4 Lt cols, Major, 92 others face court-martial

...towards a better life for the people

**

VOL. 25: NO. 62245

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

US quarantines 100 persons over Ebola 53

Shekau releases new video, says he's alive •He died long ago—DHQ 8

4 Lt Cols, Major, 92 others face court-martial •To be tried for mutiny, burglary, going AWOL, etc

By Kingsley Omonobi

THE ACCUSED PERSONS

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1. Lt Col SS Tilawan 2..lt Col Db Danzang 3.lt Col Ic Ogamanya 4.lt Col Su Abubakar 5. Maj Ii Sakaba 6. Capt 1\1 Hamadikko 7.capt Z Alhaji 8 Capt Mb Abdullahi 9. Capt Sy Musa 10. Lt T Garba 11. Lt F Ogunleke 12.Lt a Abdullahi 13.Lt Im Okoro 14. Lt D Wunuji 15. 2lt Jm Uweh 16.Wo Benedict Okoye 17. Sgt Oladipo 18.Cpl Mustapha Bandado 19.cpl Andrew Ogolekwu 20. Cpi Saturday Efa 21.Cpl Usman Mohammed 22. Lcpl Henry Shaibu 23. Lcpl James 24. Cpl Daniel Joshua 25. Lcpl Ndubisi Sebastine COURT-MARTIAL: Some of the 97 soldiers facing court-martial in Abuja by the Nigerian Army . They 26.Lcpl Dauda Dalha Tu are accused of various offences such as Mutiny, Assault, Absence Without Leave (AWOL), House Break27. Lcpl Aliyu Ahmed ing, Conduct Prejudicial to good orders and services discipline, offences relating to Service Property 28. Lcpl Kasega Aoso among others. Photos: Gbemiga Olamikan.

29. Lcpl Bankole Taiwo 30.lcpl Ochehepo Sule 31.lcpl Ayodele Ola Wole 32.lcpl Isaiah Olofu 33.lcpi Ibrahim Yahana 34.lcpl Mallam Jacob 3s.lcpl Nwonu Friday 36.lcpl Yusuf Habu 37.pte Chindo Julius 38.lcpl Joshua Friday 39.lcpl Gbenga Adeba Yo 40.lcpl Ali Abdullahi 41.lcpl Abubakar Ibrahim 42.lcpl Anthony Simeon 43.lcpj Ngene Douglas 44.pte Olayode Oluwasegun

Mimiko returns to PDP •Dumps Labour Party

Jonathan, Obasanjo, NGE, govs, others mourn Remi Oyo

Continued on page 5

59

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SELF-APPRAISAL: PDP, Balarabe Musa, Afenifere, others differ on Jonathan's speech

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BUJA—NINETYseven soldiers including four Lieutenant Colonels, a Major and four captains were, yesterday, charged with offences ranging from mutiny, conduct prejudicial to good orders, assault and Absence Without Leave, AWOL, to house breaking, contrary to service discipline.

The accused persons will however, be formally arraigned before the General Court Martial, GCM, convened on behalf of the Army authorities by the

Continues on Page 5

COLUMNIST: Donu

National honours •P.17

Mr & Mrs

8 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Ekiti court attack: NJC seeks prosecution of culprits

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE National Judicial Council, NJC, at the end of an emergency meeting it held in Abuja yesterday, said it would not rest until those that masterminded the attacks on two judges in Ekiti State were arrested and prosecuted.

The Council, in a statement that was signed by its Acting Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, requested the InspectorGeneral of Police to personally “take-over and investigate the alleged attacks on Hon. Justices John Adeyeye and Isaac Olusegun Ogunyemi, some members of staff of the court and vandalization of property of the High Court of Justice, Ado-Ekiti and bring the culprits to justice”.

The meeting which was held at the NJC headquarters situated inside the Supreme Court complex at the ThreeArms-Zone in Abuja, was chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar herself.

“Following the recent unfortunate and worrisome incidents in Ekiti State Judiciary, particularly in the High Court Complex, AdoEkiti, the National Judicial Council held an emergency meeting on October 2, 2014, under the Chairmanship of Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, GCON, and considered the various complaints and petitions forwarded to it. At the end of the meeting, Council decided as follows: *In very strong terms condemned the attacks on the judiciary and judicial officers in general across the country and in particular, the one carried out in High Court Complex, Ado-Ekiti on 22nd and 25th September, 2014. *Requested the Inspector General of Police to take over and investigate the alleged attacks on Hon. Justices John Adeyeye and Isaac Olusegun Ogunyemi, some members of staff of the court and vandalisation of property of the High Court of Justice, Ado-Ekiti and bring the culprits to justice .

Shekau emerges in new video, says ‘I'm alive’ ...We killed him in Konduga—DHQ

By Soni Daniel, Kingsley Omonobi & Ndahi Marama

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ARELY two weeks after the military announced that it has killed the Boko Haram commander, who had been posing as the sect leader, Abubakar Shekau, the Islamic sect yesterday released a new video of Abubakar Shekau, who claimed he was alive and challenged the military to produce evidence he was killed.

The Defence Headquarters, in its immediate reaction, however waved aside the purported new video of Abubakar Shekau, insisting that the impostor, Mohammed Bashir, who had been posing as Shekau was killed

by Nigerian Soldiers in Konduga on September 17, as corroborated by still photographs, video evidence, as well as terrorists, who were either captured or surrendered.

Distinct resemblance with previous Shekaus It is not clear when the footages in the new video were recorded but the man that appeared in the 36 minutes video had all the features of the Shekau that appeared in most of the previous videos released by the sect, including his looks, beard, pattern of dressing and speaking among others.

“I hereby put to lie the claim that I was killed,” Shekau said, amidst thunderous shout of Allahu Akbar “Allah is great” from his well armed lieutenants.

He claimed that his fighters shot down the Alpha Jet (NAF 466) belonging to the Nigerian Air Force which was reported missing by the Defence Headquarters.

The aircraft, with two pilots on board, reportedly left Yola at about 10:45am on 12th September 2014 on a routine operational mission but did not return. One of the pilots was shown in the latest video stating that their aircraft was brought down by “fighters of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah.” The wreckage of the aircraft with the insignia of the Nigerian Air Force was also shown.

The pilot, who said he does not know the where about of his colleague was thereafter assaulted with an axe by an executioner who dressed in military fatigue.

In the video, Shekau said he had gone far in ensuring that Sharia Law was strictly observed in his “Islamic Caliphate” and showed footages in which a man “convicted of adultery” was stoned to death.

The right hand of another man accused of “stealing” was chopped off while an unmarried young man and a young lady “convicted of fornication” were given 100 lashes each.

Shekau boastfully said, “I challenge you, I challenge you. You even said I was killed. If you kill

NIGERIA AT 54: Mrs Patience Jonathan (middle) assisted by wife of Deputy Senate President, Mrs Nwanneka Ekwerenmadu and Women Affairs Minister, Hajia Zainab Maina with children to cut the cake to mark Nigeria's 54th Independence anniversary of Nigeria in Presidential Villa, Abuja, wednesday. me, does that mean you kill (the) religion? You are not honest. You have no proof, you have nothing to say.

“Here I’m, alive. I will only die the day Allah takes my breath. The wish of Obama will not kill me, the wish of Francois Hollande will not kill me, the wish of Benjamin Natanyahu will not kill me, the wish of Ban-ki Moon will not kill me, the wish of Queen Elizabeth will not kill me, the wish of the infidels of the world will not kill me, not to talk of Jonathan, not to talk of Kashim (Shettima), not to talk of Bra-Bra (Yobe State governor Ibrahim Geidam).

Nothing will kill me until my days are over. Do whatever you want to do. If you think what I’m doing is not the truth, even if you don’t fight me I will crumble,” he said.

The Defence headquarters however in a statement posted on its website, said, “As far as we are concerned, the individual who was appearing in video and claiming to be the leader of the terrorist group was killed in the Kondunga battle in September. The resemblance of the corpse and that of the eccentric character was incontrovertible. His identity was equally corroborated by people who knew him before we announced his death.”

The statement titled ‘The Purported Shekau Video in Circulation is as follows; “The Defence Headquarters is studying the claims made in the video purportedly released by the terrorists showing their leader Abubakar Shekau as dismissing his death.

“From immediate observation and what some online news outlets claimed to have seen, the video did not indicate when it was shot neither did it show any proof of life or currency such as screen time or date. The video also did not make any reference to anything that has happened since the

impostor’s reported death.

“It is also noteworthy that the air plane said to be mentioned in the video had been missing before he was killed. It should not surprise anybody if the terrorists decide to manipulate pictures, clone another Shekau or upload a pre-recorded video all in a bid to prove invincible.

“While still conducting thorough investigation into the new claims in the purported video, the military promised that justice will be served to whoever bears that name or designation and whoever engages in act.

Anger in the military Also, independent investigations by PRNigeria revealed that there is anger within the military hierarchy at the propensity of some news media especially foreign based ones to fall for the antics of Boko Haram propaganda.

“This is because in view of glaring evidences shown in still and video photographs coupled with oral testimonies of surrendering and captured terrorists, some media outfits still help in the spread of propaganda that Bashir Mohammed alias Abubakar Shekau is still alive.

A top source in Abuja however told PRNigeria that the new video purportedly released by “Abubakar Shekau” was still being carefully studied but urged Nigerians to continue to have confidence in the ability of their military to contain terrorism in parts of the country but keep strict vigilance on their environment so as to report suspicious activities to appropriate authorities.

Shekau’s death stalls Chibok girls’ freedom —insider source

Although the nation has celebrated his demise, the death of Shekau will not necessarily end insurgency in the North, a Boko Haram insider source has told Vanguard.

The source, who has been deeply involved in series of negotiations to free the Chibok girls, confirmed to the paper that the killing of Shekau by the military had also stalled negotiations for the release of the 219 Chibok school girls being holed up by the sect.

The source described the botched negotiations between the government and the sect leadership as having broken down irretrievably.

The source said, “I think this particular phase of the negotiations has irretrievably collapsed. It is sad.

Boko Haram had internal challenges that complicated their positions and negotiations cannot proceed in such circumstances.

“Shekau or his impostor’s death is a significant blow to the terrorists, but the war is far from over.

Asked to give an idea when the girls would be freed, the source explained that he did not know but quickly warned against the use of force to free them.

“We cannot assume that securing the girls will come through force alone. There must be room for a negotiated release. And so also is the bigger question of ending the insurgency.

“I am confident we can win the battle against terrorist, because if there is one country that can defeat a war against islamic terrorism it is Nigeria and our military can.

“The issue is really how to achieve peace and harmony for the affected communities that Boko Haram is currently drawing its recruits from.

If we do not begin engaging them in time for a negotiated end, then a military victory alone will never restore peace, which is crucial for reconciliation, demobilisation, reconciliation and development.''

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 9

JONATHAN'S SELF APPRAISAL: PDP, Balarabe, Afenifere, others differ

By Soni Daniel, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Gbenga Oke & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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AGOS—MIXED reac tions, yesterday, trailed President Goodluck Jonathan’s self appraisal of his performance in the discharge of his mandate. The presisdent had given himself an above average rating in his Independence Day broadcast.

While partisans of the president’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, pushed to buttress the president’s assertion, opposition leaders and civil society advocates differed on the president's performance, insisting it was very poor.

Second Republic governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa went the middle way in his own assessment of the president’s assertion, saying the president has performed but not to the satisfaction of majority of Nigerians.

The country ’s leading opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, drew back from commenting on the president’s self appraisal. Party spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the party would come out with facts and figures to rubbish the assertion described as self serving.

Among those who spoke yesterday were Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural and political group; Second Republic member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Junaid Mohammed; retired Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubarkar Tsav; Senate minority leader, Senator George Akume; minority whip of the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie; Ogbonna Nwuke, Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, River State and erstwhile deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austine Opara.

President Jonathan had in his Independence Day speech to the nation asserted that he had delivered on his key promises including that of holding a National Conference.

Jonathan has performed but...

—Balarabe Musa Reacting, yesterday, Second Republic governor of Old Kaduna State, Musa who is presently National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP said: “Jonathan has performed but not to the satisfaction of Nigerians. We should put into account the resources available to him

AWARD: Group Managing Director of SO&U Limited, Mr Udeme Ufot (right) receiving his national honour award; Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) from President Goodluck Jonathan. and compare it with his performance.”

Signs of failed governance are everywhere —Tsav In his submission, a retired Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tsav, said: "Claiming that he has performed very well is his personal opinion.

He is entitled to it. But I disagree with him because all the hallmarks of failed governance are everywhere.

The truth is that he has not done well. The rate of corruption is still high. There is also insecurity which he has not curbed. The seizure of $9.3 million by South Africa is enough to make him resign.

But we don’t have good legislators, who are supposed to checkmate his excesses. The truth is that he has not performed."

community in Nigeria but today it is in charge of a vast number of communities and towns in the country with the army looking helpless in confronting the insurgents because the soldiers are ill equipped.

“Again, under this president, corruption has been promoted and celebrated as a way of life and seriously defended by the same president.

“Let me say that if a politician is to be elected on the basis of the promises made by him, Jonathan does not deserve to be elected into office again. It is surprising for him to believe that Nigeria is better than he met it.

“Nigerians should vote him out because he has not added value to their lives in any way and cannot move Nigeria forward,” Mohammed said.

Nigeria has never had it this bad – Dr. Junaid Mohammed Dr. Junaid Mohammed who is also Coordinator of Northern Politicians, Academics and Businessmen, in his reaction affirmed the administration has failed in key areas of combating poverty and providing security.

“Now almost into his fourth year in office, poverty has risen to about 95 per cent according to the World Bank statistics; insecurity is almost taking over Nigeria while the country is almost being torn apart as a result of the divisive tendencies of the administration. Nigeria has never had it so bad since inception.

“When Jonathan was sworn in, Boko Haram was not in control of any village or

This government has polluted the polity with endless scandals —Akume Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, on his part lamented that it was sad that a government that promised Nigerians fresh air at inception had turned out to choke the citizenry with its failure and endless spate of scandals.

“It is regrettable that a government which came to power on the promise of providing fresh air has not only failed to live up to it’s promise but also failed to justify its own existence by providing the minimal constitutional expectations of any democratic government. The government of President Goodluck Jonathan has failed to protect lives and property.

“Boko Haram started as a small rebel group which President Umar Yar’adua was poised to crush instantly. His failing health and eventual death robbed Nigeria of a patriotic leader.

“Under Goodluck Jonathan, Boko Haram has been provided with the enabling environment to prosper to such an extent that it has overpowered the Nigerian Army and is now a threat to international peace and security.

“Instead of providing Nigeria with fresh air, the President Jonathan government has polluted the Nigerian air with an endless chain of scandals: The fuel subsidy scam in which top PDP men featured with their children; the alleged theft of $20 billion from our oil revenue and the recent illegal export to South Africa of $9.3 million by some faceless people using a jet owned by the presidents friend."

Nigerians will tell – Osagie "I don’t have any comment.

Let the Nigerian people decide whether he has delivered or not. We are getting to election period.

Nigerians should be able to tell. I don’t want to say anything further."

That is his opinion— Nwuke Mr. President is entitled to his opinion. The true judges of the performance of his administration are the Nigerian people and looking at the feelers that are coming from the Nigerian people, it is not certain that the government has delivered as he claimed.

Yes, he has a right to say so,

but what are the yardsticks for measurement? Now, we are talking about delivering power to the Nigerian people. Can we say in all honesty that since the signing of those MOUs with the private sector there has been any remarkable improvement in all the deliveries? There are claims that Mr. President has delivered on the railway. Can we also say in all honesty that the trains are running? Now, what of the issue of economy?

All we hear is that the economy has been rebased, that Nigeria is the largest economy. How much of that has impacted the ordinary Nigerian? Can Nigerians today put food on their tables? Can they claim to be better today than they were yesterday? Those are the real issues. If the people are not being impacted upon, government at the federal level cannot claim to have done well.

Nigeria was made ungovernable for him—Afenifere Yoruba socio -political organisation, Afenifere, in its reaction stated that the president would have performed better but for the insurgency that has confronted his administration.

Speaking with Vanguard , Afenifere’s national publicity secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said: “This is one president who has confronted the most uncommon challenge in the history of Nigeria. I don’t think when he took over power he had the mind that he was going to spend the better part of his time battling the Boko Haram insurgency. The country has been made ungovernable for him and the governable space has been reduced under his presidency.”

We should not play politics with everything — Opara Former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Opara in his reaction said President Jonathan has performed and his achievements are there for all to see.

He said: “I believe he has done very well and it could be seen by everyone. Today, our train track is running and Nigerians can ask themselves when last such was seen in this country.

“Nigerians could say nothing has been achieved in the power sector but the fact remains that he unbundled NEPA and he is set for greater heights in the power sector.

Insecurity is being tackled today and everybody can attest to the fact that some level of success has been recorded by the military and some of the insurgents have been submitting arms and turning themselves in. So we should learn not to play politics with everything in this country".

10— Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Mobolaji Johnson wants Gen Adekunle immortalised

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AGOS—THE first military Governor of Lagos State, retired Brig.Gen. Mobolaji Johnson, on Thursday called for the immortalisation of the late Brig. Gen. Benjamin Adekunle.

Johnson made the call in an interview in Lagos at the lying-in-state of the late Adekunle, famously known as the “Black Scorpion“ because of his exploits during the Nigerian Civil War. The former governor said at the Abalti Barracks, where the ceremony took place, that the deceased had left an unforgettable development in the nation’s history.

He said: “People like Adekunle don’t come twice in the lifetime of a nation; he played his part and he will be remembered for a long time.

“If they write the history of Nigeria and talk about the civil war, you can’t but talk about Adekunle."

EKITI CRISIS:

Closure of court endangers democracy —NBA

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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AGOS—THE Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch, yesterday said the continuous closure of the Ekiti State judiciary is tantamount to violation of judicial process and the rule of law.

To this end, the lawyers called for the immediate reopening of the courts to enable stakeholders engage the court in order to promote rule of law.

Beside, the body of lawyers also disclosed that though the Ekiti State governor-elect, Ayo Fayose, did not participate in the assault against the judge, but he did not prevented his followers.

The branch said yesterday that its three-day fact finding mission to the state between September 28 and 30, indicated that Mr Fayose failed “to stop his followers” from assaulting the judge.

Mimiko dumps Labour Party for PDP zSays I want to galvanise support for Jonathan's re-election in South West

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By Ben Agande

BUJA— THE governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko yesterday afternoon pitched his political camp with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ending several weeks of speculation over his political future.

The governor who announced his formal defection at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa after a reconciliation meeting of the South West PDP chaired by the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark said he was moving to the PDP in order to galvanise support for President Jonathan’s reelection in the South-West zone of the country.

Dr. Olusegun Mimiko was formally received into the PDP by the Vice President Namadi Sambo at an occasion witnessed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Jones Arogbofa, former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; Senator Bode Olajumoke and Olu Agunloye.

According to Mimiko members of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly from Ondo State on the Labour Party have also

defected with him to the PDP. He reiterated that “by this decision to return to the PDP, we have taken in the overall interest of our people and our nation, and its democracy which for those who are perceptive enough to notice, is now mortally endangered by a constellation of forces which

must be confronted.”

The Ondo governor observed that though the Labour Party endorsed, worked for and voted massively for Jonathan since 2011, this did not stop the Party from working for candidates where it fielded candidates and in subsequent polls.

According to the governor,

with the 2015 table for elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which put Presidential and National Assembly elections on the same day, his remaining in Labour Party while supporting President Jonathan would create conflict of interest.

SEND-FORTH: Metropolitan Grand Knight, Mr. Charles Mbelede, (2nd right) presenting an appreciation plaque to Sir Patrick Ikemefuna, the immediate past Metropolitan Grand Knight, Lagos Metropolitan Council (2nd left), Supreme Treasurer, Mr. Lawrence Okonofua (left), and Deputy Metropolitan Grand Knight, Mr. Egbert Imommoh, during send-forth ceremony for Sir. Patrick Ikemefuna by the Lagos Metropolitan Council of the Order of Knights of Saint Mulumba, KSM, in Lagos.

EFCC appeals Ikuforiji's acquittal L

By Innocent Anaba

AGOS—THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has appealed last week’s acquittal of Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji alongside his Personal Assistant, Mr Oyebode Atoyebi by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

The trial judge at the lower court, Justice Ibrahim in his judgment, upheld the no case submission of Ikuforiji and his aide, Atoyebi.

It will be recalled that Justice Buba had discharged Ikuforiji and Atoyebi over allegations of money laundering made against them by the anti-graft agency.

But not satisfied with the ruling, the EFCC through its lawyer, Chief Godwin Obla, SAN, in the Notice of Appeal dated September 30, 2014 and brought pursuant to Order 17 Rule 13 wants the Court of Appeal to hold that Justice Buba erred in law, when he held and concluded that counts 2-48 are incompetent, because they were filed pursuant to Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 which said law was repealed by the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

The anti-graft agency in its appeal also want the upper court to hold that the Federal High Court, “Erred in law and came to a perverse decision when it held thus: On other

constitutional issues, the prosecution has also not answered the submission referred to in this ruling.

Consequently, the first and second accused be and are hereby discharged.

“The lower court erred in law,

Honours to Bruce, Akpoyibo, Oyegun well deserved —EVAH

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AGOS—THE Coordinator of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Comrade Joseph Evah has described Mr. Ben Bruce, DIG Marvel Akpoyibo and Chief Odigie Oyegun national awards as well deserved honours for their contributions to the development of Nigeria.

TERROR: LASG hails Boko Haram members'

conviction

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By Abdulwahab Abdullah

AGOS—THE Lagos State Government has hailed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos which sentenced three Boko Haram members to 25 years imprisonment each for their involvement in acts of terrorism.

Mr Ade Ipaye, Lagos State

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, lauded the judgment while briefing newsmen, yesterday, in Lagos.

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, had on Tuesday handed the sentences to the three men — Ali Mohammed, Adamu Karumi and Ibrahim Usman.

Ipaye said the arrest, prosecution and subsequent

when it held that the provision of Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and 2011 only applies to natural persons and corporate bodies other than government; like the office of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly."

conviction of the terrorists, was a clear indication of the government’s commitment to bringing all criminals to justice.

“We want to see them brought before the court of law, dealt with before the law and let people know that there are consequences and that this is a country that is guided by laws,” he said.

His words: “We are proud that by all standards these are great stars from the Niger Delta region.

Ben Bruce can compete with the best brains across the globe in the world of entertainment and business and his effort has placed Nigeria in the world map as an extraordinary businessman.

"The people of Niger Delta reject category of awards given to some of their sons and daughters."

The Niger Delta leader warned those in the award committee to desist from their unpatriotic acts, adding that the bias selection process if not checked will dent the good intention of the national award.

“The low category of awards given to some of our sons and daughters is an insult to our region despite its huge contribution to nation building," he said.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—11

Fayose frowns at appointment of 8 new Perm Secs by Fayemi

By Gbenga Aritibi

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DO EKITI—EKITI State Governor-elect, Mr Ayo Fayose, has faulted the appointment of eight new permanent secretaries announced by the outgoing administration in the state, saying Fayemi is deliberately creating problems to incapacitate the incoming administration in the state.

A statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said recent actions by the outgoing government has to do with politics of vendetta.

He said: ”As much as we are not opposed to people progressing in their chosen careers, one finds the recent appointments questionable.

“The questions the people of the state should help ask Fayemi are which ministries the new permanent secretaries will be attached? Will two permanent secretaries man a ministry? Are there vacancies that the new permanent secretaries are going to fill?

“It is very ridiculous for Fayemi who has less than two weeks to leave office to appoint permanent secretaries for the incoming administration. It

shows how evil the APC is.

“In the last four months, the outgoing government has created 19 new LCDAs, employed 3,000 workers without following due process

and right now backlog of two months salaries are yet to be paid to workers, a development that has prompted them to go on strike.

“It is evident that Fayemi does

not love Ekiti State. His activities are not honourable. “Nigerians should now know that his activities are to put stumbling blocks on the path of the incoming government.”

CONFERENCE: From left: Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, Nike Animashaun, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Nigeria, Israel Opayemi, MD, Grenadines Homes, Mrs. Noimot Olatunji, and CEO, 3Invest, Ruth Obih, during the Real Estate Unite Property conference in Lagos, yesterday.

Ekiti workers begin strike over unpaid salaries zAccuse Fayemi of insensitivity

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By Gbenga Ariyibi

D O - E K I T I — ORGANISED Labour in Ekiti State, yesterday, began indefinite strike to press for the payment of their outstanding salaries and allowances owed by the outgoing Governor Kayode Fayemi's administration.

The labour unions, under the leadership of Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, also lambasted the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the State over what he called its lackadaisical attitude about the plights of the suffering workers.

Briefing newsmen in Ado Ekiti, the JNC Chairman, Oladipupo Johnson, said that the August and September salaries as well as the June and July deductions have not been paid as promised by the governor, describing this as the highest point of insensitivity.

Also in a statement made available in Ado Ekiti by JNC chairman, the body said the strike action became imperative following alleged uncaring attitude displayed by Governor Fayemi towards the welfare of Ekiti workers.

It stated that, “it is unfortunate

to note that in spite of the pronouncement and promises from top government functionaries, there seem to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

Following this, the workers of the public service had met and directed that workers should not come to work today (yesterday), October 2, 2014 and this subsists until all conditions are met.

“And any worker who refuses to obey this simple directive does so

at his or her own risk since the leaders would not take responsibility for anything that happens to such a worker.”

Despite the fact that the strike was over 90 per cent successful, the JNC still went round the State Secretariat and other government offices to picket few workers that reported to duties.

In his reaction, Fayemi said he had instructed the Head of Service, Mr Bunmi Famosaya to meet with the leadership of

JNC and relay to them that the salaries will be paid within 48 hours.

Fayemi, who responded through the Information Commissioner, Mr Tayo Ekundayo, said; “You may recall that Ekiti has been paying as and when due before the present situation and we have a template by which we used to meet up.

We used to take facilities from banks to pay salary before the arrival of the State’s allocations."

Northern youths absolve Obasanjo of anointing northern candidate

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By Daud Olatunji

B E O K U TA — T H E Northern Youth Leaders Forum, NLYF, has absolved former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of plan to anoint a Northern presidential candidate.

The National Chairman of the forum, Comrade Elliot Afiyo who said this yesterday, claimed that the former President knew nothing about the forum’s decision to select either the former Vice President, Atiku

Abubakar or the Kano State governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso who were said to have been shortlisted by the forum as the northern presidential candidate.

Vanguard gathered that the political committee of the NYLF had submitted the nomination of Atiku Abubakar and Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso among the seven short-listed aspirants to get the body’s support.

It was also gathered that the National Executive Council, NEC, of the Northern

youth body had expressed desire to support a Northern candidate, having agreed that there is need to the get the Presidential slot back to the North.

Both nominees, according to the findings will face election on December 11, as speculations were rife that the former President is having a “favoured” candidate between the two, a development that has been causing ripples within the forum.

Bankole loses daughter

By Daud Olatunji BEOKUTA—THE immediate-past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole on Wednesday lost his daughter, Yewande Semiat Bankole .

A statement made available to newsmen, yesterday, by the family stated that the late Yewande was the grand daughter of Chief Alani Suara Bankole, aged 6.

It was also disclosed that Yewande was a sickler and that she was a radiant girl who struggled with the disease originally managed at a Lagos hospital but later transferred to a London hospital where she eventually died.

“With gratitude to Almighty Allah and with heavy hearts we announce the demise of our daughter Yewande Semiat Bankole aged 6 years, at St Marys Children’s Hospital, London on October 1, 2014," the statement said.

A

Foundation donates recreation park to Imo varsity

O

WERRI—SOCIAL life has returned to the Imo State University, IMSU, following the commissioning of the 150 million naira Ultra Modern Owunna Recreation Park, which was donated to the University Community by Mazi Clement Owunna, through his father ’s memorial foundation-Mazi Peter Sunday Owunna Foundation.

Mazi Clement Owunna, an accomplished pharmacist, foremost industrialist and philanthropist was on January 17, 2013, inaugurated as the 7th prochancellor and chairman of the Governing Council of Imo State University by the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

Apart from singlehandedly funding the building of the Owunna recreation park, with personal resources, Mazi Owunna influenced the attraction of several development projects worth over one billion naira to the university.

12 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

SERVICE OF SONGS: From right: Mr. Anthony Mbakwe, Mrs. Ego Esiri, Ms Vivian Mbakwe, and Dr. Maureen Achuko.

From left: Mr. Theophilus Mbakwe, Lady Lydia Mbakwe (widow), Dr Maureen Achuko, and Ms Vivian Mbakwe, during the service of songs for the late Chief Theophilus Mbakwe, in Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Bayelsa sets up security outfit on assets protection

By Samuel Oyadongha E N AG OA — B AY E L S A State Government has announced the setting up of a commercial security outfit known as the Izon-Ibe Security Company Limited to protect state owned assets and oil

Y

facilities in the creeks and waterways of the eight local government areas of the state.

According to the state government, the company is expected to employ the services of over 20,000 youths in the coastal and upland

communities of the state to protect crude oil pipelines from vandals and illegal bunkerers.

The new company, according to a statement, yesterday, by the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr. Daniel

No going back on Oct 25 Delta LG polls —DSIEC election were being received completed the process of printand names of candidates for ing the voters’ register. “

A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—CHAIRMAN of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, Mr. Moses Ogbe, yesterday, said that there was no going back on the October 25, 2014 local government elections in the state.

