde Hannah Oluwakemi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OSAKEDE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Cover

BRIEFS Oyo PDP faction demands expulsion of former SSG From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

•Okonjo -Iweala

•Tambuwal

Politics of poverty in Nigeria •Continued from Page 26 that conflict resolution in the country required honest and capable leadership and good governance to reduce the level of unemployment, poverty, oppression, domination and marginalisation. On the day Aliyu was expanding his theory of new revenue sharing formular, the influential northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, came out with a statement backing the Chairman of the region’s forum of 19 governors. According to a report, Anthony Sani, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, questioned what he called the ‘huge allocation’ to the South-South in spite of the fact that the region accounts for over 90 per cent of the nation’s revenue. ”What does your sense of justice tell you when an oil-producing state collects as much as N24bn per month from the Federation Account while a non-oil producing state collects about N4bn or even less per month? Does offshore exploration also degrade the farming environment in the Niger Delta?” Sani queried. Tied to all this is the recent dust being raised at the National Assembly by the Northern Caucus of the House of Representatives whose members are allegedly protesting against the capital allocation to the South-South as against the share of the three zones in the North. An exclusive report published by this paper indicated that lawmakers are threatening to frustrate the budget’s passage, if the “imbalance” is not addressed. The caucus, it was reported, submitted a 252-page “Regional Analysis of Capital Allocation in 2012 Draft Budget” to the Speaker and leaders of the North in and outside the government. Copies of the document were also sent to the Presidency and the Minister of Finance. Justifying the review, a principal officer of the House from the North was quoted as saying:: “Members of the Northern Caucus are not happy over the huge gap between the capital allocation of the Southsouth and other zones in the country. ”The provisions traceable to the zones as a percentage of the gross allocation indicate that Southsouth takes the highest with 8.83% while Southeast, comprising five states only, takes the lowest with 3.73% “Upon the exclusion of the centrally allocated amounts, the

Southsouth takes 29.65% while the South-East takes 12.52%. Others are Northcentral (16.27%); Northeast (10.40%); Northwest (14.50%) and Southwest (16.67%). “If the President’s proposals were enacted in its present state based on our analysis, the fiscal consolidation, inclusive growth and job creation as clearly spelt out in the theme of the budget might not be equitably distributed across the regions of the Federation. “It is our prayer that the imbalance in the proposed capital allocation in the various zones should be objectively reviewed and harmonised in the interest of federal character, equity and fairness among the geo-political zones instead of a particular zone taking the largest percentage.” Peeved by Aliyu’s brazen allusion to the issues of continental shelf and the ongoing debate about the actual accruals to the oil producing states, the governors from the South-South region have taken up Aliyu on what they described as his unfair statement, arguing that states like Niger and Sokoto should look inwards and develop the abundant resources within rather than rely on the some states to lay the golden eggs while everybody runs to the Federal Capital Territory to share the monthly bazaar. In its measured response on Monday, the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, advised the North and any other regions that feel aggrieved by the quantum of money going to oil-producing states to develop their resources and stop depending on the “labour” of others. The Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, cautioned the North against changing “the current status-quo of revenue sharing because that would be inequitable and could be counter-productive.” As politics takes over, experts warn of the serious danger the growing poverty figures pose to the overall wellbeing of the country. The irony is that the poverty index is equally high even in states that allegedly collect a large chunk of the monthly allocation. And so, while politicians and their foot soldiers have seized the opportunity to open a discourse on the need for a national dialogue on the composition of the Nigerian state, concerned citizens argue that something should be done about the dwindling fortunes of the poor and vulnerable in the society. Just recently, the former President of the United States of America, Mr. Bill Clinton, linked

poverty to the upsurge of violence in the country, arguing that the crying inequality in the land is breeding a tribe of destructive elements. “You can’t just have this level of inequality to persist. That is what is fueling all this stuff. It is almost impossible to cure a problem based on violence with violence. You also have to give people something to look forward to when they get up in the morning.” No doubt, Clinton’s admonition could not have come at a better time. The over 100 million Nigerians in the NBS 2010 poverty index look forward to nothing but despair each time they wake up to witness another dawn. They constitute a clear and present danger to the polity. The half measures being adopted by the federal, state and local governments in addressing raging poverty among the people would have to give way for an enduring strategy where states are allowed to take their destinies in their hands. What the latest poverty index by the NBS has shown is that no state is completely off the danger list with the uncomfortable ratio of the poorest of the poor. It also shows clearly that past attempts to address the problem yielded little impact. The onus, therefore, lies with the various state governments to take the figures seriously and evolve a workable strategy on combating poverty among its populace, which must start with a proper education system that would chase the millions of wandering kids off the streets and direct their paths into the classrooms; creating jobs for the educated and providing vocational tutelage for the unskilled. It must also address the issue of subsistence farming and the provision of infrastructure for the generality of the people. Playing politics with the figures may serve as a temporary distraction from the main issue of abject poverty and the danger it poses for society’s wellbeing, but it cannot, in any way, obliterate its potency of turning the nation into a smouldering furnace. In Nigeria today, the signs of that scary reality is there for anyone to see. That is why the NBS’s poverty index, bad as it is perceived, should not be subsumed under the realm of cheap politics. It can become a tool for positive change with the fashioning of effective policies for the polity. The question is: Are the policy makers prepared to take on the challenge?

