Saturday 23rd July 2016

Naira Gains on Interbank as CBN Settles $697m Forward Contracts Directs banks to sell money transfer funds to BDCs

Obinna Chima The naira found relief on the interbank FX market yesterday as it appreciated following the settlement of the one-month forward contracts of $697 million by the Central Bank

of Nigeria (CBN).

Specifically, the naira gained N2.45 to close at N307.43 to a dollar yesterday, up from the N310.43 to a dollar it closed the previous day.

Currency dealers attributed the performance of the naira

yesterday to an increase in market liquidity as a result of the funding of the forward contracts by the CBN, just as they predicted that in the coming days, the pressure in the FX market would ease.

Also confirming the funding

of the forward contracts, CBN’s acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, who spoke in a phone chat with THISDAY said: “We delivered on that - the forward contracts. Like we have always said, we would keep to our

obligations. We have lived up to our promise. We expect that the market liquidity would continue to improve and we are very confident that the FX market will get better with time.”

Bank customers who bought the forward contracts will be

expected to make a gain of about N27 to the dollar, given that at the time the bids for the forwards were made a month ago, the naira exchanged for about 282 to the dollar.

Continued on page 6

Abdulmumuni Petitions IGP, Seeks Police Protection ... Page 54 Saturday 23 July, 2016 Vol 21. No 7759 Price: N250

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We Are Not in Talk with Your Government, Avengers Tell Buhari IYC not aware of discussion with militants

Sylvester Idowu in Warri Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) yesterday said it was not in talk with President Muhammadu Buhari over the crisis

in the region and urged the president to “stop misinforming Nigerians and the international community” about his administration’s alleged dialogue with its members.

On the same day, the Ijaw

Tompolo writes Buhari, laments alleged harassment of family, associates

Youth Council (IYC) also said Buhari was “misleading Nigerians and the international community” about dialogue with Niger Delta militants, while wanted ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo

(Tompolo) complained bitterly over the “continuous harassment and intimidation of his family members and associates by security agencies.”

The NDA's denial was in response to statement by

President Buhari on Thursday that his government was talking to the militants in the region in order to end pipeline vandalism and violence in the Niger Delta.

But the militant group, in a statement signed by its

spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, said there was not such meeting with the federal government.

It noted that if there was any such meeting, “it means Continued on page 6

PDP: Nigerians Already Counting Days for APC’s Exit from Power Declares Sheriff, Ojuogboh, Uzodinma rebels

Makarfi inaugurates 88-man zoning committee REGINA DANIELS

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday declared that Nigerians are eager to have the party back in power at the national level because of the biting scarcity, hardship and poverty in the land.

Spokesman of the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, Dayo Adeyeye who spoke to journalists in Abuja yesterday said Nigerians are already counting days for the All Progressives Congress, APC, because they want this government to go.

Adeyeye said: “They want PDP to come back to power.

In the days of the PDP's 16 years in power, it was a time of plenty and we have seen one year of scarcity, hardship and poverty in the land. It is obvious that Nigerians are not happy with the present state of affairs; so they are eager to have PDP back.

"People are already counting Continued on page 6

As a 14-year-old Actress, I Earned N500,000 for a Role

SuperSaturday pg. 8-9

KINGSLEY USOH

Even in My Seventies I Still Cook at Home

Plus pg. 17

RETREATING TO RESTRATEGISE

R-L: Secretary to Lagos State Government, Tunji Bello; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Deputy Governor, Oluranti Adebule; and Chief of Staff, Olukunle Ojo, during the State Executive Council and Body of Permanent Secretaries retreat, in Badagry ...yesterday

Terror Attack: 10 Killed in Munich Mall Shooting, Several Injured ... Page 16

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FG: Malnutrition Cases in Borno Worse Than Previously Reported Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri A federal government intervention team dispatched to Borno State over the outbreak of malnutrition in the camps of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has described the situation on ground as worse than reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Borno State Ministry of Health, Prof. Abdulsalami Nasidi, the National Coordinator/CEO of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control who is the leader of the team, said the assessment of the situation on ground showed that the case was worse than earlier reported.

He said something needed to be done urgently as the

situation on ground showed that in the next couple of days, many people including children probably malnourished behind war lines with Boko Haram may be liberated and add up to the already crisis situation.

He said in the next three months, 750,000 and even more people needed to be touched and this had left the federal government and other stakeholders with no other option but to scale up intervention.

He lamented that the problem of malnutrition was more than the 250,000 figure reported by the media.

"It was agreed that the figures reported by the emergency team on ground could be representing just a tip of iceberg and something urgently need to be done to prevent further disaster

and mitigate the impact of a dire situation.

"We want to also see how we can reach out to about 200,000 IDPs with severe cases of acute Malnutrition.

“One good news though, is the fact that all hands are on deck as the federal government has on ground in Borno State all that is needed for the intervention.

“In the light of the findings, the federal government is stepping in to support the ongoing effort of Borno State and partner agencies to effectively and efficiently address this response through effective coordination, collaboration and resource mobilisation.”

Speaking earlier, the Borno State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia, recalled that a high level emergency

round table meeting on malnutrition crisis in Borno with Governor Kashim Shettima and Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole in attendance, with heads of all major partners and some NGOs had recognised the Health Humanitarian Crises in Borno and recommended the immediate need to reach out to about 750,000 persons including children, adult and pregnant women within the next three month.

Mshelia said there were about 22 satellite camps spread all over 8 local government areas of the state where the people from newly liberated communities troop in to stretch the provisions.

He said: “The recent upsurge in military operations had made it possible for a large previously trapped populations to be rescued and brought to

safe places in IDP camps and host communities. The persons present with a wide variety of problems including health challenges, such as malnutrition, diarrheal diseases, measles, chronic diseases, trauma, and psycho-social conditions.

"These were persons who were out of reach to any form of service in the past, including health and other basic human needs for up to 5 years in some cases and are now contributing to the number of those in need of the emergency services.”

He said with the support of the federal government and other stakeholders, “the Borno State Government is on top on the situation.”

The malnutrition crisis was first brought to national and global attention by the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) which

reported a large number of deaths in the Bama satellite IDP camp, at a ratio of six people per day, mainly from diarrhoea and malnutrition.

The MSF also stated that between 13 and 15 June, Nigerian authorities and a local NGO organised the evacuation of 1,192 people requiring medical care from the Bama area to Maiduguri, capital of Borno State.

The MSF equally reported that of the 466 children screened by its medical teams at Camp Nursing, 66 per cent were emaciated, and 39 per cent of these children had a severe form of malnutrition and upon assessment, 78 children had to be immediately hospitalised in the MSF feeding centre which has inpatient capacity of 86 beds.

FG Committed to Improved Power Generation, Says Fashola Signs Power Purchase Agreements for 14 solar projects

Bennett Oghifo

The Federal Government’s commitment to the achievement of incremental power supply has received a boost as the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc., (NBET) on Thursday signed Solar Power Purchase Agreements with 14 Solar Power Project developers and investors.

In his remarks at the signing ceremony, in Abuja, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, stressed the need for public enlightenment on the economics of power supply.

Solar companies initialled at the ceremony included PAN Africa Solar Limited (PAS) which plans to build a 75MW Solar Power Plant; Nigerian Solar Capital Partners 100MW Solar Power Plant; Nova Solar 5 Farm Power Limited which plans to build a 100MW Solar Power Plant; LR Aaron Power Limited which plans to build a 100MW Solar Power Plant; and Motir Dusable Power Investment Limited which plans to build a 100MW Solar

Power Plant.

Also initialled were Afrinergia Power Limited which plans to build a 50MW Solar Power Plant; Middle Band Solar One Limited which plans to build a 100MW Solar Power Plant; Nova Scotia Development Power Limited which plans to build an 80MW Solar Power Plant; CT Cosmos, 75MW Solar Power Plant; KVk Power (Pvt) Nigeria Limited 100MW Solar Power Plant; and Anjeed Kafanchan Solar Limited 100MW Solar Power Plant.

Others are Quaint Solar, which plans to build 50MW Solar Power Plant; Oriental Renewable Solutions Limited (“ORSL”) and EN Consulting and Projects Limited (“ENCPL”). The two companies have 50MW solar project each while all the companies have accepted the terms of the agreement.

According to Fashola, “Power Purchase Agreements are the heart and souls of financing Power Projects. They do not automatically on their own mean that you will have electricity tomorrow; but they indicate that in the next few

months, 6, 9, 12, 14, 18 months, depending on the speed of each promoter and developer, you will begin to see incremental delivery of electricity into the Grid and into your communities and I think this is important to manage expectations.

“And I also think our partners must understand this as well; and that on their office and home pages, on their sites, they must contribute to educate the public about what they should reasonably and rationally expect so that when delivery is made it is against a measured expectation,” he said.

Recalling that such perception was allowed to linger that immediately the privatisation process was completed, everything was solved, Fashola explained that it was just a first step in the process, pointing out that although the sun is free the processes required to harness the energy and convert it to electric current are not free.

He added, “Photovoltaic cells are not made in Nigeria yet. If we are lucky, the panels, some of the aluminum fittings are being put together here.

But we don’t manufacture the cells, they have to be imported, they are subject to exchange rate vagaries and so on and so forth.”

The Minister described the Power Purchase Agreement as “a document that clearly shows that the consumer is being put first”, in that it determines how much of the energy ultimately gets to the consumer, adding, “And this is the good job that government, through its agency –NBET- has done.”

According to the Minister, who recalled that on assumption of office what he met was a tariff of about 17 cents, which at N200.00 to a dollar translated to a N34.00 per unit of solar energy that would be transferred to consumers, added, “We didn’t feel comfortable to pass this onto consumers.

“Today, as we come to 11.5 cents at N200.00 to a dollar, I think we are probably at about N23.00 which is in the region of even the disputed tariff”, he said, adding, “But we feel this is a good place to begin.

We expect that these pioneers have opened the door for other

players to come in. And as it is in other jurisdictions, we expect that the prices will further drop down as the technology gets better and cheaper,” he said.

Thanking the pioneer investors, most of whom were youths, for their commitment and confidence in the nation’s Power Sector, Fashola, who praised their obvious energy and enterprise, declared, “This is understandable because solar is emerging and evolving technology and no generation of people has shown a greater commitment to it than young people; and I am sure with their energy, with their enterprise and with their fearlessness, we will deliver this commitment.”

The Minister, however, urged them, “I want to say very quickly that as we go towards the process of building, please remember when you start to build, never to compromise the quality of construction.

Focus on the aesthetics and the durability. It is the minimum that Nigerians must expect.”

Fashola recalled the recent judgment that set aside the electricity tariff earlier

introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), saying there was need for Nigerians to see electricity as a product that has to be produced from raw materials that have to be bought, a product that has to be transported and the transporter has to be paid and the transport cost indexed into the cost of the final product just as it is done with other products.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NBET, Mr. Waziri Bintube, had said the 14 PPAs that NBET initialed would potentially add 1125MegaWatts to the National Grid adding that the PPAs, after initialing, were sent to the regulatory agencies for approval.

The NBET boss expressed the hope that now that the necessary approvals have been obtained and leading to formally signing of the PPAs, the developers would “quickly push their projects to financial close and commence construction in a few months’ time.”

registering their unhappiness does not mean there is a faction of the party.

"We are going to have a very free, fair and open convention, a unity convention in Port Harcourt on August 17. PDP remains the biggest party in Nigeria and I can confidently say that by this time next year, our opponents, who are today in power, a good number of its members will be begging to join the PDP. Nigerians are yearning for PDP.” While inaugurating the zoning committee headed by the Ebonyi State Governor David

Umahi, Makarfi noted that it was senseless for the Party to have zoned both presidency and chairmanship to the same region (North) during the ill- fated May 21 national convention.

He however urged the committee to ensure that they conclude their assignment within one week.

Makarfi said he believed that with the quality of personnel in the committee, there was no doubt that they would leave up to the expectations of members.

"Whatever decision you reach

will be widely accepted by all. I do not see you coming up with recommendation that would be querried. Open the political landscape and not restricting the chairmanship of the party to one corner.

"Open the political landscape so that all the materials that we have from the south will come out; so that we get the best from the pack.

"I assure you, we are not going to print a single form for any position. We will print forms for all aspirants for any office. It is not an anointment but an election," he said.

PDP: NIGERIANS ALREADY COUNTING DAYS FOR APC’S EXIT FROM POWER days for the APC because they want this government to go and PDP is poised to take over power but we need to do the needful, organise a transparent convention to bring in the right men and women to take over the operations of the party.”

The PDP spokesman also described the activities of the former national chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, his key allies, Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh and Senator Hope Uzodinma as “rebellious.”

He said it was a wrong

perception for one to think that because a few disgruntled elements in the party are aggrieved, then the party has broken into factions.

Adeyeye, who spoke shortly after the inauguration of the 88-member zoning committee for the forthcoming PDP national convention said the party had decided not to wield the big stick but rather to continue to seek reconciliation in hope that the aggrieved party men will retrace their steps.

He said: "There are no factions in the PDP. You see,

there could be a few rebels, a few disgruntled people for one reason or the other but if you know our party and the array of personalities in it, you will ask yourself what is a party made up of? The answer is that in a party, you have the governors, members of the National Assembly, state chapters and elders, all of them are together".

Adeyeye said that as far as he was concerned, PDP is one united family, adding that the fact that one or two people are complaining and

WE ARE NOT IN TALK WITH YOUR GOVERNMENT, AVENGERS TELL BUHARI that the President is talking to mercenaries set to disturb the genuine struggle of the agitators.”

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to media report that the President is in touch with Niger Delta agitators including the Niger Delta Avengers but the truth is that we are not aware of any peace talk.

“Buhari-led government is not sincere to the Nigeria people and their foreign allies.

“If we are to engage in any peace talk, we made it clear that the international community must be part of it. The President knows our demands. So, they should stop deceiving the international oil companies, the general public and the

international community."

IYC: Buhari not in talks with militants…

In a related development, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) said Buhari was deceiving Nigerians and the international community about being in talks with the Niger Delta militants.

IYC’s spokesman, Eric Omare, said it was ridiculous and laughable for the President to claim the government was in talks with the militants through the IOCs. The IYC said the action of the government amounted to surrendering the sovereignty of Nigeria to IOCs. “The point must be made that the issues at stake are completely beyond the capacity of oil companies to resolve. For

the umpteenth time, the IYC call on the aides and the advisers to Buhari to properly advise him on how to solve the current hostilities in the Niger Delta region and equally display a determination to resolve the problem as his predecessors did.

“Only a sincere and holistic dialogue with the people of the Niger Delta region, aimed at addressing the remote causes of recurrent militancy can bring permanent peace to the Niger Delta region.

“This can only happen when President Buhari as the political leader of Nigeria come down to the negotiation table,” said IYC. See the concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com

NAIRA GAINS ON INTERBANK AS CBN SETTLES $697M FORWARD CONTRACTS On the first day of trading under the revised rules for the interbank market on June 20, the CBN had intervened in the market through the Special Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) to clear the backlog of $4.02 billion pent-up demand for FX. According to the CBN, it sold $532 million on the spot market and $3.487 billion in the forwards market.

A breakdown of the $3.487 billion forward sales by the apex bank showed that $697 million was for one month (1M), $1.22 billion for two months (2M) and $1.57 billion for three months (3M).

A forward contract is a cus-

tomised contract between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a specified price on a future date. A forward contract can be used for hedging or speculation, although its non-standardised nature makes it particularly apt for hedging against price movements However, the naira depreciated to N378 to a dollar on the parallel market yesterday, lower than the N375 to a dollar it closed the previous day.

According to some dealers, the pressure on the parallel market is expected to ease in the coming days due to improvement in the dollar liquidity situation in the system.

Meanwhile, as part of efforts

to boost dollar liquidity in the market and ensure stability of exchange rate, the central bank has directed authorised dealers who are agents to approved international money transfer operators to with immediate effect, sell foreign currency accruing from remittances to licenced Bureau De Change (BDC) operators.

The CBN gave this directive in a circular titled: “Sales of Foreign Currency Proceeds of International Money Transfers to BDC operators,” dated July 22, 2016, that was seen by THISDAY. The circular was signed by the acting Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN, W.D. Gotring.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY JULY 23, 2016

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

SUPER SATURDAY Regina Daniels

As a 14-year-old Actress, I Earned N500,000 for a Role Effortlessly, she combines beauty with brain. A teenage sensation by all standards, she commands the respect of all – young and old. With eager, calm eyes, 14-year-old Regina Daniels smacks of ingenuity, passion and philanthropy.

Perhaps, the most prolific among Nollywood’s youngest set of actresses, Regina produces spontaneous and powerful performances on screens. Bold and brilliant, the Hollywood International School pupil delights in her academic studies as well as in rehearsing roles and going to film locations. Soulful in thoughts as a teenager, Regina exudes the maturity of someone in her twenties. With a sense of delicateness, she describes her style as being sophisticated in a simple way. Though her eyes are set on stardom, she demonstrates large-heartedness towards less privileged children as she has decided – with the first held this year –to hold a yearly Children’s Day programme on the platform of her nongovernmental organisation, Regina Daniels Charity Foundation. Regina speaks with Oge Ezeliora more about her life, her mother, the envy she faces in the movie industry, and she’s planned to build on her successes My Mother Usually Handles My Male Fans At 14, I Have Acted in MoreThan One Hundred Movies I Want the World to Know Me

W

hy did you choose acting as a career?

I was passionate about acting. When I started, people were amazed at my talent because I was a good actress despite the fact that I was just a kid. I obeyed all instructions from my director. If they asked me to cry, I would cry and my tears would be as natural as if I was thoroughly beaten by my mother.

All my roles were real. I was a disciplined child and well adored by my mother. I hate intimidation and as a child I earned respect.

So I didn’t force myself into what I am doing today; I have always been an actress as a little child.

Was it because your mother, Rita Daniels, Chairman of Delta State Actors Guild of Nigeria, is an actress?

Not really; being a very good actress is something that comes from within. I will basically call it God’s gift and if it is not there, no matter how hard you try, you will find it difficult to do it well. Yes, my mother is a good actress but I am also talented. I started when I was seven years old and I loved watching movies. Though my mother doesn’t allow me to watch Nigerian movies but she took me to locations and I saw a lot of actresses and actors. Anytime I saw little children on location acting, I would ask her if I could also act but she would decline.

One day I told her ‘Mummy, I want to act’ and she said ‘Wait until you are 10.’ But I kept pestering her until one day, she told me, ‘Daughter, your dream has come to pass; you will be acting in a movie soonest.’

I was happy. I started practising at home. I watched actors and actresses on set whenever I followed her to location. My mother also taught me few things. She encouraged me not to be nervous. You know one thing about mothers, when they found out that their daughter is talented they try to motivate her more. They also give the child the needed confidence. My mother inspired me a lot and I am what I am today because of her.

Regina

How do you combine acting with schooling?

Most times, I study ahead of other students in my school. My proprietress knows I am an actress so I was given a different arrangement. When it is time for school I go to school and when it is time for acting I go to locations, though most of the locations we use for acting are within Asaba. At times we travel out to shoot. Anytime I am free, I will bring out my books and study.

Where is your school located?

My school is in Delta State; Asaba precisely and it’s called Hollywood International School.

How did you feel the first day you faced the camera?

I was still young then – seven. I was just a child. So, I didn’t know what it means to be shy. I was just playing in front of the camera.

With the presence of my mother and other famous actors and actresses I just obeyed the director and followed his instructions like an innocent little child would. I was never nervous at all.

What is the name of your first movie and who produced it?

The title is ‘Marriage of Sorrow’ and it was produced by Pressing Forward; a marketer based in the East.

Can you remember how many movies you have acted in?

I have featured in more than 100 movies and still working on more. I have actually lost count.

Do you regret being an actress?

I am very happy being a Nollywood actress and a producer.

What is the name of the movies you have produced?

‘The Jericho and Twins Apart.’ I have just produced two movies but I am working on the third movie which I will soon be out.

How old are you now?

I will be 15 in October.

How do you handle your male fans?

Don’t they take advantage of you as a young girl?

Well, I am always with my mother but I know it all goes with the profession. So, I allow her to handle that aspect for me.

Anytime I see any funny message on my phone I will call her attention to it. Then she will reply the person in a mature way.

Don’t you find it embarrassing when your male fans tend to mob you?

Never; I don’t give them the chance. I don’t even associate with my male fans for reasons like that. I prefer to associate with my female fans. I don’t keep friends. I am a very free person.

Are you in any way different from the character you play in movies?

(Laughs) I am not a different person. I can

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SUPER SATURDAY I Want to Become a Mega Superstar... portray a character given to me in a movie but that does not mean I am acting me. I am a simple and easygoing girl; simplicity in sophistication, that is me.

Have you ever been embarrassed by any of your fans, especially those seeing you in person for the first time?

Yes, so many times. You know our people with the way they relate with Nollywood actresses when they set their eyes on them.

One day, I was walking on the street and children started shouting ‘Ekwensu’ which means the Devil. I was amazed and embarrassed but I later remembered that I acted one particular movie in which I was called ‘Ekwensu’. I just smiled at home and said to myself ‘that is not you; you only acted that role in a movie’.

How did you come about your pet project, Regina Daniels Charity Foundation?

It is a non-governmental organisation that I founded and it’s focused on children; not just ordinary children but the disabled ones, orphans and other children who need care and help. We cater for them. In Nigeria the disabled children are seen as beggars because nobody cares for them. They don’t feel sense of belonging in the society due to their condition. They are always neglected.

Anytime I set my eyes on children who can’t walk or attend school because of illness, I always feel bad. I pity children who are begging on the streets. The worst aspect is when we are celebrating Children’s Day in Nigeria; many people don’t even remember the less privileged children. You will notice people placing gate fee at event centres on Children’s Day. It ought not to be that way. Are we paying for our happiness?

Children are a gift to the world. We deserve to be celebrated, not to be abandoned.

We deserve to be happy and that is why I established a foundation. And we will always celebrate children. My goal is to make children happy; provide scholarships for them. I will sponsor their education and provide for them in my own little way. If I can make it then other children especially the less privileged and the disabled ones can also make it – that is my motive. I want the best for disabled children. When I wanted to set up the NGO, I called the attention of Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, because I know she loves and cares for children. She encouraged me and gave advice on how to put things right. Some of my colleagues also provided moral support just for me to be successful.

Are you doing this on your own or you have an organisation sponsoring you?

It was a self-sponsored event. It was my personal money we used to organise this year’s event. Nobody, to date, has agreed to sponsor us. I and my mother worked so hard to establish the NGO and we went around looking for sponsors but nobody actually showed concern. But we went ahead to organise the first edition tagged ‘Regina Daniels and the Kids’ on Children’s Day. I used the money I made from my acting jobs with support from my mother and friends to establish the foundation. But I appreciate the Delta State Governor and his wife, Chief Ken Maduako, CEO Ken Oil and Gas, the Management of Madonna College and my colleagues in the industry who assisted me. We must continue to educate people especially the rich ones in the country to assist disabled children because they are the future of tomorrow.

But it was said Delta State government sponsored your event on Children’s Day? No; it is not true. When we started organising this year’s event, we solicited for assistance from the government, we even approached the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Event Management, Mr. Sabastine Okon, and he promised to assist us but couldn’t help in the end. We approached the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Omatsola Williams, to let us use the Cenotaph Event Centre for our programme

Regina (right) with his Mother, Rita

Mygoalistomakechildren happy;providescholarships forthem.Iwillsponsortheir educationandprovideforthem inmyownlittleway. IfIcanmake itthenotherchildrenespecially thelessprivilegedandthe disabledonescanalsomake it–thatismymotive.Iwant thebestfordisabledchildren.

WhenIwantedtosetupthe NGO,Icalledtheattention ofNollywoodactress,Tonto Dikeh,becauseIknowsheloves andcaresforchildren.She encouragedmeandgaveadvice onhowtoputthingsright. Some ofmycolleaguesalsoprovided moralsupportjustformetobe successful

Yes, they are. Every member of my family appreciates what I am doing and they always encourage me to put in my best in every movie I am involved in.

What are some of the challenges you have passed through ever since you found yourself in Nollywood?

It’s not easy sailing in any industry as long as you are a beginner. Nollywood is an industry that is full of envy. Every day, we see producers produce one film or another. And you see upcoming actors and actresses coming in and out of the industry. People tend to discourage you, maybe because you are still a greenhorn.

They try to stop you from becoming what you want to be unless you are determined.

But I bless God for life. I am always focused. Nobody can discourage me on this job. I know what I want in life. So, no matter the challenges I pass through I can never be discouraged.

Regina on Children’s Day but we couldn’t get her assistance to support the children. I was not discouraged by what happened but I wept so much and asked God to take control of everything. In the end, the programme was successful. In fact, the turnout was massive and I gave out scholarship to children to Madonna College and a lot of gifts and writing materials were distributed to all the children they graced the event. We started the programme this year and by the grace of God, it is going to be a yearly programme for children as long as I live.

How much is your acting fee?

Presently, my acting fee is N500, 000 but I

have been paid between N10, 000 and N4, 000 on the job when I started out.

How do you achieve to shed so many tears in some roles you played? Did you apply some ointment or use onions to get the tears to flow so easily?

I’m very emotional. It’s part of the reason why I decided to act. I don’t believe in applying anything to induce tears from my eyes. The tears come emotionally. Besides, some movies also get me depressed because of the storyline, so I cry as if it was real.

Are members of your family in support of your career even though you’re still a teenager?

Has your celebrity status deprived you of anything as a child?

Oh yes! My private life; I can’t go out somewhere and be happy without people taking pictures especially children. I cannot even go to the market with my mum to buy things. I will be distracted by my fans. For instance, I can’t go out with my family to public outings without people taking pictures with me. I feel deprived of having private moments with my family.

So I only have private moments with my family in private places where we will not face crowd.

So what is your ambition?

It is to become great in future. I want to become a mega superstar.

What do you cherish most in life?

That’ll be honesty and my mother.

What are your dislikes?

That’ll be craftiness and proud look.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

In the next five years, I want the world to know me. I know since I started I have been doing fine and I promise to put in my best so that I can be lifted to higher level.

What Celebrity Status Has Deprived Me as a Child

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULy 23, 2016

NEWS

News Editor Ahamefula Ogbu 08116759810 (sms only) Email ahamefula.ogbu@thisdaylive.com

Katsina to Prosecute Shema, Others over Alleged Misappropriation of N73bn Alleges withdrawal of over N16bn through ALGON Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Chineme Okafor in Abuja Katsina State government has disclosed that it would institute legal action against its immediate past governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema and some officials of his government to refund about N73 billion they allegedly misappropriated while in office.

Governor Aminu Bello Masari said yesterday in Abuja that the government had instituted an independent panel of inquiry to look into allegation by his government that funds that accrued to the state when Shema was in charge were massively misused.

He stated in a session with journalists that his government had looked into the books of his predecessor and discovered that huge sums were paid out to his cronies and other officials of the government without any form of task or contracts tied to them.

He also said that the state had no record of any project on which the monies were expended.

For example, Masari alleged that a special arrangement was created by the last government to divert as much as 30 per cent of whatever capital funds that were allocated to the local government in the state to accounts kept by the state’s Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).

He said up to N16 billion was paid into the accounts but that the money finally ended up in the pockets of government officials with no project executed.

He also explained that funds that were disbursed to the state’s SURE-P were never used for

projects they were meant for, adding that the panel of inquiry will look into these and verify if the discoveries were right.

The governor however said that whatever the panel came up with, the state government would eventually take the past officials to court to get refunds of the monies.

He said his government had also been fair to the accused officials and had asked them to come up to defend their actions before the panel.

“We are not really investigating our predecessor. The transition committee made some findings.

Monies that came into the government coffers and went out, this is the money we are asking where they are,” said Masari.

He further stated: “The fact of the matter is that we are not probing, what we are asking for is that we have seen money that came in and went out, now what did you do with the money. If there are projects that were done, let us see.

“We have made an allegation, we have empaneled a commission of enquiry to ascertain the N73 billion we are alleging has been misappropriated; where and who are responsible, it is only after we do that, we will go to court.”

“We decided as a government on our own to establish this and there is an allegation and an opportunity is given to those who are indicted to come and defend it, we cannot be any fairer than that but the outcome will definitely end up in court”.

He gave details of how ALGON was allegedly used to fleece the state, saying: “Everybody knows

GOING MADE IN NIGERIA...

L-R; Representative of Minister of Labour and Productivity/General Manager, Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund,Lagos Regional Office, Mrs. Olufunke Aleshinloye;Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa; Chief Executive Officer, Erisco Foods Ltd, Chief Eric Umeofia; and Executive Director, Erisco Foods Ltd, Mrs. Nmachukwu Umeofia, during the factory tour of Erisco Foods Tomato paste processing technology and innovatons in Lagos yesterday

what ALGON is and it is an association of local governments but one government gave orders in writing signed by the governor that from the joint account of the government, whatever capital budget the local governments are doing, 30 per cent of that should go to the ALGON, but to do what?

“We tracked down the money, no contract was given, ALGON is not an institution, neither is it a government parastatal or

Tompolo Laments Harassment of Family, Associates By Military Also yesterday, Tompolo, the wanted ex-militant leader lamented alleged harassment and intimidation of his family and associates.

In an open letter to President Buhari, which he personally signed and said would be his last, Tompolo noted that the harassment and intimidation of his relatives were being carried out by the security agencies in connivance with two notable members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State.

He said the latest of “the victims of this unwarranted, misdirected and wicked act” were Simeon Bebenimibo, a member of the Delta State Waterway and Land Security Committee and a driver of one of my aides, Mr Ebipade Kari, who was on an errand with a little baby.

Ekpemupolo also alleged said that the military men stormed the house of one of his younger brothers, and harassed his pregnant wife “with guns pointed at her which led to complications because of the closeness to her delivery.”

The arrested duo, he said, were in the custody of the Nigerian Army, Effurun adding that before the incident, the Nigerian Navy also went to the apartment of another of his aides, picked up his heavily

pregnant wife, since he was out of town, and kept her for 24 hours at the Naval base before releasing her.

"The mode of operation is that the military command usually decorates associates of Ayiri Emami and Michael Johnny with military uniforms and they go from door to door with a long list of names and addresses of my family members and associates with the intention of arresting them.

“Your Excellency sir, it could be recalled that this was how the military went to Oporoza town on Saturday May 28, 2016, at about 2am, and held the community hostage for one week.

"During that midnight invasion, the military carted away valuables worth several millions of naira, desecrated worship centres and took away the symbol of authority of the Gbaramatu people from the Egbesu shrine, as well as picked up 10 innocent students and palace staff, most of whom are orphans, preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Up till now, their whereabouts is unknown", he said.

Ekpemupolo said further that on the same day, the military went to Kurutie in search of his 84 years old

agency but from the records in the banks that we have, they have withdrawn all the monies that were given to them, and through this system, they had withdrawn over N16 billion over the period.

“It is natural to ask where this money is; this government has not investigated the funds its predecessor said were used for capital projects in the state.

“The 70 per cent which they said they spent on capital projects, we have not investigated it, and

Cont’d from Pg. 6

father and brutalised him adding "We managed to rescue him to Warri and hospitalised him. Sadly, one of his lower limbs was amputated two weeks ago. From the doctor’s report, it will be a thing of miracle if he survives this incident. Is this 84 years old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers, that he was brutalised to the point of death?.

"Will Your Excellency accept this in good faith if this was done to your father or someone of this age in your family? I have not heard of anyone that was treated like this even in the volatile North Eastern part of the country.

"Your Excellency sir, I have been wondering since the beginning of my travails at your instance, and I wish to ask: Is this part of the fight against corruption in Nigeria?

Or was it because I supported my kinsman, former president Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections?

"I thought everyone in Nigeria has the liberty to support whoever he or she deemed fit in an election.

And as Dr. Jonathan bravely accepted the outcome of the election, which brought you in as president of Nigeria today, I thought you will heal wounds as the father of the

Nation.”

He noted that it was on that premise that he visited the President immediately after his swearing-in ceremony to pledge his loyalty and readiness to work with his administration.

“Your Excellency sir, it is instructive to state that you need me to drive your change agenda in the Niger Delta region as I am ever passionate to improve the living condition of the people of the region.

"The truth of the matter is that I have been treated unfairly by you sir. After all these hallubalo about the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, in which I was accused of some wrong doing, you are yet to send emissaries to Okerenkoko (permanent site) and Kurutie (temporary site) of the University to ascertain the level of things on ground.

"Mr. President sir, I have written you several open letters. I have stated my position clearly each time I write you. This may be my last open letter to you. I believe the truth will come to stay one day. You need to do the right thing by uniting the entire country. Be wary of bogus informants. Always try as much as possible to hear every side of issues that are brought before you."

so if we are investigating the government, certainly contractors will be involved and there are no contractors that we have invited to explain what he has done for a particular project or why the pricing for a particular project.

“We didn’t do that, what we have said was the money cash that left government coffers and ended up with some people, all we are saying is this people who collected this money should come and tell the Katsina people where

the money is.

“In the same ministry of local government, the permanent secretary withdrew N9 billion cash; the same thing with SURE-P, billions of naira were withdrawn cash. What have you done with it?

Continuing, he stated: “Throughout the life of SUREP in Katsina State, they never issued any cheque neither did they undertake any contract, all the monies of SURE-P where withdrawn cash.

Hijab: Court Ruling Affirmation of Constitution, Says Sultan of Sokoto Hammed ShittuinIlorin Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Saad Abubakar on Friday disclosed that the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal in Lagos that granted freedom for female Muslims in primary and secondary schools to wear the hijab, was the affirmation of what was in the constitution of the country Alhaji Abubakar stated this in Ilorin, Kwara State capital while speaking with journalists on the state of the nation.

He said that the ruling didn't grant any favour to the Muslim Ummah. He however tasked Muslims across the country to remain steadfast concerning forthcoming legal issues on the same matter.

The Sultan said, "Muslims are not forcing any one to use the hijab; the only condition I would advocate action by Muslims against anyone or nation is if such individual or nation attempts to stop adherents from practising their faith".

According to him, “We are not

forcing anybody to use hijab but whoever wants to use hijab must be allowed to use hijab.

"You are not doing a favour to us by allowing the Constitution or maintaining the constitution of this country but I think it is important to commend the tenacity and process of the Muslims Students Society (MSS) because that shows that we Muslims are very patient, and we are very law abiding. We await outcomes of cases in court and whatever.

“That is what we expect to happen. We must never take laws into our hand. We must be law officers. We do not do that in Islam.

It is a very big lesson to all of us.

When we waited Almighty Allah came to our rescue and he gave us what we have been praying for and that is success.

"Let us keep on praying to Almighty Allah on issues affecting us in this country. Let us remain very firm and very steadfast. Let us show love to a non-Muslims and bring them close to us and tell them what Islam is and what Islam is not".

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

RingTrue

Yemi

Adebowale Buhari, Please, Wage War against Hunger 07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

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lmost 15 months after electioneering ended, President Muhammadu Buhari is still playing politics. About 90% of his attention is on the politics of decimating the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. He is also giving excessive attention to the politics of anti-corruption and the politics of destroying opposition figures instead of concentrating on governance and the worsening economic challenges facing the country. All these politicking are happening while famine ravages our country. I still can’t fathom how the alleged forgery in the Senate will put food on my table or reduce the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. I can’t understand how the skewed war against corruption will reduce the cost of living in Nigeria. Stifling economic crisis is aggravating the so-called war against corruption of this administration.