Speaking during a one-day workshop organised for journalists in the state, Ogbe said that materials for the

Glo Prive makes debut in market

G

LO Prive, a recognition and privileges programme packaged by national telecoms operator, Globacom, for its premium customers has made its debut in the market.

The exclusive club which offers first of its kind benefits for members was launched at an event held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

It was attended by elite Glo subscribers comprising technocrats, captains of industry and senior officials of the company.

Mr. Prabhat Aggarwal, Globacom’s Chief Commercial Director, said: “Glo Privé is a product of careful consideration and planning. It is aimed at delighting Globacom’s high value customers with unmatchable privileges and benefits.

“Prive represents privilege, differentiation and exclusivity."

the polls had reached the commission.

Disclosing that ballot boxes for the elections had been received by the commission, he said that the printing of the ballot papers were at an advanced stage, adding: “In two weeks, we would have

According to him, persons of high repute would be recruited as adhoc staff by the commission to assist in the elections, noting that applications had been received from interested candidates who want to work in that capacity.

Iworiso-Markson, has the former President of the Pan Ijaw socio-political organisation, the Ijaw National Congress, INC, Mr. Joshua Fumudoh, as Chairman.

Also on the board of the security outfit are Rear Admiral Geoffrey Yanga (rtd), the Special Adviser to the state governor on Security Matters, Lt. Col. Bernard Kenebai (rtd), Major Lancelot Anyanya (rtd) and the President of Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, worldwide, Mr. Udengs Eradiri.

The former Chairman of Bayelsa State Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, Chief James Jephthah, is to serve as its Managing Director.

Dickson confirms Ogoni as N-Delta Varsity VC

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

E N A G O A — GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, has confirmed the appointment of Professor Humphrey Ogoni as Vice Chancellor of the state owned Niger Delta University at Amassoma in Wilberforce Island.

Professor Ogoni was until his elevation the acting Vice Chancellor of the university from 2012.

The appointment, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, takes immediate effect.

This has put to rest the several months of agitation by students and staff of the institution for the ratification of Prof. Ogoni's appointment as the substantive Vice Chancellor of the university.

Meanwhile, an umbrella group of Alumni students and students of the institution, Bayelsa Academic Salvage Forum, has commended the

state governor for the prompt and unbias assessment of candidates for the position of the Vice Chancellor leading to the confirmation of Prof Ogoni as substantive Vice Chancellor of the institution.

Chairman of the group, Dr. Ayibatari Johnson, said though the delay in the appointment created tension in the institution, the confirmation of Prof. Ogoni's appointment was a welcome development.

Pro-Jonathan group inaugurates C-River chapter

C

By Jacob Ajom

ALABAR—JONATHAN Shall Lead Again, JOSLA, a support group, championing the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, has inaugurated its Cross River State chapter in Calabar.

The 25-man state executive has Mr. Dominic Ogwoja as state Co-ordinator while Eyo Enegha is the Secretary.

Inaugurating the group, National Chairman of JOSLA, Mr. Friday Ojealaro, charged the leadership of the state chapter to work hard and ensure President Jonathan’s re-election in the 2015 presidential poll.

He said: “You must not relent in whatever way you have mapped out to support President Jonathan’s reelection. Every vote counts and we want the president to get the majority in the state.”

He charged the people of Cross River State to match their hospitality and magnanimity with a sense of mission when they go out to vote in 2015.

“I have heard so much about your hospitality, and I have come to confirm what I heard.

To say the least, your magnanimity knows no bounds and God will surely reward you,” he added.

DTHA 2015: Oshimili North roots for Ijeh

By Tommy Anaduaka

A

CROSS section of c i t i z e n s , stakeholders and community leaders of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State have appealed to Chief Kizito Ijeh, to contest the state House of Assembly seat to represent the people in 2015.

Briefing newsmen in Asaba, the people, through their spokesman, Chief Anthony Arinze, said that the appeal was informed by Ijeh's contributions to the socio-economic development of the area and the state in general adding that he has all it takes to become the House of Assembly representative for Oshimili North.

Odonmeta passes on

M

R. Michael Odonmeta, a traditionalist and cultural leader, has passed on after a brief illness in Ogunaja Quarters, Sapele, Delta State. He was aged 67.

He will be buried according to Itsekiri traditional rites at OdeItsekiri on October 11.

He is survived by a widow, 7 children, a brother and a sister.

Late Michael Odonmeta

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 13

14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Oshiomhole abolishes 35-yr retirement policy for Edo workers B

By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN CITY— GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has abolished the 35-year retirement policy for workers in the state as the state workers are now to retire at the age of 60, regardless of whether they have put in 35 years in the state civil service.

Delivering the independence anniversary gift to the workers at a meeting with labour leaders at Government House, yesterday, Oshiomhole described the compulsory 35 years as obnoxious.

“Our own anniversary gift to workers of Edo State, especially those in the public service has to do with the issue of pension. Over the years, while I was in the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, I had wondered why we have a policy in the public sector which is unique to the public sector in which we appear to punish experience.

We are compelled to retire because you have put in X

C M Y K

number of years.

“Having taken the pains to clean up our records and carry out appropriate biometrics of our public servants and made corrections where errors were discovered, I believe that

about 90 to 95 percent of our records as regards to age can now be said to be correct.

“That being so, there is no reason for us to continue to use our obnoxious policy of 35 years as a basis to

determine one’s years of service in the public service.

Therefore, government has decided to abolish this policy and uphold only that aspect of retirement that has to do with age.”

Omo-Agege, Onwusanya, Muoboghare, others hail Nigeria @ 54

A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—AS Nigerians continue to celebrate the 54th independence of the country, some prominent Deltans have scored the country a good mark at 54.

Those who spoke to the Vanguard include Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege, Mr Peter Onwusanya, Prof Patrick Muoboghare, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, Mr Partick Ferife and Mr Chris Onogba.

Omo-Agege said: “At 54, Nigeria has good reasons to celebrate because we have turned the corner and are set to achieve our vast potential as a truly great nation. We have witnessed steady

growth in the economy in the past few years and the expectation is that the gross domestic product could double in the next six to seven years as a result of the power sector reforms of Mr. President.

“Nigeria should celebrate and thank God that we have a president who is determined to leave Nigeria much better than he met it and is structurally equipped to deal with the challenges of the future.

“By being committed to implement the recommendations of the national conference which will invariably reduce his powers by transferring some political and fiscal authority of the Federal

Government to the federating units, President Goodluck Jonathan has further demonstrated his willingness to make sacrifices for the good of our country.

“I therefore, call on all Nigerians irrespective of where they come from, the language they speak, their religion or political affiliation to support Mr. President and give him the chance to fully implement his transformation agenda.”

Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, said: “Nigeria is doing very well at 54. We must appreciate and love our own. What brought Ebloa to Nigeria was because Patrick Soya had confidence in our health sector.”

2015: Pondi declares for NASS seat

B

URUTU—MR Julius Pondi, an aspirant of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, seeking to represent Burutu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, has promised to enhance the fortunes of the people if elected in 2015.

Pondi, made the promise to Chief Kenneth Ogeibiri, chairman of PDP in Burutu Local Government Area, when he officially declared his intention to leaders of the party.

He said: “I have succumbed to pressure from my people to represent them at National Assembly because they know I have the capability to give them quality and effective representation.

“I have identified the pains of the people of Burutu, particularly those at the grassroots and I am determined to bring dividends of democracy to them if elected."

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—15

Gridlock on Oshodi-Apapa road

Traffic jam resulting from potholes, on Oshodi-Apapa expressway, Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Joe Akintola & Lamidi Bamidele

A tragic victim of the potholes...

... at Berger Yard, Apapa.

'Stepping' into the bad part of the road..

16 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Human Rights Commission begins inquiry into petitions from S-East zone ... as Ogoni Solidarity Forum moves to stop Rivers State banana farm project

By Austin Ogwuda, Enugu

E

NUGU — NATIONAL Human Rights Commission, NHRC, yesterday, commenced a two-day public inquiry into the petition filed against some state governments within the South East zone over alleged abuse of human rights, unwarranted demolitions and seizures of people’s homes and lands.

At the inaugural sitting at the Federal High Court Enugu, Mr. Chibueze Okorie, counsel to Ogoni forced eviction victims against the Rivers State Government and four others, applied for an interim order to stop the Rivers State government from continuing further development in their alleged seized land being converted to a banana factory by an investor.

It was filed pursuant to Order 67 of the Standing Orders and Rules of Procedure of the National Human Rights Commission 2013 and Section 5 (J) of the National Human Rights Commission Act, 1995 (as Amended).

Ogoni Solidarity Forum is

among the complainants.

That application, however, suffered a temporary set-back as the Attorney General of the Rivers State government, opposed it on

ground of jurisdiction due to the fact that a similar issue was pending in other courts.

After arguments by the parties, the three-man Commission

headed by Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, called on the counsel to the parities to harmonize their papers and avoid too much of technicalities to move forward.

He reminded them that justice delayed was justice denied and adjourned hearing to be held in Port Harcourt at a later date to be communicated to parties.

Why cost of governance is high in Nigeria — Obi

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA — IMMEDIATE past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has blamed high cost of governance in Nigeria to the inability of government officials to curb wasteful

expenditure that do not contribute to economic growth and wellbeing of the citizens.

Speaking at the World Bank Youth Forum interactive session yesterday, Obi said as a former governor, he knew areas where money could be saved for the

needy sectors of the economy.

The former governor said: “What contributed to my success as the governor of Anambra State was because I decided at great personal discomfort, to shut down areas that were not necessary, which helped us to reduce the

All Africa Music Awards holds Nov 9

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LL AFRICA Music Awards, AFRIMA, will hold Sunday, November 9 in Lagos.

AFRIMA, yesterday, announced that two campaigning organizations, Africa 2.0 and ONE Org, both working to end poverty and corruption in Africa and develop positive networks of forward-thinking people, were partnering for the event.

Speaking about the partnership, ONE Africa Executive Director Dr. Sipho Moyo said “throughout

history, we have seen how powerful a force music can be in galvanizing people around an issue. ONE worked closely this year with a number of the AFRIMA nominees to record a song about the importance of agriculture to Africa’s future.

"Nineteen African musicians using their voices to inspire more than two million Africans to take real action is just one of many reasons we should be celebrating African music.”

In the same vein, Chairman and Founder of Africa 2.0 Foundation, Mamadou Toure, noted that Africa 2.0 was proud to partner with AFRIMA, saying, “Africa 2.0 and AFRIMA are emblematic of the new African continent, which is to re-brand the face of Africa.

"Africa is at a tipping point. The momentum gained, when effectively utilized, will create a virtuous cycle of growth and enlightenment for all of Africa."

cost of governance. Generally, governance costs so much in Nigeria and if our leaders are able to reduce the money spent in unnecessary things such as keeping many guests houses, keeping many aides that are not necessary, keeping long convoys, staying in costliest hotels, chartering planes when not absolutely necessary, servicing politicians that do not add value to the society, engaging in Epicurean life, among other indulgences, they will have enough money to do the necessary things.”

Speaking on the importance of youth to the growth of the nation, Obi said any country that did not take care of her youth did not have a future and urged members of the World Bank Youth Forum to remain focused about their future and the future of the country.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 —17

National honours

M

R President deserves congratulations for bestowing national honours on four ordinary, yet extraordinary Nigerians: Mr Imeh Usuah, a heroically honest taxi driver who returned N18 million that was left in his cab by a foreigner; Mr Onuh Isaac Michael, the diligent Chief Steward at the Presidential Villa, who has served nine Heads of State; Corporal Solomon Dauda, a dancing Abuja traffic warden who approaches his duties with a cheerful dedication that puts smiles on the faces of the motorists he entertains; and Mr Taiwo Akinkunmi, an elderly gent who designed our flag.

Usuah, Michael and Dauda also got free three-bedroom apartments, while Akinkunmi

•Mr Taiwo Akinkunmi (r) receiving his award from President Goodluck Jonathan that she is not only one of Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s biggest opponents but also happens to be the main backer of Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of State for Education…who used to be Amaechi’s bosom buddy and Chief of Staff, but is now his ex-Boss’s sworn enemy.

The question I want to ask is this: Is it proper, ethical or

,

It was SO refreshing to watch these regular folks, who haven’t enjoyed cosily privileged VIP existences, being recognised so generously and publicly

was promised a Presidential Special Assistant’s salary for the rest of his life.

It was SO refreshing to watch these regular folks, who haven’t enjoyed cosily privileged VIP existences, being recognised so generously and publicly.

Dame Patience Jonathan I am in my state capital – Port Harcourt – at the moment; and I keep hearing worrying stories about Dame Patience Jonathan’s participation in local politics.

I suspect that at least some of these stories are true because even though the First Lady is not highly visible or highly vocal at the moment, she has a feisty personality and has been highly visible and highly vocal in the past.

Furthermore, it is no secret

C M Y K

,

constitutional for a First Lady to become so deeply immersed in toxic controversies or to side with a particular faction?

Yes, Rivers is her home state.

And, yes, we are all human and all have personal preferences. But should she not be copying Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron – the immensely dignified wives of the British Prime Minister and American President – whose personal preferences are not crudely obvious?

I will be A LOT happier if Madame classily conceals her biases and discreetly conducts herself like a tolerant Mother to ALL Rivers and Nigerian citizens.

I will also be A LOT happier if she solely concentrates on taking care of her husband domestically and on quietly running her NGO. But if she cannot resist the temptation to

enter wahala and feels obliged to actively participate in Rivers shenanigans, can she please try to make peace between the dogged hotheads who are driving warring factions…instead of making things worse?!

We need to protest more Nigerians, this columnist included, are always whingeing about one issue or the other. My key beef is the fact that constant electricity continues to be elusive.

In the part of Port Harcourt in which my family home is situated, we are largely dependent on generators.

And since I and most of my neighbours are not rich, we are struggling to cope with the cost of the diesel that fuels our generators.

And even if we were affluent enough to breezily dismiss the cost of diesel, no generator can survive constant usage. And there are times when a generator has to be switched off, so it can rest.

Some of my friends have two generators, so that one can be on while the other is resting.

But I and most folks in my social circle cannot afford this luxury.

I have been monitoring developments in Hong Kong, where students and others are engaged in vigorous democracy-related protests, even though their problems are far less marked than ours; and I wonder why we are so docile.

We’ll never get the benefits we yearn for until we quit being pathetically supine.

•Dame Patience Jonathan

Independence complaint!

day

One of my regular respondents – Ifeka Okonkwo (ifekaokonkwo@yahoo.com) - sent me the following email a couple of days ago, on the eve of October l; and I’m publishing it because it articulately echoes similarly embittered sentiments that many other Vanguard readers have shared with me in recent months.

In other words, President Goodluck Jonathan and his team have a long way to go, image-wise, and need to try harder if they want to be genuinely popular!

Better to win an election because voters think you are a great leader than to win purely because you have huge Powers Of Incumbency at your disposal.

Our country rudderless at 54

still

It is really sad that we are celebrating our 54th anniversary as an independent nation, even though our present crop of corrupt, greedy, selfish and clueless politicians are not putting enough thought into solving problems like the high cost of governance and creating jobs for the unemployed – who are fueling the general insecurity of lives and property in all parts of our country.

They are not doing anything about the looting of public coffers, which is stunting our

growth. All they are thinking about is how to win elections in 2015.

They are not thinking about how we will survive when our oil eventually dries up. They are bereft of ideas about how to dynamically diversify our economy.

Shame on them for lacking vision and focus…and for bringing our richly blessed country to her knees and making her crawl like a baby at the age of 54!

Let me also publish another complaint from another regular respondent – a Niger Deltan called Chief Bobson (+2347068621168): Jonathan’s regime is the most corrupt in the annals of Nigeria’s political and socioeconomic history. We will continue to wallow in the squalor of poverty unless Nigerians decide to rise up and fight against the destroyers of our common patrimony and destiny ( PDP/ APC and their likes).

In the interests of journalistic balance, I would have gladly published a proJonathan email or text message. But I haven’t received any recently.

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 OR 0811 675 9752 (texts only).

PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED, WITH YOUR NAMES AND CONTACT DETAILS ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 THE move by the management of the National Youth Ser vice Corps (NYSC) to introduce online registration and call-up of prospective Corps members has raised a lot of controversy which, if not quickly addressed, might affect the activities of the organisation.

The full computerization of the call-up process was approved at the meeting of the management in Calabar, and aims to begin with the 2014 Batch “C ” mobilisation exercise. Under the scheme, prospective corps members are given the option of registering and processing their call-up from the comfort of their homes or the nearest business centre if they choose not to travel to their schools. The snag, however, is that they have to pay the sum of N4,000 to cover the cost of this computerized processing, since the NYSC says, a private firm is handling the computerization project on its behalf under a private/public partnership arrangement.

The concerns and outright rejection of this project by well-meaning Nigerians is quite understandable, in the wake of the Immigration job recruitment disaster in which job seekers were forced to cough out N1,000 each to apply for the jobs. More than 20

NYSC’s Call-up Regis tration F urore egistration Furore young people lost their lives in various centres.

The difference, however, is that the NYSC insists that the N4,000 call-up registration is not compulsory. Prospective corps members have merely been given the option to either save themselves the old troubles of travelling to their schools for the call-up letter, with the risks involved or simply option for the seamless computerized registration.

The choice factor is very important, as it will enable those who live quite close to their schools not to carry out the online process and fee payment if they so wish. We, however, hope that those who opt for the old style of registration will not be subjected to any form

of punitive sanction or disadvantage simply because they do not opt for the computerised scheme.

We call on prospective corps members who choose not to apply online to report any cases of victimisation, as this will expose the genuine intentions or otherwise of those behind it.

It is a welcome development that the House of Representatives has already waded into the matter with a view to ensuring that the right thing is done in the public interest.

We advise the legislators not to be carried away by sentiments but to focus on ensuring that when implemented the rights of corps members to chose to register online or not are respected with absolutely no room left open to the victimisation of those who prefer not to.

Particular attention should be paid to the cost attached to the call-up registration to make sure that due processes of the law were followed in arriving at it, and that the benefits are commensurate with what corps members are required to pay.

If foul play is suspected it should be dropped. But if the programme will make life easier for stakeholders in the NYSC scheme, let it go ahead.

OPINION Office

seekers

By Ighomena Achoja

S

INCE its creation on August 27, 1991, Delta State has been striving to come to terms with the ideals of government which are located in the welfare and security of the people. Primarily, politics is all about socioeconomic transformation through power and of its manifold relation to, and implications for all other aspects of society.

The people must be seen to benefit from such transformation by realising their dreams and aspirations. Fortunately enough, Delta State is blessed with sufficient human and natural resources, vast arable land and with oil and gas endowment accounting for over 25% of Nigeria’s wealth. It will not be out of place, therefore, to wish that our dearly beloved state comes first among other states in Nigeria in the areas of education, health, food sufficiency, security and infrastructural development.

Education is a major consideration for any society that desires prosperity and Deltans need it for a holistic transformation of both the state and the people. Education gives one the leverage to become whatever one aspires to become. Collectively, education elevates society and it is a major index of development because it conquers poverty and other social ills. Hence, a government that will give Deltans access to qualitative education will endear itself to the people.

Furthermore, the health of the people of Delta State should be given priority by any government that wants to take the state to the Promise Land. Health, as they C M Y K

and

the

ideal

Delta

say, is wealth. Such a government should be able to formulate policies that must enhance access to quality health care. The place of agriculture in the provision of employment to the teeming youths and women as well as increase in the state revenue base cannot be overemphasized.

Delta State has arable land suitable for agricultural activities and a favourable climatic condition of rain and sunshine.

The state’s ecosystem and wetlands harbour some of Africa’s most precious biodiversity and home to various species of animals, plants and fishes which can engage majority of the unemployed youths currently roaming the streets. A good government is what is needed to make this happen.

Election period like this is therefore the appropriate time for Deltans to begin the clamour for an ideal leader who will help realise their yearnings and aspirations. A leader that will be people-oriented irrespective of his ethnic background. This is because we all desire a state where we jettison ethnic and primordial sentiments in favour of merit and capacity which will catalyze development. We can achieve this dream, especially as the 2015 general election is around the corner. Deltans must unite for this positive affirmation.

An appraisal of the profile of the aspirants to the governorship position in Delta State reveals that one them stands out. This is Mr. David Edevbie whose story reads like that of the Biblical David who came to the

State

rescue of his people at a delicate period.

Edevbie’s sterling record in the management and development sectors, particularly during his time at the Commonwealth Development Corporation, CDC, UK (now known as ACTIS), drastically changed the fortunes of many countries in Asia and the Pacific Regions. As the Deputy Country Head in the Philippines in 1996, he not only facilitated the establishment of the CDC Philippines Office in Manila, but he also anchored the development of new business opportunities in that country. He represented CDC on the Boards of several investee companies, notably power, telecommunications and Venture Capital companies, to mention a few. His work detail in the Philippines entailed originating new businesses within the mineral, oil and gas sectors of emerging markets.

This job took Mr. Edevbie to virtually every continent of the world operating in very diverse sectors of the economies of both emerging and developed countries. During his time with CDC, he acquired significant project finance expertise by directly participating in several high profile deals in diverse sectors such as power, oil and gas, mining, health, telecommunications, financial markets, hospitality, etc.

Edevbie applied his Midas touch to the affairs of Delta State when he was appointed as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in 1999. As

Commissioner for Finance, one of the first issues he tackled was the failure of the Federal Government to pay the minimum 13% derivation revenue due to oil producing states as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution. Following a sustained campaign led by Edevbie on behalf of the Delta State government, the Federal Government finally increased the payment of derivation revenue from 1% to 13%. Simultaneously, Edevbie transformed work attitudes, increased the efficiency and effectiveness of the Ministry of Finance and modernised its information and cash management systems. Edevbie introduced the monthly cash budget for payment of contractors, ensured the timely preparation and publication of the Delta State Government's Audited Accounts (the first state in the country to do so), designed and implemented the government’s privatisation policy, established the highly successful Delta State Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme, floated the Delta State Revenue Bond and successfully obtained an A+ International Credit Rating for Delta State – thereby becoming the first government in the country to do so.

Edevbie also functioned brilliantly at the national level when he became the Principal Secretary to the late President Umaru Musa Yar' Adua. He was the brain behind the highly acclaimed Seven-Point Agenda. He designed the Amnesty Programme which became the harbinger of peace in the Niger Delta region. *Mr. Achoja, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014— —19

T

HE planners and controllers of the Nigerian economy will proudly tell anyone who cares to listen that the Nigerian economy is the preferred destination of investors from different parts of the world.This is in spite of the fact, that we are a nation in war. Presently, the Boko Haram terrorists are fighting to take over another territory in Adamawa State, in addition to Gwoza, an area of Borno State where their flag is still flying, whilr they unleash inhuman wickedness on poor, innocent Nigerians in that area.

The surprise is that some political stakeholders from the North, including the North East, are busy jostling for power in 2015, hoping to use insecurity to capture our votes. They seem to be carried away by the frenzy of the 2015 elections, when there is war in their back yard. How unfortunate! With the growing suspicion that that some politicians are the major sponsors of the Boko Haram, political office seekers for 2015, should actually distance themselves from using insecurity as a campaign issue. The thinking in some quarters is that they instigatedthe problem in other to wrestle power from President

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GEJ, in particular, and the South of Nigeria in general. Should a man prosper and profit from his own blunders? No! Presidential aspirants for 2015 should start proffering solutions to the war in the North East as a proof that they desire to rule a peaceful Nigeria.

Well, the real or fake Shekau is now dead. And while we wait for the death of the next in command or many more of their leaders, in agreement with the Holy Scriptures, that when you strike the Sheppard, the flock will scatter, our forces must do more to end the killings of the innocent by these mindless blood-thirsty animals, called Boko Haram. The Nigerian military has done well in spite of saboteurs. GEJ has vowed to flush the Haramites and we prayerfully support and believe him. It is all about the North and one Nigeria.

One of the very vital agricultural products from the North is cow meat, Nigeria’s key source of animal protein. The cow from the North is called Nnama. About 40 years ago, we had other species of cows from other parts of the country. In the South East, for example, we had the local Ehi which helped in the provision of animal protein during the Biafran

,

civil war period.

E

hi was reputed by research to be a hardy, strong animal, and an efficient protein converter. A hybrid of the Ehi and Nnama from the North would have given us a typical Nigerian cow, but today, research and deliberate government policies have made other local species extinct, while preserving and elevating the cow from the North. However, the same attitude of some Northern politicians of ‘you must take it as we want it’, have prevailed in the production and distribution of the cows, such that cows have become a challenge to the safety of Nigerians.

Where have all the Leaders gone?

By Olaboludele Simoyan

"Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say 'stay the course."--Lee Iacocca

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N October 1, 2014 Nigeria celebrated another Independence Day Anniversary. And as Nigerian citizens we are all probably asking the same question in one form or the other - "Where have all the leaders gone?"

The above quote is the opening paragraph of the first chapter of Lee Iacocca's book titled "Where Have all the Leaders Gone?" I have borrowed the title and some ideas from his book for the purpose of this article. I believe that many Nigerians can identify with Iacocca's statement above. Some of us may have put it in almost the exact same words he used, to describe the state of affairs in our nation Nigeria, while some of us would have been a little more diplomatic.

Being a DK (diplomat's kid), I definitely would have been more diplomatic.

Nonetheless anyone who knows Lee Iacocca will tell you that he doesn't mince words and that he is a straight shooter! He says it as it is and as he feels it with no apologies to anybody! That's Iacocca for you!

For those of us who may not know Lee Iacocca let me give you some background as to who he is. Iacocca worked in Ford Motors for many years and in 1970 he ended up becoming the president of Ford which was at the time the second largest company in the world. In 1978 he was fired by his boss Henry Ford II for reasons you C M Y K

would find hard to believe and also for some other reasons best known to his boss Henry Ford II!Iacocca later moved to an ailing and almost bankrupt Chrysler Motors which he miraculously revitalized through a lot of sacrifice (he took a pay cut which made his salary $1 per annum), sheer determination, hard work, smart work and out-of-the-box thinking!

He went completely out-of-the-box in getting solutions to the problems facing Chrysler Motors at the time he took over the reins of leadership in the company.

His autobiography is a must read for those of us Nigerians that have a "can do" attitude about Nigeria.

In his book Where have all the Leaders Gone? Iacocca asks: "Where are the voices of leaders who can inspire us to action and make us stand taller? Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, competence and common sense?"

Today I ask the same question about Nigeria - Where are the voices of Nigerian leaders who can inspire us to action and make us stand taller? Where are they?

Where are the leaders that will give us HOPE for our seemingly hopeless situation? Where are the leaders who will give us FAITH for the FUTURE? Where are the leaders who will LOVE and SERVE us as our servant leaders?

We are facing a leadership crisis in Nigeria! We are facing a leadership vacuum! We are facing a bankruptcy of leadership! Who are the Nigerian leaders who will fill up the leadership vacuum in Nigeria? Who is the leader who is fit to wear the crown of leadership? Who is the Nigerian leader whose feet will fit into the shoes of leadership for the GREAT NEW NIGERIA we desire to build?

Where have all the leaders gone?

One too many things have been going wrong and are going wrong! Have you

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By Clement Udegbe

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Safety issues: Cows on our roads

Cows have caused several accidents that claimed lives on our roads, yet nothing has been done about them; I just wonder why at 54 as a nation, we cannot control cows!

The real herdsmen of these cows are Fulanis from the North who are usually simple minded, humble fellows. But over time, they have been infiltrated and learnt how to carry AK 47 rifles which they use in killing and destroying villages in the North and her environs. The insurgents even tried to use them to export terrorism to the South-South and the South East areas of Nigeria. Today the name ‘Fulani herdsmen’ conjure up horror in the minds of those who have read about or witnessed the destructions and killings by these men around the nation, be it in Plateau, Bauchi or Benue state, to name a few.

Also, the herdsmen and their flock have become health hazards for road users and commuters, even in metropolitan cities across the nation, including Lagos and Abuja. For example, in the month of June, I was seated in the front seat of a bus belonging to one of the major road transport companies in Nigeria, heading to Abuja from Festac Town in Lagos.

In order to avoid the early morning traffic jam at Mile 2, the driver took the Okota route to connect the International Airport Road in Ajao Estate, then Oshodi to the Ibadan express way. But between Okota and Ajao Estate, we ran into this flock of cows, right on the road, and it was drizzling and foggy that morning. One huge cow had either gone mad, angry, sick, or something, and was just roaring and running towards us! Our driver started swerving left to right of the road in an attempt to scare

Unnecessary hardship has taken over the land due to a lack of sensitive leadership!

Nigerians, both the rich and the poor, are in tears crying, screaming because our collective sorrow is more than we can bear!

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heard anyNigerian leader in recent times inspire us and tell us that everything will be OK? Have you heard any Nigerian leader in recent times say to us that we are in this together? Have you heard any Nigerian leader in recent times say that we will get through all this in one piece?

Where have all the leaders gone?

Our planes were dropping from the sky and crashing like many china plates dropping to the ground and breaking into uncountable pieces.

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ombs have been going off regularly in our nation like the frequency with which we hear knockouts and fire crackers during the Christmas period. So manyNigerians have been killed by Boko Haram. Our girls were abducted, kidnapped and have been held hostage by Boko Haram for one too many days and months.

Where have all the leaders gone?

Corruption has become the currency of trade in high and low places! Unnecessary hardship has taken over the land due to a lack of sensitive leadership! Nigerians both the rich and the poor are in tears crying out, screaming and shouting because our collective sorrow is more than we can bear!

Many Nigerian youth and children have become orphans! And many Nigerian

the wild animal out of our way, but it kept coming! Luckily no other vehicle was on the road at that time.