HE crisis rocking the Oyo State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to subside. A faction of the party in Oyo Federal Constituency led by the South-West Treasurer, Chief Sunday Ogunlade protested and demanded the expulsion of former Secretary to the State Government(SSG), Chief Olayiwola Lakojo. The protest rally, which attracted thousands of party supporters, held at Olugbon multipurpose hall, Mabolaje area in Oyo town. The Federal Constituency comprises Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-East and Oyo West Local Government areas. Angry party supporters carried placards with different inscriptions such as, “All stakeholders in Oyo PDP reject Olayiwola Lakojo”; “Lakojo, stop disrespecting our royal father”; “You are a disappointment to PDP, Lakojo,” “Lakojo, you betrayed Oyo interests, and let us down.” Spokesman for the protesters, Alhaji Liadi Adeyole lamented that the former SSG ridiculed the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, aggravated the face-off between the paramount ruler and former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala. Adeyole said, “The face off and flagrant disrespect to Kabiyesi led the party to where it is today. ‘’No one matters before the former SSG as he is always concerned about himself and no other person. ‘’We challenge him (Lakojo) to tell the world what he had achieved for his community, let alone the constituency when he was in position of authority.” Continuing, he said, “Lakojo is a persona-non-grata in PDP and should stop constituting himself as an irritating distraction in the on-going reconciliation.’’ Ogunlade and former Speakers of Oyo State House of Assembly- , Asimiyu Alarape and Moroof Atilola, pointed out that “genuine efforts by the last administration to transform the metropolis for the betterment of the people were stifled by the former SSG because of his egoistic desires.” Earlier, a delegation from the Alaafin led by Alhaji Lasisi Aderonmu said it was at the rally to correct wrong signals by the former SSG’s group that a member of the reconciliation committee, Mr. Emmanuel Folaranmi, who represents the Federal Constituency is not an indigene.

Kaduna gets office of public defender From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

ADUNA State Governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa has expressed his administration’s commitment to the promotion of greater access to justice. He spoke yesterday at the commissioning of the new Kafanchan High Court complex yesterday. This commitment, he explained, informed the setting up of the Office f the Public Defender for protection of the rights of the citizens in the state. Yakowa said that a multi house court system that provides for alternative dispute resolution has also been established in the state. The Governor said, ‘We have put a number of structures on ground to ensure unimpeded access to it by all citizens of the state. Principal among these is the construction of a befitting High Court Complex of modern standard. “It is hoped that citizen’s rights such as human rights, consumer protection and the rule of law will be enhanced by this process, which should take off within the first quarter of 2012.’’ “In this year’s budget that was recently signed into law, provision has been made for the construction of a new High Court Complex in Saminaka. ‘’This is in addition to the furnishing and renovation of offices and official accommodation for judicial officers.’’

Osun to prohibit street trading, illegal markets From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo.

OSUN state government has approved a bill prohibiting street trading and illegal markets. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Sunday Akere told reporters yesterday, that authorised persons under the bill have power to seize goods, wares or articles, which will be forfeited to government. The commissioner disclosed that the bill, titled; “Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Bill, 2012” has now been prepared for passage to the State House of Assembly for approval. When passed into law, it would prohibit street trading, illegal markets, shops extension and indiscriminate pasting of banners and posters in any place or street. He added that such forfeited goods could be disposed off , while the money realised would be paid into the State Consolidated Revenue Fund. Akere said the Bill also contains provision for fines, as a first offender would be fined N5, 000 and/or one month imprisonment while the second offender would be fined N10, 000 and/or three months imprisonment just as the third offender would be fined N20, 000 and/or six months imprisonment. He said: “It is not the person selling the goods on the street alone that would be prohibited, any person who buys articles, items or goods offered for sale from any place or street considered as illegal under the bill would also pay a fine of N5,000 and/or one month imprisonment. “Any person, who obstructs the execution of the bill when passed into law by preventing the officials authorised to carry out the execution or incite any other person against the officials, shall be liable to a conviction and liable to a fine of N50, 000 or six month imprisonment.” The commissioner disclosed that Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Iwo, Ede, Ikirun, Ikire, Ila and Ejigbo have been picked for the enforcement of the bill once passed into law.

68 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ADELOYE

ADELAYE

BALOGUN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeloye Taiwo Aderonke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ogidiolu Taiwo Aderonke. All former documents remains valid. Federal Government School, Osun State and general public should take note.

AJIBADE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Racheal Olabimpe Ajibade, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Racheal Olabimipe Adebayo. All former documents remains valid. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, NYSC and general public should take note.

OYEWALE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omosola Mary Oyewale, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Dada Omosola Mary . All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

ABIDOYE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Abidoye Odunola Serah, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adeleke Odunola Serah . All former documents remains valid. Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, NYSC and general public should take note.

OLATUNDE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olatunde Idayat, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Lawal Idayat. All former documents remains valid. Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, NYSC and general public should take note.

OYEWOLE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omotola Omobolaji Oyewole, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adams Omotola Omobolaji. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

FABUNMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Fabunmi Kehinde Blessing, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oladipo-Philip Blessing. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,Joy Taiye Hart and Taiye Joy Orlorey are one and same person. Now wish to be known and be addressed as Joy Taiye Hart. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I,Emmanuel David Ubong and Mr. Umoh Ubong Sunday are one and same person. Now wish to be known and be addressed as Mr. Emmanuel David Ubong. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

CHIMEZIE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Chimezie Chienyenwa Abiazieije, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Nnama Chienyenwa Abiazieije. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JOSEPH

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Joseph Grace Abimbola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olalekan Oluyomi Grace Abimbola. All former documents remains valid. Osun State Civil Service Commission and general public should take note.

NWOSEH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Beauty Chinedu Nwoseh, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Beauty Chinedu Appleyard. All former documents remains valid. UBA and general public should take note.

IBIGBAMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibigbami Kemisola Bunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olasupo Kemisola Bunmi. All former documents remains valid. Hospital Management Board, Ado-Ekiti, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public should take note.

BABABONI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Bababoni Aduke Eunice, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olododo Aduke Eunice. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Local govt. Service Commission and general public should take note.

