CRACK IN APC WIDENS: Buhari, Tinubu disagree on way forward

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CRACK IN APC WIDENS

Buhari, Tinubu disagree on way forward •Party insists on supremacy; seeks definition of leadership

By Jide Ajani

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UNDAY Vanguard was reliably informed by Presidency sources, yesterday, that part of the reasons for the seeming prolonged process of resolving the crisis in the All Progressives Congress, APC, may be the slightly differing positions of President Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, regarded as a leader and financier of the party.

Specifically, the sources disclosed that the Friday NEC meeting of the party “brought to the open the seeming centrifugal positions of Mr. President and Asiwaju.”

One of the sources added: “At the meeting between the governors and the warring parties that followed the APC NEC parley, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, was mandated to chair a committee of three that would come up with possible resolutions to the crisis.

BUHARI’S POSITION “It was an open discussion at the NEC meeting that whereas Mr. President has consistently expressed his dissatisfaction at the truncation of the party’s procedure for the emergence of the leaders of the National Assembly, the position he has since taken has been one of reconciliation and not outright antagonism to the leadership of the National Assembly.”

Sunday Vanguard was told that Tinubu’s position, which had been misconstrued in many quarters as antagonistic, was merely a reflection of the need to enforce party supremacy at all times.

One of the arrowheads of the Tinubu group told Sunday Vanguard: “Asiwaju is not being rigid.

He just believes it is not

proper to kick off a government on a note of disobedience to party position by members of the National Assembly.

It sends a wrong signal”.

WHAT TINUBU WANTED Investigations into how the Friday meeting of the APC NEC went the way it did suggest that whereas Tinubu gave some conditions, those opposed to him ensured that his position did not hold.

For instance, it was gathered that one of the conditions put forward by the former governor of Lagos State was that both Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara “should not be invited to the meeting”.

A top APC member privy to the happenings in the ruling party told Sunday Vanguard: “”The second condition he put forward was that in the event that the two leaders of the National Assembly were invited, they should be made to commit to an apology letter to the party.”

That way, it was learnt, it would be on record that both men went against the grain of their political party.

“Unfortunately”, the top party leader said, “none of these could be achieved.

“And you should understand.

This is a time when members of the party should engage a cohesive mode rather than one that would alienate more members. It is bad enough that we already have a crisis on our hands.

To further entrench positions would not be in the interest of the party.”

BUHARI LOYALISTS TAG WITH ATIKU Sunday Vanguard was to further learn that already, “there is a groundswell of coalition between some party

SOLUTION

faithful loyal to President Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar”.

The source went on: “Mind you”, it is not for the love of Atiku. But it is gradually becoming imperative that whoever within the party that would attempt to ringfence the President with people that would become malleable should be checked”.

Indeed, it was discovered that when APC’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, held talks with the President, last week, the fears of the former were assuaged by the latter on the insinuation that he (Oyegun) could lose his position following his acceptance of the emergence of Saraki and Dogara as Senate President and House Speaker.

“In fact, Mr. President told our party Chairman not to lose sleep; that the rumours about his possible removal from office can never happen”.

Sunday Vanguard was told that that was why the party reposed a vote of confidence in its Chairman at the Friday NEC meeting..

ISSUE OF PARTY SUPREMACY However, one very thorny issue within the embattled APC remains the definition of the leadership as occasioned by the new mantra of supremacy.

It would be recalled that, penultimate week, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, issued a statement stating that Tinubu was the National Leader of the party; the ink on the paper which carried the statement had not dried before the Presidency issued a counter statement insisting that Buhari remains the leader of the party, without prejudice to whatever contributions made by those who were the founding leaders.

Privately, some of the leaders of the party, who are obviously not on the same page with Tinubu, like Saraki; former Governors Danjuma Goje,Sani Yerima, Kabiru Gaya; and former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh; as well as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, are said not to be comfortable with the connotation that presently exists on the term, PARTY SUPREMACY. Sunday Vanguard was told by a Tinubu loyalist – and correctly so – that the issue of party supremacy, as espoused by the former

•Arik Air Chairman, Sir JIA Arumemi-Ikhide welcoming Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to the burial of his mother-in-law, late Madam Margaret Odion Otoide in Uromi yesterday.

Lagos governor and Buhari, is good for the growth of the APC. Verily, in the event that the APC takes a “position, that position should be binding on all”, the Tinubu loyalist insisted.

However, other leaders of the APC are insisting on the need for the party hierarchy to define the concept of party supremacy.

At the Friday APC NEC meeting, the issue could not be discussed because of what a source described as “some sensibilities that were not to be ruffled”.

The growing consensus

among party leaders across the three divides – Buhari, Tinubu and Atiku – is the need for the party to quickly determine “who and what constitute party supremacy which would be codified” BOT CHAIRMANSHIP: THE FIRE NEXT TIME The ruling party may be heading for another round of crisis in the contest for who becomes its Board of Trustees, BoT, Chairman.

Whereas it was a known “fact that Tinubu, while lobbying Atiku to support Senator Ahmed Lawan for the Senate presidency,

Buhari removes CSO

By Ben Agande, Abuja

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HE Chief Security Officer to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abdulrahman Mani, has been relieved of his appointment, a month after he was appointed.

His sack may not be unconnected with the battle between the Directorate of State

Security, DSS, and the Nigerian Army over which agency should provide close body protection for the president, a role that has traditionally been carried out by the DSS. He has been replaced by an officer of the DSS. Since Buhari moved into the Presidential Villa, there has been a battle between the DSS and the Army over who should

with a possible pledge to assist Atiku clinch the BoT slot, some loyalists of Tinubu are now proposing that he should become the BoT Chairman”, a party source told Sunday Vanguard, “but that may be a far shot because Oyegun is from the South and appointing another person from the South to be BoT Chair, would not be fair. In fact, that was why Oyegun’s job was in jeopardy because it was part of a grand agenda”.

But this argument may not hold water because Buhari is from the North just as Atiku is also from the North. provide close body protection for the president.

The crisis came to a head when the ADC, an army lieutenant, ordered DSS operatives out of the Villa and replaced them with soldiers.

A source at the Villa familiar with the matter told Sunday Vanguard that the new CSO is a more senior officer than the officer who was removed.

Halliburton bribery scandal: Whereabouts of N5.2b plea bargain money unknown

By Kingsley Omonobi

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OLLOWING the move by the Buhari administration to investigate the $182 million Halliburton bribery scandal, it has been discovered that the $26.5 million (about N5.2 billion) plea bargain money received from the multinational oil servicing company was not paid into any of the Federal Government accounts.

A reliable security source, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the money paid by the oil servicing giant, in a bid to evade prosecution, may have been shared by three prominent Nigerians (names with-held).

The source said that consequent upon the sharing, the Federal Ministry of Justice organized what was described as kangaroo prosecution of a former Special Assistant to an erstwhile President before a law court but was

discharged and acquitted.

The prominent Nigerians said to be involved include a former anti-corruption chief and a former minister.

“The ploy was to use the former Special Assistant as scape goat with a view to causing diversion and allowing the big culprits to escape justice”, he stated.

Following the financial crunch facing the Buhari administration, US government officials were said to have recently informed the Nigerian government that over $142 million of the bribery scandal was still in their hands and some European nations but that the money would only be returned if all those involved in the scandal were prosecuted.

They reportedly based their argument on the fact that all those from the American side involved in the Halliburton bribery scam had been prosecuted and money recovered from them. The source disclosed that the search for the $26.5 million plea bargain money

started when the team to reinvestigate the case started dusting up the files and assembling the facts.

The plea bargain was facilitated by the former (CEO) of Halliburton, Mr. Mark Fish.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that those involved in the plea bargain scandal are running from pillar to post to see how the money could be returned or try to suppress information about the money.

Mr. Jeffery Tessler, the UK based lawyer who handled the distribution of the bribe money to the persons indicted through Swiss accounts, was among those convicted in the US and sentenced to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to corruption charges in 2012.

The scandal blew open following a bid by Halliburton to win a $6billion contract for the engineering design and construction of the Bonny Island Liquefied Natural Gas project. The project had since been completed.

PAGE 6 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015

Edo tutors fault YES abrogation

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COMMISSIONING: Mr Moses Ekpo, Deputy Governor, Akwa Ibom State, cuts the tape to commission University of Uyo Teaching Hospital hostel, project, built by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. He is assisted by Sir Bassey Dan-Abia, MD/CEO NDDC, (left), Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, Chairman, NDDC (2nd right) and Prof. Comfort M. Ekpo, Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo.

HE Edo State Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) has faulted the abrogation of the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) in the state.

The union, however, commended Governor Adams Oshiomhole for “surpassing the billing of critics and admirers in governance” as well as prompt payment of tutors’ salaries.

In a communique issued at the end of an emergency Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the ASUSS observed that the YES

teachers who before now served in some junior and some secondary schools in the state constituted an apt interventionist palliative to the obvious dearth of teachers in the school system.

It explained that whereas their injection into the school system still left a great need for more teachers to be employed and fill the existing vacancies, the exit of the YES teachers from schools following scrapping of the scheme is a deadly blow to the already near unmanageable teaching situations in secondary

Maiduguri attacks: Troops recover Jeep G loaded with bombs •6 Suicide bombers killed; soldier too

By Kingsley Omonobi, Abuja

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OLLOWING sep arate deadly at tacks by the murderous Boko Haram terrorist group in Borno State that has left no fewer than 200 persons killed in the last 10 days, the Nigerian military said yesterday that it recovered a fourwheel vehicle loaded with bombs meant for further attacks.

According to Defence headquarters, “A jeep full of Improvised Explosives Devises, IEDs, was among the weapons recovered by troops conducting Cordon and Search Operations after suicide bombing attacks on Zabamari Muna, near Maiduguri.

The statement signed by

Major General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information, added: “The jeep along with 2 hilux vehicles being used by terrorists were destroyed in the course of pursuit and encounter with a group of terrorists trying to escape after simulta-

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says all pending cases of political assassinations and kidnappings in the country will be thoroughly investigated.

He also assured that the fundamental human rights of all Nigerians will be protected.

To realize these, Buhari said the social justice system must be made to function effectively, stressing that the judiciary must be ready to operate in such a way that impunity, political intimidation

Continuing, he said, “Military Explosives Ordinance experts backed by Police Bomb Disposal Units are continuing with vigorous search for any bombs that might have been hidden or left unexploded in the area”.

NCDSC arrests seven suspected crude police launch safer oil thieves in Delta •as Highway Squad

By Festus Ahon, ASABA

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EN of the Nigerian Civil Defence and Security Corps, NCDSC, in Delta State, yesterday arrested seven suspected oil pipeline vandals while smuggling 66,000 litres of illegal crude oil to neighbouring Anambra State.

The suspects, who were arrested along Kwale-Nssukwa road by the Anti-Vandal

We will investigate political assassinations, kidnappings, says Buhari

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

neous attacks on targets in the communities on Thursday and Friday.

“A total of 6 suicide bombers had detonated themselves around the garage killing scores of people while some people were also wounded. A soldier also died”.

and injustice must be arrested.

The president spoke during a parley with the state Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Presidential Villa.

He stated that he remained fully committed to providing a levelplaying field for all Nigerians to get on with their daily lives or participate in electing their leaders, without fear of intimidation.

Buahri’s reactions followed some complaints of harassment and intimidation by some of APC Chairmen in the states not controlled by the party.

Squad of the Corps, are Muhammadu Abdulkareem, Ifeanyi Agbo, Augustine Asemota, Endurance Mordi, Ajulo Sunday, Ifeanyi Illoh and Chiemer Ikechukwu. The State Commander of the NCDSC, Mrs Beatrice Irabor, who paraded the suspects in Asaba, the state capital, told newsmen that the suspects were apprehended while transporting the product in trucks with registration numbers, Delta LEH 206 XA, Delta 325 SKL and Edo Auc 62 XA. Irabor said one of the trucks, driven by Muhammadu Abdulkareem and assisted by Ifeanyi Agbo, contained 33,000 litres of stolen crude oil.

She said, “The other container trucks had 33,000 liters.

They were arrested early this morning (yesterday)at about 3am by our Anti-Vandals Squad while conveying the il-

legal product to Onitsha in Anambra state.”

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Usman Baba, has launched Safer Highways Patrol Teams as part of the command’s effort to strengthen security on the highways.

The launching came on the hills of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that military check points be withdrawn nationwide. While dismissing the speculation that the withdrawal of military check points would lead to increase of crime, Baba said:”the Command wishes to use this medium to inform the general public and road users that although the ban on road blocks on the highway is still in force, patrol men could occasionally embark on stop and search as part of crime preventive/detective mechanisms.”

O V E R N O R O l u s e g u n Mimiko has lauded what he described as the “uncommon synergy ” between Christians and Muslims in Ondo State, even as he applauded the decision of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrimage Commission (NCPC) to commence its annual pre- pilgrimage sensitization tour from the state.

The annual national pre -holy pilgrimage sensitization exercise by the NCPC kicked off in Akure, the state capital, yesterday, with Mimiko pledging his government’s commitment to the provision of the enabling

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former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant and educationist, Mr. Kenneth Imasuagbon, yesterday, formalised his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his ward in Ewohimi, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Imasuagbon, a founding

member and a major financier of the then AC , which is today APC, joined the Edo PDP where he ran for the governorship primary in 2012, but dumped the party earlier this year to rejoin the APC. The politician, popularly known as Rice Man, due to his annual rice sharing ritual to the poor in the state, was received formally into the APC by the leader of the party in the area and brother to the

Mimiko lauds Ondo ChristianMuslim relationship environment for peace and development in the state.

He made the pledge while addressing the NCPC team, led by the Executive Secretary, Rev. John Kennedy Opara, during a courtesy call on him.

The governor thanked Opara for kick-starting the exercise in Ondo and stressed the importance of fervent prayers for the nation at this crucial moment.

Murder: Delta police boss quizzes soldiers

By Emma Amaize, Asaba

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ELTA State Police Commissioner, Mr. Usman Baba Alkali, yesterday, quizzed the soldiers of 19 Battalion, Koko in Warri North Local Government Area, allegedly involved in the June 23 killing of the Chairman of the Oghara Vigilante Group, in Ethiope West Local Government Area.

Members of the slain Chairman’s family, including his wife, Mrs. Endurance Ogedegbe, were also interrogated by the police chief.

Speaking in a telephone interview, the commissioner said: “I invited them to hear from the suspects, the Commanding Officer, the family of the deceased,

Edo ‘Rice Man’, Imasuagbon, defects to APC

By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin-City

schools.

“What is more, the withdrawal of these teachers at the middle of the term, such as we are now may possibly destabilise the school curricular and this is not in the best interest of the students”, the union added.

“As a result of the foregoing, ASUSS wish to passionately appeal to the Comrade Governor to further demonstrate his love for students in particular and education industry in general by exempting YES teachers from the scrap order.”

late First Lady of Edo State, Mr Victor Eboigbe, and the Chairman of the APC in the council, Chris Aghughu.

Speaking at the occasion, Eboigbe, who noted that Imasuagbon had since joined the party but that the occasion was just to celebrate him, expressed joy that his coming will add value to the APC in Edo Central and the state as a whole.

Shortly after receiving

including the wife and other people.

“Nobody was detained; investigation is on; it is when it is over that we will be able to say these are our findings.”

A source close to the Ogedegbe family also confirmed the interrogation to Sunday Vanguard saying: “It is true we went there. The police invited both sides.

The Commissioner of Police heard from us before he directed the Officer in Charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, to take over.

“I can say that the police are now involved in the investigation of the matter unlike before, but so far, none of the soldiers was detained”. him in his ward, the party leaders proceeded to the council headquarters Ubiaja, where Imasuagbon was welcomed by about eight members of the state House of Assembly including the Speaker, Victor Edoror.

Imasuagbon expressed gratitude to elders and people of Ewohimi for the warm reception they gave to him and appealed to the people of Esan to continue to support the administration of Governor Oshiomhole.

SUNDAY VANGUARD,JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 7

TOUCH-AND-FOLLOW DEMOCRACY or years, pro-democracy contact, following the terms like, “ancient kingdom activists sold the idea, creation of modern Nigeria, of so and so” to themselves.