People started shouting all sorts of prayers; some pleaded blood of Jesus, others kept screaming. The animal suddenly noticed us, jumped off the road and crashed into the gutter! We parked to thank God, just as the poor herdsman came tottering after the cow, muttering absolute jargons and nonsense.

We were about 16 persons in that bus, including the driver.

Imagine what could have happened if the driver panicked and we fell into the gutter. That Same week, a known Fulani Professor and politician was quoted in the Sunday Vanguard, justifying the Fulani herdsmen, and I just wondered why with all our knowledge, and at 54 as a nation, we cannot control cows!

Cows have caused several accidents that claimed lives on our roads, yet nothing has been done about them. Last week in Abuja, a friend escaped accident near Asokoro District because some cows were crossing the road and the herdsmen tried to protect the younger ones from oncoming vehicles by standing at the center of the road, wielding his sword!

You can run into cows anywhere in this country, and the question remains, why can’t Nigeria control cows?

•Udegbe, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos.

parents have been forced to bury their children!Not too long ago, life was snuffed out of our young doctors in training in Jos! They were killed and buried before they got a chance to the save lives they were training to save! What a horrible irony!

Where have all the leaders gone?

Who is the Nigerian leader who will wipe away our tears? Who is the Nigerian leader who will comfort us? Who is the Nigerian leader who will ensure that our children (and our parents) have not died in vain? Who will give us some answers?

Who will inspire us to GREATNESS? Who will with his words lift us to heights we never thought possible for us to attain?

Who will be proactive instead of reactive in dealing with our challenges? Who will motivate us? Who will bring out the best in us as a nation of many nations? Who will appeal to the good in our hearts and stop this seemingly endless appeal to the evil acts of the evil men?Who is going to motivate us with possibilities and not with threats?Who is going to help us to rise above our circumstances? Who's going to make us proud that we are Nigerians?

Where have all the leaders gone?

If you are a patriot you must definitely be outraged by the chaos, confusion and crisis in our nation! If you are not outraged you definitely cannot call yourself a patriot!In these times of crisis we need bold thinking! We must take bold actions! We must take bold steps! And we must have bold moves!

Where is the Nigerian leader who will be bold and help us to be bold? Where is the leader that will make us excited about the opportunities being created for the future of our children, grandchildren and greatgrand children? Where is the leader that will properly articulate the Nigerian dream and the Nigerian vision?

Where is the leader who will inspire us with statements such as "We will do great things together!"? Where is the leader who will help make us unstoppable and unbeatable as a people and a nation? *Mr. Simoyan, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

20 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Uneasy calm in Enugu community over royal stool • Aggrieved contestant files suit

BY CHINENYEH OZOR, Nsukka

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N uneasy calm pervades the Ihe/Owerre autonomous community in Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State following the election of the community’s traditional ruler. The tension-packed election which was held on August 29, 2014 at Umunkaka Town hall, was supervised by the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters. Two aspirants - Chief Ozioko George Asadu and Mike Omeje slugged it out in the election which was conducted by delegates from the various villages that make up the community.

• The election was allegedly won by Chief Ozioko George Asadu who polled 50 votes as against Mike Omeje

does not possess the Ordinary -Level West African School Certificate, WASC nor the General Certificate of Education, GCE as stipulated by the constitution of the community,” he said.

Asadu reacts

On his part, an elated Ozioko George Asadu who was returned as the traditional ruler-elect e told newsmen that he was eligible to stand for the election, hence he scored a landslide victory over his opponent.

•In his manifesto which was made available to VM, he claimed that the he obtained the First School Leaving Certificate, FSLC in 1956 at St. Joseph Primary School Nsukka. He later joined the Nigerian Army on December 20, of the same year.

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According to him, the Ministry which conducted the election disregarded the constitution of the community

who scored 34 votes.

But that is not the end of the story. Vanguard Metro, VM learnt that soon after the election, the jubilant supporters of the winner sang and danced home while those of the loser went home very sorrowful. An aggrieved Omeje told journalists that he would contest the eligibility of the winner to stand for the election in the court of law.

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According to him, he obtained Nigeria Army Certificate of Education Stage III in 1961 before enrolling at the Royal West African Frontier Force Training

•Chief Ozioko George Asadu School, Clerk Training wing Ghana in 1958. In August 1960, he went to the Nigeria Military Training College for Clerks in Kaduna and finally in 1962 was trained as army intelligence officer in Lagos.

Omeje files suit

Keeping to his vow of heading to court, VM learnt that Omeje Mike has filed a suit at the State High Court seeking to restrain the

•Mike Omeje Nsukka Local Government Area and the Commissioner for Chieftancy Affairs, from forwarding the name of Ozioko George as the Igweelect of Ihe/Owerre autonomous community. The suit which was documented as E/405m/2014 also sought to stop the winner of the election from parading himself as the Igwe-elect.

In an affidavit in support of the motion, Omeje noted that

ROVING CAMERA

C o n s t i t u t i o n disregarded

According to him, the Ministry which conducted the election disregarded the constitution of the community. He explained that the delegate voting system has never been used in any part of Nsukka before and wondered why the Ministry of Chieftancy Matters should use it in Ihe/Owerre autonomous community.

He further alleged that the application of the voting pattern was done in a bid to scuttle his chances of becoming the next monarch.

“They knew if they had applied the rule of every eligible voter of 18 years and above, history would have been written in gold for me.

Nothing will stop me from going to court to contest the eligibility of my opponent who

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Area Boys on the beat... Praise singers or beggars? Pix: Lamidi Bamidele.

section 8.2 (e) of the constitution of Ihe/Owerre autonomous community on selection of Igwe, an aspirant to the stool, must be literate with a minimum of WASC/ GCE. He alleged that Ozioko George Asadu was not qualified to contest as he does not possess the minimum academic qualification, but he contested despite all admonitions to the contrary. He explained that he was only informed of an election to the stool on August 18, 2014 through a letter from the officer of the Commissioner, arguing that Traditional Rulers Laws of Enugu State stipulates that appointment or selection of traditional rulers should be in accordance with the constitution of the community concerned. The aggrieved Omeje stated that several representations he made to the President and Secretary of the Ihe/Owerre Development Union, Messrs Attama Daniel and Ozioko Baron, respectively, not to allow Ozioko George Asadu to participate in the election fell on deaf ears.

Hearing of the substantive suit has been tentatively fixed for October 13, 2014.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 21

Deloitte records $34.2bn revenue growth

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU DELLOITE, a global consulting and accounting firm, said its reve nue rose by 6.5 percent to US $34.2 billion for the fiscal year ending 31 May 2014.

This was contained in a statement announcing its revenue growth for the last financial year made available to Vanguard. The result represents the company’s fifth consecutive year of growth. The growth in revenue was bouyed by accelerated demand for Deloitte’s range of services in all regions of the world.

According to the statement, “The growth was led by Consulting, which experienced double-digit growth of 10.3 percent in local currency, followed

by Tax & Legal with 7.7 percent. Financial Advisory and Enterprise Risk Services also grew by 6.8 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively. Audit experienced growth of 2.5 percent, reflecting growth even after accounting for the network’s significant investment in quality around its audit service.”

“Deloitte’s growth reflects its commitment to providing clients with high quality services through a multi-disciplinary model, delivering innovative solutions from strategy to implementation.”

“Increasing client needs stemming from globalisation and changes in business models, technology, and regulations are expected to drive further opportunities in the year ahead. The network is also steadfastly committed to the growth and development of its

USC 194.35 USC

USC 15.44 USC -0.22

USD 94.64 USD -2.56 USD 91.14 USD -3.43

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL 154.75 250.4319 194.7529 161.3828 1.4087 0.2806 229.4269 25.2068 41.2513 26.1641 229.4324

155.25 251.241 195.382 161.9043 1.4133 0.2906 230.1682 25.2887 41.3845 26.2486 230.1737

155.75 252.0502 196.0114 162.4257 1.41783 0.3006 230.9095 25.3706 41.5178 2 6.3331 230.915

CBN Exchange Rate as 02 /10 / 2014

past fiscal year.”

Commenting on the result, Barry Salzberg, Chief Executive Officer,

Left: Dr.Kazeem Mustapha, Executive Director, United Healthcare (H.M.O); Mr.Hetal Shah, Director Operations, Mara Group & Mara Mentor and Muhammad Jubrin,MD/CEO, Suntrust Mortagage Bank at the grand finale of 2014 MTN Link Forum, Held in Abuja.

Senate flays low OPS participation in legislative matters

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USD3,294.00 USD -17.00

DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

people, with more than 63,000 professionals receiving training via its Deloitte University curricula in the

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, said, “By repeatedly forging new ground, Deloitte continues to stay ahead of the considerable disruption facing clients, our people, and the society in which we operate. Member firms remain sharply focused on their unique ability to address the specific needs of their clients through distinctive breadth of skills, deep industry knowledge and strategic investments, while bolstering trust in the marketplace, hiring and developing the best talent, and delivering value to society.”

BY NAOMI UZOR

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he Senate President, Senator Dav id Mark, has decried the low participation of the Organised Private Sector, OPS, in legislative matters, especially on issues affecting the economy.

The OPS is made up of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, NACCIMA, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, NASSI, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA and National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, NASME. Mark made this remark during a forum on Credible Democratic Transition and the economy organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI. “Representation of the private sector at our public hearings is often very low both in terms of number and quality. The National Assembly needs to be guided by the private sector on the kind of policies that are necessary to

improve private sector productivity and capacity to create jobs. I therefore invite you to be more active in promoting this partnership between the private sector and the legislature. Indeed it is our desire to encourage participatory democracy” he said.

He said there is need for the private sector to work closely with the National Assembly to ensure the creation of an enabling environment for businesses to continue to thrive and the current level of interest by the private sector in legislative activities is not encouraging.

Fielding questions on when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will be passed, he assured that the Bill would be passed before his exit as a Senate President.

Senator Mark said that the quick passage of the bill will ensure a Win-Win position for the Nigerian economy and the oil firms.

He said the National Assembly fully appreciates that the role of government in an economy is to provide a conducive environment for the business to flourish but that government has no business in managing enterprises that

the private sector is better equipped to run. ”Nigeria Airways, NITEL,M-TEL, NIPOST. The emphasis of government should be on the provision of public goods, social services, security and some vital infrastructure as well as the creation of quality and stable democratic institutions. In this regard, we are providing all necessary support to the executive to ensure continuity in policies and to maximize the delivery of democratic dividends to our people” he said.

According to him, the National Assembly’s priority now is to ensure further diversification of the economy and as a legislature; they are not comfortable with the current level of reliance on a mono -economy. ”It renders the economy vulnerable, fragile and in a world in which renewable sources of energy are ever more important, our reliance on a mono-economy is largely unsustainable. I am pleased to report that within the framework of the current transformation agenda, the bottlenecks to diversification have largely been addressed” he noted.

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

UBA Capital introduces online portfolio management platform

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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From left; Mrs. Simbo Olatoregun, Market Development Manager, Intel; Prof Samuel Ndueso John; Professor of Computer Systems and Network Engineering, Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State, with Dr Francis Idahaba, Head, Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Covenant University, and Mr. Oluwole Olaoye, Director, Lagos Office National Universities Commission, at the Intel donation of Galileo Boards in Lagos. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU.

BA Capital Plc has launched a real time online trading platform in Nigeria to facilitate greater investment in the country and online portfolio management.

The platform, INVESTNOW.NG, which is the first of its kind, is the only way for investors to fund their investment accounts directly and instantly, without the need to go through an account officer in the option of a client-company funds lodgment.

It also enables clients of UBA Capital to manage their portfolios online using mobile devices, tablets, laptops and desktop computers anytime, anywhere.

The platform INVESTNOW.NG also provides a live price feed (intra-day) for listed stocks, enabling investors

Shareholders commend Conoil’s N2.78bn dividend

By PETER EGWUATU

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hareholders of Conoil Plc have commended the company for declaring N2.78 billion for the financial year ended December 31, 2014, despite the harsh operating environment witnessed by the downstream petroleum sector, during the period.

The dividend translates to N4.00 per share to shareholders.

The shareholders expressed their delight at the company’s 44th Annual General Meeting held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

According to a statement from the company, the shareholders unanimously commended the board and management for faithfully implementing the strategies and programmes that enabled the company to record impressive performance.

The statement quoted National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, saying “We are impressed with the record performance and the balance sheet. We are indeed happy that Conoil is paying quality dividend amid the tough challenges facing downstream operators in this country. It shows that the board and management of the company hold every shareholder in high esteem.

Also speaking, President of Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), Chief Timothy Adesiyan said.

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“I am particularly pleased that the board kept to the promise made at the last meeting to boost bottom-line and ensure adequate returns on investment for shareholders.

The revenue and profit growth compared favourably with industry performance. We can only wish that they continue to strengthen and consolidate on the company’s leadership position in the industry.”

The Chairman, Ibadan Zone Shareholders’ Association,

Chief Sola Abodunrin, commended the company for ensuring that the shareholders earned returns on their investments.

“The 400 kobo dividend represents over 300 percent increase over what we were paid last year. It goes to show Conoil’s commitment to its shareholders,” Abodunrin said.

In his address, the company ’s Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga noted that,

”The company scored many firsts in the areas of product development, service delivery and set new standards with groundbreaking initiatives”.

The results revealed that the company maintained its leadership position in the industry, reaping bountifully from its huge investments in its business portfolios.

Revenue increased from N149.99 billion to N159.54 billion. Gross Profit shot up to N17.04 billion from N16.1 billion.

to make informed decisions based on the latest data.

Speaking at the unveiling of the platform on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, the Group CEO, UBA Capital Plc, Oluwatoyin Sanni, described the launch as a landmark event, saying, “Since UBA Capital was founded, our mission has been to develop the capital market in Nigeria in order to give the investing public the confidence to invest actively. The INVESTNOW.NG platform combines world class technology with a robust client data protection and security framework in order to give our clients a seamless experience when processing transactions. Our clients will have access to research materials to make informed investment decisions.”

“UBA Capital clients will now be able to manage their portfolios online on mobile devices, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.

24/7 connectivity to the portfolio is complemented by access to UBA Capital’s Online Customer Support via online chat functionality, so investors can talk directly to the customer service team who will manage regular enquiries, whilst more technical issues will be forwarded to account officers for swift resolution,” he added.

Ringing the closing bell, Sanni stated, “By making investing in Nigeria quicker and simpler and providing real time data in order to inform investment choices, the INVESTNOW.NG platform brings us closer to our customers and we anticipate the transaction volumes rising over the coming weeks and months as our customers enjoy the flexibility and ease of building the Nigerian economy with UBA Capital”.

Partnership Investment shareholders endorse N1.5bn Rights Issue

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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hareholders of Partnership Investment Company Plc have given the Board of Directors the nod to raise N1.5 billion by way of Rights Issue to its existing shareholders. The shareholders, who gave the approval at the company’s 22nd Annual General Meeting, AGM, in Lagos, also approved the distribution of five kobo dividend earlier recommended by the Board.

The application for the offer opened yesterday, October 2, 2014 and will close on November 17, 2014. The Rights is being offered to the existing shareholders in the ratio of one new share for every three previously held.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Victor Ogiemwonyi, said that proceeds from the Rights Issue would be deployed towards strengthening its subsidiaries and making them more effective, as the company prepares for listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, before the end of 2015 financial year.

According to him, 30 percent of the net proceeds would be utilised to recapitalise its recently acquired Health Management Organisation, Life Care HMO Ltd, which is an ongoing project.

Another 30 percent, according to him, would be used in further expanding the operation of its Micro-finance Bank, which is due for completion next year, while the remaining 40 percent would be used to boost its working capital, as well as help it to acquire some brokerage firms that my have difficult in meeting up with the recapitalisation deadline.

“We have asked our shareholders to do this Rights Issue as a way of strengthening our share capital and ensuring that we strengthen the subsidiaries because strengthening these subsidiaries means that we are diversifying our sources of earnings and one way to do it is what

we have done.

“We want to do this just before we do our public listing next year. We want to strengthen the balance sheet and we want these subsidiaries to translate into the balance sheet because if we list now, we will not get the value that we expect unless we have been able to properly consolidate these subsidiaries and their profitability in the coming years will be major part of our earnings,” he said.

He stated that shareholders would enjoy more benefit from the company after the consolidation of the subsidiaries, saying, “Shareholders will definitely get more than what they are getting now. We see each of the two subsidiaries as billion naira business, whether it is the microfinance bank, we believe strongly that the bottom of the pyramid banking has not been fully exploited.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 23

Pirates now use wreckages as hideouts to launch attacks — PFSO

By GODWIN ORITSE

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HE Port Facility Security Officers, PFSO, forum of the Lagos Maritime Security Zone, LMSZ, has expressed concern over the large presence of wreckages in and around the port channels,a development they say has “become a hideout for criminals’.

Speaking at the Forum’s monthly meeting its Chairman, Mr. Suberu Anataku, informed the members that the wrecks on the water channels now harbours criminals.

Anataku noted that if these wrecks were not removed, it will continue to pose a security threat to both facilities and vessels that sail in and out of the ports.

Some of the Port Facility Security Officers in collaboration with the Police are considering procuring private armed guards to secure vessels that call at their terminals.

He said, “The wrecks on the water channels have to be removed by NIMASA, since they harbour criminals.

“One of the facilities that suffered some level of casualty due to the presence of sea robbers on the water channels is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s jetty where a tanker was attacked.

Besides the presence of sea robbers on the water channels, another ugly menace that has become a source of worry for stakeholders was the frequent arrests of stowaways.”

He recalled that last month, five stowaways were arrested from a vessel, ‘MV Desert

calm’ at the Apapa Bulk terminal.

The stowaways were arrested shortly before the pilot disembarked from the vessels. Despite the presence of the Marine Police at the water front, these sea robbers still carry out attacks on

vessels almost on a monthly basis as there is no month without a report on the security breach on either vessels or terminals.“ Effort to speak with the leadership of the Seaport Terminal Operators of Ngeria, STOAN, was futile as its

From left : Chairman, Seafarers’ Board of Nigeria, Otunba, Kunle Folarin, with one of the National Seafarers’ Development Programme (NSDP) and newly graduated cadet from the Arab Maritime Academy in Alexandra, Egypt, and the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, at reception held in honour of cadets in Lagos.

By GODWIN ORITSE & IFEAYNIWA OBI

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HE implementation of the Cabotage Act recently received a boost as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety

By GODWIN ORITSE HE Nigerian Shippers’ Council in collaboration with the Federal Roads Committee on Surveillance and Action Against Road Abuse (FERCSARA) has acquired new parking spaces for containerladen trucks with a view to finding a lasting solution to the perennial traffic challenges in and around Apapa.

FERCSARA, has embarked on a two-day sensitization tour of major access roads at the port, educating truck drivers and other stakeholders on the need for voluntary compliance to traffic rules and regulations.

Addressing journalists at the end of the campaign, the Chairman of Zone 2 Special Task Force of FERCSARA; Chief Austen Kelly revealed that the Shippers’ Council has C M Y K

By IFEYINWA OBI

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he Nigerian Navy has lauded the new ‘choke points’ strategy used in the fight against oil theft, adding that the effort had saved the country of billions of naira that could have been lost to illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Goddy Anyankpele, identified the new strategy as the deployment of troops at strategic points and routes used by oil thieves to convey stolen crude. Anyankpele, who spoke recently during the inspection of facilities at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area, explained that the navy had done a lot to put an end to oil theft in the country.

He pointed out that creating choke points within the nation’s coastal areas was aiding the fight against oil theft, maintaining that rate He said, “The navy has done a lot and put a lot of work in place to end oil theft. The Federal Government has said so and the oil companies are saying it.

NIMASA boosts Cabotage implementation with 22 fresh cadets Agency, NIMASA, received the first 22 graduates of the National Seafarers Development Programme, NSDP. The cadets who just graduated from the Arab Maritime Academy, in

Apapa Traffic: Shippers’ Council, FERCSARA acquire 4,000 capacity holding bay for trucks

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Chairman, Mrs. Vicky Haastrup was not available for comment.

Also, efforts to get comments from the Marine Unit of the Port Police Command was futile as nobody was willing to speak on the matter when Vanguard got to the office of the Port Police Commissioner.

Navy hails strategy against oil theft

acquired a 4000 trucks capacity holding bay with 42, 000 square meters of parking space, which it will divide among all shipping terminals to hold trucks carrying empty containers.

The facilities, according to Chief Kelly are located around Coker Bus Stop in Orile as well as along Oshodi-Apapa expressway.

He said that the facility is fully computerized and that the Shippers’ Council is only trying to perfect a Memorandum of Understanding with the owners before it is released to truckers for use. “One of the facilities is at Coker Bus Stop while the other is along Oshodi-Apapa expressway, Oshodi Apapa is 20,000 square meters, while the one at Coker is 22,000 square meters and they are fully computerized with capacity to hold 4,000 empty containers.”

Alexandra, Egypt were received by the Director General of the agency, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi.

He told the cadets to continue with glowing attitudes they exhibited during their studies in Egypt as they go into industry to work.

Akpobolokemi assured the cadets that the agency will do everything possible to ensure that their studies were not in vain as they will be fully engaged as soon as possible.

The NIMASA boss also commended the parents of the cadets who had imbibed good moral on their children as there was no negative reports from any them while the studies lasted.

He said that the vision for the NSDP project was to make Nigeria a hub for maritime labour in the world adding that more young Nigerians will continue to get trained in various aspects of maritime studies.

He explained that NIMASA had to take up the full sponsorship of cadets after

two other windows of sponsorship had failed because some States of the federation excepts for a few of them, were reluctant to participate in the programme. ‘’We made frantic efforts to ensure that all the States keyed into the programme but it was a very difficult task to achieve even up to this very moment. “And because we had no time to waste and we had no explanation to give to anybody particularly our stakeholders on why we failed in human capacity development, we decided to move ahead and today, I can beat my chest, that the stakeholders, staff and management of the NIMASA can be happy that we have made a huge success of the programme.

“Today we are building the much needed manpower to handle our Cabotage trade and possibly export seafarers to other parts of the world.

Today NIMASA has committed so much money in billions of Naira such that in the next few years Nigeria should be competing with the

24—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

I N Bayelsa: S Raging Internal I D discord E Page 25

Benue 2015: It’s fight to the finish for Tiv/Idoma

DELTA LG POLLS: It 'll be different from others

Page 26

Page 27

PDP’s Right of First Refusal:

THE unfolding troubles in Ekiti State were long predicted.

The state had between 2003 and 2007 earned for itself the sobriquet of being a theatre of Ekiti politically absurd has again reclaimed its slot in the ranks of the politically odious.

First unusual lie

By Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu & Gbenga Oke

A

FTER EKITI, in no other state in the country has it beenheard that thugs twice within one week unleashed fury on judges, one of whom was stripped of his judicial apparel and human dignity.

As before, the contention at the moment borders on clash of interests between opposing political parties and personalities.

This recurrence of what has become a familiar pattern of political warfare, has raised concerns on what the future holds for Ekiti.

Given that the governor-elect of the state, Mr Ayo Fayose—a man whose first tenure as governor was dogged by controversies- overwhelmingly defeated the incumbent, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, most analysts believe that the unfolding drama was bound to happen.

•Angry Ekiti youths protesting at the premises of Ekiti State judiciary complex at Fajuyi Park in Ado Ekiti recently

THE FUTURE OF EKITI:

Will it be brickbats and battles?

Peaceful elections But only few would have expected it this early.

Notwithstanding, there is uneasiness across the country, regarding the sad tales emanating from a state that had recently witnessed one of the most remarkably peaceful elections in the country.

The crux of the current crisis is primarily connected to a case instituted against the eligibility of Fayose to contest the governorship election.

This matter which was championed by a member of a pressure group, the Ekiti-11 and the Citizens Peoples Party, CPP, had before the election, been a subject of debate among analysts; to wit the eligibility of Fayose

•Fayemi and Fayose: What future lies for Ekiti State? who was impeached as governor in 2006 to contest the election.

Since the issue has claimed its first high profile casualty, leading to tension across the 18 local councils, there are worries that the state has commenced a descent to avoidable anarchy.

But the secretary of the state chapter of the Peoples Democrat-

ic Party, PDP, Dr. Tope Aluko, dismissed such fears.

Aluko in an exclusive chat with Vanguard, picked holes in the assertion that the state would be thrown back to the days of yore.

Crisis not about Fayose — Aluko, PDP scribe Rising in Fayose’s defence,

Aluko explained that “Ekiti people are known for not cheating others. They are known for integrity and because of the problem we had initially, where a lot of games were played and at the end, the mandate was taken away from him (Fayose) some people assumed spiritually that that is the reason Ekiti State has been going through a lot. But the coming back of Fayose is like righting the wrongs and yes, some people are afraid that his coming back will bring all sorts of things. These are people that were involved in his removal then. But from what he (Fayose) has been telling people, he said he is a changed person and it is God that brought him back.”

Accordingly, he said “as far as I am concerned, Fayose will not be vindictive, he is not going to take revenge. He has promised

everybody and I want to assume from what he is saying that he is not going to be vindictive. ‘’The other aspect is that people assume that all sorts of things will happen when he returns but I want to say that this is a man that has done it before. He is more experienced than anybody. If you look at his comeback, you will know that it is divine and given the spiritual Fayose that I know, I am sure that he came back because of the marvellous job that he did and that is why the people of Ekiti voted for him.

What happened last week was a reaction to what happened eight years ago. So, it is not about Fayose.”

Fayose’s coming portends danger to Ekiti — Awe, Ekiti APC boss On the other hand, the state APC chairman, Chief Jide Awe expressed pessimism over the peace of the state under Mr Fayose. Awe said “We have experienced (this) under Fayose for almost three and half years, during his first coming. The only

Continues from page 26

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—25

THE plan to zone National Assembly positions among the varying components of federal and senatorial constituencies in Bayelsa is stretching nerves even among those who are agreed on a second term for Bayelsa’s most famous export, President Goodluck Jonathan.

•Jonathan

Bayelsa: Raging internal discord

•Dickson

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

A

LTHOUGH political leaders in the existing eight local government areas of the state have unanimously endorsed President Jonathan and Governor Henry Seriake Dickson for the 2015 and 2016 elections.

But the plan of some stakeholders within the dominant Peoples Democratic Party PDP to zone the National Assembly seats in the state may plunge the party into another round of crisis.

Though the governor has been silent on the issue of zoning, the return bid of the federal lawmakers might be dashed if the pro -zoning party chieftains have their way.

The concerned federal lawmakers are nonetheless not relenting as they have commenced move to renew their mandate in 2015 with their supporters dismissing the alleged zoning as unfounded.

The federal lawmakers are Senators Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central), Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa West) and Clever Ikisikpo (Bayelsa East).

Those in the House of Representatives are Foingha Jephthah (Nembe/Brass), Henry Ofongo (Southern Ijaw), Warman Ogoriba (Yenegoa/KolokumaOpokuma), Dr Stella Dorgu (Sagbama/Ekeremor) and Nadu Karibo (Ogbia).

Indication that the incumbent federal lawmakers are in for a tough time emerged penultimate week when various political

•Ikisikpo

•Lokpobiri

•Paulker

groups began subterranean moves to position themselves.

In zoning the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District seat to Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, stakeholders of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area comprising mostly elected and serving political office holders recently resolved that it was the turn of KOLGA to produce the next senator for the area.

The Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (SILGA) stakeholders who included Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly had averred that SILGA had had her own turn in the person of Senator David Brigidi who served between 1999 to 2007, adding that Yenagoa Local Government Area (YELGA) is currently serving out its two

terms in the person of Senator Emmanuel Paulker. The stakeholders insisted that KOLGA is yet to take a shot at the Senate and that it would amount to injustice if KOLGA is denied the slot.

The Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Konbowei Benson and some top PDP stalwarts, in a statement on the State owned radio, “Glory FM” said they were not in support of the purported adoption of Chief Emmanuel Paulker, stressing that they were ready to throw their weight behind a senatorial candidate from KOLGA. The move, it was however learnt, has the tacit support of the governor given the speculations that Paulker could challenge him in the 2016 governorship poll.

But a source close to the senator was not committal on the governorship contest, saying “my boss has not indicated any interest in the governorship seat but some politicians are bent on stopping his third term bid to the Senate and are peddling rumours so as to cause friction between him and Dickson.”

Senator Paulker aside being a close associate of the President is also a kinsman of the Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Mudueke.

Going by the arrangement, the Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency ticket was zoned out of the reach of the current holder, Ogoriba, an indigene of Odi. The position, it was resolved should be occupied by an indigene of Epie/Attisa in Yenagoa local government in 2015.

Also in the East senatorial district, the political leaders led by a trusted political ally of President Jonathan, King Amalate Turner, with support from the state’s deputy governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) recently met at Ogbia Brotherhood Hall in Ogbia and agreed to abide by the zoning arrangement in the area which technically knocks out Senator Ikisikpo, Hon Jephthah and Hon Karibo.

The Senate position rotates between Ogbia, Nembe, Brass which constitute the senatorial district.

The position currently occupied

by Hon Foingha Jephtah an indigene of Nembe is expected to return to Brass in 2015 while the Ogbia federal constituency seat which is occupied by Karibo rotates between Kolo/Oloibiri and Ayama.

The incumbent, Karibo, is from Oloibiri axis, while the position is expected to return to Ayama in 2015 in line with the area zoning formula.

The situation is also tense in Southern Ijaw federal constituency where the incumbent, Ofongo may lose out in the power play. The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Benson Kombowei, an ally of the state governor, is from the area and is allegedly eyeing the seat in 2015 having served two terms in the Assembly.