OGUNLADE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunlade Mojisola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Majeobaje Mojisola. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeleye Esther Olubunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adetule Esther Olubunmi. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State University, Ad-Ekiti and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Balogun Oluyemi Oluwaseun, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oladimeji Oluyemi Oluwaseun. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

ADEOYE

OGUNDARE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeoye Folake Christianah, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Dada Folake Christianah. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Local government Service Commission, Ado-Ekiti and general public should take note.

ADEBAYO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adebayo Florence Temilola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Alabi Florence Temilola. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State Local government Service Commission, Ado-Ekiti and general public should take note.

TOYINBO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Toyinbo Olubukola Dorcas, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adelusi Olubukola Dorcas. All former documents remains valid. Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti and general public should take note.

AWELEWA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Awelewa Taiwo Omolola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. LayoAkingbade Taiwo Omolola. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

OGBONNA I,formerly known and addressed as Mr. Osagu Sunday Ogbonna, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mr. Osagu Sunday Martins. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OLUSANYA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olusanya Cecilia Gbemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Omitade Cecilia Olugbemisola. All former documents remains valid. TASUED,Ijagun and general public should take note.

OLUYEMI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluyemi Folusade Opeyemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Jayeoba Folusade Opeyemi. All former documents remains valid. OAU, IleIfe, Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti and general public should take note.

ASIEGUNEM I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Asiegunem Onyinye Ann, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Okoye Onyinye Ann. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

IROANYAH

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Pauline Ebere Iroanyah, now wish to be known and be addressed as Miss Pauline Ebere Ani. All former documents remains valid. Girls High School, Uwani, Enugu, PPSMB, Enugu and general public should take note.

OGBAJE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Rebecca Ogbaje Seyi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Rebecca Seyi Ogbodo Ani. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

IBEH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibeh Purpose Chioma, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Eme-Akpagu Purpose Chioma. All former documents remains valid. Novena University Delta State, NYSC and general public should take note.

SURAJDEEN I,formerly known and addressed as Surajdeen Akanji Olasenu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Olaseni Samuel Abiodun. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ABIONA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Opeyemi Abiona, now wish to be known and be addressed as Dr. (Mrs.) Opeyemi Bashiru. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ADESINA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesina Grace Adeyoola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adesiyan Grace Adeyoola. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Jennifer Bunmi Ogundare, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Jennifer Bunmi Awosanma. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

SALAWU I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Salawu Ronke Titilayo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Ayanbisi Maryam Titilayo. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State, TESCOM and general public should take note.

ADEBANJO

CHANGE OF NAME IBIMIDUN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Tobi Gladys Efetobore, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Agbonta-Felix Gladys Efetobore. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

AKPBIO

I formerly known and addressed as MISS NANCY NNEOMA EGEKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NANCY NNEOMA WILLIAMSEBIOKOBO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akpabio Sophia Ibanga now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Okore Sophia Kingsley. All former documents remains valid. Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa-Ibom State, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Command Day Secondary School, Bauchi and general public should take note.

OYEWOLE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyewole Tolulope Odunayo now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oladejo Tolulope Odunayo. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note. I,formerly known and addressed as Ikekhuame Dodere Jayne now wish to be known and be addressed as Akanbi Dodere Jayne. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

LABINJO

FAKUNLE

IKEKHUAME

I,formerly known and addressed as Mukaram Abayomi Labinjo, now wish to be known and be addressed as Micheal Abayomi Labinjo. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Fakunle Folake Janet now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adeyeye Folake Janet. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

EYINMADE

I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Gabriel Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Akinkoye Oluwakemi Arike. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

SALAMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Salami Amudalat Adeyola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Musa Amudalat Adeyola. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Ministry of Health, The Local govt. Health Authority, Ipokia and general public should take note.

JOKODOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Jokodola Florence Oluwaseun, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Akinde Florence Oluwaseun. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

IGHODARO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ighodaro Sarah Uyi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Usman Sarah Uyi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ABUBAKAR

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Abubakar Temitope Fatima, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Anigioro Temitope Fatima. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ANJORIN

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Christiana Adetomi Anjorin, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Christiana Adetomi Babarinde. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State TESCOM and general public should take note.

SOTANOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sotanola Oluwakemi Bunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adekoya Oluwakemi Bunmi. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

TIJANI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Tijani Risikat Idowu, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Oyegunle Risikat Idowu. All former documents remains valid. MAPOLY, NYSC and general public should take note.

AROGUNMATI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Arogunmati Bolanle Bidemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Babalola Bolanle Bidemi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JIMOH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Jimoh Bilikisu Atinuke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Gbadegesin Bilikisu Atinuke. All former documents remains valid. Oyo State College of Agriculture, Igboora and general public should take note.

ADEDIJI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Sekinat Abolayo Adediji, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sekinat Abolayo Alimi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

EFETOBORE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibimidun Oluwasikemi now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Olisa Oluwasikemi. All former documents remains valid. Federal Medical Centre, Owo and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adebanjo Ganiyat Modupe, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Adesanya Ganiyat Modupe. All former documents remains valid. Ogun State Teaching Service Commission and general public should take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Eyinmade Olubusayo Adenike, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Whesin Olubusayo Adenike. All former documents remains valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 CHANGE OF NAME

GABRIEL

AKITAYLOR

I,formerly known and addressed as Akitaylor Oluwabunmi Victorious Eyiwunmi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Akinwande Oluwabunmi Victorious Eyiwunmi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ADO-IBRAHIM

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Ado-Ibrahim Raodat Ajibola, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Soetan Raodat Ajibola. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JIMOH

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Jimoh Ghaniyah Opeyemi, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Waheed Ghaniyah Opeyemi. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

OKEKE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Nnena Joy Okeke, now wish to be known and be addressed as Mrs. Nneka Joy Ikwuka. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

EGEKWU

NZEGWU

I formerly known and addressed as MISS CHINEZE SCHOLARSTICA NZEGWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CHINEZE SCHOLARSTICA OBI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ADAMS

I formerly known and addressed as ADAMS IBRAHIM EBUBE, now wish to be known and addressed as ADAMS ARINZE EBUBECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Immigration Service and the general public should please take note.