It seems the president is cut off from the cries of anguish and frustration of Nigerians, who are daily, tormented by unemployment, poverty, hunger, disease, malnutrition, epileptic power supply, inflation, armed robbery, kidnapping, and decaying infrastructure. For me, the energy of this administration and the resources of this country should be devoted to a war against these challenges. The war of our highly experienced General Buhari should shift to how to battle frightening famine in our land. An average Nigerian is struggling to get just one meal per day. Families are in crisis, struggling to survive. What is the business of a man who is struggling to feed his family with the alleged forgery in the Senate or war against corruption? Buhari is an experienced General. Our highly experienced General Buhari should wage war against hunger and those things hindering better living for the masses of this country.

Our president must impact on the lives of the people by waging war against the real challenges facing the people.

As at press time, kerosene, the cooking fuel of the masses of this country was selling for about N300 per litre in some states. This is the same kerosene that was going for about N110 per litre about a year ago. Officially, kerosene is supposed to sell at N83 per litre. So what impact has the war against corruption made on the price of kerosene? It will make more sense if our

As at press time, kerosene, the cooking fuel of the masses of this country was selling for about N300 per litre in some states. This is the same kerosene that was going for about N110 per litre about a year ago. Officially, kerosene is supposed to sell at N83 per litre. So what impact has the war against corruption made on the price of kerosene? It will make more sense if our president wages war against the rising price of kerosene. Buhari should also wage war against the rising price of food president wages war against the rising price of kerosene. Buhari should also wage war against the rising price of food. The price of a bag of garri has quadrupled. The masses of this country can no longer afford staple food like rice, corn, yam, beans, semovita, wheat, bread. In our hospitals, the cost of treatment and drugs has multiplied.

A report on Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) confirmed the biting inflation in the country. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, rose by 0.9 per cent to 16.5 per cent in June compared to 15.6 per cent in May. This is the highest inflation ever experienced in this country since 2005. It is also the fifth consecutive month that the headline index would increase relatively strong. The increase in the month under review was attributed to energy prices, imported items and related products which continued to be persistent drivers of the core sub-index.

Rising unemployment is also contribut-

ing to the famine in our land. Manufacturers and other businesses are struggling to survive because of the warped economic policies of this administration.

Industrial capacity utilisation is hovering around a startling 10%. As a result, millions of Nigerians have been thrown out of jobs. Our youths are roaming the streets in search of jobs. Consequently, crime is on the rise, with some of the unemployed youths embracing criminalities. In Lagos, armed robbery and kidnapping have suddenly assumed an unprecedented level. The story is the same across hitherto peaceful states across the nation.

Our dear president should devote quality time reading a recent research on poverty done by Oxfam Nigeria which is a further confirmation of the famine in our land. It revealed that 46 per cent of households in the North-east borrow money to eat, while 61 per cent of residents in this region lack access to portable water. The Livelihoods and Economic Recovery Assessment 2016 report, which was unveiled in Abuja, came up with a number of key findings after an assessment that was conducted by Oxfam Nigeria on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme in the North-east.

Outlining other key findings in the North-east as contained in the report, the UNDP said, “One economically active member of a household sustains

Ambode and Rising Insecurity in Lagos One area Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has really messed up is security. We are now at an unprecedented level in Lagos where people in some parts of the state are packing out of their homes and relocating because of rising insecurity. The situation is most frightening in Ikorodu. Kidnapping, killings and armed robbery in places like Isawo, Oke-oko, Igbo Olomu, Agbede and Asolo are fast assuming an alarming proportion. The crimes perpetrated by militant oil pipeline vandals have been on for several weeks without any positive intervention from Ambode. It is also a big shame that the Senator representing Ikorodu (Gbenga

Ahmed Kuru’s AMCON Should Not Kill MRS, Others

Ahmed Lawan Kuru, the Managing Director of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has been going about his job as if AMCON’s mandate is to liquidate companies indebted to the corporation. Rather than engage the affected firms, there is a groundswell of threats to wind down debt-defaulting companies and seizures of businesses. Of course, if defaulting firms are shut, thousands of Nigerians will be thrown into the already saturated unemployment market. I am sure that this administration would not want this to happen. Kuru should be thinking more about how to give debtor-companies a breather in line with the mandate of AMCON. He should be partnering debtor companies to ensure that their operations are not hindered by their efforts to meet up with their obligations to AMCON. I expect Kuru to ensure that in the process of loan recovery, companies indebted to AMCON are not allowed to go under. This is the only way we can go about reflating our battered economy. Unfortunately, Kuru has refused to adhere to this core mandate of AMCON. He has deviated from working with indebted companies to revive and sustain them and also be able to pay the loans that AMCON took over from banks.

Some of the companies whose existence and workers are being threatened by Kuru’s unbridled showmanship are Aero Contractors Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited, Global Fleet/NICON Group, and Capital Oil Limited.

The most awkward threat issued of recent by the AMCON boss is that to liquidate Sayyu Dantata’s MRS Holdings Limited. Kuru instituted a suit to wind down the company over alleged inability of MRS to pay the said debt without proper reconciliation of figures. I was expecting Kuru to critically look at MRS’s position that the said debt had been fully settled, but he failed.

MRS stated: “The terms of settlement was entered as Judgment of Court on 29 June 2015, in Suit No FHC/L/CS/1365/2015.

MRS is shocked that in spite of having fully settled the debt, AMCON has decided to relitigate an already concluded matter. MRS Holdings Limited understands AMCON’s statutory function to recover debts but by no stretch can this mean harassment of companies. AMCON has declared a new aggressive debt recovery drive. MRS has no problem with that but this does not give AMCON a licence to embarrass and harass companies. It is not a crime to obtain

2.3 non-active members, while a majority of them do not have sufficient food supply. The average income per household per month is $60 and they spend, on the average, 42 per cent of their income on food, 26 per cent on education and health services, eight per cent on paying debts, and six per cent on firewood.

In addition, 46 per cent borrow money to buy food, 41 per cent rely on alternative health care, 21 per cent have migrated to other locations, while 20 per cent send their children out to work and beg. Income from skilled labour dropped from 21 per cent before the crisis in the region to five per cent.” I am sure that if the UNDP conducts a similar research in the entire country, it would discover that many families are also borrowing money to feed across the nation; not just in the North-east.

Our economy is in a mess. As a result, this famine may persist if proactive steps are not taken. Nigeria’s economy, the biggest in Africa, is likely to contract by 1.8 per cent this year, so says the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It had to cut its 2016 growth forecast for Nigeria from 2.3 per cent projected in April to 1.6 per cent. Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product contracted by 0.36 per cent in the first quarter of the year, and economic experts predicted that the economy will record another negative growth in the second quarter.

Technically, our economy is in recession.

Urgent steps must be taken to halt this slide.

Buhari must address the spike in inflation, negative GDP growth and naira depreciation effectively and urgently. This is the challenge our dear President should face.

Kuru

loans for viable projects. Execution of viable projects leads to job creation and growth of the economy. However, when companies which obtained loans for legitimate businesses are being harassed and embarrassed in the name of aggressive debt recovery, it signals danger for economic growth.”

This morning, I urge the federal government to call Kuru to order, so as not to compound our already very bad economic situation. The AMCON boss must return to the path of honour while aggressively pursuing debt recovery.

Ambode

Ashafa) has not brought up this major crisis on the floor of the Senate. What about Sinai Ogunbiade, the man representing the area in the House of Representatives? What about the Lagos State House of Assembly?

It is very sad that the people entrusted with security have mainly been grandstanding.

The people are tired of stories about the equipment worth billions of Naira given to the police by Ambode. The traumatised people of Ikorodu West and Ikorodu North LCDAs want results and not media hype about what the governor is doing to stem the attacks and senseless killings in these areas.

We now have refugees in Ikorodu. Only last Sunday, the militants attacked Isawo, killing five and abducting four people. The police lack the manpower and equipment to tackle these criminals. It is only the military that can checkmate them. The soldiers guiding fuel pipeline in Ikorodu said they would require the approval of their boss in Abuja to extend patrols to the trouble areas of Isawo.

So what is Ambode waiting for? Why is it taking ages to tackle the problem in Ikorodu?

Ambode needs to be reminded that he has a sacred responsibility to protect lives. It is pertinent to return Lagos State to the days of “Operation Sweep”. These were the days the military played a major role in securing our dear Lagos. The then military governor, Buba Marwa was the “Commander-inChief” of the military guys used for the operation. He was always on the field with them. Ambode must embrace this strategy.

He must lead the war against criminal gangs in Ikorodu from the front. I see no reason why Marwa can’t be engaged as security consultant to Lagos State Government.

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JULY 23 , 2016• THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

THE BAN ON STREET TRADING IN LAGOS

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The overall goal is the protection of lives and achieving a more decent society, argues Adekunle Akinmosa

our years ago, while in traffic, I saw a former student of mine while serving as a teacher in a secondary school during the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State. Ifeanyi was a burly youth and by the time I finished my NYSC stint, he had also finished his Senior Secondary School Examinations. I remember Ifeanyi and most of the senior students then were full of the brash swagger of youth. But that fateful afternoon on Mobolaji Bank Anthony way, Ikeja, Lagos, hugging his bag filled with plantain chips, he looked cowed. Yet his hustle was real. He had joined the horde of street hawkers found all over Lagos metropolis.

He offered me a bag of plantain chips which cost N100. It was with a flood of mixed reactions I received it. It was also with a flood of mixed reactions I received the news that Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode intended to re-invoke the Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003 which made street trading illegal in Lagos, starting from July 1, 2016. Violators, including buyers and sellers, may go to prison for six months, pay a fine of N90, 000 or do both.

At first, I thought of people like Ifeanyi and how their ‘source’ of livelihood was going to disappear overnight. But, this thought quickly ebbed as I realised that by far many more Lagosians stand to gain from implementing the ban against street trading.

While street hawking has become nearly a fixture for many Lagosians, with many even conveniently and comfortably patronising them, it doesn’t make it right. First and foremost, street trading is dangerous and quite a number of street traders have been knocked down and killed in traffic while chasing patrons, being chased by law enforcement or by speeding or careless drivers. And, only recently, when a street hawker was killed by a BRT bus around Maryland while trying to evade law enforcement officials, some hoodlums took revenge by burning BRT buses and causing unnecessary traffic gridlock.

In many cities across the world, unregulated activities, especially when it involves human beings zipping between and around vehicular traffic on highways are not permitted. It is sheer suicide. I know in New York, even jaywalking is an offence. You can’t want to kill yourself and the state will sit by and be watching. The state has a duty to protect every citizen, even from himself or herself.

In some hot spots like Oworonsoki and Ketu, under the cover of street trading, some motorists have been attacked in broad daylight by hoodlums who pose as street traders. Also, with the threat of terrorism rearing its head in various parts of the country, it is something to worry about. Permitting street trading might make it easier for terrorists to infiltrate our streets.

Also, it must be remembered that street hawking, especially of products such as sausage rolls, PET drinks, canned drinks, and various foods wrapped in nylon generate much waste. Some of these wastes, especially the nylon and plastic, block drainages, which might result in flooding. And of course, street hawkers do not clean their mess or those of some of their patrons. Like people trading in other assigned spots, there is no mandatory Thursday mornings’ ‘environmental sanitation’. What this translates to is stretching the capacity required to clean the streets, which probably was already stretched. The menace of

CHILDREN, BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS, WHO SHOULD EITHER BE IN SCHOOL OR DOING SCHOOL HOMEWORK ARE NOW A REGULAR FEATURE ON THE STREETS SELLING WARES FROM NIGHT TILL SOMETIMES, FAR INTO THE NIGHT. EXPOSING CHILDREN TO SUCH IS BAD AND EVERYTHING MUST BE DONE TO STOP IT. STREET HAWKING EXPOSES YOUNG GIRLS TO SEXUAL ABUSE FROM PREDATORS WHO MIGHT INITIALLY DISGUISE AS PATRONS

street hawkers to the environment must not be overlooked.

Also, were only adults engaged in street trading, maybe it could have been tolerated. But children, both boys and girls, who should either be in school or doing school homework are now a regular feature on the streets selling wares from night till sometimes, far into the night. Exposing children to such is bad and everything must be done to stop it. In particular, street hawking exposes young girls to sexual abuse from predators who might initially disguise as patrons.

On the health aspect, one needs to also consider the wholesomeness of some things, especially consumables, sold in traffic. I have heard reports of sub-standard and expired goods being sold in the traffic.

Moreover, the major items being sold in traffic – sachet or bottled water, PET soft drinks, sausage rolls, and in some cases, newspapers, magazines and books - need not be sold on the streets and highways.

It is not that there are no assigned spots where many of those engaged in street hawking can legally sell their goods. Truth is – there is more money to be made on the highways, as vehicular traffic inch with patronising customers inside them (I like that the law also frowns against buyers from street hawkers too). Aside hawking on the highways, most itinerant traders also indiscriminately take over public spaces in the state in the evenings. For instance, culverts meant for pedestrians around Total Filling Station at Agege are being overtaken by bread sellers every evening. And there is also an ugly cluster constituted by sellers and buyers of shoes, clothes and other accessories along the railway lines at Ikeja every evening. This scenario is repeated in other parts of the state.

But to ensure the Lagos maintains its stride to becoming a megacity, such chaos as presently constituted by street hawking must be checked. The excuse of being indigent is just a convenient divergence.

And though unemployment is real, it does not tell well of any society to allow indiscriminate behaviours as have been exhibited by street hawking. Hence, I think Governor Ambode is on a right path for invoking the ban against street trading.

But like with many laws, this must be effectively implemented.

However, the government must know that in some neighbourhoods in Lagos, what might be constituted as street hawking is a way of life: sellers of some goods like vegetables, pepper, tomato, fish and meat hawk their wares from street to street. Also, the main enforcers of the law, Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials, must not harass innocent citizens in the course of implementing the law.

Lastly, some commentators have cried out that the effecting the law is harsh. I wonder why they fail to see that the overall goal of protecting lives and achieving a more decent society is of more concern. But to me, their cries remind me of when former Lagos State governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) rid Oshodi and Apongbon of illegal structures, street hawkers and roadside traders. Hitherto, these areas were characterised by rowdiness, perennial traffic, muggings and all sorts of crimes which the situation bred. But Fashola’s action opened up the era of new Oshodi where majority of Lagosians feel safer in.

The same can happen to many areas of Lagos. It can only happen with our co-operation.

Akinmosa wrote from Lagos

THE SEED OF NIGERIA’S SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION (2)

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he seed of the institutionalisation of corruption in Nigeria was sown when the resources of the crude oil producing communities, the coastal sea ports of Delta, Rivers, Cross River and Lagos States and the Value Added Taxes (VAT) collection of most southern states, were illegitimately usurped by the Abuja ‘powers that be’. This robbing of ‘Peter to pay Paul’ must not be allowed to continue. The legalisation of the stealing by subterfuge of the Niger Delta people’s endowed natural resources and the coveting of the VAT payments of residents of the South was put into effect through the imposition of the 1999 Constitution.

This camouflaged thievery by the usual parasitic elite suspects using the federal government as cover is always going on in the heart-core of the government’s revenue mobilisation, allocation and fiscal activities.

The loot, as it were, of the conquered peoples of the Middle Belt and the Southern geopolitical zones has become a kind of no-man’s money to be stolen by the parasitic elite. The corrupt political class ensures that its kinsfolk are often nepotically favoured. Such example of garbage in results in the garbage out - of malpractices in many areas of nation-building.

The crafty legalisation of what in civilised societies would be an abuse of the inalienable human right of people is the progenitor (the Mother) of most corruption and fraudulent (419) activities in Nigeria. This is in fact one of the major reasons and catalysts of the institutionalisation of graft in Nigeria.

What are the inhuman laws I am referring

Tony Nyiam traces the root of corruption to the 1999 Constitution

to? They are The Petroleum Act 1969, the 1971 Off-Shore Oil Revenue Decree, and the 1999 constitutions-Sections 44(3) and 62(2) and item 39 of the exclusive list. These were the laws which were utilised to completely destroy any iota of fiscal federalism the Nigerian state had. The introduction of these pro-fiscal centralism laws was and remains plan of the cabal of oligarchs, deliberate socio-political-economic hegemonic grand strategy.

The consequences of the domino effect of this robbing of the North Central and the three Southern geopolitical zones to give advantages to the North West and North East, the Nigerian majority can see clearly.

This federal government stealing, more than any other act, has caused several other institutionalised corruptions to happen one after the other.

Take for example, the institutionalised examination malpractices in many Nigerian educational institutions. What’s more discouraging is that the examination cheating goes on even at the foundation level of education.

This is observable during for example, the common entrance exams into federal government secondary schools. Anyone blessed with the discerning ability to make the necessary linkages would have seen that many Nigerian leaders have not the moral right to fight the war against corruption involving children cheating at examinations. This has been so for over three decades. This is because, as has been well rendered, “he who comes to equity must do so with clean hands”. What

do you expect from school kids whose (public officers) role models lack integrity?

Over seventy per cent of Nigerian politically elected officials got to their position through electoral malpractices.

The makers of the constitution went further to make it almost impossible to be amended.

The cabal of internal colonisers did indeed ensure that the Nigerian people will never have a say in its making or amendment. This was rubber stamped when they were allowed to exclude from the constitution any provision for referendum.

Many of the consequent challenges which the Nigerian nation-building is facing are as a result of the federal government’s disobedience of two of the biblical 10 commandments.

The problems confronting the Nigerian state are due to the disobedi ence of the commandments that: “Thou shall not steal” and “Thou shall not covet thy neighbour’s house… nor anything that is thy neighbour’s” (Exodus 20:15-17). What the Nigerian state is today reaping is what its former rogued military leadership had sown.

Hence I am humbly advising (as I have in other forays pleaded) that President Buhari’s agenda of change is likely to end up as a temporal panacea if the envisaged transformation does not extend to constitutional reforms. There is a clear strategic necessity for PMB to go beyond the superficial ‘leaves-like’ changes to the more strategic root and trunk of the tree of the Nigerian systemic corruption.

There is a clear strategic necessity for the

operationalisation of the change agenda to go deeper, go beyond the superficial. A superficial change of the outermost sheath of the many layers would not be sufficient.

The arrests and convictions of corrupt public officials necessary as it is, are no more than the changes of the leaves of a tree. Just as how leaves come and go, public officials-be they chief executives or public servants- also come and go.

The president needs to go beyond the superficial (leaves-like) changes to the trunk of the tree which supports the branches that carry the twigs and leaves. The ‘trunk’ here represents both the public and private institutions. We cannot begin an impactful resolution of the recurring national problems without a restructuring of the institutions whose failures are responsible for the persistence of the challenges.

And for a worthwhile reformation of public institutions, PMB cannot avoid climbing down and indeed, digging deep to the root of the tree of the Nigerian systemic corruption.

The root cause of the institutionalisation of corruption in Nigeria, like the causes of other recurring challenges we face as a nation, is traceable to the fraudulent nature of the 1999 Constitution. The rational for this is that it is the 1999 Constitution which has been defining and determining the processes and associated institutions, and in turn the practices of governance of Nigeria which have worsened the social, political and economic situation of most Nigerians.

Nyiam is a retired military officer

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

What should we expect?

L

Stella Oduah: Cat with Nine Lives

come to terms with reality that she has been given a popular mandate ike a fruitful tree which attracts attention from passers-by, Senator to represent the good people of Anambra North Senatorial zone for Stella Oduah is always the target of political hunters. No single renewable four years, are still on futile judicial voyage, trying to explore week passes without tantrums cloaked as propaganda thrown in any available legal loophole to stampede her out of the red chamber— her direction. Perhaps being an elegant woman of distinction who even as both the Appeal Court Election Tribunal and Supreme Court has distinguished herself in both private and public sectors of Nigeria’s have validated her election. socio-political firmament may explain it all.

It remains alien to Nigeria’s jurisprudence that a trained lawyer Princess Stella Oduah has fought political Goliaths and won many would institute a case already determined and interpreted by the battles on different fronts, without losing steam. Perhaps no former Supreme Court just to create a scenario. Hitherto pressure put on or present minister of Nigeria has suffered the level of media hostility INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Senator Oduah cum trial like her, even after leaving office. Her ordeal started when has evaporated into thin air—after those sponsoring the protesters she vowed to champion far-reaching reforms in the nation’s aviation discovered the futility of their mission. industry, thereby upstaging the ‘cabal’ that hitherto ran the strategic The unabated attacks on Stella Oduah was reinvigorated recently sector aground before her appointment as Aviation Minister by the when the National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended for retirement President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration. two judges—Justice Mohammed Yunusa of Lagos division of the Those who were caught unawares by Senator Stella Oduah’s Federal High Court and Justice Olamide Oloyede of Osun State High transformational strides in the aviation industry are still gunning for Court, respectively, for gross misconduct. her head even when she had moved on to conquer new frontiers. Her When the news hit airwaves, the unrepentant anti-Stella Oduah’s major ‘sin’ in the eyes of her adversaries is not only her tribal affiliation forces in the media ran the story with some unprofessional headlines but family background. Being born with golden spoon as a princess to such as: “How Stella Oduah’s Case landed Judge in Trouble”, “NJC a wealthy king positioned her for the limelight.

Sacks Judge for Shielding Stella Oduah from Prosecution”, and so on.

Like a deeply-rooted tree planted in a fertile soil besides the river of I will like to ask some pertinent questions: how did those who life, Senator Stella Oduah has weathered many storms that came in her cast the above headlines come to their conclusion that it was Senator direction. Many thought that the political hurricane that propelled her Oduah’s case that landed Justice Mohammed Yunusa in “trouble” out out of office as aviation minister would end up burying her promising of several cases mentioned by NJC in its report? Is it not a calculated career inside the debris of falsehood and propaganda. But like the proverbial medieval phoenix bird, Stella Oduah has been able to recreate, renew and resurrect out of the valley of blackmails T H E S AT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R and persecutions, looking more EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE energetic and focused in her MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO quest for excellence of service DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE to her fatherland. She keeps CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI coming out of every battle waxEDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN ing stronger like never before.

Those who mistakenly thought she would be distracted or derailed by mountainous, unsubstantiated allegations can T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D now attest to her resoluteness.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, Political pundits who follow ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU developments in Anambra State GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA politics can also attest to her DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, doggedness and clout. Oduah’s MBAYILAN ANDOAKA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE emergence as senator representDEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI ing Anambra North zone SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO amazed many who assumed CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI that her premature exist as GENERAL MANAGER PATRICK EIMIUHI aviation minister had nailed her GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE political aspirations, especially ART DIRECTOR OCHI OGBUAKU II in a state like Anambra where DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO billionaire godfathers call the TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com shot—and determine who gets what. Those who are yet to

attempt to portray her in negative prism? What concerns Senator Oduah in NJC’s decision to sanction some judges who have presided over many cases (Oduah’s inclusive)? Is this not a plot to incite the entire judiciary against Princess Oduah—so that she would be avoided like a ‘plague’ whenever she has issues in court?

It is very unfortunate that peddling of venom-filled falsehood is becoming a norm in the nation’s polity. Source of encouragement to Senator Oduah’s supporters and what has remained a mystery to her antagonists is her ability to rise above every storm of allegation and media attacks. She has developed a thick skin against all these shenanigans meant to weaken her resolve.

Like a fruitful tree of courage and sagacity, those throwing stones at the fruits of this Iroko tree are getting fed up, while the tree remains unshakeable and evergreen. Senator Stella Oduah’s unreserved loyalty and formidable support for Senate President Bukola Saraki-led Senate, is also a source of concern to her adversaries. Those who knew her right from her days of exploits in the private sector always salute her courage and ability to stage a comeback after every challenge.

John Ezeobi, Onitsha

The Inanities of the Eighth Assembly

W

ith the benefit of hindsight, the eighth National Assembly is likely to go down as the most self-serving, disoriented and anti-people assemblage in modern Nigeria.

Whereas President Goodluck Jonathan handed over power peacefully albeit on the note of an unprecedented corrupt wreckage of the nation’s economy - the corollary effect of which still endangers the fundamentals of the nation’s fiscal and monetary prosperity - the National Assembly’s leadership was allowed to be hijacked by forces enamoured to the status quo.

Whereas the executive arm at the federal level gave all to the change imperative by fighting corruption with potency and gravitas Nigerians can resonate with, scoring millage in the diversification drive, the upper chamber of the National Assembly has been hopping from one court to the other trying to defend criminal infractions and holding tendentiously to the soul of the assembly. The lower house took idleness a notch higher by recently initiating a bill that would festoon its principal officers and that of Senate with immunity against prosecution, thereby appropriating the global infamy of becoming the first assembly in the world to so conflate law making with law-breaking and desperately legislating constitutional immunity to actualise the delicate mix. Life pension for senators is not only an aberrant vestige of a disillusioned Senate but also antithetical to the austere demands of our time.

As we speak the NAAS remains far removed from the tiresome trouble shooting being explored by the executive on the issue of Niger Delta Avengers, the Bakassi dissidents, the herdsmen killings, kidnappings and other urgent matters of national importance.

On the contrary, what we have is thoughtless summon of government officials who dare to challenge legislative impunity in the NAAS. Bukola Ajisola, Victoria Island, Lagos

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

POLSCOPE

with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

Ovie Omo-Agege: Raising the Canticles...

Bar of Effective Representation No, Buhari is not Northernising Nigeria

L

ong before he became a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege has been in the vanguard of service to his people.

His has always been a life of political struggle.

The struggle to serve. Several times, he had striven to be the governor of Delta State, where he believes, he can best serve his people. But this has remained a work-in-progress project for him.

But in December last year, his political profile received a boost when the courts ruled that he was the validly elected candidate to represent the Delta Central senatorial district in Delta State.

Before him, was Chief Ighoyota Amori whose stint in the Senate was marked by whimperish representation.

He was too eager to be a pro-establishment senator.

He was famous for jokingly (or seriously) claiming to have his political strength drawn from weird sources.

His vaunting and boastings were anything but edifying , even in banal politics. Aside the partisan support for the senate establishment, not much is on the credit side of Amori’s balance sheet as a senator.

It is remarkable that his legislative adventure is now history. What is new and trending is the strides being made Ovie Omo-Agege by the incumbent senator representing Delta central senatorial district: Senator Ovie OmoAgege, In quick succession, he has demonstrated a capacity to be initiative-driven.

For so long, the status of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) had remained like an under-priced institution. The Goodluck Jonathan administration however elevated it to a university—as Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE).

However, it had remained just like that without a legal framework backing up its existence. Last April, barely three months after he assumed his seat in the red chambers, Omo-Agege sponsored the Bill, arguing that despite satisfying all necessary conditions for the establishment of a university, the FUPRE remained as it is without a legal status. The Bill passed second reading last April. The FUPRE is a prized federal institution in Delta State and the Urhobos, in whose domain the institution is, have remained markedly grateful to Omo-Agege for his feat in establishing the legal construct for the institution.

But what may have hoisted his flag at the roof top is the Bill seeking to tame randy lecturers from harassing female students in higher institutions in the country. It is a commonplace story of how male lecturers coarse female students into having sexual affairs with them in exchange for high grades in university examinations. It is indeed a running malaise which had made many female students go through horrendous experiences in schools.

Although the penal code frowns at such offence, the Omo-Agege Bill seeks to properly criminalise the act in the nation’s judicial system in such a way

that no offender or victim of the law goes without feeling the heat or the touch of the law.

This is confirmed by Elo Adhekpukoli, a lawyer, who affirmed that the Bill ‘fills the void in the existing anti-sexual harassment laws in Nigeria’, noting that only the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2011 defined sexual harassment properly.

Reading through the Bill, one cannot but agree that it is a product of deep and wide research.

With many provisions aimed at ensuring the law is not circumvented by smart lawyers, the Bill has indeed ranked as one of the most popular in recent times.

It is remarkable that the Bill removes the clause of consensual agreement (as a defence) in a lecturer-student relationship, with the quaint argument that “the voluntary consent of a student held hostage by the official authority of a predating lecturer is not a willful consent”.

And that makes it a statutory offence.

It is even more interesting to note that lecturers are similarly protected by the provisions of the Bill as there is a recommended punishment of expulsion for students who falsely accuse their lecturers or educators of sexual harassment.

By the provisions of the Bill, any educator who is found guilty of the provisions of the law risks a five-year jail term without the option of fine.

In the same vein, the Bill also seeks to provide compensation for victims of sexual harassment. And this makes the Bill unique. Presently, there is nothing in the penal code that stipulates how a victim of sexual harassment or rape shall be compensated. But the OmoAgege Bill provides for the compensation of victims.

The Bill which was read on June 20, has a rousing support from 57 senators who are indeed its co-sponsors.

What the two cited Bills have shown is that the Delta Central senator has demonstrated a strong connect between him and his constituents. Put differently, he knows what his people want and he seems poised to meeting them at the point of their needs.

One marked difference between him and those who had occupied the seat before him is that he is not a bench-warming senator. He is not only visible, but also vocal. His strikes fall on the right chords.

This is in spite of the fact that not only is he not a ranking senator, he is indeed from a minority party: Labour Party (LP), although there is now a bourgeoning collaboration between LP and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). His newness in the senate has not smouldered the fire of effective representation in OmoAgege.

And with the bursting zeal of the senator, it may be safe to conclude that it is morning yet on creation day for the Urhobo people of Delta Central senatorial district.

I

have been reading of complaints from many quarters about the favouritism being shown to the people from the northern part of the country by President Muhammadu Buhari, and I shudder at what they mean.

So why do you shudder?Are the complaints out of place?

You mean even you share in the mischievous complaints being sponsored by those still sulking from the lost election of last year?

No, no, no. This has nothing to do with partisan judgement. The facts are clear. Lawyers call it Res ipsa loquitur.

What facts are you talking about? I am disappointed that you are among the gullible crowd that merely hangs on to the hysteria of the masses, which lacks logic and coherence most of the time.

Look, I don’t care how much of tirade you pour on me. I am saying that by the actions so far demonstrated by Mr President, there is room and ground for genuine complaints in the polity.

Oh, you are among them that believe the fight against corruption should be suspended so the nation can face other issues of governance?

I am not talking about the fight against corruption. It is a necessary war to be waged so as to redeem Nigeria from collapse even though, I also believe that it should not be the over-all pre-occupation of this government. What I am saying and being echoed by majority of Nigerians is that the appointments Mr President has made thus far, very heavily favour the north to the detriment of the south.And this is not good for the country. The era of favouritism, ethnicism, and narrowBuhari mindedness should be gone for good. The point really is that…. (cuts in) Enough of your pontification.We are talking about a President here. An elected president for that matter. For your information, Mr President has executive powers and they are constitutionally-assigned powers. Or do you want to say that the President has breached any section of the constitution from the appointments he has made?

My friend, you cannot be more Catholic than the Pope. The constitution is made for man, not man for the constitution.

How can it be explained that out 14 national security agencies, only three are headed by southerners while all the remaining 11 are headed by northerners? How can it be explained that out of 20 National entities, (including the security agencies), 17 are headed by people from the northern part of the country? How do you explain that INEC, NEMA, NNPC, Fire Service, Customs, FRSC, NIP, NIS, DSS, NSDC, Police,Airforce, Defence, EFCC, NSA,Army etc are all headed by northerners in a country where we are all said to be equal.And you talk about constitution. Why didn’t you talk about Federal Character?

You don’t understand. Security issues should be shielded from politics and banal considerations of national shenanigan like Federal Character.What should count most is efficiency and competence.

Look at your mouth like efficiency and competence. How come this so-called efficiency and competence is only found among northerners? Ehn?Answer me!And pray, are these not the same people we always waive standard for so they can gain admission to federal government colleges and universities because they are said to have come from educationally-disadvantaged states? Suddenly they have transformed to become champions of efficiency and competence! Indeed, There is God! Do you know that in matters of appointments especially in security organisations, that it follows order of seniority and merit?

The same question arises: how come it is arranged in such a way that only people from a particular section of the country are lined up to succeed themselves?And Mr Defender, are you not aware that over 30 senior police officers including 21AIGs were recently retired compulsorily so as to create room for the appointment of Mr Ibrahim Idris as the present IG? Is that the order of seniority and merit you are talking about?

Em, em, em…..

You don’t have to stammer. Call a spade a spade.

Ok. Look at the recently constituted Board of NNPC with eight members. While the north has five members, the south has a paltry three slots.And don’t forget that the President’s Chief of Staff-Abba Kyari, is a member, just as you mustn’t forget that the substantive Minister of Petroleum is Mr President himself.

Do you also know that as atAugust 2015, out of the 30 appointments the President had made, only seven came from the south and the remaining 23 from the north?And even at that none of the seven from the south came from the South east?And you say one nation? Surely, asAchebe would write, There was a Country!

Look, I will not allow you to stand here and make divisive comments.We cannot sacrifice the ethos of national cohesion on the altar of sectional pursuit. Mr President has breached no law. In fact, he had personally explained this in the past and it bears my reminding you. And I quote: There is an English word called expediency.Aside the so-called confidence Mr President may have had with people he had flocked with over the years, it has become expedient for him to look beyond his narrow circle to make appointments so as to give it a national colouration.Afterall, he was voted for by the entire country.And pray, we are talking of the president of a country of disparate people of over 180 million .And if the president has only flocked with people of his own region and so knows and trusts people from his region only, then there is something wrong with the national root and outlook of such a president.

Are you saying something is wrong with our President?

You said so.

I can assure you that Mr President means well for the nation. His spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina had once assured that“there will be a balance in future appointments”.

Does that not tell you that there has been imbalance?And when will that future be?And lest I forget, let me say that such acts like this deliberate skew of appointments to the north are some of the unstated gasoline kindling the fire of anger and destruction in the Niger Delta. Or do you think thoseAvenger boys are fools? You think they don’t they read newspapers? How many of their people are strategically located in the oil and gas sector? My brother, all these things matter. Let’s not deceive ourselves. This country is a delicate web.All sections of it must be carefully and justly managed, otherwise it will be a return to point origin. Dues avertat!

I don’t understand your Latin. But what I understand is that Mr President not only means well for us all, he will surely not northernise Nigeria.

Go and tell him he still has chance to redeem his image. We are watching!!!

15

July 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

TUNDERAHMAN

tunderahmanu@yahoo.com 08055069548 (Text only)

Developments in Turkey: My Take Away

I

n the wake of the botched coup in Turkey, President Tayyip Erdogan has again been showing his true colours, moving against known and perceived opponents of his autocratic rule. He is hiding under the pretext of the failed coup to rein in the opposition. Agency reports had it that over 50,000 people have been rounded up, including at least 2, 839 soldiers who have been detained in a relentless arrest over the coup plot. And the figure is still rising. The Turkish President has also pinned the conspiracy in Turkey on the US-based critic of his regime, M. Fethullah Gulen, preacher, writer and poet, accusing him of masterminding the coup.

He asked the US authorities to extradite Gulen to Turkey if indeed America is an ally of Turkey. US Secretary of State John Kerry has, however, said Erdogan should first forward the evidence of Gulen’s complicity.

