Sun News- November 07, 2012

SACRILEGE IN ENUGU

Hoodlums attack another Catholic church Pages 3 & 10

N150

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2490

...Kaduna bomb blast victims to be buried in church premises

Page 5 Biafra declaration: Man, wife, two kids murdered in their sleep ...Says group’s leader was expelled from its fold Pages 7

MASSOB disowns BZM Disputed oil wells

Dickson to Amaechi:

Tell your people the truth Page 5

Blinded forever Page 6

•Seven-yr-old boy loses eyes to suspected ritualist

...Begs to have sight restored

Obama leads

Pages 14 & 15

U.S. election

•Salutes Romney over close race ...Impressive turnout, hitches reported nationwide

Man, wife, two kids murdered in their sleep N150

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2490

...Gunmen shoot Nigerian Compass MD Page 7

U.S. election

Obama leads Early results indicate a tie, with incumbent Pages president slightly ahead

•Salutes Romney over close race

14 & 15

...Massive turnout, hitches reported nationwide

Dickson to Amaechi: Tell your people the truth Page 5

SACRILEGE IN ENUGU

Pages 3 & 10

Disputed oil wells

Hoodlums attack Catholic church, allege idolatry

Blinded forever Page 6

•Seven-yr-old boy loses eyes to suspected ritualist

...Begs to have sight restored

Senators reject Arik as National Carrier Page 3

•Dump aviation committee report

U.S. election

Obama leads

•Salutes Romney over close race N150

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2490

...Impressive turnout, hitches reported nationwide

Pages 14 & 15

Blinded forever Page 6

•Seven-yr-old boy loses eyes to suspected ritualist

...Begs to have sight restored

Rainstorm wreaks havoc in Osun Page 11

Man, wife, two kids murdered in their sleep

Page 7

GHOST BUSTED

Page 8

...Gunmen shoot Nigerian Compass MD

Ogun discovered 527 ghost teachers •Another 800 to be dismissed for certificate forgery

Wife of missing mechanic delivers triplets ...All girls We won’t celebrate – Family Page 11

2 DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

SUNG GIRL

Wednesday, November 7, 2012, DAILY SUN

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Kaduna bomb victims for burial in church premises From NAFISAT BELLO, Kaduna

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hristian worshippers who died in the attack on St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Yero, Kaduna will be buried in the church premises next Sunday.

They were killed on October 28 when gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram attacked them during service.

The Archbishop of the Kaduna Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, disclosed these in a letter, which said the dead victims will be buried in the church premises. “so they will continue to watch over the church from the presence of God in Heaven”.

The bishop, in an official church gazette to all churches justifying their burial, said “the tragedy of last Sunday was an archdiocesan one and must therefore be treated as such. “The dead must be buried, the wounded taken care of and the homeless assisted.

“After due consultations, especially with the families of the deceased, I have decided that the dead will be buried on 8th day of November, 2012 near the church they died bearing witness,” he said. The bishop also appealed that, emergency fundraising activities have been instructed to commence in all churches, ahead of the burial and appealed to individuals, families, corporate organizations to help in the process and aftermath.

Air fares disparity: Senate dumps Uzodinma panel report •Rejects Arik Air as national carrier From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja

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enate has stepped down the report of its Aviation Committee for failing to address disparity in air fares charged by foreign airlines. In returning the report, Senate also noted that the committee went beyond its brief by recommending that Arik Air be granted National Flag Carrier status. Some senators also slammed the Hope Uzodinma- led committee for not spotting the inadequacies in the extant aviation laws which are exploited by foreign airlines to the detriment of Nigerians.

Senate President David Mark urged the committee to investigate the claims that the Aviation Ministry is deliberately barring some foreign airlines from the Abuja-Kano routes. Said Mark: “I have not seen in this report where you have explained the difference in price in airlines that exists between flying to Accra-London, Lagos-London or AbujaLondon.

“You addressed it in the other volume but what I have not found here is the recommendations to remedy it because it is ongoing. I know we are talking of anti-trust laws but that is not the issue. If this has happened in the U.S., all those who had paid in the past, wouldn’t they have asked them to refund their money one way or the other? Secondly, weak as the laws may be, they are not being fully implemented because it is this partial implementation of the weak laws that is giving you the authority to recommend some reform here. So, we already have problems with implementing laws we put in place.

“When we say we want to allow competition in the system, let us provide conducive environment for everybody to have a fair deal in the competition. There are questions, in my opinion, you need to go back to answer. You need to go back and bring very critical recommendations that will make us change the aviation industry. “As it is at the moment, there are very, many problems. Of course, one of them is to reorganise our airports properly. The airport we have at the moment, for foreign airlines to come here, they are doing us a favour because as soon as you get to our airport, you see the chains of confusion. We also need to do our home work properly before pointing accusing fingers or blaming others for our problems.

Replying, Sen. Uzodinma noted that Arik Air was recommended to break the monopoly of British Airways (BA) flying directly into Heathrow.

“What we can do immediately is that while trying to get NCAA to come up with clear-cut economic regulatory framework, to check excessive charges of BA, Nigerians should be given an opportunity for a choice, to see another airline that can carry them directly from Nigeria to London because 70 per cent of passengers leaving here are going to London and outside British Airways, they have to fly other airlines that are not going directly.

“More importantly, there are cogent issues raised here and the committee should sit down to address the issues as holistically as it can so that by the time we go through the recommendations and resolutions, we will know we have done the best we could,” Uzodinma said.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu saved the day for Uzodinma with a motion that the report be returned for fine-tuning by the committee. Senator James Manager seconded it.

4 DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

DAILY SUN

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Director-General, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii flanked by Director, Establishment Inspection, Hauwa Keri (left) and Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF, Omotola Davis, during the presentation of BASF Vitamin A test kit to NAFDAC in Abuja, Tuesday.

Photo: MUDASHIRU ATANDA

L-R: Chief Chris Uche, Rickey Tarfa, and Alex Izinyon, all SANs, at a court session to mark the commencement of the 2012-2013 Legal Year of FCT High Court, Abuja, Tuesday.

R-L: Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza and Mr. Guus Heim, Head of Division, West Africa, Sahel, Caribbean, European Investment Bank (EIB), during the signing of Eur50 million regional funding Initiative for small-scale enterprises in Africa, at the UBA House, Marina, Lagos, Tuesday.

COVER Disputed oil wells

Tell your people the truth, Dickson tells Amaechi From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

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espite a presidential directive that there should be a ceasefire in the ongoing media war between Bayelsa and Rivers states over the Soku-oil wells, there seems to be no end in sight to the faceoff between Governors Henry Seriake Dickson and Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of Bayelsa and Rivers states respectively.

Dickson yesterday advised Amaechi to tell his people the truth.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who was dragged into the fray by Kalabari chiefs, had on Monday cautioned the two governors from engaging in any further media war to allow for the reconciliation meeting slated for Friday in Abuja.

However, Amaechi had after the President’s directive at an event in Port Harcourt, stated that the attempt to cede what he called Rivers oil wells to Bayelsa was unconnected to fears being expressed that he was planning to contest the 2015 election with a Northern presidential candidate.

Dickson, in a veiled response, challenged Amaechi to tell the people of his state the truth over the oil derivation received in the face of lingering disputes involving the two states in the last few years. According to him, the Rivers State government had received about N120 billion wrongfully in the past few years to the detriment of Bayelsa State.

Speaking at the inauguration of the State Boundary Committee in Yenagoa, Dickson said since Amaechi insists he is fighting for Rivers people, he should be able to tell his people the truth concerning the issue.

His words: “But since my counterpart in Rivers State has made it a communal affair, I believe that he will help us at this point to tell the people of Rivers State and particularly the people of Kalabari kingdom, whom he claimed he is fighting for, the truth. The basis of our recent claims is that the Government of Rivers State in the past couple of years has wrongly received about N120 billion that shouldn’t have been paid to Rivers State. I hope he will also tell the government and the

contentiously agreed and effected in favour of Rivers State to the tune of about 15 or 16 billion naira thereabout, which he got about a month ago. I want to therefore use this opportunity to call on our law-abiding people, the Nembe clan and Kalabari kingdom, both of who are Ijaw people, not to allow the unity of the Ijaw nation to be affected by the antics of people who want to play politics with anything and everything. I want to assure you all that we have existing structures to resolve our differences”, he said.

Dickson who said boundary issues were sensitive matters, urged the Rivers State Government to allow the appropriate federal agency responsible for proper delineation to •Dickson determine the boundary between the Kalabari people of Soku and Oluasiri in Nembe. people of Rivers State and particularly the He stated that it was wrong of the Kalabari people about the refund that was Government of Rivers State to be making

unnecessary claims despite on-going meeting and resolution over the years involving derivation states with complaints.

While stating that the N15 billion paid to Bayelsa State recently was a justified payment from its oil revenue, he called on the people of Kalabari and Nembe not to allow themselves to be drawn against each other over the matter that is receiving attention at the federal level.

Dickson called on the people of Nembe and Kalabari in Rivers State to remain calm in the face of the dispute, adding that that the two clans were Ijaw and should not be seen as engaging in communal clashes.

He urged the State Boundary Committee headed by his Deputy, Rear Admiral John Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd) to sensitize the communities involved in the boundary issues not to take laws into their hands, but follow the rules in resolving disputes.

Two commandants, 3 AOCs, affected in Air Force shake-up From UBONG UKPONG, Abuja

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he wind of change has blown in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) with the appointments and redeployments of principal officers and departmental directors and commanders.

The development is coming shortly after the recent promotion of 129 senior officers, which has led to the present major reshuffle in the postings of the officers. This is the first shake-up since the emergence of Air Marshal Alex Badeh as the Chief of Air Staff in October after the retirement of Air Marshal Mohammed Diko Umar.

Astatement by the NAF signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, said that the new development was in line with Badeh’s efforts at transforming the NAF for greater operational efficiency, noting that the action was with immediate effect.

Among the new senior appointments are two Commandants, three Air Officers Commanding (AOCs) and five Branch Chiefs at the headquarters.

The three AOCs are Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Chimechefulam Onyemaobi, formerly the Chief of Standards and Evaluation, NAF Headquarters, now appointed the AOC Tactical Air Command (TAC), Makurdi, while AVM Olufemi Idowu takes charge as the new AOC Mobility Command, Yenagoa; AVM Isiaku Umar moves to Training Command, Kaduna as AOC, while AVM Dickson Dilliomono takes over as Chief of Training and Operations, NAF Headquarters; and AVM Ibrahim Kure is now the Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji while AVM Nick Spiff takes over from him as Chief of Administration, Headquarters.

Other affected officers are AVM Moses Akinsanmi, now the Commandant, Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi, Lagos while AVM Sikiru Smith has been redeployed as the Chief of Defence Communication; AVM Ibrahim Mohammed moves from NAF Headquarters to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Policy and Plans while AVM Eko Osim moves from Training Command to NAF Headquarters, as Chief of Aircraft Engineering; and AVM Akinola Ogunnaike is now the new

Chief of Policy and Plans, NAF Headquarters.

Other senior officers affected in the postings are AVM Sadique Abubakar from TAC, Makurdi to NAF Headquarters as the Chief of Standards and Evaluation, while AVM Peter Abel moves from 301 Flying Training School to the NAF Holding Company as Group Managing Director; AVM Monday Morgan moves from Mobility Command to TAC as Senior Air Staff Officer while AVM Abba Zannah moves from 97 SOG Port Harcourt to Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as the Deputy Commandant; and AVM Christian Chukwu and Samuel Abosede have been redeployed as Director of Policy and Acting Director of Operations, NAF Headquarters respectively.

According to the statement, AVM Frank Nyoyoko moves from National Air Defence Corps to Training Command, Kaduna as Senior Air Staff Officer while AVM Bashiru Saidu moves from National Defence College to NAF Headquarters as Director, Air Intelligence; while AVMs Unaji Oche, Salihu Bala-Ribah, Tee Danbaki and Tony Omeyi are now appointed Directors of Communications, Plans, Evaluation and Air Engineering respectively.

6 DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012,

NEWS Teachers flog boy, 8, to death in Delta From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba

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wo female teachers of Torufa Primary School in Warri, Delta State are now cooling their heels in detention at the state police command headquarters in Asaba, for allegedly flogging a male pupil of the school to death.

Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Charles Muka, who confirmed the arrest yesterday in Asaba, said the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) was currently on top of the situation.

The deceased, eight-year-old Joshua Okorhi was said to be generating heavy noise and allegedly causing nuisance among other pupils in the classroom.

It was learnt that the teachers in an apparent attempt to instil discipline and ensure decency and decorum, reportedly invoked corporal punishment on him by flogging him and others who were also found guilty of the same offence.

However, to the chagrin of the teachers, the victim had barely received one stroke of the cain when he suddenly collapsed.

Daily Sun further gathered that effort to revive the victim at a nearby hospital was futile as he was confirmed dead at the medical facility.

The matter, which was initially reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters, Warri after preliminary investigations was transferred to the SCID in Asaba.

Jonathan condemns activities of MASSOB, OPC, Boko Haram From DESMOND MGBOH, Dutse

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resident Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the activities of MASSOB in the East, OPC and others in the West while decrying the acts of terror against Nigerians by the members of the Boko Haram sect in some parts of the northern Nigeria.

President Jonathan, who spoke at the commissioning of the Jigawa State Secretariat, Dutse, said some Nigerians felt that killing and the destruction of property was now a hobby and a habit.

“Of course Governor Sule Lamido used the right words when he said this is a primitive way of life, extremely primitive way of life. Any group of persons who indulges in these acts and those who support such actions can never be civilized.”

He cautioned those who are favourable disposed to the primitive behaviour to be minded by the fact that, “societies are no longer governed by the power of might, but by the power of wisdom and intellect and brains.”

He added that the nation must strengthen its institutions to move forward, saying that, “strong character matters most in driving political processes, but the institutions are very, very critical. If you have a weak judiciary, no matter how you struggle, things may not go the way you want. If you have a weak parliament that could be easily manipulated by people with political interests, definitely, the country will be in crisis.”

He applauded the vision and commitment of the state governor towards the unity of Nigeria, including his commitment to the ideals of the nation’s founding fathers, which he noted Lamido wanted Nigerians to emulate and surpass.

Lamido, in his remarks, urged leaders to demonstrate sufficient commitment to the challenges of their people, saying that Nigeria symbolized the hope of the black race, being itself a home to the biggest assembly of black people on earth.

He said Allah had mercifully blessed Nigeria with such huge endowments and potentials while insisting that the nation’s leaders were duty bound to harness these opportunities to the betterment of Nigerians as well as exploit it to make the country a reference point in the world He raised the alarm that killing of innocent lives had gradually become hobby in a Nigerian hobby. “It is the most primitive hobby, it is the most moribund hobby and this is not acceptable.

• Augustine Bello, whose eyes were pluked by a suspected ritualist in Bauchi State.

Blinded forever • 7-yr-old boy loses eyes to suspected ritualist … Begs to have sight restored From MARIAM ALESHIN- disappearance of the boy.

Neither the boy nor LOYE AGBOOLA, Jos

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seven-year-old boy, Augustine Bello, residing in Matari village in Rigna district of Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has been thrown into darkness for life by a fellow villager who kidnapped him from his grandmother’s house and plucked his two eyes.

Augustine, now receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, begged for his sight to be restored so that he could see what was happening around him.

Narrating the victim’s ordeal, his brother, Yakubu Bello, 45, said on October 17 at about 5:00pm, a man, Muhammad, also residing in the same village came to their grandmother’s house and on seeing that Augustine was in the house with their grandmother, said he had come to ask for okro seeds. He was allowed collect the seeds and he left.

Shortly after, Augustine’s grandmother left the house to fetch firewood. By the time she came back, the boy was missing.

She raised the alarm and a search party was constituted to look for him but he could not be found that day.

Yakubu said their grandmother insisted that the man who came to the house to ask for okro seeds just before she left to fetch firewood should know something about the

Muhammad could be found that evening.

“It was in the morning of the following day that Augustine was found in the forest with his face and body covered in blood. When we saw him, we thought he was dead and had gone to report the matter to the village head.

From there, we went to the police station.”

With police escort, Yakubu said they went to pick what they presumed would be the boy’s corpse only to discover that he was still breathing.

“When he gained consciousness, we asked what happened to him and he nar-

rated how Muhammad seized him when his grandmother was out and carried him into the forest.

He said the man made a hole in his stomach before he plucked his two eyes. After that he lost consciousness and did not know what was happening to him until he was found in the bush.

Yakubu, who said Augustine was the 13th and last child of their parents, said after the police had taken their statements, they took the boy to the general hospital in Toro. It was from there he was transferred to Jos University Teaching Hospital where he is now receiving treatment.

When Muhammad was arrested, he confessed committing the crime but said he

was hired by one Idris to do the job.

When Idris was arrested, he denied sending him but said before Muhammad went to kidnap the boy he hinted him about the evil plan and asked him to come along but he refused.

When asked why he did not inform the police about it, he said he did not see it as necessary at that time.

Idris was last Tuesday sentenced to six months imprisonment by a magistrate court in Bauchi with the option of paying N5, 000 fine for concealing information. He was also asked to pay N20, 000 as part payment for the boy’s treatment.

However, Muhammad is still being held in prison custody while the case is pending in court.

Boko Haram: CPC urges Buhari to reject mediator role

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he Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has advised former head of state, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, to reject his nomination by the Boko Haram sect as a mediator in negotiations with the Federal Government.

The National Chairman of the party, Prince Tony Momoh, gave the advice yesterday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“There is no need for any other person to attend a meeting between the Federal Government and Boko Haram for whatever grievances they say they have.

“We in the CPC do not see where Buhari comes in; we

are concerned by the way the name of General Buhari is being dragged into this affair.

“Another thing is that nobody reached out to General Buhari to say they have been nominated or is being nominated along with others, to mediate or be witnesses to discussion between Boko Haram and the Federal Government,” he said.

Momoh said Buhari had not told anybody or the party that he was interested in the nomination.

The national chairman maintained that the CPC would not associate with issues that involved criminality. He said it was important for the government to maintain ‘true democracy’ by providing adequate security and

welfare to the citizens.

“We believe in one country which must remain together and move together in the direction of peace, justice and fair play,”’ Momoh said.

According to him, the abuse of the democratic system was the result of some challenges confronting the country.

“Any abuse of this democracy is unjust. We have chosen a two-legged approach: democracy and social justice, and we want to achieve social justice by using a system of government called democracy,” he said.

He said for the nation to witness true democracy, ‘all hands must be on deck’ to tackle corruption in the country.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012, 7

NEWS 2 students killed, as rival cult groups clash in Benue From ROSE EJEMBI, Makurdi

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andemonium broke out weekend at the College of Education, Katsina-Ala, Benue State during a clash between two suspected rival cult groups, leading to the death of two students of the institution.

According to eyewitnesses, trouble started last Saturday at the institution when the two suspected rival cult groups took on each other with dangerous weapons on the school campus.

Impeccable source disclosed that the two warring rival groups on Saturday morning, attacked each other, adding that by evening of the same day, the lifeless body of a student was found on campus with several others sustaining varying degree of injuries.

He explained further that on hearing about the death of the student, palpable tension pervaded the institution, resulting in a spill-over of the crisis to the following day and subsequent reprisal attacks by the feuding cult gangs.

“When the crisis erupted, the authorities of the institution beefed up security within and around the institution, but it did not help matters as the rival groups continued to engage each other in free-for-all fight outside the school.”

Fashola to commit bulk of N497bn 2013 budget to project completion

By OLUWOLE FAROTIMI

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agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has said the bulk of the N497.277 billion 2013 budget for the state would be utilised to complete ongoing projects across the state.

The governor disclosed this while fielding questions from newsmen after undertaking inspection of ongoing projects in different parts of the state, adding that his administration would give priority attention to the completion of the projects next year.

Fashola who led his cabinet members on the tour of projects, visited the Oyingbo and Tejuosho markets currently under construction, canal construction in Babs Animashaun Surulere and Itire, housing projects in Shitta and Mushin, repair of the collapsed Ilasamaja pedestrian bridge, completing the tour at the ongoing expansion of Kodesho Street in Ikeja.

According to him, “We are going round because we have just finished a budget, and the essence of the 2013 budget is to focus on completion of ongoing projects. We have made provisions for the MDAs on what they plan to do.

“There are inter-ministerial and inter-departmental impacts, so we have decided now that whoever is in charge of any project, whether you need to do environmental work there or traffic work there, let us now go out there and see what needs to be done.”

The governor who expressed satisfaction with the work done at the Oyingbo market revealed that seven out of the eight sections of the market had been completed, assuring that the last section would be completed next month to enable roofing of the complex to commence.

Reps begin public hearing on constitution review

By NDUBUISI ORJI

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he House of Representatives has concluded plans to hold public hearing on review of the 1999 constitution.

A statement by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Emeka Ihedioha indicated that public hearings tagged “Peoples’ public sessions on the review of the constitution” would hold simultaneously across the 360 federal constituencies across the country on Saturday November 10.

This would be preceded by official flag-off of the exercise

by Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal tomorrow.

Ihedioha, who is the chairman of the Chairman House Committee Constitution Review Committee said the public sessions, was in response to calls for the review of the constitution to be more participatorier.

He stated that: “The Peoples’ Public Sessions are a novel response to the strident calls for a more participatory and transparent review of the Constitution. Some of these calls have taken the form of clamour for SNC and/or referendum both of which are not provided for by the present Constitution.

“In line with its sworn commitment to its Legislative Agenda of 2011, to make the process of review of the Constitution, a participatory, robust and inclusive one, the Peoples’ Public Sessions have been outlined.

The Public hearing which would hold at a public place in each of the 360 federal constituencies would feature a panel of experts and stakeholders to include: the Members of the State House of Assembly in the particular federal constituency; the local government chairmen; women and you groups, labour movement, professional groups amongst others.

•L–R: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, President Goodluck Jonathan, Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sanusi and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa during the visit of the president to the Emirate yesterday.

Man, wife, 2 kids murdered •2 others escape with bullet wounds From MARIAM ALESHINLOYE AGBOOLA, Jos

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our members of a family comprising the father, mother and two children were yesterday morning shot dead by unknown gunmen at Chaha Village of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. Three others escaped with bullet wounds.

The gunmen who invaded the house of 43-year-old Iliya Yakubu at about 1:30a.m killed him, his wife Lyop, 38, their son, Nuhu and a-year-old daughter, Peace, in their sleep, while three others who were in separate rooms were shot while trying to escape.

One of the three that were wounded and currently

receiving treatment at the Vom Christian Hospital Vom, Alice Iliya disclosed that she heard one of the assailants calling her brother’s name before forcing their way into the family compound. She said they ransacked the entire house

before getting the four in their room.

According to her, the three of them receiving treatment were shot through the window when they were spotted trying to escape into the nearby bush.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSPAbuh Emmanuel who confirmed

...JTF kills 4 Boko Haram in Yobe From TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri

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he Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe yesterday said it killed four suspected Boko Haram Islamists during raid at a hideout in Gashua, Yobe State.

JTF spokesman, Lieutenant

Lazarus Eli said the task force stormed the hideout of the suspected sect members at Gashua, headquarters of Bade Local Government, about 87 kilometres to Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, in the early hours of yesterday following an information about the activities of the sect.

Gunmen shoot Nigerian Compass MD

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a n a g i n g Director/Editor-inChief of the Nigerian Compass, Mr. Sina Kawonise narrowly escaped death on Monday night, as suspected gunmen shot him in the leg during an attack on the Akure-Ilesha Highway.

A police security detail who was with managing director in his car was also injured.

Kawonise was returning by road from Awka, Anambra where he had gone to present a keynote address at the 17th annual conference of the Nigerian Anthropological and Sociological Association and where he was presented with a Distinguished Sociologist award by the association.

the incident, said the gang fled into the bush before security agents arrived at the scene.

He said the state police command had commenced full investigation into the killings and deployed both the anti-terrorist and antirobbery squads to the village to prevent further attack.

A statement issued by Western Publishing Company Limited and signed by a director, Biodun Oduwole said Kawonise was in a convoy of two vehicles when the vehicle in which he was travelling was suddenly ambushed at the Ikeji-Arakeji junction shortly after Akure at about 8.30p.m.

“Sporadic gunfire from men hidden by the roadside was unleashed on the two vehicles and Mr Kawonise and the policeman seated with the driver in front of the vehicle were hit by bullets.

They were immediately rushed to a private hospital from where the policeman was transferred to the Wesley Guild Hospital Ilesha for surgery.

“Mr Kawonise was transferred to the University College Hospital Ibadan this morning where he has been admitted. He is in stable condition and has undergone surgery for his injuries.

“We do not know the motive of the attackers of Mr. Kawonise but he recently received threats to his person from some unknown Internet messengers.

“The Board of Directors of Western Publishing Company is grateful to God that no lives were lost in the attack and would want to assure all Nigerians that the Nigerian Compass under the management leadership of Mr Kawonise will not fight shy of its social responsibility and it’s crusading pact with the Nigerian people.”

He said available information at the disposal of the task force had indicated that the gunmen who carried out attacks on Potiskum and Fika last week relocated to Gashua ostensibly to plan another attack on the serene town yet to be hit by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Lt. Eli said some arms and ammunition were recovered at the hideout. Those he said, included three AK 47 rifles and 42 rounds of ammunition.

“During JTF raid which was initially faced with resistance from the terrorists, our men overcame their resistance with superior fire-power and killed four suspects with the arrest of four other suspects.”

Eli further disclosed that the arms and ammunition and other items recovered include a Thuraya handset, two laptops, a blood pressure gauge, 21 wristwatches, 13 handsets, a CD player and 18 SIM cards.

He said the JTF was committed to ridding the state of the activities of the sect, even as he appealed to people to continue to provide information, so that the perpetrators of the incessant attacks would be arrested.

8 DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

NEWS Kogi Assembly shuns Reps order, resumes sitting From EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, Lokoja

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factional group in the Kogi State House of Assembly crisis yesterday resumed sitting, insisting that the National Assembly has no right to shut down the Assembly.

The House said it was not in emergency period and as such, the directive of the House of Representatives is null and void and has no effect on them whatsoever.

The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on the crisis of change of leadership of the state House of Assembly had last week called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the State Security Service (SSS) to seal off the House pending the resolution of the crisis.

But moving the motion for the business of the day, the Majority Leader Aliyu Akuh announced the first reading of the Bill for a law to establish Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa and other matters connected therewith (repeal and reenacted Bill 2012) which was read and adopted.

In absence of other business of the day, Akuh and Minority Leader Sunday Shigaba moved and seconded for adjournment till today.

Speaking to journalists after the sitting on the purported directive to shut down the House, Aliyu Akuh hinted that the House had earlier passed a resolution declaring the action of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee as null and void and of no effect.

He noted that the state was not in the state of emergency but undergoing leadership crisis, which is permissible in a democracy.

He wondered why a respected House of Representatives could misconstrue a change of leadership to mean state of anarchy, saying all the security agencies had been served with the resolution According to the lawmaker: “You see how the proceedings went peacefully. From the gate to the hallowed chamber every one behaved well without an iota of the breach of law and order.”

He said the presumed crisis of leadership change was a normal phenomenon in a democratic setting, while calling on other aggrieved members to return to the fold for the good of the state.

It would be recalled that last month, the Speaker Abdullahi Bello and principal officers were impeached in a controversial circumstance the decision that had polarized the House, which necessitated the House of Representatives to set up ad-hoc ombudsman.

Reps begin debate on PIB next week From IHEANACHO NWOSU and CHUKS AKUNNA, Abuja

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he House of Representatives would next week begin debate on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) handed to it by President Goodluck Jonathan in July.

However, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) yesterday expressed fears that PIB would work against the interest of the oil workers by making them redundant.

Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said the chamber would begin consideration of the bill next week. He urged members who would want to participate in the debate on the Bill to submit their names ahead of the deliberation.

He said: “ The debate on the PIB will begin next week, any member who wish to contribute to the debate should indicate by submitting their names to any of the House Whips.” The consideration of the Bill was coming more than three months it was submitted.

Similarly, the House deferred the consolidation and debate on two Bills to next week. Majority Leader, Mulikat AkandeAdeola who was to lead debate on the proposed Bills pleaded for time to obtain further briefings from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources for explicit articulation before the consideration in earnest.

Before her intervention, Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Albert Sam Tsokwa had moved for the consolidation and second reading of the two Bills namely: “A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of a Legal, Fiscal and Regulatory Framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria,” and “A Bill for an Act to Establish the National New Frontier Exploration Agency, for the purpose of Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas in the Frontier of Chad Basin, Dahomey Basin, IMO Basin, Benue Trough, Bauchi Basin and Sokoto Basin.”

Meanwhile, the House had adopted a motion, which berated the Minister of Aviation, Princes Stella Oduah for alleged refusal to grant permit to four airlines seeking permission to commence commercial flight to the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

It directed its committee on aviation to investigate why the minister took the action and how it would affect the socio-economic development of Nigeria and report back to the House within four weeks.

•L–R: Dr. Clement Kayode Oghene, President Worldwide, University of Benin Alumni Association, Chief Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, the honouree, Mr. Vincent Otoide, Business Development Manager, Skye Bank Plc, Ugbowo branch, Benin City representing Mr. Olatunde Ayeni, Chairman, Board of Directors, Skye Bank Plc, the chief presenter and Mrs. Ruth Kolawole of the First Baptist Church Ikeja at the launch of Chief Ahonaruogho’s book, The making of an Ambassador in Benin recently.

Amnesty International working in favour of Boko Haram –Army ...Says report is fraudulent, capable of escalating conflict

were not living in Maiduguri anymore.

On the killing of Major General Shuwa (retd), which the Boko Haram sect had since denied knowledge, General Koleoso said the denial by the sect should not be taken serious, as all fingers were pointing to the sect.

From UBONG UKPONG, launch Improvised Explosive group,” the Army boss stated.

Devices (IEDs) against solPointing out that there were Abuja diers, what would they say serious exaggerations in the he Nigerian Army High that the soldiers should do? report, he said given the huge “Amnesty International is figures of daily death reported Command yesterday accused the Amnesty not sincere and its report is in by the Amnesty International, International of working in favour of the other group and one would think that people favour of the dreaded Boko not the Nigerian security. The had all been killed and people JTF is a serious minded Haram sect in the country.

Amnesty International (AI) had last week, launched its report on the country and accused the military of extrajudiciary killings in its counter •800 may be dismissed for certificate forgery terrorism war against the sect.

Apparently unhappy with From MOSHOOD ADE- degree programmes, had saying: “Such a case is highly the position of the human BAYO, Abeokuta more than a decade failed to suspicious because, in 1978, rights group, the Chief of there was no backlog in issue certificates.

Army Staff (COAS), This development prompt- issuance of degree certifigun State Lieutenant General Azubuike Government has ed the state government to cates.”

Ihejirika, expressed serious Ajibola described as worriuncovered no fewer write directly to the affected exception to the indictment on than 527 ghosts workers in schools purportedly attended some, the incident of falsificathe Joint Tasks Force (JTF) the initial results of its ongo- by the teachers to verify their tion of birth certificates, and the Nigerian Army, saying ing audit of the state primary claim of attendance, as well as impersonation, as well as nonthe report was not just fraudu- school teachers. letters and statements of appearance of over 223 staff lent, but capable of escalating Beside, no fewer than 800 results presented during the during the four-week screenthe conflict. ing exercise. teachers may lose their jobs in screening exercise.

At a press briefing in Abuja, His words: “Such cases will Sources close to the state Ihejirika said he wondered the secondary review exercise, Universal Basic Education be referred to the police and which the state government is why Amnesty International Board (UBEB) at Oke-Mosan will be prosecuted. For somedecided to carry out the survey currently embarking upon. revealed that a number of one to teach children when he About 6,531 teachers are and release such report in the cases of certificate forgery had or she does not have even the currently subjected to the secfirst place, considering that the also been uncovered in the minimum qualifications is a ondary review exercise, military was working to quell state during the exercise. serious and deliberate act of which, Daily Sun learnt, was the conflict that was threatenIt was further learnt that ing the survival of citizens and aimed at confirming the after the cat was let out of the fraud, not just financial fraud, continuous peaceful co-exis- authenticity of teachers’ cer- bag, a number of teachers had but moral fraud too.”

Ajibola who said the exertificates, as well as attestation tence of the country.

Represented by the Director letters submitted during the already tendered their resigna- cise was not a witch-hunting tion with several others apply- one added: “This process is of Army Public Relations exercise.

There had been problems of ing for voluntary retirement. about Ogun State knowing (DAPR,) Brigadier General The Chairman, State and being sure that those Mobolaji Koleoso, Ihejirika delay in the issuance of degree faulted the methodology used certificates by tertiary institu- Universal Basic Education teaching our children are qualin the survey as being inaccu- tions attended by many teach- Board, Mufutau Ajibola who ified to do so. Genuine, suitconfirmed the development ably qualified teachers have rate, stating that Amnesty ers in the state.

For instance, the Federal said the state government nothing to fear.”

International was being insinCollege of Education, Osiele, would not accept resignations To ensure what he cere in its report.

“Amnesty International is a Abeokuta and the Olabisi from those who had already described as ‘fear treatment,’ body that is respected globally, Onabanjo University, Ago- been identified as fraudulent. the state government set up a He cited the case of a review panel under the office but it should also feel the pulse Iwoye where majority of priof the military because, if a mary school teachers attended teacher employed in 1978, but of the Head of Service to hear group of people uses women the National Certificate of was still presenting a state- any appeal arising from the and children as shield to Education (NCE) and the ment of result, 34 years after, process.

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527 ghost teachers on Ogun payroll

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012, 9

SOUTH SOUTH LearnAfrica Foundation donates to flood victims

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he LearnAfrica Education Development Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Learn Africa Plc, has donated learning materials to children displaced by floods in Delta and Kogi states .

In an unprecedented gesture aimed at supporting the children whose schools have been closed down and textbooks destroyed by the ravaging floods, the foundation donated primary school textbooks and wall charts to the states for distribution to the flood affected children.

In a message by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Emeke Iwerebon, the foundation commiserated with families that lost their loved ones, property and means of livelihood to the rampaging floods and commended the state emergency management agencies of the affected states for their speedy and professional response to the disaster.

According to Iwerebon, the foundation made the donations to enable the children keep up with their educational schedule for the term and regain normalcy to their lives.

Presenting the materials at St Patrick’s College, Asaba, Mr Emmanuel Halim, a director of Learn Africa Plc, assured the Delta State Government of the continued support and partnership of both the parent company and the foundation in helping to maintain high standards in the education sector in the state.