The development concerning Senator Paulker, it was learnt, has attracted the president who is said to have urged the governor and the senator to amicably settle the issue especially given the fact that both men are his confidants.

The situation is also tensed in Bayelsa West senatorial district where some political actors are said to be bent on stopping Senator Heineken Lokpobiri representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District from a third straight term and Dr Stella Dorgu representing SagbamaEkeremor Federal Constituency from a second term.

Dr. Stella Dorgu, replaced Seriake Dickson after his election as governor of the state in 2012.

Indications that some political leaders in the area are prepared to upstage the duo of Lokpobiri and Dorgu emerged during a rally held in Sagbama by the Bayelsa West Senatorial District to endorse Jonathan and Dickson for 2015 and 2016 to continue their good work.

The pioneer chairman of the PDP in the state, Engr Charles Dorgu had during the rally said the political leaders in the district had decided to zone the National Assembly seats in the interest of peace and harmony in the senatorial district.

26—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Benue: It’s fight to the finish for Tiv/Idoma to produce the governor of the state. Interestingly, these two contending sides are close neighbours who are only separated by a common boundary and are remarkably, closely knitted socially and culturally especially in Gwer and Gwer West local government areas of the state.

Speaking on the MINDA agitation, University don, Mr. Frank Kyungun contended that the position should be ceded to the people of MINDA who should be given the right of first refusal before any other zone could be considered.

Kyungun who pointed out that the contest would be a direct

THE struggle for political ascendancy by the Idomas of Benue State has been a perennial struggle. When leading agitators thought the battle was almost over new permutations have been thrown in.

BY PETER DURU

T

Calibre of aspirants Whatever that poser meant is certainly a matter of conjecture, it is also pertinent to note that no democratically elected Governor in the state has ever handed over to an older successor; and Governor Gabriel Suswam’s body language somewhat bespeak that he is tilting towards that line.

It is, however, left to be seen if Suswam would be able to muster enough will to replicate same in 2015 given the calibre of aspirants in the race.

Pundits are of the view that the race would certainly be a straight fight between the Idoma speaking minorities and the Tivs of Masev, Ihiarev and Nongov extraction otherwise known as MINDA of the Tiv hegemony.

The Idomas are laying claim to the position on the premise that in the 38 years of the existence no Idoma has had the opportunity of governing the state or any of the three arms of the state government.

Only recently, the Idoma National Forum, INF, an umbrella body of all Idoma sons and daughters, through its National President, Mr. Okopi Momoh, threatened to boycott the governorship election if the

,

HE last few days have witnessed intensive consultations and lobbying by the over 25 governorship aspirants in Benue state ahead of the 2015 governorship election.

They have continued to weather on, criss-crossing the entire state, engaging in high level consultations with political stakeholders in order to drum up support for their aspiration.

On his part, Governor Gabriel Suswam has continued to play his political card very close to his chest for obvious reasons, thereby refusing to give anyone an inkling as to who his preferred candidate or successor could be among the lot. Though the incumbent at a recent function clearly stated that he did not know who would eventually clinch the plum job, he was also quick to add that he certainly knew those who would not succeed him.

stakeholders, pending the formal flag off of campaigns.

Among the lot is Dr. Samuel Ortom, the current Minister of State for Trade and Investments, who hails from Nzorov, in Guma local government area who by virtue of the traditional title his people conferred on him, is known as the ‘Lion of Nzorov”.

He is a grassroots politician who cut his teeth in politics long before most of the current aspirants and rivals delved into the game.

Since he openly declared his intent to gun for the number one position, many have ceaselessly volunteered to be part of the train while Ortom has carried on believing that it is only God that can enthrone a leader.

Dr. Sam Ode is perhaps regarded as one of the most widely acceptable Idoma contenders in the race. The former Otukpo local government

Though the incumbent at a recent function clearly stated that he did not know who would eventually clinch the plum job, he was also quick to add that he certainly knew those who would not succeed him

•Suswam: Race to succeed him hots up position was not ceded to them for the first time.

“Other states in the country have embraced the concept of rotation in the interest of fairness and equity, we expect same to happen in Benue State starting from 2015 governorship election. We want to sound it clearly that if the Benue South zone does not get the concession on rotation, we will not participate in the governorship election in 2015.” The INF said.

Despite this threat, it is noteworthy to point out that aspirants from the area have not left anything to chance in their bid to break the jinx and ensure power shift.

On the other hand, political leaders of the MINDA group of Tiv extraction are also laying claim to the governorship position on the grounds that they have, since the creation of the state, been cheated out of the power equation and not allowed

contest between the MINDA and the Idomas, however, insisted that the people of Nongov should be given preference in view of their several years of political marginalization in Benue.

Recently, the leaders of Jemgbagh socio-political bloc in Benue Southwest zone, while receiving one of the governorship aspirants in Gboko, advised all other aspirants, except those of the MINDA extraction to withdraw from the race.

Meantime, while heated arguments on who succeeds Suswam persists across the state, six aspirants in the governorship race are obviously blazing the trail in their final lap of consultations with critical

,

council chairman, Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and one time Minister of State in the Niger Delta Ministry is presently the Chairman of Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority.

Also an experienced politician in his own class and an astute politician of Idoma extraction counting for him is his parental background which cuts across the three senatorial zones of the state. While his father is Idoma, his mother is Tiv, and for extremist ethnic champions of the Tiv and Idoma stock he is seen as a bridge between the two tribes.

Ekiti: Will it be brickbats and battles?

Continues from page 24 thing I can say and from what has happened already is that his coming portends danger to Ekiti State. With what he did last week, if we are going to premise our future on what happened last week, you will know that the judiciary is the only sacred temple of justice that exists all over the world.

“Even Jesus Christ in his days, humbled himself before Pontius Pilate. How can a man, in the 21st Century invade the temple of justice? Under such leader and administration, how do you think any good thing will come out? That was a beastly behaviour for an ordinary person, not to talk about someone who wants to lead Ekiti State.

“He has demonstrated to us that

he has no respect for anybody and we are going back to the days of yore when human lives meant nothing.”

Another person, who shares Awe's sentiment is former governor of Kwara State, Senator.

Bukola Saraki. The lawmaker particularly cautioned that the trouble in Ekiti, should not be treated with partisan approach.

As far as he is concerned, the development should be seen as an affront on the independence of the judiciary.

Partisan approach should be avoided — Saraki He asserts that “the Presidency has not deemed it fit to act on the development in Ekiti State, a situation that has further con-

firmed that the leadership of this country has failed.”

Senator Saraki maintained that if the symbol of a common man which is the Court can be diminished and degraded, then the leadership of this country has failed us all because the current security situation in Ekiti State is a big threat to our nascent democracy, political stability and judicial independence and above all, it is an affront to our peaceful co-existence in our immediate environment”. ‘’I am personally worried and concerned as a Nigerian and as a stakeholder in the Nigerian polity. Whether the Ekiti State crisis is APC or PDP driven or whether it is as a result of an act of commission or omission and whether it is government, group

of people or individually driven, I must say without any ambiguity that what has happened in Ekiti State in the last few weeks is totally unacceptable and should be dealt with immediately and decisively too.’’

“A situation where the independence of our judiciary and its institutions and office of our respected judicial officials are no more secured and safe to discharge their constitutional responsibility and professional roles, it is a signal that anarchy is about to set in to our polity and it is unfortunate that at a time when we as a Nation are battling high rate of insecurity and insurgency across the country such assault is being unleashed on a Judge of a High Court on official duty”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—27

CHAIRMAN of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DISEC, Akpoyoma Ogbe in this interview, says that the commission has surmounted most of the challenges that could militate against the credible conduct of the exercise scheduled for October.

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

W

HAT is the level of preparedness of DISEC ahead of the forthcoming local government elections in the state?

When the Commission was inaugurated on May 14, 2013, the main charge the governor gave us was to go and conduct the election as soon as possible.

When we assumed office, the first step we took was to go round the 25local government areas in Delta State. We visited transition committee chairmen and traditional rulers.

Stakeholders and political parties were all there and what we got from them was something we had to ponder about. There were some local government areas in which we were told some stories that were quite alarming.

Ballot boxes and ballot papers Some claimed never to have seen ballot papers or ballot boxes during elections conducted in the past by the State Independent Electoral Commission and that results were just announced without voting. We assured them that this time, not only will they see ballot boxes and ballot papers they will also vote and that by God’s grace their votes will count.

In doing this, we were also conscious of the sensitive nature

Delta 2015:

•Ogbe establishes a small place and claims to be the founder. We require credible clergymen.

We also met with the leadership and the entire council of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Delta State chapter. The state chairman of CAN warned that there are a few money minded pastors but that they would take their time to select credible men of God for us.

At that point we felt comfortable that we are on the right track.

Elections conducted by state independent electoral commissions are often viewed as stage-managed. To what extent will DISEC puncture that notion?

I must say that since May 2013, we have taken all decisions independently. One of the areas in which people expected that the government or the party in power would be in a position to tell us what to do, was in fixing a date for the elections. If you will recall,

there were various speculations as to the date for the elections.

Some said the date had already been predetermined by the governor. Some said June, some said July, and some said August.

But when we addressed the political parties in March, we agreed for October and everybody was surprised. The truth is that our enabling law gives us the power to fix the date.

In other climes it is otherwise. It was only after we had, on our own, independently fixed the date that we formally wrote to the governor notifying him of our decision. Not only has the governor refrained from dictating to us in any way, he has at the same time accorded us all requisite assistance and necessary support required for delivering on the commission’s assignment.

What mechanisms have you put in place to ensure that votes count?

Definitely it will be impossible for us within the commission to be at every single polling unit to ascertain what is actually going on. As to our supporting ad-hoc staff, it is both our hope and our appeal that people should be above board. Given that we will be engaging dedicated men of God and seasoned academicians for the exercise, it is our hope that persons so engaged will maintain their names, maintain their reputation and maintain their integrity.

Obuh oils campaign machine

By Dapo Akinrefon

T

of the state. We also discovered that our people are yearning for good elections through which they can choose their own leaders.

On preparations We had all these in hindsight we started making preparations for the elections. One of the areas that bedeviled the conduct of credible elections in the past was the type and quality of persons used as ad-hoc staff. The commission just has about two hundred persons on its staff and on normal election days we require more than 10,000 persons to conduct the elections.

As such there is the need to engage supporting persons from outside as ad-hoc staff. For that purpose we placed adverts and immediately the adverts appeared, certain persons came forward complaining that the conditions we were giving were somewhat on the high side. But we were quick to inform them that this time, it was not going to be an all comers affair. Delta State has qualified persons, experienced persons, credible persons who would be able to conduct credible elections.

Requirements for credible polls We need just about 25 persons to work as returning officers. We require persons in the hierarchy of senior lecturers in our universities and of course some full-time practicing priests, certainly not just someone who

DELTA LG POLLS: It'll be different from others

HE 2015 governorship elections in Delta State is gradually taking shape.

Before now, matters of who succeeds the incumbent Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan were discussed in hushed tones, with the fear of heating up the polity.

Most aspirants have shown interest to take over from the outgoing governor, as they are going round, engaging leaders of the party on why they want to govern the state. But it could, however, be apt to state that any governorship aspirant that emerges as a candidate from the primaries on the platform of the PDP, could start to prepare for his or her swearing in ceremony as the next governor of the state.

Though other political parties like the Democratic People’s Party, DPP, led by Great Ogboru, which has merged with the Labour Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and perhaps the All Progressives Congress (APC)

are on the prowl.

Delta North’s agitation The agitation by Delta North Senatorial district is gradually being accepted by all and sundry especially within the PDP. Agitations from Delta North have been on the front burner to produce the next governor of the state. As a matter of fact, Delta North has not occupied the exalted office since the state was created in 1991.

Hence, in a deft move to whittle down the list, there have been meetings and discussions at very high levels to prevail on some of the perceived dark horses to step down their aspiration and harmonise, so that the opportunity for Delta north to produce the governor will not slip away.

A deluge of aspirants, especially from the north senatorial district where the agitation is gaining momentum based on the zoning understanding of the PDP, have before now, been engaging in wide spread consultations.

Contenders such as the former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Mr. Godswill Obielum, Mrs. Ngozi Olejeme, Prof. Sylvester Monye, Mr. Clement Ofuani, Dr. Festus Okubor, had indicated interest in the race.

Surprisingly, Tony Obuh name was missing.

But the number of aspirants from Anioma nation keeps rising by the day, ostensibly for the simple reason or calculation that the pendulum of power would shift northwards as opposed to the central and south.

Obuh’s entry It is an open secret that Obuh, a retired Permanent Secretary in the State Civil Service, shocked most Deltans with his intention to vie for the plum job.

Having shown interest, he has embarked on oiling his political machine to actualise his dream.

Perhaps, this informed his

recent tour of the 25 local councils of the state. For Obuh, the idea of the consultation is to solicit for peoples’ support and at the same time urge them to inform others to do so.

Also, in an attempt to rev up his political machinery, the retired permanent secretary completed his council tours on Friday, September 26, 2014.

Expectedly, the tour was a huge success for Obuh’s aspiration. At Ozoro, the headquarters of Isoko North LGA, Obuh told the crowd that greeted him; “I am overwhelmed by your acceptance of me. This is my place, you are my people.

I seek your support. I shall be honest and serve you truthfully”.

Some leading politicians in the various councils, have thrown their weight behind the Obuh project and were present at the tours. They include the member representing Isoko North in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Tim Owhefere, Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Vice Chairman,

•Obuh Isoko Advancement Network, IAN, of which Hon. Mike Ogwah and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and political leader in the area, Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay, was represented by Ogwah.

They all pledged their support for the Obuh project and promised to work for his success at the 2015 polls.

28—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

When people started listening to me on radio, a lot of people just assumed my accent was fake.

I can't overlook my man chasing other women

Beyond the accent, how have you been able t o connect t o your listeners?

I do that by being myself and by being honest.

I don’t know everything but one thing I can always promise is that whatever comes out of my mouth is real.

What I think is what I say. I have a brain I am not scared to use. I have views, I am opinionated, and I have things to say and I’m going to say them.

– Mercy Ajisafe, Says she has a crush on Gbenro Ajibade

MERCY Ajisafe isn't called Omo London just for the fun of it. The UK returnee turned on-air-personality and model has got class, the accent and the trimming which stand her out in her trade. Beautiful, bold and brainy is also a bundle of talent that has a special way of selling her personality.

In this encounter with Weekend Groove, the tall OAP talks about her career, the world of entertainment, how she got to do the Super Eagles photo shoot theme, relationship and sex: Excerpts

By Kehinde Ajose

H

OW has the journey been so far?

I moved to Nigeria when I was about a year old.I schooled here for a while and then moved back to London when I was about eight years old. Even though I had it in mind to come back after that, I never came back. Then December 2011, I came for a three-week holiday.

I heard Yoruba in popular music for the first time that year and it just resonated within me.

I went back to London in January 2012 and I knew I had to come back, Lagos had literally gotten into my skin.

I started a formal drama school when I was about eight.

So entertainment had always been a part of me. A lot of people get into that plane on their way back home, knowing they have nothing to contribute to wherever they are coming from, so they decide to come back home. Mine wasn’t like

that, I was doing quite well, I had a huge relationship with Princess Productions which produces Channel 4 .I was also meant to present at the Olympics .I was always told by some of the biggest producers in the U.K that I have a great TV personality. I said to myself why be a peasant over there when you can be a queen?

Popular sweepers So when I go out people ask me: “Are you that ‘Omo London’ that Dotun talked about on radio”? And I say “yes”. I didn’t like that name initially because I was scared that such nicknames would come across as pretentious and people would start thinking whether I am a Nigerian or not.

How has the acceptance of the Mercy Ajisafe brand been?

It’s been pretty good and I have to say there is still a long way to go. I have a lot of listeners but very few people know what I came here to do. I have been shocked by the acceptance.

Who is Mercy Ajisafe away from the lights and cameras?

I am the walking personification of love. I am very loving. All I know how to do is to give love, show love and receive love. I like to be happy and do things that make me happy.

I have two sides to me -the bubbly side and the introverted side. I love to read, I have never been a big TV person.

Books are my life. I have always been ambitious.

What are you here to do?

For now, let me just keep my card close to my chest. Maybe in about a year if we talk again you will know what I came to do. I always say this; we tolerate counterfeits, but respect authenticity and that is one thing that helped me.

Davido, Wizkid re-ignite rivalry in Headies Artiste of the Year slot C M Y K

How did you get the name ‘Omo London’?

I started working in Cool FM in 2012. Dotun also an OAP asked me to do a radio sweeper, a short pre-recorded sample. After doing it, it was edited and in the sweeper Dotun referred to me as ‘Omo London’ and it sounded really hilarious. Till date, that sweeper became one of the most popular sweepers.

I am a black Diamond ---Beverly Osu

S.O.S for Apple’s iOS 8

Was there a time a social media comment got to you and you had to cry?

It is part of putting yourself out there. As soon as you put Continues on page 30

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

C M Y K

— 29

30—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

e TV EbonyLiffe n i V T S D s e h launc a c i r f A n r e h t Sou

By JULIET EBIR

I can't o ovverlook m myy man chasing other women Continues from page 28 yourself on a platform, where people can judge you or what you do, you have to be criticized What has your stature done for you?

I will say my stature hasn’t really done anything for me. If anything, it is my drive, my determination, and the fact that I am a hard worker that has seen me this far. Majority of Nigerians don’t even know what I look like but they are intrigued by what I have to say.

Do you think OAPs fake their accents?

In Nigeria we believe that anything that is closer to the Europeans is better.

We don’t really have that much belief in ourselves. So our insecurities have caused us to adopt accents that are not natural to us .I grew up in an area in London where it’s about keeping it real.

What we are trying to tell the young ones coming into the media is that if you want to make it, fake your accent.

We should be spreading the message of self-respect not promoting fake personalities.

What inspired your Super Eagles theme photo shoot?

Personalities do a lot of photo shoots in this country. The sports industry and the modeling industry always go hand in hand. So I spoke to my publicist and she said” I think you should do a world cup theme shoot” and I said “You are right”. I said this will be my own way of showing my patriotism. The woman’s body is a beautiful thing; it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Were you shocked about the response it generated?

I was incredibly shocked by the response. I was actually expecting to be ‘Yabbed’ completely but it generated different reactions. While some said I was desecrating the Nigerian flag, others were cheering me.

How do you handle attention from the opposite sex?

Nigerian men can be very aggressive when it comes to women. If you come to Nigeria and allow yourself to develop an ego because a lot of men are

pursuing you, you are a learner. I will love to marry a Nigerian man. I am different from everything they have known and they are different from everything I have known. Infidelity is a norm in Nigeria. Married men having mistresses and chasing single women is so normal here.

I cannot accept a relationship where I have to overlook my man chasing other women. So, I will rather be single because I believe that love is meant to be shared between two individuals not between four. Sex is very spiritual and we as a very spiritual nation should know this.

Spiritual nation So we are actually doing ourselves a disservice when you have a woman or you have a husband and he is sleeping with other people.

What does sex mean to you?

Sex is something special that should be shared with two consenting adults in a committed relationship.

What is your view on sex before marriage?

It would be very hypocritical of me and I would be a big liar if I say you should go into marriage only to have sex. I can’t say that sex only should be kept in the confines of marriage. My mind isn’t occupied with thoughts of whether it is wrong or right to have sex before marriage. I think that is a very personal decision and I am not saying people should be promiscuous .We all have our own moral compasses.

Do you think sex sells?

Undeniably, sex definitely sells - look around you .They use sex to sell everything; from cars to books, watches, fragrances and so on. What I don’t like is explicit images being disseminated in the mainstream media where people like children can be exposed to them.

Do you have a celeb crush in Nigeria?

That will be Gbenro Ajibade,the actor on Tinsel. He is actually my friend, funny enough.

IM

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FRICA’s first Global Black entertainment and lifestyle network, Ebo nyLife TV, has been launched in Southern Africa (including South Africa).

The channel which was hitherto available to DStv customers in 44 countries in West, East and Central Africa, now brings the best of homegrown programming to audiences in Southern African region.

Speaking on the launch, Executive Chairman and CEO of EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu said: “We’re extremely excited about EbonyLife TV’s extension into the Southern African and South African markets, barely a year after our launch. This expansion is due to our success in the rest of Africa. We’re proud of the fact that we are a 100% homegrown.”. She said. In the same vain, Aletta Alberts, GM for Content for MultiChoice said, “EbonyLife TV is the perfect example of how entertaining local content can travel across the continent. I’m sure our DSTV Compact, Extra and Premium customers will enjoy the wide variety of entertainment on this channel.

There is really is something for every member of the family. This is Africa at its best.”.

Miss African Diamond set to hit screen

By ANOZIE EGOLE

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N line with correcting the anoma lies being observed in African culture, re-inventing African culture and also bringing African countries together, Ebunola Resources, have concluded plans for the debut edition of Miss African Diamond Reality show, which will soon hit the bigger screen.

Speaking recently on the show, the Deputy Director Projects of Ebunola Resources, Icheji Ernest, said the show will be bringing to Nigeria, kings from different participating African countries during the grand finale. “This show is unlike every other reality show, it is intended to unite Africans.

Some African countries will participate and when the winner emerges, the king of the country where the winner is from will be invited to Nigeria and also one of our top kings will also be present to present the prize to the winner.

It is going to last for 13weeks and the winner will go home with a cash price of 1million naira and a brand new car.

The contestants are going to he housed here and taken care of all through the duration of the show,”he said.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—31

Vol. 1 No. 1

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

BY LEKE ADESERI, South West Regional Editor & GBENGA ARIYIBI

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INCE the announcement of the winner of July 21 governorship election in Ekiti state, politicians from the All Progressives Congress, APC and Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, have not slept.

They turned to nocturnal beings planning to outwit each other.

Reliable sources say they were using their nights to plan.

Almost on daily basis, fresh antagonistic steps and violent reactions – result of previous night’s strategies- dogged the political space until it eventually degenerated to the murder of an ex-Chairman of the powerful National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Chief Omolafe Aderiye.

To deal with the emergency, outgoing Governor Kayode Fayemi imposed an indefinite 7 pm to 7 am curfew.

Time-line of the Transition Blues The whole mess started shortly after the June 21 governorship election when the spokesman of the PDP, Pastor Kola Oluwawole issued a press statement alleging that the outgoing government had recruited no fewer than 4,000 staff from the back door into the civil service.

According to Oluwawole, out of those recruited, 3,000 are recruited into the core civil service,while 1,000 were said to have been recruited for the Ekiti

z Gov Fayemi

z Fayose

How Ekiti transition blues degenerated to murder, indefinite curfew elect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose said: “I will not recognise the new councils, it is illegal. I would be made to protect the constitution of Nigeria, I will not be a party to illegality.”

Also condemning the creation of additional LCDAs, the PDP decried that it was a calculated

,

Save for the timely intervention of the law enforcement agents, the trial judge who was spirited out of the court premises, would have suffered unknown fate in the hands of the hoodlums

State University, EKSU. The allegation was however denied by both the state Information Commissioner, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo and the chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Afolabi Ogunlayi.

According to Ogunlayi, the commission had only recruited about 315 staff to the service based on the basic needs, adding that these set of people had been recruited before the June 21 governorship election.

Another event that generated a fresh round of row between members of the two political parties was the creation of additional 19 Local Councils Development Areas, LCDAs, to the initial 16 local government councils.

Swiftly condemning the development, the governor-

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method of creating problem for the incoming administration, even as it took a further step by dragging the Ekiti State House of Assembly to the court, pleading that the House should not pass the law for the creation of the new councils.

The case could not see the light of the day, as the period fell within the time the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, embarked on an industrial action.

The party which viewed the matter beyond JUSUN’s strike, however, accused the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola of allegedly conniving with the APC to frustrate the case.

The PDP accused Daramola of not assigning the case, even when it was filed several weeks at the court before the strike by the judicial staff union commenced.

The party also, alleged that the ruling APC government was making illegal deals with some of the banks doing business with the state government.

The party through its state chairman, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe decided to write the banks, asking them to disregard any attempt by the state government to raise any overdraft.

Also, the governor-elect, Fayose who was apparently disturbed by the late payment of worker’s salaries, including those of teachers and local government workers, advised Fayemi against diverting the money meant for the payment of salaries to settling debts owed contractors the state government had engaged for different projects.

Incoming administration He alleged that Fayemi was deliberately doing that to cause problem to his in-coming administration.

Reacting, the state government through the commissioner for Information, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo attributed the late payment of salaries to the letter written to the banks by the PDP. According to him, the state government used to borrow money to pay the salary since the money coming from the federal allocation from Abuja was cut down. He urged the people of

the state to hold the PDP and the governor-elect responsible for the late payment of salaries.

At the time Ekiti people thought ‘normalcy’ had returned to the state, but for the usual war of words between Fayemi and Fayose, as well as their parties, there was a renewed tension in the state on Monday, September 22, 2014, when some hoodlums stormed a court -room determining the eligibility of Fayose to contest the June 21 election.

The case which was jointly instituted by a socio-political group, E-11 and the Citizens Peoples Party, CPP, was before Justice Segun Ogunyemi for decision, when some hoodlums attacked the court room.

Save for the timely intervention of the law enforcement agents, the trial judge who was spirited out of the court premises, would have suffered unknown fate in the hands of the hoodlums.

However, three days after, when the Election Petition Tribunal was to commence the pre-hearing session of the case, hoodlums again forced their way into the court premises, but this time with more raging violence.

Before the ensuing melee, the governor-elect, Fayose, was accompanied by a handful of aides to the tribunal, but left before the court proceedings ended.

Angered by the unfortunate incident, the state Attorney-

General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, later that day, claimed Fayose had assaulted one of the judges in the High Court, Justice John Adeyeye, a claim that was denied by the governor elect.

Fayose, who stated that he was in the court premises as a petitioner to the election petition tribunal said: “I was at the court, as a petitioner before the election petition tribunal. When I arrive the court, I went straight to the venue of election petition tribunal with a seizable number of aides.

But the moment I noticed that the place was becoming uncontrollable, I immediately went back to my office. I did not meet any other judge except the three honorable justices who are members of the tribunal.

However, in a statement issued on behalf of the Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, by the Chief Registrar of the court, Barr.

Obafemi Fasanmi, all the courts under the control of the state were directed to shut-down until the security of judicial workers is guaranteed.

Fasanmi noted the unfortunate incident which happened on Monday, September 22, where some political thugs invaded the court’s room being presided over

by Justice Segun Ogunyemi, disrupted the court’s proceedings.

Following the double tragedy, the state governor, Dr. Fayemi, swiftly announced a dusk-todawn curfew in the state as part of measures aimed at curtailing the current crisis.

Security agencies Declaring the curfew in a statewide broadcast on Friday, September 26, the governor, said there would be restriction in movement of persons between 7.00pm and 7.00am everyday till further notice.

The governor who has also announced the suspension of his Thank You-Tour of the state urged the citizenry to be vigilant and provide security agencies with details of suspicious activities that can undermine the peace of the state.

Meanwhile, in the ensuing bitterness that rocked the state, even before the June 21 guber polls, several persons were murdered in bizarre manner.

The recent reared its ugly head on Thursday, September 25, 2014, when the former chairman of NURTW in the state,Chief Omolafe Aderiye was gruesomely murdered at about 8.30 pm, in his Ijigbo office, AdoEkiti, by persons suspected to be hired assassins.

The masked assassins who were said to have dressed in police uniform, had earlier Continues on page 33

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Ogun 2015: Yewa-Aworis play into Amosun’s script The agitation of the Yewa-Awori people to have one of their own govern Ogun State has been repeatedly defeated by internal disharmony.

With another opportunity at hand in 2015, the same dissonance may prove helpful for a politically embattled Governor Ibikunle Amosun

By DAUD OLATUNJI

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HE agitation of the people of Ogun West, otherwise known as Yewa-Awori to produce the next governor of Ogun State in 2015 is to some, long overdue.

It is this agitation, that is now threatening the second term bid of the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

While it is constitutional and indeed, a legitimate right for Governor Amosun, an Ebga man, to seek a second term in office, the morality of his aspiration in the face of the continuing exclusion of the Aworis from the office of governor of the state has turned into a political issue.

The Aworis who are based in Ogun West Senatorial district are the only major ethnic group in the state not to have produced a governor for the state since its creation in 1976.

Loyalists of Amosun, however, consider the call as unrealistic, submitting that the proponents of the agitation ignore the fact that partisans from Ogun Central would not concur to any arrangement to

*Hon Akinlade Can Amosun be trusted, even, if he strikes the deal with the people of Ogun West who have been constantly marginalised for over 38 years?

Besides the Amosun issue is the other question on the seriousness of the people of Ogun West on their agitation given their seeming disunity which many political analysts say has been their albatross every election year.

The agitation, remarkably, is not new. It was like a slogan since the Second Republic which gained prominence during the aborted Third Republic.

Fortunately for the people of Ogun West, the leaders in the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP gave in and asked for a representative from the region, and alas, ten Yewa-Awori aspirants showed interest

,

While Akinlade plans to vie on the platform of the PDP, Isiaka may use the platform of Labour Party to confront Senator Amosun who is set to pick the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC remove one of their own from office after only serving four years in office.

The expectation from Amosun’s camp is that, the governor should be allowed to finish the second term as an Egbaman to balance the political equation between the Ogun Central and Ogun East Senatorial districts given that the immediate past governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel from the east served two terms.

However, the proponents of Yewa-Awori agenda raise the poser as to whether Governor Amosun would do the needful in supporting someone from the area to succeed him after a possible second term.