Erdogan’s rule reminds one of the dark period of late General Sani Abacha junta in Nigeria, when all known repressive methods in the book were employed against perceived enemies. There were fathom coups and orchestrated moves all in a bid to decimate perceived political enemies. Some claimed the Friday, July 15, 2016 coup in Turkey was orchestrated

by Erdogan and his backers to prop up his authoritarian rule. Could he have sacrificed the more than 265 people, including 104 rebel soldiers, reportedly killed in the putsch? Some 1, 440 others were also wounded. What all these statistics imply is the world needs to pay serious attention to Turkey. Erdogan has always employed underhand tactics in ruling Turkey. He has caged the media and suppressed the opposition. He censured the social media and barred access to WikiLeaks website. The three-month emergency rule he declared on that country in the wake of the coup is an indication that something more sinister is underway. Erdogan poses a danger to Turkey’s secularism, which the world has always admired. A predominantly Muslim country, Turkey embraced secularism but Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been taking steps to move the nation towards Islamic extremism.

Recent developments in Turkey, however, underscored the fact that military coups are no longer fashionable anywhere in the world. Some officers in the Turkish military had rolled out the tanks against Erdogan, puncturing the seeming seamless ride democracy had enjoyed in Europe. A coup in the heart of Europe was simply unthinkable! It initially appeared as if the coupists were having their way, as if the military putsch had succeeded. The state television TRT announced a country-wide curfew. An announcer on the TV station read a statement on the orders of the military, accusing the government of President Erdogan of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law, and disclosing that Turkey would be run by a “Peace Council” that would ensure the safety of the population. The whereabouts of President Erdogan were

President Erdogan of Turkey

then unknown. Whereas the coupists had seized the TV station, Erdogan addressed the nation in Skype and with his Twitter feeds, saying the coup was the work of a minority within the military and calling on his supporters to move to the streets in protest. In response to the call, thousands spilled onto the capital Istanbul and in no time at all, the situation changed. The coup had been put down. President Erdogan is back to office.

The lesson to draw from this by African nations and other developing countries where you still witness coups is the significance of people power. What brought Erdogan back was the power of the people.

The people trooped onto the streets, demanding that the military return to their barracks. With that bewildering crowd we saw on TV and the strident demand of the people, the rebellious soldiers were left with no choice than to recoil to their shells where they were rounded up, waiting for the fate that would now befall them.

Turkey has been rocked by coups and counter coups for more than five decades or so. And like that European nation that has seen more of military rule than democracy, Nigeria has also had her own fair share of military coups. People power can stop a coup as in the extant case in Turkey.

What also sustains a military coup is the acquiescence of the people, particularly the connivance of the ruling elites with the coupists. No military coup had succeeded anywhere without their civilian collaborators, the civilian wing of the ruling military elites if you like. In Nigeria, you find that each time some civilians are enraged by certain decisions of the government; they would wish the military were back. In one instance in late 1999 in an interview with a newsmagazine, an elected Senator was so exasperated by the Obasanjo regime that he fell short of calling for outright military intervention. For him, instead of the country still having Obasanjo as president, it was better the military came back. Some also felt that way during President Goodluck Jonathan’s time when impunity was at its zenith. And only recently, the military had to stridently deny speculations that some soldiers were planning a coup against President Buhari.

President Erdogan who was rallied back to office by the people has been in power since 2003. He has been accused of anti-democratic moves, even dictatorial tendencies. And the coup was the bloodiest challenge to his 13-year autocratic rule. Yet the people rallied round him because they know the worst civilian administration is

President Erdogan who was rallied back to office by the people has been in power since 2003. He has been accused of antidemocratic moves, even dictatorial tendencies. And the coup was the bloodiest challenge to his 13year autocratic rule.

Yet the people rallied round him because they know the worst civilian administration is better than the best military government.

That should be the watchword. Unpopular governments should be changed through popular votes at periodic elections, not through the barrels of the gun. There should n’t be any place for military intervention in a democracy. That for me is the major take away from the Turkish coup better than the best military government.

That should be the watchword. Unpopular governments should be changed through popular votes at periodic elections, not through the barrels of the gun. There should n’t be any place for military intervention in a democracy. That for me is the major take away from the Turkish coup.

Ndoma-Egba: When the Cap Fits In the Senate, he was called Senator and SAN. He was the only Senator thus far to be crowned a Senior Advocate of Nigeria while serving in the Senate. As he would say then, he wanted to be ‘condemned’ to the Senate in his state but his former friend and ally, former Governor Liyel Imoke, decided to stop him at all cost in 2015 after Imoke disagreed with his friend and predecessor in office Donald Duke.

Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba then became the fall guy. He was rendered completely irrelevant in PDP in the state and had to move to APC. President Muhammadu Buhari was spot on during the week with the nomina-

tion of Ndoma-Egba for appointment as Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). That nomination is remarkable in two ways. One, coming from Cross Rivers, which has almost been wiped off as an oil producing state because most of her oil wells have been taken over

by Cameroon and Akwa Ibom State, President Buhari seems to be affirming Cross River’s status as an oil-producing state with Ndoma-Egba’s appointment. The other point is the widely-acknowledged outstanding qualities of the former Senate Leader, which will be brought to bear on that interventionist agency that is NDDC in the development of the restive Niger

Delta. Ndoma-Egba has experience in diverse areas and he is also a bundle of integrity.

He obtained his LL.B degree from the University of Lagos, LLM degree from the University of Calabar and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978. He was elevated to the rank of SAN in 2004. He has been Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Calabar Branch, and President of the Calabar Chamber of Commerce. He has also been Director of the Cross River Basin and Rural Development Authority, and Commissioner for Works & Transport.

He served three terms in the Senate from 2003 to 2011, during which time he distin-

guished himself. It was in recognition of the leadership qualities in him that he was elected the Senate Leader in the immediatepast Senate, the 7th Senate.

The President also nominated Mr. Nsima Ekere as the Managing Director of the commission to take over from Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who is currently acting as MD of the commission. Ndoma-Egba’s nomination and that of Mr. Nsima Ekere as NDDC MD were contained in a letter by President Buhari to Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday. I do not have any doubt in my mind that the Senate would ratify his appointment given his qualities and again because he had been one of them.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULy 23, 2016

16

NEWS

In Brief

FIFAPresident,SecretaryGeneralarriveAbuja

Presidentoffootball’sworldgoverningbody,FIFA,Mr.GianniInfantinoandthe SecretaryGeneral,MsFatmaSambaSamourawillarriveinNigeria’scapitalcity, AbujaonSundayforatwo–dayworkingvisit.Theduo,tobeaccompaniedbya coupleofaides,wouldbereceivedattheNnamdiAzikiweInternationalAirport byNFFPresidentAmajuPinnick,membersoftheNFFBoardandManagement, andahostofotherprominentfiguresinNigeriafootball.Awelcomecocktailfor theFIFAPresidentandSecretaryGeneralwouldholdattheTranscorpHilton Hotel, Abuja later on Sunday. On Monday, Mr. Infantino and Ms Samoura, led by the Minister ofYouth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung and NFF President PinnickwouldpayacourtesycallonPresidentMuhammaduBuhari(GCFR)at theAsoRockPresidentialVilla.

Ondo AG Resigns, Joins Guber Race

AheadoftheNovember2016GubernatorialElectioninOndoState,theState AttorneyGeneralandCommissionerforJustice,Mr.EyitayoJegedeyesterday resignedhisappointmentfromthecabinetofDr.OlusegunMimiko.Theresignation ofJegede,cameabout10daysaftertheStateCommissionerforEnvironment, ChiefOlusolaEbiseniresignedfromthecabinetalsotocontestfortheprimary ticketofthePeoplesDemocraticParty(PDP).UnliketheresignationoftheJegede’s actionwasdoneamidstfunfare.JegedewasescortedtotheAlagbakaAkure seatofgovernmentbydifferentinterestgroups,whorolledoutdrums,singing anddancingtotheGovernor’sOfficeComplexwherehesubmittedtheletter totheSecretarytoStateGovernment(SSG),DrAderotimiAdelola.

NOUN Public Lecture

IN MEMORY OF FAWEHINMI...

RL-R: Lead Discussant, Mr. Femi Aborisade; Former Governor of Old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; and National Chairman, National Conscience Party, (NCP), Dr. Yunusa Tanko; at the colloquium organised by the National Conscience Party, NCP, in honour of Late Gani Fawehinmi, in Akure on thusday

CDS's Cousin Killed in Boko Haram Attack Michael Olugbode

The Commander of the counter-insurgency operations in the North-East, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor on Friday revealed that the first cousin of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin was lost in a recent operation against the Boko Haram insurgency.

He however did not name the officer, a Captain. related to the CDS that was lost in battle.

Irabor, who addressed a press conference in Maiduguri on recent operations of his command, said

nobody in the Armed Forces was left out of the sacrifice in the ongoing war against the insurgents.

He lamented that some soldiers and even volunteer youth vigilance group were still missing in the recent operations against the insurgents.

He said: "I wish to use this medium to indicate that high price is being paid by officers and soldiers of Operation Lafiya Dole. Our hearts go out to all the families of our colleagues who have paid the supreme price."

"We shall liberate the entire North East from the claws of

terrorism and insurgency as our respect to the heroic efforts of these departed colleagues" He commiserated with the Chief of Defence Staff over the loss of his first cousin in the last operation in Kargarwa, insisting that in the on-going war against the Boko Haram, every soldier and officer were involved and willing to sacrifice for the return of peace to Nigeria.

On the Kargarwa attack on July 12, Irabor lamented that at about 1845 hours, "own troops at Kargarwa came under Boko Haram terrorist attack as they consolidate their hold on the

location.

"Troops fought gallantly killing 25 Boko Haram terrorists and capturing two RPG tubes, a 60mm mortar tube, two MGs, twelve AK47 riffles, a LMG." "The following day, during exploitation, additional three bodies of Boko Haram terrorists were discovered along with other Boko Haram terrorist equipment.

Sadly, however, we lost an officer (the CDS's cousin) and a soldier while 11 others were wounded.

All the wounded have been stabilised with five of them already returned to the front lines after treatment."

Munich Shooting: 10 Killed, Several Police Parade Suspected Killers, injured, 3 Gunmen at Large Armed Robbery in Akwa Ibom Adedayo Adejobi, with Agency Reports

German government has set up a crisis response unit, Authorities declare emergency, advice residents not to leave homes, Hospitals throughout Munich are on emergency alert and in “catastrophe mode”.

Munich central station and underground system is closed and has been evacuated. Motorists on the motorway into Munich have been asked to clear the road for police and emergency service vehicles.

It is not yet clear how many attackers opened fire or whether the shootings, described as a “rampage” by police, amounted to a coordinated or planned attack.

The German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere, interrupts flight to the United States heads home At least nine people have been killed and unidentified number of people injured in a shooting at the Olympia shopping mall in Munich, Germany, according to

police yesterday. Police are still hunting for the shooters and suspects that the incident is a terrorist attack.

Police also said that witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets.

According to reports, Munich authorities have requested assistance from an elite German counter-terrorism, hostage rescue and special operations federal police unit known as GSG9.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the shooting but Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) supporters are already celebrating the incident on the social media.

Munich police warned that the shooters are still on the run and they are dangerous. Meanwhile, Police earlier said they were dealing with a "shooting rampage" and were suspecting terrorism.

There were however reports of further shooting at Karlsplatz square in central Munich, but this has not been confirmed by police as at Press time. Taxi drivers have been advised to avoid the Karlsplatz area.

Okon Bassey in Uyo

The Police in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State have paraded two men; Victor Esin aged 30 from Urue Offong/ Oruko Local Government Area and Joseph Ibanga from Ibiaku Ikot Udom, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom for alleged murder.

While Esin was arrested for killing his Uncle, Rev. Esin Adak, aged 67 over allegation of witchcraft, Ibanga was in the Police custody for strangling his little daughter, Glory to death after the evening meal.

The two alleged murderers were among 10 other suspects paraded at the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo for various crimes including armed robbery and possession of human Skull.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Cordelia Nwawe (ASP), who gave a breakdown of the activities of the State Police Command, described the action of Victor Esin to murder his Uncle as premeditated which was against the law.

She said the suspect used a

matchet to kill and disembowel the 67 year-old man was which was not acceptable.

She Ibanga went to the mother house where the daughter stayed but after the evening where both father and daughter shared food, the little girl was picked up at night, strangled and thrown into a river.

Nwawe further disclosed that a four-man gang from Eyo-Abasi village in Oron Local Government Area of the state was caught with human skull while searching for prospective buyer.

Besides the murder cases, the Police equally paraded armed robbery gangs and car snatchers arrested in the course of their operations.

A Toyota Camry car that was stolen in Calabar, Cross River State capital was recovered with the buyer and sellers apprehended in the course of sealing their deal.

In his confession, Esin said, “I went to my uncle’s house to ask him why people were dying in our family. I got there, met him and the children, we exchange pleasantries what really happened after that, I cannot explain”.

PresidentoftheCommonwealthofLearning(COL),Prof.AshaS.Kanwar,will onWednesdaydeliverthefirstpubliclectureoftheNationalOpenUniversity ofNigeria(NOUN).Thelecture,withthetheme"CanODLreachtheunreached LessonsfromtheCommonwealth",willbedeliveredattheauditoriumofthe NationalUniversitiesCommissionAuditoriuminAbuja.Thelecturerisalsothe ChiefExecutiveOfficeroftheCOL,anintergovernmentalorganisationcreated byCommonwealthHeadsofGovernmenttopromotethedevelopmentand sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources and technologies.BasedinCanada,theCOListheworld’sonlyintergovernmental organisationsolelyconcernedwiththepromotionanddevelopmentofdistance educationandopenlearning.Ithelpsdevelopingnationsimproveaccesstoquality educationandtraining.

Finance and Lifestyle Magazine Debuts

ApremiumquarterlyfinanceandlifestylemagazineknownasMarketDigest is now available in Nigeria news stand. The Publisher, Market Digest Nigeria LimitedMr.EseleWalterOdionduringtheunveilinginLagosrecentlysaidthe magazinewasapremiumquarterlyfinanceandlifestylemagazinethatprovides maximumexposureforselectedbrands."Intermsofqualityweareundoubtedly oneofthebest,ifnotthebestlocalprintpublication.Themagazineproduction is driven by advertisements not by sales. We have relationships with courier companies.Soimmediatelyafterpublicationwedistribute70percenttothe desksofhighnetworthindividualsandseniormanagementofallmultinational andlocalcompaniesaswellastheplaceswherethishighnetworthindividuals gotolike,AirportV.I.P.lounges,selectedhotelschains,golf,poloandboatclubs, "hesaid.

Suit against Lawmaker

PrinceOgbefamilyofUgbuwangueinWarriSouthLocalGovernmentareaof DeltaStatehasdraggedaFederalLawmaker,HonDanielRenieyejubeforea WarriHighCourtforillegaloccupationoftheirland.

The Applicants, Pa Peter Eburajolor, Major-General Missan Ogbe Femi (rtd) and two others, had contended in the suit that the defendant. Hon Renieyeju, who is representing Warri Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, illegally and forcefully occupied their land measuring approximately five (5) acressituated alongslaughter road,UgbuwangueTowninWarri SouthLocal GovernmentAreaofDeltaState.Inthestatementofclaimfiledbytheircounsel Mr.J.OKpedi,theapplicantsfurtheraverredthatPrinceOgbefoundedalarge portion of land in Ugbuwangue by deforesting a large expanse of land which includethelandnowindispute..

Legislative Framework on Climate Change

TheNationalAssemblyhasbegunmovestoputinplacealegislativeframework to address the multifarious issues relating to climate change in the country.

Chairman,HouseofRepresentativesCommitteeonClimateChange,Mr.Sam OnuigbomadethisdisclosureinAbujaThursdayatameetingwithateamofthe UnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme(UNDP)ledbyitsCountryDirector, Dr.PaLaminBeyai.Mr.OnuigbowhocommendedtheUNDPforitssupportto Nigeriaontheissueofclimatechange,saidtheproposedlegislativeframework istopontheagendaoftheNationalAssemblyandthatnoeffortisbeingspared toachievetheaim.Accordingtohim,theleadershipofthefederallegislature, especially the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara arefullycommittedintheirsupporttoensuringthattheframeworkisachieved inthelifeofthecurrent8thAssembly.

Ikoyi Rotary Club Inducts Ojogbede

The Rotary Club of Ikoyi, District 9110 Lagos will tomorrow, induct Mr. Joseph OladeleOjogbedeasthe32ndPresidentoftheClub.Theeventwhichcomes upat1pmpromptattheGoldenGateRestaurant,Ikoyi,Lagoswillbefollowed by the investiture of members of the Board of Directors. Notable dignitaries expectedattheeventincludeMr.FemiFalana(SAN),whoistheGuestSpeaker, Mr.EdwardAkinlade,Chairman,theDistrictGovernorofDistrict9110,Rotarian Pat Ikheloa and Dr. Adekunle Hassan, who are the Special Guests of Honour.

MembersoftheBoardofDirectorstobeinductedinclude;Mrs.RemiAkinterinwa, the outgoing President, Dr. Adetoun Agbe-Davies,Vice President, Mr. Isichei Osamgbi, membership Director, Mr. Richard Chukwuocha, Public Relations Director , AlhajiWasiu Bello, Club Services Director, Mr. Ugochukwu Okagwu Treasurer,Mr.TonyAbu,YouthServicesDirectorandRuthOkenini,Secretary amongstothers.

Alhaja Omoshalewa Dies

ThedeathhasoccurredofAlhajaOmoshalewaLawal.Astatementbyherfamily saidshediedonyesterdayattheageof52.Shewasburiedimmediatelyaccording toIslamicrites.Sheissurvivedbyherhusband,AlhajiMALawalandfourchildren.

Plus

LOUD WHISPERS TRAVEL AUTO GLOBAL SOCCER FITNESS FASHION FILE

pg. 20 pg. 25 pg. 26 pg. 29 pg. 40 pg. 41

Kingsley Usoh

Even in My Seventies I Still Cook at Home

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 23, 2016

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Plus

Usoh

I Left Behind More Than N3 Billion in Nigerian Shippers Council Former Managing Director of Nigerian Shippers Council, Dr. Kingsley Usoh, is credited with many of the pioneering efforts in the NSC, including sending the council personnel for training on board vessels owned by the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line Limited; and building of an imposing and magnificent multi-storeyed building, ‘Shippers Plaza’ which presently serves as the corporate headquarters of NSC in Apapa, Lagos. A trained maritime expert, Usoh who was born in Mbieri, Imo State, obtained his first and second degrees in the United Kingdom, including a Master’s degree in Transport Engineering and Operations from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. He was head of the Nigerian delegation to the World Trade Organisation to negotiate trade in services between 1995 and 1996 and to the United Nations’ Conference on Trade and Development in 1980. An author of several books on transport industry and current the Chairman CARIX Shipping Company Limited, Usoh tells John Iwori about his time at the NSC among other issues

H

ow was it like in the early days of Nigerian Shippers Council?

I took over from Dr. Ekong and Chief Adebayo Sarumi took over from me just as Captain Adamu Biu took over from Chief Adebayo Sarumi, and Mr. Hassan Bello took over from Captain Adamu Biu. It was tough because many things that the present workforce in the council takes for granted were not in place. We were not many; to ensure we met our mandate, we embarked on a lot of training and re-training. In fact, I trained over 40 people. While doing that, I also improved myself by acquiring more knowledge. In the course of carrying

out my responsibilities as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers Council, I did my Ph.D. With all the information coming into my desk as the helmsman of the council, I was taking what I needed to write my Ph.D. right there on my table. People got their Master’s degrees and insurance qualifications.

Accountants did freight accounting.

There are certain issues people do not realise. As a staff of the council, we must know what the commercial banks, freight forwarders, shipping companies and ports authority are doing. As NSC personnel, we must know what each of them are doing and then put all these things together and see where they hurt importers and exporters. We always come in to solve problems so that the

business of importing and exporting in the country will go on smoothly.

We will know what the farmers suffer bringing his goods from the farm to the market.

Because if we do not solve the problems, he won’t make profit of the labour he has put into his farming.

That is what we are talking about. You have to understand the dynamic of the business of shipping in order to know exactly what to do. At a certain stage, I have to send some of my staff to be on board the National Shipping Line Limited (NNSL) vessels in the sea for years. This places them in a vantage position to get the requisite experience and exposure as well as know what the ships and crew members do in the ports, how many days they spend,

what are the delays and so on. This is because when we are negotiating with ship owners or other shipping practitioners, all these things come to play. This is due to the fact that any delay or loss they make, they will build them into freight cost for the next voyage and you have to know whether these things exist or not. This was how we built up the manpower then which now forms the main strength of Nigeria Shippers Council today. In fact, this makes the Nigerian Shippers Council to stand tall among other Federal Ministry of Transportation parastatals in terms of manpower. The council might be poor in terms of making revenue, but it has quality staff. They can challenge the bankers, ship owners, shipping lines and other shipping practitioners on

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

Plus I Am a Technocrat; I Am Not a Politician their charges. They can also challenge the policeman on the road on why he is detaining or stopping any consignment, as well as oil companies on the rate on their premium on goods in transit. In short, they can challenge anybody on anything they do in the cargo clearance chain. Nevertheless in the other parastatals, this is not the case. That is why the council has a gazette from the Federal Government as the economic regulator.

You mentioned the fact that some of the things the NSC has on the ground, such as the Shipper Plaza, were achieved during your tenure.

Can you shed more light on this?

I built the Shippers Plaza in 1984; it worth N13.9 billion. It was in audited account of 1984. I left behind N3.6 billion aside cash that was outside. I come from a business family. That is why when I went to school, I did not only study maritime, I did business. I did ACCA to second stage. I later backed out and continue with my maritime and transportation. So I understood what investment is all about and how I can get it but as the boss, I do not have to be the director of everything.

I have to get qualified people to work with me. This is because I like people to argue with me. I do not like yes-men. I like someone who holds a contrary opinion with facts and figures to argue with me. When we finish the arguments, we shake hands because we have got the right perspective. It makes me to be sure I am doing the right thing.

What do you enjoy doing?

I like cooking. Even till today, I still cook in my house. Besides, I am a practical person. I still do basic things.

I also have a belief and philosophy.

The day the biggest millionaire dies, he goes into six feet (grave). This is also applicable to the poorest person. Since the biggest millionaire and the poorest person, all end up in the grave at the end of their sojourn on earth, what is the difference? If you cannot help yourself, your house-boy might think that if he stops working for you, his boss will suffer and once they know you can do the things they think you cannot do, then they will be very serious with the job you give to them.

Even when I was in Nigerian Shippers Council and sometimes when I get to the office and cleaners are cleaning, maybe mopping, I did not only tell them the right way to do it but also demonstrated it practically by doing it myself. For instance, if I came across any of them mopping the floor using a mop that was dirty, that did not get the floor clean. However, if you use a clean mop and water, you get a better result. Therefore, if I saw them doing it wrongly, I pulled up my trousers and take over from them and showed them how to do it.

What other things did you achieve while heading the NSC? During my tenure as the CEO of Nigerian Shippers Council, I made it possible for all staff to go on training on board vessels and the ministry approved it. As a result, be it a cleaner or driver as long as you are a worker of the council, it is mandatory for you to go on training programmes. These training programmes gave the workers broad knowledge of what they are doing. It was during my tenure that the account of the NSC began to be insured. My background and experience made me to understand the importance of insuring one’s assets. Therefore, all Nigerian Shippers Council assets, I ensured that they were insured.

Presently, there is a bill before the National Assembly called National Transport Commission which seeks to make one of the parastatals in the Federal Ministry of Transportation act as the economic regulator in the maritime industry. Do you see the NSC as a possible regulator in that regard?

Usoh

When you look at our country over the years when things like that come out, everybody’s looking for what to benefit. People do not see what it will take to do the job. They dwell mainly on what they stand to benefit. Those who are saying that Nigerian Shippers Council is not fit are economical with the truth. The other parastatals they are mouthing how trained are their manpower? Are we going to start training their staff? Take note that Nigerian Shippers Council has been doing a job that is almost the same thing as the ones outlined in the proposed bill.

Why can’t we learn from our mistakes and do what is right? I am not saying give it to the council, Nigerian Ports Authority or the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency. But let us do a little bit of auditing of the manpower you required in running an efficient National Transport Commission. This is vital due to the fact that maritime transportation is the key to any economy. If there is a default anywhere, the economy cannot grow or stand. I strongly believe that if we get it right, transport industry can give us the much needed income or revenue we are looking for. If the National Assembly wants to do a proper job on the bill, let it do its homework and hand the commission to the right parastatal with the right calibre of persons.

Did your background play a role in being successful while heading NSC? To an extent, I can say yes. I am an engineer. I am also a maritime economist and businessman. I have a Ph.D. I am a fellow of the Institute of Transport, London chapter. I know a bit better than the average Nigerian.

But we do not listen. We do not read.

Everybody runs after money as if when they die, they will carry it along to the grave. Transportation is my passion. So many people think I am just a maritime practitioner. They know little or nothing of the other aspects of me. I have written a book on the Nigerian maritime economy, freight, logistics, among other things. The history is not the same and I propose in mathematical formula how they will use it to sure that we can make a change. It is my formula.

You left the NSC 20 years ago.

What keeps you going?

I am a technocrat, not a politician.

Anything that troubles you in transportation industry, I will try to think how to solve it; that is the driving force. The rate of accidents we have on our roads, I try to capture it. I make suggestions on how to reduce it. Where are they coming from? Nobody knows the Federal Roads Safety Corps’ faults but we see them every day. Transportation is important to every one of us. It is life itself. It is due to the fact that transportation is something we cannot do without. By the way, transportation includes movement from one place to another because you are transporting yourself either by walking or other means. My submission is that whatever mode of transport you are using, let us make it to be without any friction. This is due to the fact when there is no form of friction, it is easier and cost-effective for everyone. This is the only way everything will go smoothly as obtainable in advanced countries. We must make sure that we execute policies and programmes in the transportation industry that at the end of the day, our children and children’ children, will say long after we have gone that our forefathers tried their best to give us a befitting transportation that works.

How do you relax?

I can watch football from now to dawn because I played for this country.

I played once in a day. I was Port Authority goalkeeper. I read sometimes.

At times, I see myself as an idiot if I do not understand how to solve a problem so that I can argue and make a point.

You have written many books.

What gives you inspiration to write those books?

I get my inspiration from my area of competence. That is the transportation industry. This is one of the reasons why virtually all my books are on various aspects of transportation. People are stealing from my books. Take note, the people stealing from my books are not ordinary persons. They are very important people. This is one of the reasons I am not bothered; as long as I know I can render to my people, I am okay.

This is due to the fact that the average black man does not read. If you want to hide anything, put it in a book for a

I built the Shippers Plaza in 1984; it worth N13.9 billion. It was in audited account of 1984. I left behind N3.6 billion aside cash that was outside. I come from a business family. That is why when I went to school, I did not only study maritime, I did business.

I did ACCA to second stage. I later backed out and continue with my maritime and transportation. So I understood what investment is all about and how I can get it but as the boss, I do not have to be the director of everything black man. We are averse to the written word. As long as it is written in a book, it will remain hidden there. An average black man or Nigerian in particular, will not bother to read. In short, except it is for examination purpose, a great number of black men or Nigerians will not read anything written in a book. So let it be that I am doing this thing so that when we are gone, our children who will see the problems of transportation that we leave behind and will not be bereft of ideas of how to tackle them. When they turn around and read these books, they will have an insight into what we passed through at our time.

They will say why is it that our parents did not see these things the way we are seeing it with a view to finding a lasting solution. Many of them will castigate us but one day some of them will see that somebody told them the solutions to these problems in a book and nobody listened. That is why our universities should sit up and do research to better our society. The universities and other tertiary institutions should no longer be a place where students come to study and be given certificates that have little or no bearing with our state of development as a country. In the future, I envisage, one should stay in the university more than six years. You do not just do first degrees and graduate but you will continue to study up to Ph.D. So many people in the developed world are already doing that. We need to catch up fast. We are lagging behind. There is another aspect of it; it is an issue of having patience to wait for the manifestation of your efforts.

For example, when you want to bake bread; you put flour in the oven after mixing it properly. You do not take the outcome of the flour which is the bread from where you put it into the oven.

You go to the other side of the oven to take it out. At the other side, the bread is done and you can now eat it as food.

But in our clime, they prefer the bread half done because patience is a problem for an average Nigerian.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • July 23, 2016 with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

EFCC, Fayose and My Mother’s Warning

Hon. Chibuike Amaechi: What kind of Minister?

Last week we were all stranded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja due to the lingering scarcity of aviation fuel. As we sat considering if we should all turn into witches and fly on our brooms to our various destinations, the news came in that the Honourable Minister was in the protocol lounge. To be very sure that this information was correct, I was mandated to go and confirm. In these days of high tension, I had to be very careful so I did not end up in a dark corner. So I put on my disguise, covered my head with a beret, the kind the Minister of Sport wears complete with dark glasses and worked smartly like the ‘thug’ I am into the lounge and lo and behold, my mentor was seated there o and very calm.

My legs immediately started shaking as I was seeing my hero in real life for the first time. I quickly scurried back to my group to announce my confirmation. Immediately, a small committee headed by a Saraki look-alike was convened to discuss and agree on what demands we would be making on the minister following our over seven-hour ‘incarceration’ in the airport all in the name of flying. As Nigerians, arguments, counter positions and ethnicity entered the matter. The Yorubas wanted the minister to come and address us on the reason why Akintola fell out with Awolowo, the Igbo wanted to know what would happen to their containers if BIAXIt happened especially since they would be landlocked and the northerners wanted to discuss the possibility of having grazing lands at the airport seeing that we would all be spending most of our productive years waiting to board planes. The debate became very heated and continued for hours finally it was agreed that a consensus position be reached before someone was threatened with post-menopausal pregnancy.

It was agreed that we should send a delegation led by someone from the minority tribes and membership drawn from all the regional enclaves that make up Nigeria to go and simply table our resolution which was for him to just buy us all drinks at the VIP lounge.

The task fell on me, since I was the one who went on the first mission and also since I was an Akwa Ibom man and a confirmed minority, I was to lead the delegation. I had no choice but to accept such a national assignment; who was I to refuse? We held a referendum to elect other members of the team and we were set for the mission. The National Anthem was sang; the pledge recited and prayers from the pastor and Imam in attendance and we were sent forth. I led the delegation with gusto and pride, taking my picture and sending to my family and friends showing me on my first national assignment with pride.

My people by the time we got there, the Honourable Minister don fly o!!!!!!. He had boarded and was in his bedroom while we were busy fighting over those who will represent us for the mission.

You see what confusion can lead to.

We missed the golden opportunity of

I received a hurried call from my dear mother from far away Uyo last night. She was very clear and strict in her warning.

That since I have refused to listen to all advice and warnings and have continued looking for trouble by keeping this column against her old wish, that I should never ever if I want to remain her son put mouth in the wahala between Fayose and EFCC. After all, as she continued, Fayose is not related to us and what ever funds he is being accused of hiding did not touch me. That if she ever hears that I have written anything on the matter she will disown me and remove me from her will thereby denying me the opportunity of inheriting her Peugeot 504 car when she dies. So to all my ‘fans’ who have been asking me for my opinion on this matter, you having His Excellency buy us drinks at the airport and to make matters worse, some of us had already started drinking in advance with the firm belief that Amaechi would pick the bill. Kai. Na sweep some people sweep the lounge to pay for their drink o. As I write, I am in Port Harcourt Airport on another long delay for a flight to Lagos and this time a small committee has already been set up but na Asari Dokubo appear o. Me no want drink again o. Thank you.

Hon. Akpabio for APC? This news crept on me like a thief in the night, that my lord and savior of all Akwa Ibom people including myself was possibly migrating to the party of Change. Well, I did not know how to handle this news and immediately placed a call to my ex-driver who is very close to his cook. She assured me that the news cannot be true that they had just placed a massive order for umbrellas with the PDP logo with which he was going to distribute at the United Nations during his next visit.

Well as I was contemplating calling him directly to confirm or deny this allegation, I saw a news report alleging that the story was not true. Well for me, I really do not care if Akpabio or anybody for that matter crosses carpet, it is really their democratic right.

My fear is for the robustness of our democracy. Democracy cannot survive if there is no virile opposition and when everybody is jumping ship we just may be saddled with a one-party state which we all know will not augur well for our experience. So my plea with the ‘two’ chairmen of PDP is to hurry up and get

now see why I cannot talk and will not talk. I do not want to lose my inheritance. I even pray that my mama does not get this paper to read in Uyo. Help!!!!!! their acts together so that they can now face the task of building a virile opposition How to impregnate a Senator There are ten simple steps of achieving this feat and ‘nothing will happen to you’ First win elections to the house of Representative Join PDP and cross to APC on the dawn of change Win elections to the National Assembly from Kogi West Be a stout defender of the Senate President.

Go into a verbal umbrage with the wife of your party leader.

Issue your threat on the floor of the chambers.

Fly to Lagos in white traditional wear.

Take a picture on a popular street in Ikoyi near the sign board.

Take a class in gynecology so you know the exact date a woman goes into menopause.

And finally, just say, ‘sorry’.

Okocha, Ay and Kanu in Turkey All I can say is ‘father Lord, help your children, na wetin dem go chop dem find go there o’

Edgar J: Career Apologist I have asked that my picture be put on this story. This is so that people can see my fine face and determine if I look like a Niger Delta Avenger or a senator of the Federal Republic. Two professions that now drive fear into the hearts of Nigerians. Ever since I caught the bug of writing, I have been offending big people, forcing me to render apologies, run under my bed and refuse to visit cities like Port Harcourt and Abuja. You see this is to render advanced apologies to all those that I will still offend. Please do not be annoyed for I really do not intentionally set out to offend or embarrass people. It is devil that keeps pushing me to write these things and in some cases this same devil makes me not respect my elders. But seriously, where would we be as a nation if we cannot laugh with one another? If we cannot find fun in some of the things that make us uniquely Nigerian? To me, the idea is to lighten the tension, attempt to make sworn enemies look at each other in laughter and try to mend fences. We must as a matter of compulsion learn to look at the lighter things in life, that way we would be able to sit together in dialogue coupled with maturity, attempt to heal our wounds without trying to impregnate or beat up people.

It is for this reason that I will continue offending and apologising until we all learn to laugh with one another even while fighting to rebuild our country.

RETRACTION We wish to retract any insinuations contained in a piece on this column of 16th July, titled Femi Falz: A Falana of Confusion which has been considered offensive. We regret and retract the entire content and apologise for any embarrassment it may have caused Mr. Femi Falana SAN whom we hold in very high esteem.

Notwithstanding that materials on this column are always on the lighter side, the public is advised to disregard the insinuation in the content as it concerns Mr. Femi Falana (SAN).

– Editor

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 23, 2016

IMAGES

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JUNE 16,THE 2011SATURDAY • THISDAY,NEWSPAPER THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER THISDAY, • JULY 23, 2016

FAIRGROUND

Akpororo vs Akpororo 2016

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

A

ce comedian, Akpororo is growing so fast in Nigerian entertainment and comedy industry. His annual comedy show known as Akpororo vs Akpororo is gradually becoming a household name for a lot of Nigerian families, especially with the fact that the entertainers at his show only render gospel songs.

The event, which features the best of the best in the gospel music and comedy industry thrilled the audience to the point that people got up to dance and praise God. This year’s event was hosted by star actress, Kate Henshaw . It is no longer news that Akpororo is an Airtel ambassador. He just got back from his comedy tour and he kept to his promise to unleash 100 per cent comic madness, which he is known for.

The show was powered by Airtel. It was a memorable night. Below are faces of the people who attended the show.