FAGBEMI

I formerly known and addressed as MISS FAGBEMI TOYIN ALABA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AFOLAYAN TOYIN ALABA. All former documents remain valid. Federal college of education and general public should please take note.

AMURE

I formerly known and addressed as MISS AMURE ODUNAYO OLUWASEUN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OGEDENGBE ODUNAYO OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and the General public should please take note.

JOHNSON

I formerly known and addressed as JOHNSON ROTIMI OTEBIYI, now wish to be known and addressed as ROTIMI JOHNSON. All former documents remain valid. The General public should please take note.

OKOH

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OKOH BLESSING, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AKINWALE BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. The General public should please take note.

NWAJI

I formerly known and addressed as NWAJI CHICHI UCHENNA, now wish to be known and addressed as NWAJI CHIKE LANCELOT. All former documents remain valid. CAC and the general public should please take note.

FAMUSANMI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Famusanmi Funmilayo Temitayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Fayemi Funmilayo Temitayo. All former documents remain valid. Obafemi Awolowo University and general public take note.

OFOR

MAISHANU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ofor Martna Obiageli, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anyaegbu Martna Obiageli. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OPUTEH

I, formerly MISS ADEBUKOLA MARIA ABRAHAM now which to be known and addressed as MRS. ADEBUKOLA MARIA AWE. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS SARAH MAISHANU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS SARAH SULEIMAN. All former documents remain valid. The General public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS OPUTEH EGHOMEKA THERESA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS THERESA EGHOMEKA ANYIADOR. All former documents remain valid. The General public should please take note.

OJERINDE

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OJERINDE OLAIDE RHAMAT, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS RHAMAT OLAIDE MAINA. All former documents remain valid. AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA and the General public should please take note.

ABRAHAM

AREMU I, formerly AREMU FATIMO MOTUNRAYO now which to be known and addressed as MATANMI FATIMO MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

JOSEPH

JESSA

I, formerly JOSEPH DAMILOLA now which to be known and addressed as IBRAHIM DAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS UFUOMA JUBILEE JESSA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS COLETTE UFUOMA JUBILEE AJIBOYE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly ABIGAIL JOHNNY now which to be known and addressed as ABIGAIL EMEKA NNADI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

EKOYEMI I, formerly MISS EKOYEMI CHRISTIANA KOSEMANI now which to be known and addressed as MRS. EBITANMI CHRISTIANA KOSEMANI. All former documents remain valid. OSUN STATE SUBEB, AYEDIRE LOCAL GOVERNMENT and general public take note.

DINA

I, formerly known and addressed as Olufunke Yetunde Dina, now wish to be known and addressed as Olufunke Yetunde Dina Walsh. All former documents remain valid. General Public should take note.

JOHNNY

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just (N3,500.) The payment can be made through FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number 1892030011219 Account Name VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert and teller to gbengaodejide@yahoo.com or thenation_advert@yahoo.com For enquiry please contact: Gbenga on 08052720421, 08161675390, Emailgbengaodejide @yahoo.com or our offices nationwide. Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

BRIEFS

Yakassai kicks against SNC • Says agitators are mischief-makers

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

ORMER Special Adviser to ExPresident Shehu Shagari on National Assembly Matters, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai yesterday kicked against agitators of the Sovereign National Conference (SNC), describing them as mischief makers. Yakasai, who spoke to reporters yesterday, said that those advocating for such a conference were doing so out of total ignorance of its meanings and implications or out of sheer mischief. “According to him, Sovereign National Conference in the present day Nigeria under the present democratic dispensation can only mean the surrendering of our sovereign powers vested in the President and the legislature to an appointed or nominated body because a sovereign national conference can only take place under military rule.” He said that clamouring for a sovereign national conference in a fully fledged democratic dispensation is an open declaration of war against all democratically-elected institutions in Nigeria. He pointed out that it is also an open contempt to the country’s legislative institutions. Yakassai advised those agitating for such changes in our constitution to respect the elected representatives and not treat them with disdain. He challenged SNC agitators to explain under which provision of the constitution a national conference derive its powers. The ex-presidential aide urged such people to channel their views or demands to the legislature for inclusion in the ongoing amendments to the constitution. Yakasai also called on all elected representatives to oppose the agitation for a national conference and defend their legitimate mandate. According to him, “It is incumbent upon our elected representatives to call those misguided to order before they plunge this county into crisis where no one can predict its end or outcome, in their blind mission to wet the appetite of some unsuspecting anarchists to throw the nation into anarchy or military misadventure.”

WORSHIP

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

Nigeria’s enemies will fall in one week, Adeboye declares I

T was slated to be an allnight but all roads leading to the Redemption camp KM46 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were blocked as early as noon. Christians from across the globe trooped to the expansive camp ground last Friday to celebrate the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who clocked 70 last Friday. For many, it was an opportunity to show appreciation to a man of immense stature and faith as well as identify with his achievements. It was a night packed with memorable fanfare and encomiums by religious leaders, musicians, traditional rulers and government officials. President Goodluck Jonathan led the pouring of encomiums at the special Holy Ghost Service tagged Let the fire fall. He described Adeboye as a father of the faith whose humility is infectious and commendable. The President, who was represented by the Minister For Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga, said “I can see your support for this country, particularly in my administration which shows that you are indeed an inspiration to us and a blessing to the entire nation’’. He urged Adeboye to continue to uplift the country in prayers and remain a father to all. Jonathan said, “We pray that God will continue to protect and fulfil his divine purpose to which he has sent you to us at this time when your selfless love and continuous prayers is desired by all to keep this nation alive and hopeful in spite of the mounting challenge facing us”. Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko who was full of excitement for the celebrator said, “Pastor Adeboye has shown to us that with sound dedication to the task that God has commitment into our hands, everything will be possible for us”. He added, “Adeboye is a blessing and wonder not only to Nigeria but to the global community and we wish him more grace more anointing and God should keep him for all evil”. Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Arc Yomi Awoniyi said Nigerians should emulate Adeboye, ‘’whose life has been exemplary as he upheld goodly values that are becoming fast alien in our society today”. Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos East) said that God will give Pastor Adeboye more grace and strength to