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which botched their first ever opportunity to get the most coveted seat in the state and paved the way for an Egba man, Aremo Segun Osoba, a political master in his own right, to easily ascend to the governorship in the Third Republic.

The second chance was bungled mysteriously in 2003 following the death of Dele Arojo, an accountant, from Ipokia who had been reportedly anointed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, himself an Egba man for the governorship.

Arojo was assassinated by yetto-be identified gunmen in Akowonjo area of Lagos and efforts to recruit Kola Bajomo into the race at that time hit the rocks

*Gov Ibikunle Amosun as the Ayetoro, Ogun West born politician refused to slug it out with Osoba.

But, Otunba, Gbenga Daniel from Ogun East effortlessly secured the PDP ticket and eventually won the election in 2003 and a second term in 2007.

However, ahead of 2011 elections even if the PDP was divided by internal divisions, there was almost a consensus in the party that the governorship slot be ceded to the much marginalised Ogun West Senatorial district.

Outgoing governor Eventually, the PDP on the insistence of former President Obasanjo settled for General Adetunji Olurin from Ilaro.

Peeved by the emergence of an Obasanjo man, the outgoing governor propped his favourite, Isaka Adeleke also from Ogun West to contest the same governorship on the platform of the newly registered Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN. Like what happened in the Third Republic, the Aworis with two major combatants in the field lost as another Egbaman, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, emerged governor on the platform of the now defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. Ahead of the 2015 gubernatorial election, the agitation is again at a crescendo, despite the strong belief that Ogun West lacks the voting prowess to carry through such agitation to fulfilment without assistance from another senatorial district.

Some political analysts believe Ogun Central senatorial district is in pole position to enthrone a governor in the State given statistics from the last voters

registration exercise.

Voters in Ogun Central accounted for 747,177 that is 38 percent while Ogun East has 582,412, 30 percent and Ogun West has 617,651 32 percent .

Interestingly, 42 percent of the 617,651 voters from Ogun West reside in Ado-Odo/Ota , a border Local Government with Lagos State whose residents have metropolitan mentality.

According to some analysts, that fact has serious implication for the agitation of the people of Ogun West as the majority of the people in Odo/ Ota may not reflect the aspiration of the indigenes and may not be swayed by ethnic sentiments.

In 2011 election, Amosun drew massive votes from Odo/ Ota local government and the performance of the Amosun administration would make such agitations useless.

Loyalists of Governor

Amosun are of the opinion that the present government in the state will go down in the history of the Yewa-Awori zone as the government that has done the most to uplift the wellbeing of the people of that area.

The administration has been especially impactful in the senatorial district in the area of infrastructure.

The state government is presently constructing four out of the 13 major roads in the zone.

A fifth, Sango-Ijoko-Akute-Ojodu Abiodun is equally receiving serious attention. The roads already awarded in the Ogun West zone are the Oke-OyinboIdagba-Olodo road, Ilo-Awela road, Ayetoro-Lafenwa road and the 107 kilometer Ilara-IjounEegua-Oja Odan-Ilase road.

Indeed the 107 kilometer road will go down in the annals of the history of the people of the area as quite novel and innovative.

The road cuts across four of the five Yewa local GovernmentsImeko-Afon, Yewa-North, YewaSouth and Ipokia LGAs. Meanwhile, history seems set to repeat itself as two prominent sons of Yewa-Awori , a serving member of the House of Representatives , who represents Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency, Rep. Isiaq Abiodun Akinlade and a former governorship candidate of the PPN, Isiaka have shown interest to slug it out with the incumbent governor in the coming election.

While Akinlade plans to vie on the platform of the PDP, Isiaka may use the platform of Labour Party to confront Senator Amosun who is set to pick the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC. The political permutations are set to be compounded by the waiting game on Aremo Osoba.

Osoba who was instrumental to the emergence of Amosun is generally believed to have turned his back on the governor further complicating the second term aspirations of the governor.

Family, friends mark Agagu’s one year memorial

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BY OLA AJAYI

BADAN – The inaugural memorial lecture and formal launch of the Olusegun Agagu Foundation was a reflection of the fact that the late politician continues to live in the hearts of his admirers.

The occasion at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan attracted thousands of well wishers who trooped into the university’s Chapel of Resurrection as early as 10.00 a.m. to honour the memory of the departed politician who died on September 13, 2013.

Among those who attended the thanksgiving ceremony were

former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife, Mrs. Bola Obasanjo, Vice President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives who were both represented by Mr. Oluwole Oke, former President of Botswana, Mr. Festus Mogae who was represented by the country ’s Deputy High Commissioner, Myron Bonang, Oba Otudeko, an industrialist, Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, former Governor of Ekiti State, Engr. Segun Oni, former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Continues on page 34

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—33

SOUTH WEST BRIEF With Ikenna Asomba

Yewa has resolved to produce next Ogun gov — GNI

Daniel to return to PDP, Oct 7

F

ORMER Governor of Ogun State and leader of Labour Party, LP, Chief Gbenga Daniel is set to formally return to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at a ceremony billed for October 7.

This dramatic return, it was said followed a reconciliatory meeting of all the feuding factions in PDP, held Monday, at Daniel’s Sagamu residence. They noted that for the PDP to be successful in its bid to regain power in the 2015 gubernatorial poll, it has to put an end to its internal wranglings and prepare ground for the smooth return of Daniel and his followers.

Leaders of Ogun West Senatorial District of Ogun State have endorsed the People’s Party of Nigeria governorship candidate in the 2011 election, Mr. Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka, GNI, as the governorship flag bearer for the zone in the 2015 polls.

The Ogun West leaders said Isiaka would however compete for the number one seat in the state on the platform of the Labour Party.

The leaders have also directed the people of Ogun West to move enmasse to Labour Party to enable the zone to realise its age-long ambition of producing the governor of the state since it was created over 37 years ago.

The aspirant, in this interview with ADELEKE ADESERI, spoke about this resolve and other issues. Excerpts:

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HE National Industrial Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has ordered the immediate reinstatement of 15 of the 32 workers of the state-owned Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo (RUGIPO), who were illegally sacked on January 2, 2013.

In his ruling, on Tuesday, Justice Ndidi Ubaka, who said that the court could only return 15 of the workers to their positions because they proved with documents that they were bonafide senior staff members of the institution, however, admitted that the institution had wrongly sacked the polytechnic workers, and that it failed to tender substantive reasons for their sack.

Women desert Oyo markets as Oro festival ends

tomorrow in Ogun State through the deleivery of our Life more Mr. Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka a b u n d a n t programmes. I said I am the critical review of what went only person contesting for the wrong that time and we have LP ticket in my district and I done all that is necessary to only mentioned the sentiment prevent a re-occurrence. And I for zoning as one of the think the approach of the factors. current governor to governance However, 2011 was a different and project location and ball game. I have said it concentration also seem to be several times in the sense that awakening people’s majority of the electorates just consciousness to lots of things decided that enough of the in previously taking for fighting in the parties and granted. wanted a change at all cost.

Speaking about my brother, There were winners that hardly Hon Akinlade in the PDP, I pasted any posters and yet will say when we get to the defeated incumbents with bridge we shall cross it. I

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M

ANY say you are too refined and academic to be a politician, don’t you see this as a stumbling block to your aspiration?

The other side to that is to say Nigerian politics is the exclusive right of people that are not refined, semi literate or stack illiterates and people with no second address who do not have any name to protect and whose stock in trade will be lies and insincerity.

I think the important thing here is that I am knowledgeable enough to know the requirement of playing politics at the level I am playing it and to know that I am able and capable of facing the challenges and the rigour. I am motivated by the need to leave a better Ogun State for generation coming behind us and deliver a life more abundant for the present generation. I am determined to make any sacrifice to achieving this and contributing my quota to shaping the future of my State, my people. I think that is what is important.

But then it is good at times for people to underestimate your capacity so that there can be elements of surprises. We can even take a lesson from the actions and reactions from President Goodluck Jonathan to show that a determined man will take actions that are necessary whenever the need arises.

You appear to be banking on block votes from Ogun West, in case PDP decides to give its ticket to Hon. Abiodun Akinlade who is also from the West, what would you do?

Besides have you forgotten that sentiment for zoning did not work in 2011?

I am not overtly banking on that, I mentioned a number of things. I have spoken about popularity, extent of work across the State, my capacity and sincerity to deliever and have a better today and brighter

Court reinstates sacked Ondo Poly workers

The only local government where ACN did not win any of the elections was my local government which also produce the only house of representative seat not won by the then ACN

power and enormous resources and most big players including national and state assembly candidates lost their polling booths and wards. The only local government where ACN did not win any of the elections was my local government which also produced the only House of Representative seat not won by the then ACN. Therefore, it will be unfair to crucify the people of Ogun West for the result of the election which was more of a general statewide phenomenal. If there had not been in fighting and split in the PDP, the story would have been different. But I also know that people now know that this was not the change they were looking for.At least not a change that plung the State to humongous liabilities on account of projects that could have been phased and also at the detriment of other basic needs of life.

We have sat down to do a

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guess the people of the State will then have to make a choice which is the essence of democracy. But then from the totality of what is on ground, a maximum of three major parties will field candidates in the next election. Under this scenario, the possibilities are to have two Yewa men and one Egba man going by your postulation or one Yewa man and two Egba men going by a most likely postulation.

Whichever is the case, one senatorial district will most likely present two candidates, so why should the case of Ogun West be an issue for special debate.

It’s not as if we are unnecessarily playing the ethnic card as you put it but we also cannot run away from a particular section of the State calling for equity and justice in the governing of the State after almost 40yrs of existence.

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OMMERCIAL activities were partially paralysed on Tuesday in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, as the women heeded the stay-at-home advice given to them by Oro worshipers in the town not to come out of their houses on September 24 and 30, being the days set aside for the ritual.

The women deserted popular markets such as Oja-Agbe, Oluwole and Oke-Oja in the town, as male traders were seen attending to buyers, as a result of the age-long Oro tradition which prohibits women and sometimes visitors from witnessing the ritual in communities in the South-western region of the country.

Lagos drivers to get licences in 2hrs

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HE Lagos State government has opened a first-of-its-kind Motor Vehicle Administration Centre (MVAA), in the Oshodi area of the state, to enable vehicle drivers in the state process and get their driving licence in two hours.

Speaking at the commissioning on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa said: “The building we are commissioning today will afford every Lagosian the opportunity to come into this building, fill their forms, access the internet, pay at the same point, visit the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency, Vehicle Inspection Services, do their data capture and get temporary licence the same day, within a maximum of two hours.”

Ekiti transition blues Continues from page 31 visited the Olokemeji residence of Aderiye to fulfil their mission but could not locate him. He was then traced to his Ijigbo office where he and some of his friends were relaxing.

On sighting their target, the gun-wielding assassins immediately opened fire which hit the former NURTW boss on the chest.

While attempting to run for his dear life, he was said to have fallen, as the gunmen ran after him to shoot him the more at close range, before they escaped.

Efforts by some good Samaritans to save Aderiye’s life was unsuccessful as he died on the way to the hospital.

Unfortunately, Aderiye’s assassination is the seventh in the series of the political killings in the state in recent time, and those killed were mostly members of the opposition to the ruling APC. Death toll since 2011 Others who had been gruesomely killed before Aderiye include: Adeleye Awomulate in 2011, Kehinde Fajuyi in the same year, Mic Ipinlaye, Yusuf Abiola, Ayo Jeje, Juliahna Adewumi in 2013, Foluso Ogundare, a chieftain of the Labour Party, LP, from Emure Ekiti in 2013 and Akinola Abiola, who was killed few days to June 21 governorship election.

The Team Editor:

Correspondents: Ola Ajayi Gbenga Olarinoye Dayo Johnson Gbenga Ariyibi Dapo Akinrefon Daud Olatunji Ikenna Asomba

Adeleke Adeseri Ibadan Osogbo Akure Ado Ekiti Abeokuta

34 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

The Ojude Oba festival of Ijebu people

BY LEKE ADESERI

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OR more than a century, the people of Ijebu Ode have celebrated the Ojude Oba Festival. The Festival is an annual occasion where the ancestral lineage of the first converted Muslims of the Ijebu people pay homage to their King, the Awujale, for allowing their ancestors practise Islam.

The Festival takes place on the third day of Eid-el-Kabir, displaying the rich cultural heritage of the Ijebu people, and attracting tourists from across the globe and Ijebu indigenes in the diaspora.

Colourful display The festival usually opens with prayers by the Chief Imam of Ijebu Ode, for the well-being of the King and the people as well as for peace and progress of the land.

This is followed by the colourful display and procession of the 36 age groups in the town. Each group has over 50 members and is known as the Regberegbe.

These Regberegbe are gorgeously dressed in their ceremonial attire, exhibiting affluence and prosperity as they pay homage to their King.

Tourists and indigenes present are thrilled with the breathtaking parade of the Baloguns and Dodondawas, who are descendants of the war heroes of Ijebuland during the precolonial era.

During this spectacle, the reigning Balogun and his associates, all dressed in their regalia, engage in a mock battle as they pay homage to the King. To add

more glamour to this prestigious event, Glo, the official sponsor of the festival awards the most outstanding Regberegbe group, the prize money of 1million naira and a trophy. The Awujale will also commission the Glo CSR projects, donated by the company in appreciation to the people of Ijebu Ode for their association with the brand.

Family, friends mark Agagu’s one year memorial late Agagu, he said that there were at Continues from page 32

Manager(Publications) and Editor in Chief, Vanguard Media Limited, Mr. Paul Agboola, Chairman, International Cards, Vice Admiral Akin Aduwo, former Governor, Old Ondo State, Mrs. Mobola Johnson, Minister of Information Technology, Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose, wife of the governor-elect of Ekiti State, Chief (Mrs) Folake Solanke, first female senior Advocate of Nigeria and many others.

Though, some people wore mournful looks on arrival at the chapel, that soon gave way to joy following the inspiring sermon by Rev. G.L Lasebikan who said all, including the wife of the deceased should be thankful to God for His mercies and protection over the family of the former governor.

He said, “One year ago, it seemed that life would collapse. But, I thank God for his mercy and sustenance in your lives. Thank God because he washed away your tears. Today, we are gathered in honour of Agagu. The sudden departure of this gentleman still leaves some of us in shock. His death should serve as a lesson to us that every office that man occupies in life is temporary and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who is here today is a living example”.

He described the late Agagu as a man that was destined to be great.

Noting the memorial in honour of the

least 18 instances of such memorials in the Holy Bible saying that the feast of Passover could be likened to the memorial being held in honour of the politician.

According to him, King David, in Acts 13;36, ruled Israel and served his people with the fear of God. This, he said, could be said about Agagu.

He stated that it was by the will of God that he served at the time he did.

“Agagu was in position of excellence to lead his people and a time came that the curtain fell on him and he slept.

He lives on in the hearts of those he led.

There is a lesson for all of us. The lesson is that life is short. This reminder is stronger for the political class who are more reckless than being serious; who may have lost self respect because they have governed more for what they can take and not what they can give.

While there are some politicians who are respected by people, there are some who have no respect. I know a senator who spent 12 years and did not turn a single stone over. In Nigerian politics, the more you look, the less you see”.

Quoting from a book entitled, “In the Dictionary of the Devil, he defined politics as conduct of public affairs for private advantage noting that that is not what politics is all about.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—35

Chidimma, others, to storm Face of N/Delta 2014

The idea behind Great Nation Timi Dakolo

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By ANOZIE EGOLE

BY KEHINDE AJOSE

imi Dakolo possesses that voice that can inspire a nation for national rebirth. His hit song ‘Great Nation’ is fast becoming another national anthem.

The song talks about the need for Nigerians to build Nigeria in the face of harsh realities .Commenting on what Inspired the song, the soulful crooner revealed exclusively to Showtime that the song was inspired by his love for Nigeria “ The inspiration behind great nation is my love for Nigeria. Letting Nigerians know that we have to make this country work and we can only do it together.

In the same vein he also revealed the motive behind The Great Nation competition which he said it is to encourage talented individuals to record their own songs. According to him:”The reason behind the competition is to create that spirit of togetherness in my own little way”

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e it ite n g -i e r id k iz W , o avvid Da rivalry in Headies t lo s r a e Y Ye e h t f o e t te is t Arrt

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avido and Wizkid have been going at each other for months now over the social media. Now it seems the duo have a real chance to slug it out physically and musically as they have both been nominated for the Artiste of the Year prize at this year’s Headies award holding this October.

In the nominees list made available on Tuesday, Davido tops the list of nominees for the coveted Artiste of the Year prize followed by Wizkid.

Others in the category are Kcee, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Phyno and Flavour.

For the Song of the Year, Davido also top the list with his Aye. Others include Pull Over by Kcee, Double Wahala by Oritsefemi, Surulere by Dr. Sid, Dorobucci by MAVINS and Johnny by Yemi Alade For the Album of the Year; The Journey by Sean Tizzle, LIFE by Burna Boy, Baddest Guy Ever Liveth by Olamide and No Guts No Glory by Phyno made the list.

REPARATIONS are in top gear for this year’s edition of Face of Niger Delta Cultural Pageant. The show tagged Towards Niger Delta of Our Dream was organized by Gold House Productions International. Kedike crooner, Chidimma, is among celebrities that will grace the annual event which will hold in Uyo the Akwa Ibom state capital.

Speaking about the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Gold House Productions, Mr Godwin Attah, said they have concluded the auditions and have selected representatives for each of the 9 states. “The audition was awesome and we were able to select wonderful and intelligent girls. So we are going to have an awesome event where people will be confused about who will become the face of the region.

The concept is to unite and celebrate the region. You cannot undermine the power of unity. I believe we can bring the people of Niger Delta together. We don’t always have to talk about violence in the region. We also need to celebrate the oil rich people.

I am a black diamond ---Beverly Osu

BY ANOZIE EGOLE

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ORMER BBA The Chase housemate, Beverly Osu, recently clocked 22 and she unveiled a fabulous photo shoot to mark her birthday which according to her, is a big one. In a message she posted on her social network, she described herself as a black diamond. “ I am 22 years old, I’m youthful, I’m a moving train, I’m BLACK DIAMOND, I’m a young African woman with the grace of God leading me. I am a working progress. 22 represents God,The Master Builder, The Manifestation of Dreams, The Future, realization, personal power, retribution, love, war, and a visionary. As I turn 22 I am proficient and a strong leader, I have the potential to be successful, I will fulfill my highest potential by bringing ideals into everyday reality. I am stronger today because I turn 22. I represent an African leader, The strength of a woman. “I am a woman. I do not like war. However, I would rather die than accept your deal. I have found my strength after the BBA show…I’ve been down but not crushed, I am humble but not stupid, I fall, I rise, I make mistakes, I learn, I’ve been hurt but I’m alive. I’m human,” she said.

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Music keeps making me a better man daily —Skales Nigerian rapper-singer Raoul John Njeng-Njeng better known as Skales has revealed to WG that music keeps making him a better man daily. In his words:” Music has been great to me.

It’s given me room to express myself extensively, taught me great lessons and keeps making me a better man daily.”

Commenting on the inspiration behind his ‘Shake body’ song the Baseline music act revealed that his intention was to make the biggest club song ever.

Hear him :I was pretty much trying to make the biggest club record ever when I was working on Shake Body and working with Jay Pizzle at that moment was just what I needed. Jay Pizzle and I worked on the song within a few hours, but I kept going back to the track to make changes until it was good to go.

Skales is currently promoting visuals of his new song titled ‘Give It to me’

Desmond Elliott, O.C. Ukeje lead the pack in When Love Happens

How Job Emmanuel emerged first finalist on Star the winner is Winner Is had Naomi Mac, Job Emmanuel, Phillip Otuya, Jackson Okoro, Happiness Ayomide and Ilem Jahtell in a fierce battle for a spot in the finale.

After the confidence level of all six contestants were put to test with the cash prizes increased to N500, 000 and above, Joe Emmanuel emerged as the champion of the night after knocking out Naomi Mac, who walked away with the whooping sum of N1 million at the last round.

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ESMOND Elliot, OC Ukeje, Gideon Okeke, Beverely Naya, Weruche Opia, Oreka Godis, Wale Ojo, Bukky Wright, Bassey Keppy Ekpeyong, Helen Paul, Shaffy Bello shines in a new movie titled When Love Happens.

When Love Happens is the story of Moduroti Bankole –Smith, a twenty eight year old events planner that has always been unlucky in love. She is reminded at every turn about how wonderful love is with proof to substantiate the case. She has 2 close friends Teju whose profession is unclear and Tobe a banker. Events take a bizarre turn when she is hired to plan a long-time friend’s upcoming wedding. Find out how events pan out for Moduroti in this captivating movie.

The movie features a lot of fresh faces, giving credence to the fact that the Nigerian movie industry is growing on a daily basis. These talented new faces have been given the opportunity to spread their wings and fly in this new movie.

According to Mr Kene Mkparu, MD/CEO of FilmOne distribution, “We are totally excited about the prospect of releasing our first romantic comedy to Nigerian cinema audiences and there is absolutely no doubt in our minds that they will be thrilled by the superb performances delivered in this film. With When Love Happens, FilmOne Distribution continues to display its unapologetic and unreserved support for Nigerian-made film content and we are confident of more superb productions coming out of the country”.

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FTER eleven weeks of endless and intensifying battles on Nigeria’s first music game show Star The Winner Is, the first set of contestants who emerged as semifinalists from previous episodes, had to slug it out for the first spot in the finals over the weekend.

With contestants displaying awesome stage presence, unbelievable vocal dexterity and irresistible charm, the last episode of Star The

Joe emerged the shinning star of the night with his emotional and soulful performances of ‘Have you ever been in love’ by Celine Dion, ‘Olorun Mi’ by Tiwa Savage and ‘Hallo’ by Beyonce. This puts Job Emmanuel just one song away from N10 million and a brand new car.

With just one episode left for the show to come to a glorious end, the last six semi-finalists will joggle it out for the 2nd spot to compete with Job Emmanuel. The two finalists will have the final battle round which will birth the first winner of Star The Winner Is.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—37 With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com 08050498513

Did tech put these careers out of business?

BY LAJU ARENYEKA ONE man’s meat, they say is another’s poison. The same is true for today’s global world. While the technological revolution is unarguably rejuvenating businesses and economies across the globe, it has put some careers out of business-or at least completely changed the way some careers are run.

Glamtech takes a look at some of these professions: * Photography Flashback to a few years ago when you wanted to take a family photo; everyone would dress up and troop to the studio.

Depending on the time of the day, you would meet a long queue and wait your turn. Then you would excitedly smile at the old camera. Sometimes, the camera would be out of film, and you would have to wait for the photographer to reload.

After the picture has been taken, you would have to wait days before it is developed and you’re given the hard copy. Today, all the dark rooms needed to process films belong to the dark ages. Thanks to modern digital cameras and phones, you can literally take a family photo and see the results in the blink of an eye.

Media and advertising Until recently, advertising was defined by newspapers and magazines, radio and television. But today, a brand or individual can be famous simply by being active on the internet.

Despite numerous prophecies of a soon coming woeful ending, newspapers and magazines are still in print. However, the smart ones are also present in the online sphere, competing with bloggers just as many television stations have an online base competing with Youtubers. * Libraries You’ve probably heard the phrase: ‘If you want to hide something from a black man, keep it in a book.” So it might not be totally accurate to say that the dearth of libraries across the country is to be placed solely at the feet of the digital revolution.

But it might be safe to say that people are visiting physical libraries less and less because of their access to Google. This might not necessarily be a bad thing, as libraries and librarians

who understand the changing trends are expanding their scope to become centres for learning resources, providing learning materiala whether digital or hardcopy.

* Typists and Word Processors The typewriter has already been relegated to the museum and Nigerian

courthouses. Today’s typists now type, edit and save on the computer. But this is still an endangered career, with some analysts calling it one of the five jobs that won’t exist in ten years.

S.O.S for Apple’s iOS 8 Users across Apple’s discussion boards have complained that the feature simply does not work, meaning they are unable to use their fingerprint to unlock their devices or make secure payments for apps, books and music. * Bluetooth palaver: Bluetooth is a key feature if you want to make handsfree calls while driving.

But iOS 8.0.2 users have said that they find they’re either unable to connect their phone to their car’s system or that when they

* Iphone 6

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HESE are not the best of times for Apple. Just days after the initial launch of iOS 8, the tech giant released iOS 8.0.1 in a bid to fix bugs and add functionality. It then had to pull the software after 24 hours and show users how to roll back to the earlier version, after a series of critical flaws

were revealed.

Now, iOS 8.0.2 seems to be causing all manner of problems. Here are some of them: * The Touch ID: Touch ID is central to iPhone security, yet this update seems to have failed to fix problems that first arose in iOS 8.0.1.

do the connection drops.

Those who do manage make calls say that the person on the other end can’t hear them or vice versa. * Terrible reception Users are still claiming that they’re losing cellular service, with connections either non-

existent or dropping regularly.

This seems to be an issue on iPads as well as iPhones, with one user on Apple’s discussion boards saying they had been forced to turn their iPad on and off constantly in order to get reception. This problem appears to be widespread among iPhone owners too. * Shaky Wifi Apple has reportedly told users that it is aware of Wi–Fi problems that see iPhones lose their connection. There are also stories of slow connections being the norm across iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C and new iPhone 6 models.

It isn’t just the IOS 8 causing problems for Apple. The BendGate controversy which started last week, when an internet personality posted a video showing him bend the iPhone 6 Plus with his hands has made potential buyers wary of the iPhone 6.

38 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

The expanding world of the Nigerian female entertainer

money as well as other gifts to winners . This, in contrast to gifts and prize monies awarded to winners of essay and other competitions such as Spelling Bees.

Accused of pandering to public sensationalism at the expense of development, there has been a *Munachi general call f r o m Nigerians

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igerian Multi awardwinning record producer, singer-songwriter, musician, former CEO of Nigerian record label Mo’ Hits Records, Michael Collins Ajereh, does not do anything ordinary.

Better known as Don Jazzy, he founded Mo’Hits at only 22, and has gone on to build his corporate entity into a billion naira gig while still in his early thirties.

But Don Jazzy should not only take credit for formalizing and commercializing the Nigerian music industry but also for upping the game for the women in the industry.

In 2012, Tiwa Savage became the first female singer to be signed with the guy that produced international sensation DBanj.

Also, daughter of the former Sierra Leonean ambassador to Nigeria, multilinguist science graduate Hadiza Di’Ja Blell began her music career in 2008 and her first single titled ‘Rock Steady ’ got her nominated for the Best Urban/ R&B Single at the 2009 Canadian Radio Music Awards. She also won the 2008 Best New Artiste award at the Beat Awards. But not until Don Jazzy found and signed a record deal with her in 2013 did she go truly mainstream.

Her first single under Mavin records titled ‘Yaro’ was released on Valentine’s Day, 2014 and it was produced by Don Jazzy himself.

Beyond Mavin, these are good times for Nigerian music as the likes of Davido, Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Dr SID, 2Face, Wizkid, Olamide, Iyanya, P-Square, Flavour,

Idol respectively.

Dozens of other aspiring singers who have not won but came far in such competitions have also used the opportunity to get their foot in the proverbial door, make valuable contacts within the industry while perfecting their trade.

There have been cases in which runners up have become just as famous as winners, if not more famous.

Proudly Deltan crooner Omawumi Megbele was only

Don Jazzy should not only take credit for formalizing and commercializing the Nigerian music industry but also for upping the game for the women in the industry Burna Boy and a host of others have recorded strong chances of winning at the 2014 edition of the Channel O Music Video Awards scheduled for November in South Africa.

Entertainers from the ever evolving Nigerian music industry were in New York, US recently for the 9th edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Awards (NEA)-hip hop artistes, Tiwa Savage and Davido both clinched awards at the event.

Now referred to as Mavin’s first lady, Tiwa Savage was all smiles as she took home the R&B Artiste of the Year and Female Artiste of the Year awards.

Sex Sells, so What?

Internationally, the role of women in musical videos has been a subject of much controversy. While some are of the opinion that it is difficult for a woman to make

*Tiwa Savage it in music without raunchy videos and a hot body to boot, others are severely critical of women who play to the gallery by singing sexy songs and appearing scantily dressed at shows.

In Nigeria, both talent and looks appear to play a part.

While Tiwa Savage, Sheyi Shay, Munachi Abii, Waje and countless others will continue to sell records partly for their hot bodies, others such as Asa and Nneka are also fully established in the industry though detracting from their sexuality.

And while women in such roles are seen by some as being negative role models, there is no doubt that women shaking their booties are more powerful than ever- and the majority of stakeholders, including America’s Beyonce, sees nothing whatsoever wrong with that.

Competitions

Recently, corporates have suddenly come under severe criticism for organizing singing competitions and doling out what is perceived to be ridiculous sums of

for more sponsorship monies to be poured into competitions in other fields.

But female artistes such as the dynamic Chidinma, the exciting Yemi Alade and to an extent Yeka Onka might never have made good in the thorny world of the Nigerian entertainment industry had they not got their breaks from the various competitions: Project Fame and Nigerian

While some are of the opinion that it is difficult for a woman to make it in music without raunchy videos and a hot body to boot, others are severely critical of women who play to the gallery by singing sexy songs and appearing scantily dressed at shows

*Omawunmi a runner up, but is right on top of her game.

Endorsement deals

On the other side of the corporate coin are endorsements, which have taken the sting out of the digital age, which has meant lower record sales in countries such as Nigeria where it is not customary to pay for intellectual or creative materials online.

Nigerian female musicians are joining the big players to garner mega endorsement deals.