Akpororo performing on stage... recently

Dj Ana

Bovi

Kate Henshaw and AY

Godons

Funny Bone

Peter Ukhurebor

Eben

Seyi Law

Joy Lanre Makun and a friend

Yinka Ayefele

Grace and Yomi Casual

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

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FAIRGROUND

Mofe-Damijo, Joselyn Dumas to Host Nigerian Entertainment Awards

T

he 11th annual Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEAs), Africa’s premier entertainment awards, is set for September 4 2016, at the prestigious Tribeca Performing Art Centre, 199 Chamber street, New York, NY 10007.

Anchoring the 11th edition of the awards this year is actor Richard MofeDamijo, popularly known as RMD, a veteran Nollywood actor who is also nominated this year. Co-hosting with

him will be Ghanaian actress, Joselyn Dumas.

The Nigerian Entertainment Awards (NEA) is an annual award ceremony with primary objective of recognising contributions of Nigerian and African entertainers. The award ceremony is not only focused on recognising Nigerian entertainers but also highlight Nigerians who continue to make impact on immediate communities in Nigeria or extended communities in diaspora.

Richard Mofe-Damijo

Joselyn Dumas

Orie Basi out with ‘Uchenna’

S

he is beautiful, and that simply describes this young artiste who is poised to storm Nigeria music scene with her single entitled ‘Uchenna’.

“Uchenna (Ije Love) was inspired by true love, the tall, fair-complexion singer and song writer, who hails from Abia State said with a thin smile playing on her lips, adding, “Uchenna in Igbo land means my father’s mind or wish, and as a girl, my dad always wished for a good man for me. I wasn’t really talking about a particular man in the song though, I was talking about all the African good men who love and respect their women.”

Born Praise Chinyere Okoh Obasi, the singer started music at a very young age.

She took her singing talent to another level when she joined her high school music group. She also became a member of the Assemblies of God Church choir, Lome, Togo.

Orie Basi has worked with producers like Omar B, Phat E, Ekelly, Papa K, Doc Def, among many others and what makes her stand out according to her, “Is my ability to sing in all the four major languages I speak

and I always incorporate African culture into my music”. Nigerians should be on the look-out; it’s going to be a surprise and I can’t wait.

“I speak and can sing in English, French, Ewe (Togo language) and Igbo with passable Spanish,” she added. She grew up in Togo.

Just like most young artistes in the Nigerian music scene, her major challenge is finance: “My challenge in this industry is finance. As a young artiste, I have to work really hard to save up for my studio sessions, and believe me it’s not easy but by God’s grace, I am getting by.”

If you are thinking the Uchenna single that will sure blow the minds of Nigerians when it drops, is the only rabbit in Orie Basi’s hat, then you are mistaken. “I have so many recorded songs, others are still cooking in the studio and some are yet to be recorded. I am an artiste who loves to write every single day as long as I am inspired.

Often, you will see me with my note book or my phone writing lyrics, that’s me. I was born this way and music is my life, the truth is I have actually lost count of how many

songs I have, I record anytime I’m inspired, and I get inspired everywhere with little things around us.”

Aside music, Orie Basi models, which is not a surprise because aside being beautiful, she is a tall and elegant woman in her early 20s.

“I model too, for fashion companies or a hair company, anything that has to do with the entertainment industry I’m game.”

The video of Uchenna is ready and it is a beauty to behold. “Yes, I have indeed shot the video for Uchenna (Ije Love) and the experience was amazing but was quite tasking too, everyone puts in their best to achieve a very peaceful and successful video shoot. I give God the glory for that.”

Orie Basi is on a mission: “First of all, I am here to make good music and to entertain my fans, I am not here for any competition, I appreciate good music and I respect all the good female artistes in the industry, such as Asa, Waje, Tiwa Savage, Omawumi, Seyi Shay, and Niniola, among others. I am paying my dues at the moment and I will soon become the name on every lip. That is my mission, and again, I am not in competition with anybody. My style of music is different and

Orie

I am here to feed your ears with good lyrics and good music, so just be calm and watch out for me. Music is my life and I intend doing this for as long as I live and the beauty of it all is, I have the blessings of my parents and they have been very supportive.”

Don Jazzy Hosts Lucky Fans at Mavin Studio

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ecently, eight fans were treated to an unforgettable experience

by MTN Ambassador, Don Jazzy, inside his famous Mavin Records studio. Mavin Records and their newly signed management, Temple Management Company, selected the fans randomly via Twitter and Instagram out of the thousands of entries that flooded the #ILoveMTN social media challenge.

Don Jazzy had the fans flown in from states, like Abuja, Calabar, Enugu, Imo, and Lagos.

They are Mary Odere (@oderemary), Adebayo Ridwan Abidemi (@isbae_u), Bright Eugene (@brytedude), Chisom Madueke (@ iamblazealert), Richie Davies (@the_richie), Uche Odinamba (@ucheisclown) and Louis Nwagwu (@baze_10).

One of the fans, Mary Odere described her experience thus, “If I was asked to trade this once-in-a-life-time experience for cash, I won’t think twice before rejecting it. I have been a big fan of Don Jazzy and I have never been to a recording studio before. I am so excited to be at the famous Mavin Records mansion with Don Jazzy and this moment will remain with me forever.”

The lucky ones were each brought to the fans-meet-idol session by a VIP chauffeur service provided by Metro Taxi. Once there, they were treated to hours of fun inside the same studio where some of Nigeria’s biggest hits have been crafted. Besides gisting with

Don Jazzy and fans

the record label owner, Don Jazzy, and Mavin artiste, Dr. Sid, the fans were also treated to exclusive listens of yet-to-be released tracks

by Reekado Banks, a highly impressive new video by D’Prince and other new productions.

They enjoyed a spread provided by Grind

Grill Café and Lastshot Drinks, but the goodies did not end there. They also got to take home, surprise goody bags, packed by MTN Nigeria and The Temple Management Company for each of them.

Don Jazzy, who recently signed a deal with Temple Management Company, expressed

his pleasure, playing host to the fans. “I always wanted to take time off my busy schedule to meet my young fans and inspire them. I am happy that Temple Management Company with support from MTN is making it happen. Thanks to every organisation that supported us to make this happen.”

24

THISDAY, THe SATurDAY NewSpAper • JULY 23, 2016

TRIBUTE

Farewell, Great One

F

Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika

amily members and friends, we are here gathered today to pay tribute to a great man who lies dead before us.

He left our offices for home in the late hours of Monday 4/7/2016 deeply hurt at not seeing my name on the list of lawyers newly elevated to the Rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria. The next day, Tuesday 5/7/16, a public holiday, I received from him at about 9.40am the following SMS text message from him: “Good morning my brother, we will achieve our goal no matter the odds. I just know it in my bones that it will happen someday. All I wish for is for me to witness it. But for you, I ask that you do not let this current situation depress you or believe that there is an element working against you. It is an unfortunate situation, but I plead with you not to give-up or lessen your efforts towards achieving the goal. You inspire me to continue to strive to live despite my debilitating health challenges. I ask that whatever happens to me, you will not give up in striving to achieve this honour you richly deserve. We will overcome!”

It was the penultimate sentence that got the better of my attention. What did he mean by “whatever happens to me”? It had been more than ten years since what he referred to as “my debilitating health challenges” (a degenerative heart condition) was first diagnosed. But he had, with the support and care of family, close associates, and reputable experts (local and foreign) in the field, lived with and battled it with the same single-minded tenacity for which he was reputed. So successful he was in this that until his very last day at work (Friday, 8/7/16) he remained the workaholic that he had always been, laughing-off my worries and pleas to slow down. The very suggestion which I deciphered from his SMS text message that morning that there would ever be a time that I would have to soldier-on without him by my side (for the first time after about thirty-two years of our acquaintanceship and close relationship), was beyond my realm of contemplation.

My response to him, therefore, was: “Good Morning, Niyi, and thanks for your kind and encouraging words. You should know me better than many than to worry I’ll be down by worries about disappointed expectation. I’ve moved on from what is past. Today is another day. Let us grasp, and joyfully make the best we can of it.

We all only live in hope and expectation of the dawn of tomorrow, which as at today is unknown. If tomorrow comes, then we’ll strive to make the best of it”. To this he replied: “I agree. Have a super duper holiday”.

Shortly after these exchange of texts, I received from him another text at about 11.45am on the same day a text calling my attention to the fact that Thursday 7/7/16 had been added to the holidays, and complaining that the criminal trial he had so thoroughly prepared for, for that day, had become truncated. He got an unsympathetic response from me by phone call telling him that that was one decision of government that I would not tolerated to be criticized since it would force him to take some more needed rest from his intolerable addiction to work despite what he himself just about an hour before described as his “debilitating health condition”.

I share these exchange of texts and telephone conversations with those of us here gathered to typify the noble and ennobling character of the one whose dead body lies before us. I never met, and I doubt I would ever meet a more hardworking person. He regarded no work to be beneath his position, and he left nothing that should be done today for tomorrow. He gave, and tolerated no excuse for avoiding any honest

Adeniyi Adewunmi work. He was at his desk, working, from early morning on Friday 8/7/16 until about 4pm when he told me he was a bit tired and would be retiring home early. It was for precaution that we persuaded him to head instead (accompanied by a couple of us) for

Goodmorningmybrother, wewillachieveourgoalno mattertheodds.Ijustknowit inmybonesthatitwillhappen someday.AllIwishforisfor metowitnessit.Butforyou, Iaskthatyoudonotletthis currentsituationdepress youorbelievethatthereisan elementworkingagainstyou.

Itisanunfortunatesituation, butIpleadwithyounotto give-uporlessenyourefforts towardsachievingthegoal.

Youinspiremetocontinue tostrivetolivedespitemy debilitatinghealthchallenges.

Iaskthatwhateverhappens tome,youwillnotgiveupin strivingtoachievethishonour yourichlydeserve.Wewill overcome!

a quick check-up with his expert medical consultant not knowing that that was going to be his last departure from our office premises.

He, my Niyi, was first my ideological opponent during our student days at the University. He was completely against the socialist ideology which he believed was represented by the USSR. Despite his vociferous campaign against anything Marxist or socialist at the time, I noticed his genuine concern for the downtrodden in society, and in his humanity in general.

Indeed, most of his alternative solutions to the problems of humanity, whenever challenged during his polemical wars against us, was oft times even more to our left. He eventually came over to our side when after many of such encounters, he came to realise that Socialist humanism was beyond the evil that was then represented by the then USSR. From that time, about thirty-two years ago, he had been my friend, and my faithful collaborator in all things. He it was, who at the foundation of our law firm, insisted not only that it must be built as a fighting tool in defence of the oppressed, but also that it must be governed by what we preached: From each, according to his abilities, and to each, according to his needs. From this mantra, he never wavered throughout his life time. He wanted nothing outside what he required to meet his basic needs. He never ceased to be amazed whenever he read in the newspapers that one public official or the other had helped himself or herself to some billions of public funds because he could not fathom what in the world the person needed the money for.

I loved him with all the love that was possible for a mortal to muster. And he loved me no less, if not more. His Methodist faith tells of a time when the World will generally come to an end; the Apocalypse.

In truth, there is a sense in which the World comes to an end everyday, with every death.

The World came to an end, that moment on Thursday 14/7/16, when he breathed

his last. In the privacy of my heart, I will sorrow and mourn this loss, my loss, until the World comes to an end for me, as it will, inevitably, for all of us, one at a time.

Friends, it is true testimony I give when I say that here lies the body of a man who believed in friendship, and held principle above profit. A man who rescued guiltless fugitives and gave asylum to the oppressed.

His life was expended in doing good, in defending what he believed to be the truth. He was generous beyond his means, helping others to help themselves, engrossed with the public good, physically fearless, intellectually honest, thoroughly informed, unselfish, ever-reliable. It is lamentable that he didn’t live long enough to reap the reward of having being an honest man.

But I take solace (and I urge you all to also do) in the fact that good deeds are never childless, and a noble life is never lost. He that scatters with generous hand such seeds as this soul did throughout his lifetime, shall surely reap the reward of immortal memory.

And now, in the words of the great humanist, the magnificent Robert Ingersoll at the funeral of his departed friend, Richard H. Whiting, I conclude by saying of this departed soul that: My life has been rich in friends, but I never had a better or truer one than he who lies in silence here. He was as steadfast, as faithful, as the stars.

[Adeniyi Adeyemi Adewumi] was an absolutely honest man. His word was gold … his promise was fulfillment … and there never has been, there never will be, on this poor earth, any thing nobler than an honest, loving soul.

This man was as reliable as the attraction of gravitation… he knew no shadow of turning. He was as generous as autumn, as hospitable as summer, and as tender as a perfect day in June. He forgot only himself, and asked favours only for others. He begged for the opportunity to do good … to stand by a friend, to support a cause, to defend what he believed to be right.

He was a believer in the religion of deed, and his creed was to do good. No man has ever slept in death who nearer lived his creed. I have known him for many years, and have yet to hear a word spoke of him except in praise.

His life was full of honor, of kindness and of helpful deeds. Besides all, his soul was free. He feared nothing, except to do wrong.

He was a believer in the gospel of help and hope. He knew how much better, how much more sacred, a kind act is than any theory the brain wrought.

The good are the noble. His life filled the lives of others with sunshine. He has left a legacy of glory to his children. They can truthfully say that within their veins is right royal blood … the blood of an honest, generous man, a steadfast friend, of one who was true to the very gates of death.

If there be another world, another life beyond the shore of this, … if the great and good who died upon this orb are there, … then the noblest and the best, with eager hands, have welcomed him … the equal in honor, in generosity, of any one that ever passed beyond the veil.

To me this world is growing poor. New friends can never fill the places of the old.

Farewell! If this is the end, then you have left to us the sacred memory of a noble life.

If this is not the end, there is no world in which you, my friend, will not be loved and welcomed! Farewell!

And so, let us now depart in solemnity, one after the other, having completed our immediate duties to our friend, not in dread of what lies beyond, but in hope that tomorrow will meet us on this side of the divide until our respective times here come to a stop.

––Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika - Partner, Citipoint Chambers

25

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

TRAVEL&LEISURE

by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602

Terrorism Overshadows Tourism

The month of July has not been an easy one in the world, and especially in the world of tourism, as tourism-oriented nations experienced one form of crisis or another. Can the tourism industry survive the ongoing crisis? Omolola Itayemi writes

T

ourism in Nigeria could have blossomed but for the various crisis in the country. A lot of the destinations in Northern Nigeria could not be promoted due to Boko Haram insurgents. Some notable festivals like Argungu Festival, Abuja Carnival and Durbar for years were stopped for same reason. Also, parks such as Yankari Game Reserve suffered patronage and gradual depreciation.

South-South Nigeria has become a no-go area for tourists due to militantancy and kidnapping.

Tourists interested in visiting the likes of Ogbunike Cave, Biafra war museum, Nike Lake, Slave Trade Museum, Tinapa, Obudu cattle ranch among others will think twice of doing so as kidnapping becomes the order of the day in South East and South-South.

Recently, the activities of the militants were added to the crisis of the Niger-Delta. The country as a destination for tourists is faced with the challenges and thus become unattractive for would be tourists.

During the last few weeks, the Middle East, especially Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and the Asian sub-continent have witnessed their own upsurge of violence. Attacks have not only been against tourist hotels but also against restaurants, in such diverse places as Dakka, Bangladesh and Bagdad.

In these places, patrons were attacked and tourists (or foreigners), taken hostage and murdered. Last month, terrorists shot at restaurant patrons in Tel Aviv, Israel. Only the quick action of the other patrons stopped the attack from being worse.

Europe continues to deal with a continental-wide crime wave and the latest terrorist attack in Nice, France.

The Nice attack occurred in southern France’s most important tourism city on Bastille Day and the start of the summer tourism season.

In Turkey, there was a failed coup d’état with hundreds either dying or injured. To add to the tourism industry’s challenges there is Brazil where the Summer Olympics Games are to be held in the midst of a major crime wave coupled with an economic and political crisis, and where the possibility of a police strike during the 2016 Olympics plus a series of medical issues threatens the Olympic Games’ success.

Visitors will be treated with seeing some 85,000 soldiers on the streets of Rio de Janeiro.

A Word of Caution Terrorism, a phenomenon that has existed in vari-

Tourists mauled down by a truck driver at Nice, France on Bastille Day

ous forms for years, is a highly complex topic. It is so complex that there is a whole scholarly literature dedicated to understanding it and its impact on both tourism and world economies. This short article seeks to raise important questions for contemplation by those in the tourism industry.

Furthermore, despite the public’s desire for total travel and tourism security and safety, no one can guarantee a pain-free and totally secure travel experience. Even the best experts cannot predict every act of terror.

Dealing with an Age of Violence The Tourism Industry, if it is to survive in an ever changing and more challenging world will need to consider various paradigm shifts. Among these shifts are the following: The tourism industry needs to come to the sad but true realization that it is not merely collateral damage within the world of terrorism, but rather that tourism is one of terrorism’s principal targets.

Tourismstandsforeverythingthatthreatensterrorists.

Tourism is about open societies in which we judge each person on his or her merits. Terrorism is just a modern form of Nazism, where people are judged not by who they are but to which social, national, or religious group they belong.

The tourism industry will have to find a way to creatively protect its customers, without creating so many travel difficulties that travel becomes unbear-

able. Currently, tourism safety and security are more about “security-theater” than about real security.

Airport security is often reactive and haphazard at best. All too often, those working in it are often poorly trained and paid resulting in personnel whose actions are all too often unprofessional.

Tourism education will need to include courses on tourism safety and security. These courses are rarely taught. Once again, universities are not keeping pace with a changing world. This lack of cutting edge thought combined with political correctness means that future leaders in tourism will not be prepared to deal with a changing world.

The tourism industry needs to become much more knowledgeable about terrorism and violence. The media and politicians from all sides of the spectrum continuetousemisleadingwordssuchas“lonewolf” or “lone wolf attacks”. Tourism officials need to get beyond political correctness and as the Egyptian government has done, actually identify culprits and then begin to face ideological warfare.

Tourism officials must learn to coordinate their marketing strategies with their security experts. Most tourism centers have a great deal of demographic information.Yet, often, various tourism departments fail to share information with each other. Just as security professionals must realize that their actions impact the way that tourism is marketed and thrives, so too must marketing experts come to realize that they must coordinate their campaigns with their

tourism security experts. To make matters worse, too many tourism entities lack a tourism safety and security manager or department.

Tourism security experts must realize that no two tourism entities are the same and that tourism needs individualized security tailored to a particular locale rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. This realization means that security experts need to take into account such variables as: language spoken by visitors at specific locales, visitors’ age ranges, and visitors’ special physical needs. Because the list of variables is almost infinite, the best forms of risk management need to be employed so as to gain the most protection from available resources.

Tourism marketers will have to come to the realization that these problems cannot be covered over.

No matter how much money the tourism industry spends on feel-good marketing, it cannot market away terrorists’ threats to the industry. Currently, marketers dominate the tourism industry. Marketers tend to find lots of money for advertising but never seem to have the funds to promote security. The tourism industry says it is interested in protecting its clients, but rarely are words turned into action.

Instead, a great deal of caring is expressed during a crisis and then once the crisis passes, the industry returns to business as usual.

Tourism officials need to know when to discourage tourism.Although it is almost impossible to predict a specific terrorist attack, such as that which occurred in Nice, other manifestations are predictable. The absolute best protection is not to be at that locale.

This statement does not mean that we should not travel. As noted above, merely living is a form of risk-taking. It does mean that certain geographic sections of the world have specific risks and that tourism officials must be aware of those risks, explain the risks honestly, take measure to mitigate the risks and have a recovery plans in place should the risk occur.

The tourism industry needs to have real recovery plans in place. This means that medical plans need to be coordinated prior to a terrorist attack and not as an after-thought. For example, if your community has a manor stadium or other areas with large crowds, be sure that there is both an evacuation plan and a triage plan put in place. Practice these plans and know their weaknesses. Make sure that there is a communicationplaninplaceandawaytogetneeded cash or lines of additional credit for visiting victims.

These are real problems that deserve the attention of all who care about the world’s largest peacetime industry.

Opara Chioma Wins KLMTakeMetoLondon Campaign

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The loud scream, happy grin and outstretched hands announced the winner even before the compere did. She stood out amongst all five participants during the event at the head office of KLM Nigeria last Saturday, July 16. From her hand gesticulations to frequent head nods, obviously keeping her emotions in check wasn’t her strong point. Meet Opara Chioma Sonia, the winner of a KLM return ticket.

Despite working online, one could feel the pressure the five participants in KLM branded t-shirts were under, such was the anxiety to win a return ticket.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Nigeria this summer created an opportunity for its followers on Facebook to visit a loved one in London without any thought of the cost of their ticket. The ticket of course is free courtesy KLM. The campaign tagged #KLMTAKEMETOLONDON ran from the 11th to the 15th of July 2016 while the grand finale took place on last Saturday in Lagos and London simultaneously.

To be part of the campaign, participants liked the KLM Facebook page “KLMNigeria” then tag a friend or family member living in London with a response expressing their wish, KLM will in turn searched for these friends or family

members in London, the first person to be found wasthe winner for the day. This exercise that ran for 5 days produced five participants belonging to five teams namely: Oyewale Oketunji in team 1; Ivan West in team 2; Tammy Warmate in team 3;Opara Chioma in team 4 and Akinyemi Oyesola Bunmi in team 5 that were the daily qualifiers. Opara, 27 years old Lenovo employee, visibly excited told members of the press: “I am excited and grateful to God for this opportunity. I have always loved KLM. Thank you KLM. You won’t believe, I fasted for this, my cousin who resides in London is getting married in August and I will be there. This is a dream come true considering the high rates of tickets presently. The first question took me forever to answer. I literally read all through the night and was frustrated it wasn’t going well, but I thank God gained speed on others. Its fun to travel with KLM, the food is nice and the seats have more legroom and are comfortable. And the stopover in Amsterdam is awesome.”

Arthur Dieffenthaler, Commercial Director, Air France KLM Nigeria and Ghana said: “KLM’s first flight ever was to London in 1920, that’s 96 years ago, and 27 years later KLM started operations to Nigeria. Hence, we have been connecting Nigeria and London for quite some time. However, more important than the flights are, the persons involved and the stories

L - R: Arthur Dieffenthaler, Commercial Director, Air France KLM, Winner of the competition Chioma Okpara, and Adetola Aluede Marketing Executive Air France KLM

behind their journeys. What made someone take a flight on KLM from Lagos to London say 50 years ago? To visit a friend, celebrate a special occasion with family or a business opportunity.

Are these reasons any different today? For us at KLM, we are happy and grateful to have so many people allowing KLM to be part of their experiences, though it might be for just a few hours in the air, that’s where these stories start.

“I feel as excited as anybody who participated

today. It started well but when the game really took off, it was crazy and the winner came as a surprise to me. Everybody is a winner, that’s why the other four are going home with goodie bags. In today’s world, especially with social media like Facebook, it is much easier to stay in touch than back in 1947. However @KLM we believe nothing beats the real thing, hence what better way to bring these two together we thought.”

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

aUto

The all-new Jaguar F-Pace

Coscharis Launches All-new Jaguar F-Pace Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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he iconic all-new Jaguar F-Pace is now available in Nigeria for lovers and collectors of the British-built automobile.

The F-Pace, launched by Coscharis Motors, this week in Lagos, is Jaguar’s most practical sports car that brings together sporty handling and dramatic beauty with everyday practicality and efficiency, according to the manufacturer.

“F-PACE is brought to life through the power of its engines combined with Jaguar’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture and advanced dynamic performance technologies. Together they deliver thrilling performance and impressive fuel economy.

“Whether you choose Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) or All Wheel Drive, F-PACE always feels and handles like a Jaguar.”

The auto company said F-PACE is a performance SUV that combines maximum driving exhilaration with efficiency. Technologically advanced to

the core, F-PACE keeps you safe, connected and entertained. It has the capability for every road and the capacity for every day. F-PACE is a Jaguar for you, a Jaguar for your family.

The all-new F-Pace is a truly elevated performance with its agile handling, state-of-the-art technology and class-leading boot space. “All-New F-PACE challenges the laws of physics.

“In Jaguar’s latest film we witness All-New F-PACE showcase its capability in various landscapes while impressing the legendary Professor

Stephen Hawking. Discover how Jaguar’s first performance SUV combines driving exhilaration and sensational looks with everyday practicality.

The all-new Jaguar F-Pace breaks world record.

In a sensational, gravity-defying feat of bravery, international stunt driver Terry Grant set a new world record by driving Jaguar’s ultimate practical sports car around the world’s highest loop-the-loop.

The stunt not only showcases F-PACE’s pure sports car DNA, but also marks, in spectacular style, the 80th anniversary of our iconic brand.

Toyota Achieves Strong First-half Sales Growth

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oyota Motor Europe has reported sales for the first half of 2016 of 476,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles, an increase of 5.6 per cent from the first half 2015.

Total market share for the group stood

at 4.6%.

TME’s sales in the EU+EFTA region grew by 7.5% year-on-year. Sales in the rest of TME’s Europe region (including Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Caucasus, Turkey and Israel) were stable versus a market down by 8%. This resulted in an increase in share of 0.6 percentage points at 8% in the area.

The strong sales momentum in the first quarter of the year was maintained in the second quarter with sales growth in Europe driven by another significant increase in Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicle sales, up 44% from the first half 2015, at 145,160. Hybrid sales represented 31% of all sales of TME in the first half of the year, compared to 24% for the full calendar year 2015.

TME is targeting to achieve another hybrid sales record with 280,000 units in CY2016 and has a mid-term plan to achieve 50% hybrid sales by 2020.

The second contributor to the strong sales

performance was Lexus premium vehicles.

There was substantial sales growth in all parts of the region. In Russia, Lexus sales increased by 17% in a premium market down by 6%.

According to Karl Schlicht, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor Europe, “If it’s a hybrid, it’s moving, and moving fast – sometimes faster than we can supply, which has put a limit on our sales progression in Western Europe in the first half of the year. Hybrid supply should improve in the second half. Together with the very strong sales we are posting in Russia, where we achieved N°1 position for the locally produced Camry and the RAV4, and the acceleration of the Lexus brand both in the West and the East, we are confident to exceed 900,000 sales for the first time in 7 years.”

Matt Harrison, Vice President, Sales&Marketing, Toyota said, “Plus forty-four percent hybrid sales versus last year is a great achievement.

I am thrilled to see that 31% of our sales are now hybrids. Yaris Hybrid and Auris Hybrid continue to perform well. And the initial sales of the RAV4 hybrid and the new Prius that have just been launched are beyond expectations.

With this continued hybrid momentum and

2018 Toyota Yaris interior

the launch of the new PROACE van range and the new Hilux pickup coming soon, we are confident of an equally strong second half of the year.”

Alain Uyttenhoven, Vice President, Lexus said, “Over the last couple of years, Lexus has

completely renewed its line-up, and expanded its range with new models such as the NX and the RC. We also remain by far the leading manufacturer of luxury hybrid vehicles, globally and in Europe. This provides a solid foundation for continued growth in the future.”

No More Diesel Cars for US, Says Volkswagen

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n the aftermath of the massive dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen has confirmed it will no longer push diesel vehicles in the U.S. It’s not a huge surprise considering the fallout from cheating on diesel emissions tests, having to spend more than $15-billion in buybacks, compensation to customers, fines and investing into environmental projects. Speaking to Automotive News, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Hinrich Woebcken has confirmed that Volkswagen won’t relaunch “clean diesels” as a core element of its brand identity. For now,

diesels will still be offered from 2017 through 2019, assuming they get approved by regulators, but the German automaker is re-evaluating how diesels fit in the U.S. lineup in the future.

This doesn’t mean that diesels will no longer be offered entirely, as Woebcken confirmed that if “diesel makes sense as a package to the car,” it will be offered. “But in reality, we have to accept that the high percentage of diesels that we had before will not come back again,” he added.

Prior to the dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen offered a diesel engine in six of its eight models

sold in the U.S. Diesel vehicles also accounted for over 20 percent of its pre-scandal sales in the U.S., and was the majority of all U.S. diesel car sales.

Instead, you can expect to see a focus on crossovers and SUVs along with electrification from the brand, as it works to change its image in light of recent events.

Even after fixing the cheating vehicles, Volkswagen’s diesel cars still won’t comply with clear-air laws.

The German automaker has reached a $15.3-bil-

lion settlement in the U.S., but even after the diesel cars are recalled and repaired, they will still emit more pollution than allowed under the emissions standards the company evaded. To compensate, Volkswagen will have to contribute billions of dollars to environmental programs.

Clean-air advocates, however, are upset that government negotiators failed to require repaired vehicles to comply with current standards.

The problem is, a fix hasn’t even arrived and shows just how difficult it can be to re-engineer a car after it has been produced and sold.

27

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

aUto SAFE DRIVING

JONAS AGWU

with

(Asst Corps Marshal) Zonal Commanding Officer Zone RS7 Abua phone 08077690700 FRSC TOLL FREE NO 122 Email:j.agwu@frsc.gov.ng

Between MADD and FADD

C

2018 Kia Sorento

Kia Motors Celebrates First Year, Announces Hybrid Model for Local Market Stories by Bennett Oghifo

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ia Motors Mexico celebrated its first anniversary in the country with the announcement of the arrival of Kia Niro Hybrid Utility Vehicle (HUV) to the Mexican market at the end of the current year. With the introduction of Niro, Kia Motors will offer its first hybrid vehicle in Mexico and will strengthen its product lineup in the country.

Kia Motors Mexico has fulfilled its goals and met high expecta-

tions in the domestic market by offering high-quality and innovative products with attractive designs. With 34,517 units sold during the first 12 months of operation in Mexico, Kia has become the ninth best-selling brand in the country.

“This has been a year of great challenges and also of extraordinary accomplishments for Kia Motors as we exceeded our own expectations,” said Seong Bae Kim, President and CEO of Kia Motors Mexico. “We are very happy and proud to have not only surpassed our

first year sales target but have successfully established a comprehensive retail dealer network throughout the country that is providing world-class service to Mexican consumers,” he said.

Kia Motors Mexico expects to sell 45,000 units in 2016, which means that the automaker could reach local market share of over 3%, establishing itself as a truly competitive brand in Mexico with a lineup that will reach 7 models (Sportage, Sorento, Forte (Cerato), Rio, Optima, Soul, and Niro) by the end of this year.

One of Kia Motors Mexico’s strategic pillars is the consolidation of its dealer network, which is comprised of 73 dealers covering 94% of the national territory.

As part of the celebration of its first anniversary, the automaker opened 25 new dealers in 21 new cities this week in record time.

“We have had a very successful year. Surely this is an unprecedented achievement in an industry where more than 40 brands compete”, said Horacio Chavez, Managing Director of Kia Motors Mexico.

Porsche 911 GT3 to Hide its Manual Transmission

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he Porsche 911 GT3 is getting a facelift and there’s a surprise for sports car purists.

Spy photographers have caught the Porsche 911.2 GT3 testing once again, but this time around, one prototype had its gear shifter hidden. And that’s likely because Porsche is testing a manual transmission on the facelifted 911 GT3, meaning it will make a return sooner than originally anticipated.

Thanks to the Porsche 911 R, the German automaker has a manual transmission it can use in the 911 GT3 and there’s even more evidence that it’s coming, with the lack of paddles on the steering wheel and no gear indicator on the tachometer.

As for the Porsche 911 GT3’s exterior, you can expect more aggressive styling and tweaks to its aerodynamics, while it will likely feature the same 4.0-liter engine with around

500 horsepower like the one found in the 911 R and GT3 RS. Manual transmission returns on next-gen Porsche 911 GT3. It appears that Porsche’s experiment of not offering a manual transmission on the 911 GT3 is a failure.

For the current-generation Porsche 911, the German automaker opted to offer the high-performance GT3 with its dual clutch transmission (PDK) which raised a lot of questions when the model debuted. Now, Porsche has been spied testing a 911 R model that will serve as a hardcore GT3 and will only offered with a manual transmission, meaning it appears Porsche won’t make the same mistake twice with the next-generation model.

According to a report from Car and Driver, Porsche will “almost certainly” equip the next 911 GT3 with a manual transmission along with the seven-speed PDK.

Porsche 911 GT3

In an interview the head of Porsche’s GT program Andreas Preuninger said, “The GT3 is full of systems that make sense on the track, but for the purist, there may be something lost.” As a result, Porsche wants to make sure it

can satisfy the purists by offering the 911 GT3 with a manual transmission in the future. “It is our long-term goal to have the customer decide between the two approaches,” he added.

(Source: Car and Driver)

Next-gen Honda Civic Si Coming

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py photographers have caught the nextgeneration Honda Civic Si testing for the first time with barely any camouflage.

The Honda Civic Si prototype spied can be seen with the same largecentermountedexhaustas seen on the bright green concept that debuted on the concept last spring. There is still some

black camouflage covering up the coupe’s front and rear bumpers, which are sure to be much more aggressive than the standard Civic.You can actually see the outline of an aggressive frontfasciasimilartotheconcept pokingoutfromthecamouflage.

When it arrives, the Honda Civic Si should be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rumored

to have anywhere from 220 to 230 horsepower. The engine is saidtobeaturned-downversion of the one powering the Civic Type R that hasn’t yet made it to North America. Of course, a slick six-speed manual will be standard, but it’s not sure whether or not Honda will offer itwithanautomatic.TheHonda CivicSihasbeensoldexclusively with three pedals so far.

The upcoming Si is expected to use some carbon fiber to slash some weight, get an upgraded suspension, more aggressive wheels, and have racing-style seats. The 2017 Honda Civic Si is expected to hit showrooms this time next year, but we can expect the production version to debut either at this fall’s L.A. AutoShoworattheDetroitAuto Show early next year.

andyLightnerofMothers against drunk driving (MADD) and Rochelle Sobel of TheAssociation for Safe International Road Travel are two mothers whose contributions have shaped road safety culture globally. Like every grieving mother, Lightner and Rochelle could have chosen to grief for life.

They could equally have chosen to blame government failure or perhapshatethedriverthatcaused them pain. The Almighty God could even have been placed on judgment seat to explain why?

Instead, they chose to stand and be counted. I have paid credence to their sad stories and blazing trail globally. This piece is not about both mothers although the roads they have travelled to ensure no mother suffers the same trauma and anguish prompted me to do this piece hoping that it will provoke the menfold into active involvementinroadsafetyadvocacies meant to project a safer culture in our clime. Every parent’s role is to protect their children. Rochelle and Lightner could not protect theirs, yet they choose to protect others. This I believe should be the commitment of every father not just to grief but to do something to save other children from the same tragedy.

I don’t know if you are a father or mother. I also do not know if you have ever lost a loved one in any of these avoidable road traffic crasheswhicharemajorlytraceable to human errors such as excessive speeding, tyre blowout, fatigue, dangerous driving, distraction as a result of use of phone while driving or other impaired driving behaviors, I have lost friends too.

These losses did not consign me to a sadist but challenged my commitment to doing more to saving lives. I know that mothers suffer mostwhenlovedonesarelostbutI believethatmenshouldplaymore active roles in safety rather than being docile. Men should take the drivers seats to help incite others to action. They should kick a few pebbles, turn a few stones, and eventually have an avalanche of fathers who have chosen to say no to bad and irresponsible driving according to Candy Lightner.