•Outpouring of tributes for Daddy GO at 70

• Adeboye By Sunday Oguntola

continue in the vision. Fellow gospel ministers also paid tributes to the giant of faith. They were led by Nationa1 President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. Oritsejafor said Nigeria is blessed to have Adeboye’s kind. He described him as a father with the heart of a child. Presiding Bishop of Living Faith International, Bishop David Oyedepo who regarded himself as a son said “I am privileged to be part of this great family that has continued to inspire, impart and keeping me hopeful in ministry. He added,’ ‘we have seen the word become flesh and that is what the ministry represents to the world. ‘’We read the scriptures and we can see it in our time in the life of Pastor Adeboye who is an apostle in our time, I wish him more anointing and greater increase”. The celebrator, who mounted the pulpit with a rousing, deafening applause, thanked God for sparing his life. He said President Jonathan will survive” whether the devil likes it or not, he will succeed and there will be peace in Nigeria”. Troubled by the many challenges facing the nation, Adeboye declared that enemies of the nation will be exposed in less than a week. According to him, “The beginning of the end of trouble makers in Nigeria is now and in less than one

week we will all see their end if they refuse to tread the path of peace and unity in Nigeria. ‘’The fire of God will consume every enemy of Nigeria and restore peace to our nation. The fire of conviction will burn the heart of sinners and their souls will be saved”. Other dignitaries present

include: Former World Bank Vice President for Africa, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili; Deputy Governor, Gombe State, Mr. Tha’anda Jason Rubainui; Presiding Bishop, The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Bishop Mike Okonkwo, among others.

‘Blame Northern leaders for Boko Haram’ Stories by Sunday Oguntola

OUNDING Pastor of Glory Christian Ministries Lagos Dr Iruofagha James has attributed the evolution of Boko Haram, the Islamic sect responsible for the spate of bombings in the nation to utter neglect of the Almajiri boys by Northern elites and politicians. James said it was shameful Northern politicians failed to address the Almajiri’s system, which he said fuelled the Boko Haram menace. He spoke last week with reporters ahead of the 20 th anniversary of the church kicking off next Wednesday. The cleric said if successive governments in the North had taken idle youths out of the streets and offer them education, they would not have resorted to violence for any reason. According to him, ‘’if there is anybody to blame for Boko Haram, it must be Northern politicians. They have ruled this country far more than any other section. ‘’ Yet, they allowed an army of unemployed, untamed youths to develop in the region. This is a shame for which we should hold them responsible’’. He regretted that the sect has become a willing tool in the hands of elements bent on destabilising the current administration. ‘’I believe those unhappy with the current government are fuelling and supporting Boko Haram,’’ he declared. James said the church has much to thank God for at 20. ‘’To do ministry for 20 years with a scandal and spot deserves celebration. God has been our strength. ‘’He has helped us to build credibility and earn the respect of men’’. The anniversary features prominent preachers such as Pastor Tunde Bakare and Bishop Mike Okonkwo. There will also be a concert where Midnght crew, Kenny Saint Brown (KSB), Rooftop MCs, Nene, Praise Machine, and LIZA C, among others are expected to perform.

RCCG commissions street lights for Lagos community

· Outpouring of tributes for Daddy GO at 70

Fayemi greets Adeboye at 70

KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi has felicitated with General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye on his 70th birthday celebration. Fayemi lauded Adeboye for being a source of inspiration to people around the world in the ministry. The Governor, in a February 24th congratulatory letter to Adeboye, said the eminent cleric has stood out among his contemporaries in charting the course of holiness and high morality. He noted that Adeboye

has been a shining light in the vineyard despite seeming perversion which has crept into the household of God. Fayemi, in the letter delivered at the RCCG camp, said ‘’Your infectious passion for God and the incisive dissection of His word with uncommon access to His mind through precise words of wisdom is astonishingly unbeatable. ‘’It would certainly not have been ordinary; the level to which by the special grace of God, you have taken the RCCG and Pentecostalism within the last 31 years you ascended the leadership of the Mission. ‘’On behalf of my family, the government and the good people of Ekiti State, I wish to congratulate you, most profoundly, on this auspicious occasion and I wish you more fruitful services to God and humanity in good health and soundness of mind.’’

•Oyitso praying over the street lights

SET of street lights donated for Ifelodun Street in Gbagada Lagos by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) The Lord’s Chapel were last Sunday commissioned. The lights had been in use for over a year on the street. RCCG’s Province 23 Pastor Brown Oyitso said the project was in fulfilment of a mandate by the church’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to make meaningful impact in the community. According to him, ‘’our intention is to bring light to every dark area. We believe the project will lighten up the neighbourhood and prove Christ is the solution to darkness’’. He said several of such projects were in the pipeline to demonstrate the love of God and make communities better. Oyitso dispelled the notion that such gestures were primarily aimed at driving membership. ‘’This is not about bringing in more people but those who feel they like what the church represents are always free to come on board,’’ he said. Residents praised the church for the project, saying it had improved their living. Secretary of the Community Development Association (CDA) Mr Dipo Sodamola said the project had driven away armed robbers from the vicinity. ‘’If you come here every night, this place is well-lit. It has driven robbers away and stopped crimes around us,’’ he stated. Another resident, Mr Robert Endurance corroborated. He said the church deserved commendation for undertaking the project.