F indeed fought on the idea, that with Igbo neighbours who There is no “ancient the democratic alternative was the only means by which a free people must organize and govern themselves.

Freedom ultimately comes when we have a voice in the affairs of our community, and in the larger space of the nation through effective representation: the kind of representation in the Assembly of the people gathered to determine the ways and means of our national governance.

Democracy is a beautiful idea. As an Igbo, born into a very democratic culture, in which individual freedom, and the notions of equality of the individual irrespective of status or wealth was consciously imprinted in our collective Igbo psyche, I value democracy and the republican spirit. I understand democratic culture. But it does seem that even the Igbo as a democratic, republican society, has been profoundly changed by two factors: (a) the years of institutional tyranny, starting with colonialism and followed by years of military rule, which subdued individual liberty and created absolute hierarchical authority of which the Igbo have become uneasily, but gradually acclimated; and (b) the impact of the cultural

had developed along a different authority system and pathway, namely feudalism and monarchies; in which individual freedom is limited; access to status overdetermined, and defined by a well-established “ ruling class,” as is often the case among the Hausa/Fulani; the Yoruba, the Edo, and such other key Igbo neighbours.

The “new Igbo” has had to adapt to a “national model” of governance that has hybridized feudalism, monarchism, and a form of pseudo-democracy. In this model, people, the true foundational factors of any democracy, are both visible and invisible; absent and unimportant to any truly “democratic” outcomes in Nigeria.

Today, for instance, in a culture that once ritually sealed the possibility of the monarchy, contemporary Igbo land has more “monarchs” – Ndi Eze – than any other place in the world.

Every town has one. Once settled town federations, created in the past under the democratic rule as ancient mutual aid societies have broken apart, and collapsed; their security pacts violated; some even now ascribe ridiculous and laughable

kingdom” in Igbo land, and there are only “ancient republics,” many older than Athens, but many now under the ignorant spell of a new monarchism, are abjuring themselves and the most ancient order of public governance among the Igbo, one of the world’s oldest republics, preserved by a very ancient law, based on the “Iwu-Ala” – the law of the earth.

The ancient Igbo legal code based on the “Iwu-Ala” in which “Ala” or “Ani” or “Ali” (often symbolized as the powerful female archetype, the earth goddess), grants every person, man or woman, born free to a land, the equal rights of citizenship, and the equal rights to life. The free male citizen, irrespective of age or social status is called the “Di-Ala” (lord of the land), and female citizen, “Nwa Okpu-Ala” or Nwa Okpu” – Daughter and trustee of the land. That law grants the transient stranger, the rights of the highest protection of the land. The laws determine that all men are the sovereigns – or lords of wherever they stand; and each man is entitled to that dignity. When you enter a man’s “obu” you bow to him; if he enters your obu, he bows to you. The Igbo

built and organized around a vast network or federation of small, organic communities because ancient Igbo law, based on the “Iwu-Ala” forbade conquest of land, and permanent violation of human boundaries. There are no kings because the Igbo law forbade the building of empires. The imperium would violate the Igbo law against the conquest of land, and its ideas of the impermanence of things which reflected its law of dynamics as permanent change and permanent regeneration, encoded in very symbolic ways in the “Mbari” museum culture. Permanence

The people are too alienated to act in their own interests: that is why there is yet to happen, a grassroots recall movement to put those we elected to the National Assembly on notice in the Igbo mind was a form of idolatry. Kings create permanent lines and are divine. The only king of the Igbo is the divine order often represented in the collective gathering of the Igbo. The Igbo thus say, “Nani Chukwu Wu Eze Ndi Igbo” – only God is the King of the Igbo, or “Oha Wu Eze” – simply put, the sovereign is established among the Igbo always only at the gathering of the people.

Traditionally, there was no “chairman” or “king” in any Igbo gathering; only a council of the eldest agnatic order of

the land, often referred to as “Ndi Iche” – the oldest surviving patriarchs of the lineages – who have become, “half man, half spirit” because they occupy that twilight moment in their age, before translation into immortality.

Such men are trustees of the “Ofo Ndi Iche” – or the authority of the fathers – of their various lines. They are often supported by “Ndi Di Opara/Di Okpala/ or Di Okpa” – the first born sons of every household, and “Ndi Nze/Eze,” the titled men of the land to establish the authority of the land collectively. There was never a “hightable;” the Igbo sat in a proscenium; each person finding people of their age or shared interest, or guild, in a community gathering.

Everyone, including the certifiably mad, is accorded their rights to free speech.

The Igbo thus built within their democratic system, an affirmation of people’s power; a culture of debate and rhetoric, or oratory, which often allowed the men or women endowed with the finest oratorical skills to be the true spokespeople of the land.

These are often called, “okwuru-oha” – the peoples advocate. Often, at the end of the often long, sometimes cyclic debates among a people who loved words, and were insistent on being heard, they stand before the Assembly to “kaa okwu onu” – basically, summarize the consensual agreements.

Such a “parliament of the people” determine when and what to tax; which age group had what responsibility to the town, to clear the roads; rebuild the markets or the communal shrines, and which guild is to be fined for violating which rule; what date to set the

festivities of the land, and which disputes to be settled, at the end of which Ndi Iche would seal these collective decisions by “isu ofo” – placing their ofo on the ground four times according to the ritual laws; just as the Magistrates or Judges place their mallets on a decision.

This was the Igbo way. But it is no more. Ignorant and powerful men, some of them educated in the finest western academies, have violated this social order and have established themselves, alongside petty criminals as the “Kings of the Igbo.”

The result is alienation, distrust, inaction and the kind of profound cynicism that makes the Igbo today, to circle like hawks around the burning smoke of the homeland, or worsestill, like snakes with heads cut off. That is why an Okorocha as governor in Imo state would appropriate local government funds without consequence, and still owe salaries to Imo workers and pension to pensioners while spouting the fiction of “free education.” Today, even among the most educated Igbo, as with a vast majority of Nigerians, what we practice is “touch-and-follow” democracy. The people are too alienated to act in their own interests: that is why there is yet to happen, a grassroots recall movement to put those we elected to the National Assembly on notice. Right now, too unsettled by its own internal crisis, to do their job of scrutiny, the politicians in the National Assembly seem only ready to make booty-calls in Abuja. No one is watching the president. As for the state Assemblies, they do not exist.

Is this the democracy we fought for and for which the likes of Chima Ubani died?

Purleease!

UNIBEN Council voids Senate’s sack of Professor Emeritus Onokerhoraye

By Lekan Bilesanmi

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HE attempt by the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University ofBenin(UNIBEN),Professor Osayuiki G. Oshodin, the former Registrar, Mrs. Gladys Ogboghodo, and the Senate of the university to withdraw, through the backdoor, the Professor Emeritus Status of Andrew G. Onokerhoraye, a former Vice Chancellor of the university, has been declared null and void. At its 142 Regular Meeting, held on nd Wednesday,22 andFriday, th 24 April, 2015, the Council of UNIBEN, which has the final authority on the issue of the appointment of Professor Emeritus, considered the petition from Onokerhoraye and frowned at the Senate for not following the regulations of the university.

The UNIBEN Council’s decision, communicated to Senate by the new Registrar, Mrs. O. A. Oshodin, who, incidentally is the wife of the Immediate past Vice Chancellor, on the 7th May, 2015, in a letter under ref: REG/CCM/COM 12/Vol.10/ 554, said Council, after due consideration of the process

of appointing a Professor Emeritus, as stipulated in Section 5.2 of the university’s extant rules and regulations, decided to revoke and asked members of the public to disregard Senate purported decision to withdraw Onokerhoraye’s Professor Emeritus status. Council

pointed out that the Professor Emeritusstatuswasconferred on Onokerhoraye by Council and not the Senate and, even ifthereweretobeanyprovision in the regulation for the withdrawal of such an honour and there is no such provision in the extant regulations, it is only Council that can do so

and not Senate. The Council reaffirmed that the Professor Emeritus honour is for life as it is in the academic world.

The Council directed the university administration to apologise to Onokerhoraye and give adequate publicity toitasitdidduringtheSenate decision. The Senate of the UNIBEN, under the leadership of Oshodin, had,

in September 2014, withdrawn the professorial status of Onokerhoraye on the grounds that he failed to attend Senate meetings and did not carry out other activities. In his reaction at that time, the Professor Emeritus described the decision of the Senate as null and void because it did not follow the regulations of the

university. He pointed out that the then Registrar had no authority to present a memo to the Senate on the issue of Professor Emeritus because the position is not under the Registry.

Furthermore, Onokerhoraye stated that the university Senate had no power to withdraw the honour as it is for life.

Sultan, Archibishop Okoh, Buhari’s wife support dialogue on peace

By Yinka Ajayi

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O fewer than 550 guests attended the fourth Dialogue and Peace Iftar Dinner organised by UFUK Dialogue with emphasis on dialogue and peace between different religions.

The session said that it was most important that dialogue and peace reign supreme between different religions, members and nations.

Held at the Sheraton Hotel Abuja, the session had in attendance the first lady, Hajiya Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, represented by the wife of the Nasarawa State governor, Hajiya Mairo

Tanko Almakura as mother of the day.

TheSultan ofSokoto, Alhaji Muhamadu Saladu Abubakar, was the chief host at the ceremony where several awards were conferred on distinguished individuals who “have worked hard to promote the message of love and tolerance in Nigeria”, while the Archbishop of the Anglican Church, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh and the Secretary General of Jumat Nasril Islam (Jni), Dr. Klalid Abubakar were given awards. Professor Osita O. OshitaoftheInstituteofPeace and Conflict Resolution got the Academic Award.

•Awardees and winners at the event

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015

APC crisis: Is Oyegun the problem?

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y friend, Jacob, a strong member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) almost got me angry a few days ago. What did he do? Although we were seeing for the first time this year, the first thing he said to me was that Chief John Oyegun whom he described as my Edo brother was responsible for the stalemate in their party, which has been crisis ridden for some weeks now.

Not even a hello to start with, let alone to ask after my family; I wondered aloud! He apologized but almost immediately returned to the subject, this time asserting that if Oyegun had good leadership skills, he would have, as National Chairman of the APC, averted the crisis now rocking the party over National Assembly positions. Well, I was not amused bearing in mind that Nigerian politicians are hardly ever rational.

That is why Jacob thinks that it was the failure of Oyegun’s leadership skills

that made other persons who have held several leadership positions in this

Removing Oyegun and others who will succeed him cannot redress the consequences of strange bed fellows in APC’s kitchen country to resort to dirty intrigues in their urge to capture leadership positions in the National Assembly. To establish that he was not alone in the school of thought that indicts Oyegun, Jacob showed me a copy of that day ’s Daily Independent newspaper (July 2nd, 2015) in which an interview the paper held with the Deputy National Organizing Secretary, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Engr.

Campbell Umehnzekwe was published Campbell actually argued in the said

for the crisis in the National Assembly for sending a letter directing the Senate President and House Speaker on who to chose as principal officers without election within their rules and procedure”. My first reaction was to ask Jacob if he knows the National Chairman of Campbell’s own party-APGA. He did not and I didn’t either because except during the Second Republic when President Shehu Shagari openly referred to Chief Adisa Akinloye who was National Chairman of their party- the National Party of

PhD,Depar tment of Philosophy, University of Lagos 08116759758 opuruiche2000@yahoo.com

immutable God is rare in traditional African religions.

Now, the notion that the changing, decaying world is a reflection of an eternal, incorruptible and changeless reality is central to Abrahamic religions and constitutes a core tenet of absolute idealism.

And notwithstanding that the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics tend to undermine belief in an unchanging reality, a plausible case can be made that scientific account of change invariably proceed by identifying an unchanging law relevant to the phenomenon or group of phenomena under investigation, or an unchanging quantity conserved in the process. This implies that explanation of change always proceeds, according to Simon Blackburn, by finding that which is unchanged. For a long time in physics, every change was explained by appeal to movement of particles, although after Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell, changing fields of forces became as important as material atomic particles. Developments in contemporary physics have shown the limitations of purely mechanical explanations, such that change is now rendered in the form of abstract mathematical equations.

With respect to social and political phenomena, the problem of change becomes somewhat more complicated principally because of the human element involved, even though, as Karl Popper argued in The Poverty of Historicism, the methodological problem of explanation is the same both in the natural and social

Perspectives on change (1)

T

he mantra of change was the most significant campaign slogans of the All Progressives Congress (APC), an effective electioneering concept that exploited both the difficult existential challenges facing ordinary Nigerians and their throbbing desire for improved living conditions.

But how many of those who vociferously chanted 'change,' especially APC leaders and their supporters across the country, actually understand what genuine social change is all about? What are the philosophical underpinnings and dimensions of change?

Are all changes desirable and if so what types of human beings or groups are best qualified to actualise it in a given society? What are the parameters for measuring change? Anyone with a patina of philosophical knowledge would appreciate the difficulties associated with efforts to understand the phenomenon of change. To take a seemingly simple example, for millennia the change from day to night and back again to daytime was not satisfactorily understood until the requisite astronomical and geographical information became available after the works of Copernicus and Galileo. But of course, the desire to understand change is coeval with the emergence of our species through evolution.

There is abundant evidence that prehistoric peoples were

interview that “Nigerians should hold Chief John Odigie-Oyegun responsible

aware of the incredible varieties of change occurring all around - and within - them, and postulated an amazing array of myths to explain what they observed. Burning desire to understand changes in the natural environment compelled ancient philosopher-scientists and priests all over the world to investigate reality more closely, which ultimately led to the emergence of scientific knowledge. In philosophy, one of the core problems concerning change is the connection between change and time, and how both relate to human beings. Although change is a basic element of our experiential reality, there is a strong element of otherworldliness in Western and Eastern philosophies, characterised by belief that the quotidian world of changing entities and processes are inferior or unreal in comparison to a more fundamental and unchanging reality. After Parmenides and Heraclitus formulated philosophical theories of permanence and change respectively, Plato reconciled the two with his doctrine that the real world, the world of forms, is unchanging whereas the ordinary world of our daily experience is one of constant change. African worldviews are predominantly thisworldly, which explains why the idea of an unchanging changer of the universe or

Nigeria (NPN) we have never had a real party chairman in Nigeria. For example, the Peoples Democratic Party which ruled Nigeria for 16years had none even though it, from time to time, announced the purported election of many chairmen.

But each time, the party had a problem, the wealthy members especially governors would always resolve it by first removing their chairman. That was the fate of Solomon Lar, Barnabas Gemade, Ahnadu Alli, Bamanga Tukur, Adamu Muazu etc.

So, if APC members want to remove Oyegun, there is no need to first give a dog a bad name so as to hang it, they should just do what a ruling party normally does in Nigeria.

In my own part of the country-former Bendel, where rumour-mongering skills are acquired by inheritance, a story had developed that Saraki actually bribed Oyegun.

The story was bought by many notwithstanding that Oyegun acted a supposedly anti-Saraki position meaning that Saraki bribed Oyegun to work against his interest. In another part of the nation, the story was that Oyegun was merely teleguided by Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the APC. This second version looked more rational, just that no one ever suggested that Tinubu, the alleged sponsor of the crisis should be sanctioned. At the same time, no one knows why the APC bothered about who would clinch leadership

posts in the legislature after President Muhammadu Buhari had publicly announced that he was ready to work with who so ever was preferred by members of the National Assembly as their leaders.

May be the party was scared that if it did not present an anointed candidate, its ranks could be divided and the opposition party could upturn the majority party.

If so was the party’s fear or its strategy to overcome the problem the handiwork of only Chairman Oyegun? If not, why do people want to sacrifice only him? Put differently, does it amount to bad leadership for a chairman to convey a party decision to affected members?

Again, why did some legislators disobey their party only to deride the principle of party supremacy? Was it not the same party that provided them the platform in the first instance to get into the legislature or did any of them emerge as an independent candidate?

Why then is the cry for Oyegun’s removal louder than the resolve to punish recalcitrant party members? The answers to these questions are getting harder to obtain as the APC crisis is not abating because each contending group is dead rigid about its claims. Saraki’s group seems to say that having won the contest nothing remains to be disputed hence one of them, Senator David Umaru, representing Niger East (zone B) told the media last week that the

election of Saraki as Senate President and that of Dogara as Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, was not negotiable.