I don’t know if you have been following the numerous consultations between the Federal Road Safety Corps led by the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi with two big time players in the transport sector fleet operators such as Dangote and Peace Mass Transit. I am sure you are conversant with the reasons for these numerous consultations occasioned by the increasing spate of road traffic crashes involving these two fleet operations and the need to checkmate bad practices and project best practices. In the recent meeting held with Peace MassTransit,theFRSChelmsman fired with all arsenals when he ex-

pressedhisworryoverthesetrends and challenged the Management of the company to immediately putinplacestructurestosafeguard lives and properties. He noted that betweenJanuary2015toDecember 2015, 8 crashes were recorded by the Company’s drivers involving 62 casualties resulting in 7 deaths and,55injured.Thisfiguresharply increased between last year and January to June this year when 11 crashes were recorded within six months of the year involving 95 casualties out of which 37 were killed while 58 were injured.

The irony is that Peace Mass Transit blazed the trail in the use ofspeedlimiters,andintheannual certification programme which requires fleet operators to present theirvehiclesanddriversaswellas open their premises for inspection and certification by FRSC. since its inception in 2007, the Road TransportStandardisationScheme (RTSSS0 has registered 1,938 fleet operators, inspected terminals of 5,625 fleet operators and certified 3,704 fleet operators in its annual fleet certification exercise, while over 2,541 fleet operators’ safety managers have been trained. over 5,000 drivers of fleet operators have been certified while 642 convoy drivers of the Nigeria governors were trained under the scheme. Peace Mass Transit Limited is registered with the scheme right from the inception and has been participating in the annual certification exercise introduced by the Commission throughtheRoadTransportSafety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS) which was launched in 2007 as an intervention strategy for ensuring professionalism in road transport management in accordance with the FRSC EstablishmentAct 2007. yet the company post these disturbingcrashrecord.TheNational Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2012 enacted by the FRSC deals with specific challenges of road safety. Regulation 198 (1) specifically states that all road transport operatorswhoengageininter-state road transport services shall establish a safety unit and appoint a safety officer as the head of the unit who shall ensure that operational standards are maintained as prescribed in the regulation.

The challenge for operators like Peace Mass Transit according to my boss, is for them to put safety measures such as having competent safety manager/assistants in all its terminals and presenting its drivers for recertification as required by law, ensure that its terminals are made conducive for smooth operations and that provisionforemergencyvehiclesis made by the Company. The Company should present all its drivers and vehicles for recertification and safety audit by the FRSC while its safety managers must ensure that the speed limiters installed in their vehicles are not tempered with by the drivers.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •July 23, 2016

FAMILY HEALTH

The Nature and Care of the Human Heart

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he heart is a muscular organ about the size of a closed fist that functions as the body’s circulatory pump.

It takes in deoxygenated blood through the veins and delivers it to the lungs for oxygenation before pumping it into the various arteries which provide oxygen and nutrients to body tissues by transporting the blood throughout the body. It is located between the lungs and the chest bone. The heart points to the left, therefore, about 2/3 of the heart’s mass is found on the left side of the body and the other 1/3 is on the right.

Blood with oxygen [oxygenated], is taken from the heart, into the lungs, where it drop carbon dioxide, and picks up oxygen, then pumped round the body blood system, carrying oxygen and nutrients to tissues around the body. The oxygen is used up and the resulting blood with depleted oxygen [ deoxygenated blood], is pumped back into the heart to be oxygenated again.

The sound that is felt and heard when your heart is beating , is known as the cardiac cycle. When your heart contracts it makes the chambers smaller and pushes blood into the blood vessels. After your heart relaxes again the chambers get bigger and are filled with blood coming back into the heart. Electricity going through your heart makes the muscle cells contract. The blood provides your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. It also carries away waste. Your heart is sort of like a pump, or two pumps in one. The right side of your heart receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs.

The primary responsibility of the heart is to pump blood throughout the body. It pumps blood from the body — called the systemic circulation — through the lungs — called the pulmonary circulation — and then back out to the body. This means that the heart is connected to and affects the entirety of the body. Simplified, the heart is a circuit of the Circulation.

The heart is a muscle that squeezes blood and functions like a pump. Each part of the heart is susceptible to failure or dysfunction and the heart can be divided into the mechanical and the electrical parts.

Blood flow diagram of the human heart: Blue components indicate de-oxygenated blood pathways and red components indicate oxygenated blood pathways.

Conditions that can exist in the heart.

Heart attacks cause scar tissue to form amongst normal heart tissue, this can lead to further heart problems or even heart failure.

Heart disease is nothing to ignore, and it can strike both the old and young. Heart disease symptoms can occur at any age, and your first symptom of heart disease might be a heart attack.

INCIDENCE IN VARIOUS GROUPS: Women . Although the average age of a • heart attack for women is in the early seventies, don’t be fooled into thinking that heart disease will occur when you’re older. More women in their early twenties suffer from effects of heart disease than of breast cancer. Also, rates of heart attacks among younger women, ages 35 to 54, have been rising over the last 20 years.

Men . The average age of a heart attack • in men is 66, but like with women, heart disease can strike at any age and must be taken seriously at all ages. Doctors recommend that all adults get a heart health screening every year by their primary doctor; this should include a check of blood pressure , blood cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and height and weight. It is important you take note of your cigarette smoking, exercise habits, and nutrition habits every year.

What to do to lower the risk of heart disease Quit Smoking. Smoking causes your •

with

BOBO BODE -KAYODE

lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com, .Cel, 08053372356

opathy, Hypertension (High Blood Pressure).

Electrophysiology Significant tests study, Cardiac imaging, ECG, Echocardiograms, Stress test.

There are some simple tests that can be carried out, to assess if the heart is functioning well.

These include physical exam, heart sound, pulse rate, edema, pulse quality, arthritis, skin exam, skin bulges.

VITAL SIGNS TO WATCH OUT FOR Blood pressure: hypertension, con• genital heart disease, manifestations Heart rate : bradycardia & tachycardia.

• Respiratory rate : in distress, shortness • of breath, causes.

Hypertension Hypertension is elevated blood pressure above “normal.” Blood pressure is reported as fraction of systolic blood pressure over diastolic blood pressure and typically at the brachial artery while seated and measured in mmHg. The normal blood pressure changes with age with a general trend that it increases with age. Normal pressure for newborns is around 90/60 and young adults classically being 120/80 (pronounced “120 over 80”).

Hypertension has significant impact on the cardiovascular system, other systems too , and is the motivating reason for treatment.

Reduction of morbidity from hypertension is the end-goal of therapy.

The blood provides your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. It also carries away waste.

Your heart is sort of like a pump, or two pumps in one.

The right side of your heart receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs

Types of hypertension Essential hypertension.

• Hypertension with no known cause, which is about 90-95% of people with hypertension. Often thought to be due to lifestyle. Management is through medications and blood pressure that does not respond is a red flag that it may be secondary hypertension. Due to the widespread risk of heart attack to rise sharply, but one nature of hypertension, cardiologists will end year after quitting your risk is cut in half and up managing or recommending treatments continues to go down as you stay smoke-free. for essential hypertension.

Monitor your blood pressure. Because • Secondary hypertension.

• having high blood pressure makes your heart Most causes of secondary hypertension are work harder, it raises the risk of heart disease. from kidney and endocrine disorders. CarExercising, losing weight, eating healthy foods, diovascular causes of hypertension include cutting down on your sodium intake, and coarctation of aorta, , atherosclerosis, and aortic limiting the number of alcoholic drinks to a stenosis. maximum of one a day for women or two a day for men can help keep your blood pressure Cardiac arrest numbers in the healthy range.

Cardiac arrest refers to the cessation of normal • Get your cholesterol as low as possible. The systemic circulation due to failure in proper higher your blood cholesterol (which causes contraction of the heart. There are several condiplaque to build up in the artery walls), the tions that can cause cardiac arrest. Treatment higher your risk for heart disease. Many of of cardiac arrest includes cardiopulmonary the same steps that help lower blood pressure resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation, and advanced — eating healthy foods, exercising, and losing cardiac life support (ACLS), and treatment of weight — also help lower your cholesterol. the underlying cause of arrest.

• Get your weight down to a healthy level.

HEART FAILURE : Heart failure is failure Having excess weight makes you more likely of the heart to produce sufficient blood flow to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol to meet metabolic demands of the body, or to and diabetes, and raises your risk for heart do so at higher filling pressures. The hallmark disease. If you have weight to lose, set a goal signs of heart failure include shortness of breath of taking off about 10 percent, which can go a (especially on exertion, at night, or while lying long way toward lowering your risk. down) and leg swelling. Chest pain is rarely • Work up a sweat. Exercising at a moderate a feature of heart failure, which would point intensity for at least 30 minutes most days of a diagnosis more toward angina pectoris or the week also helps protect your heart. myocardial infarction . Perhaps confusingly, When you keep a healthy heart regime, and a heart failure can be caused by coronary artery heart-healthy lifestyle is that it is also beneficial disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI) for your overall health. So when you keep your that result in a deficiency in pumping that then heart healthy, you’ll also feel great and help leads to heart failure. Treatment of heart failure, yourself stay that way for years to come. like most secondary disorders, depends upon It is important to know that , a cardiologist is treatment of the primary cause which includes the specialist that studies the heart and heart CAD & MI but also valvular problems like diseases. Therefore, when in need to see a doc- aortic stenosis and hypertension. tor concerning any issue with your heart, it is All these are medical jargon, so it is best that better to see a cardiologist /Physician. While you see your cardiologist at the slightest possible plenty is known about the healthy heart, the sign of a heart problem. bulk of study in cardiology is in disorders of The role of a good healthy diet to sustain and the heart and restoration, and where possible, maintain your heart is extremely important. It of function. is good to consult a nutritionist, to assist you Significant diseases Heart disease, Cardio- in planning a healthy sustainable diet , to take vascular disease, Atherosclerosis, Cardiomy- care of your heart.

GLOBAL SOCCER

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 16, 2011

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

Austin Okocha

Using Football to Help Humanity

Can Bolt Re-enact London in Rio PAGE. 29

23.07.2016

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

GLOBAL SOCCER

Using Football to Help Humanity To many, Austin Okocha, is the greatest football talent that ever came out of Nigeria. His skills and artistry are never in doubt. Little wonder he is one of three Nigerian players to have appeared thrice at the FIFA World Cup. Recently, he decided it was time to use the personality football has given him to help take children out of the streets and also support former colleagues that are finding life tough, with Jay Jay Okocha Foundation. Kunle Adewale was at the foundation's unveiling

"W

hen Samuel Eto’o invited me to participate in a charity match in Turkey involving a selection of top players facing a Turkish all-star team in honour of the Eto’o Foundation which will clock 10 years, I felt ashamed that while Eto’o was celebrating the 10th anniversary of his foundation, I had done very little in giving back to the society,” Okocha said.

It was Eto’s 10th anniversary that indeed served as a wake-up call for Okocha to launch his foundation.

“If I die today, I would have died not accomplishing a great objective of giving back to the society. I came from a poor background but football changed my life and I think I now have a voice through football to help a lot of children in the streets return to school, which culminated in the launch of the Jay Jay Okocha Foundation,” the former Bolton player said.

Therefore, on July 5, Austin and his brother, Emmanuel, who also played for Nigeria at a time and was part of the Super Eagles team that won silver in the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria, unveiled a charity organisation called Jay-Jay Okocha Foundation in Lagos.

The primary objective of the foundation is to use football to raise awareness on the importance of education, peace and unity for the economic growth of Nigeria. The foundation will be raising funds through sales and auctioning of football memorabilia especially those belonging to Okocha for charitable causes.

The foundation entered into an agreement with an online auctioning firm, I-Naira.com, to auction his memorabilia, covering the nearly three decades of his illustrious career. “I have been looking forward to this day, to create a platform to give back to the society what football has given me,” the former Super Eagles Captain said.

The unveiling was graced by some of Okocha’s teammates to the 1994 World Cup in the United States of America, and they included Augustine Eguavoen, Mutiu Adepoju and Peter Rufai, and they all commended the initiative of Okocha at finding a means

of giving back to the society that contributed to his blossoming into an internationally-acclaimed figure.

For Rufai, the latest move by Okocha is a pointer to his brilliance on and off the pitch. “I am really happy with what Okocha has set out to do again with this foundation. I offer my full support to this course and also implore Okocha to use his name to further unite this country; starting from his region in the South East,” Rufai said.

Rufai said he was impressed that aside targeting children that have dropped out of school, Okocha through his foundation, is also looking at helping ex-internationals who are at the moment wallowing in poverty.

Eguavoen hailed Okocha for his initiative to use the Jay-Jay Okocha Foundation to better the life of not only the kids in the streets but also ex-internationals. “He has transformed his vision from the field of play to the society,” Eguavoen said.

“Coming fresh to the national team after a good outing in the U-21 competition in Mauritius, we realised the kind of talent he possessed and needed to be protected

If I die today, I would have died not accomplishing a great objective of giving back to the society. I came from a poor background but football changed my life and I think I now have a voice through football to help a lot of children in the streets return to school, which culminated in the launch of the Jay Jay Okocha Foundation

Okocha

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER

MFM Storm Kano for Pillars

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ountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club of Lagos concluded their three days training programme ahead the Match Day 28 of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) tie against Kano Pillars Football Club of Kano.

The Lagos-based team returned to the Prayer City training ground on Monday after pulling a remarkable 2-0 triumph over

Heartland Football Club of Lagos of Owerri in their last league match decided behind closed doors at the Agege Township Stadium.

Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu and his wards completed the last phase of the three days training session that witnessed the team playing a warm up match after two hours of fitness and tactical training session on Wednesday.

The Olukoya Boys departed Lagos on Thursday for the match billed for today at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

GOtv Boxing Night 8

Afonja Warrior: King Hammer is Afraid of Me

Emmanuel and Austin Okocha during the unveiling of Jay-jay Okocha Foundation in Ikoyi, Lagos

Using Football to Help Humanity and we gave him the needed protection,” Cerezo, as Eguavoen was fondly called during his playing days added.

One of Okocha’s greatest shows of football artistry was at Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, during a Bundesliga game against Bayern Munich. In the match, he dribbled the entire defence line of the Bavarians including goalkeeper Oliver Khan and when asked if the boot and jersey he used in the game would be available for sale to raise fund, the mercurial player said: “I am not sure if I still have them. The truth really is that I will even be reluctant to part with some of these memorabilia.”

The maiden foundation jersey was sold for N260, 000. The foundation also hopes to raise funds through testimonial matches that will attract big ticket sponsorship and donors to the cause of the project.

Recently, Okocha returned to Macron Stadium for Bolton Wanderers Community Trust and Supporters’ Trust Legends Match, where he turned out for both Team Kelly and Team McGinlay in the charity game, and scored a hat-trick much to the delight of the crowd.

“It is an honour to be back here. I had a great time here and it was good to receive a wonderful reception. It’s good to see all the fans again because they were right behind me from the onset. There is nothing better than having fans behind you; they are like a twelfth man. I can only say thank you. I felt like I was back home. I have a lot of great memories from my time here. My children were raised here and it was good to be back,” Okocha told bwfc.co.uk after the final whistle.

Reflecting on his match-winning performance, a modest Okocha revealed how he was just happy to play his part.

“I don’t know how it happened,” he said. “I was just trying to have fun, even though my legs are a bit gone. I enjoyed every moment of it.

I couldn’t do much, but I was trying to. The encouragement from the fans helped a little bit so I managed to get away with a few tricks. It was great to play with so many former teammates too because I haven’t seen most of them for many years now. It was fantastic to see them again and in good health.

“It’s always good when people come together to show their passion

and love for a club. I am delighted to be here to also contribute. Hopefully, the club is heading in the right direction. We reached a great height when I was here, playing in the UEFA Cup. This is where the club belongs. We have to stick together and try and take the club back where it belongs.”

A

bolaji "Afonja Warrior" Rasheed, national middleweight title challenger, has declared that the reigning champion, Sunny "King Hammer" Iyere is scared of him.

The two are billed to fight for the national title fight at GOtv Boxing Night 8, holding at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, on June 30.

Speaking on MITV's Sports Update during the week, Afonja said he had expected Hammer to be on the programme so he could be shown a bit of what to expect on the day of the fight.

"I had hoped he would be here. We could have started a fight here. He would have

known that I am made of sterner stuff. He got scared and didn't turn up. He is afraid.

The title he has held since 2001 will be taken off him on 30 July. He can't escape defeat," bragged Afonja warrior.

Sponsored by GOtv, the event is supported

by MultiChoice, Complete Sports, Brila FM, Bond FM, Newsbreak.ng, Paragonis Multimedia Limited, KSquare Security and SuperSport, which will broadcast it live in 47 African countries.

The best boxer at the event will go home with a cash prize of N1million. GOtv Boxing Night 8 is dedicated to the memory of legendary boxer, Muhammed Ali, who died on June 3.

Skoro Promises Explosive Return to Action

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ational and West African Boxing Union featherweight champion, Waidi "Skoro" Usman, has vowed to make his next opponent pay for his loss in the African title fight last December.

Skoro, who was beaten to the title at GOtv Boxing Night 6 by Edward "Shaka" Kakembo of Uganda, is returning to action for the first time since his title loss and will fight David Ekpenyong at GOtv Boxing Night 8.

The event, which is billed for the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, on July 30, will feature six bouts across weight divisions.

"I want to seize this opportunity to apologise to Nigerians for my loss to Kakembo. I am already itching for a rematch and I promise to deal with Kakembo when next I fight him.

In the meantime, my opponent will see fire.

"I have been training hard, getting in shape and will make Lucky Boy pay for my defeat. I am using the fight to get prepared for Kakembo, who is the target. Lucky Boy will be beaten like a small boy," he boasted.

GOtv Boxing Night 8, dedicated to the memory of iconic boxer, Muhammed Ali, has its biggest bout in the shape of the national middleweight title contest between incumbent champion, Sunny Hammer and Abolaji Rasheed.

Similarly lined up is the light welterweight bout between national champion, Olaide Fijabi, and Joseph Adeniji.

Another light welterweight match-up will see Rilwan Babatunde duel with Shakiru Lateef.

In the welterweight category, Stanley Eribo, winner of the best boxer award at the December edition of GOtv Boxing Night, will fight Dele Adeleke, while Matthew Obinna will take on Samuel Igbokwe.

FijabiVowstoMessUpOpponent'sFace an favourite and two-time winner of the F N1million cash prize for the best boxer at GOtv Boxing Night, Olaide Fijabi, has vowed

Okocha

G LO B A L S O C C E R

to mess up the face of his next opponent, Joseph Adeniji, when they clash. The two are billed to take on each other in a national light welterweight challenge bout at the event.

"What is Blacky Joe? I will redesign his face when we meet. He needs to be warned that when I step into the ring, I am a completely different person. I will mess his face up so much that he will forever be afraid of looking in the mirror," boasted the national light welterweight champion.

ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE LAYOUT DESIGNER WAHAB AKINTUNDE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE

L-R, CEO of No Surprises, Natshe Jemide of Youth Experience Days Africa (YEDA), Funmi Victor-Okigbo project co-ordinator, Winihin Jemide Series (WJS), Chee Okebalama , CEO of AstroTurf, Aderoju Ademoroti and CEO of INK Business Design Femi Odewunmi at the recent press conference for WJS/YEDA Legend Edition with Pele

32

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

GLOBAL SOCCER Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016…Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016…

Undeterred by Zika, Athletes to Light up Rio In spite of the avalanche of withdrawals by athletes from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for fear of Zika virus, there are still a good number of athletes that are expected to light up the Games. While American swimmer, Michael Phelps will try to add to his legacy at the Games, so too will the duo of Jamaican Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Other athletes will try to step on to the podium for the first time on the world’s biggest stage. Below are some of the athletes that the world would be looking out for in Rio.

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Usain Bolt, Athletics-Jamaica he time has come for us to push for quid pro quo relancial resources in that league.

He’s the best sprinter of all time, but will he be healthy for Rio after tearing his hamstring at the Jamaican Olympic trials on July 2. Bolt heads to Rio as the reigning Olympic champion in all three events, just as he did in London. He’s the only man ever to win six gold medals in sprinting and to have performed this triple, twice. He holds the world record at 100 metres (9.58) and 200 metres (19.19), both set in 2009.

He won gold in all three events at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

Mo Farah, Athletics- Great Britain Born in Somalia, Farah moved

Serena Williams

to the United Kingdom at age eight and the British were happy to have him during the 2012 Olympic Games, when he won gold over 5,000 and 10,000 metres to mass adulation. He even has a wax double at Madame Tussauds. Farah’s success has continued post-London. He won gold at both distances at the 2013 World Championships and completed the double again in 2015, the first man to do the distance triple-double. His goal is to do it again in Rio. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, AthleticsJamaica No woman has ever won three Olympic 100-metre titles in a row. The “Pocket Rocket” from Jamaica stands just five feet tall has an opportunity to do that in Rio. While countryman Usain Bolt has achieved celebrity status worldwide, Fraser-Pryce has somewhat quietly managed to achieve a number of firsts: she’s the only three-time world champion over 100 metres, she’s the only woman to twice

Bolt

hold the world and Olympic titles at the same time, and in 2013 she became the only woman to sweep the three sprint world titles: 100, 200 and 4×100-metre relay. She has a chance in Rio to further cement her reputation as the greatest female sprinter of all time.

Neymar, Football- Brazil Despite a history of international success — Brazil has won the World Cup five times but they’ve never won Olympic gold. They’ll be hoping to change that in August, in front of stadiums full of their own supporters. They’ll also attempt to erase the memory of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where the national team finished a disappointing fourth after suffering a devastating 7-1 loss to eventual champion Germany in the semifinals. Led by Neymar, the Brazilians won silver in London four years ago. Because of rules that allow countries to add three overage players to their under-23 team for the Olympics, Neymar will be back this year. His participation could be key. One of the best players on the planet, Neymar finished third in 2015 FIFA Balloon d’Or voting behind only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

He has 46 goals in 70 matches for Brazil.

Michael Phelps, Swimming- United States He retired after the London Games as the most-decorated

Olympian of all time. He’d won 22 medals, 18 of them gold over three Olympic Games. He won eight medals in 2004: six gold and two bronze.

He won a record eight in 2008: all gold. And in 2012, amid talk that his best days were behind him, he won another six medals: four gold and two silver. Does he still have what it takes to make the podium in Rio? Caster Semenya, Athletics-South Africa She has the fastest time in the world over 800 metres this year by nearly a full second and is the favourite to win gold in Rio. The silver medalist at this distance four years ago in London, Semenya’s path to Rio has not been easy. Required to take hormones to reduce naturally high levels of testosterone, which gave her an advantage over other competitors, Semenya was no longer her dominant self. But last year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport suspended that requirement for two years after a hearing into the case of Indian sprinter Dutee Chand, who also has naturally high levels of testosterone and who claimed she was being discriminated against by not being able to take advantage of a natural genetic occurrence.

Serena Williams, Tennis-United States With sister Venus, she has won three Olympic doubles titles (2000, 2008, 2012). But it was her

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016…Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016… Countdown to Rio 2016…

Michael Jung is the defending Olympic champion in both individual and team eventing and the favourite heading into Rio. He’s the 2014 world champion in team eventing, silver medallist in individual eventing and the European champion in both categories. In May, he became just the second person in history to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, comprised of the world’s three top eventing competitions (Burghley, Kentucky and Badminton).

Katie Ledecky, Swimming-United States She’s a machine. If she’s swimming one of her specialties, the question isn’t whether she’ll win, but by how much. She won her first Olympic medal in London (gold, of course) with the second-fastest time ever recorded — a massive four seconds ahead of the runnerup. She was only 15. She’s gone on to win 10 world championship medals (all gold), and holds the world record over 400, 800 and 1,500 metres.

performance in the 2012 singles final, against Maria Sharapova, that left a lasting impression. She completely destroyed the Russian, 6-0, 6-1, in the most-lopsided women’s final in Olympic history. The victory gave her what has become known as the career “Golden Slam”: all the Grand Slam titles, plus Olympic gold. When the world No. 1 wants to put on a show, she’s hard to stop. And she’s always entertaining.

Genzebe Dibaba, Athletics- Ethiopia The London Olympics were a disappointment for Genzebe Dibaba, as a hamstring injury prevented her from advancing past the 1,500-metre heats. In Rio, she is promising to “write history.”

She just might. The 2015 IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Dibaba won gold over 1,500 metres at the world championships and silver over 5,000 metres. She’s the world record holder over 1,500 metres, and holds the world record for the indoor 5,000.

Ashton Eaton, Athletics-United States Barring catastrophe, Eaton should win gold. He is one of only two men to break the 9,000-point barrier (Roman Sebrle of Czech Republic is the other), setting the world record last year with 9,045 points. He’s won gold at every major meet he’s entered since

taking silver at the 2011 world championships.

Chris Froome, Cycling- Great Britain Events: road race, time trial He’s a two-time Tour de France champion (2013, 2015) who won bronze in the time trial at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In Rio, he’ll be going for the double, with British press touting him as the man most likely succeed Bradley Wiggins as the time trial gold medallist. The course in Rio is hilly and should be to his liking.

Yusra Mardini, Swimming-Refugee Olympic Athletes One of 10 athletes named to the Team of Refugee Olympic Athletes in June, Yusra Mardini made headlines worldwide last year when she shared her story of escape from Syria. While travelling by boat from Turkey to Greece with her sister, Sarah, and 18 other refugees, the engine lost power and the boat began taking on water.

Mardini, her sister, and the only other person able to swim jumped into the water and pushed the boat to Lesbos, a journey that took three hours. She eventually made her way to Berlin, where she resumed training as a competitive swimmer.

Ibtihaj Muhammad, FencingUnited States

Kyrie Irving, Basketball-USA The United States has won five of the last six Olympic titles in men’s basketball — Argentina won gold in 2004 and pressure will be on them to capture a third-straight title in Rio. Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving will be their leader on the floor, fresh off an inspiring sevengame win over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Irving and teammate LeBron James each scored 41 points in Game 6 — the first teammates to hit 40 in the same game of the NBA Finals — as the Cavs became the first team to rally from a 3-1 deficit in the championship series.

Some American NBA stars, including James and Stephen Curry, opted to stay home and Irving will be the lone Cavalier on the team. He’ll be joined

by Toronto Raptors teammates Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

Michael Jung, Equestrian- Germany

Neymar

Ibtihaj Muhammad took up fencing because, as a Muslim, it allowed her to play sports while being fully covered. That includes wearing a hijab, for which she has gained a lot of attention in the U.S. Earlier this year, TIME Magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential People for 2016 for changing the way people look at Muslim American athletes.

The Duke graduate has an excellent chance of elevating her profile even more in Rio: she’s won five world championship medals over the last five years, including gold in 2014, in the team event.

Behdad Salimi, Weightlifting-Iran This event features the true heavyweights of the Olympics, the world’s strongest men, and the weight they can lift is mind-boggling. When he won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London, Salimi lifted a total of 455 kg, 208 in the snatch and 247 in the clean and jerk.

After missing the 2013 world championships following a dispute with his coach (who’d been using offensive language), Salimi returned in 2014 to win silver. He was forced to miss the 2015 championships after he tore his ACL in a training accident (shown above). During his year away, Russian Aleksey Lovchev set new world records in the clean and jerk and for total weight — but was suspended late last year after a positive doping test. Salimi, still the world record holder in the snatch, is working to recover from ACL surgery in time for Rio. Nino Schurter, Mountain BikeSwitzerland He won bronze at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, silver at the 2012 Games in London and heads to Rio as a favourite to win gold. A four-time world champion, Schurter is the reigning world and overall World Cup champion. He also won gold at the 2015 European Games.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

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GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS

DStv Puts the Bounce Back in Nigerian Basketball

B

asketball in Nigeria has grown in leaps and bounds.

Only recently, as part of preparations for an unprecedented second consecutive appearance at the Olympics, D’Tigers, the Nation’s basketball team, finished in third place at the 2016 Stankovic Intercontinental Competition. At the local scene, the thrills and frills which many avid followers of the game come to expect in the American NBA, is becoming standard fare in games in Nigeria.

Corporate sponsorship of basketball has positively influenced the organization of the game, which had long suffered due to poor funding and inadequate facilities across the country.

However, basketball has witnessed a resurgence of interest and fun in the last few years particularly since DStv entered into partnership with NBBF to sponsor the men’s league.

It goes without saying that sport development is very critical to national development. Sport transcends entertainment or competition between teams involving physical exertion and skill, when viewed from a broad spectrum. It enhances health and wellbeing while also building strong character and confidence in the youth.

Sport also has immense potentials to foster social integration and cohesion especially in a country with diverse ethnicities like Nigeria. All these cannot be achieved if sports are poorly funded.

Because governments alone cannot advance the fortunes of sport in Nigeria, interventions by corporate organizations who come with funds, know-how, among others, always help to enhance the appeal of sports.

Take the case of DStv sponsoring the nation’s basketball league, for instance. Another initiative that readily comes to mind is the Nestle Milo’s sponsorship of the nation’s marathon competitions. When DStv announced its decision to partner with the National Basketball Federation (NBBF) about eight years ago, sports-loving Nigerians were pleasantly surprised.

At first, it seemed an oddity to many why a world-class brand such as DStv would align with a game that did not command as much loyal and passionate followership among Nigerians as football. With the sponsorship of the men’s basketball league in Nigeria otherwise known as DStv Premier Basketball League, leading provider of entertainment and information content on TV has redefined the landscape of basketball in Nigeria.

The partnership has significantly enhanced the value of the DStv Premier Basketball League, making it much more entertaining and widely accepted. The game has gained momentum rapidly among basketball lovers who hitherto were big fans of the United States National Basketball League. For them, it is now the case of complete entertainment, with fans trooping to basketball courts to watch live matches. The games, which are available on high definition on SuperSport channels, are now being perceived by the youth as a peerless fun enhancer, especially in a country where there is not much to do for hobbies. The infusion of entertainment, comedy and the aptly-timed basketball cheer has also raised the ante of the game.

The DStv Premier Basketball League received a big boost when the broadcasting giant reviewed upward its sponsorship package with the NBBF in 2013 to N218million. If this initia-

tive is sustained, basketball, as the case with football, could be leveraged to gain positive visibility for Nigeria. Another low-hanging fruit of this partnership is that some of the outstanding league players stand the chance of becoming global brands just like Akeem Olajuwon, popularly known as “The Dream,” who made great strides at the international level. A small but growing number are on their way to attaining celebrity status following their recent successes and the visibility provided by SuperSport.

The glitz and glamour at the grand finale of the recently concluded 2016 DStv Premier Basketball League, which saw Kano Pillars lock horns with Nigeria Customs for the coveted championship title. The Nigerian Customs, led by decorated Nigerian basketball coach, Scott Nnaji, could not contain the onslaught from five-time MVP Usman Abubakar, who led his team in scoring 24 points to win his sixth MVP award and the league championship. Pillars won the trophy in a game that ended 71-52. The last time Pillars lifted the championship trophy was in 2014 – two seasons ago.

But that seemed like a decade in Pillars’ years. Really, there is no such thing as ‘Pillars’ years’. It is merely a metaphor depicting Kano Pillars’ stranglehold on the league since its first championship win. A unique thing about this year’s edition is the great passion displayed by fun-loving sport enthusiasts who witnessed the clash of the titans. The fans were agog with excitement as the disc jockey churned out roof-breaking tunes, including live performances from Gongo Aso crooner, 9ice and of course the intermittent cheers from the bevy of ladies all added up to the excitement, which basketball games evoke.

President, Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijani Umar expressed optimism over Pillars and Customs continental chances, noting that, “Pillars are back to where they’ve always been over the years. We have had challenges with the teams who represent us on the continent. My expectation is that this year, Kano Pillars will rise and surpass past exploits. They must get creative and better and they must play in the mould of the Kano Pillars of old.”

Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, DStv, while speaking at the finals of the 2016 DStv Premier Basketball League expressed delight over the high stan-

Tijani Umar and Martin Mabutho

dard of play exhibited by both teams.

“We are very happy with the passion, dedication and commitment of the players, coaches and administrators of the game during this league season. At DStv, we are excited at the progress basketball is making, which is indicated in the number of fans returning to court. We are fully committed to enhancing the game in Nigeria by introducing innovation and excitement in the coming season,” said Afe. The milestone recorded at the recently concluded 2016 DStv Premier basketball League is indicative of the successful and powerful synergy between DStv and NBBF. This accomplishment brought back fans to the stands. Multichoice Nigeria not only provided sponsorship funds of the tournament, but also lent its premium sports channels, SuperSport, to broadcast live matches of the games.

Other investments include dedicating Outside Broadcasting Vehicles (OBVs) worth millions of dollars to match venues, training and paying Nigerians to cover the matches thereby localizing technical expertise. In monetary terms, the total sponsorship package far exceeds N218 million deal signed in

Kano Pillars celebrating their victory over Nigeria Customs at the final of the DSTV Basketball at the indoor sports hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos

2013.

The question that naturally crops up in sports circle is what will happen to basketball if Multichoice Nigeria withdraws its sponsorship of the men’s league. Will the thousands of fans who are increasingly finding basketball courts as one of the best places for families to catch fun when the DStv Premier Basketball League is in season, not be disillusioned? What will happen to the players who have also become attuned to the enhanced competition that the league fosters among teams? And then the invaluable contribution that SuperSports avails the league: how will fans far-removed from games benefit if the sponsorship is not renewed?

There is no doubt that basketball, particularly the men’s game, has been completely transformed since DStv commenced sponsoring the league. The NBBF should strive to convince Multichoice Nigeria to renew its sponsorship of the league and also attract other sponsors.

If there are many more sponsors, it can only translate to better value for the players, clubs and the country, as well as the fans, who will continue to be served bigger and better entertainment as the seasons roll by.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY JULY 23, 2016

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • July 23, 2015

INTERVIEW Ibim Semenitari

Amaechi Never Asked Me to Give Him NDDC Money FG underpaid NDDC by N800 billion while oil companies fail to remit their three per cent contribution Her calm mien belies her intellectual restiveness. Mrs. Ibim Semenitari was appointed the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission in December 2015 and has worked to turn around the behemoth she agreed was into rent-seeking like all agencies of government. She speaks with Ahamefula Ogbu on how she has turned things around in the NDDC,while debunking allegations that she was appointed to raise funds from the commission for elections among other issues

W

hat did you meet at NDDC when you assumed duty?

I am really weary of trying to do a post-mortem but I would just say that by the time we came, there was a lot of lull in activities; we met a bit of dormancy both in the workforce as well as on our project sites – the reasons I might not know immediately but basically we met a bit of a lull. There was also some opaqueness in the way affairs were run and I say that advisedly because we had for instance between directorates, there wasn’t communication so you found out that project directorates that ought to know what others were doing, you found some sort of opaqueness where people couldn’t really say what was going on and so people failed to take ownership or responsibility of actions or inactions in the organisation. It was that kind of situation where one felt that things ought to have been done slightly differently, whether in terms of accountability, transparency or service delivery.

Were you alarmed or concerned about the situation you met on ground?

In some cases I was alarmed; in all cases I was concerned.

What have you put in place to make a difference from what you met?

