Saturday 1st October 2016

NIMASA Re-awards Tompolo’s Contract to Rivers APC Chairman Peterside: It is a debt recovery contract, different from the one awarded to Tompolo’s company

Eromosele Abiodun The debt recovery and surveillance contracts awarded to the Global West Vessel Specialists Nigeria Limited (GWVSNL) owned by former Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpo-

mupolo, popularly known as Tompolo by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) under the Goodluck Jonathan administration and cancelled

by Buhari have now been awarded to Snecou Nigeria

Limited, a company owned by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr Davies Akanya.

THISDAY investigation revealed that after the award of the contract, Akanya and the new DG of NIMASA, Dr

Dakuku Peterside, now resume work and close at the same time, with Akanya also assigned an official car.

Reliable sources in the agency told THISDAY that the contract awarded on No-Cure-No-Pay basis was awarded without

formal bidding process even though they were advertised in newspapers.

Industry source told THISDAY that the debt owed NIMASA by shipping companies is in the region of $15 billion while NIMASA estimates it to be in

the region of $5 billion and that the certificate for the contract award had been given to Akanya despite reports that his company does not have the competence to do the job.

Continued on page 6

Edo Governorship Election: We Were Robbed, Says PDP ... Page 6 Saturday 01 October, 2016 Vol 21. No 7827 Price: N250

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Failed Coup: Turkish Government Detains 50 Nigerian Students in Istanbul Over 50 Nigerian students were yesterday arrested in Turkey, allegedly on the orders of the government, THISDAY has reliably gathered.

A source whose relative was among the detained students stated that “upon arrival at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, they were all escorted to a room and their passport

confiscated by Turkish police.”

The detained Nigerians are mainly students of Fathi University, one of the private universities in Turkey. The school which is located in the metropolitan Büyükçekmece district of Istanbul, Turkey was founded in 1996 with a relatively high rate of international students from 102 countries.

“When they enquired why they were clamped in a dirty room, the police said they are students of a terrorist organisation. They offered to transfer them to government schools but on the condition that we will pay same fees as private universities,” the source added.

The Fathi University is among the 2099 schools, dormitories

and universities shut down in the wake of the July 15th failed coup in Turkey. The Turkish authorities said the schools and universities were terrorist schools because they have links with Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government had accused of being the mastermind of the coup in Turkey.

It would also be recalled the Turkish Ambassador in Nigeria Mr. Hakan Cakil, had requested the Nigerian authorities to close down 17 Turkish schools in Nigeria for alleged links to the Hizmet movement.

The Nigerian Authorities rejected the call, stating that it would rely on evidence linking the proprietors of the schools

in Nigeria to the failed coup in Turkey.

In exclusive pictures obtained

by THISDAY, students could be seen lying down on the bare floor in a room that could barely be habitable.

Our source also hinted of a particular case of a Nigerian by name Aminat, a final year Continued on page 6

NJC Sacks Appellate Court Judge, Two Others for Corruption Directs police to arrest dismissed Kano Judge

OLUSESI ADEBESIN

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja The National Judicial Council, (NJC) has fired the Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya, the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike and a judge of the Kano State High Court, Justice Kabiru M. Auta for breaching the Codes of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

A statement issued yesterday in Abuja by NJC's Acting Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye said the decision to sanction the justices was taken yesterday at the council 78th meeting presided over by the council chairman and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed.

NJC said that the three judicial officers carried out acts that constituted misconduct contrary to Section 292 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended and Rules 1.2, Former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chief Nike Akande; former

I Started Stand-up Comedy in the Church

SuperSaturday pg. 8-9

GODSON IHEAKU

I Do Not Regret Having Only Primary School Education

Plus pg. 17-19

LEADERSHIP ON THEIR MINDS

Continued on page 6

governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; and founder, Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), Prof. Pat Utomi, during the 35th Leader without Title, Leadership Tribute Colloquium\award and lecture theme: Public Life and Reforming The Economy and Society by CVL in Lagos....recently KOLAWOLE ALLI

Court Orders Total, Chevron, Others to Defend $245m Action Filed by FG ... Page 10

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Edo Governorship Election: We Were Robbed, Says PDP APGA condemns result

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the just concluded governorship election in Edo State which it lost to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as sheer robbery.

The party said President Muhammadu Buhari's congratulatory message to Godwin Obaseki had finally revealed “his hands” in what transpired during the Edo election.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the PDP raised alarm over the likely danger facing democracy in the country.

"President Buhari's congratulatory message to Godwin Obaseki has finally revealed his hand in the Edo Guber Election imbroglio. We note with sadness that he had never extended

similar congratulatory messages or goodwill to PDP candidates who were victorious in various elections since he assumed office.

"In Bayelsa State where his party with the support of security agencies virtually declared war on Governor Seriake Dickson and the people of Bayelsa, the President refused to congratulate the PDP Candidate, who against all odds, managed to survive the APC onslaught.

"His aides claimed then that the President was not in the business of congratulating election winners. Why the sudden change of heart now if we may ask? The only plausible explanation is that the President was eager to confer legitimacy on an otherwise badly flawed election in which his party acted like Shina Rambo, the notorious armed robber. Only that this time, they were robbing the people of their votes.

"The action of the President

belies his statement that he belongs to nobody but belongs to everybody. The President has shown where he belongs. We recall that President Jonathan dutifully never failed to congratulate opposition candidates who won elections during his tenure including Adams Oshiomhole. That is what is expected of a statesman.

"We did not lose the gubernatorial election in Edo State. We can therefore not be described as bad losers. We were robbed by very shameless election riggers.

"We fully support the Edo Chapter of the PDP in the total rejection of the election results. We also fully endorse their determination to employ all legitimate means to reclaim their stolen mandate.

"Finally, we wish to warn Nigerians that our democracy is in grave danger. Since the advent of this administration, no election has been free and

fair. We go for elections as if we are going to war; and virtually all elections conducted by INEC have been either inconclusive or blatantly rigged.

"Today Rivers State has no representation in the National Assembly. No thanks to the powers that be. If we do not collectively rise to resist this anti people onslaught we might as well say bye bye to democracy," he said.

APGA Condemns Result In a related development, the national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Dr. Victor Ike Oye, has condemned the outcome of the just concluded election in Edo State.

The party described the way his party was treated as contemptuous, callous and malicious.

He expressed surprise that the 876 votes allotted his party was deliberately done to humiliate and intimidate it's members

because of the massive attractions the party had among the people of Edo during preparations for the election.

Oye wondered how INEC came to 876 votes when the support for the party cut across the three political zones of the state.

He challenged INEC to produce the results it collated at each polling unit and get a forensic expert to examine it.

The outcome would shock the world, he said.

According to him, the results collated by our polling agents showed that APGA garnered over 30,000 votes.

“Some fraudulent persons traded with the APGA votes to make up for their own votes in order to win the election at all costs,” said the APGA chairman.

He congratulated APGA supporters in Edo State for their doggedness and unrelenting support, urging them not to be

fazed by the outcome of the election as it did not reflect what actually transpired.

"Remain calm, peaceful and prayerful. It will not be long before the world know the truth.

Truth is unassailable,” he said.

He also praised its candidate, Osaro Onaiwu, for his innovative style of campaign that sent shock waves across the state, forcing the two leading parties to plot to silence him by squandering his votes and allocating a paltry 876 votes to him.

The APGA boss assured his members that brighter days lie ahead as the party will intensify its awareness campaigns across the country as a way of shoring up its membership.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to continue with his electoral reforms insisting that Nigeria's democracy could only attain its full heights when elections are conducted with fineness and credibility.

contract?”

Akanya and Peterside are both from Rivers State where the former contested the 2015 governorship election and lost to the incumbent governor, Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

THISDAY checks gathered that the decision to award the contract to the APC chairman might not be unconnected with plans to prepare Peterside ahead of the 2019 governorship election in the state.

When contacted, the NIMASA boss, Peterside, while admitting that the contract was actually awarded, said it was a debt recovery contract, different from the one awarded to Tompolo’s company.

“We are about to issue a statement on that. We awarded a debt recovery assignment which is totally different from Global

Fleet and Tompolo was doing for NIMASA which took over revenue collection,” Peterside said.

He added, “There is nothing wrong with what we have done.

That is how it is done globally.

People just want to make something out of nothing. The contract was not awarded to Akanya, it was awarded to Snecou Nigeria Limited and we advertised the contract in several newspapers.

So I don’t see what is wrong with awarding a contract to get our money from debtors.”

On the value of the contract, he said: “I cannot tell you the actual value; nobody knows the actual value as it fluctuates. But I can tell you that it is in the region of $4 billion or $5 billion. But I am not sure how much it is.”

However, a top Director in NIMASA who pleaded for anonymity for fear of being

victimised told THISDAY that NIMASA has the capacity to recover its debt without the use of a consultant.

He said: “Dakuku and his people just want to make money. Why must we hire a consultant to recover our debt?

Our staff can effectively do that.

NIMASA will be paying billions of Naira to Akanya for doing nothing. Contracts cancelled by the government on the allegation of corruption are now being awarded to cronies and members of the APC. It is a shame that this kind of a thing is happening under a Buhari administration that claims to be fighting corruption.”

Meanwhile, every effort made to reach Akanya as at the time of filling this report proved abortive as his phone was switched off.

Even the text messages sent to the phone were not replied.

of the Hon. Chief Judge, donation of N10 million was made

by Prince Arthur Eze while two cases in which Arthur Eze had interest were pending before his lordship.

The council also said that there had been many instances of abuse of judicial powers, by the Chief Judge, particularly against the two defendants in Suits Nos. E/6/2013 and E/88/2016 and that he clung to these two suits to remain in his court despite all genuine efforts made by the defendants to get the suits transferred to another court.

The council also found "that the Chief Judge sitting at a vantage position of Senior Judicial Officer and Head of Court for that matter, should not have allowed his emotions to dictate his judicial functions to the detriment of the defendants in both suits."

The council dismissed Justice Auta of Kano High Court and recommended him for prosecution based on a petition against him by Alhaji Kabiru Yakassai.

The council found “that the petitioner paid the sum of N125,000,000 (One Hundred and Twenty-five Million Naira) into an account approved by the Judge.

"The petitioner also made cash payment of N75,000,000 (Seventy-five Million Naira) to Justice Auta in several installments through his Personal Assistant, Abdullahi Bello, ostensibly for the purpose of assisting a former Chief Justice of Nigeria who had just been appointed to secure accommodation and for the petitioner

to be in turn rewarded by the award of some contracts by the said Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria.

"That Justice Auta facilitated telephone communications in his house between the petitioner and purportedly the former Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria on the other end.

"That Justice Auta facilitated meetings between the petitioner and a lady who introduced herself as the purported Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria in a Prado Jeep, escorted by armed Police Officer in a hotel in Kaduna.

"That after the petitioner suspected foul play and reported the matter to the police, Justice Auta agreed to pay the petitioner the sum of N95,000,000 (Ninety-five Million Naira) as part of his claim while Abubakar Mahdi was to pay the sum of N125,000,000 (One Hundred and Twenty-five Million Naira) to the petitioner.

"That pursuant to the agreement, Justice Auta made a part payment of $11,000.00 (Eleven Thousand U.S. Dollars) and

N16,000.000 (Sixteen Million Naira) cash to the petitioner and undertook to pay the balance before the commencement of the Fact Finding Committee set up by the National Judicial Council to investigate the allegations.

"That Justice Auta admitted accepting to pay the money as agreed in AIG’s Office in Kano according to him 'having suffered humiliation, and incarceration and had nowhere to go for help and in order to protect my image and the image of the judiciary'. " The council said that Justice Auta however, said that the settlement was for him to pay N35 million and not N95 million and that to that effect, he paid N20 million so far including the $11,000; and that Justice Kabiru stated in his evidence, that the purpose of the petitioner visiting his house at times was that as a friend, he used to seek favours for his people who had matters before him, a conduct that was in itself self-indicting and a serious abuse of judicial oath.

NIMASA RE-AWARDS TOMPOLO’S CONTRACT TO RIVERS APC CHAIRMAN The source told THISDAY that as spelt out in the contract, Akanya’s company would get between 10 and 15 per cent of money recovered for NIMASA. Under the new contract, Akanya’s company is to among other things, provide platforms for waterways monitoring and enforcement; engage in revenue services enhancement and debt reconciliation and recovery services for NIMASA. Checks revealed that the new company is to be paid a total of N4.8 million monthly by NIMASA as engagement fees and other allowances for the period of the two years contract, commencing from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2018.

The former Director General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, had in 2011, awarded a 10-year maritime security contract to GWVSNL.

As part of the contract, GWVESNL was expected to provide platforms to be used by the Nigerian navy and other security operatives to patrol the waterways.

The Federal Ministry of Transportation under Chibuike Amaechi, a chieftain of the APC and major financier of the Buhari campaign in 2015, had last July directed NIMASA under Peterside to terminate GWVSNL’s contract and discontinue payment to it.

The directive was sequel to the freezing of GWVSNL’s account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

THISDAY gathered that when the contract was awarded to Tompolo in 2011 by the Jonathan’s administration, elements who later formed the core of the APC had seriously condemned the action on the grounds

that such a sensitive contract like patrolling the country’s waterways was awarded to a militant.

With the termination of Tompolo’s contract, over 20 vessels in the inventory of Global West were taken over

by NIMASA, yet they lack crafts to carry out their duties with observers wondering where the vessels disappeared to.

The source also told THISDAY that Tompolo and his militant group had however, vowed not to allow Akanya do the job even if they sublet the contract to a more competent company.

According to the source, “I can tell you that top officials of NIMASA are not happy with the way the contracts were awarded. How can you give such contract to a person of interest without giving opportunity to other companies to bid for the

NJC SACKS APPELLATE COURT JUDGE, TWO OTHERS FOR CORRUPTION 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 3.2, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 8.4a, 13.1, 15.2 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

While Justices Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal and the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Umezulike were recommended for compulsory retirement from office, Justice Auta of Kano State High Court was dismissed from service.

The council said Justice Auta be handed over to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 1, Kano, for prosecution.

“The council, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution as amended, has suspended Justices Tsamiya, Umezulike and Auta from office with immediate effect, pending the approval of the recommendations of the council for their compulsory retirement and dismissal respectively, from office by the President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, of Kano State, respectively,” said the statement.

The council said Justice Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal was recommended for compulsory retirement pursuant to the findings by the council in the petition written by Nnamdi Iro Oji against him and Hon. Justices Husseini Muktar, F. O. Akinbami and J. Y. Tukur, all Justices of Court of Appeal who sat on Election Appeal Panel in the Owerri Division of the Court during the 2015

General Elections.

The petitioner had accused the justice of corruption, malice and vindictiveness; and giving perverse and conflicting decisions on the same issue in similar matters in Appeal CA/OW/EPT/SN/50/2015: Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex Vs Hon. Mao Onuabunwa & Anor; CA/OW/EPT/SN/47/2015: Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu & Anor Vs Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa & Ors; and CA/OW/EPT/ HR/61/2015: Nnamdi Iro Oji Vs Nkole Uko Ndukwe & 16 Ors. After investigating the petition, NJC cleared the two of the justices but found Justice Tsamiya culpable.

The council found that there was evidence that the petitioner met with Justice Tsamiya thrice, in his residence in Sokoto, Abuja and Owerri where on each occasion, he demanded from him the sum of N200,000,000 (Two Hundred Million Naira) to influence the Court of Appeal Panel in Owerri or risk losing the case.

The council cleared the other justices of the Court of Appeal because the allegations were not proved against them.

The council said: "That there was no allegation and no evidence that the Petitioner ever met or discussed with Hon. Justices Husseini Mukhtar (JCA), F. O. Akinbami(JCA) and J. Y. Tukur(JCA) in respect of the appeal before them.

"In the light of the foregoing that Hon. Justices Husseini Mukhtar (JCA), F. O. Akinbami(JCA) and J. Y.

Tukur(JCA), were exonerated."

The council recommended Justice Umezulike, the Chief Judge, Enugu to the Governor of Enugu State for compulsory retirement sequel to the findings by the council on the following allegations levelled against him by Barrister Peter Eze. The Chief Judge was said to have failed to deliver judgement in Suit No E/13/2008: Ajogwu V Nigerian Bottling Company Limited in which final addresses were adopted on 23rd October, 2014.

The council found that the judgement was however delivered on 9th March, 2015, about 126 days after addresses were adopted, contrary to constitutional provisions that judgement should be delivered within a period of 90 days.

The council also found that Justice Umezulike in Suit No E/159M/2014, Ezeuko Vs Probate Registrar, High Court of Enugu State and 3 Others ordered the arrest of Mr. Peter Eze by police and be brought before his court after the matter was amicably resolved and judgement entered on terms of settlement.

That the Hon. Chief Judge in a speech delivered by him to the Eastern Bar Forum on Friday 4th March, 2016, openly made un-complimentary remarks containing vulgar language against the petitioner, contrary to Rule 1.3 of the National Judicial Council Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

Also, the council stated that at the time of the book launch

FAILED COUP: TURKISH GOVERNMENT DETAINS 50 NIGERIAN STUDENTS IN ISTANBUL student in one of the universities affected by the closure at the time of the coup.

The source said: “Aminat came to the airport to travel to Nigeria since her school had been shut, but to her surprise, she was asked to pay a penalty for entering the country illegally.

She paid the fine, and she was kept, alongside others in the

same room with people waiting to be deported.”

THISDAY also gathered that some of those detained at the airport were made to sign documents giving their consent to deportation from Turkey.

An e-mail to the Turkish embassy on why the students were detained was not responded to as at the time of going to press.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • SEPTEMBER 24, 2016

NEWS

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

Court Orders Total, Chevron, Others to Defend $245m Oil suit

Davidson Iriekpen

Justice Mojisola Ishola-Olatoregun of a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered multinational oil companies, Total E&P Nigeria Plc and Chevron Nigeria Limited, to defend the $245,258,640 suit filed by the Federal Government claiming they under-declared the volume of crude oil they shipped out of the country between January 2011 and December 2014.

The Federal Government had alleged that Total E&P Nigeria Plc short-changed the government of $245,258,640 by allegedly shipping several barrels of crude oil out of the country without making due remittance to the government.

A similar $12. 5 billion case on the same allegation was filed by the Federal Government against Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited.

Delivering her ruling yesterday, Justice Ishola-Olatoregun dismissed the preliminary objections filed

by Total E&P Nigeria Plc and Chevron Nigeria Limited, urging the court to dismiss the claims by the Federal Government.

The judge declared the preliminary objection as unmeritorious and ordered the defendants to file their defence.

She adjourned till October 25, 2016 for commencement of hearing in the cases.

In the said suits filed through Professor Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), the Federal Government claimed that the actions followed a forensic analysis linking the decline in crude oil export and government revenue to the alleged under-declaration of volume of crude oil shipped out of the country by the oil companies.

The statements of claims were backed up with supporting affidavits deposed to by three

United States of America-based experts - Prof. David Olowokere, a US citizen and Lead Analyst at Loumos Group LLC, a technology and oil and gas auditing firm based in the US; Jerome Stanley, a counsel in the law firm of Henchy & Hackenberg; and Micheal Kanko, founder and Chief Executive Officer, Trade Data Services Company, State of Arizona, US. According to the deponents, about 57 million barrels of crude oil were allegedly illegally exported by the defendants and sold to buyers in the US between January 2011 and December 2014 without making due remittance to the Federal Government.

The deponents cited, in the court papers, an instance where Total allegedly shipped out 968,784 barrels of crude oil, valued at $106,566240, using a vessel named, TRIATHLON with a bill of lading numbered, TCVMTRIATIA 1388, and failed to declare same to the relevant government agency.

The deponents claimed that the said crude oil was sold to Tostsa Total oil Trading SA of San Felipe Plaza-Suite 2100,5847SAN FELIPE, 770557-HOUSTON, US at the port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

They cited another instance where about 491,850 barrels of crude oil, valued at $54,103,500, were allegedly shipped out without making remittance to the government.

The said crude oil was allegedly shipped out with a vessel named NORTH STAR, with a bill of lading marked, DROESVD23091101, and sold to BP Products North America of 501 Westlake Park Boulvard, Houston, TX 77079 United States, at port of Texas City.

They also cited two other different occasions where 768,990 barrels

National Assets Sale: We've not Learnt Our Lessons, Says Kukah Paul Obi and Marvellous Okeke in Abuja

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah has berated the suggestion for the sale of national assets by the federal government and some lawmakers, warning that, Nigeria was yet to learn its lessons.

He frowned at the ongoing debate in the country over the call for the sale of national assets in order to overcome the hardship precipitated by the current economicrecessioninthecountry.

Kukah stated this during the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of ASSISS with the theme‘ThirstforPeace’organised bySaint’EgidoinAbuja,pointing outthat,giventhemagnitude,the issueshouldbesubjecttoacritical analysisbyexpertsratherthanfor an open debate and scrutiny by all and sundry.

He faulted the government on the matter and the consistent attitude of Nigerians in allowing everyissuetakeoverthenational sphere, thereby, beclouding the real challenges faced by the ordinary Nigerians on a daily basis.

Kukah said, ”We have a very

badwayofdetectingveryserious issueswhichisthat99%ofusdon’t knowwhattheissuesare,wedon’t knowwhattheassetsare,wedon’t know what the assets are worth.

“Amoreseriousgovernmentwill not debate a very serious issue of this nature. I am not impressed thatthisissuehasbecomeamatter Newspapers and media houses are debating.

An issue as profound as this requiresalotofbehind-the-scene review and analysis which is the resort of some very important peoplewhounderstandtheissues. suddenly every market woman andeverybodyincludingmyself has a point of view about the sale of national assets.

“Inreality,wedon’tknowwhat thenationalassetsare,inmyview, thegreatestnationalassetsinNigeriaarenotNNPC,arenotNLNG they are the ordinary people of Nigeria whether they are on the streets and I think the conditions underwhichordinaryNigerians are living is the first indictment.

“Formeitisnotsomuchabout the debate about physical structure, it is about debate over the survival of Nigeria.

EXPANDING FRONTIERS...

L-R: Head of Retail Banking, Ghana, Standard Chartered Bank, Henry Baye; Head Retail Banking, Nigeria, Ebehieje Momoh; Group Head Retail Banking & Brand & Marketing Standard Chartered, Karen Fawcett; CEO, Standard Chartered Nigeria, Bola Adesola and Branch Manager Circle Mall Branch, Standard Chartered Bank, Uteru Idolor during the official opening of Standard Chartered Bank Circle Mall Branch in Jakande, Lekki, Lagos

of crude oil, valued at $84,588,910 was loaded on a vessel named AUTHENTIC with bills of lading marked, ALMYSVDM17041101 and17041102, and allegedly sold to Socap International Limited of Cannon’s Court, 22 Victoria Street, Hamilton, HM12.Bermuda at the port of Chester Pennsylvanian, United States, without making due remittance to the government.

The government alleged that the oil company bypassed the

pre-shipment agents appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to inspect crude oil shipments, leading to the failure of the shipment records to be deposited at the Ministry of Finance.

The Federal Government claimed to have uncovered the alleged illegality using hightechnology information system, including satellite tracking systems, which were deployed by its consultants.

The Federal Government is seeking a court order, compelling Total E&P Nigeria Plc to pay it $245,258,640, "being the total value of the missing revenues from the shortfall /under-declared/ undeclared crude oil shipments of the Federal Government of Nigeria."

The Federal Government wants 21 per cent interest per annum on the sum till final liquidation.

The Federal Government is also

seeking general damages in the sum of $245,258,640 from Total E&P Nigeria Plc. Total E&P Nigeria Plc had through its lawyer, Mr. Babatunde Fagbohunlu (SAN), filed a preliminary objection urging the court to strike out the suit.

Fagbohunlu had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit, "on the grounds that the suit failed to disclose a reasonable cause of action."

ECOWAS Court to Assist NNPC Targets Year-end Member States in Fight Against Completion of Critical Terrorism, Money Laundering Lagos Gas Line Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) court has vowed to offer assistance to members States in the fight against terrorism and money laundering.

The Community Court of Justice said in its capacity as the principallegalorganofECOWAS it could no longer remain on the sidelines of the battle which was being fought almost all over the worldandwithinthesubregion.

The President of the Court, Justice Jerome Traore disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the 2016/2017 legal year.

Accordingtohim,"thecommunitycourtofjusticedemonstrates its interest and determination to contribute its quota in the fight againstthetwomanifestationsof ascourge,onewhichplungesour people into sorrow and mourning, while the other eats away health of our already weakened economies.Thiscombinedeffect of these two forms of scourge is that they put the brakes on the economic development of our states."

He added that, "the court thus

means to offer in resolute terms theneededassistancetoECOWAS and its member states in the efforts being made towards the prevention and containment of these crimes.

"The court will of course do so within the confines of the powers currently conferred upon it, particularly ensuring, without sacrificing their potency, that the rules and procedures in force, are inallrespects,inconsonancewith the observance of human rights and guarantee of the rule of law," Traore noted.

Thepresidentalsoemphasised thatthecourtremainedconcerned, in equal measure, by the issue of theneedofensuringeaseofaccess tothecourt,stressingthatthough, forthepurposeoffacilitatingaccess to justice, it shall be necessary to provide the court with a legal aid funds. This he stated would empowerdestitutelitigants,whenevertheydeemthemselvesvictims ofarbitrarinesstocomebeforethe court to claim their rights, saying thatitwouldberegrettabletosaya Communitycitizenshouldremain helpless due to financial reasons while his rights are being abused.

Chineme Okafor in Abuja

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said it was ready to complete the ongoing Escravos to Lagos Pipeline System 2 (ELPS-2) project in the last quarter of this year.

It said when completed, the critical gas line would boost gas supply to power plants in the country.

NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru said this in a statement from thecorporation’sGroupGeneral Manager PublicAffairs, Mallam Garuba Deen Muhammad on Friday in Abuja.

ThestatementsaidBarumade this commitment when he visited the Governor of Ogun State, IbikunleAmosun inAbeokuta.

Baru reportedly said the 36 inch and 342 kilometres gas pipeline project would double the capacity of the existing ELPS, thereby improving gas supply to Ogun State and its environs.

He said: “We wish to reiterate that NNPC will continue to support the aspiration of Ogun, Ondo and Lagos States

toward the establishment of a mega city and the free trade zones. As you may be aware, gas supply to these states are key to the realisation of these objectives. Our major gas and product pipelines transverse Ogun State.”

He also stated that the recent achievement of security agencies in safeguarding the corporation’s Atlas Cove to Mosimi System 2B pipeline would not have been possible without the support of the host communities and the state government.

Baru urged the state government to help prevent encroachment on petroleum product pipeline right of way and incessant hacking into the pipeline to steal products.

He also spoke on the availability of kerosene, and informed that currently all NNPC retail outlets had been supplied with kerosene and selling at N150 per litre.

He asked that other petroleum marketers take a cue from NNPC and sell their kerosene at a price cap of N150 per litre.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016

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SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016

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OCTOBER 1 , 2016• THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

NHIS: A GLIMMER OF HOPE

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The appointment of Usman Yusuf as the chief executive of NHIS bodes well for the health scheme, writes Okechukwu Emeh, Jr

n Nigeria, with an estimated population of over 170 million people, the impelling necessity of government ensuring that the citizenry have access to quality and affordable Medicare is at the core of reasons behind the establishment of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the country 11 years ago. Instructively, NHIS has various programmes to cater for different segments of the Nigerian society. In seriatim, these are: Formal sector (comprising federal, state and local governments, organised private sector, armed forces, police and other uniformed services and students of tertiary institutions); informal sector (including community-based and voluntary contributors) and vulnerable group (encompassing pregnant women, children under five, orphans, the elderly, the poor, physically challenged persons, prisons inmates, refugees, internally displaced persons, immigrants and victims of human trafficking).

The roles and responsibilities of the three parties involved in implementing the aforementioned social health insurance programmes in Nigeria are well-defined. For NHIS, they include setting guidelines and standards, accrediting health management organisations (HMOs) and health care facilities (HCFs), carrying out continuous quality assessment to ensure effective and efficient health care services and programme management, technical support, sensitisation and mobilisation. Among the roles and responsibilities of HMOs are effecting timely payments to health care facilities, ensuring effective processing of claims, carrying out continuous quality assurance of health care services, ensuring timely approval of referrals and undertaking necessary follow-up to complete the process, marketing approved health plans to employers/ enrollees, collecting appropriate contributions and making necessary payments to the appropriate pools in a timely manner and effecting necessary returns to NHIS in line with the operational guidelines.

