Saturday 29th October 2016

Emefiele: CBN Pumped N2trn into Economy in 15 Months to Boost Growth Explains challenges facing aviation sector

As part of efforts to reflate Nigeria’s ailing economy, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disbursed nearly N2 trillion to both public and strategic private sectors of the economy in the last one year.

The CBN Governor, Mr.

Godwin Emefiele, who spoke in an exclusive interview with THISDAY yesterday, also said in order to stimulate expenditure in most states that could not pay salaries, the central bank around July 2015, came up with the idea of a Workers' Salary Assistance

Programme.

Under that scheme, the Central Bank disbursed a total of about N405 billion to all the affected states, the central bank governor disclosed.

The CBN also disbursed N10 billion to almost all of the 36

states respectively, to fund their infrastructural projects. Under this scheme as well, the CBN did intervention to the tune of N350 billion.

Throwing more light on the apex bank's disbursements in the last one, Emefiele said: "The total

of both intervention is close to N800 billion, that was injected to support the sub-national governments either for them to pay salaries, or for them to support their infrastructural development in their states. These are some of the actions that were done.

"Aside from that, the CBN also disburses money through the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS), the Power and Aviation Intervention Fund (PAIF), and the refinancing Continued on page 6

Ambode in Copenhagen, Meets Maersk Group, Says $2.6bn Badagry Port Will Turn Around Economy... Page 10 Saturday 29 October, 2016 Vol 21. No 7863 Price: N250

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2016 Budget has Recorded 79% Performance, Says FG N3.6trn so far released

Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The federal government disclosed yesterday that it had so far spent

N3.577 trillion out of the full year's budget of N6,060 trillion for the 2016 fiscal year which was signed in May. This translates to a 79 per cent performance of the prorated

budget for the three quarters up to September 30, 2016.

A statement released last night by Akpandem James, the Media Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Plan-

ning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma said in addition to the total of N2,439.9 trillion so far released for capital, Non-debt Recurrent and Service-wide vote expenditure, a total of N1,137.7

trillion had also been paid out in domestic and foreign debt service expenditure.

This, he said, included N44 billion transferred to the Sinking Fund to retire maturing

obligations on bonds issued to contractors.

“To date, budgeted personnel cost and debt service obligations Continued on page 6

Mimiko: There May Be Breakdown of Law and Order if INEC Insists on Jimoh Ibrahim

Violence orchestrated by governor, alleges candidate Makarfi’s faction expresses shock, warns against 1965/66 and ’83 violence Fayose: APC, INEC out to kill democracy ONYEKACHI OKONKWO

Tobi Soniyi and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja, James Sowole in Akure, Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti, Akinwale Akintunde in Lagos Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, after a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja yesterday, warned that the substitution of Eyitayo Jegede with Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could lead to violence.

As envisaged by Mimiko, sporadic protests erupted early in the day in Akure, the Ondo State capital and Ondo City over the recognition of Ibrahim by INEC. But in a swift reaction, Ibrahim, in a press statement alleged that the violent protest was orchestrated by Mimiko.

The Ondo State governor told President Buhari that the substitution of Jegede, with Ibrahim could lead to breakdown Continued on page 6

How I Became Successful at 39

SuperSaturday pg. 8-9

LOLO 1

I Have Three Sons, One Daughter But I Am Single

Plus pg. 17-19

LEADERSHIP RETREAT

L-R: Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. John Odigie-Oyegun; and Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje at the opening of a retreat for Kano APC leaders in Sokoto ...yesterday

Southern Kaduna Elders Condemn Killings by Herdsmen, Say Enough is Enough ... Page 61

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SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016 T H I S D AY

CLAIRE

SULMERS

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016

3

4

SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016 T H I S D AY

5

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016

STATEMENT TO THE NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE AND THE SHAREHOLDERS ON THE EXTRACT OF UNAUDITED RESULTS FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the Group's unaudited Results for the Nine Months ended September 30, 2016

DIAMOND BANK PLC

STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

BANK

GROUP 30 Sep. 2016 N‘000

30 Sep. 2015 N‘000

30 Sep. 2016 N‘000

30 Sep. 2015 N‘000

107,357,674 (28,942,882) 78,414,792 (40,261,469)

122,695,460 (37,487,354) 85,208,106 (19,490,387)

92,420,647 (21,493,846) 70,926,801 (39,698,338)

110,615,333 (31,722,015) 78,893,318 (18,399,073)

Net interest income after impairment loss on financial assets

38,153,323

65,717,719

31,228,463

60,494,245

Fee and commission income Fee and commission expense Net fee and commission income

33,152,512 (6,125,963) 27,026,549

29,684,392 (6,593,108) 23,091,284

29,753,792 (6,061,469) 23,692,323

26,369,648 (6,346,485) 20,023,163

Net trading income Other operating income Net operating income

8,922,999 1,675,578 75,778,449

3,175,600 987,456 92,972,059

8,090,784 1,209,628 64,221,198

3,033,589 498,034 84,049,031

(25,144,785) (46,741,406) (71,886,191)

(26,438,613) (47,938,381) (74,376,994)

(21,078,874) (41,238,918) (62,317,792)

(23,182,711) (43,854,936) (67,037,647)

Profit before income tax Income tax expense Profit for the year

3,892,258 (381,130) 3,511,128

18,595,065 (2,627,765) 15,967,300

1,903,406 (285,511) 1,617,895

17,011,384 (2,551,708) 14,459,676

Other comprehensive income net of tax: Foreign currency translation differences Fair value (loss)/gain on available-for-sale investments Other comprehensive gain/(loss) for the year

9,769,879 (93,812) 9,676,067

1,860,387 74,876 1,935,263

(93,812) (93,812)

74,876 74,876

13,187,195

17,902,563

1,524,083

14,534,552

Profit attributable to : - Owners of the Bank -Non controlling interest

3,429,441 81,687

15,855,076 112,224

1,617,895 -

14,459,676 -

Profit for the year

3,511,128

15,967,300

1,617,895

14,459,676

Total comprehensive income attributable to: -Owners of the Bank - Non controlling interest

12,926,374 260,821

17,787,910 114,653

1,524,083 -

14,534,552 -

Total comprehensive income for the year

13,187,195

17,902,563

1,524,083

14,534,552

15 -

68 60

7 -

62 54

Interest and similar income Interest expense Net interest income Net impairment loss on financial assets

Personnel expenses Operating expenses Total expenses

Total comprehensive income for the year

Earnings per share - continuing operations Basic earnings per share (kobo) Diluted earnings per share (kobo) STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

Assets Cash and balances with central banks Financial assets held for trading Derivative assets Loans to banks Loans and advances to customers Investment securities: - Available-for-sale investments - Held to maturity investments Assets pledged as collateral Investment in subsidiaries Investment property held for sale Property and equipment Intangible assets Deferred tax asset Other assets Total assets Liabilities Deposits from Banks Deposits from Customers Derivative liabilities Current income tax liablity Deferred tax liabilities Other liabilities Borrowings Long term debt Total liabilities Equity Share capital Share premium Retained earnings Other reserves - Statutory reserve - Regulatory risk reserve - Small scale industries (SSI) reserve - Fair value reserve - Foreign currency translation reserve Total equity attributable to owners of the Bank Non-controlling interest Total shareholders equity Total equity and liabilities

GROUP

BANK

30 Sep. 2016 N‘000

31 Dec 2015 N‘000

30 Sep. 2016 N‘000

31 Dec 2015 N‘000

318,564,263 5,098,918 58,855 98,200,322 1,041,227,189

361,166,936 13,116,843 161,622 60,103,340 763,634,827

270,831,383 5,098,918 83,245,275 856,649,068

319,168,003 13,116,843 157,493 66,820,934 648,971,379

22,572,737 260,824,359 176,597,647 4,632,261 67,067,885 5,441,170 4,984,388 44,753,967 2,050,023,961

26,803,076 240,534,130 172,100,785 4,409,085 62,396,081 5,122,300 4,984,544 38,698,711 1,753,232,280

6,715,374 166,018,634 150,648,538 15,841,882 4,463,561 60,401,881 4,310,027 4,984,388 27,069,869 1,656,278,798

19,164,422 213,991,141 159,390,905 15,841,882 4,240,385 58,433,678 4,171,967 4,984,388 26,729,647 1,555,183,067

104,936,802 1,400,977,515 1,251,675 621,912 194,921 68,135,050 183,644,214 62,286,088 1,822,048,177

115,819,590 1,233,591,063 1,349,595 1,697,816 194,660 44,673,003 102,719,571 38,577,527 1,538,622,825

8,767,751 1,109,168,807 1,251,675 589,633 46,603,802 218,010,575 62,286,088 1,446,678,331

57,175,088 1,075,622,532 1,251,675 1,599,970 31,481,835 141,398,056 38,577,527 1,347,106,683

11,580,195 134,532,974 19,815,126

11,580,195 134,532,974 16,385,685

11,580,195 134,532,974 13,826,668

11,580,195 134,532,974 12,208,773

23,245,572 21,579,771 3,966,628 1,004,771 11,725,263 227,450,300 525,484

23,245,572 21,579,771 3,966,628 1,098,583 1,955,384 214,344,792 264,663

22,997,335 21,579,771 3,966,628 1,116,896 209,600,467 -

22,997,335 21,579,771 3,966,628 1,210,708 208,076,384 -

227,975,784 2,050,023,961

214,609,455 1,753,232,280

209,600,467 1,656,278,798

208,076,384 1,555,183,067

The Board of Directors is confident that barring unforseen circumstances, this trend would be improved upon in the remaining period of the financial year

By Order of the Board

Nkechi Nwosu Company Secretary FRC/2013/NBA/00000001571

www.diamondbank.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R •SATURDAY, ocTobeR 29, 2016

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PAGE SIX

Ambode in Copenhagen, Meets Maersk Group, Says $2.6bn Badagry Port Will Turn Around Economy Determined to make Lagos State less dependent on federal revenue, the Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has revved up his drive to make the state a premier investment destination by expanding opportunities and modernising its infrastructure.

Ambode on Thursday in Copenhagen, Denmark, met with the executive management of APM Terminals (Maersk Group), to advance talks on the Badagry Deep Sea Port which the state

government is spear-heading.

At the meeting, Maersk Group was represented by Mr. Morten Engelstoft, CEO designate of APM Terminals. The governor expressed optimism that the $2.6bn Badagry Deep Sea Port Project would be a major turning point that will bring about global growth to Nigerian waters and by extension, the nation’s economy.

He spoke shortly after the meeting that the project would also complement the emergence

of Lagos as the fifth largest economy in Africa.

He said the meeting, held alongside Chairman, APM Terminal, Apapa, Chief Ernest Shonekan, was the culmination of a process which begun as far back as 2012 and which has been taken on with renewed vigour by his administration and has thus resulted in this significant foreign investment estimated at over US $2.6billion into Lagos.

“This port and free zone,

MIMIKO: THERE MAY BE BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER IF INEC INSISTS ON JIMOH IBRAHIM of law and order in the state.

Mimiko, who spoke to State House correspondents after he met with the president behind closed doors, expressed shock at the sudden change in INEC's position even as he described it as injustice.

He said the president promised to look into the matter and rectify the injustice if any.

He said: "I'm shocked. In logic, in law and in politics, there is no basis for it whatsoever. The Jimoh Ibrahim factor in all of this is predicated on a court order given by Justice Abang.

Incidentally, that court order is about zonal and state executives of PDP. That order is about 2019 election. Neither Ibrahim nor Jegede was party to the suit.

"Ibrahim's name was sent to INEC after a primary election was conducted in Ibadan without INEC monitoring it and without security agencies. When the name got to INEC and this Abang judgement was attached, INEC took the right decision initially by making it clear that it is not state or zonal executive that is empowered by the Electoral Act to conduct election.

"Two, the Abang judgement on the basis of which they were putting pressure on INEC to accept Jimoh Ibrahim as a candidate was referring to 2019 election.

"INEC had refused and discountenanced Ibrahim's name as a candidate. Later, they went ahead and filed form 48 and from the blues. The same Justice Abang mandated INEC to replace Jegede who emerged through a primary process supervised by INEC and security agencies on live television with all delegates that were supposed to participate.

"We didn't want to take chances because somebody in INEC told us that they obey the last order in the commission. So we went to court and obtained two different orders mandating INEC not to substitute Jegede.

"We served one on INEC around 10 am yesterday and we served INEC with the other one at the close of business around 3 pm. Only around 7 or 8 pm, we got to know that INEC, for no justifiable reason, had substituted Jegede's name and replaced it with that of Ibrahim.

"The question to ask is: on whose order has INEC done that? Apart from the fact that we have two restraining orders on INEC, INEC knows full well that Ibrahim's primary was in

Ibadan. There was no report by any security agencies that the security situation in Ondo State warranted the movement of the primaries to Ibadan or anywhere outside the state for that matter.

Under INEC guidelines, the time for substitution of candidates had even elapsed."

Mimiko also expressed doubt about INEC's readiness to conduct a credible poll in the state.

He said: "This action potentially can cause a breach of peace. In Ondo State in the last seven and half years, we have done everything possible to put good governance on the table. We see this action as potentially dangerous. It can cause conflagration in the state and that is why as the chief security officer of the state, I have come to alert Mr. Presidnt of the potential danger of this injustice so that we can nip it in the bud."

INEC's Recognition of Ibrahim Shocking, Says PDP...

A statement issued by the spokesman of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye described the decision of INEC to recognise Ibrahim as not only shocking but surprising The party said what INEC could have done in this circumstance was to maintain the status quo and stick to its own earlier decision pending a superior order or judgment from a superior court "INEC monitored the primary election conducted in Akure, Ondo State by the Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi led PDP which produced Jegede, and did not monitor the purported primary election that produced Ibrahim which was said to have held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

"INEC sighted the order from Justice Okon Abang of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court as the reason for publishing Ibrahim’s name as PDP candidate but ignored another order from the Ondo State High Court, which is a court of coordinate jurisdiction, that compelled INEC to maintain Jegede’s name as the candidate of the PDP. "This singular decision of INEC has generated sporadic reactions from the electorates in Ondo state leading to violent protest and damages. This could have been avoided if INEC had adhered strictly to the letters and characters of the Electoral Laws and the Constitution of

the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"We therefore warn that external forces should not seat in Abuja and set Ondo State ablaze.

"It is a known fact that Ondo people are politically sophisticated and any attempt to truncate the will of the people will be resisted vehemently. References should be made to the 1965/66 and 1983 political violence in the west that brought about the collapse of the 1st and the 2nd Republic.

We should therefore be careful not to repeat history."

Meanwhile Ondo State government has appealed for calm and peace over the conflicting pronouncements that emanated from the courts and INEC. The state commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade in a statement said steps were being taken to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice, saying that the will of the people shall be respected.

But the Jimoh Ibrahim Campaign organization alleged that some politicians in the state were using hoodlums to destabilize the state in the name of politics, stressing that the crisis was unwarranted.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Mr Yemi Akintomide said Ibrahim was willing to welcome Jegede and his loyalists into his camp in the interest of the state, adding that "those who are behind the protest are well known to us but we are not ready to join issues with them. We will only advise them to embrace peace in the overall interest of our dear state."

Protests in Akure, Ondo City...

The protest in Akure and Ondo City started around 6.30am, with factional members of the PDP moving round the two major towns, singing anti-Ibrahim songs and making burn fires on major roads in the two cities.

Though, no life was lost and nobody was injured during the protests, but the action caused disruption of traffic on major roads in the two cities.

Also, commercial activities were disrupted for several hours, while the protest lasted.

It was gathered that while the protests was going on, loyalists of Ibrahim vacated their homes for fear of being attacked by the protesters.

In Akure, the major Oyemekun/Adesida and Arakale roads were closed while motorists

2016 BUDGET HAS RECORDED 79% PERFORMANCE, SAYS FG have been fully met on schedule.

"Additionally, government has done reasonably well in the challenging circumstances with respect to capital expenditures.

It is noteworthy that the total amount of N753.6bn already released for capital expenditure in 2016 is the highest in the nation's recent history, even in the era of high oil prices.

"Indeed, the capital releases to date exceed the aggregate capital expenditure budget for 2015 of N700 billion, inclusive of capital expenditure in Statutory Transfers," the statement said.

At an interactive session with members of the Senate Committee on Appropriation in Abuja on Thursday, Udoma, had said that in spite of the shortfall in revenue expectations, government was committed to its debt obligations and had also made efforts in funding the critical sectors to enable government function smoothly, while seeking lasting solutions to revenue shortfalls.

He explained that although the 2016 Budget was well conceived, with reasonably conservative benchmarks, it recorded unanticipated revenue shortfalls along

the line due to militants’ activities in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, a development, he said, seriously affected the budgeted production levels for the fiscal year.

He added that government adopted a targeted approach with respect to capital expenditure to ensure that releases are consistently made to those sectors whose activities have the capacity of driving economic growth and fostering job creation.

The minister pointed out that all the releases had been cash-backed.

situated on over 1000 hectares is expected to be the largest deep sea port in Africa upon its completion. The project will include a container terminal, oil & gas services and a liquid bulk terminal, with general cargo and Ro-Ro facilities,” Ambode said.

The Governor while lauding the investors for staying the course with the project, expected to generate 500,000 direct and indirect jobs upon completion, pledged his government’s com-

mitment to ensuring the interests of the host communities alongside a sustainable regeneration and urban renewal of the area.

Alluding to the fact that the project would be a major infrastructural development to the Badagry axis, the governor also confirmed that talks are well advanced to reach financial close on Lot 3 of the Mile 2 to Seme 10-lane highway expansion, saying that it would in no small way complement the ongoing

Badagry Deep Sea Port Project.

He said the Lot 3 would run from Okokomaiko-Badagry-Seme, affirmed the commitment of his administration to providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the State.

On his part, Engelstoft reiterated the Group’s commitment to the Badagry Deep Sea Port and assured the Governor that all business streams of the Maersk Group would be involved in ensuring the success of the Project.

abandoned the areas.

Despite the sporadic gunshot by the combined team of security agents and firing of teargas, the protesting youths remained unperturbed.

All commercial banks and shops were hurriedly closed, as many of the traders feared the protest might be hijacked by hoodlums.

In an interview, one of the leaders of the protesters, Akiwunmi Ilori alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress-led federal government was behind the emergence of Ibrahim and the crisis in the PDP. Ilori said: “The APC is using Jimoh Ibrahim to cause crisis within the PDP. It is an open secret in Ondo State that Jimoh is no longer a member of the party.

They are only using him to clear the ground for their candidate and this will not work.

"This is Ondo State and it’s a very volatile state when it comes to politics. We want them to remember the 1983 saga; we

don't pray for such but if our right and the mandate of our candidate is trampled upon, this election might be another war."

Addressing some of the protesters at the INEC office, the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) Olusegun Agbaje said Jegede's name was removed sequel to a court judgment.

"We received a court order from the High Court in Akure on Wednesday but there was a subsisting ruling by Justice Okon Abang on Thursday and we had to comply with the order."

Agbaje said that it was only another court order that could upturn the situation adding, "The situation will continue that way until the matter is decided by the Supreme Court, if the parties choose to proceed to the apex court. We do not have any candidate but we will always abide by the laws guiding the process."

Speaking on the matter, the Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Clement Faboyede,

described the removal of Jegede's name as a mockery of democracy and an indication that the nation's democracy “is dying in the hands of the APC led Federal Government.”

He said INEC had attained the reputation of being fair to all before the coming on board of the APC led government, noting that no free and fair election had been held under the Buhari's administration.

He stated that Jegede was duly nominated through the party primary as stipulated by the electoral act and was witnessed by INEC but INEC had “succumbed to the pressure from some moles within the PDP.” He alleged further that the moles within the PDP believed that removing Jegede from the race would pave the way for easier manipulation of the election results in favour of the APC candidate.

Continued on page 10

EMEFIELE: CBN PUMPED N2TRN INTO ECONOMY IN 15 MONTHS TO BOOST GROWTH facilities. Under each of the scheme, as I speak to you, the Central Bank has outstanding of nothing less than N1 trillion that had been disbursed by way of intervention in line with our development finance objectives to support the real sector as well as the entire economy. So, those are some of the things we have done. But I can assure you that we would continue to do so,” Emefiele said.

Throwing more light on the central bank's disbursements in the last one, Emefiele said: “The total of both interventions is close to N800 billion. It was injected to support the sub-national governments either for them to pay salaries, or for them to support their infrastructural development in their states. These are some of the actions that were done.

"Aside from that, the CBN also disburses money through the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS), the Power and Aviation Intervention Fund (PAIF), and the refinancing facilities.

Under each of the scheme, as I speak to you, the Central Bank has outstanding of nothing less than N1 trillion that has been disbursed by way of intervention in line with our development finance objectives to support the real sector as well as the entire economy. But I can assure you that we would continue to do so."

According to him, the reduction of the cash reserve requirements (CRR) from 30.5 per cent to 25 per cent in July last year, was expected to inject about N1 billion into the economy, through the banking sector.

However, he said instead of lending the money to the real sector, "most of that money may have been eventually round-tripped into the foreign exchange market and it put a lot of pressure on the forex reserves.

"When we (Monetary Policy Committee) met again in September, because we didn't see the injection of liquidity to support the real sector of the economy,

we decided that we were going to reduce the CRR again from 25 per cent to 20 per cent.

"But we said that through the reduction in CRR that banks should identify specific projects in agriculture, manufacturing, etc, that we would release whatever amount they needed to support this.

"Unfortunately, what we found was that instead of the banks sending us projects that were meant for the real sector and for agriculture, what they did was that they sent us projects meant to finance hotels, projects meant to finance hospitals, and others that we didn't consider to be real sector projects.

"Those of them that brought projects in the manufacturing sector just brought projects that they were refinancing in their balance sheets and we felt that was not right. But you will find that in due course, and I mean in the next couple of weeks, some disbursements would be made to core agriculture projects.

"That is those who are financing large scale production of rice, tomatoes, diary, wheat and maize.

These financing would represent our own attempt to ensure that we grant loans to companies that are serious about agriculture and core manufacturing. So, these were direct attempts that we used through the banks," he explained.

Emefiele said the aviation sector is an important sector in the economy, just as he assured that the central bank would continue to fund the foreign exchange need of operators in the sector.

However, the CBN governor faulted the insinuation foreign airlines were moving out of the country due to FX scarcity.

"It is important for me to correct the impression that airlines are closing down or airlines are moving out of the country because of inadequate access to foreign exchange. No one can deny that everyone is finding it hard to get FX these days, given the sharp drop in oil prices and FX inflows.

So that may be part of the issue.

"But the real reason airlines are reducing their flights is a lack of passengers not just in Nigeria but all around the world. As a result of the global economic situation that we find ourselves today, there has been a serious reduction in the number of travelers in different parts of the world. The aviation sector in different parts of the world is confronted by this.

"I would imagine that rather than travel in a weekend to go and organise a party or go and conduct wedding in Dubai or travel to go and organise party in London, given the situation we find ourselves, people have now learnt that there is a need for them to be prudent in spending money.

“So, no doubt, we have seen a reduction in the number of travelers. And because there is a reduction in the number of travelers, naturally there is a reduction in the occupancy rate for the airlines.

"So, that is what has happened.

Now, are we giving them forex?

You will recall that last week when we did some secondary market intervention through forward, we also considered the aviation sector and we gave them what they needed. We are meeting their foreign exchange needs. So, when people say they don't have foreign exchange, I don't really understand what they are talking about because we have taken the aviation as an important sector in the country.

"I have heard people speculate that the airlines are relocating to Ghana. Are they suggesting that Ghana has more FX than us? They are facing the same FX shortages like us, if not worse.

And by the way, Ghana's FX reserves are probably less than 25 percent of ours here in Nigeria.

So, it cannot be correct that the airlines are relocating there," Emefiele explained.

See full interview on page 46-47

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

SUPER SATURDAY Onyekachi Okonkwo

Okonkwo and his family

The Major Turning Point of My Life was When I Left Paid Employment Dr. Kennedy Onyekachi Okonkwo is the MD/CEO of Nedcom Oaks, a property development company.

The successful young entrepreneur, who clocked 39 recently, shared his experience, challenges and the important decision that led to his success. He spoke with Anayo Okolie

I

You clocked 39 recently. How do you feel at 39? don’t feel any different. My feelings are like that of a young adult Nigerian, hopeful of a better tomorrow and thanking God for how far we have gone. My faith in Nigeria as a country is resolute and it has never been shaken for one moment because I believe Nigeria is going to get better. It may take a bit of time but with the conscious effort of our leaders, our people and our generation changing on how we do things; Nigeria will come out of whatever it is going through as a country. I am proud to be a Nigerian more than anything. I always tell people that I am more proud to say I am Nigerian than to say I am an Igbo man because if all of us can count ourselves as Nigerians, Nigeria would be a better place.

Do you have any regrets and or are there things you feel you would have done in life that you have not achieved?

When I look back to when I came out of school to where I am today, I have no cause to regret. But I feel there are things that have not been done. What I wish I could do more is empowering the young people. I wish to invest much more money than I have done at the moment in creating more employment for other people because if we are able to empower our youth, we will be stronger as a nation and for me, I will happier because I won’t have to worry about who to pay rent for and who to pay school fees for their children.

All my concern will be how we transform the lives of these people for them to become better businessmen and entrepreneurs, so that they can further create wealth for other people.

That I am doing as my capacity can carry at the moment. So, those are the areas I think one can improve at the moment.

What was your growing up like?

I was born in a family of eight and I am the fifth child. I was raised on the street of Alagomeji in Yaba, Lagos. I moved to Ikeja at some point in my life and went to Mobolaji High School. I moved on to the University of Ibadan, where I studied Psychology and had my masters at Lagos State University.

What events shaped your upbringing?

What shaped my upbringing started from the point where I lost my father because loosing my dad was a shocker to me. My father ensured all he had to make sure our school fees were complete and he could tell me then that he wasn’t gonna make money for anybody that all he will help us have is our certificate that if you are educated, you are empowered, so I don’t forget his speeches. Another point in time was when I came out of school. Before I came out of school they threw my mother out of the shop that we called our home. I went to school knowing that my family was squatting under the Ikeja Bridge and the church took us. We lived in the church compound while I was in the university. I was sponsored at school by Chief Sylvester Okonkwo. I knew at that point that coming out of school; I wasn’t going to be like every other guy. From day one, I had my straight target that my family was relocated and moved in to a good home at least if not befitting, a respectable kind of house that we know this is where we put our head and call a roof over our head. But I think the major turning point of my life was when I left paid employment where I was working as the Strategy Advisory to the MD/CEO of a big company. I knew at that point that if I can channel my energy to what I was doing that time, I was going to make a lot of money and make a lot of impact on the society and the society was going to benefit more. I think these were the landmark turning point of my

life.

Do you think the society has really benefited from you?

Yes! The society is benefiting. For a company that employs directly and indirectly over 2,000 people, the society is benefiting.

Through our charity programmes, we have done a lot for people. There are lot of people that we have paid their school fees, there are number of people we have empowered and there are families that have benefited from the fact that our company is running. The society is really benefiting.

I will give you a small story, sometime in my life, I was ill and needed to travel out of the country for treatment I went to each of the major sites, met with his foreman and they had a meeting on their own and I told them that I am going to stop all our projects because I don’t need to be signing cheques and signing transaction instructions while I was on my sick bed. But they met and came to me to say that “Oga if you will permit, it is better for us that we are working and we have hope that money will come when you come back than for us to go back because some of us are from Ibadan, Osun and Abeokuta. We cannot go and stay with our wives for six to seven weeks; that it doesn’t speak good.” They said that if only I will permit that they will be working that only if we don’t pay, they will rather know that money is there.

I shared this story with my wife and that day and she said we shouldn’t shut down sites. I added my wife to the signatories of the company. But that story I just told you opened our eyes to business. Work is going on at both sides, their families are benefiting from it and I tell people, we do not owe salaries despite the economic situation of the country.

We are a team of young people; young

dynamic people. If you check the oldest staff in my establishment, he is about 35 years old because these people; the youth are the future of our country. We are the future of our society and the only way they can take it is if we the employers give them the opportunity so that they can showcase their capacity.

Looking at your story and at your age, it is inspirational to many people. What are the things that you will tell young people for them to draw lessons from you?

The problem of Africa is free food. If you remove free food from Africa’s problem, it will be solved. And I always tell people, opportunities abound everywhere, it is just for us to open our mind to that opportunity so that when we see them, we can take advantage of them. I don’t believe in the fact that my uncle or my brother can do this for me. I believe in what can make me start my day with what I can be doing for myself. When you go on the street, before you move from one street to another, you will see dirt in the gutters, when you go home, write a proposal to that street association, dear sir/ma, proposal to clean your drainage. Entrepreneurship starts from there.

If you wake up and see a bush that constitute a security risk to your environment, it’s an opportunity for somebody to make some naira because when you write, can I come and cut this grass? You don’t have to do it because you don’t have the energy. There are some labourers who do not even have the courage to tell your uncle that they want to cut the grass in his compound but you can walk up to your uncle that your land need to be weeded.

I tell people all the time that you can only be successful if you sell value to people and how do you sell value?

Our society is bound with problem and everyday people are looking for solution to this problem and if you are a problem solver

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

9

SUPER SATURDAY How I Became Successful at 39...

It is a solemn day for me. A day I sit back to thank God for what he has done as my birthday always come. I am not the type that do elaborate celebration but I always want to thank God for my life by going to orphanages and charity homes to support them in my own little way. So, I am not a man that does elaborate parties. And at 39, I am still much in progress

Okonkwo what you get is what lawyers call valuable consideration. If only I can create value because for me to take your money, I must know how to polish your shoe. They once said that the story of washing feet at the Mile 12 Market in Lagos started with a woman and now there are thousands of people washing feet at Mile 12 market. Many have passed that route and don’t understand that big madam come to this side. Do you know that at some market, people hire rain boot to enter the market. The man hiring the rain boot, is it not business? It is for you to understand the problem that a society has and how to look for a solution to that problem and in turn somebody gives you something which you make money out of.

Money doesn’t come from heaven.

Do you think government is doing enough to help people in entrepreneurship because going into business, you must have capital?

When you say for you to go into business you must to have capital, at times. I will say no because your brain is capital but how to use it matters. Somebody sits down and know that there is a man who builds houses and he walk up to the man and say, I know the people who sell sand, let me bring them here to be selling sand to you does he need money to do that? And I bring people who sell sand and I

link them up and I said each trip is N500 and they did 100 trips; that is N100,000 and I am contented with it. And I am looking for the next person to supply that my uncle that has my ear sometimes. So as the society may be, at times we come up with wild elephant dream.

At first we have to understand where we are and know our limitations. So when you tell me lack of capital, if I were to wait for capital, I will never had gone off the ground. I worked in companies upon companies and while I was working, I was sacrificing my salary to build and at some point, I will go and borrow from my General Manager and say okay please lend me money. One day I walked up to my boss and said I am building a house, he was shocked that I need N500,000 loan when my salary was N84,000. When I told him, he looked at me and opened his mouth. I said let me go and show you the house I am building.

He saw the place, he lent me that money and I paid back in record time. So our brain is an intellectual capital and we should understand it that somebody God has gifted with brain and also has the opportunity to go to school, school also broadens your horizon. School will not put money in to your pocket but education will broaden your horizon.

You are from Anambra State and many businessmen from the state have ven-

tured into politics. Do you plan to venture into politics?

I do not have any iota of political inclination.

I tell you this with all sincerity and all openness; I don’t have to get into any political position to solve my people’s problem. If they say a governor controls a billion naira, maybe before a governor becomes a governor, go and check he would not have done what we have done to our society. They will say a local government chairman, he comes and leaves. It is only successful businessmen like Peter Obi, that can finish serving his state, steer it well and steer it to profitability. But the truth is that not all of us are inclined towards politics. I sit down where I sit and look that we can be involved in politics without even contesting. We can be involved in selection process of who will feel is credible enough to impact positively on our society; someone who has done more for our society even before they hold that political position because your antecedents must speak for you.

For me as a person, my philanthropic gesture in my own town and in Lagos are what I do because I have benefited from the society and the society must also benefit from me. I always tell people that I see myself more as a Nigerian than even an Igbo man because I am sure that if I am to contest election at Chevron area in Eti Osa Local Government Area, I will win because I am more popular in Lagos than in my village. I am more popular in my locality than in my state. In my state, they might not have seen me but my people in my locality where I do business see me everyday, I play football with them; we gist together so, they know me.

Can you please tell us some of your challenges before you became successful?

You know the challenges are the same challenges everybody face; lack of infrastructure and financing. Because when you start up a business, if you have idea, you will realise that that business is growing faster than you envisage. And you realise that for you to do more, you will need more finance. We are by the day getting better, so as companies begins to you have a need to expand, have a need for more manpower, also need to buy additional land because if you are building four houses, five houses, you will realise you need to think of building hundreds.

Taking loan in double digits of about 20 per cent where as in other part of the world, we have such loans at four to five per cent and you will even have four to five years to pay such but it not so in Nigeria.

At 39 you are successful but Nigeria as a nation is 56 and yet is still struggling. How do you see it?

I would tell you at 39, without Nigeria, we

are not successful, as unsuccessful as you think Nigeria may be, it has produced more successful men like Otunba Mike Adenuga, Otunba Subomi Balogun, Tony Elumelu.

Nigeria has at some point, produce Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Nigeria is facing some challenges just as my organisation is facing but then the people, make a country. The country is not in isolation. We are the making of Nigeria and we should work toward Nigeria of our dreams. So if you tell me Nigeria is unsuccessful, I will also blame the media for their misinformation on who to vote for during election. I want to also commend the leadership of this country. It is not easy to govern a family not talk of a nation. When. You sit down in your house, married to your wife despite that you have paid her bride price you can have divergent opinion. But you have decided to choose her despite all the people you have met in your life. Unfortunately for us, we don’t have a choice over where we were born. We are born Nigerians. The problem of Nigeria is our problem and we that are born inside it must work for her success, because if you leave Nigeria as an empty land, it’s just a geographical space but the people inside, actually make Nigeria. So do you think you are the problem of Nigeria? If you answer those questions you will know that Nigeria is going through the challenges of even organisations and it’s not just Nigeria. I was privileged to be in Togo and I bought bottled water and I realised that maybe it is the problem of Nigeria affecting other West African countries.

Because as Nigeria is being hit by recession, you may be underestimating the impact of our economic stability and growth on the West African Coast. If we are not doing well, other African nations suffer it. I think we all need to put our hands on deck and in our Individual space. We all need to change our orientation. The Federal Government launched the change begins with me, so let the change begin with us.

Your performance earned you a doctorate degree recently by foreign university, how do you feel about it?

Even though we have not got universities in Nigeria to honour us, that universities outside Nigeria could be commended for thinking one worthy of such. I thank God for It. Without God, all of it will not have been possible.

How do you feel not being honoured by your country?

Don’t forget that Nigeria is a country that honour people and recognise more like Peter Obi said, if somebody got involved in corruption and stole money and they go on praising them, recognising them, some of our parents, their kids will have done yahoo yahoo and bought car. He doesn’t have a job, he stole and you are happy about this.

I will tell you, it is the society we live in and it will take a gradual process and most importantly, whether I am honoured locally or internationally, it doesn’t change who I am. It doesn’t change the fact that God has given me a call to impact on as many as much as I can impact. To do my best as an individual, and that best I will keep doing.

What is your style?

My style is being simple, corporate and casual most times because of the details of my job because I love going to site. I always tell people that there is no money in the office; there is only expenses. When you go out to sites, you can have a look at your assets and projects and how they are coming up. It also helps you appreciate how they are coming up.

How do you intend to celebrate your birthday?

It is a solemn day for me. A day I sit back to thank God for what he has done as my birthday always come. I am not the type that do elaborate celebration but I always want to thank God for my life by going to orphanages and charity homes to support them in my own little way. So, I am not a man that does elaborate parties. And at 39, I am still much in progress.

How I Became Successful at 39

10

NEWS

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

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

Too Early to Write off Power Privatisation, BPE Tells Dangote Discloses FG’s divestment plans for 40% equity in power firms Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) yesterday responded to a call on the federal government to reverse the power sector privatisation by the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, saying it was too early to condemn the process as a failure.

The agency which was responsible for the power sector privatisation in 2013, also disclosed that the federal government will soon divest its 40 per cent stakes in the power firms to allow other private investors buy into the power assets.

Speaking when he kicked off the roll out of large power users’ (LPU) meters which the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) procured for deployment to its about 4000 maximum demand customers, the acting Director General of BPE, Dr. Vincent Akpotaire said Dangote’s call for a reversal of the privatisation exercise was unnecessary.

Akpotaire said the agreement signed with the investors upon their acquisition of the power assets allowed that they take at least five years to invest in and stabilise their networks. He explained that based on that, Dangote’s claim of the exercise’s failure was not factual.

He spoke to reporters shortly after he commissioned one of the LPU meters at the Abuja Archives and History Bureau.

“My take is that we need to evaluate statements before we

make them. That is the point I think we should put across to Nigerians. We have put only about three years since the handover of the power sector to private investors.

“Before that, the power sector had existed for well over 50 years and in those 50 years, hardly much was achieved due to several factors and the decision to privatise was a well thought-out decision,” Akpotaire said.

He further stated: “In three years, the measurement of their performance is based on a five year index which is under their agreements and that measurement is not dependent only on the activities of the private investors alone but also on the tariff structure.

“You are all aware of controversies the tariff has thrown up and because of that, there is now a scale back in reviewing of the tariffs, one segment of the review has just been lost and for every review not done, there is a gap in the funding.”

He explained: “In terms of rating, our approach is not to determine what should be the pass mark but to consider whether the issues of reduction of losses has been met, as of today we are just starting the issues and I am confident that in the next few years, most of the results as to performance will be better checked.”

Akpotaire explained that he expected thoughts and expressions from business leaders like Dangote on the sector to be more of proffering solutions to its challenges and not stoking

SPORTING FOR UNITY...

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, receiving the Torch of Unity from former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Rrtd) at the unveiling of the 2016 Wrestling for Unity Festival in Abuja at the weekend PHOTO: OFFICE OF THE DSP up pressure.

“What I expect is solution finding and not reversal of the privatisation. Best practices demands that this is the way to go. Even in countries as small as neighbouring Ghana, they have made attempt to privatise different sectors of their power sector.

Oyegun: Desperate Politicians Scheming to Seize APC Ahead 2019 Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, Friday reaffirmed that the APC was not enmeshed in crisis, saying that those against him were politicians scheming to take over control of the party ahead of the 2019 elections.

Speaking at a retreat organised by the Kano State government for party members in Sokoto yesterday, Oyegun declared that APC was very strong and not in crisis contrary to insinuations in the media.

He revealed that some politicians were bent on taking over the control of the party and reposition themselves ahead of the 2019 polls.

"As far as the fate of the national chairman is concerned, it is neither here nor there. What is happening is not about the national chairman or me.

"Unfortunately, people now have their eyes on 2019. And to prepare for 2019, some people think they need to take over control of the party but I want

to assure you that this party belongs to all of us.

"We want to have a party that will not be controlled by any single individual. Of course, some people are not happy with their share of the way things are going. What is politics without argument and differences?

"APC is not in crisis, if the party is in crisis the leadership and governors will be divided.

So, APC is strong and the party leadership is united towards a common goal", he said.

He noted that despite the differences in opinion in the party, the leadership was determined to resolve the differences and issues.

On the economy, Oyegun averred that Buhari inherited a comatose economy and was doing his best to steer the nation out of recession.