Well, considering that in reality the elections cannot be reversed, why is the antiSaraki/Dogara group still playing a game that has ended? Why is the APC itself behaving as if what transpired has never happened before? From the account given by Joseph Waku, a former, APC’s national deputy chairman, Senator Shu’aibu who was in the same game against Chuba Okadigbo during the second republic, should have advised his other colleagues appropriately.

Indeed, it is too early to forget that Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto State did same to become Speaker of the immediate past House of Representatives If as Saraki has himself confirmed that he had to hide at the car park at the National Assembly Complex from as early as 6.00 in the morning of the inauguration, till 9.45am to avoid being abducted by anyone seeking to thwart his ambition, then the APC crisis is beyond Oyegun.

The same conclusion can be reached with respect to the case of the “honourables” in the House of Representatives who were seen fighting on national television because of posts. Thus, removing Oyegun and others who will succeed him cannot redress the consequences of strange bed fellows in APC’s kitchen

sciences. Because the factors responsible for social phenomena are usually multifaceted and complex, any meaningful programme of change in a society must be preceded by careful analysis of the institutions that play important roles in that society.

Aside from posturing in the media, there is very little to indicate that the APC leadership, through whatever

key issue is that, a little over a month after President Buhari was sworn in, a cross section of Nigerians who uncritically believed the change shibboleth are in a hurry to experience the change he promised. But only the most gullible Nigerians did not know that the presidential machinery of APC deliberately hyperbolised Alhaji Buhari's purported transformational credentials for the sole purpose of electoral victory just as its counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deliberately downplayed the extent of the problems President Jonathan was leaving behind for his successor. Thus, it is unreasonable to expect radical changes in the system at this time because the tasks confronting the President are extremely daunting indeed.

That said, it is plainly deceitful for Lai Mohammed, APC's vuvuzela, to claim that the President has performed excellently well, for the simple reason that it is too early to reach definitive conclusion about his performance.

Besides, President Buhari has not done anything of significance yet to bring about positive changes in the key areas of our national life. The country is still moving mainly on the momentum and structures of governance left behind by the administration of Jonathan. It follows that recent improvements in electricity and fuel supply, for example, are more the effects of cessation of sabotage against Jonathan's government than the consequences of actions taken

by Buhari himself. Moreover, it is possible that some personnel in the power and oil sectors are trying hard to impress the President in order

to survive the much-anticipated winnowing machine of his reform agenda.

President Buhari has hit the ground but is yet to start running. In my humble opinion, the President and his supporters are wasting precious time and energy criticising Jonathan's government and complaining about the parlous state of the nation, an approach that is completely at odds with what is required to bring about meaningful change. In otherwords, incessant (and sometimes exaggerated) complaints and blame games are not substitutes for good governance. Probably, given the on-going turbulence in the Senate and House of Representatives, APC leaders are beginning to realise that it is much easier to shout change as a strategy for winning elections than to actualise it in a fractured, fractious and economically shambolic geopolitical environment such as ours.

More importantly, the kind of change Nigeria needs now is not mere replacement of the ruling party by another, neither is it change in the individuals running the executive and legislative arms of government. The change Nigeria requires very urgently is an intellectual and moral revolution among members of the ruling elite, which could lead to appropriate behaviour modification necessary for responsible and responsive leadership. But APC cannot give what it does not have; the party is incapable of changing the warped mindset of its members holding exalted political offices because it is dominated by agbata ekee politicians mainly motivated by the desire for power, easy wealth and sybaritic lifestyle.

President Buhari has hit the ground but is yet to start running. In my humble opinion, the President and his supporters are wasting precious time and energy criticising Jonathan's government means, undertook a thorough examination of the critical institutions in the country before the elections in order to prepare its candidates for leadership. Of course, there is a big difference between using 'change' as a campaign slogan and implementing well thought-out programmes that can positively transform the lives of suffering Nigerians.

Because of Buhari's relentless promise of "moving quickly to change this and change that" if elected, some impatient fanatical apostles of 'change' are beginning to experience the psychological boomerang of unrealistic high expectations that might not materialise after all. The

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 9

executive education

sunday

The key to turn organisational challenges to opportunities – Aston Business School chiefs Paul Butler, Executive Development Director, Aston Business School, United Kingdom (UK); Dr Uwe Napiersky; and Professor Pawan Budhwar, Associate Dean, speak on the business school’s partnership with These Executive Minds (TEXEM) on an executive development programme holding next month. Butler speaks first:

W

HAT are the key strategic challenges facing African organisations?

Strategy is about creating a unique position for an organisation, a winning strategy can be achieved when an organisations outperform rivals by establishing a difference that it can preserve. Organisations need to be able to align their strategies with their own environments and in so doing help them in achieving higher performance. African managers face many strategic challenges including globalisation and international competition, high political risk, tough operating environment characterised by weak institutions and limited infrastructure as well as inadequate capacity to develop and retain human capital.

How can Nigerian executives address these key strategic challenges facing African organisations?

In order to meet these challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth for their organisations African managers need to change their managerial approaches to cope with these increasing demands. They need to consider new leadership styles and competencies to become more efficient and effective, particularly in areas such as managing change, leadership for results, formulating winning strategies and performance management which our forthcoming executive development programme at Aston Business School in the UK will address. More information about the programme could be found at http://texem.co.uk/ programmes/leading-andmanaging-human-capital.html From the training development point of view, what would isolate as the critical development issues that African countries need to address.

A major challenge for many African countries, including Nigeria, is the inadequate infrastructure. Many SubSaharan African countries lack a stable electrical grid, creating the need for scarce resources to be expended on inverters, fuel and generators. Some organisations will expend up to 25% of the revenue for these basic needs. Rail networks for the transportation of goods and people are either moribund or ineffective in most African countries. The health care system is limited and unreliable, often resulting in quality health care being available only to those with financial or political influence. The large Gini coefficient (the gap between haves and have not) in many African countries contributes to political and personal insecurities.

There is a significant divergence between planning and actual implementation.

While Nigeria’s 2015 transition budget is in Trillions of Naira a large portion of those funds will be earmarked for projects that will never be implemented or are rife with mismanagement upon completion if history is anything to go by. The approval and disbursement system of the

National budget is inconsistent and often delayed. All the above mentioned challenges reveal that poor leadership is the bane of African countries development which our forthcoming executive development programme at Aston Business School in the UK will address. More information about the programme could be found at http://texem.co.uk/ programmes/leading-andmanaging-human-capital.html An example of the dearth of leadership is exemplified by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s inability over three consecutive years to find a creditable former African President upon which to confer its award for outstanding leadership and governance. It is not that African leaders are bad people, but often they lack the leadership training and skills to deal with the critical issues facing the continent. Africa has a bright future with the potential for impressive growth and a real chance to improve the lives of the people. However, for that to happen there is an urgent need to provide the training that will lead to better leadership to take advantage of these opportunities.

My view is that once it gets the leadership quotient right, Nigeria will be on the path to greatness.

Aston Business School is partnering with These Executive Minds (TEXEM) to deliver an executive development programme next month, what would be the focus?

Today and tomorrow’ s dynamic plus fast paced global economy demands leaders with a systemic view of organisations and a revolutionary perspective which our forthcoming executive development programme will address-Thus, participants will develop their cross-functional competence, make better decisions and expand their outlook through the forthcoming executive development programme ‘Leading and Managing Human

•Butler Capital’ organised by Aston Business School in partnership with These Executive Minds (TEXEM). With world renowned academics, Aston Business School in the UK has unparalleled reach and scope to provide delegates with an experience that will amplify the promise of their career by enhancing their strategic and leadership quotient. More information could be found at http://texem.co.uk/programmes/ leading-and-managing-humancapital.html Furthermore, the course will provide analytical insights and industry expertise into how to build high performance organisations, achieve effective organisational practices and attain superior outcomes particularly in a developing country context characterised by weak institutions and limited infrastructure. In addition, the skills and expertise you need to empower your organisation and get more from your most talented people will be explored and developed during the programme. Upon completion of this programme participants will hone their management skills after covering the following overarching themes: Leading for results, aligning human capital with competitive advantage, boosting organisational performance, Inspiring change management for maximized benefits and addressing key strategic

The road to quick wins – Napiersky

H

ow can Nigerian Executives lead for results?

In today’s rapidly changing world, gaining the trust and support of others is key to successfully implementing strategy. Great leaders achieve optimal results by setting the direction, inspire action, manage the human capital and align resources and develop the capabilities of key talent in the organisation.

How can Nigerian executives align human capital with competitive advantage?

The value of the human capital asset of a nation is a function of the quantity and the quality as well as the operating environment. For Nigeria to meet the human capital development challenges of the 21st century and beyond, the gaps and flaws of the education system need to be urgently addressed. The programme will help executives to identify strategic opportunities in their local context and how best to

challenges facing African organisations.

Who would you be attracting to the programme?

The programme is focused on senior executives from both the public and private sector who are keen to learn more about how to formulate strategy, improve leadership quotient and enhance organisational performance. Our executive development programme is specifically tailored for Chairpersons and Members of Boards, CEO’S, Managing Directors, Executive and Non-Executive Directors, Vice-Chancellors, Permanent Secretaries, Director Generals, Human Resource Director, Chief Financial Officers, Company Secretaries, Directors of Procurements and Chief Operating Officers just to mention a few roles. We also welcome Senior Managers and Directors engaged in strategic roles in prominent national and international firms within Nigeria. Of course, we also would welcome and encourage the participation of senior public sector bodies involved in policy and strategy formulation. Senior Officers in Government sponsored economic and industry agencies, as well as senior consultants involved in large infrastructure projects, are equally welcome.

Could you tell us more about your organisation?

Aston Business School is an elite triple-accredited business school; recognised as one of the world’s leading Business Schools.

We offer innovative programmes tailored to address the needs of organisations and its leaders.

Our truly insightful executive education programmes enable participants to gain perspective and a critical insight into their own management style, and enhance their competence as dynamic and inspirational leaders for superior organisational performance.

Aston Business School is 1st in the UK and 2nd in the world for immediate return on investment (The Economist, 2014) and has a global network with 12,000 alumni and business partners.

Aston Business School was the first UK business school to be awarded the prestigious EQUIS accreditation, in 1999. Aston Business School is the first institution in the UK to be allied

with Beta Gamma Sigma by establishing a BGS Collegiate Chapter. Aston Business School partners with organisations such as These Executive Minds to provide bespoke and accredited development programmes for senior managers and businesses around the world.

By partnering with major global enterprises and top universities, These Executive Minds (TEXEM) develops a series of open and customised educational programmes that address the challenges that organisations face in today’s dynamic business environment.

We focus on building management skills through capacity development, research and consulting, and work to overcome the skill gaps in African organisations. Our ultimate goal is to provide organisations with the methodology, research skills, and knowledge to drive better decision-making to meet the challenges of the modern-day business world.

TEXEM’s mission is to help organisations to achieve their full potential through highquality education, research and consulting services in partnership with world-leading institutions, such as the Aston Business School, Henley Business School, University of Oxford and the Manchester Business School.

Our goal is to help high-calibre candidates become well equipped for the world of business and to show employers how they can maximize the effectiveness of their employees.

TEXEM is committed to adding sustainable value to our partners.

Hence, we carry out research and conduct skill-set gap analysis to identify potential deficits in the skill set of Nigerians. Then, in partnership with our global executive education providers we then work to equip Nigerians with the requisite skill set to add value to their organisation in line with the government’s local content initiative. Our alumni on our executive development programmes in partnership with world class institutions have included Ministers, CEOs, Commissioners, Chairs of Boards, Executive Directors, Vice-Chancellors, CFOs and Permanent Secretaries among others; please visit www.texem.co.uk for more information.

Options for achieving competitive strategy — Budhwar

H

•Napiersky develop and retain human capital inside their organizations and importantly in Nigeria.

The programme will explore ways in which organisations can get quick wins, together with medium and longer term leadership strategies to leverage human capital and create sustainable competitive advantage.

OW can Nigerian executives inspire change management for maximized benefits?

In order to inspire change management all executives need to be able to articulate a clear picture of the future one that is easy to communicate to the rest of the organization. The building of relationships is key in this process, as is demonstrating emotional intelligence and good listening skills. Senior executives need to be a powerful role model, demonstrating real passion for the new future and providing strong direction that inspires people to follow and embrace the change.

How will this programme help executives to build their capacity towards achieving strategic objectives The programme will

•Budhwar demonstrate a number of options for developing and achieving a competitive strategy, including the building and leveraging of networks and relationships (including those with fellow participants and Aston faculty) together with building and leveraging competitive human resources and capabilities.

PAGE 10—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

Saraki provokes mother of all media wars – 2 “The election of a Peoples Democratic Party senator as deputy Senate President is evidently a grand conspiracy to sabotage the Buhari government.”

Senator Kabiru Marafa, PUNCH, June 22, 2015, p 7. n Europe, the 100 years war started one day and with a single shot fired. The Awolowo versus Akintola-Fani-Kayode conflict started in 1963, fifty-two years ago, and it is still being fought by proxies. GEJ’s last minute attempt to rescue the South West, in the last election, only rekindled the embers of ongoing battle. In Europe as in the WILD WILD WEST of Nigeria, the struggle started with charges of betrayal or sabotage by the leaders of the group against a breakaway group.

“Better a declared enemy than a doubtful ally.” Napoleon, 17691821, (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 48).

I

Napoleon should know; his attempt to become the Emperor of all of Europe from the Mediterranean to Russia was frustrated by traitors.

Before him, another great warrior, Frederick the Great, 1712-1786, of Prussia, was saved from humiliating defeat by what historians remember as the “reversal of alliances”.

The Senate vote which brought in Saraki as President, has several elements of these historical precedents and it will create its own lasting enmities – perhaps beyond the next twenty years; given the age of some of the gladiators now ready for battle. It will be a media war, but undoubtedly supported by other means, and it will be relentless.

Last week, four distinct groups were identified – each of which will henceforth be busy trying to persuade “Fellow Nigerians” that their own cause is the just one. Of the four groups, the ACN/Tinubu machine

Gruesome tales for gruesome times "What a lamentable thing it is that men should blame the gods and regard us as the source of their troubles, when it is their own wickedness that brings them sufferings worse than any which destiny allots them."— Homer f you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas, or in Latin, qui cum canibus concumbunt cum pulicibus surgent. "He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas"

I

Like any people, I did not know that Chibok was in Nigeria, until the abduction of the young girls by Boko Haram in Chibok in April, 2014.

Since then, Chibok is now forever linked with the abduction of the girls and the futility of retrieving the girls out of the evil clutches of BH. There was a worldwide condemnation and national campaign to Bring Back Our Girls. And over a year later, we are nowhere near bringing

back the girls to their family. So last week, while watching BBC Panorama TV programme, I was intrigued to hear some news of what happened to the Chibok girls. If it is to be believed, that some of the Chibok girls abductees are now becoming as twisted as their cold blooded abductors.

The programme, interviewed witnesses and, worryingly, it seems to infer that some of the abductees are now being used to terrorise other captives, each other or carry out terror on behalf of Boko Haram.

For those who are quick to judge and throw the proverbial baby with the bathwater, understand this; these girls are living under e x t r a o r d i n a r y circumstances and are likely brain washed or simply compelled to go along for the sake of selfpreservation .

Their behaviour can be explained; around four decades ago, there was a

has the advantage at the moment. It was their media machine which was used to fight the media war against the PDP. They remain totally loyal to their Leader.

There is nothing strange about that. Awolowo and

useless. The Asiwaju group has both – a formidable arsenal and a Commander/Strategist. It would be extremely foolish to under-rate them even after they were caught with their “pants” down on the Senate vote. In the Yom Kippur War of 1973, the Arabs also had a temporary upper hand against the Israelis; but it ended in another victory for Israel; because a disciplined “army” is tough to beat.

Meanwhile, none of the other groups has its own war machine. Their reliance on the Asiwaju network now leaves them at a disadvantage. Like

If at all the Federal Government will consider a bail-out for the states, it must be on condition that the states must accept Monitors appointed by the Federal Government who will control their expenditures until they are out of the woods Azikiwe used the TRIBUNE and the WEST AFRICAN PILOT to prosecute their own political wars in the 1950s to 1960s.

Awolowo’s “war” engine remains till today. It merely lacks another “Awo” and has lost its relevance.