Those of HCFs involve securing appropriate accreditation with NHIS, providing services as agreed with HMOs in the benefit package, complying with NHIS operational guidelines, signing contract with NHIS through HMOs, ensuring enrollees’ satisfaction, providing returns on utilisation of services and other data to NHIS through HMOs, reporting any complaints to HMOs and NHIS and limiting delivery of services to level of accreditation.

Despite the noble idea underpinning the setting up of NHIS, the social health insurance in Nigeria, since its inception, has been bedevilled with awful tales by many enrollees over the pains and inhumanity they encounter while trying to access medicare. This is not to gloss over a number of other factors militating against the scheme, including inadequate funding of the regulatory body (NHIS rarely gets a fraction of what it generates), lack of political will by some of the past chief executives of the agency to catapult it to greater height through institutional and capacity building, overbearing and exploitative tendencies of some HMOs and HCFs that are not well-disposed to enrollees and inability of NHIS to exert necessary enforcement obligations on defaulting HMOs and HCFs. Other factors that have not augured well for the social health insurance scheme in the country are deficiency of trust by many subscribers in the scheme due to corruption, inefficiency and political patronage that wracked it in the past, poor data formation on all enrollees that has made the programmes to be susceptible to wastage and fraud, low awareness by enrollees on their rights and privileges, non-extension of the scheme to the grassroots, especially in states and local governments across the federation, and the gap of well-to-do corporate bodies and international agencies not buying into the health insurance scheme by way of subsidising treatment and medication of subscribers suffering from cash-gulping terminal illnesses like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and kidney failure.

Amid such difficult challenges facing social health insurance

SINCE HIS APPOINTMENT AS THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF NHIS, HE HAS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH UNFLINCHING COMMITMENT, DETERMINATION AND CREATIVE ENERGY TO EXPAND THE FRONTIERS OF SOCIAL HEALTH INSURANCE IN NIGERIA

programmes in Nigeria, it is heart warming that the unimpressive narratives surrounding the programmes are about to change with the appointment of Prof. Usman Yusuf as the Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer of NHIS by President Muhammadu Buhari last August. As regards the professional profile of Prof. Yusuf whose well-deserved appointment into the position is akin to putting a round peg in a round hole because of his reputable track records in medical practice, he is an erudite professor of paediatric haematology and oncology. Since his appointment as the executive secretary of NHIS, he has hit the ground running with unflinching commitment, determination and creative energy to expand the frontiers of social health insurance in Nigeria with his tested, proven and trusted experience garnered over the years during his sojourn in the United Kingdom and the USA. Indeed, his passion to demonstrate the confidence of Mr. President in his ability to make a difference in this critical sector is encapsulated in his sincerity of purpose to expedite universal health care coverage to all Nigerians. And deeply disturbed that African states with less material endowment like Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana have recorded wider coverage of social health insurance for their populace, Yusuf is of the opinion that Nigeria, given her abundant material and human resources, can do more in expanding her own programmes based on the best global practices.

So far, as part of his determined effort to make major stakeholders see potential in NHIS to do good, Prof. Yusuf has had a series of meetings with some of them with a view to eliciting their wholehearted support and regaining the trust of the enrollees in the scheme. In this connection, he had met with both management and staff of the regulatory agency, seeking their cooperation to enable him actualise his goal and set objectives, while sounding a wake-up call for them to effectively discharge their responsibilities and obligations since it would no longer be business as usual under his promising tenure.

Part of the networking activities by the executive secretary to ensure a hitch-free social health-insurance scheme in Nigeria were his recent interactive sessions with associations of doctors, apart from those of nurses and midwives. The essence of such meetings was to hear their experiences about the scheme, as well as tell them where they have failed the enrollees in terms of unfair treatment in spite of monthly deductions of their hard-earned incomes. Against this background, Prof. Yusuf has directed the Quality Insurance Department of the agency to assess the professional and commitment status of accredited doctors in the social health insurance scheme and their facilities to guarantee qualitative service delivery to subscribers.

In a similar vein, during his recent address of Chief Medical Directors of teaching hospitals in the country in Calabar, he had implored the CMDs to change the horror stories of some NHIS patients who reportedly often undergo neglect, exploitation and indignity in the hands of some HCFs. In his meeting with all HMOs in Abuja not long ago, Prof. Yusuf admitted that the accredited companies had failed the social health insurance scheme in Nigeria by feeding fat on the enrollees. As he put it, “The scheme is somehow skewed in favour of HMOs and, alas, against the underprivileged”. Warning that a new sheriff is now at the helm of affairs of the regulatory body to check such anomalies, Yusuf had vowed to empower enrollees by making them be in the driving seat of the social health insurance scheme since all HMOs and HCFs are dependent on their contributory funds for operation.

According to him: “NHIS, under my watch, will talk to the subscribers and listen to them. I will tell them that any HMO or HCF that fail to perform to their delight will be sanctioned”.

Emeh, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

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The appointment of Yewande Sadiku as NIPC chief is well deserved, writes Suraj Oyewale

tarried for minutes before deciding to settle for this title. The reason is predictable: The last time a public officer was widely described as a breath of fresh air in Nigeria, the air turned out to be far from being fresh. So disappointing was the performance of this elected officer that that epithet may have been “ostracised” in Nigerian political parlance. Yet, no better description comes to mind for the appointment of Ms Yewande Sadiku as Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC). Having used majority of the early appointments to settle political IOUs by filling them with career politicians, the quality of appointments by the president in the last six months has been a welcome relief.

In July, the president appointed Ife, Stanford and Cambridge trained Akintunde Akinwande, an accomplished professor of electrical engineering, as the chair of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to be supported by no less worthy commissioners like Moses Origu, an investment banker with vast Wall Street experience (JP Morgan Chase and Credit Suisse); Nathan Shatti, a chartered accountant with trainings in multinational oil giants, Exxon Mobil; Sanusi Garba, trained in Zaria and Birmingham; Okafor Nwoye, a University of Lagos professor with specialisation in power systems; Dafe Akpeneye, a director at respected consulting firm, PwC; and a young man with good academic credential, Musiliu Oseni, whose Cambridge doctorate thesis was

on electricity markets. The medical professionals appointed to head critical health sector agencies, also in July, also received wide applause from trusted commentators.

But by far the most impressive appointment so far, for me, is that of Ms Sadiku as the Head of NIPC, the agency established to encourage and support investment in Nigeria. I have followed Sadiku’s career in the last 15 years, where she has established herself as an investment banker of repute and corporate finance aficionado.

There are two sets of investment bankers in Nigeria – the Wall Street returnees and the home-grown even if UK and US educated.

Sadiku is one of the smartest home-grown, yet world class, investment bankers from the Atedo Peterside School of investment banking. He is a thoroughbred professional that rose through the ranks to become an Executive Director at StanbicIBTC, having headed their investment banking and corporate finance business for many years, advising governments and private corporations on investment strategies and execution.

At this period that NIPC is expected to play a critical role in facilitating a friendly investment climate for local and international investors, especially in critical sectors like power and gas, having someone with vast private sector experience as its head is a cheery development. What’s more, like I said in my 2014 book, “Road to Victoria Island,” apart from a track record of performance,

one other factor that stands out products of the Atedo School is integrity in a nation where that is a scarce commodity. Sadiku comes highly recommended on this scale too.

The last time a product of that school, Dr. Yemi Kale, served public office (Statistician General of the Federation), the popular view is that he did outstandingly well. I have no doubt that Sadiku will even do better at NIPC. I recognise the fact that public sector is a different ball game, with all the bureaucracy and politics that can frustrate even the most well-intentioned and competent professional. In spite of this, she is one professional I have strong confidence in to drive reforms in this all-important yet underrated government agency.

Elsewhere, I have expressed worry about President Buhari’s cabinet, but the agency appointments since then have been decent. These appointments offer a ray of hope for this government. To develop as a nation we need to use our best brains. I sincerely hope the supervising ministers for these government departments and agencies are able to up their game and support these agency heads in driving the change they mouth.

I have also had cause to relate with NIPC as a tax professional and I have no doubt that having such an egghead of Ms Sadiku’s standing as its chief executive is a right step in the right direction.

Someone that has done investment banking, corporate finance all her career. Someone that has

advised governments and private corporations on investment strategies and execution all her career. A principled woman.

This is a breath of fresh air. This is one appointment I can put my money on to deliver if given free hands to operate. My fear is frustration in government. Public sector is a different kettle of fish altogether, I admit.

I’m honestly surprised at how Buhari got to know about these people. The guys appointed to the board of NERC few months ago are another smart folks. I know one of them personally too.

People have said the same thing about the guys appointed in the Health sector agencies recently too. Wondering who’s recommending these non-partisan professionals and academics to the President.

With the appointments made in the last 6 months, I honestly think Buhari has a good team.

My only worry is the cabinet, the ministers who would be supervising these guys. That’s a critical factor. These ministers have failed to fly and it may affect the performance of these agency heads.

I wish Ms Sadiku success at NIPC. Dr Yemi Kale, outgoing (or is he gone now?)

Statistician General of the Federation, is another product of the Atedo Peterside School. By all accounts, he did well. I have no doubt in Ms Sadiku to even do better at NIPC. Oyewale, a chartered accountant, wrote from Lagos

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OCTOBER 1, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Sweet victory...

Ambode and Passion in Governance

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espite the noise emanating from the stadium when the game started, he kept his eyes on the ball and instilled commitment and professionalism on his team.

True to the expectation of those who never doubted his playing dexterity and to the amazement of doubters, his gradual build up approach and eventual potency in the box with the number of goals already scored in less than half of the playing time, the noise has not only changed to applause but he has already been crowned the best player.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s tenure in Lagos State began with contentions on his ability to give Lagos the needed leadership. Just as it took Christiano Ronaldo winning many awards, breaking many records and accomplishing many amazing feats to reinforce his soccer prodigy status, it is undisputable that African Leadership Magazine current Best Performing Governor in Nigeria, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has won the hearts of many with his sterling performance, thus far. At this juncture, the question is why are people currently expressing their desire to have the Ambode’s tenure extended? Perhaps, the answer lies in Ambode’s passionate approach to governance which has convinced all that he has all it takes to take Lagos to the Promised Land. His public service background really aided his understanding of the state’s development plan. This gives him a firm grasp of the various issues involved in the state’s transformation agenda.

Some 15 months in the saddle, Lagosians and the general public are, no doubt, united in the managerial ability of the governor. Surely, the talk in town now is that Lagosians did not make a mistake in electing him governor. Good enough, the governor’s approval rating is essentially anchored on concrete evidence of performance.

A crucial aspect of the governor’s performance is its grassroots appeal. The flagship of this is the recently inaugurated 114 inner roads, with two roads constructed in each of the 20 local governments and 37 LCDAs and the Light up Lagos Project which has also connected previously neglected communities to the national grid.

Also included in this renewed attempt to improve infrastructure in the state are two flyover bridges being constructed simultaneously at Ajah and Abule Egba as well as the third one to be constructed at Agege Pen Cinema. The ceaseless way in which the Ambode government has tackled traffic in the state with lay-bys and pedestrians bridges, has really eased commuters’ movement in the state.

To ease the pains of pensioners in the state, funds were released to pay off arrears of pension liabilities. The health sector has also witnessed numerous revolutionary initiatives such as the inauguration of helipad at LASUTH, launching of ambulances, mobile clinics, among others.

These accomplishments in turn testified to the governor’s clarity of vision, firmness of purpose and above all, his unequalled passion for Lagos’ progress.

Without a doubt, the governor is a role model who is

inspired by a determination never to let down the people who have reposed so much trust and confidence in him. Thus, we can understand the tenacity with which he is employing stakeholders’ engagement, quarterly town hall meetings, people’s perception survey and social and conventional media to deepen the process of inclusive governance.

The truth is that what you don’t plan to do and that which you have not done cannot be discussed with the people.

The projects not executed cannot be shared on the social media. Ambode is able to share and discuss his plans and programmes with the people because he is actually fulfilling his campaign promises by making Lagos work for everybody in consonance with his mantra of “Itesiwaju Ilu Eko loje wa logun” and his 2016 budget christened “The Peoples Budget”.

For every discerning mind, the last three months have added to the layers of progress in Lagos State. If one takes the courageous passing of the land grabbing law, it will be seen that this government is all about focus and touching peoples’ lives. In Lagos, land is gold, whether for individuals or investors. Therefore, whatever affects land affects almost everyone in the state. Thus, with this law in place and a task force that is already dealing with infractions, people are happy because confidence has peaked.

Rasak Musbau, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

Odigie-Oyegun and Party Leadership

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hen Chief John Odigie-Oyegun emerged as the chairman of the All Progressives Congress at the party’s convention in Abuja on May 24, 2014, little did political pundits and Nigerians who yearned for change envisaged that the party would turn round in barely 16 months after coming to power at the federal level with control in majority of the states descend into an abyss of unprecedented political corruption, advancement of political hidden agenda, divisions and looming disintegration.

It is therefore no wonder that there is intensive calls for the quick intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari as the leader of the party and the immediate vacation of the office of chairman of the party by Odigie-Oyegun as the only available option left for the party in checking the imminent systematic destruction and fragmentation of the party before the next general elections in Nigeria.

To say that the leadership style of Odigie-Oyegun in directing the day-to-day affairs of the party towards achievement of electoral victory in 2019 will be a tall dream and a herculean task is to say the obvious. Nigerian and a good percentage of members of the APC are already hung up

T H E S AT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R

EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, MBAYILAN ANDOAKA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI GENERAL MANAGER PATRICK EIMIUHI GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE ART DIRECTOR OCHI OGBUAKU II DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

and will not be in a hurry to put behind them the intrigues and manoeuvring in June 2015 that played out in the emergence of the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives through a political coup that portrayed the party from onset as undisciplined, rudderless and one not capable of managing the hard electoral victory achieved in the 2015 presidential election. The accusation of impartiality levelled against his office after the declaration of the Kogi governorship election of November 21, 2015, as inconclusive by INEC and subsequent untold developments that followed thereafter; his stance on the fraudulently conducted party primary in Ondo State for the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for November 2016 when he used his veto power as the chairman of the party to upturn the report of the appeal committee set up by the party to look into the complaints that trailed the conduct of the referenced primary which report was considered by the National Working Committee and by majority, supported the cancellation of the candidacy of Akeredolu while ordering the conduct of another fresh primary. In these three instances, the wound created and the unhealthy polarisation of the party may be the party’s undoing come 2019 general elections if OdigieOyegun is allowed to continue to treat APC as his personal property. He needs to be made to understand that APC is a party owned by millions of Nigerians fully committed to the change mantra that has remained the bedrock of governance by the Buhari administration.

The stark reality today in the nation’s political terrain has remained that of disenchantment of party faithful across the country on the unexpected unfolding events in the party since coming to power on May 29, 2015, a development that is already making many Nigerians in the stronghold of the party to wonder if their expectations of the change that was overwhelmingly voted for in 2015 general elections is actually what is being witnessed today under the leadership of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as the chairman of the ruling party. Be that as it may, now is the appropriate time to save the APC from going into political oblivion before 2019 and the only and available credible step to avoid this from happening is for Odigie-Oyegun to tread the path of honour by resigning as the party chairman or in the alternative, should tender a public apology to the members and supporters of the party.

Odunayo Joseph, Mopa, Kogi State

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OCTOBER 1, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

POLSCOPE

with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

Padding Palaver: Beyond the Suspension of Jibrin

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he House of Representatives resumed last week. Like a ghost, the spirit of the padding scandal is yet haunting the House. During the break, a lot of moves were made by both sides (those supporting the padding and the establishment and those opposed to the padding scam) in order to consolidate their various positions.

In what appeared like pursuing the allegation to a conclusive end, the House had referred the matter to the Ethics and Privileges Committee headed by Hon Ossai Nicolas Ossai.

Fearing that he would not get justice from the committee, the whistle blower, Dr Abdulmumuni Jibrin stayed away from the committee citing the bias of many members of the committee, some of whom had made comments criticising Jibrin for the embarrassing exposè he gave the House.

Jubrin, on his part, had approached the court to grant an injunction forbidding the House from suspending him.

Right now, the die is cast. The Ethics and Privileges Committee concluded the sitting without Jibrin showing up.

Expectedly, the committee last Wednesday made far-reaching recommendations against Jibrin, chief of which being his suspension from 180 legislative sittings, as well as being barred from holding any position of responsibility in the eight assembly.

I believe that no matter the case Jibrin had against the leadership of the House, his refusal to appear before the panel did him in. Relying wholly on a lawsuit he had filed was not enough reason to boycott the committee, especially as his initial condition for appearing before the committee (conduct the sitting in the open) was met by Dogara the House committee.

I am not convinced that the decision to shun the committee was the best in the circumstance. He had the ample opportunity to prove his weighty allegations before the whole world, but he blew the chance.

He forgot the legal aphorism that the burden of proof lies on he who alleges. No matter how biased the members of the Ethics and Privileges Committee may have been, a well-laid out case of Jibrin would have set the committee against all Nigerians who would have had the chance to see through whatever antics the committee was about to play. But Jibrin’s refusal to appear before the committee obfuscated his case. Now Nigerians would be wondering if the allegations are/were frivolous and fictitious.

As it stands, the battle will shift to the court. The direction and dimension of court cases are not only easy to determine, no one knows how long they can drag.

I can guess that Jibrin’s refusal to appear before the committee may have also made him lose the few supporters he had in the House, and that explains why the motion to suspend him was overwhelming, as not a single voice opposed it on the floor of the Green chamber.

Anyone who watched the drama of the distribution of “#I-stand-with-Dogara” muffler in the House last week would understand that the House will not waste time to clamp Jibrin between the hammer and the anvil. Suspending Jibrin will heighten the tension in the House and raise the decibel of the accusation to a feverish pitch. Indeed, many would believe that the suspension of Jibrin is aimed at sweeping the whole padding saga under the carpet.

The suspension of Jibrin, nonetheless, does not invalidate the allegations made and so they deserve to be creditably cleared by all those involved especially the quartet led by Speaker Dogara.

It is not enough to dismiss the details of the allegations as mere mischief. Nigerians need to be convinced beyond political grandstanding and shenanigan that the over 2000 projects worth N40 billion said to have been engrafted into the budget by the House leadership is not true.

We need to be convinced that the Nasarawa water project, for instance, was not actually diverted to Dogara’s farm. Beyond the rave talk about padding, is the more critical question of the content of the said padding itself. A close look will show that most of the projects so engrafted into the budget, are not projects that will improve the livelihood of the people or grow the economy that is now in dire straits.

For instance of what national economic importance is a community town hall? Or what lasting value does a television viewing centre create for the people?

Last August 6, I had written that, “It is bad enough that these lawmakers have appropriated the functions of the executive by also drawing up their own budget, yet it is worse when you hear that most of these so-called constituency projects are not projects that will improve the overall development index of Nigeria. Or how shall we justify the use of federal government fund to build a community town hall, or market or television viewing centre in a community? Very annoying cases of abuse of privileges. It also shows the vacuous mental capacity of many of the lawmakers. Town hall my foot!”

All said, Dogara and co. must come clean. They must be seen to be above board. This is a new era. They cannot continue in the same ways of the past which put us all in the mesh of mess we are in today. All eyes are on the House and its ways, as I know the last salvo may not have been fired from Jibrin’s armoury.

Nigeria’s 56 Steps to a Far Country

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oday is Nigeria’s 56th anniversary.

Yes, 56! But how far have we journeyed from point of origin?

And how near are we to the destination? These will remain big questions that we have to battle to answer every October 1. Life is a race. How fast and steady are we running? What is the guarantee that we shall breast the tape while the competition is still on? Or we may get there long after the curtain has been drawn?

Many of those who believe Nigeria is jinxed argue that if the founding fathers of the nation who were more patriotic and altruistic could not establish a country of their dream, then no one should expect the scavengers on stage now to do any better. I do not agree.

I believe that Nigeria will grow out of its present challenges, despite the fact that even the youth of today who are in influential positions of authority

have not quite shown that they are the messiahs.

Yet I am convinced that the Nigerian nation will rebound.

Yes, we have been slow in catching up with fellow countries with whom we began the journey to nationhood together, the fact that we are yet one country despite all the challenges of the past, indicates that we shall come out of our present predicaments and emerge a stronger nation. Rome was not built in a day. Neither was Rome built all lifelong though.

But to arrive at the other side of this struggle will require leadership and obedience. As Jerry Gana would say in his MAMSER days, those who are leaders must lead well and those who are the led must listen and obey the directions of the leaders, provided they give progressive instructions that will take us to the Promised Land.

For Nigeria and Nigerians, whether we are in recession or not, we yet must congratulate ourselves on this 56th anniversary.

Canticles...

Ondo APC: WasTinubu Bruised?

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he predictions of the nay sayers are coming to pass.

Who are the nay sayers and what did they predict?

Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem?

Are you not aware that many have been predicting that the APC will soon shatter and scatter given the cobbling together of disparate forces and interests?

I don’t understand you. So what makes you think this is coming to pass?

You mean you didn’t hear of the in-house combustion, how the dreaded Bola Tinubu, a man who assumed the title of National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has ordered that the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, should step down immediately? You also did not know that even former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has joined Tinubu to drag Oyegun down? Have you not been in the country?

You have not told me anything new. I must warn you not to over-sensationalise these issues.

They are normal political squabbles. Don’t forget politics is all about interest. It is either group or individual interests. And as soon as this is threatened, there will be kicks here and there.

So what are you implying?

I am not implying anything. I am telling you that if Tinubu is kicking or Atiku is kicking, you are better check well. It is because their interests must have been threatened one way or the other.

(In hushed voice)Let me tell you. Do you think Tinubu will be happy that for the second time, his effort to install the Ondo governor failed? Don’t forget that in 2011 Tinubu sponsored and supported Rotimi Akerodolu of then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) against Governor Olusegun Mimiko because he felt that Mimiko betrayed him. Recall that Tinubu had said during one of those campaign rallies of the party at Ikare-Akoko, that, “I took him (Mimiko) as a brother when he came groveling for support. We gave him our support, money and even gave him a bulletproof car. But Mimiko betrayed us.” So if at the end of that contest Mimiko won and Tinubu lost, you think the latter would be happy?

And yet again, even in the choice of the party’s standard-bearer (in a party that he is the unchallenged National Leader), his own candidate—Mr Segun Abraham was not picked or elected as the party’s candidate. And you expected him to smile? You don’t know that a huge chunk of his political ego has been chipped off? No politician worth his name will be happy with that. So if he is kicking, it is understandable.

So why is Atiku joining him too?

It is the same issue of interest. Don’t forget the same Atiku was a presidential aspirant along with now President Muhammadu Buhari. Atiku still believes that Oyegun must have tweaked the structures of the party to favour Buhari against him in 2014. So if he is kicking against Oyegun now, it is because of past acrimonies. And don’t forget Atiku still has his eyes on 2019. He must have also calculated that his chances will remain threatened and abortable if Oyegun continues to remain in office. Therefore, the earlier he is thrown out the better for his interest. Believe me, it is all about their interest, my brother!

So if Tinubu sponsored Akerodolu in 2011, why is he bitter now that the same Akerodolu has emerged?

Surely, you don’t understand politicians. You don’t know they behave like Ogbanje sometimes?

Tinubu Nothing is permanent in politics, except interest.

Tinubu found another worthier vessel in Segun Abraham and does not believe Akerodolu is the fellow anymore. So he would feel even more hurt that a fellow he has dumped became the eventual winner in a contest he was more or less a proxy contestant.

I don’t believe you completely. Don’t forget the same Abraham had congratulated Akerodolu for emerging as the party’s candidate. So what informed the change of stance?

Well, there is a claim that the delegates’ list was manipulated and over 150 strange names were engrafted into the list. And that was what gave Akerodolu the victory. And that was the basis of the protest against Akerodolu’s emergence.

Did you not hear that in the appeal panel that six persons voted for the repeat of the exercise while five upheld it? And rather than go with the position of the majority, John Oyegun upheld the position of the minority?

I understand he voted to uphold the primaries and that made it all six.

He is supposed to vote only when there is a tie. Not when there is a clear winner.

Can’t you see he breached the process and the rules?

Is there no room for his discretion as the presiding officer?

Sadly, there is no such provision. All that he needed to do was play by the rules.

But I hear that the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal has been delegated by President Buhari to sort out the feud.

And you think Tambuwal will change anything? You think Asiwaju, the Jagunmola of Yoruba politics will be persuaded by that?

Well, it will be a way of ensuring that the shaky stacks of the party do not come crumbling down to the pleasure of their critics.

Nothing will come crumbling down if Oyegun falls. Or did you not hear that he even lost his ward in the Edo governorship election? Can’t you see his electoral value has been wiped off?

I think they must all do everything to avoid the mockery of all the nay sayers led by the PDP overlords who have always predicted that this marriage of convenience called APC will not last.

The ball is in their court.

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OCTOBER 1, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

RingTrue

07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

Yemi

Adebowale

Abdulmumin Jibrin: A Rebel without a Cause

A

bdulmumin Jibrin, the former chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives was a pitiable sight on Thursday while responding to the decision of the House to suspend him for 180 legislative sitting days, over an alleged breach of the privileges of his co-legislators. The breach in question was about the budget- padding allegation he made against the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara and some other principal officers. Jibrin was also barred from holding positions of responsibility throughout the life of the 8th National Assembly. Poor Jibrin. The 180 legislative-day suspension will unerringly come to one calendar year.

Jibrin obviously got a full dose of his own medicine. He was so childish in this misadventure. For me, his budget padding allegation was a charade. I don’t have the slightest pity for this beleaguered lawmaker. For several months, Jibrin went about creating an unnecessary diversion from the myriad of problems facing this country, which the lawmakers ought to be responding to. He did not even start his so-called budget-padding war until he was removed as the chairman of the Appropriations Committee; the obvious vindictiveness with which he went about the media war was also appalling. It is disheartening that the belligerent Jibrin failed to show up when the matter was assigned to its Ethics and Privileges Committee for further investigation, even when his demand that the sitting be thrown open to the public was met by the committee.

One of the lawmakers, Emmanuel

Tinubu

Orker-Jev was on point when he remarked: “The image of the House has never been worse than this before. Jibrin was reckless and the allegations were false. He knew that the allegations were false and scandalous and he had no regards at all to whether the allegations were true or false.”

It is even more painful that Jibrin reduced everything around the budget to propaganda. Nigerians need to know the truth; that constitutionally, power over the budget rests with the National Assembly.

The President only lays a proposal.

Nigeria’s Rising Debt Profile The rising debt profile of governments at both the federal and state levels should be of concern to patriots. Of course, I am not averse to debt, but I can’t see anything tangible on the ground to justify this massive figure in the last 14 months. The latest statistics from the Debt Management Office (DMO) showed that domestic and external debt by the federal and state governments had risen to N16.29 trillion, an increase of N4.17 trillion in the first one year of this administration - July 2015 to June 2016. The domestic debt status of the federal government alone is now

N10.6 trillion as at June this year as against N8.4 trillion as at the same time, last year, meaning an increase of N2.21 trillion.

The domestic debt of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as at June this year, was N2.6 trillion. It was N1.69 trillion in July 2015. Yet, most of these state governments can’t point to tangible projects. Further borrowing not tied to projects that can help reflate this economy signals a bigger danger for an economy already in decline. Lawmakers at all levels must take steps to check splurge borrowing by governments at all levels.

Still on Planned Sale of National Assets Opposition to the planned sale of our national assets as a measure for reflating our recessed economy got massive boost for most of the week, with the Senate, labour leaders and genuine patriots rising up against those who want to destroy our tomorrow. It is a big shame that some governors teamed up with Vice President Yemi Osibajo in the National Economic Council to sanction this planned looting of our commonwealth. Clearly, President Muhammadu Buhari and his cohorts in the APC are no longer in agreement with the wishes of the people. The truth be told: The policy choices of the Buhari administration have put this country in crisis.

The incompetent reactions to falling oil prices, Naira devaluation and fuel subsidy removal all combined to put this country in this economic mess. Again, Nigeria has never experienced this much garbling in exchange rate in all of our 56 years of nationhood. We should not create a bigger crisis by selling out assets.