He assured Nigerians that following the reforms embarked upon by President Muhammadu Buhari, the country would at the end of the day be a better place for all.

"The President is determined to build a nation that will develop

Abuja Disco commits $1.8m to metering MDAs, barracks

its agriculture and exploit all its mineral resources rather than solely depend on oil. We have a captain on the ship that is committed to ensuring that the country will not go back to this economic crunch again.

"The good news is that the economy will soon bounce back and by next year, Nigeria will start producing and our industries will be back to life, “Oyegun averred.

In a remark, Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said the retreat was apt, as it would enable the Kano State government to refocus on key issues of development.

Also speaking, the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said his administration organised the retreat in order to take stock and reposition the party "We are here to harness the demand of the electorate so as to articulate their views for onward transmission to the government for effective policy", he said.

He charged the participants to make use of what they will learn to move the party to greater heights.

“The concept is not the problem but the management of the outcome. We need our leaders to speak to the solution and not the problems,” he noted.

Speaking on the government’s plans for its 40 per cent shares in the power firms, Akpotaire said: “What we believe is that the 40 per cent held by the government

is not for keeps, parts of it will go to state governments that made investments in NEPA in the past, as soon as the valuation process is done by NERC and approval gotten from the Chairman of the NCP, the vice president, the process to offload those components to the states will commence and then what

is left will ultimately end up in the private sector.”

“The intention is for these companies to stabilise to a point where their equities will become attractive to other private investors and it will be sold in the stock market where several Nigerians will buy into the sector,” he added.

Mimiko: There May Be Breakdown of Law and Order if INEC Insists on Jimoh Ibrahim Faboyede declared that Eyitayo Jegede remained the flagbearer of PDP saying, "It is not the duty of any court to impose or dictate candidate for the party. It is a preelection matters and the Supreme Court which is the highest organ of judiciary in the land has said it severally that pre-election is not a matter of the court."

Appealing to the people, traditional decision making organ in Akure, the Deji-in-council at an emergency meeting presided over by the Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure Land, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi (Odundun II) appealed to all residents and indigenes of Akure to remain calm and be law abiding over this matter.

The council urged all and sundry to desist from making burn-fire and dismantle all barricades along the major roads inAkure and its environs.

The council admonishes all parties that the current peace being enjoyed cannot be compromised under any guise as there is no substitute for peace.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim in a press statement yesterday accused Mimiko of sponsoring the protest.

He alleged that the governor used the drivers’ union in the state to create the crisis, adding that the chairman

of the drivers is Mimiko’s brother.

“Regrettably, this tyre burning for sympathy will not work as Ondo State remains peaceful,” remarked Ibrahim.

APC, INEC out to Kill Democracy, Fayose Alleges...

In his own reaction, Governor Ayodele Fayose described the recognition of Jimoh Ibrahim by INEC as dangerous to democracy.

Fayose accused theAPC of turning INEC into its department and willing tool that can be deployed at will to manipulate election in advance, saying recognising someone who did not emerge through any known electoral process signaled the end of democracy in the country.

At a press conference in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Fayose said the recognition granted Ibrahim had further confirmed his fear that the APC had the intention of turning the country into a one-party state.

Fayose said: “The question to ask INEC is: having accepted the candidate presented by the Malkarfi-led PDP National Caretaker Committee for the Edo State election, relying on the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port-Harcourt, despite the Abuja Federal High Court order at that time, what has changed?

Obviously, it is either INEC is playing

Cont’d from Pg. 1

double-standard or has descended into the arena.

“With the development in Ondo Guber election and the decision of INEC, it is clear that INEC is a department in APC-led federal government. By this development also, I am vindicated that other political parties and stakeholders are now contesting election against INEC. “Obviously, INEC at every election adopts new strategy to procure undue victory for the APC and it appears that the agenda to turn Nigeria to a one-party state is daily being ruthlessly pursued by these elements not minding if democracy and our country are destroyed”.

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa: It’s the Hand of Esau and the Voice of Jacob...

Also yesterday, Lagos based lawyer and right activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa likened INEC’s decision replacing Jegede with Ibrahim to the Biblical proverb of the “Hand of Esau and the Voice of Jacob.”

Ebun alleged that the person behind the entire drama is President Buhari and the APC “in a bid to win the Ondo State Governorship at all cost.” He urged Nigerians to hold Buhari and the APC responsible for any crisis in the state.

11

OCTOBER 29, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

RingTrue

Yemi

Adebowale

07013940521 yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

Assault on Judiciary: Some Nigerians Mixing Up Issues

M

y position has always been that corruption investigation should be conducted discreetly, and if a prima facie case is established, the suspect should be charged to court. This is the only way we can preserve revered institutions like the judiciary. If a judge is suspected to be corrupt, probe him unnoticeably, and if you have concrete evidence, then, prosecute him. This is the global standard. The recent assault on the judiciary and subsequent media trial by the Department of State Security run contrary to the principle of decency. Must we pull down an entire institution because we are fighting corruption?

Some Nigerians have already concluded that the judges involved are corrupt and that the crude deal they are getting in the hands of the DSS is justifiable. These unapprised people have been clapping for the DSS. This is outlandish. First, the affected judges remain suspects until proved guilty by a court of law. Only a court of law can pronounce them guilty. This idea of hooded men storming the homes of judges fully armed and forcing them to sign documents is terrorism. We must not allow this to continue in a democracy. Terrorism, dictatorship and anarchy are evils far greater than corruption.

It is not about the affected judges being corrupt or not. Genuine patriots must stand up against the assault on our constitution by the DSS. We must stand up against terrorism and dictatorship. We must not allow an arm of government to emasculate another arm of government. This is what the executive has been trying to do with the so-called crackdown on the judiciary.

Our constitution clearly states the body responsible for punishing rogue judges. That body is the National Judicial Council. The only body constitutionally-allowed to handle complaints against judges is the NJC. The constitutional principle of Separation of Powers must be strictly adhered to; otherwise, there will be anarchy, an evil far larger than corruption. We must all consistently remind ourselves that the NJC was established by the constitution, and the DSS belongs to the Presidency.

I am happy that the NJC has refused to be intimidated by the executive arm of government. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed, who also heads the NJC, needs the support of all patriots in this war against attempts to cow the judiciary. If the NJC succumbs to the executive, the judiciary will lose its independence and become a tool of oppression in the hands of the executive.

The CJN and the NJC have so far shown great courage in this war against moves by the executive to undermine the judiciary. The NJC remarked in a recent statement: “Under

We must not allow an arm of government to emasculate another arm of government.

This is what the executive has been trying to do with the so-called crackdown on the judiciary. Our constitution clearly states the body responsible for punishing rogue judges. That body is the National Judicial Council. The only body constitutionallyallowed to handle complaints against judges is the NJC. The constitutional principle of Separation of Powers must be strictly adhered to; otherwise, there will be anarchy, an evil far larger than corruption the powers provided by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and as the Head of the Third Arm of Government, the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council, Honourable Justice Mahmud Mohammed, GCON is calling on all Nigerians to continue to have faith and full confidence in the Nigerian Judiciary. The Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria also wishes to state in clear terms that the ‘sting’ operations carried out by the DSS on 07 and 08 October 2016 were certainly an assault on the independence of the Nigerian Judiciary.”

The leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association has been a big embarrassment in this war against the judiciary. It is absurd that the NBA is asking judges being probed by the DSS to step aside, despite knowing that the NJC is the only constitutionallyrecognised body for penalising judges. The NBA leadership is simply asking the NJC to abdicate its constitutional responsibility.

Suspending judges pending investigations by the NJC would amount to a breach of its regulations. We need to remind the NBA leadership that its position breaches the 2014 Revised Judicial Discipline Regulations formulated by NJC pursuant to Section 160 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. The NBA is asking the NJC to surrender its authority to another

institution, which would be contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian constitution.

By the provisions of Section 158 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, NJC shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person while exercising its disciplinary power of control over judicial officers in the Federation. It is disheartening that the NBA is advocating a system of presumption of guilt, which is contrary to our constitution. Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution states that every person charged with a criminal offence should be presumed innocent until proved guilty.

Today, I want all of us to reflect deeply on the position of elder statesman, erudite lawyer and Chairman of The Patriots, Professor Ben Nwabueze, on the assault on the judiciary by the executive. He stated: “What has been going on for the past 12 years since the enactment of the EFCC Act to today, all in the name of war against corruption, is wrong. I keep on saying

that while we fight the monster of corruption, as vigorously as we can, let us not do it at the expense of our constitution, which is the charter of our corporate existence. We cannot afford to do away with our constitution in the name of war against corruption because if we do that we will create a worse monster than corruption – anarchy, which is total breakdown of law and order.

“Can you imagine a Supreme Court justice being coerced to sign a document against his will? How can that happen in a constitutional democracy? Compelling a judge or anyone to sign a document at gun point, is that not terror? It is state terrorism. Some are making noise saying that judges are not sacred cows.

Nobody says they are sacred cows, but they are not like you and me. They are not common people. Not because there is anything special in their personality but because they represent an institution, the judiciary, the Third Estate of the Realm; don’t destroy that institution.”

This is food for thought for all of us this morning.

Is Aisha Alhassan Still Women Affairs Minister?

Our Women Affairs Minister, Aisha Alhassan has not thought it wise to utter a single word on the travails of little Habiba Isiyaku (Now 15 years old) who was abducted over two months ago in Warkaza, Kudun Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State and married out by force.

I doubt if Mama Taraba, as this Women Affairs Minister is called, knows that it is part of her responsibilities to fight against cruelty to women and minors like little Habiba. In sane societies, the likes of Mama Taraba will be leading the struggle to rescue little Habiba. Unfortunately, she has chosen to look the other way while little Habiba remains in captivity. We need to remind Mama Taraba that the Child Rights Act of 2003 prohibits child marriage. In this instance, there was also no parental consent.

This is against Islamic doctrine.

Just as Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) remarked, “it is disgraceful that the country’s top cabinet level appointee responsible for Women Affairs could afford to maintain undignified silence in the face of the uproarious controversy linked to the alleged abduction, forced conversion and illegal marriage of a minor without parental consent only because the accused culprit is a first-class traditional ruler in the home state of the current President of Nigeria.”

HURIWA added: “It is morally and legally repugnant that the Nigerian Presidency; the office of the Inspector General of Police and that of the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice are not con-

Alhassan

cerned about the ordeals of a 14-year-old child bride who was forcefully conscripted into another religion other than her parents and worst still, converted to a child bride amidst her parents protestations.”

For me, it is not enough to rescue little Habiba. All the people involved in this child bride saga in Katsina State must be arrested and prosecuted irrespective of their status.

Nobody is above the law. Meanwhile, little Habiba’s father (Tanko Isiyaku) who has relocated to Abuja for safety reasons, is now a psychological wreck. He has developed hypertension.

Buratai Should Respond Appropriately If Fani-Kayode Dies in Detention… to Ghashghar Attack

The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor on Wednesday finally confirmed that several Nigerian soldiers went missing after Boko Haram attacked a military base in Ghashghar town, in Mobbar LG of Borno State about two weeks ago. Irabor said that a sizeable number of the 39 soldiers declared missing had returned. He also admitted that a few soldiers were yet to be found.

However, Irabor was silent on the number of soldiers speculated to have died in the attack. At least, to some extent, he was honest. The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Usman Sani was not. He decided to play politics with the lives of our gallant soldiers. Sani sent a text to a colleague of mine last week Friday, saying that no soldier went missing. “It is not true,” he said in the text message in reaction to our enquiry. We cannot make progress in this war against Boko Haram if we continue being economical with the truth.

Just as I said last week, the Ghashghar attack highlights the threat the group still poses in the region. Boko Haram is still very active in Mobbar, Abadam and Chibok local government areas of Borno State. All these talks about “having decimated the terrorists” are all propaganda.

This war is far from over. Clearly, the military is still battling for control despite making gains against the terrorists. This is a fact we must face, and respond fittingly.

I am still waiting for the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai to react appropriately to the Ghashghar attack. The story in town is that our soldiers were ill-equipped to face the Boko Haram fighters that attacked Ghashghar. Buratai has to do something very fast about this issue of equipment. He also has to do something very fast about the low morale of our soldiers. There are allegations that soldiers are being cheated by their commanders who fail to pay their allowances in full, particularly feeding allowances.

The prosecution of former aviation minister and spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode by the EFCC is fast turning into persecution. The re-arrest of this man by the anti-graft agency is unjustifiable and a crude power show. It is also a confirmation of the

Fani-Kayode

speculation that the EFCC has a mandate to keep him out of circulation. Filing fresh charges against him in another Federal High Court is an abuse of court process. The global standard is for the EFCC to amend and consolidate all the charges against him in the ongoing trial at the Lagos Federal High Court. That was exactly what the Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello did recently in the case of Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser. Justice Bello did this after over a year of filing multiple charges against Dasuki in three different courts.

I just pray Fani-Kayode does not die in detention. The crisis that will follow this will be too much for our fragile polity to handle.

The other day, he was illegally detained for almost three months. This morning, I urge the EFCC to consolidate all the charges against him and stop re-enforcing the impression that the agency is simply out to keep this former minister out of circulation.

We are in a democracy. Fani-Kayode should be allowed to enjoy his bail.

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OCTOBER 29 , 2016• THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

NJC AND THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION

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Nkemjika argues the power to discipline judicial officers rests on the National Judicial Council

he false impression has been projected that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) can arrest justices of the courts for allegations of corruption against them without the permission of, or directive from, the National Judicial Council (NJC) to do so. It is even amazing that among those parroting this illiterate position are some retired justices and senior members of the bar and the bench. The truth, however, is that as long as the issue in contention borders on bribery or corruption, the power to discipline or initially punish judicial officers before the security and anti-graft agencies can commence criminal investigation, arrest and prosecution rests solely with the NJC. According to Section 292(1)(b) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), “A judicial officer shall not be removed from his office or appointment before his age of retirement except…on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council that the judicial officer be so removed for his inability to discharge the functions of his office or appointment (whether arising from infirmity of mind or of body) or for misconduct or contravention of the Code of Conduct”. Interestingly, the constitution in Section 161(d) under the subhead, ‘Interpretation’, says: “… unless the context otherwise requires – ‘misconduct’ means a breach of the oath of Allegiance or oath of office of a member or a breach of the provision of this constitution or bribery or corruption or false declaration of assets and liabilities or conviction for treason or treasonable felony”. What the above-quoted provisions of the constitution indicate is that the DSS or the EFCC cannot arrest and prosecute justices of the court on issues of bribery and corruption or judicial corruption until they have been removed from office by the NJC. Now, for those who may not be comfortable with the focus of this intervention, Section 158(1) of the constitution says: “In exercising its powers to make appointments or to exercise disciplinary control over person…the National Judicial Council…shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person”. In fact, Section 160(1) of the same constitution under the subhead of ‘Powers and Procedure’, says: “Subject to subsection (2) of this section, any of the bodies may, with the approval of the President, by rules or otherwise regulate its own procedure or confer powers and impose duties on any officer or authority for the purpose of discharging its functions…” In other words, the Presidency, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Body of SANs have only been advertising their nuisance value on the matter at hand as they have reportedly continued to urge the NJC to suspend the justices unconstitutionally arrested by DSS operatives so that they can be arraigned.

As could be deciphered so far from this intervention, the NJC has the unfettered powers to determine the rules and regulations to be used in disciplining or initially punishing judicial officers who misbehave in their call of duty. The NJC 2014 Judicial Discipline Regulations expect petitions against alleged corrupt judges to be sent to it for interrogation before criminal investigations can commence in compliance with the provisions of Sections 158, 160, 161 and 292, as well as those of Section 36 of the constitution on the Right to Fair Hearing. When, therefore, the Body of SANs and the NBA insist that

THE NJC 2014 JUDICIAL DISCIPLINE REGULATIONS EXPECT PETITIONS AGAINST ALLEGED CORRUPT JUDGES TO BE SENT TO IT FOR INTERROGATION BEFORE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS CAN COMMENCE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTIONS 158, 160, 161 AND 292, AS WELL AS THOSE OF SECTION 36 OF THE CONSTITUTION ON THE RIGHT TO FAIR HEARING

arrested justices must be suspended from duty even when there are no petitions against them with the NJC, it is either they have been compromised or intimidated by the Jackboot of the DSS or both. As a matter of fact, the volte-face of especially the NBA on this matter beggars belief.

Let no mistake be made about the position that has been canvassed in this intervention. The NJC insists until the DSS or any other persons or institutions send petitions against the arrested justices to it for investigation, it would not suspend nor retire nor even recommend the accused judicial officers for criminal investigation and trial. And the position of the NJC accords with the positions of the laws of Nigeria and the constitution. In other words, all the petitions being reportedly rushed to the DSS by some so-called aggrieved citizens against the arrested justices are just wasted efforts. It is therefore simply idiotic to continue to rail and assert, as has been done by some lawyers, some civil society organisations and even the NBA, that the refusal of the NJC to suspend the justices being illegally harassed by the DSS, is tantamount to shielding them from prosecution over corruption allegations.

No doubt, there are those out there who ignorantly insist that the DSS or even the EFCC do not need any clearance from the NJC before embarking on the criminal investigation of judicial officers accused of corruption deals, but they are mistaken big time. The National Security Agencies Act (NSA Act) and the EFCC Act, which have unconstitutionally empowered the DSS and the EFCC to embark on the criminal investigation of crimes like the economic and financial crimes, as well as corruption; mandates already extended to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) by Section 4 of the Police Act backed by Section 214 of the constitution, are not superior to the provisions of Sections 158 and 160 of the constitution which empower the NJC to seize control of initial investigative processes aimed at punishing judicial officers for bribery or corruption acts. This has to do with the fact that the NJC, a creation of the constitution (Section 153), derives its powers directly from the provisions of Sections 158 and 160 of the constitution, while the DSS and the EFCC are mere creations of the National Assembly which in turn, owes its existence to the provisions of Section 4 of the constitution.

Finally, what has been urged in this intervention as a lawful entitlement for the NJC prevails for other constitutionally-created institutions like the police and the military. For instance, when a police officer commits a crime, he is first sent to “Orderly Room Trial”, and if found guilty is dismissed from service to face trial in the courts.

The same situation applies in the military when an officer, accused of committing a crime, is first subjected to a “Court Martial”, and if found guilty, is dismissed to face trial in court. The insistence, therefore, by the NJC that it would suspend the justices accused of corruption only after they have been investigated and found guilty based on petitions submitted to it by the DSS, is supported wholly by praxis, precedence and the law.

Mr. Nkemjika is co-author of “Oil Exploration in Northern Nigeria: Problems and Prospects”

STILL ON THE CHIBOK GIRLS

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Government should step up efforts at ensuring that the remaining girls are found and rescued, writes Adewale Kupoluyi

t was relieving to see President Muhammadu Buhari meeting with the 21 Chibok girls alongside their families at the State House, Abuja, recently. The girls were part of more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls that were allegedly held captive since April 2014 by members of the notorious Boko Haram terrorists. According to the government, the girls were released after successful negotiations between the sect, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as well as the Nigerian and Swiss governments.

For many people, the federal government and the various parties that facilitated this intervention deserve high commendation for restoring the hopes of the families of the girls and several people from all over the world that are touched by the unfortunate experience. While a combination of local and foreign pressures were being mounted for the release of the innocent girls, other pessimism kept flying about as to why it would be an impossibility to get the girls back home. A former Nigerian President once raised a similar false alarm, saying the nation should learn to forget those girls, insisting that they were not coming back while other extreme opinions suggest that the girls may have either been turned into suicide bombers or married-off to the militants!

However, beyond the release of the schoolgirls, a number of other key issues have arisen that should be given the necessary attention. To begin with, there is the need to find the remaining girls, whose fate still remain unknown and be liberated without further delay, hoping that they are still alive and traceable. The government should deploy the same tact, resources and energy to rescue others. There is the tendency

to be reveling with the euphoria of the present success at the detriment of the others. Secondly, there is the need to monitor with more caution, the kind of information that would be shared to the public following the release of the girls.

Because of the high security nature of the case, unnecessary publicity should be avoided for now to avoid jeopardising subsequent efforts.

We should remember that all is not over until the remaining girls are found and rescued hale and hearty. Thirdly, is the issue of giving adequate rehabilitation to the rescued girl, going by the nation’s not-too-encouraging records of rehabilitating victims of emergencies and natural disasters. This time around, the rehabilitation should be thorough and sustained.

Another point to take seriously is the imperative of putting in place the necessary mechanism to solicit and manage the relief items meant for the upkeep of the girls. Donated materials to the victims should not be diverted by those entrusted with the task of managing the items.

Government should ensure that any man-made bureaucratic vacuum that could make the donated relief materials to get into private hands should be prevented. It is common knowledge that victims of such circumstance like the Internally Displaced Persons in the North-east, remain under terrible and pitiable living conditions because of the inability of the beneficiaries to access donated materials.

Such a perilous situation has been blamed for one of the reasons why many victims of such incidents often run way from such camps to eke out a living and in the process; they fall into the hands of human traffickers, ritualists and kidnappers, akin to the idiomatic expression of

moving from frying pan into the fire. Reports from past rescued victims have not been very encouraging. It is also not new that victims of kidnapped and forced marriage usually opt to go back to their former abode having been made to adapt to their strange lifestyles. That is also a good reason for why there should be thorough rehabilitation.

In addition to the existing arrangement, the government should include reputable groups such as the civil societies, the media and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in supervising the rehabilitation process and the management of the relief items by giving the entire process more transparency, openness and accountability. The essence is to truly make the rescued girls to come out of the trauma they are most likely to have suffered while in captivity, such as rapes, forced marriage and labour, sexual exploitation, torture, impregnation, sexually transmitted diseases, brutality and forced imprisonment. The girls should be accorded generous and specialised forms of restorative intervention, assistance and support.

More importantly and as promised by the government, the girls should be allowed to continue the pursuit of their academic programmes that was truncated with their abductions in 2014.

Though, it may not be surprising to know that the girls could have been averse to going back to school, because of the likelihood of indoctrination by the terrorists, whose slogan is, ‘western education is evil’.

Apart from the non-challant attitude to education that could be displayed, a very close observation should be given to the girls, who might have been indoctrinated with deviant and

false beliefs that promote violence, disregard for human lives, penchant for hostilities and disobedience to civil authorities. They should not be allowed to become handy tools for the terrorists whenever they are reintegrated into their communities. The government should not be in a hurry to fully send them back without the necessary observation and monitoring.

The authorities should have it at the back of their minds that the girls, before they were abducted, were young, presumably innocent and susceptible to vices and nefarious activities of their captors. Over the past few months, the girls could have been brainwashed by the terrorists and may, therefore, find it difficult or strange for them to adapt to a normal life that could be at variance with what obtains in the Sambisa Forest, where they are believed to have been kept in the last two years. Hence, the government should not underrate the girls under any guise. That is why they should be given close monitoring.

Finally, it may not be out of place to assume that the terrorists may network to prevent the girls from opening-up. This has happened in the past to arrested criminal suspects. This could be to ensure that the girls are unable to disclose vital information to security agencies on what they saw, what they heard and what they did during their captivity. No one knows. They should be placed on security surveillance. And as previously mentioned, sustained effort should be deployed at ensuring that the remaining girls are found and rescued alive. Nigerians would certainly be happier when all the missing girls are found.

Kupoluyi wrote from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

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OCTOBER 29, 2016 • THISDAY, The SATURDAY Newspaper

insight

All hail the new Oba, Ewuare 11

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Dangote, Arsenal FC and Nigerian Football

lhaji Aliko Dangote needs no introduction. He is presently Africa’s richest man with a net worth of $10.8 billion. His business interests cover manufacturing, oil and gas, haulage services, agriculture, among others. His sphere of influence transcends Nigeria as he has vast business interests across the African continent and, indeed, the entire globe. Dangote ranks among one of the highest employers of labour in the country. Indeed, a few analysts have claimed, either rightly or wrongly, that the economy of Nigeria is partly being sustained by Dangote.

What many do not know, however, about Dangote is that he is an ardent football fan. As it is characteristic of most Nigerian soccer fans, Dangote is also passionate about the English Premier League as he keenly follows and supports the London Gunners, Arsenal FC. Dangote’s romance with Arsenal FC recently came to public consciousness with reports that the Kano-born billionaire has his eyes on buying the London-based football club.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote announced his intention to buy Arsenal FC last year. According to the report, Dangote is only bidding for his business prospects to improve and his investments in gas pipelines and oil refinery to play out before making an audacious bid for the London club. In a recent interview with Bloomberg Television in New York, Dangote revealed his interest in acquiring Arsenal. He said: “There is no doubt that I will love to buy Arsenal FC and there is no problem about money. I am going to do it may be in three or four years’ time. Presently, I have more challenging headwinds and I need to get those out of the way first and start having tailwinds. Then, I will focus on the acquisition of Arsenal”.

Arsenal Holdings Plc, the owner of Arsenal FC, trades on the ICAP Securities and Derivatives Exchange, or ISDX, has a market capitalisation of one billion pounds. Currently, Stan Kroenke, American business entrepreneur with a net worth of $7.3 billion (Forbes-2016) and owner of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) top flight side, Denver Nuggets, holds 67 per cent of Arsenal Holdings. If Dangote eventually acquires Arsenal FC, he would be the first sub-Saharan African to own a team in the English Premier League. His desire to buy Arsenal, however, goes beyond merely creating such record. Being a keen follower of the club, Dangote essentially craves to build and sustain the club into one of the best football teams in the world. He said: “The intention is not just about buying Arsenal and just continuing with business as usual. It is about buying Arsenal and turning it around. I have run a very successful business and I think I can also run a very successful football team”.

Considering its recent dwindling fortune on the soccer field, Arsenal FC is actually in dire need of a magical turnaround so it could regain its position of reckoning. With 13 top flight league titles, Arsenal FC is, no doubt, one of England’s most successful teams. However, it last won the English Premiership

title in 2004, something keen watchers and analysts of the English Premiership consider as not too good enough for a club of Arsenal’s pedigree.

Taking into account Dangote’s antecedent as a go-getter and a successful business man, he might one day buy over Arsenal FC. If he does, one hopes he is able to turn around the fortune of the team.

But then, that is not really one’s main goal at this point. Now that it has become evident that Dangote loves football, it is the right time to implore him to take more than a passing interest in the development of our local football. While it is true that football in Nigeria is not in any way as profitable as it is in Europe, America and North Africa, development in the last two seasons has shown that things are really improving, especially in the management of the local national premier league.

For our football to transform into a profitable venture as it is in Europe and other such places, the involvement of well-meaning private and corporate individuals like Dangote is quite imperative.

Globally, football has become a money spinning enterprise. The organisation and management of football in Europe, for instance, is a multi-million dollars project with all the teams running numerous other sports related businesses. Indeed, all sorts of professionals doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, grass men, scouts, etc., are employed by the various teams in their drive for soccer glory.

Tayo Ogunbiyi, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

TH E S AT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R

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Two Things That Bother Aisha

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he Buhari household celebrated recently when three of their children were called to the bar. And of course they are all aspiring to be SANs, judges, and justices someday.

Thus, Aisha Buhari would not be the least pleased about what the Mamman Daura boys (the Department of Security Services) just did to our judiciary top shots. Let us face it, in her mind she ought to wonder if the DSS’ raid would be the lot of her children 30 or so years from now. Even more worrisome for Aisha is the fact that this Mamman Daura, who is her husband’s nephew, has been identified as a member of the cabal that shields her opinions from her husband. Second, rubbishing

the former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, because $15 million was found in her accounts would surely set Aisha on edge. As a sitting first lady who runs an NGO, would she be criminalised in the future (when Oga is no longer on seat) if, say, some millions are found in her account? After all, NGOs are social vehicles that supplement governments’ endeavours and money inflow into their coffers are certainly not “corrupt” funds.

Why, the federal government or any group could make hefty donations to such NGOs and that would be perfectly legal.

Sunday Adole Jonah,

Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna

2016 Physicians’ Week

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octors all over the federation on October 26, 2016 participated in a road walk as part of the efforts marking this year’s Physicians’ Week.

The aim of the road walk was to draw our governments (federal and states) attention to the implementation of the National Health Act. Regrettably, a national newspaper blew the road walk out of proportion and captioned it ‘NMA to Buhari: Pay us our entitlements or face showdown’. That caption was more confrontational and portrayed NMA as a belligerent professional association. In view of this, I call on the National Officers’ Committee (NOC) of our NMA, ably led by Prof. Mike Ogirima, to as a matter of urgency demand an apology from the establishment.

This is necessary because our supposed bellicose neighbours in the health sector can easily cash in on such caption to further portray our noble association in bad light.

Dr Paul John, Port Harcourt

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POLSCOPE

OCTOBER 29, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

with Eddy Odivwri eddy.odivwri@thisdaylive.com 08053069356

Canticles...

NJC: The Waking of a Slumbering Watchdog Between the Oza Room and the Engine Room

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he recent raid of the homes of some Judges has continued to dominate public discussions.

That it has remained topical, three weeks after, is indicative of the effect the action has had on the polity. One reason it has remained a running issue is because of its inherent controversy. Nigerians are sharply divided over the propriety or otherwise of the raid of the Judges’ homes at an unlikely hour.

But the raid, it appears, has woken the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) from its prolonged slumber.

Here is an NJC that had more or less existed in name, or at best like a typical civil service institution that is lame and docile. Or how else shall one explain the muteness of the NJC in the face of the many observable shenanigans that take place in the judiciary, especially among Judges?

Many have argued that the NJC is so laid back because many of its members have also compromised themselves, and so are rather weak or cowardly in disciplining judges who commit ethical infractions every now and then.

Would the NJC, in all honesty, claim ignorance of the atrocities of many of the judges? It was even more scandalizing to hear that the NJC has been treating its erring judges with kid’s gloves. A watchdog had become a lapdog. The story was told of a judge who received huge bribe and when the matter got to NJC, all the watchdog could do is to advise the judge to pay back the money to the “customer” in various installments, whilst still allowing such a judge to preside over cases. In another case, a judge was said to have demanded a bribe of N200 million from a party in a case. Again, the “secret deal” leaked, and all that the NJC did was to retire the Muhammed, CJN Judge in question. What kind of NJC is that? What kind of slap on the wrist is that? Why was such a Judge not summarily dismissed by the NJC? Those who have argued in defense of the actions of the NJC, thus far, cite the measly examples of tepid disciplinary measures meted out to some errant Judges.

Yet we are suffused with instances of gross abuse of office by these otherwise “Honourable” superhumans who almost approximate the status of God, as they can pronounce the death or otherwise of accused persons in their courts. And that would be it. How could people imbued with such exalted and sacred responsibility be associated with such banal vices as collection of bribe? Like Caesar’s wife, are Judges not supposed to be clearly and undebatably above board?

As a people , we must make up our minds about what we want. We cannot be baying for a new order yet want to stick to the old ways of doing things. There is no middle point. It is either we want a better and safer society and thus deal decisively with every contrary act that takes us back to Egypt or we play politics with everything and then merely pine for a new dawn whilst we continue in our old depraved ways.

We cannot be hiding under the guise of human rights and procedure to condone and encourage indiscipline and corruption in high places.

Those who quarrel with the raid of the judges are those who prefer to elevate the lesser issue of form over substance. The question to ask is whether any section of the Nigerian constitution or any enabling Act of law prescribes any hour of the day or night by which suspects cannot be arrested. Needless to reiterate that since Judges do not enjoy immunity, there is nothing that forbids the arrest of those adjudged to have questions to answer.

There are no two sets of laws: one for the poor and the other for the rich and the privileged. No, it is the same law for everyone. That is why it is said that the law is no respecter of person. We surely cannot continue in the way we have been going.

And as retired Justice Samson Uwaifo argued, if the DSS operatives are found to have breached their operational code, there are laid down mechanisms of dealing with such infractions. But the more fundamental substance of whether or not the judges are corrupt should be addressed and settled.

The trouble with the judges did not start today. Many years ago, as a reporter, I had covered the annual lecture of the Nigeria Bar Association that held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, where the then Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Oladipo Diya (rtd)(himself a lawyer) delivered the keynote address. At that ceremony, Diya lampooned the judges and condemned the sale of justice. According to him, judges write two opposing judgments, and place them one in the left pocket and the other in the right pocket of their gowns, and depending on which of the parties who settled better, the “appropriate” judgment is pulled out and delivered.

But for how long shall we leave a major pillar of democracy: judiciary , in the hands of crooks and crank masters, all in the name of human rights and human dignity? Is it not a prized prism in law that those who come to equity must come with clean hands? How can a hand be so soiled and yet you demand to be equitably treated? Does corruption get guided by the ethos of human rights?

Two of the arrested judges: Justice Inyang Okoro and Justice Sylvester Ungwuta, have written to Chief Justice of Nigeria claiming that they were once approached and offered bribe by Mr Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation to swing their judgment in favour of the APC candidates in the gubernatorial election cases in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States. The Rivers election was decided on January 27, 2016. But the Judge in question kept and aided such attempted crime by his quietness for almost nine months, claiming that he informed the CJN of Amaechi’s move at the time. So what did the CJN also do for nine months? Did they both conspire to keep quiet, chosing only to spill the beans now because Justice Okoro is in the DSS net?

Does this not smell like after-thought? It presents itself like a sinking person wanting to drag someone else down the river bed.

Yet another judge Justice Ungwuta claims that the monies found in his home were planted in his house by the DSS. Really? Pray, where was the Judge when the said monies were being planted in his house?

What about the Judge who was handed huge bribe money on the shopping floor of a supermarket while pretending to be shopping, unknown to him that the CCTV captured the “transaction”.

Several years ago, Nigerian judges were the toast of other African countries.

They presided over the judiciary of many African countries and reaped tons of honour both for themselves and the nation. Not anymore. Nobody is so naïve as to invite Nigerian judges to preside over their countries again. It is our collective shame.

The judges, no doubt, are taking their time to craft their own defence stories that can brush the guilt off them. Nigerians are wise and discerning. They see how some of the judges live large and undertake epicurean life styles. Many people have suffered gross injustice in the hands of such Justices. In many instances, justice had been on sale to the highest bidder. Sad! Little wonder that as much as 308 petitions are pending against Judges before the NJC. Only now, the NJC is rolling out new rules: of not accepting gifts from other arms of government, or that judges should declare their assets before and after giving judgements. These are tokenistic measures coming too late and obviously susceptible to circumvention by smart Judges.

In all, the NJC seems woken and Nigerians should begin to see a more responsible and visible regulatory judicial organ.

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id you hear that the Supreme Council of Fulani Elders has called a meeting?

Meeting? For what?And which body is that anyway?

How can you be asking such questions? When you hear Fulani elders, wouldn’t you know it is to put out the fire on the mountain? (aghast) Fire? Where? Which mountain are you talking about?

What a question! What fire could be more than the one flaming in the home of the first family?

Oh, is that what you are dancing around? Don’t exaggerate issues. Mr President has long returned from his German trip and resumed his duties in the Engine room of the nation.

And that is the issue the Fulani Elders are determined to sort out.

How? There is a strong fear that the Engine Room will soon be getting cold and will not be receiving any fire or combustion to keep firing and that will be very dangerous for the nation ship. I cannot imagine that the ship will lose fire and steam mid sea.The danger is unimagi--(cuts in) What are you talking about? Which ship?

Look, you don’t understand that ever since Mr President returned from his German trip, where he declared that his wife, Hajia Aisha, belongs to his kitchen, living room and the Oza room, that the President’s kitchen has refused to function? Don’t you know what that means? If the kitchen is deactivated, both the activities in the living room, the oza room and even the nation’s engine room are all in danger of shutting down. And you don’t know the implication of such a deactivation of the nation’s Operating System (OS)?

Look, Mr President did not say Oza rooms. He meant “other rooms”. You know he has peculiar phonetic streak.

By the way, who told you his kitchen has been shut down?

Need you ask? Are you not aware that Madam Aisha is still sequestered in London? And even if she returns, you think it will be business as usual? As in supplying the domestic gas (from the kitchen) that will power the engine room?You mean you cannot smell the looming danger? (releases a long hiss) You don’t understand the tenacity, depth and adroitness of a Fulani General. Mr President will contain the rage of the wife and flog her into line. Just watch if you will ever hear her grant such unguarded interview again.

I can assure you that the Fulani Elders Council will tell Hajia Aisha that we must first blame mother hen for exposing the chicks before blaming the hawk that swooped on the chicks and carried them away.

So what are you saying in effect?

I am saying that the Fulani Elders will remind HajiaAisha that this isAfrica, not Europe orAmerica. That the woman’s primary responsibility is in the kitchen from where she services the household. That she was wrong to have gone to wash the dirty linen of the first family at the global square. Who asked her to grant that obnoxious interview? Did she have the permission of her husband to do so?And couldn’t she be more discrete in expressing her anger?After all, she shares the “oza room” exclusively with Mr President every night. Why didn’t she say all that she told the BBC Hausa service to Mr President?

Don’t you realize she is the very person who has triggered Buhari the global outrage on her husband, our President?

But two wrongs don’t a make a right.

Couldn’t Mr President have been more diplomatic in answering such a delicate question knowing that he was standing right beside the most powerful woman in the European Union? Couldn’t Mr President have parried the question or even feigned ignorance or even say he did not believe the wife said so and would rather not comment until he gets in touch with her at home? Wouldn’t that have saved the day? How can a perceptive president go and commit such a diplomatic gaffe and faux pas at that global stage? Even if that is his traditional belief, must he announce that his wife belongs to his kitchen, in (of all places) Europe? It was a monumental presidential gaffe. With UK led by a woman, EU shepherded by a woman and even US (very likely soon) headed by a woman, don’t you know what the president did and said is a diplomatic suicide, especially for a nation begging for alms from across the globe?

But let me ask you. Did HajiaAisha think that only those involved in a political campaign will get into position in a democratic government? Does she not understand the dynamics of power?

But is it not true that Mr President has been hijacked by a cabal? During the campaign and all the struggle to get him even become the APC candidate, where were people like Malam Abba Kyari, who is now the President’s powerful Chief of Staff or Mr President’s influential nephew, Malam Mamman Daura? Where were they when all the money was being spent to prop up Buhari? But today, they are the overlords, calling the shots and determining the tempo of governance Are people not reaping from where they did not sow in this government? (in lowered tone) Or is it true, according to Reuben Abati, that there is an Aso Rock force, call it principality, that makes Presidents who step into theVilla to make terrible mistakes?

This is not new. It is called kitchen cabinet in every government Kitchen again? Please be ware of that word now.

Every government has got inner-circle operatives. HajiaAisha must not fail to understand this. But above all, if she feels all is not well with the power configuration in the President’s administration, she can use other methods, including the power of the “other room” to make a change. She should go and read Shakespeare’s Macbeth to understand the huge effect a woman has on a politically-minded husband. Not even Mrs Patience Jonathan with all her Corinthian conduct dared to attack her husband in the public square.

And that is why the Fulani Elders Council will decisively deal with all the matters arising from the presidential faux pas of the first family.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016

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LOUD WHISPERS AUTO TRAVEL FITNESS FASHION FILE INTERVIEW

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Lolo 1

I Have Three Sons, One Daughter But I Am Single

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER OCTOBER 29, 2016

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I’m Still Learning From My Failed Marriage Her distinctive, mellifluous voice wafts through the air wave. Millions of Nigerians glue their ears to their radio sets as she thrills them in her characteristic, dramatic fashion. She is exhilarating in delivery and passionate in her message. She can make you crack your ribs with laughter. Through the invisible air wave, one can sense her passion, devotion and dramatisation.