A war machine without a Supreme Commander is

the Allied Powers, at the beginning of the Second World War, they will have to build up their own media army or get wiped out eventually.

terminology bandied about to explain such phenomen called the Stockholm syndrome. It is often described as "bonding with the captor" the captive starts expressing empathy and feelings of loyalty towards their captors and would go on to defend and identify with captors ideals.

It is quite traumatic living

they stay missing, the poorer their prognosis for recovery and resumption of normality.

It would have to be that the girls may have adapted to the identity of their captors and this itself is dangerous. Although the BBC could not verify the testimony of the witnesses, Amnesty International says

BAIL- OUT FOR STATES AND THE G L O B A L APPROACH

“Lenders [to Greece] are demanding reforms

While majority of Nigerians go hungry, the lawmakers cannot justify their salaries. The president should act to put this to right.

There are no words to describe this ostentatious abuse by few to the majority of the people day in, day out seeing people dying or being killed with total abandonment and disregard for the sanctity of human lives. The trauma that these young girls must have had to endure including being traded like commodity and used as slaves by these marauders.

In the past, I often sounded word of caution that these, if they were found, would need some psychological intervention to return to living a normal life again, in fact, it is doubtful, if they can ever regain the idyllic existence they once had before the abduction and now this: having gone through the ordeal by the BH. And sadly, the longer,

other girls kidnapped by Boko Haram have been forced to fight.

The programme spoke to three women who claimed they were held in the same camps as some of the Chibok girls and that some of them had been brainwashed and are now carrying out punishments on behalf of the militants.

The story of the witnesses is harrowing enough and very difficult to digest. A young 17 year-old who escaped from BH, after being held captive for six months, was forced to marry a militant and is pregnant as a result. She told her story on the first day at the camp, "They told us to get ready, that they were

in exchange for emergency funds [bailout].” News Report.

Greece, an entire nation, like several Nigerian states, is asking the rest of Europe for a bail-out. It is basic economics that when any political entity (nation, state, region, council etc) spends itself into penury and must seek bail-out, it must also surrender part of its freedom to make economic decisions. Nigeria had this experience during the Babangida administration when we could not pay our external loans, as and when due. To reschedule our loans, the International Monetary Fund, IMF, acting as intermediary between us and creditors imposed conditions we must accept for the loans to be rolled over. IMF even posted monitors to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to enforce the conditions. That is the global method of dealing with bail-outs. Beggars lose their dignity and freedom of action.

Therefore, if at all the Federal Government will consider a bail-out for the states, it must be on condition that the states must accept Monitors appointed by the Federal Government who will control their expenditures until they are out of the woods. In other words, the G o v e r n o r s , Commissioners and State Assembly will be

going to marry us off." She and four others refused and the captors came back with four men and they slit their throat in front of them. And they told the girls that if they do not agree, they would do likewise to any girl that refuse their demands. So she agreed to marry and she said they were repeatedly raped. She confirmed that she met some of the Chibok school girls and that they were kept in separate buildings.

Chillingly enough, the captors told the young women that: 'You women should learn from your husbands because they are giving their blood for the cause. We must also go to war for Allah.' She is convinced that the Chibok girls have been "brainwashed" and that she had witnessed some of them kill several men in her village. She said that the girls were forced to cut the throats of captured Christian men. Another witness, a 60 year-old lady, who also escaped confirmed the story that she saw some of the Chibok schoolgirls and that they had guns and that the Boko Haram did not hide the fact that they were the Chibok girls, they were told, 'these are your teachers from Chibok.' And that they: shared the girls out as teachers to teach different groups of women and girls to recite the Koran. She also said that any young girl who could not recite were being

supervised by an independent individual who will exercise veto power on expenditures.

Governors who refuse that condition can go and solve their own problems as best as they can. But, they should receive no bail- out. Twenty-two government cars were recovered from the wives of the former Bauchi State Governor Yisa Yuguda; eleven from his first wife alone. This cannot be regarded as immunity or impunity.

This is delirium of power bordering on economic lunacy. His was probably not the worst example as we will soon discover – even among states asking for bail-out. That is why they must surrender their immunity to Supervisors. Beggars cannot choose.

STILL ON BODE’S SEND-OFF PARTY

Only some members of the break-away PDP party group have signified their intention to contribute to the send off party being organized for Bode George as he heads for self-exile. That is unfair. Come on you APC guys; be magnanimous.

You should actually be sponsoring the party. At least you won’t have Bode to kick around anymore. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Henry Ajomale, how about it? We are waiting!!!

P.S. Ok, as a friend, I’ll buy the one-way ticket to Nowhere.

flogged by the Chibok girls.

She said, she felt no ill will towards the girls even when they take part in violence.

She added that, "she felt no malice towards the girls she had seen taking part in the violence; only pity.

Although no one to corroborate the witnesses' stories, the human rights group, Amnesty International said their research also showed that some girls abducted by Boko Haram had been trained to fight.

"The abduction and brutalisation of young women and girls seems to be part of the modus operandi of Boko Haram," said Netsanet Belay, Africa director, research and advocacy at Amnesty International.

The statistics of horror and mayhem left in the wake by these murderous miscreants is very disturbing and unimaginable. They have so far, in last couple of months, killed over eight hundred people in over thirty attacks on innocent people. A million, six hundred people have been displaced, people are homeless, stateless and destitute in their own country. They have been forced off their land and unable to make a living, businesses have stalled in these terror-filled places and it is predicted that some parts may experience famine due to the prolonged insurgency.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 11

PAGE 12—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

Moments that determines if your man falls more deeply in love, or not

BY ONOZURE DANIA

I

f you want lasting success in your relationships, you need to master the moments in which your relationship is either made or lost. The moments when a man either falls more deeply in love, or starts losing attraction and considers leaving.

The moments when he starts acting differently with you and his feelings begin to change do you know what these moments are? And

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SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 13

RIGHT OF REPLY

Senate Beyond the Noise

By Yusuph Olaniyonu

I

T is just three weeks since the Eighth Senate was inaugurated on the proclamation prepared by President Muhammadu Buhari. Since then, a lot has happened within the institution which under normal circumstances should have attracted positive attention from members of the public, including the ardent critic of the nation’s legislature. However, all the developments in that upper chamber of our legislature had been overshadowed by the din emanating from the circumstances in which its leadership emerged.

The quest and hunger for sensationalism and controversy by the press and its audience as well as the deliberate propaganda by a power group in the polity has made it impossible for people to see the Senate beyond the externally propelled and inspired schemings, quarrel and struggle for power that attended the election and selection of its leadership.

After the June 9 inauguration in which Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki was elected Senate President, he has continued to articulate the issues which he believed should be the focus of the eight Senate.

The man had talked about the need for the Senate in particular, and the National Assembly, as a whole, to be prepared to support the programmes, policies and projects of President Buhari with enabling laws, motions and moral force necessary for their accomplishment. The President had spoken about addressing the issues of security, unemployment, corruption, development of agriculture and mining as ways to diversify the economy, improving on power and fuel supply, among others.

The Senate President therefore believes there is need for the federal legislature to develop a legislative agenda which will complement the identified direction of the Presidency.

There are two indicators that can give anybody the direction that Saraki is already nudging the Senate. One is the various groups that the Senate President has hosted so far. Another one is the committees that he has set up and the address to the visitors and the committee members.

The Senate President had deliberately opened his office doors to visitors who can be of help to the realisation of his plans. First to visit was the civil society.

They visited Senator Saraki exactly a week after his election as Senate President. Their visit was to open discussion with the Senate President on how to create an open, transparent and just process in the affairs of the federal legislature.

In his address to the group under the aegis of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Saraki said the 8th Senate has an agenda to bring the lawmaking process through broader participation. “ We are determined to have a more focused legislative session that will prioritise on bills that will help us deal with revenue leakages, inculcate accountability, reduce impunity and ensure prudence in our C M Y K

public governance through a concerted oversight function”.

He enjoined the civil society to help “galvanize civil support and provide field feedback that will enrich the deliberation and implementation of these agenda”. “We believe that this will further enrich our democratic process, guarantee public buy-in and ultimately empower our people”. The ultimate aim of engaging with the civil society is “to help the government of the day to actualise its policy agenda of reducing unemployment, infrastructure renewal, improvement of the business environment, power generation, justice delivery and agriculture”.

By June 24, the next critical group of visitors were the National Executive Council members of the Nigeria Bar Association led by Mr. Augustine Aleghe (SAN). The Senate President believe there is need for partnership between the bar and the law making institution so that the instrumentality of the law can be used to effect the positive change that APC promised Nigerians in the last general elections. He told the senior lawyers that “ the NBA has been at the forefront of advocating and advancing legal and political reforms in Nigeria (and) the change that our people voted for is in line with the ideals the NBA has consistently advocated over the years : better justice system, accountability, improved business environment , reform of the criminal justice system and the advancement of our people’s rights and opportunities”.

He said the federal legislature under his leadership aim to help the executive plug the loopholes in the revenue mobilization and management systems which have made accountability of public funds very weak, leading to brazen corruption and mismanagement in the system.

From now on, he said the Senate will improve on the budgeting process to make it easier for scrutiny, interrogation and accountability.

Saraki appealed to the NBA to help the Senate to achieve a reform of the justice system to improve justice

The plan is to eliminate rumour and exaggeration concerning the budget and funding of the Senate. This will encourage accountability, transparency and financial discipline in the Senate

•President Buhari

•Senate President Bukola Saraki

delivery system, strengthen alternative dispute resolution systems, reduce delay in courts, improve our people’s confidence in its processes and incentive arbitration and remove regulatory bureaucratic bottleneck.

Then, the oil sector operators gathered under the umbrella of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce to discuss with the Senate President. The Senate President used the occasion to articulate the objective of the Eight Senate which included partnering with the government on how to deal with the common challenge of falling price of oil in the international market.

“We are desirous of having an oil industry comparable in structure, systems and output with international best practices...The oil and gas industry in Nigeria needs to evolve . We know the importance of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in making this happen”, the Senate President’s speech directly posed a challenge to the team led by Mrs Elisabeth Proust, the Managing Director of Total Oil. As he told the OPTS, the Senate President in an earlier speech while receiving the delegation from Shell Production and Development Company led by the MD, Mr. Osagie Okunbor stated that the falling oil price presented a golden opportunity for the oil companies to retool and become much more efficient and proactive.

“It is high time we eliminated gas flaring in the country, deal with oil spills and third party related spills in a manner that is responsible and just to those affected”, he said. He expressed the willingness of the Senate to work with operators in the oil industry to ensure that the PIB is passed into law to stimulate investment in the industry.

“We are open to your suggestions and opinion on how we can move the industry forward so that investment decisions are not tied down. We are determined to ensure that our partnership endures and we can do our best to promote the growth of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria so that it becomes an index for measuring international best practices, competition, transparency and environmental friendliness”, he said.

In the last three weeks too, Saraki played host to envoys from United States, Britain, China and France, all of

whom came to assess the man and listen to his agenda, particularly to judge whether he shares the same goals and objectives with the new President of Nigeria. However, all the envoys had left fully satisfied that a competent, mature, exposed and intelligent man is heading the new Senate and that there is no cause for alarm in the synergy that will exist between the two critical arms of government in Nigeria that is destined to change for the better.

Incidentally, the Senate President had used all the occasions to also tell his guests about the two committees he inaugurated on June 25 with the aim of markedly defining the road map for the Senate. The Committee on Finance of the Senate is billed to submit its report this week. The report is aimed at opening up the financial process in the Senate for public scrutiny so that members of the public can easily access the facts and figures on the finances of the institution. The plan is to eliminate rumour and exaggeration concerning the budget and funding of the Senate.

This will encourage accountability, transparency and financial discipline in the Senate.

As for the committee on Legislative Agenda, their duty is to develop a plan of action for the Senate. The primary aim of the plan is to improve on service delivery to the people.. This plan of action becomes the barometer and standard with which members of the public can measure the success or otherwise of the Eight Senate. Thus, the Senate is putting itself up for public scrutiny, judgement and periodic assessment.

Accompanying the Senate President to these sessions were Senators from the two parties who also use the occasion to familiarise themselves with the goals and objectives of the new Senate leadership. One would think that debating some of these plans, goals and objectives emanating from these sessions with degrees will help the legislative institution to grow and serve the purpose for which the members are elected, rather than focusing on the issue of what complexion the leadership has and which camp they belong to or who is sporting their candidacy.

•Olaniyonu is Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President.

PAGE 14 —SUND AY —SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

APC Crisis How NEC made Oyegun, Saraki, Dogara winners ...As Tinubu, Akande are curiously absent •Govs, aggrieved camps’ meeting fail to broker peace *Oyegun

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

L

IKE a prosecution counsel whose absence stalled the hearing of his case in a law court, the failure of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the former interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande’s, to attend the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting, on Friday, stopped the hearing of “their case” against the leadership of the party and the National Assembly respectively. This is the inside story of how the APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, was let off the sack hook.

Apart from President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired military general who is obviously not known with generous, frivoulous, broad smiles, every other person wore smiles on their way out of the meeting.

From the ruling party National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, to the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Speaker Yakubu Dogara, the smiles beamed. The governors were not left out.

Trust Governors Adams Oshiomole and Rochas Okorocha who spoke to journalists. Their smiles were expectedly infections. But these were wry, seemingly subdued smiles that flashed just across faces.

Sure, one would think that those smiles were from the heart. But beyond the facade was deep seated pain arising from the stalemate of the core issue that brought them together. In any case, many thought it was a conscious calculation to hoodwink the media and the world knowing what the expectations of the members of the public were of them from the meeting.

C M Y K

Vote of confidence on Oyegun But Oyegun’s happy mood was real.

No doubts. He had hitherto been on tenterhooks. Two reasons were chiefly responsible. One: He was let off the sack hook and unexpectedly given a vote of confidence by the gathering. Two: His perceived critics were not available to frontally press their charges against him.

Indeed, to any keen follower of the ugly developments in the All Progressives Congress, APC, since June 9 when the 8th National Assembly was inaugurated, expectations were high that the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the party, held on Friday at its national secretariat in Abuja, would have resolved the logjam. But that was not to happen.

What is the logjam? The Senate

•Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s empty seat at the NEC meeting

The crisis escalated when it sprawled menacingly to the national secretariat of the party, threatening Oyegun as the National Chairman as some quarters accused him of taking gratification President, Saraki, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Dogara, were elected into office in defiance of the directive of the party which had, in a straw poll, on June 6, produced Senate Ahmed Lawan and Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila as official candidates for the portfolios. Since then, all things fell apart

• Tinubu

•Saraki

for the party. That was round one of the problems.

Round two: While every effort was made to placate the powers-that-be in the APC, who obviously godfathered and even midwived the candidatures of Lawan and Gbajabiamila, another tsunami hit the party. What happened?

The party’s hierarchy, in what was believed to be a coerced move, sent in a list of candidates to be made Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip, ditto for the House of Representatives. But their list was rejected by the senators who eventually picked their choices for the positions.

Meanwhile, the letter containing the names for the Reps principal offices was not read by the Speaker, a development that culminated in a free- for -all on June 25 on the floor of the House. And then the party boiled further.

The crisis escalated when it sprawled menacingly to the national secretariat of the party, threatening Oyegun as the National Chairman as some quarters accused him of taking gratification.

But the man has since dismissed the allegation saying it is neither here not there.

And determined to broker peace among the APC warring parties, the Chairman summoned a meeting of the NEC for Friday.

Buhari, Saraki, Dogara, senators, Reps, governors elected on the platform of the party and every other person who had the licence to attend graced the event.

But the National Leader of the party,

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the former interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, upon whom most things in the party revolved around were conspicuously absent.

Rhetorics One would have thought that the core issue, being the crisis in the party, would be exhaustively discussed and laid to rest, but you can’t bet it was scarcely mentioned in the course of proceedings.

What rather transpired in the meeting were words of admonition, warnings, cautions and, in the end, there was a basket full of resounding rhetorics. Yet the crisis raged on. Otherwise, why would a NEC that had the powers to take decisive and definite decisions pass on the responsibility of brokering peace between the aggrieved parties onto the governors to mediate?

Meanwhile, in the preclude to the closed-door session, the President had asked everyone to pocket his selfish ambition and allow the party and, by extension, his government to work.