Granted, no female singer has come near screen siren Genevieve Nnaji’s personal fortune accumulated from brands like Lux, Cintrion Energy drink ( N50 million), Etisalat (N100 million), Polo (70 million naira), Amstel Malta, MUD, Coscharis Motors, and Evogue.

In July 2013, Savage signed an endorsement deal with MTN Nigeria allegedly worth tens of millions. She also signed endorsement deals with Pepsi, Forte Oil and Maggi. Others like Omawumi, Sheyi Shay, Waje and Chidinma also boast large endorsements with other telecom giants Glo and Etisalat.

A former COSON boss and himself a music producer said the tables actually turned when the big corporates began to put their

Continues on Page 39

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 —

The expanding world of the Nigerian female entertainer Continued from Page 38

money where their mouth is with regard to entertainment. Since a leading telecoms giant broke the glass ceiling many years ago by paying the unprecedented sum of 1 million naira each to artistes in an en masse endorsement deal, it has become the tradition for corporates to hand out big endorsement deals to artistes, including female ones. At that time, 1 million naira was a big deal. Now, it’s nothing.

Last year, Forbes published a list of Africa’s most influential celebrities, many of which are Nigerians, entertainers and women. Though no Nigerian female singer made the list of the top sixteen wealthiest in Africa, Nneka and Asa were numbers 38 and 39 respectively on the Forbes list of 40- right after DBanj (37) and Don Jazzy (36).

Challenges

Yet some female musicians say it’s not yet Uhuru. While some upcoming women musicians are complaining that the Nigerian music consumer does not easily accept new music and artistes, others complain about the DJs. There are complaints in some quarters that some radio DJs are fond of demanding money from new musicians before their songs receive airplay. These complaints have however been unsubstantiated. For the female folk, it has often been touted that the “nothing goes for nothing ” syndrome that has pervaded society.

Foremost Nigerian female musician, Omawunmi, said in an interview: “They respect me a lot and when some of them want something more, I always look for how to ‘friend zone’ them”.

Words of wisdom from an ‘old timer ’. One thing is clear: few mothers are smacking their little girls over the heads when they say they want to be singers when they grow up any more.

39

African artists make bold, definitive changes in their communities

By ANINO AGANBI

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he African Artists’ Foundation (AAF) launched the 2nd edition of Art Base Africa on the 26th of September, 2014, at the British Council, Ikoyi, Lagos. The foundation along side Ford Foundation successfully brought together artists of all sphere to hold the long awaited debate.

The Art Base Africa (ABA) is an online platform that is fosters a critical debate for contemporary African art on the Internet. It has a platform that has a comprehensive archive and database for the African arts community; this also includes a website and online journal that is published in quarterly thematic issues.

Designing Africa, presents a survey of key contemporary emerging and established African designers, architects and artists who are making bold, definitive changes in their communities, fields and practices. Through interviews and project presentations, the lifestyle, work and processes of these exceptional African artists who are taking African design in a new, self-defined direction was discussed at great length.

Various projects ranged from

*Cross section of Art Base Africa panelists graphic interpretations of provenance and creation myths, to product design centered on material and cultural exploration, urban and community interventions, fashion which pushes the limits of textiles to migration, geography and identity.

Designing Africa asserts the vital place of the African designer in the local and global design discourse through exciting and novel models of creation and expression. An issue was raised on ‘How can art be commercialized, presenting it in

a way that is accessible and tangible to the average man on the street trying to survive?

Yegwa Ukpo of Stranger Lagos reacted to that and said that “Design locates a problem and solves it. Art is subjective and not as tangible. It is the mirror of the society, constantly asking it to re-evaluate itself in order to grow. That is why it can’t be commercial but subjective”. The distinction between art and design should be given.

Projects and contributions where featured from David

Adjaye, Duro Olowu, Wanuri K a h i u , Angélique G a k o k o Pitteloud, M o m o d o u Ceesay, Ada Umeofia, Gerald M a c h o n a , Ifeanyi Oganwu, Doreen Adengo, P w a v i d o n M a t h i a s , L a d u m a Ngxokolo, Clari Green, Brian Omolo, Aisha Au g i e - Ku t a , Peter Mabeo, Kunle Adeyemi/ NLÉ’s Makoko Floating School project, Stranger Lagos, Godfrey Mwampembwa aka Gado, Victoria Udondian, Fey F Olumuyiwa, Ibiayi Briggs, Orlando Reade, Medina Dugger, Shannon Lawrence, BurcuYancatarol Yagiz, Alafuro Sikoki-Coleman and Azu Nwagbogu.

Panelists at the event included Ojoma Ochai; Director Arts, British Council, Yegwa Ukpo (Stranger), Pwavidon Mathias, Ada Umeofia, Clari Green, and Aisha Angie-Kuta.

Ambode’s foundation, re-awakening the Nigerian dream in w omen, cchildren hildren and yyouths ouths women,

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r. Akinwunmi Ambode an All Progressives Congress APC, guber aspirant in Lagos State, is the Founder of La Roche Leadership Foundation,The foundation established in 2013 has executed various projects geared towards different change agents to promote a culture of national patriotism and rebuild the collapsed value system in the country in general: Olasunkanmi Akoni writes.

Worried by the dwindling values in the public space as well as reverse Nigeria’s descent from grace to grass, former Accountant-General of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode recently, unveiled an initiative, Flag Project, mainly for Lagos schools.

Ambode lamented the breakdown of value system even as he complained about the disappearance of patriotism in the public space. He bemoaned

the neglect of civic culture, from which he said what a society “stands for flows. But our intervention is to restore value system to our schools and inculcate them in our children.”

Ambode shared his burden at the first phase of the project, which benefited six public schools in the state, four in Lagos Island Division and two in Epe Division. He said the idea was designed to put back the flags of Nigeria and Lagos State in all our schools and instil the values the flags teach in essence and in reality.

He said: “It is a project that aims to put the Nigerian and Lagos State Flags in all public schools in Lagos State. The Flags Project is particularly concerned with instilling leadership qualities in, as well as sensitising the children and youths of these schools, on the values of good citizenship and National pride.”

Aside from the flag project, Ambode also said the foundation had conceived the tool box project “to assist graduates of Lagos State Technical Colleges, who desire to become self-employed by gifting them tool boxes,

stressing that the project would help depopulate the labour market.

According to Ambode, the initiative supports the state government in its desire to create entrepreneurs and focus on youths becoming self employed through skill acquisition. “Every year, the foundation gives 100 tool boxes to deserving graduates to help them on their way to becoming self employed.”

Already, the foundation had started working different social agents, bloggers, journalists and social entrepreneurs among others.

To help realise Ambode’s dream of rebuilding the country’s value system the social agents include; the Street to School Initiative, Women Technology Empowerment Centre (WTEC), Beyond the Classroom Foundation and Bella Naija among others.

However, recently in Ikoyi, the foundation recognised 13 social entrepreneurs for different roles they had been playing to impact on their communities.

40— VANGUARD,

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Echoes from Saudi:

Don’t tarnish Hajj with sectarianism — Imam Al-Sudais •As Saudi opens 100 doors around Kaaba

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A Muslim on Eid-l-Adha day

BY HARUNA RAZAQ

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ID-l-Adha is a festival of sacrifice in Islam. It is also known as ‘Eidul kabir’. It is celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah by Muslims world-over. According to majority of scholars, it is obligatory Sunnah. The days of sacrifice are 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th Dhul-Hijjah.

Preparation: Start preparation for ‘Id as early as possible (i.e. immediately after Fajr Salat, with zikrremembrance of Allah, tilawahrecitation of Qur’an and dua’prayer etc).

Brush the teeth; perform ghusl (bath) of eid, Apply perfume (men only), and wear best of your clothes. Delay eating until you returns from the ‘Eid salah. Go out for ‘Eid with all your family (male, female, old and young) through one route and return through another route.

Pronounce the remembrance of Allah frequently (Q2:203) e.g.

“Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laillaha ila Allah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, walillahil-hamd. Perform Salatul ‘Eid: (two Rakat) in congregation, listen to Eid sermon after Salah. Witness the slaughtering of the sacrificial animal at the Eid ground. Greet one another with “Taqabbal Allah minna wa minka” (May Allah accepts it from us). Be happy and filled with gratitude to Allah. You may engage in light sport, playing, and rejoicing within the bounds of Shariah.

Bounds of Shariah Killings of Sacrificial animal: The Animal must meet the conditions for sacrifice (e.g. must be healthy, mature, free from any fault etc.) be kind to it and it must be fed adequately. Place it on the floor gently; keep the knife away from its sight; tie the legs, cover its eyes and let it face the Qiblah. The knife must be very sharp, so much so that the least amount of force or pressure is needed to slaughter the animal, so it feels the least amount of pain; locate the esophagus; say: “Bismillah Allahu Akbar” and recite the following: “Allahuma, ini wajjahtu wajjhiya lilazi fatara samawati wal arda alaa milata Ibrahima hanifan, wama ana minal-Mushirikin.

Inna salati, wa nusukii, wamahayayah, wamamatii, li-Lahi rabil alamiin, Lasharika lahu wabizalika umirtu, wa ana minalMuslimeen. Allahuma azah minka wa laka; cut the esophagus and jugular veins nicely at ones; don’t lift the knife until you are sure it’s dead; don’t wash immediately;

don’t kill one at the sight of the other; remember Qur’an 22:37 emphasizes that Allah does not need the blood nor the flesh of the meat but the taqwah (piety) of Allah in killing the ram.

Distribution of the animal: It should be divided into three parts, (i) one for your family (ii) for sadaqah and (iii) for hadya (gift).

Muslims groan over hike in prices of rams

BY ADERONKE ADEYERI

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id-el-kabir, the festival of ram sacrifice is an act of Ibadah (worship) to Almighty Allah and presently, the mood is felt almost everywhere. As a result, prices of sacrificial animals have gone up in major markets in the country.

A visit to Mangoro cattle market, Onipetesi cattle market in Agege and Alagutan cattle market in Iyanu Ipaja, Lagos revealed about 80 – 100 percent increase. A small ram in these markets goes for N25,000, as against N15,000 during the same period last year, a smaller ram goes for N60,000 as against N48, 000 while a big ram is sold for as much as N180,000 and N200,000 now.

Some of the buyers expressed dissatisfaction with the high prices of the rams in the markets, adding that prevailing economic recession in the country was responsible for the increase.

“Although the sellers have their reasons for the high prices, they have to consider the purchasing power of an average income earner, people are only trying to

•Ram market in Epe

fulfil their religious obligations,” Alh. Bashir Kolawole said.

Lukman, a buyer at the cattle market, said he had visited many ram markets but couldn’t buy any because of the high cost, adding that the price of a ram this year is high. “Many buyers cannot buy and they go home disappointed. I am appealing to the government to look into the problem or else many Muslims will not be able to slaughter rams during this Eid-elKabir,” he said.

Another buyer who pleaded anonymity said every thing in the country is falling apart. “I do not know what the country is turning into. Our income is going down day by day but the prices of commodities are increasing on daily basis. Nothing seems right in Nigeria, many of us has to cut our pocket to serve Almighty Allah in our own little way.

Seriously, things are falling apart in Nigeria.”

However, Mallam Ibrahim Bilal, a native of Gumburu in Borno who sells ram at Mangoro ram market in Agege attributed insurgency as major cause for the increase this Continues on page 41

RESIDENT of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Abdulrahman AlSudais, has warned that pilgrims risk deviating from Islamic injunctions if they use the Hajj for political and sectarian gatherings.

“There is no room for arguments and disputes during the pilgrimage, Muslims should use the time at the holy sites to contemplate how to unify and solve problems in the Islamic world, which is currently weak and fragmented,” he said.

He said the Saudi authorities would deploy 15,000 employees in day and night shifts to help pilgrims perform their rituals.

Al-Sudais said the Hajj has specific rules that have to be followed by pilgrims if they want a successful journey.

They should focus on monotheism as taught by Islam and not gather for other purposes.

He said Muslims must ignore reports falsely claiming that the expansion of the mosques in Makkah and Madinah would result in the destruction of Islamic heritage sites.

He said the yards of the Grand Mosque would have electronic signs to guide pilgrims. There would also be additional airconditioning spread around the mosque.

One-hundred doors would be opened around the Grand Mosque to ease the movement of pilgrims, he said.

The presidency has opened a new office where people with disabilities can hire wheelchairs. In addition, it will translate the Friday and Eid sermons into four languages.

Ogun pilgrims in Minna, praise Amosun on welfare Over 1,200 pilgrims from Ogun State currently in Saudi Arabia for the 2014 Hajj exercise have arrived the Minna camp for a 4 day compulsory stay as part of rites of the exercise expected of pilgrims.

The movement of pilgrims which commenced at exactly 9.30 am Thursday morning was preceeded by the conveying of female and an elderly pilgrims followed by their male counterpart, and was concluded by 3pm Saudi Arabian time.

Going by this, all is now set for the climbing of Mount Arafat tomorrow, October 3rd 2014, which would be followed by a brief stay at Musdalipha and concluded with a 3 day mandatory stone throwing before returning to the city of Makkah.

Chairman of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Dr. Isiaq Yusuf stated that perseverance and supplications to almighty Allah remains the main essence of hajj, adding that they must remain steadfast in constant prayers in anticipation of the important aspect of Hajj exercise as stipulated in the Holy Quran.

“It is very necessary to always go to the Holy Ka’aba to offer prayers, but the task of completing all rites at the mount Arafat and Mina site which will last for 5 days, remains an important task for all pilgrims”.

He reiterated the State Government continuous provision of adequate welfare for pilgrims at all times, urging them to always ensure they maintain the status of good ambassadors of the State while in the Holy Land.

The Amir-ul-Hajj, Imam Abdul-Qudri Junaid has also attributed relative development in the state to the visionary leadership been offered by Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

Imam Junaid gave this admonition during a special prayer session for continued success of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun led administration organized by a joint body of transport unions in the State, held in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Imam Junaid said that the unprecedented all round development been witnessed in the Gateway State within a short period of time has continued to amaze critics, noting that constant prayers and unfliching support are needed in order to achieve electoral success in the coming general elections.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—41

Nigeria at 54: Standard of education, employment still undesirable — Muslim Students

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Let's live practical Islamic life — Adeseun

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LHAJI Taofeeq Adeseun is the Chairman of Lagos Zone 1 of Nasru-llahi-l-Fatih societyofNigeria,NASFAT,hebares his mind on training, empowering of Muslim faithfuls through the institutionofZakaatinordertomake othersliveabetterlifeaswellasliving a practical Islamic life. Aderonke Adeyeri reports.

Zakat and Sadakat has been part of Islam but why the emphasis now?

I think it is just the right time to call ourselves towards the right path.

So,evenifsomethinghasbeenthere before, we must constantly make sure that people are reminded about it and it is emphasized to them the importance of it. So, that is what we are doing because we observed that if everyone who is supposed to pay Zakat is paying it, 90% of the ills of thesocietywillnotexist. Butbecause many Muslims are not consenciously paying it and it is not because they do not want to pay it but because it is not in their priority, that is why we hold this meeting to bring it to the front burner.

What sort of empowerment programme you have embarked on since the beginning of your

•Alhaji Taofeeq Adeseun independently but we key into the National programmes without duplicating efforts. But what we do is to use the “train the trainer concept”.

Those who go from our zone and go

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Islam is not just a religion, but a way of life. So, in everything we do, we glorify Allah through it

administration to alleviate poverty and bridge the gap between the poor and rich?

The first thing we did was to ensure that as part of our Executive council at the zone, we have an empowermentcoordinatorwhowas present at this meeting.

Interestingly, she is someone who workswithDangoteFoundationand has a professional knowledge about empowerment and how it should be done. We have done a number of programmes which include vocational skills training for people acrossvariousareas;makingpeople to earn income from vocations like Photography, Soap making, Beadsmaking,Cosmeticstomentionafew.

When I say Cosmetics I mean Islamic cosmetics because if you do notgivepeoplewhattheyneed,they will find it somewhere else. So, if we say we want Muslim women to go for Islamic beauty and we do not train them, they will follow the western one which is definitely not the correct one. That is one of the empowerment programmes we have done.

Was the training programme organized in your zone?

We are part of the National structure. So, it is not as if we operate

back to their branches and disseminate the skills they have learnt.

How many women have benefited from this empowerment programme?

I may not be able to give the exact number now but I am sure the Women AffairsSecretaryandtheempowerment coordinator will have the exact figure but I am sure many of our women are beneficiaries of the programmes.

Muslims world over will be celebratingIleyaevenassomeMuslim faithful are in the Holy land, what is your message to all Muslims in this regard?

We should remember that Almighty Allah has said, He has created everything in the world especially mankind for no other reason but to worship Him and that should be the first obligation in our lives as Muslims.

Islam is not just a religion, but a way of life. So, in everything we do, we glorify Allah through it. The world we be a much better place to live. I want those who have gone to Hajj and those in Nigeria to live a practical Islamic life.

Not just being a Muslim by name, but by our actions in justice, fairness, kindness and our sense of social responsibility.

HowbestcanaMuslimachievethis?

This can only be achieved through sincerity. There is something in Islam

called Taqwa. Taqwa means the fear of Allah. Fear in Islam is different from the fear in the Western society. The fear of Allah meansnotwantingtooffendAllah because you respect, reverence and love Him so much etc; that is the kind of fear we are talking about.AndifthefearofAllahreally exist in our society, corruption will be a thing of the past. You know whenwhatyouaredoingiswrong or right unless one his deceiving himself. If we live with the fear of Allah,wedonotneedtotellpeople our religion. Some people are shooting and killing innocent people and are still saying I am a Muslim, it is not about saying it, but by our action which speaks better than we profess it.

S Nigeria clocks 54, the Muslim Students of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit has scored governments at all levels low on education, fight against corruption and insecurity.

The group in a statement signed by its President, Kaamil Kalejaiye, also expressed displeasure over the rate of unemployment and disrespect for law.

Kalajaiye, who prayed for Nigeria’s development, noted that there was need for God’s intervention in the activities of country.

He said, “It is important to say that it is only with God’s intervention that Nigeria shall grow desirably, but characters exhibited by our leaders are not in anyway encouraging especially in the area of education. Nigerian leaders are obviously the bane of students and educational development. 54 years after independence, our academic institutions still go on strike more than holidays.

“The mass failure in the just concluded West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) is just one of the numerous things to show for our failing educational system. Other countries advanced because their leaders see positions as a calling and national duty not as a means to enrich themselves and their families.

Prices of rams soar Continues from page 40 year. “I have been into the business of rams for thirteen years. I buy rams from Ugum village in Maiduguri. But early this year some gun men suspected to Boko Haram came into the market and killed almost all of us, since then I get rams from Niger and Chad. Bringing rams from these countries can be very expensive due to transporting the rams down to Lagos.

Also, the police officers and customs officers collect a huge amount of money from me and all these put together are reasons for the hike in the prices of rams

Ibadan agog for Ileya festival

BY IYABO AINA

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S Muslims all over the world celebrate this year’s Eid-Adha (Ileya festival), indigenes of Ibadan, Oyo state capital are set to make the festival a memorable one tomorrow with glass clinking all the way .

According to the show promoter, Mr. Babatunde Agboola-Alubarika, “ the celebration will be different from previous ones as International Breweries Plc, Ilesha, Osun State makers of Trophy beer,

“It will not be too wrong for anyone to say that Nigeria is still in the phase of postcolonialism and not independence. There is nothing positive to show that it is better to be independent up till now. Our youths are still out there looking for jobs.

Those that have decided to create jobs for themselves are not allowed to succeed through elistic and un-progressive government policies. Our leaders must wake up to their duties and work for the country’s future and not their pocket, religion, political party or tribe.”

Apart from education, Kalejaiye also said government at all levels must step up efforts on anti-graft war and insecurity.

According to him, the manner at which government cover religious leaders on corrupt cases and other malpractices won’t make the country grow.

“Reactions of Federal Government to many corruption cases show that it was not ready for growth and for any nation to grow, it must be principled in the application of its laws. We must allow all religions the freedom they deserve.

selected Fuji musicians and others will converge on one of the fast moving entertainment spots TOP ONE GARDEN, Village, Ibadan, Oyo State to thrill the people with their performances and to add glamour, fun and excitement to this year Muslims Festival and at the same time promoting Nigeria’s indigenous music and culture”.

“It is important for every Nigerian, Muslim and nonMuslim alike, to seek the face of God in prayer and be the promoter of peace which the society needs at this challenging time,”he said.

compared to last year. We dont even make enough gain as we used to because people who used to buy up to four rams now buy one or two.”

Mallam Mairago Lati, who sells ram at Onipetesi ram market, Agege opined politicians and the wealthy buy animals in bulk for distribution to political associates, supporters and relatives and as such sellers like to sell to them instead of coming to the market.

“The dealers and people bringing the animals always keep the prices high in anticipation of those buyers, who always come to buy hundreds of rams from the markets especially at the last two to three days before the Sallah day,” he said.

A visit to motor parks around Lagos also revealed that many travellers also pay more to get to their destination.

The fare from Iyanu Ipaja to Ago Iwoye which was N800 per passenger before the Sallah festival, now goes for N1,200 per passenger, while transportation from Lagos to Ilorin has increased by 100 per cent.

Abubakar Idris, a commercial bus driver defended the increase in the cost of transportation during festive periods, blaming it on bad roads and traffic gridlock.

42 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 —43

We must learn to embrace painstaking dialogue—Jonathan Being conclusion of the text of President Goodluck Jonathan's 54th independence anniversary address to the nation, in Abuja.

The first part was published yesterday

Disruptions in higher education shape the classroom of the future

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By Cynthia Baum

and parents ages 25–64, in addition to the R. Clayton Christensen, Harvard School “traditional” undergraduate student, according of Business professor and author of The to the U.S. National Centre for Education Innovative University, defines a disruptive Statistics, which collects and analyzes data innovation as “a product or service that may related to education in the United States and not be the highest quality, but which rattles other nations.

Since physical location is no longer a barrier the status quo by succeeding in its simplicity, convenience, accessibility, or affordability. It to education, we are seeing an increase in targets a job that needs to be done, providing international students as well as more “nonjust good enough performance as to appeal to traditional” students who are returning to school an underserved or even non-existent mid-career or who are continuing their education after getting their undergraduate degree later consumer in the current marketplace.”

Online learning emerged as a disruptive in life. Students are able to select the best innovation when access to higher education programs and courses for their needs from became a driving need for a growing anywhere in the world.

The trend toward the global classroom and population of adult learners who primarily saw education as a way to advance their careers. online learning is likely to accelerate as changes Early efforts to develop online courses were occur in both online and traditional approaches limited by technology and comparatively slow to learning with how content is delivered, Internet speed. Laptops and notebook learned, and credentialed. However, regardless computers allowed more mobility, but were not of what education providers and the industry in the same league as today’s mobile devices think, it will be the students who drive adoption for learning delivery. Many of the early online and acceptance of future developments in online courses were simply adaptations of existing learning because it meets their needs.

More than 40 years ago, the founders of my curriculum courses opened up to a larger audience and offering increased convenience institution Walden University, Bernie and Rita and flexibility. It became no longer necessary Turner - who were teachers themselves - were to take a break from work to attend classroom- inspired by the concept of a distance-learning based lectures.

Today, online education Online students today are typically a has become widely mix of older adult learners, working accepted and the growth of online student professionals, and parents ages 25–64 enrollment in the past 10 years has greatly outpaced the rate of growth of student enrollment in higher education overall. university designed around and for the student.

Many online programmes are highly They recognized that many adult learners sophisticated, incorporating multimedia and interested in pursuing their doctoral education other technologies including social media and were unable to find programs accepting of them cloud-based computing, opening up new if they could not commit to a traditional full-time opportunities and connecting students around schedule.

As the Turners described it, they wanted to the world. “throw a pebble in the pond” in order to reach a The impact of these sustaining innovations is also seen in student learning outcomes, wider stream of people who were juggling with online and blended programmes showing family and work obligations and to create a place as good or better student outcomes as of learning where the professional experience compared with traditional face-to-face and contributions of the adult learner were not experiences, an observation supported by a only welcomed but embraced.

U.S. Department of Education study titled Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Greatest impact Online Learning (September 2010).

Flexibility and convenience still remain tangible benefits, but the ability to provide Their “disruption” and vision transformed l e a r n i n g Walden into what it is today: a global online experiences institution of more than 50,000 students making that appeal an impact in their communities and professions. to multiple We can and should see disruption as an styles of opportunity to redefine and re-envision higher learning and education. In the end, the audience facing the t h e greatest impact from these disruptors will be the opportunity students. They will have an abundance of to connect choices: in how they learn, where they learn, with peers and how their learning is measured. They will and faculty find educational models that fit their personal around the learning needs and styles, contributing to even world are more effective learning. The change will be a d d e d welcomed, especially by students. benefits of Dr. Cynthia G. Baum, president of Walden o n l i n e University, is committed to finding new ways to CYNTHIA BAUM education. fulfill Walden’s social change mission and to So what’s causing this increase in growth? support student success. Dr. Baum assumed her It is clear from rising enrollments that position after serving as vice president of the demand for online higher education College of Health Sciences and the College of continues to grow as the career landscape Social and Behavioral Sciences and then as becomes increasingly competitive. executive vice president of Walden. She has Professionals see a real need to expand their more than 25 years of experience in higher skills or develop the relevant qualifications education as a faculty member, academic leader, to enter a new career. and administrator.

Online students today are typically a mix Dr. Cynthia G. Baum is President, Walden of older adult learners, working professionals, University

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BENEFIT of these combined actions is that our national food import bill has declined from 1.1 trillion naira (6.9 billion dollars) in 2009 to 684.7 billion naira (4.35 billion dollars) by December 2013, and continues to decline.

Modern hybrid schools are being provided for less privileged children across the country, resulting in significant increase in the national school enrolment figure.

In order to further enhance access to education at the tertiary level, fourteen new Federal Universities have been established; and, to encourage persons of exceptional abilities, our Administration has also introduced a Presidential Scholarship Scheme based strictly on excellence and merit.

On infrastructure, we are building roads, bridges, and new rail lines to make it easier to traverse Nigeria and increase the integration of our people and our ability to do business with each other. In this regard, we have commenced the process of building the Second Niger Bridge. The Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue in Nasarawa and Benue States, will significantly reduce travel time by road between Northern and Southern Nigeria. The on-going dredging of the River Niger up to Baro in Niger State is opening up large parts of the Nigerian hinterland to maritime activity.

Maritime activity The Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro-electric power projects are on course, and the Kashimbilla dam which we started a few years ago, is nearing completion. The successful privatisation of our power sector will in the long run enhance industrial growth.

Policies such as this and others have raised Nigeria to the enviable status of being the number one recipient of Foreign Direct Investment in Africa in the past year.

The result of this infrastructure drive is that two and a half million jobs have been created over the past two years. This is a record, which we are committed to improve upon to continue to provide jobs for our youth.

An unprecedented number of Airports across the country, are not only being reconstructed at the same time, but being re-equipped and reassessed with emphasis on maintaining global standards.

Fellow Nigerians, the goals we set to achieve for our country involve expanding the frontiers of economic freedom. Let us therefore unite with one heart and one mind. All our people must have access to the good things of life. All our people must be empowered to pursue the gift of life with happiness. This is our

country; we must build it for our common posterity.

As we move into an election year, desperate moves to overheat the polity are becoming a regular occurrence. Our political leaders in particular must know that the contest for power should not translate to the destruction of the polity.

The contest for the leadership of our country must yield good governance, and not ungovernable spaces. The love of country should rank higher than our individual ambitions.

We must remain committed to a united and indivisible Nigeria within democratic parameters.

The protection of individual rights, liberty, equality before the law, freedom of thought, and a progressive pursuit of a sound economy must be our goal.

Deadly scourge I cannot end this address without commenting on the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) which was sadly brought into our country recently. My directives to the Federal Ministry of Health saw the ministry leading the charge in curtailing the spread of this deadly scourge and managing its impact. This is how it should be: swift, effective and comprehensive action in defence of citizens.

It must be pointed out that the Ebola battle is still raging elsewhere in our sub-region. I therefore enjoin all our citizens to continue to adhere strictly to all the guidelines that have been given by our health officials to keep Ebola out of our country.

I appreciate and welcome the spirit of collaboration, unity and partnership with which we confronted the threat of the Ebola Virus Disease. I thank all Nigerians for working together to prevent what could have become a major epidemic. I particularly thank the medical personnel, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice.

This is the spirit which we must demonstrate at all times as we face up to our challenges as a nation: one people, united by a common resolve, in the pursuit of one common national interest.

As we look forward to another year in our national life, I am more than confident that our tomorrow will be better than our yesterday and today. Nigeria has got the human and material resources to excel and we shall lead the way in that journey to our manifest destiny.

Fellow countrymen, brothers and sisters, in all our plans, and in all our words and our actions, we must stand together in love and unity, as one people under God. We are one people from the womb of one Nigeria. We are brothers and sisters. We are one family. We are Nigerians.

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44 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

45—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

PDP warns govs, others against endorsement

ARIK: From left— Capt.

Adetokunbo Adekunbi, Chief Pilot; Capt. Ado Sanusi, Deputy Managing Director; Mr. Chris Ndulue, Managing Director; Mr. Kaushalya de Alwis, Senior Manager, Customer Loyalty/ Customers Relation Manager, and Mr. Trevor Henry, Assistant Vice President, Global Sales and Distribution, all of Arik Airline, during the launching of the airline’s frequent flyer programme tagged Arik Affinity Wings in Lagos.

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—AHEAD of its National Assembly and governorship primary elections fixed for November 22 and 29, respectively, the national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday warned all governors elected on its platform, zonal national executive members, state party chairmen and all elected party officers against endorsing any aspirant.