She is one of a kind. She is Nigeria’s Lolo 1 – the madam who is the face of Wazobia FM’s ‘Oga Madam’ radio prgoramme. Born Omotunde Adebowale David, she has over the years excelled as one of the country’s best comediennes – on air, on stage or on the silver screen. Lolo 1 speaks with Azuka Ogujiuba about the fifth edition of Oga Madam on stage comedy show, going into acting, family and her relationship with her exhusband

H

ow did your Igbo accent come about?

Well, I grew up believing in one Nigeria. All my father’s tenants were Igbo. So then, I didn’t even notice that there was a cultural difference.

It was when I grew up that I began to understand that there are differences among people, in terms of religions and ethnic groups. I think I’ve always had that kind of affinity since I was a child.

But ‘Wazobia’ was a challenge. I’ve never spoken pidgin before. I’ve done Metro FM and Radio One but I like taking on challenges. If I’m going to do something, what will make anybody like it is the fact that I did it well. If I’m going to be impersonating an Igbo woman, then I must know their culture.

I must know what they do, how they cook and how they dress. I never cooked like a Yoruba woman and you’ll not see me do omiobe. I will cook every classic onugbu like they cook it and those are the things I like to do. I research and listen.

Until your real name is mentioned people don’t place you as a Yoruba woman.

Yes. But it’s a good thing; that means that what I do, I do it very well.

The day you see me play a typical

Yoruba woman, when my ‘Mama Risika’ character comes out, you will be amazed. My Yoruba nature is there; it’s just that I haven’t used it for anything prominent yet. But if I have to play the role of a Yoruba person, you’ll see that my Ijebu (nature) fluently displayed.

How did you learn to cook Igbo food?

I learnt that from market women.

Whenever I go to the market and I tell somebody that I want to cook ofe Owerri and ask ingredients to use. I ask basic questions and I get useful answers. I love to cook. So, when I get home I apply the instructions and the cooking always comes out nice. So there is nothing you cannot do if you put your mind to it.

As a comedienne, how do you feel about your celebrity status, being one of the best comic acts in Nigeria?

Maybe, it’s because I am on radio.

I’m constantly on air and so a lot of people get to listen to me. it is also important to note that women are different from men. Women multitask.

Hardly will you find any woman who is into comedy only. We have shops; we have other jobs; we have homes to keep; and children are there too. Maybe it is because I do my comic acts on a regular basis so that makes people see my face every day. Now there’s

‘Jenifa’s Diary’ in which I play the role of Adaku. So people get to see me in different shapes. I think that’s part of what is making the brand a little bigger.

You are also a master of ceremony.

I’ve been doing that for a long time.

Of course, I compere at corporate events weddings naming ceremonies, and many other events as long as I am being paid well? There is nothing like being expensive. I tell people that the premium you place on yourself endures. The fact that someone says her shop is N50, 000 and that I might not be able to afford it, doesn’t mean it’s too pricey. It only means it’s out of one’s league. A Porsche is a car and a Toyota Corolla is a car, but it’s the affordability of the two that makes the buying.

Some are beginning to feel you will soon leave radio for the silver screen. Is that correct?

Well, I want to say that everything has its own time. I love being on radio. I’m not going to leave radio for anything. I love acting too but as long as one can put set one’s priorities right, one can be on radio and on the silver screen. So it depends on which side of me you’re calling. If you want the acting side of me I give it to you and

if you want the MC, I give it to you. If you want the mother, I give it to you.

So everything is inside me. I’m not going to let any limit be placed on my abilities because what we celebrate is the fact that one can do so many things and do it very well.

You’ve had to work with Funke Akindele so fervently that one begins to wonder if you will have time for other things.

Everything is timing. We went to London recently to shoot Jenifa’s Diary Season 7 and 8. I worked it out to coincide. Most of the scenes we shot in Jenifa’s Diary were done in the afternoon. I close at 3pm and once I closed in the office I went to the location for shooting. Funke Akindele is an extremely hard-working woman.

I’m not saying it because she gave me a role but I’ve seen her work. She’s not a producer that sleeps while you’re on set. She’s there so she can push you – and I want to give her my best.

I can’t say I’m tired if I say I want to achieve good things. Bill Gate and other people we celebrate, they don’t sleep. If you want to achieve something good in this life, you must be willing to make sacrifices and that’s hard work – that’s what I do.

Can you talk about your family?

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OCTOBER 29, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

Plus Only God Can Tell If I Will Reconcile with My Ex-Husband I have four amazing kids. I have three sons and a daughter. I am single.

I met a lot of people saying, ‘Oh my God, this entertainer is divorced.’ Yes, my divorce is a mutual thing. It’s nothing to fight or quarrel about. My family life is private. I will not drag the father of my children on the pages of newspapers. He doesn’t deserve that. It’s not a quarrel; we might have issues that we are dealing with personally as people.

But it doesn’t mean that we now have to go and talk about each other (in the public). He’s the father of my children.

I respect him for that. It is an important reason we do not talk about it (divorce) on the pages of newspapers.

ing Law. But now my mother will tell me she’s my fan. She calls ‘Mama Lolo’ and that’s because I have been successful. God is helping me to succeed in what I have chosen to do. And I think that settles everything.

You said if you would remarry, you’ll go for an Igbo man.

Well, it doesn’t matter where anybody comes from. I gravitate towards an individual. It’s who you are as a person that matters. It’s not where you come from. So, I’m not looking at anybody based on tribe even though it’s not like I’m shopping.

Let’s talk about your programme, ‘Oga Madam.’

This is the fifth edition and I’m so excited. This year’s edition is called the ‘Queens’ League.’ This means if you see a queen, you will see knights, you’ll see courtiers, you’ll see ladiesin-waiting. This year’s edition is going to be filled with drama, music, dance, and everything that I love to do. You don’t want to miss all that. The likes of Alibaba, Acapella, and other artistes will be involved. The event will hold on November 6, at the Shell Hall, Muson Centre. It starts at 5 pm. It’s going to be fun.

Is that an indication that you want to give marriage a second chance?

I’ll leave that in God’s hands. You know, if you’ve gone through a situation and you didn’t do well, I think it’s time to withdraw into myself – learn a few things about why this (the marriage) didn’t work and what I did wrong. So when I’ve learnt my lesson and healed internally, then maybe I will consider it. It takes time for one to be able to go through it (divorce).

Marriage is not a walk in the park like people think. It’s something one signs up for forever and one has a break.

That shows one didn’t do some things right. So, as an individual, one needs to get internal healing and work on one’s own personality. So that when one gets into another relationship, one would have learnt her lessons from the previous marriage.

Are there chances for reconciliation with your ex?

Oh well, I’m not God. Everybody is a work in progress. It’s just that people in the media judge very harshly; because we live our life before people. But I’ve done my best to make it (failed marriage) work and I don’t make it a general topic. It’s a family issue. We’re dealing with it our own way.

What kind of childhood did you have?

I had a very independent childhood.

I stayed in the hostel from primary three. So, I’ve been independent for a long time. I schooled in Ijebu-Ode Anglican Girls and I stayed in the hostel half of the time. That’s where my independence and creativity came from. I was always called to make impromptu speeches. I won a lot of laurels for my school in debates, impromptu speeches and so on.

Did your parents approve of your decision to pursue a career in the media?

No. You know how parents are then.

Even my legal profession was chosen by them. I just got my JAMB form and they filled it. When I told my mom I wanted to act and go into media work, she cried, thinking I would end up earning meagre income despite the years I spent in school study-

Do you have any brand endorsement?

I have brand endorsements. I’m the brand ambassador for Lapo Microfinance Bank and also the brand ambassador for an estate company called, Acbridge. I am also the brand ambassador for Myads – it’s like a mobile app and I know more (of such opportunities) are still coming.

What’s the issue between you and Princess?

Well, the princess saga –of course, nobody is infallible – I’m just human and that means I can just get angry.

We had a little misunderstanding, even though she might not see it as a misunderstanding. We were on stage together and I felt she slighted the rest of us there. I reacted to that slight because I believe that whatever we do, we should think of other individuals involved in it. It’s not just one person as a brand. I knew I vented (my emotion) but I didn’t let it stay too long. I didn’t take up to five minutes from my timeline before bloggers and everybody picked it up and it became something like a war. But you’ll notice that I didn’t make further comments because it was just in the moment. I’ve said my mind and that is it.

But have you resolved the issue with her?

Princess and I are colleagues in the industry. It doesn’t mean everybody is your best friend. We’re industry colleagues.

Of course, when we meet at events

we

greet each other. It is not like I have a real relationship with her. But it doesn’t mean that we are enemies. She’s one of the prominent women who have stood up for comedy in time past, so she has that respect from me. It was just a personal issue that we had.

How do you relax?

I love to watch movies. I love water – I love swimming pools and I love the ocean, sea or anything water.

It (swimming) is very relaxing for me.

I love to read but I haven’t read as much as I used to. And I like to cook too. I cook for relaxation because I’m a foodie. A lot of times I just like to cook for people.

What’s your biggest cooking blunder?

It took me a long time to learn how to cook cow leg because I didn’t cook it as long as I should. So sometimes it could be so hard. Imagine when you have dinner and everybody is pulling on the meat. I had to learn how to cook cow leg and that it takes a long time and patience to boil it.

Are your children showing interest in the arts?

My daughter is very close to me. I know she’s going to do a lot of things that are art-inclined. My first son gravitates towards catering, food and engineering. My third son is basically an athlete. He loves to run; he loves taekwondo. But my youngest son is still forming his personality. We’re watching – he is going to be five. My first son is going to be 10. The other one just turned eight and my daughter is going to be 12 in February. As a parent, I don’t believe in deciding for my children. I groom their talents and by the time of their manifestation I want it to be that it’s something orchestrated by God. Let it not be that one is pushing one’s children out too early. I want my children to build their own personality and be their own person.

So that when it is time for them to do what they have to do, they will do it well.

What outfit do you relax more in?

I think I like gown. I just love a dress that is easy to wear. You can dress it up, you can dress it down. But my least liked dress is boubou. I think it makes one look old and cumbersome.

I’m not too tall so boubou is not my thing.

Which higher institution did you attend?

I went to Lagos State University where I studied Law. I went to Law School and I did all the honours.

You’ve been with Cool FM for some time. Did you start Wazobia with the radio station?

Well, I didn’t start Wazobia with them basically. I joined them like two

years or a year after Wazobia started.

So, I’ve been with Wazobia for eight years and still counting.

Did you meet Yaw while you were in school?

Yaw is my boss. We existed in different worlds while we were in school. I was in the Law department and I didn’t really gravitate towards the theatre in school. I just did fellowship.

I was a fellowship girl. I didn’t really meet Yaw in school.

Despite your celebrity status, what makes you to be down to earth?

When I started, I got a word from God and He made me understand that there is nothing that I have that is not freely given to me. So what is the big deal? Something you didn’t create, why would you have special ownership of it and attitude? If you see me not smiling you should know that maybe I’m tired.

But that I would become unapproachable is not something that I think I would ever do. That where my joy comes from. No one stops doing what brings her joy. Maybe when I get too big I’ll be thinking of security because some people might want to harm or hurt me and even if I do, they’ll just be somewhere. It’s not like I would walk on the street and everywhere you see me, there are battalions of guards protecting me. I didn’t steal anybody’s market, so I think I’ll be alright.

If you didn’t become a radio presenter or an actress, would you have established a big law firm?

I don’t think I would have carried on with legal practice to that point. I love entertainment law. If I was to choose I would have gone with entertainment law. When I was writing my project, it was on the rights of a performer; quite ironically. It was the only thing that I could really identify with and I did my project on it and it was excellent.

I knew then that entertainment was inside me. Even if I wasn’t doing all this, if it had to be law I’m sure I would have focused basically on entertainment law or copyright law.

You know, if you’ve gone through a situation and you didn’t do well, I think it’s time to withdraw into myself – learn a few things about why this (the marriage) didn’t work and what I did wrong. So when I’ve learnt my lesson and healed internally, then maybe I will consider it.

It takes time for one to be able to go through it (divorce). Marriage is not a walk in the park like people think. It’s something one signs up for forever and one has a break. That shows one didn’t do some things right. So, as an individual, one needs to get internal healing and work on one’s own personality

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OctOber 29, 2016

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

LOUD WHISPERS

Oby Ezekwezili

Oby Ezekwezili: calm down Me I don’t understand this anger at all. Nobody has monopoly over the Chibok girls. Nigerians can decided to use any platform and any method to contribute their own quota to the welfare of the Chibok Girls o. I am really getting irritated with the antics of this madam and must come out in very strong terms to condemn this her latest tirade. What is it? If you are not happy with the way this just released girls are being handled, enter Sambisa Forest and release your own set of girls and cordon them off and do whatever.

I have always said it that this BBOG group or whatever they call themselves will soon expose their soft underbelly.

What is wrong with another group coming out to assist? Even if they raise funds to do their job what is wrong with that? Unless one can prove that the funds are being diverted or used for other things apart from the welfare of the girls and if that is not the case, then madam kindly go see your hairstylist.

Please let me use this medium to call on every and any Nigerian who has genuine interest and care for the girls to please come out and contribute their quota, nobody has a monopoly over them. Abeg, when they where kidnapping the girls, the Boko haram did not appoint the BBOG as the sole franchise owners of the girls. Let’s stop all these pettiness and face the cruel and clear danger that continues to face these girls both in and outside captivity. Enough of the distractions Abegi.

Aliko Dangote : Please Don’t Do It I keep hearing and reading that you are interested in buying Arsenal.

I sincerely hope that this is not true because if you go ahead to do it, I will lead a boycott of your products. We cannot continue to suffer to buy your sugar and spaghetti only for you to go use the money to buy Arsenal. I am really telling you o and if I ever get to meet you I will look you straight in the eyes and tell you straight. Sir I am not afraid of you o, you are not DSS I will tell you straight. Instead of buying Arsenal use half of the money to buy all the teams in our local league, help in rebuilding the infrastructure and give hope to the many talented youths who due to lack of financial support cannot exploit their God given talents. True, a man has the right to use his money any how he deems fit , but this time around we will show you that without Nigerians Who consume your goods you will not be thinking of Arsenal. I really pray and hope that this remains in the realm of rumours because you will be doing not only yourself but those of us who admire and look up to you as a leader

Aliko Dangote

Jide Kosoko

Reuben Abati and His Juju Theory Me I have never met this great scholar but look forward to meeting with him before I lose my erection.

Mr Abati in his very seminal essay has directed the main problem with Nigeria and by so doing throwing the whole plank that brought in this government of change out of the window. The problem with Nigeria according to my Oga is a massive loss of erection by all policy makers. Now you see where the philosophy of the ‘other room’ comes to play. For those of you who have been deriding him and his position, I dare you to enter Aso Rock. Last week I drove past the place and I swear I did not feel my ‘you know what’ for like four hours. It just went limp and refused to come up. You can imagine that happening to me for just driving past, then consider those who live there and work there.

They are finished o. Our problem according to Abati is no longer corruption, it is the devil and evil spirits that have taken our leaders

worthy of emulation a great disservice.

Let’s meet over lunch in Shomolu and discuss this matter Oga. Jide Kosovo Joins the Cast of Isale Eko Isale Eko is my new play. Coming up next February at the Muson. This

manhood and given us an epidemic of erectile dysfunction. Chief Abati is truly a great scholar, he must have busied himself while at the service of the nation counting those whose peckers had gone limp. I have read the response of Chief Adesina and really pity him. All the Bible postulations will not save him from the problem of erectile dysfunction. No wonder he sweats a lot in most of the pictures I see of him. We now must have an official shrine in the place side by side the Church and Mosque. Well, while the controversy is going on, let me state very clearly that me, JOSEPH EDGAR I am not interested in any political appointment or anything that will take me to Aso Rock until the demon that is the harbinger of erectile dysfunction has been exorcised and Chief Abati is brought back to verify the thorough cleansing of the place. Me I value my erection more than any funny national Assignment. Abeg my wife still young, I no fit shout.

play has been designed to celebrate Lagos extolling its culture, traditions and people. In choosing the cast, I have carefully gone after iconic actors. Actors who have attained a very high level of professionalism and depth. Not chewing gum actors. We have been talking to

New Oba of Benin

people like Patrick Doyle, Akin Lewis, Yemi Shodimu and Madam Kofo.

Finally after weeks of chasing, we have finally hooked the big masquerade Jide Kosoko. Jide Kosoko is as versatile as they come. He has practiced his art in TV, Films and Stage. He is truly a rare breed and a member of a dying generation of actors whose talents were wholesome and not pumped by social media and semi nude antics. Welcome Uncle and I look forward to working with you in dropping this massively anticipated epic theatre production.

Ekabo Sir. Oba of Benin: welcome on Board I have tried not to write anything funny about the highly revered throne and person of the new Oba. Infact as I am writing, my hands are shaking for fear that I could be turned to salt if I dare to ‘yab’ the new Oba. So I will just carefully and respectfully say, welcome sir and I wish you a very peaceful and productive reign and may you live long and surpass the achievements of your predecessors. Already you have started on a good note sir with the release of the pictures of your wonderfully beautiful Queens. They looked so elegant. I really appreciated their cultural attires and you could see the mark of respect to tradition even as they sat with the handkerchiefs covering their mouth.

This is a mark of royalty. I’ll be passing through Benin next week on my way to Akwa Ibom, do not worry, I will not branch but I will stop and take a selfie by the walls of your palace so I can show my people in Uyo. Congrats once again, see you soon.

Edgar J: on self Exile As you read this I would already have settled in my new abode in the U.S. On self Exile. I have had a long think about the situation in Nigeria and my position in the scheme of things. I have lost every election I have contested from class monitor to local government councillor. My earnings have remained stagnant and been whittled down by the forced devaluation. Senators threatening to impregnate themselves, leaders loosing erection and corruption in the judiciary and now my house maid leaving. Abegi, let me just go and rest first while I think of my next step.

I will miss you guys especially all my fans the ones who call to beg me to yab other people and not yab them on this page and the ones who call to threaten to beat me up as I yab them. I thank all of you. Me ke, exile? Shomolu man?

I am coming back next week o where will I see Afang to eat there. God forbid.

I belong to no one but Nigeria see you guys next week.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

SPY GLASS

Tara Fela-Durotoye’s ingenuity

Today, she is arguably the biggest name and the leading light in makeup business in Nigeria.

It is doubtful if Tara FelaDurotoye could have imagined that what she ventured into as a mere passion, while she was an undergraduate student of Law at the Lagos State University, LASU, would be a money-spinning venture many years after.

But one may say that she was being led in hand by Providence when she resolved to follow her first love, make-up art.

Having opened the now famous House of Tara, many have come to appreciate that make-up business, contrary to some erroneous beliefs, thrives only on creativity.

A trailblazer, she has, in the past years, trained uncountable number of younger ones in the art of make-up, some of whom are also doing wonders with this dexterity.

With her aggressive drive towards economic empowerment of the Nigerian woman, her HOT Make-up School, founded in 2007, has trained a number of female graduates to date.

It is also to her credit that some 4,000 independent female sales representatives across Nigeria, many of whom are self-employed, currently earn a living distributing HOT products in their respective regions.

Dynamic and creative, she launched the country’s first makeup studio, established the first make-up school in West Africa and created a full makeup product line called Tara Orekelewa Beauty range, among other firsts in he kitty.

Certainly, when the history of make-up business in Nigeria will be written, her name will be etched in gold.

Ayoade Adewopo: Portrait of a Phillantropist

Dr. Ayoade Adewopo is cerebral and an intellectual who has dedicated his life in acquiring knowledge.

The Osun-born lawyer a consummate businessman, towers above many of his peers A careful study of his life shows that he has always been driven, in his inspirational journey in life, by determination

with Bayo Adeoye ....08054680651 and clear vision. No wonder, his business, over the years, has been sustained on the tripod of uncommon brilliance, strategic planning and faithfulness to the vision and mission of the company.

While the forgoing may not be too special, especially to those who have been following his story with interest, the 44 years old prince whose love for fellow human beings beggars description. He seems to have made a vow with his Creator to impact positively on humanity.

Perhaps, this explains why he can’t stand the sight of his fellow human being in distress. Besides, he is ever ready to donate generously to any course that is beneficial to his immediate environment. For instance, the great philanthropist has been at the forefront of sponsoring the indigenes of Osun State students.

He knows the importance of education and he wants everybody to acquire it; little wonder he vowed to assist as many as possible. He has consciously and deliberately dedicated himself to a life of educational philanthropy. He appreciates education; he believes that it is the only viable empowerment you could bequeath anyone.

In the last two years hundreds of less privileged have benefited from his heart of gold.

Dr. Adewopo holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Indiana University, Indiana, a postgraduate diploma in international tax law from Robert Kennedy College, Zurich-Switzerland and HND in Business Administration & Management from the polytechnic Ibadan.

He is licensed to practice law in the USA and also as a Solicitor in England and Wales, with a right to practice in the European Union and several other nations where English solicitors have a right to practice.

Previously, Dr. Adewopo worked with The Hong Kong Equal Opportunities Commission, as an Associate with the law firm of Ice Miller LLP, as the Senior Global Operations Counsel for The Scott’s MiracleGro Company (NYSE: SMG) and as the Assistant General Counsel, Americas for Ingersoll Rand (NYSE: IR). Between the years 2004 to 2006, Dr. Adewopo served as Secretary, Vice President and President of the Marion County Bar Association (Indianapolis, Indiana). During the same period, he was also appointed as a Member of the Marion County Public Defender Board of Directors.

He is a frequent speaker on Corporate Governance issues, Immigration law, Global Sourcing, International Trade and Global Investments based on his experience as a skilled corporate executive and attorney for foreign governments, multinationals and fortune 500 companies.

As a Global Trade counsel, he has served as special advisor and counsel to foreign government entities and several multi-national corporations on diverse transactions, including commodity hedging, mergers, acquisitions, global or cross-border joint ventures, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPOs), global security issues, global trade ethics and compliance policies. This widely traveled man has had the privilege to live and study in four different continents (Africa, Asia, Europe and North America).

Dubai Big Boy, Olakunle Adegbite’s New Idea

Olakunle Adegbite, a young and vivacious healthcare expert, is at it again. This time round, he is set to change the face of entertainment industry, especially in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State.

In fulfillment of this desire, he came about with Sidewalk Lounge, an outfit that many have described as a definitive statement in hospitality business.

Spyglass gathered that the healthcare expert, who also runs Ibom Hospital, is currently making serious impacts in his new foray, while gradually becoming a force to be reckoned with in night clubbing business in Lagos.

Sidewalk is reportedly becoming a haven for top celebrities, socialites and fun lovers who love the conducive and beautiful ambience for catching fun unhindered.

The Dubai- based young man, it was learnt, conceived the idea in Dubai in 2014, and eventually opened for it for business in April 2015. It is also said that the lounge takes after another one with the same name, same space, and same type of location in Dubai.

Since it was opened in 2015, the patronage is said to be very encouraging, hence Adegbite is planning to open more branches in March this year to further take over the clubbing business.

The Ogun State- born businessman, it was also gathered, works with the Arabian Health Group, part of the Emirates Group and part of Swiss leading hospital.

Chioma Stan Ekeh’s Inspiring Story

Chioma Stan Ekeh, wife of Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of Zinox Group, is not the kind of woman you meet at every social event. She is very choosy! Indeed, she attends only very important functions mostly in company with her husband.

Spyglass gathered that but when it comes to business, the very beautiful woman is very sound, intelligent, she has displayed her dexterity and brilliance over the years to the admiration of many.

This 51-year-old graduate of Accountancy runs the biggest company in her husband’s group of companies, Technology Distributions Limited, a multimillion Naira company . Little wonder, her husband treats her like an egg that must not be smashed.

Little wonder he calls her superstar, and indeed, she is a superstar.

It was gathered that she had created good record for her family and community when she

emerged the first female to study Mathematics from her community.

She would later display her academic brilliance when she went on to study Accountancy.

Ooni ’s Brother, Adegboyega Makes Ambassadorial List

Barely a week after His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, marked his 42nd birthday with pomp, his family members are again, full of joy.

Indeed, the entire family has been in this celebratory mood, following the reports that Prince Adegboyega Ogunwusi, the immediate elder brother to the Ooni of Ife, made the list of the ambassadorial nominees submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly.

It will be recalled that Prince Adegboyega, who was recently installed the Sooko of Ife by Oba Ogunwusi, was among those tipped for the Obaship of the ancient town. Though he lost the title to his younger brother then, Prince Adegboyega, a former banker and top businessman, has maintained a good relationship with Oba Ogunwusi.

Since the announcement, many maintain that Oba Ogunwusi, who has continuously demonstrated his commitment to putting Ife more on the global map, has also been using his far-flung connections to better the lot of his family in the past months.

Gbemi Saraki Still out of Social Scene

Senator Gbemisola Saraki, daughter of the late strongman of Kwara politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki, and younger sister of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is one woman that many would not find difficult to define. She was first elected into the House of Representatives in 1999 to represent Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency, Kwara State and was later elected to represent the People’s Democratic Party in the Central Senatorial District of Kwara State in April 2003. She contested for governorship election in the state in 2011 and 2014, but failed to make any meaningful impact. She also commands large grassroots followership because of her love for the poor and the lowly people in the society In addition to the foregoing, her great dress sense and beauty stand her out. For this and more, she had been a show-stopper at many events in the past.

However, it is doubtful if the former member of the National Assembly still commands the same attention and respect today. Initially, many had attributed this to the political war with her brother, Bukola over the control of Kwara State politics after the death of their father.

But this has since been put to rest as she has since reconciled with him.

She was even compensated with the position of Chairman, Governing Council of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

22

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

MEMOIRS Chief Leemon Agbonjague Ikpea

Growing Up in Warri Remains Evergreen Warri people are amazing, nice and loving people Why I am being honoured today by Olu of Warri Jesuit University to be established in my town, Ewatto Agbonjague Ikpea

Any compelling story grass-to-grace is usually a good script for the movies. But it becomes more inspiring when you hear the narrative from a victim of abject poverty. The Adolor of Ewato, Chief Leemon Ikpea suffered the humiliation of being ordered out of his secondary school’s dining hall, food confiscated because he couldn’t pay his school fees. Without shoes, he trekked almost 100 km back home to give his parents the bad news. He had to drop out of school, resigned himself to fate but, with God’s special Grace. He now sits atop a multibillion-naira group of companies, and a private jet to boot. Besides, the Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli will, today, honour him with the chieftaincy title of Odolagbon of Warri Kingdom. He discusses this gripping episode of his life, and future plans with Bennett Oghifo

I

Growing up

’m Leemon Agbonjagwe Ikpea. I was born on Monday December 19, 1956 at Ewatto in Esan South-east of Edo State.

After staying for a while in the village with my parents, they then decided to move to Warri, where we settled down at Okere. I attended primary school in Warri- St. John Primary School in Ajamogha, Warri, which was about 10-15 minutes’ walk from my home. In those days we walked to school; taxis were not as many as they are today and the population was not as much as it is today; there were more people in the village than in the town.

Life in Warri back then

Warri people are amazing, nice and loving people. In those days in Warri, nobody regarded you as a stranger; back then we all belonged to Bendel State from being Midwest State. You wouldn’t know who was Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Esan or from any other tribe, because as long as you are in Warri, you are a Warri boy and all of us youth, who were friends were just like one big family. We had some night clubs, Zeno and Lido, among others where we meet regularly on weekends and when coming back home, we walked freely, because the town was virtually crimefree. There was nothing like armed robbery or kidnaping; you trekked to your home, telling stories with your friends; that was the life we enjoyed in Warri in those days.

How I met the present Olu of Warri...

I met the present Olu of Warri, HRM. Ogiame Ikenwoli at St. John Primary School in 1962. We were very young; small boys in our blue shirt on blue shorts uniforms and no shoes. We were all family. The primary school was directly opposite the palace of the Olu where there was a big building of the CAC. It was the church that we attended and the school was built by CAC. That was how we met but after primary school everybody dispersed but met from time to time. We visited him at the palace and even at the palace; nobody took any notice of where you are from, because everybody was regarded as belonging to one family. Warri Kingdom is an amazing place and I’m happy I grew up there and the discipline I got from there is what is helping me till today. After primary education, I was admitted to Baptist High School, Orerokpe, about 30 minutes’ drive from Warri by car and up to two hours by foot.

In those days when I was in the secondary school, it was compulsory for every student to show proof that they have paid school fees.

An announcement was usually made during assembly that every student in the boarding house should take their teller to the dining hall during lunch. When such an announcement is made, I always knew they were referring to me, because I always defaulted, but it was not my fault, because my parents, they tried, were not able to meet up in most cases. So, when they asked for tellers, you know what

it means when students are taking their lunch and the dining hall prefect now demands to see everybody’s teller and out of the multitude in the dining hall, you are the only one without a teller and they will walk me out. That was my experience and when they walk me out, you can imagine the psychological torture. I will leave the dining hall and trek to Warri.

So, imagine trekking from Orerokpe to Warri; it is not a joke. Then I was still very young, so when I sight a vehicle coming I will hide in the bush until it passes by because I was afraid of being kidnapped. My parents always understand why I am out of school when the term just began. I will then proceed to do menial jobs to raise the school fees; I have pushed truck/cart, sold newspapers, yes, I have been a newspaper vendor, selling Observer newspapers, Daily Times, among others. I was also working as a tally clerk, doing inventory of what was discharged from ships at the Warri Port. I pushed truck in Warri and my people witnessed it because it is not something you can hide; I can’t pretend. And, in those days in Warri you can’t see people stealing, because you must struggle genuinely to survive. Well, I managed to finish school, but I didn’t have the result, because I wasn’t stable in school.

Sometimes, I spend four weeks outside school to work and save money for my school fees; and those days, children were very honest, because if I earned 5 or 10 pounds, I give everything to my father and he will pray for me and he will save it until we are able to get the total amount we need as school fees and

then I will go back to school. So, that was how I managed to finish school. In the midst of this trying period, I lost my mother when I was in class three. I lost my mother 43 years ago. My father died 11 years after my mother’s death.

Getting to work after school

After leaving school, I wrote applications to so many companies and one of the companies was Whessoe Incorporated from Darlington in the UK. The was engaged in the construction of the Warri Refinery, which started in 1976.

The first phase was commissioned in 1978.

There were various phases until we had the petrochemical section. The company I worked for was the major company that built that refinery. I also wrote to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which was the first company to invite me to start work. I started work in the morning and the next day in the evening somebody from Whessoe came to visit me and invited me to their office to work the next day.

I sought the opinion of many of my friends on what to do and most advised me to go to NPA since it was a pensionable job, but I knew I had to discuss it with my father. I did and he told me to go to Whessoe, where I worked for three years and the job ended, which reminded me of what my friends told me. However, one good thing about life is that when you are working you have to be honest and commit yourself to the job because people are watching you and these were British people, who were watching me and I did not know.

When Whessoe completed their work at the

23

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

MEMOIRS How I Met Olu of Warri... Cont’d from Pg. 22 I have pushed truck/cart, sold newspapers, yes, I have been a newspaper vendor, selling Observer newspapers, Daily Times, among others.

I was also working as a tally clerk, doing inventory of what was discharged from ships at the Warri Port. I pushed truck in Warri and my people witnessed it because it is not something you can hide; I can’t pretend Vacation in Milan -L-R:Mrs Agnes Ikpea, Chief Ikpea, Mrs Justina Ikpea, Josephine Ikpea, Treasure Obehi Ikpea and in front is Berthrand Ofure Ikpea refinery; they specialise in tank building, while Snamprogetti, an Italian company was the major contractor building the refinery.Fortunately for Whessoe, they had a project in Forcados for Shell, so they had to draft me to Forcados and after doing the entire job they needed to do for Shell, they relocated from Nigeria. When the overall boss in Whessoe Nigeria, Peter Wagner was to leave, I accompanied him to the airport in Warri, but I never knew this man had written a letter recommending me to Snamprogetti and he did not let me know. At that time, I did not know what to do, because I was training my younger brothers. So, as they announced that Aero Contractor was boarding to Lagos, I told him and as he was walking to the boarding gate, he turned and handed an envelope to me and said Leemon give this to Mr. Sam Poulo in Snamprojetti tomorrow but didn’t tell me the content of the envelope, this was in 1980, and I didn’t open the envelope to check what was inside either. The next morning I went to the office of Snamprojetti inside the refinery and told the receptionist that I needed to see Sam Poulo, the overall boss, but he said I couldn’t if I didn’t have an appointment and advised me to return on Thursday, which was the visiting day. He asked to deliver the letter on my behalf but I refused and I told him Wagner asked me to see Sam Poulo on that day because they may have discussed. As I turned to leave the reception, Sam Poulo and four expatriates came out of his office and I greeted him and he asked if I had a letter for him and I gave it to him. This was divine intervention.

He asked me to follow him and took me to the head of the personnel department and told him I was the one they had been waiting for and told him I was from Whessoe. I was given a position as wages supervisor on the spot. I worked there for eight years and became the personnel manager. Whessoe was building tanks, repairing collapsed tanks because they had the technology, while Snamprojetti built the refinery, the petrochemical plant, also because of their expertise, but Nigerians were the ones doing the job; the expatriates were only supervising and providing equipment; that is where my ‘university’ education came from, because as a personnel manager in those days, I didn’t spend my time sitting in air-conditioned office drinking tea; I went to site, from one section to another to inspect production work and I don’t need to be told, if I know where I am going to, then I need to prepare yesterday. I come from a very poor home, should I remain there forever? When I close from work sometimes, I will go to the primary school where I finished- St. John- I will kneel down there praying and crying, only myself and God. It got to a time Snamprojetti had to wind up in 1988 and only three of us were left at this time. But before they left, they needed to build five tanks but this time they awarded the job to ABB-SOIMI. SOIMI was a company that ABB bought over. When we were about to transit to SOIMI, my boss Mario Betulli called me and asked if I was interested in working with SOIMI and I accepted. He said if I didn’t like the pay at SOIMI, then he would look for another job for me.

When people tell you something like this, you should know that it is not ordinary; how many people get that kind of offer; it is special intervention from God, because as the Bible says, when you work hard, you’re honest, humble yourself, God will exalt you. I don’t want to exaggerate that I am humble or that I’m honest but it is there for everybody to see for themselves and to check for themselves. So, eventually, I joined them and in 1990, I decided to quit because I was getting weak from going to work every day of the week from 7 AM to 6 PM for 14 years without going on leave. I decided to start my company with the contacts I had made on the job. So, I approached my boss, Franco Koroner and told him I would leave on July 1, 1990 and gave them the letter in June. I now established Agbon-Lee Enterprise and we were located at 120 Okumagba Avenue, Warri. A year after, the enterprise transformed into Lee Engineering Construction Limited. Snamprojetti gave me a VW Beetle and some cash but I didn’t have savings because I was training my brothers. My wife didn’t like the fact that I quit my job. But shortly after that, SOIMI wrote to say they wanted to send me off and the ceremony took place at Hotel De Mark, at Effurun and during the party I told them about my life and admonished them to serve their parents and to tell them the truth. After my speech, Koroner then told me I would need to support them still even though not as a staff. So, the put me in charge of all their casual workers- I didn’t beg for it- and I was charging 18 per cent. If the salary for the casual workers is for example a million naira, I will get 18 per cent of that amount for managing them; because there should be no

Chief Ikpea (middle) flanked by his wives on the left and right, Mrs Justina Ikpea and Mrs Agnes Ikpea respectively during a church thanksgiving service

strike, no disturbance and my coming back for that purpose was fantastic. I was not going to work daily as before, and I bought a 40ft container where I started my business from and within a year of leaving the company things improved and I bought a Peugeot 505 and a Mercedes Benz; second hand cars that were very strong. We grew and had to move to a bungalow at Crystal Palace Estate from where we moved to our own property at NPA expressway, occupying about seven acres of land. It is very big and anything you find in Saipem, you will find it there, as well as anything you find in Europe.

It was commissioned in 2012 and our major clients are Shell, NNPC and major IOCs. We moved from supplies to having good electromechanical jobs, including wielding and we were either paid in Naira or in US Dollars. I used the same people who worked with me when I was personnel manager. I am an administrator. I pick up these people, give them good salaries and treat them well, along with their unions. I have about 1,300 workers where we are today. We thank God for the recognition by our immediate community.

I am being honoured by the Olu because of the contributions of Lee Group of Companies in Warri and the impact of our companies in the lives of the ordinary people. 85% of our business is in Warri.

About work ethics

I work hard and I am honest. I was usually the first to get to work and the last to leave the office. I needed to check the books and work being done. I always ensure that I do my job properly. But everything is by the special grace of God. What will help communities grow is for the government to establish some big projects that will trigger economic boom and restiveness will drop drastically because they will be busy; an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. The government should create training programmes, even one programme, take 20 people from each state and this will encourage the youth to behave and position themselves to enable them benefit from the training. It will also serve as morale booster because they will see themselves as being recognised by the government.

This should be done properly and monitored to ensure they are done well.

Change in trend

The trend changed around 1997, during the General Abacha regime, when so many people became aware of things around them and different people started agitating, saying we have oil here with nothing to show for it. Warri ought to be like New York if things were done right, because everybody is sitting on oil and gas. In those days, the youths were very respectful, but they now said it was enough. They felt they needed to tell the world that their people are suffering in the midst of plenty and are being neglected; they want the government to come to their aid. In those days, water ran in public taps, there was constant electricity, but all those utilities stopped to work. In my company, I spend N20 million to N30 million on diesel every month. In all the facilities where we work, we had to put water boreholes and that is what many people do.

Setting up office in Lagos

I left Warri in 1995 to Lagos, but that does not mean I relocated because 85 per cent of my business is still in Warri.

The operational base of my company is in Warri. I had to come to Lagos, because most of the approvals for what we are doing are given from the offices here. For instance, NNPC is here, Mobil, and Shell offices are here. So, for us to grow the company well, we had to get close to them; that is why we are in Lagos.

Future plans

We know a time is coming, maybe not now, when the oil will dry up, so we are thinking of diversifying into other areas like farming and aviation. We have started with water production; very good clean water - our water is one of the best in the country. It is called Tribet A1 Water. We also have retailing business.

The Olu

Long ago, I saw him as a King, because he was very composed, very calm. It was not by accident that he became the Olu; he was very close to his father and the community also loves him.

Philanthropic work

During this time, I concluded that since God has blessed me, I needed to be a blessing to others. My first priority are orphans, children that are passing the same road I took some years ago, because I know what it means when you cannot pay your school fees and when nobody cared for you. Somebody needs to comfort them and I feel that I should be that person. So, I established a foundation in 2012 called Agbonjagwe Leemon Ikpea Foundation (ALIF). As at today, we have 385 students that have passed through us. We are also taking care of widows, old people who do not have people to care for them and they need to eat. So, every month, my foundation gives them allowance, as we are paying our workers’ salaries. We draw up a scheme for the widows for them to have some trade to enable them care for themselves and their children. We train artisans on wielding and electrical works, pipe-fitting and train women in some communities on sewing and hair dressing.

We also assist some people with serious ailments like liver and kidney problems, and even cancer. We sent about 15 people to India but we lost one and the others are still alive today.

One just returned from treatment yesterday. I was honoured with Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (Honoris Causa) by Benson Idahosa University; in 2004, Ambrose Alli University,Ekpoma gave me Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (Honoris Causa) for what we are doing for humanity; we didn’t ask for it but they see what we are doing. Charity begins at home. I never forgot where I came from and from time to time, I always support the aspiration and progress of my people. As a catholic, I support the church and to the glory of God, soon Jesuit University is going to be established in my town, Ewatto.