The donation was received by Mr Angela Nwaka, Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Health, in company of other state government officials.

Nwaka expressed the gratitude of the state government to the LearnAfrica Foundation and assured that the materials would be distributed among school children in the 22 camps set up by the state to cater for flood victims.

The Director of the Delta State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA ), Mr Rapu Joseph, also thanked the foundation for the timely intervention, as learning materials were among the items needed in the camps. He expressed the hope that other companies would emulate the thoughtful gesture of the LearnAfrica Foundation.

In Kogi State , the LearnAfrica’s Acting District Manager for North Central, Mr Emmanuel Abeen presented similar materials to representatives of the state government, led by Mr Oguh Onekutu, the Special Assistant to the Kogi State Governor on Special Duties. Other members of the team that received the donations include Mrs Alice Ogedengbe, the Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency; Mr Ladi Ahmed, Special Assistant to the Governor on the Environment and Mrs Memunat Umar, Special Assistant to the Governor on Health.

Mr Onekutu thanked the foundation on behalf of the government and people of Kogi State and assured that the materials would be distributed among the children.

The LearnAfrica Education Development Foundation was established by Learn Africa Plc to promote learning and encourage academic excellence in the country.

Delta govt to clean up, fumigate flooded areas From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

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elta State Government is to fumigate the homes of flood victims before they would be allowed to go back to their various communities.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who disclosed this yesterday while addressing flood victims said it was dangerous for them to go back to their different places of abode when such places had not been fumigated and cleaned up.

Uduaghan advice to the flood victims came at a moment a Warri based cleric, Prophet Jeremaih Fefuyin predicted that the natural disasters would end on November 7, 2012 He cautioned that reptiles and other dangerous animals could still be lurking around and therefore, urged them not to hurry back to their homes until it was safe to avoid unpleasant consequences.

The state government he said had a package for their resettlement, stressing that once the committee set up to arrange for their resettlement submited its report, the state government would provide the necessary materials that would enable them resettle comfortably.

His words: “I wish to remind you of a committee headed by Justice Tabai which was inaugurated recently and to say that the committee is working hard to prepare and resettle you comfortably. But until that committee submits its report there is nothing much the government can do to resettle you. It is therefore, better for you to wait until the report of the committee is out before you go.’’

Dr Uduaghan, however, advised those who were in a hurry to go, to feel free to do so, assuring that whatever was due to them would eventually be distributed to them even after they had left.

The governor expressed appreciation to God for sustaining them till this moment and enjoined them to continue to be prayerful especially as God made it possible for them to survive the flood.

A spokesman for the flood victims expressed appreciation to the state government for rising to the occasion when they were trapped.

• Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson (middle) his Deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (retd) (left) and the Surveyor-General of the state, Mr Ebisinte Awudu (right) cross-checking a document during the inauguration ceremony of the state Boundary Committee at Government House in Yenagoa, yesterday.

Flood: 4 victims expelled from camp for alleged theft From KOFA KINGS,Ughelli

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our flood victims rehabilitated at the Oharisi Primary School Camp Ughelli, Delta State have been expelled for allegedly stealing

relief materials kept under their custody.

Also, a man whose two wives were involved in fierce fighting in the camp were thrown out of camp to settle their dispute at home.

The Vice State Chairman,

Nigerian Red Cross Society, Delta State branch, Mr. Victor Olasupo who made this disclosure to journalists at Ughelli restated that the camp forbade stealing and other related vices.

Police, prostitutes in free-for-all in Warri From EMMANUEL the police outrage.

A similar exercise was OGOIGBE, Warri conducted in various hotels in t was a bloody situation yes- Warri and neighbouring terday in Warri, Delta State Effurun where criminals have as a team of policemen and made their operational base.

However, robbery incident prostitutes were engaged in a free-for-all in a notorious has increased since the ban on hotel located in Warri metrop- Okada in Warri and Effurun since last Thursday. olis.

Investigation conducted Daily Sun gathered that the policemen, numbering about 10 stormed the hotel close to Warri garage as early as 8a.m. and started searching for what they described as criminals.

Trouble started when the From JUDEX OKORO, policemen started harassing Calabar and accusing the prostitutes o ensure that school teachof hiding criminals in the ers and students in Cross hotel.

River live a healthy life Consequently, a free-for-all the state government has ensued between the police and the prostitutes during trained 557 teachers on family life health education. which gunshots were fired.

The teachers were drawn Afterwards, the prostitutes from 162 schools (private and were overpowered by the public) across the state under gun-totting policemen, who the Global Fund Programme. stripped them naked and The Commissioner for paraded them before hun- Education, Prof. Offiong dreds of onlookers.

Offiong, who disclosed this It was gathered that the while declaring open a 4-Day policemen, who refused to residential training of selected talk to anyone about their principals in the state on mission, fired several shots Family Life Health Education in Calabar, said the ministry into the air .

Daily Sun gathered that was focused on capacity buildeffort by some suspected ing for teachers in both private male friends of the prostitutes and public schools for effecto protect their partners failed tive implementation of the as they could not withstand FLHE curriculum.

Offiong said: “So far, 557

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revealed that hoodlums now harass and operate inside the luxury buses provided by the state government to cushion the harsh effect being faced by commuters.

Only last Saturday, passengers were robbed at gun-point at Enerhen Junction by hoodlums who pretended to be passengers.

Olasupo further stated that at the peak of the devastating flood, 2,862 flood victims registered at the camp, adding that now that the flood had begun to recede, 72 victims had gone back to their places of abode.

The Red Cross boss said the item stolen by the victims were found inside their personal effect. He said they were earlier being detained at the Ughelli “A” Division for about 24 hours before they were asked to go and remove all their belongings from the camp.

He commended the cooperation amongst the camp dwellers, urging them to be good ambassadors of their respective communities while in the camp.

C’River trains 557 teachers on family health education issues,” he said.

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teachers from 162 schools (private and public) have been trained on FLHE across the state under the Global Fund Programme.

“These teachers are already stepping down the knowledge to students and available data indicated that over 90,000 students have been reached with FLHE messages,” he added.

Urging the principals to carry out effective supervision of the implementation of the FLHE curriculum in their respective schools, he said “good family healthy life is capable of enhancing teaching and learning in schools as well as fast-tracking the state’s vision for the education sector.

“Both students and their teachers must live healthy lives for effective teaching and learning to take place and also make informed decisions about their reproductive health

He disclosed that the state was ranked as one of the best performing states in Nigeria in the area of family life HIV/AIDS awareness and attributed the development to the work of the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA).

“You should also ensure that data were generated and submitted to the ministry for onward remittance to the Federal Ministry of Education,” he said.

He lauded the efforts of the ministry’s Critical Mass Committee, the Girls Power Initiative and the World Bank for their continued support.

Earlier, the Project Manager of SACA, Mr. Gabriel Undelinkwo, said that Principals performed critical roles in both their schools and the communities.

10, DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

SOUTH EAST Don’t dialogue with Boko Haram –Anglican cleric

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he Anglican Bishop of Enugu North Diocese, Revd Sosthenes Eze has strongly opposed rising calls for the Federal Government to enter into dialogue with members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

Rather, he advocated the setting up of a National Solemn Assembly and repentance meetings across the nation, as a way of dealing with the issues militating against the unity and security of Nigeria.

The bishop, who lamented the volatile security situation in the country, especially in the North, blamed the group whose activities he said had led to unnecessary bloodshed and destruction of property and maintained that such a dialogue would only promote and encourage illegality.

Addressing the church’s annual diocesan synod in Olo, Enugu State last Saturday, he said for the nation to avoid the wrath of God, the church and the nation’s political leadership should unite to wage that common battle for the survival of Nigeria. “Any national effort without a solemn assembly may not go far. The church must lead the way for this kind of meeting with the political leadership directing. This will be followed with restitution by all of us as Israel did in the days of Nehemiah and Ezra in the Bible.”

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that those found guilty of unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens were brought to justice.

Bishop Eze, who blamed the high level of corruption in Nigeria on the general instability prevailing across the nation, said such acts of wickedness had led to increased cases of breakdown of law and order and lack of peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

Love FM promises to spread love to Abia families

•Senator Hope Uzodinma, addressing victims during the presentation of relief materials to flood victims displaced in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State recently.

Biafra declaration: MASSOB disowns BZM

From CHUKS ONUOHA, Umuahia.

•Says BZM leader was expelled from its fold

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From EMMANEUL UZOR, tionship with some foreign nations because of “a misOnitsha guided and faceless group he Movement for the that allegedly wanted to capActualization of the italize on MASSOB struggle Sovereign State of for Biafran actualization to Biafra (MASSOB) has dis- be relevant.”

“MASSOB supports owned the Biafra Zionist Movement (BZM) which re- every genuine move by any declared the new Republic group in this struggle for of Biafra in Enugu yester- Biafra actualization but we day, describing the group’s doubt the BZM leadership’s action as empty declaration, methodology on Biafra actuchildish and not well guided. alization without resorting to The Biafran leader and violence which we fought all leader of MASSOB, Chief these years to maintain Ralph Uwazuruike, in a reaction through the MASSOB Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu disclosed that the leader of the purported group, BZM, Mr. Ben By SAM OTTI Onwuka was expelled from the movement because of his alpable fear has gripped anti-MASSOB activities. the entire parishioners “That Ben Onwuka of Catholic Diocese of (leader of BZM) was a for- Enugu following a midnight mer member of MASSOB in attack on St Leo The Great Lagos who was expelled Catholic Church on Monday. because of anti-MASSOB An unidentified group activities and rebellious ten- broke into the church and dencies as well as Samuel destroyed the altar, where the Edeson (national chairman), sacrifice of the Most Precious who was once a regional Body and Blood of Christ administrator in Onitsha was being celebrated and before he was also expelled venerated. because of his rebellious tenThe hoodlums committed dencies .” sacrilege by smashing holy Madu further said the said statues in the church, tearing BZM had no office or the sacred clothes on the altar Biafran structures as a plat- and destroying seats meant form for running Biafra for the priests and other woraffairs. shippers in the church.

The Biafra declaration However, they were unable to was done by MASSOB gain access to the Holy leader, Chief Ralph Tabernacle that houses the Uwazuruike on May 22, Holy Eucharist (Body and 2000 at Freedom Square, Blood of Christ).

Faulks Road, Aba after sendThe attack came barely ing Biafran Bill of Rights to few weeks after a similar the United Nations. attack was recorded at Seat of He also said MASSOB Wisdom Parish, Abakpa, could not be cowed into dis- Enugu, where sacred matericlosing its diplomatic rela- als were destroyed. The

pioneer privately-owned radio station has been commissioned in Umuahia, the Abia State capital to spread love to all families in the state and beyond.

The station, named Family Love 103.9FM was commissioned and dedicated on Monday, November 5, 2012, by Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji.

Sited at the high-brow Aguiyi Ironsi lay-out, Umuahia, Multimesh Broadcasting Company Limited, owners of the new station described the station as the voice born East of the Niger to spread love to the family through quality news, rich entertainment and information.

Speaking before commissioning the station, Governor Orji described the event as a healthy development and one that guaranteed peace.

The governor , who was represented on the occasion by his deputy, Chief Emeka Ananaba said the presence of the press in any society could not be over emphasized.

“Our state is one of the most secured and the state government will do everything to secure investments therein.”

He called on the owners of the station to include moral education in their programmes for the children, stating that it was for that reason that Abia Government returned schools to missionaries so that children could be given moral up bringing.

“Since the radio station has come to Igboland, Igbo will be heard regularly. The station will speak for us,” the governor, who later cut the tape for the commissioning said.

The Chairman of Multimesh Group, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa said in his opening remarks that the station had been established to set a standard.

Cleric calls for convocation of national conference From VAL OKARA, Owerri

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he Anglican Bishop of Egbu Diocese in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Revd Emmanuel Iheagwam has thrown his weight behind the convocation of a national conference to enable interest groups agitating for one thing or the other to discuss the future of the country.

Iheagwam, a professor, who spoke during the second session of the sixth synod of the diocese at the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Egbu urged the Federal Government to convene a national conference immediately before the country exploded.

He said: “ I was not initially in support of national conference but now I am in full support of it. Let all interest groups agitating for one thing or the other meet and talk. Let us meet and hear ourselves.”

According to him, if the people agreed to remain a united and individual nation, the conference would ensure how to maintain peace and stability. “If we agree to remain a united and indivisible nation, how do we ensure peace and stability? If on the other hand, we agree to break up, which is not a crime, afterall, Scotland is working to break away from the United Kingdom.”

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peace and non violent method as greatest tool for actualizing our dream.”

He also said the leader of the BZM had no valid address as he had no house nor any place to locate him in any time of violence, adding, “the group is trying to cause problem in the South-East because the leadership consists of faceless people who have no house or anything to identify them.”

“MASSOB urges the public to dismiss them as

attention seekers. We have over grown the era of matching the streets with Biafran flags.

“MASSOB is now consolidating on building structures and diplomatic negotiations with other countries including the re-declaration of Biafra in May 22, 2000, submission of Biafra Bill of Rights to the United Nations and Chief Uwazuruike attendance of OAU summit in Lome, Togo in 2000 among other achievements,” he said.

Sacrilege: Hoodlums attack Catholic Church, warn against idolatry

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attackers left a message on the wall, warning the church against idolatry.

Efforts made by our reporter to speak with the priest in-charge of the St Leo The Great Parish, Monsignor Prof Obiora Ike, who is also the Director of the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), was not successful. He failed to pick repeated calls to his mobile phone and equally didn’t respond to the message sent to him, informing him of the purpose of the call.

However, a priest serving in the diocese, Revd Fr Paulinus Ike Ogara, confirmed the incident. He told Daily Sun that the attackers left monumental damage in the church, as they cut the electrical installations in the area, destroyed the public address system that served the worshippers. According to him, they left a warning on the wall of the church, warning against the worship of idols.

Ogara, who was the former Editor-in-Chief of The

Shepherd Newspaper, said the church was being attacked by unknown enemies and warned the perpetrators of the dastardly act to beware of God’s wrath.

“Terrorists are public enemies. We must put up a good fight in order to cope with the situation,”he said.

Investigations by our reporter revealed that members of the Catholic Church had been sleeping with their eyes open, following incessant attack on the church.

Recently, St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral, Nsukka, a few miles away from Enugu, banned bringing bags into the church.

According to the report, the Cathedral Administrator, Revd Fr. Uche Obodoechina, said the ban would commence on September 9.

Motorists have also been banned from parking in the church premises and commercial motorcyclists restricted to a designated space within the compound.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012, 11

SOUTH WEST Cabinet shake up: Ajimobi names Alaafin’s nominee commissioner From OLAOLUWA BILAU, Ibadan

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ollowing Monday’s sack of three commissioners in Oyo State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi has sent names of two new nominees to the state House of Assembly.

They are Alhaja Mutiat Adetutu Adeyemi from Atiba Local Government Area and Mr. Taiwo Otegbeye from Lagelu Local Government Area. Otegbeye is currently the special adviser on education and the former gubernatorial candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in the 2011 governorship election in the state.

The two commissioner nominees would appear before the state House of Assembly for screening on Thursday by10am.

Adeyemi, although not a direct relation of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, the monarch was believed to have recommended her.

However, the nomination of Mr. Taiwo Otegbeye was seen by many as the fulfillment of the gentleman agreement between the governor and Action Alliance that was persuaded by the governor to withdraw its case after the 2011 governorship election during which the party’s name and logo were allegedly omitted on the ballot paper by INEC, a situation that could have led to the conduct of another election in the state which the governor’s camp feared may not be in his favour.

Daily Sun gathered that further shake up is likely in the state cabinet, as palpable fear has gripped the special advisers who did not know their fate.

“Some of them may be dropped,’’ the source said.

Why we shut down some private clinics –Osun govt From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Osogbo

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sun State Government yesterday explained that it resolved to close down some private hospitals in the state for operating below the standard lay down by the state Ministry of Health.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Temitope Ilori, said the four hospitals shut down in Iwo and Ayedire Local Government Area of the state were operating illegally.

The Information Officer of the state Ministry of Health, Pastor Niyi Kolawole, said the private hospitals shut down had not renewed their operational licenses for some years.

Other reasons given for the closure of the hospitals, according to Kolawole were illegal operation, unhygienic environment and non-registration, among other offences.

Kolawole, who spoke in a telephone conversation with Daily Sun, said the affected hospitals had been warned on several occasions not to operate in the state but failed to comply with the government warning.

He alleged that the affected private hospitals lacked qualified medical personnel as expected of a hospital, adding that some of the hospitals did not register with the state Ministry of Health, and this, according to him, was against the prerequisite for the establishment of private hospitals in the state.

Officials of the state Ministry of Health had at the weekend stormed Iwo and Ayedire Local Government Areas on an unscheduled inspection and shut down some private hospitals.

Ekiti PDP reports police boss to IGP

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he Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, to prevail on the Ekiti State Police Command to live to its responsibility of providing security and curtailing violent activities of thugs allegedly being sponsored by the state government to destroy the peace in the state.

The PDP state Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, who stated this in Ado-Ekiti yesterday said the call became necessary in view of disruption of PDP meetings in Ilawe, Ikere, Oye and the beating of driver of former Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose between Ilupeju and Ire last week by thugs of Ekiti State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The PDP said it wondered that despite obtaining police permit to hold the meetings, the police watched as the thugs were beating its members.

Oluwawole said the party was convinced that the Ekiti State police commissioner had taken side with the ruling ACN, warning that the ACN should not see itself as having monopoly of violence.

Pastor Oluwawole said the PDP had prevailed on its members not to retaliate, warning that if attack on the PDP members should continue, the police commissioner should be held responsible for the consequence.

• Wife of the governor of Ogun State, Mrs Olufunso Amosun and beneficiaries of the empowerment initiative for physically challenged people tagged: Uplifting the Physically Challenged programme, held in Abeokuta yesterday.

Rainstorm wreaks havoc in Osun were moving their family state government had visited From BAMIGBOLA GBO- tance.

One of the victims, Mrs members to homes of friends the area with a promise to conLAGUNTE, Osogbo

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downpour, which lasted about 30 minutes on Monday night, has wreaked serious havoc in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, destroying property worth millions of naira.

Mostly affected by the rainstorm were houses located at Atelewo area of the town where many residents of the area were rendered homeless.

The rain which started at about 9pm also affected residents of Odi-Olowo, Alekuwodo and some other parts of the town, making it impossible for some of the inhabitants to sleep in their homes.

The victims of the rain disaster appealed to the authorities of Osogbo Local Government Area and the state government for assis-

Kemi Afolayan, told Daily Sun that the rain blew off the roof of no fewer than five houses at Atelewo area of the town.

She said the incident had caused an unprecedented hardship to the victims as they

and relatives.

The property the rain destroyed, according to the victim, were mattresses, electronics, jewellery and furniture, among other valuables.

She said officials of the

Mechanic, 33, missing from home in Abeokuta ... Wife delivers all female triplets Mr. Yemi Oyeniyi had left From MOSHOOD ADEhome without trace early this BAYO, Abeokuta

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he family of a 33-yearold mechanic, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, is not celebrating even though his wife has just been delivered of all female triplets.

year shortly after the scan revealed that his wife was carrying a set of triplets.

Daily Sun gathered that the couple before the new set of babies had two children.

Esther Oyeniyi, 27, a nursery school teacher said the

Aregbesola approves employment of 337 graduates, 300 medical staff

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he Governor of the State of Osun, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has approved the recruitment of 337 fresh graduates into the state civil service.

The recruitment ranges from administrative officers, state counsels, accountants, quantity surveyors, information officers, produce officers, auditors, engineers, medical officers, nursing officers, pharmacists, education officers, registrars of cooperatives, architects and building officers.

The governor has also approved the employment of 300 medical staff by the State Hospital Management Board ranging from doctors, nurses and all other medical personnel.

Briefing journalists after the state 57th executive council meeting, the Commissioner for

vey their plight to the state Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, adding that, “we have confidence that Aregbesola will save us from our present challenges occasioned by the rainstorm.”

Information and Strategy, Mr. Sunday Akere said the exercise was aimed at filling the vacancies that would be created after the retirement of many civil servants and personnel this year.

According to him, while the recruitment of the fresh graduates are targetted at filling the vacancies, the employment of medical staff was aimed at ensuring that all hospitals in the state had more personnel to take care of the health of the people.

The commissioner, who added that the rehabilitation of all the state hospitals would start very soon, as the Ministry of Work was at the advance stage of the planning, stressed that the government was now at the period of training drivers that would work on the O’Ambulance Programme, which would also be lunched very soon.

Meanwhile, the council, according to the commissioner had also approved the establishment of a factory for the construction and installation of fibreglass electric poles in the state.

Akere stressed: “This is part of efforts of the government to ensure communal peace and progress in the state to make it a place of choice for investors.

“We are in the process of supplying 2, 000 units of fibreglass poles to be used for street light across major towns in the state and to make this easier, the company that will produce the poles will established a factory in Osun in partnership with the state government.”

“We will provide the company with land, security and we believed that in establishing the factory, more jobs will be available for the people of the state,” he added.

sudden disappearance of her husband was unexpected and she had to relocate to a church in the state capital when things became unbearable for her and her kids.

“I have no choice than to relocate to a church, the Sacred Order of Cherubum and Seraphim Church at Okeyidi in Abeokuta where I have been residing and from where I was brought to the State Hospital, Abeokuta for admission on October 19.

And to God be the glory, I put to bed on October 29.”

Asked what efforts she had made to get in touch with her husband, she said: “I have tried my efforts to get in touch with him, but all to no avail. I have also tried him on his mobile phone which remained inaccessible since.’’

Esther, who teaches at Bello Nursery and Primary School, Mokola area of the state capital told journalists that her husband’s family reside in Iganna, Oyo State.

During the naming ceremony on Monday, Daily Sun learnt that none of the husband’s family members was in attendance.

The mother of the triplets, who expressed joy and surprise at what God had done for her appealed to her husband to return home.

“We have joy to thank God for His abundant gift. He alone knows why He has to bless us more with this set of children. We must thank God in all things,’’ she said.

12 DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

AREWA FG may relocate flood victims in some states From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin

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he Federal Government may permanently relocate victims of the recent floods in some states of the federation from their ancestral homes to guarantee the security of their lives and property.

The National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA), has sent a proposal on the need for the permanent relocation of the victims to the presidency.

The Assistant Zonal Coordinator, NEMA Abuja operations office, Mr. Slaku Lugard Bijimi told newsmen in Ilorin yesterday that: “ A permanent relocation of the victims from the flood prone areas is the best option.”

He however said the Federal Government must collaborate with the government of the affected states and the victims before taking a final decision on the issue of relocation of the victims. Bijimi spoke with newsmen during a sensitization and awareness raising programme on cerebro-spinal meningitis and other flood related diseases organized by NEMA for the people of Kwara State.

The NEMA coordinator, Abuja operations office, Mr. Ishaya Chonoko, had in a key note address raised the alarm over a possible outbreak of flood related diseases, such as cholera, Lassa fever, measles and other skin diseases as a result of the recent flooding. He said the NEMA’s fear was borne out of, “the fact that the flood waters have contaminated other natural sources of water of various communities.

“The usage of this contaminated water by the flood affected people for drinking, bathing, washing due to shortage of potable water can lead to outbreaks,” he said.

He therefore, advised Nigerians to ensure proper ventilation of their homes,

Don’t sack workers, Ahmed warns LG chairmen

•Governor Ibrahim Shema, his wife Hajiya Fatima (1st left), Speaker of the State House of Assembly, the Minister of Interior Niger Republic and the Governor of Niamey, Niger Hajiya Aishatu Kane Bulama cutting the tape of the new Governor’s House, Niamey.

PHCN denies collecting N17m from Sokoto govt •Gets 48-hour ultimatum to restore power

From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin

From ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, Kaduna

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he Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed, has warned local governments chairmen in the state against laying off any of their workers.

He said the current revenue profile of the 16 local government areas in the state “is good enough to enable them pay their staff’s salaries as at when due.”

Ahmed gave this directive just as he announced that the state government had set aside between N60 million and N70 million for a ‘temporary’ rehabilitation of the Ajase-Ipo-OffaErin-Ile Road.

The governor stated this yesterday in Ilorin during his monthly media chat tagged ‘The Governor Explains.’ He said his administration had took upon itself, the task of assisting the councils in the execution of capital projects to enable them have funds to meet their obligations to their workers. He said his administration had committed N2 billion to the construction of rural roads, which he said was the responsibility of the councils.

The governor, who pointed out that the Federal Government was owing the state, the sum of N12 billion on some of the federal projects, in which it had intervened, said: “We have decided to once again rehabilitate the Ajase-Ipo-Offa-Erin-Ile Road to make life more comfortable for our people who ply and live in the areas.”

Katsina repairs 27 irrigation sites From ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina

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o fewer than 27 irrigation sites to boost food production programmes in Katsina State have been repaired by the state government.

Governor Ibrahim Shema made this known in Katsina while receiving the Local Organizing Committee of this year’s national annual conference on weed science from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

According to the governor, the state government had from inception cultivated more than 12,000 hectares of irrigable land for dry season farming.

He disclosed that apart from the procurement of N400 million worth of fertilizer from the four plants in the state, the government also purchased 340 tractors that were distributed to farmers at subsidized rates to enhance farming activities.

Governor Shema further said plans were under way for his administration to establish Gum Arabic Plantation and orchids across the state, just as a Tanzania firm had shown interest in resuscitating Runka Cattle Diary in the state.

Similarly, the governor promised to partner with the Faculty of Agriculture in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in the areas of consultancy services and manpower training, while expressing his readiness to improve on existing efforts at boosting the agricultural sector.

Earlier, the leader of the LOC from faculty of agriculture, ABU, Professor Salihu Dadari, solicited the state government’s intervention in addressing infrastructural needs of the department and support towards the success of the conference.

money for power project from Sokoto State Government in the sum of N17 million as being publicized in the media.

“We want to inform our stakeholders and customers that, we are doing everything humanly and materially possible to restore normal power supply to the state despite of the challenges in the electricity industry,” the statement read.

President of Arewa Defence League (ADL), Alhaji Murtala Abubakar who addressed a press conference in Kaduna gave 48-hourultimatum for the restoration of power to Sokoto State in view of the hardship the over 9 million people of the state were being subjected to.

He described the act of putting the entire state in total darkness exhibited by PHCN

he Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC), a subsidiary of (PHCN) yesterday said the company did not receive N17million from Sokoto State Government for power project.

The company in a statement issued in reaction to the government’s claim said it had set up a high powered five-man committee to investigate the issues relating to power interruption and general power supply to Sokoto State.

According to the statement signed by the Head, Public Affairs, PHCN-KEDC, Baba Limmy and made available to Daily Sun in Kaduna yesterday, the management of the company stated that, all monies meant for the project were routed through the office of the managing director/ From TUNDE OMOLEHIN, chief executive officer of the Sokoto company.

“After a thorough check op management of Power through all our records, we Holding Company of make bold to say that the Nigeria (PHCN) were in company has not received any

as a calculated attempt to cripple the state economically, socially and politically, saying such act was not only condemnable but unacceptable.

The PHCN had alleged that some of their staff were assaulted in the state and demanded an apology from the governor or the state would be completely denied access to power, which was the present situation since last Friday.

Meanwhile, Sokoto State Government has alleged that the PHCN in Sokoto had collected over N17 million to effect repairs and purchase of power equipment for the supply of power to Wamakko Local Government Area, which, it said, PHCN failed to do, even after the money was approved and released for the requested purpose.

The ADL said: “We want to condemn in totality, the action

of PHCN to put the entire people of Sokoto State into darkness. We view it as a calculated attempt to further cripple the North economically, socially and politically.

“This agenda started manifesting from Maiduguri in Borno State, Yobe State, and the entire North East and the North West, with Kaduna and Kano states having their own share of such crippling.

“This is further expressed when the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah when she directed companies who desire airline operation in Nigeria and wanted their base at the Aminu Kano Airport in Kano, to instead use the Owerri International Airport which happens to be a catchment area, all this is a grand agenda to cripple the North and it is unacceptable,” he stated.

…Officials visit Sokoto, promise to intervene in impasse

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Sokoto state yesterday to resolve the lingering hostility between the State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko and members of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).

Law student, 4 others arrested for gun running in Nasarawa From ABDULLAHI SHUAIBU, State, while Daniel Danladi, a native doctor and Alexander Lafia Apeshi were arrested in 200-level Law Taraba State, while Josiah U n d e r g r a d u a t e , Awalu was arrested in Benue Muhammad Ozegya State, but was currently of the University of Jos is receiving treatment in a hospiamong those arrested in con- tal in Lafia, following an nection of gun running in exchange of fire with the men of the SSS. According to the Nasarawa State.

Parading the suspects Nasarawa State Director of the before newsmen yesterday, SSS, items recovered from the Director, State Security suspects include three AK47 Service (SSS), Nasarawa State rifles, one machine gun, 45 Command, Abubakar rounds of live ammunition, Bubuche said two of the sus- and assorted charms.

Bubuche further explained pects, Muhammad Ozegya and Ibrahim Aliyu were arrest- that prior to the recent crisis ed in Assakio, Lafia Local that engulfed Assakio Town, Government Area, Nasarawa

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assorted charms worth over N90,000 were purchased from Daniel Danladi (a native doctor) by the people of the area.

The Director of the State Security Service (SSS), Nasarawa State Command, therefore, called on the people of the state to be their brother’s keepers and to report any suspicious person to the law enforcement agents for appropriate action. He said such reports could be treated in confidence.

Bubuche further stated that all the suspects would soon be charged to court as soon as the investigation is over.

The team was led by the acting Managing Director, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, (KEDC), Malam Mohammed Adamu, alongside his Kano State counterpart, Mohammed Balogun and the General Manager (Operations) Abuja, Dr. Abubakar Atiku.

Speaking to journalists, Adamu said the officials decided to visit the state as part of reconciliation move and to immediately facilitate how the power supply would be restored to the state as soon as possible.

According to him: “We are here on behalf of the Federal Government to make sure that the current disagreement between the government and union members is being resolve amicably. That is the main purpose we are in Sokoto and we are very optimistic that all would be resolve very soon,” he said.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012,13

NEWS Traffic Law: Lagos trains more LASTMA, KAI officials

By WOLE BALOGUN

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he Lagos State Government has inducted another set of 200 officers of the Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) for the on-going career evaluation training programme, bringing the number of officers trained in six weeks to 800.

The state government also said the programme was introduced to change the approach of both LASTMA and KAI officials to law enforcement in the state.

Senior Special Assistant on Transport Education, Dr. Miriam Masha explained the rationale behind the career evaluation programme at the Public Service Staff Development (PSSDC) in Magodo. She said: “The core objective of the programme was to equip all the participants with the better approach to enforcing the law in the state. We intend to de-emphasise the use of force and emphasize the tools of advocacy in changing the way people behave.”

Masha also disclosed that the state’s law enforcement agents face certain challenges in the course of discharging their duties. “There is nowhere in the world that people like those enforcing the law. This is because they are trying to change people’s behaviour and make them do things in certain way that may not be comfortable, even though it will benefit the larger society.

“This shows how people are resistant to change. People may not necessarily like law enforcement agents. So, the attitude of the people demands that as a government, we need to train and re-train our law enforcement agents so that they can respond to challenges in line with global standard and best practice. This is why training is very essential. As government officials, we must continue it, to be updated about what is happening in our environment; and prepare for how we can respond to challenges. This is necessary so we can continue to empower our law enforcement agents to do their jobs better.”

Trainees of the programme equally expressed satisfaction with it. One of them, Mr. Rasheed Sulaimon noted that the training would definitely enhance their capacity in discharging their responsibilities more effectively.

Rep hails Amuwo Odofin LG tranformation

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muwo Odofin Local Government stood still yesterday when a lawmaker representing it in the Federal Constituency visited its secretariat.

Speaking during his working visit, Honourable Ganiyu Tunji Olukolu stated that he is impressed with the level of infrastructural development, social welfare and primary health delivery in the LGA. He also commended the council chairman, Comrade Ayodele Adewale for transforming the secretariat.

Their developmental discussion was centered on the stakeholder’s public hearing session of the 1999 Constitutional amendment, Social and Infrastructural issues, amongst others.

The federal lawmaker in the company of the local government boss and other dignitaries, went round the secretariat to inspect the Primary Health Care Centre, Council Registry, mosque, chapel, Pharmacy and Laboratory.

Other dignitaries at the event include: Prince Sultan Adeniji Adele, a Member of Lagos House of Assembly representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency one; Hon Ramota Akinola, another State House of Assembly member representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency 2; Executive Chairman of Oriade LCDA, Hon. Ibrahim Babatunde Sanusi; Prince Adio Sekoni and Prince Adesina Otolorin, who are both exChairmen of the local government.

N500m libel suit: Anabel boss sues Google

By FAITH OMORUYI

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he Chairman of a mobile technology company, Anabel Group, Nick Okoye has filed a N500 million suit against internet giant, Google before a Lagos High Court, Igbosere over libel.

In a writ filed through his lawyers, Messrs The Chancery Associates, he claimed that Google by its blogger service, blogger.com via the blog address, http://ladunliadi.blogspot.com violated his privacy.

He alleged that an article by the blogger, Ladun Liadi posted, published and transmitted against him in Google’s blogger website defamed him.

In his writ, Okoye contended that Google failed to exercise proper editorial control and censorship of content over the defamatory publications contrary and in furtherance of well known canon, principles and ethics of proper journalistic investigation, objective and fair reporting. He also enjoined Google to stop further publication of the libelous material.

Meanwhile, Google is yet to file a defence and no date has been fixed for hearing on the matter.

• L-R: Archbishop of Ibadan Methodist Diocese, Most Rev. Kehinde Stephen; Donor of the building, Mr Bode Akindele; Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Ola Makinde and Most Rev. Ayo Ladigbolu, at the dedication of Methodist Church of Nigeria Diocese of Ibadan building in Ibadan yesterday.

63 Police pensioners die of starvation in Anambra … As APRON stages protest over 15-month pension arrears

F r o m G E O F F R E Y their pensions should be withheld after the rigour they went ANYANWU, Awka through in the name of verifio fewer than 63 retired cation exercise in July, 2011.