I urge the Buhari administration to deeply reflect on the addendum of former central bank governor, Charles Soludo to this debate. He said: “It is our considered view that the proposal is based on a false foundation. Our thesis is that in extreme,

exceptional circumstances, sale of certain assets could be a last resort option but that Nigeria is currently not near that threshold and the institutional framework for its effective use is also not in place. Furthermore, we argue that any sale of assets now amounts to chasing pennies when by acts of omission or commission, we are losing pounds. Such a hasty auction of national assets can only benefit a privileged few with cash and access while jeopardising Nigeria’s long-term economic interests. It will be a historic mistake for the reasons stated below.

“If we sell assets and lodge into the reserves under the current policy framework, I am willing to take a bet that in a few months’ time, it will be frittered away and we will be in even a bigger mess as economic agents know that we have nothing else to resort to. Sale of assets is the easy short-term option to earn peanuts while ignoring the hard work to earn the sustainable revenue required for moving the economy forward. Oil and gas, solid minerals and other depleting national assets belong to present and future generations of Nigerians in perpetuity.” Let’s continue the discussion on Twitter and Facebook @yemiadebowale.

When the ministries, departments and agencies come forward to defend their budgets, the lawmakers can amend, add or subtract. Otherwise, there will be no need for budget defence. When the lawmakers are satisfied, it is brought forward as a bill, passed and sent to the president for assent. It is preposterous for somebody to now turn around and say that these same people with power to amend, add or subtract from the budget have “padded” it.

The powers of the lawmakers on appropriation are clearly spelt out in Sections 4, 59 and 80 (4) of the 1999 Constitution. Section 59 confers on the lawmakers the final say on the budget.

Section 80 (4), which confers on the legislature absolute power of control over public funds, states: “No money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly”.

The word Manner confers absolute legislative discretion.

The statement issued by Dogara at the outset of this saga should be of interest to genuine patriots. It is apropos for us to reflect on it this morning because it settles most of the funny points raised

by Jibrin. The Speaker remarked: “When therefore, the National Assem-

bly appropriates funds in the budget, it can never under any circumstances or guise be deemed or regarded as tinkering or padding.

The legislature is therefore constitutionally incapable of padding the budget. What the Executive submits are mere estimates and proposal as stipulated in Section 81 (1). It is obvious that the Constitution uses the word ‘estimates’ advisedly. Consequently, it is therefore an exhibition of crass ignorance, abuse of language, outright mischief and or blackmail for a legislator especially one who chaired the Appropriations Committee to use the word ‘padding’ to describe the action of parliament on the budget.

“The removal, introduction of projects or the amendment of Mr. President’s estimates in the Appropriation Bill cannot and should never be construed as an act of corruption or impropriety because it is at the core of appropriation powers of the National Assembly as aptly enshrined in the 1999 Constitution. It is therefore clear, that no crime or wrong doing can be legitimately imputed on the actions or conduct of Mr. Speaker, the leadership or members of the House of Representatives before, during and after the passage of the 2016 Appropriation Bill.”

On this one, I am with Dogara and the angry lawmakers. Jibrin was extremely childish. I urge him to drop his court cases and seek ways of reconciling with his aggrieved colleagues.

What Next for the Jagaban?

I have always insisted that the decision of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to liquidate his Action Congress of Nigeria, for the merger that gave birth to the All Progressives Congress, APC, was a misadventure. He ought to have remained a king maker at the regional level. My third eye does not deceive me. Ahead of the 2015 general election, my conviction then was that Jagaban should retain his ACN and go into an alliance with the mega-party that will result from the merger. His structure would have remained untainted, while he would substantially determine the terms of the alliance because he was the most beautiful bride then. The distribution of political offices would have been clearly spelt out and Jagaban would only fill in the gaps as the day progressed. If there emerges a major issue as currently being experienced, this former Lagos State governor would simply retreat to his beloved ACN. But Jagaban got it all wrong. He threw virtually everything he had worked for all his life into the merger and sacrificed his adored ACN. It is obvious that the APC has fallen apart, with Tinubu demanding for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who he claimed had derailed from the path of progressives. He also wants the Ondo APC gubernatorial primary cancelled. Jagaban is clearly asking for the impossible.

Oyegun has already aligned with the cabal running the Buhari government. They have guaranteed Oyegun’s chairmanship as long as he does their biddings. What the cabal has simply been telling Jagaban all the while is that he can go to hell. The bitter truth only few people are courageous to tell Jagaban is that the cabal members don’t trust him. It is even more interesting to note that some of Tinubu’s cohorts have jumped ship and teamed up with the cabal. The solid blow from the likes of Odigie-Oyegun and Muiz Banire over the Ondo issue testifies to this.

Tinubu had never for once been given his due respect as deserving of a national leader of the party. The hawks in the APC would never allow this. They have very little regard for him and keep running away from the fact that Jagaban almost single-handedly gave victory to APC in the 2015 Presidential election. Asiwaju could not even influence the choice of

Tinubu

ministers that emerged from his beloved South-west. The cold war has been on since June, 2015. The controversial gubernatorial primary in Ondo State exacerbated it. For Jagaban, Oyegun sabotaged the will of democracy in Ondo State by overriding the decision of the appeal panel that recommended a fresh governorship primary following investigations that showed that the delegates’ list used had been tampered with.

Tinubu further stated that Oyegun’s action in allegedly subverting the will of the people was not of his doing, saying that for a man of the age of the national chairman to have done what he did, then “he must have been under the influence of a “powerful and sinister arm at work.”

Jagaban, who said that the APC was now under threat of being suffocated by anti-democratic forces pretending to be progressives, added: “The APC, a party born of the quest for democratic good governance, is under critical threat by those who managed to be in the party but never of it.”

Well, Jagaban no longer has the luxury of simply removing cohorts that have gone astray. This talk about removing the APC chairman is dead on arrival. For me, Jagaban has to press a tough restart button.

It will be a tough one because the Cabal will do everything possible to destroy him; but the Jagaban I know looks good to wriggle out of this. The days ahead will be interesting as Asiwaju shows his defining colours.

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SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016 T H I S D AY

Plus Godson Iheaku

LOUD WHISPERS AUTO MARITIME BITS GLOBAL SOCCER FITNESS FASHION FILE

I Do Not Regret Having Only Primary School Education

pg. 24 pg. 26 pg. 28 pg. 29 pg. 40 pg. 41

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER OCTOBER 1, 2016

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Plus

I Am the Biggest and Oldest Importer of Stockfish His face glistened as he stands, shakes hands with well-wishers, business partners and friends.

Dressed in blue simple, elegant attire with a cap to match, his chubby face beams a smile that underlies his robust and gracious nature. As the crowd mills around, it’s impossible to feel the grandeur in the air.

It is a surprise birthday bash for him – put together by his seven children. From the church service to the reception venue, there is pomp and circumstance in the air. Sir Godson Iheaku takes in some fresh air as he looks into the clear, bright sky and gives thanks to God. A tycoon in stockfish enterprise, he has risen from being an apprentice to sitting atop various boards of companies. His business acumen and values go beyond Nigeria. Since 1969, he has frequented the European countries of Iceland and Norway to deal in stockfish – and even at the age of 80 he has not stopped his business trips. Sir Iheaku’s simple, even if single-minded pursuit, on these trips remains constant. Unrelenting in determination, it is not a surprise that he has become the oldest trader in stockfish and the biggest importer of the delicacy into Nigeria. Nseobong Okon-Ekong captures Iheaku’s life and times on the sideline of his recent 80th birthday celebration

P

Iheaku

erhaps, Sir Godson Nwosu Iheaku gained confidence somewhere along the line.

But it was not always so.

His path to success, wealth and fame was lined with many obstacles. And his advancement did not come from determination only. The best education he could get as a child was a primary education. Immediately after completing primary school in 1950, he became a young and vulnerable apprentice. He was to learn the rudiments of commerce at the feet of his father’s friend. That was in 1951.

That year, he started serving his father’s friend, Chief Abel Onuchukwu.

From his homestead in Osina, Imo State, Iheaku ventured out to Onitsha. It was the beginning of a life characterised by thrills, adventures and twists. It is that life, even though Iheaku is 80, which still drives him and made his children – seven in all – to throw a grand birthday bash for him.

As a child, the 80-year-old’s brilliance was not in doubt.

He recollects: “I was brilliant to a reasonable extent, particularly in English language. But my father and uncle who were very friendly with my father decided that I should go into business. I told my father I wanted to go to school; he said no. In those days, whatsoever your father tells you, you don’t object. You don’t even argue with him because you know he is going to tell you the best. I went into business and as God would I’m happy also that my father gave the best he had at that stage to have trained me up to the level of elementary school. I can express myself. I can read and write. I can communicate with whites and blacks. I don’t have any regret. I know education is the background of everything but the one I had is enough for me.”

He had hardly set foot on Onitsha when he was dispatched to Jos, Plateau State, to join an arm of his master’s enterprise. The major item of trade, at the time, was enamel ware. In the first quarter of 1952, another transfer beckoned. This time, he was moved to the emerging city of Lagos to be groomed in stockfish trade. This item of trade would later become his stock in trade, earning him both stupendous wealth and fame.

His apprenticeship ended in 1955,

thus becoming an independent and bona fide trade; and today, Sir Iheaku, sits atop five companies as chairman and chief executive officer. The businesses, with diversified interests including agriculture, have been pooled under the name Iheaku Mega Group of Companies.

Blessed with a vivid memory, Iheaku explained when it all started: “I started this business in the elementary form, serving my master with all seriousness.

Eventually, I had to start up my own in 1956. We used to go to Lagos to buy goods and come back to Onitsha to sell.

Things were not easy. We had to travel with in trucks that had wooden backs.

We sat on the wooden bench to and from Lagos. The road was terribly bad.”

As the biggest importer of stockfish into Nigeria, Iheaku recalls his first trip outside the country in 1969. The Nigerian Civil War was raging, but for this shrewd businessman, it was time to look ahead. It was 14 years after he set up a shop. Since then, there has never been a year he has not travelled abroad.

A master and teacher of stockfish trade, Iheaku has nurtured an army of entrepreneurs in that industry – many of them coming from all parts of Nigeria – including his children. At the last count, there were 34 of his grandchildren learning the trade. His seven surviving children have become affluent in their own right. Therefore, when they went to town to invite their friends and associates to a party to celebrate their father’s 80th birthday and their mother’s 70th birthday, the All Saints’ Cathedral Onitsha and the Onitsha Sports Club venue of the church service and the civic reception respectivelywere filled with eminent persons from all walks of life.

They all turned up to honour a man who has reached a distinctive height in business. And he has a bragging right.

“In Nigeria, I am the biggest and the oldest importer of stockfish today. There are people who started the business before me in Nigeria. I cannot tell you I’m the first person who started it. But today I’m the biggest and the oldest stockfish tycoon. Nobody will contest that,” Iheaku pointed out.

Many at the All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral at Onitsha in Anambra State echoed the prayers of the officiating ministers. They all prayed to be celebrated in the same manner as

19

OCTOBER 1, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

Plus I Have Been Going to Europe Every Year Since 1969 Sir Godson Iheaku and Lady Esther Iheaku, whose affluent children rolled out the red carpet for their joint fete.

The Iheaku children: Njideka, Chineme, Izunna, Onyii, Uju, Mmaobi, and Ekeoma, had gone about the event planning surreptitiously, afraid that if it leaked, their father might not approve of it. However, it was too late to halt the proceedings by the time he got wind of the planned celebration. His only request was that they should make it a good outing.

“One of my sons has joined the business. I didn’t ask him to join and I was very glad about that. My children are in the board of all of my companies, including my wife. I don’t operate in isolation,” he said.

At the party were his European business associates from Iceland and Norway came all the way to honour their valued associate. In the gathering also were the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, representing Governor Willie Obiano; former Anambra State Governors Peter Obi and Lady Virgy Etiaba;former Governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa; President of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture and Industry, Chief Uche Apakama;Awade Agbabiaka, SAN; Chidi Okoye; Hon, Jones Chudi; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha was represented by Chuma Nnaji; Mr. Ben Akabueze; Chief G. U. Okeke; Chief Tony Ezennaya of Orange Drugs; and Chief Charles Ezeagu.

The reception which followed the church service chaired by the Chairman of the National Population Commission was marked with pomp and circumstance at the Onitsha Sports Club. On the band stand were entertainers like Onyeka Onwenu, Humblesmith, Kcee, Emeka Rollas, an offshoot from Oliver de Coque’s band and a troupe from the Anambra State Ministry of Culture Tourism and the Diaspora.

Iheaku is a pillar of service to his community and the church. Originally from Osina in Imo State, he is also at home in Onitsha which is home to his business empire. Iheaku himself is surprised at the achievements he has attained, coming from a humble background. He can’t seem to fathom why God singled him out for so much blessing. He holds the traditional title of Nze Omenkeahurunanya, which addresses his transparent nature.

“That’s how the Almighty God created me. I’m the only surviving child of my mother. My mother had other children. My mother later died.

I don’t have anybody who is of the same womb with me. I don’t know how it happened. I think the Almighty God wants it to be like that, otherwise I would have died like my other siblings,” he said.

For a man whose formal education stopped at primary level, Iheaku has been variously described as ‘the academic his community never had’ and ‘an Englishman’, mainly due to his suave mannerisms which he cultivated as a teenager. Another thing that many observed about him is that he does not jettison his cultural values. He sits well on both sides of the divide. He claims that he does not play to the gallery to win popular acclaim.

“I say what I think is right. My father was an old man before he died. He had me as the only son from my mother.

My father was a very intelligent man even if he didn’t go to school, he observed the tradition of our people to the core and everybody respected him for that. I don’t think he ever told a lie.

He was the head of kindred. I followed him everywhere to observe what he did. I learnt from him. My father died when I was a grown-up man. I learnt a lot from him.”

It is debatable whether his people and the church would have got better service than what is currently credited to him if he had gone on to secondary school and perhaps acquired a tertiary education. For one, he cannot recall anyone from his primary school class

Iheaku with a business associate from Europe

As a matter of fact, we’ve had a lot of turbulence.

The kind of turbulence we have now is smaller than the ones we had in the past. But we surmounted it. I don’t know how I can explain it to you because this trade has a lot of attraction for people in the government. There are certain trades you can hide. Nobody will see you.

As we sit here, if anybody comes into this apartment with one stick of stockfish, the environment will change. As a trader in stockfish, wherever I go, in the vehicle, market or even in the church, they will say ‘Onye Okporoko’ (stockfish seller) whose achievements tend to make him feel small. Long ago, he learnt to rely on himself and to stand tall, not minding his little formal education.

“I can’t recall any of them that I can say has made me regret my position or standing. God has all answered all my prayers. One of them whose friendship I maintain till today is the traditional ruler in his community. I call him by his first name and he does the same to me. And we laugh about it,” Iheaku

said.

The 80-year-old understands the different layers of interaction in the Onitsha community –the commercial, traditional and social layers. He keeps a fine balance to retain good relations at all levels.

“I can tell you quite frankly that anybody who has had an opportunity to meet or deal with me in one way or the other will like to deal with me again.

I am a member of so many organisations here which comprise of Onitsha indigenes and non-indigenes and we interact among ourselves both socially and in church activities. I interact as much as I can. I am a member of so many social clubs. I built the Gatehouse at the Onitsha Sports Club. My name is there. Nobody is going to remove it,” Sir Iheaku stated.

Stockfish, Iheaku’s stock in trade, has passed through many stormy waters in Nigeria.

One particular incident of note was when a presidential aspirant anchored a key point of his political agenda on ban of importation of stockfish in the late 1970s. Calmly, he replied that this was not the only ill perception they had to deal with in the stockfish trade.

“As a matter of fact, we’ve had a lot of turbulence. The kind of turbulence we have now is smaller than the ones we had in the past. But we surmounted it. I don’t know how I can explain it to you because this trade has a lot of attraction for people in the government.

There are certain trades you can hide.

Nobody will see you. As we sit here, if anybody comes into this apartment with one stick of stockfish, the environment will change. As a trader in stockfish, wherever I go, in the vehicle, market or even in the church, they will say ‘Onye Okporoko’ (stockfish seller). Some people think importation of stockfish is valued at a lot of money.

That is not true. Stockfish and allied products like fish waste are mainly consumed by south-easterners. Fish waste is a by-product of stockfish,” the octogenarian explained.

Iheaku gave an insight into the reason the Igbo make a fetish of stockfish.

“The fact is that the people who originated the importation of stockfish

in Nigeria are the Igbos. As far as I know by 1952 when I started the business, people who started before me were Igbos. They introduced it and having introduced it to their people, anybody who tasted it liked it. When you introduce something to your child, he grows up and admires it and introduces it to other persons especially when you observe that those things are giving good results.

“It’s not because I’m a stockfish merchant, but stockfish has a special taste.

If you are preparing any local food here and you have not added stockfish to it, the taste will be sour but the moment you put stockfish as part of your ingredients, the taste becomes different.

Sometimes people call stockfish in Igbo language, ‘Azu nku’ (fish stick) which is a wrong interpretation. Stockfish is prepared by nature, dried by nature.

People think it is dried by a machine or by fire. It is a product of nature.

There are special places in Norway and Iceland where you can dry it. Naturally, it dries by itself. It’s not dried anywhere in those countries. The weather of the areas is also instrumental in the drying of stockfish. The protein in stockfish is highly concentrated. It is a special kind of fish that has the highest nutritional value. That’s what makes it special,” he said.

Debunking the notion that stockfish is mainly a delicacy for the affluent, Iheaku insisted that it is a matter of preference.

“What you like may not be exactly what I like. I may say something is quite interesting but you may not see that way. It’s not a luxury but a basic food. Everybody needs that nutritional protein. The protein in it is quite high.

It gives you energy and nourishment.

As a matter of fact, stockfish and its by-products are mostly consumed by people who don’t have a lot of money.

It’s not a consumable item meant for the rich,” the 80-year-old tycoon said.

The European countries of Norway and Iceland are the main supplier of stockfish. Iheaku has lost count of the number of his visits to these countries, since his maiden trip in 1969. “That is where I get my daily bread and I have to nurse it,” he said.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

SUPER SATURDAY Olusesi Adebesin

I Started Stand-up Comedy in the Church Adebesin

He lessens tension and anxiety as he incorporates humour in his delivery, subtly choosing metaphors and words that make an audience wriggle with laughter. At age six, he was sent to Bauchi State to live with his grandmother. Some years after, having completed his primary and secondary education and unable to go to a higher institution due to, he returned home to his parents. For seven years, he had to wait, taking up a teaching job years to save up for University education. Fortunes shone on him in 2002 as he took interests in his local church drama group where his Hausa accent earned him attention as a potential comedian. Meeting with ‘Holy Mallam’, he saw possibilities; redefined his focus and interests in the rib-cracking business. Today, Olusesi Adebesin is a self-proclaimed tenth richest man on earth. Waxing philosophical, the five-inch, eightfoot tall and stand-up comedian tells Adedayo Adejobi, how much he is worth, why he owes his success to God, the rigour behind his booming growl and his search for a marriage mate

C

an you tell us about your childhood?

I was born in Lagos to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Olusesi Adebesin, on the 15th day of April. I have three brothers.

At age 6, I was taken by my grandmother to the northern part of this country to stay with her and there I started my primary education at the famous Army Children School, Azare in Bauchi State, where I got my first school leaving certificate. Thereafter, I was admitted to Pilot Junior Secondary School, Azare, where I did my Junior Secondary School Certificate Exam, and then I proceeded to Demonstration Secondary School, where I obtained my Secondary School Certificate. After my secondary school education I returned to my parents in Lagos but due to financial constraints I couldn’t proceed to a higher institution immediately. So, I moved to Idiroko in Ogun state where I took up a teaching job in a primary school. I taught there for about seven years before I secured admission into The University of Calabar to study Social Work between 2007 and 2012.

How did you start as a stand-up comedian?

Stand-up comedy began like a joke for me. I

used to be in a drama unit in my church (Winners’ Chapel Idiroko), and each time I acted no matter the role given, it was always funny because I used the Hausa accent. One day, I attended a programme at our church headquarters in Ota, there I saw a comedian named ‘Holy Mallam’ performing and he was doing clean family-friendly jokes with a Hausa accent. So I said to myself I can do what this guy is doing. And when I got back to my local assembly anytime we had youth programmes or other special programmes in the church I asked the pastor to spare me five minutes to do jokes and he obliged me once after which he kept giving me more opportunities. That was around 2002 and 2003.

After I eventually got admission to the University of Calabar, I continued doing my comedy in church and some petty programmes ranging from birthdays, child dedication and the rest of it until December 2007 when my name was included among comedians that were to perform in a stadium during the popular Calabar Carnival during former Governor Donald Duke’s administration.

After performing that night I was handed the sum of N25, 000. That was surprising to me because at that time I was riding a motorbike, popularly known as ‘Okada,’ as a student in year one and I know for how long I will have to work to be able

to gather such an amount. So, I said to myself that I would have to take this comedy thing seriously.

And since then I have travelled to at least seven countries. I have also been privileged toperform on major platforms like the Nite of a Thousand Laughs, AY Live, Akpororo Vs Akpororo, Comedy Goes to Church by Acapella, to mention but a few.

I also have an annual comedy event I host in Port Harcourt.

How hard is it to be funny?

It’s very hard, but creativity, spontaneity and boldness is all that’s required to break through the funny bone of the audience.

When you started doing stand-up comedy, how quickly did you realise what kinds of things you were going to talk about?

The person who inspired me was doing clean and family-friendly comedy. His kind of comedy is the type that all members of the family can sit together and listen to. Not the type you are listening to and you tell your children to go and sleep because you don’t want them to hear certain things being said. So I knew early enough that I was never going to be vulgar, insulting or deliberately provoke my listeners.

What was the stuff that made you seem unappealing?

The worst moment I had was one of my performances in Covenant University during one of the school’s convocation variety nights where I arrived very late, tired and famished because of the delay I had at the airport. I got to the venue and immediately I was called up to the stage. I was psychologically in the state of disequilibrium and when I got up stage almost all the jokes I did didn’t appeal to my audience at all it got so bad that the students had to dismiss me by clapping for me. That was not funny at all.

Was it fun to talk about that? Or was it really uncomfortable, and worth doing?

It wasn’t funny at all at that time because it was very embarrassing. But I learnt my lessons that day and it had helped me a whole lot. Now I can comfortably talk about it. I can even make joke out of it.

How much planning goes into a comedy rendering?

So much planning; so much thinking, reading, observing and writing.

As a comedian, what is your definition of

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

21

SUPER SATURDAY I Am Single and Seriously Searching..

Who is your ideal woman?

My ideal woman must have the ‘God factor.’

By that, I mean she must love God and things that pertain to the kingdom. Other factors are secondary.

Many Nigerian comedians have to contend with striking a balance between professionalism and patriotism. How have you been able to meander this loop?

If I understood your question, I think in discharging your duties as a comedian you also have responsibilities towards nation-building.

Your voice on the microphone is being heard by both the high and the mighty; I mean the people at the corridor of power. We can jokingly drive home important matters, advise our policy makers and even criticise them. But because a lot of us think if we so do, they may not invite us for their events.

What motivates you?

Vision, goals, aspirations and passion.

How do you generate new ideas for your jokes?

I do that through reading, observation, movies and deep imaginative thinking.

dress to suit the event or occasion I am attending.

How far are you willing to go to succeed?

Success itself is not a destination. It is a continuous adventure; so I will go as far as my mind can be stretched. Success is not a destination it is an adventure. It is making progressive progress. Success is the fulfillment of purpose; I have not succeeded until my purpose on earth is fulfilled. Also, if all you think of success is to drive a good car, live in a good house and have a family, you are of all men most miserable. True success is not measured by the size of wealth you have amassed but by the number of people your life, your wealth and your existence have impacted.

What fashion brands make the top list for you?

Gucci, Mondo, LV, Calvin Klein, etcetera.

What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?

Honestly, I am not sure I have any fear.

As a charming celebrity, how do you manage female fans?

One great man said to me long before I became a comedian that every plant has the potential of attracting insects but the one whose flower has bloomed attract them more and easily. So, he said as I grow in life when the fame comes, the girls will automatically come but I should never let them distract me from my goal. Because if I am distracted, I’ll lose focus and may not attain my goal; then these same girls will stand afar off to mock your failure. So I will say it has not been easy but with self-discipline and God on my side I am able and capable.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?

Bishop David Oyedepo, Lt. Dr. Myles Munroe, Apostle Johnson Suleiman and Gordons.

These men have impacted on my life and living.

Adebesin in performance

success?

To me, success is not about the wealth and luxury that I have amassed for myself, but about how many lives I am able to touch even with the little that I have.

What life principles are you guided by?

God first, and then other things follow.

What is your comparison of the comedian types?

The spontaneous: this set of comedians is naturally funny. They need not much time to prepare because they can make instant jokes out of anything and everything. The creatively funny: this set may require more time to think and imagine things, write and rewrite before coming up with funny stuffs. Some can be funny when they do stand-up comedy but may not be funny as actors, whereas some comedians are funny as actors but not as stand-up comedians.

When you ventured into comedy, did you know it was a lucrative venture?

Honestly, I didn’t even know that people paid for it. I just was catching fun until I got my first pay in 2005.

How much are you worth?

I am the 10th richest man in the world; I am worth $42.9m.

What is your viewpoint on ethical issues in an unstructured comedy industry?

A lot of things are actually unstructured in Nigeria not just comedy, but that notwithstanding, I believe personal self-discipline should guide people on what they do. For instance, in developed societies the comedy industry has well-defined structures. Like comedy central, The Apostles of comedy and the rest of it. These bodies regulate activities of members. But since we have no such structure, we are only guided by our societal norms and respect for senior colleagues.

But I strongly believe that things will get better because the industry is getting bigger by the day.

In view of patronage Nigerian comedians get, do you reckon that comedy space has harnessed its full potential?

Not yet; but we are getting better as the days go by. More talented young ones are coming up with great act and stage performances. I am sure

if given support by the government and private sector, the comedy industry is a gold mine not just for the comedians but for the nation as a whole.

You’ve got a strong sense of fashion. What influences that?

Honestly, my sense of fashion has no special influence whatsoever. I just want to look good enough to be addressed well. For they say ‘you should dress the way you want to be addressed.’ I

One great man said to me long before I became a comedian that every plant has the potential of attracting insects but the one whose flower has bloomed attract them more and easily. So, he said as I grow in life when the fame comes, the girls will automatically come but I should never let them distract me from my goal. Because if I am distracted, I’ll lose focus and may not attain my goal; then these same girls will stand afar off to mock your failure. So I will say it has not been easy but with selfdiscipline and God on my side I am able and capable

Have you ever been sexually harassed by a female fan?

No; not at all.

Are you single, searching or in a relationship?

I am single and seriously searching.

What are the challenges you face as a celebrity comedian?

A lot of people just assume because you are a celebrity you must always have enough money to cater for all of their needs and requests as if you are God. By my little knowledge, its only God that supplies all people’s need. When they make request they don’t expect you to ever say No, forgetting that you are also human and you have your needs too.

Another major challenge is making the choice of a life partner. It is very challenging when you are a celebrity.

Can you marry a celebrity like yourself?

Why not? Of course! I can marry a celebrity as long as she knows and carries out her responsibilities as a wife alongside her career. The home front must not suffer simply because you are a celebrity. We both have our responsibilities and we should be able to discharge our duties one to each other and also to our children. Though, some female celebrities allow their ego to rise above their moral sense because they are famous and rich. But no matter how famous or wealthy a lady is, as long as she can be submissive enough I will go for her.

What five books have inspired you the most?

Hidden Covenants of Blessing by Dr. David Oyedepo; Maximising your Potentials by Dr Myles Munroe; Why I act the way I do by Tim Lahaye; and 9 steps to financial freedom, authored by Suzie Orman.

To what do you most attribute your success?

I attribute that to God, diligence and focus.

What has been your most satisfying moment in business?

That will be when my clients are overwhelmed by my delivery and their satisfaction which is value for their money.

What do you feel is a major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?

There are a lot of differences that space will not be enough for me to enumerate. But one major difference is that you can never fully maximise your potential working for somebody else. Also, it is worthy of note that nobody employs you because he wants you to be rich but because he wants to use you to enrich himself the more. I can go on and on.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?

I can’t remember any right now.

What are your hobbies?

I watch movies and read.

What makes you happy?

I don’t really wait for things to make me happy. I consciously generate my happiness and sustain it, come what may.