24

SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016 T H I S D AY

25

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

EXPRESSION

MEDIAGAFFES BY

EBERE WABARA

Corridors of Power

D

AILY Sun of October 17 welcomes us this week with recessionary English: “Recession: Labour union urges FG to fast track (fasttrack) diversification” “Amidst (Amid) widespread criticisms by various

stakeholders….”

“FG to distribute 900m high yielding (highyielding) seedlings to farmers” “…he believes that Awolowo’s tactics does (do) not pay now….” Singular: tactic; plural: tactics; but summons (singular); summonses (plural) NATIONAL MIRROR of July 25 goofed: “FG seeks N921.4bn to complete 925 roads projects” All the Facts, All the Sides: 925 road projects.

“Even Dubai ran into trouble (troubled) waters in 2008-2009 when huge debt (a huge debt) forcibly….”

“The enforcement of that sentence against a teenage mother who had just delivered is certainly regretable.” On the move: regrettable. “…the average journalist usually burns this professional flag, forgets his own humble past once he or she crosses over to the corridor of power.” Saturday People: corridors of power and this: their humble past once they….

“The government wants to dump all the dead stadia or sell them off to those who can breathe the breath of life on (into) them.”

“However, it could be useful to indicate that

our research shows that the fortunes of NEXIM moved comfortably between (from) 1990 to 1992 and….”

“These terminations were made after NEXIM had undertaken screening exercise (must you add ‘exercise’?) both at home and abroad and conducted series (a series) of travels, trainings (training).…”

“Trainings were held yesterday at the sports academy.” Viewpoint: ‘training’ is uncountable.

“Commissioner wants more vigilante groups” Rutam, hello: vigilance groups.

“The article was an insult on the Federal Government, the National Assembly and an affront on the ICPC and its competent and hardworking staff.” Justice in service of community: an affront to (not on) the ICPC. And, of course, an insult to (not on) the FG “For quite sometime (some time) now, the poor and deteriorating condition of public infrastructure….”

“A few weeks ago, there was some news report (a news report) about the involvement of….” “…all the major roads in the Eastern part of the country have become pure death traps and for challenging his (President’s) non-challant attitude and doing anything positive in Igbo land.” Get it right: nonchalant.

“Obama, North Korea Minister hold talks” Foreign Affairs: North Korean Minster. “…there have been series of polemical attacks of (on) the commission and its activities

by an obscure and often fictitious section of the public.” This way: a (take note) series of polemical attacks.

“The president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces also addressed the nation same evening.” Get it right: the same evening.

“INEC apologizes over aborted PDP convention” To live in truth is to serve: apologise for something or to somebody.

“The most impassible (impassable) roads accentuate the usual hectic traffic of motorists, making business transactions in Lagos a herculean task.” “…robbers who held residents and commuters to ransome for hours….” Spell-check: ransom.

“I doff my hat for…” The right mix: I take off or doff my hat to (not for).

“Out of a lawyers’ population estimated at about 20,000, only five females have been opportuned (opportune) to adorn the silk.”

“This is another scintillating edition for the matured (mature) mind.”

“Preponderant of the views aired by the people centre around issues like corruption, unemployment….” Running a true federation: Preponderance…centres….

“Benue assures on abandoned project” Just tell readers who the state assured.

“A recent report on food related (a hyphen) ailments show (shows) that in many parts of the world….”

“Unfortunately, however, I, and many other Nigerians have been infuriated by our

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

servants….” In pursuit of linguistic orderliness: many other Nigerians and I. The concept of the cart and the horse applies to language usage, too.

“But all our future blessing would be achieved through waiting in the Lord.” If you are after God’s heart, you wait on, not in, the Lord.

“Before embarking on the strike action….”

You can as well embark on the ‘strike inaction’!

“It was as though both informants were mischievous people who had an affinity in (for) discrediting the preacher.”

“The vigilante group visited instant judgment on the thief and sent him to the great beyond.” In the name of excellence: vigilance group.

“Sixteen people were killed and two others seriously injured in a ghastly (fatal) accident which occurred along (on) the Bauch-Auchi road on Saturday.” If there were casualties, it follows that it was a fatal, not a ghastly, accident. The mishap did not drag along the road, but occurred at a spot on the road.

“Some of the despotic regimes thrown up in (on) the continent did worse things than was experienced under colonialism.”

“A weekly magazine took a professional risk and charged the speaker for (with) forgery.” “...the same-day election is being proposed by the senate as part of the antidote for….”

This way: antidote to….

Fayose, Philistines and the Oduduwa Spirit

T

here have been early warning signs that the destructive confrontation between nomadic herdsmen versus settlers in parts of Nigeria may snowball into full blown conflagration if not nipped now.And if that is allowed to happen, no part of Nigeria may be spared; and definitely not even the ostrich-like elite class cocooned in the comfort of palatial homes inAbuja, Lagos and other sprawling urban centres.

In the last few weeks, Ekiti State has presented a draping red flag on this matter which the federal authorities appear to be ignoring.

The impression rightly or wrongly is that because it isAyo Fayose, the enfant terrible opposition governor that is involved, the matter can be treated as another noisome episode of bi-partisan politics. Should that be the case, then theAPC-led federal government is sorely missing the point.And that is both pitiable and tragic as it shows a measure of the yawning gap of statesmanship in the highest levels of the land.

But given that something will have to give in any case as every action begets a reaction, it is pertinent for now to highlight some scenes of this macabre drama starring Fulani nomadic herdsmen and settlers in Ekiti State.

OnAugust 29, Fayose signed the Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Bill, 2016 into law, an event which elicited wide-range reviews amongst both admirers and denouncers of the governor’s politics and leadership style. The law basically seeks to regulate the activities of herdsmen and impose a code of relations between them and host communities. In order to give life to the law, the governor promptly inaugurated the Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals (EGEM), a hurriedly clobbered vigilante group mandated to arrest cows found to be invading farms and damaging crops in the state. Since the birth of this quasi-security outfit, several straying cows have been arrested with some of them slaughtered and shared for meat to locals too happy to be provided with miraculous manna from heaven in these times of economic recession. Expectedly, this has not gone down well with the herdsmen. Days ago, their umbrella body, the MiyettiAllah Cattle BreedersAssociation of Nigeria (MACBAN) issued a strongly worded statement with veiled threats of reprisals.

Signed by one Othman Ngelzarma, the group’s spokesman, the statement laid a weighty allegation to wit: “Fayose unleashed the marshals against our members whose herds of cattle had gone to a stream at Agon bridge on Federal Polytechnic Road between the time of 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to quench their thirst on Friday, October 21. The anti-malu vigilante group shot five cows and carted away the meat but the herdsman was able to flee with the rest of his cattle.” Based on that claim, the group in same statement asked Governor Fayose to apologize for the action of his marshals and demanded compensation: “We deplore this act of brigandage and call on Governor Fayose to offer an unreserved apology to MACBAN and equally set machinery in motion with a view to compensating our members who lost five cows in this primitive adventure.”

The statement continued: “As far as we know, Ekiti State is not an island of its own but a state within the Federal Republic of Nigeria and while the governor is permitted to carry out actions geared towards protecting the interest of Ekiti State, such actions should follow the rule of law. That the brutality of the Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals (popularly known as anti-malu) on herdsmen is even outside the time stipulated by that law (if the law exists at all. We are hereby constrained to implore the federal government through its security agencies to wade into this unprovoked and primitive aggression against our members before this macabre incident develops into unquenchable inferno involving our members and Ekiti State Government.” Such statement coming from a group that has been associated with deadly attacks on defenceless and unsuspecting farmers to the scale of what some victims have described as terrorism and pogrom in states like Benue, Plateau, Delta and Kaduna is one that cannot be taken lying low.

It is against this background that Governor Fayose immediately reacted by challenging the people of Ekiti to be vigilant and ready to

PEOPLE2PEOPLE WITH

OKE EPIA Telephone (sms only): 07059850016 Email: resourceman.oke@live.com.

Twitter: @resourceme

Fayose

protect themselves in the event of attack by herdsmen. Hear him; “I am therefore using this opportunity to put Ekiti people, especially residents of border towns in the State on red alert. Ekiti people must be prepared to defend their land against these Philistines whose attributes and characters are extremism, violence, bloodshed and destruction.”

Take note of the use of the word ‘Philistines’ to which I will return shortly. Not one to be cowed into submission even by the sceptre of state might, the governor countered further: “The MiyettiAllah Cattle BreedersAssociation of Nigeria should rather tell its members to comply with this law by seeking from the government designated land for grazing ranch, which the government is always willing to give. Why didn’t MiyettiAllah that is now calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to warn me, the custodian of the mandate of Ekiti people, warn its members when they were killing Nigerians and destroying farmlands?Are their cows more important than human lives? To us in Ekiti, lives of 5,000 cows cannot be equated with those of human beings that are being killed daily by herdsmen across the country. MiyettiAllah Cattle BreedersAssociation of Nigeria should know that cattle farmers are not different from other farmers. If they want to rear cows in Ekiti, they should do so in accordance with the laws of the State.After all, law prohibiting sale and consumption of alcohol was made in Kano State and the law is being enforced while Sharia Law made in some States in the north is also being enforced.” It would be unlike Fayose to end his rabid rejoinder without taking pot-shots at the federal government.

Hear him again: “Four days after this threat was issued against the government and people of Ekiti State by the MiyettiAllah, the federal government is yet to act in any manner that will disabuse the minds of Ekiti people, who believe that the federal government is in support of the threat. The silence of the federal government has no doubt further confirmed the insinuation that there is plot to give tacit support to the herdsmen to invade some border towns and villages in Ekiti State and

cause chaos in the State so as to justify the evil agenda of declaration of a state of emergency on the State. Nigerians should be reminded that in May, this year, MyettiAllah Cattle BreedersAssociation of Nigeria said openly that the reason for the killing of over 1,000 people in Benue State was the killing of over 800 cattle by Tiv youths. In other words, MiyettiAllah boldly told Nigerians that its members (herdsmen) killed over 1,000Agatu people of Benue State because their cows were killed!

Up till today, no one has been arrested for the massacre inAgatu in Benue State and now, Ekiti State and its people are being threatened by this same MyettiAllah Cattle BreedersAssociation of Nigeria, and the federal government has pretended as if nothing was wrong. From the words and antecedents of the MiyattiAllah Cattle BreedersAssociation of Nigeria, it is clear that they have assurance beyond their personal minds from the federal government to kill Nigerians in place of their cows. If not, by now, the man who signed that press statement, threatening the entire people of Ekiti State ought to have been arrested and questioned. Therefore, in view of the above, we wish to tell Nigerians and the entire world that in the event of any invasion of Ekiti State by killer herdsmen, the federal government should be held responsible.

The herdsmen and those urging them on should also be informed that any attack on one Ekiti person is an attack on all Ekitis and we shall not sit back and allow our people to be killed under the guise of cattle rearing. In the event of federal government’s security agencies refusal to secure the lives and properties of Ekiti people, the people will have no option than to defend themselves. Our forefathers did same in the famous Kiriji War and we won’t mind doing the same now! It is strange that the MiyettiAllah Cattle BreedersAssociation of Nigeria kept silent when its members killed two people and injured several others in Oke Ako in Ekiti State. So strange that the same MiyettiAllah that defended the murder of over 1,000Agatu people of Benue State and kept silent when herdsmen killed over 100 people in Enugu State and a traditional ruler was killed in Delta State suddenly found its voice when Ekiti State government decided to curb the murderous activities of its men.’’

The governor cannot completely be blamed for rallying to the defence of Ekiti people who elected him into office. Fayose swore to an oath of office which entails securing the lives of the people and ensuring their welfare. His methods may be blunt, hard-hitting and unacceptable to some but that they are precipitated on a law legally passed by the State House ofAssembly and subsequently assented to calls for a more careful examination and reaction. It is understandable that as those directly affected by the execution of the law, the herdsmen may cry out loud especially if they are convinced about the illegality of the actions of Ekiti State Government. But to arrogantly dismiss the law and insist on doing things their way under the bogus guise of being bona fide citizens of Nigeria also misses the point. Such attitude is offensive to the tenets of federalism which Nigeria purports to practice.

But while the Ekiti governor and the nomadic cattle breeders are threatening to exchange fire for fire, the federal authorities should be doing all it can to prevent an imminent inferno.And it should be seen to be doing so because when the bush starts to burn during harmattan no one can tell how far the raging balls can go. When a governor results to the use of adjectives like ‘Philistines’ to describe fellow citizens of his country, he is evidently appealing to religious sentiments.And Ekiti being a predominantly Christian state, such appeals certainly resonate with the people. Students of the Bible know that the allegory of the Israelites’ battle with the Philistines conveys a derogatory call to arms. Whether made out of altruistic fear for the lives of citizens of his state or in line with his combative persona, the governor has signalled an intention to forcefully challenge the herders’ menace which the federal government has shamefully shied away from confronting.

And coming at a time when Fayose has struck some rapprochement with some South-west political overlords in theAPC, the battle line if eventually drawn may recognize no contours of partisan affiliations. It is then it will be crystal clear that the Oduduwa heritage comes first in the face of persecution.

––Epia, Publisher of OrderPaper.ng is onTwitter @resourceme.

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

auTO

Coscharis Customers to Participate in Jaguar Art of Performance Tour in South Africa Stories by Bennett Oghifo

C

oscharis in association with Jaguar Land Rover SSA is set to send nine guests to the Jaguar Art of Performance tour, in an all-expense-paid trip scheduled from November 19 – 21, 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The guests are a blend of current Jaguar customers, new prospects and conquest customers of the Jaguar brand.

Coscharis Motors owns the exclusive franchise for Jaguar Land Rover sales and service in Nigeria. With iconic showrooms and service centres across the country, it is posed to deliver more personalized sales and service experience while planning to further sustain the brand advantage and positioning in the premium market segment.

A special high note of this event is the track debut of the new Jaguar F-TYPE SVR. This 322km/h supercar is the most powerful Jaguar ever made and the fastest cat on sale today. With a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine producing 423kW and 700Nm, theAll-Wheel Drive F-TYPE SVR can catapult from a standstill to 100km/h in just 3.7 seconds. As the first Jaguar model to emerge from the Special Vehicle Operations division at Jaguar Land Rover, the F-TYPE SVR features additional engineering that allows it to be lighter, faster and sharper.

During the Jaguar Art of Performance Tour, guests will visit a number of cities around South Africa with added opportunity to experience Jaguar’s range of lightweight, aluminium-intensive cars. These include the All-New Jaguar F-PACE – Jaguar’s first-ever SUV – along with the XE, XF and XJ sports sedans, and also the powerful Jaguar F-TYPE

Jaguar FX

sports car.

“Getting into and driving a Jaguar is an experience like none other. They’re luxurious, and thrilling to drive, in a way that seduces the senses,” says Richard Gouverneur, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa. “We want drivers from all corners of the country to have an unforgettable encounter in a Jaguar and see first-hand why

our cars represent the Art of Performance.”

Those participating in the Art of Performance Tour will be able to drive Jaguar cars on normal roads as well as the race track, with professional guidance from Jaguar Experience driving instructors.

According to Josiah Samuel, the Group Managing Director of Coscharis, “while we intend for all our customers and prospects

who are interested to participate, we can only send a few at this time but with future plans to involve others in this continuous opportunity to experience the Jaguar Land Rover brands.”

“We have always invested in our customers enjoying privileged experiences of our Jaguar Land Rover brands through our local ride and drive events and bespoke driving and riding experiences in South Africa.”

Lexus Expands Luxury RX SUVLine

L

exus has expanded its luxury RX midsize SUV line with the addition of F Sport and Sports Luxury variants of the turbo model.

The move aligns the RX turbo offerings with the V6-powered RX 350 and the hybrid RX 450h, which already offer F Sport and Sports Luxury variants in addition to the Luxury grade.

Equipment levels for each variant are identical across the range with the F Sport turbo model featuring a host of styling and technical features that distinguish it as the most focused sporting option. The Sports Luxury turbo model offers even more sumptuous interior appointments that befit its flagship status.

The expansion of the RX line to nine models coincides with the arrival of a Cobalt Blue exterior paint shade, which is available exclusively for F Sport variants.

LexusAustralia chief executive Peter McGregor said the new performance-focused and upperluxury turbo variants would provide appealing new options for luxury buyers.

“The expanded RX line, with its focus on style, technology, equipment and safety, broadens our offering with progressive new models in this important and dynamic segment,” Mr McGregor said. Every Lexus RX offers a high level of standard specification. The Luxury grade is equipped with LED headlamps, daytime running lamps and fog lamps. Also standard are 20-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, heated and ventilated front

seats with 10-way power adjustment and driver memory function, 8-inch display screen with satellitenavigation#andLexusInform^connected mobility, 12-speaker audio with digital (DAB+) radio**, keyless smart entry and ignition, wireless phone charger, power rear door, automatic rain-sensing wipers and front clearance and rear parking sensors.

The standard Lexus Safety System+ includes a pre-collision safety system with Autonomous Emergency Braking, radar-sensing all-speed active cruise control, lane-keep assist and automatic high beam”. All models are also fitted with 10 airbags, reversing camera with back-guide monitor, blind spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert.

The F Sport model gains sports front seats and pedals, sports-tuned adaptive variable suspension, sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, sports grille and bumpers, unique alloy wheels, 12.3-inch display screen, 15-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, colour head-up display, smart key card, rear passenger door sunshade and aluminium film ornamentation.

Other F Sport features include Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management system, a panoramic view monitor and LED “high” headlamps with adaptive high-beam system, LED rear combination lamps and sequential LED front and rear indicators.

At the top of the RX line, the Sports Luxury grade has unique alloy wheels with titaniumcoloured inserts, 14-way power-adjustable luxury front seats with driver and passenger

2016 Lexus RX 350

memory function, power-folding and heated rear seats, leather and woodgrain steering wheel and laser-cut aluminium wood ornamentation.

The front-drive Lexus RX 200t is powered by a two-litre turbocharged engine delivering 175kW of power at 4800-5600rpm and 350Nm of torque at 1650-4000rpm. Featuring a fuel-saving stop and start system and an intelligent six-speed automatic transmission, its fuel economy is rated

at 8.1 litres/100km##.

RX 350 features a high-output 3.5-litre V6 with direct injection that develops 221kW and 370Nm and drives all four wheels via an eight-speed transmission. The all-wheel-drive RX 450h hybrid combinesahigh-efficiencyAtkinsonCycleversion of the V6 engine with an electric motor to deliver combined system power of 230kW through a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Nissan CEO Ghosn to Showcase Tech Might at CES 2017

N

issan has announced it will make its debut at next year’s CES® 2017 scheduled to hold in Las Vegas.

CES® is global consumer electronics and consumer technology tradeshow that takes place every January in Las Vegas Nevada.

Nissan Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn will at the tradeshow deliver a keynote on January 5, 2017 at Westgate Theatre in Las Vegas.

During his keynote, Ghosn will provide

insights on how Nissan Intelligent Mobility is enabling the organisation realise its vision of the future. He will also announce several technology advancements and partnerships that will benefit consumers.

“I’m pleased that Nissan will be taking the CES stage at this moment of significant change and opportunity for the automotive sector. Nissan has a history of developing breakthrough technologies that have transformed how cars are powered, driven, and integrated with wider

society. We look forward to presenting our vision on how the technologies of today are the building blocks for a future with zero emission vehicles and zero fatalities on the road,” said Carlos Ghosn Nissan Chairman and CEO. Of late Nissan have made various strides in the automotive sector in terms of utilising technology to enhance consumer experiences.

These strides have led to Nissan’s focus on improving autonomous driving and Nissan Intelligent Mobility. Nissan Intelligent Mobility

encompasses three core areas of innovation that inspire how Nissan cars are powered, driven, and integrated into society: Nissan Intelligent driving gives customers more confidence through increased safety, control, and comfort for everyone on board. Similarly, Nissan Intelligent Power makes driving more exciting by making it cleaner and more efficient; And Nissan Intelligent Technology keeps customers more connected by conveniently linking Nissan cars to the wider society.

27

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

auTO SAFE DRIVING

JONAS AGWU

with

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

Still on Blind Driving

Peugeot 3008

Peugeot 3008 unveiled at Paris Motor Show Stories by Bennett Oghifo

P

eugeot 3008, which was earlier launched as an MPV, made its debut at the Paris motor show in October as a full blown Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). By the first look, the car looks great with a raised ride height, long bonnet body cladding and roof bars.

All these constitute that the car is more practical than before.

To add some style quotient to

3008 there is a wide grille, LED lights, sculpted bonnet and a floating roof line. The car also comeswith18-inchwheelsgiving the car a muscular look.

The interior of Peugeot 3008 looks like a futuristic design with Peugeot’s latest i-Cockpit design. The new cockpit is easily accessible by Driver as well as the passenger. There is an 8-inch high-resolution screen compatible with both Android auto and Apple Car-Play.

The 12.3 inches centre screen can

also be used as sat-nav, media info and conventional dials. It is not like that this is the first in segment what makes this interior different is how everything compliments each other.

Peugeot 3008 will be available in a series of engines in both petrol and diesel variants. In petrol variant, there is 2 engine option 1.2-litre PureTech and 1.6-litre unit. 1.2-litre unit produces around 128bhp of power and is available in both six-speed manual and automatic gearbox.

1.6-litre produces 163bhp of power and it is only available in the automatic gearbox.

The 1.6-litre diesel variant produces 99bhp and 118bhp and it is available in both manual six-speed and automatic gearbox.

There is also a 2.0-litre engine variant which produces 148bhp and 178bhp. Both of these engines are available in both manual and automatic gearbox.

Since 3008 is now targeted as an SUV, it is equipped with grip control.

Toyota Invests in Future of Landcruiser

T

oyotahassignificantly re-engineered its topselling LandCruiser 70 Series single cabchassis to achieve the maximum five-star ANCAPsafety rating as part of a comprehensiveacross-the-range upgrade.

Single cab-chassis variants benefit from a frame that is larger and stiffer, additional airbags, revised body panels, new front seats and a raft of other changes that improve its safety performance.

All 70 Series variants receive a full electronic safety package of vehicle stability control (VSC), active traction control (A-TRC), hill-start assist control (HAC), brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution in addition to the existing anti-skid brakes.

Other major improvements to the LandCruiser 70 Series include engine upgrades that have reduced fuel consumption by up to 10.1 per cent* while resulting in improved responsiveness, more relaxed driving and lower emissions.

The high-torque 4.5-litre turbodiesel V8 engine has gained a diesel particulate filter and piezo-electric injectors while the five-speed manual transmission’s gearing is taller in second and fifth gears. Cruise control is new to the standard equipment list.

Additional upgrades to the WorkMate grade include replacing split-rim steel wheels with a wider single-piece 16-inch design, matched for the first time to tubeless tyres.

Toyota’s Australian engineers, supported by colleagues from Toyota in Japan, conducted extensive local development and evaluation over the past five years, including recalibrating the suspension to match the new frame.

LandCruiser 70 Series was subjected to more than 100,000km of extreme local testing, 70 per cent of which was conducted off-road, including in some of the harshest conditions in the country.

The sweeping engineering and manufacturing advances

for LandCruiser 70 Series have resulted in modest price rises.

Single cab-chassis variants, which receive the most widespread updates, have had their listed retail prices rise by $5,500# while the price rise for the double cab-chassis, wagon and troop carrier has been limited to $3,000, or 4.5 to 5.2 per cent.

Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said the comprehensive updates were specifically designed and engineered to meet the varied demands of business and private buyers.

“These extensive engineering and specification updates guarantee the future for the LandCruiser 70 Series and its unrivalled combination of reliability, towing, payload and off-road ability,” Mr Cramb said.

“For more than 30 years, miners, farmers,governmentsandmany otherusershaveturnedtothegoanywhere 70 Series to traverse the most inhospitable terrain and complete the toughest jobs.

“Toyota Australia was determined to return their loyalty and,

with the support of our parent company, devoted significant resources to ensure we and our dealers could continue to meet demand. The only alternative was to walk away from this model - and that was not an option.”

Mr Cramb saidAustralians had bought more than a quarter of a million of these rugged workhorse vehicles - or almost one in five of the total number sold around the world.

“Such is the popularity of the 70 Series, Australian customers continue to buy around 8,000 a year come rain, hail or shine,” Mr Cramb said.

The single cab’s new frame is bigger and stronger with greater torsional rigidity due to thicker side rails and seven cross-members, including one that is new and three that have been re-engineered.

In addition to improving safety, the new frame reduces noise, vibrationandharshnessandcontributes to improved handling and stability without affecting ride comfort.

2 Brands to Sell Diesel Vehicles in 2017

O

nly two brands have been given the green light to sell diesel vehicles in the U.S. for the 2017

model year.

As of right now Jaguar is the only brand selling 2017 diesels in the U.S., though BMW has been given the all clear to sell its 2017 diesels from the Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) and the California Air Resources Boards (CARB).

Heightened scrutiny of diesel emissions has been the name of the game ever since Volkswagen was caught cheating on diesel emissions tests. As would be expected, VW hasn’t been cleared yet to sell its diesels in the U.S. for 2017, including models from Audi and Porsche.

The EPA’s new testing process has been kept mostly secret from

the public and the automakers, with the agency simply saying that the new tests are unpredictable and will take longer.

GM is waiting on certification for the 2017 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon diesels, while FCA is being held back from selling its 2017 Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine.

Mercedes-Benz has four different diesel models on hold

and has even decided not to offer the 2017 C-Class with a diesel like it originally claimed it would.

At BMW, diesel production was delayed until certification came through, so the brand says that its 3-Series and X3 diesel models will hit dealers before the end of the year while the X5 diesel will be here in January.

[Source: Automotive News]

L

astweek,Itoldyou of the frightening findings of our free eye screening test conducted in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. If you are a regular commuter or a driver, then you should take keen interestinthesefindingsasthereports from Uyo, theAkwa Ibom State Capital, Calabar the Cross-River State capital and Yenogoa, the Bayelsa Capital paints similar picture. The report from these three states shows that about total of 158persons.were screened.Afurther breakdown shows that cases of glaucoma, cataract,myopia,hyperopiawere prevalent just like the case was in Rivers as reported in last week’s piece.

While I have my worry on the health status of some of our supposedexperienceddriversas revealed by this one day screening exercise which was held in justoneparkinthevariousStates capital,Iwonderwhattheresults would look like, should the free eye screening test be conducted across all the major parks in the States capital, in addition to parks outside the state capital.

I am equally worried that the present recession would have its toll on the accessibilities of these screening and test ability of these drivers to afford medical care to correct checks.

What gladdens my heart though is the yet to formalize agreement between the Federal Road Safety Corps in Port Harcourt, the Association and the Rivers State Commissioner of Health to partner on a sustained collaboration that should see a shift from just giving out reading glasses to providing corrected glasses which is what a handful of these drivers require.

Thiswillnodoubtcompliment the second phase of our HealthIn Motion, in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, which hopefully will be held in 2017.Through such partnerships,Iamconfidentthat we can collectively provide succour to drivers who because of the economic situation cannot afford the cost for these screenings and the treatment Driving with poor eyesight I must state is illegal. Driving with impaired vision which does not meet the standards set is careless anddangerous.Itisasdangerous as drink driving. Countries the world over are very strict with impaired driving. Adriver risk invalidating his insurance, a fine and even risk imprisonment if arrested for driving blind. In the United Kingdom(UK) for instance, if the police suspect you are driving with poor vision, they can stop you and perform a road side eye test. This test involves a visual acuity test, where the officer will ask you to read a number plate from 20 metres away. If you are caught

driving while your vision does not meet the standard or if you have been specifically advised that it is likely to fall below it (Road TrafficAct 1991) the maximum penalty for driving with defective sight is £1000, three penalty points or a discretionary disqualification.InthesameUK, if you are driving a vehicle and you do not meet the standards of vision for driving and you are involved in an accident, your insurance is invalid and you can be imprisoned for 14 years if you cause death due to dangerous driving and five years for death due to careless driving.

In the case of the Republic of Ireland, a driver could be fined up to €1,500 and receive five penalty points or even be disqualified. His vehicle can be impounded if he is disqualified while his driving licence will not be returned until the driver can demonstrate that his eyesight meets the standard vision for driving. I wish we had the space to look at what obtains in other climes such as Canada and even the United States of America.

I am however constrained by space to stick by the two examples cited and look at recent research on blind driving.Theseresearchesrevealsthat motorists who need glasses or contact lenses but don’t wear them whilst driving, increase their chance of an accident four-fold.

One of such researches conducted in the UK says that one ‘’in six (16 per cent) drivers has had an accident in the past two years but these increases to 67 per cent for those who need glasses or contacts but don’t always wear them. The study from Direct Line Car Insurance in the UK further reveals that 13.3 million motorists are risking their lives and the lives of other road users by driving with poor eyesight because of not wearing their glasses or contact lenses with a fifth (21 per cent) of respondents saying they always drive without them. More than a third (37 per cent) of motorists claim they haven’t had a vision testinthepasttwoyearsormore, despite good eyesight being a basic requirement of safe driving.’’ I am sure that if a similar research is conducted in Nigeria by our Insurance companies who should take interest in the sight of drivers, the finding will be outstanding because of the level of lack among these drivers who see driving as a stop gap vocation The same study highlights that it’s the short journeys to the doctors or supermarket where motorists are taking the most risks by driving with bad eyesight.It says that, ‘’within the last year, 26 per cent of motorists have driven short distance without their glasses or contact lenses, compared to 15 per cent who didn’t wear them on a long distance journey.

28

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OctOber 29, 2016

FAMILY HEALTH with

That Eczema On Your Skin

I

BOBO BODE -KAYODE

lifeissuesfromwithin@yahoo.com, .Cel, 08053372356

t is possible to have an even skin tone, with no blemish or spot at all. But this not the case as most people have their skin tarnished by various skin reactions, and one of the most common is eczema.

Eczema is an inflammation of the skin characterized by reddening, swelling, bumps and crusting, followed by thickening and scaling. It is also referred to as dermatitis. It refers to a chronic inflammatory skin condition, characterized by dry skin, with patches that are red and intensely itchy. These patches of eczema may ooze, become scaly, crusted, or hardened.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and the condition can negatively impact quality of life. Eczema can occur anywhere on the skin and is commonly found on the flexors (bends of the arms, backs of the knees). There are many types of eczema, with the most common one being atopic dermatitis. Atopy refers to a hereditary tendency toward eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis (hay fever). People with eczema may suffer with one of the other atopic diseases.

Eczema affects millions of people, and most of them are infants and children. Ten percent to 20 percent of all infants have eczema, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, nearly half outgrow the condition. It usually appears in children between 6 months and 5 years old, according to the National Eczema Association. Rashes usually begin on the face, scalp, hands and feet. The problem can last throughout childhood and into adulthood.

Symptoms and Causes The exact cause of eczema is unknown, however, there are genetic, immunological and environmental factors that play a role. Eczema can come and go, and can migrate around the body; just as one patch clears up, another may develop. This is the chronic nature of the disease.

When the skin cycles back to inflammation, the patient is experiencing a flare-up. Doctors do not know the exact cause of eczema. The current thinking is that it is triggered by a combination of factors, including genetics. People are more at risk of developing eczema if they have relatives with eczema, asthma, or seasonal allergies.

Environmental factors: are also known to bring out the symptoms of eczema. These include: Irritants: soaps, detergents, shampoos, disinfectants, juices from fresh fruits, meats or vegetables Allergens: dust mites, pets, pollens, mold, dandruff Microbes: bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, viruses, certain fungi Hot and cold temperatures: hot weather, high and low humidity, perspiration from exercise Foods: dairy products, eggs, nuts and seeds, soy products, wheat Stress: it is not a cause of eczema but can make symptoms worse Hormones: women can experience worsening of eczema symptoms at times when their hormone levels are changing, for example during pregnancy and at certain points in their menstrual cycle.

Environmental factors, such as low humidity, can make the skin dry and itchy. Contact with harsh soaps, chemicals, perfumes and skin care products that contain fragrance or alcohol may irritate the skin, as will some fabrics, such as wool, and tight clothing.

Symptoms Dry, sensitive skin Red, inflamed skin Intense itching Scaly areas Recurring rash Oozing and crusting Rough, leathery patches Swelling Dark-colored patches of skin Symptoms can flare or worsen when exposed to specific triggers, such as:

The exact cause of eczema is unknown, however, there are genetic, immunological and environmental factors that play a role. Eczema can come and go, and can migrate around the body; just as one patch clears up, another may develop.

This is the chronic nature of the disease. When the skin cycles back to inflammation, the patient is experiencing a flare-up. Doctors do not know the exact cause of eczema. The current thinking is that it is triggered by a combination of factors, including genetics. People are more at risk of developing eczema if they have relatives with eczema, asthma, or seasonal allergies

Allergens, including pollen, pet hair, dander, mold and foods such as eggs, wheat, nuts and dairy products. Skin irritants, including perfumes, harsh soaps, chemicals, alcohol-containing skin products, wool or tight clothing, Water, especially hot baths, Colds or flu, Climate conditions such as heat and low or high humidity, Stress .

Types of eczema There are many different types of eczema.The most common type is the Atopic dermatitis. : • Allergic contact eczema (dermatitis) - a reaction where the skin has come into contact with a substance that the immune system recognizes as foreign • Contact eczema - a localized reaction where the skin has come into contact with an allergen • Dyshidriotic eczema - irritation of skin on palms of hands and soles of feet, characterized by blisters • Neurodermatitis - scaly patches of skin on head, forearms, wrists, lower legs caused by localized itch such as an insect bite • Nummular eczema - circular patches of irritated skin that can be crusted, scaling and itchy • Seborrheic eczema - oily, scaly yellowish patches of skin, usually on scalp and face • Stasis dermatitis - skin irritation on lower legs, usually related to circulatory problems.

Tests and diagnosis There is no single test that is used in order to diagnose eczema.

Allergy testing Skin allergy testing is often carried out when investigating potential eczema cases.

The doctor may need to see a patient multiple times in order to make an accurate diagnosis. This is because people with eczema experience very individual combinations of symptoms, which tend to fluctuate in severity over time. Diagnosis is based primarily on the patient’s symptoms, but medical history is also important. A doctor will often ask about a patient’s family history, other atopic diseases such as asthma and hay fever, possible exposure to irritants, whether any foods are related to flare-ups, sleep disturbances, past treatment for skin symptoms and the use of steroids or other medications.

A doctor may refer a patient onto either an allergist or dermatologist for further evaluation.

They may also attempt to rule out other condi-

tions that can cause skin irritations. This can involve the following tests: Patch testing: substances are placed onto the surface of the skin to test for skin allergies Skin prick testing: a needle containing a small amount of a suspected allergen pricks the skin to test for allergies that do not necessarily occur on the skin, such as pollen or food Supervised food challenges: foods are eliminated and then introduced into the diet to determine whether a food allergy is present.

Coping tips Avoiding triggers and minimizing scratching go a long way toward coping with eczema. Effective home care can include: Applying cold compresses to reduce severe itching Cutting children’s fingernails short to curtail scratching Taking shorter baths or showers Wearing gloves for jobs that require putting hands in water Drinking eight glasses of water a day to keep skin moist Taking regular warm baths Applying moisturizer within 3 min of bathing to “lock in” moisture Moisturizing every day Wearing cotton and soft fabrics, avoiding rough, scratchy fibers and tight-fitting clothing Using mild soap or a non-soap cleanser when washing Air drying or gently patting skin dry with a towel, rather than rubbing skin dry after bathing Avoiding rapid changes of temperature and activities that make you sweat (where possible) Learning individual eczema triggers and avoiding them Using a humidifier in dry or cold weather Keeping fingernails short to prevent scratching from breaking skin.

Treatment This mostly involves treating the symptoms , to alleviate the discomfort. These include the use of corticosteroid creams, medications to control viral, bacterial and fungal infections, phototherapy, repair moisturizers, antihistamine.

Even though the condition itself is not presently curable, there should be a particular treatment plan to suit each case. Even after an area of skin has healed it is important to keep looking after it, as it may easily become irritated again.

GLOBAL SOCCER

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • JUNE 16, 2011

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

Emmanuel Amuneke

29.10.2016

Playing for Barcelona was Special

NO LONGER AT EASE PAGE. 29

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

GLOBAL SOCCER

Playing for Barcelona was Special

Amuneke

His goals were always crucial and had given Nigeria victory on a number of occasions. From the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, to the Afro-Asian Cup at the National Stadium in 1998 and many others. Kunle Adewale cornered Emmanuel Amuneke in Lagos; he opened up on his career and much more

M

any soccer fans were bemused that dare devil winger, Emmanuel Amuneke was kept on the bench by Dutch tactician, Clemence Westerhof for almost the entire duration of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. But in the final game against a stubborn Zambian side, the former Julius Berger of Lagos player was introduced and he scored the two goals that secured Nigeria's second Nations Cup victory after winning an earlier one in 1980 on home ground.

"No player worth his salt likes to warm the bench but I'm the kind of person that respects coaches' decisions. Even when such decisions are against my desire, I still abide by it. I must confess I was not really

pleased that I was not featured in most of the matches of the Nations Cup in Tunisia, especially when I knew within me that I deserve a place in the team but the coach has the last say. And I was very glad that when I was eventually featured in the last game, I was able to prove a point not only to the coach but to the watching world," he noted.

Amuneke, who played for the defunct Concord FC and Julius Berger, both of Lagos, like most Nigerian football enthusiasts, is not happy with the present state of Nigeria football and passed the bulk of the blame to the state of the Nigerian league.

"In as much as I believe football changes from generation to generation, but the fact remains that the state of our league is taking its toll on the national team.

Players no longer play for a long time on the home front before traveling out of the country in search of greener pastures, unlike in our days when we are already fans' favourite after featuring in the local scene for years before traveling abroad to further our career. It is painful that Nigeria can no longer get a place in the Nations Cup final.�

Against the backdrop of calls in some quarters that new Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rorh, should inject an appreciable numbers of home-based players into the national team, the former Nigerian international has a different opinion.

"The team still needs the services of the foreign professionals.

If the coach should feature a good number of home-based players and fail to get the desired result,

I am glad to have been part of the great club in my active days in football, but the present generation is far better than my era when the likes of Guardiola, Ronaldo de Lima, Patrick Kluivert and Rivaldo were the star players of the side.

When you look at this present generation, their mental speed is very high and gives them the ability to read their surroundings and make accurate passes on the field

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OCTOBER 29, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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Amuneke out-spaces an opponent

he would be heavily criticised for excluding the professionals.

Though, it is a good move to restoring the confidence of the local players, it is going to take a lot of time and exposure to meet up with the challenges. He still needs the experiences of those foreign-based players that are willing to give their best, not only putting on the national jerseys. The coach should even reach out to Nigerians that are playing in some second division teams in Europe and are eager to play for the national team. Our options should not be limited to some categories of players," the former Barcelona of Spain player said.

Speaking on the dominance of Barcelona, which he once played for, Amuneke attributed high 'mental speed' of the players of the team as the main reason behind their dominance in club football till today. Amuneke, who played for the Spanish giant, when former coach of the team, Pep Guardiola was the captain, disclosed that the club would still dominate for a long time.

"I am glad to have been part of the great club in my active days in football, but the present generation is far better than my era when the likes of Guardiola, Ronaldo de Lima, Patrick Kluivert and Rivaldo were the star players of the side.

"When you look at this present

generation, their mental speed is very high and gives them the ability to read their surroundings and make accurate passes on the field. When a group of players play cohesively and have field vision far greater than other teams, there is no doubt that they will be a terror to other competitors.