The chairman who was police officers have died in Anambra State flanked by the Administrative of starvation and hunger fol- Secretary of APRON, Mr lowing non payment of their Nwobi Bernard, an executive pension for the past 15 months. member, Chief Charles Chief Chris Consequently, members of Onyechi; the Association of Retired Nnaemeka and Chief Godwin Police Officers of Nigeria Obiorah appealed to Anambra (APRON) Anambra State State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi Chapter yesterday stormed the state police command in protest over the 15-month pension arrears owed them by the do State Governor, Federal Government and Adams Oshiomhole yesPolice Pension Service terday gave his nod to the Commission.

Addressing newsmen over resolution passed by the their plight, the state chairman State House of Assembly disof the Association, Chief solving the 18 local governHarold Chike Onyeonwu DSP ment transition Committee (Rtd.), stated that Police pen- chairmen, asking the Head of sioners in the state have not Service (HoS) in the various been paid pension since local governments to take August 2011 and as a result, over the day-to-day running some have died out of starva- of the council areas.

The governor at a meeting tion, hunger and frustration.

Onyeonwu wondered why with the former transition

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to use his good offices to get the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan to react positively over their plight as many of them were dying like fowls after serving their nation for 35 years.

He disclosed that over 100 pensioners have died of starvation and hunger at the last count, but explained that APRON in the state has records of 63 deaths of its

members, as there were no formal entries of the death of the others with the association.

More painful according to him, was that the families of the deceased members were being tossed up and down for their entitlements, putting them in more agonizing situations.

APRON therefore appealed to the Federal Government and the National Assembly to intervene in their plight, so as to save the lives of those presently on danger list.

Oshiomhole dissolves LG caretakers

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committee chairmen and the HoS of the local governments at the Government House said after examining the resolution of the House of Assembly, he was satisfied that it was in the best interest of the state.

He, however, told the HoS to ensure that only the salaries of teachers and local government employees were paid, stressing that they were not to run those local governments

Teachers’ recruitment: Rivers lawmakers angry with commissioner in the primary and secondary . Accuse her of usurping UBE, SSS boards’ powers

The legislators’ annoyance From TONY JOHN, Port followed a motion brought Harcourt before the floor of the House embers of the Rivers yesterday, by the lawmaker State House of representing Ahoada East 11, Ibiso Assembly have flayed Constituency the state Commissioner for Nwuche, and co-sponsored by Education, Dame Alice members of the House Lawrence-Nemi, for allegedly Committee on Education, in usurping the powers and func- which the Ministry of was faulted for not tions of the Universal Basic Education following due process.

Education and the Senior The lawmakers, in the Secondary Schools’ Boards. motion, stated that the powers Also, they have ordered and functions allotted by law immediate suspension of the to the boards of the UBE and ongoing teachers’ recruitment Senior Secondary Schools had exercise and summoned the been taken over by the mincommissioner and her team to istry “with regard to the appear before the Assembly recruitment of both the acatoday by 10:00a.m. demic and non-academic staff

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schools in the state.

“Ironically, Mr. Speaker said: “Section 16(1) (b) of the Universal Basic Education Law, No. 04, 2005, and Section 7 (1) (a) of the Senior Secondary Schools’ Board Law, No. 05, 2012, respectively, vest the power to recruit, promote, discipline and sack/retire both the teaching and non-teaching personnel in these schools in the two boards.”

They argued that the ongoing recruitment exercise being carried out by the Ministry of Education and the two boards as passive participants, would not augur well for the management of the school system in the state.

as if they were sole administrators.

“I have invited you to brief you about a recent development. You are aware of the resolution passed by the House of Assembly as regards the tenure of the local government transition committees. We have considered the resolution which has since been transmitted to my office and we have examined it and we are satisfied that it is done in good faith and in the best interest of our state.

“We have resolved to accept the dissolution of the transition committees, which means the chairmen of the transition committees, the councilors and the supervisors’ tenure have come to an end, by reason of this decision,” Oshiomhole noted.

While commending the transition committee caretakers, the governor said: “I want to place on record my appreciation of the transition committees for the leadership they provided within the local government areas in the last two years and a month.

“I am convinced that the chairmen have given a good account of themselves and they have impacted in various ways in the life of the people in their respective local governments.

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Foreign Affairs US poll 2012

Obama leads with narrow edge over Romney in Harts

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he first results, by tradition, were tallied in Dixville Notch and Hart’s Location, both in New Hampshire, shortly after midnight (0100 a.m EDT). Obama and Romney each received five votes in Dixville Notch. In Hart’s Location, Obama had 23 votes to nine for Romney and two for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

The town in the state’s northeast corner has opened its polls shortly after midnight each election day since 1960 but yesterday’s draw was the first in its history.

The close presidential race raises the prospect of a disputed outcome similar to the 2000 election, which ended with a U.S. Supreme Court decision favoring George W. Bush over Al Gore after legal challenges to the close vote in Florida.

Both the Romney and Obama campaigns have assembled legal teams to deal with possible voting problems, challenges or recounts.

Yesterday’s outcome will influence the direction of a government and country facing chronic federal deficits and debt as well as sluggish economic growth in the wake of a devastating recession and financial industry collapse that confronted Obama when he took office as the first African-American president in January 2009.

Voters also will determine the makeup of a new Congress, choosing all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 33 of the 100 senators. Analysts expect Republicans to maintain control of the House and Democrats to keep their narrow advantage in the Senate.

Obama in tears of appreciation

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bama’s eyes welled with tears as he thanked the people “who’ve given so much to this campaign over the years,” during a stop in Des Moines, Iowa, a place where his first campaign gained an early foothold in his first run for the White House.

“You took this campaign and made it of your own and you organized yourselves block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, county by county, starting a movement that spread across the country,” Obama said wiping away away tears three times as he talked.

In North Carolina, first lady Michelle Obama exhorted voters to endure the expected long lines to vote on Tuesday, telling a Charlotte crowd: “Once you are in that line, do not get out. Don’t get out. And the waits could be long. We need you to wait it out.”

Voters in storm-ravaged areas express relief

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oters in several storm-ravaged areas in New York and New Jersey expressed relief and even elation at being able to vote at all, considering the devastation from Superstorm Sandy. Lines were long in Point Pleasant, N.J., where residents from the Jersey Shore communities of Point Pleasant Beach and Mantoloking had to cast their ballots due to damage in their hometowns. Many people still have no power eight days after Sandy pummeled the shore.

“Nothing is more important than voting. What is the connection between voting and this?” said Alex Shamis, a resident of hard-hit Staten Island, gesturing to his mud-filled home.

Voters wait in line to receive absentee ballots at the Wayne County Community College Northwest Campus in Detroit yesterday. Photo:AP

Oil, gold prices jump, dollar flat on Election Day

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all Street kept a close eye on the United States dollar, crude oil and gold on Election Day because the price movements of these assets could offer clues as to who will be in the White House the next four years and how traders feel about it.

In afternoon trading yesterday, gold was up $34.40, or 2%, to $1,721.80. A spike in gold suggests that Obama will win a second term, says Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial. Obama’s plans to stimulate the economy using borrowed money will make paper assets like the dollar

Provisional ballots

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US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann cast their votes in the US presidential elections in Belmont, Massachusetts yesterday.

Photo:AFP

rovisional ballots were the latest legal skirmish in the critical battleground state of Ohio, where Secretary of State Jon Husted’s decision on how they can be cast was challenged in federal court.

Advocates and lawyers for labor unions contend Husted’s order would lead to some provisional ballots being rejected improperly because the burden of recording the form of ID used on a provisional ballot is being placed on voters, not poll workers as in the past.

A provisional vote allows a person to have his or her say, but the ballot is subject to review and verification of eligibility.

less valuable. And gold holds its value in inflationary times.

Crude oil also gained sharply yesterday, rising $2.33, or 2.7%, to $87.98 in afternoon trading. Some on Wall Street think if Romney wins, he could take a hardline stance on Iran, which could lead to geopolitical conflict that could lead to a oil price spike, Krosby adds. The price of crude oil has been hit by a weak global economy.

Romney, who is viewed as

more fiscally conservative than Obama, is more conducive to a stronger dollar, says Richard Suttmeier, chief market strategist at ValuEngine.com.

Romney is also not a fan of the Federal Reserve’s easymoney policies, which have goosed stock markets but weakened the dollar. He has said he would replace Fed chairman Ben Bernanke, the architect of the easy-money policy, when his term expires in early 2014.

Wall Street

is betting that if Romney becomes president, he would nominate a central banker to head the Fed who favors tighter monetary policy.

“The perception around the world is if Obama is re-elected the deficit will keep going up and there will be a lack of fiscal discipline,” Suttmeier said. If the U.S. dollar spikes in value, it could signal that traders believe Republican Mitt Romney has a good shot at unseating President Obama, Suttmeier said.

Obama congratulates Romney for a hard fight

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resident Barack Obama congratulated Republican rival Mitt Romney yesterday for running a hard-fought race for the White House and expressed confidence he would win re-election during a stop at a local campaign office to thank volunteers on Tuesday.

“I ... want to say to Governor Romney congratulations on a spirited campaign. I know that his supporters are just as engaged and just as enthusiastic and working just as hard today,” Obama said as volunteers made phone calls encouraging supporters to get to the polls.

“We feel confident we’ve got the votes to win, but it’s going to depend ultimately on whether those votes turn out.

And so I would encourage everybody on all sides just to make sure that you exercise this precious right that we have that people fought so

hard for us to have.”

Obama made calls to volunteers from the campaign office to thank them for working for his re-election. “I expect that we’ll have a good

night, but no matter what happens, I just want to say how much I appreciate everybody who supported me, everybody who’s worked so hard on my behalf.”

Sarah Obama, (3R), step-grandmother to President Barack Obama sits with religious local leaders during a press conference held at her homestead yesterday in the village of Kogelo in western Kenya, where Obama’s father was born. “I pray for him, for God to help him. It is a tough race so i have prayed for him. Photo:AFP

DAILY SUN Wedneday, November 7, 2012,

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Foreign Affairs US Poll 2012

• People vote at the United Auto Workers Local 1250 Hall during election day yesterday in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo:AFP

Heavy turnout of voters after long, bitter campaign for White House

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resident Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney battled down to the wire yesterday, mounting a last-minute Election Day drive to get their supporters to the polls in a handful of states as tens of millions of Americans voted to decide the winner in a neck-and-neck race for the White House.

Capping a long and bitter campaign, polling opened first in eastern states. Turnout was crucial. The voting ends a hard-fought race that began nearly two years ago and has cost more than $2bn (£1.3bn).

National polls by Washington Post/ABC News and the Pew Research Center both give Mr Obama a three-

point edge over his rival.

Obama had a slight advantage in several vital swing states most notably Ohio that could give him the 270 electoral votes needed to win the state-by-state contest.

More than 30 million voters had already cast their ballots before yesterday’s polls opened, with more than 30 states allowing either absentee voting or in-person early voting. In the 2008 presidential election, more than 130 million people voted.

On the stroke of midnight, the first election day votes were cast and quickly counted in the tiny village of Dixville Notch in New Hampshire. They resulted in a tie with five votes each for Mr Obama and Mr Romney.

In areas of New Jersey and

New York that were damaged by storm Sandy a week ago, turnout was described as heavy. One high school used as a shelter for displaced families doubled up as a voting centre. Polling stations started closing in eastern states at

18:00 EST (23:00 GMT).

Mr Obama was the first of the two rivals to cast their ballot by voting last month in his adopted home city of Chicago, and becoming the first sitting president to vote before election day. Mr

Romney and his wife Ann voted in Belmont, Massachusetts, shortly before 09:00 local time. He told reporters he felt “very good”.

Their running mates also voted early yesterday. Vice President Joe Biden queued

with his wife, Jill, outside a polling station in Greenville, Delaware, and urged voters to “stand in line as long as you have to”. Republican Paul Ryan cast his vote with his wife, Janna, at a public library in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Poll problems reported around US

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poradic problems were reported yesterday at polling places around the country, including a confrontation in Pennsylvania involving Republican inspectors over access to some polls and a lastminute court fight in Ohio over election software. One Florida elections office mistakenly told voters in robocalls the election was on Wednesday.

Although the majority of

complaints were simply long lines, the Election Protection coalition of civil rights and voting access groups said they had gotten some more serious calls among more than 35,000 received on a toll-free voter protection hotline. ‘’It’s already started and it’s busy,” said Barbara Arnwine, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Philadelphia: In Philadelphia, the Republican Party said 75 legally credentialed voting inspectors were removed from polling places in the heavily Democratic city, prompting the GOP to seek za court order providing them access. Local prosecutors were also looking into the reports.

Democratic Party officials did not immediately return a mes-

sage seeking comment.

Ohio: The battleground state of Ohio was the scene of yet another court battle, this one involving a lawsuit claiming voting software installed by the state could allow manipulation of ballots by non-election board officials. The lawsuit wants a judge to order Ohio not to use the software, something state elections officials said would “unnecessarily thwart the smooth operation of the election.”

Florida: The Florida robocall glitch occurred in Pinellas County, location of St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay. Officials said the calls intended for Monday were wrongly recycled yesterday, telling possibly thousands of voters they had until “7 p.m. tomorrow” to vote, according to the Tampa

Bay Times.

Nancy Whitlock, spokeswoman for the county’s supervisor of elections, said officials immediately stopped the calls yesterday morning when the problem was discovered and a second message went out telling voters to disregard the previous call.

Ballot scanners: Elsewhere, the Election Protection coalition reported problems with ballot scanners in the Ohio cities of Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo; late-opening polling places in minority neighborhoods in Galveston, Texas; and some precincts in the Tampa, Fla., area where voters are being redirected to another polling place where they must cast a provisional ballot.

...To be closely monitored

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gency reports said any voting problems were being closely monitored after months of legal and political battles over more voter ID restrictions and other laws, mostly fruitless hunts for supposedly ineligible people on • US President Barack Obama calls a volunteer from a campaign office in Chicago, voting rolls in many states and sustained claims that black and Illinois, on election day yesterday. Photo:AFP

Hispanic voters are being targeted for intimidation and suppression.

Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, said even in states where the restrictive laws have been blocked or delayed, many people still think they are in effect. “The laws were struck

down but the confusion remains,” Waldman said.

Many of these issues could resurface in the courts after yesterday, particularly if the race between President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, is too close to call or heads for a recount in states such as Ohio or Florida.

16

DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

NewsPlus From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba

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hen on September 20, Stanley Cookey, who hails from Opobo Town in Rivers State, went to work, little did he know he would not come back home alive. Little did the man who was resident in Osusu Amaukwa in Obingwa Local Government area of Abia State suspect that death was stretching its cold hands towards him in the most gruesome manner.

The reporter gathered that Stanley was, until his death, working as a driver at a major glass factory in the area. On that auspicious day, he had gone to work as usual, but he did not come back home.

Stanley had closed for work on the fateful day and as he was coming back, he decided to stop over at a local drinking joint. The place, known by its owner’s name, Madam Ngozi’s Joint, is located few metres from the house he lived.

He was said to be a regular customer at the joint where he always went to unwind whenever he was coming back from work. Stanley was at the joint again on September 20, but a few minutes later, he was already a dead man.

According to eyewitnesses, Stanley arrived at Madam Ngozi’s Joint around 8.30pm that day, but hardly had he taken a seat after ordering for his favourite drink when three young men (their names are withheld by us) accosted him.

The eyewitness told our reporter that the young men were among the notorious hoodlums in Osusu Amaukwa who fled the area when the army arrived. They were said to have engaged in a hot exchange with Stanley before they pounced on the driver.

The boys, who were armed, allegedly gave Stanley several machete cuts, one of which opened up his skull. They also hit him with hard objects until he died, according to an eyewitness.

It was learnt that the boys dared anyone to come to the driver’s aid, threatening to kill anyone that stood in their way.

“People watched from a distance as the boys hacked Stanley to death as they were threatening to deal with anyone that dared to come close to rescue their victim,” said the eyewitness.

The assailants were reported to have tortured their victim between 8.30 and 9.00pm. They fled the scene after they had confirmed that the man was dead.

Different reasons are being adduced for Stanley’s murder by residents of the area. Many claim that the 50-year-old man, who was married with seven children and had lived in the area for the past 13 years, was romantically involved with a woman who was also in a relationship with one of his assailants. They believe his rival had brought the deadly gang to kill the driver. But the allegation was vehemently opposed by the deceased’s family.

According to one Obinna, an inlaw to the slain Stanley who spoke on behalf of the family, “that cannot be true. Stanley was not known to have kepaaΩt women outside. He was not a womanizer and the job he did wouldn’t have given him such a chance.

“The truth of the matter remains

Murdered over a woman?

Bandits butcher driver in beer parlour • He was killed by hoodlums for unknown reasons, says family

•The late Cookey

•Cookey’s family

•The late Cookey’s house

•Kiosk where Cookey met his death that those who killed him are well known bad boys in the village who had received cover even from the highest level in the area.

“During the kidnapping era, they were neck deep in it and nobody dared said anything against them.

They fled the community when soldiers were drafted to checkmate kidnapping in the area, only to come back to continue their nefarious activities.

“Even if we should take that allegation on its face value, assuming Stanley was dating a woman who is a girlfriend to one of the boys, could killing him the way they did be the best thing? The issue remains, as I have said earlier, that the boys are

very bad boys and the entire community, including the traditional ruler, knows that.

“They did not club him to death wearing masks. It was done in the open and people watched while the dastardly act went on. So, the people are known. In fact, the boys that killed Stanley are from the same compound and they live opposite the community’s primary school,” he said.

Confirming the incident, the traditional ruler of the community, HRH (Eze) Sunday Godwin Ikonne said: “Around 7.30 am the following day after the incident happened, the village head, elder Lawrence Achilihu and chairman of the town union,

Azuogu Ebere came and reported to me that they saw a corpse lying along the road near our village square.

“The news was very touchy to me as I knew that my community was peaceful. I went there in company with the people that brought the information and I saw that it was a fact.

“We immediately made a formal report to the divisional police officer at Umuobiakwa who gave us four policemen. After taking photographs, they removed the body to the mortuary.

“The police, as I had been told, have made some arrests and investigations are still on. As a traditional ruler, I don’t joke with tenants. The man that was killed was not from this

community, but he lived here and since I don’t shield evil, I have asked the police to unmask those behind the dastardly act.”

Wife of the slain Stanley, Ngozi who is in her mid-40s, urged the police not to spare her husband’s killers. In an emotional voice, he appealed to the government, corporate organizations and kindhearted individuals to assist her financially to enable her take care of their seven children.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abia State Command, Ezekiel Onyeke confirmed the incident. He said, though, that details had not been made available to him.

17 DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012 ,

Ibinabo becomes first female AGN president L

ast Sunday marked the beginning of a new administration of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, (AGN) as Ibinabo Fiberesima was officially sworn in as the first female president of the troubled guild.

Held at Rumors Club, GRA, Ikeja, many practitioners, stakeholders in the entertain-

Ibinabo

ment industry were in attendance such as TMac Itseli, Ras Kimono, Andy Amenechi, Ugo Stevenson. Others are Zik Zulu Okafor, Genevieve Nnaji, Lola Alao, Matthias Obahiagbon, Fred Amata, Bond Emeruwa, Ejike Asiegbu, Segun Arinze, among others.

Acting chairman, Board of Trustee, BOT, of the guild, Emma Oguguo presented certificate of office to Fiberesima, said: “AGN has proved that we can overcome our problems. We have arrived. We want to take a step to move forward. Today, we are inaugurating for a new dawn. The election was keenly contested and she won in all fairness. All who have gone astray should return. It is time to rebuild the association.”

He said.

Also the new executives were presented with certificates of office after being sworn in.

Former President of the guild, Segun Arinze said; “ I am very pleased at the inauguration of Ibinabo. It’s been a long time coming. She deserves it because she worked for it. I want to appeal to her to

carry everyone along. There is no winner, no vanquished. It is a new dawn in AGN. Let this be the last time we would hear of rancour again. It is the biggest guild in Africa . Let us put everything behind.”

In her response, the newly elected president while thanking all for her support and presenting her three key programmes which include-Health plan/Insurance/Pension scheme, job creation for registered members and interstate cultural/sports competition, implored every stakeholder to cooperate with her administration to take the guild to the next level.

She said: “Actors have paid enormous price for their participation in movies. It shall no longer be business as usual in this sector. The efforts to purge Nollywood of the many knotty issues that have caused the impoverished of a hard working people shall not be mine alone; nor that of this executives. With conceited effort, we shall, this time around bring the industry to a pedestal whereby owners of work and actors shall be proud of doing what they know how to do best.”

Ubaedat plans Cleric holds thank-you dinner collabo with Ayeloyun for eminent Nigerians

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p-coming Islamic singer, Seyidat Ubaedat Alubarika Obi in collaboration with popular Islamic male singer, Dr. Quamarudeen Odunlami Ayeloyun (a.k.a Baba Iyawo) is scheduled to have a duet in one of her songs.

The 29-year old, is a prominent member of the Islamic Singers Association of Nigeria (ISMAN), said “arrangements are in top gear to pair with one of my mentors, Dr. Quamarudeen Odunlami Ayeloyun.”

Ubaedat hopes to have collaborations with top Islamic singers in future for a duet because it is borne out of zeal to tap from the experience of my senior colleagues in the industry.

The Oyo State born singer’s debut album, Modupe is making waves in the country and she is grateful for members of the fourth estate of the realm saying “without you being there for us, we would just be winking in the • Odunlami dark.”

Yamaha boosts Nigerian music industry with digital sound technology

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resident of Heal the World Mission, Pastor Tola Olukilede, has shown appreciation to eminent Nigerians for their efforts and contributions towards human development in the society.

The charity lecture/partnership dinner and award ceremony tagged; World Changers Award (WCA), was held at Protea Hotel, Ikeja Lagos, which had with dignitaries in attendance.

Pastor Olukilede, who is also the founder of Tola Olukilede International Ministry, said Nigerians should continue to be their brothers’ keepers because governments worldwide have lost focus on good leadership and people-oriented programmes.

He said; “Heal The World Mission Incorporation and Tola Olukilede International Ministry through their charity education programs over the years, have provided scholarships to over 730 students in 16 states. It has also empowered youths in various mentoring projects as a way of making students future leaders and world changers.

The cleric also appealed to Nigerians to continue to support his non-denominational mission which enlightens and encourages people spiritually, morally and financially. It also keeps the individual and collective responsibility of individuals alive to reconcile the divided human family.” He said.

The awardees include Oba Samson Balogun, the Elegbeda of Egbeda, Oba Isiaka Oyero Balogun, Oba of Ketu, Kosofe and chief Cyriel Apkaka unanimously pledged their philanthropic support towards Heal the World Mission Incorporation.

They promised to continue to extend their love to the needy especially homeless victims of the recent flood in some parts of the country.

Pastor Olukilede said that his charity foundation in collaboration with eminent Nigerians such as royal fathers, politicians, business men/women will soon embark on a charity and sensitization tour of people affected by the flood.

Heal the World Mission and Tola Olukilede International Ministry is a multi-dimensional Christian charity foundation with a special focus on the upliftment of lives of orphans, widows, the aged and needy in the society.

Pastor Tola

he Nigerian music industry recently took a quantum leap in the area of digital sound technology when Yamaha, one of the world’s leading producers of modern sound equipment raised the bar with the launch of innovative digital sound equipments in Lagos The launch of these equipments which took place at the Muson Centre, witnessed the introduction into the Nigerian market latest range of musical products such as keyboards, digital he Jos Repertory Theatre will on November 29 - December 1, mixer, CubaseA1, amplifiers, drums, guitars entertain guests with Wale Ogunyemi’s Queen Amina of and speakers.

Zazzau at the Merit House, Aguyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, It was also observed that Yamaha products Abuja beginning on 7pm daily. are known for its superior quality in acoustic design, technology, craftsmanship and customer oriented services.

Managing Director, Gomac Ventures, who also doubles as the representative of Yamaha in Nigeria, Mr Greg Okonkwo stated that the launch seminar was aimed at educating people of the need to buy original genuine musical products as well learn how to maintain, handle and repair musical equipments when they go bad.

Mr Shimya Uchida, an associate manager in sales and marketing department from Yamaha Asia region added that Yamaha has strived to produce products that would satisfy the diverse A scene from the play needs of people within the musical industry.

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SHOWBIZ

BITS Damiete Braide

damiete_braide@yahoo.com 07030059588

Ex-beauty queen celebrates birthday with a bash he is not just sexy and good looking but beautiful with an intimidating height. Her beauty and intelligence won her the coveted crown of beauty queen twice, Miss Tourism Delta State in 2006 and Miss Galaxy in 2007.

Ambitious and hard working Delta-State born actress recently made entry into Nollywood and has featured in over five movies. She also disclosed that her interest now is in acting and fashion industry respectively.

Admirable fair complexion, Peggy Enoho Ovire, CEO of Hugs Couture recently feted friends, family members, colleagues and well wishers as she became a year older recently at her posh 1004 residence in Victoria Island.

Needless to say that victuals f l o w e d freely as the birthday girl had fun all through the shindig.

T h e Banking and Finance graduate f r o m Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma who has modeled for big organisaOvire tions.

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Queen Amina of Zazzau comes to Abuja

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Queen Amina’s reign in the 16th century witnessed tremendous growth in territory, commerce and relationships with cities which she conquered or built friendship with.

Her territory was from ancient Zazzau to the Sudan with the first markings of what later became the trans-Saharan highway. She exerted tributes of kolanuts, gold and slaves from territories that she conquered and from territories that wanted friendship with Zazzau.

Queen Amina’s reign witnessed infrastructural development and her reign pioneered the use of iron coat armour which was used by her soldiers in their military campaigns and conquests. The famous Zaria wall is attributed to her reign and ingenuity.

She was a very remarkable leader who developed and built a court founded on justice and fairness. Her subjects also prospered during her reign and according to her – “you will prosper if you work hard as food does not grow on trees”.

The production of Wale Ogunyemi’s Queen Amina of Zazzau was premiered in 2000 and is a remarkable story on the life and times of the legendary Queen Amina of Zazzau in what is presently known as Zaria.

CMYK

18

DAILY SUN Wednesday November 7, 2012

Resolving 2013 budget row

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or some weeks now, the 2013 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan has been a matter of intense disagreement between the Executive and the Legislature. This is coming even before a formal debate on the details of the N4.93 trillion budget would commence at the two chambers of the National Assembly.

At the centre of the row is what should be the appropriate oil benchmark upon which the proposed oil revenue in the budget was formulated.

The Presidency has premised the revenue on $75 (USD) oil price per barrel. However, the two chambers of the National Assembly - The Senate and House of Representatives - differ on their own benchmark. While the senate has fixed the oil benchmark at $78 per barrel, the House of Representatives insists on $80 per barrel.

In their arguments, each camp has defended its position. The position of the National Assembly is contained in the Medium Term E x p e n d i t u r e Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal strategy, which the two chambers passed on October 9, and October 16, respectively.

But the Executive maintains that the $75 oil benchmark is more realistic, and went ahead to state that the benchmark proposed by the two arms of the National Assembly was not fair or sensible, or even economically and mathematically logical.

Leading government's arguments are the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Together, they contend that the economy would be at great risk if government succumbs to pressures of the legislature to benchmark the budget above $75 per barrel.

But at a recent joint committee to examine the MTEF, the House claimed that the Federal Government has over stated the risks in anticipation of a possible sharp fall on oil price. It therefore recommended a reduction of government's projected deficit and domestic borrowing from N700 billion to N400 billion. Government has kicked against that recommendation by the House joint committee.According to the Finance Minister, government arrived at its benchmark based on an economic

module that estimates between 5 and 10-year moving averages in line with the standards used by most oil-producing nations in the world in planning their budgets. Fundamentally, Dr Okonjo-Iweala said, “benchmark prices are not things you just sit down in a room and concoct". They are based, she said, on key economic indicators. Besides, she said, going the way of the legislature would cost Nigeria the opportunity to access the $1.2 billion concessional loan already approved for the country by the World Bank for next year.

Sanusi equally debunked the legislature's argument, noting that a higher benchmark as proposed does not translate to increased revenue accruable to government. On the contrary, Sanusi stressed that rather than stick to its guns, the sensible thing for the legislature to do is to formulate legislations that will make the Nigerian National P e t r o l e u m Corporation (NNPC) more transparent and accountable in the discharge of its obligations.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is backing the Federal Government's position, cautioning on the need to curtail spending in order to avoid putting pressure on crude oil benchmark.

All things considered, it is not unusual that the Executive and the legislature are disagreeing on such an important issue like the budget whose impact could be felt both at home and abroad. Our concern is that if the issues in contention are not resolved quickly or are allowed to boil over, the country may suffer unpleasant and unintended consequences resulting from either a late passage of the Appropriation Bill. That possibility is growing every day. Meanwhile, the economy is still groaning under the lack of implementation of the 2012 Appropriation Act. Indeed, the way the two arms of government - the Executive and Legislature - have handled the benchmark issue seems to suggest that there could be other issues that are hidden from the public. Whatever the issue(s) might be, Nigerians need a realistic budget that will serve the interest of the people and the country, definitely not a budget that will serve the narrow interests of a few.

What is needed now is for a bipartisan cooperation on the matter. All sides should harmonize their positions and reach a common ground as quickly as possible.

COMMENT

LETTER Who succeeds Barth Nnaji?

THE sudden exit of Professor Bart Nnaji as Minister for Power is quite regrettable. He was determined to give Nigeria stable electricity supply in the life of the present administration. He has the experience, the will and the zeal to deliver on his promises. He demonstrated his capacity on the job through the various strategies he outlined towards achieving the total privatization of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), working strictly and meticulous on them within the timeline he set for himself. In addition to that, it is on record that electricity supply has improved substantially in various parts of the country within the past three months as generation level improved to about 4600 megawatts under his leadership. He had promised to take it up to 6000 megawatts by the end of the year. Did Prof. Bart Nnaji who was seen by many as one of the leading drivers of Jonathan's regime and in whom the hope for the success of the government was hinged upon fail to scale the integrity rope? The erudite and cerebral

Professor was accused of having more than official interest in two of the companies bidding for PHCN in the on-going privatization of the power sector under his supervision.

If the allegation is true, it was a grievous fault.

And, grievously has he paid for it. There have been media reports of high wire political intrigues by members of a well-connected cabal made up some former Heads of State, oil moguls and several other money and power mongers who were bent on scheming Nnaji out of the office. The former Minister has also said he decided to quit as a way of saving his name and that of President Jonathan from further smear. Only time will reveal what really went on under the bridge.

Whatever is the true story, anybody celebrating the exit of Bart Nnaji from the Ministry of Power at this time is a sadist and does not wish Nigeria well. We should mourn rather than celebrate Bart Nnaji's exit. President Goodluck Jonathan should, however, go ahead and appoint a substantive

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Minister for Power without much waiting, as there is no time to waste. The total privatization of PHCN must be completed on schedule with or without Bart Nnaji. A greater majority of Nigerians is of the consensus that fixing the power sector is the most important challenge facing the present administration. And, that is where Dr. Sally Adukwu Bolujoko OON, FNIM, FIMC comes in. Dr. Sally has proved her capacity to provide quality leadership with the highest level of integrity as well as take the on-going reform of the Power Sector to a logical conclusion, as Chairman of the Governing Board of the Academy of Leadership, Abuja, Trainman Consult Ltd and that of Titsall Global Schools, Abuja. She is also the Immediate Past President of Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). It is believed that her appointment to head the power ministry will not be theoretical but a practical demonstration of seriousness on the part of the current administration based on her credentials and transparent service records. This confidence reposed in her is not unconnected with the records of visible and enduring achievements she left as a trade mark within the places she has served. For instance, NIM under her leadership was seen by many as a body that is committed to the good and wellbeing of the common people through people-oriented reform

policies. She was well commended and during her stay, she proved to the world that she was equal to the task. One of her popular slogans is that excuses do not work. In a male-dominated place of work, she has proved so many wrong as to the fact that she has always withstood all the challenges she faced in all her positions and came out positively. Also, because of her love for her people, she has been able to attract a private university to her immediate community. The NUC has given the go-ahead to establish a university called Southeastern University of Enugu which has taken off on October 10 with preliminary works.

In addition to her enviable record of service, Dr. Sally's appointment would naturally rest the controversy raised by the demand of the people of South East that Bart Nnaji's replacement must be from their zone.

Indeed, with the wise step taken in nominating this experienced and proven technocrat, with specialty in strategy and transformation in management sphere, there is no doubt her eventual appointment into the power sector will be apt and in line with the transformation agenda of the president.

Julius Augustine Abuja Julius2001_a@yahoo.com CMYK

DAILY SUN Wednesday November 7, 2012

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19

The Boko Haram negotiation terms

t is no longer news that the Boko Haram sect has proposed terms under which it would be ready to dialogue with the Federal Government on a ceasefire in its ongoing war against Christians and the Nigerian government. A man who identified himself as Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz, second-in-command to the sect leader, Abubakar Shekau, told journalists at a radio conference in Maiduguri, last week, that the sect would stop its bombing campaigns if the government agrees with its conditions.

First, it selected former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (rtd); Dr Shettima Monguno; a former Yobe State governor, Senator Bukar Ibrahim; Ambassador Gaji Galtimari; Aisha Alkali Wakil and her husband, Alkali, as “trusted Nigerians” that it would be ready to negotiate with it. Second, it insisted that the dialogue would not hold on Nigeria soil but in Saudi Arabia, and third, that the families of its members who were killed by the security agencies during its campaign should be compensated by the Federal Government. Lastly, the group demanded rebuilding of its mosques destroyed by the Federal Government, and the arrest of former Borno State governor, Modu Sheriff, ostensibly over allegations that he sponsored the killing of its members.

This offer of a ceasefire by Boko Haram has been generating ripples since it hit the airwaves.

The Congress for Political Change (CPC), the political party which fielded Gen. Buhari as its candidate in the 2011 presidential election, has rejected the nomination of Buhari for the negotiations. Initial reactions from the party claimed that the naming of Buhari as negotiator with Boko Haram is a plot of the Federal Government to rope him into the Boko Haram problem. There are, however, those who feel that any step that would lead to peaceful resolution of the Boko Haram conflict is welcome. President Goodluck Jonathan, himself, has said the peace overture is welcome if it would lead to peace.

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has also towed the same line. According to him, Buhari would not be the spokesman of the sect, but would only help to ensure that peace reigns again in the country.

The ceasefire negotiating terms proposed Boko Haram are, indeed, thought provoking, to put it

Wale Sokunbi CURRENTS 08056180228 walesokunbi2003@yahoo.co.uk mildly. First, the choice of Buhari. It is very strange to have a former Head of State of the country who is still aspiring to rule the country again being selected as a “trusted Nigerian” by an insurgent sect that has declared war on the country by willful killing of security agents and Christians in their churches. The basis of this “trust” raises salient questions on Buhari's credentials as neutral party in the conflict involving Boko Haram, the Federal Government and Christians in Nigeria.