Joking Apart, I’m 10th Richest Man in the World

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SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OctOber 1, 2016

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Tinubu

Tinubu vs Oyegun As we lounged on the beach last Sunday, I could see that the Jagaban was deeply troubled. He was not his usual, jovial self; his boxers refusing to sit well on his waist. He paced up and down the beach refusing to play his usual beach soccer with us. So I walked up to him, put my hands around his shoulders and asked him what the matter was. He looked at me straight in the eye and with anger proclaimed Oyegun an a.......le. Ahhhh, I screamed o. Oyegun has really annoyed the lion of Bourdilon o. So I begged daddy to calm down that we should take a swim and come back to discuss the matter like true strategists. He refused and packed sand and threw at an imaginary Oyegun. I became very worried and started begging him to calm down. He said the only thing that would make him calm down was if Oyegun resigned or was removed as party chairman. This one pass me o. You know this Oyegun man can be stubborn o. What did he even do sef to annoy the Jagaban like this?

Last time I saw Oyegun was in Abuja at the Sheraton, I did not even like the shoe he was wearing and made a mental note to complain to the party secretariat that these shoes did not befit the status of our party chairman.

So, what do we do now to calm the waters? And even this Oyegun sef is not helping matters with his position that he has no time for Jagaban. These people sef, who advises them because this whole thing is disturbing our beach soccer as Jagaban has refused to play? All attempts to beg him to join the game has fallen on deaf ears as he continued to pace up and down the beach looking for how to deal with Oyegun. I have tried everything within my powers to settle the matter, including singing his favourite ‘oriki’ all to no avail. Well, for me, Oyegun is too small, he should not disturb our game. After all, ‘no be him get the party na’. Please daddy just calm down, Edo governorship election result will settle this matter. Baba mi, ema bi nu.

Aliko Dangote : you have my vote You think anybody can be the richest black man in the world? You think it is by winning government contract and selling the paper the contract is written on that gives you the kind of wealth my brother is controlling? The man is gifted and that is why when he speaks we should all just not argue abeg. I

Dangote

Adeosun

Charles Soludo vs You Know Who Me I am afraid to call this big lawyer’s name o. The last time I mentioned his name I escaped jail with the skin of my teeth.

However, you know who had accused Soludo of misusing a large sum of money while he was the Governor of the Central Bank. This made Soludo come out of retirement with smoking guns. He called you know who a liar amongst other things.

You see, my brother Charles you for keep quiet after all, EFCC never call you or is it to preempt them that you have come out screaming. Don’t be afraid na, after all Olisa Metuh went in and survived . But those words were kind of harsh sha

support in full totality his call for the immediate sale of our national assets.

Nothing makes more sense today than that proposition. My own is simply for the reason that, of what use are these assets when no Akwa Ibom person has ever enjoyed them. Let us sell everything, raise enough money to reflate this economy instead of borrowing again and selling future generations

and not professorial. If I were in your shoes, I will simply just open Bible for am. For me, nobody can smear your name as you remain one of the greatest economist in our land. I think we really do need your help at this point especially now that we are seeing visions of recession leaving even as it is biting harder. The issue is not to be looking for who to blame which is gradually becoming a national past time but to seek quick and immediate solutions. Mr. Soludo should be immediately drafted into this war instead of being vilified especially by people who really do not know what they are talking about.

into slavery. You people think that Dangote speaks anyhow. Before he opens his mouth, he would have spoken to his colleagues on the Forbes list and those ones who really understand economics would have really briefed him. That is the problem with our country, instead of us to listen you will see people like PENGASSAN and NLC who are on pangolo list arguing

Madan Kofo

with Forbes list people. I just tire. My brother, keep the flag flying; you have my total support, don’t mind these people who have not even produced toothpick in their lives but instead feel they can open their mouths and talk when men are talking. Let them go on strike we are ready.

Kemi Adeosun : Aunty lets go home Aunty, let us just go home. It is not working. This adventure at the finance ministry was one apple too big to bite. It is okay, eja ka lole. I really do not have anything personal against you. It is just that the figures are not very appealing. As a corporate person you will understand when we talk about MPR. For the rest of us who do not understand how the finance industry works. MPR is the dreaded day for bankers when you give a report of your performance to your lazy superiors. They will sit with their stuffy shirts and cause your systems serious disruption as you struggle to explain why you are still very far from your target. MPR is usually a black day when full grown men wet their pants and literally – cry like babies. So, if Aunty was to have her MPR you will see why I am saying “thank you let us go home.” Inflation is double digit, more people have left their jobs than they did in the last 20 years. We are in a full recession and we are not sure when we will come out. Forget about the exchange rate. Let me just keep quiet. To be continued, let me go and eat and come back first. Na wa.

An evening with Madam Kofo Her real name is Abiola Atanda and I spent an exciting evening with her recently at the Lagos Country Club. I had gone to her with my fellow producers to convince her to join the cast of my upcoming play, Isale Eko, which will come up next Valentine Day at the Muson. Madam Kofo is that legendary actress who with her atrocious head ties has cemented her image on national psyche. She was very happy to see us as she hosted us and even bought a plate of amala for me . She took us down memory lane. How she started acting, her joys and victories and also the struggles. She was very sweet company and I am sure will deliver a very powerful performance on that day. She will be my Madam Tinubu and if what I saw that day in Ikeja is to be counted then the audience is up for a major roller coaster ride. Oya start saving for your tickets.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

auTO

Ford Appoints Coscharis Motors Sole Representative in Nigeria

F

Stories by Bennett Oghifo

ord Motor Company has appointed Coscharis Motors its sole representative in Nigeria.

It is also announced that RT Briscoe, would no longer be its distributor, for commercial reasons and to consolidate its dealer representation in the country.

WWFord said it ended its 11-year partnership with Nigerian distributor RT Briscoe as of 30 June 2016, while reinforcing its partnership with Coscharis Motors Limited as the country’s sole official Ford distributor.

“RT Briscoe has been a Ford dealer since 2005 alongside the Coscharis Motors group, but having two separate dealer groups representing the brand in Nigeria doesn’t make commercial sense,” said Rob Johnston, Regional Manager Sales and Marketing, Ford Customer Services Division for Sub Saharan Africa. “Our longterm strategy is to focus on Coscharis and continuously improve our sales, service and parts network within Nigeria. We would like to thank the RT Briscoe team for the dedication to the brand over the past 11 years, and wish them all the best in their future endeavours.”

Ford has invested extensively in developing the Nigeria market in conjunction with Coscharis Motors, which includes the launch of a semi-knockdown vehicle assembly plant for the Ford Ranger, and the opening of three Quick Lane centres and a Quick Parts outlet.

“The local Ranger SKD assembly operations and Quick Lane centres are in line with the global One Ford approach to deliver product and service excellence for our growing customer base, particularly in the important Nigerian market, while driving innovation in every part

Ford Ecosport 2016 of our business,” Johnston added.

Coscharis Motors currently has 11 outlets Ford dealers located in the major centres of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Calabar, which will continue selling, servicing and maintaining Ford vehicles throughout Nigeria according to

Ford’s stringent global standards.

Ford Motor Company and Coscharis have also opened three Quick Lane Tyre and Auto Centres in Nigeria, starting out in Lagos in 2013, with Calabar and Ado-Ekiti being launched earlier this year.

The Quick Lane centres are an initiative of Ford Motor Company, with facilities that offer motorists professional maintenance for minor service items in the shortest amount of time, with the emphasis on personalised care, quality and value for money.

All-New Jeep Compass Debuts Looking Like a Meaner Renegade

T

he new Jeep Compass has been introduced in celebration of the start of production at FCA’s Brazilian Jeep Assembly Plant in Goiana, Pernambuco.

Heading to market as a global compact SUV, the Jeep Compass will be produced with 17 fuel-efficient powertrain options when it’s sold in more than 100 different countries in the world. Although the American automaker didn’t release complete details about the new Compass, it promises that it will deliver best-inclass 4×4 off-road capability, advanced fuel-efficient powertrains, premium and

Jeep Compass

authentic Jeep design, superior on-road driving dynamics, open-air freedom and a host of safety and advanced technology offerings.

The new SUV will replace both the existing Compass and Patriot models, slotting between the Renegade and Cherokee. Under the hood, expect to see either a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine or a 2.4-liter fourcylinder mill, both paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

It will also head to North America starting the first quarter of 2017 and it will make its first public debut at the 2016 L.A. Auto Show in November. Expect more details to be released then.

2017 Toyota Highlander Comes with More Power, More Safety

T

he 2017 Highlander has more power and fuel economy on account of its new 3.5-liter V6 D-4S Injection engine and Direct Shift – 8AT 8-speed automatic transmission.

Taking full advantage of this revised powertrain is a new-for-2017 SE grade that brings a premium, sporty personality to the lineup. Not to be out shined by its gas-sipping siblings, the Highlander Hybrid adds two additional entry-level grades – LE and XLE – to its popular range. All Highlander models receive revised front and rear styling and enhanced interior convenience and comfort. Long story short, it’s great to be a Highlander buyer for 2017.

The Highlander is among numerous Toyota’s having the innovative and highly advanced Toyota Safety Sense™ P driver-assist technology as standard. Using millimeterwave radar and a monocular camera sensor to detect a preceding pedestrian, a preceding vehicle, and visible lane markers in the surrounding area, TSS-P can help the driver identify obstacles and automatically apply

braking if necessary to help mitigate or avoid collisions in certain conditions. TSS-P includes the Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection function; Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist function; Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Automatic High Beams.

Earlier this year, Toyota committed to making automatic emergency braking standard on nearly all models by the end of 2017 (2018 Model Year). This decision will place Toyota four years ahead of the model-year 2022 industry target announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) – before any other full-line automaker.

Performance Infusion...

The Highlander V6 has steadily made strides in performance over its lifespan, but for 2017, the powertrain upgrade is perhaps the most dramatic. The new 3.5-liter D-4S Injection V6 pushes output to 295 horsepower and 263 lb.-ft. of torque, which represent increases of 25 hp and 15 lb.-ft., respectively, over the 2016 Highlander V6. The new V6 also becomes the base engine for the Highlander Hybrid and

2017 Toyota Highlander features Dual VVT-i.

Making best use of the engine’s upgraded performance and efficiency, the V6 Highlander now employs a new Direct Shift – 8AT 8-speed

automatic transmission. The eight ratios, compared to six in the 2016 V6 model, benefit the Highlander’s acceleration and passing abilities.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

auTO SAFE DRIVING

Hyundai Elantra Named in WardsAuto 10 Best User Experience List

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

Stories by Bennett Oghifo

T

he all-new Hyundai Elantra was named to the inaugural Wards 10 Best User Experiences (UX) list. The Elantra is recognised as a value leader in this year’s competition for its user-friendliness and sophistication.

“We are honoured that Elantra is included in the Wards 10 Best User Experiences list among the likes of luxury models,” said Mike O’Brien, Vice President, Corporate and Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. “The Elantra was designed with advanced technology and premium convenience to bring our customers an exceptional user-friendly driving experience at a great price.”

Fatigue-the Hidden Killer (I)

A

Hyundai Elantra

The 2016 Wards 10 Best UX competition was created as a spin-off of 10 Best Interiors. Wards 10 Best UX drills deeply into the user-friendliness of vehicle systems designed to minimize distraction and frustration, prevent accidents and improve safety.

Points are awarded based on a vehicle’s performance

in the areas of connectivity, intuitive controls, displays, materials, infotainment and driver-assistance systems.

Are there any “surprise and delight” elements to the user experience? Finally, there is no price cap, but a vehicle’s overall value is considered as well. Wards Auto editors evaluated 29 all-new or significantly

redesigned light vehicles available in the U.S. Only 10 vehicles were honored for delivering outstanding user experiences.

The all-new Elantra truly advances ahead of the compact car class with innovative technology that enhances driver confidence and convenience, without the premium price.

Lexus UX Concept Introduces Hologram-Style Displays

T

he Lexus UX Concept, making its world debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, presents a vision for imaginative, forwardthinking technologies that will provide vehicle occupants with a fully immersive experience.

The radical interior of the Lexus UX Concept reveals floating hologram-style displays for the driver’s instrument binnacle and centre console, alongside the latest advances in vehicle electrical technologies.

A vision for a compact Lexus SUV of the future, the UX Concept represents a new step in the company’s design journey and a redefinition of the driving experience.

All on-board humanmachine interface technology

Lexus UX Concept

has been designed to offer an innovative, three-dimensional driver experience to progressive customers who live and work in an everconnected environment.

The driver’s instrument binnacle houses a transparent globe, floating in the manner of a hologram, in which a combination of analogue and digital information expresses

a functional yet unexpected user interface.

The centre console features a prominent, faceted crystal structure within which a hologram-style display of the air-conditioning and infotainment systems is clearly visible to both driver and front passenger.

The latest advanced invehicle electrical technologies

are also on display in the new UX Concept. It features electro-chromatic windows while door mirrors are replaced by e-mirror camera housings that are far slimmer than conventional mirror assemblies. All switchgear is electrostatic and displayed under transparent covers.

Finally, the fin motif used on the A-pillar lining is repeated on the dashboard to provide an advanced audio experience for the newgeneration Lexus customer - a demountable sound bar built into the passenger side of the dashboard. “Our brief was to create a new genre of compact crossover; a vehicle that could create something unique from a customer’s point of view - an innovative, three-dimensional, fully immersive user experience,” said Stephan Rasmussen, Designer at European Design Centre, ED2.

FRSC Begins Enforcement of Speed Limiters, Appoints Zaki Zonal Commanding Officer

T

he Federal Road Safety Commission will begin the enforcement of mandatory installation of speed-limiting device in commercial vehicles today.

Also, the commission has appointedAssistant Corps Marshal Shehu AZaki as the Zonal Commanding Officer for Zone RS2 of the Federal Road Safety Corps, comprising Lagos and Ogun Sate Command has been appointed.

Zaki took over from his predecessor ACM Nseobong Charles Akpabio, who is now on a course at the Nigeria DefenceAcademy, Abuja, according to a statement by the Corps.

The FRSC on September 1, 2015

Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi

unveiled the Speed Limiting Devices which is to be installed in vehicles plying Nigerian roads to regulate the maximum speed a vehiclecanattain,inabidtoensure safety of lives and properties.

A speed limiting device some-

times referred to as governor’ is used for controlling the speed of a vehicleoradeviceusedtomeasure or regulate the speed of a vehicle.

This device does not allow the driver to accelerate beyond the stipulatedspeedlimitbylawashas been programmed in the vehicle.

So no matter how the driver tends toaccelerate,thepre-setspeedlimit will not be exceeded.

There are two (2) major types of speed limiting devices; Mechanical speed limiting device; and the Electrical/Electronicspeedlimiting device.

Onthespeedlimiterenforcement, starting today, October 1, 2016, the new Zonal Commander, ACM Zaki appealed to the public to comply.

Zaki said the last quarter of the year was usually the pinnacle of operations in the Corps and

charged staff to put in more effort in ensuring a successful ‘Ember Month Operation’.

ACM Shehu A Zaki has served in various capacities of the Corps among which are Commanding Officer in over 10 Commands, CorpsProvostOfficer,CorpsIntelligence Officer, Head Monitoring and Evaluation National Headquarter Officer, among others.

Zaki, in his maiden address to staff on resumption in Lagos Monday September 26, 2016, said he believes in leaving legacies behind wherever he worked and thereforewouldwelcomeinnovations and creativity to move the Zone forward.

The Zonal Commanding Officer charged every staff to be diligent in their duties, come up with new initiatives to achieve different and better results.

s we enter the second month in this years ember months,i would like to share a veryinterestingmaterial Istumbledon,ontheabovesubject put together by theAustralian TransportSafetyBureau.Although I had done something similar on thispage,Iam,however,compelled towritethispieceagainbecauseof myexpereicesandappealsbysome readersandfriendstousethesame materialwhichtheybelieveisalife saverespeciallybecausemostdrivers do not realise the risk involved indrivingfatigues.Whilesomeare luckytosurvivenearmisses,others who ignore this high driving risk factor ended up in the morgue or bed ridden.

Although data on road crash to justify the danger of fatigue in Nigeria is scarce, globally fatigue remains a hidden killer. Many have died in the name of tyre burst,speed,dangerousovertaking when in actual fact the real factor may have been fatigued that was ignored as nothing serious. What really is fatigue? According to the Australianmateriala combination of any of the following warning signs means the driver is becomingfatigued:yawning,eyesfeeling soreorheavy,visionstartingtoblur, daydreaming- thinking of everythingelsebutnotyourdriving,not concerntrating,becomingimpatient, reactions seem slow, speed creeps up and down, making poor gear changes,wanderingoverthecentre line or onto the road edge, feeling stiff or cramped, you start’ seeing things’, you feel hungry or thirsty, youhavedifficultieskeepingyour head up or eyes open, you hear a droningorhumminginyourears, you don’t notice a vehicle until it overtakes you.

Whenyounoticethesesignslike IdidonmywayfromDutse,please don’tignoreit.Don’tpleadtheblood either.Dont even border binding the’ innocent devil’.Hey,not even timetoblastinunknowntongues.

It is not the devil. Not your in-law.

Notyourangrylandlord.Noteven yourjealouscolleagueintheoffice.

Butyou.Yesyou.Oncefatiguesets in, there is little you can do about it exceptstopassoonaspossibleand take a break. Take a break, sooner ratherthanlater.DriverFatiguecan bejustasdeadlyasdrinkdrivingor excessive speeding. The problem offatigueisthatitslowlydevelops anddriversoftendon’trealisethey aretootiredtodrivesafely.Ironically; thereisalwaysawarningsign.Mine began with yawning.

Fatigue,accordingtoresearchis caused by lack of sleep or broken sleep. Alcohol and some medications can also cause sleepiness.

Although the need for sleep varies among individuals, sleeping eight hours in a 24-hour period is common. The effect of sleep loss builds up. Regularly losing 1 to 2 hours sleep a night can create a “sleep debt” and lead to chronic sleepiness over time. Just being in bed doesn’t mean a person has hadenoughsleep.Disruptedsleep hasthesameeffectaslackofsleep.

Illness,noise;activitycaninterrupt

andreducetheamountandquality of sleep.

Likeeveryotherdrivinghabitsor problems,fatiguehasitsfairshareof myths.Forthosefreakyaboutnight trips or night journeys, the notion is that it is safer to make the trip at night in order to avoid day- time trafficbuildup.Thefact,howeveris thatyourbodyhasanormal24hour rhythmpatternbuiltintoit.Ifyouare drivingwhenyouwouldnormally be sleeping you will be fighting yourselftostayawake.Thechances of falling asleep at the wheel after your normal bedtime, especially in the early hours of the morning, are very high. There is also the notion that it is a good idea to start thetripafterwork.Thispersonally hasaffectedmesincemypostingto Kaduna.Ofcourse,Idon’tjokewith my family. I love my two sons like heavenandwoulddoeverything to spend valuable time with them likeeverylovingfatherorhusband.

Butdoyouknowtheriskinvolved.

Travellingafterworkiscertainlynot the ideal and this is a fact.After the mental and physician office work demandsduringtheday,youwill be too tired even though you will not realise it. The safest thing to do is to get a good night sleep (about 7-8hoursofundisturbedsleep)and startyourjourneythenextmorning.

There are those who think that loud music will keep you awake.

Agreed that loud music, can, however it will help for a while .It mightevendistractyoufromfrom thedrivingtaskorevensendyouto sleep.Whataboutcoffee?Gworo?

What if combined with cigarette?

Caffeineisonlyashorttermsolution and will have less effect the more oftenyouuseit.Itmightmakeyou feelmorealertbutitwon’tkeepyou going for long.Seep, remains the long term solution. This reminds me of a personal experience way backatthegreatestUniversity-the University of Lagos . Although it had nothing to do with driving, it however taught me a little lesson about cheating nature. While on a post graduate programme, we went to what was then one of the bukasoncampustofillourstomach.

After a good meal, my friend and classmate nick-named Folly who is today a senior officer in one the servicessuggestedwebuykolanut andtopitupwithhisfavourite-Saint Morris.

We obliged and bought kola nuts and cigarettes as suggested.

We smoked plenty, topping it up with plenty of kola nut all in the name of dealing a deadly blow to sleep.Tomy astonishment,assoon as we got into the post graduate library,myfriendwhoincidentally tookmoreofthegworoandcigarretee, suddenlypulledoffhisshirt, dragged a table and was about to do the unexpected-sleep, when I jokinglychallengedhimandsaid, ‘oldboy,howcanyoutrythatafter allyouhaveconsumed.Ofcourse, thatfriendlychallengeandstupid joke almost resulted in a friendly fightbytwofriendswhoserealproblemwassleep.Tomakepeace,my good friend was allowed to sleep allnightinsteadofourplannedall night jacking (reading).

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016 WITH

MARITIME BITS

JOHN IWORI 08057763164

L-R: The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside being conducted round state-of-the-art facilities at Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre, East-West Road, Ozuoba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sir Charles Nwami in Port Harcourt...recently

L-R: Chairman Dubai Port World recieving a Plaque from Managing Director, Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, at NPA House, Marina, Lagos...recently

Stakeholders Kick over Adeosun’s Moves to Merge Customs with FIRS Stakeholders in the maritime industry have flayed moves by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun to merge the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The stakeholders who spoke with THISDAY argued that in as much as Adeosun want to curb wastages and save cost by averting duplication of the services offered by the two government agencies, she should not embark on any move that would worsen the sufferings of the people as a result of the downturn in the economy.

The position of the stakeholders is coming on the heels of the National Tax Policy Review Committee which recommended the merger of NCS and FIRS. The committee, headed by Professor

Abiola Sanni was set up on August 10, 2016

by Adeosun and it among other reasons stated that the merger of both agencies would help improve administrative efficiency, reduce the cost of revenue collection as well as ensure accountability.

The draft of the reviewed national tax policy was presented at the committee’s second stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja by the West Africa Tax Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele.

The policy was first published in 2012 by the former Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, to entrench a robust and efficient tax system in the country.

Speaking at the event, Oyedele said the

committee agreed that the current system was encouraging multiple taxation, tax evasion and wastage.

Describing the current revenue generation system involving both agencies as inefficient as their functions were duplicative, Oyedele said: “Part of our recommendations will be that the FIRS and the Customs should be merged; but not just them, but all revenue generating agencies at the federal level should be merged into one.

“What we have right now is not effective because it duplicates the collection mechanism.

All the structures you have in the FIRS are replicated in the Customs; so, the cost of collection goes up. It also makes it easier for tax evaders to manipulate the system. You can

Bello: There is no Rivalry “Engaging Youths in Skilful Ventures Will over Single Window Reduce Tension, Restiveness in N/Delta” The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello has said that there is no rivalry among government agencies involved in the use of information communication technology (ICT), especially single window in the discharge of their statutory roles and responsibilities.

Bello’s assertion is coming on the heels of the involvement of many government agencies in the use of single window and the concern in some quarters that the rising increase in the number of those involved in the maritime industry is becoming counter-productive. This is particularly so in the Ministry of Transportation which has no fewer than seven parasatals are locked in horns in supremacy contest.

These parasatals include the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), .

Others are the Council Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT).

At the last count, no fewer than four of these parasatals have embraced one form of ICT or the other gulping money running into several millions of naira in the process.

The NSC for instance, said its automation is meant to ease operations at the nation’s ports, with a view to significantly reduce the cost ports users incur in doing business in the ports. Speaking in Lagos on ‘Transforming the Nigerian Ports for National Economic Development: The Role of Nigerian Shippers’ Council,’ Bello said the automation is part of a national single window being introduced at the nation’s ports.

It was gathered apart from the rivalry among the parasatals, especially between NPA and NSC in the quest to operate single window which is a form of ICT, the Federal Ministry of Transportation is also at loggerheads with other government agencies in other federal ministries.

Apparently referring to a story published on this page last week, Bello maintained that there was no rivalry among the government agencies that have so far embraced single window. He disclosed that other agencies at the ports, including the NPA, NIMASA, and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), are all part of the single window and have also automated their systems.

In order to reduce political tension and restiveness in the Niger Delta region, the Chairman, Board of Directors, Elano Investments Limited, Chief Gomba Okanje has stressed the need for the majority of the youth in the region to be deeply engage in meaning ventures.

Okanje who made the advocacy at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State at the graduation of 31 skill acquisition trainees sponsored by the Elano firm maintained that the issue of introducing operation “crocodile smile” in the Niger Delta would not have risen if majority of youth even after leaving school were engaged in trades instead of waiting of the white collar jobs.

His words: “All these restiveness in the Niger Delta region are as a result of not channelling the energy of the youths in the region into meaningful ventures. If people in the region had been trained skilfully, they know that they have a future they would not go or engage in an unscrupulous activities that we are

finding everywhere in the Niger Delta region”.

Okanje lauded the management of MAN, Oron for bequeathing the youths in the country with skilful programmes through various skill acquisition schemes offer by institution to enhance the future of the youth.

According to him, the decision for Elano Investments Limited to engage youths of the Niger Delta educationally and in various skill acquisition programmes was to ensure the youths secure a better future for themselves. The way the country and the economic are gearing to the best thing is to engage our people in skilful trainings to boost the economic.

Except we do this depression will still be experienced in the region.

He enjoined the trainees to be serious and put into practice the knowledge acquired during the training, promising them that the company will provide them with starter parks and accommodation for them to start skills so acquired.

USA Provides Platform for Agribusiness Leaders, Announces 2017 Mandela The United States Consul General, Mr. Francis John Bray and the United States Regional Agricultural Counsellor for West Africa, Mr. David Wolf hosted agribusiness leaders to a large wine tasting event.

With the theme A Taste of America, the event provided agribusiness leaders and other friends of America a unique opportunity to experience a wide selection of the finest United States wine brands available in Nigeria.

At the event, Bray introduced Wolf to Nigerian agri-business leaders and stakeholders in the agricultural sector of the economy.

Wolf in his welcome remarks said: “The Foreign Agricultural Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) seeks to address food security challenges in countries they operate in.

It mostly supports these challenges by building food and market systems that expand trade and economic development.

“The USDA has trained more than 230 Nigerians in the United States through its Faculty Exchange, Cochran, and Borlaug Fellowship programmes in subjects such as food safety, aquaculture, pest management and food processing.”

The USDA’s goal, he added, is to help Nigeria’s agricultural productivity and food distribution, and to bring more Nigerian products up to acceptable standard for the international market.

The programme offered members of the USA-Nigeria agribusiness community an opportunity to build professional networks, as well as discover new products, ideas, and innovations in the agriculture industry.

provide information for the Customs and the FIRS is not aware of it.

“So if you have one revenue agency, it will flag all the information about a taxpayer when he or she is paying tax. It will also ensure that leakages in the system are reduced. This is why we are recommending merger of the agencies as part of the policy.”

However, in a chat with THISDAY, a shipping practitioner, Prince Olu Ologbese stated that Adeosun would be causing more harm than good if she goes ahead with her agenda of merging the two government agencies.

Ologbese who is also the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ogbese Marine Services Limited argued that NCS and FIRS are not compatible at all.

Charkin Maritime Academy Takes New Cadets One of the foremost maritime training institutions

in the country, Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre has begun taking new intakes for the 2016/2017 academic session.

Situated in the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt, the school is a leading provider of offshore safety and other skills training for the maritime and oil and gas industries.

Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre has state-of-the-art world-class facilities which were formally unveiled by the former governor of Rivers State now Minister of Transportation, Right Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi. The centre is the operator of Charkin Maritime Academy.

A statement issued by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre, Sir Chares Nwami said the courses are accredited by local and international accreditation bodies including Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), OPITO, International Well Control Forum (IWCF), and the International Standards Organization (ISO).

Others are the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN), International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), International Association for Safety and Survival Training (IASST), and the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC).

According to him, applications are invited from qualified candidates for admission into Ordinary National Diploma (OND) programmes in Nautical Science and Marine Engineering.

The programmes lead to the award of National Diploma in Nautical Science and Marine Engineering for Deck Cadets and Engine Room Cadets.

Application forms are available at branches of First Bank nationwide. The application fee is N10, 000 payable at the bank branch where the form was collected. Completed forms should be scanned and returned, with copies of credentials, by email attachment, not later than October 18, 2016 He explained that those eligible would be awarded Certificate of Competency (CoC) as officers in charge of Navigational Watch and Engineering Watch, pointing out that admission requirements include a minimum of five credits in SSCE/GCE/NECO or equivalent at not more than two sittings.