"In my era, we had a collection of talented star players and played good football as well but today these lads are ready to dominate with their accurate passes. If you press forward, you leave your rear exposed and they’ll dominate you greatly. It's really a complex situation," Amuneke explained.

The former African Footballer of the Year, who moved to Spanish giants FC Barcelona in 1996 for a fee of $3.6 million had his career at top flight was cut short after he suffered a serious knee injury which in the process denied him a regular place in the Catalans team and also deprived him of a second consecutive World Cup with the Super Eagles. Amuneke never fully recovered from his injury and was released by Barca play for Spainish second division side, Albacete, Busan l'Cons of South Korea and Al-Wahdat SC of Jordan before retiring from football at the age of 33. He also spent some time as an assistant coach at Saudi Premier League, side Al-Hazm, but left the club to become a scout for Manchester United of England.

"It was very painful that the knee injury came at the time it came, especially after moving to one of the best clubs in the world and already had a wonderful season with them. It was a moment of despair in my footballing career having to watch my colleagues in the national team play in France 1998. After our impressive outing at the '94 Mundial, most of us had moved to big clubs in Europe, played alongside the best players in the world and were really looking forward to the France 1998 World Cup. Unfortunately, injury denied me of my dream but I took solace in God like I always do in every situation I find myself," he said.

Asked what really was wrong with team in their second round match against Denmark at Frnace ‘98 and if he would have made any difference if he were there, he said: "The team started very well winning their opening game against favourite, Spain, which was the kind of spirit needed to do well at that level of the competition, but I can't really say what went wrong in the match against Denmark because I was not there.

But, probably, the team underrated the Danes because everybody was already talking about the clash with Brazil in the quarter finals.

Maybe that affected them against Denmark. In football, it is one after the other; you don't look beyond

your immediate match. You win the first game before the second and that is one lesson we have to learn," he said.

Speaking further, the two goals hero at USA ’94 said: "After being voted as the second most entertaining team in the '94 Mundial and winning the Atlanta Olympics in a spectacular fashion, defeating football giants-Brazil and Argentina in the process, Nigeria cannot pretend to be minors in football any longer. Therefore, we were the team to beat and we paid the price.

Getting to the top is easier than staying at the top. After the Atlanta feat, the Nigerian team was like golden fish which has no hiding place."

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

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

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No longer at ease for Pep Guardeola at the Etihad

Under-pressureGuardiolaTakesSearchfor FirstWininSeven GamestoTheHawthorns After a fantastic start in his Manchester City campaign-winning his first 10 matches in all competitions, things had taken a downturn for Pep Guardiola as he is yet to record a win in his last six games. On Wednesday, Guardiola’s men were ousted out of the EFL by bitter rivals-Manchester United, thereby putting a lot of pressure on the Spaniard as the Citizens visit The Hawthorns against West Brom today in a game City must come out with the three maximum points to retain their top spot on the Premier League log

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uardiola is mired in the worst run of his managerial career but is confident the Premier League leaders have the quality to bring an end to, and avoid a repeat of, their current six-game winless streak as Manchester City visit West Bromwich Albion today.

City started the season by winning their first 10 games in all competitions but the momentum has stalled in recent weeks and Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Manchester United marked their sixth straight game without a victory.

"We will improve. Sometimes it happens in football that the managers don't win," Guardiola told British media, adding that he had never been through such a run as a manager.

It is the first time ... and hopefully it does not happen again. But it is part of our profession; sometimes you win and sometimes lose. I have learned in all the 16 games. Every team has streaks of good results and bad results. The strange thing is after seven years as a manager, it happens now."

City have seen their lead at the top of the Premier League evaporate and are ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool only on goal difference.

Few months after dueling for the Premier League title, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City have yet to rediscover last season's killer consistency and both have a point to prove in

today's clash at White Hart Lane.

With Leicester flailing in mid table, having won three of their opening nine games, and Spurs having drawn their last two league encounters, both will crave a morale-boosting victory in north London.

For Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs, who sit fifth in the table but just one point off the summit, victory will refuel a title challenge that has stuttered with draws to West Bromwich Albion and Bournemouth in their last two league matches. A defeat to Liverpool, albeit with a much-changed side, in the League Cup fourth round on Tuesday, left them without a win since the start of the month when their title credentials looked rock solid after a 2-0 home victory over Manchester City.

For Claudio Ranieri's champions, today's encounter will give them an opportunity to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since April and fire up a title defence that has looked forlorn in the opening months of the season.

Heavy defeats to Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, added to a narrow opening-day loss to Hull City, have left them nine points off the pace and looking a shadow of the side that relentlessly pursued wins against the odds last season.

When the two sides last met in league at White Hart Lane in January, Leicester's 1-0 vic-

tory, courtesy of Robert Huth's late header, was seen as a sign that Ranieri's side had the mettle and stomach for a title challenge.

Having lost all four of their away league games this season, another defeat would be taken as further proof of their demise since they lifted the trophy in May. With only one point separating the top five teams, a number of sides will have their eye on climbing to the summit over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Sunderland host Arsenal in search of an unlikely first win of the season having made the worst start to a Premier League season by any team this century, losing seven of their first nine games.

And they haven't beaten Arsenal in the league since November 2009 when Darren Bent scored the only goal of the game.

The Gunners are in scintillating form right now and will look to pile further misery on David Moyes and his struggling Sunderland team.

Arsene Wenger’s side are second in the league table, level on points with leaders Manchester City. Considering City’s form right now, a big win for the Londoners could well send them to the top of the table.

The away side will be delighted with the return of Ramsey and Coquelin. However, the absence of Cazorla and Xhaka could

hurt them against a defensive team like Sunderland. Defensively, Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker‘s absence is also a blow.

Danny Welbeck and Akpom are injured and will miss out as well.

On Sunday, Southampton host Chelsea in what is arguably the match of the weekend in the Premier League. The Saints are in very good form right now and will look to halt Antonio Conte‘s Chelsea side. The home team are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games and have defended exceptionally well in their last few matches.

Claude Puel‘s side are very well organised and will be hard to break down. They have done quite well at home as well and are undefeated in their last nine games.

Southampton held on to secure a 1-1 draw in their last outing against Manchester City and will be happy with a similar result against the Blues this weekend. They are unbeaten in three of their last four meetings against the London giants and will fancy their chances here.

Meanwhile, Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho shrugged off a mini-crisis with Wednesday's victory and will now look to win his first league match in four and rebound from last weekend's dismal 4-0 defeat at Chelsea when they host Burnley today.

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Madrid Hope to Extend Lead Concern over Ronaldo as goal drought persists Deportivo Alaves will host Real Madrid in one of the La Liga matches as the league leader look to extend its lead at the top of the table, but all eyes will be on the Los Blancos talisman- Cristiano Ronaldo, as scoring slump continues

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thletic Bilbao was the last team Real Madrid faced in the league, and the Madrid side won that game, thanks to a late goal from Alvaro Morata. The game was far from easy for Los Blancos, as it struggled to find a way through a resolute Athletic defense.

In that game, Karim Benzema scored the opening for Real in the 7th minute, but around the half-hour mark, Merino Zuloaga netted a wonderful team goal to bring parity in the scoreline.

Real was looking for inspiration towards the talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Portuguese star was well below his best on the night and could not inject life into the flat Real attack. But just seven minutes from the normal time, Alvaro Morata, who, despite coming as a substitute, sent Gareth Bale’s cross into the back of the net and won the game for his side.

Zinedine Zidane’s team has struggled heavily this season, and the Frenchman soon had to figure out the solutions for the difficulties of his team if Real Madrid wants to challenge for major honors this season.

However, the Spanish league is off to a tight race atop the standings, with five teams separated by only three points. Yet, most of the talk entering the weekend is about whether Ronaldo will end his scoring slump.

Real Madrid leads the league ahead of its match at Alaves today, but no thanks to Ronaldo's recent performances. The forward is enduring his worst start to a season since joining Madrid in 2009, having scored only four goals in nine matches. ''When you're used to scoring almost 70 goals a season, it's almost like an addiction for goals,'' Madrid reserve forward Alvaro Morata said. ''For us, he is the most important player in the team and I hope that he scores lots of goals, but he is not a machine.

He is a human being. Even if he comes from another planet and is different, he also has the right to miss.''

Ronaldo also scored five goals in two games with Portugal, against Andorra and the Faeroe Islands in World Cup qualifying, but that's no reprieve to the demanding

Madrid fans.

He was jeered by the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium after another disappointing performance in a 2-1 win against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. ''The fans demand a lot of players,'' Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. ''The Bernabeu is special and we know it.

Cristiano knows it and he is used to it. The important thing is to continue with our work.''

Ronaldo has scored only two goals in the Spanish league - in a 5-2 win against Osasuna in September and a 6-1 rout at Real Betis two weeks ago. He also scored two goals in the Champions League, one in a 2-2 draw at Borussia Dortmund and one in a 2-1 win over Sporting Lisbon, when his free-kick goal started a late rally. ''Of course he wants to score more,'' Madrid defender Marcelo said. ''He is a player who helps a lot and not only with goals, also with his work on the pitch.''

The game against Osasuna was the first of the season for Ronaldo. He hadn't played since injuring his left knee in the final of the European Championship, which Portugal won. Ronaldo seems fit and has had plenty of scoring chances, but has not been able to capitalise on them - including on some he usually converts. Zidane says he is not worried and that it's just a matter of time before he starts finding the net again.

The 31-year-old was among the Madrid players rested in the team's 7-1 win over Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. He is set to return to the lineup on Saturday, when Zidane's team tries to defend its Spanish league lead against promoted Alaves.

Sevilla, one point behind Madrid, plays at Sporting Gijon today, while third-place Barcelona hosts last-place Granada in its 1,500th game at the Camp Nou. Contrary to Ronaldo, Barcelona's Lionel Messi is enjoying one of the best starts of his career with 14 goals in 11 matches. He has more goals than Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema combined.

Fourth-place Villarreal plays at Eibar on Sunday, and fifth-place Atletico Madrid, which led the league entering the last round, hosts Malaga today.

Premier League Man City Arsenal Liverpool Chelsea Tottenham Everton Man Utd Southampton Watford Bournemouth Crystal Palace Leicester West Brom Burnley West Ham Stoke Middlesbrough Hull Swansea Sunderland

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

11 10 9 10 9 5 1 3 0 0 0 -4 0 -5 -7 -7 -4 -14 -7 -10

20 20 20 19 19 15 14 13 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 9 7 7 5 2

Premiership v v v v v v v

Arsenal Burnley Bournemouth Leicester Hull Man City Liverpool

12:30 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 15:00 17:30

SUNDAY Everton Southampton

v v

West Ham Chelsea

13:30 16:00

MONDAY v

Seria A

Juventus Roma Milan Napoli Torino Lazio Genoa Chievo Atalanta Sassuolo Cagliari Fiorentina Bologna Inter Sampdoria Udinese Pescara Empoli Palermo Crotone 9

9 9 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 -13

Chelsea Man Utd Chelsea Man Utd Chelsea Man Utd Man Utd Chelsea Chelsea Man Utd Man Utd Chelsea

11 12 2 7 8 6 5 1 -1 -2 -3 2 -3 -1 -2 -5 -5 -9 -10 1

21 19 19 17 15 15 15 14 13 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 7 6 6

1-1 0 -0 1 -0 1 -1 3-1 0-0 0-1 2 -3 3 -3 3 -1 2 -1 2 -1

Will Ronaldo rediscover his groove against Alaves?

15 5 17 11 17 2 2 -4 2 2 1 -8 -2 -8 -5 -5 -8 -11 -8 -15

21 20 19 19 18 15 13 13 12 12 12 11 10 10 9 8 8 8 6 3

TODAY Sporting Alavés Madrid Barcelona SUNDAY Eibar Bilbao Betis Las Palmas MONDAY Deportivo

v v v v

Sevilla Madrid Malaga Granada

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

v v v v

Villarreal Osasuna Espanyol Celta Vigo

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

v

Valencia

19:45

Chelsea Everton Man City West Ham Arsenal Tottenham Arsenal Man City Liverpool Watford Swansea Sunderland

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

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

16 9 5 6 7 10 5 -2 -1 -2 -1 -4 -7 -1 -11 -6 -10 -13

20 18 17 16 15 14 14 12 11 11 10 8 8 7 7 6 2 2

Bundesliga Fixtures

Man Utd Chelsea Man Utd Chelsea Man Utd Chelsea Chelsea Man Utd Man Utd Chelsea Chelsea Man Utd

TODAY

Hot Shots Diego Costa Romelu Lukaku Sergio Agüero Michail Antonio Theo Walcott Son Heung-min Alexis Sánchez Raheem Sterling James Milner Etienne Capoue Leroy Fer Jermain Defoe

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

Swansea

Head to Head 07/02/16 28/12/15 18/04/15 26/10/14 19/01/14 26/08/13 05/05/13 28/10/12 05/02/12 18/09/11 08/05/11 01/03/11

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

Spanish La Liga Fixtures

TODAY Sunderland Man Utd Middlesbrough Tottenham Watford West Brom Crystal Palace

Stoke

La Liga

7 6 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Mainz

v

Ingolstadt

14:30

Augsburg

v

Bayern

14:30

Darmstadt

v

Leipzig

14:30

Bremen

v

Freiburg

14:30

Wolfsburg

v

Leverkusen

14:30

Dortmund SUNDAY

v

Schalke

17:30

Hoffenheim

v

Hertha

14:30

Köln

v

Hamburger

16:30

Serie A Fixtures TODAY Bologna Juventus

v v

Fiorentina Napoli

17:00 19:45

SUNDAY Atalanta Crotone Empoli Lazio Milan Sampdoria

v v v v v v

Genoa Chievo Roma Sassuolo Pescara Inter

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

MONDAY Udinese Cagliari

v v

Torino Palermo

18:00 20:00

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

34

GLOBAL SOCCER\\OTHER SPORTS

Exciting football action between Anambra State and Ebonyi State teams during the kick-off of Etisalat School Cup Season 3 Regional Play-Offs in Enugu State on Tuesday, October 25.

L-R: General Overseeer, Abundant life Gospel Churches Worldwide, Rev. Mrs Janet Onaolapo presenting a trophy to Modupe Fayose, student of Sun School,Agege, the 1st winner of female category of Bishop Kola Onaolapo Memorial Foundation and her coach ,Mr. Badejo looks, during table tennis Competition organized for secondary school students by Foundation at Ifako-Agege, Lagos at the weekend

Hearn Closer to Confirming Joshua’s Opponent Promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed that talks were ongoing "with a number of fighters" as he edges closer to confirming a challenger for Anthony Joshua.

Joshua will make the second defence of his IBF heavyweight title at Manchester Arena on December 10 and Hearn has been assessing alternative opponents after a planned fight with Wladimir Klitschko was put back until next year.

American Eric Molina has suggested he could "finalise a

deal" for the fight in the next 24 hours while David Price is also believed to be on the shortlist, but Hearn insists he is yet to make a final decision.

"We are in negotiations with a number of fighters regarding December 10 - announcement soon," Hearn exclusively told Sky Sports.

Molina revealed on Wednesday how he had been contacted about the fight and is confident that an agreement will soon be reached.

"Eddie Hearn has ap-

proached Don King, we've started the negotiations," he told Sky Sports. "I'm pretty certain that we'll be able to finalise a deal today and I should be in England by Monday. That's what I'm looking at.

"The goal is to announce the fight before Friday and I've been getting ready every day, so we ain't wasting no time and I'm hopeful to close the deal by the end of the day in USA time."

The unbeaten Joshua will be trying to extend his destructive

record to 18 straight knockouts, but Molina insists he will upset the odds if he is handed a shot at the IBF belt.

"All the things that people are going to say, I've read that before. There is nothing new," said Molina, who has 19 stoppages in 25 wins, with just three defeats.

"This is the heavyweight division and what makes it exciting is that it gives an opportunity to people that can punch like me to win any fight."

NSA Announces First Set of Shortlists for Award Organisers of the Nigerian Sports Award have announced the first set of nominees shortlisted for the 5th Anniversary Edition of the prestigious sports award ceremony.

Rising from the award panel sitting held in Lagos on Tuesday, October 25, 2016, the Panel announced the shortlists for three awards categories; Coach of the Year, Footballer of the Year (Men) and Team

of the Year.

According to the Chairman of the award panel, Mr. Ikeddy Isiguzo, the shortlisted nominees for each of the categories includes: Coach Samson Siasia, Coach Imana Amanpakabo and Coach Are Feyisetan for the ‘Coach of the Year’ category; Kelechi Iheanacho, Godwin Obaje and Chisom Egbuchulam for Footballer of the Year (Men); Dream Team VI and Enugu

Rangers for Team of the Year.

Coach Are Feyisetan was the coach of the Nigerian Powerlifting Team at the just concluded Paralympic games in Rio, Brazil, where they won nine medals; Coach Imama Amanpakabo led Enugu Rangers to clinch the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Title, while Coach Samson Siasia led the Dream Team VI to win a bronze medal, Nigeria’s only medal

at the 2016 Rio Olympic in the Men’s football games.

For the Footballer of the Year category nominees, Kelechi Iheanacho, the current performing star for both the country and his club, Manchester City; Godwin Obaje, Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) top scorer and Chisom Egbuchulam, a striker of Enugu Ranger, all made it to the shortlist.

Kwesé, ESPN Sign Collaboration Agreement for Sub-Saharan Africa Econet Media’s Kwesé and ESPN on Wednesday announced a groundbreaking media collaboration in Africa with the deal expected to deliver the most comprehensive sports coverage in Africa, offering a wide range of sports and thousands of hours of programming.

African audiences will benefit from industry-leading content from the world’s leading sports media company in ESPN, in conjunction with

Kwesé’s premium sports offering, while Kwesé’s pan-African reach and its TV everywhere multiplatform distribution capability will deliver the content to viewers through TV and digital platforms making it accessible to sports fans wherever they are.

The deal comes into effect in early 2017 with the launch of an ESPN channel in 19 countries, which is exclusive to Kwesé. ESPN will also

produce daily SportsCenter updates for Africa, bringing the iconic sports news and highlights brand to the channel.

In addition, by mid-2017, ESPN and Kwesé will together launch an African edition of the ESPN website and mobile app. The new KweseESPN. com, and its accompanying app, will combine ESPN’s industry-leading coverage of global sports and world-class digital platform with local

African sports news, analysis and perspectives from Kwesé.

ESPN and Kwesé’s teams will feature many of the world’s best sports journalists and provide up-to- the-minute news and analysis on sports from around the globe with a unique African perspective.

The site will also feature live scores and data for all major sports events as well as video news and highlights from ESPN and the Kwesé Sports channels.

Ekundayo Pens Deal with Team MGM African Boxing Union Welterweight Champion, Larry Ekundayo, is the latest boxer to join Team MGM after signing a management deal. Boasting an 11-0 record, Ekundayo already has an impressive list of names on his ledger and is aiming to extend that over the coming months.

The Welterweight division is full of top contenders and Ekundayo feels he has joined the perfect team to help him establish himself among the very best.

“This move has come at the perfect stage of my career.

I’m looking at the big fights and with Team MGM behind me I’m totally confident of

getting those opportunities” he said.

The signing of Larry Ekandayo is one that pleases Team MGM. “He’s a quality boxer. The names on his record at such an early stage of his career speaks volumes and we look forward to this exciting new chapter” Team MGM commented”.

Ekundayo Is the No 1 contender for the Commonwealth title and he will be position for a world title shot in the near future, plans are in place to ensure his next fight will come up before the end of the year with the London based Boxer revealing that he would like to make his next fight happen in Nigeria.

A scene from the Victor Ochei Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

Victor Ochei- A Passion for Wheelchair Basketball "The love and support you(Victor Ochei)have shown to us Special People is unprecedented.

You have worked tirelessly towards the develop mentioned of Wheelchair Basketball and Special People of Nigeria "-Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball Federation(NWBF).

The 5th edition of the Victor Ochei International Wheelchair Basketball Championship organised by the Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball Federation(NWBF) that held at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos had come and gone but the memories from the highly successful competition remain fresh.

One thing that should never be left unmentioned is the salutary and patriotic role being played by no less a person than Hon Victor Ochei, former Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly in his unflinching faith that there is "ability in the disability of the Special People" and throwing his hat into the sponsorship ring of the Wheelchair Championship.

Ochei has within the spate of five years taken the development of the Special sport to an enviable height in the country.

In a clime where people would ordinarily want to invest in popular and crowd pulling sports like football to get back returns, the Delta-born politician has opted to pitch his tent with the physically challenged in the society.

According to the President of the NWBF, Bukola Olapade, Ochei had over the last five years spent over N300 million on yearly sponsorship of the International event. Precise financial records at the events reveal that the sum of N300 and N28 million representing an average of N65 million per annum has so far been spent on the tournament by Ochei.

An elated Olapade could not help but heap praises on Ochei.

"Let me use this opportunity to express appreciation to the sponsor, who after leaving office as Speaker Delta State House of Assembly still sponsors the Championship. This really shows that he is committed to the Special athletes and the development of the game in the country ", he said.

So what actually motivated Ochei into the sponsorship of this Championship?

"I am motivated into the sponsorship because I believe there is so much ability in their disability", he stated.

According to him, "apart from the financial rewards that would accrue to these special people through the spirit enabling them to be able to take care of themselves and their immediate families, I also believe that the Wheelchair Basketball game has the capacity to expose them to international competitions and by extension creating other medal avenues and opportunities for our nation".

Ochei expressed great satisfaction with the outcome of the 5th edition in Lagos. In his words:" I am really impressed with the level of competitiveness amongst the teams in this year's Championship and I must say that Wheelchair Basketball would soon be the toast of Special athletes and the Paralympic Committee in Nigeria".

From the highly successful first edition in Asaba 2012, the popularity of the game has continued to soar in leaps and bounds, attracting rare comments from all and sundry including celebrities in the country.

Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo aka D'banj, a popular musician had this to say during the 2nd edition of the sports in Lagos.

"I am really impressed seeing our physically challenged athletes being given an opportunity to compete against each other in the game of basketball. This is really an eye opener for me and hopefully, when next they are hosting this championship I would be there to contribute my quota to the growth of the sport ".

The time has come for the federal government and public spirited corporate organisations to take up the gauntlet by joining hands with Hon Ochei to invest massively in Wheelchair Basketball. Ochei has no doubt written his name in gold in our sports record as a nation. He deserves all the accolades and honours this patriotic fervour has more than qualified him for-Including our National Honours.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

35

TRAVEL&LEISURE

by OMOLOLA ITAYEMI omolola.itayemi@thisdaylive.com 08054699602

Ethiopian Airline Celebrates 70 Years Omolola Itayemi

A

frica’s most profitable airline, EthiopianAirlines is celebrating 70 years of dedicated and highly successful air transport services to, from and within the continent ofAfrica. With its strong mission of bringing Africa together and closer to the world, Ethiopian has expanded much needed air connectivity within Africa and with the rest of the world in the last 70 years.

Leading the way in the past, present and the future; Ethiopian has been an aviation technology leader in Africa and has introduced many new aircraft and systems to the continent. The result of such a long journey of dedicated service has now culminated in connecting 51 cities in Africa with the major trading centres of the world in five continents and 41 cities around the world. Every single day, Ethiopian operates 240 flights with an efficiently designed network of connectivity through our main hub in Addis Ababa with 76 aircraft in service. Along with its Star Alliance partners, they cover the entire world. The fast, profitable and sustainable growth they have registered in the last 10 years has made them the largest, most profitable and fastest growing airline in Africa. They operate Africa’s largest cargo service, largest and most advancedAviation Academy and best MRO services.

Currently, Ethiopian serves the Nigerian traveler from four Airports of Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Kano. It came as little or no surprise when the airline marked its 70th birthday in Nigeria where it flies to four different routes, as a way of giving back since it’s been with us since independence, their first flight here was six days after independence. Over

From left, Snr. Sales rep., Nigeria, Ethiopia, Airline, Mrs. Adetola Alabi, General Manager, Nigeria, Ethiopia Airline, Solomon Begashaw and Sales Manager, Nigeria, Ethiopia Airline, Mr. Omerenna Elias at the Airline 70th press conference held at Eko Hotel, Lagos

lunch in the upscale Food of the Sun restaurant, Eko Hotels & Suites on 24 October, Country Manager of the airline, Mr. Solomon Begashaw and other top management staff celebrated with focus on its Past, Present and Future achievement.

Begashaw in his open remark said, “As a veteran Pan-African carrier it has always been our source of pride to serve our beloved continent, Africa, both in good and bad times. Our presence in Nigeria dates back to the 1960’s, same time the

Federal Republic of Nigeria got independence from foreign colonization. Ethiopian has been part of Nigeria’s historic growth and always considers itself as a partner in the history and growth of Nigeria as a country. Hence, the Management of Ethiopian Airlines wishes to clarify its stance of pursuing its operation to Nigeria and keep Nigerian travelers connected to five continents around the globe. As an indigenous Pan-African Carrier, Ethiopian airlines will remain with the

Nigerian public in good and bad times like it has always done in the past 50 years. Ethiopian has been in the highs and lows of Nigeria; all through the crisis periods of Nigeria and also during the last Economic crisis providing the link between Nigeria and the outside world, thereby showing its African solidarity.”

Much more was revealed during the lunch, such as reinforcing its support to Nigeria; Ethiopian is offering to hire Nigeria pilots for its ever growing fleet of B777, B787, B737 and Dash 8 Q-400Aircraft, train more Nigerians in its Aviation academy, which is the largest in Africa. Besides, Ethiopian Airlines had always served Nigeria with the best Aircraft in its fleet like the A350 Airbus, B787 Dreamliner and the B777 wide body.

In the Spirit of African brotherhood, Ethiopian Airlines does not wish to be in Nigeria only when the going is good, rather, make sacrifices along with Nigerians in this trying time knowing that Nigerians are resilient and resourceful and will soon come out of the temporary recession.

As the Airline celebrates 70 years of existence, it has extended free tickets to Nigerians who liked Ethiopian Airlines Nigeria Facebook page.

With the announcement by some airlines to stop flights to Lagos andAbuja, EthiopianAirlines (ET) has said it will continue its scheduled operations to Nigeria, “the Management of EthiopianAirlines wishes to clarify its stance of pursuing its operation to Nigeria and keep Nigerian travelers connected to five continents around the globe, the airline does not wish to be in Nigeria only when the going is good, but rather makes sacrifice along with Nigerians in trying times. We do not intend to move out of any city in Nigeria or plans to reduce its frequency in the country and has no plans of flying to Port-Harcourt international airport for now,” he concluded.

One hour, One day, One week... Amsterdam Amsterdam has the reputation of being an “anything goes” city. Its .relaxed, permissive, tolerant, liberal approach to things like sex and drugs are legendary, so one might think there were no rules or guidelines to abide by, don’t be fooled there are. Omolola Itayemi tells to make the most of your downtime in one of the world’s most historic cities. From Seventeenth-century buildings to Joint-smoking alien sculptures, few cities meld history with modern urban flair like Amsterdam

Magna Plaza, Amsterdam’s wonderful shopping center, wasn’t always the local mall! Originally built in 1899

Say Cheese from Cheese museum - Dutch cheese has more than 600 years long tradition and the names of different sorts of cheese are often taken from different cities in the Netherlands – Gouda, Edam, Leerdammer, Leyden, Maaslander, Maasdam and of course a gourmet Old Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the bicycle city of the world.With 500 kms of bike paths in the Dutch capital, two-wheeled transportation is a great way to go here, but know the etiquette and rules of the road before saddling up or strolling within their midst

Amsterdam is all the more spectacular seen from the water. Canal Cruises in Amsterdam takes you to many of the city’s highlights within one hour.

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JUNE 2011 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER THISDAY, THE16, SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

FAIRGROUND

Nate Parker: Man of Moment, Birth of a Nation

with

AZUKA OGUJIUBA

azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

I

n the movie world, it is no longer news that Nate Parker’s movie, ‘The birth of a nation, is a true story about an enslaved Baptist preacher known as Nat Turner, who was made to sermonise to his fellow slaves in order to quell any form of uprising or rebellion in the different counties where they had a plantation, until he fell a victim and realised it was time to fight back. His quest for justice, after seeing and witnessing the horrendous treatment meted on his fellow slaves, led to a historic violent and tragic rebellion.

This movie, which leaves you speechless and probably makes you cry, had Nate Parker as the lead actor, playing the role of Nat Turner. He is also the director, screenplay is by him, and he is one of the producers. The movie also featured stars like Gabrille Union and other big stars.

There was cocktail section for guests to meet the stars before everyone headed to the premiere.

The recently concluded British film festival saw Fox searchlight partnering with the Senior Management of FilmOne in Nigeria, Kene Mkparu, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer; Kene Okwuosa, Group Deputy Managing Director; and Moses Babatope, Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer FilmOne. They invited entertainment journalists from Nigeria to attend the British Film festival, where the movie was premiered. These are the faces of the actors and guests at the cocktail premiere About FilmOne FilmOne Limited is an independent distributor of filmed entertainment, providing top-end film release services with emphasis on English-speaking West African territory. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, it distributes a wide-range of mainstream, commercial pictures, including international and indigenous titles. Its business operations are modeled in line with international best practices, covering Feature Film Rights acquisition, Film Sales, Theatrical dating and Exhibitor relations, P & A consulting, Marketing Strategy implementation, DCP generation and encryption, as well as Box Office Reporting and Analysis. FilmOne’s objective is to maximise box office revenues from film titles, to the benefit of both Studios/ producers and exhibitors. In June 2016, FilmOne signed a landmark distribution deal with Hollywood Studio Twentieth Century Fox to release its films in West African Cinemas. FilmOne is the sister company to Nigeria’s largest cinema chain Filmhouse Cinemas.

Film One Distribution is responsible for hit films, such as A Trip to Jamaica, FIFTY, Wives on Strike, and its Production arm has co-produced known titles such as When Love Happens, Taxi Driver and, soon to be released, ‘The Wedding Party’ FilmOne and The Birth of a Nation Having signed the landmark distribution deal with Twentieth Century, FilmOne, as part of its innovative strategies to champion cinema-going and appreciation in Nigeria, partnered with Fox Searchlight Picture, the studio behind the critically acclaimed film ‘The Birth of a Nation’, to organise the first of its kind media parley at the BFI London Film Festival.

This initiative was done to kick-start the media campaign of an important film to the important territory of West Africa, currently comprising Nigeria and Ghana.

Carefully selected media practitioners that speak directly to the core audience were picked for what was a thoroughly successful outing.

FilmOne, The Birth of a Nation and AFRIFF As a result of FilmOne’s partnership

Dj Abass, Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Paul Higginson, Kene Mkparu, Tolu Doherty, Moses Babatope and Nkechi Eze

Chioma Ude of Afriff and Gabrielle Union

Chioma Ude, Tolu and Obi

Moses Babatope and Nate Parker

Moses Babatope and Chike Okonkwo

Tolu Doherty of Ebony Live TV and Armie Hammer

Gabrielle Union and baby Olianna

with Twentieth Century Fox, it is able to use this access to unearth possibilities that seemed not to be in existence before to Studio Executives.

FilmOne’s sister company Filmhouse Cinemas has played host to Africa’s biggest festival twice before and, naturally, there has been a very close working professional relationship.

Once it was established that the themes of ‘The Birth of a Nation’ resonated strongly with the values of AFRIFF as festival, the rest was history, a few phone calls between principal parties to establish terms and mutual benefit and, just like that, for possibly the first time in the history of the continent, a studio film is opening an indigenous festival put together by Africans, what a triumph!

PHOTO SPEAK

R-L: Sir and Lady Emma Bishop Okonkwo, Ofr, Chairman, Ekulo Group of Companies,with Mr & Mrs Izuchukwu Okonkwo at the Wedding of the Couple at Our Saviours Church ,TBS, Lagos on Saturday 15th October

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

37

FAIRGROUND

First of its kind: The Smart Money Woman book Tour by Arese Ugwu Continues to Inspire

T

he unprecedented book tour for The Smart Money Woman: An African Girl’s Journey to Financial Freedom started in Ibadan, Oyo State and made its way to Lagos, Delta and Akwa Ibom States. Since the tour kicked off a month ago, readers, fans and all, inspired by the book have been treated to events and personal interactions with the author of their current favourite book.

So far, the tour events have included book readings, meet-and-greets, book signing, Q&A sessions, and conversations over cocktails. The feedback from the guests, at the tour stops, has been overwhelmingly positive, with many especially applauding the author’s initiative in bringing the book and her message of financial freedom to the masses herself.

Personal finance expert and founder of the Smart Money Africa movement, Arese Ugwu is the author of The Smart Money Woman. She is a trusted and acclaimed voice in the discussions about money and financial wellness. She currently co-hosts two talkshow series that are helping shape the new

narrative on personal finance in the media, engaging young Africans on the importance of financial literacy and the impact it has on helping them get money, keep money and grow money as they drive the continent forward.

The Smart Money Woman: An African Girl’s Journey to Financial Freedom is Arese’s latest offering as she ventures into storytelling, spinning a juicy tale about four girlfriends in Lagos, Nigeria, navigating incredible money woes and coming out victorious. Through the interesting scenarios of her fictional characters, she offers practical, step by step advice and solutions for a number of financial issues from investment and debt to budgeting and entrepreneurship.

Zuri, a single 28 year old woman living the upper-middle class life as a senior manager at a top firm but despite appearances, she finds herself broke, unable to make ends meet and in dire need of a lifestyle change. Along with her best friends Tami, Lara, Adesuwa and Ladun, Zuri grows a little and learns a lot.

Through the interesting scenarios of the fictional characters, Arese offers practical, step by step advice and solutions for a number of

financial issues from investment and debt to budgeting and entrepreneurship.

Some of the biggest names across sectors from Business, Finance, Media and Entertainment have reviewed the book.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, The Dangote Group Chairman and CEO said that The Smart Money Woman is “an entertaining way to learn about money. Ushering a new narrative of Africa, specifically of the African woman in the 21st century; her perspective, her ambitions, her journey, her flaws and all, but wholly hers”. Uche Pedro of BellaNaija, Betty Irabor of Genevieve Magazine and Tara Fela-Durotoye of House of Tara all commended her ability to tell a great, hilarious story while driving home the strong message about the changes to be made in the relationship African women have with money. “A journey through personal finance written from a truly African context by a gifted young woman who seeks to reposition and redefine the way we think about the subject,” was the review given by Praise for the tour and the book itself has been resounding, and with more cities to go the #TheSmartMoneyWoman movement

Arese Ugwu

has only just begun. Tour events in October are scheduled for Lagos, Abuja and Accra, Ghana, and then back to Lagos and Rivers in November.

Music Business Round Table to Start Afrima 2016

A

s the countdown clock ticks for the 2016 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) events, the African Union and the International Committee of AFRIMA have introduced “Africa Music Business Roundtable,” a think tank that will unfold, to artistes and stakeholders, the economic potential inherent in the music business. The roundtable with the theme, “Economic Power of Music for a New Africa” will be a discussion platform to interrogate and strategise on the structure of the music industry in Africa, while charting a synergistic way forward for development and economic empowerment.

The Africa Music Business Roundtable, which is slated for Friday November 4, 2016 from 9.00am WAT, will take place at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, Nigeria. With many artistes and other stakeholders already penciled down as panelists and discussants, it is a platform for business networking and interaction among music professionals, music executives, government officials and other stakeholders in the music, media and financial sectors of Africa and of the world.

The brainstorming sessions, which have been

Mike Dada

Tiwa-Savage

Wizkid

divided into parts, will give a deep insight into the unexplored and ill-exploited economic values of Africa Music.

Position papers will be presented by a diverse assemblage of eminent personalities drawn from the various economic strata of the society. These will include musicians, musicologists, businessmen, bankers, investors and big players in the Africa Music Industry. Some of the panelists include; Karima Damir (Morocco); Nde Ndifonka

(Cameroon): Tony Okoroji (Nigeria); Robert Ekukole (Cameroon);Yeni Kuti (Nigeria); Ricki Stein (Uk); Mike Strano (Kenya), among others Also debuting on AFRIMA 2016 programme of events, is the Africa Music Village, which has been slated for 5pm on November 4 at the Waterfront, Bar Beach, Lagos, Nigeria. The oneday AFRIMA Music Village is a non-stop festival style open music concert with live performances from Femi Kuti and 30 other African superstars

and AFRIMA 2016 nominees. The A-list artistes include; Kiss Daniel, Fally Pupa, Victoria Kimani, Diamond Platnumz, VVIP, Brymo and a host of others. This event is free entry. Artistes and participants at this year’s AFRIMA will also have a taste of the new Lagos in a guided tour of Eko Atlantic City, popularly called the 8th Wonder of the World. The tour will also include the Oba’s Palace, Iga io.ukdunganran, Lagos, and a few other historic places in the city of Lagos.

Philips Launches Clipper Designed to Eliminate Rashes, Bumps

P

hilips International, under its Personal Healthcare Business Unit, has introduced to the Nigerian market, first of its kind clippers, designed to ensure no after-shave bumps and rashes.

The company said the new clippers have specially developed blades to reduce the risk of cuts when clipping your hair or beard, offering the confidence of a precise cut and shave without the humiliating damaged skin.

The company also said the new clippers are designed to give a close precision cut or shave, cutting the hair at skin level. It added that the new Philips clippers also offer the freedom to play with multiple hairstyles by simply adjusting the blade and clicking-on different length combs.

“Philips conducted extensive research across a cross-section of men in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa before it developed and carried out extensive field tests on the clipper, taking into account the core concerns that came out in the research – mainly the need to get that clean shaving feeling, but to avoid the scratches, cuts and bumps that sometimes develop on the skin,” stated Chioma Iwuchukwu-Nweke, General Manager, Philips Personal Health-West Africa.

“These are the first clippers Philips is introducing in the African market, underscoring our commitment to delivering innovation based on the need of the consumers. Our new clippers cut your hair, not your skin. This not only ensures that you have a painless short and sharp look, but also improves your overall skin health,” said Ms. Iwuchukwu-Nweke.

The two clippers in the range, the Philips Clipper Pro (ideal for professional barber styling) and Philips Clipper Home (for personal use) offer blades designed to avoid cuts and bumps for optimal skin comfort, close precision and durability.

The Pro clipper is designed for a powerful expert trim, cut or shave. Its chrome matt finish is complemented by a smart textured handle for a comfortable grip and a 2.8m cord to give a greater reach and to easily move around while clipping. It comes with seven click-on combs as well as a styling comb and scissors.

The Home clipper has lacquering, textured high gloss plastic finish and a 2.4m cord; and comes with four click-on combs, including the 3mm, 6mm, 9mm or 12mm combs.

The new robust design promises to become a hair-loom for generations to come. Its strong steel blades are manufactured to withstand chips and cracks, lasting up to four times longer than the leading brand, while its state-of-the-art

Participants at the launching of the event... recently

copper motor coil will outrun its predecessor four times over.

To put the new product into test, a pan-Nigeria competition among barbers tagged ‘Philips’ battle of barbers’ was staged as part of the product launch.

The competition, which is set to become an annual showpiece, aims at promoting

innovation, artistry, precision and professional dignity among barbers in the country. It also underscores Philips Nigeria’s effort to enliven the global Philips’ brand vision of impacting the lives of three billion people by year 2025 through innovation that matter to their health, living and wellbeing.