In spite of Gowon's attempt to window-dress the role expected of Buhari in the negotiations, there is really no way to interpret the role other than that of a person who has the ears of the sect, and is somehow sympathetic to, or supportive of its cause. It is odd, also, for the sect to not only choose its representatives to the talks, but also that of the Federal Government. Would that not amount to a monologue?

This picture of the former Head of State as a “trusted” friend of the sect through whom it can negotiate with the Federal Goverment is neither salutary to Buhari's image as a former Nigerian leader, nor expedient to his quest to lead the country again. If I were Buhari, I would be very worried, and quickly begin to press all my Boko Haram “buttons” to be excused from stepping on this giant banana peel.

But, that is just one way to look at this proposal.

Another way to consider the matter, which I think Gowon and Jonathan are trying to look at, is that the choice of Buhari does not matter as long as the process leads to peace and security in the country.

Yet, other groups have spoken their minds. The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), through General Secretary, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, described the Boko Haram talk terms as a curious

attempt by “the tail to wag the dog”. To make this simpler, the “Boko Haram tail” trying to wag the “Nigerian Federal Government dog”. (except that sometimes, Nigerians are not really too sure who is the tail and who is the dog in this Boko Haram affair.”

NADECO is of the opinion that negotiating with Boko Haram on its terms could propel other aggrieved groups in the country to adopt the same violent tactics used by Boko Haram. Already, the Niger Delta Youth Parliament, through its coordinator, Mr Imoh Okoko, has said if Jonathan negotiates with Boko Haram, he should be ready to negotiate with the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and other aggrieved groups in the country.

For me, there is no doubt that it is critical that a solution be found to the Boko Haram problem.

There is clearly no way to get around the problem other than through dialogue. It is a well acknowledged fact that crises, conflicts and wars usually arise out of a failure of parties to reach a consensus via dialogue, while most wars and conflicts inevitably end with the fighters agreeing on a resolution of their problems through dialogue.

Considering the intransigence of the Boko Haram sect, and government's failure to get a handle to the problem, there is no arguing the wisdom of a dialogue to end this insurgency. It is the terms of the negotiation of a Boko Haram ceasefire, however, that the Nigerian government needs to be careful about. This dialogue should take place, but the President Jonathan government should ideally not be seen to have totally capitulated to the sect.

The president must be careful to not only win the battle in this conflict, he must also win the peace.

The president would be falling headlong if he

accedes to every demand of Boko Haram on this proposed ceasefire.

Yes, there should be dialogue. Jonathan should put a leg in the door of opportunity opened by Boko Haram. (“Assuming that the sect is sincere, and would not, thereafter, chop off the president's heel and toes”). But, Boko Haram's selection of the venue and the representatives to the talk should not be swallowed hook, line and sinker by the government. One party to a talk should not select representatives for both sides.

Although some have said that Buhari should view his selection by Boko Haram as a challenge and a sacrifice for peace in the nation, as Nigeria would be better for it, he might, inadvertently, be driving a nail in the coffin of his aspiration to national leadership, at least outside Northern Nigeria. It may be more advisable for him to plead with the sect to allow the other “trusted Nigerians” to handle the negotiations.

The talks could also hold on any neutral ground outside Nigeria. I don't really know how Jonathan could feel to have a sect that has killed thousands of Nigerians dictating a meeting venue for him. It smacks of weakness.

Let Jonathan, even if secretly, appeal to Boko Haram that his government be allowed to excuse Buhari from the talks, and that negotiations hold in another place other than Saudi Arabia.

The demand for re-construction of demolished mosques is another controversial request. If the president is good natured (and that's putting it very mildly) enough to rebuild mosques for Boko Haram, he must extend same privilege to churches that were burnt by the sect. If the government must compensate families of Boko Haram operatives killed in the conflict, how much more the need to compensate innocent people killed while worshipping in their churches!

On the demand for the arrest of Modu Sheriff, by all means, let him be picked up if there are sufficient grounds for his arrest.

All in all, the window of opportunity for the negotiation of a ceasefire with Boko Haram is welcome. Government must be proactive and seize the opportunity to end this problem, once and for all.

The scourge of violence and insecurity that has enveloped Nigeria has hovered around for too long.

Let all well meaning Nigerians intervene in whatever ways are necessary to end this problem, once and for all.

Civil War, Achebe and Igbo intellectuals

BY IBRAHEEM A.WAZIRI

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t is just that ignorance reigns in Nigeria or our intellectuals do not have passion for details and deep philosophical enquiry into the nature and realities of our socio-cultural formation and its history for the best of their opinions. These can be the only open and not so stretched explanations for Chinua Achebe’s blatant, below status and insincere depiction of the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 - 70 in the light of a so-called jihadist expansionist goal of Muslims of Northern Nigeria. The excerpts of his latest book, There Was a Country, as published by the UK Guardian, made bold this meaningless assertion: “But if the diabolical disregard for human life seen during the war was not due to the northern military elite’s jihadist or genocidal obsession, then why were there more small arms used on Biafran soil than during the entire Second World War? Why were there 100,000 casualties on the much larger Nigerian side compared with more than 2 million – mainly children – Biafrans killed?”

Needless to mention that Achebe is not alone in this kind of portrayal that is typical of recent Igbo ‘intellectuals’ when it comes to discussing the civil war. The task of re-educating them and the crop of their students is, therefore, necessary if the dream of a greater Nigeria in fair neighbourliness is to be realized.

Yes, Northern Nigerians are mainly and majorly proud and faithful Muslims with unique culture and a record of close interactions with other world civilizations since time. They have for long known and understood that not everybody must look like them or believe in what they believe in, before peace, social cohesion and fair neighbourliness are justifiably established. In fact, it can be authoritatively said that Northern Nigeria of the 1960s formed one the most cosmopolitan and accommodating social spaces in the whole world. When the then Ghanaian president, Kwame Nkrumah, wanted to initiate and draft Nigeria’s Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the premier of the Northern Region, Ahmadu Bello into his Pan-Africanism, they

clearly told him that they were not racists and believed in the universal nature of truth, justice, fairness and equality of humankind regardless of race or ethnicity and that reflected the way they managed Northern Nigeria and the country in general.

It was this world-view with its values and norms guiding intra and inter-pinning of human relations that saw a Northern Nigeria of the 1960s as home to many Igbos. In modern history, the top one percent of the most literate and influential Igbo personalities once lived in Northern Nigeria or spoke Hausa, the dominant language in the North.

It was here that Major Chukuma Kaduna Nzeogwu’s parents settled and gave birth to him in 1937. He grew up with all opportunities unhindered and got the award of love, justice and trust of the then Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, until he finally, easily and safely got access to him, in the night, in his house, in the privacy of his bedroom and killed him in front of his wife with no struggle, no suspecting guard to check him or even ask him hard questions. It is finished. Brutus killed his Caesar in cold blood of treachery, hatred and breach of trust. Describing a similar situation in the same Operation Kill, where Major Ifeajuna, an Igbo soldier and Major Nzeogwu’s co-planner and partner, shot Brigadier Maimalari, Bernard Odogwu, an Igbo Nigerian Diplomat at the time of the event, in his book, No Place to Hide - Crises and Conflicts inside Biafra, clearly put it: “I am particularly shocked at the news that Major Ifeajuna personally shot and killed his mentor, Brigadier Maimalari. My God! That must have been Caesar and Brutus come alive...”

What then could have been the fate of other Igbos in many parts of the North who enjoyed the same love, trust and protection of the other northerners who began to see a new streak of arrogance, condescension in the behavior of the Igbo who were illussioned in the new leadership of General Ironsi to the extent that, as told by our parents, they used to mock the Northerners, imitating the cries and squeaks of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa before he died in the hands of Major Ifeajuna. Still, Igbo intellectuals engage in this mockery as the Nigerian military historian Max Siollun recently re-told the story of

Nzeogwu’s kill which clearly portrayed Ahmadu Bello as a coward and a simpleton who hid behind his wife when he saw that Nzeogwu was certain to get him. These provocations and the details of stories such as captured by David Muffett, a British colonial officer who wrote the account of the 1966 coup in a book entitled, Let Truth Be Told, outlining the Igbo elite’s detailed plan to take control of not only the political structures but even the social structures of the North by killing all the then northern emirs in the final.

Some, including Achebe, are still contesting that the kill was not an Igbo carefully planned affair, but rather a coup plotted against all Nigerian leaders of then. Yet, all Igbos in prominent positions were missed in the fire and it was said that the president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, was missed because he was out of the country for a medical checkup.

The question is, could they have missed Sir Ahmadu Bello or Abubakar Tafawa Balewa if he was on a medical trip or they would have postponed the plans for more appropriate date that would guarantee and ensure an all inclusive kill?

Yet, the pogrom that followed the events and the civil war were unfortunate (more objective details of which were written by Elechi Amadi in Sunset at Biafra). But the characterization of Northerners as Muslim jihadists who were already prepared and ready to stage a ‘holy jihad’ against Igbo, as a reason for the war, is very untrue and intellectually insincere. Just because Igbo intellectuals have to find reasons, it doesn’t mean every reason must be dished out. Just because they need someone to blame doesn’t mean the 21st century image of fundamentalist Islam must be projected backward into the story of Nigeria to justify a perspective.

Besides, what religion did the major actors of the war on the federal side profess? General Yakubu Gowon, General Theophilus Danjuma and General Joseph Garba, were Christians. Chief Awolowo, the intellectual architect of the war was a Christian. General Olusegun Obasanjo and General Adekunle were all not Northerners. The prominent name in the command that is a core Muslim Northerner was only General Murtala Muhammed. Even if all the others were Muslims, what sense could it have made for the Muslims to have fought the Igbos only to establish the leader-

ship of General Yakubu Gowon who was a Christian, the same and only reason they supposedly could have fought the Igbos? Gowon enjoyed the support of all Muslim Northerners as my good friend Alhaji Yakubu Musa (currently a media assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan), who is from a devout Muslim family, once mentioned how he was named Yakubu in celebration of Gowon’s visit to Kano on a day that coincided with his birthday.

No. The truth of the matter is Igbo betrayed the trust given to them in the then Northern Nigeria by the singular act of betrayal of Nzeogwu on Ahmadu Bello and the subsequent poor management of their relationship with their hosts that bred suspicion of complicity in the plans of the kill and a thought of greater conspiracy.

The way forward is not to employ a wider and more efficient propaganda machinery to score cheap sympathy and sponsor the production of a sensationalist movie in Hollywood, Secret of the Sun, starring Bruce Willis and displaying that Northern Nigerian Muslim Hausa will attempt to do the same in the present Nigeria and in the near future and can be stopped only by the Americans.

The way forward is to always tell the truth, accept faults, take responsibility for errors and constantly preach the gospel of keeping trust, commitments and fair neighbourliness. Let’s make the younger generation and the entire world know that we are one in Nigeria and the top one percent of Igbo, most informed political and public intellectuals, lived in the North or even spoke Hausa. These include Chinua Achebe himself, Cyprian Ekwensi, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, General Emeka Ojukwu and Dr. Nmandi Azikwe. Cyprian Ekwensi even copied and translated the literary work of my uncle, John Tafida Umaru entitled, Jiki Magayi, from Hausa to English, and titled it African Nights Entertainments, adding to his literary stock, achievement and fame. The world must know the good contribution their living in the North and speaking its language brought into their skills and perspectives which won them the accolades they so celebrate and rejoice in, today, a fact which they and their friends always want to hide!

Waziri writes from Lagos. iawaziri@yahoo.com CMYK

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DAILY SUN

Wednesday November 7, 2012

Readers’ views + my final word on okada

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ast week, this column focused on the okada brouhaha in Lagos. Today, some of the reactions to the issues canvassed are published with minimal editing, where necessary, because of the SMS platform used for the feedback. As you read this, bear it in your mind that there is no revalidation of okada, according to the state government, the subsisting litigation notwithstanding!

Here we go for the final parliamentary session on the motorbike legislation uproar. “Missing facts about Barrister Godswill Akpabio banning okada in Uyo: his government paid N50,000 each to all okada riders who returned their bikes. The first 100 riders that returned theirs that day of the okada ban were given keke free by the governor himself.

(Chuks Okafor, Akwa Ibom State/08036743506) “Though not a Lagosian, I quite appreciate your views on okada. I also love your witticism.

(07035797544) “I thought that with the exit of punchy and down-to-earth commentators like Tola Adeniyi, Allah-De, Gbolabo Ogunsanwo and their likes candid contributions were over. But what I am witnessing of recent, vis-à-vis your column, has reinvigorated my enthusiasm that we still have honest people with guts to call a spade a spade—no matter whose ox is gored. God bless you and spare your life for those of us who appear voiceless. (Segun Aina/08022800424) “Thanks for telling the truth. Do not be intimidated. (08023432848) “I am always happy whenever I read your article. The one entitled ‘Okada: BRF, Lagos CP& fallacies’ captured it all. Why did his government use these okada riders during electioneering and why did he buy helmets for them shortly after coming into office? Our leaders indeed have short memory spans! Trailers and other contraptions kill people in Lagos every day—have they been banned? May God continue to guard your family. (07034497683) “We can only pray. May God bless you for the truth you have spoken. Keep it up. (Tony K., Ejigbo/08057356495) “In your Abia State, is the use of okada allowed?

You are just seeking cheap attention.

(08023019889) “Your writing does not make sense and people like you belong in (sic) the achaia (sic). The best thing that can happen to Lagos is absence (sic) of

Ebere

Wabara 08055001948 ewabara@yahoo.com okadas (sic). If there is any sense of aesthetic (sic) in your shallow brain, then you will know that seas (sic) of okadas (sic) that floods (sic) our roads are not beautiful sights to behold and it potrays (sic) us as backward people. I know your type. Can you swear you were not paid by Okada association (sic) headed by your brother to be writing those (sic) nonsense. (08033719966)” …dear reader, you can now decipher who is shallow-brained between 08055001948 and 08033719966! Writing is not for poverty-ravaged bunkums who always think of money!

“Your article about Lagos has made me to notice your column. Please keep up the mouthpiece of the common man. If you are not rewarded here, God will recompense you. We have noticed the wickedness of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Check the policies of its members—all are against the downtrodden. If Lagos should hold election on a different date like Ondo with good security, I am telling you ACN will fail abysmally. (Okey Ezigbo/08033294939)” Okey, it is not about party—it is a function of astute leadership. The convoluted party system in Nigeria nurtures rascality and, therefore, cannot call its members to order as obtains in civilised polities.

If credible performance was a function of party affiliation, how do you explain the distinction of Gov. Akpabio who belongs to the worst political party in the world, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? The man’s profile keeps soaring despite his disastrous party! PDP is worse than ACN. The horrendous thing about ACN is its noisome lack of internal democracy which, again, is worse in PDP. Service excellence rests squarely on the individ-

ual—not autocratic party cabals and structures. We can even excuse Fashola’s veritable non-performance on the grounds that multi-billionaire Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu still calls the tune—boldly and unrestrainedly—pretentious refutations by BRF’s men notwithstanding. In fact, elitist musings have it that the emerging Yoruba leader holds this administration by the jugular for understandable reasons so much that everyone inevitably capitulates to his imperial power and authority!

“I cannot agree less with you on the actions of Fashola and the gangs on Lagos residents. Many aspects of the new traffic law depict pride and arrogance of a leader to his fellow citizens. Why can’t the government ask how and why did bikes become a means of commercial transport.

Continue to expose them and ignore their insults.

They are cowards. We are waiting for them in 2015. (Akeredolu Tayo/08033292140)” Akeredolu, do votes still count in our warped electoral system? I doubt! Edo and Ondo 2012 polls were exceptions.

“Why are you biased when okada was banned in Port Harcourt Abuja Uyo where okada trans was originated in the 80.’s (sic) why don’t (sic) you write and condem (sic) it why Lagos (Olu Olayinka/08023753726) “Go and sitdown (sic), dat (sic) govt (sic) is ok.

Go and advise ur state govnor (sic). We know u want settlement. Hungry, greedy heads (sic)!

(Taiwo/08023731552)” Indeed, half-literacy predisposes people to insanity. How else can one explain Taiwo’s fatalistic imbecility?

“Rome was not built in a day. Touts and craters are all over the country particularly in the East.

(07063811641)” Once you see little minds you will know: ethnicity, religion, gender and other mundane elements shape their crooked thought processes and manifestations!

“Hosana (sic) today crucify him tomorrow. Is okada befiting (sic) Lagos as the ideal transportation for this age (sic). Eko oni baje. (07063811641, again)” Eko ti baje lo, but our intercession is: Eko o ni baje ju bayi lo! Amen.

“You have said it all, but one thing is certain: criminalities will surely increase. (08169538296) “Chai (sic) Wabara, are you seeking notice or what on (sic) todays (sic) writeup (sic)? Who paid you to write this about BRF and Lagos State? Na wa o o (sic). (Chief Emeka Ikonne/08088447733)” Who is this incestuously adulterous chief?

Please, change your concupiscent surname before coming to ama (village square/public ground) where mature and decent men congregate. Do you have to expose your amorous background and lustful pedigree?

“Actually you raised some good points but you were not objective in your analysis. That made nonsense of the whole write-up. It is a pity. Remember the whole world is reading The Sun and not only the section you want to please. So, next time if you want to write, don’t castigate any innocent Nigerian and if you have any issue with anybody, try and resolve it amicably instead of rubbishing some people’s names on pages of newspapers. (Anyamele Samuel Chinaza/08023745017)” “I was not expecting your type of article most especially from journalists of Lagos-based newspapers because of the belief that all of you had closed your eyes to the nonsense that pervades ACN in Yoruba land. In fact, the Yoruba have entered ‘one chance’ this time round. One needs loans to send one’s children to LASU, no good roads anywhere in the interior, Black Maria all over the place arresting indigent hawkers who can barely afford N200 but are compelled to cough out N5000 at Alausa. In spite of the roguish multiple taxation, Fashola has nothing for the masses who voted for him. All we get are horror and propaganda. (08057119494)” Finally, I give up on this government’s intransigency on okada deregulation! BRF, ban okada in totality—completely—if that would gladden your heart!

Recovering the lost paradise H

BY ABDUL-WAREES SOLANKE ere is a confession: The view I am about canvassing here concerning womanhood belongs to the old school; it is of the past, archaic. It is conservative and traditional. It has been defeated in the past by modernity, since the industrial revolution. It is like returning to the era of ignorance, jahilliyyah in the language of the Arabs. Some will accuse me of slipping back into the Dark Ages from the renaissance; many will pillory me for this slavery era thoughts. But, I deserve to be heard first before a fatwa is invoked on me as a renegade of modernity.

We shall first look at the basics in this discourse: the nature of the feminine folk; role conception of womanhood; status of women; feminism and the feminist movement; women empowerment and liberation, women segregation, and denaturing and oppression of women.

In all these themes, I want to raise the contention that women have become masculinised and that our society is losing the values and virtues of womanhood. Stretching further my argument, I want to conclude that the collapse of the social or moral order is as a result of the compromise of womanhood and the dearth of parenting, in which the woman as the mother is the first and

real factor of human development. I want to posit that the collapse of the family is brought about by the misguided idea of women liberation. So, accept my parochialism.

Now, there is a saying that paradise lies at the feet of mothers. If such a beautiful garden is at the feet of mothers, women really, it means they must be very good managers, well trained in the management of facilities. But, if the facility manager himself lacks or loses his managerial acumen or is wrongly trained to manage the facility or that he is distracted by some other things, all sorts of beings will gain entry: agberos, area boys, the deranged and the insane, the elewe omos, the alagbos and the herbalist aafas searching for herbs; the firewood gatherers soon take over the garden already turning into a bush.

Unfortunately, women as facility managers in raising responsible children and managing the home will always remain one specie. You cannot get another. It is that same specie that you must re-orient, bring back to its original function and assignment and manage to manage the garden of the family and parenting.

All these analogies are to tell all how important the woman’s role is in the sanity of the society and raising responsible future leaders and

that in the wave of feminism and equal rights movement, women liberation and other modernist ideas that encourage women to desert their pristine role of motherhood and mentoring, the garden of paradise in parenting is now crowded by all manner of creatures.

Can the dark forest become the sweet paradise again? It is sad that in the permissiveness of modernity today, its warped thoughts and ideas are denaturing women, just as they are being deflowered unripe through the knowledge, tools and products of this so-called modern civilization. With modernization, many lose sense of shame, worse than animals copulating in the open. Many abdicate parenting to the screen and some senseless surrogates and maids.

Worst hit is the woman which modernity has turned to a tool of sales promotion and object of entertainment. The woman is now the best show piece when Mirinda is to be marketed; the woman is on display when KFC is to enter a local market; her hot legs and slender arms invite to the showroom of the latest benz, bmw or volvo. But her children are in the hands of some nannies that pump them with valium to keep them asleep while mummy is away on duty. Her innocent teenage daughter is in the

arms of some devils deflowering her as madam has no time to guide or groom her to a responsible adult. Her 20-year old son is at some joint, club, casino or gaming centre wasting precious time since mummy has no meaning in his life to mentor him. Who should we blame? It is the world that removed the skirt and the wrapper from today’s woman and forced her into tight trousers and jeans to box and fight like an agbero in the motor park while hassling for daily bread.. She is now so strong that a man makes no meaning in her life as a marital mate.

The thoughts and ideas that motherhood and parenting are unviable are what pushed the woman into the labour market. The woman as the perfect facility manager of the past era is mostly today an incompetent mother. So, the paradise is lost as women lose the virtues of motherhood through feminist ideas and women liberation thoughts. How we regain this lost paradise is a challenge for all who are concerned about the future and the successor generation.

Our children will be saved from the monsters of the modern world when women return to the gates of paradise as responsible mothers and managers of the beautiful facility of Al-jannah.

Solanke writes from Lagos.

A revolution against rules of sovereignty game

BY UZOMA JUDE et’s say it, we are not better together! The hunters have become the hunted. Physician heal yourself. The measure you used against somebody must be used against you someday.

The jinx is broken. The captive of the mighty is about to be delivered. The captor is now watching helplessly and at the brink of losing her subordinate. The magic wand is losing its potency.

Things are gradually and steadily falling apart but this time around, to the detriment of the mighty. The colonizer will soon walk alone. The time for divorce is now! “Following months of negotiations, both sides have made major concessions to pave way for the final accord to be signed on Monday (22nd October, 2012) by Cameron and Salmond at Edinburgh’s St. Andrew’s House seat of the Scottish government. The agreement will see Scotland take an important step towards independence, and the means to create a fairer and more prosperous Scotland.

Salmomnd said ahead of the meeting. “I look

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forward to working positively for yes vote in 2014.

Scotland already has many of the trappings of an independent nation such as its own flag, legal system, sports teams as well as a distinctive internal identity following centuries of rivalry with its southern neighbor”- culled from THISDAY, October 17, 2012. The hunter here is Britain, our ex-colonial master, the author of the false and incompatible marriage called amalgation between Northern Protectorate and Southern Protectorate of 1914. Lord Luggard and Flora Louisa in their wanton desires while claiming to help the three different and unrelated tribes called Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba; baptized them Nigeria or ‘Niger Area’.

They claimed to have given us democracy that they themselves do not practise impartially. But today, things have fallen apart. The same thing that they told Nnamdi Azikiwe, Jeremaih Obafemi Awolowo and Tafawa Balewa- our founding fathers to our own detriment; was the same principle they also applied to Scotland in the centuries past. According to THISDAY of October 17, 2012: “England and Scotland have shared

monarch since 1603 and have been ruled by one single parliament in London since 1707. In 1999, for the first time since then, a devolved Scottish parliament was opened following a referendum.”

Again, change is always a new and dynamic order of things and those who benefit from the old order will never allow the new order to stay. That is why the Prime Minister, David Cameron, in the wake of this call by Scotland to gain independence, started pushing for the idea that “Britain is stronger together”. But, who are they deceiving? Scotland will soon decide its fate by voting come 2014. I can’t wait for that day to come to celebrate with Scotland. It will be like when Israel came out of the land of Egypt. When the British were handing over power to Nigerians in 1960, to our neocolonialists, whom I have earlier mentioned in this piece, they played some intrigues. They left through the front door, while leaving the back door open for their easy return so that they can be ruling by proxy via their stooge-leaders. Nigeria was due to gain her independence in 1958. But was delayed by two more years, reason being that they wanted the

Northern protectorate to be educated and when they finally became educated, they were given the most powerful position of Prime Minister. It is because their magic wand of indirect rule worked more in the North, and was greatly repelled in the East, South and West. Going down memory lane, the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates did not help Nigeria maximally; rather, it resulted into untimely disagreement, coup and counter coup, civil war (within six years of self-rule) militancy, insecurity and finally Boko Haram insurgency. The real independence is yet to come. Just as Scotland has lost interest in Britain and has taken bold steps towards an independence referendum, the agitating blocks of our country, are not far from doing the same. As Britain’s Prime Minister sets to finalize arrangements for a vote which could lead to the demise of Scotland’s three centuries-old union with England, Nigeria in her 98 years old amalgamation instead of independence is also watching. Let’s say it, we are not better together!

Jude writes via chimajudy@yahoo.com

DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Memories

Philip Nwosu 08176449110

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R YOU S U SEND HOTOS P OLD wosu@yahoo.co.uk phillipn e-mail:

Today in History

Nixon takes second term by landslide President Richard Nixon on this day in November 1972 won an overwhelming victory in the US presidential elections for a second term in the White House.

He took 61% of the popular vote, compared with 38% for his Democrat rival Senator George McGovern.

He won 521 Electoral College votes and carried 49 states while Mr. McGovern took just 17 votes and won only two states, Massachusetts and the predominantly black district of Columbia.

However, Mr Nixon’s Republican party lost ground in the Senate and fell short of gaining control of the House of Representatives.

In total, the Democrats now controlled 57 of the 100 seats in the Senate.

In the House of Representatives, the Republicans increased their seats from 179 to 191, but still short of the Democrats with 243, down 13. Independents gained one.

Senator McGovern delivered his concession speech from his home town of Sioux Falls in South Dakota.

In it he spoke of his desire to see an end to the war in Vietnam. “We will press on with this effort until all the bloodshed, all the sorrow has ended once and for all,” he said.

The president’s victory - by one of the largest margins in American history - had been widely predicted by political correspondents.

1972

Sir Adetokunbo Ademola the Chief Justice of Nigeria, administering oath of office on Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as President of Nigeria in the 60s.

Deregulation‘ll save $3m daily –Obasanjo Persons opposed to the Federal Government’s recent deregulation of the downstream oil sector may as well be hitting their head against the brick wall following an affirmation by President Olusegun Obasanjo on this day in November 2003 that there was no going back as he cited yet another expected

2003

benefit of the policy.

In Houston, Texas, in the course of his working visit to the United States the President told a group of American businessmen that deregulation would release about $3million daily for the execution of social projects across Nigeria.

He spoke during a breakfast meeting with selected US oil industry executives.

Protests force out East German rulers On this day in November East Germany’s Communist-dominated government resigned - the first time such an event occurred in the country history.

The decision by the Council of Ministers to give up office left the Communists still in power but represented a major concession to the growing protest movement.

The mass government resignation was likely to have been approved by East Germany’s leader, Egon Krenz, who was expected to select a new government shortly.

The departure of Prime Minister Willi Stoph and all 44 members of his cabinet followed demonstrations over the past month in several major cities.

On Saturday one million people attended a pro-democracy rally in East Berlin’s main square.

Mr Stoph was closely associated with the recently deposed Communist leader, Erich Honecker, and Mr Honecker’s wife, Margot, who was sacked last week as education minister.

Mr Krenz was hoping the resignation of a discredited government may help stem the flow of people fleeing the country.

About 30,000 East Germans were thought to have arrived in West Germany since Saturday by using the recentlyopened border with Czechoslovakia.

Czechoslovakia was the latest of the former Soviet-bloc countries to ease travel restrictions and allow free access through its borders.

1989 1989,

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DAILY SUN

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Lagoon State will bring even development to Lagos – Gbadamosi

By OBAFEMI ADESANYA

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retired Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Government and incumbent Chairman of Ikorodu Oga Development Association, (IKODASS), Otunba Lamidi Gbadamosi, mni, has called on all Lagosians, irrespective of their political, historical or ethnic backgrounds, to support the on-going clamour for the creation of Lagoon State out of the present Lagos State, as only that could bring about even development to all areas of the state, rather than some developmental programmes concentrated in certain areas of the state to the detriment of others.

Addressing representatives of the various social clubs, professional associations and ethnic groups in Ikorodu Division, who paid him a courtesy call at the IKODASS Secretariat on Monday, as part of the preparations for the forthcoming Oga Day Celebrations, Gbadamosi said Lagosians must see the call for the creation of Lagoon State as a peopleoriented project that goes beyond land and property ownership or balkanization.

He argued that creating Lagoon state would reduce the stress of congestion in

Ikorodu and other major towns in Lagos while the proposed state would guarantee the release of allocation from the commonwealth for the development of all the rural areas. He also maintained that the new state would also correct the present imbalance in the political system and bring about fairness, equity and fairness in the federal structure.

He said: “Given all the facts already presented to the National Assembly on the issue, it is only fair and just for the Federal Government to abide by the collective wish of Lagos people on Lagoon State. Government should also note that anyone who opposes the call for the splitting of Lagos into two is not doing so in the general interest of Lagos people but for his own selfish interest.

We all know that when Lagoon State is created, it

will bring better governance and greater opportunities for the residents of the state. So, why should anyone oppose the idea?” he asked.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, Iyaloja General of Ikorodu and leader of the group, Chief Mrs Taofikat Allison said the visit was paid to the IKODASS chairman to express their commitment to the Annual Oga Day Celebrations, (which enters its 21st Edition this year) and also to express their unalloyed support for the creation of the proposed state as it would bring the government closer to them.

She therefore advised opponents of the agitation for the new state to have a rethink and avoid a situation where Lagos would be schemed out of the present process as the state had experienced in the past four state creation exercises in the country.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

DAILY SUN 23

South-East Report Community at war over change of name

By EMEKA ANOKWURU

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hat is in a name?

Perhaps, a certain community in Orumba South Local Government Area, Anambra State, will tell. The community is Umuchukwu or is it Nkerehi? So much, indeed, is a name and this community is feeling both the ends of it – the good and the bad sides. For the sake of a name, indigenes here are in a bitter internecine strife. It began in 2001 and it is all about what the name of the community should be known and called. Should it remain Nkerehi, as it was from history or Umuchukwu, as was recently changed to?

This is the contest over these few years, a contest that is helped by the deployment of all manners of weapons – physically and spiritually, in courts and in the media; at home and in the Diaspora.

The traditional ruler, Igwe Michael N. Ukaegbu, Nnanyelugo 1 of Umuchukwu, tells Daily Sun the story of how the crisis started at the turn of the century.

“When I was crowned king on February 22, 1977, this community was called Nkerehi and people often asked what did Nkerehi mean?

“Our ancestor was described as a very powerful man. He was said to have gone to another village, stole a cow and brought it back here. This was over two centuries ago. Without assistance, he brought the cow down on his head.

“By today’s standard, no man, no matter how strong, can match that feat. So, he took the name Nkerehi and his offspring, after him, bore the same and then passed it to our generation. That name also has links with fetish beliefs and idol worship.”

The monarch added that until recently, “everything in our community was stagnant. No progress, no development compared to neighbouring towns and villages where growth rate was unimaginable.”

In 2001, according to the king, indigenes of the community in Lagos decided to do something about the situation of their ancestral home because they knew that something was wrong.

“They funded a Christian crusade, which lasted days during which the deliverance minister revealed the need for thorough spiritual cleansing of the community and more importantly to demolish a shrine, Aju-ala ukwu, where a python of over a hundred years lived. Aju-ala was also an evil forest with an annual festival dedicated to it. Little did we know that the snake there acted as a spiritual rope, which tied up the fortunes of the community for many decades.

This showed up physically as poverty, strife, backwardness and fetish practice thrived. Evil spirits were all over,” he recounted.

At the shrine, there was a statue of a maiden, believed to be a virgin

buried alive in that evil forest. The spirit was powerful and notorious and because that altar was raised with human blood, it continued to speak against the land. A young man was equally buried by the iroko tree then called Ojiokwuaya.

“During the crusade, the shrine was razed down, including an ancient wooden drum (Ikoro) and charms. Also cut down was the iroko where witches and wizards were believed to hold their meetings. Our sons in Lagos actually initiated the crusade, which paved way for a change of name from Nkerehi to Umuchukwu and opening of new vistas for the community. So, when they convinced the leaders in Nkerehi to destroy all the shrines and cleanse the land, everyone agreed.

We were happy to be involved. We also went on a month of fasting and prayer.

“Then we began to search for ways to totally liberate the community from idol worship. We mobilised some resources and began to destroy evil forests, shrines and covens where these demons lived.

With this behind, we met again and agreed to change our name to ‘Nkerehi-God’s own town.’

The local referendum was held in April 2007 and those who backed the new name won, hence the name was changed to Umuchukwu as suggested by the man of God. But some people did not welcome the move.

They wanted the old name to remain. Gradually the dispute deepened and things began to fall apart, as the centre could no longer hold.

Thus began the war that pitched brother against brother and both parties fought dirty. And there were intrigues all over the land.

The opposition rejected the referendum and called for its cancellation. They took the matter to the state government and while government officials were preparing to come for a referendum, they went to court.

After eight months, the court vacated the case and asked the government to go ahead with the exercise.

So, a second referendum was conducted on January 7, 2008 and the ‘ayes’ won. The result was announced and Anambra State Government officially gazetted the new name, Umuchukwu, on March 6, 2008. Those against went to court to challenge the result.

They asked how could their ancestral name be changed like that at the instance of a preacher, not even from Anambra State?

Government officials came twice to mediate in this matter. Even when the main referendum was done, those for Umuchukwu got 750, while Nkerehi got 45 votes. But some of the indigenes still felt that they were not fairly treated in the matter.

The crisis is now more than six years. The face-off has indeed taken a toll on this community in Orumba South Local Government Area.

not been any case of misunderstanding among the people of Umuchukwu.

But those who still answer Nkerehi alleged that one prominent indigene and his collaborators were using both mobile and regular policemen from formations in Enugu and Umuahia to arrest, detain and torture perceived enemies or anybody opposed to their activities in the community.”