Worship

Pastor Amanda Ogunro

TOTAL FREEDOM

N the past, many of us thought deliverance was limited to casting devils out of someone. This is a misconception about deliverance. Today, dear readers, I want you to know briefly what deliverance is all about. Deliverance, I believe is to rescue you from a battle that you cannot win. You do not have to be demon possessed to need deliverance. There are battles you cannot win unless help comes from above. Psalm 18:17 says “He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.” What kind of enemies will God deliver you from? Enemies that are too strong for you. For enemies that you can handle, you will not be delivered from them. Why? Because the Lord has already weighed you and the enemies on His scale, knowing you are greater than these enemies. The Lord will stand as a referee. He will watch you bring the enemies down to the ground, body flat on the ground and head cut off. This is the brief story about Goliath of Gath. God did not come down from heaven to deliver the children of Israel but provoked David’s spirit to put an end to the self conceited, pompous, arrogant, and uncircumcised Philistine champion. One thing you must understand is that before you can defeat your enemy, you must directly confront them. This is the se-

cret of victory over every giant of your life whether physically or spiritually 2 Corinthians 5:7. It means you are greater than him. When you confront your fear, you become fearless. This same principle applies to the spiritual. The Lord is with you. He has not forsaken nor forgotten you. Isaiah 49:14-16. You are engraved on Jesus’ palms. The holes on his palms are evidence of his great love for you and that He is with you, Hebrews 13:5. Even the angels are jealous of you. Psalm 8:4-8. This psalm expresses the amazing honour that God has bestowed upon man. It affirms that we are created by God for a glorious purpose. We are not beasts or products of evolution and chance. So valuable are we to God that we are special objects of His concern and favour. He has honoured us by choosing us to rule over His creation. Yet the consciousness of our favoured position is no reason for praising ourselves but a reason for giving thanks and glory to the creator. Just believe the Lord, have faith in him and know who you are. Psalm 107:2. Did Jesus redeem you so as to be a playing ground for the devil? Of course not! How many giants do you have in your life? Are they more than the number of your hairs? Remember not one strand of your hair can fall on the ground without God’s knowledge, Mathew 10:30. Now let us talk deliverance language. Do you know that the fowl of the air in Genesis 9:2 represents the witch craft spirit? The fish of the sea represent marine spirits and everything that moves upon the surface of the earth that is creeping things represents the occult spirit. God says, into your hands are they delivered Genesis 9:2. If God says they are delivered into your hands, it means not only have you dominion over them but you are capable of destroying any of them that are a nuisance to you. “Into

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 your hands are they delivered” means you can do whatsoever you desire with them. Your enemy is not man but satan, therefore take your eyes from man and fight the devil, if not, you will loose the battle. Fear is one of the weapons used by the enemy to arrest its victims before destruction. 41:10-12. TOTAL Isaiah FREEDOM The secret of the lion in killing its prey is not sight, as ByitsDavid many people believe, but its roar. Its fear lies in its roar. Once the prey hears this roar, they surrender to death before the actual death comes. 1 Peter 5:8. Psalm 27: 1-3. May God send deliverance to you as you continue to read Total Freedom in Jesus name, Amen. The key to total freedom is the salvation of your soul. John 3:3 Salvation is the greatest miracle on earth. If you are not yet born again, pray this prayer of salvation. Dear Jesus, I am a sinner. I come to you. Forgive my sins. Wash me with your blood. Deliver me from sin and satan. I accept you as my Lord and personal saviour. Thank you Jesus for saving me, write my name in the Lamb’s book of life. Now I know that I am born again. I will continue this messag I know you have been blessed by this teaching. Write and share your testimony with Pastor Amanda Ogunro. Rivers of Living Water Ministries, P.M.B 2854 Surulere, Lagos or call 018401701, or e-mailinfo@rlwm.org . Visit our website on www.rlwm.org

ENIOR Pastor of Olivet Bible Church Festac Lagos Owen Nlekwuwa has charged Nigerians to pray for the nation instead of complaining. Complaining, he said, will not change the nation. Nlekwuwa spoke last week during an interaction with newsmen ahead of the 7 th anniversary of the

The power of the Most High

Bishop Wale-Oke

DIVINE MESSAGE

UT God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6). A short while after the resurrection of Christ Jesus, He came to His disciples with a strong announcement to affirm that He’s the Lord of the universe, “all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”, and He said it with authority. Our Lord Jesus Christ died; and the power of God reversed the process and power of death and brought Jesus from death never to die again. The resurrection of Christ Jesus was the actual demonstration of the power of the

Most High. In the context of human belief, death is an irreversible incident; when a man dies, his vision perishes. The worst thing that can happen to a man is death. “For we must needs die, and are as water split on the ground” (II Samuel 14:14), and that is why the Bible says that the last enemy that would be destroyed is death. Jesus Christ submitted Himself to death to fulfil the ultimate plan of God for redemption of mankind. The power of God brought Jesus Christ alive from the dead, and nullified the power of death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the exhibition of the great power of God as recorded in Ephesians 2:4-6, which was quoted at the beginning of this article, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. As a consequence, you are sitting together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, far above all principalities, all power of witches and wizards, all dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also the world to come. Therefore, as a reality, where you are located now, you are

seated with Christ Jesus. All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ Jesus (Matthew 28:18), not some power, not a little power, but all power ‘He has all power and He’s beside you;’ he said in the scriptures that “I will be with you always, and even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus Christ is in you, “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Colossian 1:27), and your life is in Him. Since Christ is in you and you are hid in Him, anything that wants to attack you will have to pass through Christ Jesus, and as such, it can never get to you. However, you can never conquer the world you are afraid of; there is the need for you to cast off all fear that has held you down, “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day” (Psalm; 91:5), when the devil attacks you, the devil is doing his job, your job is to resist the devil, and he must flee away from you. You have been equipped with greater power, enforce this greater power in you against all adversaries, the devil is to flee and not you. For further information, counselling and prayer please contact me on telephone number: +234 2 751 2138 or send an email to bishopwaleoke@yahoo.com. You may also write to PMB 60, Agodi Post Office, Iba