Five finalists had earlier emerged from

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •OctOber 29, 2016

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OctOBer 29, 2016

ENCOUNTER

We Are Working to Empower Youths For Agro Productivity – Ugo Nwabuisi Ugo Nwabuisi Managing Director and CEO of 151 Products Ltd has just concluded his 6th agricultural expo in Abuja drawing a huge array of participants from the country and different parts of the world. In this interview with Kazeem Sumaina, Nwabuisi explains how the fair opened by the Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbeh is creating room for entrepreneurship for Nigerian youths through the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit for Agribusiness Advancement (YESAA)

C

an you briefly introduce your product to your target audience keen on tracking your antecedents till date?

Our project-AGRIKEXPO has over a seven year period continued to redefine standards of business to business networking in Nigeria, with many foreign and local companies participating in our business development programmes. In the just ended expo, we worked closely with both the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment whose ministers made their presence felt either directly or indirectly. The emphasis was on the Nigerian youth; there was also a strong representation of the Nigerian Agric Business Group (NABG) led by Sani Dangote and Emmanuel Ijewere.

Recall that the event which started more than six years ago has attracted many international exhibitors and the attention of Government at very high levels. The Hon Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Okey Enelama who was ably represented, commended the private sector initiative of the expo which attracted many agro business stakeholders and organisations. It created room for an exchange of ideas, opened new market outlets and deals were opened and closed. Obviously from the minister’s perspective the expo was promoting trade and investment between Nigeria and the participating countries.

How true has your agricexpo exhibition proven the agriculture sector as Nigeria’s next export earner outside oil and gas?

Our theme this year which is ‘From Crude Oil to Food Oil, Harnessing Opportunities Under the New Agricultural Road Map For Food Security, Jobs and Export’ summarises the argument with a clarion call for all hands to come on board and invest in agriculture whose economic diversifications have tremendous multiplier effect. The agriculture sector has a wide array of opportunities especially for the youth whose sense of adventure can lead him to many options. Again because government is keen on taking advantage open in the sector, it has introduced policies, an enabling environment for those who are willing to seize new opportunities available for incoming participants and existing stakeholders.

During our next edition of Agrikexpo and Conference next year at the same venue and period, there will no doubt be an increased presence of state governments and their participants showcasing their farm gate and pro-

cessed products as well as opportunities for agricultural investment.

How is the road map helping your organisation in the realisation of your vision?

The best way to understand where we fit into the road map is to take a cue from the forward written by Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture in the 50 page document titled ‘Agriculture Promotion Policy (2016-2020)’ It is an ongoing policy that kick started in 2010 and the aim is to reform the badly neglected agriculture sector with a new strategy, the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). The idea is to provide sufficient food at home and de-emphasise on imports while exporting the surplus we don’t need. The refreshed strategy is known as the Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) and according to the minister the purpose of the new policy is to provide a disciplined approach to building an agribusiness ecosystem that will solve these two gaps where the private sector will remain in the lead while government facilitates, as well as provides supporting infrastructure, systems, control processes, and oversight functions. The success of the new policy from the minister’s perspective will be driven by the levels of engagement of market place participants, farmers, states, investors, financial institutions, and communities.

We are both promoter and participant driving the new strategy of agriculture through our expo and conference promotions as well as using our YESAA vehicle to actualise the vision of food for home and export consumption.

What did you seek to achieve in executing the agricultural expo project?

The idea behind the Agrikexpo is to create an annual meeting point, a fair or exhibition centre if you like, for stakeholders in agriculture in Nigeria to showcase their products either as raw materials for additional processing or as a food chain. We are also providing a platform to expose our future export products to various destinations whether in the sub-region, the continent or other parts of the world where the end users need them. It has also proved to be a meeting point for global players as you could see at the stand and conference centre. The broad representation spread to the European Union represented by officials from Brussels the Belgian capital, Japan, Indonesia, Austria et al. Next year will prove to be more explosive in terms of challenges and presence both within and outside.

How successful was this very

Nwabuisi

We are both promoter and participant driving the new strategy of agriculture through our expo and conference promotions using our YESAA vehicle to actualise the vision expo?

It was very successful and promising with the presence of the Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbeh, who commended the organisers of the Agrikexpo, 151 Products Limited, The minister who was obviously impressed with the high level of organisation provided by 151 Products Ltd commended the training programme for young people in agribusiness which he said would lead to the development of the agricultural sector, since the nation was at the point where the future of the sector rested squarely on the shoulders of the youth. I felt elated when he said the ministry has formally endorsed the annual event and would also lend its support to YESAA. He visited all the stands and showed great satisfaction at the level of agribusiness on display and announced the Ministry would hold town hall meetings with youths in the agricultural sector.

What is YESAA all about?

YESAA is the acronym for Youth Entrepreneurship Summit for Agribusiness Advancement, which has been described as a major compliment of the Green Alternative- the new agricultural road map for the country. YESAA was a major highlight of the 2015 edition of the Agrikexpo and the Nigerian Agribusiness Group (NABG) conference which was held at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja. Sani Dangote the chairman of NABG fully participated in the Agrikexpo. He described YESAA as a key pivot of agricultural growth and development given the need for the inclusion of youths in the sector today and tomorrow.

The NABG chair agreed with us that youths represent a population of Nigerians whose voice must come under consideration in this context, the development of agriculture to the next level where it becomes a major foreign exchange earner while satisfying the food needs of the entire population.

YESAA had in participation more

than 100 youths most of whom expressed satisfaction at the level of engagement and chance they are exposed to in seeing agribusiness in practice. Machinery, seeds, abattoirs, rice milling, cattle milking, poultry technologies and services were in exhibition by exhibitors from different countries. One of the foreign exhibitors from Turkey described the Agrikexpo as a far better event than similar expos he has been exposed to in the West African sub-region. He made specific emphasis on the quality of conference participants, discussants and spot deals closed.

The exhibitor confirmed that the company has already booked multiple stands for next year and thanked 151 Product Limited for a great job well done. We had in attendance over3000 NABG members and direct agribusiness owners, including farmers from the major agricultural belts of the northern part of the country, many of whom were happy to be at the event.

Overall, the idea is to make YESAA a focal event that will be held from one region to the other in the course of the year as the objective remains the total support of Government in her vision to integrate youths into agricultural practice. We consider our YESAA project as our contribution to Mohammed Buhari’s undiluted focus on agricultural development which is the only way out of the present economic challenge, a challenge that calls for patience while the government works its way out of this recession.

The youths in these hard times can see opportunities where others fail to do so and useful engagement in agro business is a sure path to prosperity.

What was the response of the foreign participants at the agrikexpo?

The responses were varied and positive ranging from anticipated prospects of business between the EU and Nigeria articulated by Francis Fay, Director General Agricultural &Rural Development in Brussels, who noted that there is a lot of room for trade cooperation under the Export Partnership Agreement( EPA). Fay also called on entrepreneurs to explore export opportunities within the window.

He noted that the EU was open to trade with Africa. Also present was the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Harry Purwanto who confirmed the interest of improved bilateral friendships with Nigeria committing the embassy to a bigger presence of Indonesia at the next Agrikexpo. There was Julien Schmidt, Chief Technical/ Trade Promotion Officer UNIDO, Austria office and Mr. Hiroshika of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

OCTOBER 29, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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FASHION FILE

Blossom Collection

by Makioba

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FASHION FILE Blossom Collection

by Makioba

W

omenswear brand, Couture by Makioba, releases a new collection titled : Blossom. Blossom is a significant collection to the brand, as it represents growth, happiness and style. The Makioba brand has once again made a statement in the Plus Size Fashion industry. The collection features staples in the closet of every woman – casual but chic casual pieces that can be found in every fashionista’s wardrobe. The designer is inspired by a woman’s innate desire to feel sexy, confident and smart – regardless of her size. The brand aims to clothe every Plus Size Lady in pieces that she will always feels comfortable and stylish in.

Taje Prest, media personality and Makioba’s Muse, serves as the second model in this collection, along side Makioba herself. She is the perfect muse for the brand, as she personifies the woman The Couture By Makioba woman represents.

The Blossom collection is filled with bright colors, floral patterns and designs that will brighten up every woman’s closet ! Have a look below : CREDITS Photographer: Jerrie Rotimi @jerrie_rotimi Model & Brand Muse : Tajé Prest @missvivacioust and Makioba @couturebymakioba Shoes : Desire1709 fashion @desire1709fashion Makeup Artist: Mathilda Narebor @Amaebiere and Sidahome @soo_pro Designer : Makioba @couturebymakioba Creative Direction : @thestyle_concierge

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

By Azuka Ogujiuba azuka.ogujiuba@thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

WITH

MARKET PLACE

OMOLABAKE FASHOGBON 08033621009

L-R: Project Director WEPCOM ,Mr Anthony Chinezie; Chairlady WEPCOM ,Mrs Oby Nwankwo; President WEPCOM,Mr Jude Onumajuru and the representative of the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture,Osunkoya D.M during the two days workshop held for farmers in Lagos recently

L –R: Fund Manager, ARM Ethical Fund, Mr. KazeemAlimi; Representative of the Trustee (Royal Exchange Plc), Ms. Patricia Ifewulu; Company Secretary, ARM, Mrs. FolashadeAdeloye; Chairman of the Annual General Meeting/Royal Exchange Plc, Mr. AbiolaSanni, at the ARM Ethical Fund annual general meeting held in Lagos recently

Dealers Justify Jumia’s Position on IPhone7 Movement Market information on phone trends and sales direction of Apple’s latest release, Iphone 7 and IPhone 7plus have corroborated a publication

by Jumia Travels on why the devices may not be making waves in this environment.

According to the hotels booking company which recently published some reasons Nigerians may not look the side of the trending devices despite their sophisticated features; it noted that the cost of the devices amounting to almost N500, 000.00 could be invested on a plot of land or to renew a rent for a year. It further

Customers Want Expansion of GTbank Branch Networks Customers of Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB in Iyana Ipaja and Abule Egba, Lagos State axis have called on the management of the financial institution to expand its operations in the area by opening new branches for continued access to the bank’s services.

This call followed the recent demolition of the Abule Egba branch of the bank as a result of the ongoing road construction project in the area by the Lagos State government.

Already, residents in these areas covering: Iyanaipaja, Ile Epo, Oja Oba, Meiran, Ahmadiya and Kola bus stop reaching Tollgate are clamouring for additional branches that would be within reach since they all rely on the Abule Egba branch to access the bank’s services, now that the nearest branch had been demolished. The available and closer options for residents in those axis are Egbeda, Agege, Ikeja and Ilupeju branches which customers consider too far.

In the word of one of the aggrieved customers in the area who simply identified himself as Mr. Omisore, “As much as Gtbank is at the forefront of driving the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria especially with its recently introduced 737 code, that is not to say that customers do not have business in the banking hall. Yes, the CBN is working to make banking easier and reduce the crowd in the banking hall, yet we still need to visit the bank to get somethings done. What happens if technology fails? What if I was not lettered? I mean, the bank has not been fair to us in this area with just a branch serving the huge population around there. I don’t think the bank is ready for real business.

“However, the reverse is the case on the island and other busy areas of Lagos. When you visit Victoria Island for instance, you will be surprised to see up to three branches of Gtbank in only one street where as for us in this area, we are struggling with just a branch and we end up spending hours on queue because of the massive crowd.

When contacted on this issue, Meksley Nwagboh of the Corporate Affairs Department advised customers within the vicinity to patronise alternative branches. Within their area and Sango Otta, Ogun State.

stated that Nigerians may also prefer to go with alternative cheaper android devices while many others would wait for the fairly used option instead of buying it new.

Other reasons why the devices may not move in the market was the fear of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC which would probably be on the prowl of such a buyer to question his or her source of wealth coupled with the fact that the country was presently in recession.

Contacted, some phone dealers corroborated

Jumia’s position, stating that the devices had not caught the fancy of many Nigerians unlike the previous Iphone 6 model.

According to Mr. Dabo Musa, Managing Director of Dabo Phones and Computer, the adoption rate of Iphone 7and 7plus was not excellent as expected. Most people now go for cheaper UK used phones and ignore the side of new iPhone because they could not afford the exorbitant prices of new phones which were further compounded by the increase in exchange rate.

WEPCCOM Begins Sensitisation Programme for Farmers The World Economic Power Chamber of Commerce WEPCCOM has commenced an awareness programme for peasant farmers across the country in an effort to drive the economic diversification campaign of the federal government.

According to the chamber, this exercise was necessary in order to draw the attention of farmers, particularly those in the rural areas and the uninformed, to various government programmes and incentives.

In a two-day workshop organised for farmers in Lagos, the President of the chamber, Mr. Jude Onumajuru, while treating the theme : ”Identifying Profitable Ways to Invest in Agriculture with Special Focus on Poultry, Fish Farming and Crop Production”, noted that it was important to acquaint local farmers with the western farming practices and style so that Nigeria’s export could be accepted globally.

“In view of economic recession in the country, land cultivation must be given a huge attention to achieve agro-dollar.

We are interested in enlightening peasant

farmers on new findings in the agricultural sector so that they can be fulfilled in the field”, he said.

Onumajuru also charged government to partner and associate with the chamber’s vision said the chamber was working tirelessly to identify with government’s effort at boosting the agriculture sector.

“Already, we have secured 1000 hectares of land for agricultural production in Delta State. We intend to build an institute on the land where youths and interested adults will be trained on poultry, fish farming and crop production”, he said.

The Chairperson of the chamber, Mrs. Oby Nwankwo pointed out that beyond educating farmers on modern farming techniques, the chamber was interested in assisting farmers to access loan facilities, connect them to global agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FOA as it also supports and encourage farmers to go into production, processing, manufacturing, packaging and exportation.

Ecobank Upgrades Operations with New Applications

Ecobank Nigeria has released a new Mobile Applications (App) to cater for its millions of customers in 33 countries.

The bank which promised to continually satisfy its customers with innovative products noted that the new app which offers a convenient way of banking via the mobile phone was the first unified app delivered by any institution for use in more than 30 countries.

Unveiling the new product, the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO)of the financial institution, Ade Ayeyemi explained that the latest which aimed to transforming electronic banking in Africa delivered beyond digital application, to enabling an accomplished and convenient transactions including banking, payment of bills, shopping as well as other financial services.

“The new mobile App opens up opportunities for customers to effect transactions without cash.

At scale, this will be transformational for Africa.

Through its purchasing power and Ecobank’s partnerships with Visa and Mastercard, this

product will be an accepted means of payment and empower consumers to be on the move”, Ayeyemi explained.

He added also that the new product would allow customers in Nigeria to grow their businesses by giving them a convenient and secure way of banking.

According to the bank’s Group Executive, Consumer Banking, Patrick Akinwuntan, “This launch fulfils our promise of creating relevant solutions for consumers. With this, our customers can make and receive instant payments across 33 African countries. They can also pay in store with their mobile phones. This is genuine convenience delivered to our consumers.”

It would be recalled that the lender recently released its MasterPass QR, a Mastercard global digital system that allows customers to pay for services using mobile phones. The innovative platform will also enable micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria to receive digital payments from millions of customers.

He added that while the cost of Apple’s latest was scaring consumers away, the fastest and best-selling iPhone in the market was the UK used 16 GB iphone6 which cost N140, 000.00.

“Iphone still drives the market at the high end level while Techno drives the lower end level”, Dabo said. The New IPhone 7 and IPhone 7 plus were announced last month amidst pomp and pageantry. It boasts of uncommon features such as water and dust resistant, 32 Gigabyte, 128 Gigabyte and 256 Gigabyte memory capacity and 12 mega pixel camera.

Suntory, GSK Seal Deal on Ribena, Lucozade Japanese firm, Suntory Beverage & Food Nigeria, has finally established a foothold in the Nigerian market as it announced the official take-over of the Ribena and lucozade businesses from GlaxoSmithKline, GSK. Managing Director of Suntory Beverage & Food Nigeria, Chinedum Okereke who reported this development in Lagos recently said that the company’s investment in Nigeria would flourish beyond expectations.

“This is a clear demonstration of Suntory’s confidence in the Nigerian economy. The company relies on the strong connection between the Nigerian consumers and its Lucozade and Ribena brands as it is especially confident of the nation’s immense potential for economic growth and the impressive productivity level of its people.

“As a company, our desire is to consistently provide Nigerians with quality drinks through well researched market insight, expertise and dedication and to deliver high quality innovative products. Lucozade and Ribena have enjoyed impressive patronage over the years, so with a promise of continuous improvement and providing better value to our consumers, we are convinced of an improved and more rewarding relationship. Innovation, research and development will play a big part in the foundation of our operations in Nigeria”, Okereke said.

While expressing the company’s trust in the country, the Managing Director noted that he was convinced that the journey would be a smooth one with the support and assistance of the dedicated and committed team in Nigeria that would consistently be challenged to create bigger and better brand ideas for the consumers.

44

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • OCTOBER 29, 2016

EVENTS

T

he solemnization of holy matrimony between former Miss Mobolaji Olivia Eniolorunda and an immigration officer, Mr. Oluwaseyi Adeoye was held at Bola Memorial Anglican Church, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos last weekend. Guests were entertained at Grandeur Event Center, Oregun. Here are some the personalities that graced the occasion.

Photographs By Kolawole Alli

The newly weds Oluwaseyi and Mobolaji Adeoye

Father of the Groom, Mr. Tajudeen Olalekan Adeoye and Mrs. Afusat Adenuga

Parents of the Bride, Mr. Kayode Eniolorunda and his wife, Stellamaris.

L-R: Mr. Francis Ipinmoroti and Mr Femi Mokikan.

Mr. Jacob Olusola Onundi and his wife, Olayemi.

R-L: HRH Oba Rabiu Oladimeji Sule and Olori Abike

R-L: Chef Bayode Mesaiyete; Chief (Mrs) Iyadunni Mesaiyete and Chief Dare Alah.

L-R: Chief Peter Olorunjuwon Eniolorunda and Solaade Ogunlana

L-R: Mrs. Kate Uzzi, Alhaji Momoh Abubakar and Mr. David Adi

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • OCTOBER 29, 2016

IMAGES

L-R: Mr. John Toyin Ishola and Mr. Gabriel O. Obando

L-R: Alhaji Moshood O. Adeoti and Mr. Sunday Adebayo Salawu

Mr. Moses Eniolorunda and his wife, Oluyemisi.

L-R: Prince Jibowu Mosiko; Chief Akere Omoniyi; Mrs. Oluwatoyin Campbell and Alhaja Kudirat.

L-R: ASC F.I. Nwaeze; ASC E.E Okachi and ASC A.R. Usman.

R-L: Abiodun Olorundare and Mrs. Shola Kazeem.

L-R: Olora of Ora, Kwara State, Oba Adebayo Akolade and Olori Omotayo

R-L: ASC O.C. Okonjo and ASC A.A.Balami.

R-L: Navy Capt. J.J . Owonubi (rtd) and Mr. Jide Owonubi.

R-L: Mr. Ayotunde Oredipe and Mr. Ayayi Victor

Mr. Wole Abioye and Mr. Babatunde Ganiyu.

R-L: Mr. Fatai Owoseni; Chief (Mrs) Nike Okundaye and Dr. Kess Okundaye

46

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OctOber 29, 2016

SPECIAL INTERVIEW

How CBN has Supported Growth and Development in the Economy The Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele is facing the worst economic crisis in nearly 20 year. The economic recession, exchange rate volatility, falling investor confidence have seen the country lose its status as a premier destination for foreign investors. In this impromptu interview, Emefiele tells THISDAY about measures the apex bank has taken to help turn the economy around

W

hat has the CBN done in the last one year to support growth and development in the economy, especially as it relates to diversification which is the new mantra?

Well, thank you very much. The truth is that the CBN first hinted about the need for monetary and fiscal policy coordination at the July 2015 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting because we were already beginning to see a deceleration in GDP growth. And what we said at that time was that there was need for us to expand infrastructure spending and stimulate household consumption. So, what we did from the monetary side was that the MPC took a decision to reduce the cash reserve requirements (CRR) from 30.5 percent to 25 percent. By that reduction alone, it meant that almost about N1 billion was injected into the Nigeria economy, through the banks. During that July meeting, we told the banks that what they needed to do was that the almost N1 billion that was injected through the reduction of the CRR, should be injected into the real sector of the economy. But it turned out that instead of lending this money to the real sector, most of that money may have been eventually roundtripped into the foreign exchange market and it put a lot of pressure on the forex reserves. When we now met again in September, because we didn’t see the injection of liquidity to support the real sector of the economy, we decided that we were going to reduce the CRR again from 25 percent to 20 percent. But we said that through the reduction in CRR, that banks should identify specific projects in agriculture, manufacturing, etc, that we would release whatever amount they needed to support this.

Unfortunately, what we found was that instead of the banks sending us projects that were meant for the real sector and for agriculture, what they did was that they sent us projects meant to finance hotels, projects meant to finance hospitals, and others that we didn’t consider to be real sector projects. Those of them that brought projects in the manufacturing sector just brought projects that they were refinancing in their balance sheets and we felt that was not right. But you will find that in due course, and I mean in the next couple of weeks, some disbursements would be made to core agriculture projects. That is those who are financing large scale production of rice, tomatoes, diary, wheat and maize.

These financing would represent our own attempt to ensure that we grant loans to companies that are serious about agriculture and core manufacturing. So, these were direct attempts that we used through the banks.

Now, when you talk about what we also did to stimulate expenditure, around July and August 2015, many of the states could not pay salaries. We came up with the idea of a Workers’ Salary Assistance Programme for affected States. Under this scheme, the central bank disbursed about N400 billion.

Aside from that, the Central Bank also disbursed N10 billion to almost all of

Emefiele

the 36 States to fund their infrastructural projects. Under that scheme, the CBN also did intervention to the tune of almost N340 billion. The total of both intervention is close to N800 billion, that was injected to support the sub-national governments either for them to pay salaries, or for them to support their infrastructural development in their states. These are some of the actions that were done.

Aside from that, the CBN also disburses money through the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS), the Power and Aviation Intervention Fund (PAIF), and the refinancing facilities.

Under each of the scheme, as I speak to you, the Central Bank has outstanding of nothing less than N1 trillion that has been disbursed by way of intervention in line with our development finance objectives to support the real sector as well as the entire economy. So, those are some of the things we have done. But I can assure you that we would continue to do so.

All these funds disbursed to States, are you sure they were utilised for the purposes they were meant?

To the best of my knowledge, I believe the funds were used to pay salaries as envisaged. I can assure you that a substantial number of the states actually disbursed the loans. So, the monetary authorities would continue to see that we contribute to growth. Nigeria belongs to us, we are Nigerians, we are concerned about the situation, which I must confess is not just a Nigerian phenomenon. We were at the IMF/

World Bank meetings and growth for Africa was revised downward to about 1.6 per cent, from about 3.4 per cent.

The downward review in the growth for Africa was caused mainly by commodity exporting countries like South Africa, Nigeria and Angola. Those countries in Africa that are still enjoying growth are the non-commodity exporting countries.

These are countries that depend on themselves and have managed to diversify their economies away from depending on export of commodities.

These are countries that produce what they consume. That is why the president has been at the vanguard that we should all produce what we consume. Unfortunately, Nigeria is heavily dependent on imports and there is a need for us to have a paradigm shift from an importdependent economy to an economy that is well diversified and has less reliance on revenue from export of commodities.

What is your take on some of the criticisms from operators in the aviation sector that they can’t access forex operations which is what is blamed for airlines shutting down?

I must say that we consider the aviation sector to be an important sector as well and we also recognise the need for us as a monetary authority to support that sector. It is in light of this conviction that the CBN launched the Power and Aviation Intervention Fund (PAIF), which has helped tremendously in stabilizing the local airline business in Nigeria.

However, it is important for me to correct the impression that airlines are

You will recall that last week when we did some secondary market intervention through forward, we also considered the aviation sector and we gave them what they needed.

We are meeting their foreign exchange needs. So, when people say they don’t have foreign exchange, I don’t really understand what they are talking about because we have taken the aviation as an important sector in the country. I have heard people speculate that the airlines are relocating to Ghana.

Are they suggesting that Ghana has more FX than us?

They are facing the same FX shortages like us, if not worse.

And by the way, Ghana’s FX reserves are probably less than 25 percent of ours here in Nigeria. So, it cannot be correct that the airlines are relocating there

47

OCTOBER 29, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

SPECIAL INTERVIEW How CBN has Supported Growth and Development in the Economy closing down or airlines are moving out of the country because of inadequate access to foreign exchange. No one can deny that everyone is finding it hard to get FX these days, given the sharp drop in oil prices and FX inflows. So that may be part of the issue. But the real reason airlines are reducing their flights is a lack of passengers not just in Nigeria but all around the world. As a result of the global economic situation that we find ourselves today, there has been a serious reduction in the number of travelers in different parts of the world. The aviation sector in different parts of the world are confronted by this. I would imagine that rather than travel in a weekend to go and organise a party or go and conduct wedding in Dubai or travel to go and organise party in London, given the situation we find ourselves, people have now learnt that there is a need for them to be prudent in spending money. So, no doubt, we have seen a reduction in the number of travelers. And because there is a reduction in the number of travelers, naturally there is a reduction in the occupancy rate for the airlines. So, that is what has happened. Now, are we giving them forex? You will recall that last week when we did some secondary market intervention through forward, we also considered the aviation sector and we gave them what they needed.

We are meeting their foreign exchange needs. So, when people say they don’t have foreign exchange, I don’t really understand what they are talking about because we have taken the aviation as an important sector in the country. I have heard people speculate that the airlines are relocating to Ghana. Are they suggesting that Ghana has more FX than us? They are facing the same FX shortages like us, if not worse. And by the way, Ghana’s FX reserves are probably less than 25 percent of ours here in Nigeria. So, it cannot be correct that the airlines are relocating there.

Tell us about the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme that the CBN has put together and what it has achieved since inception?

The Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) is a programme which the CBN developed following the president’s insistence that we must diversify our economy away from heavy reliance on oil. After the president made the pronouncement, the CBN working in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, put the ABP together, where we said rather than wait to be importing rice and other food items, we felt that there was a need for the CBN to play its part to help you grow that food here at home.

The ABP is one of the CBN’s policy initiatives to pursue our development objectives, namely the creation of jobs, reduction in food imports, and diversification of our economy. The Programme aims at creating economic linkages between over 600,000 smallholder farmers and reputable large-scale processors with a view to increasing agricultural output and significantly improving capacity utilization of local integrated mills. Invariably, this would close the gap between the levels of local rice production and domestic consumption as well as complement the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture by graduating GES farmers from subsistence farming to commercial production.

If you consider our food import bill, after the importation of petrol which consumes close to about 30 per cent of our import, the importation of food such as rice, tomatoes, millet, milk, constitute close to about 15 per cent of our import bill. And because of the pressure that this has put on our reserves, we think

Emefiele

that there is the need for us to support the effort of government to see that we stopped the importation of food that we know can be grown in Nigeria.

Based on that, we decided that there is the need for us to set a financing mechanism for small holder farmers through, not just our CACS, but also through our MSME development fund, where we got the state governments to put together a number of farmers. We conducted a feasibility study where we determined how many bags of seedlings are needed, for instance, for a farmer to cultivate one hectare of rice, how many bags of fertilizers are required, what quantity of pesticide is required, etc. And after calculating that, we found that for instance in a state like Kebbi, that a farmer did not need more than N200,000 to cultivate one hectare of rice.

Before the president took us to Kebbi in November 2015, if a typical farmer in Kebbi cultivates one hectare of rice, his yield was just about two metric tonnes per hectare. And this was because they went through harrowing experience not supported by the rice seedlings, not supported by fertilizer in achieving two metric tonnes. So, what we did under the ABP was that if for instance a farmer needed N200,000 to cultivate one hectare of rice, we determine how many bags of rice seedlings that he needs to plant, we determine the quantity of fertilizer that he needs, we determine the quantity of pesticide that he need. So, what we did was that we got those inputs and gave the directly to the farmers to go and plant. And because we gave them the right seedlings, faro 44 or faro 45, the output came out to an average 5.5 metric tonnes per hectare. That was the first pilot that we did in November.

And in April, when we went to see the outcome, we were very impressed and we decided that during this rainy season we should carry the programme throughout the country. So far we have almost close to 20 to 25 states that have embraced the cultivation of rice all over the country, not just thought the ABP, but some have decided to even do it by themselves.

All these have shown that the message has really gone round the country and what myself, the minister of Agriculture as well as the Kebbi State Governor, who was appointed by the president as the chairman for the State Governors to work on the ABP are doing is that we are conducting an assessment all through the country to see the outcome.

The truth is that the result we have seen so far is looking good and we are beginning to say we need to have a price stabilization mechanism. We need to set up our silos so that in case we have harvest bumper reserve should be able to store them in silos, so that during the period of scarcity, the paddy stored can now be released to ensure that prices are stabilized. That is what we are doing. But I can assure you that the programme is gaining ground and at this stage what we are doing is having now taken the ABP to the states where we are talking about supporting individual local rice farmers, we are beginning to think of how to encourage private sector participation.

We are talking about large private sector companies to be involved in cultivating rice, tomatoes, wheat, etc. That is the only option for us at this time. We don’t really have an option because there is no foreign exchange to continue to support the importation of these items. Let’s not forget that by 2020, it is projected that Nigeria’s population would be about 220 million. Nigeria is one country in the world with a population of over 100 million people where food security is not assured and we need to begin that process at this time. It is projected that by 2050, Nigeria’s population would be half a million people, which would place the country as the third most populated country in the world. So, we need to begin to prepare for this.

What has been your disbursement to this programme so far?

Under the Kebbi programme, we disbursed about N12 billion. But as we started the rainy season, we have done between N20 and N25 billion. But because it is a programme that would

Under the Kebbi programme, we disbursed about N12 billion. But as we started the rainy season, we have done between N20 and N25 billion. But because it is a programme that would continue, I can assure that disbursements, not just to rice, but millet, tomatoes, diary, would increase. I can assure you that under the Real Sector Support Facility that we are setting up in due course, you will find out that nothing less than N150 billion would be disbursed to primarily food and the agriculture sector. Aside from agric, we have also said if you have interest in going into core real sector projects, that we would give you support. We would not want you to come with a refinanced project. We want new projects in the real sector continue, I can assure that disbursements, not just to rice, but millet, tomatoes, diary, would increase. I can assure you that under the Real Sector Support Facility that we are setting up in due course, you will find out that nothing less than N150 billion would be disbursed to primarily food and the agriculture sector. Aside from agric, we have also said if you have interest in going into core real sector projects, that we would give you support. We would not want you to come with a refinanced project. We want new projects in the real sector. If you are going manufacturing of glass for instance, we would give you support. If you are going into tiles production, we would give you support. For instance, what does it take to produce glass? Eighty per cent of the raw materials needed to produce glass is sand and 20 per cent soda ash. So, if you are going into that, we would support you. You won’t believe it, in Nigeria, we can’t produce glass sheet!

That is the reason we are beginning to say there is a need to restrict people who are importing items that we can produce in the country from accessing foreign exchange. Let us reserve these forex for core manufacturers that need core raw materials that they need to sustain jobs.

Are you not looking at the NYSC members since they constitute a ready army of unemployed?

The Central Bank also has a programme for them. About six months ago, we collaborated with the NYSC and Heritage Bank to set up the Youth Empowerment Programme. That is a programme set aside for NYSC members. Only last week, the sum of N930 million was disbursed to about 105 NYSC graduates, for them to go into different projects. About N3 million was disbursed to each of them. So, we are working to create jobs, not just for farmers or manufacturers, but also young school leavers that have entrepreneurial skills.

48

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

CRIME WATCH

with Femi Ogbonnikan

08126483389

Police to Establish Zonal Intervention Squad in Ikorodu The Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in-charge of Zone 2 Command headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, Alhaji Abdulmajid Ali is poised to ensure that he leaves no stone unturned in taking the fight against violent crime in Lagos and Ogun States to the doorsteps of their perpetrators. In this interview with Femi Ogbonnikan, the AIG assures that the zonal command, with its personnel, is on top of every security challenge that comes its way. Excerpts

T

here is an assumption that Zone 2 Command has less responsibilities in tackling crime because it supervises two states, Lagos and Ogun. How would you react to this?

We are very busy here and I think, and you have seen it yourself. It is not just easy for us to handle. If you take the two states, Lagos and Ogun together, then you will understand that the security problems we are having here are more than those of any other zonal command in the federation. So, we are very much on ground and we had set up our own proactive measures to tackle most of these crimes and criminalities. We set up a team called Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), which is based in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

So, we are thinking of setting up another one in Lagos. Soon, the ZIS of Lagos State will commence operations. And since the team of Ogun State commenced operations, they have made a lot of arrests. They have recovered more than 26 stolen vehicles. A lot of kidnappers have been arrested. A lot of armed robbers have been arrested. They have recovered arms and ammunition. So, it is something that we will continue to do. I was even involved in visiting Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state, and he has promised to assist us with patrol vehicles. Already, we have patrol teams on ground to tackle these violent crimes.

On your assumption of office at Zone 2 Command headquarters, you collapsed the Anti-Robbery Squad of the zone and replaced it with Antikidnapping team. What informed this development?

It is the anti-kidnapping team we changed into the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), to make them more proactive and responsive, and that is why we call it, “Intervention”. When given information, they can move from Abeokuta to Lagos and those in Lagos can as well move into Ogun State, without having any problem. So, their mode of operation should cover both states.

Why was Abeokuta the first choice of the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), and not Lagos where most of these crimes occur?

No! We had just set up one in Abeokuta, but that of Lagos state will soon be set up and it will be based in Ikorodu.

The Abeokuta’s base is to secure the entire Ogun State, while the one in Lagos State will be set up in Ikorodu, in a short while. We are just getting more patrol vehicles and we will kick-off in Ikorodu soon.

Among all major towns and cities in Lagos State, why did you pick Ikorodu for the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS)?

Most of our problems in Lagos State are within that axis. You should know what we are talking about. All these kidnapping cases are within that axis.

Reports of criminal activities are within that axis and so, particularly through the waterways. We want our officers and men to be alert. All these kidnapping cases are within Ikorodu, Isawo, Ogijo, and other areas in Ogun state that share common boundary with Ikorodu.

Ali

Why are kidnapping cases on the increase in Ogun State?

They use areas in Ogun as launchpad to attack Lagos and go back. But the DPOs and the Ogun State CP are doing their best. The CP of Ogun, Alhaji Ahmed Liyasu has raised up his own patrol teams and they have been going round these black spots. The CP there is very much at alert and that is in conjunction with our Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS). The same thing with that of Lagos state and they have been doing very well. They have made a lot of arrests. Ogun State is having borders with some areas like Ondo, Oyo and international routes, and we are definitely on top of the situations.

When you were Ogun State CP, you tackled Cultism headlong, but has the trend reduced or not?

Yes! It has gone down, in the sense that we have succeeded in arresting them, telling them to renounce their memberships. Many of them have done that and we gave them blanket cover, in what we call ‘amnesty’, by His Excellency, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, the Governor of Ogun State. And, so many of them have renounced their memberships; Ijebu-Igbo is now calm.

We arrested a number of them, with the assistance of the people in IjebuIgbo. Ijebu Ode is also calm; Ewekoro

inclusive.

The other place we are just looking forward to tackle is Sagamu axis. Sagamu also will soon follow suit, so that they can renounce their memberships.

We still have some of them in Ogijo and so, we are looking at it.

Do you have problems with manpower in policing the two states?

It is a general problem, and that was why I decided to send many of the men I have here at the Zonal Command headquarters, to the two commands. Of recent, I transferred over 250 officers and men to Lagos and Ogun states to go and assist in fighting crime there. They were just here doing nothing. So, I said they should let them go there and assist.

What particular type of crime is giving the Zonal Command serious headache?

To be sincere, the two commands are doing very, very well. But you know, crime cannot be totally eradicated, but they can only be reduced. You know, we can’t completely put them off. We still have some pockets of stealing; we can’t say people are not stealing, they are still stealing, but our problem is on the waterfronts, and we have been trying our best to tackle that. To be frank, the situation is under control. Like you know, Lagos is cosmopolitan and there is going to be crime, but it has been reduced drastically. And I will continue to ensure that we maintain that.

Almost on a daily basis, motorists and other road users are being attacked along the ever-busy Long bridge, stretching from Isheri to Magboro, as a result of the ongoing road rehabilitation, what steps have you taken to address this problem?

Everything is under control now.

The CP of Ogun State has taken it as a challenge, and I have also put him on his toe to ensure that the place is calm; to put patrol teams on the bridge, to ensure surveillance and monitoring are properly being done along that bridge.

And we are succeeding.

What of the collaborative efforts with other sister security agencies?

How cordial is it?

It is very good, because of recent, I have started visiting some of the sister agencies. I was with the Naval Western Command, Apapa, Lagos. I visited other Armed Forces. I had visited the Immigration Service to assist us with information on some of these illegal immigrants coming into our areas, and the Navy to assist us in the patrolling waterways; and to make sure that these areas are crime-free in this coming yuletide period.

49

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

WITH

MARITIME BITS

JOHN IWORI

08057763164

R-L: President of African Maritime Journalists Association; Mr. Sesan Onileimo presenting a souvenir to the Minister of Transportation, Right Hon. Rotimi Amaechi when he led a delegation from the continental body on a visit to Amaechi in Abuja ...recently

L-R: Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zonal Co-ordinator, Zone A, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Charles Edike and the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Seme Border Command, Comptroller Victor David Dimka look at something with interest during Edike’s official working visit to the command headquarters in Seme…recently

Multi-Billion Onitsha River Port Rots Fresh facts have emerged that the multi-billion naira Onitsha River port is rotting away as the facility that was launched with pomp and pageantry by former President Goodluck Jonathan is now a shadow of itself.

Already cargo handling equipment costing millions of naira including an ultra-modern gantry cranes are rusting away as the port lie fallow more than four years it was formally commissioned.

An initiative of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) which has its corporate headquarters in the Kogi State capital, Lokoja, port is now abandoned becoming home to rodents, reptiles and miscreants in the commercial city.

There are fears in some quarters that the abandonment of the port by the Federal Government may result in the cannibalisation of some of the facilities

in the river port.

The river port was designed to take advantage of the huge trade in the commercial city and reduce the high pressure on land transport through the conveyance of containers from Lagos ports to the Eastern parts of the country through River Niger.

THISDAY checks revealed that besides funding, vested interests of some individuals in the corridors of power and bureaucratic bottle necks have combined to forestall the concession the river port as it was originally scheduled.

Minister of Transportation, Right Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi had earlier this year said that Federal Government is committed to making Onitsha River port functional, just as it is addressing the outlined constrains of the national inland waterways to enable the country fully exploit and enjoy that

MAN, Oron Needs FG Holistic Approach for Development Only a holistic approach and commitment by the Federal Government in the development of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State will ensure the school continue to train, promote, enhance competence and professionalism and turn out world class cadets and graduates, the Registrar and acting Rector of the academy, Mr. Mkpandiok A. Mkpandiok has said.

The Acting Rector who stated this while fielding questions from THISDAY in the Akwa Ibom State capital, Uyo, said the academy having been established for years now knows its challenges, what to do, where to go; but fund remains a big problem.

He spoke on the side line of an award on academic excellence in maritime training conferred on MAN, Oron by the Uyo Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UYOCCIMA).

His words: “If you want to have a world class seafarers, there are a lot of things needed in the academy which government is yet to provide.

There should be more commitment on the part of government to address the challenges of the maritime school.

His words: “A merger budget given to us is not enough to run an academy Nigerians want in a country Nigeria is called giant of Africa. Maritime education and training is cost intensive whether we like it or not.

“There should be training vessels without which you stagnate the career of a cadet, because after the two years training period they supposed to board a training vessel for a mandatory period of 18 months without that they cannot become officers”.