GLOBAL SOCCER

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 16, 2011

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

01.10.2016

Imama Amapakabo

On the Fringe of History

Unbeaten Run at Stake PAGE. 29

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

GLOBAL SOCCER

On the Fringe of History Apart from being a former junior international and having had a stint with Enyimba of Aba, little was known about him in Nigeria's soccer scene. However, all that has changed as Imama Amapakabo is probably the most popular local football coach in the country today, as he is set to end Enugu Rangers’ 32-year trophy drought, writes Kunle Adewale

N

o football club had dominated the Nigeria's soccer scene more than Enugu Rangers and if there is one football club that had produced notable players for the national team, it is the Flying Antelopes. In the 1970s and early 1980s, Rangers dominated the scene like a colossus and names like, Christian Chukwu, Emmanuel Okalla, Stanley Okoronkwo, Kenneth Abana, Dominic Nwobodo, Aloysius Atuegbu, Sylvanus Opkalla, Jay Jay Okocha and Michael Emenalo readily come to mind.

At a stage, the Coal City side was producing about 10 players for the national team, and the popular saying then was “No Rangers, no Eagles.”

But all the dominance came to an end in 1984–the last time Rangers won any trophy of any kind in the country. Since then, the team has been struggling with one crisis or another, notably lack of funds.

On Sunday however, the famous song, “Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy Enugu Rangers another champion,” will rend the air at the Cathedral, Stadium, Enugu and the man at the centre of it all is Imama Amapakabo.

The former junior international does not hide his intention to do the unthinkable from the beginning of the season.

“I am hopeful and optimistic that this Rangers squad is going to win the league title that has eluded them for 32 years now. But like I always say, for a team to win a championship all sectors must work together. Right now, the players and technical crew of the team are working harmoniously. It is left for the sponsors of the team and the management to also come to the table,” the former Enyimba coach had said at the beginning of the league.

Standing at 60 points from 35 matches, the Flying Antelopes are three points ahead of second-placed Rivers United. Just a point from Rangers’ last game against El Kanemi Warriors on Sunday at the Cathedral in Enugu will see the Pride of Old Eastern Region crowned champions of the 2015/2016 NPFL season.

And should Rangers lose their last

game, Rivers United would need at least 6-0 defeat of Akwa United in Uyo to upstage Rangers.

On the secret behind the team’s success this season, Amapakabo said, “I can’t say there is anything so special. I think the secret of any achievement is hard work, determination and a bit of luck here and there. And one can define luck as when preparation meets opportunity. So, we have been working hard and luck is also smiling on us.

Ours is a story of adequate preparation and opportunity meeting luck.”

He also, praised the effort of the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for his support and commitment on the team. “I learnt for nine years plus, no sitting governor of the state had paid the club a visit.

This present governor has shown more than just passive commitment to the club,” he said.

Amapakabo also had kind words for the League Management Committee, LMC, noting that except for one or two pitches, the LMC shouldn’t have approved for matches, “there has been an improvement in so many ways.”

“Officiating has always been a universal factor. Even if you go to the English Premier league, you will find some issues with officiating because referees are human beings. If you go to the Bundesliga, you will still find some issues.

However, once these mistakes are not smart errors, you understand with the referees. But if they are deliberate, it becomes worrisome.

Presently, we are recording away wins and so nobody is so sure of home matches again. The away teams also know that if they play well, they can win away and this is good for the league. I have not seen a good goal that was scored that was disallowed. So I think it is a big plus for the NRA and the league as well,” he said.

The impact and effort of Amapakabo did not go unnoticed by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. The federation has drafted him to assist acting Super Eagles Coach, Salisu Abubakar.

He was also part of the Eagles training for last month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against

Rangers Head Coach, Imama Amapakabo (left) with his coaching crew

Tanzania before he returned for Rangers league game leading to speculations that National Team Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, sent him packing.

“There is no truth in the report that I was told to leave the camp.

The Technical Adviser, (Gernot Rohr) arrived camp and held a first meeting with everyone in camp, in a wonderful atmosphere.

He preached team spirit and insisted each and every person in camp is important. After the day’s training, I went to meet him for permission to travel to Enugu and lead my team against MFM FC in a rescheduled NPFL match on Wednesday. He saw the need for me to be there and wished me good luck. He also told me that it was important I returned to camp immediately after the match,” he said.

Rohr, who has always spoken about his desire to work with local coaches, also corroborated the story. “I never dismissed him.

Rather, I was excited that we have a member of the technical crew doing so well with his club and I have heard many people say Rangers have a good chance of winning the League, and I know it is a great club with a great tradition.

He told me it was important for him to go as three points from there would see his team topping the table, with few matches left in the season. You can only encourage such a person,” the German said.

Amapakabo has indeed expressed his desire to one day handle the Super Eagles.

“In whatever human endeavour you find yourself, if you do not aspire to get to the top, then you are not worthy to be there. I aspire to one day coach the senior national team. It is also my dream to one day coach the Super Eagles to win the World Cup. These are my aspirations. I believe the time will come for me to be called to come and handle the Super Eagles,” he said.

One of Rangers, standout player this season, Chisom Egbuchulam, also hailed Amapakabo, saying, “he is a good man and I enjoy working with him greatly. He knows how to bring the best from his players. And don’t even bother asking who the best manager in the NPFL is, because my answer is Imama.”

In spite of Enugu Rangers having almost 100 per cent chance of winning the league, Amakapabo insists it is after his last game of the season that he would celebrate.

“I want to first thank my players because without them, we won’t be at the position we are today and special thanks must go to all my players. Our destiny is now in our hands because we need a point in our last game, but you know sometimes football is funny, and that is why I want to wait till the final whistle of our last match before the celebration party would begin,” Imama said.

Meanwhile, the management of Rangers International has said it was planning to celebrate Nigeria’s 56th independence with the NPFL trophy.

31

OCTOBER 1, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER NPFL … NPFL … NPFL … NPFL … NPFL … NPFL … NPFL … NPFL … NPFL …

‘We have One Hand on the NPFL Trophy’

E

nugu Rangers head coach Imama Amapakabo says his side already have ‘one hand on the trophy’ as the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) winds up this weekend.

Rangers will emerge this season’s NPFL champions if they avoid defeat against El Kanemi Warriors in their final league game of the season in Enugu on Sunday.

Even a 1-0 defeat to El Kanemi Warriors will still not stop Rangers from celebrating their first league triumph in 32 years as long as their closest challengers, Rivers United do not register a massive victory in Uyo against Akwa United in their final league game of the campaign.

“Rangers have one hand on the trophy but we still have 90 minutes to play (against El Kanemi Warriors) and in football anything can happen,” Amapakabo told supersport.com.

The youthful trainer added that he would not adopt a conservative approach against El Kanemi Warriors, even with the knowledge that a point on Sunday would be enough to secure the title.

“I always press high and try to strangulate my opposition no matter where I play, home or away, and Sunday's game won't be different,” he said.

Rangers have already secured qualification for next season’s Caf Champions League and Amapakabo insists that continuity must be maintained if success is to be replicated on the continent next season.“We can only succeed on the continent by having continuity and adding a few players in certain positions,” he explained.

Rangers currently occupy top spot in the NPFL standings with 60 points from 35 matches.

‘NPFL Destiny in Our Hands’

A

bia Warriors head coach, Abdul Usman Biffo has said his side are 100 per cent in-charge of their status quo in the on-going top-flight.

The Umuahia Warriors are hosts of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matchday 38 clash at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

Biffo said his side are not worried over the pedigree of the opponents but to further the side unbeaten record to six matches.

“We are not under pressure as the destiny to avoid relegation is right there in our hands.

“We need a point against 3SC to scale the hurdle but we are going for the whole three points to get the job perfectly done.

“It’s not really our headache the quality of opposition but for us to prepare ourselves well to contest for the whole three points at stake.

“We have already gone five matches unbeaten we are working on six to end the season on high as well as make the teeming supporters happy.

“I will not consider Abia Warriors as bad performers in the outgoing season but praise the entire team to have quickly fixed the loose ends to put it on solid path.

“I think for the team to be on the verge of escaping relegation is worth celebrating.

“We have confidence to get better and vie for laurels in the upcoming league season,” said the former Giwa FC and Niger Tornadoes coach to supersport.com.

Meanwhile, 3SC striker, Ifegwu Ojukwu has said that his side still have an unfinished agenda at top-flight side Abia Warriors.

Ojukwu said that the Ibadan landlords

want to end their glorious campaign in the ongoing top-flight on a high with a decent result at the Umuahia outfit.

“We are secured as far as the ongoing top-flight is concerned but we still have an unfinished work to do at Abia Warriors on Sunday.

“We want to end our campaign on a high with a respectable result at Abia Warriors.

We are going there to play our very best game aimed at challenging for the whole three points at stake.

“Abia Warriors are the one under severe pressure to win the encounter to secure their status quo in the NPFL, not us, but that does not mean we are going there for jamboree or sight-seeing.

“We are satisfied with our achievement, especially cementing our spot in the topflight. We actually wanted to finish the league campaign among the top three teams, but the unique circumstance we found ourselves in hindered the lofty dream. We are not complaining as we consider the outgoing season a good one, hoping to make the upcoming one balm and glorious,” the former Ikorodu United marksman said

Week 36 Fixtures Sunday Plateau Utd Rangers Warri Wolves Wikki Abia Warriors Akwa United Lobi Stars MFM FC Kano Pillars

v v v v v v v v v

Heartland El-Kanemi Ikorodu Utd Sunshine 3SC Rivers United Nasarawa Utd Ifeanyiubah Tornadoes

Nigeria Premier League Table G LO B A L S O C C E R 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

Imama Amapakabo posing with his bloggers award

Team P Rangers 35 Rivers United 35 FC Ifeanyiubah 35 Wikki Tourists 35 Sunshine Stars 35 Lobi Stars 35 Kano Pillars 35 El-Kanemi Warriors 35 Nasarawa United 35 Enyimba 36 Niger Tornadoes 35 Plateau United 35 Akwa United 35 3SC 35 Abia Warriors 35 Heartland 35 MFM FC 35 Warri Wolves 35 Ikorodu United 35 Giwa FC 0

W 17 18 16 15 14 15 15 16 16 14 15 13 13 14 11 11 11 11 7 0

D 9 3 8 9 11 7 6 3 2 8 3 9 8 5 12 10 9 9 11 0

L 9 14 11 11 10 13 14 16 17 14 17 13 14 16 12 14 15 15 17 0

GF 49 36 37 43 44 39 46 37 41 34 39 32 44 40 33 24 35 27 32 0

GA 37 28 32 28 35 35 39 38 41 35 41 35 44 46 38 29 40 37 54 0

GD 12 8 5 15 9 4 7 -1 0 -1 -2 -3 0 -6 -5 -5 -5 -10 -22 0

Pts 60 57 56 54 53 52 51 51 50 50 48 48 47 47 45 43 42 42 32 0

32

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

GLOBAL SOCCER

Spurs, City Stake Unbeaten Run at White Hart Lane

After their 10-match winning streak was brought to a halt by Celtic in the UEFA Champions League, Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City team is now focusing attention on the visit to White Hart Lane against Tottenham Hotspurs on Sunday in an encounter that headlines this weekend’s Premier League fixtures. City will also want to avenge their double defeat in the hands of the LilyWhites in last season’s league

T

he Premier League's only remaining unbeaten records are on the line on Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur will hope to follow Celtic and inflict another dent in Manchester City's superb start to the campaign. The City juggernaut had crushed all before them, winning every competitive game they had played this season, until they were held to a surprise 3-3 draw with Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday.

That result, and the way the Scottish side exposed chinks in City's defensive armour, will have given a fillip to Tottenham, fresh from a crucial Champions League win in Moscow, before England's top two clash at White Hart Lane.

Pep Guardiola's impressive start at the Etihad Stadium had made City many people's favourites for the title, and Spurs will need all the grit they showed in their victory over CSKA Moscow on

Tuesday to avoid losing further ground to their opponents.

Both sides will however be without key players for Sunday's clash.

Harry Kane, Spurs top scorer for the past two seasons, is expected to be out for at least another month after suffering ankle ligament damage against Sunderland on September 18, although Son Heung-min's stunning form has ensured they have not missed him as much as fans feared. The South Korean scored his fifth goal in five games in Spurs' 1-0 win in Moscow.

"He is on fire," Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino told reporters. "To keep this form is very important for us."

City, four points clear of their opponents and out to avenge their double defeat to Spurs in the league last season, will also be without several important players, including Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne, who were injured in last Saturday's 3-1 Premier League win over Swansea City.

City could have the opportunity to equal Spurs’ record of 11 consecutive wins had they won against Celtic, but Brendan Rodgers’ side did the unthinkable and held the City to a 3-3 draw.

Now, the Blue Moon will travel to London and hope they can best Mauricio Pochettino’s impressive side. At Espanyol, Pochettino only won once in nine games against Guardiola’s Barcelona, but the Premier League is a different game, and the Argentine has a far more even squad with him at the moment.

Heung-Min Son is one of the outstanding player for Tottenham this season, the South Korean is in incredible form at the moment and has scored three goals in Tottenham’s last two games, delivering crucial away wins at Middlesbrough and CSKA Moscow. Against the Russian side, it was only when Victor Janssen, Spurs current number one striker,

was substituted, and Son moved into a central role, that Spurs began to look dangerous.

Pochettino might be tempted to use the player in a similar position against City, who defend very high up the pitch. It would also allow the coach to play three attackers behind him in Eriksen, Lamela and Dele Alli and use a midfield double pivot in the heart of the pitch.

Nicolas Otamendi will have the task of keeping the South Korean international at bay. In the absence of Kompany, the City team has always struggled defensively. However, Pep has managed to make sure this isn’t a problem, which is essential because the Citizens have the attacking power to outscore the opposition in case of stuttering defensively. This, however, won’t be the case against Spurs, and the defence will have to be on top of its game. With young John Stones alongside him, Otamendi will have to

33

OCTOBER 1, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

GLOBAL SOCCER Premiership Table Man City Tottenham Arsenal Liverpool Everton Man Utd Crystal Palace Chelsea Southampton West Brom Watford Leicester Burnley Hull Bournemouth Middlesbrough Swansea West Ham Stoke Sunderland

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

13 7 8 7 6 5 3 1 1 1 -1 -3 -3 -5 -5 -3 -5 -9 -11 -7

18 14 13 13 13 12 10 10 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 5 4 3 2 1

TODAY

Swansea

v

Liverpool

12:30

Hull

v

Chelsea

15:00

Sunderland

v

West Brom

15:00

Watford

v

Bournemouth 15:00

West Ham

v

Middlesbrough 15:00

SUNDAY Man Utd Leicester Tottenham Burnley

v v v v

Stoke Southampton Man City Arsenal

lead at the back.

After a high-profile move from Liverpool, Sterling began his Manchester City stint well, but as the season progressed, his performances took a significant dip, and he couldn’t come close to realising his potential.

However, under Guardiola, Sterling has rediscovered himself and is playing with the confidence that made him such a key player at Liverpool. He has four goals and two assists in six matches in the league.

His end product has evidently become better, but Sterling hasn’t lost any of his flair averaging 3.9 successful dribbles every 90 minutes.

With Kevin de Bruyne injured, the attacker will have added responsibility for the game and he will have to make sure he can make an impact in this crucial tie.

The task of keeping Sterling’s threat minimal will be with Spurs’ summer signing Victor Wanyama.

The 25-year-old has found himself become a first team starter immediately. The London side has the best defence in the league right now, and Wanyama’s performances in the heart of the pitch are central to that. He averages 2.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions every 90 minutes. He will have to make sure Tottenham dominate the second third of the pitch.

Sergio Aguero has an incredible record against Spurs – 10 goals in nine games. However, with Spurs’ excellent defensive form of last season, Aguero failed to score in both

the home and away games. Certainly, the acquisition of Alderweireld played a part in ensuring Aguero didn’t make the record against Tottenham worse.

Alderweireld is an excellent defender and has done supremely well for Spurs since he gave away a penalty on his debut for the club. After that mistake, the former Atletico Madrid defender has not put a foot wrong. He was a major reason why Pochettino’s side made a title challenge last season, and why they find themselves unbeaten in the league, and with the best defensive record of only conceding three goals in the league so far.

While Alderweireld can boast the record of only conceding once from Aguero in his two seasons in England, he will be well aware of Aguero’s quality.

He knows that the Argentine has the pace to move away from any defender, and the goalscoring prowess to score a goal out of nothing. The Belgian will have to be at his impeccable best to ensure Spurs can hold their own against Pep’s side.

Arsenal, who are third, and Liverpool fourth, will both expect to maintain their challenges away to struggling sides.

Arsene Wenger's men will be bidding for their fifth league win in a row on Sunday at newly promoted Burnley, who won for only the second time this season on Monday when they beat Watford.

Arsenal, just a point behind Spurs, will hope top scorer Alexis Sanchez continues his impressive record against Burnley, having scored three goals and made one in his three appearances against them.

Swansea City beat Liverpool 3-1 at home last season, but with Swansea manager Francesco Guidolin under pressure following their poor start to the

Juventus Napoli Inter Roma Lazio Milan Chievo Bologna Sassuolo Genoa Fiorentina Torino Cagliari Udinese Pescara Atalanta Sampdoria Palermo Empoli Crotone

Madrid Barcelona Atletico Villarreal Bilbao Sevilla Las Palmas Eibar Alavés Betis Sociedad Celta Vigo Leganés Sporting Valencia Deportivo Malaga Espanyol Granada Osasuna

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

9 13 10 5 3 2 3 2 2 -3 -1 -3 -4 -9 -3 -2 -3 -5 -8 -8

14 13 12 12 12 11 10 10 9 8 7 7 7 7 6 5 5 5 2 2

Spanish La Liga Fixtures

Premiership

Seria A

La Liga

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

12:00 14:15 14:15 16:30

8 9 2 6 3 1 1 -2 -2 2 1 4 -3 -3 -1 -3 -3 -4 -6 -10

15 14 11 10 10 10 10 10 9 8 8 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 4 1

TODAY Granada Sevilla Osasuna Deportivo SUNDAY Valencia Madrid Espanyol Malaga Celta Vigo

v v v v

Leganés Alavés Las Palmas Sporting

12:00 15:15 17:30 19:45

v v v v v

Atletico Eibar Villarreal Bilbao Barcelona

11:00 15:15 17:30 17:30 19:45

Bundesliga Bayern Dortmund Köln M'gladbach Frankfurt Hertha Leipzig Mainz Hoffenheim Leverkusen Augsburg Freiburg Wolfsburg Darmstadt Bremen Hamburger Ingolstadt Schalke

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

14 12 7 4 3 2 5 1 1 1 -2 -3 -3 -8 -10 -8 -8 -8

15 12 11 10 10 10 9 7 7 7 7 6 5 4 3 1 1 0

Bundesliga Fixtures TODAY

Head to Head 14/02/16

Man City

1 -2

Tottenham

26/09/15

Tottenham

4- 1

Man City

03/05/15

Tottenham

0 -1

Man City

18/10/14

Man City

4-1

Tottenham

29/01/14

Tottenham

1- 5

Man City

24/11/13

Man City

6 -0

Tottenham

21/04/13

Tottenham

3-1

Man City

11/11/12

Man City

2 -1

Tottenham

22/01/12

Man City

3-2

Tottenham

28/08/11

Tottenham

1-5

Man City

10/05/11

Man City

1-0

Tottenham

campaign and Liverpool revitalised under Juergen Klopp, they will be hard-pushed to match that in the corresponding fixture today.

Manchester United with Captain Wayne Rooney by no means certain of a recall will be looking to extend their impressive home record against struggling Stoke City on Sunday, having won their last eight league games against Mark Hughes's side at Old Trafford.

Bayern

v

Köln

14:30

Ingolstadt

v

Hoffenheim

14:30

Hertha

v

Hamburger

14:30

Freiburg

v

Frankfurt

14:30

Darmstadt

v

Bremen

14:30

Leverkusen

v

Dortmund

17:30

Wolfsburg

v

Mainz

14:30

Schalke

v

M'gladbach

16:30

SUNDAY

Serie A Fixtures TODAY Pescara Udinese

v v

Chievo Lazio

17:00 19:45

SUNDAY Empoli Atalanta Bologna Cagliari Sampdoria Milan Torino Roma

v v v v v v v v

Juventus Napoli Genoa Crotone Palermo Sassuolo Fiorentina Inter

11:30 14:00 14:00 14:00 14:00 17:00 17:00 19:45

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

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GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS

(L-R) Technical Director Basketball Operations NBA Africa, Frank Traore, General manager, public and cooperate affairs Exxonmobil, Mr Paul Arinze, Rep Min of Health , National Coordinator for Non communicable Disease ,Dr. Nnena Ezeigwe, Rep NBBF President Sakmbo Morrision, Aficare Country Director A cross section of the trainees with officials of Chevron Nigeria Limited Orode Doherty, Former NBA player from Nigeria, Kelena Azubuike

Joshua Versus Klitschko Yet to Be Finalise IBF world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua is yet to confirm the second challenger to his title but already has a date and venue - November 26 at the Manchester Arena.

Domestic rival Hughie Fury, European champion Kubrat Pulev and mandatory challenger Joseph Parker were sounded out as potential op-

ponents before former divisional supremo Klitschko (entered the equation following the collapse of his rematch with Tyson Fury.

Stories suggesting the deal was already signed have gathered momentum but Hearn said via a social media outlet: "I've seen a lot of stuff talking about AJ and Klitschko saying

that it's done. It's definitely not done.

"We are in talks with Team Klitschko and his manager Bernd Boente.

I'm hopeful that the fight can be made if everything works out.

"Joseph Parker, of course, our mandatory, fights live on Sky Sports on Saturday against Alexander Dimitrenko.

That's on the Nathan Cleverly v Juergen Braehmer broadcast.

"On AJ, we're working hard and we hope to have some news soon. I'll update you when I can."

Joshua made the first defence of his title on June 25 when he recorded a seventh-round stoppage of American Dominic Breazeale at The O2.

ExxonMobil, NBA, Africare Reinstate Commitment to Power Forward ExxonMobil, NBA, Africare have reinstated their commitment to youth and sports development as they sponsor the third season of the Power Forward programme at the National Stadium in Kukwaba, Abuja.

Power Forward, a partnership between ExxonMobil, the NBA and Africare, uses the game of basketball to teach and mentor students from secondary schools in Abuja about health

literacy and life skills such as leadership, respect and personal responsibility.

The event which had in attended former NBA player, Kelenna Azubuike, featured boys and girls championship games, performances from the Philadelphia 76ers Flight Squad and other youth competitions.

According to Dr. Paul Arinze of ExxonMobil, “Power Forward, through its focus on health, builds on efforts by the Exxon-

Mobil Malaria Initiative to combat malaria in Nigeria.

The successful initiative works with a range of partners to prevent, treat and, ultimately, eliminate malaria especially in pregnant women and children under 5 who constitute the most vulnerable.”

He added that, “Our appreciation to the National Basketball Association, Africare, the NBA Talents, National Malaria Elimination Program of the Ministry of Health,

Ministry of Education, the Power Forward Schools and everyone for their support for this initiative.

The Power Forward project was initiated 2013 in partnership with ExxonMobil, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Africare to implement a youth development program that incorporates both life-skills training and public health education, using the convening power of basketball.

Chevron Clinic Motivates Tennis Trainees The annual NNPC/Chevron Tennis Clinic has always been a launching pad for aspiring kids in the racket sport and this year, 15 players selected from the 100, who participated in the have spoken of their desire to make the most of the chance to feature in next month's Master tournament.

After three weeks of rigorious training by the coaches, only few were privileged to

endure but gained enough skill and now participating in the weekend coaching programme ending on October 16 this year.

The event is been organised by Chris Enaharo on behalf of global oil and gas energy giants, Chevron Nigeria Limited. With the Masters set to start on October 17 and end on October 23, the stakes have been raised for these lucky

lads, who count themselves privileged to be selected into the highly-rated Chevron club.

Some of the prilveledged players that are enjoying free coaching include Michael Owewa, Michael Ayoola, Wilson Igbinovia, Ezekiel Ekang, Steven Augustine, Opeyemi Agunbiade, Joseph Fortune, Emman Jebutu, Noah Adamu and Gabriel Masha.

The players met officials of Chevron on September 17, where they were given their gifts for being part of the programme.

In a short address by the General Manager, Government and Public Affairs of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Deji Haastrup, the players were challenged to improve on the foundation that has been laid for them at the Clinic.

GOtv Boxing Night 9

Organisers Promise Free Viewing of Rangers, El-Kanemi Title Decider Flykite Promotions, organisers of GOtv Boxing Night, have concluded arrangements to provide free viewing of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) title decider between Rangers International of Enugu and El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri on Sunday.

The match will be beamed live by SuperSport and shown on giant LED screen mounted at the Indoor Sports

Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, venue of GOtv Boxing Night 9.

Rangers top the league table by 67 points, with a goal difference of plus 12, and require just one point to clinch their first league title. Next to them are Rivers United on 57 points, with a plus eight goal difference, leaving them with a mathematical chance of nicking the title if they beat Akwa

United by three goals and Rangers lose by two goals to El-Kanemi. It is also possible if they beat Akwa United by five goals and Rangers lose without scoring.

Explaining why free football viewing is being provided, Jenkins Alumona, Flykite Promotions Managing Director, said the football is being added to give fans more excitement in commemoration of the

country’s independence and the fifth anniversary of GOtv operations in Nigeria.

“Football and boxing are the country’s biggest sports.

We also have two very big occasions to celebrate in the shape of the country’s independence and the sponsors’ fifth anniversary. The fans deserve this double portion for the support they have been giving to boxing,” explained Alumona.

Villa, Head Coach of Barcelona Academy in Lagos

FCBESCOLA: Imparting Barcelona Football Culture to Nigerian Youths Even for those who are not Barcelona, their model and style have come to be accepted as the right way football should be played and the Blaugrana are not resting on their oars as they are trying to spread the philosophy across the world. through the Barcelona Football AcademyFCBESCOLA. Kunle Adewale caught up with the head coach of the academy in Lagos- Bernat Villa, and he gave an insight into what FCBESCOLA stands for After successful experience in Egypt and Morocco, Nigerian kids will be having a taste of the philosophy and Barcelona brand of football, which is being temporary sited at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Taking the kids through the basics is Barnat Villa, who had been in charge of the Barcelona academy in Spain for several years and is supported by Nigerian coaches that had been equally imbued with the philosophy of the Spanish team.

“The aim of the FCBESCOLA is to teach the kids the same way as we teach in Barcelona using the same methodology and drills. For now we are having about 1,000 kids out of which about 700 would eventually make it through for the school proper. I’m being supported by some local coaches of whom I have explained to them our methodology and we are teaching them our philosophy,” Villa said.

Villa is very optimistic that from what he had seen so far, there were great potentials that could eventually make it to the top of their career in football.

“We’ve seen a lot of good players that are on very good level. But the most important thing is for these players to be in good physical condition as their counterparts in Europe and if they can understand how we work and train, which is our methodology, in few years some of them can make it to good clubs in Europe and eventually their national team,” the head coach noted.

Asked the major difference between an average Nigerian player and their European counterparts, Villa said, “The kids here are more of individual players, though they have good technical skills but they have problems technically and collectively. They are too individualistic, they always think they can take on their opponents and go alone with the ball and finish the ball by themselves. We have to make them realise they should play with the team.”

Villa said about 1,100 players were registered in the first phase, while the registration for the second phase slated for October was ongoing and he is hoping that the academy could register about 1,000 more players for the second phase.

According to him the players would train all year round and the very good ones could be transferred to La Masia (Barcelona Academy in Spain).

For now, the players will be coming from home, but plans are in the offing to build hostels where the kids would be camped. “There is no hostel provision for now, but it’s an idea that would be developed in a few years.

For now the kids just come from their homes and train for one hour fifty minutes thrice in a week and on Saturdays they are involved in competitive matches. At the end of the exercise if we discover some distinguished players, why not, in few years they could be transferred to Barcelona,” he explained.

He said the sole aim was to imbibe the Barcelona culture into Nigerian football and to develop the talent in Nigeria and make them great players in future.

Wakanow Set to Launch Beach Sports Series Today All is now set for the maiden edition of the annual Wakanow La Campagne Beach Sports Series to be hosted by Nigeria’s No1 travel booking portal Wakanow.

The event, which has been tipped to become a major corporate soccer tournament in Nigeria, holds today, October 1 at the Africa-themed La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort.