The protracted crisis, which has made some residents to flee the town for fear of being arrested by the police, •Igwe Ukaegbu has effectively divided the hitherto peaceful But the President General of community into two groups, those Umuchukwu community, Hon. Peter Ibezimakor, dismissed those for and against.

Tension, however, heightened allegations. recently in the troubled town, lead“There is nothing like that, Umuchukwu is calm and peaceful. ing to a violent clash, resulting from All those people that have been the change of name. Subsequently, telling you that we have problems the clash also led to wanton destrucare only deceiving you. We held a tion of property worth millions of government referendum over the naira.

Some of those involved sustained change of name and it was successful. The misunderstanding has been serious injuries. About ten were said to have received treatment in various resolved and everything is over.

“Relating to the allegations of hospitals in the area, following assault on the villagers, I tell you machete cuts inflicted on them durclearly that nobody was attacked. ing the attack by hoodlums suspectThey may have attacked themselves ed to be supporters of the opposing and want to give a dog a bad name in sides in the drama.

Reports said what irked the comorder to hang it. The post office in the community bears Umuchukwu, munity most was that a prominent also with the Divisional Police son solely changed the name of the Office, the Churches and every other town without consent and approval by the elders, town union and cominstitution in the community.

“Any one that goes about talking munity leaders, who are all staketo you about Nkerehi is only making holders in the matter.

It was alleged that the man moved up stories to deceive the public. You can even speak with the DPO here in further and erected a signpost to that effect and subsequently followed up Umuchukwu.”

Ibezimakor further contended that with electronic media announcement the allegation of Umuchukwu peo- over the name change.

Victims of the crisis vowed never ple, not attending the Roman Catholic Church in the area, was not to bow to the change of their ancestrue, insisting that all the churches tral name, citing intimidation, had been peaceful and that there had harassment and arrest as reasons.

•New road into the community

Ben Onwu, one of the youth leaders in the community, who led the aborted exercise of re-erecting “Nkerehi” signpost, said they had resolved to re-erect Nkerehi signpost alongside Umuchukwu’s signpost. This, Onwu explained, would allow all feuding sides relevance until the matter was resolved.

The youth leader said as far as Nkerehi community was concerned, Umuchukwu did not exist. He added that those seeking to change the name of the community might have found they had different ancestral background other than Nkerehi.

Mr. Joseph Anulobi, Nkerehi Progressive Union SecretaryGeneral and one of the victims of the mayhem, when interviewed, insisted there was no decision at any of the Union’s meetings to change Nkerehi’s name. He said those claiming such a decision were merely “gliding the truth” and trying to impose their whims on the people.

Elder Ezekiel Onwumeremba, a 72-year-old indigene of the community and also a victim of the onslaught, said his perceived offence was that he had expressed surprise when he saw the new signpost on returning to the town from the hospital where he had gone to visit his hospitalised son, Ben Onwu.

His words, “Our common market has been demolished, just as we were arrested and brutalised by the other group. I have so often told them to consult with the people whenever they wanted to do anything in the community. But they would not listen. No matter how they try to deplete us, the few persons that remain will not bend. But what they did actually desecrated the land.”

Nevertheless, the traditional ruler, Igwe Ukaegbu, insisted that the decision to change Nkerehi to Umuchukwu was unanimous because the old name had been bringing bad luck to the people. He maintained that since the name was changed, one of their sons, Dr. Godwin Maduka, had come back from USA to develop the community by providing basic amenities and building churches for the people.

Pius Okechukwu, President General Umuchukwu Progressive Union, corroborated the story.

Now they have taken the fight to the social media. Two web sites exist, one for Nkerehi and another for Umuchukwu, each hosting several petitions of calumny and mudslinging online.

Some of those interviewed believe no culture is static, seeing nothing wrong in the name change of the community for development and progress. God, who changed the names of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and Jabez, had a good reason but for the warring community in Orumba L.G.A, the change of name has brought on pain, tears and bloodletting.

24 DAILY SUN

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

South-East Report Kidnapping: Mobile police base T gives hope to Aba residents From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba

he Mobile Police Force Squadron 55, Osisioma, Aba, Abia State, is said to be a child of necessity. It was established in 2009 at the height of the kidnap saga in the state, particularly its commercial hub centre of Aba. At inception, the squadron had its base at the former Nsulu Games Village in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government. But when it appeared the enemy was being fought from outside and that the base needed to be at a more strategic location, it was relocated to a unit of the housing estate at Osisioma, near Aba. The relocation came with it many problems ranging from accommodation, electricity, water, fencing of the base, among others.

After three years of its establishment, the story has changed for good. This success story was as a result of the resilient and result oriented public relations approach adopted by Wilson Dankwano, the squadron commander who took over barely a year ago.

Dankwano, on assuming office, set out to make the new base look in real terms like a Mobile Police force base. He summoned meetings of the host communities, including companies doing business within the area, to drum the need to help in the development of

the barracks and the reward which they stood to get from such contributions.

This approach worked out as positive responses started pouring in from individuals and corporate bodies.

Dankwano testfied: “Apart from the government, individuals have also been supportive.

We have good friends here that have been supporting us. They had answered us each time we called upon them.

“For instance, the ongoing fencing of the base is being financed by our friends. We appealed to them that we needed the base to be fenced and they answered us. Some donated cement, others blocks and some gave us cash. And this has encouraged us to give our best to the society.

“I thank God for His mercies and for using people around us to develop this place. There are a lot of developments in the base. Look at our clinic, you will be marveled thank you with the hope that they at what people had contributed to will give us more.”

Consequently, Dankwano, keep this place going and that was why we deemed it necessary to say promised residents of Aba and its

environs that the 2012 Yuletide would be crimefree as the squadron in conjunction with the Army and other security outfits in the area are working hard to ensure that the relative peace enjoyed in the area is maintained: “We have embarked on retraining of our men on ambush and counter ambush.

We have also increased our •Dankwano patrol schedule to cover the entire city and its environs. It is mandatory that we reciprocate your good gesture and that we will do by providing adequate security in the

Between Ekweremadu, S’East lawmakers career was finished from that day. Such was the drama of the absurd staged by a Senator of South-east extraction, a region that has continued to produce top flyers in every sphere of human endeavour both in Nigeria and all over the world.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President, ever unwavering in saying in the open what most public office holders would prefer to murmur in their bedrooms or beer palours, stirred the •Ekweremadu hornets nest on the quality of leadership from the community level to federal

By OKECHI MOLOKWU level over time.

Speaking at the second Zik n May 2006, in the heat of the third term debate, a Senator Annual Lecture Series entitled, told his colleagues: “My con- “The Leadership Ideology of the stituents, my family and I support Great Zik of Africa and the tenure elongation of four more Challenges of Leadership in years for the president and my Nigeria” in Awka, Anambra State, governor.” But that was not the recently, he lamented that despite issue. The “wahala” was that in being among the most educationally summing up his contribution, advanced parts of Nigeria, the South Senator Christopher Nshi, a East still sends intellectually poor renowned rice farmer, represent- and less than its first 11 to the ing Ebonyi State, told his embar- National Assembly.

On the decay of leadership and rassed colleagues and certainly a bewildered world in a live broad- the imperatives of reviving knowlcast debate: “Mr. President (of the edgeable leadership which Zik was a renown icon, Ekweremadu Senate, that is), I am finished.”

Thinking perhaps, he did not cap- said:“The world is moving at a ture Nshi’s comment correctly, neck-breaking speed; new schools the Senate President had asked of thoughts and technological evohim if he was really sure he was fin- lutions are consistently and drastiished. For the second consecutive cally changing the way we do time, Nshi confirmed to an already things, while also availing leaders of laughing and rolling Senate that “I unlimited opportunities and myriads of options to take their countries to am finished.”

And, indeed, Nshi’s political greater heights, and Nigeria cannot

I

be an exception. Modern leaders must be indeed be knowledgeable enough to discern the direction the global society is moving, the opportunities that lie ahead, and galvanise their societies to blaze the trail and not trail the blaze leaders.”

The Ekweremadu’s Committee had also during the last constitution amendment exercise tried to raise the educational qualification benchmarks set by the constitution for the President, Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governor as well as Federal and state legislators from Senior Secondary School Certificate/equivalent to tertiary education in line with the emerging modern day realities. It was passed by the Senate, but died in the lower chamber.

Meanwhile, whereas the South East cannot be said to be the only guilty geopolitical zone in churning out less than qualified leaders, it is obvious Ekweremadu was particularly peeved that even if you pardon some other parts if they send just anybody, certainly not the South East. As our fathers taught us, you do not go to a market of birds and return home with just any bird, let alone the vulture. Not when you have the eagle, the sparrow and other birds of glory and strength.

Yes, what has happened to leadership recruitment in the South East should give every Igbo son and daughter a cause to worry.

Coming back to the National Assembly, thank God for some accomplished brains and thoroughbred career people such as Uche Chukwumerije, Chris Ngige, Ayogu Ezeh, Nkechi Nwogu, Chris Anyanwu as well as some good brains in the House of Representatives. But the truth is that the few solid people are a far cry from the intellectual“timbers and calibres” that the South East is saturated with. In a federal system like Nigeria, any section that fails to

send its best 11 stands to lose out woefully. And that is exactly what has been happening to Ndigbo. We cannot be in the midst of ocean of knowledgeable and accomplished personalities of renowned pedigrees and impeccable antecedents and still bath with saliva or allow soap to enter our eyes. It is unpardonable.

We have witnessed where Senator Joy Emodi, an experienced politician, educationist, lawyer, a member of the 1994/1995 Constitution Conference, and in fact, the first Igbo female senator was displaced. For the remaining part of that Sixth National Assembly, nothing was heard of Anambra North again in the Senate.

We also saw at a time even in Ekweremadu’s Enugu State, when taxi drivers and stark illiterates were sent to represent Enugu in the 2005 National Political Reform Conference. You begin to wonder what had happened to retired Supreme Court juggernauts like Justice Nnaemeka Agu or the Aniagolus or the Onos Nwangwos at the time.

The intent is not to disparage anybody, but to re-echo Ekweremadu’s wake-up call on Ndigbo. For God’s sake, as Ndigbo often say, Abada nwere onye o na-ekwesi. That is, wrappers look better on some waists than others. While the masses of the people will clap for Ekweremadu for speaking up as the highest political office holder of South East extraction, some members of the political class might as well call for his head. But the truth is that, like the native malaria concoction, truth might be bitter. But in the end, it does a lot of good to the system. Let us listen to our son. It is a wake-up call.

Ndigbo, unu mukwa anya e?

•Okechi Molokwu writes in from Nnamidi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State.

area.

“These ember months will be crime free. We are fully prepared to contain any security challenge during this period as our men will always be on the move. We are adequately prepared, what we are asking for is the cooperation of the public to volunteer information when necessary.

“With the strategies employed by the command and the assistance offered by the army and the Abia State Government, residents of the city would continue to sleep with their two eyes closed even this Christmas period. The state government has been supporting us. In fact, we got a new patrol vehicle from the state government, which has increased our patrol fleet.

“By the grace of God with what we have put on ground, we promise you that the safety of residents and visitors to the city is assured. We are here, we are not going anywhere, and we are revalidating our training and strategies to combat crime in the area.”

Mrs Amamgbo goes home urial rites for Mrs. Augustina Ejerifemba Amamgbo begin on November 8 and 9 with a Christian wake-keep at Sir Chux Amamgbo’s residence, 4, Ayinde Bisi Close, Akowonjo, Lagos and a Requiem Mass at the Christ the King Catholic Church, Akowonjo, Alimoso Local Government Area, Lagos respectively. A Vigil Mass follows at the Amamgbo’s Ihiala country home in Umudike, Uzoakwa, Ihiala, Ihiala LGA on November 22.

The Burial Mass at the St. Martin’s Catholic Church, Odoata-Ihiala on November 23 will be followed by interment and entertainment of guests at the Amamgbo compound while Thanksgiving Service holds on Sunday, November 25 at 10am.

Mrs. Amamgbo (nee Nnanatu), fondly called Acharaugo who died on October 4, at the age of 76 is survived by a widower, Pa Patrick Amamgbo, seven children including Chief Chux Amamgbo (Onwa), member of the Knight of St. John’s International and CEO, Interglobe Ventures and Trust Ltd, and many grandchildren.

Born in Umuokorafor, Umudioka-Umuohi in Okija, Anambra State, she was an astute educationist, devout Catholic and community leader.

B

•The late Amamgbo

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

DAILY SUN 25

South-East Report GSM operators storm Okposi for Ngene From GODDY OSUJI, Enugu

F

or the Okposi Okwu community in Ohaozara Local Government area of Ebonyi State, Nwabueze Nwachukwu Ngene, is the chip off the old block. He took very much from his dead father who rose from a lowly rated upbringing to an exalted position.

Thus the Okposi Okwu people found Ngene worthy to be bestowed with one of the highest titles in the community, the Onyiba Gburugburu of Okposi community.

The ceremony which was joined with the burial ceremony of Nwabueze’s father who died 10 years ago witnessed the gathering of the people of Okposi from far and near, as well as his business associates within and outside the country.

The ceremony also attracted all the major telecommunication networks in the country who struggled for a space to identify with the man who carved a niche for himself in the telecommunication industry worldwide.

Ngene’s father held the Onyiba title which the kingmakers of the community found him worthy to hold. “I like the title and that is essentially why I decided to do what my father did,” Ngene told Daily Sun: “I will continue to help my people, but I want you to know that action speaks louder than voice. I don’t believe in talking, I believe that by the grace of God I will do it and will do it better. When I started, people never believed we will come to this level and within the short period we have done well and I give God the glory and not to any individual. The possibility of what you are seeing today was made possible

by God. “I am into communication business. I have been in the business right from inception of GSM in Nigeria. The business has been so strong and up and down as life is also up and down. The business has made me as could be observed all the networks are represented here because I do business with them.

Because business has been part of my life I do business with all the telecommunication networks in the country and doing business is about challenges and my life is all about challenges. I overcome these challenges because of patience.

Why businesses fail “The cause of their own failure is in them because they are not honest and not sincere to themselves. If people are sincere to themselves he or she will not regret it. We are in Okposi to celebrate the death of my father. As it is the custom of our people, when they die we don’t put them in the fridge. They will say bury me; so, instead of putting him in the fridge we put him in the ground over 10 years ago.

Conditions attached to my title “We will be visiting many markets within the community. As we go, we shall be leaving behind about six white horses with 21 gun salutes in each of the markets. At the same time spray money to those who will come to welcome us and give them assorted drinks.

Taking the title

•Obini “My father held the title and after deliberation by the kingmakers of the community they found me worthy to hold the title and I like the title and that is essentially why I decided to do what my father did.

He was a holder of the Onyiba title and for you to aspire for the title you must be prepared to feed a large population of people; not to feed to economize, but continue to feed the people and kill many cows up to 100. To be an Onyiba you must be knowledgeable in the traditions and customs of the people and be prepared to preside over traditional matters.

ty leaders and by extension Ohaozara Local Government area.

We are happy that we have an illustrious son like this who is interested in the culture and tradition of the people. He has been at the forefront of human development and God blessed him as one man and has in turn given him blessings, especially the vulnerable and indigent children he has done so much for them.

“Those whose parents could not pay their school fees he has helped them to go back to school and even those who could not undertake any business he has helped them to establish and they are doing pretty well and most of them are giving out to others now. So, he has done well for this community and we are very proud of him.

“My advice to the youths is that they should be hard working; they should put God first in everything they do because every blessing comes from God and don’t be faster than your God, follow your God; don’t be in front, be behind your God, read your Bible and follow the word of God you will get to where God wants you to get to. Every human being has a destiny, but you need to work hard to get to your own destiny. My advice to them is that they should be hard working, dedicated and fear God.” Aja Obini is coordinator,

My selection “It is because I have given employment to over 70 graduates from the community and outside so they found me worthy and by the grace of God they want others to emulate me just as they expect me to do more for the people. There are other things outside giving employment to the indigenes which I have done for the community that need not to be announced. There are things we are doing underground, person-to-person helping of people to start their own business.”

Guests at the occasion also spoke. Ogbuefi Elekwachi Akpa, chairman Ohaozara Local Government area: “I am here to celebrate with my brother Abuson. He is now seen as one of the communi-

Anuagata Development Centre Okposi: “We are here to show them solidarity in the celebration of life and time of their late father and most especially to register my support to Nwabueze Nwachukwu who the community will be conferring the highest chieftaincy traditional title in the land of Okposi Okwu, the Onyiba title. The activities commenced two days ago, this is the third day.”

Akin Adebisi, Zonal Business Manager, Airtel Network Lagos: “We are in Okposi to commiserate with Mr Nwabueze, the chairman of Abuson who lost his father and he has been a very good customer of my company as a dealer. He is the number one dealer and as a matter of fact he is very important for us to come and commiserate with him with the little support the organization can give him. He has been there for us, very reliable, very dependable and as a matter of fact he is a friend. We are satisfied that we are here, we look at it beyond being a customer, beyond the business we are friends and we know that the relationship will extend beyond business.”

Kunle Adebiyi, GM Sales, MTN: “We are here for the burial of Ogbuinyinya, the father of one of our business partners. The son of the man that is being buried today

happens to be one of our very good partners. We worked with him for so many years, committed to our business and we thought it wise that the best way to reciprocate is to be part of the celebration of life because for us at the MTN the desire of a 90-year-old man is to be part of it and that is why we sent a very powerful delegation and that is why I am here with my colleagues.”

Ugochukwu Okere, Etisalat Accounts Dealer: “We are here just to show that we really love and appreciate him for the contributions he has made to us. And that is why you can see our banners decorated all over here and we have been here for the past three days. Our presence in Okposi is to show the people that this guy is a well respected person in our network.

Chioma Ede, Key Accounts consultant, Visafone: “Ononenyi is a strategic partner and a friend of Visafone family. So, we are here with the staff to pay our condolence over the death if his father because he is a man who lived our 90 years and we are here to celebrate the life of Ononenyi’s father. When he came on board over a year ago and over that period he has shown himself to be a very reliable person and exceeded our expectation that is why he is one of the richest dealers in our network and that is why we are here today.”

•Nwabueze sharing some gift items

Day Orofia community stood still for Oyeka

By GILBERT EKEZIE

O

rofia village, Alor, Idemili South Local Government area, Anambra State, witnessed the presence of large number of people recently during the burial of an educationist and founder of RYBEKA Education Foundation, Lagos, Chief Benedict Nwankwo Oyeka (Ugobuife). He died in Lagos on August 1, 2012.

In the requiem mass in his honour at St Mary’s Catholic Church Alor, Rev Father Cornelius Okoye extolled the virtues of the deceased as one who lived an exemplary life. He described death as an inevitable circumstance and advised the people to always live worthy lives that would earn them eternal life.

Younger brother of the

deceased, Professor Cyprian Oyeka, described death as an inevitable circumstance that comes at the God’s appointed time. He explained that his late brother lived a worthy life and left a good legacy for all the family members: “Oyeka family and those who knew our brother would not forget him in a hurry because he was a good man. He was hard working and made serious impacts in the family and the society at large. He also contributed immensely to make me become what I am today. He and our surviving elder brother, Raymond trained me.

“In fact, he really proved that the extended family system is good by taking care of other members of the family and we will continue from where he stopped to make sure that the light he put on

in the family does not go off.”

The traditional ruler of Alor, Igwe Japhet Nkwoka, described the deceased as a father and a grassroots personality who identified himself with the development in the community. His first son, Hilary, said: “Papa was never found wanting in all his family and communal responsibilities and challenges. He really molded our lives and created opportunities for us to have a better future. We really missed him.”

Second son, Charles, described him as a mentor and astute disciplinarian: “Papa was played important roles in our lives. He was there for us as a father and inculcated discipline, hard work and sense of humanity in us. In •Late Oyeka fact, it will be difficult for us to fit cial talents However, we will do into the giant shoes he left behind our best to ensure that his good because he was created with spe- name remains.”

26

DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

POLITICS...&Polity Pension for former leaders:

Merit pay or bonanza?

In the midst of poverty, infrastructure and development deficit, former leaders at both the federal and state levels enjoy staggering sum of money and other perks as pension benefits annually to the consternation of other citizens. NDUBUISI ORJI writes.

How justifiable is the staggering sum paid to former presidents, vice presidents, former Senate Presidents, ex-governors and their deputies every year as pension benefits? hose championing the payment of pension and gratuities to former leaders believe the gesture will reduce graft by public officers, because, knowing that at the end of their tenure they are entitled to hefty pension benefits, the leaders are more likely to serve the county more conscientiously.

For the beneficiaries of the pension schemes, they are well-deserved benefits. But the citizens think otherwise. Several Nigerians have described the pensions as immoral. This group expressed displeasure that former leaders at both the national and state levels are placed on pension after most of them are known to have run the country and their respective states aground when they were in government.

In keeping with the pension law for the former leaders, the federal government and the various state governments have to cough out staggering sums of money running into several billion or hundreds of million naira annually as pension benefits to past leaders.

For instance, in the 2013 appropriation bill, the sum of N5.5billion has been budgeted for the pension allowances of past leaders at the federal level.

A legal expaert, Prof. Itse Sagay, said it is an anomaly for the government to spend such amount on people who had no financial problems.

“It is one of the greatest anomalies of Nigeria. These past leaders are people who are already very rich. These are people who had access to our resources. Many of them and their families have no financial problems. It is, therefore, ironic that the government prefers to spend billions on these privileged few, while over 70 per cent of Nigerians are living below one dollar per day,” he said. Sagay advised

“When you pay 5.5 billion naira to former leaders as pensions, and the pensions for former workers, former police officers, former railway people, former doctors, former teachers, they are being stolen by people yet those people who stole the money, you

can’t even try them, is that not gangsterism? This democracy is democracy for a few.”

T

government to reduce its expenditure on past leaders, stressing that such monies could be used for the provision of basic infrastructure across the country.

For former governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie Oyegun there is nothing wrong with payment of pension to ex-presidents and governors. In his view, not only should pension be paid to former leaders at the state and federal levels, it must must also be very attractive.

The former governor argues that this will go along way in checking corruption in the system.

“The salaries and pension should be attractive, so that they should not be tempted,” he says.

However, the former governor adds that such paymemts must carry with it “a heavy responsibiity. If any one of them if found to have robbed the state, the person should be punished examplaray. If you dont pay them well, you are giving them room to help themselves. But if after paying them pension and they still steal, you can lock them up and through the keys away.”

Sagay says he would prefer a arrangement where former presidents and governors are paid a one off gratuity at the end of their tenure, instead a pension that they fix for themselves.

The pension packages for former leaders The pension for former leaders at the federal government level covers past presidents-, including former military leaders, Prime Minister, Vice Presidents, Presidents of the Senate, and Speakers of the House of Representatives.

However, those removed from office by impeachment are not eligible for the benefits.

The families of deceased ex-presidents and vice presidents are also entitled to an annual payment for upkeep of their spouse(s) and education of their children up to university level.

According to the pension law enacted by the National Assembly, this spousal upkeep allowance will cease the moment the last spouse of the deceased passes on.

In the states, the Rivers State pension law recently passed by the state House of Assembly, and signed by the state governor, Mr Rotimi Ameachi, stipulates that former governors of the state and the deputies get 100 per cent of their basic salaries as pensions, two houses each for former governors and deputy governors in the state.

One of the houses will be built in Abuja; the nation’s capital while the other will be constructed in any part of the state. In accordance with the enabling law, the state government will furnish the buildings.

Besides, as part of their pensions, ex-governors and their deputies are entitled to three cars each, which will be replaced every three years, free medical treatment for former chief executives and members of their immediate families; provision of cooks, drivers, stewards, gardeners and other domestic workers, who are also expected to earn pensions after retirement.

They are also entitled to eight security operatives.

In Lagos State, the pension law provides that a former governor is entitled to a pension that is the same as the salary of the incumbent governor. 300 percent of this amount as furniture allowance, two houses (one in Abuja and the other in Lagos), three replaceable brand new cars amongst other benefits.

Like Rivers and Lagos States, Kwara, Edo, Gombe and several other states have equally enacted various pension laws to take care of their former leaders. Albeit, at serious financial cost to the states.

At the twilight of his administration, immediate past governor of Gombe state, Senator Danjuma Goje, had reportedly paid himself

•Jonathan

•Amaechi

•Mark

and his deputy the sum of N300m as executive pension benefits. Recently, a member of the House of Representatives representing Apapa Federal Constituency Mr. Babatunde Adewale mooted a bill that would provide for pensions for former members of the National Assembly.

Adewale had said at a town hall meeting in Apapa, Lagos, that the bill was aimed at reducing corruption among lawmakers. He said it would also aid their oversight function.

But is it really justifiable for these colossal sum of money to be paid to the former leaders at both the federal and state levels, especially when most of them are alleged to have ruined the country and the states, when they held sway as the chief executives? If it is justifiable, is it also morally right for former heads of the executive arms of government at the federal level and their counterparts in the state to pocket such mouth watering benefits after a mere four or eight years tenures in office?

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Lagos State and former governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Dominic Adegbola says the pension benefits for the past leaders are uncalled for.

Adebgola holds the view that the pension packages as presently obtained across the nation, particularly in Lagos State is “excessive and obscene”.

“Why should an ex-governor receive any pension at all anyway? Was he jobless before he became governor? How many years did he put into public service? How much did he contribute to the pension fund?” he queried He says the argument that it would prevent government officials from stealing while in office does not hold water. “If, as some people suggest, the purpose is to discourage a sitting governor from stealing public money, then that presupposes that the governor had a propensity for stealing and therefore, was not worthy to be governor in the first place”, he argued.

Mr. Bamidele Aturu, a Lagos based lawyer agrees. Aturu says the pension policy is antidevelopment. He said the huge sums of money that goes to former leaders as pensions shows that the nation’s democracy is only for a few privileged group.

He added that the pension policy for former leaders is ridiculous when considered against the backdrop that most of them during the terms of office stole the country blind.

According to him “We are practising gangsterism as democracy. When you pay 5.5 billion naira to former leaders as pensions, and the pensions for former workers, former police officers, former railway people, former doctors, former teachers, they are being stolen by people yet those people who stole the money, you can’t even try them, is that not gangsterism? This democracy is democracy for a few.”

Aturu warns of dire consequences if the country continues like this. “If Nigeria goes on like this, there would be an implosion. There is no way you are going to run a country and the country will develop if this is the kind of selfishness that motivates leaders. How would you go and assign 5.5billion naira for former leaders, those who have had enough money. Some of them have probably even stolen enough money for two generations; you still go and be paying them money. . If a man is getting so much money from the state for doing nothing, and those who worked, those who laboured their pension is been stolen and nobody is being tried. There is no way there is not going to be revolution if this continues.”

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

DAILY SUN

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POLITICS...&Polity A House of Representatives member representing Maiduguri Constituency, Kaka Kyari Gujbawu in this interview stirred a controversy as he tackled his colleagues in the House over their belligerence against the executive on the slow implementation of the 2012 budget. He argued that the Reps have no right to move at variance with the position of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) on any issue.

He also revealed that the National Assembly will prune the powers of state Governors in the ongoing constitution review. Similarly he said the exercise would be used to relieve the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) the responsibility of Oil and Gas exploration. He spoke with IHEANACHO NWOSU It is being feared and speculated that members of the National Assembly from the Northern part of the country are not happy with the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) as presented by President Goodluck Jonathan, and so they may stop it from being passed. How do you view this? do not think there is any fear about the passage of the PIB bill as presented by the President. It is just that maybe, as could be expected, there could be alterations on it and that is the beauty of democracy. Each of the 360 members of the House of Representatives and the 109 Senators has a right to bring any kind of amendment he deems fit to the bill on the floor of the House, and if majority of members of the House accepts the amendment, it becomes part of the bill. And as a Nigerian, everybody has a right to bring an amendment to the bill. So I do not think there is any fear that legislators from Northern Nigeria are planning to scuttle the bill.

Yes, there are some observations that were raised like the issue of Frontier Exploration Agency. It may interest you to know that immediately after the PIB that was lingering in the House of Representatives during the sixth Assembly was withdrawn, as a member of the House of Representatives, I brought forward an individual member’s bill tagged “A Bill for the Establishment of the National Frontiers Exploration Services for the purpose of the exploration of Oil and Gas in the frontiers of the Chad Basin, Sokoto Basin, Benue Trough, the Anambra Basin, the Dahomey Basi and all what have you.” Now, the understanding is that my bill was before the House before President Jonathan brought the PIB. My understanding is that in the Chad Basin, the Niger Republic has already explored oil and have started selling oil to the international market, the same with Chad Republic. As at last year, from the facts made available to us, Chad Republic has shipped its 111th lots of crude oil to the international market.

And both Chad and Niger are being assisted by Chinese companies and they started exploration activities on their own side of the Basin in less than a decade and they have succeeded, why have we not succeeded on the Nigerian side? We are just talking about the Lake Chad Basin, when you go to the Dahomey Basin, as it is today, Ghana has since started exploration and has since started selling Crude to the international market on its side of the Dahomey basin, and we have parts of Dahomey basin both in Lagos and Ogun States. Nigeria is yet to start exploration on those sides.

So, we feel that the NNPC’s activities in the Niger Delta are so enormous that its hands are filled up. Their hands are filled up so much that they do not have much time or probably the resources to now commit to the other basins. And people like me and others feel that there is need for the government to establish a robust, autonomous oil exploration company to cater exclusively for the exploration of oil and gas in the inland basins in the other five zones of the country, hence my Bill.

And this bill has gone through the first reading and the second but when it came for the third reading and narration and met the PIB sent by Mr. President, the House observed in its wisdom that since Mr. President’s bill had already gone for the first reading and awaiting second reading, it is only

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Constitution amendment:

We ‘ll whittle down governors’ powers – Rep “The governors are damned too powerful under the present constitution, because there is a lot of lacuna. As far as the powers and functions of the governors are concerned, which have not been addressed in this constitution, and I think there is need for us to address those issues.”

appropriate and in accordance with the rules of the House that the two bills be reconciled and made a single bill. And I am sure that by the time my private bill is reconciled with the President’s bill, most of the profound fears of the Northern legislators would have been properly addressed.

But what are the core objectives that your own bill seeks to achieve?

Mr. President’s transformation agenda, he has made it a policy to increase our present crude oil reserve from 32 billion metric tones upwards; strategically through the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas in the inland basins. That means we are talking about the Sokoto basin, the Chad Basin, the Dahomey Basin and the rest. So, it is already a policy thrust of Mr. President’s transformation agenda.

So, my bill is going to give a robust legal frame work to achieve Mr. President’s transformation agenda.

Secondly, politically today, the major issue in our economy is about fiscal federalism, resource control. When resource control is discussed, what comes mind is the control of the oil resources that come from your land and all the five zones in Nigeria outside the Niger Delta are vehemently against resource control or even increasing the derivation formula from 13 per cent upwards, because they feel that their revenue from oil will be drastically reduced. So with the establishment of the Frontier Agency as contained in my own bill, and with Mr. President’s policy thrust of increasing crude oil deposits in all these basins, all these debates about fiscal federalism will be smoothly addressed without rancour.

And lastly but more importantly, we see it as a means of re-engineering and re-invigorating the economy of these other zones in the country particularly the zone I come from, where from all the economic indices, we are left behind not only in Nigeria but in subsahara Africa. Most of the challenges we are facing today, you will believe with me that they are primarily due to economic situation of our people. We have a large chunk of youths roaming the streets without anything to do. We believe that by the time all these become robust, most of our youths will have something to do.

Much dust have been raised about this issue of constitutional review.

How does this help the average Nigerians?

You know that as a nation we are only 52

•Gujbawu years old. A good part of these 52 years was spent under military dictatorship and most of our constitutions are the product of military dictatorship including the present one we are operating. As a people, I think that amendments to constitution are natural process of development of any nation. So, I think it is a welcome development because when you open the Nigerian constitution now, it starts with a phrase ‘We the people.....’And you and I know that we never contributed to the making of that constitution. I think that we should encourage the process of constitution amendment until we have a product that we can call our own.

What is the problem between the National Assembly and State governors regarding this constitution amendment?

We hear and read of alleged gang up against State governors in the National Assembly to whittle down powers of the governors?

Ganging up against who? State governors? I do not think there is any reason at all for us to gang up against the governors to reduce their powers. May be, I think the governors are probably going beyond their limits.

Let me give you an example. If an election takes place today, I mean gubernatorial election in any state, the President of the country hardly has input into determining who becomes the governor of any state. But if a local government election takes place in any state today, you and I are certain that whichever names the governor sits down to choose in the government House will become the chairmen of the local government areas. I mean that is what happens practically.

The governors are too powerful under the present constitution, because there is a lot of lacuna. As far as the powers and functions of the governors are concerned, which have not been addressed in this constitution, and I think there is need for us to address those issues.

Some of the issues causing trouble has to do with the move to grant financial independence to Houses of Assembly in the states as well as the local government councils, how do you people intend to go about it?

Well, you see, what goes around, comes around. They are governors today, they may not be governors tomorrow. Mr. President was once a governor, the Vice President was once a governor too. Who knows what they will be in future? So, I think it is in their own best interest because rules are not meant to punish any individual at any point in time. It is not meant for just one generation; it is meant for generations yet unborn. So, if there are amendments, it is not targeted at any individual; it is targeted at the offices they occupy which several individuals are coming to occupy later. And when somebody takes certain powers from you, he is not trying to punish you; rather he is trying to make you more effective; what would you do with such powers that you hardly use?

How would you convince your constituents that this constitution review exercise is justifiable?

I will give you an instance. The constituency I represent at the National Assembly, Maiduguri Federal Constituency, consist of about 726 polling units. Population wise it is about two or more millions.

One local government in Nigeria which is almost the size of some states in this Federation. And it is just one Federal Constituency.

Because to us from Maiduguri, we are short changed, it is unfair.

A settlement of about two million with 726 polling units is only one local government, whereas when you go to some states in this country, by the time you take these indices, you find about six to seven local government areas in such settlements.

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POLITICS...&Polity Mr Brady Chijoke Nwosu is a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Imo State. He is currently, the acting National Publicity secretary of Njiko Igbo, a pan Igbo political group that is geared towards addressing the perceived marginalization of Ndigbo.

He spoke to NDUBUISI ORJI in Lagos about the objectives of the group.