The first thing that we tried to do was that we opened up our processes so that the flow from directorates to MD and back is open so that everyone along the chain can explain the process. Therefore, if for instance, we are making payment for a contract, everyone along the payment chain can say we are paying X,Y,Z contractor for X, Y, Z reason. So we tried to open up the processes to reduce the turnaround time for transfer of documents, I inherited a backlog of files, some as far back as 2013, 2014. I tried to clear my desk and I can say the maximum time for turnaround for files that move out of the MD’s office is between 24 hours to a maximum of one week; I use one week very cautiously because we hardly have that. It is really 24 to 72 hours except where I am out of town that files might linger for a week.

We know that when changes like that happen in an entrenched organisation that resistance follows. What resistance did you face trying to turn things around?

You would face resistance, probably still face resistance but what makes an astute manager and good administrator is being able to surmount those challenges and to be able to overcome the resistance. When people are not used to a particular way of doing things, they will react. Sometimes even protest and sometimes even try to be cogs in the wheel of progress. The idea is to remove the cog when you find it and continue to do the work you have to do. Ultimately, people will realise that there will only be one captain in a ship and so they find that if you are determined about what you want to do you will do it.

Have you received any threat in the course of doing your work because in the NDDC, threat is handed out easily?

(Laughs) Yes; I mean people will threaten but you see, if you know that your conscience is clear and that you are doing what you are doing for the good of the communities that you serve, then just do it and trust that

Semenitari

God Almighty will protect you. Yes, people have threatened; people have even tried to make good their threats in different ways but ultimately, God will protect and defend you if you are doing the right thing.

Have you at any point feared for your life arising from those threats?

Yes, but in all of the work I have done all my life I have always had reasons to feel afraid for my life, whether it was as an investigative reporter or as commissioner for information. I remember my kids were cracking a joke and said ‘well our mother always has a way of attracting danger to herself because we thought it was just because you were an investigative reporter but how do you try to get killed being a commissioner, I mean Mommy, who tries to get killed being commissioner? We can understand you as a reporter that people are after you but you are in government and people are still trying to kill you.’ As a commissioner in Rivers State, I had bullets whizzing past my ear because I dared go to campaign in my own community.

I don’t know what threat to life would be greater than live bullets whizzing past your ears.

Has your husband been as concerned as trying to pull you out of the job?

(Laughs) Severally in his life he has tried to pull me out of the job. I think that he has also come to understand that we do what we do because we have to serve and we both understand that. My parents are always frantic, they are always worried; they are very concerned and I think I have caused them so much sleepless nights; but again, they have learnt that except the Lord keeps a city, a watchman watches in vain. You can only protect yourself so much; you have to learn every day that you really cannot defend yourself.

The NDDC Act provides for a certain percentage of revenue to the federal government coming to the commission; is the federal government giving that constitutionally mandated figure?

Honestly, since 2000 when the NDDC Act came into place till today, the federal government hasn’t met its statutory obligations fully to the commission and we have complained about it. I mentioned it to the Senate and House of Representatives. I have even written to the Minister of Finance to ask for her gracious permission to be part of FAAC (Federal Allocation Accounts Committee) because that used to be the practice under OMPADEC. The commission has never received full funding as it ought to, not from any of our stakeholders and sometimes it is always important to put that out because people think the NDDC has money, but really doesn’t.

Is the federal government willing to pay the backlog or is it being made mandatory to accept what is given?

The truth is that we have just started engaging. This government is new and in terms of the funds, the backlog is over N800 billion. The government really needs to have that but our point is if government accedes and even pays a part of it, that will be good.

Previous governments decided not to pay. I recall that in the past administration several representations were made to His Excellency, Mr. President at that time but unfortunately he didn’t pay before he left office.

Oil companies operating within the region are supposed to pay three per cent of their budgets to the NDDC, are they fulfilling that?

No they are not but again, thanks to the Senate Committee on Niger Delta and the House Committee on NDDC. They got all of us to a meeting and we are reconciling

figures now.

Since it is something constitutionally enshrined, are you getting the federal government to apply sanctions on the defaulting stakeholders?

Honestly, here is my take, if we can get them to give us the money, we don’t need the sanctions. We just want the money. There is so much work to do in the region that all we need is the money. Sanctioning them without getting the money would not help us; what will help us is that they give us our money and we will continue to engage to request that because their bringing out the money helps the region but they really have to be a bit more committed to paying up but many of them are simply not committed to that.

Can you put a figure to what the oil companies in the region owe the Commission?

Honestly, I can’t tell. It is a huge backlog and there is reconciliation happening between them and our directorate of finance and supplies. Some of them have consistently avoided the meetings; they will go to the House of Reps or Senate and say we are not meeting with them. When we invite them for a meeting they won’t show up. This is the truth of the matter.

There is this notion that NDDC is doing more of political patronage than development of the region. From the files you have treated, how true is that?

I will be very frank, there was quite a bit of rent-seeking at the NDDC. I used the word rent-collection rather than political patronage because that is what we ended up with in our country, not just NDDC, it is across government agencies; Nigerians love to collect money and not work; it is beyond political patronage and the files show that.

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERVIEW Amaechi Never Asked Me to Give Him NDDC Money What kind of cooperation are you receiving from governors of NDDC states?

Let me say that I have visited seven out of the nine governors; I have visited the nine states but I had interactions with seven out of the nine and I would say that for some of them they are deeply committed, some of them mouth commitment but on the whole it would be nice to get stronger collaboration.

When you were appointed acting MD of NDDC there was an allegation that it was a move by the APC to get funds to sponsor elections. Is that correct?

I heard such and I still hear it, I found it interesting but my first reaction is that it takes a thief to know a thief so you got to have used the NDDC to sponsor elections before you imagine that everyone appointed into that position is going to use it to sponsor an election. If that was the reason why did President, Muhammadu Buhari urge me to complete projects I meet on the ground as much as possible? Don’t forget that I took over in December 2015, by that time we were close to the end of the budget year and so if you check you will find that I have not awarded any contract so far because I need to have an operational budget. I came into NDDC when there was no money, so are you saying that if I am there and an APC person has a contract I should not pay him because if I pay him I will be accused of paying him so he can use the money to sponsor elections?

The funny thing about this is that the counterfactual of what you said is that I have been accused of paying PDP contractors only and I certainly I am not a member of the PDP. Are you under pressure to bring out money for political purposes?

Fortunately, I have a boss who is President Muhammadu Buhari and he hasn’t put me under any pressure to bring out money. The next person and who in terms of my reporting line is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. I haven’t received any directives from him either. Now everyone knows that Amaechi used to be my principal and is in many ways my friend, mentor, my political leader and he has never asked me to give him money or to bring out money for him. If these three persons haven’t asked me then I can deal with any other pressure that comes.

How much does NDDC owe contractors and how much do contractors owe the commission in outstanding projects?

I wish I was in the office I would have shown you because when we took over, the figure was between N400 and N450 billion and we have paid a lot of that but I think we would still be owing a little over N300 to N350 billion. I mean we have not paid up to N100 billion since I came. We haven’t even received N100 billion so we wouldn’t have paid that but I would like to be able to give you those figures exactly in the second quarter when we have our reports you will see in clear terms what we have spent on contractor payments but in the first quarter I believe that total payments we made was N14 billion and out of that, N9 billion went to contractors.

So how much do contractors owe the Commission in uncompleted jobs?

To be honest with you, we just had a meeting recently and we were talking about the need to do proper data collection along these lines, whatever figures I give to you now will be inaccurate. One of the biggest challenges I met when I came on board was inaccurate data. We are trying to reconcile that so that we can have records we would not doubt.

Would you recommend the probing of past boards of the commission to get records straight?

Rather than probing, I think a good audit of the commission would not be a bad idea.

Basically, an audit is not about probing, it helps you to look at your records and see what has transpired. We are trying to do some of that, trying to get a few things done right but I think that the Auditor General had done a bit of our audit in the past but we have done our audit of 2014. 2015 audit is completed and the auditor has submitted and I am going to look at what he has raised. Just because government might need to look at a few things and straighten out processes, audit is a good thing.

Do you have a development model for the NDDC or do you think the Niger

and saw a note on my door and I said ah ah, how did this man find my address? It was later I found out that the culprit was Effiong.

Semenitari

Delta Master Plan will do?

For me there can’t be a better model; we need to work with the regional master plan, that was such a tremendous work that people did. They put in so much effort and it cost us so much money. I think the safest and most sensible thing to do is to take the master plan and implement it and that is what we are trying to do.

How do you juggle office and family?

My kids are all men and women. They hardly have time for me. I am really a mother hen and I like to be with my kids. I may not spend as much time with them but we talk as often as we can. In terms of family life, I think I am lucky. My children have grown up understanding that they have a busy mom; have busy parents. They love us and like the fact that we spend quality time.

They talk to me and they are very open, they understand my work and I share my work with them when I have a problem I tell them as long as it is not what will stress them a lot.

Basically, they share my work with me, we discuss it within the realm of appropriateness because there are some aspects of the work that are confidential. Outside that, they have an idea of what mommy is doing.

My husband is as well quite interested in the work I do. We have a silent pact which we had from when we got married which is a 24-year-old pact not to interfere in each other’s work. We had that pact because when we were getting married, I was an investigative reporter and for his safety I couldn’t disclose stories I was working on.

How did you meet him?

I was doing a story and I had gone to the Nigerian Stock Exchange. My Editor, Mrs. Louisa Ayonote, had asked me to do a story on albinism and stigma they face. So I asked her where I was going to get enough albinos to talk to for the story and she directed me to Broad street and I went to Broad street and I was going to stock exchange and there was one coming out so I had an interview with that one and I was looking for others and when I got tired and famished and needed something to eat, I went to Mr. Biggs on Marina to eat and there was this man who wasn’t looking well carrying a briefcase coming out and he bumped into me and I said to him ‘sorry sir’ but why didn’t you look where you were going? He apologised and said ‘Very sorry my name is Henry’ and I told him my name and he said ‘oh, are you related to so-so person?’ And I said yes. Then I found out he was a Rivers man; he asked me do you know so so person and I said yea and he said that is my mom and I said okay, good for you, I didn’t know he has a son I only know the daughter.

He said here is my card, would you visit me and I said I’m sorry I’m too busy, you just bumped into me and you are asking me to visit you. He said okay sorry and I went to eat my food and we didn’t see again till a year after that. I went to the bank where he works to see a friend of mine and as I was

Fortunately, I have a boss who is President Muhammadu Buhari and he hasn’t put me under any pressure to bring out money. The next person and who in terms of my reporting line is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. I haven’t received any directives from him either. Now everyone knows that Amaechi used to be my principal and is in many ways my friend, mentor, my political leader and he has never asked me to give him money or to bring out money for him. If these three persons haven’t asked me then I can deal with any other pressure that comes going in, the same person and I think he was always rushing or something. He saw me and said ah, Ibim again, and you didn’t come to visit me and I said but I told you that I was busy. He asked what I was doing there and I told him who I came to see and he said okay, let me go help you find him. He came back and said that he was not around and I said okay tell him that I came.

Then the third time I was going to do a story on activities of forex dealers and the whole matter of drugs in Balogun area. So I was doing the story with Effiong Nyong who was my colleague then, by that time Newswatch had started Eko magazine and we were on that story on Lagos Island.

As we were going we met Henry. I didn’t know that he and Effiong were schoolmates in the University of Lagos and I thought I was gossiping to a friend and that was my undoing. Effiong gave him my address and every information. I came home one Sunday

How did he propose?

Did we even have a formal proposal? He dropped a card at my door that he came by to see me and that he would come back Sunday as there was a very important thing to discuss. So next Sunday he came and my house was full, meeting of Rotaract club of Iju. He said he come another time.

He came back the following Sunday and this time I was going out and he gave me a ride and unfortunately the person I went to look for was not at home and he said he would wait and I said you cannot wait and he said he would. I went to my meeting and by the time I got there it had ended and he said I had taken you everywhere so I have to show you my house and I asked; show me your house for what? Honestly, I didn’t ask you to wait and later I said okay o. He was showing the way to his house this bus stop and that and I was like why is he giving me all these directions. I am not interested. To cut a long story short, we got to his house and he said this is the place and he said to me that “the reason I came to see you is that I believe God said you will be my wife and I bluntly said, “Don’t go there, don’t try that line with me, it doesn’t work.’

Anyway, I said I will think about it, we never quite had a traditional courtship because I then jokingly told him that I will tell my father and if he approved I would marry him. He said okay let us go to Port Harcourt so you can ask your father and I said ah ah, is that how it happens? He was basically a very determined person and quite frankly I’m not sure how he got me to say yes and before I knew it, he had met my dad; we didn’t court, we didn’t date. I would say we started dating after marriage.

What childhood experience is indelible in your mind?

When my father beat me very well when I was four or five. My father never flogged me, he never touches me but that was the first time and only time he flogged me. I think it was the only time.

What was your offence, were you truant or heady?

Nooo. We used to have a lot of people living in our house and someone we were living with annoyed me and because I was angry I marched the person’s food and my father was livid with rage, he flogged me and made me eat the food.

What kind of parents would you describe your dad and mom as?

Very firm; very loving parents.

Were you closer to your dad or mom?

Hard to say. Sometimes I share things with my dad and sometimes I share with my mom. People think I am closer to one than the other but in my case it is pretty hard to say. There are confidences I share with my dad and some with my mom.

What has been your hardest experience in NDDC? I don’t want to use harsh word because what came to my lips was harsh. Just navigating land mines, I will just leave it at that; a lot of booby traps set, by interesting people.

By staff or confidants?

Just leave it at that; maybe a mix of everything.

You are in a precarious situation in Rivers. How do you deal with the political side of the state?

I don’t know what political side, I mean I am a member of the APC, my political leader is Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi; again that is not a matter of contention as everybody knows where I stand very clearly.

However, I am acting managing director of NDDC, if there is a job to be done I get it done; if I need to interface with Rivers State government to deliver development to the state I will do so because governance and politics are two different things and two different divides. The fact that I will need it to interface with the state government to deliver development does not remove the fact that I am a member of the APC and would not in any way stop me from what I have to do politically.

The important thing is that you do what is right and you can defend your action.

Read full interview in www.thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • July 23, 2016

July 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • July 23, 2016

FITNESS FILE The Edenlifestyle corner

For Sugar Addicts…

Here’s How To Cut Down

with

MAJE AYIDA

majeayida@edenlifenigeria.com www.edenlifenigeria.com, 07062614551

A

lot of people have a serious sugar addiction and anyone who’s ever tried to cut sugar from their diet will tell you how difficult it is. I’m here to reassure you that it’s a lot harder than it sounds.

Ok maybe I’m just speaking for myself; I definitely find it a struggle. However there are ways to gradually reduce your intake and ultimately phase it out completely.

On average we can consume up to 23 teaspoons of sugar per day, some consume more. Make no mistake; cutting down is a necessity, not a punishment. Most people know the dangers of sugar consumption and these same people (myself included) don’t apply it to their lives.

Eating too much sugar is bad for your health. You’ve heard it many times before. Excessive consumption can increase your risk for obesity, heart disease and a host of other health complications. The World Health Organisation recommends the average adult consume no more than 25 grams of sugar a day, but exceeding this is all too easy.

A single can of Coca-Cola, for instance, packs 39 grams of the stuff. And added sugar sneaks into unsuspecting edibles, like hamburgers and “healthy” Greek yogurts. Cutting back on your sugar intake is a smart choice, but it’s tough to know where to start. If you’re looking to slow down, start with a few of the tweaks below.

Introduce them to your everyday routine, and eventually they’ll turn into a habit.

Make over your morning coffee The two sugars you routinely put into your cup of joe can add up. Try reducing the amount of sugar you use little by little, and rely on full-fat dairy to provide satisfaction. See if your taste buds respond well to cinnamon; the spice pairs perfectly with coffee’s nutty hints, and is, above all, sugar free.

Quit your soft drink habit Diet or regular, drinking any kind of soft drink promotes weight gain and amplifies sugar cravings. We’ve mentioned that a standard can of Coke contains 39 grams of sugar, enough to fill a person’s daily-recommended intake and then some. And even though the diet kind has no sugar marked on its label, it won’t do any good in the war against sugar. The artificial sweeteners in these drinks lead people to overeat, or overcompensate, for the lack of calories contained in the beverages.

Artificial sweeteners don’t offer the same hunger-dampening biological rewards that natural sweeteners do, causing the drinker to seek out something caloric. The sweetness in both diet and non-diet soda prompts side effects similar to addiction, making drinkers crave more sugar.

Snack on something healthy before food shopping Researchers have found that snacking on something nutritious before supermarket shopping, like an apple, can actually encourage shoppers to purchase 25 percent more fruits and vegetables than they normally would.

Fewer sugary items in your cart means

there will be fewer sugary items at home, and fewer sugary items in your belly.

Avoid the sugary aisles Now that you’ve had your apple, stick to the outer aisles of the supermarket, where conventional stores place the produce, meat and seafood departments, the foods you should focus on. If you avoid the aisles that contain shelves of near-irresistible sugary sweets, you’ll be less likely to buy them.

Find a new favorite condiment Ketchup is a miracle flavor, but one of the reasons we all love it so much could be because it contains a whole lot of sugar. The sad reality is that dousing your fries in the red stuff is comparable to pouring a couple sugar packets on top. If you’re already eating fries, consider switching to a condiment with less sugar, like mustard or vinegar, instead.

Drink more water Are you sure you’re hungry? Thirst and dehydration can often disguise themselves as hunger. To determine whether you’re actually hungry or simply thirsty, drink a cup of water and wait a moment. If you’re feeling good, your body was probably trying to tell you it was parched.

Avoid dried fruit When given the choice, choose fresh over dried fruit. Dried fruit boasts many of the same benefits of its plumper counterparts, but removing a food’s water content concentrates the amount of sugar and calories per serving. A cup of grapes, for instance, contains 15 grams of sugar and around 60 calories. A cup of raisins contains 98 grams of sugar and nearly 500 calories.

Make your own salad dressing Even if they taste savory, bottled

salad dressings typically contain lots of sugar. Two tablespoons of Kraft’s Tuscan House Italian dressing, for example, contains two grams. This seems pretty minuscule, but chances are you’ll be dousing your greens in a serving way over two measly tablespoons. Making your own dressing at home is incredibly easy, and cheap! It will help you control how much sugar you’re ingesting when you’re eating something as healthy-seeming as a salad.

Here are some quick-fire sugar reduction tips: Sweeten Yogurt Naturally Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurts can contain almost 30 grams of sugar, much of it added. Try to opt for plain and mix in blueberries or sprinkle on cinnamon. That’s 2-4 teaspoons of sugar reduced per day.

Snack On Whole Foods And Grains Instead of energy bars, candy, and cookies, eat nuts, vegetables, and fiber-rich fruits (like apples, pears, and berries) or whole grains, like popcorn.

You would be reducing your sugar intake by 5-10 teaspoons full.

Dilute Your Fruit Juice Fruit drinks account for about 10 percent of the added sugar in our diets. Mix your juice with an equal amount of water and you’ll halve the calories.

Change Your Cereal Shelve the Frosties for steel-cut oats.

Stir in a half scoop of vanilla protein powder for a sweetness kick. You’ll add about 10 grams of protein and save 2-4 teaspoons of sugar.

To quote a movie series that I tried to get into, may the odds be forever in your favour! I will also be trying to create habits from some of these, so good luck to us all.

A single can of Coca-Cola, for instance, packs 39 grams of the stuff. And added sugar sneaks into unsuspecting edibles, like hamburgers and “healthy” Greek yogurts. Cutting back on your sugar intake is a smart choice, but it’s tough to know where to start.

If you’re looking to slow down, start with a few of the tweaks below. Introduce them to your everyday routine, and eventually they’ll turn into a habit

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

FASHION FILE

The ‘Kilibe’ Collection by

Ekaz Signatures

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

FASHION FILE

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

The ‘Kilibe ’ Collection

E

kaz Signatures, new collection is titled kilibe, kilibe’s inspiration is from nature. African environment, colours, shapes , things and fashion trends in the world. Kilibe simply means start looking or watching. It’s about that masterpiece attire or outfit where you steal the show or become the centre of attraction. This is Ekez’s first exhibition and she also showcased on the runway. It is a sort of a tip of the iceberg, the outfit has so much to bring to the industry Who They Are Ekaz Signature Creations is owned and run by Creative Director, Shirley Ogo Ukpaka, a proven and qualified fashion designer with over a decade of hands-on experience in arts and craft as well as advanced fashion designing. Ogo, as she is popularly called, is a graduate of Theatre Arts, from the prestigious University of Nigeria and a SMEDAN (the small and medium enterprises development agency of Nigeria in 2005) trained entrepreneur. She has also attended indigenous fashion schools and training programmes in Nigeria.

Ekez’s client experience covers charity, professional and individual services. Its standards are high and maintaining high skills is an absolute passion which includes ongoing learning. Ekez has the rare skill of understanding both the detail and the bigger picture.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JULY 23, 2016

WITH

MARKET PLACE

OMOLABAKE FASHOGBON 08033621009

From Left; Executive Secretary, Junior Chamber International, JCI Nigeria, Folakemi Olajiga; Mr Ahmed Mohammed,Chairman,Integration Dignity and Economic Advancement, IDEA; National President, JCI Nigeria, Mr. Olatunji Oyeyemi and Chapter President, JCI Nigeria,OOU Member, Kafidipe Hazzan, at the Press Briefing of JCI Nigeria on 2016 nation wide leprosy awareness,sponsored by Nippon Foundation held in Lagos recently

L-R: Director, Policy Africa Department, International Division, US Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Leila Ndiaye; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Chief (Mrs) Nike Akande; and Director General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, during the signing of memorandum of understanding between LCCI and US Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Bilateral trade relations in Lagos recently

Yudala Plans Big for First Anniversary

Composite retail outfit, Yudala, is set to treat its customers to a blast as its plans to mark its first year of entry into the Nigeria’s e-commerce sector.

The firm will be hosting its multi-city digital entertainment concert tagged Zero Gravity, an initiative that is specifically put together for its teeming customers to appreciate their loyalty in the past

one year.

According to sources in the company, the event will be officially announced in a world press conference billed to hold next Wednesday.

Feelers also indicated that the event would take place in three of the company’s most patronised cities across the country every year, with each city playing host to two different concerts – a

BlackBerry to Phase out Classic Model, not BB10

Shoppers Find Delight in OLX New Service

Global leader in mobile communications, BlackBerry Limited has announced its commitment to BlackBerry (BB) 10 software and not backing out as being misconstrued by many.

The Information Communication Technology, ICT, company said although it had stopped producing the Classic model of BlackBerry device which is also built with the BB10 software, it was on a journey to improve its BB10 platform.

According to the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Marty Beard, BlackBerry customers depended on the BB10 platform and they also drive the firm’s roadmap.

“This is why we are committed to not just maintaining BB10 software, but advancing it to be more secured and provide even greater productivity. This will be reflected in our next 10.3.3 update coming within the next month, which will focus on enhancing our already-stellar privacy and security features. Future BB10 software updates for 2017 are already in the works. Meanwhile, BB 10 devices such as the BlackBerry Passport and Leap are still available to our loyal customers.

“Our customers also help us decide what type of keyboard to make for them. Their choices range from virtual and physical keyboards; this means we will continue to make our iconic BlackBerry keyboard. We have four physical keyboard options that we currently offer: Passport, Passport Silver Edition, Classic and PRIV. There is solid demand for physical keyboards, and as long as that is the case, we will continue to make them. For virtual keyboard fans, you have Leap and PRIV”, Beard explained.

On the uniqueness of the brand and it’s latest, Priv, which is powered by android, Beard said, “We wanted to merge the best of BlackBerry with Android – the notion of a new merged BlackBerry platform meant we would provide the security and connectivity BlackBerry is known for, with the content available in the Android ecosystem, all in one environment and that gave birth to Priv, which was the first iteration. Soon, there will be others”.

The ‘Do it For Me (DIFM) product recently introduced by leading Online Classifieds site, OLX.com.ng is gaining momentum sooner than expected as shoppers are changing their tune to operate on the platform.

DIFM is a novel initiative of the online company that allows a designated OLX champ, who is a sales expert, to post and sell items via the company’s site on behalf of users, especially those who have no time to post, meet with potential buyers or want their privacy protected.

Recently, the company sponsored some users of the service to the star-studded premiere of ‘The CEO’, a movie produced by legendary filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, who is also a DIFM user.

In his testimony, Akachi Wosu, a staff of Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS) Lagos, narrated how he sold his car within 24 hours, using the service.

“I have been engaging with the site for

rock gospel and contemporary music blast, featuring headline acts and the best of artistes in both music genres from Nigeria and other parts of the world.

The concert which is expected to be powered by new concept media group will kick off with an Independence edition scheduled to take place in October this year.

the past two years, but it never occurred to me to sell my car on the site until I had made several unsuccessful attempts trying to sell it through personal contacts and my mechanic. I had decided to take it off the market before my wife insisted that we book an OLX Champ for assistance.

“I was a bit skeptical, but still contacted the champ who assisted me in not only posting the car on the site, but also suggested the best price to sell the vehicle. Within 24 hours after the advert went live, the champ informed me that he had a serious buyer and the deal was completed in a matter of hours”, he narrated.

Country Manager of the firm, Lola Masha stated that the service was best suited for this period of economic meltdown where people were willing than never before, to get rid of items they no longer needed by selling them to earn extra income.

Power Oil Gets NMA Endorsement Another feather has been added to the cap of Power Oil, a product of Dufil Prima Foods, following the endorsement from the Nigerian Medical Association ( NMA) in addition to the certification given by other government regulatory bodies such as : Nigerian Heart Foundation, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

The Product is by all standards now considered safe and healthy for human consumption, especially as it delivers on its proposition, being a heart friendly oil.

Secretary General of NMA, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, who confirmed the certification, explained that the endorsement came after the product successfully scaled through its rigorous tests in ascertaining the health benefits of the brand.

Sununu also commended the brand for being true to its claim as well as its commitment to offering quality and heath friendly output to consumers.

Power Oil’s Brand Communication Manager, Ijeoma Opara, said the development was a demonstration of the trust and confidence that various health stakeholders had on the brand and its offerings.

“We are elated by this endorsement and we see this as a yield on our investments over the years. From the world-class packaging, to the consistent quality in ensuring delivery of the best value to consumers; it is our unending quest not to compromise on health. Also, due to our cholesterol-free components, Power Oil is indeed ideal for the heart and we would go a long way towards maintaining the standard to promote a healthy Nigeria”, Opara said.

Sources close to the firm hinted further that a number of corporate organisations, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other brands including digital entertainment outfit, New Concept Media Group, had shown interest to partner with the company in hosting the inaugural edition of the concert touted as a digital entertainment explosion as never witnessed in the country.

Spectranet Upgrades Internet Service in Ibadan Internet service provider, Spectranet has launched 4G Long Term Evolution, LTE, in Ibadan city to improve internet service in the area.

LTE is a standard for high-speed wireless communication for mobile phones and data terminals and the introduction of 4G will provide subscribers in Ibadan and environs faster and affordable services that would redefine lifestyle and enhance their businesses.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Spectranet Ltd, David Venn, the latest development was a major step forward for the company as it continues in its aggressive expansion campaign across Nigeria whereby it’s deployed over 50 base stations every month to ensure standard reception of services by numerous subscribers.

He added that introducing 4G LTE would provide Ibadan business owners and residents faster, reliable and affordable Internet service that would lift them above current challenges caused by infrastructure deficits.

“Today marks another milestone in our service delivery, as we reinstate our commitment to Ibadan customers through our reliable and affordable Internet service for a seamless browsing experience. At Spectranet, we don’t just expand for the sake of expansion, but with the sole purpose of delighting our customers with unique Internet experience that is second-to- none”, he stated.

Venn added that being a market leader, the firm was committed to providing its customers with a worldclass internet experience that was offered via a network of 4G LTE base stations (towers) and coverage, which currently include Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and Port Harcourt.

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SATURDAY JULY 23, 2016 T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

NPA: The MD it Needs Abdullahi Bayero

P

erhaps, the trajectory of Hadiza Bala Usman, in the last few years, is akin to that of Okonkwo, the lead character of Chinua Achebe’s ‘’Things Fall Apart.’’ At 40, through solid personal achievements, the lady has soared to great heights within a short time. However, unlike Okonkwo, Hajiya Hadiza is a blue blood, she also has name recognition and the lady is from the upper middle class family of intellectuals. In Nigeria, these attributes open doors for people, making most of them laid back and indolent in typical ‘’Aje Butter’’ fashion. With Hadiza, the story is different as ‘’struggle’’ has been her way of life from the cradle.

Significantly, the mustard seed was sown in Zaria, at the Samaru main Campus of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), where she was born, nurtured and groomed. Specifically, Hajiya Hadiza’s character was forged in the furnace of idealism, when ABU was the hot bed of radical scholarship. More so, Dr Yusufu Bala Usman, her late father, was the leading light of the leftist ideology.

At that time, ABU boasted of the best and the brightest minds in the intellectual world. From primary to secondary school, up to her first degree, Hadiza had lived and schooled in that environment, and naturally, the constant search for the truth, which is the essence of scholarship, has rubbed off on her over the years.

So, with a degree in Business Administration, Hadiza went to the United Kingdom, where she bagged a Master’s degree at the University of Leeds in 2009.

However, instead of securing a cozy job in the banking or oil and gas sectors, she opted to be a researcher at the Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training (CEDDERT). Thereafter, she went to the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), where she met with Malam Nasir El Rufai, the then Director General of the agency.

In 2003, when El Rufai became Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hadiza joined him as Special Assistant on Project Implementation. Afterwards,

Hadiza Bala she plunged into full time activism and politics.

Significantly, Hajiya Hadiza and a few patriots, across geo-political and religious divides, formed the Good Governance Group, a policy think tank that was committed to accountability. Severally, the group had x-rayed policy issues, critiqued state and federal budgets as well as highlighted abuse of office. Hadiza, according to reports, was the engine room of the group as she and her colleagues, on several platforms, have held governments to account and criticized sundry infractions.

Thereafter, Hadiza crossed over to politics and the lady, along with like minds, teamed up with General Muhammadu Buhari to form the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). Specifically, she contested for the House of Representatives, especially in Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency. However, the PDP candidate defeated her in a controversial manner. But instead of contesting his victory, she moved on to other party engagements. In particular, Hajiya Hadiza and other CPC stalwarts, including El

Rufai, midwifed the historic merger with Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) as well as a rump of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Ironically, in spite of all these, Hajiya Hadiza had remained largely in the shadows but for the Chibok school girls’ saga, where female students of Government Secondary School Chibok in Borno State, were kidnapped. Hadiza, Ms Oby Okwesilieze, former Minister of Education and other activists had teamed up to form the Bring Back Our Girls(BBOG) campaign, an advocacy group that raised awareness on the plight of the Chibok Girls. The activists, at that time, risked their lives and limbs to protest the inertia of the Jonathan administration over the abduction. Regularly, the group held vigils, addressed the press and staged peaceful demonstrations around Unity Fountain Abuja, sometimes with tear gas canisters flying over their heads.

Significantly, after President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat, Hadiza became the Chief of Staff of Governor El Rufai, where she took charge of the goings on of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, as Kaduna Government House is referred to. In that position, she re-organised the seat of power, drew up an elaborate organogram and insisted that political appointees deliver on their assigned schedules.

Particularly, she led by example and instead of threatening and throwing her weight around, Hajiya rebuked erring staff in private. In fact, the former Chief of Staff, according to reports, was the voice of restraint within El Rufai’s kitchen cabinet. Always, Hadiza resorted to the force of reason, instead of forcing people to be reasonable. In my opinion, this attribute will help Hadiza in her new national assignment. However, even before settling down, several projectiles are being fired at her.

Specifically, critics have picked holes on her appointment and in summary; their arguments can be reduced into three points. First, they argued that Hadiza lacks the experience to head NPA and that her Curriculum Vitae is not rich enough for the appointment. Second, her appointment is seen in some quarters as another example of the president’s nepotism as

PERSPECTIVE

both Hadiza and Buhari are from Katsina state. Third, some critics prefer ‘’an insider’’ who knows NPA through and through, instead of a ‘neophyte’ who will spend years learning on the job. In short, some ‘’pundits’’ have dismissed her as a square peg in a round hole, on account of her age, academic qualification and experience.

First and foremost, Section 2(a) and (c) of the constitution, the supreme law of the land, states that any Nigerian who is 40 years of age and has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent, can aspire to be president of Nigeria. At 40, with two degrees in her kitty, Hajiya Hadiza is qualified to be president, let alone the Managing Director of NPA. As for nepotism, the accusation is not supported by facts because it was Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transport, that nominated Hadiza to the president for the post and the last time I checked, the Minister is from Rivers and not Katsina state. In making the nomination, Amaechi was guided by the need for geographical spread in his Ministry. Right now, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC) are both headed by southerners and NPA, Ameachi had argued, should go to the north for equitable distribution of appointments. In any case, Alhaji Habib Abdullahi, the immediate past MD is from the north, so were his predecessors, Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero and Architect Aminu Dabo. Similarly, those who favour an insider for the top NPA job miss the point. Right now, the agency needs someone with fresh ideas, who can think outside the box and not an MD who has spent donkey years doing the same thing and expecting different results.

Above all, NPA needs a steady pair of hands and someone with integrity, in order to reposition the six major ports under it. In this regard, Hadiza has earned her spurs as an Administrative Secretary of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation, a member of APC Strategy Committee and the Director of Kaduna State APC Campaign Council. As Achebe noted in ‘’Things Fall Apart,’’ ‘’when a child washes his hands, he can eat with a king’’. Clearly, Hajiya Hadiza’s clean hands are what is needed to turn NPA around.

–Bayero, writes from Kaduna State.

Coup d’état Attempt: Turkey’s Reichstag Fire?

Ayşe Kadioğlu

O

n the evening of July 15, 2016, a friend called around 10:30 pm and said that both bridges connecting the Asian and European sides of Istanbul were closed by military barricades. Moreover, military jets were flying over Ankara skies. As someone living on the European side of Istanbul and commuting to the Asian side to my university on a daily basis and spending many hours in traffic to do that, I immediately knew that the closure of both bridges was a sign of something very extraordinary taking place.

To confirm the news about the military jets over Ankara, I called my parents in Ankara.

They answered the phone in a panic. I could hear military jets from the other end of the phone. Not surprisingly, my 86-year-old parents had experienced military coups in Turkey before. As I was talking breathlessly with my Dad, my Mum murmured from the other line calmly but firmly: “this seems like a coup d’état.”

From that point onwards, all hell broke loose, especially in Ankara and Istanbul.

The death toll in less than 24 hours after the coup attempt in Turkey is over 200. There are thousands of people who are wounded.

Twitter and Facebook became inaccessible during the early hours. The tv channels started broadcasting live from Ankara and Istanbul: yet, they were not sure what was going on at the outset. Shortly after, the

Tayyip Erdogan

military released a statement saying that the “military has seized all power in Turkey” through the state tv channel TRT. That is when I could not stop my tears, for memories flocked back to September 12, 1980, coup d’état when a similar announcement was made. I had experienced that coup as a student in one of the most politically active universities in the country, the Middle East Technical University. The memories, as for many people of my generation, were painful.

Within two hours, Turkey’s President Re-

cep Tayyip Erdogan was live on FaceTime on Turkish CNN (CNN Türk). His face could be seen on tv screens as it appeared on the phone held in the hand of the CNN Türk anchor.

He issued a statement in this manner and urged the people to go to the public squares and the airport and defend the nation. Soon afterward, there were echoes of calls to prayer from multiple minarets although it was not prayer time. I read later that there were also calls for action by Imams against the military urging people to take to the streets.