Some of the participants billed to compete for the highly coveted prizes include Google Nigeria, Andela, Yudala, Mouka Foam, DHL, Snopec, Konga, Inlak Computers, Krones West Africa, Datagroup IT and Oya.com. Major games to be played during the competition are kayaking, beach soccer and beach volley.

Commenting on the objective of the tournament themed “Sand, Sweat and Glory”, Group Deputy Managing Director of Wakanow, Mr. Ralph Tamuno, said that the company seeks to leverage on the imitative as a platform to connect people together through sports.

“The Wakanow La Campagne Beach Sports Series is a specially packaged initiative that brings together corporate bodies and sport loving individuals in a relaxed and fun environment inspired by a sense of healthy competition. It also provides networking opportunities and experience sharing for professionals across various industries.

“Over the years, sporting activities have become not just a tool for recreation and social cohesion but a vehicle to promote good health and tackle some of the life-threatening hazards associated with modern life,” he stated.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016

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JUNETHE 16, 2011 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER THISDAY, SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •OCTOBER 1, 2016

FAIRGROUND

Dare2Dream Season3, a Night of Fresh Talent

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

C

hisom Dunu Olivia, from the University of Calabar, emerged the winner of Season3 of Dare2Dream competition, during the grand finale, held at Federal Palace Hotel & Casino, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently.

The lovely fashionable evening was graced by a grand audience from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Reni Folawiyo; Kavita Chellarams; Betti Irabor; Elohor Aisien; Remi Diagbare; Derenle Edun; Rich Tanksley; Ozzy Agu, among others.

The four finalists were: Kosi from the University of Lagos; Cordilia and Michelle from the University of Port Harcourt; and Chisom from the University of Calabar.

They showcased their talents in front of the distinguished jury. The judges were: Ladi Balogun (GMD of FCMB); Idris Olorunnimbe, CEO and founder of Temple Management Company; Ikechukwu Onunaku Singer; and Charles, Imperial Leather, alongside performing artistes.

It was a memorable night of entertainment and the Italian Prosecco Fantinel with special performance by Falana, a young, upcoming act and gifted artiste, performer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, who left the audience breathless.

At the grand finale, there was a special surprise by the General Manager of KLM, Arthur Dieffenthaler, who, at the end of the night, made presentation to the winners of Season1 and Season2: Tolulope Balogun and Linus Precious, alongside Chisom Dunu Olivia.

According to him, “We want to fulfill yet another dream, and for this reason we are bringing winners of Season1, Season2 and Season3 to Milan for a special photo shoot and giving them an opportunity to meet modeling agencies in Milan.”

The Dare2Dream Project will release, this month, the master classes and, in January 2017, the episodes of Season3 in Africa Magic, WazobiaTV and Wazobia Max. The sponsors are FCMB and Imperial Leather, Maybelline, Canoe and Dana Air. And Media Partners: Cool FM, Wazobia FM, Onobello, Glamsquad, Bellanaija, Pulse Nigeria and the Guardian.

Olatorera Oniru

Elohor Aisien

Falana on Stage

Carla, Caterina (Creative Director Dare2Dream) and Tatiana Moussalli DGMD Wazobia TV and Cool Wazobia FM

Marguerite, Poonam Dalaman and Kavita Chellaram

Ije and Ade

Ladi Balogun, Chisom (winner of Dare2Dream Season3), Felicia Obuzuwa (FCMB) and Francesca (Producer Dare2Dream_Kinabuti)

Filippo, Reni Folawiyo and Tola Adegbite

Tora (Cool FM)

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

37

FAIRGROUND

Aquafina Elite Model Look Nigeria 2016 Finalists

T

he Elite Model Look Nigeria team for the 33rd consecutive year, is thrilled to announce that elite is organising the most prestigious modeling contest in the world. Twenty models would grace the runway today, and two winners, male and female, would emerge to represent Nigeria at the international competition, and to follow in the footsteps of top models such as Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour, Gisele Bundchen, Sigrid Agren, Constance Jablonski, Mayowa Nicholas and Victor Ndigwe.

Aquafina Premium Drinking Water partners with Elite Model Look Nigeria again, as Aquafina continues to celebrate inner beauty, because real beauty is pure and comes from within.

The National casting for the Elite Model Look Nigeria 2016 competition held in Lagos on July 30, with over 1000 girls and boys in attendance. A total of 60 contestants were pre-selected, after which contestants’ images were sent to Paris for the final selection, the contestants were cut to the final 20 finalist.

During the National final, the 20 selected contestants will be welcomed to the elite boot camp for a unique and unbelievable experience, supervised by a professional team. The models will be accommodated in the boot camp for seven days, makeovers, photo shoots, fitting and rehearsals have been scheduled to introduce the contestants to the world of mod-

Moji Adewale, Segun Ogunleye, Elohor Aisen and James Adah

elling. The selection of the contestants will be based on physical criteria; natural beauty, photogenic, body, elegance and personality, character, motivation, attitude.

The 20 finalists for the 2016 edition of Elite Model Look Nigeria are: · OYINLOYE DAVID · OBENNEBO DAVIDSON · KOREDE AYENI · ILO CEEJAY · SODIQ IBRAHIM · ATEWOLOGUN OLOLADE · EGWUONWU CHIDERA · ONYEJEKWE COLLINS · NNOCHIRIONYE PROMISE

·

Elite Finalists

SALAMI ANJOLA IMRAN

GIRLS · DEMURIN BLESSING · NDAH GIFT · IRONKWE AMARACHI · FAWAZ ZAHRA · DUYILE TITILAYO · OMOH MOMOH · AKELE RUTH · EGWUONWU OMA · DURU JESSICA · EMECHEBE OBIANUJU PRIZE:

EMLN 2016 winners will represent Nigeria alongside 80 other countries and will stand a chance of winning USD$150,000 at Elite Model Look International world finals. They will also have a chance to win a modeling contract with elite model management worldwide; two-year modeling contract with Beth Model Management Africa.

Beth Model Management Africa, in conjunction with Upfront & Personal, is the organiser of Elite Model Look Nigeria. Elite Model Look Nigeria 2016 is sponsored by: AQUAFINA, Mac, Veuve Cliquot, Byfne, Sari Signature, Bella Naija, and many more. The final holds today, Saturday 1st October 2016.

Carolina Launches Herrera Confidential in Lagos

C

arolina Herrera introduced the House of Herrera to Lagos, Nigeria, recently with an exclusive event for the first African launch of her new fragrance line, Herrera Confidential at The George

Hotel, Ikoyi.

With Lagos’ most stylish media influencers and renowned journalists in attendance, the gorgeous hostesses, dressed in the brands signature style, received and ushered guests to the opulent world of Carolina Herrera to discover her personal story, as well as the unique signature of Herrera Confidential.

The stylish guests sipped on some bubbly and cocktails in the experiential room, true to Carolina Herrera ethos. From the red carpet, to images of Carolina Herrera and Carolina Herrera de Baez, sketches of Carolina Herrera dresses, the six fragrances lining the walls, as well as 100ml bottles of the fragrances and their key raw ingredients, the experiential room was indeed reminiscent of Carolina Herrera’s personal style.

The event kicked off with violinist Godwin Strings serenading the crowd and attracting everyone’s attention. Following his performance, Linda Angelos, Sales, Marketing Director and Stakeholder, Ella Afrique gave the opening remarks and introduced her team.

She went further to introduce the Carolina Herrera Brand Manager, Astrid Gelabert, and Carolina Herrera Brand Expert, Emeshe Nencov. Linda acknowledged the presence of and thanked her Nigerian business partner, Mr. Kayode Kasumu, CEO, Essenza and his daughter, who’s a vital part of the business, Abiola Kasumu.

Carolina de Baez Herrera, who serves as fragrance director for the fashion house, described the story of how she initiated the project to create a fragrance collection embodying the timeless sophistication and impeccable style of her mother in a video screened at the event. Following the video, Linda reintroduced the Brand Expert, Emeshe Nencov, who took the guests into the private world of Herrera Confidential by demonstrating how to mix the fragrances and accom-

Emeshe Nencov, Abiola Kasumu, Linda Angelos & Astrid Gelabert

panying oils to personalise it for themselves.

Featuring six fragrances and four essentials oils of the finest quality and purity, the naturalbased scents are intended to be used on the skin, individually or mixed to personalise the fragrance experience.

Distinguished through their vibrant colours,

each bottle is made of the finest glass and metal stamped with Carolina Herrera’s monogram.

After Emeshe’s demonstration, Linda invited guests to “be a part of the confidence” by approaching Emeshe’s experiential table to ask questions, and mix fragrances while being served more cocktails and bubbly.

Motbensonz Celebrates 5 Years Beat 4 Cities, 7 Days, 7 Facilitators, Fashion Focus X Creative Hustle Impacts Over 1000 People of Lagos with Lifestyle Carnival

F

T

he Beat of Lagos concert debuted few years ago and boasts of four massive concerts between 2011 and 2015 that enjoyed performances from the who-is-who in the entertainment industry; from P-square, Tuface, M.I, Jesse jags, Wande Coal, Skales, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Mavin crew, solidstar, vector, Burna boy, Eldee, Dr sid, Illbliss, Chidinma, Wizkid , Ay, olamide, phyno, Iyanya, Dammykrane, Yemi Alade, Flowsick, Lynnx to mention but a few. The beat of Lagos concert provides an atmosphere for networking and also serves as a timeout to celebrate entertainment icons and songs that have kept us dancing the year round.

The concert accommodates a minimum of 3,000 people, yearly. “Beat of Lagos Award” was introduced at the 2014 edition and endorsed by the Lagos state Government, while the Mavin crew won the award for their song, Dorobucci.

The 2015 award went a notch higher by rewarding the winner, Adekunle Gold for the hit song, Sade with a plot of land at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, courtesy of Adron Homes.

According to the CEO of Motbensonz, Toye Benson, “With 2016 making five years of the concert, we would be putting together a musical, showcasing all the great songs that have rocked the city in the last

Adekunle Gold with Omotoye Benson (CEO of Motbensonz) and Tricia of Adron Homes

five years and also appreciate the brains behind them. We have decided to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the concert series with an open Air Carnival, showcasing the lifestyle and sounds the city has enjoyed so far. The event is refreshed by Coca Cola and brought to you in association with One Lagos, Glenfiddich, Diamond Bank, Etisalat, Adron homes and Nelson Jack.

The event will hold at the Muri Okunola Park on October 9 and the gate opens at 2pm. The winner of the award will also go home with a plot of land.

rom September 15th - 24th, fashion enthusiasts, budding fashion entrepreneurs, and young fashion designers joined Adejoke Rukky Ladoja of Grey Projects, Adebayo Oke-Lawal of Orange Culture , Isoken Ogiemwonyi of Zazaii, Journalist, Wana Udoabang, Ogwa Iweze of Dyzn, Halima Yunusa of 41Luxe, Designer, Akpos Okudu and Chioma Nwuko of Juwal Collections in Lagos, Abuja, Calabar and Enugu, respectively, for a conversation on how one can earn a living from fashion.

As part of Style House Files Fashion Focus x Creative Hustle series, in partnership with The British Council, the conversation featured presentations from the facilitators, as well as from Londe Thompson of Style House Files and Jennifer Onochie of British Council that highlighted the painstaking business of creating a fashion label that is not often discussed widely.

“Creativity is such a small part of building a fashion brand,” said Adebayo, who went on to guide participants through what he called The Value Chain of creating a brand. Leaving inspiration and aesthetic at the beginning, Adebayo stressed the importance of marketing, quality production and good business acumen in the overall success of a fashion brand.

Another point, which was echoed by both Rukky and Adebayo, was the importance of knowing your target demographic, as a designer. Orange Culture, which caters to

Londe Thompson, Project Manager

what Adebayo calls a “creative class of men” has created a niche market for itself, because of its distinct approach to menswear. Similar to Orange Culture, Rukky Ladoja has also found a way to distinguish herself and her brand in the saturated world of womenswear by publicising Grey Projects as a brand that prioritises both design and functionality.

“I make clothes that a woman is able to live her life in,” said Rukky.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •OctOber 1, 2016

OctOber 1, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OctOBer 1, 2016

NIGERIA @ 56

Nigeria’s Convoluted Political Odyssey

T

Olawale Olaleye oday in history, Nigeria set forth on a journey to greatness and became the toast of the world.

An emerging but promising African country, with multiethnic diversity had just attained independence. For her, also, the task of nation-building rested on the shoulders of some vibrant young men and women of honour (not old men at the departure lounge), who fought the difficult and unfriendly colonial leadership for Nigeria to stand alone as an independent country.

These men and women, some of whom later became Nigeria’s founding fathers, had the vision and the will to lead the country to the Eldorado. They were not feckless but operant and set the nation on the path to becoming Africa’s greatest of all times. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the biggest countries today. Even the ideologically deviant bowed to their superior intellectual credentials.

They were well-read and their ability to apply acquired knowledge in solving a majority of the nation’s problems, as well as laying resounding foundation for the future was enviable. One indivisible Nigeria was their creed. Their capacity to explore the nation’s diversity in collective interest was mesmerising.

What more, their resolve to co-exist in spite of their sharp differences on all fronts stood them out! They earned their place and are still irreplaceable.

Today, however, the debate about leadership in Nigeria is an unfortunate exercise. It has become so monotonous and good-for-nothing that it cannot reflect its true meaning. The more leadership changes, the more it appears the same, with even worse capacity and reality manifestation. It is no less a jinxed situation that is increasingly becoming intractable.

It’s another independence celebration today and the feeling is one of a very sad nostalgia. Leadership, as it were, has not only betrayed the dreams of the founding fathers, it has failed the least expectations of the people such that trust is not only eroded; hope too is almost forlorn. With a change mantra that has changed nothing but further compounded the ugly plight of the average Nigerian, is there any more need for debate about leadership?

Maybe not!

The misadventure called CHANGE by the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has helplessly darkened the stars of the Nigerian people, is the biggest of their regrets as they ponder the attainment of independence and the expectations that had run riot in the last 56 years.

How does anyone celebrate independence when the government that promised change started out by first denying a majority of its own promises on account of capacity, which is lacking, both in policy conception and execution? How does the average Nigerian feel the urge to celebrate independence when rather than assume authority and prove its mettle, government has continued to shamefully indulge in the blame game?

How does the nation’s independence translate into a conceptfriendly event in the annals of the body polity, when the present leadership has failed to exhibit an understanding of the politics of the seat and office it occupies but instead, has continued to relish in non-valueadding administrative expeditions?

Even in the days of the one believed to be clueless, the collective commitment of the Nigerian people to a day like this did not waiver but signaled hope in unity, despite the vulnerability of the hope at the time. Same cannot, however, be said of the change exponents with the overwhelming despondency that is prevalent.

Without over-dwelling on this, a lot of time has been wasted on sheer nothing. Perhaps, there is still a little time left to change the tide and start to retell the positive narratives. But first, President Muhammadu Buhari must admit that he needs help. It is from the point of view of this mindset that a total reset of the economic cum political buttons can be done.

It is rudimentary knowledge that the executive office, either of the governors or president is a product of politics and its dynamics. It is therefore counterproductive that, in the bid to create an impossible moral standing, the president feigns to stay away from real politics while, often, there is an underhand tweaking of the direction. Apart from being dishonest and demeaning, it usually turns out “bloody” and this has been responsible for some of the avoidable challenges that stalled the smooth take-off of this government.

It is, therefore, compelling that the president changes this sterile approach to the politics that defines his office and person. A president, who is worth his salt, is to make known his stand on issues even if he loses out of the ensuing engagement.

He establishes presence and forces constructive compliance. That way, a pattern is established and everyone is inclined to be on the same page.

By now, the president should have known that the “Know It All” disposition is a failed style that will never give rise to good result.

He, however, appears not to have learned anything from history. The idea of relying on one’s wisdom and understanding, which usually would expose personal failings and follies, is a critical leadership and personal defect that stand in the way of development and growth, as well as positive thinking.

With the present state of the economy and the thriving confusion in other spheres of the system, wide, thorough and comprehensive consultation is not optional but compulsory to strengthen the leadership’s ability to embrace challenge through constructive engagement of other critical stakeholders.

President Buhari’s growing penchant for nepotism is a personal shortcoming that many have dismissed as incurable. But it can’t be that bad. The unity of the country is not negotiable and constitutionally

is

It

so.

Even in the days of the one believed to be clueless, the collective commitment of the Nigerian people to a day like this did not waiver but signaled hope in unity, despite the vulnerability of the hope at the time. Same cannot, however, be said of the change exponents with the overwhelming despondency that is prevalent.

Without over-dwelling on this, a lot of time has been wasted on sheer nothing.

Perhaps, there is still a little time left to change the tide and start to retell the positive narratives therefore alarming that there had been subtle attempts and, sometimes, brazen, by the Buhari government to favour a part of the country in everything than the other. He needs to do inner soul-searching and see that this tendency has reduced his mystique and cast a shadow of disappointment on his credibility.

It is not out of mischief to state for the record that the APC is in crisis today because the president has failed to provide leadership.

Certainly, President Buhari does not have to be reminded that without the party, he would not have been anywhere close to his dream. After all, for twelve years, he attempted the presidency and failed because of weak platforms and wrong political association.

It therefore behooves the president to see the APC challenge as a personal call-out. His intervention will change many things and

reset the obviously malfunctioning system.

But an eventual failure and collapse of the party could signify his inability to manage anything and confirm the assertion that he is not a hands-on leader.

His relationship with the other arms of government, especially the legislature is very crucial. The encouraged animosity between him and the Senate, in particular, is a proof of his seeming intolerance and avowed unforgiving spirit, which reduces any leadership, no matter how highly placed. He must imbibe the team spirit and put it to work. After all, he can tell too that this had taken its toll on the governance of the country, as well as the standing of their party, the APC, which is in a flawed place, to intervene.

Above all, he has a responsibility to encourage his cabinet members and task them to ingeniously handle their respective portfolios. Nigerians, as it is, have a poor impression of the cabinet as presently constituted, with the exception of a few, who are daily striving to be different. But clearly, it would take a Buhari, for instance, to still keep a Solomon Dalung as the Minister of Sports, having clearly exhibited crass incompetence and poor grasp of his brief.

The president must know that there is nothing esoteric about governance except when the individual, who symbolises the administration, fails to live up to billings. The same prism applies to leadership.

Buhari must rise as a compatriot and not let the labour of the nation’s fallen heroes be in vain. He should seek help – help of people of likeminds, who see the Nigerian project as achievable and a must. More than for anyone else, the period of this independence anniversary should serve as a moment of reflection for the president. He needs it more than the average Nigerian. The time to rethink the Nigerian project as a task to be effectively discharged without excuses is now, and should be challenged not to let himself down.

Only him can stop himself and except he changes his way and start to think without habouring needless old bitterness against anyone or people, his might end up a wasted presidency and it would be sad that after chasing a dream for 12 years, he threw it away with his own hands.

An independence celebration in this mood and circumstance is not a credit to anyone. But to the founding fathers, happy 56th independence anniversary!

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OCTOBER 1, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

FASHION FILE The Vlisco Classic Collection by

LANRE DA SILVA AJAYI

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FASHION FILE Vlisco Classic Collection

L

anre Da Silva Ajayi is one of the biggest fashion designers not only in Nigeria but in Africa. She was the only designer picked from Nigeria to open the fashion of Vlisco celebrating 170 years of textile printing history with a special exhibition in Helmond, its birthplace, and with celebration to honour the African women who have contributed to its long success.

Founded in 1846 by Pieter Fentener van Vlissingen, Vlisco adapted its original batik fabrics to the markets of West and Central Africa where the business grew with the help of input on local tastes from its trading partners.

No doubt, Ajayi was excited to be part of the historical celebrationa. According to her, “it’s always pure delight for me working with Vlisco fabrics.

I particularly was looking forward to the prints, colours, shapes and form for their 170 years anniversary celebration with bated breath! I most certainly was not disappointed, but left fully geared up to produce a Classic Collection for Vlisco” She added, “Vlisco Classic Collection represents an LDA woman that is bold, confident, elegant, and beautiful. There is a piece for every woman in this collection that consists of avant garde dresses, skirts, cullote pants, midi dresses, and evening wear. I infused black Velvet, Silk organza, Intricate embellishment, Chantilly lace, Tulle, to create this beautiful Classic timeless pieces for Vlisco.”

Ajayi unveiled the Vlisco Classic Collection exclusively for the 170years anniversary in Helmond which was held on September 18.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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Interview Ogbole

We Are Set to Enhance Business Networking in Nigeria The first edition of Eko Business Dinner is scheduled for next month and the Chairman of Afro- Heritage Limited, the company packaging the dinner and one time Benue State legislator, Hon Joshua Ogbole talks to Olaoluwakitan Babatunde about the event as well as the vision behind it

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Was there a noticeable vacuum in Nigeria’s business circuit that led to the conception of the Eko Business Dinner (EBD)?

Yes, there was and the current upheaval in Nigeria’s economy requires a deliberate attempt to restore and build the economy.

This is achievable through collaboration, networking, getting referrals and making contacts as well as partnership with foreign investors, especially from countries that have gone through what we are going through now. This is what “The Eko Business Dinner” is aimed at achieving.

Who are your target audience?

Our target is a mixture of the public and private sectors. The two must complement each other to come out strong from the recession. The international communities through their envoys are also a strong target and we are grateful to the Indonesian government who has lent us some support and collaborating with us through the Indonesia Trade Promotion Centre( ITPC Lagos, Nigeria) of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Nigeria.

You will be hosting the first edition by Oct 22 , can you tell us more about it?

The Eko Business Dinner is an informal executive business networking event fororganisations, companies and business interests from and around Nigeria and foreign investors.

It is a quarterly event for local and foreign investors and multinationalorganisations seeking trade and investment opportunities.

The theme for this edition coming up by the 22nd October 2016 is titled: Nigeria’s Economy Today: A Need for Collaboration?

A choice number of foreign and indigenous banks will be in attendance, particularly to inform the people on how and where to procure single digit interest rates It is a great forum for Nigerian states, organizations and businesses to inform the world of their economic strengths or needs, structures, natural resources and export potentials to a select and capable group of foreign and indigenous investors alike.

What should guests and participants

ties and privilege?

Yes, there is that possibility, as long as we keep our vision in check. We will also introduce concepts that can advance our aims and objectives.

What vision do you have for Eko Business Dinner - say within the next 5 to 10 years?

Our vision is to become Africa’s number one business networking and referral platform, creating opportunities for exponential economic growth.

Ogbole expect from the first edition?

They should expect first hand interaction with dignitaries and executives of organisations. There would also be cross pollination of ideas and discussions as well as referrals and exchange of contacts and opportunities to acquire comfortable soft and long-term loans.

Networking has become some sort of a buzzword in Nigeria with several networking Fora and business networks springing up. What unique value propositions does the Eko Business Dinner offer enthusiasts?

The Eko Business Dinner offers enthusiasts an opportunity to achieve their lives’ dreams through first hand networking with the biggest players from local and international businesses. This will become increasingly evident with every edition of the Eko Business Dinner.

Is there a possibility of the Eko Business Dinner becoming a Business Club, with charter and membership opportuni-

What are your thoughts on the ongoing recession? Any concrete ideas on how the government can successfully navigate this narrow pass? And do you think we are in this for the long haul?

The Nigerian President and his economic team are doing their best to salvage the depreciating economy. To quickly pull through this however; there must be huge development in Agriculture, local manufacturing of major consumables and a deliberate attempt to export more products, other than oil. This is why the Government at various levels should support Eko Business Dinner, including the business community in Nigeria. I recommend that groups like the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and other non- governmental association to pick up tickets and be part of the Eko Business Dinner.

Do you see the Eko Business Dinner morphing into a forum that can be used to influence government’s policy direction as it affects local and international businesses?

Yes, we do. We hope to have lots of foreign deals sealed every quarter through the Eko Business Dinner. We see a future that will welcome international business conferences and fairs, courtesy of the Eko Business Dinner and are on the front burner of major local and foreign news.

What are your international partners and associates telling you about Nigeria’s current economic situation? With airlines and shipping companies leaving and businesses closing, massive job losses, is Nigeria investment-worthy at this point -

is it a safe investment destination?

Nigeria’s exceptional business and investment opportunities centre on our huge natural resources, human resources and population. This is a huge advantage for us in Africa. Attracting multi-million or billion dollar investments depends on our ability to look at the positive sides of our country and enhance those things that can attract quality investors to the country. This is what the Eko Business Dinner is doing, and we are attracting investments that will stimulate the economy through networking, collaboration and partnerships.

Any word for Nigerian startups that may be losing confidence, amid the recession?

The Nigerian economy will come out stronger, out of the present day reality. We will export food, natural and human resources to the length and breadth of the world and build a first class economy. This however will only be possible if we consciously make efforts to discuss and collaborate through platforms like the Eko Business Dinner. I recommend that the Nigerian Business community; Business men and women do attend this revolutionary, informal business networking dinner event.

Tell us about your self My name is Hon. Joshua Ogbole and I am married with three lovely children. I am a Lawyer by profession and Chairman of Wood Head Nigeria Limited; which is a real estate company with offices in Lagos and Abuja.

I am also on the Board of Directors of the Emmanuel Ogbole Foundation; a Non-Governmental, non- profit organization which is aimed at rewarding hard work, honesty and people who have distinguished themselves in their chosen endeavour.

I am also the Chairman of Afro- Heritage Limited, a pan African organization with offices in Lagos and Abuja. The company’s vision is aimed at enhancing the potentials of the African community and this is achievable through our numerous projects like the, “Lend a hand,” and the Eko Business Dinner,” amongst others.

Read full interview online: www.thisdaylive.com

RIGHT OF REPLY

Rejoinder On Thisday Publication On DELSUTH

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he Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, has within one year of his administration made giant strides in the health sector and is setting the pace with the institutionalisation of access to quality and affordable healthcare for all residents of Delta State irrespective of their socio-economic status in the society through the establishment of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, a State Supported Health Insurance Scheme.

Being a seasoned medical doctor and a bureaucrat with governance experience that has spanned the three tiers of executive arm of government and then the legislature, the Delta State health sector is on a trajectory towards better health outcomes and excellence in healthcare delivery services.

The Delta State Teaching Hospital, Oghara, was initially conceptualised during the former Governor James Ibori’s administration to be a specialist hospital but had a concept review soon after, to become a teaching hospital due to the need to meet the demand for trained Doctors in various healthcare facilities across the country. The construction and equipment procurement activities as well as human resources for health engagement process for the hospital commenced during the James Ibori administration and the hospital was commissioned in 2010 by the former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The administration of former Governor,

Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, followed up with procurement of more critical care equipment and the first kidney transplant surgery, among other critical care programmes performed at the hospital, which elevated the hospital status to a Center of Excellence.

However, the management processes of the hospital have had challenges ranging from delays in the construction activities which resulted in the South African expatriate Doctors arriving long before the hospital was completed and ready to provide service. A good number of them had to leave due to expiration of their sabbatical period before the hospital started full operation.

The contracts of the remaining Doctors will expire in October this year and the government is planning to reduce the contract sum downwards remarkably, and contract renewal will be based on performance, skill, and capacity in the areas where the hospital will need them, especially in areas where other Doctors cannot perform, and those who agree on the new terms.

Also there were utility challenges which affected the capacity of the hospital to deliver optimum service and this eventually led to a shortfall in revenue and the inability to meet up with payment of salaries and contractual obligations. The resultant industrial disputes and several strike actions further affected the service delivery capacity of the hospital.

Before the commencement of the Governor Okowa administration, the hospital revenue

and subvention from government was already down to half of its original size.

However, the monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has now increased tremendously to a level that government believes they can be self sufficient neccisitating the stoppage of monthly subvention to the institution.

They were huge debts owed to contractors, salaries of the expatriate Doctors had been converted from USD to Naira denomination which resulted in most of the remaining expatriate Doctors leaving the hospital, and insecurity due to the persistent friction between the various labour unions and management of the hospital.

The most significant challenge the hospital had before the start of Governor Okowa’s administration was the absence of a Governing Board for the hospital for several years, which was why one of the early significant interventions embarked upon by Governor Okowa’s administration was the constitution of a Governing Board with a mandate to revitalise and reposition the hospital back to its Center of Excellence status.

The newly constituted board has, within a short period, reinvigorated the organisation structure of the hospital, re-negotiated and reduced the debt profile of the hospital to manageable levels that will ensure continuous quality service, commenced repairs of broken down equipment and resolved most of the industrial disputes that had been affecting the smooth operations of the hospital.