The party, in a terse statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the governors and other elected officers had no power to endorse an aspirant prior to primaries.

According to the party, only the National Executive Committee, NEC, can endorse candidates in the same fashion as President Goodluck Jonathan was endorsed for the 2015 presidential election at its 66th NEC meeting.

N180M FRAUD: Court frees Ogbulafor

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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sentenced him to five years imprisonment without an option of fine.

Ebilah, who was a member of the National Economic Intelligence Committee, NEIC, which was set up by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to verify debts owed local contractors, had confessed before ICPC that he supervised the illegal diversion of funds to the three bogus companies which he said was partly owned by the ex-PDP chairman.

While under interrogation, he confessed that Ogbulafor, through one Mr. Chris Nwoke, collected kickbacks of N2 million and N28 million from him to facilitate the release of funds to the said fake companies.

He further admitted that the fake companies, Henrichiko Nig Ltd, DHL Consultants and Chekwas Industries, used forged documents to collect N82.6 million, N11.5 million and N6.2 million, respectively,

... as APC insist on Fayose's arrest

BUJA—REPRIEVE came the way of erstwhile chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, yesterday as an Abuja High Court in Maitama discharged and acquitted him from the 17count criminal charge preferred against him by Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC. In his judgment, Justice Ishaq Bello held that the antigraft agency failed to establish its allegation that the former PDP boss, while in office as the Minister for Special Duties in 2001, used three fake companies ýto divert funds from the coffers of Federal Government to the tune of about N180 million.

However, the court relied on a confessional statement made before ICPC by the 2nd accused person in the matter, Mr. Emeka Ebilah, and

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NCC to license 7 infracos

HE All Progressives Congress, APC, has reiterated its earlier call for the arrest and prosecution of Ekiti State governor-elect, Ayodele Fayose, over the attack on Justice Adeyeye in the premises of the State High Court on September 25, warning that failure to act decisively now would spell danger for judges and the nation’s democracy.

In a statement issued in London yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the issue of the security of judges and the unfettered administrative of justice transcends politics.

APC said the attack has also reinforced calls in some quarters to subject candidates seeking political offices in the country to psychiatric tests, to prevent people with mental imbalance from taking over the affairs of state.

By Emmanuel Elebeke

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BUJA—THE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has perfected plans to license seven infrastructure companies in a few weeks, as part of its strategies to enhance broadband penetration in the country.

Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Eugene Juwah, announced this during NCC’s day at the ongoing 9th Abuja International Trade Fair.

He explained that two infrastructure companies would be licensed this month for Abuja and Lagos, while five others to be sited in all the geo-political zones of the country, would be licensed in due course.

Juwah, who was represented by the Director of Public Affairs, Tony Ojobo, explained that the seven companies, when licensed, were expected to provide broadband infrastructure

services in all parts of the country.

He said the commission had engaged some consultants and adopted open access model for the implementation of broad-band penetration in Nigeria.

Juwah said: “The challenge has always been that of infrastructure. NCC is already addressing this, in the sense that seven infrastructure companies will be licensed to provide infrastructure.”

from Federal Governmentý for executing non-existent contracts.

Nevertheless, while on trial, the 2nd accused, Ebilah, denied the confessional statement, insisting that one Bassey Mohammed, an operative of ICPC, compelled him at gunpoint to indict Ogbulafor.

Though Ogbulafor who testified for himself, told the court that he was the one that nominated Ebilah into the NEIC, he, however, denied receiving any money from him as kickback.

Ogbulafor told the court that the 2nd accused person only gave him N2 million as a donation for his campaign activities, stressing that he had already resigned his ministerial position at that time.

In his judgment, Justice Bello held that there was no evidence indicating that Ogbulafor at any material time, had a relationship with any of the three companies involved in the fraud or acted as a director in any of them.

The judge also noted that the 1st accused was never a member of NEIC nor participated in the verification of contracts, “and there is no evidence whatsoever to prove that the 1st accused removed money whatsoever from any of the companies.”

He described the allegation that Ogbulafor collected kickbacks through one Mr. Nwoke as “hearsay evidence,” adding that ICPC failed to establish a link between the 1st accused and the charge.

UPS remains oldest sponsor of Lagos yacht competition

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NITED Parcel Service Plc, UPS, has maintained its position as the oldest and committed sponsor of the Lagos yacht race competition, even as over 100 contestants participated in the justconcluded edition.

The competition is part of the activities of the Lagos Yacht Club, LYC, founded in 1932, aimed at promoting and encouraging sailing.

According to the Vice Commodore, Lagos Yacht Club, Nigeria, Laurent Couderc, the justconcluded edition of completion is part of the activities to officially usher in the club’s 82nd anniversary billed to take place in Lagos this month.

The winners from first boat as Billy Brave (H16 113688), manned by LloydCrisp and JeanPhilippe Caillaud; the second, Phat Bouy (H16 111674) by David Kruyt and Tryron Willion; and third, Blue Meanie (H16 113706), also manned by Ian Mainprize and Shuyao Kong.

Mr. Emeka Nwangwu, UPS Business Development Manager, said the sponsorship was part of its commitment to corporate social responsibility, adding that prizes were given for the boats which took the first three positions.

PDP 'll take over Edo, says Nat'l Movement

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HE National Movement of Nigeria has said Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will take over Edo State in 2015 and 2016 elections.

The movement also condemned the statement credited to Mr. Charles Idahosa that the Bini in Edo State were marginalised in the PDP-led Federal Government.

The National Secretary of

the movement, Mr. Ikharedia Ihimekpen, who spoke to newsmen in Benin yesterday, called on Idahosa to outlive his tribal and ethnic politics, adding that Edo State had outgrown those primordial politics for politics of unity and development.

Ihimekpen said Edo people voted for Lucky Igbinedion in 1999 and 2003 and also voted

for Oyegun in 1990 election not because they were Bini, but for the qualities in them and that Edo people were one irrespective of what part of the state they came from.

The National Movement of Nigeria's scribe also called on Idahosa to explain the role he played in Igbinedion’s government if he wants to contest election in Edo State.

46 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

2015: APC chietain warns against selecting candidates

2015: Mark urges power shift from Tiv

to Idoma M

By Peter Duru

AKURDI—SENATE President, David Mark, has called for power shift from the Tiv speaking area of Benue State to the Idoma area.

Mark said that the Tiv speaking area had been ruling the state since it was created about 38 years ago in 1976, adding that it was time to allow other tribes in the area to taste power.

Mark spoke at a special meeting of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Otukpo, shortly after being adopted as the sole senatorial candidate of the party in his zone during the 2015 general elections in the state.

The state, with a population of 4,253,641 was one among those created in the middle belt region of the country in 1976.

Tiv and Idoma, where Mark hails from are among the predominantly spoken languages in the state. Other ethnic groups in the state include Igede, Etulo, Abakwa, Jukun, Hausa, Akweya and Nyifon.

Represented by the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, Mark said that he was in support of the agitation by the

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USAU—A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Zamfara State, Alhaji Ibrahim RuwanDorowa, has advised the party against selecting candidates for the 2015 general elections.

He said the process might endanger the party’s interest at the polls.

Ruwan-Dorowa gave the advice yesterday in Gusau when he received in audience, members of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, who paid him a courtesy visit.

The elder statesman said the leadership of the party should elect candidates through primaries “because that is the only way to maintain peace and stability within our great party.

“I believe this process, being the cardinal principle of the APC, will also guarantee victory for the party and ensure justice for all.”

He decried the situation where the party leadership was making arrangements to give some aspirants automatic tickets in the state.

“I bet you, this will cause havoc within the party because it is against the party’s constitution,” he said.

people of the Benue South (Idoma) that the position of the governor of the state be ceded to the area in the interest of fair play.

Traces of Igbo and other tribes are found in the boundary areas of Ebonyi and Enugu States, as in Obi and Oju Local Governments, among others.

His words: “I want to state that I am on the same page with every son and daughter of

Idomaland on the ceding of the governorship position in the coming general election to the Benue South zone for the first time in the history of our state.

“I want to urge everyone of us to go about this agitation for power shift without any form of rancour and acrimony so as not to overheat the polity.

“I also want to caution that we must all work hard if the

dream must be realised beacuse power is never ceded on a platter (of gold). We must work, collaborate and parley with our Tiv brothers on the matter.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Benue South PDP Elders Committee, Chief Baba Odangla, had said that all the elders of the party in the zone had opened channels of discussions on the issue with leaders of the party in the other two zones.

COMMISSIONING: From left: Mr. Simon Ebegbulem, Chairman, Correspondent Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State, Chief David Edebiri, Guest of Honour, and Chief Chris Ogiemwonyi, at the commissioning of the new Secretariat of the correspondent chapel of the NUJ, in Benin City.

APC now ‘history', says Zamfara PDP chairman

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By Salisu Maradun

USAU—APPARENTLY bouyed by the frustration in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, leading to exodus of its members to his party, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Zamfara State, Senator Hassan Nasiha, has described

the APC in the state as ‘’history.’’

Nasiha, who reacted to the latest declaration of 140 APC councilors for PDP, said that the current administration was unpopular because it was governing the state with a stolen mandate. ‘’They stole our mandate

and we must recover it from them in 2015. We are fully prepared to take back our stolen mandate from those who rigged elections and claimed to be the winners. ‘’The time has come when every right thinking Zamfara man and woman should think twice and fight for their

rights. Life has become unbearable among the people of this state as a result of poor leadership by the ruling APC.’’ He assured the people of the state, particularly, PDP supporters of his readiness to take it to a greater height by ensuring its success during the 2015.

On Oyakhilome’s Divorce Crisis

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here are different types of ministries in the church. Marriage in itself is a ministry but not the right ministry for those who have chosen to lead the flock. It is a difficult task on its own and the burdens of marriage make it even harder. Ms.Mbuko Stephanie- Student

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t’s not about whether you are a priest or a Rabi or a President, it is about humanity and our weaknesses. No one is perfect. There will always be good and bad people, in the end, it is not about them but about you and your relationship with God. Mr. Dayo AliuStudent

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ruly, I believe that entering heaven is a matter of grace, that it is all not works. If there was no grace none of us would even qualify, even if we tried! So let us pray more for grace to abound.

Mr. Mustapha AlaroFurniture maker

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hope this is not the Devil trying woman to bring down this man’s great ministry. From what we are told so far, the wife is the one pressing for divorce and separation.

Was the power given to her by her husband his own nemesis? Ms. Adaobi Adigwe- Businesswoman

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nd what happened to the teaching of forgiveness? As a woman of God, even if her husband did cheat, she is bound to forgive. If ordinary women who are not even Christians can forgive their husbands and move on, how much less this one. Mrs Adeola Olanrewaju- Teacher

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ivorce is becoming rampant with our pastors nowadays, this is because some are never satisfied with their wives. As soon as they become popular and their church start growing, they would start admiring other girls in the church. Ms. Dike Chidinma- Student

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—47

INEC, PDP behind ongoing illegal registration of voters in Nasarawa — APC

By Abel Daniel

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AFIA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of being behind the ''illegal registration of voters exercise now going on in Nasarawa State.

State Chairman of APC, Mr. Phillip Chekwo made the allegation at a news conference in Lafia, the state capital yesterday.

Chekwo spoke following the arrest of some persons with fake INEC registration gadgets in the state recently, adding that both INEC, PDP and the police were working together over the issue.

Addressing news men at the NUJ press center in Lafia, the state chairman of the APC said Chekwo said, “it was discovered that some enemies of democracy have embarked on illegal voters registration exercise using INEC staff and equipment. The APC does not doubt the credibility of security agencies; we however caution that any attempt at cover up in any form shall be resisted.

We gathered that a members of the state House of Assembly (names withheld) was sighted at the divisional police station, Akwanga, from where he took

an unnamed seniour police officer in his car to his residence.

“We received information that some people were engaged in the illegal registration and we were able to recover the items including print scanners”.

“We are watching with keen interest for the commission to take the necessary action by investigating possible internal collaboration by some of its unscrupulous staff.”

The APC leadership also

alleged that voters in the state were yet to be issued with their permanent voters cards by INEC. It further said that software gadgets used for illegal voter registration exercise were recovered at Gudi Community in Akwanga Local Government Area of the state.

Reacting to the allegation, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ismaila Numan, confirmed that the command ‘’recovered finger print machines

BRIEFING: From left; Mrs Bekeme Masade, Executive Director, CSR in-Action;Esimaje Brikinn, Social Performance Manager, Chevron Nigeria and Ifeoma Okoye, Public Affairs Manager, Nigeria Bottling Company during the press briefing on the 3rd Sustainability in the Extractive Industry, SITEI conference held in Lagos. Photo by Akeem Salau.

Ahmed sets up c'ttee on creation of LCDAs

By Demola Akinyemi

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LORIN—GOVERNOR Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State yesterday inaugurated a 14member committee on the creation of local government council development areas in the state noting that the decision was taken to bring government closer to the people.

Currently there are 16 local governments in the state created in 1976 but another attempt by the administration of Alhaji Muhammed Lawal to create additional local governments was not successful as they were cancelled by the succeeding administration of Dr Bukola Saraki.

The committee’s terms of reference for the eight weeks assignment according to the governor include: to”identify all basic parameters contigent to the creation of local government council development areas using variables peculiar to the Kwara environment while borrowing relevant experiences from other states that have similar structures.”

The committee was also asked to consider all other ‘’factors related to viability and identify

and some booklets.’’

Numan, however, said that no arrests had been made, even as reliable sources told Vanguard that ‘’one of the culprits was apprehended by youths in the area and handed over to the police at Gudi police outpost.’’

The sources said that the suspects were caught with a laptop, web camera, and finger print machines while carrying out an illegal voters’ registration exercise at Angwan Waya, in Gudi area of Akwanga Local Government.

suitable communities as headquarters and consider other relevant factors that will ensure uniformity, equity, fairness and greater sense of belonging” Former acting National

Chairman of PDP and now a chieftain of APC, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje is the chairman of the committee.

Inauguratig the committee at the council chambers of the

Government House, Ahmed said explained that the creation of additional local government council areas became necessary because,”as presently constituted, the local government structure remains largely inadequate considering our population, land mass and other demographic features.’’

Yero expresses shock over Remi Oyo, Galadiman Kano's deaths

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A D U N A — GOVERNOR Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State, has expressed sadness over the death of former Presidential Spokesperson, Mrs. Remi Oyo. In a statement by his Director General Media and Publicity, Ahmed Maiyaki, Yero said the late Oyo was “a very hardworking woman who used her wealth of experience as a media manager to stabilise the nation’s democracy.”

According to Yero, ‘’future generations of Nigerians will forever remain grateful for the patriotic zeal she brought to bear in managing the image of the Presidency at a time the country ’s democracy required the needed stability.”

He then condoled with Oyo’s immediate family, her friends and other relatives over the loss even as he also prayed for the repose of her soul.

In the same vein, Governor Yero has also expressed deep sorrow over the death of Galadiman Kano, Alhaji Tijjani Hashim, and condoled with the Government of Kano State, the Kano Emirate Council and the entire people of Kano State over the death of the respected member of the royal family.

Rights Collection: Copyrights owners decry monopoly

By Innocent Anaba

Intellectual Property Owners, CCIPO, have decried the OPYRIGHT owners monopoly of the business of under the auspices of collecting societies in the Concerned Copyright and copyright sector of the economy

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Resume now, Borno tells private schls

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AIDUGURI—THE Borno Government yesterday, directed operators of private schools to re-open for the new session in compliance with the Federal Government directive for schools to resume on Sept 22.

Alhaji Mohammed Kauji, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, gave the directive at a meeting he held with directors of the ministry in Maiduguri.

Kauji, however, said that public schools would remain closed pending when alternative accommodation would be

provided for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge in school buildings in Maiduguri.

“The IDPs have occupied most school buildings in the state capital; this is due mainly to insecurity facing us.

“Plans are underway to get places to relocate them so that schools can re-open for classes,” he said. The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that public schools in the state were closed on March 16, following insurgent attack on the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe.

by an alleged cabal in the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, saying it negates the spirit of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda, which centered on observance of the rule of law and opening up the country’s economy to enable all Nigerians participate.

CCIPO, meanwhile, called for the implementation of the December 18, 2013, House of Representatives’ Resolution directing the NCC to immediately de-monopolise the collective administration of copyright particularly, the business of royalty collection in the entertainment industry.

National Coordinator of CCIPO, Mr Mike Pam in a letter to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, SAN, called on the minister to invoke his powers as the

supervisory minister in charge of copyright and other intellectual property matters under Section 50 of the Copyright Act and intervene to bring justice and equity into the entertainment and intellectual rights sector.

He recalled that on August 5, 2010, it had led a large delegation to protest the monopoly imposed on the business of collecting societies in the copyright sector of the economy by a cabal in NCC and demanded for immediate demonopolisation of collective administration of copyright particularly, the business of royalty collection in the entertainment industry.

Pam noted that the minister had on the said day, promised that the issue willbe resolved within two weeks of their visit and urged them to hold him to his words.

48 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

FORUM: From left,Head, Customer Experience & Retention, Etisalat Nigeria, Biola Edun; Etisalat customers, Ali Jonah Edoh, and Anya Inya and Director, Customer Care, Etisalat Nigeria, Plato Syrimis, at the Etisalat Customer Forum, in Abuja.

OUTING: From left, Shugaba Yar'Adua, BoT member; Mariam Abubakar, Woman Leader; Vincent Okoduwa, Patron; Senator Ibrahim Mantu,Chairman, PDP Leaders' Forum; Chief Henry Femowei, BoT Chairman; Osa Asemota, Director of Policy, and Engr. Solomon Akaya, National Coordinator of Men and Women of Action Campaign Team, after an outing with Mantu, in Abuja.

DONATION: From left, Ridwan Sorunke, Corporate Communications Officer; Olanlege Abdul-Fatah, External Relations Manager, both of P&G Nigeria; Professor Emmanuel Atoo Ajav, Dean, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan, UI, and Tomasz Szpyt, Manufacturing Director, P&G Nigeria, during donation ceremony of baby care manufacturing equipment to the faculty of Technology, UI.

BRIEFING: From left, Ronke Kosoko, Director of Strategy, Lagos for the People Association; Mr. Charles Adoga, Mr. Azeez Salako, Leader and Publicity Secretary, during media briefing by Lagos for the People Association, on the state of the nation on 2015 elections, at Jibowu-Yaba, Lagos. Photo: Ovadje Elliot

DONATION: From left,Mrs. Simbo Olatoregun,Market Development Manager, Intel; Professor Samuel John, Professor of Computer Systems and Network Engineering Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Convenant University, Ota, Ogun State; Dr. Francis Idachaba, Head of Department , Electrical And Information Engineering, Convenant University, Ota, and Mr. Oluwole Olaoye, Director,Lagos Office, National Universities Commission, during Intel donation of Galileo Boards, at Protea Hotel, Ikeja Lagos.Photo: Akeem Salau

ROUNDTABLE: From left, Mr. Babatunde AyoVaughan,Past Chairman,Ibadan Grammar School 65/71 set,; Mr .Monday Ubani, Guest Speaker; Dr. Abiodun Lawanson,Chairman, Ibadan Grammar School, same set, and Mr. Dolapo Adeife,secretary of the set ,during the set roundtable lecture, at the University of Lagos, Unilag, in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

CELEBRATION: From left, Mr. Austin Eruotor,President, White House Hotel; Mr. Adelanwa Lanre, member, White House Hotel; Alhaji Ibrahim Aladetan,Baale of Makoko Community, and Mr. Ayeseteminikan Bawo,Proprietor of Kenade Private Nursery and Primary School, Makoko, Yaba, Lagos, during the 10th anniversary celebration of White House Hotel with Makoko Community, in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau

ROUNDTABLE: From left, Programme Officer Initiative for Sustaining Family Unity, Babatunde Olasunkanmi; Keynote Speaker, Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi Omotola, board member, Benjamin Odeh, and the Welfare Officer Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative, Shittu Folake, during the first Family RoundTable organized by Initiative for Sustaining Family Unity, in Lagos.

AWARD: From left, Mr. Segun Bakare , Manager, Retail; Mr. Wunmi Raji, Logistics Manager; Mr. Banji Adesanmi, Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Bolaji Ajiboye, Sales Manager, during award presentation to Peace Tiding Ventures, PTV, winner of the mobile phones dealer award, at the Nigerian Telecoms Award.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 49

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 53

BRIEFS UN accuses ISIS of war crimes

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US quarantines 100 persons on EVD Hugo Odiogor with Agency report

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HE identity of the man who took the Ebola virus disease entered into the United States has been revealed even as 100 persons who may have had direct or indirect contact with him have quarantined.

The New York Times said the man whose identity was initially concealed is Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian in his mid 40s who helped to transport a pregnant woman who was suffering from Ebola to a hospital in Liberia, where she was turned away for lack of space.

He helped bring the woman back to her family’s home and carried her into the house, where she later died, the newspaper reported. Reports said four of Duncan relatives and 18 other people who had direct and indirect contact with him are among those quarantined in their homes as precautionary measures.

Dallas County officials said “12 to 18 people had direct contact with the patient, and they in turn had contact with scores of other people who are being tracked.”

Although the four “close” relatives of the patient have not exhibited any symptom of EVD, they will not to entertain visitors and could be arrested if they left their homes without permission through October 19.

Texas health commissioner said Dr. David Lakey, “The order is in place until the incubation period has

•US President Barack Obama passed and the family is no longer at risk of having the disease.”

Panic in US

Public health authorities have been calling on U.S. healthcare workers to screen patients for signs of illness, and to question patients about their travel history in order to rule out Ebola for those who have been to West Africa.

Officials said none of those thought to have had direct or indirect contact with the patient, who was being treated at a Dallas hospital, were showing symptoms of Ebola. The disease has killed at least 3,338 people in West Africa in the worst such outbreak on record.

A top health official urged U.S. hospitals to heed lessons from Dallas, where the hospital initially sent the ailing patient home, despite information that he had recently visited West Africa, potentially exposing more

people to the virus.

Liberian angle

A Liberian official said Duncan travelled through Brussels to the United States. United Air lines to Washington Dulles Airport, where he changed planes to travel to Dallas-Fort Worth.

A spokesman for Brussels Airlines, the only airline to fly direct scheduled services between Brussels and Monrovia, said he could not confirm that the passenger had flown with the company.

“We also have not been contacted by anyone to tell us to take measures or contact passengers because of an infected passenger travelling with us,” spokesman Geert Sciot said.

US health officials have said the country’s healthcare system is well prepared to contain any spread of Ebola through careful tracking of people who had con-

Ebola: Liberia to prosecute Duncan

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HE Liberian man in fected with Ebola who brought the disease to the United States will be prosecuted when he

returns home for lying on his airport screening questionnaire, Liberian authorities said Thursday.

With an Ebola epidemic

...UN declares total war

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HE UN launched a mission yesterday to prevent the global spread of Ebola, describing the epidemic as the world’s “highest priority” as the US scrambled to limit its own outbreak to one patient.

Anthony Banbury, head of the UN Mission on Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), began a tour of the three hardest-hit nations in the Liberian capital Monrovia setting out an ambitious goal to eradicate the deadly virus.

“The only way we will end this crisis is if we end every single last case of Ebola so there is no more risk of transmission to anyone, and when that’s accomplished, UNMEER

will go home,” he said.

The agency will work on health and education, Banbury said. But it will also make more vehicles available in the response and helping Ebola-free neighbouring countries defend themselves against a possible spread.

“The sooner UNMEER can end, the better for all of us. It’s my hope that it will be as soon as possible because that means fewer lives will be lost,” he told reporters.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had told Banbury on his arrival in Liberia, the worst-hit nation with almost two-thirds of the 3,338 deaths in west Africa, that the virus had spread to all 15 of its counties.

raging in West Africa, passengers leaving Liberia are being screened for fever and are asked if they have had contact with anyone infected.

On the form obtained by The Associated Press and confirmed by a government official, Thomas Eric Duncan answered “no” to questions about whether he had cared for an Ebola patient or touched the body of someone who had died in an area affected

by Ebola.

Duncan left for the U.S. on Sept. 19 to visit family and became sick a few days after he arrived. He is currently in isolation at a hospital in Dallas, Texas, and is listed as being in serious but stable condition.

Days before he left Liberia, Duncan had helped carry to a taxi a pregnant woman who later died of Ebola, according to neighbors. Her illness at the time was believed to be pregnancy-related.

tact with the patient and appropriate care for those admitted to hospital. Texas Governor Rick Perry told a news conference he was confident the virus would be contained, as did other officials.

Reports yesterday said Duncan was throwing up, causing panic among his family members who became hysteric. The report said there were chaotic scenes as “His whole family were screaming outside the Hospital before he was admitted. There was no update on his condition at the time of this report, but he was in a serious condition when he was admitted into the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday.

Drug makers with experimental Ebola treatments ZMAPP intensify their research on ZMAPP the trial drug, which is believed have the prospects of treatment for EVD. Texas health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said “We are working from a list of about 100 potential or possible contacts.”

SLAMIC State insurgents in Iraq have carried out mass executions, abducted women and girls as sex slaves, and used child soldiers in what may amount to systematic war crimes that demand prosecution, the United Nations said yesterday.

In a report based on 500 interviews with witnesses, also said Iraqi government air strikes on the Sunni Muslim militants had caused “significant civilian deaths” by hitting villages, a school and hospitals in violation of international law.

At least 9,347 civilians had been killed and 17,386 wounded so far this year through September, well over half of them since the Islamist insurgents also known as ISIL and ISIS began seizing large parts of northern Iraq in early June, the report said.

“The array of violations and abuses perpetrated by ISIL and associated armed groups is staggering, and many of their acts may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity,” said U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein.

France sends more planes to attack ISIS

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RANCE is sending more fighter jets and a war ship to strike Islamic State militants in Iraq and will discuss with the United States long-term coalition strategy to tackle the insurgency, including in Syria, officials said on Wednesday.

France was the first country to join the U.S.-led coalition in air strikes on IS insurgents in Iraq, who have also taken control of large parts of neighboring Syria during the course of the three-year-old civil war there.

However, France has raised concerns that air action in Syria could leave a void that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces may fill and has called for a concerted effort to reinforce and train moderate antiAssad rebels on the ground.

Ahead of a visit to Washington by Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday to meet his American counterpart, his ministry said three Rafale fighter jets and an anti-aircraft warship would be sent to the Gulf to support Iraqi government forces against Islamic State.

54—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

STRAMGOG tasks Deltans on credible politicians

Your personnel responsible for vandalism, Ijaw HOSTCOM tells Shell

By Gab Ejuwa

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TRATEGIC Movement for Good Governance, STRAMGOG, based in Delta State has called on the people of the state to ensure that credible individuals were voted into office in the 2015 general elections.

Spokesman of the group, Mr. Azuka Azinge, who spoke when members felicitated with Sir Anthony Obuh, one of the gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the successful thanksgiving service at Agbor, having retired from the civil service after 32 years, said they were committed to enthroning good governance in the state.

He noted that the group was fully committed to the course of good governance in the state through the various democratic platforms, adding “we call on Deltans to eschew the politics of bitterness by doing the right thing for the right purpose and in the process ensure credible individuals as leaders of our dear state.”

NGO donates eyeglasses, drugs to leprosy centre

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KU—IN bringing succour to inmates of the Rehabilitation Centre for Persons Living with Leprosy in Eku, Delta State, a non-governmental organisation, Pledge Love Charity Foundation has donated 50 eyeglasses and malaria drugs to the centre.

Speaking during its visit to the centre, President of the group, Mr. Innocent Aganbi, said: “Following the tests we conducted, we discovered that many of the inmates are suffering from malaria and eyerelated illnesses. It was based on this that we gave them eyeglasses, malaria drugs and clothing items.

“We are also trying to partner other civil society groups and government agencies to provide them with a skills acquisition centre and other basic amenities.”

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HE Ijaw Chapter of Host Communities of Nigeria, HOSTCOM, Oil and Gas, Delta State, has called on Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to stop labelling host communities as vandals, but to hold their personnel responsible for cases of vandalism in the region.

Ijaw HOSTCOM, in a statement by its Chairman, Mr. Kingsley Ikiere, alleged that Shell had embarked on another round of blackmail of some host communities to deprive them of their entitlement and benefit as host to the SPDC’s 43 inches Forcados Export Pipeline, especially Isiyayeigbene and Okuntu communities.

It said: “Odimodi, Isiyayeigbene, Ogulagha, Okuntu and other host communities have provided a peaceful working environment for SPDC to operate.

SPDC has completely neglected and/or failed to engage indigenes of these communities in the maintenance of their pipeline.

“They have continually employed the services of external contractors who are cronies, friends, relatives and contract staffers. Yet we have indigenous contractors, skilled technicians that are qualified to do the job.

“In 2009 and 2013,

suspected vandals and pirates handed over by Isiyayeigbene and Odimodi communities to security agencies have been left off the hook without any punishment melted out to them

HIEF Thomas Oduaran, an aide to Elder Godsday Orubebe, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has said he tendered his apology to Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, because the elder statesman was sincere in his struggle, describing him as a genuine leader who has the interest of his people at heart.

He said he regretted cosigning a document that was sent to Economic and Financial Crime Commission against Clark, promising to

Ekee drums support for Ogor

By Festus Ahon

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GHELLI—A chieftain of People’s Democratic Party in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Chief Emmanuel Ekee, has urged the people of Isoko nation to support the reelection bid of Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Leo Ogor.

Speaking at an interactive session with newsmen in Irri, Ekee described Ogor as the

always identify with him.