‘Winning the battle, losing the war’ He said: “The elections have come and gone. The APC has won the battle, but lost the war. This is the paradox of democracy and we shall see how we can manage it going forward.

“I have already addressed you through the Chairman, through the leadership of the party, through your excellencies, the governors, and through our senators and Continues on page 40

SUND AY SUNDA

Continued from page 39

C M Y K

House of Representatives members.

“The APC must not disappoint its constituency, that is the nation-state. We have to convince our various constituencies that we are individually worthy of the sacrifices that they have made.

“Let us as members of the APC no matter our personal differences get together and use the mandate given to us by this country. This is my personal appeal to you in the name of God. Whatever your personal interest or ambition, please keep it close to your heart and in your pocket. Let APC work.

“Let the system work and let us have a government that will earn the respect of our constituencies. My problem is the constituencies. I thank you very much for listening to me, and I thank the leadership across the board, and I appeal to you to please continue to work together.

“Please accept the superiority of the party. I cannot confine myself to the cage or Sambisa forest and refuse to participate in NEC or BoT. So, I respect, the superiority of the party. But God in his infinite mercy has helped by giving us acceptance. Let us not throw this success to the wind”.

APC will overcome challenges – Oyegun In his welcome speech at the meeting, the National Chairman expressed the hope that the challenges in the party would be resolved before the resumption of National Assembly on July 21.

“We know the issues the challenges the party is passing through. In the process, we will discuss the challenges. I can assure you that they will be dealt with conclusively before the National Assembly reassembles”, Oyegun said.

APC governors to meet Saraki, Dogara Briefing journalists after the meeting, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that NEC resolved that Pregressives Governors Forum, a body of APC governors, would meet with Saraki and Dograra later as part of the moves to settle the conflict.

He stated that both the NEC and the governors unanimously expressed satisfaction with the Oyegun-led party executive by passing a vote of confidence on him.

He said: “The National Legal Adviser came to seek the approval of NEC as to the certain candidates of NEC who should be members of BoT and a motion was moved and carried after which NEC and the governors passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of the party.

“NEC has provided an enabling environment to look into ways of resolving the national assembly lock jams. Later in the day, the governors will be meeting with the Speaker and the Senate President in a further attempt to find a lasting solution to the lingering logjam at the National Assembly.

“Also, it is important to let you know that everybody in the party is united on two issues which are party supremacy and the need to ensure that this government deliver its campaign promises.”

APC will not break up—Okorocha Also with journalists at the end of the meeting, Okorocha, who is the Chairman of the governors group, stated that the problems in the party would be resolved amicably.

He said: “Many people think that there will be problems between APC members at this meeting. But I am assuring Nigerians that we have met and discussed what affects all of us and we have understood ourselves. We have also reiterated our support and loyalty to our leadership. We are also going to meet on

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 15

APC Crisis: NEC made Oyegun, Saraki, Dogara winners

*Akande the issue of the National Assembly crisis and it will be resolved amicably. So, I can confidently say that the crisis facing the party is almost over now.”

APC will come out of problem stronger—Oshiomhole Similarly, the Edo governor, Oshiomhole said that APC would come out of its present challenges stronger and better.

“In human societies, you are bound to get divergent views. We can’t be perfect because we are human. The only thing is to recognize our limit and work together.

The fact that the president left his office to attend the NEC meeting shows that he believes in the supremacy of the party because all of us, the president inclusive went for the election on the platform of the party,”he stated.

“I expect that the party will work as unified entity especially as we promised

Curiously absent at the meeting were Tinubu and Akande. Both had been dissatisfied with the turn of events in the National Assembly and the APC

*Dogara the nation change. We had a very interesting discussion during the meeting and we affirmed the superiority of the party. We also have confidence in the way the president is giving leadership to the country. And so we all pledged to be Layla and dedicated to the party and the administration.

“I think we are leaving this place much, much stronger than we entered.

But the good thing about democracy is that it allows even the fool to be foolish and the intelligent also to be intelligent.

In the process of discussion, we intended to appeal to people to buy into our beliefs and our actions for us to be strong. And I am happy that those that are expecting chairs will be thrown, people coming out wearing long faces. But the party came out to say after we are APC”.

Tinubu, Akande absent at NEC meeting Curiously absent at the meeting were Tinubu and Akande. Both had been dissatisfied with the turn of events in the National Assembly and the APC. While Tinubu was said to have been using the party leaders against Saraki and Dagara as National Assembly leaders, Akande exploded in a letter, warning against a North’s conspiracy against the Youraba of the South-West. But at the APC NEC meeting where the issue could have been discussed both men stayed away.

Consequently, the NEC decided to step down their case, a development many felt had given Saraki, Dogara and Oyegun an edge in the crisis.

Lai Mohammed defended their absence. “If you look at our Constitution, neither of them is a member of the EXCO of the party. I think it is at the discretion of the NWC or NEC whom to invite or not and I also saw that quota as act of respect for his position. I don’t want to fathom more reasons why they are not here, but like I said neither of them is a member of the EXCO of the party”, he said.

Peace meeting Having received the blessing of the NEC to mediate between Saraki/ Lawan’s groups and Dogara/ Gbajabimaila’s groups, APC governors

took the peace meeting to Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro where they met with the aggrieved groups. But like the NEC meeting, the Asokoro meeting ended in deadlock. Again, beaming with broad smiles, Okorocha and Oshiomhole, who have apparently become the mouthpiece of the Progressives Governors Forum, briefed journalists.

“You will not see any more disagreements as against the past. Peace has come to our party. Both the Senate President and the Speaker; Senator Ahmed Lawan and Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila will work together for the unity and progress of our party. By next week, we will give you people the details of the outcome of this peace meeting, but so far so good all things being equal,”Okorocha said.

Oshiomhole echoed similar sentiment “When you have some little disagreement among friends, the only way to solve them is to talk and we have started the process. The fact that the two sides are present, the foundation for peace is there.

“If people refuse to see eye to eye or refuse to sit together, then you can’t even discuss and the fact that they all turned up and we listened to all the sides and we have a couple of suggestions, we have agreed to continue with the conversation and we are meeting again tomorrow (Saturday) night here again.

So, I believe we are making some progress. Not that everything is signed, sealed and delivered that is why Okorocha said we are continuing the process.”

Bottom line In the reckoning of many ordinary Nigerians, the brouhaha in the APC does not concern them. What they earnestly yearn for is change. Clogging the wheel of developmental progress in the overall good of the country might spell doom for the government of Buhari.

Just as Oyegun and the governors have promised, Nigerians expect the crisis in the National Assembly to be resolved before its resumption date of July 21.

PAGE 16— SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

Never write yourself off....

Trust God aiting on God for babies isn’t like a tea W party. It comes with a

number of challenges, but one must not allow the challenges to overshadow the focus.

It does not mean that the woman should begin to look older than her age as most women tend to do.

Rather, you need to radiate joy to attract joy unspeakable, apologies to Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. In the same vein, one must set a limit for oneself. While adoption of babies is legal and an acceptable way of raising children, purchase of children delivered by single ladies desperately looking for ways of making money is not only illegal, it is sinful. When the long hand of the law catches up with the ladies and their agents, their clients too will face the full weight of the law.

My humble advice is, if you must adopt, the couple

C M Y K

must agree and go through the process handled by government agencies.

Having said that, the aim of today’s article is to assure that God is never late.

I will like to share, with our readers, the experience of some couples who gave testimonies at Laughter Foundation Ministry.

For obvious reasons, I will like to conceal their identities, but these are real stories and, once we get permission, we should be able to show photographs of couples who have broken through.

Couple A They got married in 1984 - As usual with most couples, after a few years of waiting, they began to visit hospitals.

According to Mrs A, she was diagnosed of fibroid and had it operated in 1990, yet she didn’t get pregnant.

She was then told to do HSG which revealed that one tube was blocked while the other was not seen. Her doctor recommended another

surgery but her husband bluntly refused.

So they kept on waiting until, according to them, they got introduced to Laughter Foundation.

Mrs. A said there, they got more serious with prayers and, suddenly, she became pregnant and had her baby girl after 31 years of marriage. The baby was named “ Oluwajomiloju” (meaning, for me, God is awesome) .

Twins after 19 years of waiting … for doctor and Mrs. B. They got married on December 14,1996. Like the first couple, they too visited a number of hospitals during which they were told doctor had NO SPERM COUNT. Please note, not low but NO. Madam was diagnosed of hormonal imbalance.

Having been diagnosed and treated with no conception,she turned to God. Suddenly, her feet became

swollen but she continued to menstruate.

So, doctors said it must be arthritis and she was treated.

Now , this continued for seven months until January 2015when her husband told her to try pregnancy test.

Their joy knew no bounds when she was confirmed pregnant. This was followed with a scan which revealed

Today, those that have been written off have joyful homes.

Are you waiting? Your joy is on the way she was seven months pregnant.

What surprised even the doctors was that, notwithstanding the treatment for arthritis, the babies remained intact and she gave birth to a set of twins (a boy and a girl) and was delivered of the babies without stress.

Do you still marvel at the Lord’s doing? Then wait for this.

Couple C. Husband lived in the United States and the wife in Nigeria. Before you

blame it on distance, hold your breathe.

The search for the fruit of the womb led the couple to a number of hospitals during which Madam went through surgery. This was here in Nigeria. Somehow, some items were forgotten inside her.

This was unknown to the couple until she began to experience excruciating pains. Consequently, she and her husband saw doctors in the United States, the United Kingdom and India.

According to the couple, one of the doctors found that the womb had stuck together and could not open. Which means no conception could take place.

Another doctor simply told her that in his 47 years of medical practice, he had never seen any womb so scarred. He told the husband, “This womb is so scarred, it cannot carry a lizard not to talk of a baby”.

In the United States, they were seen by a team of12 doctors, who simply told the woman they would have to close her medical file which meant hope was lost completely.

The husband said, “I told my wife, `I am sorry, I failed you but I will make you happy’.

“It is bad when people lose faith in you, but it is worse when you lose faith in yourself”.

The couple said the challenge of delayed child bearing made the wife to study nursing in the United States, yet nothing happened.

Then, a journalist friend (

names withheld) visited their homes in Lagos and the United States and found no children. Hence he invited them to Laughter Foundation.

There they remained focused and steadfast in prayer and God visited them and the womb that doctors said could not carry a lizard produced a set of twins ( a boy and a girl).

Now, what is unique about this couple is that theirs is inter-ethnic marriage. The husband isYoruba and the wife, Igbo. So, one can imagine the social pressure they must have experienced.

Despite medical reports and the huge financial expenses, they stuck together. What are the lessons to be drawn from the experience of these couples.

First, one’s faith in God must be total. Second, you must believe that, with God, all things are possible.

Don’t be discouraged by anyone’s report.

Or, how do we explain how one, who was being treated for arthritis, became a mother to the surprise of her doctors.

The case of Couple C should strengthen our faith that no one should be written off.

Also, we should note the total support and commitment of the men to the search for solution to their childlessness.

Today, those who have been written off have joyful homes. Are you waiting?

Your joy is on the way.

… Send your letters to joyfulhomes2015@gmail.com

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 17

bb pin:2BD74DOB

Joseph Benjamin, UK’s AAYY Dot, Danielle Down dazzle in hilarious romantic movie, ‘Mum, Dad Meet Sam’

Cossy meets bigger boobs on set of new flick

•Saraphina

F

or love, for hate or for pure envy, Nollywood diva, Cossy Orjiakor is almost always the cynosure of all eyes wherever she finds herself. Trick or treat, she owes this to no other reason than her humongous boobs which tends to herald her presence long before you could even figure out that Cossy is around. It is almost inconceivable that this Nollywood’s queen of boobs could meet someone whose boobs would

make her feel second best. But she did recently and it was on set of a new movie ‘Ara Saraphina’ recently shot in the eastern part of the country.

The movie is a glamour comedy by Pressing Forward Movies and directed by Dandy Chukwuemeka Echefu. In the movie, Cossy Orjiakor and Saraphina Onyekachi Amaechi go head to head in a boobs contest. “ Yes, there was boobs competition which I won. But I must confess Saraphina is bigger than me. I only won the contest because she failed a question and I was the next best and more enlightened, so, I won” says Cossy when asked what it was like going head to head with Saraphina. “ A friend, Theodore Anyanji recommended me for the job, so, Saraphina called me up.

The movie was shot in Owerri. It was my first time

F

•Cossy Orjiakor in Owerri, I stayed at Seaview Hotel, a nice hotel. I received extra money, for food particularly because I don’t eat location food. My stay in Owerri was very nice and I enjoyed my self on the set of the film” she added Other stars in the film include Ebube Nwagbo, Rita Edochie, Uche Elendu, Zuby Michael, Paschaline Alex and many others.

No man is poor in m myy diar diaryy — Bose Oladimeji

B

ose Oladimeji is beginning to get all the attention in the Yoruba film industry, for both her talent and good looks. But Bose, from Kwara State and an English graduate of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, is burning with desire to do things most of her colleagues wouldn’t dare even though she wouldn’t cross the rubicon of

•Bose Oladimeji

going nude.

But there is something bothering Bose and it has nothing to do with going nude.

The interview she granted Vanguard sometime in April, where she stated she could never marry a poor man, according to her, has been haunting her. In her opinion, she believes

people misconstrued what she really meant.

“People have completely misunderstood the statement. In my diary no man is really poor unless he believes himself to be poor. What I actually meant was that I want my man to be hardworking, good, calm, intelligent, trustworthy, caring and loving. What I meant was a lazy man. I can’t marry a lazy man. If a man is lazy he puts his family in danger of insecurity, poverty and want.

I can marry any man as long as he is not lazy and ready to work and allow me to work too. I can’t be a full housewife because to me it is a sign of laziness” she explained in a chat with Potpourri.

In spite of being in the industry for just a couple of years, Bose Oladimeji has produced four films of her own. “Oniduro was my first production, followed by Laye Lorun, Adajo Aye and my latest work, Aye Mi. Apart from those I produced, I have featured in so many other films that I cannot count” she once told Potpourri.

•Joseph Benjamin

ilmOne Distribution, the brand synonymous with the theatrical distribution of box office smash hits, and Restless Distribution are proud to announce that the highly pulsating romantic comedy film, ‘Mum, Dad Meet Sam (MDMS)’, will hit cinemas across Nigeria from July 10th 2015.

Joseph Benjamin brings on his charming personality and poise with his scintillating performance, alongside UK top comedian, AY Dot, dishing out ceaseless rib cracking lines, and the stunningly delightful beauty to behold, English sweetheart, Danielle Down. The awesome trio coupled with Segilola Ogidan, Edith Nwekenta, Anthony Ofoegbu, Helen Gold, amidst the web of a flawless production, makes MDMS, a film to watch.

Having had its world premiere in December 2014, with the creme de la crème of entertainment in the UK attending and showering encomiums on the high end production, and the endless accolades from movie buffs and critics, movie goers in Nigeria will no doubt enjoy the ride in the MDMS roller coaster.

According to Mr Kene Mkparu, the CEO of FilmOne distribution, “FilmOne has a pedigree of releasing highly entertaining movies which appeals to Nigerians and Non-Nigerians domiciled in the country. MDMS is no exception in our repertoire of releases. It’s a fun filled movie and those who watch the movie are guaranteed to visually savour every scene and get their monies worth”.

STOP PIRACY NOW! STOP BUYING PIRATED MOVIE AND MUSIC CDs, DVDs. IT IS KILLING THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. STOP! C M Y K

PAGE 18— SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

What tattoos mean to Nigerian stars T

attoos are not new to anyone who is old enough and alive in this world where entertainment has defiantly decided to take the front seat in our social lives. From sport to creative arts, celebrities spot different tattoos to make different statements. While some see them as mere arts, others see them as a form of identity. In

fact, so diverse are reasons why our stars opt for tattoos that it is almost impossible to put a nail on a common reason.

In this edition, Potpourri brings you what some of our stars feel about their tattoos. Yet as many as those that go around with different types of tattoos, there are many still who wouldn’t touch it for any reason whatsoever.

My tattoos are stars, they define who I am — Ella Mensah S

exy Ella Mensah is a Ghanaian actress who spends most of her time in Nigeria. A mother of one, Ella came to Nigeria to shoot a film and ended up shooting five other films back-to-back.