NEWS Cleric to Nigerians: pray, not complain By Uyoatta Eshiet

church with theme ‘rise’. The anniversary kicks off next Wednesday and ends on Sunday. The architect-turnedpreacher said, ‘’Nigerians love to complain a lot but if

we devote half our time to praying, this country will change. ‘’Complaining is easier but praying is more profitable. Let’s all make a commitment to praying and Nigeria will change’’. He said the theme was

informed by current dire challenges, saying only those who seek God are guaranteed of victory. Expected at the event are Apostle Anslem Madubuko , Rev Alfred Kinsley and Pastor Ngozi Nlekwuwa.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012

http://www.thenationonlineng.net

QUOTABLE “I have reviewed the various Vision 2020 documents and acknowledged that a lot of efforts went into it. However, as a road map to the future, it remains a wish-list. The numbers simply do not add up. At best, it is a good slogan and an interesting joke ”

SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 6, NO. 2054

— Former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Professor Chukwuma Soludo

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan frequently forgets not only himself, indeed, given his boyish instincts and unmanageable extemporaneousness, he also always forgets history. And when he soars to great heights of fantasy, which he often does when his opponents needle him, he even forgets political morality and principles. At the 59th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the president once again indulged his talent for mendacious characterisation of his enemies and opponents, two groups which are to him indistinguishable from each other. The PDP was the only party structured to mediate internal party conflicts using dialogue, he said sanctimoniously. The other parties, he added in a gross misreading of organisational behaviour, were dominated by leaders whose words were law. I did not attend the PDP NEC, and so there was no way I could have read from his facial language whether he smirked a little when he swept the one-man-show opposition parties into one dictatorial heap, or whether he grinned wryly, or his face, hardened by years of shoeless misery, was suffused with elemental mischief. I can only imagine, however, that he thought he had captured in great philosophic depth the character and essence of opposition parties. If he had said that as president he had managed to institute new measures and structures to resolve intra-party disputes, I would understand, though I would know he was telling blatant untruths. But to say the PDP as a party had devised a superior means to moderate and mediate disputes is to raise the level of his exaggerations to insufferable spuriousness. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Jonathan’s most notable predecessor in office, stands in majestic refutation of the president’s curious logic. The former president not only ran the PDP as a one-man show, he ran both his presidency and the country as a one-man show and brought the courts contumaciously to heel. Even though he disregarded semantics and subverted syntax in equal measure to the mood swings that overwhelmed him periodically, his word was law everywhere and every time. He interpreted dissent, especially when the dissenter couched his reservations in inelegant and candid phrases, as enmity requiring total defeat. He deposed governors at will and imposed emergency rule on the excuse of their corruption and incompetence, and foisted malleable governors on states on the excuse that their affected geniality presaged honesty. Obasanjo reached the apogee of his brutal power display when he single-handedly imposed Goodluck Jonathan on the presidential ticket of his party, and then reached into the clouds by imposing the late Umaru Yar’Adua on the PDP and the country before walking insouciantly into the sunset. Jonathan degrades his own terms and definitions, and pays scant regard to party history. His party is the greatest offender of one man’s word becoming law. Whenever a world-saver takes the reins of the

Between one-man shows and PDP’s pantomimes

•Jonathan

•Buhari

party, as the PDP showed under the messianic Obasanjo, and now under the staid but increasingly adamant Jonathan, neither the party nor the country can expect to be at peace. But I can understand where the confusion is coming from. Obasanjo was disrespectfully and obstreperously candid and imperial. And since he ruled more than five years ago, a time so distant for the ahistorical Jonathan to recall, it is easy to forget that Nigerians witnessed their worst years under the man who left office in 2007 and who went on to foist himself on the party as its chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT). On the other hand, the late Yar’Adua was deceptively placid and disingenuously tolerant and accommodating, while Jonathan, who talks instinctive shop on responsible leadership more than any Nigerian leader living or dead, confuses his ideological and ideational inertness with his respect for due process and democratic principles. I also wonder where Jonathan places the rabid and violent disagreements that sundered his party in much of the Southwest before the last elections. Though it is clear he thinks disagreements imply the absence of an individual whose word is law, and absence of rancour as signposting party dictatorship and one-man show, the inability of his party to close ranks before the last elections is an indication of struc-

tural incompetence and systemic dysfunction rather than egalitarianism as he erroneously reasoned. As the president put it: “Though we disagree to agree, that gives us an edge…Our ability to agree, and our ability to take a common position, our ability to allow people to make input is our strong point.” Some strength. Ignore his tautologies, which are never far from his lips when he lets himself go in his numerous off-the-cuff forays; instead, focus on his serial falsehoods. It is certainly not true that his party members often agree to disagree. The PDP, by a depressingly ingenious system it describes as family affair, has perfected the patrician tactics of compelling its members not to break ranks and rendered the rule of law and party regulations impotent. Anyone who broke ranks soon found himself in the cold, shunned, taunted and punished. Ask former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The one-man show of other parties is, in fact, the PDP’s pantomime. In talking of the party’s ability to agree and disagree, the president said nothing of the PDP’s unenviable ability to export its disagreements, thereby nationalising its internal troubles and continually threatening the peace, stability and progress of the country. I suspect that when Jonathan spoke of par-