Excerpts: What is Njiko Igbo all about? e have other Igbo social groups like MASSOB, Aka Ikenga, but none of them is a political group. This is a pro-active political group that is for all Igbos, home and abroad, those in government and out of government. It is not fronting or any political party or individual. It is a group that will further the interest of the Igbos home and abroad for us to get our own dividends in the corporate Nigeria. It is a political movement that doesn’t have any political platform.

I look at the country in a way that no area can exist without the other, we have already come up with Njiko Igbo to further the interest of Ndigbo.

Njiko Igbo believes in the corporate existence of Nigeria and two more states be added to the south east. We believe that it is time an Igbo man becomes the president of Nigeria and that it should happen in 2015. We are not going to war again. We will keep agitating until our dreams are realized. In 1999, when Abdusalami was there, the Yoruba nation through NADECO bent the hands of the military and they produced a president in Olusegun Obasanjo for eight years. When Obasanjo was there, there was agitation again. The Niger Delta started their own agitations by kidnapping whites, making that place uncomfortable.

So there is a problem, that is why the Njiko Igbo has to come up now to ensure that everybody comes together. We cannot realize the presidency by scattering our ambition. We have to come together, that is why Njiko Igbo is there.

Our group strongly believes that an Igbo man should become president in 2015. An Igbo man has never been president of this country. Each time there is an opportunity for the Igbos to produce president, something will happen. Either a coup d etat or some other thing. In the second republic, when (Shehu) Shagari won for a second term, there was a move to position (Alex) Ekwueme to become president and it was thwarted by the coup of 1983. This time around they have been democracy since 1999, our brothers from Ijaw have already attained the presidency but we have not. And Igbo is a political bloc. There are only three blocs in Nigeria.

That is the north, the west and the East. So for us to be denied the presidency in 2015, it would be good. We are working towards an Igbo man becoming president in 2015, irrespective of any arrangement.

But some Igbos are urging President Goodluck Jonathan to go for a second term.

The votes from the south east actually made the president. The point is that in as much as some of our leaders tend to support Jonathan for second term, Jonathan has not told anybody that he is contesting in 2015 even though his body language suggests it. It is our turn to go in 2015. Today’ philosophy is based on your utterance. He has to say it that he wants to contest.

On what platform do you intend to pursue the Igbo presidency?

At the appropriate time we will come up with that. The Njiko Igbo is completely different from other groups. First of all we have to get ourselves together. All the members of Njiko Igbo are Igbos from every walk of life.

Every Igbo man whether in government or out of government is a member of this group.

All the members of Njiko Igbo are from different political parties and we are doing our consultation and the consultation is going very well.

We are moving around canvassing.

Consulting. Our leadership in Njiko Igbo has already met the Obi of Onitsha and many of

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2015: Njiko Igbo ’ll unite Ndigbo –Nwosu

•Nwosu the leaders in Igbo land, we are moving on . we have gone very far. we are not joking. We are trying to get every Igbo politician together and we are doing it very quickly. Sooner or later we will make a statement towards 2015.

What is the position of your group on the Constitution amendment?

I believe in the corporate existence of Nigeria. Our fore fathers fought, our leaders from the Igbo section fought to put Nigeria together. Again based on the amendment of the constitution of Nigeria going on, I believe two more stated should be created in Igbo land to bring us at par with other zones. Like some other zones have seven, let us have seven states. Again, certain things are supposed to be done in terms in trying to amend the constitution of the country, in the first republic , representation in the national assembly between the north and south was balanced, in two years it would be 100 years of amalgamation.

How would you describe the state of the Igbo man in Nigeria?

We have gone to war but the issue right now is that our position in Nigeria has to be readdressed. We are marginalized and that is why we are putting up the Njiko Igbo to further the interest of the Igbo man. That doesn’t

mean we are foreclosing other Igbo groups like Ohaneze, Aka Ikenga and MASSOB. This is just the first movement that seeks to achieve the political aspiration of Ndigbo, both home and abroad.

They are some geo-political zones in country the that has seven states. The Igbos has five. And that is the least. Therefore to balance the equation in this country, we need two more states. That is what we are making sure that the creation of more states is addressed in the constitution review.

What is your reaction to the recent statement by Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano state that the South East does not deserve more states?

Historically, all those areas that have something to do with slave trade, they are more populated than other areas. Even Kwankwso himself knows that there was no time they were more populated than Lagos. I have been to Kano, how can Kwakwanso say that a state close to the sea is sparsely populated than a land locked state. Kano is a land locked state.

The issue of what happened that made Kano have more representation in the national Assembly was done by the military.

Otherwise there is no way you will say Kano is more populated than Lagos. It is not possi-

“Njiko Igbo has to come up now to ensure that everybody comes together.

We cannot realize the presidency by scattering our ambition. We have to come together, that is why Njiko Igbo is there. Our group strongly believes that an Igbo man should become president in 2015.”

ble. And I know the revenue of Kano alone is more than that of the Southeast, which is wrong. If a proper check is done, you will find that the Igbos in Kano state may account for 20 per cent of the population. In a situation where everybody goes back to his state, the Kano population will drastically reduce. If you check very well you will discover that some of the people in Kano state are not even Nigerians.

We need more representation South East.

In the first republic, between North and South, the representation in the National Assembly was equal. Go and check your records. I don’t know why Kwankanso is saying we don’t need more states. Why is he saying that?

What is your take on the controversy over Chinua Achebe’s memoirs?

I am of the opinion that the controversy is not even necessary now. Forty years have passed since the end of the Nigerian civil war.

One of the major actors , Ojukwu died about one year ago. Since Ojukwu died, lots of people have published books about Biafra, and it didn’t raise hell. Why is that of Achebe raising hell. Maybe because he is an intellectual. The issue of 20 pounds for all the money you have is an open wound. It is a known fact. Since the book was published, I have read the counter reaction of Ebenezer Babatope and Fani Kayode. I look at all these write ups, they even mentioned where Awolowo concurred based on that policy.

He was the minister of finance then and number two man to Gowon. Who never denied the policy. But some people wrote in their reaction that they blame Ojukwu for the policy.

In warfare, a country like America will throws bomb at you it will give you food on the other hand. They want you to eat while you are alive, when you are dead, you are dead.

But I am telling you that the controversy is not even necessary now. The country is going through hell. Too many of us in this country don’t even know the direction the country is going. Everyday you wake up in the morning you see a different thing. Many people wake up in the morning are they become confused.

The country right now is between the super rich, mega rich and the destitute. Because there is no middle class again. What you have is the few mega rich and the destitutes.

And people will come out from nowhere and be telling that we have sophisticated economy in Nigeria. We must go back to the basics.

Gowon in his own reply said he has no regret for the policy. Awolowo said he has no regret. He never denied that he had no part in the implementation of the policy so why is everybody raising hell? Those people that are countering, in their own write we don’t want a situation where the thing will bring differences between the Yoruba and the Igbos or the North and South. The war has come and gone. We have to move forward. But let history be there for future research. I don’t see anything wrong about it.

What effort is Njiko Igbo making to tackle insecurity in the South-east?

There is a lot of insecurity going on now, because of the restiveness of the youths.

There is a lot of hunger in the country in the country. In my estimation, there are too many youths who are unemployed. The thing has caused many people to pack out from the south east. That is why Njiko Igbo is coming together to address the situation. We cannot continue that way. When you go home instead of you sleeping with your eyes closed, you sleep with one eyes open, it doesn’t make any sense.

That is why we are talking to our governors and our traditional rulers. Njiko Igbo is not that old, but we have already made a lot of moves. We have gone round south east meeting leaders of thought and political leaders, and they are overwhelmingly supporting us.

Equity and fairness in Nigeria will go a long way in sustaining our youths and giving them hope. That is why we are trying to establish hope. Right now, the youths in Igboland feel that they are hopeless.

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Wednesday, NOVEMBER 7, 2012

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Boko Haram and a dubious peace offer U “I have argued in a previous essay that any proposed conversation between the Federal Government and Boko Haram would achieve nothing. The two sides are irreconcilable. No side will concede its core values.

Dialogue or peace offer or conversation or negotiation or whatever you call it, government must not give in to this deception because it will convey the impression that it is OK for any organisation such as Boko Haram that advocates the destruction of Nigeria to use violent behaviour to achieve its objectives.”

p until last Thursday’s dodgy offer of dialogue by someone who claimed to be a spokesperson for Boko Haram, I have always held the strong view that the Federal Government should not engage Boko Haram leaders or representatives in any kind of dialogue.

For clarify, my position has not shifted. Why? Well, you do not hold dialogue with an organisation that has killed thousands of innocent Nigerians because the Federal Government has refused to be force-fed with the organisation’s religious creed. Anyone who is advocating any dialogue with Boko Haram should be reminded that the organisation is a terrorist group waging a violent religious war against those who do not share their ideology.

Last week’s offer of dialogue by a Boko Haram representative is ringed with doubts for a number of reasons. First, it is not the first time that someone who claimed to be associated with Boko Haram would make an offer of dialogue but set out pre-conditions for the peace talk. Boko Haram has continued to shift its position in regard to a dialogue with the government, just as it has continued to tinker with its terms for peace talks.

In early August 2012, Boko Haram listed two key conditions that must be met before it would engage the government in dialogue. The conditions were that President Goodluck Jonathan must resign and, as if that was not enough, Jonathan was also required to abandon his religion and switch to Islam. Both conditions were regarded as offensive to Jonathan who said, through Reuben Abati, his special adviser on media and publicity: “The President cannot be intimidated by any group or individual. The President will never resign. He has the mandate of Nigerians to serve his fatherland and nobody should imagine that he will succumb to blackmail.”

Now, Boko Haram seems to have abandoned the conditions it outlined in August and minted a new set of terms which it insists have to be met before it could start peace talks. This is shifty politics.

The second reason why Boko Haram’s latest offer of dialogue must be considered dubious is that, as a nocturnal underground organisation that does business in darkened caves, it will always be

Abu difficult to verify the identity of anyone who claims to be the authentic voice of the group. Experience has shown that there are factions or groups that claimed previously to be spokespersons for Boko Haram. How does this latest call for dialogue differ from previous pranks?

When a violent sectarian organisation issues a call for peace but sets out its own terms and conditions, you have to question the validity of the request and the spirit behind the call for dialogue.

Let us assume that Boko Haram is seeking to enter into conversation with the Federal Government or that it wants to make atonement for the atrocities it has committed across the country.

The key questions should be: is Boko Haram asking for dialogue on a level playing field, on a platform of peaceful renunciation of violence?

If the answer is affirmative, does the organisation have the legitimacy to set the conditions for peace talks?

The stupidity of the peace terms set out last Thursday by the so-called representative of Boko Haram, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz, is obvious. The conditions are as ludicrous as Boko Haram’s previous terms for peace. How could Jonathan agree to Boko Haram’s request that the Federal Government must pay some kind of reparation to the families of its members who were exterminated during their battle with security agents? This demonstrates that Boko Haram is disgustingly insensitive to the trauma it has caused so many families in Nigeria. How would the families of inno-

cent citizens killed by Boko Haram bombs and assassination squads view this hideous request by a representative of the organisation?

When Boko Haram requested, as a condition for commencement of peace talks, that the government should rebuild mosques damaged by security forces during endless battles with the organisation’s agents of terror, it seemed to have forgotten that many churches and houses of worship used by members of various religious denominations were also burnt down or incinerated by Boko Haram suicide bombers. There is absolutely no legal basis for Boko Haram to receive compensation for its members, living or dead.

Boko Haram introduced unprecedented hostility and deadly weapons in its campaign against the Nigerian state. Some of its members deliberately committed suicide or died when the bombs they were preparing exploded prematurely. In these contexts, it would be foolish for Boko Haram to expect that families of their deceased members would be recompensed.

The nomination of Saudi Arabia (by Boko Haram’s spokesperson) as a venue for the peace talks and the demand for the arrest of the former governor of Borno State are silly in intention and logical judgment. These two terms alone have exposed the dishonesty in the call for dialogue. Boko Haram is undertaking armed insurrection against the government and people of Nigeria. The venue for peace talks must be inside the coun-

try, not outside, except if Saudi Arabia admits openly that it is an unofficial sponsor of the murderous group.

Although I remain vehemently opposed to the Federal Government engaging in peace talks with Boko Haram, I would argue that if Jonathan decides against reason to enter into dialogue with this criminal group, the framework for that peace talk must be set by the government, not by the evil Shekau o r g a n i s a t i o n .

The same philosophy should apply to the selection of a venue. Government must not and should never negotiate from a position of weakness.

If it does, it would have given Boko Haram the upper hand in a contest in which the aggressor would be framed to appear as the good guy Another irony in the call for dialogue emerged when the man, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz, who addressed journalists through a radio programme last Thursday, made an unsound argument. In his superficial defence of the activities of Boko Haram, he said: “We are not actually challenging the state, as people are saying, but the security (forces) that are killing our members, children and wives.” This is ludicrous. There are too many contradictions in that sentence. Security forces are an emblem of the Nigerian state. There is no state without security forces. So, when Abdulaziz said Boko Haram was attacking the security forces and not the authority of the state, you have to pity the lack of reason in his argument. If Boko Haram has not been attacking the state, why have they been targeting the institutions of state?

Abdulaziz also said they have been pursuing security forces that are “killing our members, children and wives”. This is nonsense!

How would he describe the bombs planted and exploded

by Boko Haram advocates, particularly explosive devices that are directed against churches, innocent citizens, school children, market women, as well as public and private sector workers? All these have no

relationship with Nigeria’s security forces.

In light of these inconsistencies, it must come as a huge shock to many people that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, a man who should be defending the unity of Nigeria, argued on Saturday (3 November 2012) that the Federal Government should consider some of the bogus conditions set by Boko Haram. In his response to news that Boko Haram has called for dialogue, Tambuwal said: “There will be a dialogue; it may not necessarily have to be all the conditions they have given or about to give that would be met, the government should be engaged and see how best we can resolve issues.”

It is paradoxical that Tambuwal, the number four citizen of Nigeria, should encourage the Federal Government to accept some of the conditions set by Boko Haram for dialogue while ignoring the incalculable damage the organisation has done to the country through indiscriminate killings and bombing of private and public buildings and institutions.

Tambuwal is a disgrace to the House of Representatives.

He is so consumed by how the nation should meet the terms set by Boko Haram to facilitate dialogue that he forgot so easily that there are too many families whose loved ones were cut down and despatched to their graves through unprecedented violence committed by Boko Haram. The leader of a House that symbolises law, order, peace and security of the nation should not be so narrow-minded.

How do you talk peace with an organisation that wants to eliminate you, your family and everything you hold dear in life? It is unthinkable that Boko Haram would ask for dialogue with a government it does not recognise.

I have argued in a previous essay that any proposed conversation between the Federal Government and Boko Haram would achieve nothing. The two sides are irreconcilable. No side will concede its core values.

Dialogue or peace offer or conversation or negotiation or whatever you call it, government must not give in to this deception because it will convey the impression that it is OK for any organisation such as Boko Haram that advocates the destruction of Nigeria to use violent behaviour to achieve its objectives.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012 First child at 55 years

M

y names are Mrs Oluwatoyin Anjola, l am a contractor by profession and l live at Omole Estate in Lagos. Till l was 54years, l never experienced conception and all my female friends were celebrating series of child births but l was confined to a moody life of childlessness. I cried myself out, l was hopeless, mocked and molested in marriage till l entered a state of depression. People said l would be childless for life , medicine said l will be childless forever and when l entered into menopause l agreed with them that l will never be fruitful in life, but God proved all of us wrong

when l experienced a divine intervention from Him. And guess what? It was a foolish and ridiculous instruction that secured me a baby boy few months ago.

The man of God, Rev. Paul Tunde Tioluwani, came to Omole Estate area for a programme and a friend of mine invited me, which I initially declined because l have experienced a lot of unprecedented woes in the hands of so called Men of God who are supposed to minister life but are ministering lies. After some pressures l succumbed and l went with her for the programme and later saw the man of God who, after his prayers told me l will be

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DIVINE INTER VENTION with

REV PAUL TIOLUWANI

08056344719 e-mail: tcpf@skannet.com

pregnant in about two months if only l can stop patronizing my hair dresser.

This sounds so ridiculous to me because it has no correlation with childbirth and moreso the hairdresser in question is a zealous Christian. I later found out that l was wrong. The events that followed eventually exposed the woman as a witch stoping and paralyzing every answered prayers that came my way once she touched my hair.

Anyway, l stopped and to the glory of God l got pregnant, people did not believe I was pregnant to the extent that when it began to show, some of them will press my stomach physically to be sure .

The doctor slated me for operation on a Sunday as my age will not permit me to deliver naturally but to the surprise of everyone, on Thursday l went into labour and gave birth without any assistance. The story went round and my house became like a Jerusalem for pilgrimage, l have to rent canopies and chairs as they all wanted to come in and see the child on a one by one basis.

What a wonderful God we serve.

Employment by revelation My name is Mary Abioye.

I am a trained Nurse and l live around Odeon area of Ibadan. My journey to government work took years but it turned out to be an uncommon miracle. All my life l have been working in private hospitals but have always eyed a government job as it is more reliable and with retirement and pension benefits. I have made repeated attempts by collecting forms and going for interviews but l was never selected.

I came for a programme at lesekese(lnstanta) family church, which was tagged “Baptism of Speed� after which l was prayed for as regards my job. Then a

miraculous arrangement began to unfold in relation to the government job. This year out of frustration, l did not collect a form for employment but somehow a friend of mine who is breast feeding a baby got a form and invited me to come assist with the baby while the evaluation exercise is going on, to which l obliged.

I did not know it will be the initiation of my miracle.

When we got there she went in for the evaluation with several thousands of applicants, while I waited outside with the baby since l had no form.

After the evaluation, something ministered to me to go and meet the coordinator that in case any qualified candidate refused to show up can they please put my name, which l did, but the response was a NO. I left the scene and when l got back home, at night l had a dream in which God appeared to me and showed me one man that l never knew before. He said the man is one of the coordinators and that l should go to him and tell him that God said he should give me the job. When l woke up I tried out the dream and went back to the venue. On seeing the man, I narrated everything to the man, that day the man gave me the job and a week after l resumed daty.

Praise the Lord.

Broken leg healed My names are Aina Lambe, l live around fleece area of Ibadan. I am into business. I had a fracture in Libya about three years ago which inspite of all treatments the broken part refused to heal, maybe because of age and it has since affected the way I walk. I was in church on a Sunday when the man of God through the word of knowledge picked me up. I was brought to the altar and after l was prayed for, the Lord healed me instantly.

Praise the Lord.

New Name Magazine holds peace lecture, launch

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s part of efforts to achieve lasting peace and protect the security, stability and well being of Nigerians, New Name Magazine is organising its maiden edition of a yearly peace lecture.

Slated for 2pm today at Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, the peace lecture will be delivered by President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Papers will be presented by Rt. Hon. Chief Mbazulike Amechi, Information and Communication Minister, Hon. Labaran Maku, Mr.

Solomon Asemota (SAN) and Prof. Pat Utomi.

Father of the Day is His Royal Majesty, King Dodo II, (Capt) Winston E. Ogoun, the Pere of Bilabiri-Mein Kingdom, Bayelsa State.

Alh. M. D. Yusuf, former Inspector General of Police is chief launcher.

Special guests to the event include Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, and his Kano State counterpart, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Chika Okpala (aka, Chief Zebrudaya) of New Masquerade fame is billed to be master the ceremony.

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City SUN

Government officials clearing debris on water channels

Flood: How Osun escaped the deluge •Gov reels off achievements in education, roads, others

By TOPE ADEBOBOYE

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ater this month, the government and people of Osun State will be rolling out the drums. Osogbo, the capital will be adorned in a vivacious garb and the streets of its towns and villages festooned in assorted colours. From Ile-Ife to IlaOrangun, from Ikirun to Ikire, the entire state will be in a party mood as the present administration marks its second anniversary in office. The governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, assumed office on Saturday, November 27, 2010.

However, are there enough reasons for the government to give itself a pat on the back two years after mounting the saddle? To the Director, Bureau of Communications, Semiu Okanlawon, the answer is in the affirmative.

He insists that since coming to power, Aregbesola has changed the fortunes of the hitherto sleeping state.

One of the model schools under construction (Inset) Gov. Aregbesola “In two years, Governor Aregbesola has achieved so much for the people of the state, that the values of hard-work, perseverance, story of a lady who proudly spoke of her and they are quite happy with him,” he tells tolerance, recognition and appreciation of the experience in Ede. She parked casually the reporter. “In virtually all areas, Mr. citizens’ role in societal building and recon- somewhere, and one of our O’YES cadets Governor has exhibited his commitment and struction are built. It is already paying off who was deployed for traffic management passion for the development of the state. To with the glaring adoption of the values with- accosted her. She said she sought to comprosay that he was not happy with the state of the out which no other developmental moves of mise the cadet, and the cadet told her that, look, we are a virtuous people here, we don’t state and its people when he came to power is the government could be enduring.” an understatement. And since then, he has The governor agrees in an interview with take bribe. That tells you that our goal of committed his all into elevating the state and this reporter. “Our first three, four months acculturating the state is yielding fruits.”

In education, the reporter learns that the bringing the people out of their hopeless was to powerfully reposition our state in the state.” eyes of the world and in the minds of our administration has not done badly. Soon after The reporter is told that Aregbesola’s people. We went about a vigorous rebranding its inauguration, the government convoked immediate preoccupation in office was programme that sought to give us the image an education summit where various experts rebranding the state. Why that, you wonder. and character that we feel is our own. We told proffered suggestions on how to tackle the “This is laying a solid foundation through the world that we are a virtuous people, epit- crisis in that sector. The administration, you re-orientation of the citizenry towards the ome of character, valour, pride and history. are told, is vigorously adhering to the recomacceptable values that would make all other We put up a meaningful flag. We have our mendations.

The state government is currently consocial re-engineering to be enduring,” emblems and we have our anthem.

Okanlawon explains. “It is on this foundation “A group visited me recently and told the structing scores of new schools across the

state, including 100 elementary schools, 50 middle schools and 21 high schools. Pupils in primary one to four are being fed daily, while the tablets of knowledge, tagged opon-imo, would soon be made available for final year high schools students.

The administration also initiated a schools uniform project. The governor explains that several thousands of new jobs would be created, and about N3bn would go into the pockets of the ordinary citizens.

The state also initiated a calisthenics programme. Okanlawon explains that the programme is aimed at instilling in the youths, the values of teamwork, cooperation, dedication and collaboration, among others. “The launch of this project has brought a renewed interest in those initiatives that will positively engage our youths and divert their attentions and energies away from crime and other evil ventures,” he adds.

The government gives itself a thumbs-up for reducing schools fees and making education more affordable in the state. Okanlawon says the bursary paid to students of Osun origin has also been increased. According to him, students in colleges of education were paid N2, 000 each while those in the polytechnics and universities got N3, 000 before Aregbesola came on board. Each now receives N10, 000, he says. Medical and law students also get paid N20, 000 each while those in the Law School get N100,000 each.

Government has also increased its subventions to the schools, he says.

Another area where the government claims it has done a yeoman’s job is in the agriculture sector. Already, 30 hectares of land have been acquired for farming purposes while huge amounts have been committed to farmers’ loans. Many young men, you are told, have embraced the programme and are now back to the farms, working and making money.

Aregbesola explains further: “Before I assumed office, we had used our opportunities in Lagos to verify what the financial value of the commodity food exchange market in Lagos is. And realising that there is N3.5 billion on a daily basis, we realise that whoever wants to make any gain in agriculture, particularly food commodity, must target Lagos. For that reason, we put in place a mechanism, in conjunction with the Nigeria Railway Corporation, to move food commodity free of charge from Osogbo to Lagos.

“We also have the O’REAP – Osun Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Programme. We give land to whoever wants to farm, we prepare the land partly, we open up the land, we clear all stumps and trees and other things that might require any capital expenditure.

“We also have the O’Beef where we are bringing in experts with the best practices to help the local livestock farmers to develop fast-growing, heavy-yielding livestock and bring prosperity to such farmers, and good supply to the Lagos markets. We are equally into fishing. We have established an enviable record of mobilisation of local farmers, support for cooperatives of farmers and individual big commercial farmers. We use our own resources and we equally guarantee such farmers easy access to the agricultural support scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

Under the O-Beef project, the state government is establishing cattle ranches in a number of towns across the state.

For weeks now, flood has ravaged many parts of the country, but Osun has remained immune from the calamities. Aregbesola says it’s no happenstance. He explains that there was massive flooding in the state in the year preceding his inauguration. “So, as soon as I assumed office, what I did was to engage all waterways, canals in massive dredging.

As a matter of fact, no government has ever

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Ndigbo in Lagos get set for Igbo Day

By COSMAS OMEGOH

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digbo in Lagos will, on November 24, light up the National Stadium in Surulere, as they celebrate Igbo Day. Preparation for the event, a celebration of Igbo culture, tradition and values is in top gear as its facilitators, the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Lagos State chapter, gets down to business.

The socio-cultural group says the event, whose theme is Anyi Nwe Nmeri (Victory Is Ours) will feature a beauty pageant – a parade of Ada Ndigbo, and award of excellence to deserving Igbo sons and daughters, among other things. The event will begin at 10am.

Already, expectations are rising, as many prepare to see the electrifying performances of the Abiriba War dancers, aka Ikpirikpi Ogu, the breathtaking displays of the Atilogu dancers and the awe-inspiring parade of colourful masquerades from Igboland. And nothing has been said yet about other enthralling male and female dance groups coming to paint the arena red. The organisers insist the event will showcase the very best of Igbo cultural heritage.

Daily Sun gathered that tens of thousands of Igbo men, women and children – chieftains of industry and commerce, academics, artisans, government functionaries, traditional rulers and other invited guests will grace the occasion. President of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Lagos, Chief Oliver Akabueze, who will be host of the event said the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola will be the chief host.

Other guests include the Obi Of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe; governors of the five South East states; Chairman of Diamond Bank Plc, Paschal Dozie; former chairman of Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Professor Anya O Anya; President of Igbo Speaking Communities in Lagos, Chief Ebere Ubani; Chairman of Traditional Council of Ndi Eze in Lagos, Eze Abiama Chukwu; President of Aka Ikenga, Dr Slyvan Ebigwei, among others.

While throwing more light on the event, the Ohaneze leader, Chief Akabueze said: “Igbo Day celebration in Lagos is an annual event which we normally celebrate every September.

But we had to defer this year’s edition because of the death of two prominent Igbo sons: Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and former Ohaneze Lagos Chapter president, Chief John Nzewi who was murdered by his abductors sometime ago. The slight shift was a mark of respect to them.

“But having mourned them this long, on November 24 we will gather at the National Stadium in Surulere to celebrate.

“It is going to be a day to thank God and showcase the rich cultural heritage of Ndigbo.

We will be celebrating love for our valued culture. We look forward to meeting one another, interacting and exchanging love and joy as a mark of gratitude to God.”

It’s a celebration of culture, tradition and more, say organisers One of the rare features of this year’s edition, according to him, “is a beauty pageant involving our daughters who were born here in Lagos. They will gather before us to demonstrate how much they understand and have internalised our cherished Igbo values. From among them, we are going to choose Ada Igbo (Preferred Igbo Daughter). The girl to be chosen on the occasion will be a true embodiment of Igbo culture and tradition.

“The occasion will also feature displays of various dance troupes which give Ndigbo a virile character. Notable among them are the Abiriba War Dancers, the Atilogu, the Ijele and many other masquerades well known in Igboland. We are also going to have very many men and women dance groups coming to light up the arena. I don’t think there will be any carnival like it.

“Besides, we are going to use the occasion to honour some worthy sons and daughters of Igboland. For now, the list is being compiled; the names are being vetted. But I can confirm that top on the log is Chief Martin Agbaso; distinguished economist and former gubernatorial candidate in Imo State on the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).”

The Publicity Secretary of Ohaneze in Diaspora, Chief Sunny Okafor, who doubles as the Chairman, Publicity Secretary of the event said to ensure a successful Igbo Day celebration, a central planning committee had been put in place. The committee, he said, is being chaired by Ifeanyichukwu Okearo.

“The committee is being complimented by four sub-committees namely: Organising, Entertainment, Security and Publicity. The event is being planned to be a-three day programme beginning on Friday, November 23 with a beauty pageant holding at AP Club in Ebute Metta. Then on Saturday, November 24, the celebration proper will hold. On Sunday, November 25, we will be having an outing service in all churches across Lagos State.

Chief Akabueze Ndigbo in those churches will be thanking God for seeing yet another year.”

Chief Okafor told Daily Sun that the lucky damsel who would emerge as Ada Igbo Lagos would go home with an undisclosed but handsome prize.

He explained further: “To win the prize, she must be well schooled in Igbo values and way of life. We want to see the contestants come out in typical Igbo attires and greet the audience in the way a typical Igbo girl will address the elders, especially in our respective villages.

The girls expected to take part in this contest

‘We’ve created environment for devt’ Continued on page 32 attempted to do such. We cleaned up all arteries, all waterways, all canals, all possible outlets for storm water control. By the time the rain came last year, people just saw water flowing without disturbing anybody.”

He says his government is also engaged in urban renewal, greening of the environment and other environmental activities.

Another area that Aregbesola and his lieutenants insist is being massively revolutionised is the road network across the state.

“We are embarking on massive road construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation and maintenance. It has never been done in the history of the state. There is no town, no community in which not one road work or the other is not ongoing right now. And more will still come,” the governor tells the reporter.

Some of the major road projects include the Osogbo-Ikirun Ila-Odo/Kwara boundary road and the Osogbo, Gbongan, Orile-Owu

to Ogun State road.

The government has commenced a number of projects that would enhance the commercial activities of the state. Okanlawon listed some of them as the construction of the Aje International Market and Ayegbaju Shopping Mall, the upgrading of the Railway station, Osogbo, and the free train service during festivals.

The government still beats its chest over its employment strategies, one of which is the O’YES scheme that saw 20, 000 youths taken off the labour market within Aregbesola’s first 100 days in office.

“In tourism, this administration has redesigned and redeveloped the Osun Osogbo Grove, among others. A gigantic project to be called the New Ife will also be put in place where all tourist attractions pertaining to Yoruba history, tradition etc will be on display. This will no doubt boost international focus on Osun as a tourist site,” Okanlawon informs.

He says also that the government has made crime unattractive in the state. “The administration has established the Swift Action Squad, a special anti-crime outfit with five APCs, 25 patrol vans, and other security gadgets that make it possible for security operatives to be at the scenes of crimes within five minutes of any distress calls,” says the governor’s spokesman.

“We are not there yet, but we are well on the way,” he continues. “Generally, the administration has created an enabling environment for development initiatives, both governmental and private, to grow. It is an administration that is creating awareness and changing orientations in various aspects of national life. With many of the practices being introduced, the administration is also contributing to deepening democratic tenets.

All these are part of the strategies to ensure that from the small corner of Osun, commendable initiatives that can change Nigeria for better emerge.”

are those who are 18 years and above. They must be born and brought up in Lagos. So those who were born in the East and brought up in Lagos are not eligible. We want to see and hear them address the crowd in impeccable Igbo. The idea is to encourage parents and families henceforth to begin to communicate with their children in Igbo language in their homes.

“This is a thing I have been fighting very hard to encourage in my own home. So if I see families who have entrenched it, I will doff my hat for them. We are also going to have drama presentations by Igbo youths on issues peculiar to Ndigbo. In addition, the event is going to feature exhibition of goods – books, artistic works and various products made by Igbo sons and daughters in Lagos. We are also encouraging Ndigbo in commerce - importers of various products to bring forth their goods for exhibition.”

The secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Lagos, Chinenye Thompson Ohia said the Lagos Chapter would seek to surpass the performance of Igbo Day celebration which held in Asaba, Delta State, between October 27 and 29.

“We are promising Ndigbo everywhere in Lagos and their friends that this year’s edition of Igbo Day is going to be special,” he said. He said Ndigbo would not be encouraged to close their shops and markets during the occasion.

However, Chief Akabueze, said any Igbo man or woman or market association that chooses to close their shops are encouraged to do, adding that they would always recoup whatever they lost during the occasion. He wants all Igbo sons and daughters living in all parts of Lagos State to come out in their numbers and attend this event. “This is simply their day,” he added.

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

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omorrow, Thursday, November 8, and Friday, November 9th 2012, Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) will host a gathering of over 500 influential and business women across Nigeria to its 11th annual conference, themed “Wellbeing, Workplace & Wealth – Women, Working & Winning”, at The Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos.

WIMBIZ aims to support working women to reach their full personal, professional and financial potential.

The 2012 WIMBIZ conference, like previous editions, is a forum to connect, educate, inspire and empower every attendee to contribute to Nigeria’s growth through bringing diverse perspectives of industry captains, who will share first-hand experience on navigating the business and professional world to attain success.

The speakers includes entrepreneurs, public officers and investors who will give insights into Big dreams, big risks, big money; Growing your business; Financial empowerment; Winning in challenging times; Staying in the game; Letting your money work for you; and A longer lasting you.

This year’s keynote address will be presented by Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate and foremost Nigerian thinker, while the Chairperson of the event is Ms.Evelyn Oputu, Managing Director of the Bank of Industry.

The speakers include Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, Hakeem Bello-Osagie, Chairman of Etisalat Nigeria, and Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson.

According to Adeola Azeez, Chairperson, WIMBIZ, no other forum provides the calibre of speakers and the networking opportunities WIMBIZ conferences provide under one roof.

“These conferences primarily target women in both the private and public sectors, but they also reach out to men sensitive to gender issues

th WIMBIZ 11 conference commences tomorrow Oputu, Soyinka, Dangote, Bello-Osagie to Speak on wellbeing and how women can rise to the challenges they face. “It will also provide an opportunity to learn from seasoned speakers who have overcome their challenges and excelled in their various endeavours”, she stressed.

The Chairperson of WIMBIZ, Mrs. Adeola Azeez, laid out her agenda as WIMBIZ prepares to enter its 12th year in existence: “We are concerned about a greater representation of women in Management and at the board level; we hope to become a household name in Nigeria and beyond; and we also want to welcome younger members, including our sisters from the North into the WIMBIZ family.”

Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), is a Nigerian non-governmental organization focused on women.

It was established in 2001 by 14 L-R: Executive council member, Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ), Mrs. May Mbu, individuals. Their vision for WIMChairperson, Mrs. Adeola Azeez, and Executive Council Member, Mrs. Osayi Alile-Oruene, at the BIZ was “to be the catalyst that eleWIMBIZ 11th Annual Conference media briefing in Lagos, recently. vates the status and influence of in the workplace,” she stated.