Joining the echo of the calls to prayers were the loud noises of military jets flying over Istanbul skies. The combination of these sounds made me think that yes, these were the sounds of the funeral of free speech, critical thinking, and any other remnants of the liberal democratic process in Turkey.

I realized in fear and agony that whether the coup was successful or not, one thing was sure: there would no longer be room in Turkey for people who can listen, read, analyze, and think critically.

This did not happen suddenly. With the crackdown on media, academic freedoms, random arrests, and the increasing violence in the southeast provinces, citizens in Turkey have been facing significant limitations on their basic freedoms for the past few years.

The attempted coup d’état of July 15 is like the last nail in the coffin. Lying dead in the coffin was the courage to use one’s understanding (as in Sapere Aude) that relentlessly resisted the rising tide of categorical thinking typical of true believers.

The damage that was inflicted on the parliament building in Ankara was huge.

Many of its main halls and corridors are in ruins. The sight was reminiscent of the Reichstag fire in Germany that took place on February 27, 1933, about a month after Adolf Hitler became the Chancellor. The similarities are not limited to the visible damage to both parliament buildings.

The Reichstag fire was also the last nail in the coffin of the possibility of fundamental freedoms as well as critical thinking in Germany. On the evening of the Reichstag fire, Chancellor Hitler was relaxing at a dinner party in Joseph Goebbels’ home. The fire was soon blamed on a demented Dutch Communist named Marinus van der Lubbe, who had a record of crimes of arson. The reality behind the Reichstag fire was not even clarified during the Nuremberg trials. Still, there was a lot of evidence that pointed to the responsibility of the Nazis for it. But what was important was not so much who set fire to the Reichstag but rather what came out of it.

On the day following the Reichstag fire, the juridical order was suspended by the Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State (Verordnung des Reichspräsidenten Zum Schutz von Volk und Staat). The decree involved the suspension of seven sections of the Constitution which guaranteed individual and civil liberties. The order authorised the government to take complete control in the federal states and impose the capital punishment for some crimes. In fact, Goering wanted to hang the arsonist on the spot right after his arrest.

Read full article online: www.thisdaylive.

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SATURDAY JULY 23, 2016 T H I S D AY

ADVERTORIAL

T H I S D AY SATURDAY JULY 23, 2016

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JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

AMCON: In Who’s Interest?

Yunusa Ibrahim

T

he deteriorating macroeconomic environment as well as some earningsconstraining policies from both the monetary and fiscal authorities has seen a lot of businesses in the country gasping for breath.

From banking to oil and gas, down to manufacturing, a lot of firms in have been struggling to record decent profit.

Clearly, the prolonged slump in the price of crude oil as well as the incessant attacks on oil installations have continued to impact negatively on the economy, with attendant spillage on firms in the country. In fact, going by the present situation, the federal government has hinted that implementing the 2016 budget, a very important fiscal policy document, whose execution a lot of people had thought would help re-flate the economy, is now a mirage.

This followed recent comment by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal that the N6.06 trillion budget for this year will only be partially implemented as a result of revenue shortfall. He had blamed the decline in economic activities on the militant Ahmed Kuru group, the Niger Delta Avengers, which has claimed responsibility for the wave of Enterprise Bank Limited, an instituof attacks on oil installations in the tion that was previously owned by oil-rich region.

AMCON. Kuru had in an interview These, coupled with the foreign said when AMCON was set up, quite a exchange crisis, which has seen a lot number of the facilities it acquired were of volatility in the naira, as well as a restructured and in the first couple of looming recession, are all source of years of AMCON establishment, they concerns. were able to make some recoveries Nevertheless, despite the weakening from those facilities. macroeconomic outlook, the Asset “But five years down the line, with Management Corporation of Nigeria the economic situation that is challeng(AMCON), a key government agency ing the global financial system, with that was created to be a key stabilising the price of crude oil down, obviously and re-vitalising tool in the economy, a lot of our obligors are having chalhas continued to parade itself as an lenges meeting their obligation. Also, enemy of businesses with overall nega- we are having challenges regarding the tive bearing on the economy already valuation of our assets. reeling and dire straits. The government “We are not able to get the true value agency that was set up to efficiently of our assets because of the economic resolve the non-performing loan assets situation based on the drop in the price (NPLs), appears to be working in the of crude oil. If we say we are going opposite as its activities have continue to offload our assets based on market to injure businesses. realities, we may not get 60 per cent of AMCON was set up primarily to address the financial crisis of 2008/2009, with specific respect to what the Nigerian banking system were going through. AMCON was set up to provide liquidity by purchasing the NPLs of these commercial banks. By doing that, it freed liquidity so that they could lend to the real sector. At that time the NPL ratio was as high as 60 per cent and the industry average in the prudential guidelines stated that it should be around five per cent.

So, AMCON was set up to free the liquidity and reduce the NPLs to five per cent. Secondly, AMCON was also encouraged to provide financial accommodation to some of the financial institutions, including some of the obligors in the industry that were considered strategic. What people try not to understand is the fact that quite a lot of those facilities that were bought from financial institutions were facilities that were bad ab initio. They were facilities that had been restructured severally and some of these banks had already put them in memorandum account. What it means is that they had fully provided for them.

On Tuesday, August 8, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari dissolved the executive management team of AMCON and approved the reconstitution of a new team.

To this end, Mr. Ahmed Lawan Kuru was named the Managing Director.

Kuru was the Group Managing Director

Beyond the reputational damage AMCON’s approach has inflicted on companies it claims are owning it, is the larger implication on the economy already heading into recession. This is the worry of many who are concerned that the agency is operating in isolation of its environment.

According to an investment analyst who prefers not to be named, AMCON should adopt a new approach that takes note of the current economic realities of the country. “I cannot understand the rush to wind down companies in the name of debt recovery when every businesses and governments across the country are facing difficult times

the value. So, what we are trying to do is to find a way of restructuring some of these facilities,” he had disclosed.

But feelers from AMCON showed that Kuru’s AMCON may be doing the opposite of what he promised on assumption of office.

In an interview with CNBC Africa, he had also promised that AMCON will not in the process of loan recovery allow any company indebted to AMCON go under. A promise he has failed to keep. AMCON has since employed draconian tactics shutting down businesses here and there. From Aero Contractors Limited, Bi-Courtney Limited and Capital Oil Limited, the list is endless. Last month, AMCON sealed the Abuja premises of Silverbird Galleria belonging to Senator Ben Murray Bruce. The galleria currently houses the Abuja studio of the radio and television stations of the senator as well as his other business interests. Apart from Bruce’s companies, the seven-storey building also houses other business interests such as Shoprite, United Bank for Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, Mango boutique, and Etisalat office among others. The building was sealed

by AMCON through the assistance of law enforcement agencies around 8am following a court order secured by AMCON. Conspicuously written on the fence of the building as well as other strategic locations was an enforcement notice by AMCON which says, “Possession taken by court order 26/06/16.”

The same was done to NICON Group which is owned by Jimoh Ibrahim.

In this case, the corporation froze the account of the billionaire. But the ruling which empowered AMCON to take the action against AMCON has since been upturned.

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos ordered the defreezing of the accounts. Hon Justice Seidu gave the order following the hearing of a case brought before the court to discharge the freezing order hitherto obtained by AMCON. After listening to the arguments to discharge the freezing order, counsel to AMCON led by Mr. Yusuf Ali, SAN could not respond to the applications for the discharge but asked for an adjournment to exploit settlement and reconcile accounts in dispute through their respective accountants.

Ali conceded to an immediate vacation of the freezing order in the face of the applications against it with damming and unassailable facts and for unfettered settlement discussions to take place.

The court agreed to the application to discharge the freezing order and the matter was subsequently adjourned to August 1, 2016.

Also, a recent case at hand is that of MRS Holdings Limited, which AMCON claimed is indebted to it. Contrary to AMCON’s claims, the company has maintained that it is not indebted to AMCON. In a statement, the company stated: “Our attention has been drawn to a recent publication by the by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria alleging that MRS Holdings Limited is indebted to it in the sum of N81 Billion and that the Corporation has instituted Suit No: FHC/L/CP/923/2016 to wind up the company over the inability of MRS to pay the alleged debt.

“MRS challenges in the strongest possible terms the false claim by AMCON that MRS is indebted to AMCON in the sum of N81 Billion or any sum at all. The correct position is that MRS obtained a loan from a consortium of banks in Nigeria for a viable project.

AMCON took over the loans. However, it became clear to AMCON that MRS

POLITY

was paying down on the loan and agreed to restructure the loan on agreed terms of N74 billion. The said debt has since been fully settled. The terms of settlement was entered as Judgment of Court on 29 June 2015, in Suit No FHC/L/CS/1365/2015.

“MRS is shocked that in spite of having fully settled the debt, AMCON has decided to re-litigate an already concluded matter. MRS Holdings Limited understands AMCON’s statutory function to recover debts but by no stretch can this mean harassment of companies. AMCON has declared a new aggressive debt recovery drive.

MRS has no problem with that but this does not give AMCON a licence to embarrass and harass companies. It is not a crime to obtain loans for viable projects. Execution of viable projects leads to job creation and growth of the economy. However, when companies obtain loans for legitimate businesses are being harassed and embarrassed in the name of aggressive debt recovery, it signals danger for economy growth.”

MRS said it has taken notice of AMCON frivolous recovery cases against many companies on similar issues to MRS, “Not surprisingly all the cases were dismissed by the courts.”

“MRS is taking legal advice to clear its good name and bring necessary actions to seek damages for the embarrassment and damage caused the Company’s reputation and goodwill by AMCON’s publication and action.

“MRS assure all its customers and business associates that the newspaper report will not affect the company and its subsidiaries’ high quality services that it has always been known for and would seek redress for the damages caused by the publication. MRS further assures the general public that MRS Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries will continue to transact their businesses with the highest ethical standards and in accordance with the extant laws of the country, “it stated It is in light of the adverse implications on the image of M.R.S, that its management quickly moved to reassure its customers and bankers of AMCON’s spurious wind-down statement robustly debunking the claim of indebtedness.

Warning it to get its act together instead of stumbling from one defeat to another.

Beyond the reputational damage AMCON’s approach has inflicted on companies it claims are owning it, is the larger implication on the economy already heading into recession. This is the worry of many who are concerned that the agency is operating in isolation of its environment. According to an investment analyst who prefers not to be named, AMCON should adopt a new approach that takes note of the current economic realities of the country. “I cannot understand the rush to wind down companies in the name of debt recovery when every businesses and governments across the country are facing difficult times. Now if it winds down these businesses what will happen to the workers? Will AMCON employ them? The International Monetary Fund, IMF just released its forecast on Nigeria waning that the country is heading into recession. This is hardly surprising considering the fact that oil prices, our main revenue earner have slumped on the international market. At the moment many states can’t pay workers salaries while the federal government is grappling with a major financial crises, that it now even borrows to pay its workers salaries. So I think AMCON is being unreasonable by compounding the crises in the economy,” he declared.

–Ibrahim wrote in from Abuja

49

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

EVENT Modupe Sasore: The Making of a Female Rotary President The Rotary Club of Lagos, penultimate week, installed Mrs. Gladys Dupe Sasore as its new president and only the second female to occupy the position in its 55-year history, Labake Fashogbon reports

I

t was another night of tributes, backslapping and camaraderie as the Rotary Club of Lagos marked the beginning of another Rotary Year with the inauguration of Modupe Gladys Sasore as the new President of the Club. The event was epochal in the sense that Sasore was coming in as the 56th president of the Club but only the second female to head a club reputed to be the number one Rotary Club in the country and formed in 1961.

The out gone president and former Public Relations Adviser of Nigerian Breweries Plc., Lawrence Agose, reeled out his achievements while in the saddle in the last 12 months. And only a few members of the club would argue the fact that the tenure of Agose witnessed a lot of humanitarian activities, especially in the area of education and promotion of literacy. It might look like yesterday that he was investitured, but like yesterday that Agose, was installed as the 55th president of the Rotary Club of Lagos, but it was actually a year already and it was night of speeches, thrills and frills as Sasore stepped in.

Sasore has paid her dues in a firmament dominated by men: legal services. And she would be bringing in so much into her new assignment. The woman, who many described as not only matriarchal in her outlook but firm and fair in her decisions, is an advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration in the United Kingdom. At one time, she was Special Adviser on Export Programmes to former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 2005 and 2007. She had also served as Chairman of several committees in the Club.

Incidentally, the guest speaker at the ceremony happened to be a woman and the first female to attain the rank of a rear admiral in the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Itunu Hotonu. In her speech, she could not hide her delight at the emergence of a lady as the president of the Club. Hotonu asked Nigerian women to step out of the shadows and take their rightful place in the scheme of things. She said gone are the days when men dominate anywhere. To her, the place of women is at the top.

“To the women I am saying you have a place at the top. You are invaluable to the human race. Today, women are going places and doing great things. You are who you are meant to be. Don’t limit yourself. Don’t stay in the shadows. I am not saying this for you to take over; I am saying you are not handicapped and should never see yourself as such,” she said.

She also commended the club for its service to humanity and pleaded the club to assist in restoring the fallen ethical standard of the Nigerian society.

In his valedictory remarks, Agose, spoke on his eventful twelve months in the saddle as the President of the Club. He gave giving account of the Club’s undertakings in the 2015/16 Rotary year. He listed projects embarked upon and completed under his leadership. The star project, according to him, was the building and furnishing of the Randle Avenue Primary School Library in partnership with Nigeria Breweries Plc,

Mrs. Modupe Sasore (2nd left) after her investiture of President Rotary Club of Lagos

which cost N18million. It was after this that he took a bow and put the ceremonial brass garland to Sasore.

A major feature of the evening ceremony was the presentation of awards to some members of the Club for their distinguished contribution in the last Rotary Year, with Bridget Uko bagging the Rotarian of the Year Award. Uko was a regular face at virtually all programmes of the Club during the 2015/2016 Rotary year. She is described as a woman so committed to the Rotary cause and would always make herself available during any event. Notable dignitaries who graced the occasion included chairman of the occasion betting magnate, Sir Kessington Adebutu, who was represented by his son, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, and Alhaji Umar Saro who was the Special Guest of Honour.

In another development, the Club has commissioned a borehole for staff and students of Lafiaji Senior High School in Lagos Island. The borehole with water treatment plant, overhead tanks and water fetching bay, was sunk in partnership with Fidson Healthcare Plc with a cost of N1million.

In his remarks at the ceremony held within the school premises, president of the club, Larry Agose, former president of the Club, stated that it is the culture of the Club to carry out projects that impact positively on the society. He explained that he discovered the school was in need of water after visiting the premises and consulting a former president of the club. “The school came to my radar six months ago when the past president said he gave computers to the school and those computers need servicing. I noticed the environment and we discovered the students

Mrs. Sasore receiving an award

are in need of water for sanitation and other purposes. Given the financial implication, we presented this proposal to Fidson Healthcare Plc. They saw it was in line with their value for human life and decided to partner with us on the project,” Agose stated.

Speaking further, he said the Club has a culture of contributing positively to the society; adding that the Club doesn’t just embark on projects, but executes out projects

that meet the needs of the people.

In her remark, principal of the school, Mrs. M.O Mebude, acknowledged the social relevance of the Club and appreciated the kind gesture of providing not just a borehole, but with a treatment plant, noting that some students would not only fetch for domestic use but tend to take a sip.

Read full article online: www.thisdaylive.com

VINTAGE

GOtv To Broadcast Rio Olympics Live On 3 SuperSport Channels

F

rom 5 August, GOtv subscribers will enjoy the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, live on three SuperSport Channels.

The Olympic Games will be available on three pop-up channels: SuperSport 5 (channel 37), SuperSport 7 (channel 38) and SuperSport 12 (channel 39), for the duration of the sporting event.

Subscribers will experience the momentous event from every angle, as SuperSport will be there to capture all

the action of the Games.

With 306 medal sets available, SuperSport will broadcast live every gold-medal event, ensuring unprecedented coverage of the sport spectacle. There will be more than 2, 500 hours of the Olympics broadcast over 15 days.

Coverage will include Olympics news, boxing, basketball, football, gymnastics and weightlifting. SuperSport 12 will be a dedicated 24-hour Olympic news channel, which will be produced by the

International Olympic Committee. In addition, the Blitz channel will broadcast regular updates and direct viewers to the big events of the day.

SuperSport 5 will be dedicated to hockey, handball, volleyball (beach and indoors), gymnastics and trampoline games, while SuperSport 7 will air boxing, weightlifting and judo events.

SuperSport will also have roving reporters in Rio, with Crystal Arnold, Carol Tshabalala, James Wokabi and Rui de

Oliveira (Portuguese) reporting directly from various venues and the team village.

Multiple live feeds will be made available to SuperSport, which will then “cherry pick” the best content, much of it with a Pan-African leaning, for the Olympic channels.

Every possible viewing platform will be accommodated, including live streaming via www.supersport.com and the SuperSport apps, as well as social platforms.

50

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

INSIGHT

Nigeria: The Limits of Asceticism and High Morality

Jon West

I

n a defining scene in the classic cult movie “The Third Man” based on the survival of the fittest reality of post Second World War Vienna, Austria, the villain character, portrayed by the inimitable actor, Orson Welles, confronted the hero of the movie in a cynical defence of his actions. In trying to justify his immoral, black-marketeering activities and its effect on life in the devastated city, the villain alluded to the disparate results of a previous political and social era. “In Italy under the regimes of the Borgias dynasty, there was 300 years of wars, mayhem and instability , but the period produced the Renaissance, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci; Meanwhile in Switzerland, they had 500 years of peace and brotherly love and what was the result? The cuckoo clock!!”

Such self-serving justification for moral apostasy is condemnable, but there is some truth hidden in the details. Asceticism and high morality, even if true, may not always produce the practical dividends that engender sustainable nationhood.

In China under Mao and the Cultural Revolution,tens of millions of Chinese starved or were worked to death in an apparent effort at drastic population control. However, such an unacceptable out come was tempered by the rise of “counter revolutionaries” like Deng Xiaoping, the revisionist and reformist Communist Leader who precipitated communist China’s shift to disguised capitalism and tremendous economic progress. Perhaps one of the defining results of the great sufferings of the Cultural Revolution was the adoption of the one child policy by the Chinese Government and people , in order to ensure that never again will the nation experience the debilitating effects of over-population.

Again “evil” has resulted in some good.

Rewind to the USA in its early years; the buccaneering and carpetbagger families of Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and JP Morgan et al, were known as the Robber Barons, but they built the railroads, petroleum industry, financial systems and the road infrastructure that launched the United States into the commanding heights of the global economy and world technological domination that subsists till this day. Same could be said for the Japanese kinreitsus, the Korean Chaebols and the Indian economic princelings of Tata and the Ambani Brothers. In Nigeria, their equivalents are the budding Dangote, Adenuga, Elumelu, Obiejesi and Otedola dynasties, spawned by decades of military rule and civilian sweetheart business deals.

During the 16 year “misrule’ of the Peoples Democratic Party, especially the Government of the hitherto shoeless son of the Otuoke canoe-carver, Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, there was unbridled corruption and debauchery in the polity, leading to the current disclosures of corruption on a scale last seen during the disastrous military regimes that ruined the prospects of Nigeria as a developed nation and shining light of Black and African Renaissance.

However, this period of unmitigated and wanton corruption, instigated and sustained by factors that are beyond the scope of this article, produced the Great Leap Forward developments of privatisation, deregulation, banking consolidation, a vibrant stock market, pro local auto manufacturing policies, local content legislation for the petroleum industry, the Bureau for Public procurement ,Treasury Single Account, IPPSS,Electronic wallet for fertilizer distribution, Excess Crude account, Sovereign Wealth Fund, Asset Management Company of Nigeria,power privatization and deregulation , Petroleum Industry Bill, and a defining National Political conference among several other developments, amidst the moral decay engendered by corruption, Boko Haram, Northern Moslem irredentism and Southwest’s angst at perceived political marginalization.

The instant gratification infused mentality of the Nigerian populace did not allow for the correct perception of this very reforming agenda of the Jonathan and previous PDP Governments that produced a myriad of ideas in such a short time, considering the fact that 16 years is a short time in the history of a nation, and in the words of a Deutsche bank advert “Ideas are capital, the rest is just money” and Tom Peters’ (the intellectual capital and excellence guru) assertion that “The man with the Idea is the hero”.

In trying to reform the apparently unreformable (apologies to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala) Jonathan and his very creative and ideas-profused ministers, incurred the wrath of a significant proportion of the Nigerian population, already inflicted with the instant gratification mentality that assures that the

Buhari

future is devoid of strategic planning and therefore destined to fail and fail woefully. Perhaps this is a hold-out of the several decades of debilitating military rule, where policies and events are ordered into place with immediate effect and “automatic alacrity”, whatever that means. The people are therefore not adaptable to the serious debates and patience required for the evolution of new policies and processes. It seems odd that in spite of the almost permanent maligning of the previous Government, all the policies enunciated by “discredited” PDP Governments are the foundation, cornerstone and superstructure of the APC Government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

If rampant corruption can lead to such prodigious profusion of ideas that drive the nation forward, perhaps the current subtle campaign by a large section of the populace to “Bring Back Our Corruption” has a basis in reality. While severely condemning the reckless and profligate stealing of public funds during the PDP’s tenure and its consequence of sub-optimality of Governance and the national economy, it appears that the apparent discomfiture of the APC Government with the way forward for the reformation, transformation and revival of the national economy, in the light of the previous reality and the current oil price and production level slump, shows only that there is a limit to ascetic demeanor, grandstanding on high morality and “anti-kwaroption” rhetoric as a panacea for the resolution of pressing national problems

If rampant corruption can lead to such prodigious profusion of ideas that drive the nation forward, perhaps the current subtle campaign by a large section of the populace to “Bring Back Our Corruption” has a basis in reality. While severely condemning the reckless and profligate stealing of public funds during the PDP’s tenure and its consequence of sub-optimality of Governance and the national economy, it appears that the apparent discomfiture of the APC Government with the way forward for the reformation, transformation and revival of the national economy, in the light of the previous reality and the current oil price and production level slump, shows only that there is a limit to ascetic demeanor, grandstanding on high morality and “anti-kwaroption” rhetoric as a panacea for the resolution of pressing national problems.

It may well be said in coming decades , that the 16 years of the “discredited” PDP Governments, during which there was blatant corruption on an unimaginable level, produced some of the most defining transformative governance in Nigerian history, while the “kwaroption-free” Government of the APC saw the demise of the Nigerian economy and the descent to anomie and national perdition.

Lord Bernard Shaw, the great philosopher, once posited that “A reasonable man tries to align himself with the world, while an unreasonable man persists in trying to align the world with himself; therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man”. It is apparent that the unreasonable men and women of Nigerian politics, many of who found their way into the “mess” of the PDP, may be the real heroes of the failed state that Nigeria is apparently headed to , under the cluelessness of the APC Government.

At the least, they endevoured, warts and all, to leave their imprints on the sands of Nigerian and African development. Perhaps we may in future forgive them and actually look back to these 16 years as the watershed years of the road to national salvation.

As alluded to by the Orson Wells character in “The Third Man”, perhaps there is a limit to asceticism , high morality, stability and holier-than-thou posturing, as the basis of governance in the challenging sociopolitics and economics of the globalist 21st century.

It would make better sense to incorporate the progressive ideas of all shades of political and economic opinions, and then weld them into a mosaic of development, using the glue of institutions, policies and processes that will ensure progress, while severely denying opportunities for the blatant corruption and descent to mediocrity that has perennially hamstrung the final breakthrough of Nigeria to sustainable development and perhaps the realisation of its perceived role in the African renaissance.

––Jon West,Gwoza, Borno State

51

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES BY

EBERE WABARA

Skye Bank Still Totters

D

aily Sun Front Page of July 11welcomes us today with this headline impropriety: “Abia: Govs (Govs’) Forum expresses worry” “Boat owners sue Defence Headquarters over (for) N3bn debts” “Army kills 16 Boko Haram” National News: Boko Haram insurgents From tottering Skye Bank full-page advertorial in the above edition of DAILY SUN comes the next blunder: “We are very optimistic of the Bank, given its vast potentials (potential or potentialities) and its strategic position in the economy.”

Office of the Senate Minority Leader, The Senate, circulated two solecisms: “Within the last one year that you have been on (in) the saddle as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State….”

“Your focus and commitment to the development of Akwa Ibom State has (have) shown you….” This congratulatory advertorial was signed by Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON (Senate Minority Leader) THE NATION of July 16 comes next with this schoolboy mistake: “It was restored few (a few) weeks ago at N65 and it will take effect from September 1.” “…he said PDP does (did) not need Wike to win election in Rivers.”

“The once popular Ejinrin seaport near Epe, Lagos State, which was once a beehive of activities from slavery to….” No oddity please: hive of activity, preferably, or beehive of activity (not activities)!

“Among the dignitaries at (on) the occasion were….”

“Okada riders, police clash set community on fire” A rewrite: Okada riders’, police clash

sets community on fire” “Residents of Ogun community seek organisation’s probe over (into) human rights violation” “Kwarans are no longer their brother’s keepers….” Fixed/stock expression: brother’s keeper (no matter the plurality) “…ethnic and political lines with the wealth of the state in the hands of the state in the hands of just a few individuals.” Going by the context of this extract, it should be ‘few individuals’ and not ‘a few individuals’.

“Dangote pays half year (half-year) bonus” “If that has (had) been the case over the years….”

The Guardian of July 17 nurtured falsehoods for the second time in four years: “The new cases are people who had secondary contacts with late (the late) Patrick….”

“Eko Bridge repairs starts (why?), Lagos urges caution, cooperation” “Voters registration: Mimiko calls for deadline extension as protests mar exercise” This way: Voter apathy/registration “How to restore confidence in (to) Police Force, by Tsav” “Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hereby invites stakeholders to the grand commissioning (inauguration) of the 100,000 MT silo complex and flag-off (launch) ceremony….”

“Congratulations to an outstanding public officer, accountant per (par) excellence and a man of integrity….” “…on your selection as one of the most exceptional accountant-general in the federation.” Get it right: accountants-general Finally from THE GUARDIAN under review:“There seems to be international conspiracy (an international conspiracy) in (against) the disease.”

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

“Can we begin to have confidence on (in) INEC?” “Some of these areas include producing enough food to feed our teaming (teeming) population.”

“Rather, the money, including the N200 million per state released for special purposes, was diverted to other uses.” We certainly do not need the last three words in the extract, having been taken care of by ‘diversion’.

“Unless the detonating mechanism of extremist religious chauvinism is diffused….”

Get it right: defused (not diffused).

“They have decided to sheath their machetes and seek vengeance no more.” Noun: sheath; verb: sheathe.

THISDAY of July 17 requires reformation of four lines: “The sources of revenue in a city like Lagos is very important.” Still on errors of attraction (more below): The sources…are. “…business downturn resulting to (in) drive-wandering.” “…the rapaciousness of project contractors increase (increases) the country’s debt burden.”

“Senior civil servants’ union berate junior counterparts” Inside business: union berates.

THE GUARDIAN of July 17 questioned linguistic rules on two occasions: “It’s the poet feared most, knowing fully (full) well that one of the….”

“The agitated crowd, who had been whipped to hysteria, demanded for his head.…” To avoid mayhem, delete ‘for’, from the extract. ”…and which provides a noble and humanistic framework for relations between the state and citizens in (on) our continent.”

“The remaining average between N300, 000 to N1 million.…” Between two and three or from two to three “What is good for the goose can equally

be said to be good for the gander.” A rewrite: What is sauce (not good) for the goose is sauce for the gander. This is a fixed/stock (idiomatic) expression.

“Out of 35 years of the nation’s political independence, the military had been on the leadership saddle for 25 years.“ Get it right: in the saddle

FEEDBACK

USAGE HINTS: “Beggars must not be choosers”, meaning “a person who is hungry and has no money

to buy food should not complain when he is offered bread and cheese instead of roast lamb and new potatoes, with apple tart and cream to follow. He is in no position to argue with his benefactor and should be grateful for anything he is given”, is the standard proverb (not “Beggars can’t be choosers”).

Similar proverbs are NEVER LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH; HE WHO PAYS THE PIPER CALLS THE TUNE. “To have one’s cake and eat it” or “to eat one’s cake and have it” means “to have the advantages of two things or situations when doing, possessing, etc. One of them would normally make the other one impossible’. Mr. Andrew is engaged to one of the sisters but he would like to have his cake and eat it and go out with the other sisters.

-ize or –ise? The ending –ize and – ization are generally preferred to – ise and – isation in the 21st century usage, hence “sensitize”, like womanize (not –ise), capsize (not –ise), hospitalize (not –ise), humanize, dehumanize, capitalize, doctorize, russianize, Americanize, Africanize, Nigerianize, militarize, democratize, globalize, demonize, is the preferred form (not “sensitise”).

Every user of English should keep abreast of the current tendencies and influences in the language.

(Contributed by language activist Baba Bayo Oguntunase, Ikorodu, Lagos)

Dino’s Minions and Tinubu’s Talebearers

T

he stage drama with above title has been on in the theatre of the absurd called Nigeria’s politics since last week. In case you missed the debut, consult Saharareporters.comthe seemingly all-knowing, ever-present participant observer with a knack for leaks of all manner. Many would agree that even the world’s famous WikiLeaks may need to learn a lesson or two in real-time hacking of secret meetings of state from Omoleye Sowore’s brand of what is fashionably called citizen journalism.

The website’s expose on an executive session of Nigeria’s Senate has got everyone talking both in private and public. It broke the story that has revealed deep insights into how otherwise distinguished men and women conduct matters of state behind closed doors; and how the rest of society vanquished by decades of deprivation can be easily manipulated as chance dramatis personae in acting the script of shame.

Credit for this shameful affair goes to Dino Melaye and Remi Tinubu: two senators locked in a bitter proxy contest for and against Bukola Saraki’s leadership of the Senate. Remi Tinubu claimed Dino Melaye assaulted her verbally and was only saved from a possible physical lynching by colleagues who rose to restrain the kogi senator from beating her up. According to the former Lagos State first lady, Dino in the closed door meeting of the Senate, used sexist and derogatory terms in abusing her; capping it all up with a threat of forceful canal knowledge of her. Such salacious spill from Remi’s steaming stew was all the polity needed to get in overdrive of naked dances from the sounds of select chords. And when Mr. Melaye opened up on the allegations, the tunes of a nasty controversy took on discordant notes. The Kogi Senator at a news conference told the world that actions beget reactions; that Remi called him a dog and thug for simply making contributions in the session; that Mrs. Tinubu’s uncouth mouth earned her a rebuke which did not include a threat to rape her as “it is biologically impossible to impregnate a woman who has arrived menopause.”

Since Dino spoke, there have been many rejoinders, claims and counter-claims, twist and turns both from the principal actors and their hirelings. All manners have joined the fray, spinning and doctoring a tale of dirty altercations between senators who engaged themselves in a manner unbecoming of their distinguished status behind a heavy wooden frame. However, the truth of what really transpired in the Red Chamber on that fateful July 12, 2016 will remain a mirage as long as the Senate institution and fearless men and women of integrity in its fold play mute and decline to publicly address the unfortunate leak of a nasty encounter.

But the sordid drama is only a symptom of a greater malaise plaguing the law-making institution. Worse still, it is a foretaste of what is to come if urgent steps are not taken to save the Senate from tendentious external

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Melaye

influences. To fully understand this point, it is imperative to offer a short background to the Dino-Tinubu drama; at least for the benefit of the uninformed, ill-informed and misinformed as the case may be.

Dino Melaye, the representative of Kogi-West Senatorial District, played a prominent role as frontline member of the Like Minds Group of Senators which projected Saraki’s candidacy for the office of Senate President against the choice of a dominant cabal within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Remi Tinubu, wife of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC national leader and maximum overlord of Lagos (some say South-west) politics, was in the polar position of those championing the cause of Ahmed Lawan to become Senate President. At the end of the day, Saraki won; Lawan lost; but Mr. Tinubu it was who ended up with a bloodied nose. In any case, that was just the beginning of the matter. The end of the battle for the senate presidency only blew the whistle for the start of an endless war of attrition within the APC in which fair is foul and foul is fair. Saraki won the exalted seat but has been searching for sleep ever since, reeling from one tribulation to another in a bumpy ride that has taken a

strain on him, his supporters, the polity and governance in Nigeria.

The Dino-Tinubu drama series is therefore just another episode in the series of ‘Saraki’s Senate seasons’ produced by the 8th National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. While Senators Melaye and Tinubu are lead actors with both struggling so hard to secure the role of hero and none accepting the position of villain, other characters have wittingly or unwittingly thrust themselves into the plot without thought for their place in the cast. These chance actors are of different categories.

There is the gang of opportunistic journeymen seeking favours in the convoluted world of political godfatherism. There is also the middlemen contractors’ category that recruits the last in the rung of placard-carrying lot.

This last in the set are those who are readily available to scream ‘hosanna’ today and ‘crucify him’ tomorrow depending on how the tables turn and how the coins are tossed. This is the category of hungry men and women who wake up daily to the harsh reality of a hard life foisted on them by the mindless exploitative class that recruits their recruiters.

Because these categories are always readily available in a wobbling and fumbling nation like Nigeria that has been serially betrayed by its leadership, it is so easy to script and shoot a theatre performance of the Dino-Tinubu type with several scenes stretching for as long as the director in the backstage desires. And for these hapless coteries of characters, it matters less whether the roles so thrust on them are befitting or demeaning as long as the end justifies the means. Thus both the supposed elite and suppressed masses of society fall under the same manipulative fate determined by the puppet master.

This explains why the high and mighty, low and lowly have been drawn into posturing in matters of hearsay, the truth of which have remained concealed in deliberate half-truths and contrived falsehoods. For the two senators from Lagos – Messrs Gbenga Ashafa and Solomon Adeola - who rushed to take sides with Remi Tinubu, it is easy to tell that they acted on the instinct of political self-preservation, even though as participants in the controversial closed door meeting, their intervention should not be dismissed but subjected to objective interrogation. Matters get muddled up further when meddlesome interlopers like members of the Lagos State House of Assembly are quick to ask the APC leadership to release the hammer on Dino without as much as being bothered about the reported tirade from Ceasar’s wife who unfortunately, did not conduct herself aboard board.

These lawmakers have not acted quite differently from the mob approach of women groups in Lagos and Kogi who took to the streets and press conference halls respectively to demand apologies on behalf of their scuffling principals. They only add to the long list of contrived characters in a nauseating political plot coordinated by Bourdillon and political apparatchiks in Abuja.

––Follow writer on Twitter @resourceme

52

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULY 23, 2016

POLITY

Jasper Jumbo Congratulates PMB On New NDDC Board

A

Sam Ekpe

frontline veteran of the Niger Delta struggle Prof Jasper Jumbo has congratulated President Mohammadu Buhari on his timely intervention on empanelling the new Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and forwarding their names to the Senate for

clearance. Prof Jumbo who wrote “on behalf of the founding fathers of defunct Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) and also the NDDC observed that the new Board will make room for the diffusion of development in the grassroots and by extension bring peaceful co-existence in the Niger Delta Region.