Justice Salami, NJC and wrestling consciences

FTER more than four or so meetings, three panels, and at least one sub-panel, the matter of the discipline and suspension of Justice Ayo Salami, President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), has still not been resolved. There is little point in revisiting the substance of the case, for those who hate him among the justices and among the political class can hardly be persuaded to yield to reason or at least vouchsafe justice to him, and those who support him will not desert him in his hour of need, even if they are accused of bias. The case, you will recall, began with his attempt to resist what he said was an unwholesome attempt by the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Alysius Katsina-Alu, to influence the Sokoto governorship case then pending before the Appeal Court. This was compounded by an interview the PCA granted in which he claimed that the progress he made in the dispensation of justice was due to the fact that he assigned trusted judges to handle sensitive cases. Both accusation and claim were sufficiently weighty enough to unite his enemies against him. Through an emergency meeting of the

National Judicial Council (NJC) last year August, Salami was recommended to the president to be suspended. It hardly mattered that quorum was not formed at that meeting, according to sources, nor that it was disturbingly apparent that the ruling party and President Jonathan wanted Salami out of the way. Some six months later, however, and after series of meetings and panel reports, the ghost of that incident has refused to rest in peace. So far, all panels set up by the NJC to look into the matter and make recommendations have suggested the PCA be restored to his post. For the reluctant Jonathan to be effectively bound to act conscientiously, the NJC needed to make an unequivocal recommendation. The body has been stalemated in doing this, and while continuing to wrestle interminably with its conscience, has once again asked a panel to look at ways of reconciling the warring parties. They are thinking of reconciliation when they should be preoccupied with justice. A few things are, however, very clear. One is that left to the chief justice, Dahiru Musdapher, the PCA should be restored to his position immediately, for the CJN comes across

as a man of principles and a lover of justice. Second is that in the manner he approved the PCA’s suspension and his untroubled qualms over the dithering at the NJC, Jonathan appears happier leaving the situation as it is. This is as far as his vision of the country he presides over can take him. Third is the fact that I shudder to think that the NJC, which should be committed to the cause of justice more than any other group, harbours so many unjust men in its ranks and in whose hands over the years the fate of many innocent men and women lay. I do not know when good will triumph over evil in the NJC, or whether such victory can be secured at all. The presidency itself cannot be redeemed beyond the passion for and commitment to justice of the man that presides over the affairs of the country. But let the NJC wrestle with its conscience all it can, or let it even smother it. Sooner or later the truth will come out, and with it all the sordid details of how men entrusted with justice, whether in the presidency or the temple of justice itself, had conspired to betray the country they claimed to love.

ties in which one man’s word was law, he was sneeringly pointing the finger of guilt at the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), two parties whose caucus-style democracy and emphasis on internal coherence, ideological purity and party discipline are sometimes misrepresented as authoritarian. Even if Jonathan’s viewpoint was taken at face value, he would still be guilty of lack of clarity and illogic, for, in the end, as Chinese political behaviour and culture have shown, party systems are inextricably tied to peace or the lack of it, and to development or the absence of it. Like the age-long argument over which is superior between one-party system and pluralist democracy, between the Eastern versus Western system, we must acknowledge that local peculiarities, religion and sometimes social nuances influence political culture. Jonathan’s reasoning was typically specious. In fact, the experience in his party does not support his sanctimoniousness. The PDP turns rules and regulations upside down, even as its leaders subvert the constitution and the rule of law. Whenever and wherever they are in power, whether at state or national level, it often leads a massive assault on societal icons and values and shows absolutely no fidelity to agreements or principles. The party, contrary to the impression created by the president, is more autocratic than any other party, less disciplined and quite given to grave excesses and appalling vanities. Did it not say it would rule Nigeria for the next 100 years, and does it not win elections without justifying the victories? The PDP, as I have stated in this place many times to the dismay of some of my readers, is not irredeemable. But that redemption will come only when, in spite of itself, it produces brilliant leaders, men and women as passionate about democracy as they are committed to the best forms of humanism. In 1999, Obasanjo was too archaic and obscurantist to be that man. In 2007, Yar’Adua was too full of contradictions and too lethargic to be that man. And in 2011, Jonathan was at bottom too brutal, at once impulsive and cautious, and too anti-democratic to be that man. It rankles with many of us when such a party throws stone from its glassy redoubt.

Ojukwu and revisionist supporters

HERE is something intrinsically noble about Nigeria. Contrary to expectation, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu received a hero’s burial in Kaduna when federal troops retrieved his body from the war front during the Nigerian civil war. Decades later, the man who led the rebellion itself, Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has fittingly received a hero’s burial. Neither the fact that Nzeogwu led the first Nigerian coup that decapitated the North of its military and political leadership, nor the fact that Ojukwu inspired a failed secession, incommoded those who gave them heroes’ burials. It is, therefore, surprising that his supporters allow themselves to be lured into revisionism to prove their love for Ojukwu. If the secession had succeeded, would anyone say Ojukwu’s rebellion was fought to unite the country, as some of his supporters incredulously argue? Whether right or wrong, Ojukwu led a rebellion. It is a tribute to his charisma, wit, intellect and courage that the failed secession did nothing to diminish our respect for him or the cause he fought for. Ojukwu’s achievements and the unexampled audacity that accompanied his life and style do not need revisionists to burnish. As the hero’s burial he received showed, his place in the hearts of many Nigerians is assured. History will of course still judge him; and iconoclastic posterity will also pass judgement on whether his actions were altruistic and inevitable. We must, however, not allow the exuberance of the moment becloud our judgement and understanding of the issues that dominated our history particularly in the 1960s, a period in which Ojukwu played a central role.

Published by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025, Oshodi, Lagos. Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Editor - 08033510610, Marketing: 4520939, Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Telephone: 07028105302 E-mail: sunday@thenationonlineng.net Editor: FESTUS ERIYE