As part of the challenges facing the institution, he said the academy is in dire need of facilities including simulators, functional swimming pool, e-library and up to date books and journals for cadets, students and lecturers as well as sector professionals, master mariners and chief engineers.

“There is an urgent need for the Federal Government to enforce a policy of compulsory engagement of MAN, Oron cadets by foreign and indigenous sea-going vessels, for acquisition of the 18-month mandatory sea-time experience required of them, as a window to their seafaring practice”, he said.

mode of transportation.

According to him, it was in cognizance of the importance of that means of transportation that the government intends to develop the Inland Waterways with private sectors, States and Local Governments.

Represented by NIWA Executive Director, Mrs. Nko Esuabana, Amaechi stated this in his address at the 9th Edition of ‘The Perspective’ an annual Lecture Series of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, ONICCIMA, held at Archbishop C.J Patterson International Auditorium, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The minister stated that in order to sustain Nigeria’s economic growth through port reforms, a good regulatory framework must be laid down by the relevant agencies of the government as well as

Amaechi to Inaugurate African Maritime Journalists Association The Minister of Transportation, Right Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi will next month inaugurate the executive committee of the African Maritime Journalists Association (AMJA).

Apparently delighted that a Nigerian who was hitherto the President of the umbrella body of journalist covering the maritime sector of the economy, the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), Amaechi who was prior to his appointment was the governor of oil and gas rich Rivers State gave an assurance that he would personally attend the event.

Nigeria’s Mr. Sesan Onilemo is the President of AMJA while South Africa’s Mr. Collen Jacka is the Vice President.

Other members of the AMJA Executive Committee are Kenya’s Mr. George Sunguh, General Secetary and Ghana’s Mrs. Grace Nana Esi Boateng, Treasurer.

The inauguration is expected to hold in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos with several dignitaries within and outside the maritime industry attending.

Besides accepting the invitation, Amaechi also expressed delight that a Nigerian was elected to pilot affairs of the continental body. has tasked maritime journalists to be more committed to the reportage of events in the Nigerian maritime industry, even as he commended the quality or coverage that the industry currently enjoys.

Abubakar Takes over Onne Port Complex The new Port Manager, Onne Port Complex, Alhaji Alhassan Ismaila Abubakar has taken over the reins of administration.

His emergence was sequel to the reshuflement at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Headquarters, Lagos shortly after the appointment of Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman as the Managing Director of the Federal Ministry of Transportation key parasatal.

Abubakar who was until his new posting to Onne Port was the Traffic Manager at Calabar Port took over from Mr. Durowaiye Ayodele who was transferred to Western Ports Headquarters, Lagos.

Ayodele in his valedictory remarks expressed appreciation to the various Heads of Departments, for their loyalty and dedication during his tenure just as he enjoin them to continue to support his successor so that he can succeed in his roles and responsibilities as the new port manager.

He stated that Onne Port has two major operational areas which includes Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT), and Federal Lighter

Terminal (FLT). He added that Onne Port is not only oil and gas port but is also strategically located for the generation of revenue for the NPA. According to him, Onne Port has three concessionaires, including INTELS, Brawal Oil Services and West African Container Terminal (WACT).

Abubakar in his response thanked Ayodele for his kind dispositions and wished him well in his new posting.

He reminded all the departmental heads on the need to work as a team, and solicited for total cooperation for attainment of the goal of Onne Port Management.

“Let me state that working with you is going to be very pleasant because my success is your success”, he added.

Describing the new as a 21st century worker, the new port manger noted that she is committed to her work, and very passionate about efficiency and revenue generation.

“Let us all help to block all revenue leakages. We should be innovative and committed to our work’’, he said.

the Private sector.

He added that a comprehensive legal framework, financial and monetary policies should be firmly established to be observed by all and sundry in the business industry and that the Onitsha River port must be functional to help drive the economic hub of the business community in the country.

Many months after Amaechi presented his address, nothing on the ground suggest that his statements were not mere rhetoric as Onitsha River port which situated at the foot of the famous River Niger Bridge is still lying down in waste and ruins.

So much for the President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration which key officials will not allow any occasion to end without saying: “We want to diversify the Nigerian economy and move it away from its over dependence on crude oil”.

Former NSC MD Unveils Book on Effective Transport System Former Managing Director of Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Dr. Kingsley Usoh will next week unveil a book on effective transport systems in the country.

This is not the first book of Usoh whose tenure in the council was credited with so many legacies including the building of the imposing magnificent 11- storey building which presently serves as the corporate headquarters of NSC in Apapa, Lagos.

Titled “Effective Transport Systems – A Catalyst for Nigeria’s Socio-economic Development”, Usoh told THISDAY in a chat in Lagos that in the book he tried to review the imperfections and complexities which our policy thrusts and actions have imposed on our transport systems.

Describing transport as one of the critical pillars of our socio-economic development, the erstwhile Managing Director of NSC stated that the narrowness of knowledge in this field of learning has made us apply “barber” conceptual disposition to ‘comb and cut’ without getting to the base where the hairs are rooted.

According to the author, this kind of approach often results in some superficial and shoddy jobs without solving the embedded problems of “dandruff and scabies”. The quick-fix faculty of the barbers whose behaviours are likened to the hireling attitude of our engineers, planners and administrators which leave us with unbalanced objectives and interests that only graze over existing problems and leave behind multiplicity of bigger unanswered questions created for the future generations to address.

He explained that the book has traced the sources of most of Nigeria’s transport problems on mode by mode basis.

“I have tried to discuss all the envisaged shortcomings, hoping that my insight into them would help give us clues towards minimizing these man-made problems for better and healthier socio-economic enhancement that would trigger development and growth.

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SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016 T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

PERSPECTIVE

Reuben Abati’s ‘Spiritual Side of the Villa’ and Buhari’s ‘Kitchen Wife’ Femi Fani-Kayode

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read Reuben Abati’s excellent write-up titled “The Spiritual Side of Aso Villa” and I concur with his submissions.

I worked in the Villa for three years as President Olusegun Obasanjo’s spokesman on public affairs and a lot of strange things happened there.

Amongst them is the fact that the two people that served as Senior Special Assistant to President Obasanjo on Media and Publicity one after the other, namely the much-loved Mr. Tunji Oseni and then later Mrs. Remi Oyo, both contracted a terrible terminal illness whilst in office and died a few years later.

Apart from that, many other aides that worked in the Villa at that time were also afflicted with strange diseases and a sudden and tragic end.

Amongst them were Col. Solomon Giwa Amu, Obasanjo’s hard-working and good-looking ADC and Mr. Stanely Macebuh, his brilliant and cerebral Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications.

I was so moved by Abati’s piece that I decided to share the following thoughts about the spiritual challenges that those in power have faced.

It is all part of the spiritual dimension of living in the Villa that Abati was referring to in his essay.

Yet, the problem is much bigger and wider than that. When one studies the history of our country critically and takes the time to do the appropriate research, one thing becomes very clear- that, in Nigeria, politics and the power game is a dangerous calling and terrible business which, more often than not, comes with a heavy price tag.

That price tag includes pain, anguish, betrayal, humiliation, persecution, misfortune, hardship, loss, death, strange ailments and tragedy for those who reach the top and their loved ones.

It is rather like playing Russian roulettethere is one live bullet in the six empty chambers of the pistol and one doesn’t quite know when that bullet will go off when the trigger is pulled.

The gamble and risks taken are not only compulsive but they are also addictive and at the same time utterly deadly.

Sadly, the result is as follows- virtually every single one of our national leaders and those that have ever ruled this country has suffered immeasurably at some point or the other in their lives, whether it be before, during or after they came to power.

They too have shed tears in the loneliness of their closets and have eaten portions of what the Bible describes as the “bread of sorrows”. Yes, even the rich and powerful cry and even they suffer loss and tragedy. This is the case for leaders all over the world but in Nigeria it is far more pronounced and common than anywhere else.

Here, the angel of death, misfortune and sorrow seem to stalk those that find power and, like an ugly old crow plucks out the pink feathers and precious eyes of a beautiful flamingo, she cuts short and plucks away their lives or the lives of their loved ones.

Like a light bulb attracts a moth and leads it to a sudden end, so power attracts those who seek it with equally tragic consequences. As painful as it is, let us look at the facts.

In the early 60’s, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first Premier of the Western Region, lost his first son and years later his second son and second daughter were cut short in the prime of their lives.

Abacha Chief S.L. Akintola, his bitter political rival and the second Premier of the Western Region also lost his first daughter in the early 60’s and a few years later lost his third and youngest son. His second son was also cut short in his prime a number of years later.

My father, Chief Remilekun FaniKayode, the Deputy Premier of the Western Region, who was a close ally and second in command to S.L. Akintola, lost his second son.

Sir Adesoji Aderemi, who was the Ooni of Ife, a close ally of Awolowo and the first ceremonial Governor of the old Western Region, lost his first son. Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Premier of the old Eastern Region and Nigeria’s first and only ceremonial President, lost his first wife.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria’s second democratically-elected President lost four wives and one son many years ago whilst Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the Northern Region, lost

When one considers all these facts and series of misfortunes that have trailed our leaders in the last 56 years of our existence as an independent nation, one cannot but conclude that there has indeed been a harvest of hardship, pain and death attached to the highest, most powerful and most prominent offices in the land and to those that are close to or have occupied it. The truth is that power comes at a terrible price and those that wield it have, more often than not, experienced terrible pain and anguish in their lives

two sons and one daughter. Awolowo and Obasanjo went to jail for three years each whilst Ahmadu Bello went to jail for three months.

S.L. Akintola was killed in the prime of his life just as were Ahmadu Bello and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first democratically-elected leader and Prime Minister.

As a matter of fact, they were all killed on the same night- the night of January 15th 1966. President Shehu Shagari, Nigeria’s second democratically-elected leader and first executive President lost four children whilst he was in power and was locked up for over two years after he was toppled.

Chief MKO Abiola, the winner of the June 12th 1993 Presidential election, lost two wives, was locked up for 4 years and was eventually killed.

Chief Bola Ige, the first democraticallyelected Governor of Oyo state and the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation lost his first son and he himself was later murdered.

Chief Bisi Onabanjo, the first democratically-elected Governor of Ogun state lost his first son. Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the first democratically elected Governor of Lagos state, lost his first daughter.

Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, the second democratically-elected Governor of Oyo state lost his son. Chief Festus OkotieEboh, the first Minister of Finance of Nigeria was killed.

Chief Alfred Rewane, one of the founding members of the Action Group and a leading figure in NADECO, was killed.

The list is endless and I could go on and on.

Alhaji Musa Yar’adua was Minister of Lagos Affairs in the First Republic. He was blessed with a long and peaceful life. However two of his sons were not so lucky.

His first son, General Shehu Musa Yar’adua, who was number two to General Obasanjo when he was military Head of State and who for many decades was one of the most powerful men in the country, was murdered whilst he was in prison.

His second son, President Umaru Yar’adua, was cut short in his prime by a strange and inexplicable ailment after he had been President for only three years.

He was succeeded by his number two, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan lost his brother and his motherin-law one year after the other after he became President.

Worse still those that he had been deputy to throughout his political life, either as Deputy Governor or Vice President, always suffered one form of misfortune or the other, whether it be death, shame, incarceration or impeachment, and he would end up stepping into their shoes and taking their place.

When it comes to our military rulers the story of consistent tragedy is no differentGeneral Aguiyi-Ironsi, our first military Head of State was killed. General Yakubu Gowon, our second military Head of State, was toppled from power, exiled and lost his brother.

General Murtala Mohammed, our third military Head of State, was killed and lost both his son and son-in-law.

General Muhammadu Buhari, our fifth military Head of State, was toppled from power, locked up for a number of years, lost his mother whilst he was in detention and was not allowed to attend her burial, lost his first wife, lost his daughter and now he has publicly described his second wife as nothing more than a “kitchen,

living room and ‘other room’ wife”.

His number two, General Tunde idiagbon, was cut short under very strange and suspicious circumstances.

General Ibrahim Babangida, our sixth military Head of State, was eased out of power and compelled to ”step aside” amidst massive controversy and turmoil and later lost his wife.

His number two, Rear Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, lost his first son.

General Sani Abacha, our seventh military Head of State, lost his first son, was removed from power and was killed.

General Abdulsalami Abubakar, our eight military Head of State, as far as I am aware is the only exception and appears to have escaped any misfortune.

Yet the picture is very depressing. This is indeed a catalogue of tragic events. Sorrow and pain just appears to be following sorrow and pain. It is a vicious circle of misfortune and calamity.

Yet, the most curious phenomenon and bizarre series of events of all is the fact that every single Head of State or President that has ruled our country from the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock, Abuja for three years or more has either ended up dying whilst there or has lost a spouse before leaving office.

President Jonathan stayed there as President for four years in a stretch but the travails of his wife and her series of illnesses and medical complications which suddenly and miraculously ceased and abated after he conceded the 2015 election indicates that had he continued in office after 2015 he may have lost her and the demons of Aso Rock Villa would have come for their prey. Thankfully he left before they could lay claim to it and before the curse was activated.

Babangida did not stay in the Villa in Abuja for up to three years so he and his wife escaped what has come to be known as the ”Villa curse”.

It was the same for Chief Ernest Shonekan who, wisely, never stayed at the Villa at all but who chose to preside over the affairs of the nation from Aguda house next door and who remained in power for barely six months. General Abdulsalami Abubakar stayed at the Villa but he remained there for less than a year.

However Abacha, Obasanjo and Yar’adua were not so lucky- each of them stayed at the Villa for three years or more and before the end of their tenure they either lost their own life or the life of their spouse whilst there. The story is that once the three year mark is passed the curse sets in and the clock begins to tick. At the end of the day only one of the two spouses comes out alive.

When one considers all these facts and series of misfortunes that have trailed our leaders in the last 56 years of our existence as an independent nation, one cannot but conclude that there has indeed been a harvest of hardship, pain and death attached to the highest, most powerful and most prominent offices in the land and to those that are close to or have occupied it.

The truth is that power comes at a terrible price and those that wield it have, more often than not, experienced terrible pain and anguish in their lives.

That is the price that virtually every single one of them has had to pay. What a tragedy. Yet at the end of the day I wonder whether it is all worth it.

For as the bible says, it is nothing but “vanity upon vanity- all is vanity”.

– Note: This piece was written by Fani-Kayode few days before his arrest on October 21

52

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

POLITY

CouncilBossAssuresonInclusiveDevelopmentinEnugu

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he Chairman of Nkanu East Council, Hon. Ikechukwu Ubagu, has said that the government of Enugu State would continue to build on its inclusive development model to ensure that the people and communities of the State are involved in the planning and execution of government projects.

He gave the assurance during the inauguration of the 17-man Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ward Executive in Nomeh community during the week.

Ubagu, who extolled the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi development model, recalled that the 35 road and development projects, which construction was recently flagged off by the administration, were democratically chosen by the communities and leaders of each of the Councils.

He added: “The government of Enugu State believes that voting is just the beginning of the people’s role in a democracy. The Governor believes that cannot pretend to know the development priorities of the

people better than the people themselves, hence the need to ensure that communities and local governments are actively involved in setting development agenda for the government as it affects their areas. This participatory governance model will also ensure that the people hold the government and contractors accountable to ensure that projects are satisfactorily executed”.

Addressing the mammoth crowd of party supporters, the Chairman of the PDP Executive Committee in Nkanu East, Prince Emeka Nwatu, said the PDP would surely bounce back at the national level in 2019, noting that the executive of the party in Enugu was also resolved to emulate the inclusive and participatory governance approach of Governor Ugwuanyi in administering the party.

He appreciated the people of Nomeh for trouping out en masse to demonstrate their support for the Ugwanyi administration, assuring that the administration would impact positively on the community, despite dwindling resources.

Earlier in their addresses, party Stakeholders in Nomeh Ward, including the Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate, Mr. Uche Anichukwu; Member, Enugu State Council on Privatization and Commercialization, Rev. Felix Okoye; and Executive Assistant to the Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okafor, extoled the Governor’s development efforts in the midst of scarce resources.

While praising the Governor for the ongoing construction of the Inyaba Bridge to link the Nkanu East North and Nkanu East-South as well as flagging off the construction of Ugwawka-Nara-Nkerefi Road and AmechiIdodo Road, Mr. Anichukwu, who was represented by Hon. Cajetan Anichukwu, said the community had no reason to doubt the governor’s commitment to the development of Nomeh.

“We are not in doubt of the Governor’s soft spot for Nomeh community; he has also shown himself as a performing, humane and people-oriented leader; and we can only pray

Hon. Ikechukwu Ubagu, Chairman, Nkanu East Local Government Council

that he continues on the path of excellence he has charted so far”, Anichukwu added.

PHOTO NEWS

Former National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Sir Ernest Elochukwu appreciating the congregation at the St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Ezeobiagha village, Ichi town, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State venue of the funeral service for his late mother, Madam Susan Elochukwu…recently

L-R: Trade Commissioner Sweden Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Bengt Carlsson; Development Director, South Energyx Limited, Mr. Pierre Edde; Minister of EU and Trade Sweden, Ann Linde; Sweden Ambassador to Nigeria, Inger Ultvedt and Vice Chairman, South Energyx Limited, Mr. Ronald Chagoury Jnr, during a Swedish delegations visit to Eko Atlantic City, Lagos....recently

L-R: Chief Legal Officer, Lekki Gardens Estate Limited, Steve Agbiboa; Managing Director/CEO, Lekki Gardens Estate Limited, Mr. Richard Nyong; the Olumegbon of Lagos, Chief Fatai Lawal Olumegbon and Sales Director, Lekki Gardens L-R: Director, Lagos Photo, Azu Nwagbogu; Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher and Vice PresiEstate Limited, Mrs. Chinonso Nwabueze during a courtesy visit by the company to the Olumegbon Palace in Ajah, dent, Marketing, Adebisi Idowu, during the grand opening of Etisalat-LagosPhoto Festival, Lagos...recently Lagos...recently

L-R: South African singer-songwriter, Jonathan Butler; winner of the maiden edition, Voice Nigeria, A’rese; Producer, South African music group, MiCasa, Dr. Duda; Vocalist, J, Something; and Trumpeter, Mo-T, in a press conference, Lagos… recently

Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Charles Kie, Deputy Managing Director, Tony Okpanachi and other staff of the bank in its “Walk and Work for a Sustainable Environment” campaign in different parts of the country...recently

53

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Tosin Clegg

07062816737 e-mail: tosinclegg@hotmail.com

BOLAJI OGUNMOLA

I’ll Love to Date D’banj; He’s Stylish, Hot Bolaji Ogunmola is an actress who kicked off her career few years ago. She has since been waxing very strong in the industry, playing key roles in TV series, movies and stage plays. In this interview with Tosin Clegg, she talks about her crush on Dbanj, future plans among other things

I

101 per cent in the moment of the character.

I also like she because she is a family woman; same with Omotola Jalade Ekeinde. I want to be a role model to other people, just as these stars I have mentioned do.

My first movie I was schooling at a time in Ilorin, Kwara State. There was this group I used to act with and back then, we did a movie about ‘NEPA’. I don’t know if it came out. Back in Lagos, I attended Royal Arts Academy. I was in the movie, Unbended Knees, Squatters Season 1, Lekki Wives Season 1, Jenifa Season 1, Living Next to You by Opa Williams and some new movies coming out soon. I was also in Out of Luck

by Niyi Akinmolayan and I did a stage play for Wole Oguntokun at some point and we also did a film together.

It’s been a long journey for me. I have worked with a lot of big acts like Ruth Kadiri, Ramsey Noah, Alex Ekubo, Mofe Duncan, Omowunmi Dada and a lot more people.

My own movie Right now, I don’t have any personal ongoing project. I want to work for other people and build my followership but I intend to produce my own film soon telling stories from me. Right now, I am just working with other producers. I have a lot of directors/ producers I gel with, like Film Boy, Emmanuel Emem and Tope Alake.

These people understand me and bring out the best in me. Directors are the best thing that can happen to you if you are in tune with them which I like to do.

I have had great experiences with them. I would also love to work with RMD, Mike Ezerounye, Majid Michael and John Dumelo. Lupita N’yongo and Meryl Streep are international acts I would love to work with. Why Lupita?

Because she comes from Africa and she is someone that have evolved and we have same root which will make us connect.

Acting in the church started acting about four years ago but at some point I took a year off.

It all started in a Church after my secondary school education. They needed someone to play a particular role and I was wondering about in the Church on that day. Suddenly, I was called upon to take up the role.

My challenges When a casting director or the people around know you can play a particular role very well, they tend to give you the same thing every time. But it would be nice to face new challenges different from one particular character.

A private life I love my job but I still like to keep my life private. I like to keep myself so small. I want people to know me and still be intrigued by me in a way.

I am not an outgoing person. I am homely. Apart from movies, I am very reserved.

I love Mercy Johnson I like Rita Dominic and Genevieve.

Also, I like Joke Silva, Funmi Awofiyebi and when I watch their movies I pick and relate it to my works. For Rita Dominic, I pick her style. I like Genevieve because she is reserved and Mercy Johnson because she gives her all when she is acting. She is usually

Future plan In five years, I should be married, taken my career to the next level, be a producer and also have a production house so I can give back to other talents. I don’t believe only me should be a star. I believe others should as well.

The sky is enough to be for everybody.

View on Dbanj I like Dbanj because he is single and because he his stylish and has been able to be there for a while. I like Donjazzy also because he is funny.

Idris Alba is hot.

Also, I like Miley Cyrus boyfriend, the Hemsworth’s guy but he has been taken. Also, I like Usher Raymond, Trey Songz, Jidenna.

I would love to date Dbanj. He is single and hot. Dbanj is someone that’s consistent and understands the business. He is royalty and I am a queen.

Bolaji Ogunmola

SEASON 2 OF CHIKA IKE’S AFRICAN DIVA REALITY SHOW COMMENCES AnAfrican series and interactive competition, conceived and produced by Nollywood star actress Chika Ike began airing on October 15, 2016 on AIT. The series is a reality, docu-drama that focuses on the search for the ideal African woman.

Women from all over the nation will get a chance to compete for the privilege of being called an African Diva. The reality series will be centered on Nigeria’s own superstar, Ike, with the 25 contestant drawn from five African countries in the second season.

The show will be internally judged by Ike and a panel of judges that will be both regulars and guest stars. Atotal of 22 female contestants are in the show at an undisclosed location. The show will span four weeks. Each day, the girls will compete in a task. The girls will be tasked on their domestic skills, hospitality, entrepreneurship, sports, child-care and their knowledge of Africa.

At the end of each task, the contestants will be assessed, there will be winners and losers, and every episode will see the eviction of at least one of the contestants. The contestants will be winnowed down till only the 3 finalists remain

in the house and a winner will emerge.

The first season was not without its criticism, though: “Season 1 was done in a certain way and people had a lot to say. When something is new, it’s normal to have a back and forth but people really embraced it. The reception received by the programme has been humbling. When I started, I knew that I was sowing a seed that will germinate and become a very big tree. But I also doubted myself at some point if I would be able to do it, said Ike.”

54

THISDAY, THe SATurDAY NewSpAper • OCTOBER 29, 2016

WRITERS’ WORLD

Is the Media Reporting Too Much Violence?

BISI DANIELS bisi.daniels@thisdaylive.com Blog: www.bisidaniels.com, 08050220700

In spite of undisputed effects of negative news on the psychological and physiological health of people, we are assaulted daily with news on violence. It is worse on the social media. So people ask, “Where is the control button or has the world lost its humanity?”

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hese days hardly would you turn on the television, open up a web browser, or scroll through Twitter, WhatsApp without being assaulted with news of a new world of violence and inhumanity. On many channels, news on violence - shootings, plane crashes, ISIS beheadings, crime, war and human rights violations - are constant.

When a three-year-old Syrian boy, Aylan Kurd, was washed ashore on a beach in Turkey, the picture was repeatedly reported worldwide to whip up sympathy for refugee crisis. He was one of the 12 Syrians who drowned attempting to reach the Greek island of Kos that day. The picture depicted the dark-haired toddler, wearing a bright-red T-shirt and shorts, washed up on a beach, lying face down in the surf not far from Turkey’s resort town of Bodrum. Even children were not spared that horror.

As it has turned out, the story changed nothing. Today, in the full glare of TV viewers and newspaper readers around the world, the northern Syrian city of Aleppo is being painted in ruins; even hospitals and aid convoys are routinely bombed to kill.

“Whole neighbourhoods have been levelled by enormous explosions that have systematically targeted main roads around the city and all exits out of it, as well as marketplaces, hospitals, bread lines and fuel queues,” according to a newspaper report. “Those who remain in eastern Aleppo, roughly 40,000 from a prewar population estimated at about a million, have been without electricity or running water for more than a year.”

Nigeria has had a fair share of this barbarism in the hands of Boko Haram insurgents. Villages upon villages were razed and fleeing residents shot point blank. Bombed human bodies were a regular sight.

“We cried all day editing the feeds from the incidents, and if we were to show all what we got, society would be worse for it,” admitted a newscaster of a popular TV channel in Nigeria.

Responsible media organizations do warn viewers and readers about the little of these horrific scenes they report but occasionally, we do see dead bodies and human parts on the pages of some papers or on prime time news bulletins.

However, in Nigeria, news on violence seems to be a small percentage of the total. But even the little could be depressing and emotionallycharged. In much of the social media, however, the sensitivities are ignored. One evening I was looking forward to nice dinner when I got a WhatsAPP message from a friend for me to share with my contacts. It was a warning about how some cab and “keke” drivers charm their passengers into numbness and later kill them for rituals. It came with an image of fresh human parts dripping with blood, cut and arranged neatly, with the head looking up! Adarkcomplexioned woman of about 45-years, killed obviously for rituals. I rushed to throw up and lost appetite for dinner; my mood turned sour for the rest of the day!

Effects of news on violence

Sour mood is one of the effects of so much violence in the news. I suffered a mood change that evening; scientists have confirmed it happens. “Negative news can significantly change an individual’s mood — especially if there is a tendency in the news broadcasts to emphasize suffering and also the emotional components of the story.”

Researchers continue to work the physical and psychological effects of the prevalence of violence in the news. They say why news of violence affects us so much is that attention is

controlled in the brain stem through the reticular activating system (RAS). Naturally, this functions as an alarm so that an animal gets moving quickly if it detects a dangerous predator. But where are we fleeing to these days.

persistent emotional reaction to a traumatic event that severely impairs one’s life.

One obvious observation is that we seem to be losing our humanity, the quality or state of being human; being kind and caring to other people or even to animals. We are no longer our brothers’ keepers anymore! Generally, we are becoming desensitized.

In the study, 189 participants were shown images and provided with stories of violent events, including the Sept. 11 attacks, school shootings and suicide bombings.

The researchers’ analysis showed that 22 percent of those who participated were significantly affected by what they saw.

The study also found that people who view violent events more often were more affected than people who saw them less frequently, and that people who described themselves as extroverts with outgoing personalities were at a higher risk to be disturbed by the images.

Anational survey in the US showed the following effects: Adults: three to five days after the September 11, 2001, attacks, people reported watching an average of eight hours of television related to the attacks. Those who watched the most coverage had more substantial stress reactions than those who watched less television coverage.

Children: In the same national survey, parents reported that their children watched an average of three hours of television related to the bombing, with older adolescents watching more than younger children. Children who watched the most coverage were reported to have more stress symptoms than those who watched less coverage.

Studies

Vicious cycle effect on mood

View from Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital Yaba

Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital Yaba, Dr. Richard Adebayo is reported to have noted that the upsurge of terrorism could fuel major psychological impacts such as shock and acute stress reaction.

He said the direct and indirect victims, the survivors of the violent events or the injured, those who were present or nearby, those who were exposed to trauma as a result of their attempts to help victims, those who watch it in the news, face psychological reactions, such as sleeping disorders, eating problems, headaches, increased level of arousal, cognitive confusion, poor concentration, memory difficulties, distressing dreams or nightmares, intrusive thoughts or images among others.

Loss of humanity

Violent news and trauma: According to a team of researchers at the University of Bradford in England exposure to violent imagery on social media can cause symptoms that are similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, explained as a

Is the media reporting too much violence?

Maybe we have to flip the question to get it right. Is there too much violence in the world now?

British psychologist Dr. Graham Davey, who specializes in the psychological effects of media violence, has observed that viewing negative news means that one is likely to see their own personal worries as more threatening and severe, and when they do start worrying about them, they are more likely to find the worry difficult to control and more distressing than it would normally be.

According to Davey, the way that negative news affects your mood can also have a larger affect on how you interpret and interact with the world around you. If it makes you more anxious or sad for instance, then you may subconsciously become more attuned to negative or threatening events and you may be more likely to see ambiguous or neutral events as negative ones.

“These images change our overall mood to a more negative one — more sad or more anxious — and it is this change in mood that leads to psychological changes in the way we attend to things around us (e.g. we are more

likely to pick out things in our environment that are potentially negative or threatening),” Davey explains. “This can have a vicious cycle effect on mood generally for some time.”

Vulnerability of children: Children are

especially vulnerable to the effects of exposure to violence in the home and the media. Effects include reduced sensitivity toward others, being more fearful, and behaving more aggressively.

In a recent study, adolescents who had high exposure to violence in the media and video games, besides behaving more aggressively, also showed that the parts of the brains involved in thinking, learning, reasoning, and emotional control were less active than in adolescents who had lower exposure to violence. Children also tend to exhibit long term effects into adulthood, with highly aggressive children more likely to become violent criminals.

Children and adolescents are also especially vulnerable because they typically do not have the broad world view or self-soothing skills necessary to cope with the distress induced by witnessing violence and cruelty. And they may not get the support they need from adults.

Copycat crimes: Violent news influences some people with troubled minds. They are so fascinated by the news that they try to copy or excel in it

Back to the question: Is the media

reporting too much violence? Maybe we have to flip the question to get it right. Is there too much violence in the world now? Yes! Violent behavior has been around since the beginning of time but there seems to be an increase with the upsurge of terrorism with technologically enhanced opportunity to broadcast it by the criminals themselves.

But is the media right to show so much of it? With proper care of human sensibilities, the media is right to tell the news the way it is. The atrocities of ISIS must be reported, (without the graphic details of the beheading of people, etc), and Aleppo must be shown the way it is, if for nothing to attract humanitarian support, and expose the wickedness of people who drop bombs on defenseless people, including innocent children.

News reports must be the truth and nothing but the truth with a high degree of decency and professionalism. It has been observed, however, that some sections of the media exploit the truth that negative news sells.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016

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T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016

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OCTOBER 29, 2016 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

SME INTERVIEW Nusirat Animashaun

Beta Customer Product Has Improved My Business

Mrs. Animashaun is into petty business in addition to his civil service job. In this interview with John Iwori, she gave an insight into how she was introduced into Beta Customer product and how the product has impacted positively on her life, especially the imbibing of a saving culture among other things. Excerpts

G

ood Afternoon ma, can we meet you?

I am Mrs Animashaun.

How long have you been involved in Beta Customer product?

Roughly three years now.

How did you get introduced to Beta product?

It was through one of their representatives who came down here to inform us about Beta product. She said that she will be coming around regularly to collect what whatever we have so that we have something kept aside as savings. It looked strange but we still found it interesting because she never left us even when we were not open to the idea. She always comes around steadily to ask us if we are ready to start saving with Beta. So one day I said okay, let me just start with whatever I have and so we started.

Has Beta product improved your business in any way?

Oh yes! At least all these idle monies are not flying off anymore. At times being a business person you part with money and you do not know. As you can see I have just bought things for my shop and all. You know once we make money, the first thing we think about is to please ourselves, if you see fine slippers you buy, you see fine clothes at times you buy.

However due to the operations of our Beta officer, we always bear in mind that we have to keep something for her maybe N20,000 or more. Most importantly it motivates us to save.

Are you saying the Beta product has actually helped you develop a savings culture?

Absolutely Against the backdrop of the general clamour for financial empowerment of women because women it is fact that women have a key role to play in economic growth in what ways will you say that Beta has been able to help you improve you financial status and also affect people around you?

Beta has helped me in many ways and I have introduced at least three people to it.

Those three people have in turn introduced more people to the plan and this number continues to grow. I have actually lost count of the number of people that have been introduced to her from my network. Even my sales assistant indicated interest to join and I told her that even if she might not be able to meet up with the regular payments, she can still structure a plan which will still see her save comfortably. I told her she can arrange to drop her savings maybe at the end of the month or when she collects her salary and the beta rep will come to pick it up.

I encourage people to save with beta because I have gained from the package and I

Animashaun

know a lot of people that have also gained.

Apart from saving for your business, what other tangible thing can you say you have used the savings from Beta to do?

I purposely refused to collect an automated teller machine (ATM) card because I reasoned that if I collect an ATM card, I will be tempted to use it and the aim of the savings will be defeated. It will be as if I’m still collecting the money and spending. So I said to myself, let it be that I have a target to keep my gains for a specific purpose. My target when I started was to pay school fees for my son and I said let me try this to see if it will yield something for me.

Thankfully it has.

So you have been able to use the savings from your Beta account to consistently pay your son’s school fees?

Yes! How long did it take you to save this amount?

You see, I am a civil servant. This shop is not all I have. So whatever I make from my shop and what I can bring out from my salary, I quickly send for the Beta representative and drop it with her. It is like I turned a blind eye to extra expenses with the small monies that I used to spend on extra luxury and I have even been able to use the money saved to send my son abroad to further his education. It is a little harder now with the situation of the economy but nevertheless saving with Beta product has really helped me and I am proud of that.

Has the activities of the beta representative also influenced your experience with saving?

That is what I am saying! I tell her to continue troubling us and telling us to bring our money to save for better things.

Sapele Community to Assist Police in Combating Crime

T

he good people of Sapele community in Okpe local government area of Delta state, have resolved to foster better relationship with the Nigerian Police for effective community policing. The resolution was made at a stakeholders’ meeting on the need for the people of Sapele to continue their supports for the police. This is coming just as one Mrs. Ufuoma Erhire, an indigene in the area has been declared wanted by the men of the Nigeria police in Delta State over an

alleged crime of lesbianism which the suspect was said to have committed sometime in August. Speaking at the stakeholders meeting, a leader in the community, Mr. Kingsley Mene, while briefing journalists said that Sapele indigenes are law abiding and as such, would continue to maintain the cordial relationship with men of the Nigeria Police, noting that the people would disclose any useful information at their disposal as to the whereabouts of the suspect if the need arose.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

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NEWS

In Brief

‘I was not Suspended’

TheChiefofStafftothePresident,AbbahKyari,hasdismissedreportsthathe wassuspendedbyhisprincipal,PresidentMuhammaduBuhari.KyaritoldState Housecorrespondentsthathehadbeenonleaveandthathejustresumedfrom hisleave.Heaskedthejournalists:"AreyougoingtotweetthatIamback?Idon't goonleave?"Askedtocommentonthereportsofhispurportedsuspension,he responded:"Idon'ttalktothepress.Youknowmyjobdoesn'tholdmetalking."

There were allegations that he was enmeshed in a bribery scandal over the slashing of fines handed down to MTN for violating procedures on simcard registration.TheGSMcompanywasfinedN330billion fortheviolationbefore negotiationswereenteredintowithaviewtoreducingthefine.However,the effort was later mired in controversies with allegations of bribery leading to rumoursthathehadbeensuspendedfromoffice.Hehoweverclaimedhewas onleaveandhadresumed.

Sterling Bank's BBB+ Rating

WE MEAN SAFETY...

L-R: : Commissioner for Sports, Anabra State, Mrs. Nwogu; Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State; Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Col Muhammad Abdallah rtd; Commissioner for information, Mr Tony ; Director Prosecution, NDLEA Mr. Sunday Mbonu and State Commander, NDLEA Anambra State Sule Momodu during courtesy visit by NDLEA chairman/chief Executive to the Governor at gov lodge Awka

NIS to Issue Provisional Appointment Letters to 888 Candidates Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Friday disclosed that it was set to issue the provisional letters of appointment to the 888 successful candidates out of 1470 that reported for from the 2000 prequalified.

The breakdown of the different cadres were "Assistant Superintendent of Immigration ll 177, Assistant Inspector of Immigration 305, Immigration Assistant l- Immigration Assistant lll 406, totally 888."

To this end, noted NIS, the names of the successful candidates would be published on its website, "www.immigration.org.ng" from Monday 31st Oct. 2016, adding that successful candidates can start

looking out for their letters.

"The recruitment exercise process has been regularised and the issue finally laid to rest."

Disclosing this to the media in a press briefing held in Abuja, the Comptroller General of Immigration Service (CGIS), Mr. Mohammed Babandede said, you may recall that on Saturday 15th March, 2014 about 6.5 million applicants for Immigration employments reported to various designated centers in the Federation for screening.

According to him, the inability to manage the large number of applicants resulted in the death of 16 persons and injuries to a score of others. Consequently, the exercise was suspended and therefore inconclusive.

"As a responsive and responsible

agency of government which is committed to transparency and accountability in line with the tenets and of the change agenda of the Federal government, we are obliged to avail members of the public relevant information in on our activities and reports on outstanding issues.

"In an attempt to address the issue, in his correspondence to me dated 9th August, 2016 my Minister, Lt. Gen. Abdulraman Dambazau conveyed the kind approval of Mr. President to re-assess the aggrieved applicants for the purpose of recruiting them into the service.

"Consequently, the CDFIPB, the body with the statutory duty to recruit issued out guidelines for a fresh screening of only the 2000 applicants that were involved and

whose names were published in Leadership and THISDAY Newspapers on the 15th and 16th of August, 2016 respectively", he said The CGIS explained that, considering the importance of the Agency to the nation, due process was followed for the screening as directed by the statutory board which includes: Age on rank, proper scrutiny of certificates, physical fitness, drug free test, security clearance, good conduct/ character and medical fitness.

The exercise he stressed was open to coverage by the press, adding that the recommendations from the exercise had been submitted to CDFIPB which on confirmation, would issue the provisional letters of appointment to the successful candidates.

NCC Denies Gratification Fraud Examiners Say Good from MTN's Negotiated Governance Panacea to Settlement of N330bn Fine Economic Recession Sylvester Idowu inWarri

Again, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has denied allegation that some officials of the commission obtained bribe in the negotiated settlement of N330bn fine imposed by the Federal Government on MTN Nigeria.

Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of the Commission, Mr. Abdullahi Maikano, denied the allegation during the 22 Edition of Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM) held in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

Maikano, who was represented at the interactive meeting by the Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Dr. Femi Joseph Atoyebi said the town hall meeting was to bridge and bring together telecom consumers in urban areas with network operators and the agency towards proffering solutions to various complaints by users.

He maintained that none of its officials was bribed in the saga,

urging Nigerians to discontinuance the allegation as the present board under the leadership of Professor Umaru Garba Danbatta was too disciplined to allow anyone to drag the high reputation of the organisation to the mud.

Maikano in response to questions from Journalists at the ceremony said, “What I want to clear is this, no NCC official was bribed. I repeat!

Nobody bribed any NCC official on that MTN fine issue quote me.

“NCC is a very responsible organisation under the able leadership of our executive Vice Chairman, Professor Umaru Garba Danbatta.

He has provided that quality leadership which cascaded down to the least of the staff.

“No NCC staff will ever take bribe. Challenge me if you see one. That allegation is not true. You read in the papers what MTN has done, they have paid some amount and they are to pay the rest by installments. So, that case is actually settled”, he added.

Omolabake Fasgbon As the country grapples with strategies to get out of the economic recession, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners have advised that good governance which placed premium of transparency and development was the only way of the present quagmire.

They also commended the ratification of the of the Unified Code of Corporate Governance launched recently in an anti-fraud seminar organised for members of the Association in Lagos where they resolved to up the ante in ensuring transparency in governance.