Now, she is seen more as a Nollywood actress than a Ghollywood one. To drive home this fact, the actress permanently has on her Blackberry, a personal message “Hottest Ghanaian actress in Nollywood”.

Though she doesn’t fall in the same category as Tonto Dikeh, with 58 different

I want a tattoo on my private part – Maheeda

markings on her, Ella nonetheless has her own share of tattoos, most visibly on her laps. When asked what her tattoos mean to her, she replied simply, “I love arts and getting one on my skin was just a satisfaction. My tattoos are stars, just simply defining who I am” Ella Mensah who goes by the name ‘Goodgyalella’ on social media, in one of her recent posts on Instagram aptly describes herself “I love this young lady @goodgyalella ...she’s got a smart ass mouth but she is faithful and honest. She is sarcastic but loving and supportive, she is stubborn as she can be but she is trustworthy and reliable. I’m so obsessed with her because she is me. She is currently on holiday in her country, Ghana.

Holland-based Nigerian singer Caroline Sam simply known as Maheeda is unlike anyone else in the Nigerian entertainment industry for the brazen manner she brandishes her naked body. Try Googling her name to search for her pictures and see what greets you on the internet. You will find there are more pictures of this ‘Lasgidi Girl’ without clothes on than on.

To her, causing commotion with her nudity is a pastime she enjoys like most people would enjoy and savour a new collection of jewelry.

On Tuesday she caused more pandemonium on social media when she posted a near-nude picture of herself, exposing her heavily tattooed torso and declared “ I want a tattoo on my pussy, how does a million dollar note look like”

They mean absolutely rubbish now -Anita Joseph Nollywood actress and singer, Anita Joseph once cried out that she now regrets having tattoos all over her body. The actress made the declaration to Vanguard a couple of years ago and recently in a chat reaffirmed this to Potpourri.

“I regret my tattoos. It is something I wish I never had” she said “ it’s so addictive. You do one, you would do again and again” she once declared, affirming the same position by Tonto Dikeh that tattoos are addictive.

Anita said she has tattoos in six parts of her body: back of her palm, waist, top of her boobs, left leg, neck and arm. “They mean nothing now. They mean absolutely rubbish to me now. I hate them” she seemed to spit out in a recent chat with Potpourri.

When asked why she got them in the first place, the sexy actress said, “I thought they were cool then.

They were trendy at the time and I thought it was something cool to have. I was only being a gal”.

There There is is nothing nothing like like self-appreciation self-appreciation — Tonto Dikeh T onto Dikeh, Nollywood actress and singer doesn’t always toe the line many would follow. It is the reason most people have dubbed her ‘controversial’, but to her, that is an assessment to be shrugged off. Not so long ago, she took on her 58th tattoo and aptly showed it off on Insagram with a caption “So in love with every inch of me”. She followed it up with more assertions “There is nothing like self-appreciation, I love every inch of my body” But earlier, while having the tattoos Tonto warned that tattoos come with certain measure of addiction and beseeched her fans to stay off it.

“Stay away from tattoos, don’t border to have any not even little because the moment you do, you keep on going for more.” she had warned.

She further shared a photo story of how she shed tears while getting the tattoos back then – she claimed she endured the pains like a strong lady because she was doing something that meant a lot to her back then.

STOP PIRACY NOW! STOP BUYING PIRATED MOVIE AND MUSIC CDs, DVDs. IT IS KILLING THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. STOP! C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 19 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

What tattoos mean to Nigerian stars

I got mine to mark birth of my son — Ayo Adesanya A

yo Adesanya is no rookie in the film industry, the sexy-eyed actress who has seen both the Yoruba and English-speaking sector of the industry will be celebrating her 20th year in the world of make-believe later this year, Concerning her tattoos, many reports have been circulated but Ayo is one who doesn’t really like to discuss her private life. The first report that went viral was the one allegedly involving her ex husband, Goriola Hassan, who allegedly told the actress to remove his name she tattooed on her body.

Later, another report emerged that Ayo went for surgery to have all her tattoos removed after she was allegedly told by a man of God that having a tattoo is a sin.

“I still have it (her tattoo) but it’s fading off gradually. I recently had a surgery. I’m supposed to have gone for another one. I’m clearing it off but it’s so painful. It gets swollen and too painful.

“I went to a church to pray and they gave me a Bible verse, I never knew it was against Christianity.

Until the Pastor opened a passage that I should read, and that was how I knew. It’s actually so beautiful when you have tattoos but immediately I knew it was a sin then, I made up my mind to clean it” she was quoted to have said in an interview.

But in her chat with Potpourri, the beautiful thespian explained why she got her first tattoo and what it means to her. “ I did mine after the birth of my son. Having my son was the most precious thing that happened to me. He is a priceless gift God has given me, so I say “I FEAR NO OTHER EXCEPT GOD. So, I got the tattoo ‘NO FEAR’ (the inscription she had tattooed on her body)” she explained.

My tattoos mean nothing else but art — Afrocandy

U

S-based Nigerian actress, Judith Mazagwu, popularly known as Afrocandy is a bundle of tricks, who gets even more mysterious as more as you try to understand her. She is a devoted mother even though many would want to describe her as the queen of porn in Nigeria. No doubt she runs an adult website and she’s not apologetic about it. In fact Afrocandy isn’t apologetic about most things concerning her, including many tattoos that adorn her

I am so cool with my tattoos •Ayo Adesanya

O

NE of the beautiful Yoruba actresses making waves right now is classy and sexy Sotayo Sobola.

She’s so talented that she is hot in demand. Her latest films Bella and Aba Ikilo have recorded tremendous success, and aptly putting this fair-skin talent in the upper reef of the industry

Tattoos make dark girls look dirty — Amanda Ebeye

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body.

“My tattoos don’t mean nothing else but art” she began when she was asked what her tattoos mean to her. “They are just a way to beautify the body and it has been around for decades. I remember my grandmother who was very light skinned with curly hair had some kind of dark drawings on her body. Back in those days they used some kind of fruits (Uri) to draw them.

So, I still think they are beautiful” she said.

eautiful and dark skinned actress, Amanda Ebeye, who featured in her maiden movie, Weeping Tiger in 2007, after several exploits in soap operas, knows on what side her bread is buttered. Unlike many of her colleagues Amanda hates tattoos and believes it is rather unsightly on a girl of her colour.

“I don’t like them. I am a dark skinned girl and so far I have only admired tattoos on lighter skinned people. I feel tattoos make people of my skin tone look dirty, so, I have never fancied it on myself” she said

– Sotayo Sobola

with the very best.

She has a couple of tattoos on her body and according to her, she doesn’t see anything wrong in having a tattoo or two.

“Well, there’s nothing serious about the tattoos, I just love them” she told Potpourri in a chat.

When asked if she had ever considered taking them off as many of her colleagues are planning to do, she retorted, “Not at all.

I have never thought of erasing it. I have my tattoo where they can be well hidden. I can dress up without your seeing any trace that I have a tattoo” “Does that mean Sotayo is ashamed of her tattoo” we asked and she replied “No, I am so cool with my tattoos but you know there are places you go that you have to cover them”.

•Sotayo Sobola

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PAGE 20 , SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

My only competition is myself — Jenny O

By Tofarati Ige JENNIFER Obi popularly known as Jenny O, is as multi-talented as they come. The singer and HIPTV reporter, writer, voice-over artiste, and presenter began her sojourn into the broadcasting industry in 2007 on the widely acclaimed magazine programme, Bisi Olatilo Show. Her charming and endearing personality led to her being referred to as the ‘Golden Voice’ by veteran broadcaster, Bisi Olatilo. She hosts the widely viewed fashion show, Video fashion broadcast on AIT, TVC, LTV in Lagos State and some notable stations across the nation. She has also had a stint in radio broadcasting with Radio Continental and City 105.1fm, where she has displayed professionalism with unbelievable dexterity.

Jenny O has also performed as a protégé of veteran Afrobeat and highlife musician, Dede Mabiaku and his band ‘The Underground African Sounds.’

She recently featured the musical Taliban, Oritse Femi, on her recent single, ‘Shomara’ and she had this to say about it, ‘I just felt he’d fit perfectly into the song after listening to the production.

It was a fun and thrilling experience working with him. Oritse Femi is a brilliant artiste and it didn’t take him long to deliver his verse.”

On her motivation for doing music, she said, ‘I was inspired by the need to communicate with a larger audience so I could express my thoughts in a more sublime manner.

Some people say my style of music is RnB pop, Afro pop or funk. However, I don’t like to limit myself you know, so I won’t say I have a particular style, I like to play around with different sounds.’

Shedding light on the songs in her repertoire, she stated, ‘I have officially released four singles. The first one is ‘Yepirapira’ produced by Shogon, the second is ‘Move anyhow’ produced by Kaka, the son of the late lady of songs, Christy Essien Igbokwe, ‘’Take it away” produced by Geamat and ‘Follow you go’ which was produced by Ex –O who produced Knighthouse’s ‘Wonberi.’

The talented beauty lists Tinashe, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Adele, Jhene Aiko and Frank Ocean as her influences in the music industry, while also noting that she doesn’t consider anybody as competition. In her words, ‘The truth is that I intend being myself, so my competition is myself and with no one. Everyone is super talented in their own right, but the best I can be is me. I’m going to be as witty, creative and as fun as I can be with what I churn out.’

On artistes she would love to work with, she said, ‘I would love to work with 2face, Patoranking, Olamide , Phyno, Oritsefemi and Yemi Alade. They are all astoundingly talented and have got the energy for the game. Internationally, I would love to work with Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Adele and Frank Ocean.

Igbo group sets award agenda ‘ORIENT-ATION’ to revive Igbo language

BY ADERONKE ADEYERI

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ENOWNED ‘Tjoe Group’ is about to lead a call on the sons and daughters of Igbo-land across the universe to return to the root and rebuild the dying language, entrepreneurial spirit, and culture of the Igbo with a two-day packaged event tagged Orient-Ation.

Orient-Ation is an event set as a solution to reviving the Igbo dying language and indigenous cultural spirit of hard work and excellence, with an exclusive awards event that will orientate Igbo on these pertinent issue and also recognizing and celebrating the Igbo people and their individual contribution to the society; both in Nigeria; Africa and beyond.

The event is billed to take place on the 25th and 26th of September at the urban city of Enugu, with seminars, talk shop and advisory speeches that will promote, recognize and encourage Igbo youths and also expose them to the life of possibility from prominent Igbo achievers from all walks of life.

The event will also feature quiz competition and cultural display from various schools while the preevent concert will also have in attendance notable wave-making Igbo entertainers across the sector of the Nigerian entertainment industry and those in the diaspora.

The Chairman, Tjoe Group, Mr, Joe Tochukwu emphasized that the birth of Orient-Ation is to celebrate the cultural spirit of entrepreneurship of Igbo indigenes and also fight against the popular belief that Igbo are dubious. Again, to encourage Igbo families to teach their children the importance of the language and avoid the risk of extinction as it was predicted by UNESCO. In his words; ‘We want to use this platform to encourage our Igbo families who don’t have time to teach their children the roles and important of our cultural heritage in the society.

Igbo are known to be enterprising and commerce-driven and remain one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa with a rich culture that

commands fascinating attention among other tribes in Africa.”

According to the chairman, the public can reach and also vote through their website www.orient-ation.com between 1st and 30th of August 2015. The award categories include distinguished service award, best Igbo governor 2011/2015, best Igbo comedian, best Igbo actor, industrialist of the year, transporter of the year, post houmous of the year among others.

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SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 21

Nigeria has implemented only five percent of affirmative action on women – Okunuga

BY KOLADE LAREWAJU Hajia Fatima Kehinde Okunuga, an Ijebu-born princess, was an aspirant for the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, she speaks on the exigency of women political empowerment, causes of gender inequity and possible ways to ameliorate the situation.

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hat can you say about the global in women political representation and how has Nigeria fared in this regard?

When 1975 was declared the International Women’s Year by the United Nations, attention on gender issues shot up and this later gave way to the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 held in Beijing.

As we speak, many countries of the world are yielding to the cry for gender balancing as we are currently living under a recordhigh number of female world leaders. For much of 2014, the number of women Presidents and Heads of Government worldwide is about 22 which is a record.

Today, many countries of the world are making efforts to bridge the gap between men and women in politics. In Africa, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made history as Africa’s first female president while countries like Argentina, Brazil, Germany are being ruled by women and they are making their mark. Senator Hillary Clinton is a frontliner in the America’s political landscape. In 2006, Republican Party’s presidential candidate John McCain picked Sarah Palin, former Governor of Alaska as his running mate. This could be seen as the turning point in the global perspective as to the efforts being made to have women in decision making process of world nations. In South Africa and Mozambique, women hold about 30% of the seats in the parliament. Some countries, including Burkina Fasso and Uganda, have constitutional provisions reserving seats in their legislature for women. The Rwanda example is simply unique. In spite of the 1994 genocide, Rwanda takes a lead in gender balance as women represent 49% of their national parliament. This achievement is as a result of constant lobbying of Rwandan women who contributed immensely in the drafting of the new constitution and also secured the creation of a ministry for women’s affairs.

Though the Beijing conference of 1995 recommended 35% allocation for women in political positions, power and decision making, that has not been the case in Nigeria where women can barely boast of 5 percent.

However, it must be noted that the minimal rise in gender participation in the country has been attached to appointive positions having failed to produce women in elective posts.

President Muhammadu Buhari recently reiterated his commitment to implement the cardinal policies of the All Pro-

gressives Congress (APC) in order to move the country forward. What do our women stand to benefit if this is done?

In its manifesto, the APC vowed to ensure that the rights of women are protected as enshrined in the nation’s constitution with a guarantee that women are adequately represented in government appointments and provided greater opportunities in education, job creation and economic empowerment. It also promised the promotion of the concept of reserving a minimum number of seats in the National Assembly for women. So, it is cheering news not only for the electorate but the womenfolk who have been relegated to the background in decision-making process over the years. There is no gainsaying the fact that an increase in women representation in the government can empower women with its multiplier effects in overall development.

It has been argued and with empirical evidence too that female representatives not only advance women’s rights, but also advance the rights of children. It has been globally recognised that empowering women and girls is the quickest way to fight both poverty and other related vices like prostitution.

According to a survey carried out in India, greater women’s representation has corresponded with a more equitable distribution of community resources, including more gender-sensitive spending on programs related to health, nutrition, and education.

The saying that women are properties of men should be discouraged in all its entirety.

Is this to say previous governments in Nigeria have only been paying lipservice to the issue of gender equity?

Kudos must be given to former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar who embarked on a policy shift during his reign between June, 1998 and May, 1999. He appointed two women in the Federal Executive Council at the onset of his regime: Chief (Mrs) Onikepo Akande (Minister for Commerce) and Dr. Laraba Gambo Abdullahi (Minister of Women Affairs). He is one leader who could have opened up more avenues for the women to raise their stakes and take active part in governance if not for the exigencies of the time. In the Fourth Republic which started on May 29, 1999, the Nigerian political terrain witnessed an increase in the number of women political appointees, even though women did not perform well at the elections. There were 9 females in the Federal Executive Council out of the whole 44 as the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo appointed four women out of the 29 senior ministers representing 13.7% and three out of the 18 junior ministers representing 16.6%.

Without bias, the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan made some inroads by establishing some structures to enhance the empowerment of women politically and chief among these is the estab-

•Hajia Fatima Kehinde Okunuga

Without being immodest, it is a big shame that after our fifty years of indepenence we still find ourselves in this situation lishment of Political Trust Fund to provide support to women aspirants willing to participate in elections at various levels. Women’s representation during Jonathan’s regime rose from 10% in 2011 to over 33% in 2013.

Though, this may be a sort of increase in women participation in politics, it is still light years away from the global perspectives especially in elective posts.

In your own opinion what measures do we put in place to ensure gender balance in our

polity?

Without being immodest, it is a big shame that after our fifty years of indepenence we still find ourselves in this situation.

There is no constitutional preference for the women in terms of Bills at both the States and national levels to protect the welfare of women. This is a challenge to our elected women representatives to brace up, lobby and see to the formulation and passage of such Bills. There must be consitutionally supported policies for female graduates and young school leavers in terms of automatic employment and regular stipends to cushion their inadequacies. Nigeria has more than enough resources to implement this if we are sincere.