The hospital Doctors are however currently on strike due to issues that were not brought out at previous negotiations e.g (1) Insistence that the CMD must be appointed from amongst them which is in conflict with the law establishing the hospital, (2) Insistence that the Delta State Government must stop the Diaspora Doctor Service programme and sack all Diaspora Doctors remaining in the hospital, and (3) the “Cadre Skipping” issue which is a national matter. It has to be noted that the cadre skipping is now 5.7 instead of 5.4, and Doctors are already enjoying the new salary structure approved in January this year.

The state government has already given the institution a 33 KVA transformer that can guarantee power supply for at least 23 hours daily.

Also, the state government, through the Ministry of Finance, is to pay roll the staff of DELSUTH to monthly payment to avoid arrears which was part of the problem in the past as they are now full time employees of the University since salaries of staff of the hospital have been harmonized with that of the University.

A full scale stakeholders meeting is to be convened by the state government to sort out the problem of incessant strike actions in the hospital with the view to fashioning out a way to resolve outstanding issues.

With the upcoming stakeholders meeting, work will resume soon as all major outstanding matters will be settled.

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PERSPECTIVE

Shimon Peres: ATribute to A Great Israeli Son Femi Fani-Kayode

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ne of the greatest souls that ever bestrode the earth, a champion and founding father of the Jewish State of Israel, a former freedom fighter, a former soldier, an internationally-acclaimed statesman, a Nobel Laureate, a former Minister, a former Member of the Israeli Parliament for 50 years, a three-time Prime Minister of Israel, a President of the Jewish state, a diplomat, a peacemaker, an institution in the politics of Israel and the Middle East and the most experienced leader and politician that the State of Israel was ever blessed with, President Shimon Peres, has passed on at the ripe old age of 93.

How, indeed, are the mighty fallen!

I had the singular honor and distinct privilage of meeting Shimon Peres on at least two occasions. The first was when I was a student at Cambridge University in 1984 where he came to deliver a lecture on the State of Israel and the complicted politics of the Middle East.

After the lecture a few of us from the Friends of Israel Society of the University paid him a courtesy call at his hotel and when I told him that I was from Nigeria his eyes lit up and he wanted to know everything that was happening in my country.

He listened attentively and after I finished analysing the situation to him (we had experienced a coup d’etat which brought General Muhammadu Buhari to power one year before) he said two things to me which I shall never forget.

Firstly that I must endeavour to return home after completing my studies in the United Kingdom to help to build my nation and move her forward because Nigeria had so much potential.

Secondly he said that he knew my father very well and that they had met on several occasions through the 1960’s and again in the 1970’s just after our civil war.

He told me that they had been good friends since that time though they had lost contact over the years.

I was astounded because throughout our conversation he never gave me the slightest idea that he knew my father right up until the very end when we had finished and we were about to leave.

He told me to go back to Nigeria and to spend my life trying to “make a difference” in the affairs of my country and that I must always do all I can to stand for and fight for the State of Israel. I was touched and humbled

Peres and I never forgot those words or that counsel.

The next time I met him was 22 years later in 2006 at the United Nations Heads of Government meeting in New York. I was Minister of Culture and Tourism at the time and when I went to see him after the various meetings the first thing he asked me was how my father was.

When I told him that he had passed on 11 years earlier he was clearly saddened and visibly moved and he said “you must do all you can to keep the flag flying and build on his great legacy”. I have never forgotten those words either.

He also told me that he was happy and proud of the fact that I had taken the advice that he gave me when I was a student at Cambridge in the 1980’s and that I was helping to move my nation forward by going into politics.

He reminded me that I must always remember that I have a friend in him and in the State of Israel. He touched my very soul with those encouraging words and with his obvious concern for my welfare and career.

The truth is that in all my years I have never met a powerful and influential public figure and an international statesman that was as kind, generous, compassionate, interesting, intelligent, widely-read, well-informed,

humble and caring as President Shimon Peres.

Unlike most people that are on his very high level he was not self-absorbed, he did not have an over-bearing sense of self-importance, he did not hog the conversation and he did not spend 99 per cent of the time talking about himself or his country.

He asked questions about you and spoke about you, your country and your challenges as much as he did about his own. He was a father to all. Most importantly he made you feel as if you were the king of the world and part and parcel of a much bigger and wider family and brotherhood of humanity.

In him I did not just see yet another great and powerful Israeli leader that was simply fighting for and speaking to protect and further the interests of his nation from an existential and very real threat.

Rather than that I saw and met a man that was brimming with compassion and a deep and honest desire to make the world a better and safer place for all of humanity.

His achievements in his over 70 years of public service for his nation are legion and too many to be mentioned here.

However no tribute to him can be complete without at least a mention of the heroic role that he played, alongside his mentor the great President Ben Gurion, in the establishment and liberation of the State of Israel.

Again we cannot but mention the courageous role he played during all three wars that took place between the Arabs and Israel since the creation of the Jewish state in 1948.

Again we cannot but mention his noble efforts during the American President Jimmy Carter-sponsored Camp David negotiations in 1978 which resulted in the historic peace treaty that was signed bewteen Egypt and Israel. Again we cannot but mention his role in the famous “raid and rescue” operation in Entebbe, Uganda in 1976 when over 140 nationals of the Jewish state were taken hostage

by Arab terrorists that had highjacked their passenger plane.

They were later rescued in a daring and audacious raid by Israeli commandos that flew in all the way from the Jewish state, killed all the terrorists, freed all the hostages and flew them all back home to Israel safely. Shimon Peres co-ordinated that whole operation.

Finally we cannot but mention his contribution to the signing of the American President Bill Clinton-sponsored Oslo Peace Accords in 1993.

There is no doubt in my mind that without Shimon Peres the Oslo Peace Accords would never have been signed and the relative peace that is being enjoyed today between Israel and her Arab neighbours would have eluded both sides for many more years.

It is a testimony to the fact that the signing of the Oslo Accords was such a huge breakthrough, success and triumph for the moderate forces on both sides of the divide in the Israeli/Arab conflict and that it was such a source of torment for the hardliners that Prime Minister Yizthak Rabin who had signed it and secured the peace was asassinated by a right-wing Jewish extremist simply for daring to build that bridge of peace.

Thankfully the extremists did not manage to asassinate Shimon Peres as well but this was not for want of trying.

I have little doubt that the world will miss this great and amiable gentleman who wanted nothing but peace. When it came to world politics and international affairs he was the classic and quintessential “primus inter pares”: the first amongst equals.

He was a true son of King David. He was Jehu, Daniel and Solomon all rolled into one.

Like Julius Caesar, he was a collosus that bestrode the earth.

He was a Spartan. He was a Roman. He was a Mermidan. He was a great warrior: a Titan and an Immortal.

He was Hector, the Tamer of Horses and Achilles, the Slayer of Giants. He was Alexander the Great, the Conqueror of the Civilised World.

He was a man that dedicated and devoted his entire life and being to the service and defence of the Jewish state.

He was a powerful intellectual and a formidable adversary. He was a righteous and compelling man: a strong man that was not afraid of treading the path of peace.

If there had been more like him, the Middle East and indeed the entire world would have been a better and safer place today.

O Son of David, the world will not be the same without you. We celebrate your life and achievements as you transcend the stars and enter into eternity and the throne room of El Shaddai, the Living God. Your beloved Israel mourns you and so do all her true friends from all over the world.

May the Elohim and the Adonai, the King of Kings, the Lord of Hosts and the Ancient of Days forgive you for all your sins, may He have mercy on you, may He honor you with His glorious prescence, may you bow and dance before Him in the prescence of the 24 elders, the angels, the Archangels and the saints, may He cause you to drink deep from the still waters of Elysium, may He reward you with unspeakable blessings, may He fill you with joy in abundance and may your gallant and courageous soul rest in peace.

to his success. As for those who are today reveling in biting the fingers that fed them, I can only refer them to the book of Proverbs 17:13 in the Bible: Evil will never depart the house of anyone that repays evil for good.

I am in a position to speak authoritatively on Tinubu and his politics as one of his closest aides and associates over the last decade. I can testify to his immense capacity for hard work, capacious memory, integrity, fierce commitment to any cause he believes in and genuine patriotism as well as faith in Nigeria. I only laugh when those who are beneficiaries of his so called ‘imposition’ of candidates for elections accuse Asiwaju of having a ‘domineering attitude’. They do not know the man. Yes, he stands strongly and forcefully by any idea or ideal he believes in. But nothing delights him better than a debate over issues and he is always ready to bow to superior opinion.

The Asiwaju they don’t know takes politics seriously as a vehicle for national reinvention and transformation. Asiwaju prepares with utmost commitment for every election taking every tactical and strategic step to ensure victory. Asiwaju personally sent me to Ondo State to assist Rotimi Akeredolu during the 2012 electioneering campaign for the governorship election.

As a genuine and unrepentant democrat , Asiwaju never takes the electorate for granted.

Asiwaju does not enjoy himself. He is not a member of a decadent elite that squander time cruising around the exotic beaches of the world. He is always burning the proverbial midnight oil working every day till the early hours of the morning. The Asiwaju they don’t know genuinely believes in and loves people and this is not for politics. The Asiwaju they don’t know is ever eager to offer a helping hand to the needy, encourage the weak and raise those who are down. The Asiwaju they don’t know is a wizard in the art and science of financial management and economic rejuvenation.

As a trained accountant myself, I am always amazed at the depth of his expertise in this area. It is thus no wonder that, he laid the foundation for the Lagos that has become the cynosure of all eyes today. Surely, this man can be a great asset in our bid to get out of the current economic recession.

For those who have made a vocation of the practice of bashing, insulting, derogating and undermining of Tinubu, I urge them to continue on their path. But they should remember that all those who have done so in the past have lived to regret it. The simple message: Underrate and undermine Asiwaju at your peril. He is what the Yoruba call ‘Akanda Eniyan’ – God’s special creation.

• Ayinde is a security consultant, accountant, businessman and a chieftain of the APC in Lagos State.

Read full article online: www.thisdaylive.com

The AsiwajuThey Don’t Know Tayo Ayinde

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he seemingly ingrained tendency for human beings to so easily forget their antecedents, repay evil for good and seek to destroy those God chose to use as their benefactors never ceases to amaze me. As a passionate member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I am saddened at the concerted, coordinated and consistent effort by a caucus within the party to diminish the influence and relevance of one of the prime architects and engineers of the party, namely Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The latest example of this grand conspiracy to undermine the Jagaban and erode his political base is the recent brazen and insulting manipulation and outright rigging of the Ondo State APC governorship primaries that has blatantly exposed the party to huge shame and unbelievable embarrassment just to prevent Asiwaju’s purported candidate from clinching the ticket. There is absolutely nothing wrong or illegitimate about this objective even if it is morally abominable.

However, there is everything wrong with the brazen robbery of the Ondo State APC governorship ticket. It makes absolute nonsense of APC’s claim to moral integrity and to being a vehicle of positive change.

What is amazing is that most of those

involved in the ‘bring Tinubu down’ project are those who owe their political ascendancy to the Jagaban. The prominent and enviable positions they occupy today is due, apart from God, to Asiwaju who identified their talents, recognized their capacities and decided to back their political careers with his time, energy, intellect and financial resources. Despite the treachery of such people, they are at least living testaments to Asiwaju’s acumen for identifying, hunting for and nurturing leadership materials.

Incidentally, Chief Oyegun himself, who overruled the majority decision of the National Working Committee on the Ondo primaries, became National Chairman of APC principally because of Asiwaju’s strategic and material support. In the process, the Jagaban stepped on several toes. But this kind of betrayal is not limited to Oyegun. Some others who have become leading public office holders across the land courtesy the Jagaban are repaying Tinubu’s benevolence with unbelievable ingratitude. Even President Muhammadu Buhari’s closest advisers and teeming admirers acknowledge Asiwaju’s critical role in the electoral elevation of Buhari to the apex office after three previous failed attempts. Thankfully, the President so far has continued to show his appreciation for the Jagaban’s indispensable and inestimable contribution in collaboration with others

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POLITY

Senate Forgery: CLO Berates FG, Says it Chases Rats While Nigeria is on Fire Olaoluwakitan Babatunde

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he Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, today, berated the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government for chasing shadows while the country slides deeply into economic crisis.

CLO’s position followed the failure of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to begin the prosecution in the case of alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules, which it preferred against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu; and two others.

The CLO in a statement by the Executive Director, Comrade Ibuchukwu Ohabuenyi, accused the President Buhari administration of misplaced priorities, leading to worsening hardship in the country and increasing the spate of death by suicide among Nigerians.

They declared that the reopening of investigation by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) into the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rule, which is pending

before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as well as the stalling of the trial by the AGF came to to to them “as a rude shock”.

It statement continued: “This is so because the AGF had earlier tendered an Affidavit of Conclusion of Investigation deposed to, on oath, by Mr. Okara Neji Jonah, Litigation Officer of the Federal Ministry of Justice avowing that the Police Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department had ‘concluded investigation of the case and has forwarded the file to the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation for Prosecution.

“Only at the resumed hearing of the case at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday, the AGF and his team could not prepare their reply to the written address, over 90 days they were tendered by counsels to the accused.

“As a result, the court could not sit on the matter nor the Senate whose two presiding officers were dragged to court. While the leaders of the country are supposed to sit down to plan on how to proffer solutions

PHOTO NEWS

on how to revamp the ailing economy that is causing monumental hardship to the citizens, the principal actors of the state are in engrossed in legal duel that consume their legitimate time of national service”.

The CLO expressed worries that “the whole exercise smacks of a desperation by the Presidency to cripple and pocket the federal legislature, the nation’s hallowed institution of democracy, by every means possible”.

Following the trend of events, the Executive Director declared: “CLO can assume that the Office of the AGF and Ministry of Justice have committed perjury, having earlier deposed to an Affidavit on Oath, to the effect that investigation had been concluded on the allegation and a water-tight case established against the accused men, but only to turn round to reopen investigation on the same matter.

“CLO recalls that His Lordship, Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled on June 28, 2016, that the prosecution of the Presiding Officers and two others by the AGF, who was, until his appointment as a Minister, was a legal counsel to the Respondents in the suit challenging the constitutionality of Executive’s meddlesomeness in the internal affairs of the Senate without allowing the court to determine the legality of the police investigation/report, was “a gross abuse of legal process” and an action taken in desperate haste.

“This obscene manipulation of the machinery of justice to subvert the foundations of democracy, prioritise the will or rule of man over the rule of law, and indeed reduce our hard-won democracy to a civilian junta is very worrisome. “CLO is disturbed by these anti-democratic practices because we were one of the organisations that led the struggle that wrestled powers from military and restored democracy to Nigeria with huge prices in human and material terms”.

It said it expected the Federal Government at this point to wear it thinking cap to “rescue Nigerians from the present economic

quagmire and restore happiness and hope to the citizens, rather than waste time on inanities”.

The group added: “Meanwhile, the last time we checked, naira had slipped to N445 to a US dollar in the parallel market and N308 on the interbank market, while cost of living has hit the rooftop.

“Police report, earlier this month, showed that 62 Nigerians, so far, have committed suicide in the last six months. Nigerians are no longer suffering and smiling, we are suffering and dying.

“The continued hunting of National Assembly leaders close to two years after they were elected while our country is gradually dying is a testimony to the fact that this government does not share in the sufferings and hardship of the people as it pretends to.

“It, therefore, worries us more that the Federal Government is busy chasing rats, while the entire house is on fire.

“Besides, it also gives cause for deep concern that a government, which intends to woo and retain foreign investors would hurriedly dock the presiding officers of its highest lawmaking body like common criminals without any credible evidence as it is turning out to be”.

They could on President Buhari “to get his priorities right” and “separate primordial from national interest”.

“This Senate forgery trial is so fraught with manipulations that tend to make one think that the “war” is not about national interest. It is a distraction that we can do without in this dire times when Mr. President is supposed to inspire confidence, trust, and unity among our people than the dance of “kokoma” that this regime has danced since it came to power.

“What Nigerians need now are food on the table, jobs for their teeming children, respect for the rule of law, due process and human rights and bouncing our economy into a robust one that can give hope to all of us, not fight of acrimony that neither enriches our system nor promote our economy”, the CLO stressed.

L-R: Former Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Mrs Omotayo Omotosho; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Alhaja ldiat Adebule and Minister of lnformation & Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed during the World tourism Day Celebration and Lecture, Organised by Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, and Lagos State Ministry of Culture and Tourism Held at Eko Atlantic, Victoria lsland, Lagos on Tuesday, PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

L-R: Managing Director, Suntory Beverage and Food (Nig) Ltd, Mr Chinedum Okereke; and Managing Director, GSK Consumer (Nig) Plc, Mr Thandalam Dayanand, at the closing ceremony of the divestment of Lucozade and Ribena drinks business between GSK and Suntory in Lagos...recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Chief Scientific Officer, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Mr. Kemi Sulaiman; Assistant Chief Scientific Officer, Dapo Oladipupo; Director, Enforcement and Sanitation, Dr. Taofeek Afolabi; Assistant Chief Scientific Officer, Lukas Raheem; and the Assistant Director, Mr. Joshua Awoniyi, during the demolition and cleanup of environmental nuisances in Magodo area of Lagos…recently PHOTO: KOLA OLASUPO

Managing Director/Chief Executive Offier, Lekki Concession Company, MM Hassan; and the management team of the company on a courtesy visit to Chief Fatai Olumegbon, Olumegbon of Lagos... recently

L-R: Sales/Marketing Manager, Raktherm, Mohammed Hablib; Corporate/Quality Assurance Manager, Haven Homes, Omekudo Oko; General Manager, Chinenye Anyiawu; and Managing Director,Oryx Industries and Distribution Ltd, Abdurahim Osman, at the stakeholders workshop on RAKtherm Polypropylene Products in Lagos...recently

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NEWS XTRA

In Brief HIV/AIDS Prevalence Rate Drops

From a high prevalence rate of 5.8 per cent in 2001, Nigeria's HIV/AIDS spread has significantly dropped to less than 3 per cent, the National Agency for the Control of Aids has said. In a message to congratulate Nigeria at 56, the Agency said despite the significant milestone, there were still many challenges confronting the national response towards eliminating HIV by the year 2030. "Having made several giant strides as a country including the curbing of Ebola and Polio, one other challenge we hope to overcome is the HIV/AIDS epidemic among other issues," the statement reads. According to the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Aliyu Sanni, a vital step in reaching the set goal was for all Nigerians to know their HIV status. "A simple rapid test will enable an individual know his/her HIV status, which remains the gateway to HIV Prevention, treatment and care.

FG Inaugurates Water Projects

HONOUR IN DISABILITY...

Standing, from left: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo; state Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Peace Nnaji; her counterpart of Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Charles Ndukwe; Rio para-lympics gold medalist, Mrs. Lucy Ejike (sitting); her husband, and the coaching crew when the governor honoured the gold medalist at Government House, Enugu, yesterday

Navy Foils Militants' Attempt to Bomb PPMC, Warri Refinery

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Nigerian Navy on Thursday night foiled an attempt by militants to bomb Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and Pipeline Products Marketing Company, (PPMC) in Ekpan area in Uvwie Local Government area of Delta State.

The Navy said the loud explosion set off Thursday night by unknown men near the jetty of the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company,

WRPC, and the Pipeline Products Marketing Company, PPMC, resulted from a foiled attempt by militants to attack both facilities in Ekpan, Uvwie council area, Delta state.

Security sources told THISDAY yesterday that the exchange of fire between the suspected militants and operatives of the Nigerian Navy led to a loud explosion in one of the oil facilities.

Commander Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS, Delta, Commodore Joseph Dzunve, confirmed

the incident after residents in communities surrounding both public assets were jolted by loud explosion on the Warri creek at about 9.30 pm.

"Our men fired at a boat suspected to be carrying explosive materials. They must have dropped it in the process and it got hit by our fire, that's why it exploded.

So we adjudge that it was an attempt to sabotage the PPMC", Dzunve stated.

ACP Mohammed Muazu, Commander, Warri Area Com-

mand of the Nigerian Police corroborated the narration, saying, "I heard some people came close to the jetty and the navy stopped them suspecting they had come for something mischievous.

"When they refused to stop, the navy shot just to scare them away. What followed the shooting was that explosion, but what I don't know yet is whether the shooting caused the explosion. I got this information from about three sources", he said.

Army Kills 7 militants, Repel Attack

by Bakasi Armed Group

Naira Appreciates on Parallel Market, Closes at N475/$

Bassey Inyang in Calabar

Obinna Chima

The Nigerian Army on Friday announced that it had killed seven members of the Bakassi Strike Force(BSF) following an early morning attack launched by the militants on the soldiers' position in Efut Esighi, Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The army said the attack by the BSF militants was successfully repelled, and in the process the militants, some of whom were in military camouflage, were killed during gun battle.

Public Relations Officer. 13 brigade Nigerian Army, Captain Kayode Owolabi, who made the announcement through a press statement, said no soldier was killed during shootout with the militants.

The statement made available to journalists in Calabar titled "Unrepentant Militant Group, The Bakassi Strike Force Attacked Army Position In Efut Isigi, Cross River State," read in part: "At about 0100hrs early this morning 30/9/2016.

Militant group, the Bakassi Strike Force led by the most wanted criminal Benjamin Ene alias G1 attacked troops’ position. The very determined troops of 13 Brigade and Operation Delta Safe

repelled the attack killing 7 of the militants some of them wearing Nigerian military camouflage.

Items recovered are 250 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, Rocket propelled Gun launcher, GPMG Belt links and various charms while several others escaped with gunshot wounds. No casualty from the military."

Continuing the statement said, "The Commander 13 Brigade Nigerian Army General Bulama Biu wants to make it abundantly clear that no militant group or criminal under any guise would be spared.

"The military and other security agencies will continue to hunt down any militant group or criminals that do not surrender. Earlier some of the militant camps and shrines have been located and destroyed by forces. Gen Bulama Biu thanked all patriotic and good people of the state for their timely information, support and urge them not to relent in their efforts while going about their legitimate business. Please accept the esteemed regards of the Brigade Commander."

Friday's attack on the military position was the second of such by the BSF following the first act of aggression against the soldiers on September 24,this year.

Brief relief came the way of the naira which has been under attack on the parallel FX market as it closed at N475 to the dollar yesterday, stronger than the N480 to the dollar it closed the previous day.

But THISDAY gathered that the nation's currency had dropped to N490 to the dollar mid-day yesterday, before it closed at N475 at the end of the day.

However, on the interbank FX market, the spot rate of the naira dipped to N311.62 to the dollar, lower than the N305.31 to the dollar it closed the previous day.

THISDAY had yesterday reported effort by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt the sustained slide of the naira which had been under attack by currency speculators.

As part of efforts to halt the sustained slide of the naira, commercial bank customers this week received text messages from their respective banks notifying them of a recent regulatory guidance from the CBN on the use of their accounts.

The CBN mandated all cus-

tomers of financial institutions to use their accounts only for direct personal or companyrelated transactions and to desist from engaging in any activity that could be perceived as international money transfer operations or bureau de change activities without its approval.

The aim of this directive appears to be geared towards improving foreign exchange supply to the interbank market by discouraging the growing use of personal domiciliary accounts for currency trading.

Commenting on the directive, CSL Stockbrokers Limited said: “Aside these measures, we maintain our view that the CBN needs to allow the naira to truly float freely – which it appears to not be, judging by the increasing spread between the parallel and official markets – for the currency to adjust to a level where demand and supply can and will be balanced.”

The President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Mr. Aminu Gwadabe had argued that the current rate of the naira on the parallel market was not a true reflection of the value of the currency. He also attributed the development to the activities of speculators.

SixcommunitiesofWurukum,NKST,Gaadi,Ogenge,OtesemarketinGboko and Nyom yesterday were in jubilant mood as the Federal Government inaugurated six water projects with the call to the beneficiaries to protect the water projects that had been in use for the past one year. Mr. Idowu Adeniji, a director in the federal ministry of water resources said that the projects were world bank sponsored under the SDGs, stressing that 12 states including Benue were benefiting from the program.The service provider, Dr. Michael Ale said that the beneficiary communities did not lobby for the project but were able to get the water project by divine arrangement and called on the host communities to guard, maintain and protect the project. .

Ikoyi Club Visits Children Centre

Aspartoftheactivitieslinedupforthe78thAnniversaryofIkoyiClub1938, members of the club visited the Children Developmental Centre (CDC) located in Surulere, Lagos on Wednesday. The charity visit, which is part of the club’s community service had in attendance the club’s chairman, Major General, Mufutau Balogun rtd, the vice chairman, Mr. Sola Adeosun, Honorary Secretary, Mr. Tokunbo Ogundipe and other members of the general committee and anniversary sub-committee of the club. While presenting the gift to the Service Director of the Centre, Dr. Akindayomi, the chairman expressed his pleasure with the management of the CDC and urged the Service Director not to relent in the good work they have set in place. The Service Director of the CDC expressed her gratitude to the club for its continued support to the centre over the years. She promised that the centre would continue in its stride to continually improve on the quality of care for the children.

NCC Warns against Unregistered Sim Cards

The Nigerian Communications Commissions NCC has warned against the use of unregistered sim cards by Nigerians saying the organisation was now poised to enforce the law making the practice illegal. The warning followed three days of raids by operatives of the enforcement units of the Commission in Minna Zungeru and Kontagora towns of Niger State.

The enforcement team which was led by the Assistant Chief Enforcement Officer Mr. Shuaibu Tswade took the team to most of the retail outlets where sim cards and other accessories were sold in the towns.The team apprehended five suspects in Minna and one in Zungeru town. Those arrested were handed over to the police for prosecution if they could not pay the N200,000 fine provided in the law.

Sacked Banker’s Wife Delivers Triplets

The wife of a sacked 40-year banker, identified as Mr. Luke Anyaechie has given birth to a set of triplets via caesarian operation at a Private Hospital, Sabon Gari Kano. The children are girls. The proud but jobless father of the triplets said apart from the financial challenges, he was overwhelmed with joy at the birth of the children.''I believe that the Almighty, who is aware of the birth of the innocent babies would provide them with their daily bread from his bounties, despite losing bank job, due to the current economic predicament'', he said. Anyachie, who was recently retrenched from Eco Bank, Kano, following the ongoing economic recession, also said he was apprehensive, as well as perplexed, where help would come from but as a Christian, he hoped God would come to his aid.

Agra Innovate Holds November

From 23-25 November 2016, The Landmark Centre in Lagos will be the stage for the third edition of Agra Innovate West Africa. Nigerian and international agricultural policymakers, agribusiness leaders, farmers, technologists and investors will gather to discuss the latest in agriculture in Nigeria and the whole of West Africa. The conference and exhibition is being supported by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG).

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh would be the guest of honour at the Opening Ceremony on 24 November. Other confirmed speakers are Dr. Harold Roy-Macauley, Fatima Ali Mohammed, Dr. ’Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Irede Ajala and Ade Adefeko.

Amaechi: Inyang’s Death a Great Loss

Minister of Transportation Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has expressed shock over the death of Mr. Etim Inyang, a former Inspector General of Police who hailed from the South South region. In a statement issued by Amaechi's media office in Abuja Friday, he described as not only painful but a national loss the demise of the nation's former police chief who during his time in service made the South- South region proud. According to Amaechi, " I am deeply pained by the death of our brother, former Inspector General Inyang; a thorough-bred professional police officer who served the country meritoriously. Late Inyang was a foremost son of the South South region who made the region proud with his track record as IG of the Nigerian Police Force. Mr. Etim Inyang was a reliable, trusted and a dependable police boss who would be missed by the entire South South people and the country at large. We will miss him. We pray God Almighty to strengthen the family and give them the grace to bear the irreparable loss.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •OCTOBER 1, 2016

NEWSXTRA

Supreme Court: Why Faleke Can Not Step Into Audu's Shoes Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

CELEBRATING MOTHERHOOD...

L-R: Founder-President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs. Toyin Saraki; Founder/CEO, Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation, Mrs. Ibidunni Ighodalo and Wife of the Vice-President of Nigeria, Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo at the launch of the Merck More than a Mother campaign in Abuja

Maitama Sule Kicks Against Restructuring, Calls for Bloodless Revolution Segun Awofadeji in Gombe Elder Statesman and diplomat, Alhaji Maitama Sule has kicked against the call for restructuring of the country but called for a bloodless revolution to help solve the problems of Nigeria Speaking in Gombe, Bauchi State on Friday on the topic ‘Restructuring Nigeria: Implications for national unity and integration,’ as part of the activities to mark the 20th year of the creation of Gombe State, he opined that youths should be at the vanguard of the revolution.