He requested the National Assembly Members to expedite action on clearing the Presidential nominees and “ginger

action to attend to the cries of our suffering people” He further called on President Muhammadu Buhari to clear the arrears of debts owed NDDC contractors, to enable the new Board carry out their actions without let or hindrance. On Youth Restiveness in the Region, he advised the youths to embrace dialogue with the Federal Government and help attract commensurate dividends of democracy in oil and gas in the area

Chief Jasper

Agriculture: GESSAN Refutes Defamatory Reports Against Agric Minister

T

he Growth Enhancement Support Scheme Agrodealers Association of Nigeria (GESSAN) has refuted reports that it defamed the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, his counterpart Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary.

The National Chairman of GESSAN, Alhaji Kabiru Umar Fara, told news men in Abuja that the issues raised in a national daily making bribery allegations against the Minister were against its professional ethics.

“The allegations are untrue, unfounded and immature,” Fara explained.

GESSAN has applauded the ministry for its prompt effort in paying part of the money its predecessor owes the GESSAN and pledged to cooperated with the Minister towards ensuring delivery of high quality fertilizer to its end users. GESSAN bills ran into N61 billion under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Out of this amount the incumbent administration has paid the association N20 billion.

However, as the association pours encomium on the federal government and the ministry for discharging their responsibility effectively, it appealed to them to disregard

any criticism purportedly sponsored by an unknown person castigating them.

While asking the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh to institute a legal action against the unknown person, Fara thanked the Minister for his effort in making a case for the association to get paid its outstanding money, urging the federal government to give premium to food security just as war is being waged against insecurity across the country.

GESSAN also called on the government to scale up the distribution of fertilizer, which price has since skyrocketed to about N9,000 because of the unpatriotic practices of some local producers.”Government should look into the activities of these producers as some of them are not patriotic enough in protecting the interest of Nigerian farmers,” Fara said, He lamented that the action of the producers is affecting farmers’ productivity. “For instance, of the 700,000 metric tonnes of urea needed by farmers this year, it ls less likely that they have the capacity to meet the demand,” he added.

A Board of Trustees member of the association, Mr Akinola Martins, also echoed similar view, pleading with the ministry to see how the sector can be moved forward.

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru during the breakfast meeting with the governor for the private sector organised by the ministry at the Government House, Oke Igbein, Abeokuta...recently

PHOTO NEWS

L-R: Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello watches with keen interest as Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, explains the mandate of NUC when Bello led top management of NSC on a courtesy visit to NUC Headquarters in Abuja...recently

L-R: Managing Director, Quantum Travel Limited, Mr. Michael Otubu; Sales Manager, ARMANI Hotel, Mr. Ahmed Benhlal; founder, Music Week Africa, Mr. Audu Maikori; and Director-Partnership Development, Lions and Gazelles, Mr. Daniel Kleihrauch, during the ARMANI Hotel customers appreciation event in Lagos … recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: United States Consul General in Lagos, Mr. Steven Fox; Sales and Marketing Manager, Southern Sun Mayfair Nairobi, Sallie Khavere; and General Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi, Mr. Mark Loxley at the hotel VIP cocktail in Lagos ... recently

L-R: General Manager,Hudson Trident Training Centre (HTTC), Mr. Allan Le Roux; Managing Director, Aero Contractors Nigeria Limited, Captain Fola Akinkuotu; and Managing Director, HTTC, Mr. Lai Are, during the official opening of a state of art maritime simulator training facility established by HTTC in Lagos...recently ETOP UKUTT

53

JULY 23, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

BUSINESS FEATURES

Kemi Adeosun, Finance Minister

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor

Ladi Balogun, FCMB MD

FCMB’s innovations for the Unbanked and Nigeria’s E-Banking Platforms In this write-up, our correspondent undertakes an overview of recent happenings in the Nigerian banking sector, and submits that FCMB’s offerings, the e-savings accounts and its Nairawise may turn out to be pacesetters from the highly reputable institution.

I

t is indeed difficult to imagine any sector of the Nigerian economy that has recently undergone as much transformation in its day-to-day operations as the banking sector.

Increasing sophistication in the lifestyle among its major clientele, changing tastes, and demanding official schedules amongst many others have seen the sector operators, really stretched in their adaptations aimed at meeting the needs of their demanding clientele.

One untapped area many observers believe still needs attention, is the rank of the unbanked in the population; how can they be reached? Talk about the masses, the low income earners, artisans and traders whose daily returns are in the range of hundreds, but who as it were need banking services. This consideration has made the average bank to introduce more innovation, to redefine its basic rules of engagement, as a fundamental way of remaining relevant in a sector choking with competition.

It easily comes to mind that the introduction of e-banking by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has seen a drastic reduction in real time spent by customers on transactions. These days, by merely logging into the internet and pressing some prompts, a bank customer can conclude his transactions in record time and in a most convenient atmosphere.

Electronic banking is a driving force that is changing the landscape of the banking industry, as it has blurred the boundaries between different financial institutions, enabled new financial products and services and made existing financial services available in different packages.

As with other innovative initiatives, this one has been open to criticism. While many are of the view that it is revolutionizing the banking industry, others see it as simply complementing the physical banking branches but then creating fresh problems.

Truly, system failures and poor connectivity given the comparably low technological development in the country are some of the challenges hindering the innovations.

What is not in dispute however is that for those organizations that know how to deploy it, FCMB as an example, electronic banking has increased efficiency in banking and its services. It accounts for the drastic reduction in operating costs, on both the part of the banks and the

customers. While the requirements for online banking services differ from bank to bank, however, it is important to have an internet-enabled PC which enables access to one account(s) and some bank service interfaces.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), setting the template, monitors the technological acquisitions of banks to ensure that all banks that operate e-banking work within the ambit of integrity and the required data confidentiality.

Updates of critical information should be subject to dual verification (e.g. interest rates).Website information and links to other Websites should be verified for accuracy and functionality. Management teams are expected to implement procedures to verify the accuracy and content of any financial planning software, calculators, and other interactive programmes available to customers on an Internet Website or other electronic banking outlets.

CBN has stipulated that all financial institutions must ensure that their Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have implemented a firewall to protect their institution’s Websites where outsourced.

Banks should ensure that installed firewalls are properly configured and institute procedures for continued monitoring and maintenance arrangements.

Banks should ensure that summary-level reports showing web-site usage, transaction volume, system problem logs, and transaction exception reports are made available to the bank by the Web administrator.

It does not however stop there. Erring banks are to incur levels of sanctions, including monetary penalties and or suspension of the specific electronic banking activity (ies) or both.

In addition, they are to seek CBN approval before launching, implementing or, enhancing electronic banking services and products to be submitted within the prescribed deadline, the required information and documents. On the other hand, customers that can use e-banking services should either be residents of Nigeria with verifiable addresses or any person residing physically in Nigeria as a citizen, under a resident permit or other legal residency designation under the Nigerian Immigration Act. Also, any person known herein as a “classified person” who neither meets condition (i) nor (ii) above but is temporarily in Nigeria may utilize e-banking services limited to acceptance services such as ATMs, POS

terminals or other acceptance devices deployed by a regulated institution.

However, some people are of the view that the emerging trend in Internet banking in Nigeria is of global concern.

For one thing, the Nigerian economy is a strong force in Africa. The country also has a high reputation for Internet-related frauds in the world, having been inferred-“the headquarters of Advance Fee Fraud”. Preparatory to the full launch of the e-scheme, the CBN carried out a sensitisation campaign in major towns of the six-geopolitical zones; , Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory.

Amidst some of the enumerated hiccups, does it then mean we should not embrace innovative platforms introduced by service-oriented operators in our economy? The answer certainly is in the negative. The simple truth is that the method and manner of doing business in the country has been redefined for good.

Now more convenient and fast, it is only expected that people embrace it.

However, of particular interest is the FCMB response to all of these developments. It is quite innovative, coming in the form of an online account product known as FCMB e-savings Account.

Although there may be similar products in the banking market, this like other products from the stable of the Bank, comes with innovative and unique features.

Generally, the e-Savings Account provides a convenient and secure platform for potential customers of FCMB to open accounts online through the Bank’s Facebook page and website.

And its introduction is in line with the bank’s commitment to bringing traditional excellent banking services closer to all segments of the society and drive financial inclusion while enhancing customer experience via social media.

A release from the bank shows that the procedure for opening the account is stress free. A potential e-customer logs on to the FCMB Facebook page, fills out some basic personal data and then uploads his or her scanned valid passport photograph and signature mandate.

In terms of advantages, there are several with this latest product from FCMB, and these include Zero opening balance, Zero minimum operating balance and Minimal documentation requirements.

While the account balances cannot exceed N200, 000.00, single deposit and withdrawal transactions cannot

also exceed N20, 000.00 said the bank: “in addition to the above reduced KYC requirements, single deposits above the set maximum deposit and withdrawal limit of N20, 000.00 and account balances above N200, 000.00 would require additional KYC, which are valid ID card and residential address visitation. Thus, the customer is by extension, entitled to free access to online banking and free access to Mobile banking.

Another strategic innovation in FCMB’s stable is tagged, “Nairawise”.

This has been designed out of the bank’s desire to support financial inclusion in the country. The product is tailored for the underbanked segment- artisans across the country and a couple of the very informal sector (middle and lower classes) of the society’s segments. The robust system is structured with ease for customers’ operation. The bank is taking Nairawise to the target customers in their various locations, adopting its agency banking model to reach the customers in far remote areas of the country to increase financial literacy and inclusion.

The opening balance is N500; minimum operating balance is zero while monthly maintenance fee is also zero naira. With FCMB’s NairaWise, banking is simple, very easy and anybody can have an account.

At this juncture, an overview of the FCMB philosophy comes in handy. The bank which promises to offer simple products, be reliable and helpful also aspires to be able to distinguish itself by its “extraordinary people and culture: a customer-focused and performancedriven environment.”

The Divisional Head, Retail at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Olu Akanmu in Lagos said, “our unique retail lending capacity enables us to offer valued services to millions of underserved Nigerians directly and indirectly, whilst supporting our portfolio diversification objectives to deliver sustainable growth. Our primary objective is to establish final inclusion and encourage savings among this segment of our customers through our value-adding solutions” Now that the bank has added other feathers with these products, expectations are high amongst the ranks of customers of yet another pace-setting innovation. And how well this expectation will be realised is dependent on how the bank’s sales workforce executes the product offerings in the stable.

54

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULy 23, 2016

NEWSXTRA

Abdulmumuni Petitions IGP, Seeks Police Protection

Imo, Kogi Re-run Elections: IGP Orders Commissioners to

Onyebuchi Ezeigbo and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on Friday, directed the Commissioners of Police in Imo and Kogi States, to ensure proper coordination of security operations and deployment of personnel to ensure hitch free polls at the Senatorial and State Houses of Assemblies re-run elections slated for today.

In a statement signed by the Force PRO, DCP Donald Awunah, in Abuja, said the Commissioners should provide adequate security for staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), election materials, the electorates and observers.

The statement said: "As part of the measures aimed at guaranteeing a hitch-free and credible electioneering process during the re-run elections, the Inspector-General of Police has graciously approved the deployment of additional Police

Embattled lawmaker, Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumuni has written to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, requesting for police protection over claims that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and three other members are harassing him.

This is as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has challenged Abdulmumuni to hasten and prove his allegation that principal officers of the House of Representatives were

involved in padding of the 2016 budget.

Also, one of the officers and the Minority Leader in the House of the Representatives, Hon. Leo Ogor has described as fabricated, allegation by Abdulmumin that he, Ogor, alongside the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers allocated N40billion to themselves out of the N100 billion allocated to the National Assembly.

Jibrin in a statement by his lawyers yesterday in Abuja asked the IGP to caution officers of the force whom he said were being used by the lawmakers to harass him.

His lawyers Messrs Hammart and Co, Law Bond Solicitors and Doka Chambers equally noted that other security agencies in the country had been petitioned on similar allegation.

The petition reads in full: "We, (The Law Offices Of Messrs HAMMART & CO, LAW BOND SOLICITORS and DOKA CHAMBERS) are Counsel to Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin PhD,MBA, member of the House of Representatives representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State and until his resignation on the 21st of July 2016,the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation.

"Our attention has been drawn to the subterranean and clandestine efforts of the following: 1. Speaker Yakubu Dogara, 2. Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, 3. House Whip Hon. ALHASSAN Ado Doguwa, and 4. House Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor.

"The above quartet have resorted to blackmail our client into silence and to further harass his person and family using the instrument of the obstructive coercion and perversion of due process by deploying, albeit illegally some elements of the Nigeria Police."

Dele Ogbodo and Maryann Abi in Abuja

mobile force personnel, counter terrorism units and conventional Policemen from States contiguous to Imo and Kogi States."

He said the personnel should be deployed to all identifiable flash, vulnerable points and other strategic locations within the senatorial districts where the re-run elections will take place.

The IGP warned stakeholders to be law abiding and to desist from any act capable of causing disturbance of the peace or disruption of the electoral process, adding that the full weight of the law would be applied on anyone found violating the electoral act or indulging in other act capable of causing violence during the election.

The statement added: "The Inspector General of Police, therefore wish to assure the electorates and other law abiding citizens of the two States of adequate security and safety before, during and after the elections."

Appeal Court Upholds David Mark's Election Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and George Okoh in Makurdi

UNDER ONE UMBRELLA...

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State,(middle) and the state chairman of PDP, Mr. Augustine Nnamani,(left) being received by the newly inaugurated chairman of PDP Executives in Udenu Local Government Council, Chief Emma Chima, during the inauguration of party executives at Udenu Local Government Secretariat, Enugu State, yesterday

Ribadu Dumps PDP for APC, May Emerge Vice Chairman Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he left about two years ago.

The former anti-corruption czar announced his departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday via a post on his Facebook page.

“I have finally heeded the calls on me to return to the

All Progressives Congress, a party of which I was a founding member,” he said.

THISDAY gathered that as part of a welcome package for the ex-EFCC chair, the national leadership of the party had begun consultations to enable him fill the vacant seat of the APC national Vice Chairman ( north east) left by Babachir David Lawal when he became the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Ribadu who in 2014 left the

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) shortly before it merged with other parties to form the APC, said he had joined the ruling party on Thursday.

He had joined the Peoples Democratic Party in a bid to contest the governorship election for Adamawa State “I re-registered as a member of the APC on Thursday through the party’s online portal. After that, the leadership of the party in my Bako ward of Yola South Local Government

Area visited me in my Yola residence to welcome me back to their fold.

“My decision to return to the APC was triggered by my belief that all politics are local. Almost everyone around me, and with whom we started my political journey believed the time had come for us to make sacrifices and make concessions. That is in addition to the unbelievable love that my friends in the APC have showered on me in the past months," he said.

‘Immunity, Life Pension for N’Assembly Officers Selfish’ A former member of the House of Representatives, Chief U.S.A Igwesi has criticised the move by the 8th National Assembly to give life pension and immunity on the Presiding Officers, describing it as an abuse of legislative privileges, celebration of opportunity and self-serving.

Igwesi, who was a member of the 5th National Assembly, and former leader of Enugu State House of Assembly, observed that such a move would take a toll on the economy of the country which he observed was already weak and recessive,

adding that conferring immunity on the presiding officers of the National Assembly would not only be counterproductive but shall be incongruous.

He opined that it was morally wrong to shift a goal post at the middle of the game, arguing that Nigerians would misconstrue the move as self-serving steps to protect the presiding officers of the Senate currently in the eye of the storm.

The former Law maker however called for political solution to the forgery case against the Senate President and his deputy,

arguing that allowing full blown legal determination on the case may be counterproductive and would affect adversely the good relationship presently enjoyed by the National Assembly and the Presidency.

He observed that a developing country like Nigeria should be able to emplace culture of tolerance and forgiveness to advance her growth in search for full democratic values and shape and that immunity clause should be allowed to function as captured in the constitution.

On the issue of life pensions

for the presiding officers of the National assembly, he warned that concentration resources of the country in the hands of few privileged people would not only destroy our nascent democracy but will continue to widen the gap between the rich and poor, thereby promoting youth restiveness and crime.

Arguing that it will amount to surplus and unreasonable pay for a former governor already on life pension in his state to again receive another one if he or she finds him or herself as a presiding officer of National Assembly.

The Appeal Court sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, yesterday upheld the election of immediate past Senate President, Senator David Mark.

Justice Obande Ogbuinya while delivering the lead judgement on the appeal filed by All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Daniel Onje, upheld the decision of the lower tribunal that the appeal lacked merit and was incompetent and statute barred. He therefore dismissed it.

Two other justices in the panel, Justices Oyebisi Omoleye and Ifeoma Jombo unanimously agreed with the judgment.

Before the judgment, Mark's counsel, Ken Ikonne, counsel to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Johnson Usman and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counsel, Chris Alechenu, had told the court that Section 285 (5) of the 1999 Constitution provided that the day of declaration of an

election result should be included in the days allowed for the filing of a petition before a court and urged the appellate court to dismiss the appeal for non-compliance and award cost against the appellant.

Onjeh had dragged Mark of PDP to Appeal Court after the tribunal struck out his petition against Mark's election in Benue South senatorial district election for lack of merit and for filing the petition behind the stipulated time.

Onjeh had approached the tribunal, alleging irregularities in the February 20, 2016 rerun election in Benue South.

In his reaction yesterday, Mark said he had forgiven his opponent, Onjeh and all who "conspired" against him during the rerun election.

"I'm glad that the final Verdict of the Appeal Court vindicates me and truly reaffirmed my victory freely given to me by the people of Benue South senatorial zone. I'm happy that the judiciary stood on the side of justice and respected the wishes of Benue South people.

Women Groups Praise Mimiko Over Free Food Distribution The Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has been commended by women groups in the state over the on-going Palliative (Eto IgbeAyo) programme where food stuffs were given to women residents in the state for free.

The palliative programme train rounded off distribution of food stuffs in the 4 local government areas of the North Senatorial District on Friday following the flag off last Tuesday in Ikare, Akoko North East local government where the proggramme recorded over 5,000 beneficiaries.

Designed for the 18 local government areas and targeted at 100,000 women resident in the state irrespective of party affiliation, government said the programme was necessitated by the sudden increase in the prices of food stuffs in relation to the dwindling economic situation in the country.

Thanking the Governor for the initiative, The Association of Women Plank Merchants in Akoko, through their Secretary, Mrs. Janet Ijaduade said with the gesture, Mimkiko had demonstrated that he was a caring Governor and full of compassion for women too .

According to her, "Mimiko had demonstrated his love and respect for women since he assumed office. When he insisted he was going to give us befitting markets to trade we thought it was a fluke until Mother and Child came and now the palliative" Stressing that the government's Bus Shuttle programme had been of immense benefit to mothers who ordinarily struggle to get their children to and from school, Ijaduade said the decision of government "to feed us and our family free of charge cannot be appreciated enough by mothers in the state."

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JULy 23, 2016

55

NEWSXTRA

Abia Stalemate: SEDC, APF Vow to Shut down Abia, Demand Ogah's Inauguration AkinwaleAkintundeinLagos, ChristopherisiguzoinEnugu,and David-ChyddyElekeinAwka

Pro-democracy groups, the South-East Democratic Coalition (SEDC) and the Abia Progressives Forum (APF) yesterday in Enugu vowed to mobilise the people of Abia state to occupy Government House, Umuahia, the State High Court, and the Government Lodge, Aba should the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Theresa Uzoukwu fail to swear-in Dr Sampson Uchechukwu Ogah as the governor of the state within the next seven days.

Another group under the aegis of Abia Youths Good Governance Advocacy urged the courts to hasten processes filed before them so as to determine the rightful person to enjoy the fruit of victory. They made the

call in Lagos at a press briefing jointly addressed by its President, Dr. Chukwuemeka Nwaogu, Public Relation officer, Mr. Obisieike Nwachukwu, Mr. Emmanuel Ehigu and Mr. Nathaniel Umunna Abel respectively.

However, the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB says it had waded into the political with a hope to getting the parties involved to come to a compromise.

In a joint statement signed by the SEDC Coordinator, Dr. Maduka Okebanama and Secretary, Mr. Eunice Oke as well as the APF, President, Hon. Ndu Ahaiwe and Secretary, Okey Adibe and made available to newsmen in Enugu, the groups said the people of the state would be mobilised from all the 17 local government areas of the state to take part in the exercise.

They asked Dr Okezie Ikpeazu to immediately vacate the Government House "without further delay and face his tax case", insisting that Ikpeazu ceased to be the governor from June 27 when the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang ordered that Certificate of Return be issued to Dr Ogah.

The groups advised all the institutions including government, banks and other private sector operators still transacting any form of business with Abia state government under Ikpeazu to stop forthwith, noting that "such activities would remain null and void" in view of not just the court's pronouncement and refusal to grant the request for Stay of Execution but also the presentation of Certificate of Return to Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

On the planned mass demonstration, the SEDC and APF reaffirmed that the state would be "totally shut down", noting that "we cannot continue to keep quiet while impunity takes centre stage on our beloved state.

"Those who seek to serve the people must have respect for the rule of law; they must respect court's pronouncements. They must obey the law. The court on June 27 made it clear that Okezie has ceased to be the governor and yet till today, the Governor-Elect is yet tobe sworn in.

We cannot continue like this is indeed we want to one day be like other developed democracies in the world.

The mass demonstration we are going to carry out is basically to prevail on the relevant authorities to do the needful by ensuring that the duly elected governor of the state is sworn in without further delay.

God is Pillar of Our Success, Says Ugwuanyi Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has said that the development strides in the state were divinely inspired, adding that his administration could not have achieved much without God’s intervention.

Ugwuanyi who spoke at the grand finale of the inauguration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Executives in Udenu Local Government Area, stressed that trust in God was the safest way to achieve one’s goal.

He noted that his trust in God was the reason his administration was able to deploy the meager resources at its disposal to impact positively on the lives of the people.

The governor commended the leadership of the party in the state for its steadfastness and wisdom in repositioning the party. He equally commended and the state’s federal legislators, members of the State House Assembly and other stakeholders of the party for their support and cooperation.

Ugwuanyi called for continued

prayers for his administration, adding that it was only through this that the government would achieve its target.

Earlier in his address, the State Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, thanked the governor for his grassroots development initiatives and other remarkable achievements recorded so far in the state.

Nnamani noted that the governor had adhered strictly to the manifesto of the PDP, adding that the overwhelming support, goodwill and solidarity the Party received during the inauguration in the various Local Government Areas were an indication of the governor’s good works and acceptability in the state.

“The good news about the outing is that the PDP in Enugu State has come out stronger and more focused to support and promote the good governance already being entrenched in the state by our visionary governor and the state leader of our party, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi,” he said.

Nigeria Needs Revival for Breakthrough, Says Cleric PeterUzoho The Founder and General Overseer of the Revival Assembly, Apostle Anselem Madubuko, has said that Nigeria needed revival to experience supernatural breakthrough.

He said crimes reign supreme despite many churches because there was no revival, adding that any country that experienced revival would experience supernatural breakthrough financially, economically and materially.

Madubuko who disclosed this while briefing journalists on the upcoming 14th Annual Azusa Fire Conference of the church slated to begin Monday 25th to Sunday 31st July, 2016, at the Revival Cathedral, 1-7 Revival Close, off Cocoa Road,

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(L-R) Managing Director Connect Marketing, Tunji Adeyinka and the Executive MTN Nigeria, Amina Oyagbola at opening day of Techplus 2016 conference and exhibition in Lagos

NCS Decries Smugglers Incessant Attacks on Officers John Iwori

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has decried what it called the “incessant attacks” on its personnel in the course of carrying out their statutory roles and responsibilities.

The service expressed dismay that a many of its personnel carrying out their official functions especially in the border towns and communities were attacked by smugglers.

Though the number of officers involved was not made public, THISDAY checks revealed that several men and officers were

attacked by smugglers in recent times and in the process killed or maimed for life.

It was gathered that the worst affected ones are those serving in Nigeria’s premier borders such as Leila, Idiroko, Shaki, and Seme.

According to impeccable sources, those injured in these attacks are yet to fully recover, several weeks and months they were discharged from the hospitals just as many have been incapacitated and are longer in a position to fend for themselves and families.

Confirming the development, the

Customs Area Controller (CAC), Seme Command, Comptroller Victor David Dimka declared that NCS will not tolerate attacks on its personnel by smugglers and their collaborators.

Dimka who is known for his exploits in tackling smugglers and their activities in his previous postings such as the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A. Ikeja, Lagos and Zone C, Owerri, Imo State also re-iterated that the enforcement unit of the command remains undeterred in the aggressive patrol against smuggling activities across the border.

He maintained that no campaign of calumny will stop the command from combating and suppressing smuggling activities to a minimal level.

The CAC noted that a situation where officers performing their legitimate functions are always ambushed and maimed with dangerous weapons is not acceptable to the service.

While reviewing the command’s performances last month, he revealed that NCS recorded what he called an “upsurge in her revenue drive” for the month of June, 2016.

Diamond Bank Listed among Top Customer Focused Banks In a recent poll conducted KPMG, Diamond Bank was ranked as one of the top three most customer-focused banks in the country. Participating in a keenly contested category, the Bank emerged overall third best in the customer satisfaction index (CSI) with 73.5 points.

This revelation was made at the 2016 edition of the Annual Banking Industry Customer Satisfaction Survey recently released by KPMG. The survey which debuted in 2007, elicits feedback from customers and stakeholders across the retail, SME

and corporate banking segments. It is a reflection of the levels of satisfaction and expectation of customers with respect to service delivery from their banks.

The yardstick for evaluation includes convenience, products and services, client service, value for money and customer care.

Diamond Bank has maintained a customer-centric strategic mix; passionately leading the revolution in mobile banking innovations and financial inclusion of the un(der)banked in the country. Its mobile app is the

Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, said the conference would “feature time-tested men and women of God from across the world who will use their spiritual anointing to impact Nigerians and the entire world.

“We’ve not seen revival really in this country. Revival is not just a church affair. Revival affects the nation and her people. You know people always say there are many churches in Nigeria yet too much crime. The reason is because there are many churches here but there is no revival; revival affects the nation, from the government to the traders, down to the farmers.

Any country that experiences revival experiences supernatural breakthrough financially, economically and materially.

most downloaded and registered in the financial services sub-sector, with over 1.5 million users.

The Bank’s Diamond Ye’llow account has remained the most successful in the country, with over 5 million accountholders in two years. And through its monthly DiamondXtra draws, Diamond Bank has given out N4 billion to its loyal customers in the last five years, and has set aside N600 million for its loyal customers this year.

The Bank’s chief spokesperson, Ayona Trimnell stated that Diamond

Bank was very passionate about its customers, and was continually looking for ways to improve its services in line with developing trends.

She said: “Diamond Bank Plc is a customer driven bank and the quality of our services embodies our mantra which is centered on going beyond banking to achieve customer satisfaction. We are unflinching in our resolve to constantly deploy new technologies and digital applications to drive financial inclusion, convenient banking and enhanced customer friendly services.

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MISSILE Makarfi to Oyegun

“APC has no constitutional or moral grounds to be displeased with Ekweremadu’s emergence or to go this ridiculous length to harass, intimidate, embarrass, and malign him and the institution of the Senate on account of a position to which his colleagues, cutting across party lines, elected him in a transparent and televised election in line with Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.”

– Chairman of PDP’s Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi chastising the National Chairman of APC, John Oyegun for his unrelenting attack on the emergence of Ike Ekweremadu as deputy Senate President.

PENDULUM Dele Momodu

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

How To Move Nigeria Forward F ellow Nigerians, let me start by saying nothing worries me more than the intractable problems of our dearly beloved country. There are times I wish I could just mind my own business but it seems I’m addicted to the issues and problems of Nigeria. Lately, I have come up with different theories about why we are where we are. One of them is to go superstitious and believe we are jinxed and we’ve been jazzed by some fiendish demons. Or how does one explain the fact that no government has been able to find a practical and workable solution to our incredible challenges.

My second theory is that we actually hate our country but just pretend to be patriotic which is best seen in our words and not, of course, in our action. An average Nigerian spends a large proportion of his time daily lamenting about Nigeria and regurgitating the same simple facts and seeming solutions that would ultimately lead to no grand denouement because nothing is done about them. We talk, talk and talk and that’s where it ends. If we truly love our country as much as we claim, we should have arrived at our Eldorado by now given the plethora of sometimes practical and workable solutions that we proffer.

My third theory is that we have a cultural problem that requires a cultural revolution. Our culture turns a once simple human being to an unrecognisable monstrosity in little or no time. One begins to wonder what suddenly caused the 360-degree transformation. Leaders in Nigeria at all levels live and act like emperors.

Even the most enlightened ones among us behave like victims of hypnotism and accept whatever was in place before, and continue the madness.

One of them is the over-ceremonial nature of governments. Every leader over-dresses, over-militarises security, and over-spends on personal comfort and so on. I must commend the simplicity of the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo as he seems to be able to buck this trend and dress simply in Kaftan and suits as he has always done. Governor Olusegun Mimiko is another leading politician who imbibes the simple culture.

The one I find most baffling is how many times Governors have to travel to Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal character for all manner of meetings and ceremonies. States keep properties at home (including guest houses, more like abattoirs) and then replicate the same in Abuja and in Lagos.

The Federal Government has properties scattered everywhere in choice locations lying fallow most times. Our Presidential fleet is competing with that of America and they must be maintained by all means. So, how can we complain about under-development when leaders are not ready to compromise on expensive lifestyles?

My fourth theory is that a society gets the type of leaders it deserves. We are largely docile and accept our leaders’ excesses. If you complain too much, they would ask “is it only you that knows how to talk?” I watched closely as Wole Soyinka, Tai Solarin, Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Balarabe Musa, and others struggled so much for a thankless nation.

They were regularly harassed by government and frequently abused by the same people they were trying to protect. Their families suffered in silence without any of us asking how they fared. And as popular as they were, none except Balarabe Musa could win major elections. Gani Fawehinmi was a Presidential candidate and he lost resoundingly. Femi Falana

President Mahama at work tried to be the Governor of Ekiti State but it was an impossible mission. Our society moves on regardless of what happens to these social and welfarist gladiators.

Where then do we go from here? There are no easy solutions to these problems. None springs out as being the most practical and necessary. My suggestion however, is that we must start from somewhere. We cannot just resign ourselves to fate and do nothing.

I have received some impetus lately from my experience in Ghana. Anyone following me on social media would have noticed my romance with the old Gold Coast. The country has demonstrated that we can surmount our problems once we make up our minds to start the journey. My advice is that we should never feel too big to learn from others, even from those we feel are smaller to us. The story of Ghana should impress and not depress us.

I have had the privilege of watching President John Dramani Mahama build and transform Ghana into a modern nation state. We, therefore, don’t have to travel far to borrow examples.

I know that in our usual bravado we may dismiss this innocuous call as arrant nonsense but I wish to beg our leaders, in the name of all that is good, to treat this as a clarion call. There is ample evidence that Ghana is working and there is no reason why Nigeria cannot work. Ghana has fewer resources than Nigeria but it has managed to properly harness and enhance these resources over the years.

More recently, President Mahama has taken up the gauntlet and done a lot more to make Ghana a progressive, buoyant economy with significant infrastructural development.

The first reality check is to accept that no leader can do it all. No leader has the monopoly of wisdom and nobody should try to pin that on any of our leaders and seek to transform them into what they are not. Once we understand that the President is not a magician or sorcerer, we can begin to appreciate his limitations and not be overly expectant of miracles. Nonetheless, President Muhammadu Buhari can still do much more in the under two years that he has left before he decides to seek re-election or not. His first task is to prioritise the activities of his Government having substantially dealt with his primary agenda of fighting corruption. I

am sure that the President knows that the fight against corruption is just one of the foundations upon which the monument of development and progress will be based.

Unfortunately, added to the traditional features of progressive development like the economy, education, health, agriculture and social welfare, Nigeria has added security and insecurity. All of these need to be given proper consideration and prioritised in order to ensure that the elusive well-being of our people is achieved.

I will never get tired of reiterating this fact; Nigeria will never make substantial progress until we upgrade our educational institutions. This is one area Ghana is doing very well. Ghana today has about 60,000 educational institutions from primary to tertiary institutions. I know that Nigeria has many more but it is in the quality and the detail that Ghana emerges superior. Enrolment in the various levels of Ghanaian institutions is about ten million out of a population of about 26 million. I am aware that Nigeria falls far short in this regard.

In 2013, close to 32 million exercise books were distributed by Government to nearly five million pupils. About two million school uniforms have gone out to pupils since 2010. In 2013, 12.5 million Maths, English and Science text books were distributed to government basic schools. An average pupil in Ghana has access to about four textbooks.

Osun State has taken a welcome lead by its controversial Tablet, called Opon Imo which features several textbooks.

School feeding Programme is approaching about two million children. 60,000 laptops have been given out to Basic School pupils while about 50,000 teachers received ICT training. 10,000 locally made sandals went to underprivileged pupils. Teacher Training institutions now have well equipped science laboratories in order to improve the teaching of Science and Maths. Massive library facilities have been undertaken even in rural areas.

Technical schools are thriving where artisans are trained for performance and efficiency.

Tertiary institutions are receiving special boosts. The University of Ghana has nearly completed a 617-bed teaching hospital complex for the training of medical students and

nurses. Government is providing Distance Education ICT centres for all ten regions of Ghana equipped with video conferencing and lecture auditoriums. Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology in Kumasi has ultra-modern laboratories with latest gadgets such as “high capacity nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, mass spectrometers and analysers… petroleum engineering laboratories with drill simulators…” There is a new Veterinary hospital equipped to be the most advanced in West Africa. Polytechnics are being rebranded into Technical Universities.

Just imagine how many billions of dollars Nigeria would save on foreign education if we can improve the quality at home drastically.

Whilst it is laudable that the Nigerian Government is allowing entrepreneurs and religious organisations to invest in education, Government cannot and must not abdicate its responsibility to them. Government owes a duty to see the proper educational advancement and development of its children. It must take the lead and show the way and not wait for such private institutions to provide the foundation for our industrial development.

Happily, some of these institutions like the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin which has an Engineering Faculty that has equipment capable of producing a fire engine and race cars in the not too distant future have taken up the challenge.

Health they say is wealth. Nigeria would do extremely well if we can return to the days of old when our medical facilities were world class. Ghana has set up an ambitious plan to deliver 6,000 new hospital beds soon and some of the projects have advanced so much in the past two years because about two billion dollars has been invested by the Mahama government covering “two Teaching Hospital projects, three Institutional Hospitals, four Regional Hospitals, 14 District Hospitals, dozens of polyclinics and scores of health centres…” The beauty of it is that, the government is reaching out to many rural areas in the distribution of facilities. Looking through the Ghana Green Book containing the endless accounts of developmental projects garnished with crispy pictures one could see a country fully and gloriously at work for the improvement of the lives of its people.

On the international and tourist front, the small but efficient Kotoka International Airport Accra is being upgraded. The general ambience has improved with about 26 Immigration cubicles equipped with cameras and fingerprinting machines. There are new conveyor belts, elevators, escalators, etc. The cargo section is heavenly. A new terminal is being added because of the economic expansion and development that is attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Ghana. All this has been achieved within a very short period. On the contrary, our airports remain horrible. Where there is work in progress like the extensions at at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja and Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos the work has been done at snail speed. This is not good enough for the giant of Africa., Something must be done urgently to stop this disgrace. The airport is always the first point of contact with most countries for visitors and investors. For whatever reasons, our airports have remained our worst PR edifices as a nation.

President Buhari has urgent work to do.

It must start now by first deciding the way forward after the corruption battle.

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