Monies lavished on wordly materials could be channelled towards improving the lives of the citizenry.

Over the years we have had all sorts of programmes funded by wives of our leaders focusing on, among others, maternal health, women empowerment, vocational trainings etc. They present sewing machines, hair dryers to women and, of all things, hoes, cutlasses and commercial motorcycles to ablebodied young men and they call it empowerment! Imagine! The women legislators should not join the bandwagon of those sharing whatever is accruing to their offices alone but work in

tandem with like mind legislators to advance this course. It should also be reciprocated in the States Houses of Assembly with women lawmakers standing firm in defence of the womenfolk. A taskforce can be put in place to take the statistics of female graduates to be so empowered with proper monitoring.

This is a task that must be championed by the women in the front burner of our polity now namely Hajia Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, wife of the Presient and Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice-President. They should put the wives of all the State governors and local government chairmen to task by putting up pressure on appropriate quarters to make it a reality and as a matter of urgency too.

Nigerian women should be given all the necessary support and allowed a fair share in decisionmaking and the governance of the country. Afterall if all human beings are equal and women possess the same rights as men it makes common sense for them to participate in governance and public life. My position is strongly based on the fact that if Nigeria is to experience the much needed political and economic change then we must review the discriminative political bottlenecks that deny women equal participation in governance in Nigeria. Economic development of a nation is not gauged by the muscles on the back of the menfolk but by the quality of expertise and intelligence available for deployment in service to our fatherland. No single gender has a monopoly of knowledge. Our women have, oftentimes, received better education and managed more successful careers than the men thrust upon us as political leaders.

Going by this, it is highly recommended that women are accorded vantage positions for a meaningful development and this could only be achieved if they are not left out of the decision making process. A prominent political representative in the United Kingdom, Harriet Harman, said and I quote: “Women are central to the new breed of politicians who offer Africa the opportunity for a deeply rooted, uncorrupt democracy.”

I believe that Africa and not only Nigeria’s democracy will prosper if we have more women in politics. In other words, it will make democracy worth its definition as a government of the people by the people and for the people after all human beings are men and women and these are the people.

We cannot be the giant of Africa for nothing. We should set precedent for other African countries especially in gender equity starting from responsiveness to the plight of the girl-child moving upwardly to encouragement of the women to partake in politics and present themselves for elective positions in governance.

The reason we live in a democratic world is for equal participation of all citizens in the development of their country irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.

PAGE 22 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

I encourage teenagers to develop talents - Funke Oguntuga, CEO, Heartminders Project

By Anino Aganbi

W

ith a lot of focus placed on teenagers today, we can indeed say these youths are the future of the country. Gone are the imposed silence placed on abused children as they are now given voices to speak. A lot may have been done behind the scenes but more people are comingout to say no to rape, child molestation and teenage pregnancies. Among them is a woman worthy of being emulated by the next generation. Funke Oguntuga is the CEO of Heartminders Project. In her work with youths, she has not only become an inspiration to others but a true leader at heart.

Although she is held in high esteem by all who surround her, this has only spurred her to do more for the youths out there. In this chat with Sunday FEMINISTA, she discloses more.

Excerpt.

What was the inspiration behind working with youths and teenagers and how long have you been into it?

I started working with teenagers in 2011. I wrote blogs for youths where I talked about relationship, careers and other related issues. My personal experiences as a teenager, decisions I took as a youth and responses I got through blogging prompted me to do more because I realized that teenagers don’t know much about the world around them .

Who was Funke Oguntuga before the inspiration that led to the birth of Heartminders Project?

Istarted out as a journalist. I studied Mass communication in the university and worked as a journalist with the print media as a writer . I also worked in the banking sector for about eight

years. My banking journey took me back to my first love which was journalism. It was at that point I started blogging about relationship, love, sex and marriage which was what gave birth to the teen aspect called heart mindres.

You teach teenagers to be avid readers and crave information; did you have any bitter experience that spurred this while growing up?

While growing up as a child, there was no internet or phones.

So, the level of exposure to these things was very low. We relied solely on things we were told by our parents, mentors, and probably what we watched on TV. This limited the information that were supposed to be available to help us grow up. I then tried to balance it with so much that the internet is throwing at them. We went from not having enough information to having too much. Everybody can have access to anything they want because it is at the tip of their fingers. I came in to balance it and to share my experiences from having no information, knowing nothing about sex, teen dating, menstruation and other stuffs like that to knowing now that there are teenagers who give birth early and are into making money. We have a lot of child abuse going on and will probably affect upcoming youths and there is a need to put a stop to them. So we need them to balance what they read and those who do not read, we need to tell them what to read and have the ability to balance both.

Is the issue of unwanted pregnancy ebbing in anyway with the advocacies going on around town?

Yes. If you look at the rate at which we had early and unwanted pregnancies, I might not have the exact figures but there are data showing that in past months, the figures have reduced drastically as opposed to what we had years back. Every teenager is vulnerable. There are so many abandoned teenagers, we have pre-teens that people feel should not know about sex and this keeps killing the information that are supposed to be passed out to these teenagers. With a lot of advocacies going on presently, teenagers now come out to ask questions and this tells us they have actually been craving information. They want to know more than what their

parents or peers share with them.

The level of advocacy we have in the country has really helped in reducing the numbers.

How do you plan to empower teens, even though they have not reached working ages?

Making choices, communicating and having self-confidence to make things happen does not always come easily. We all know we can all be a better version of ourselves but the question is how?

Teen Empowerment Program focuses on what is already inside you. You just need to learn how to tap into your own skills and talents. Just like coupling imagination with responsibility, I encourage teenagers to develop talents along with education. The idea is to prepare them for the competitive, extremely challenging world. By the time they get out there it will not get frustrating for them.

What I do is organize empowerment program to teach them handy work, depending on what they are interested in.

Being a teenager today is risky business. Among the risks are alcohol and drug dependency, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and violence.

Consequently, high risk acts may lead to single parenting, prolonged poverty, or physical danger.

What personal experience inspired you to reach out to teenagers?

I took some decisions as a teenager that I was not proud of neither was I competent or confident acting on those decisions. I grew up in a slum and was abused emotionally and physically yet my experiences are not much as my passion, although, I will admit that as a teenager I was forced to grow up quickly by being abused and deciding to keep quiet about it and that was my personal experience.

Those experiences motivated me and my overcoming those challenges made me pay extra attention to teenagers and wanting to always help them anyway I can.

Any challenges Oh yes, we have financial

challenge to start with, some of our projects need financing. We also face logistics issues, we don’t have access to data and accurate figures in term of population of teenagers, number of registered schools, we don’t have access to information that

They want to know more than what their parents or peers share with them. The level of advocacy we have in the country has really helped in reducing the numbers

we require to appropriately cater for teens that are not in school.

There is no proper documentation of records. We also face sponsorship challenges, companies and government and individuals need to invest in the future and teenagers are the future.

What teenage issues do you address and how are the students’ responses?

Physical Difficulties, social challenges, psychological distress, relationship issues and emotional problems are issues I address daily. Teenagers experience rapid body changes as they transition into adults and may have difficulty understanding and coping with them. In the teenage years, girls usually start their periods and develop breasts and hips, while boys start to develop chest and facial hair and become more muscular. Their voices may also deepen. Although a teenager may already know to expect these changes, they may still be selfconscious, especially if they start to develop faster than their peers.

Teenagers experience difficulties with the physical changes to their bodies, emotional and psychological challenges and social problems at home, school and among their peers. They often need guidance and support through this period from their parents, teachers, counselors and peers.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 23

'I regret leaving my husband for my lover!'

F

or close to three years, Faith, a married woman with two children was living the dream of most women – a well grounded husband and a rich lover. “My husband was kind, loving and very practical in nature”, Faith had said. “He’s my bes friend and an outstanding father. Sadly, he wasn’t all that hot in bed – which is where Tunji, my lover came in.

He kept me sexually satisfied. We had a loving relationship that was sex-based, the reason I was able to compartmentalize the two relationships.

They existed comfortably sideby-side and I was contented both emotionally and sexually for close to three years.

“When Tunji became the AGM Production of the firm he worked for, his fortunes changed. So did mine. Thanks to his new muscles, I got a few mouth-watering contracts and money was no longer my problem. My lover ’s marriage was on its last leg, so I had little guilt about being unfaithful with another man’s husband and mine had no idea that I had another sexual partner.

There wasn’t any risk of any sexually transmitted diseases because we always condoms. I was still in this euphoric state when Tunji’s official residence became available for him to move in. He didn’t want to move in with his wife, he told me it was me he wanted. He said he’d toyed with the idea of me leaving my husband for years and that now money wasn’t a problem and we had only three children between us, I should think seriously about it. I’d never been aware of this his secret wish as he’d never voiced these feelings to me and I was confused.

How do you tell a loving husband you were leaving him when all he’d done was love you?

“I loved Tunji and the life-style he now lived. A whole house lavishly furnished and a pool of cars. All that was holding me back was a marriage to a man I didn’t really love! But I was at a crossroads and the goal posts have now been changed, I had deluded myself that with my position as a legal secretary, I’d turned what was usually a messy, emotive situation into an ordered,

manageable one where I felt completely in control.

I’d reckoned without Tunji’s feelings and I had serious thinking to do.

“In the end I told my husband I no longer loved him and wanted to leave. He was shocked.

I felt like a heartless bitch as I watched him crumple before my eyes, begging me to try and save our marriage. Tunji wasn’t having any of that. With his muscles, he got some policemen who helped pack my things whilst my husband watch with amazement.

I quickly settled in with Tunji and sued for divorce. My ex didn’t

even contest anythinghe was too numbed. He just wanted access to his two children. Tunji I later go married and had a son. Then the bubble burst. This happened about seven years after I moved in with him.

“Tunji didn’t see the disaster coming. New members were brought n board and they decided on a shake up. Tunji was retired with what they thought was a golden handshake. He got an impressive lump sum that ran into millions and he was asked to keep two of the cars. We had to vacate the house so that the young back stabber who plotted his downfall

could move in. Luckily, I had a small bungalow we could move into as Tunji’s sprawling mansion was still under construction.

He was a bit too old to be looking for paid employment – not the kind that would pay the salary he was earning. He tried his hand on business but no luck.

People he thought would help were secretly happy he’d got his comeuppance. No one really respects a wifesnatcher.

The few contracts he got didn’t give him enough profit to live on and he dipped more and more into his severance pay.

“For a while we had to rely on my salary but it was hard. Tunji had to sell his half-completed building and invested a huge chunk of the money – in shares. Don’t let me bore you about what havoc the fall of the stock market wreaked on our finances. A few months ago, I ran into my exhusband and he strode confidently towards me.

“Are you happy now?”, he spat. He’d had to rescue the kids from being expelled from their posh secondary schools by paying their fees. He’d also insisted they come to

live with him and his new wife and I had no choice but to agree. He actually gave me a pitying look as he shook his head sadly at me then walked away without waiting for my response. I wished the ground would open up so I could sink inside!

“I have had plenty of time to think about the bad choice I made and I have no one to blame for my predicament but myself. I once prided myself on being able to put people into boxes and closing one while opening the other. I didn’t reckon with Tunji’s labouring under the illusion that my love for him wasn’t just physical. Unfortunately, when I eventually had to choose, greed played a great part in my decision. I still have my job but Tunji is so depressed he’s thinking of relocating abroad. His ex-wife is happy and doing well on her own.

She said after what she went through with Tunji, no man was worth another effort with her.

What a lot of sadness and resentment for everybody in this love fiasco just because of a rash decision on my side!’

Dealing with your excess body fat F

AT is a necessary component of the human organism. It serves as a source of energy; you need it to maintain proper body heat when the surrounding atmosphere takes a dip in temperature; it serves as a carrier of Vitamin A, D, E and K and it is also a source of energy.

It is the excess of fat that is dangerous. With too much of fat there obtains

The triangle posture C M Y K

the situation where there is not enough skin area for the body to regain its optimum temperature when there has been some vigorous activity.

The fatter the person the quicker it takes for the body’s temperature to rise and the longer it takes it to cool off.

While the lean individual can race up a flight of stairs with very little effort, the same activity at the

same pace will almost kill a fat person.

A fat person pants too quickly in the body’s attempt to maintain the correct body heat.

The action of the lungs is tied to that of the heart.

When you have to breathe faster, the heart naturally beats faster. Too fast a heart rate, and the heart itself is denied of enough oxygenated blood for its own upkeep.

The picture is clearer now as to why the fatter the person, the worse a state his heart will be in.

Now, you think you need to cut down on the amount of fat you’re carrying around. Good.

But the problem must be approached with caution.

You must have a weight loss programme that your body can tolerate. Too great a pace and the attendant exhaustion might discourage you from trying anymore.

The sensible thing to do is to modify the diet and introduce the kind of regimen that the body can take and not leave you feeling totally wiped out, as it were.

As far as diet goes, I favour a breakfast of fruit and a lunch and dinner that has a lot of vegetables.

Fruit being predigested, leaves very little residue in the system. When you eat fruit, you save enough energy, that way your body has enough power of its own to start dealing with all the toxins that have come about on account of an improper eating pattern.

The practice of deep breathing will enable you

cut down on a runaway ap- the left foot which is facing leftward. Leave the left petite.

When the appetite is un- hand open and placed next bridled, you can almost eat to the left foot. Straighten or feast to death. Come to the right hand and bring it think of it the human being down so that your bicep is about the only animal on touches lightly your right earth that does not wait to ear.

Stay in the posture for be hungry before eating.

Little wonder, we seem to be some 15 seconds and rethe only creatures with a peat on the other side.

Benefits: The triangle weight problem. Animals fare much better as regards posture firms the thighs. It food. They only seem to reduces fat on the sides and have problems when we do- upper arms The Single Leg Raise: mesticate them, turn them Technique: Lying flat on into pets. That way we spoil them and soon they become your belly, place the hands affected with all kinds of by your side. With your chin on the floor, raise up conditions.

We should heed the left leg to an angle of Hippocrates advice that about 90 degrees from the our food should be our floor. Hold the posture for about 10 - 15 seconds. medicine.

So, you have resolved to Change legs and repeat.

Benefits: This posture deal with your excess fat. In that case, here are some ex- tones up the muscle of the ercises that will really help legs. It firms the buttocks you achieve your goals of a by reducing excess fat. sleek and efficient machinery of a body.

The Triangle: Technique: StandSTARTED ing with feet about 3 Physical Therapy Centre feet apart, bend the @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, left knee to the same level with your hip.

Victoria Island Lagos.

Keep the right leg 9.00am — 10.00am straight with the foot on Saturdays placed horizontally to

Yoga Classes

P AGE 24 — SUND AY Vanguard, JUL Y 5 , 2015 SUNDA JULY

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

This is bound to boost the male ego!

D

id you know that during orgasm, most of the brain shuts down? That with orgasm, raised levels of what are called the cuddle chemicals – oxytocin and vasopressin - lead to feelings of satisfaction and attachments? A study has found that women who regularly receive semen vaginally are less depressed than those who don’t says Helen Fisher, PhD, author of: Why We Love, The Nature and Chemistry of Romancing love. A bit of an ego-booster for men who are forever jealous of the role that dreaded vibrator is playing in their lover’s life!

The feel-good experience semen gives female recipients could be because they really like their partners”, Fisher said, “it could also be because seminal fluid is awash not only with testosterone and oestrogen but also with chemicals such as dopamine and norepinephrine, serotonin, and oxytocin which can contribute to either elation or calm.”

Another recent study revealed the unsurpasing result that the more often a person has sex, the happier he or she is. This could be because people who have sex often are more likely to be healthy and enjoying a good relationship,. It could also be because sex exercises the muscles and the respiratory system, gets the circulatory system moving, which gives the skin a gorgeous glow; and according to Fisher’s research, triggers the brain circuitry for romantic love and attachment.

So why do we have sex? Because it is fun, says Fisher. Because it can be the most powerful, concrete way to demonstrate the love for ourselves and for someone else. Because sex helps us to remember. Because it helps us to forget.