He said: “I have also left Delta Peoples Forum, DPF, because it has no respect for the Urhobo of Delta Central.”

pride of the Isoko nation, adding “ we are proud of his bold and intelligent contributions in the House.

“Besides, he has given quality representation to the Isoko people and has impacted positively on the lives of the people through the provision of infrastructure.

“I advise our Isoko people to discard the saying that a mother’s breast should not be sucked by one child. Rather, the emphasis should be that a mother ’s breast should not be wasted on a child who will not be useful to the family.”

He commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the leadership of PDP in the state for the hitch-free local government election primaries, adding that the state was now set for the party to record a resounding victory at the polls.

PDP Youth Vanguard endorses Odogwu for Burutu II

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HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Youth Vanguard, Burutu chapter has endorsed Mr. Tam Odogwu for Burutu South constituency 11 seat in the forthcoming

Burial

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employed to deprive Odimodi, Isiyayeigbene, Ogulagha and Okuntu communities of their entitlement to partake in the ongoing repair of the 48 inches Forcados Export pipeline.

L AUNCH : From left— Mrs. Modupe Lawale, Chief Executive Officer, Emmanuela Travel; Mr. Kamaldeen Shonibare, Head, Corporate Sales; Mr. Prabhat Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Director, both of Globacom; Chief Niyi Akinlolu (SAN); Director of Photography, THISDAY, Mr. Sunmi Smart-Cole; and musician, Lagbaja, at the launch of Glo Prive , a special recognition privileges for niche customers, in Lagos, yesterday.

Why I apologised to Clark —CHIEF ODUARAN

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because they were working with insiders in SPDC, especially Forcados Terminal.”

HOSTCOM called on SPDC to stop the incessant and cheap blackmail being

ATE Mrs Virginia ClineCole, who died September 12, will be buried today at Ebony Atan Cemetery, Yaba, after a funeral service at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Ajao Estate.

Refreshment follows immediately at her residence.

She is survived by Dr. Cline-Cole, widower; aged mother and relations.

Delta State House of Assembly election.

The Chairman of the group, Mr. Pius Ebikabowei, who spoke at a town hall meeting in Warri, said: “A lot still need to be done in the riverine communities in the state, especially Burutu council where infant and maternal mortality is high and the transportation system is poor.”

The group also pass a confidence vote on Mr. Solomon Funkekeme, the Commissioner of Works for his contributions to the wellbeing of Ijaw people in state.

Bomadi PDP boss bags excellence award

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OR his diligent service to the party and humanity, Mr. Pius Labo, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State, has bagged an excellence award.

Labo dedicated the award to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, the state party Chairman and the leadership of PDP in the locality for their support.

He said: “I urge you to continue your stewardship.”

Earlier, PDP ward (2) Kpakiama Chairman, Mr. Willie Ebimowei, who presented the award on behalf of Bomadi PDP ward Chairmen’s Forum, said the award was in recognition of Labo's exemplary leadership qualities.

Rev Asaba retires

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HE Presbytery of Assemblies of God, Apapa District, Lagos, has announced the retirement and send-forth ceremony of Reverend Ozegbe Asaba, Pastor of OlodiApapa branch.

The event, which comes up next Sunday at the church premises, will be graced by the District Superintendent, Kolawole Ogunbola as Chief Host, Deacon Lawrence Maduagwu, among others.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 55

Provide Ebola prevention facilities or we'll go on strike — ANAMBRA TEACHERS

By Enyim Enyim

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NITSHA—NIGERIA Union of Teachers in Anambra State has threatened to go on strike should the state government fail to fully provide facilities to check Ebola virus disease in primary and secondary schools as it earlier promised.

Chairman of the union, Mr. Ifeanyi Ofodile said the teachers in the state were asked to resume in September as directed by the Federal Government following governor Willie Obiano’s promise to provide the basic facilities including boreholes to schools to help check the disease. “ The national leadership of our union met with the federal government, ministers, governors and commissioners following which the federal government declared the country Ebola free and subsequently reopened schools nationwide.

Presently, we are going from school to school to see to what extent the state has gone in the implementation of their promise.

We shall not hesitate to

withdraw teachers from the class room if we find any shortcoming because of the vulnerability of our children.”

However, he said so far, government had provided some

facilities in some schools with a promise to make sure that all the schools were provided for.

He said about 1,400 teachers in primary schools were trained on how to cope with any emergency

case of the disease.

Ofodile called on teachers and parents to assist government in the fight against the deadly disease.

BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT: From left; Community Affairs Officer, Nigeria Bottling Company, NBC, Emeka Mba; Public Affairs Manager, NBC, Ifeoma Okoye; Publisher, GEM Woman Magazine and Convener, Body Soul and Spirit event, Pastor Bola Olawale; Director, Public Affairs and Communication, Coca Cola Nigeria, Clem Ugorji and Pastor Funke Felix Adejumo at the eight edition of the annual Body, Soul and Spirit Event held at The Marquee, Agidingbi, Ikeja Lagos.

No rift between me and Chime — AYOGU EZE

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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B U J A — S E N AT O R Ayogu Eze representing

Enugu North senatorial District who is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday

said there was no rift between him and the state governor, Sullivan Chime.

Governor Chime had in a

APC chieftain lauds Obiano’s security initiatives

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AGOS—IN a rare display of bi-partisan support and endorsement of the security initiatives and inclusive governance style of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, the Interim Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, has said the governor was doing very well.

Igbokwe spoke during the security fund-raising event by the Anambra State government at the Muson Centre, Lagos.

He singled out security which, according to him, is much better that what was happening across some parts of the country and urged him to keep up the great job.

Igbokwe, who hails from Nnewi told Governor Obiano, “I came here today because I identify with good ideas. You have shown great vision. I have heard testimonies and have also seen what you are doing. Ordinarily, we would still challenge your mandate up to ECOWAS Court but I have to advise my people that it is no longer necessary and I can attest that you are doing well and our people support you. You are doing better than most governors across the country and if you continue that way, Anambra would better than Lagos. Well done sir.”

Reacting to Igbokwe’s comments, a community development expert and Human Rights activist, Mr. Nobert Okoye, said “Joe Igbokwe’s candour and objective assessment of Obiano's administration is a welcome development in an era of politics of rancour and winner-takes-all.

It shows that Obiano’s style of inclusive governance is being embraced across all divides, and

it is good for the polity.”

Igbokwe’s eulogy of Obiano’s giant strides in Anambra State was amongst that of many distinguished guests who stayed late into the night to witness the massive support and display of unity of purpose by Ndi Anambra in Lagos, with other friends and well-wishers who thronged the venue of the fundraising to support the initiative.

Aba South monarchs urge Wogu to join guber race such qualities, he would make a

By Anayo Okoli

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M U A H I A — AHEAD OF 2015, 12 traditional rulers from Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State have called on Chief Emeka Wogu, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, to resign his appointment and join the governorship race.

The royal fathers spoke when they visited the Minister in his Aba home and urged him to join the race, saying “ you are eminently qualified”.

Speaking on behalf of the royal fathers, Eze I Nnakwu, extolled the humility and leadership qualities of Wogu, noting that with

good governor.

According to the royal fathers , Wogu has the political experience and cool headedness to take Abia to greater height.

They said that they were further bolstered and buoyed by the decision of the party in the state to zone the office to Abia South zone in 2015, a decision they described as a mark of respect for “equity and justice”.

The traditional rulers also commended him for touching many lives in the state through his Wogu Emeka Educational Foundation, which already boasted of over 75 undergraduate beneficiaries as well as empowerment programme, especially the youths.

meeting at Governor’s Lodge Enugu, last Friday, where Senator Eze was in attendance announced the adoption of a member of the House of Representatives, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the PDP’s consensus candidate for the 2015 election.

But 48 hours after the adoption, Senator Eze rejected the consensus arrangement, which some persons had described as undemocratic and called for a free and fair primaries where the people will decide who should become the party’s governorship standard bearer in 2015.

Senator Eze in a statement yesterday said there was no rift between him and Governor Chime who he described as an old friend with good credentials.

Debunking insinuations that his rejection of an attempt to impose a predetermined candidate on the people of Enugu State might have created a rift between the governor and himself, Eze said he had been very close to Chime for nearly 15 years.

He dismissed claims that the relationship between the two of them would be affected in anyway by this development.

Eze explained that his disagreement with the governor was only on the principle and procedure for choosing the PDP governorship candidate for the forthcoming general elections in the state, and that he still held the governor in very high esteem.

The senator expressed confidence that the governor would realise that those pushing him to take such steps did not mean well for him and the state.

Foreign, local firms coming for 5th Nnewi Int'l trade fair — NCIMMA

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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N E W I — NNEWI Chamber of Comerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NCIMMA, has said it was expecting a massive participation of indigenous and foreign companies in the forthcoming 5th International Auto and General Trade Fair next month.

President of NCIMMA Mr. Humphrey Ngonadi, said in Nnewi yesterday, that the trade fair would feature exhibitions of products such as automobiles, clothes, shoes, household utensils and food items.

He said the chamber would invite some serving ministers as special guests and Governor Willie Obiano, who would be the chief host.

LS Scientific sets to promote products

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S Scientific limited the exclusive representative of VWR/ BDH in West Africa, committed to supporting the advancement of science and technology through research and development in Nigeria has concluded plans to promote the use of quality analytical laboratory chemicals and also enlighten Nigerians and end users on easy ways to identity original BDH products.

In a press release, Ojeikere Ajorbor, Sales & Marketing Manager, said: “The promotion will not only educates end users but also rewards them with huge discounts up to 40% including instant prizes like, Freezers, Refrigerators, Washing Machines, Cookers, and Microwave Oven to show appreciation for their loyalty.”

The BDH chemicals available include, Methanol HPLC, Methanol AnalaR, Ethanol AnalaR 96%, Petroleum Spirit, Acetone AnalaR, Diethyl Ether AnalaR, Ethanol Absolute, frequently used by medical research labs, food and beverage testing labs, oil and gas companies and pharmaceutical industries.

56 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 57

58 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3 14 3,, 20 2014

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014—59

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President Jonathan, Obasanjo, NGE, govs mourn Remi Oyo

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Emmanuel Elebeke, Daud Olatunji, Anayo Okoli, Levinus

Nwabughiogu, Olasunkanmi Akoni

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EMI Oyo was as an exemplary and inspiring trail-blazer – President Jonathan PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, joined other eminent Nigerians in paying tribute to former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Mrs Remi Oyo who died on Wednesday in London, few days to her 62nd birthday anniversary. A statement

by Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati said “on behalf of his family and the Federal Government, President Jonathan extends sincere condolences to her husband, Vincent, her children, Otome and Okiemuote, her surviving siblings and other relatives. The President similarly commiserates with the Nigerian Guild of Editors who Dame Oyo served most admirably as a twoterm President in the course of her trail-blazing journalism career, the management and staff of NAN as well as the many colleagues, friends and protégés she garnered in her very fulfilled life.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his tribute said the demise of Oyo has left a ‘sour taste’ in his mouth and others who knew her. In a letter of condolence dated October 2, signed by the former president, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, the former President commiserated with the widower, Mr. Vincent Oyo and the entire family. Obasanjo said his former Senior Special Assistant on Media, has left an indellible mark in her chosen profession journalism.

Also commiserating with the bereaved family, Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, expressed shock over the death of the veteran journalist, describing her death as a big loss to journalism in particular and the media industry in general.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Olufunmilayo Wakama, the governor described the late Oyo not only as an icon of an ideal journalist but also a trailblazer in the pen profession who was well respected in the media world.

Senate mourns Remi Oyo, says she was an accomplished professional The Senate yesterday mourned the demise of Mrs. Remi Oyo,

describing her death as shocking.

The Senate in a statement in Abuja through its spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, recalled the late Oyo’s contributions to media development, particularly her pivotal role in revolutionizing news gathering through wire services as exemplified in her sterling performance in NAN as its Managing Director. Abaribe said, “Senate is really shocked, knowing that her loss is another blow to the media industry in Nigeria coming in quick succession to other high profile deaths of notable media professionals in recent time.”

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Senator David Mark has described Mrs. Oyo as an accomplished professional and a successful administrator that made her marks in the journalism profession. Senator Mark in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh said, “As an editor, she was a pathfinder. As the president of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, she provided exemplary leadership that took the Guild to a higher level. She was a great asset to the Nigerian media and a worthy daughter of the nation. We shall miss her robust and intellectual contributions to national development.”

NPAN mourns The Newspapers Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, NPAN, said, yesterday, it received the news of the death of Mrs. Oluremi Oyo with great shock.

NPAN said in a statement by its general secretary, Comfort Obi, that Mrs. Oyo’s passage came at a time the nation was trying to come to terms with grisly exit of another very active member of the Guild, and vice chairman of Sun newspapers, Mr. Dimgba Igwe.

NGE mourns Oluremi Oyo The Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, joined others in mourning the passage of the former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria, NAN. Mrs Oyo, a Fellow of the NGE and its first female president, died on Wednesday in London, few days to her 62nd birthday anniversary, which would have come on October12. Prior to her two-term tenure as the managing director of NAN, she served as the senior special assistant, media and publicity, to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

NGE said in a statement by its secretary general, Isaac ighure,

Theresa Obi Nche for burial

M

•Late Mrs. Theresa Obi Nche

RS Theresa Obinchi is dead, aged 49. The late Mrs. Obinchi who died September 20, 2014, will be buried in Odajie Mbube, Ogoja, Cross River State on Saturday, October 4, 2014. A statement by the family said there will be a sing song night at her 17b Ibadan Street, Igoli, Ogoja on Friday. The late Mrs. Obinchi is survived by a husband and three children.

Mrs. Oluremi Oyo that Oyo will long be remembered by the guild for her exemplary leadership qualities, which brought the Guild out of a near comatose state, with about 200 members, and transformed it into a vibrant association of senior editors with more than 400 members. Her tenure as the NGE president marked a new beginning for the Guild and laid a solid foundation for its transformation into a force to be reckoned with in the country.

Maku mourns, describes death as huge loss to media industry Information Minister Mr. Labaran Maku said he received the news of the demise of the erstwhile Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria with shock and sadness. Mr. Maku described her death as a huge loss to her family, the media industry in Nigeria, the womenfolk and the nation in general, adding that the late Mrs. Remi Oyo died at a time when the nation and the media industry in Nigeria needed her wise counsel and vast experience Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State expressed shock over the death of Mrs. Remi Oyo. A statement by his chief press secretary, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, described Oyo’s death as a big loss to the country.

Remi was a role model to professional women — Atiku Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said that the death of former Presidential Spokesperson, Mrs. Remi Oyo, was not only a loss to Nigerian journalism, but also to Nigerian women at large.

Atiku, who disclosed this in a condolence message said Mrs. Oyo distinguished herself in her own profession as an excellent and hardworking Journalist, rising to the position of President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors.

Oyo’s death a great loss, says Fayemi Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, described the death of former presidential spokesperson, Mrs. Oluremi Oyo, as a great loss to the state

and Nigeria as a whole. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, the governor said Mrs. Oyo’s death is a bitter pill to swallow at this critical period in the history of the state and the country.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State who said the death was shocking and disheartening, noted,“Mrs. Oyo was a leading light in the journalism profession in Nigeria.''

Oshiomhole mourns Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has commiserated with the president, Nigerian Guild of Editors over the death of a former president of the Guild, Mrs Remi Oyo in a London hospital. In a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Peter Okhiria, Comrade Oshiomhole said: “Mrs Oyo’s death is a sad loss not only to her family, the Guild of Editors, the media industry but to the entire nation which she served with vigour and forthrightness.''

Remi Oyo, a worthy role model in Journalism—Fashola Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State described late Oluremi Oyo as a forthright journalist who practiced journalism driven by values and comported herself as a worthy role model in the profession throughout her life time.

Fashola who expressed shock and sadness over the sudden death said in a condolence statement that she would be sorely missed by all.

Family announces death The Oyo family has announced the death of Dame Felicia Oluwaremilekun Oyo, in London. In a statement, issued on Thursday, her husband, Mr Vincent Oyo, said she died peacefully on Wednesday, in London, where she was recuperating after receiving treatment from an ailment. Born on October 12, 1952, Oyo, a seasoned journalist, served as senior special assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2003 to 2007.

60 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Blatter backs new NFF president, Pinnick F

IFA president Sepp Blatter has endorsed Amaju Pinnick as Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president.

Pinnick, 43, who is Delta State Sports Commission chairman and Delta FA boss, was elected on Tuesday.

Blatter said in a letter to Pinnick: “I wish you good luck, strength and every success for your new role and look forward to meeting you soon.”

His comments allay fears that Nigeria were heading for a ban as a result of Fifa not ratifying the election.

Football’s world governing body briefly suspended Nigeria in July when then-NFF president Aminu Maigari was removed from office.

The suspension was lifted when Maigari returned but after a controversial NFF election , which resulted in a split and Chris Giwa declaring himself the new president, Fifa threatened to impose a long global ban if there were further complications in holding recognised elections.

There had been reports that Tuesday’s polls went ahead despite a court injunction purportedly granted to a group led by Giwa, barring it from taking place.

Ikpeba Continues from BP Football Federation.

Ikpeba was happy with the decision of the delegates to vote a young man who loves challenges, a young man who could bring corporate organisations to support football, a man whose passion for football knows no bounds. But above everything, Ikpeba looked beyond the elections and raised alarm that coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was stifling the Super Eagles. ‘’For how long will Keshi build the Eagles?’’, he asked and waited for no answer. ‘’He has been building this team since 2012 and still wants to continue building in 2014. No. What type of builder is he? His success in South

Africa where he won the Nations Cup was a collective effort’’.

He has placed us on the hard corner of qualification for the Nations Cup in Morocco.

While Nigerians are gritting about their chances, he has invited rookies for the must win matches against Sudan. Keshi needs to ask himself questions. He should be a critic unto himself. He is either blaming the players or attacking even ex-internationals who criticize him. He has invited rookies to the national team. He is busy excluding the best players because of his personal interest. My brother, Keshi has lost it’’, Ikpeba said. For more on the explosive interview with the Prince of Monaco, stay with Vanguard.

2012 Afcon co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The former Nantes striker has now declared that the reigning African champions will fail to qualify for the 2015 edition of the competition in Morocco if they fail to beat Sudan in Khartoum on October 11.

“If we lose to Sudan in our next game, we are out. There is no way we will qualify after that,” he said.

toe with Sudan in their next two internationals home and away- and Sisaia reckons that dropped points in even one of the fixtures would harm Nigeria’s chances of reaching the 2015 Afcon finals in Morocco.

“Coach Stephen Keshi just has to ensure he wins the next two matches against Sudan to keep us alive,” he said.

Nigeria won the 2013 Afcon title in South Africa.

Northern FA chairmen Continues from BP on returning from Warri, Delta State where a majority of the NFF congress voted for Pinnick met at the Parkview Hotel in Abuja to review the entire exercise.

It was gathered that the group after evaluating the election felt shortchanged because the North did not get both the position of the president and the first vice which went to Barr.

Seyi Akinwumi from the South West zone.

The chairmen of 17 states and Abuja that allegedly attended the meeting were said to have agreed to meet again today in Abuja to decide on the next line

EWLY elected President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick has revealed that he will make serious efforts in reconciling with factional NFF President, Chris Giwa in an effort to reunite the stakeholders in the football family.

Pinnick says in a bid to have one united football house, it is imperative that he and his board reach out to all aggrieved parties in the process of electing a successor to Aminu Maigari as the NFF President.

“I will reach out to all the people that contested against me; Abba Yola, Amanze Uchegbulam, Taiwo Ogunjobi, Dominic Iorfa, Mike Umeh. I will reach out to all of them and extend a hand of friendship because we need to bring everybody back together,” he said.

“I will personally travel to Jos and sit with Chris Giwa and try to make peace. We need to move our football forward and we need to have a united house.”

Continues from BP

Sudan match: It’s do or die for Eagles — Siasia Nigeria will go toe to ORMER Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia believes the Super Eagles will fail to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) if they don’t beat Sudan in their third qualifying game.

Siasia, who managed the Super Eagles between 2010 and 2011, was sacked after failing to lead the side to the

N

Uche

•Super Eagles players in action.

F

Pinnick: I’ll go to Jos to meet Giwa

of action.

According to our source, some of the chairmen were even canvassing the idea of joining forces with the Chris Giwa group should the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State which will sit on October 8 nullify the Warri election.

However, the chairman of Sokoto FA who also lost the vice presidential election, Suleiman Muazu was said to have told the chairmen that they should only blame themselves because they decided to vote against the Northern candidates that contested for the two top positions in the NFF. Only Kogi and Kwara States were absent from the meeting.

La Coruna were demoted as a result.

Atletico Madrid captain Gabi, who scored Zaragoza’s two goals on that fateful day, confessed to a judge Thursday he was aware the match was fixed.

“I just did what the club asked me to do,” the 2 9 - y e a r - o l d midfielder simply said in court, according to El Mundo.

It is suspected that Levante players were paid to lose the match.

And the spotlight of this trial has fallen on Agapito Iglesias, the then owner of Zaragoza, Leonardo Ponzio, Leo Franco and Uche, according to El Mundo.

The prosecutor wants to question at least 20 players in this match-fixing trial.

Keshi Continues from BP Aminu Maigari have been returned, including Chris Green, who was technical committee chairman, and that can only mean bad news for Keshi,” a top source informed.

“But most importantly even the newly elected executives, the very top officials, do not support Keshi continuing as coach.”

It is believed that Keshi will only be left in charge of the team for the matches against Sudan home and away and thereafter a decision will be taken especially if by then Nigeria have mathematically lost out on qualifying for the Nations Cup in Morocco.

Keshi has become increasingly nervous since after the NFF elections in Warri on Tuesday because he is

seriously in danger of losing the plum job now, our source said.

Recently some of his highly-placed backers had put pressure on the NFF secretariat to give the coach a contract, but that could not come through because only the executive committee has the power to appoint a coach.

Keshi’s problems have been further compounded by the renewed interest of former Eagles coach Samson Siasia in the job.

Siasia has publicly said he will be interested in returning to his former post if he is offered the chance again after he was fired three years ago when Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2012 AFCON. “Keshi took the job from me and if I’m given the job again, I will take it,” he said in a radio interview.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 61

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPLASH

Welbeck hat trick powers Arsenal rout D

ANNY Welbeck scored his first career hat trick as Arsenal overpowered Galatasaray 4-1 in the Champions League last Wednesday and survived with 10 men for the last half-hour after goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off.

Welbeck, who was allowed to leave Manchester United last month after his striking qualities were questioned by manager Louis Van Gaal, demonstrated just how he can thrive as a center forward.

As Arsene Wenger celebrated his 18th anniversary at Arsenal, Welbeck thanked the manager for showing a “lot of faith in me.”

“I am delighted to repay him tonight,” Welbeck said. “He has allowed me to play up front in my preferred position.”

Against a weak defense, Welbeck sidefooted in the opener in the 22nd minute, swept in a second on the halfhour and, after Alexis Sanchez also netted, completed his hat trick at the start of the second half.

“Technically he is very sound - that was a surprise,” Wenger said of Welbeck. “I didn’t know he was so quick, honestly, but he can be electric ... and it’s good to see that slowly he gains in confidence and finishes well.”

Ramos targets regular starts

B

GOAL MERCHANT . . . Arsenal’s striker Danny Welbeck (R) puts the ball behind Galatasaray’s goalkeeper Fernando Muslera (L) during their UEFA Champions League, Group D match at The Emirates Stadium in north London. Arsenal won the game 4-1. Photo: AFP

Ancelotti: We were worthy winners

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CELEBRATION . . . Real Madrid’s forward Karim Benzema (C) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against Ludogorets Razgrad. Photo: AFP

EAD coach Carlo Ancelotti believes Real Madrid deserved their Champions League victory at Ludogorets despite enduring a rude awakening in Bulgaria.

The European champions were left shell-shocked in Razgrad as Marcelinho fired a seventh-minute opener, but Cristiano Ronaldo - having missed a 10th-minute penalty soon responded to level from his second spot-kick of the evening.

Real struggled to grab a second goal - Javier Hernandez missed an open net - with Karim Benzema waiting until the 77th minute to fire

the winner.

The 2-1 triumph sent the Spanish club three points clear of Basle and Ludogorets at the top of Group B. A relieved Ancelotti

Ronaldo, Benzema highest scoring partners in C/L history

S

INCE joining Real Madrid, they have scored 80 goals in the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema found the back of the net against Ludogorets and between them they have racked up 80 goals for Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Since joining the team in the 2009/10 season,

Leverkusen rediscover swagger in Benfica win

I

T’S no exaggeration to say Bayer 04 Leverkusen went to town on S.L. Benfica in the UEFA Champions League last Wednesday night.

Die Werkself played some electric stuff following their opening Group C defeat to Ligue 1 outfit AS Monaco FC a fortnight ago, with the final 3-1 scoreline telling only a fraction of the tale at the BayArena on Matchday 2.

“It was great fun,” enthused Leverkusen playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu. “Benfica have got some great individuals, but we played brilliantly as a team right from the start.

We don’t underestimate anyone. We

were strong defensively and attacked really well. We were the stronger side. They had no chance.

I think we deserved to win.”

The former Hamburger SV man isn’t overselling his side’s efforts either. On top of first-half goals from Stefan Kießling and HeungMin Son, countless other chances sandwiched Salvio’s strike for the visitors, which came against the run of play, before Calhanoglu stepped up from the penalty spot to rubber-stamp a decidedly onesided display of attacking football at its near-finest.

told Real’s official website: “In general I’m very happy because we deserved to win, since we had a lot of chances to score. It was a good match.

•Leverkusen celebrating

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the top scorer in the competition with 54 goals, while Benzema has accompanied the Portuguese man with 26 goals of his own.

Since the Champions League was created in 1992, no strikingpartnership has managed to score as many goals as these two Madrid players.

Behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema is the Barcelona strikingpartnership of Messi and Pedro, who have accumulated 75 goals together.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema have hit the mark in the same European game 11 times.

The first time this occurred was in November 2011, during a 0-4 routing of Ajax. The two Real Madrid players have both scored against the Dutch outfit in the same match on three separate occasions.

O R U S S I A Dortmund striker Adrian Ramos is hoping his first UEFA Champions League goals will help earn him a regular first-team berth.

The Colombian signed from Hertha Berlin during the closeseason - came off the bench to score twice as Dortmund won 3-0 at Anderlecht in Group D on Wednesday.

Despite featuring in five of Dortmund’s six Bundesliga fixtures so far this season, Ramos is far from a guaranteed starter having come off the bench in two of those matches.

But the 28-year-old declared his delight at getting off the mark in the Champions League.

“Obviously I’m over the moon,” he told the Bundesliga’s official website. “For one thing because of the win and for another because of my two goals. I hope it continues like this for us and for me.

• Ramos

62 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 — 63

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014

Keshi may not get new contract •Siasia ready to take over

I

T is increasingly getting tough for out of contract Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi as he is not likely to be given a new contract by

the newly elected NFF executive committee.

A majority of the new NFF leadership does not believe in the coach and even though he will

Keshi is ‘killing’ Super Eagles — Ikpeba

BY TONY UBANI

E

X- i n t e r n a t i o n a l , Victor Ikpeba was among the galaxy of stars who witnessed Delta FA Chairman Melvin Amaju Pinnick enthroned as the President of the Nigeria Continues on Page 60

supervise the two AFCON qualifiers against Sudan later this month, he will not be offered a new deal.

“Most members of the old board under

Continues on Page 60

•Siasia

Ike Uche in match-fixing scandal

N

IGERIA striker Ike Uche has been fingered in a matchfixing scandal, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

Uche’s club then Real

Zaragoza beat Levante 21 on the final day of the 2010/11 season to avoid relegation, while Levante and Deportivo

Continues on Page 60

Northern FA chairmen plot against

BY JUDE OPARA, strong indications that Pinnick Abuja FA chairmen from the

J

UST one day after electing the Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Amaju Pinnick as the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), there are very

•Keshi •Pinnick

Northern part of the country have started plotting against the new president.

Sports Vanguard gathered from an inside source that the chairmen

Continues on Page 60

•Uche

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Poke (4) 4 Mat (3) 6 Stuff (4) 9 Record (3) 10 Sixfold (8) 11 Revise (4) 14 Friend (3) 16 Command (5) 19 Strived (8) 21 Spree (5) 23 Beaten (8) 24 Roost (5) 27 Colour (3) 31 Silent (4) 33 Impertinence (8) 34 Rabbit (3) 35 Retain (4) 36 Counter (3) 37 Soil (4)

DOWN 2 Smell (4) 3 Obligation (4) 4 Reiterated (8) 5 Increased (4) 6 Transparent (5) 7 Wand (3) 8 Nimble (5) 12 Fragment (5) 13 Daub (5) 14 Through (3) 15 Prise (5) 17 Demise (5) 18 Noisy (5) 20 Guard (8) 22 Guided (3) 25 Ooze (5) 26 Crawl (5) 28 Meat (4) 29 Tart (4) 30 Agitate (4) 32 Foot-digit (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Scare 8, Launched 9, Loom 10, Ass 12, Gross 15, Sag 17, Tea 18, Eel 19, Spa 20, Pagan 21, Eke 22, Tee 23, Sip 24, Tie 26, Dunce 29, Tan 33, Pair 34, Tactless 35, Fetter 38, Emblem.

DOWN: 2, Class 3, Ring 4, Ether 5, Hades 6, Bold 7, Aroma 10, Asset 11, State 12, Gaped 13, Organ 14, Sense 15, Slept 16, Green 25, Irate 27, Utter 28, Cache 30, Aisle 31, Grit 32, Club.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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