According to them in a bullet point decisions reached at the forum, mismanagement of resource ,arising from bad governancew as one of the factors that gave birth to economic problems in the country and insisted that the time was ripe for fraud prevention and detection measures to keep the economy stable.

Delivering a paper at the seminar on “Good Governance: A veritable

Tool for Fighting Fraud During Economic Recession”, Deputy Director, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Mr. Iheanyi Anyahara said the corporate governance code could be effective in fighting fraud.

"Considering the current global economic meltdown, especially the recession in Nigeria, both domestic and international investors are likely to shy away from countries that do not guarantee investor rights nor provide for adequate corporate disclosures or ensure sound practices.

"It is therefore pertinent that regulators should create more stringent regulatory procedures to detect internal and external fraud, create penalties for erring companies and curb such practices. Also regulators should have the capacity to investigate and probe into the annual reports of companies", he pointed out.

Anyahara who lamented weak enforcement and regulatory mechanisms in the country noted that such were needed to be urgently dealt with to keep the incidence of fraud to the barest minimum.

DataPro Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading Credit Rating Agencies (CRA), has reaffirmed Sterling Bank BBB+ rating for the year 2016/2017. Speaking to THISDAY,ManagingDirector,DataPro,AbimbolaAdeseyojusaid,‘’TheBBB+rating indicatesthatSterlingbankhasafairfinancialstrength,operatingPerformance andbusinessprofilewhencomparedtotheestablishedstandards.Itfurther indicatesthatthebankhastheabilitytomeetitson-goingobligationssubject to adverse changes in economic conditions.’ The DataPro rating committee approvedtheratingafterareviewofthebank’sCapitalisation,Earningsprofile, Liquidity, Quality of assets and Sustainability of its current healthy profile in themediumtolong-termperiod.Theratingissupportedbythebank’sstable managementandgoodliquidityratio.Theliquidityratioofthebankat44%in theyear2015waswellabovetheregulatoryrequirement..

Travels Network AdmitsTOPCOMM

TravelLifestyleNetwork(TLN),theglobalnetworkofindependentcommunicationsagenciesdeliveringcomprehensivesuitepublicrelationsandmarketing communicationstoclientsacrossthetravelandlifestylesectors,hasadmitted TOPCOMMPRConcept&EventsLtd,asitsfirstmemberagencyinNigeria.

TOPCOMM becomes the first agency to join theTravel Lifestyle Network in West Africa and the second in the entire African continent after another PR agency,IrvineBartlettinSouthAfrica.InasignedletterannouncingTOPCOMM’s membership of theTravel Lifestyle Network, Hanna Kleber, Chairwoman of TravelLifestyleNetworkandManagingDirectorofKPRNNetworkinGermany, congratulatedtheagencyforjoiningthenetworkafterarigorousprocessof assessmentandfinalvotingbytheexistingmembers.Inherstatement,Kleber said,“WearedelightedtowelcomeTOPCOMMtotheTravelLifestyleNetwork wheremembersbenefit fromeachother’sexpertiseand continental-based knowledgeforbetterservicedeliveryeitherthroughacollectivepitchorindividual referrals.Fromourassessment,TOPCOMMisanestablishednameinthepublic relations sector in Nigeria particularly in the field of destination and lifestyle travels.TheTravelLifestyleNetworkisdelightedtoextenditsnetworktoNigeria andcollaboratewithTOPCOMM,”Kleberexplained.AccordingtoTemi-Tope Ogbeni-Awe,ChiefServiceOfficerofTOPCOMM,“PublicRelationsisconstantly evolvingwithregardstothechallengesofmoderntimes.

Timaya Appointed Glo Brand Ambassador

OneofNigeria’smostpopularmusicians,Timaya,hasjoinedtheexclusivelist of brand ambassadors of Globacom. Globacom said in a statement that the singer,songwriterandproducer,whosefullnameisInetimiAlfredOdon,was signedonasthelatestGlobrandambassadorlastweek.Thecompanydisclosed thatTimayawasmadeaGloambassadorbecauseofhissuccessinthemusic industryandforbeinganinspirationtomillionsofNigerianyouths,especially in the South-South part of the country where he was popularly known as the Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa. The versatile musician, known for traversing the genres of raga, hip-hop, dancehall and afrobeat, is a highly successful artiste withseveralhighlyratedalbumssuchasTrueStory,GiftandGrace,DeRebirth, LLNPandUpgrade.HeisthefounderofSouth-Southhiphopgroup,DemMama Soldiers.Hissolocareerbeganin2005withthereleaseof"DemMama",which alsoappearedonhisdebutalbum,TrueStoryreleasedthefollowingyear.Timaya isamultipleawardwinnerandhastohiscreditfourHeadiesAwardsandone Nigerian Music Award. In 2011,Timaya was appointed a Peace Ambassador bytheInter-religiousandInternationalFederationforWorldPeace(IIFWP).

Wealth Creation Platform

TheWealthCreationPlatform,athree-dayseminarstyledevent commencing at6pmonFriday,November11thandendingSunday,November13th at9am attheKICCPrayerDome,OkiLane,Mende,LagostobehostedbyKingsway International Christian Centre, also known as KICC. The wealth creation platformwouldbebringingtogethergreatanddistinguishedmindstoshare theirinterpretationofeconomicclimes,butmoreimportantly,stimulateour thoughtprocesstoproactivelynavigatetherapids ofuncertaintytoemerge prosperousandwithgoodsuccess.Thisinterventionwillnotbeanother"talk shop".TheMinisterforFinance,Mrs.KemiAdeosunwouldspeakonhowthings areandwhatweareupagainstinthemediumandlongterm.Mrs.Folorunsho Alakija,afinancialgiantandpracticalproofthatdivineprovidence,strongfaith andhardworkstillhaveaplaceinoursocietywillsharepracticalexperiences and also take questions on how you can make, manage and multiply money eveninhardtimes.

Sir Okon Akpan Una Passes On

TheTraditionalrulingCouncilofIkonoLocalGovernmentAreainAkwaIbomState hasannouncedthedeathofoneoftheirrulersEtteidung OkonAkpanUna.The traditionalsystemofannouncinghispassageofasagelikeUnawasconcluded lastweek atameetingheldat thesecretariatofconferenceofvillageheadsin Ikono.“Ithadselectmembersoftherulingcouncilinattendance,amongstwho wereChiefAkpaquattherepresentativeoftheParamountrulerHRHEdidem EffiongAkpanIneme,aconvoyfromthedeceasedfamilyaccompaniedbythe sonPrinceAtafonOkon.Itwasanavenuetoofficiallyinformtherulingcouncil thattheEtteidungofAsantinghadpassedonandthatisdeathwasduetonatural causes”,theysaid.UnawastheVillageheadofAsantingNkwonoandtheHead ofallVillageHeadsofAsantinginIkonoLGAofAkwaIbomstate.Hediedatthe age of 84. During his time of active public service he sat on several boards in thecountry,notablyappointmentsheheldarehisappointmentasChairman, BoardofDirectors,MercantileBankofNigeriaPlc.,(nowdefunct)1979-1981.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • OCTOBER 29, 2016

nEws

Fashola: Kashimbila, Gurara Dams Will Provide 70MW Power, Ecological Safety

Diamond Bank Maintains Stable Growth in Q3 2016

Chineme Okafor in Abuja

Diamond Bank on Friday released its Q3 2016 performance scorecard on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), showcasing moderate growth in key financial parameters.

For the nine months under review, the group recorded a growth of 16.9 per cent in total assets, which grew from N1.753 trillion in the same period last year to N2.05 trillion. This was driven mainly by the value of the local currency and growth in customer deposits, which surged 13.6 per cent from N1.233 billion as at the end of September 2015 to N1.401 billion in the current business year, demonstrating the Bank’s strong ability and network to generate cheap deposits from the retail and middle market segments.

Also, the Bank grew its loan portfolio from N763.634 billion to N1.041 trillion, representing 36.4 per cent increase.

Commenting on the results, Chief Executive Officer, Uzoma Dozie, stated that the Bank’s modest growth in the last nine months despite the inclement operating environment, was the result of management’s focus on key strategic projections across the three core segments of retail, business and corporate banking, noting that the Bank will continue to passionately pursue its technology-driven retail strategy to optimise cost and reap predictable bountiful results in the medium to long term.

Uzoma said: “We believe the macro conditions and other external factors will remain challenging for the rest of the year and well into 2017. However, by pursuing our technology-led retail strategy and with our focus on innovation and scalability, we believe the Bank is well-placed to benefit in the medium to long term from the favourable fundamentals in Nigeria, namely a large population, many of which remain unbanked. This strategy stands to benefit all stakeholders, including our shareholders and customers in the long run.”

Monetarists and analysts had,

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has said the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam project in Taraba State will provide 40 megawatts (MW) of electricity, protect states around it from a predicted ecological disaster, and support agricultural ventures when completed.

He also inspected the Gurara hydro power plant which would add 30 megawatts of electricity in continuation of the incremental plan towards getting the country to generate.

According to a statement from his senior special adviser on com-

munications, Mr. Hakeem Bello on Friday in Abuja, Fashola said these when he visited the project sites on Thursday.

He said the projects were conceived as a proactive step by Nigeria to prevent an ecological disaster that science predicted would happen in future when the structurally weak volcanic Lake Nyos inevitably collapses and likely affect six states in the country.

He listed the states to include Taraba, Benue, Cross River, Delta and Kogi on the route of the tributaries of the Katsina-Ala River, and explained that the project was also conceived to provide electricity

and support agricultural ventures in the surrounding communities.

“Nigeria has decided since 2007 or thereabouts to intervene and prevent the disaster by building a dam and from the dam you have water which is a source of energy, we decided to build a 40MW plant to generate electricity to feed communities like Doga, Wukari, Takum, Kashimbila and many other communities in the Northeast and Yandev in Benue State who are not yet connected to the grid,” he said.

The minister explained that what the communities had presently was a 33KV line that transmits energy across 100 kilometres, and that by

the time the energy ultimately gets to the communities, would have lost its potency.

He assured that the project would solve all of the problems, but regretted that the contracting firm had not been paid for about two or three years.

“We have approved payment for the contractor and I have now come to see what we are paying for to ensure that the project is delivered.

“This project has three phases and three objectives to accomplish.

First to prevent an ecological disaster that science predicts will happen and secondly from there provide electricity and support agriculture.

GO SECURED CASHLESS...

L-R; Co-founder/Chief executive officer, Asoriba Incorporated, Mr. Nana Opokuware Ofori Agyeman-Prempeh; Divisional CEO, Industry Vertical Market, Interswitch, Chinyere Don-Okhuofu; and Chief group finance officer, Interswitch, Peter Otoole;, at the unveiling of Interswitch Solution to payments and management, held in Lagos, yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

Dawis: INTELS to Remain in US Consulate in Lagos Business Despite Recession Awards $381,220 to NGOs John Iwori

The Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Logistics Services Nigeria Limited (INTELS), Mr. Andrew Dawis has said that the firm will remain in business in spite of the recession in the Nigerian economy.

To actualise its goals, he assured that the company had taken necessary steps to remain in business notwithstanding the negative impact on its business as a result of the downturn in the economy, He stated that since the recession began early this year, the fortunes in the oil and gas industry as well as the maritime industry had been adversely affected.

Dawis who stated this yesterday when the Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman made her maiden visit to INTELS corporate headquarters, Onne, expressed hope that the company would come out of the recession better prepared for the future when the oil and gas sector rebounded.

His words: What is critical is that we have taken the necessary difficult steps today that will prepare ourselves and our clients to come out ahead and better prepared for when the industry rebounds. As an indigenous company, and as a partner to the NPA (government) and to the major oil and oil service

companies, we are taking this responsibility very seriously” He expressed optimism that a better future was ahead but noted that times were very tough for all of them in the oil and gas sector, which unfortunately has led to a number of layoffs and a reduction in revenue across the industry.

According to Dawis, despite the down turn, INTELS would continue to press ahead with investment that would yield significant dividends to the oil/gas and maritime sectors in the future. We are a Nigerian company and we will remain 100 per cent committed to Nigeria at all times.

He expressed happiness over the visit of the NPA boss to INTELS. “We (INTELS) are delighted to welcome the NPA delegation to Onne today to see first-hand the level of development going on down here”, he said.

Giving an insight into the operations of the firm, Dawis told the NPA delegation that INTELS had over 30 years of experience in ports management and terminal logistics support services in shore bases across Nigeria and Africa According to him, INTELS had adopted global best practice from around the world including Norway and Aberdeen in the development of the company’s specialised concept which centralised all logistic support in one area.

Bennett Oghifo

Thirty non-government organisations have been awarded grants of approximately $381,220 by the United States Consulate General in Lagos.

The Consul General, F. John Bray, stated this at a recognition ceremony for recipients of U.S. public diplomacy grant awards in 2016.

Bray said, “All told – taking our small grants, Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative, also known as CYFI Fellowship programme, and Priority American Space awards together – the United States Consulate General in Lagos has awarded approximately 381,220 U.S. dollars in Department of State funds to thirty recipients in 2016.”

He said, “All of you, as recipients, are working to solve hugely important problems for your communities in southern Nigeria. The United States Mission to Nigeria is proud to stand with you in your efforts, because we share those priorities with you.”

The recipients, he said work in critical areas such as: empowering women and girls, including underserved women, and women living with disabilities; training new entrepreneurs; cleaning up the environment and recycling waste; bringing medical care to

rural areas; educating hearingimpaired persons on the rights of persons with disabilities; mitigating human trafficking; and reducing gender-based violence in Nigeria.

According to him, “Our 23 small grant recipients have been through a very competitive selection process. I congratulate you on having put together the strongest proposals that we received.

“I also want to recognise two other categories of award recipients.

“Six recipients today are helping to implement our Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative, also known as CYFI. The U.S. Consulate in Lagos began this Initiative in 2011 to encourage community service by energetic young leaders. After a competitive selection process, our new CYFI Fellows form teams in Lagos and also in Port Harcourt.

“With mentors from the U.S. Consulate, these outstanding young women and men design and work on projects that improve the health, economic empowerment, education, and good governance of their communities.

“Finally, we are also recognising a unique award to the Co-Creation Hub. The Co-Creation Hub is a partner of the U.S. Mission to Nigeria to set up and operate a new Priority American Space at their business incubation facility in Yaba, Lagos.

amidst the regulatory headwinds that characterised the industry in the last nine months, and the catalogue of macroeconomic challenges rocking the economy, predicted greyed results in the industry. But despite analysts’ predictions, Diamond Bank recorded strong growth in non-interest income, which leapfrogged by 38.1 per cent to N37.6 billion.

The Bank grew its retail customer base to over 13 million, while the use of its mobile app by customers continues to grow as transaction count increased from 4.3 million to 7.9 million with volume surging from N4.3 billion to N8.5 billion year on year.

Also, the restructuring of the bank which started in Q1 2016 continues to yield results in terms of strategic focus, quality service delivery and cost containment. For example, the result show that through prudent allocation of resources, operating costs and interest expense shrank by 2.5 per cent and 22.8 per cent respectively.

Although total comprehensive income declined by 26.3 per cent year on year to N13.2 billion, with profit before tax shrinking to N3.5 billion on the back of impairment charges as the bank opted for prudent provisioning by cleansing its books of assets with poor quality, thus paving the way for operational efficiency and improved earnings for the business years ahead.

Speaking further on the performance of the Bank, the CEO said: “The economic environment has also impacted business and industry as a whole, particularly those in the Oil and Gas sector. For Diamond Bank, this has translated to elevated impairment charges for the third quarter, as we push for a healthier loan book and to comply with regulations”.

The Bank maintained very stable and modest growth in its capital adequacy and liquidity ratios, with 15.6 per cent and 39.4 per cent, which towers above the regulatory requirements of 15 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

TUC Denies Working Against Obiano's 2nd Term Bid David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Anambra Council has denied allegations that it was working against Governor Willie Obiano's second term bid.

The group commended the state government for creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and as well policies that improved workers’ welfare.

The state TUC Chairman, Mr. Ifeanyi Okechukwu disclosed this in Onitsha while reacting to a recent publication by a national media that its body was allegedly against the government of the day.

Okechukwu denied the allegation, describing it as “malicious and mischievous act of opposition to mar the integrity of the union.”

“The attention of TUC was drawn to the publication that it rose against Gov. Willie Obiano in respect of non-promotion of the state workers.

“We wish to state categorically that TUC in Anambra or any of its officials did not grant any interview to any person or talk of anything

in respect of non-promotion of the state workers.

“We are all living witnesses of the effort of our darling governor in meeting up with workers’ salaries and that of pensioners which most governors are having as a challenge,” he said.

Okechukwu described Obiano as “most friendly governor, who had given workers a sense of belonging by ensuring that salary was paid every 25th of each month despite the current economic challenges in the country.”

The chairman assured the governor of the support of workers on his second term bid, urging workers and the people of the state to discredit the publication.

While noting that the media plays a pivotal role in the development of the nation, Okechukwu charged journalists to always cross-check their facts and be objective in their reportage.

“The TUC in Anambra shall file a legal action against the writers if they fail to recant the statement within one week,” the union warned.

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Southern Kaduna Elders Condemn Killings

by Fulani Herdsmen, Say "Enough is Enough" John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Southern Kaduna Elders Consultative Forum (SKECF) has called on both the Kaduna and the federal governments to urgently intervene to put an end to the ongoing genocide in the Southern part of Kaduna State.

The call came following the killing of seven people in yet another attack in four villages, of Pasakori, Mile One, Misisi and Tudun-Wada, Jema’a Local Government Area of the state on Thursday night by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

The latest attack came barely two weeks after the Godogodo massacre in which 40 people

were killed and several houses burnt by suspected herdsmen.

The Southern Kaduna elders in a statement yesterday by its chairman, Maj. Gen. Zamani Lekwot and the Secretary, Mr. Peter N. Buba said they were deeply concerned about the killing and destruction of property by herdsmen in rural communities in Southern Kaduna.

They noted that “for centuries our Southern Kaduna communities had lived in peace with the Fulani herdsmen”, wondering why the herdsmen had abandoned such age long beneficial relationship.

The elders therefore urged the authorities to take urgent steps

to bring an end to the mindless killings and destructions going on in the area.

In the statement titled "Enough of this genocide in Southern Kaduna" the elders noted that, "Our forefathers and we the current generation have lived a symbiotic life with Fulani herdsmen who have depended on their host communities for the provision of basic needs such as grains, shelter and indeed, husks from the harvest which have provided fodder for their animals.

"The sudden turn of events where herdsmen have abandoned this long mutuallybeneficial relationship, by taken up arms against their host

communities is giving us a serious cause for concern.

"The people have been displaced from their homes, their farms destroyed and occupied by armed herdsmen.

The Southern Kaduna Elders Consultative Forum notes with sadness the destruction of lives and properties last night at Pasakori, a community in Jema’a Local Government Area.

"Coming less than two weeks after the destruction of property and massacre of over 40 lives in Godogodo, has made it mandatory for us to cry out aloud to the Kaduna State and the Federal Governments to take decisive action to bring this genocide to an end.

Buhari Congratulates Babalola, Izunaso on their Birthdays Tobi Soniyi inAbuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated legal luminary, educationist and philanthropist, Chief Afe Babalola, as he turns 85 on October 30, 2016.

The president, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Buhari joined members of Aare Babalola’s family, close associates, professional colleagues and the academia in celebrating 'this milestone in the life of a man who epitomises unique and enviable qualities that every nation will want projected in its leadership and citizenry.'

Buhari said that Babalola's lifestyle exemplifies discipline, diligence, honesty and wisdom, virtues he employed from childhood

to succeed against the vicissitudes of poverty and deprivation, and climbed steadily to reach the pinnacle of his career as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The statement said, "as he marks his 85th birthday, Buhari believes Aare Babalola can look back with pride at his achievements, which include the God-fearing act of always catering for the poor and under privileged, and mentoring of lawyers from his Emmanuel Chambers that have turned Senior Advocates of Nigeria and AttorneysGeneral and Ministers of Justice.

“The president also extols the patriotism and commitment of Aare Babalola to nation building through regular counseling of leaders, representation of the Federal Government and founding of one of the best universities in Africa.

GKS President Decries Rising Rate of Suicide in Nigeria, Africa

ALL FOR BADAGRY DEEP SEA PORT...

R-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right), with CEO designate of APM Terminals in Copenhagen, Denmark, Mr. Morten Engelstoft, shortly after the Governor meet with the Executive Management of APM Terminals (Maersk Group) on the Badagry Deep Sea Port, at the A.P Moller – Maersk Head Office, Copenhagen, Denmark, on Thursday

Boko Haram is Gone Forever, Says Defence Chief Tobi Soniyi inAbuja

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin declared yesterday that Boko Haram is gone forever whether its so-called leader, Shekau is alive or dead.

Speaking with journalists through the acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar at a media parley in Kaduna, he said Boko Haram insurgency had been, “totally degraded, decimated and 100

per cent defeated”.

He however cautioned the media against casting headlines that would create division in society and inflame conflict.

“Today, I am pleased to inform you that we have defeated Boko Haram. It is not an easy feat. Yes, you may heard that an inaccessible village has been attack or that there was an attack somewhere. But, that is the last kicking of a dying group" he said.

According to the Defence Chief,

Nigeria had been able to set a record by defeating insurgency.

"Check at the history of insurgency in the world, there is no country that has defeated insurgency under six to seven years like Nigeria. Is it Sri Lanka, Mali, Columbia or Somalia?

“Boko Haram is gone. It does not matter whether its so-called leader, Shekau is alive or dead.

"The war is not about him as a person, it is about his group and they have been defeated. There is

no inch of soil in Nigeria, where Boko Haram’s flag is hoisted. No more! Boko Haram has been totally degraded, decimated and 100 per cent defeated, and may God never allow such kind of evil to re-appear in Nigeria again".

He stressed further that "Our success was noticed by Mali which has been battling with its own problem. One of Mali’s Defence Chief had to come to Nigeria to ask us how we did it. So, that is to tell you that Boko Haram is gone.

Peace Corps Commissions 2,100 Cadets to Boost Security in Plateau, Benue, Taraba States Seriki Adinoyi inJos

The Peace Corps of Nigeria, has commissioned 2100 cadets to boost security in the Plateau, Benue and Taraba States.

Dr. Dickson Akoh, National Commandant of the Corps, while commissioning the cadets, said that the new staff officers were subjected to a mandatory four weeks intensive training and orientation.

“They have gone through rigorous mental and physical training deliberately meant to put them in a very good stead for future responsibilities.

“In order to ensure that this

training was conducted satisfactorily and in line with our established standards and norms, renowned resource personalities and specialists selected from ministries, parastatals and relevant security agencies were engaged to train them.”

Akoh told the cadets to brace up for the challenging tasks ahead considering the security tussles in the country, adding that Nigeria is witnessing series of social security problems, which threatens the peace and unity of the nation.

He identified the challenges as ranging from insurgency in the North East, secession agitation in South East, Niger Delta militancy,

farmers/Fulani herdsmen clashes and general cases of kidnapping.

He said Peace Corps was determined to make conscious and deliberate effort to assist the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to foster peaceful coexistence among communities and individuals.

Akoh also appreciated the Plateau and the entire for the support given to Corps during the training and orientation.

Speaker, Plateau House of Assembly, Hon Peter Azi, who was the chairman on the occasion, said that the commissioning was apt considering the security challenges

Nigeria is faced with.

Azi who was represented by his deputy, Hon Yusuf Gagdi, expressed optimism that corps to contribute significantly in promoting peaceful coexistence in the state.

He suggested that the Peace Corps personnel be deployed to ministries and agencies to assist government in achieving its mandate in maintenance of peace and security.

Plateau Commissioner for Youth Sports, Mr. Danladi Mann, also said that apart from security importance of corps, it will also reduce unemployment challenges in the state and the country.

The President of God’s Kingdom Society, (GKS), the Church of the Living God Brother Godwin Ifeacho, has expressed regret at the growing reports of suicides in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, stating that despite the hard economic conditions, people should not give in to suicidal tendencies but should continually look to their Creator for guidance and sustenance.

In an address he delivered on Sunday (October 30, 2016) at the Freedom Day Divine Service at the Church headquarters in Salem City, Warri, Delta State, the GKS President noted that “cases of suicides which were hardly heard of in Africa in the past are now being reported more frequently” noting that with such problems as unpaid salaries, loss of jobs, inability to pay back loans and foot their bills, “suicide rates have risen as some people prefer to take their own lives than suffer the bitter shame of their outraged feelings”.

In the address entitled, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heaven laden” the GKS leader warned that human life is sacred, and that no one had the right to take his life, pointing out that one reason for the rising rates of suicides

was that the love for one another and “the social support system of everyone being his neighbour’s keeper, which was an integral part of the social economy of Africans, has faded away” while “individualism of the modern day has taken over”.

He lamented that majority of Africa’s estimated 800 million people “are disillusioned and desperate, as the continent, has become a metaphor for disease, poverty, unemployment, corruption mismanagement, and bad governance”. He added that “compared to other regions, more African countries are either involved in raging conflicts or are experiencing post-conflict tensions, forcing hundreds, if not thousands, of its youths into daily dangerous journeys abroad in desperate attempts to escape hardships in their home countries”.

Brother Ifeacho urged those who are buffeted by various troubles not to take to drugs, secret societies, and miracle workers lest they be exposed to “deceptions of a most impudent and virulent kind, in that they end up being drained of their resources in addition to being dragged further into the pit”.

Nigeria Making Steady Progress Despite Challenges, Says Lai Mohammed Omon-Julius Onabu inAsaba

Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed, has assured Nigerians that the country would soon witness the better days they were hoping and praying for as the Federal Government was making good progress in many areas.

Mohammed gave the assurance on Friday while feeding questions from newsmen at the 46th National Council on Information (NCI) meeting in holding Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The minister said that despite the recession in the country progress was being made in different sectors, explaining the reasons why the Nigerian economy went into recession.

According to Mohammed, the major problem had remained the disruption of oil and gas production in the Niger Delta, but he quickly added that that real progress to resolve the problem as being made by the government.

"Definitely we are making

progress. In life you either make progress or move backwards. The fact that we are managing the economy despite the challenges, we are making progress.

"I think that what is also crucial is that the quantity of crude we used to produce went down because of the restiveness in the Niger Delta.

Therefore, it is another area we need peace; and, I am assuring you that in a few days time, we are going to see progress in this regard.

Speaking on measures being taken the government to lessen the possible hardship to Nigerians during the coming Yuletide, the minister said, "One of the major steps we are taking in this administration to ensure that the economy improves is the improved economy that makes sure that food is available for all Nigerians; and, that is about employment and job creation, that is about the ease of doing business.

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373 Unregistered Pharmaceutical Dubai Returns to Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos Stores Shut in Kaduna Emma Okonji

JohnShiklaminKaduna No fewer than 373 unregistered pharmaceutical and patient medicine stores in Kaduna State were shut down yesterday by Officials of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and armed security personnel for selling drugs and other consumables to the public. The operation carried out by officials of the PSN, led by the Director, Inspection and Monitoring, Mrs. Anthonia Aruya said that the enforcement team of the Council had launched its raid against unregistered and unlicensed pharmaceutical and patent medicine stores across the country in order to save Nigerians from the use of drugs that were harmful and dispensed to

them by unauthorised delears.

At a press conference in Kaduna yesterday, Mrs. Aruya said one of the core mandates of the PCN was ensuring rational distribution and dispensing of medicines that were safe, effective and of good quality to the public, stressing that the proliferation of unlicensed patient medicine shops and pharmaceutical stores in most parts of the Northern states and Nigeria in general had constituted danger to Nigerians.

“What we observed in Kaduna State is that so many premises commenced operations without fulfilling minimum requirements. Some of these premises store products in environments where the quality safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products cannot be guaranteed.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has announced its return to this year’s Akwaaba African Travel Market, taking place in Lagos from 30 October to 1 November, underpinning the city’s continued commitment to the African market.

In its second consecutive year of participation, Dubai Tourism is set to highlight the latest additions to the city’s entertainment destinations and shopping experiences for African travellers in the coming months. Ten partners, including Emirates Airlines, Emirates Holidays, IMG Worlds of Adventure, North Tours, Red Apple Middle East Tourism, Time Hotels, Hilton Hotels, All In One Tourism, Alpha Tours and Arabian Falcon Holidays will be joining Dubai Tourism

at their stand at the event.

The African continent continues to be a strong source market for visitors to Dubai. Nigeria, in particular, was amongst the top 20 source markets in 2015, with more than 127,000 overnight visitors arriving in the city.

Strengthening its place as the preferred destination for African travellers, Dubai Tourism aims to use Africa’s premier travel trade show as a platform to showcase Dubai’s ever-expanding family entertainment venues and retail sector.

Speaking ahead of the event, Regional Director Africa for Dubai Tourism, Stella Obinwa said: “Dubai continues to establish itself as a destination of choice for travellers from the African continent, holding particular appeal amongst those looking for wholesome family fun, incredible shopping deals and year-long

entertainment. This year, we want to showcase Dubai’s newest additions to its family entertainment and shopping venues which are set to welcome visitors from around the globe.”

Yudala Partners the Bridge Concept to Offer Discount on Items Anayo Okolie One of the leading online and offline retail store, Yudala has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with The Bridge Concepts Nig. Ltd to ensure youths using Naija Green Card are offered discounts when they purchase items on the platform.

Speaking during the signing of the partnership in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, Bridge Concepts, Hon. Bimbo Daramola said the move was established to give youths especially students with financial challenges to make purchases at very low prices.

The Naija Green Card apart from

helping users buy things at discounted rates, Daramola said would also promote research and knowledge sharing among students of tertiary institutions by giving them access to lecturers, textbooks, handouts and other resource materials relevant to their academic pursuit at any time of the day.

According to him, “What we have done is to establish a long-term partnership with Yudala aimed at instituting a discount culture for Nigerian consumers especially the youths. With focus on young persons who fall between the age bracket of 18 and 35 years, we have

put in place a platform accessible by those holding the unique social

safety identity otherwise known as The Naija Green Card.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS GLORIA OSAYANMO IMAFIDON, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. GLORIA OSAYANMO IMHANZENOBE. All former documentS remain valid. The general public please take note.

This is to inform the general public that I, NATHAN OGECHUKWU BALOGUN, is same person as, OGECHUKWU ONAOPEMIPO BALOGUN, All names contained in birth certificate and documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as ADANNAYA NNEOMA UKEJE, now wish to be known and addressed as ADANNAYA NNeoma olubi-Neye. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS NDUBUISI JUDITH CHISOM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OGBONNA JUDITH CHISOM. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS EKENE RITA NWUDO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EKENE RITA IZUKANNE. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and the general public please take note.

This is to inform the general public that DAVID EMMANUEL TARIWORIO, DAVID EMANUEL TARIWORIO AND DAVID T. TEKENAH T. EMMANUEL refers to one and the same person. All former document remain valid.

WAEC, NECO and the general public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS MARTHA OOWO OCHOLI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. MARTHA OOWO TURNER. All former documentS remain valid. The general public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS NNORUKA RUTH ONYEDIKACHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS eZioKa-obiNWaNNe RuTH ONYEDIKACHI. All former documentS remain valid. The general public please take note.

T H I S D AY SATURDAY OCTOBER 29, 2016

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MISSILE Junaid Mohammed to Nigerians

“I think those who are bothered about 2019, should please start getting alliances across, and start planning of how to bring down the APC government, through constitutional means, and to also make sure they deny the PDP, a second chance of ruling the country again. APC is not doing well; I don’t think Buhari is going to do any better. The crowd around Buhari has nothing to offer.”

– Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed declaring that the 18-month administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has not done well.

PENDULUM Dele Momodu

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Another Look on How to Tackle Unemployment

F

ellow Nigerians, let me say that nothing worries me more than the lack of jobs for our teeming youths. I have lost count of how many requests I get daily from unemployed graduates and non-graduates seeking any kind of job. Some have been out of jobs forever and they’ve been out of school for so long that they’ve almost forgotten whatever they learnt. Many consider you wicked and insensitive when you give them the bad news that you can’t be of any help. They are of the opinion that because they see you with the movers and shakers of society you can just pick your phone and get whatever you want at the snap of a finger.

But it is not as simple as that. Knowing big men and women and maintaining relationships with them is often a product of not making demands on them. It actually requires some knowhow. Otherwise, whenever they see your calls they turn into artful dodgers by ignoring you. They will soon see you as one troublesome nuisance who must be avoided by all means, at all costs. Truth also is many job-seekers are not readily employable for various reasons. Some went to school to read the wrong courses. Many barely passed out in poor grades. Many have not updated or upgraded their knowledge since leaving school. These lapses are easily discoverable during interviews. These days many companies are looking for the highest grades because of the collapse of the education system. However, this is not necessarily a solution because high grades does not translate into a competent and proficient employee for several reasons. Looking out for the high academic achievers also has the potential to automatically ostracize majority of the job applicants. So where do we go from here? I have a few ideas to share.

A long time ago, I learnt from my unlettered but intelligent mum that only a fool would find nothing to learn from others. Since I have been on the campaign train of President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, I have discovered more secrets on how to combat mass unemployment.

Addressing Ghanaian youths who often complain that developing infrastructure alone won’t feed them, President Mahama often tells them why he is investing heavily in infrastructure development. According to him, it is a good way to boost the socio-economic status of Ghana.

Social infrastructure makes it possible for many artisans to get jobs in the short run during the course of construction typically involved in the provision of such infrastructure. The completion of any infrastructure also helps to provide jobs, directly or indirectly in the long run. For example, the brand new hospitals being constructed between Accra and Tema would provide thousands of jobs because the cumulative bed capacity of those hospitals, namely the Regional hospital at Ridge, The University of Ghana Teaching Hospital at Legon and the Maritime Hospital at Tema should add over 1,000 beds instantly. Just imagine how many doctors, nurses, paramedics, administrative staff and others. There is no other way of doing this.

Any politician promising jobs or social welfare would only be deceiving the poor youths for the fun of it. It is one reality we must face in Nigeria urgently.

The other fact is that we must help our artisans to professionalize their art and trade by returning to those days when technical colleges were in vogue. It would be nice if we can upgrade our Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics to degree-awarding institutions. This would elevate the quality of our technical staff and reduce the calamities attached to sub-standard

Dele Momodu at the Koforidua University of Technology Ghana with President Mahama ...yesterday works. This has been successfully done in Ghana by promoting upgrading former Institutes and Polytechnics and by placing more emphasis on professional studies in these institutions in the knowledge that they would be relevant to societal needs and requirements.

For reasons that I fail to understand, the education sector in Nigeria is a much neglected sector. Education hardly commands the attention and allocation that it should and this needs to be critically addressed. Our leaders seem blinded to the possibilities and opportunities that education offers to any economy. In the United Kingdom, tertiary education alone accounted for over £73 billion contribution to the economy in 2012 and this figure has kept growing. There is good reason for this. Apart from direct contributions arising from student and teachers input into the economy there are indirect contributions as well which have a positive influence and impact on the economy. If our educational system were developed to the level that it should be we would have a significant number of foreign students coming from West Africa if not the whole of Africa such as was the case many years ago. Apart from the fees that they would pay, we would expect that they would spend money on their upkeep and maintenance which would have a positive bearing on transportation, housing and even health care.

There would be indirect employment of those people who would provide indirect services to teachers, students and administrators alike. In addition, we would expect that when those students returned to their respective countries they would forge relationships with colleagues they had met here as well ass have good things to say about Nigeria.

Once the student complete their education thought must be given to how they would be gainfully employed. Entrepreneurship is a field that requires urgent and particular attention in this regard. Many job-seekers may never find jobs no matter how hard they try. This is because the educational policies have remained

stagnant and not moved with the times. There is a need for reorientation and rethinking of our educational values and ethos. The former prevalent attitude that one needed to work in the civil service or even in private companies as a graduate fresh out of school needs to be changed. There is now a need to create a corps of entrepreneurs over and above one of employees.

The better way out to create employment for the great mass of unemployed youths, especially with our humongous population, is for as many of them as possible to be in self-employment. Those with a negative mindset might ask where the unemployed graduate would get the money for the start up required by any entrepreneur. However, for a variety of reasons, this need not be a problem. Firstly, It is not every business that requires millions for start-ups. There are so many original ideas out there that are yet to be tapped which do not require a lot of initial funding. Even the traditional things can lead to great fortune if properly harnessed and marketed. I remember always telling my wife that whoever introduces akara burger to Europe and America would make a kill. Akara is a special delicacy made from beans. It is rich in protein and quite healthy.

My children love it and we eat it a lot. We often buy the powder in London from Olu Olu and Ola Ola and my wife fries akara ever so deliciously. Put in a bap or between two slices of bread and you are almost in second heaven. As a vegetarian meal I believe there are few that would surpass it. I was therefore pleasantly stunned when my first son sent me a link only yesterday that some smart guy has started the business I had been procrastinating about. That is it. An entrepreneurial spirit is about to make serious money by refining and uplifting a simple Nigerian meal. There are many other Nigerian traditional dishes that could be refined and exported to the world as well as at home if only our youths could put their fertile minds to such matters.

Government can also play a big role in developing this entrepreneurial spirit. This is already being done to a small extent by the initiatives of Federal and State Governments to create entrepreneurs. However it needs to be replicated nationwide on a massive scale. The Government schemes should aim to produce at least one million such entrepreneurs in the space on 5 years. It is possible given the right approach and the will and zeal to make the programme succeed in great numbers. There only needs to be a diversion of funds to this area of social development rather than to unproductive areas of which there are many.

Money saved from cutting down on waste, pilferage and looting can also be channeled into such a venture.

In addition to the traditional business ventures, Government must seize the moment and encourage our youths to open their minds and expand their horizons. Sports, the arts and entertainment are now big business. Our children must be taken away from the nation that you must be a doctor, lawyer or engineer to prosper.

Our educational curriculum should include such esoteric subjects that deal with various aspects of sporting, artistic and entertainment endeavours and this must be given pride of place. One way of doing this is to provide incentives in these fields.

The new areas of information technology and computer studies must also be fully integrated into our curriculum from primary school to tertiary education. It is by introducing children to these areas at a very young and tender age that we can fire their creative and virile imagination which will make them successful innovators and thus entrepreneurs. The world is in its infancy as far as new age technology is concerned and there is no monopoly of thought and ideas out there. However, we can only participate as distinct from being mere spectators by engendering and fostering innovation and entrepreneurial skills from childhood. At the moment I do not see these things happening within our current educational and social milieu.

I still see and hear parents, teachers and other educationists complain about the amount of time our children spend on their phones, tablets and in consequence on social media. They do not realise that a lot of education, indeed the most relevant present day education, is taking place in these fora. The present crop of entrepreneurs and world leaders are molded and fashioned nowadays from the internet.

Role models exist in that space. There are dangers lurking there on the internet too and it behooves us to learn to deal with it as an educational source and tool rather than shut our eyes to it and therefore assume that all is well.

There are so many other things we can do seriously in relation to greatly reducing youth unemployment if government can create the requisite enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship. In this respect, President Muhammadu Buhari should assemble a crack team of scholars and practitioners who can help him come up with so many ways of creating jobs and employment opportunities.

Information technology, music, acting, comedy, fashion, painting, carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing, welding, sports, and so many other possibilities can help reduce the pain and pangs of unemployment. The denigrated oddjobs of yesteryears are now the fashionable jobs of today. Our leaders must learn to embrace this new way of thinking so that our youths may be guided to the right path and the prosperity that we crave may become a reality after all.

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