WIMBIZ noted that this year’s conference will women and their contribution to nation buildMrs. Bolaji Fati, the Executive Secretary of provide engaging discussions and information ing” in Nigeria.

Visafone out with first CDMA BlackBerry Services in Nigeria •Introduces 3 models same day G lobal brand, Research In Motion (RIM), Canada-based makers of BlackBerry smartphones and Visafone Communication Limited, have signed an agreement for the launch of BlackBerry services in Nigeria on Visafone’s Code Division and Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile network. This feat marks first-time availability of CDMA BlackBerry smartphones in the Europe,

Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, and it is a first in Nigeria.

In a joint press statement issued in Lagos last Wednesday, the partners said the BlackBerry Curve 9310, the BlackBerry Curve 9370 and the BlackBerry Bold 9930 smartphones would be available to customers

in all the Visafone shops for pre-booking from Monday, October 29. It explained that the launch would benefit any Visafone customer that wants access to email, Internet and social networking apps, including BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), Facebook, Twitter and Social Feeds.

Airtel to Host CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, others

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ne of the leading telecommunications services providers, Airtel Nigeria, has announced plans to host select influential personalities at a high profile event that will feature Fareed Zakaria, renowned journalist, internationally acclaimed author and host of popular Fareed Zakaria’s GPS on CNN. The event, tagged Airtel’s Night of Influence, is a distinct platform that will provide a great networking opportunity to prominent international personalities, very successful Nigerians and the Airtel brand. It will hold on Sunday, November 18, 2012, at the prestigious Eko Hotel & Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Fareed Zakaria, who has confirmed to speak on the theme: Africa’s Political Economy: The Challenge of Leadership, will bring on hand rich insights into the continent’s economy and its interactions with the global socio-economic

and political landscape.

About 500 influential men and women drawn from both the private and public sectors within and outside Nigeria as well as top politicians and government officials will be attending the event.

Speaking on the initiative, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Rajan Swaroop said the company is committed to providing significant forums for interactions and creating credible platforms to improve the quality of leadership in Nigeria and Africa through dialogue.

“The Night of Influence will deepen the interface between our brand and the cream of Nigerian society whose decisions and activities influence, to a large extent, the trend of fashion, lifestyle, and indeed socio-economic development of the country,” Swaroop said.

Fareed Rafiq Zakaria is an Indian-American

journalist and author. From 2000 to 2010, he was a columnist for Newsweek and editor of Newsweek International. In 2010, he became editor-at-large of Time Magazine. He is the host of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS. He is also a frequent commentator and author on issues related to international relations, trade and American foreign policy.

Zakaria attended the Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University, where he was president of the Yale Political Union, editor-in-chief of the Yale Political Monthly, a member of the Scroll and Key society, and a member of the Party of the Right. He later earned a Doctor of Philosophy in political science from Harvard University in 1993, where he studied under Samuel P. Huntington and Stanley Hoffmann, as well as international relations theorist Robert Keohane.

The Regional Director for RIM in East, Central and West Africa, Mr. Waldi Wepener said: “We are proud to support the Nigerian mobile industry with the first-time availability of CDMA BlackBerry smartphones in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Our partnership with Visafone demonstrates RIM’s commitment to working with key partners in Africa to bring the widest range of BlackBerry services to people that want to be connected across the continent.”

Chairman and Founder of Visafone,Mr. Jim Ovia stated that “This partnership represents a big step forward in Africa’s mobile history and we are very excited to be at the forefront of such a ground-breaking development in the Nigerian market. We have responded to our customers’ demands for BlackBerry services by being the first to provide them with a suite of CDMA-enabled BlackBerry smartphones that best meets the region’s growing mobile needs. More broadly, this launch is a major boost to the NCC’s efforts to achieve growth of data usage and quality voice services to the country’s 100 million active mobile phone lines.”

The statement explained that the range of CDMA-enabled BlackBerry smartphones run on BlackBerry 7.1 OS, which introduces a next-generation BlackBerry browser that is among the best in the industry. Browsing results are up to 40% faster than BlackBerry® 6s

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

igeria’s leading beverage manufacturer, Guinness Nigeria Plc., has showcased their commitment to responsible sourcing principles at an event hosted by the European Brands Association (AIM) PROGram for RESponsible Sourcing (AIM - PROGRESS). The event, which held in Lagos had many of Nigeria’s manufacturing giants in attendance, including Unilever, Cadbury Nigeria, Nestle, Coca-Cola, amongst others.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Seni Adetu, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria Plc., said responsible sourcing was an integral part of the company’s operations. “At the very heart of this great Guinness brand is a desire to ensure that today’s growth does not compromise opportunities for future generations. To be a sustainable business, we need to extend our conscience beyond immediate commercial imperatives - we strongly believe that this is good for the business and for the long term interests of our suppliers and indeed all our stakeholders.”

Guinness Nigeria used the platform to showcase some of its key initiatives in the area of sustainable sourcing including its ‘Partnering with Suppliers’ Standard which focus on three core principles – optimising due diligence processes, building capability and supporting local supply businesses.

Mr. Adetu added “We realise that we cannot deliver this ambition alone and that we will need to decisively and energetically engage all our stakeholders in a synergistic way. Our desire as Guinness Nigeria is to do this in a collaborative way and to work with other likeminded companies on this agenda. Forums like today’s AIM PROGRESS seminar allow us to share and implement best practice models for

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Guinness, others unite in driving sustainable sourcing agenda L-R: Arthur Mamvura, Procurement Director, Guinness Nigeria; Ashlin Ramlochan, Sustainable Sourcing Manager, Mondolez International; and Seni Adetu, Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria; at the AIMPROGRESS Responsible Sourcing Forum, sponsored by Guinness Nigeria in Lagos recently.

improved efficiency and better performance.”

AIM PROGRESS forum aims to develop and promote the use of common evaluation methods to determine responsible sourcing performance within the supply chain and drive

efficiencies for all companies by collecting, assessing and sharing non-competitive information. The 4 pillars of the AIM-PROGRESS program are Human Rights & Labour Standards, Health & Safety, Environmental

Compliance and Business Integrity. The 4 pillars reflect the core values and principles shared by the participating companies, but are not intended to create a unified supplier policy or code for participating companies.

Nokia, Airtel team up on Nokia Lumia promo L L-R: General Manager, Nokia West-Africa, Mr. Chris Brown; Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Olu AKanmu; and Head, Sales Operations, Nokia West Africa, Mr. Ladi Oyatayo, at the promotional launch of Airtel special consumer promo on the Nokia Lumia 900, 710 & 610 Smartphones, held at Nokia office, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday, October 19.

Managing Director/CEO, Mouka Limited, Mrs. Peju Adebajo, and the Special Adviser on Special Duties, Air Commodore Ogu Onekutu, at the donation of mattresses and pillows

by Mouka Limited to the flood victims in Lokoja, Kogi State, recently.

eading phone manufacturer, Nokia, in partnership with leading telecommunications service provider, Airtel Nigeria, has embarked on a special consumer promotion for the new Nokia Lumia range of products now shipping in Nigeria. The promotion, which kicked off on October 22, 2012, will deliver exciting benefits to consumers, who purchase the Lumia 900, 710 & 610 over the period.

The General Manager, Nokia WestAfrica, Mr. Chris Brown, said Nokia’s Lumia Windows Phone range were exciting devices, offering an amazingly fast way to connect to the Internet, keep up to date with Microsoft suite of services, connect to your world with Nokia Maps and City Lens and boasts of a unique one-piece polycarbonate design, which had earned it several awards, including the CES 2012. He further explained that the Lumia 900, Nokia’s flagship Windows phone features a large 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display, 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss Optics camera with HD video cap-

ture, front camera, XBox Live gaming, Zune music player, multi-touch screen, and Wi-Fi. Speaking further on the promotion, Airtel Nigeria’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Olu Akanmu said that Nokia’s partnership with Airtel means that Nigerian consumers can enjoy services,utilize the exciting applications and internet-based capabilities of the devices.

According to him, buyers of the Nokia Lumia 900 and 710 will enjoy a free 6 months internet access, while buyers of Lumia 610 will get a free 3 months internet access courtesy of the network giant.

Consumers can walk into any Airtel or Nokia Partner stores, get a free Airtel Micro-sim and activate the free internet access. Mr. Ladi Oyatayo, Nokia’s Head of Sales Operation urged consumers to hurry into the retail stores and ask for this special package with the Nokia 12 month warranty and Airtel Bundle offer sticker, clearly marked on the box. This, he said was the perfect gift for all Nokia customers, friends and loved ones ahead of the holiday season.

L-R. The Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc., Mr. Tope Ashiwaju; a lucky winner of N1 million naira, Mr. Okechi Nkemdirim; Editor of Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Mideno Bayagbon; and Head of Marketing, Mr. Mapreet Singh, during presentation of cheques to winners in the ongoing Indomie Super Millionaire Promo at the company’s head office in Surulere, Lagos recently.

BA upgrades fleet with first airbus A380 ‘Super-jumbo’ Aircraft

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he building of British Airways’ first Airbus A380 ‘Super-jumbo’ aircraft reached a major milestone this week, with the installation of the four giant Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines.

The engines, which each produces 70,000 lbs of thrust (or approximately 30,000 horse-

power, the equivalent of 300 family cars), were attached to aircraft ‘MSN095’, the first of 12 A380s the airline has on order.

The aircraft is due to be delivered to British Airways in July next year. British Airways’ Director of Engineering, Garry Copeland, said: “We are delighted to see the aircraft taking shape, and can’t wait for it to join the British

Airways fleet. This delivery is the latest step in a huge investment to upgrade the fleet and improve the inflight experience for our customers.”

Having been constructed at Rolls-Royce Derby plant, the engines were transported to Toulouse via road and ferry. Each engine,

weighing six tonnes and with a diameter measuring almost 10 feet, took a team of five Airbus engineers to install.

These aircraft, form part of a £5bn investment by British Airways in new aircraft, smarter cabins, elegant lounges, and new technologies to make life more comfortable in the air and on the ground.

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS AIHN takes solace in non-FGN debt issues …As financial crisis keeps companies from seeking fresh funds

By OGE OKONKWO

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ssociation of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN), an organization that embodies all issuing houses in Nigeria, has said that for not having public offerings for a long time due to financial crisis, it has taken solace in nonFederal Government treasury Bills.

Speaking at its Annual General Meeting recently in Lagos, Chairman of the Organisation, Mr. Bolaji Balogun, said that AIHN has consistently played a vital role in ensuring a conducive environment for investment business and issuance of different asset classes in the Nigerian capital market.

Balogun noted that AIHN has taken solace in nonFederal Government debt issuance as a result of the recent financial crisis that has impacted the volume of equity issuance in the last three years and a witnessed substantial growth in non-FGN

debt issuance.

According to him, the association has worked on a number of initiatives with a view to contributing to the medium to long term sustainability of member firms and ensuring that the Nigerian Capital Market played its primary role in capital formation within the context of the nation’s economic development.

The Chairman noted that the initiative would be achieved by working with government, regulators and other stake holders to get the capital market issues on the nation’s economic agenda.

He maintained that lower agricultural output, the lingering effect of the financial sector reforms involving mainly the banking sector and the capital market as well as some disruptions in the oil and gas sector resulted in the drop of the nation’s GDP dropping from 7.98per cent in 2010 to 7.36per cent in 2011.

Diamond Bank set to unveil new brand identity

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iamond Bank Plc. is set to unveil a new corporate identity reflected in a new vibrant corporate logo.

The institution, in a release issued by the Head of Corporate Communications, Mrs. Ayona Aguele-Trimnell, stated that the bank announced it had undertaken an overhauling of its brand assets in a bid to position itself as a major player in the Banking industry.

She explained: “What we have done with our corporate identity is to refresh elements of our brand look and feel to identify with our growing customer base and usher in a period of renewed focus and commitment to our business. Our colours reflect the bright optimistic colours of the Diamond spectrum, using green as a base colour with complimentary colours of red, orange and blue.

“For us, the green symbolizes growth, red stands for vibrancy, orange illustrates ‘passion’ of our people and the blue symbolizes our commitment to innovation in our products and services. These colours also bring us closer to our customers by making us more visible and accessible in the market place as the bank consolidates its leadership in the retail-banking segment,” she added.

With the new board of directors led by Dr. Alex Otti since March 2011, the bank announced to its shareholders at its Annual General Meeting in May 2012 that it seeks to be among the top banks in Nigeria in the next few years. The bank’s recent improved financial performance indicates that it is on course to deliver on this mandate.

C’River, technologists to partner on infrastructure development

By JUDEX OKORO

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he Cross River government has said it has concluded arrangements to partner Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering on Infrastructure Development of the state.

The Special Adviser to Governor Liyel Imoke on Special Projects, Arch.

Bassey Oqua, who made this known, while declaring open the 29th Conference of Technologists in Engineering and annual general meeting, held in Calabar, said it has become imperative to involve technologists if we must achieve greatness in nation building.

Oqua hinted that advanced countries are able to achieve their feet in technological

development due to high level of collaboration between policy makers, those who implement and then technologists’ engineers that have the expertise to execute.

He said: “It is high time technologist got involved in politicking so as to be part of the decision making process because countries such as China, India and some Asian Tigers broke in to become technological giants due to involvement of engineers, technicians and scientists in national planning and infrastructural growth.

“And today these countries export technology to us thereby increasing their economic growth and manpower development. So, for Nigeria to remain relevant Africa there is need to pay attention to technology education,” he added.

• L–R: Engr. Abdul Kareem, senior manager, Distribution, Ikeja Zonal Officer; Mr. Olumide Akinjo, director, Institute of Industrial Technology (IIT); Mr. Marcel Hochet, Country president, Schneider Electric, and Mrs Anne Ezeh, Communications manager, Schneider Electric, at the commissioning of a 300kva transformer donated to IIT by Schneider Electric, recently.

Nigerians to pay over N290bn in taxes for travels to UK From ADEWALE SANYAOLU, in London

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igerians travelling to the United Kingdom (UK), are to pay a staggering £1.139 billion (about N290.445 billion) cumulatively in taxes under a fresh regime of tax initiative to be introduced by the UK Government from April 1, 2013.

This was part of the findings released in the World

Travel Market (WTM) 2012, Industry Report at the ongoing WTM Conference in London, yesterday.

According to the report signed by the Chairman of WTM, Mrs Fiona Jeffery, the taxes, which is categorized under the UK's Air Passenger Duty (APD), is possibly the most controversial and long running of all the taxes in the tourism industry.

Nigeria is categorized

under the Band B, which is a distance covering (2001-4001 miles) to the UK with each passenger paying about £134 in APD as against £130 paid for this year, an increase of £4.

According to recent statistics released by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), which put passenger traffic to the UK from Nigeria at 8.5 million passengers as against 7.5 million in

EIB, UBA sign 50m euro funding to support SMEs across Africa

By BLAISE UDUNZE

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he European Investment Bank (EIB), Europe’s longterm lending institution, and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc., have agreed to strengthen small and medium businesses in Africa through a 50 million Euro regional funding initiative.

Pim van Ballekom, European Investment Bank vice president, responsible for lending operations in subSaharan Africa, said the initiative would help grow small businesses and encourage greater regional economic integration on the continent.

“The European Investment Bank is committed to supporting the private sector in Africa. This significant partnership between UBA and the European Investment Bank will benefit small businesses seeking to expand and contribute to strengthening of the financial sector in 16 African countries. The ability to access harmonized financial services across borders will also encourage greater regional economic integration on the continent,” he said.

Phillips Oduoza, group managing director/CEO, UBA, explained: “Our expansion across Africa in the last five years has been driven by our commitment to fostering economic integration on the continent and supporting the development of African

businesses.

“The partnership with EIB provides us with an additional source of medium to long term funding and will enhance financial intermediation in key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, transport, energy, health, education and, other sectors where long term funding is required,” he said.

He stated that EIB loan would be used by UBA for on lending to eligible customers in its countries of operation.

According to Oduoza, the initiative will assist UBA to

strengthen its African regional network and represents the first time that the EIB has provided such facility to a Nigerian Bank for on lending to small and medium sized businesses across borders.

The UBA boss affirmed that in addition to directly helping African entrepreneurs seeking to expand their businesses through lower cost funding, this initiative will further support the development of the financial sector and establishment of best practices in key countries where UBA operates.

2010.

APD was introduced in 1994 with a £5 rate for the UK/European Union and £10 elsewhere. Since then, it has seen several increases.

In 2009, four geographical bands were introduced based on the distance from London to the capital city of the country concerned (with exception of the Russian Federation which is spilt east and west of the Urals).

By April 1 2012,APD was increased by double the rate of inflation and increases further in 2013 with APD expected to raise £3.9 billion by 2016-2017,compared to £2.7 billion 2011-2012.The latest increase means it has increased at 20 times the rate of inflation in the last seven years.

With this trend, UK has the highest rate of air tax in the world, some 400 percent more than most EU countries.

Fiona lamented that taxation remains high on the agenda of the travel and tourism industry as governments globally look to raise much-needed funds by hitting businesses and visitors with increased and new levies.

US FDI in Nigeria stands at $5bn From ISAAC ANUMIHE, Abuja

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oreign Direct Investment (FDI) from the United States of America is in the excess of $5 billion. American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Terrence McCulley, has disclosed in an interview.

Besides, he said that America’s development assistance to Nigeria in the last few months stood at $600 million, while the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) and the Ministry of Power signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at securing up to $1.5 billion of U.S. exports of goods and services.

McCulley also stated that the United States considers Nigeria the giant of Africa, where

American investors are eager to massively invest, once the conditions are right.

“If Nigeria can create an enabling environment for investment, including a frontal assault on corruption and lack of transparency and anchor the principle of the sanctity of contracts, I am convinced you will find American businesses and investors eager to enter the largest market in sub-Saharan Africa, creating jobs here in Nigeria, while offering expertise, innovation and some of the world’s finest products,” he said, adding that Nigeria is the most strategic partner of the US in Africa and an important trading partner, accounting for 20 per cent of its crude oil supplies.

“Nigeria is a country blessed with both abundant human and natural resources, and the

United States seeks partnership, not dependency. We seek to build capacity, not undermine local initiatives.

“The United States stands ready to help support of the country’s national priorities, such as public health, education, food and national security, containing malaria, eradicating polio, and helping millions of Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS,” he explained.

McCaulley, who spoke with Economic Confidential magazine, also noted that malaria is a major impediment to economic growth, saying that his country will through USAID provide $82 million to fund the fight against the disease in the next five years, to improve the health of women and children in Nigeria with proven malaria prevention and treatment services.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, November 7, 2012

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BUSINESS NEWS Boom in Nollywood to boost GDP growth rate in Africa – Report From ADEWALE SANYAOLU, in London

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report released in London, yesterday, by Euromonitor International and Reed Exhibitions Limited, organizers of the World Travel Market (WTM), has predicated a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in Africa, as a result of the boom in the local film industry dubbed ‘Nollywood’.

The GDP growth figure for the African region was contained in a report, titled: "WTM Global Trends Report 2012’.

The report explained that Nigeria's massive film industry, ‘Nollywood’, is a rising star in Africa's tourism industry, just as it declared it the world’s second largest film industry in volume terms, after India’s Bollywood and ahead of Hollywood in the US, with more than 2,000 films produced annually.

Specifically, the report predicated GDP growth in Africa to be at 5.2 percent in 2012 and 2013, while

trips/arrivals will rise to 4.5 percent in 2012 and 4.6 percent in 2013, adding that intra-regional travels is crucial for the African Tourism industry, due to strong business, linguistic and cultural links between many countries.

Besides, the report indicated that Nollywood films are popular in many African countries because their huge popularity attracts domestic and regional African tourists to Nigeria, visiting film locations.

Also, the report noted that the popularity of Nollywood would be a major growth driver with the leisure sector attracting film fans and business travel boosted by the growing economic importance of the film industry.

“Arrivals to Nigeria are set to rise three percent annually, over 2012-2016, mainly thanks to intra-regional tourism fuelled by growing African economies. It means Africa is poised for continued strong growth arrivals, incoming tourist receipts, air and hotel values sales in 2013,the report said.”

• L–R: Mr. Emmanuel Onyeji, general manager, Microsoft Anglophone, West Africa; Mrs Funke Opeke, chief executive officer, Main One, with Mr. Kunle Anisika, director, Enterprise Business Managers, at the launching of Microsoft Windows 8 open Door to Big Learning in Lagos, yesterday.

Photo: AYODELE OJO

Nigeria accounts for 36% ECOWAS food imports – World Bank

By CHIMA TITUS NWOKOJI

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igeria is the largest producer of food staples in West Africa but accounts for 36 percent of

By BISI OLALEYE Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) food he sector's regulator, Nigerian Communications imports. The country is a Commission (NCC) yesterday urged Nigerians to safe- major importer of grains to guard telecoms infrastructures in their environs. satisfy urban consumption This call was made by the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Dr. needs, says a recent World Eugene Juwah, at the 9th anniversary of the Telecoms Consumers’ Parliament (TCP) in Lagos.

According to him, the topic of the 9th edition of the TCP: ‘Telecom Infrastructure: An Imperative to Improving Quality of Service’, became necessary as a national discuss, owing to its By CHINENYE ANUFORO direct and indirect impact on both the quality of service, tariff charged by the operators, as well as consumers quality of experi- n view of the potential threats of Economic ence on the various networks.

Agreement He noted that protecting telecom infrastructures requires col- Partnership (EPA) to Nigeria’s economy, lective efforts from the operators, citizens and the regulator.

Manufacturers The commission boss described telecom infrastructure as a the phase in the life cycle of the telecommunication industry which Association of Nigeria (MAN) has recommended that the serves as blood that sustain the sector for efficiency and growth. scheme’s Road Map should “I appeal to all Nigerians to protect these infrastructures from be put on hold and the entire vandalism, stealing and any other form of abuses. We must dis- negotiation process subjected courage unauthorised usage or conversion to other uses of any to a complete review. called telecoms infrastructure,” he said.

Speaking on the position of Juwah explained that the global efforts in safeguarding telecom MAN on the ECOWAS-EU facilities is through legislation urging Federal Government to EPA negotiation at the MAN expedite actions towards making telecom infrastructure a nation- EPA seminar, held in Lagos al critical asset that should be given the right protection. yesterday, Chief G. G. Giwa, Economic Policy FG to support farmers on high technology chairman, Committee, MAN, listed From THERESA EGBA, Abuja food safety and sanitary and measures, which must be phytosanitary requirements implemented before further he Minister of Agriculture that dominate agriculture, actions are contemplated with and Rural Development, adding that smallholders farm- regard to any bilateral negotiDr. Akinwumi Adesina, ers produce the lion share of ation with European Union.

According to him, in order has assured that the Federal food in Nigeria and Africa Government is determined to forming the centrepiece of to positively impact on the ensure that farmers have the ‘pro-poor’ agricultural growth Nigerian economy, the EPA should be repositioned to high yielding technologies agenda.

According to Adesina, glob- facilitate the resolution of needed to boost food proalization has created new supply-side constraints facing duction.

This was made known in opportunities for small farmers the competitive production of Abuja at the Aflatoxin Control to enhance their position in the goods and services. The to improve Food Security and international market place, capacities of domestic manuSafety in Food Supply Chains stressing that globalization is facturing and processing secthe rising dominance of con- tors should be strengthened to in Nigeria.

Adesina noted that the small sumer influence in the market avoid regression and to give a holder farmers will reap the place, as consumers are filip to the competitiveness of majority of the benefits from becoming better informed the productive sector. the successful control of about issues around the food He advised that governthey consume, food produc- ment should take urgent steps Aflatoxin.

Adesina said that to ensure tion, distribution and sales. to improve the business enviHe explained that the suc- ronment, especially on facthat smallholder farmers become greater market partici- cessful adoption of aflasafe and tors that impact on market pants, both domestically and other aflatoxin mitigation tech- infrastructure, transportation globally, they need to be better nologies and strategies will and communication transacprepared to understand the rap- ensure that farmers are not left tion costs, supply capacity idly changing dynamics of behind in the wave of change. and productivity, energy and

NCC tasks Nigerians to safeguard telecoms equipment

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Bank report, titled: ‘AfricaCan-Feed Africa Report’.

According to the report endorsed by World Bank Vice President for Africa, Makthar Diop, Nigeria is the world’s leading producer of cassava, yams and taro root, and the second largest producer of sweet potatoes.

“It accounts for 69 percent of the regional supply of these

products, and also accounts for half of the grains produced in West Africa and is the world’s largest producer of cowpeas.

Still, while domestic production provides most of the food for Nigeria’s urban areas, the country has a deficit in rice and wheat.

“Every year Nigeria imports more than one million

MAN calls for review of EPA

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market entry conditions.

“A sector-based analysis should be carried out to evaluate the specific impact on each sector in order to determine the right liberalization schedules that would not affect Nigeria’s development objectives.

“The time frame for the take off of EPA if concluded should be tied to achievement of basic development thresholds in Nigeria and ECOWAS countries and the principle of reciprocity should only commence after the attainment of these thresholds,” he said.

He noted that the Service Sector should be removed from EPA negotiations and made compatible with the stand of developing countries in the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiation.

Giwa stated that EPA should link up to the region’s strategic development vision and provide support measures and financing framework.

“To this end, Nigerian Government should defend the exclusion of the country’s sensitive industrial products from the EPA and the 5th band of the CET should be finalized for such sensitive products,” he said.

In his welcome address, Chief Kola Jamodu, MAN President stated that from all available analyses, a badly negotiated or concluded EPA can only spell doom for the more than 250 million people and the private sector in ECOWAS. In this regard, no sacrifice is too great to exercise patience and caution in reviewing all proposals from the European Union.

tons of rice, making it among the largest rice importing countries in the world, and more than two million tons of wheat flour,” the World Bank report stated.

The bank wants Africa’s farmers to contribute more to meeting high demand for food, predicting that given population growth and increased urbanization, Africa’s demand for food staples will grow dramatically in the coming decade. Indeed it added, “Demand is expected to double by 2020, primarily in cities leading to higher import bills for food.”

The report also stated that production of food staples for growing urban markets and food deficit rural areas presents the largest growth opportunity for African farmers; adding that the market value of Africa’s food staple production is at least $50 billion per year, equivalent to three-quarters of all agricultural output going by a World Bank 2008 estimate.

“Food trade has yet to be unlocked within Africa, together with its potential to raise income for farmers and enhance food security for all.

For that, reforms need to happen. And to put reforms in motion, nothing would help more than evidence brought to the attention of the common citizen,” he added.

We can still achieve 5000 megawatts by December, FG insists

By STEVE AGBOTA

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he Federal Government has insisted on its resolve to attain 5,000 megawatts of electricity by December 2012, saying it is possible, since 4,321 megawatts was achieved in August.

This was made known by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Mrs Dere Awosika, in Abuja, at the 7th General Assembly of the West African Power Pool (WAPP). Awosika said the

plan to attain 5,000 megawatts of electricity by December was government’s deliberate drive towards achieving a sustainable power sector for a robust economic development.

According to her: “The target is to attain 5,000 megawatts by December 2012. This is possible since we achieved a national peak of 4,321 megawatts on 31 August 2012.”

Awosika further stated that the Independent Power Project (IPP) presently con-

tributes 50 per cent of electricity in the country.

She added that the project contributed substantially to improved generation with the commissioning of Olorunsogo, Omotosho, Sapele and Alaoji gas thermal generating stations.

According to her, the Federal Government is also implementing renewable energy projects with one Megawatt Solar Plant and 10 Megawatts Wind Farm in Katsina State.

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DAILY SUN

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS

FG loses N58.7bn through waivers

By STEVE AGBOTA

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igeria may have lost about N58.7 billion during the year through granting of waivers and concessions.

Senator Isah Galaudu, from Kebbi North Constituency, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the Senate hearing.

He said the Senate is worried about duty waivers because the country wants to collect as much revenue as possible and it wants to make sure that government captures it and collect it.

“This year alone the country lost about N58.7 billion on account of waivers and concession, in a situation where every naira counts, to finance our development operations. I think we have to rethink on how waivers are to be given. There is a lot of concern that these waivers are being abused,” he said.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala however blamed the loss on the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), CAP 45 2004, (Amendment) Bill 2012 presently undergoing public hearing at the National Assembly and called for amendment of the affected parts.

She faulted Section 145 of the bill, saying the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) cannot take over the President’s and Minister’s powers over import and export prohibition. She argued that the amendment was not skewed to the overall development of

the country.

The minister said: “In our view, prohibition, importation and exportation of goods, duty exemptions and waivers are powers too critical to economic management to be left to the Customs Service, which is in real terms an agent not the principal.”

She explained that Section 7(3) of the bill provides that the Minister shall appoint the persons referred to in subsection 2G, after consultations with trading organisations involved and other members of the governing body.

She, however, noted that

Rice millers advises FG against import liberalization From WALTER UKAEGBU, ion the effect of the disasters, stating further that there would Abuja be no food shortage.

They also asked government ice Processors Association of Nigeria not to be swayed into reversing (RIPAN) has appealed to its laid down policy on rice prothe Federal Government not duction as it has already put to succumb to blackmail by down about N200 billion to some rice cabals by opening serve as loan to rice farmers at a floodgate of rice importa- very low digital interest rate.

“This should not create a tion.

Since the flood disaster, major food crisis or food shortwhich ravaged different parts of age to the level of being touted the country, potential rice by Rice Merchants and importers have been embarking Speculators who are advocating on false campaign that there massive Rice imports. We would be famine unless the acknowledge that the floods Federal Government do some- may have dealt a serious blow thing fast like importing the to yam and cassava also, yet there is no need for panic and commodity.

The association, which spoke speculative hype calling for through their Chairman, Rice imports,” he said.

The association urged govMohammed Abubakar, during a Press briefing yesterday in ernment to study/evaluate the Abuja, countered the insinua- situation on ground before any tion by the cabals arguing that panic import/buying of rice and they have enough stock to cush- other commodities.

“Government should consider appropriate measured response that would not damage the national interest especially national initiative and investment in agriculture,” the He equally called govern- association said. ment to prevail on the State They maintained that the Security Service (SSS) to government should resist the come up with a dedicated pressure from the cabal of ecomaritime desk to gather infor- nomic saboteurs to abandon mation on illegal activities in and reverse its strategic plan Nigerian waters and their and fiscal policy on the food sponsors. sector in response to the disaster Jolapamo urged govern- caused by the current flooding ment to adopt a collaborative in some states. approach like what obtains in RIPAN also advocated that the Gulf of Aden and an inter-ministerial committee Indonesian waters, where should be set up to assess the according to him, ship owners level of damage done by the are placed at the centre of floods to the economy particuproffering lasting solutions. larly the food sector, and recThe ISAN boss said: “There ommend strategies and options have always been intense for mitigating against the political pressures from cur- impact of the disaster.

It also urged the establishrent and potential beneficiaries/speculators of these illegal ment of a minimum producer acts thus putting the credibili- price for paddy harvested to ty of government implemen- enable farmers survive and rise up from the adversity and distation efforts at stake.

“From past experiences of tribute viable seeds to enable about four decades, I must the farmers embark on massive warn that these activities will replanting as the new season increase with the coming gen- starts.

It is estimated that about eral election around the corner and we must not fail this time 40per cent of the Rice crop may around to manage our tomor- have been lost particularly in the lowlands/swamps areas row challenges today.

“These are vices we have near the major rivers. This may created and which must be create a supply shortage of tackled, not only for econom- about 1.5 million tons in the ic reasons but for the sake of local availability of paddy transnational integrity and investor lating to milled Rice shortfall of about 1 million tons. confidence,” he added.

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Navy urged to disengage from commercial shipping activities

By TOKUNBO OLOKE

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ndigenous Shipowners Association of Nigeria (ISAN) has called on the Federal Government to disengage the Nigerian Navy from commercial shipping activities in Nigeria.

The call was made by ISAN Chairman, Chief Isaac Jolapamo, at a Nigeria–United States BiNational Commission Working Group on the Niger Delta in a remark titled: ‘Tackling Oil Bunkering and Piracy’, held in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

Jolapamo recommended that the Federal Government should equip the Navy with platforms and surveillance equipment to effectively perform its constitutional role of policing the nation’s waters and “disengage the Navy from commercial shipping activities, except maintain presence at crude oil loading terminals.”

The ISAN boss also advocated that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) be strengthened to deliver on its mandate.

the country cannot take no notice of certain international rules as waivers are repeatedly granted to NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) and foreign embassies.

She added: “We all agreed on one thing that abuse of waiver for whatever purpose is not something good for the country. At the same time, there are certain categories that are internationally respected like the waivers for diplomatic communities and NGOs and recently waivers have reformed and if they were to be granted it should be on industry basis.”

DAILY SUN

Wednesday, November 7 2012

Cleveland cut, costs Eric N78m

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Ahead South Africa 2013

By MONICA IHEAKAM

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x-international and Atlanta ‘96 gold medallist, Patrick Pascal, has warned Super Eagles’ Chief Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, to be wary of schemers now that Nigeria has qualified for the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and ensure that he takes the best decision.

The former Royal Antwerp of Belgium player, in a chat with Daily Sunsports, said that majority of those clamouring to be part of the competition in South Africa next year were spent forces who did not know when to call it quits.

Pascal attributed the inflated ego some players exhibit in the national team to many Nigerians, who overnight become player managers and agents, thereby waxing lyrical about the superlative form of players who otherwise were bench warmers in their various clubs abroad.

“Nigerians have over massaged the egos of some of our players all because of vested interest that sometimes it becomes difficult for the coach to perform his duty without the unwarranted interference of the public.

“It is only in Nigeria that it is an accepted norm that players who don’t get playing time in their clubs are regular features in our national team because we have Emenike thrown caution and professionalism to the winds and rather embraced sentiments.

“Yes Keshi needs the support of people but he should not be stampeded into inviting rusty and tired legs for the Nations Cup. “In his selection, Keshi should go for the best for Nigeria. There is time for him to invite these players and anyone doing well in his club should be invited.

“I played the game, and if you don’t leave football, it will leave you. The spent forces would want to wangle their way into the team and if Keshi insists on taking them to South Africa, they would become a liability and embarrassment to

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Lobbists will ruin your Eagles edged that there are no more minnows in football.

“There is no small country in football anymore because all the countries are trying to develop the sport.

“Super Eagles are one of the

–Pascal warns Keshi favourites, even Zambia as defending champions are aware that it is not going to be easy for them in the group. If our players can put the efforts they show in their clubs in executing the Nations Cup, Nigeria won’t have problems in South Africa.

Efe dares Messi again the nation.