According to him, youths were important in ensuring that things changed in the country since they were the vehicles of change. He however specifically advocated that the revolution should be peaceful and similar to that of Mahatma Ghandhi as against Mao Tse Tung’s which claimed millions of lives,

though they both succeeded.

“We have problems in this country today, but we will overcome.

I can assure you we will overcome.

“But the people that will enable us to overcome are you (the masses), the youths. You are the solution to our problems, you are the vehicles of change, and you are the vanguard of revolution. “I am not calling for a bloody revolution; I am calling for a bloodless revolution. We need re-orientation; change your minds and we can do it.

“We have revolution of the likes of Mao Tse Tung who killed millions of people, but he succeeded. We can have yet another kind of revolution – that of Mahatma Ghandhi who did a non-violent revolution and he was able to succeed.

“Let us do that of Mahatma Ghandhi, we will succeed,” the elder statesman advocated.

He disagreed with those rooting

for restructuring of the country, saying God brought Nigerians together for a purpose, which we were yet to understand or exploit.

“People have been talking about restructure in this country, I don’t pray for that, I don’t believe in that.

It is not for nothing that God has put us together – different tribes, different cultures, and different climatic conditions. “The wisdom in this is this: if we have the culture, wear the same clothes, nobody would want to know about the other because we’ll assume we know each other.

“The inquisitive instinct in us will make us want to know why we are different and in the process, we’ll begin the process of knowing each other.

“We’ve all been brought together for a purpose; God has a purpose for us. The purpose of creating us together is for us to use our

differences are to complement one another. “The purpose of creating us together is for us to use our differences to complement one another.

Unfortunately, we have been using these differences negatively – not as God wants us to use it.

“The wisdom in this is this: if we have the culture, wear the same clothes, nobody would want to know about the other because we’ll assume we know each other.

“The inquisitive instinct in us will make us want to know why we are different and in the process, we’ll begin the process of knowing each other,” he reasoned.

Maitama condemned the idea of fanning the embers of religious bigotry and urge Nigerians imbibe the spirit of being their brothers’ keeper which was a common injunction in both Christianity and Islam as well as all the religions of God.

HASAL Microfinance Pays Shareholders N200m Dividends

Nigeria's First General Auction House to Commence Operations

HASAL Microfinance Bank, an Inclusive Finance has paid out more than N200m in the last three years to its shareholders. The Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Rogers Nwoke while assuring the shareholders that the bank would continue to guarantee value to all investors, confirmed that Hasal in the last three years had been returning 40 Kobo for every ordinary share held.

The Bank’s Customer MultiPurpose Cooperative Society, which was established in 2013 with over 200 members, has grown into a big mutual cooperative availing its members liberty to access business support funding from the bank at group and individual levels and at a reduced interest rate.

The decision to form a Customer Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Nwoke said, was part of the bank’s Social Performance Initiatives aimed at making micro-business owners/ entrepreneurs part owners of a thriving institution in order to ensure they are part of the banks’ success as this avails customers the opportunity to grow their business as the bank is growing.

The Managing Director further stressed that, when the bank launched HASAL MFB shares, “the Board and management felt it was important

For the first time in the country, a full time General auction house, 3A Auction House, is set to commence operations with a promise to revolutionalise how properties and unserviceable goods are disposed of in the country.

Speaking at a media briefing, Abi Akingboye, a United Kingdom trained business economist and chief executive of 3A Auction House, said the idea of an auction house had become long overdue in the country going by the amount of repossessed properties in the hands of financial institutions as well as unserviceable goods individuals want to dispose of.

He said 3A Auction was out to bridge the gap between financial houses or private individuals who wanted to do away with unneeded and unwanted as well as repossessed assets below market values within a stipulated time.

"The platform we offer creates a partnership between both ends by helping to sell their assets at a faster rate rather than the option of them lying fallow, depleting much needed funds,” Mr. Akingboye stated.

He explained that buying items at a 3A Auction would not only provide bidders with safer options to purchasing luxury items and high end goods, but also ensure that they got

to give customers the opportunity to become shareholders of the bank.

Today those customers who purchased our shares have received millions of Naira in dividend for three years in a row”.

The founding President of the HASAL Customers’ Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Mr. Pascal Emenyonu stated his confidence and that of his members on the bank.

“We believed three years ago that the money we were investing in the bank will yield results, and today our expectations has been realistic because we have earned dividends consistently in the last three years.

He also added that “the level of integrity and competence of the management team gives us the assurance that the capacity of the bank can only get better, so our members have decided to keep reinvesting for our benefit and that of the bank”.

Similarly, Mr. Christian Eze, a customer of the bank for six years and also a shareholder within the cooperative scheme explained that he became a member of the cooperative because he believes in the bank and he is happy with the way HASAL provides financial services to the poor.

Mr. Eze further added that the cooperative is “making arrangement to start fish farming.

said goods at the best prices possible, most times below market value. He explained further that such properties in question were run through a detailed vetting process with the government bodies involved to ensure the safety of potential buyer's interests.

He explained further that if there ever was a time to buy properties and other luxury items in Nigeria, that time is now with the current state of the economy, when purchases are guaranteed to be value for money.

Explaining further, Mr. Akingboye said the advantage over online auction was for the buyer in the sense that the buyer had a chance to come in, even before the day of the auction, they see and then buy below market value.

"The seller also has an advantage because when over 1000 people compete to buy something, you have a huge advantage of the price being naturally pushed up. What you were ready to give up for N1million might end up fetching N2million, even while remaining below general market price - it’s a win-win for all."

He said his outfit categorised its auctions into three; properties, vehicles and general items which did not fall within these first two categories. These could be vessels, machinery, truck heads and so on.

The Supreme Court yesterday gave detailed explanation on why it dismissed the appeal of Chief James Abiodun Faleke, who ran with the late Abubakar Audu for the Kogi State govenor office under the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The court said that the law was not on the side of Falake and therefore his request to be declared the winner of the state governorship election held last year could not be granted.

The apex court, among others, said that Falake, whose joint ticket with Audu, had garnered 240,873 votes before Audu died, could not benefit from the votes or take the place of Audu, because he did not meet the condition precedent: which is to be nominated by his party.

In the reasons given for the summary judgment delivered on September 20th, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun held that Falake did not obtain nomination form, did not participate in the primary election and as such, could not under any

circumstances be made the governorship candidate to replace Audu.

Besides, Justice Kekere-Ekun said that before the sudden death of Audu, after the November 21 governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission, had already declared the election inconclusive and that since the election, had not been completed and the final result issued by the electoral body, Faleke, as a running mate, could not claim victory in the election.

The apex court, upheld the replacement of Audu with Yahaya Bello because in the face of the law, Bello obtained nomination form, took part in the primary election and came second, unlike Faleke who did not meet that condition.

The Supreme Court said that by virtue of Section 221 of the 1991 constitution, Bello, having become the candidate of APC, and legally sponsored by the same party, in the face of the law, could lay claim to the votes of 240,867 cast for the party in the November 21, 2015 election.

FG Wants ICAO to Combat Security Threat on Air Travel Chinedu Eze The federal government has called on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to reinforce measures to curb security threat on air travel.

The call was conveyed by the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika at the weekend during the 39th ICAO general assembly at ICAO Headquarters in Montreal, Canada, as Nigeria urged member states to continue to put in place proactive measures to curb everincreasing threat to security on civil aviation.

Sirika said the call was coming at a time when global terrorism attacks at airports across the world were on the rise and experts in various countries were seeking for coordinated intelligence gathering and sharing of security information among stakeholders.

Sirika noted that Nigeria continued to participate in the ICAO’s Public Key Directory (PKD) and support ICAO’s effort to provide assistance to other West African states in their resolve to introduce e-passport.

He explained that stakeholders were at the meeting to seek new strategies that would make air transportation safe, secure, efficient and above all environmentally friendly so as to ensure the growth

and sustainability of the aviation industry globally.

“We are also in consultation with the United Nations to establish aviation security training schools in Nigeria and these schools will serve not only Nigeria but the entire sub-region.

“Nigeria reaffirms its believe that ICAO should be the forum through which all aviation technical issues relating to environment must be resolved. I therefore express the full support of Nigeria for the efforts being made by ICAO to minimise the impact of aircraft engine emissions on our environment as well as the work of the council committee on aviation environmental protection,” Sirika said.

The Minster therefore called on member states especially the developed countries, financial institutions and donor agencies to support this initiative with a view to assisting this to implement ICAO’s Standard and Recommended Practices (SRP).

The Minister remarked that prior to this initiative, Nigeria had been collaborating with ICAO and African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) to promote safety in the West Africa sub-region through the hosting and subvention funding of Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation (BAGASOO), the aviation safety organisation.

Diamond Bank Changes Names of Products Diamond Bank Plc has announced the change of names of six of its flagship financial products.

According to the Bank, the name change was borne out of the need to align its product offerings to the changing lifestyle of its customers, and also, point the future direction of the Bank to constantly refresh its products to meet the current needs and lifestyle of the customer.

Chioma Afe, the Bank’s chief spokesperson said in a statement to the press that the change of names of the six products was in line with the Bank’s renewed business focus.

“Our aim, among others, is to rightly position our products to conform to current business realities, and most importantly, ensure that our product offerings are tailored to meet the continuously changing lifestyle of the customer,” she said.

According to Afe, the financial

products include MSME Propositions, which is now changed to Emerging Businesses while MSME Domiciliary Account is renamed Emerging Business Domiciliary Account. Also, Diamond BusinessXpress Account (DBXA) is changed to Diamond Business Advantage (DBA) while Diamond SchoolXpress Account (DSXA) is renamed Diamond School Advantage (DSA).

Others include MSME loans now changed to Emerging Businesses Loans while MSME Business Registration Service is changed to Emerging Businesses Registration Service.

“The name change does not affect the product quality, as the service delivery remains the same.

What we have done is to refresh them and ensure that the customer will derive the utmost benefit using any of these products,” Afe added.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 1, 2016

nEwsXTRA Nigeria at 56…Nigeria at 56…Nigeria at 56…Nigeria at 56…Nigeria at 56…

Saraki, Mark, Ekweremadu Call for Co-operation, Sober Reflection Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

Senate President Bukola Saraki, his predecessor, David Mark and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday called for co-operation with the federal government and sober reflection on the part of Nigerians as the nation marks its 56th independence anniversary today.

Saraki in his anniversary message signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), YusuphOlaniyonu,commended all Nigerians, especially the nation's founding fathers, for their contributions which he said averted disaster from the nation at every point its existence was threatenedbysocial,politicaland economic problems.

Whileexpressingregretsthatin her56yearsofexistence,Nigeria's economy still depended on only

oil, a situation he said created the present economic problems being experienced by the citizenry, SarakicommendedNigeriansfor their perseverance, understanding and support in the face of the harsh economic condition.

"As we celebrate independence, we should all vow to worktogetheraswehavedonein the past to save the nation.As we expect leaders to initiate policies, programmes and projects that willpropeltheeconomytogrow rapidlyandimprovethestandard oflivingofthepeople,ourpeople should also seek to explore their creativetalentstoproducegoods and services which can compete withthebestintheworld,thereby enhancing our ability to export massively and earn foreign exchange.

"That is why I continue to say that the responsibility to once

again search for credible and lasting solutions to the economic crisis lies with all Nigerians, both at home and in the diaspora.

While those of us in leadership must put on our thinking caps to find solution, all hands must be on deck to ensure that the efforts of the economic handlers yield necessary results soon.

"No single individual can solve our present economic predicament. I believe that with our collective efforts and sheer political will, we can push back the high tide of recession now confronting us as nation. Many countries came out of recession stronger because they allow it to challenge their creativity. Let us allsupportthegovernmentwith new ideas on how to do things differently that will in no time bring the expected abundance weneedasapeople.Wehavethe

manpower,resources,know-how anddeterminationtochangeour situation for the better," Saraki said.

In his message signed by his SpecialAdviser,Media,UcheAnichukwu, Ekweremadu, called for sober reflection and return to the path of true federalism as envisioned by the founding fathersinordertomovethenation forward.

Hestressedtheneedforjustice, peace, and unity, once more and urged the federal government to mobilise all capable hands to salvage the nation’s ailing economybecausethere'shunger in the land.

He said: “This 56th IndependenceAnniversarycallsforsober reflection. No people can make progress,unlesstheyretracetheir steps back to where the rain started beating them.

Tinubu: Nigeria not Where it Should Be Former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described Nigeria's current economicsituationasanecessary rite of passage for any nation desirous of greatness.

In his 56 independence anniversary message, he said: "After 56 years of political independence, Nigeria is not where it should be even though it has witnessed appreciable progress.

"Nigeria's political, social and economicfoundationsneedtobe reworkedandstrengthened.Our institutions are not functional enough to deliver on the goals for which they were set up. This independenceanniversarythereforeoffersusanotheropportunity at reflections.

"But beyond that, it demands from us all the sacrifice needed for nation-building and recommitment to the vision of our nationalists who saw the greatness in this country and worked to advance it. The times are tough no doubt. The reasons are not far-fetched.

“However, the journey to recovery has begun in earnest andIenjoinyoualltosupportthe PresidentMuhammaduBuhariledadministrationinthisjourney.

I ask you all to embark and stay onthisjourneywithussothatwe can build up our institutions and ourcountryandindeedourlives again. IcongratulateallNigerians and welcome you all to a new and great possibility”.

US Salutes Nigerians on Independence Anniversary Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

The United States of America has congratulated Nigerians on thecelebrationof Independence Day on October 1.

This is contained in a statement by the US Secretary of State, Mr John Kerry Kerry who recalled his recent visit to Nigeria said he returned to the US with 'a strong sense of the nation’s resolve to build a better future.'

He said: "During my trip, I was reminded that many Nigerians are engaged in bringing people together across the divides of culture, religious

practices, and ethnicity.

"There is still much work to be done to provide economic opportunitiesforall,endcorruption, win the fight against Boko Haram, ensure broad respect for human rights and provide humanitarian relief for millions of displaced people.

"But we know that Nigerians arehardatworktoaddressthese challenges."

He said US looked forward to deepening partnership and friendship with Nigerians from all walks of life. This, he said would help US and Nigeria to worktogetherforthebetterment of Nigeria and all of Africa.

Glo Greets Nigeria at 56 INTERCEEDING FOR NIGERIA...

L-R: Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed and

Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari (CFR) during Special Jumat Prayer to mark Nigeria's 56th Independence Day Anniversary at Ilorin Central Mosque, Ilorin....Friday

PDP Blasts APC, says Party Responsible Nation’s Woes Laleye Dipo in Minna

The People's Democratic Party PDPonFridaycarpetedtheruling All Progressives CongressAPC sayingthepartywasresponsible for the woes of the ordinary Nigerian.

The PDPsubmitted that since thepartycameintopoweralmost two years ago Nigerians had been facing several problems as a result of poor leadership and implementation of policies that were not people friendly.

The party chairman in Niger State, Mr. Tanko Beji who made the observations in a statement released to newsmen to mark

Nigeria's 56th Independence anniversary regretted that Niger State had not fared better under the rulership of the APC government ofAlhajiAbubakar Sani Bello.

"Nigerstatehasnotfaredbetter undertherulershipoftheclueless visionless and rudderless APC government. "It is sad that virtually all the social infrastructures like water, roads, health facilities etc inherited from the Peoples Democratic Party government by the APC have been allowed to rot away thereby making the sufferings of the people become more unbearable", he said.

Beji recalled that the APC

government declared state of emergency on water, education and the health sectors but argued that "nothing tangible has been done to redress the deplorable conditions" adding that "for several months the taps in major cities have been dry while the road projects being embarked upon by the APC government has also been abandoned; patients visiting the general hospitals now have to sleep on bare floors".

To compound the situation, the PDP chairman said Governor Abubakar Sani Bello "instead of remaining at home to tackle the myriads of problems

bedeviling the state which he was elected to do has become a globe trotter even at the expense of the poor masses. ‘’Even as we celebrate the Nations 56th independence anniversary amid killing hunger and excruciating poverty the Governorisbusyjunketingfrom one foreign nation to the other turning himself to the Minister of foreign affairs’.

However Beji urged the people of the state to remain resolute and strong in faith as the country moves towards 2019 general elections " when the people will heave a sigh of relief from this bad leadership".

Oyegun Assures Nigerians On Economic Recovery Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The National Chairman of the

AllProgressivesCongress(APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has given assurances that Nigeria would surely bounce back to reckoning as far as its economy was concerned.

He urged Nigerians to be hopeful about the future inspite

ofthecurrenteconomicchallenges as the federal government had taken adequate steps to bring the economy out of recession and restore the country on the path of economic growth.

-Oyeguninamessageissuedon behalfoftheAPCNationalWorking Committee (NWC) to mark Nigeria’s 56th Independence Anniversary, urged Nigerians to

sustain its support and prayers for the President Muhammadu BuhariAPC-led administration as it works to return the country toitsdeservedheightsamongthe comity of nations.

“Truly times are hard, but as a Party we are confident that with ongoing economic recovery efforts of the President MuhammaduBuhariadministra-

tion and the continued support of Nigerians, the country will emergefromthecurrenteconomic recession stronger and better.”

Oyegun said.

Oyegun also thanked the people of Edo state for electing theAPC candidate, Mr. Godwin ObasekiastheEdoStategovernorelectfollowingtheSeptember28, 2016 Edo governorship election.

As Nigeria marks her 56th IndependenceAnniversarytoday,the Nigeria's grandmaster of data, Globacom, has congratulated the government and people of country for keeping the nation togetherinspiteofthechallenges of the past.

In an anniversary message issued in Lagos on Friday, Globacom noted that the nation, Nigeria, had a lot to celebrate as the country marks yet another year ofitsexistenceasanindependent state. The message noted that in spite of the challenges that had confronted the country since independence, Nigeria had remainedasaninseparableentity.

The company commended the citizens for their resilience, patriotism, industry and enterprise over the years, adding that it was optimistic that the pres-

ent economic situation would soon be a thing of the past and Nigerians would smile again.

“As a company, we have no doubt that in no distant future, Nigeria will regain her leadership position as the biggest economy in Africa. We believe that if all hands are on deck and all Nigerians give their unreserved support to the Federal Government, Nigeria has the expertise and material resources to bounce back from the present harsh economic situation,” the statement said.

The company noted that Nigerians were known for this happiness having once been declared as the happiest people in the world.

“Spreadsomehappinessaswe celebrate our nation’s birthday,” the company added.

Ekiti APC Hails Buhari OlakiitanVictor in Ado Ekiti

TheAllProgressivesCongress(APC) inEkitiStatehascommendedPresident Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts to restore hope to Nigerians after many years of unbridled corruptionandunrealiseddreamsfor a prosperous economy.

ThepartyalsocongratulatedEkiti peopleonthe20thYearAnniversary of the creation of Ekiti State.

It said that although the gains recorded within the period were worthcelebrating,itnoted,however, that the reversals of fortunes in the last few years were challenges that

should be tackled for the state to realise the dreams of the founding fathers of the state.

InastatementinAdo-Ekiti,Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, praised Buhari for his fight against corruptionandreconnectingNigeria backtotheinternationalcommunity asaresponsiblecountrythatcanbe relied upon for best international practices in business and investments.

"Inthelastoneyear,thecorruption indexofNigeriahascomedownwith leaders around the world having more confidence in Nigeria as a country that is safe for business.

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Conoil Predicts Brighter Future for Nigerian Economy As Nigeria celebrates her 56th Independence anniversary today, October 1, 2016, major oil marketerConoilPlc,haspredicted a brighter future for the country and urged Nigerians not to despair even in the face of the current economic downturn in the country.

The Company implored Nigerians to, instead, remain optimistic and give the government maximum support, as it worked relentlessly to make

Nigeria great again.

The frontline fuel marketing company in a statement, said it would, on its part, continue to oil the country’s wheels of progress byprovidingworld-classservices to meet the energy needs of Nigerians.

According to the statement, “Considering the fact that the nation has surmounted several obstacles in the last 56 years, the major challenge for the citizens is to remain strong and indivis-

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Conoil further enjoined Nigerians to consolidate the gains of the past 17 years of democratic rule by remaining focused and resilient.

Chivita Celebrates with Nigeria

Chivita 100% fruit juice, has congratulated Nigerians on the occasion of the countries 56th Independence Day celebration.

As a Nigerian company with a proud heritage, CHI Limited is delightedto beapart ofthecountry’s development and success story through its value adding products and initiatives that has givenNigeriansareasontosmile.

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MISSILE Ikimi on Edo Governorship Election

“I dispute the election completely. The outcome of the election as announced by INEC is completely at variance with what happened on the ground. It is at variance with the anti-corruption stance of the Federal Government. The president is one person who has gone through this process and he knows very well that everyone should have a free and fair election. That is why we feel this shouldn’t have been like that.”

– A former minister of foreign affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi rejecting the outcome of the Edo State governorship election

PENDULUM Dele Momodu

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

As APC Sets Fire on the Roof “… President Buhari, on coming into office in 2015, ignored the looming economic danger and focused single-mindedly – and, in retrospect, unwisely – on the fight against corruption and the recovery of stolen asset which had populist appeal. This could have proceeded hand-in-hand with a focus on the management of the Nigerian economy to prevent the present crisis…”

– PREMIUM TIMES EDITORIAL: HOW BUHARI HELPED NIGERIA INTO RECESSION AND HOW HE CAN TAKE US OUT OF IT

F

ellow Nigerians, let me quickly congratulate all of us on this special anniversary of our Independence before returning to the quote above. Against all odds, we stayed together as one indivisible country despite agitations here and there for the collapse of the current problematic union.

We even fought a very bloody civil war which terminated the lives of millions of our brothers and sisters. Since then, we’ve continued to fumble and wobble along.

In the middle of this celebratory mood, the ruling party APC is in a messy and not so merry situation despite winning the gubernatorial election in my home State of Edo just days ago. The reason is not too far-fetched. As a matter of fact, it is a self-inflicted injury. A political party that came to power with so much credibility and adulation last year is already becoming a house divided against itself by fighting on all fronts from within and outside its folds. I would have expected that useful lessons would have been learnt from our recent past. Alas!

The prophecy of this war of attrition had been long foretold by those who saw this marriage of different political parties as an amalgamation of strange bedfellows. The election that ushered in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari travelled with so much hope and promise. This promise also carried within its underbelly the burden of heavy expectations. Many had hoped and expected that the APC was ready to hit the ground running from Day One and that President Buhari had a masterplan ready and handy. Nigerians actually expected instant magic. President Buhari was believed to possess talismanic powers to solve all problems and the capacity to sweep out the sins of Nigeria, especially the endemic corruption that has grown malignantly cancerous, within a twinkle of an eye. But so far, nothing of the sort has happened. Many Nigerians are already in a state of stupor trying to figure out what went wrong and what go right in the near future.

Trouble started as soon as the government started. It was as if the government was conceived in perfidy and had to be delivered in strife. First, they started fighting over positions once it was time to share public offices. The National Assembly was the hotbed of rebellion and hullabaloo, the place where the falcon refused to hear the falconer. For whatever reason, the party picked on one of its bright stars, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who had chosen to fulfil a lifetime ambition of becoming Nigeria’s President of The Senate by fire and by force. The party apparatchik would never agree to such heresy. This would cause so much rancour and put the ruling party in disarray.

The ding dong affair between The Senate and the Federal executive would be a test of will and strength between the warring factions.

Try as it may, the Senators overwhelmingly

Buhari supported their leader and the seed of discord had been sown almost permanently.

The Federal House of Representatives suffered its own version of the crisis but its Speaker appeared more amenable to control from the invisible but supernatural forces from outside its chambers. The party was thus able to keep the combustion from exploding while real fire burnt wildly in the nearby Senate chamber. It was in the midst of this that the Senate went through the screening exercise for Buhari’s cabinet nominees. The time it took to announce and release the list of Ministers was another case of hocus-pocus. Mercifully, the screening and ratification commenced and was dispensed with after some melodrama.

But the ember of discord was still burning slowly and steadily away from public or prying eyes. After some unsavoury sessions at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and a few complicated legalese, members of the public lost interest and attention and concluded the case was possibly dead on arrival.

As if this war was not bad enough, the economy took a nose dive and the Naira has continued to sink deeper and deeper in the abyss. There was a gale of arrests of allegedly corrupt people reminiscent of Buhari’s days as a military ruler. The enthusiastic supporters of the war against corruption would soon turn against the same government that seemed determined to restore sanity to our socio-political climate. Buhari and company had failed to study the psychology of homo sapiens. If Nigerians had lived and survived substantially on corruption, it should have occurred to Buhari and his team to replace something with something. A hungry man is an angry man. Enu ofifo kii dun yanyanmu, (an empty mouth can never make sufficient noise),

according to a Yoruba adage. If as corruption collapsed like the walls of Jericho, food prices also crashed and prosperity beckoned, there would have been no problem. In fact, things got worse rather than change for the better.

Nigerians are angry not because they hate Buhari or really miss PDP but life is just becoming unbearable while the politicians to live large in most cases.

The government itself has not provided palliatives and even reneged on some of its campaign promises. The government has turned to preaching and heaped all the blames on its immediate predecessor who became the lamb of God programmed to carry away the sins of PDP in 16 years. Members of opposition protested vehemently against what they called a vengeful witch-hunt against their party, the PDP. The ruling party says PDP has put Nigeria in this mess and should pay dearly for it. No doubt but how do we move forward?

There are important issues to tackle and it seems the Federal Government has not been able to overcome the many challenges confronting it. The economy has been its greatest albatross as well as the cold but volatile wars between its gladiators. The tussle for power started so early. Nigerian politicians do not joke with power. They start jostling for power from the end of the election.

Nothing should pass them by. And those who manage to grab power often forget those who brought them to power. In fact, they usually have a mortal fear of the kingmakers and try to keep the distance from them. Afobaje loba koko nge lori, (the King wastes no time in beheading the kingmaker). The reason is simple. No one wants to be reminded of his past or be held to ransom by those who

helped him climb the ladder. Such is life.

There is no doubt that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in the forefront of those who midwifed this government in cash and in kind. But despite his humongous efforts, the relationship between Asiwaju and this government has been that of cat and mouse.

It did not start today. It actually started being frosty long before the election. First, Asiwaju wanted to be the Vice President but Buhari was said to have excused himself on account of Muslim/Muslim ticket and skilfully settled for one of his close associates, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, a technocrat and Pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. Next, Tinubu was interested in who becomes Senate President and Speaker of The House of Representatives. Somehow, this also became elusive. It is not clear till this day if the President was actually interested in any preferred candidates. But it was certain that some subterranean forces were stylishly blocking Tinubu from having too much clout and stranglehold on the party. While I do not think he can have his way always, I believe he should be carried along. His vast knowledge of politics and governance would be very useful at this critical moment.

Tinubu has remained a loyal party chieftain brushing off every act of provocation, according to impeccable sources. But the hawks of power are worried because of the suspicion that he is still nursing a presidential ambition. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is also believed to be eyeing the presidential seat. He and Tinubu are being systematically side-lined and checkmated.

Matters are beginning to get to a cataclysmic climax with the recent decision to block a Tinubu-backed Governorship aspirant in Ondo State. In another ugly twist, the recent face-off between Tinubu and the national chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who enjoyed Tinubu’s encouragement to emerge chairman of the party has raised more questions than answers.

As someone noted “why are they all hell bent on humiliating Tinubu after all his support for Buhari and their party, the APC?” I have no idea but I know that there is fire on the mountain. After reading a Press Release from Tinubu’s media office, it was obvious Tinubu has had enough of this surreptitious victimisation. He and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar are obviously angry about developments and I won’t be surprised if they join forces again and dismantle both APC and PDP to forge a new alliance. The two are experienced and formidable enough to even run as President and Vice President respectively. The theory is that with the growing unpopularity of the Buhari government anything can happen. I don’t know but if you don’t try you can’t know what’s impossible or not.

It seems APC has already touched the tiger by the tail and should seriously watch out for possible backlash. My honest advice to President Buhari, as always, is not to listen to those goading him on and telling him he can win all battles. I will borrow him a Yoruba proverb: “bi adete ko le fun wara, o le danu!” (if the leper cannot milk the cow, he can spill the ready milk!). President Buhari should remember the conspiracy that ruined PDP and eventually catapulted President Goodluck Jonathan out of power. If we don’t know where we are going, we should remember where we are coming from.

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