“I am impressed with the manner in which he executed the qualifiers by making use of home-based players to put pressure on the foreign-based ones who would otherwise hold Nigeria to ransom with their antics. At least, now there is competition in the team because the serious ones know that national team call-ups help them get good deals outside.

Commenting on the draw for the Nations Cup, Pascal stated that the pairing was a favourable one for Super Eagles, even as he acknowl-

•As Barca, Man U look good for knockout stages

By GEORGE ALUO

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uper Eagles’ defence strongman, Efe Ambrose, will again try to stop mercurial Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi from finding the back of the net as his Scottish club, Celtic play host to Barcelona in a Champions League game tonight.

Efe will be going into the encounter looking to make amend after fumbling in his club’s last weekend league game against Dundee United no thanks to an own goal he scored in the match that ended 2–2.

However, the duo of Barcelona and Manchester United are already

looking good to book their tickets to the knockout stages of the money spinning competition should they win today.

The duo have all won the opening three group games and if they win a fourth will take their places in the last 16 with two matches to spare.

Despite not playing particularly well, Man United have won their three Group H matches and they are going to Portugal’s Braga today in good spirits having gone top of the Premier League with a 2–1 win over Arsenal at the weekend.

Braga established a 2–0 lead at Old Trafford two weeks ago before losing 3–2 and Coach Jose Peseiro believes they can grab all three points this time round.

Continued on page 53

UCL

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

EURO ROUND UP EPL Stories By GEORGE ALUO

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iverpool’s skipper, Stephen Gerrard, should ordinarily have been the man to celebrate last weekend at Anfield when his side played host to Newcastle.

Captain fantastic as he is popularly called was making his 600th appearance for Liverpool which was by all standard a landmark achievement.

But rather than steal the show, notorious Uruguayan forward, Louis Suarez turned out to be the man that got all the attention courtesy of his superb 67th minute strike.

An utterly brilliant goal from Suarez prevented Liverpool from losing at home to Newcastle United as they came from a goal down to draw 1–1 in the Premier League.

The striker scored one of the best goals seen so far this season and went close on a number of other occasions. But for Suarez, Liverpool would have lost the contest.

Courtesy of his five star performance, Suarez was named Man of the Match.

Yohan Cabaye put Newcastle in front after 43 minutes with a wonderful strike of his own, driving home a fierce effort following a classy bit of play from Hatem Ben Arfa, but Suarez surpassed the Frenchman’s effort with 23 minutes remaining.

Though Liverpool fans wanted a win, they left the arena singing the praise of Suarez for saving them from what would have been an embarrassing home defeat.

Coach Brendan Rodgers on his part declared: “Suarez is so bright, so clever, he’s a world-class striker. On that form he really frustrates and provokes defenders. He has a hunger for the game, he has a hunger for goals.”

Rodgers admits his team have an overreliance on Suarez when it comes to scoring goals, but he hopes to rectify the situation in the January transfer window.

Suarez steals show from Captain Fantastic

My boys played to instruction –Levante coach La Liga

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QPR boss backs Hughes once more

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PR’s Chairman, Tony Fernandes insists he has complete faith in under-fire Manager, Mark Hughes as the Loftus Road Club still search for their first Premier League win of the season.

The R’s players were jeered off the pitch following Sunday’s 1–1 home draw against fellow strugglers, Reading to claim only their fourth league point of the campaign.

But Fernandez still believes Hughes is the right man to take the club forward, telling Sky Sports News the Welshman has his full backing.

“I have complete faith in Mark Hughes and we have a great squad, we just need to hold out for that stability and I’m sure things are going to go right,” he said.

“It’s been one of those frustrating seasons for us but I’m keeping the faith and keeping calm. It’s not a time to panic.”

•Hughes

•Gerrard

resolute defensive display saw Levante hold out for a 0–0 draw away to Sevilla on Sunday, which moves them up to fifth in La Liga as they battle for a European place.

Coach of the side, Juan Ignacio Martinez was full of praise for his wards after the hard earned draw declaring that they played to instruction.

Only Barcelona had taken points off Sevilla at home so far with Real Madrid among those defeated but an in-form Levante coped well with the threat from the Andalusian side and remain two points clear of them.

Sevilla faced Levante without Piotr Trochowski in midfield owing to a long term knee injury and with Diego Perotti also missing, Antonio Luna was given the chance on the left wing.

At the back, Alberto Botia was in the treatment room and so Emir Spahic lined up alongside Federico Fazio at centre half.

Levante’s game plan was to defend solidly at the back, where they had veteran centre-half Sergio Ballesteros available after suspension and they managed to frustrate Sevilla, who were passing the ball through midfield but were being squeezed out when they tried to attack.

The main danger came down the right wing with the combination of Jesus Navas and Cicinho, who were looking to cross for target man, Alvaro Negredo.

Midway through the first half, Navas had a shot from the edge of the area which went narrowly past the post and Negredo also fired wide, while at the other end, Juanlu Gomez had a shot from distance which keeper Andres Palop saved comfortably.

After the break, Sevilla tried to raise the tempo but still had to resort to shots from distance with Negredo forcing a good save from keeper Gustavo Munua and they went nearest to scoring with a Jose Campana shot which looped off a defender and hit •Martinez the crossbar.

53 EURO ROUND UP Barca, Man U look good for knockout stages DAILY SUN

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Continued from page 51

•V. Persie celebrates with Rooney

Ferguson salutes RVP, Rooney M

anchester United Manager, Sir Alex Fergoson, has given a pat on the back to the striking duo of Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney after his side’s 2–1 victory over Arsenal on Saturday.

•Cole

Ligue 1 Cole should go back to Lille – Cabaye

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ewcastle United’s Yohan Cabaye has told former England international, Joe Cole, he should forget trying to regain his place at Liverpool and return to French club, Lille.

Cole has played just 32 minutes in the Premier League for Liverpool this season following a successful spell on loan with Lille last term.

“It is not easy for him because he does not play much,” Cabaye, who scored a brilliant opener for Newcastle in their 1–1 draw at Anfield at the weekend, told L’Equipe on Monday.

“It worked well for him at Lille,” added former Lille midfielder Cabaye. “Maybe it would be a good idea for him to return there.

“The club, the coach, the fans love him at Lille. I’ve heard that (Coach) Rudi Garcia would be interested to have him back.”

Ferguson after the win said fans were even yet to see the best of the two forwards.

“They also both have the courage to play in these positions. Robin’s not faraway in that respect.

“They’re both mobile players and good footballers with a great desire to play and win.

“I don’t think you saw the best of them as a partnership against Arsenal,” Ferguson said.

Robin van Persie on his part said his partnership with Wayne Rooney is blossoming due to their game plan of adopting a brand new position - the ‘nine and a half’.

The Dutchman says the pair interchange between the more forward position, tradition-

ally the number nine spot, and the creative number 10 position linking with midfield.

Van Persie has scored 10 goals for United since his summer move from Arsenal - helped significantly by his forming an immediate understanding with Rooney.

Van Persie told the club’s official website: “I call it a nine and a half because you have two positions, the nine and the 10, and we are both nine and a half. We are just helping each other out. We both play behind and a bit higher up. It seems to be working well and I am very happy with Wayne - hopefully we can keep it going.”

Barca sets new club record

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arcelona beat Celta Vigo 3–1 to set a new club record start to the season and go 11 points clear of bitter rivals, Real Madrid.

Adriano Correia put the Catalan side ahead after 21 minutes, while Mario Bermejo momentarily brought Celta level minutes later, David Villa quickly restored the lead while Jordi Alba secured the win in the second half.

•Alba

Barca has now nine wins and a draw so far which beats the previous best start by Louis van Gaal’s 1997-98 side.

Ahead of the game, Lionel Messi showed off his Golden Boot trophy which he was presented last week after scoring 73 goals last season, while he was also the focus following the birth of his first child, Thiago on Friday.

The pressure is on Madrid, who are only now finding their form after a poor start to the campaign.

Meanwhile, Centre-back, Gerard Pique has returned to the Barcelona squad after injury and is fit for today’s trip to Celtic in Champions League Group G. “Happy to train with the team again. It felt really good!”

Pique said on his official Twitter account on Monday.

The Spain international has been out of action with a foot injury since Barca’s 3–2 win over Spartak Moscow seven weeks ago and his replacements have struggled at times.

He was named in Tito Vilanova’s squad for the clash at the Scottish champions, but Adriano Correia and Carles Puyol are out injured, while Sergio Busquets is suspended.

round.

“We know about the resources and the value of Manchester United, but that doesn’t stop us thinking that we have our chances, that we have good players, that we have a good team, and that we are ready to do good things and win the match if we can,” he said.

Barcelona can guarantee a place in the last 16 by winning at Celtic.

Chelsea, who have made an ordinary start to the defence of their crown with a win, a draw and a defeat, cannot afford another reverse at home to Shakhtar today after losing in Ukraine two weeks ago.

That victory put Shakhtar top of Group E with seven points, three ahead of Chelsea who are a point clear of Juventus and three in front of Danish newcomers, Nordsjaelland.

Since losing at home to Barcelona in the knockout round in 2006, Chelsea have lost just two of 34 Champions League matches at Stamford Bridge, but a run of six successive wins there ended when Juventus secured a 2–2 draw in September.

Juve have drawn a record nine successive European games and lost their 49match unbeaten Serie A run, when they were beaten by Inter Milan on Saturday.

They should be too strong for Nordsjaelland today, but visiting Coach Kasper Hjulmand believes his team can still reach the last 16 following their home draw with Juve two weeks ago.

“Every point we can get takes a major effort - and is a sensation. Our chances are

Eko 2012 Porbeni wants water sports in NSF

By JOE APU

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resident of the Nigeria Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing Federation, Rear Admiral Festus Porbeni has demanded for an inclusion of water sports in the forthcoming 18th National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012, not as a scoring event, but as a demonstration sport to attract athletes and sponsors.

Speaking at the Navy Sailing Club, Ojo where he was guest of honour at a race sponsored by the Flag Officer Commanding, the Naval Training Command, NAVTRAC, Rear Admiral Azubike Ajonu, the president noted that one of the factors affecting the water sports is the lack of encouragement from the corporate organizations while stating that being part of the National Sports Festival and allowing athletes participate as demonstration would go a long way to getting more people involved in the sport.

“Water sports have great potentials for Nigeria to amass medals but there is so much lack of interest that is not helping the athletes we have. I’ve made a request to the National Sports Commission, NSC to allow our event even as a demonstration sport but I’m yet to get a response,” he stated.

However, the FOC, Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Azubuike Ajonu while towing the line of Admiral Porbeni noted that Nigeria is good enough to win gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games given the potentials that are at the disposal of the country. “It is the wish of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ezeoba to see Nigeria win medals in the water sport come the next Olympic Games in Rio 2016.”

Meanwhile the Navy Sailing Club has won the heart of the President General of the Nigeria Football and other sports supporters club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo who was one of the guests at the race. While speaking on the race, he noted that with support from the National Sports Commission, water sports athletes would surprise the world in Rio 2016.

54

DAILY SUN

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

BASKETBALL

Cleveland cut, costs Eric N78m

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ust when new Cleveland Cavaliers sign-on, Michael Eric was getting used to being an NBA player, the club waived him and two others last Saturday to bring its roster down to 15 players.

That effort has cost the young Nigerian basketball player the sum of $500,000 (about N78.5million) being an amount he would have earned for a year if he had made the team.

The Cavaliers waived Kevin Jones, Eric and D’Aundray Brown just before the team’s first game in the new NBA season.

Eric, the son of Nigeria’s former international goalkeeper, Joe Erico, was signed by the Cavaliers on a three-year, non-guaranteed contract, and had he made the team, he would have made $500,000 this year.

Eric averaged 0.5 rebounds in 3.5 minutes per game in two games during the preseason for Cleveland. The 6’11 center out of Temple, also played in five games during the 2012 NBA Summer League, where he averaged 4.0 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game.

The young Nigerian feared that he would not make the cut and expressed his worries thus: “It challenges you to work harder and be the best you can. I have a lot to work on. To make the team, you never know.”

The former Temple Owl could be headed for the D-League Canton Charge, which has the right of first refusal on the last three players’ cut by the Cavs. That is assuming those players want to play in the D-League.

“I’ll do whatever I can to make myself better and be part of the NBA,” he said.

Scott said that Eric has taken a step back since showing much promise at the Las Vegas Summer League.

“His knee started to bother him,” he said. “He’s still long and athletic. I still he Nigeria Basketball Federation think he can be a presence in the post. His (NBBF), in an attempt to stem the disgrace of being caught in the web post defense has got better.

•Michael Eric (left) in action for Temple University

NBBF opts out of age group tourneys

Fallout on AWC

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Blame poor league for Nigeria's outing in Abidjan - Aderemi

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igeria’s poor outing at the recent 18th Africa Women Club Championship (AWC) in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, where the country’s representatives, First Deepwater Basketball Club and First Bank Basketball Club, both from Lagos, finished in the seventh and eight positions respectively, has been described as the worst for Nigeria over the years.

This was the conclusion of Coach Adewunmi Aderemi of First Bank on his return from the championship, while stressing that inadequate preparation was the major reason for what he considered a flop on the part of the country. Though he is saddened by the performance of his side, Aderemi admitted that inexperience also played a big role in the decimal performance of his team.

While calling for a more robust league to help in keeping the players in the domestic league busy and also in shape, Aderemi, who is in his 10th year as coach of First Bank, said the only way forward for women basketball in the country would be for the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to look at ways of improving the league to make it more competitive.

“It’s unfortunate that we finished last in Abidjan and it remains my worst outing in basketball. First Bank Elephant Girls had won two African championships in 2003 and 2009, finished second thrice in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and took the third place in 2007, 2008 and 2010, so this year’s performance remains a shock to me and for us to get back to reckoning, we need total repackaging,” he said.

Reminded that he would have the First Deepwater Basketball to contend with in due course, Aderemi admitted that the coming of the team had put him on the edge a number of times because of his ageing players and those of them that had got married.

“I must admit that First Deepwater is a good thing to happen to women basketball.

We need more clubs like that because the team keeps me on my toes, even as it helps me to work harder. I’m sure that in the new season, I would be in a better position to take back the league with the young players I have been working on over the years. The like of Evelyn Akato, Nkem Akariwe, Nwanamaka Chidinma and Monye Onyeka would be the turning point for First Bank.

No one should look down on us next season,” he stated.

...As Div 2 gets Dec 15 date of age cheats at different levels of FIBA Africa competitions, is toying with the idea of staying out for a period to reorganise and harmonise players at that level of competition.

President of NBBF, Tijjani Umar, told Freethrow that the time had come for a firm decision to be taken on the incessant problem of age falsification in Nigerian basketball and putting a stop to the shame that comes with it.

“Much as the federation wants to give opportunities to younger players and coaches at the age grade level, it has become an alarming issue with the players and coaches cutting corners just to ensure that they win competitions by all means. I don’t think that is the essence of age grade basketball.

Most people see it as an avenue to announce themselves as champions instead of using age grade competitions for sports development. The need has arisen for us to put a permanent stop to it,” Umar said.

The president, obviously irked by the disqualification of several Nigerian male and female players at the last FIBAAfrica Zone 3 Under-16 Championship held in Cotonou, Benin Republic, said that he was not ready to play the blame game at this point, but would rather nip the situation in the bud than continue to allow Nigeria face the shame.

The federation, according to him, was going to inform FIBA Africa of the development in order to return the country to the right part.

“The need for us to do the right thing has come and the best way out of the situation is to stay out of age grade basketball for a while and go back to the zonal system like Nestle Milo Secondary School Basketball

to discover talents and, also, organise programmes through coaches to help in harmonising them from the Under-14 level, so that when we return to the international stage, we would be sure of the players we are presenting.”

He further stated that the journey to the new beginning would begin during the National Division 2 Championship scheduled for Abuja from December 15-22, during which a two-day seminar would be organised.

“There would be three papers on the benefits of Basketball Without Borders, age fraud and youth development to help put the situation in proper perspective,” he revealed.

Bile tasks Cote d'Ivoire on Nations Cup 2013

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ecretary General of FIBA Africa, Alphonsu Bile, has charged the officials of Ivoiren Baskeball Federation to be ready to go the extra mile if they hope to play a good host in next year’s Africa Nations Cup. Bile, while commenting on the recent Africa Women Club Championship in Abidjan, said the event was a good dress rehearsal for the forthcoming FIBA Africa Nations Cup. He, however, noted that there were still things to improve on and hopes that the federation would go the whole hug to ensure that everything was put in place before the event got underway in 2013.

“I want to commend the organisers for hosting the women championship. I see it as a good dress rehearsal for the Nations Cup, but we’ll work in this direction in order to have a good Nations Cup.”

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 DAILY SUN

SUN SPORTS

55

NEWS

War of words T

MTN WGC: Nigerian contingent arrives, awaits final results

By MONICA IHEAKAM

...As Super Falcons ambush Bayana Bayana

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they will again punish the South African en route winning a seventh AWC crown, their opponents are encouraged by the back-to-back draws they managed during friendly matches played earlier this year to aid them re-write history by recording their first ever victory against high-flying Falcons.

Super Falcons’ winger, Stella Mbachu is confident the South African

ar of words is raging between reigning champions, Super Falcons of Nigeria and perennial underachievers, Bayana, Bayana of South Africa, as they get set to lock horns in the epic semi-final match today at the ongoing African Women Championship (AWC) in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

While the Nigerian girls are confident

•L – R: Director, Commercial, West and Central Africa, Delta Airways, Mr. Robert Bryan; General Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel, Mr. Mark Loxley and General Manager, Nigeria and West Africa, Etihad Airways, Mr. Maurice Phohleli at the recently held Press briefing ahead of the forthcoming 2nd Annual Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel Golf Tournament

Obudu Mountain Race: Kopkudi, Dung lead Nigeria’s challenge

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wo-time men’s champion in the Nigerian category, Danjuma Kopkudi and five-time women’s queen, Janet DungDabatu will lead Nigeria’s challenge for the Obudu International Mountain Race title which starts next weekend at the Obudu Ranch Resort in Obudu, Cross River State.

Kopkudi, the fastest Nigerian man at the race in 2005 and 2006 will lead 24 other Nigerian men, who will be aiming to rewrite the history of the race by winning the title on offer while Dung-Dabatu, the defending women’ champion will strive to extend her dominance beyond the Nigerian stage.

Kopkudi will have four other past winners in the Nigerian category in the persons of Stephen Jurbe (2008), Danjuma Gyang (2009), Cletus Eyo (2010) and defending champion, Tokbe Giwet join him to stake a bold bid for the overall time that has been won by one Australian, one Kenyan and five Ethiopians.

For the women, Dung-Dabatu will be the only former or reigning Nigerian champion to spearhead the battle for a change in a status quo that has a Czech Republic, an Austrian and a Kenyan women as well as four Ethiopian women as former winners.

Both Kopkudi and Dung will also lead the challenge for the respective team event titles at the African mountain running championships which will hold alongside the international mountain race on Saturday, November 17.

At the inauguaral edition of the championships in 2009, Team Nigeria, led by Danjuma Gyang finished third behind Ethiopia and Uganda.

The male team finished a step lower the following year, while the women team led by Dung-Dabatu finished second behind Ethiopia at the inauguaral edition for the women.

Last year, Team Nigeria men returned to the podium as second run-

ners up while the women were crowned champions.

The Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race is an annual mountain running competition that has the largest total prize-money available of any mountain race and is known as “the world’s richest mountain race.”

The men’s and women’s competition winners receive $50,000 each and there is a total prize pot of well over $270,000.

The combination of the distance of the race and the rewards on offer means that it attracts world-class road running athletes as well as mountain running athletes such as Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar, the reigning Olympic 5000m women’s champion, who graced the race in 2010 and Uganda’s reigning Olympics marathon king, Stephen Kiprotich, who placed 9th last year at the 7th edition of the race .

girls will pose no threat to Nigeria’s 7th title aspirations as they know how to punish them.

“Banyana Banyana cannot stop us, we know them too well and we know how to beat them. We are ready to do same to them again here,” said the experienced winger, who was on target in the 3–1 win over Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.

Adding credence to Mbachu’s declarations, Super Falcons Chief coach, Kadiri Ikhana says: “We will go past South Africa to the final.”

Veteran Banyana midfielder, Portia Modise, who scored in the international friendly played in Rustenburg on June 3, said that Nigeria fielded her full strength team during the friendly matches and believes Banyana can break the mental block to record their first-ever win over the Super Falcons.

“The players are so keen to get the win over Nigeria and give South African football fans lots to be proud of as the win will allow our team to make the final which is one step further than what we achieved at the CAF 2010 African Women Championship,” she said.

Bayana Bayana’s top scorer in the tournament, Mgcoyi believes they can shock the reigning champions by playing as a team and making full use of their chances.

“We’ve never beaten Nigeria, the best we have done has been a draw but we are determined to change this.”

For the South African Head Coach, Joseph Mkhonza, it is operation stop Nigeria.

“The stage is set for an epic battle between the two sides and the power of African women’s football is clear, with all four of the top ranked teams on the continent in Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and South Africa having made the semi-finals.

The South African girls are yet to beat the Super Falcons who are looking forward to continuing their dominance in Bata this afternoon to set up a final most likely against hosts, Equatorial Guinea, who battle Cameroon in the other semifinal.

The first time both nations met was in 1995, when Falcons triumphed 11–2 on aggregate with 4–1 and 7–1 wins in both legs.

Nigeria also beat them in final of 2000 AWC 2–0 and also defeated the South Africans 2–1 in the 2010 edition of the competition.

he Nigerian contingent to the recent 18th World Golfers Championship in Durban, South Africa, got back home, over the weekend, even though the organisers are yet to release official results of the annual amateur tournament which ended last Friday.

While speaking about the conduct of the Nigerian team in South Africa, Sales and Distribution Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Omatshola Barrow said he was pleased with the gentlemanly manner in which the entire contingent conducted themselves.

“I am very delighted at the performance of our guys. They exihibited a high degree of decorum which made them the pride of everyone. I wish that they will keep up the spirit now and in other future championships.” Barrow said.

The WGC which is considered to be the biggest amateur golf tournament in the world, featured a large number of golfers from 30 countries participating in the event.

Malaysia dethroned Thailand to emerge the winners of this year’s edition by aggregating the best net scores over four days in some of the best golf courses in the coastal region of the north coast of South Africa.

The concern over the final result was echoed on Sunday night by one of Nigeria’s key players, Sam Galadima. Like everyone, Galadima wanted to know how Nigeria fared after two days of practice rounds and 72 holes of golf played under mounting pressure on four great golf courses.

The tournament was held at the Durban Golf and Country Club, Prince’s Grant, Cotsword Downs and Umhlali Golf Club.

Nigeria was well placed to record its best ever finish at the WGC as it was in the 6th place after the third day of the tournament, last Thursday. There is a reason for Galadima to be worried as he was the pillar upon which the Nigerian challenge rested in Durban.

He finished in a commendable 4th position in the 6-10 handicap flight category, with the net score of 309, to stay within sight of Malaysian Pakhrudin Adb Majid, Butrinov Andrey of Russia and Sergey Gayduk.

Usenobong Akpabio finished in the 9th place in the 16-20 flight category with 311 nett, while Uko Orok settled for a tie for 14th position in the 21-25 handicap flight category.

Emmanuel Onumajuru improved on the last day to finish in a tie for the 17th position in the 0–5 flight, while Nigeria’s 5th campaigner, Paul Erokoro finished 22nd on the log in the 11-15 flight category.

Though the Nigerian team lost the ‘Spirit of Tumba Award’which it won last year, to Namibia, it however, left on a high note as the only West African team and a key member of the world golf family.

1st Zone II African Junior Swimming Championship

4-man Mali team first to arrive

By MADUABUCHI KALU

A

ll is now set for the 1st Zone II African Junior Swimming Championship, which Ondo State is sponsoring and hosting in Akure, the State capital. The swimming championship is aimed at discoverying talents in CANA Zone II made up of West African countries and some Central African countries will last between 7–12 November.

Meanwhile, some countries that indicated interest in the championship have started arriving for the competition and the first to arrive the shores of the country is a 4-man Malian team that arrived on Monday. The 4-man Malian team arrived three days ahead of the arrival date, as Togo is expected to arrive today.

The championship is to hold at the newly reconstructed swimming pool section of Akure Sports Complex.

Before now, about seven countries had signified their intension to partic-

ipate in first ever CANA Zone II African Swimming Championship.

Other countries that signified their interest to participate in the championship include Ghana, Chad, Niger, Benin Republic and Ivory Coast.

However, the Main Organising Committee (MOC) has since been constituted and it is headed by the President of Nigerian Swimming Federation (NSF) and a member of the CANA Bureau, Babatunde Fatai Williams and Hon. Bamido Omogbeshin as vice; other members include the Secretary of the Nigeria Swimming Federation, Gloria Ekwempu, who serves as the secretary of MOC and the General Manager, Ondo State Sports Council, Mrs. Idowu Akinbolumo.

It is expected that the end of the championship would achieved the aims and objectives of the championship even as it is expected that the young athletes would forge friendship and their interest in the sport strengthened.

Abdullahi tasks new NASCOM board CAF appoints venue managers for

By GEORGE ALUO and ROMANUS UGWU

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ports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has charged the new board of Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM) to revive sports in the nation’s secondary schools.

Abdullahi, who spoke while inaugurating the board yesterday in Abuja said the reconstitution of the Board of NASCOM was a part of the present administration’s effort and strategic plan to reposition sports at the school level to facilitate discovery of young budding sports talents from the school system.

The minister noted that to meet President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s expectation of the country becoming the continent’s No.1 sporting nation and top four in the world, NASCOM must play its role well.

In the words of Abdullahi: “The new NASCOM Board is hereby

charged to assist the nation to restore the old era of effective sports participation and competitiveness in our secondary schools, where the crop of future top Nigerian athletes will be sourced from to make Nigeria become the No.1 sporting nation in Africa and be rated among the top four sporting nations in the Commonwealth and ultimately in the world. In doing this, you need to be honest about the true identity, age and talents of the student athletes, such that their performances could be sustained over a period of time.”

The new 12-man NASCOM board headed by Yemi Idowu, a renowned banker is expected to shop for sponsors for its programmes. Other members of the board include Fela Bank-Olemo, Ibrahim Mohammed, Felix Awoogu, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Lizzy Onyenwenwa, Lawrence Oduah and Ohimai Amaize, who is to serve as secretary of the committee.

Nations Cup

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he African Football Confederation (CAF) has appointed four General Coordinators who will run the four venues of the Nations Cup next year.

FIFA refers to them as Venue Managers, while CAF calls them General Coordinators. They are saddled with the overall running of the venues, representing the CAF General Secretary Hicham El Amrani, who they report to, through the CAF Tournament Director, Shereen Arafa.

General Coordinators are saddled with the overall organisation of the venues and their duties include but not limited to directing Match Coordinating meetings, check of flags and anthems, managing the countdown procedure, guaranteeing the quality of match venue, training sites, hotels and transportation including the day to day administrative functions of the venue as directed by the tournament director.

Souleyman Magassouba of Mali will run Group D based at Rustenburg with Cote D'ivoire, Tunisia, Algeria and Togo as competing teams.

The Nigerian group comprising Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia to be based in Nespruit will be handled by Tony Baffoe of Ghana. While Massa Diarra of Mauritania is saddled with Group B based at Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay, with Ghana, Mali Niger and DR Congo as foes.

Group A, made up of host, South Africa, Cape Verde, Angola and Morrocco, to play in Johanesburg and Durban will have Paul Bassey of Nigeria as General Coordinator. He will also be responsible for the opening and final matches of the Nations Cup. In the coming days, CAF will also appoint other officers to help the General Coordinators function properly.

Writes on:

N150 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 VOL.7 NO. 2490

‘Boko Haram and a dubious peace Page 30 offer’

General Shuwa: Tribute to a great civil war hero

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he irony of the senseless killings in the North-east of Nigeria, especially the Borno-Yobe axis, came full circle when on November 02, as reports have it, gunmen shot dead General Mohammed Shuwa, a 79-yearold authentic civil war hero, dead, along with his guests in his Gwange, Maiduguri home. It was, indeed, a tragic end to a man, who, even in the heat of war, protected lives and did everything to avoid needless deaths.

I was eleven years old when the civil war broke out but I recall with such vividness its experiences and lessons. Being branded a saboteur in the heat of that war was a summary death sentence, which was instantly carried out. My hometown, Ikom, was a war zone and my father, who was caught up in Biafra, had taken part in the peace talks on the Biafran side. When Ikom fell to Federal troops, the rest of the family became an endangered specie. All that was needed was someone to simply brand you a traitor and what further validation would be required beyond the role my father was playing on the enemy side. This was to happen sooner than later and, of course, two of my uncles were whisked off to meet their certain fatal fate. Then providence intervened.

One of my said uncles had recently met then Major Shuwa, a war commander, struck a friendship with him and had invited him to lunch in our village on the day they were whisked off. Major Shuwa arrived to meet wailing and commotion and he inquired what the matter was. When he was

I

went through your piece of work, titled “A prayer for Gov. Suntai and his aides”. It is a pity we are in a nation where people do not ask questions. I remember those days when political office holders considered the masses first despite there were no EFCC or ICPC to chase them around; yet transparency and accountability characterised their actions. This is more reason people question and are in doubt of the place of EFCC and ICPC in fighting corruption in Nigeria. The genuineness of EFCC and ICPC is yet to be established, as far as I am concerned. These governors, who parade themselves in jets, should explain how they suddenly amassed wealth to afford jets and property they could not afford before they came to position.

I don’t know who will pray for Gov. Suntai and his aides; possibly the people of Taraba State that are wallowing in poverty, deprivation and sickness. Taraba is among the less developing states in Nigeria. It is also among the less educationally developed states in Nigeria. Most of its citizens are beggars, illiterates, yet the so-called state governor could afford to buy a jet. This is high level of inhumanity to man. There are many Nigerians, who have died of kidney failure and cancer and many are dying in instalment; these colossal amounts wasted on jets are enough to take care of these sick Nigerians. These sicknesses – kidney failure

Guest Columnist VICTOR NDOMA-EGBA

The late Gen. Shuwa told he promptly proceeded to seek them out, which he did just as the executioners were awaiting final orders for their dispatch to history and eternity. Both uncles lived to old age with one of them, seeing me through school and becoming the chairman of my State’s

Traditional Rulers Council and a successful businessman. Till this date, my family remembers him very fondly and with gratitude, especially when we got to know that his meeting my uncle was not accidental after all.

We got to know much later that he knew my father, knew his circumstances and the situation his family was likely to be in and that he needed to do everything to help.

I was to meet him for the last time, as it has now turned out, during my National Service in Bauchi in 1979 when he came on official visit as Federal Commissioner for Trade. He promptly picked me out and inquired after my family.

His death is tragic moreso the manner of it.

For a General, who fought and risked his life in the Nigerian civil war to keep the country one, surviving bullets, mortars and the elements, to be summarily dispatched by a band of hoodlums in old age and in the security of his home is a tragic irony. It was like surviving a war to die of dog bite. General Shuwa certainly deserved more respect and a better fate in our mortal understanding but who can question the will of the Almighty ?

More than ever before, the Northern elite must do some soul-searching and introspec-

tion on the implications of the current security challenge in the North, especially the North-east.

The wanton killings are gravely depleting its best resource, human beings. In the certain event of an economic turnaround, the region will be handicapped in taking full benefits of any positive economic change in the region if this trend continues.

The rest of the country will be missing the point if it sees the sad phenomenon in the North as a Northern problem. It certainly is not. The rest of the country can only move as fast as that region moves. It is, therefore, in our best interest as a nation to get this challenge resolved as quickly as possible. The unfortunate killing of General Shuwa brings a new dimension to the situation. General Shuwa, and many more like him, represent, in these confounding times, forces of moderation. Targeting forces of moderation at a time when what is needed most is reasonableness, introspection and circumspection can only escalate extremism. It makes the death of General Shuwa even more sad.

As we reflect on the tragic end of this fine officer and gentleman, an epitome of rectitude and humility in public life, a true senior citizen, patriot and hero, we pray that the Almighty forgives him his sins and admits his soul to His kingdom and that his death will bring healing to our fractured spirits and broken land .

•Victor Ndoma-Egba, Senate Majority Leader, represents Cross River Central Senatorial District

Re: A prayer for Gov. Suntai and cancer, claim lives on daily basis yet the so-called leader are busy, wasting public funds.

As far as I am concerned, kidney failure and cancer should be termed “Government Sicknesses” because no average citizen can afford the bills. Therefore, since government is for the interest of a common and average man, it should come to his (man’s) aid on these issues. The worst is that these sicknesses cannot be handled in the country. Not because we cannot, but because the hospital are underfunded. The public hospitals in Nigeria are better likened to mortuaries because nobody goes there and comes out alive. It is simply an interim grave for the poor. This is more reason political office holders and the rich go out for medical treatment.

The nation is corrupt because the leaders – from head to toe are corrupt. They say “leaders’ sin is a leading sin”. If Mr. President, EFCC and ICPC are ready to fight corruption, they should learn to ask questions. National Assembly as well should ask questions.

Accountability and transparency should be demanded of these governors and public office holders. But rather than ask questions, they decorate them with national award, thereby encouraging them to do more. A man was given an award in this nation and the next

day he was arrested for involvement in crime.

Now, what is the award for, for aiding crime or for fighting crime? My judgement is either the person, who gave the award did not do his homework well or he is also a criminal. My scripture tells me that a blind can never lead the blind so that both may not fall into a pit.

We are celebrating corruption in Nigeria because we celebrate corrupt leaders instead

of fighting them. A corrupt man will never fight corruption. A corrupt House was mandated to probe a corrupt technocrat; the result is what we have today. I don’t blame them, nobody asks questions even the socalled Senators and representative members do not ask questions. They only represent their pockets. But I am sure a generation that will ask WHY is coming.

Steve, I am not here to discuss the evangelical entrepreneurs, prosperity preachers, revenue pastors, tax collectors, who have turned congregations into tax payers, those who know the roads to crusades but do not know the road to heaven (Jesus), those who believe that church is a business venture, those who know that giving provides a place in heaven but never give. I know EFCC and ICPC may not go after them but Christ – the head of the church - is coming to probe them.

Steve, there is nothing we can do than to remain on our knees for the sake of our beloved country. But remember, God knows ways and means to reward the righteous and the unrighteous (evil doers). This is a FRANK TALK. God bless you.

Gov. Suntai

• Evang. Alozie Solomon Nnaa

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