Because when we open ourselves to the experience completely, we become intimate with the world in a way that’s otherwise inaccessible, and unique. Flooded with hormones that can release us from the mooring of selfconsciousness and control, we can relax into a presence of mind that allows boundaries, momentarily to dissolve.

Sex can not only help us feel better – it can also

help us feel …

When; to suspect your partner could be off his rocker!

Recently, a former colleague told me that she was worried about an older brother who had suddenly gone religious.

According to her, this brother said: “he could hear God talking to him through the radio. He also alleged that all of us in the family were evil because, we didn’t believe in the spiritual church. He thinks his own spiritual church and his beliefs are right. As wild as he looked when he made these allegations, it was obvious that he was cracking up. So, how do you tell if someone close to you is cracking up!|”

With all these named disasters and economic crunch plaguing the country wouldn’t it be nice to know?

According to psychiatrists, there are seven clues to alert you.

For instance, an unexpected change in behaviour is the big tipoff that a friend, relation or co-worker is suffering from emotional problems and may need professional help. Here are the seven clues to look for: *A person who is usually energetic acts tired and indifferent. The person may complain about being tired. His work may be neglected and he doesn’t seem to care. *A previous polite and caring person suddenly

Caught in the web of your love

Y

OUR column to express your loving thoughts in words to your sweetheart. Don’t be shy. Let it flow and let him or her know how dearly you feel.

Write now in not more than 75 words to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E.mail: sunlovenotes@yahoo.com Please mark your envelope: “LOVE NOTES"

I thought that true love is non existent until I was caught in the web designed by your heart. Your beauty captivated me,your smile charmed me and my heart beats resonance with your laughter. Your voice dances azonto rhyme of etigi in my brain. Your love indeed has cast an indelible spell on my life.

Akachukwu Ferdinand.

08063819314

becomes insensitive.

Manners and social etiquette often fall apart during mental illness, said a psychiatrist.

“Words like `please’ and `thank you’ may disappear from the person’s vocabulary and he or she may act rude – pushing ahead of others in a line, for example.” *A person who usually controls his alcohol or drug intake loses control. When someone with no history of alcohol or drug-abuse begins to abuse these substances, it can be a sign of mental illness. And drug abuse doesn’t necessarily have to mean illicit drugs – it also can mean prescribed drugs. *A person who usually maintains stable relationship starts to develop difficulty with important ones. The person may have trouble dealing with people on the job – and with his or her spouse. He or she may resort to physical or emotional abuse and may yell or scream. *A person with emotions in the normal range becomes despondent or shows rapid shifts in mood. The person may begin to have rapid shifts in emotions going from anger to playfulness, from sadness to giggles. *A previously decisive person has trouble making decisions. Even the smallest decision, like choosing clothes, becomes difficult. The person might make up his or her mind and then changes it possible several times. *A person with good hygiene develops poor hygiene. His or her clothes may be inappropriate, dirty or not ironed. Often,the person may wear the

same clothes for days, not brush his or her teeth and bathe less frequently – and may even begin to smell bad.

According to a recent publication in the medical journal, you could be a candidate for a nervous breakdown if you answer yes to six or more of the 12 questions: *Did you have a tragic childhood? A parent’s death or separation? *Was your childhood unsettled with constant moves, parents coming and going? *Do you always felt everyone is bigger, more clever , and nicer than you? *Do you think too much or take drugs? *Are you the sort of person who thinks happiness won’t last? *Have you always felt people criticize you behind your back? *Do you find it difficult to express your feelings? *Do you find it hard to be angry even when you’ve reason to be? *Do you find it difficult to find and keep friends and lovers? *Have you been exposed to a nervous breakdown sufferer, particularly when young? *Are you pre-occupied with your health?

Indeed, reading this, are you now convinced you’re having a nervous breakdown?

According to the psychiatrist: “in approaching someone you think needs help, do so in a caring manner.

Say something like, “something seems to be different about you.

You’re not acting like your old self. I really care about you and I think you should talk to someone who is skilled about it.”.

LOVE TO CHRISTABEL She is indeed a supernatural woman. A woman that can never be compared with another... she is lovely caring and she's a jovial person. she's one of the saints God sent from heaven to the earth to spread the feeling of love to the world. she is among the angels of love God sent to us. she is an ambassador of love and have all the quality of a good wife...

CHARLES CHIDUBEM OGBONNA 08169186581

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 25

08116759757

Why I am building N1,000 per month flat in Lagos —Primate Ayodele

•’The difference Fashola, Amaechi will make in Buhari’s administration’ •Asks President to beware of ‘G7’

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

F

ounder and Spiritual Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, Primate Babatunde Ayodele, on Tuesday, June 23, told Sunday Vanguard his church is building affordable housing estate for Lagosians. On Warnings to the Nations, Ayodele said President Muhammadu Buhari should be careful on his relationship with the G7, ‘Group of seven most industrialised economies in the world’, so that they do not turn around to cause problems for him. The member of the Lord’s Vineyard, who told this paper how Buhari would deal with some big guns in the security sector, hit the nail on the head when he said the Director-General of the Department of State Security Service, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, would be removed. He said more. Excerpts: Let us hit the ground running by first looking at the projects that you have on hand. You are building a housing estate to be given out at N1,000 per month.

How? We have so many projects that we are doing and these projects pertain to some of the things that we think the church should be able to give to the society. We are building houses and schools. From the little we have, we put up a set of roomand-parlour self contained, well tiled, painted with good finishing and we give it out for N1,000 in Lagos and pay monthly.

Again we are trying to build a school which standard will be worth of N150,000 school fees per child but we will give it out at N15,000 for it to be affordable to parents.

And you will still pay salaries of teachers and other workers?

Of course we will pay salaries of teachers.

When the time comes you will see it.

And we are working on a clinic such that while other clinics charge N5,000 for a service, we will charge N2,500 and whichever health service delivery other clinics charge N1,000 for outside, we will charge N500 and it is the same quality of service that people are getting outside that we are going to also offer, just like we will do in the school. We are doing these just to ensure that, as our own social security to the society, life is made bearable and better for the people.

By August, there about we are going to officially commission the projects.

We can understandably come on the same page with the issue of your schools and clinic. But accommodation in an estate that people will pay N1,000 per C M Y K

Nigeria should diversify her economy by moving away from being monoeconomy to other areas such as bitumen, agriculture, mining, and so on

¶Primate Babatunde Ayodele month in a room-and-parlour self-contained making N12,000 per year which ordinarily will cost N200,000, how realistic is that in a densely populated city centre like Lagos?

I just feel that people need help and you know to get help is very difficult here. To succeed in life, you need to somebody to help you to grow, which is what our politicians in government should come together and do for the people using the means of good governance to benefit the generality of the people.

Warnings to the Nations In a post-election publication, some of your (prophets’) predictions were claimed to be fake, you having prophesied that former President Goodluck Jonathan would win the election and not Muhammadu Buhari. You were the only prophet that came up with a rejoinder to that publication saying your predictions had come to pass having said Buhari would win and your claims have been verified. What do we look out for in this new regime of change?

I don’t have much to say for now because we are working round the clock on the new edition of our ‘Warnings to the Nations’. At the moment, I can only say the new government needs prayers. We had talked about change and the change, which is here already, is going to be critical. Buhari is ready and is going to work.

He only needs to be very highly meticulous choosing who will work with him. If he picks Rotimi Amaechi and Babatunde Raji Fashola, the better for his government. But he is not stable about this decision because there are many things on the table that he is going to do. He has too many things to grapple with: the security issue, the power issue, education and the rest.

Buhari cannot do all these things at once, yet people are expecting him to perform miracle.

He will do his best. All that needs be done is for Nigerians to be patient with him and also support him with prayers for him to achieve, at least, one-third of all that he is expected to do.

There is one ex-President, I don’t know that person, who will be disturbing him and series of meetings of elderly ones, too much of pushing here and there but he, as a man of his own mind, he needs to stick to his own vision and mission, only then he can break even.

He needs to put the right people in positions and, security wise, he will achieve much with the police if he retains the present InspectorGeneral of Police for a while. Such are the people he needs to perform.

What about the service chiefs?

I don’t say what is not. I cannot mention anybody’s name here because that is not what I am here to address.

Now about the Warnings to the Nations....

(Cuts in) We said if Jonathan wanted to win the last election he should address the Chibok girls issue and that of the First Lady and the

international community. He refused to address those issues. What happened?

And Buhari should be careful with the G7: America, Germany and the rest? If he is not careful with them, his government will break midway.

His romance with them should be with his eyes open so that it does not create problems for him. Yes, they will help him initially but he should be very careful.

And not all the governors we have presently will finish their terms.

Before now, I knew that APC would crack, which is what is happening in the National Assembly. CPC will come up as a party. I see a new tone in APC and PDP except CPC comes up in the next one year, seven months of Buhari in office.

There are some other issues such as subsidy removal. Some people are asking President Buhari to remove subsidy; if he does, it will affect the economy. He only needs to know how to manage the subsidy issue in a way that won’t affect the economy and I mean he should not remove it totally if he wants to succeed. If he listens to the right voice, success will always be on his side. But if he says because he knows a lot of things and so will not listen to the right voice, forget about the promised change.

Buhari has determination but what he has in his mind is different from what he will see in office.

On Saraki, Dogara In the Assembly, Saraki must be steadfast on doing the right thing because, if care is not taken, he will be removed. Dogara should be watchful.

And the APC will need a lot of prayers because I see a crack in the party.

Naira head-to-head with dollar a slip of tongue The issue of bringing Naira headto-head with the dollar, I don’t believe in that because it can’t work. May be it is a slip of tongue. As our crude oil is going, Nigeria should diversify her economy by moving away from being mono-economy to other areas such as bitumen, agriculture, mining, and so on.

Fighting corruption?

It will be very hard to fight corruption. Buhari cannot completely defeat corruption but he will do his best. However, to achieve that, he should not just devote all his strength to fighting corruption while leaving out the basic amenities he should provide for the people. Yes, probe but probing should not affect growing the economy. And the best way he can fight corruption successfully is by prayers and putting trusted people of high integrity in positions to work with him.

Again, let us pray against water trouble in this country. Let us keep the whole thing till when we shall come out with our Warnings to the Nations.

Mr. President has actually taken bold steps on the issue of Boko Haram. Any hope?

The issue of Boko Haram, actually there is going to be problem because the super terrorist sect that is higher than ISIS is already coming up.

Meanwhile, ISIS is already in Nigeria.

What is going to cause problem is money among the coalition forces. But Boko Haram will fizzle out if we do it by ourselves and not wait for the international community to come and do it for us. What Buhari should do is empower our soldiers and encourage them to fight the terrorists.

PAGE 26—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015

BVN JOURNEY OF NO RETURN

Man, 70, missing!

BY EVELYN USMAN

T

he sight of a woman in her mid 50s walking in the rain, on Tuesday , elicited pity, anger and indifference from those who hid on the frontage of houses to avoid being drenched . Anger -because many concluded it was foolish for anyone to allow herself drenched by the heavy down pour. Pityconsidering her age, while others concluded, she could be insane judging by her seeming unkempt looks.

Unable to contain her consternation, a woman shouted, ‘madam’ , beckoning on the woman in the rain to come and join them under the shelter.

Mrs. Banardette Opara, as later identified , was discovered not to be anything close to a mentally deranged person. Rather, her seeming state of confusion was caused by the disappearance of her 70-year-old husband, Mr Innocent Opara.

Like every other Nigerians who throng banks to meet up with Tuesday’s former deadline for the registration of the Bank Verification Number, BVN, Opara reportedly left his Ijegun, Imore Satellite, Lagos home, on Monday, June 8, this year, for the Burma Road, Apapa branch of the United Bank for Africa. But he has not been seen since then.

His wife, in this interview with Sunday Vanguard, broke down in tears as she prayed for the wellbeing of her husband of 30 years wherever he may be..

She said: “Since he left for the bank on Burma Road, Apapa, he has not returned . Before leaving, he had his regular hot bath and ate, after which I ensured he took his routine drugs. He left the house with his inhaler because he is asthmatic. He has been asthmatic for about 25 years.

“When he did not return by 4 p.m, I wasn’t worried because he said he was going to stop over at his brother ’s

•Innocent Opara...no clue on whereabouts place on Perewura Crescent, Apapa. But I became worried when there was still no sign of him by midnight. But I ruled out any danger and concluded he could have decided to pass the night at his brother ’s . I tried reaching him on the phone but discovered he left it at home”.

“I became apprehensive the next day (Tuesday), when he did not come back, nor deemed it wise to call me on the phone. At that point, I decided to go and see his brother at Apapa where, to my dismay, the cook told me my husband did not come there.

But I insisted on seeing my brother-in-law to ascertain the claim. And when he came out

of his bedroom, he corroborated his cook’s claim.

At that point, I became scared”.

Tension heightens Tension, heightened at this point , following the assumption Opara could have been kidnapped. But that was ruled out , as there was reportedly no call to affirm that.

Thereafter, Mrs Opara reportedly went to the bank , only to discover that her husband did not visit the place either.

Continuing , as she kept dabbing the tears that trickled down her cheeks with the loose end of her wrapper, she

ONE MONTH IN OFFICE:

N4GG rates Okowa

BY EPHRAIM OSEJI non-governmental organization, Network for Good Governance (N4GG), has rated the performance of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa very high after spending a month in office.

In a statement, the Global Coordinator of N4GG in the United States. Mike Egi, said his organization, which has been monitoring events in Delta was impressed with Okowa’s initiative to create the

A

desired change and development the people have been yearning for.

He recalled that in keeping with the promise made during his inauguration, Okowa forwarded two bills to the state House of Assembly for necessary legislative actions.

“The Bills are ’Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency ’ and `Delta State Technical and Vocational Education Board’. Both bills have passed first reading on

•Gov Okowa the floor of the house,” he stated.

According to him, the Bill on Technical and Vocational Education is geared towards fulfilling the governor ’s campaign promise to “empower Deltans with the requisite knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for business, trade, and

said: “ We contacted another relative to inform him. Later, I was advised to visit the bank.

But on reaching there, I was told he was not there. The bank staff even checke d his account to ascertain whether any transaction was made that day but discovered there was none.

“The down pour of that day soaked me as I shuttled between Apapa and Satellite town in search of any clues that could lead to his recovery.

“He never complained of any pain or ill health when he left home that fateful day. We did not quarrel because we are not used to that. .

He really has asthma attacks.

He has had the attacks for 25 years. But in the last four yours, he had been carrying along a larger Inhaler recommended by his doctor. He however has not had any attacks since then. So, the chances of him having an attack now were very slim. We have gone through a lot together.

We are blessed with two children ages 12 and 7.

Children express worry “His disappearance, has put everyone including, our children on the edge. Our daughter, Chinazaekpere Opara, who is in Saint Christopher ’s Convent School in Ogun State has been calling to speak with her daddy.

Since his disappearance we have not received any telephone call to suggest he could have been kidnapped”.

Search teams instituted by relatives have reportedly been combing Lagos for the missing bread winner .

The matter has also been reported at the Agboju police station, where search was said to have been extended to other police stations, hospitals and mortuaries in Lagos. “ Our efforts have not yielded any positive result. I am, therefore, using this opportunity to beg Nigerians to be on the look out for my husband. He is 70 years old and we have been married for 30 years. I am appealing to Nigerians, security agents, people from all walks of life to please help us in this search.

Anyone who has information on my missing husband should report to the nearest police station or contact his brothers: Oliver on 08037183733 or Eunan on 08066173532”, the wife appealed.

commerce.”

Egi disclosed that while governors in some states were still groping about on what to do Okowa had set-up plans to give strength to the Delta State Oil Producing Development Commission, DESOPADEC, law by restructuring the board and management in line with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) model through an amendment.

He said Okowa’s move to amend the laws of DESOPADEC was a good one hence it would make the agency more effective and productive in delivering on its mandate mostly as the financial situation of the country has made it necessary for prudence.

Ex-StatisticianGen., REC, Recommend Ondo Residency Card for national planning

BY YINKA AJAYI

F

ormer Statistician General of the Federation, Prof.

Doyin Akinyosoye, has recommended the Ondo State Residency Card, otherwise known as Kaadi Igbeayo, to the National Economic Council (NEC) for effective planning in Nigeria.

Akinyosoye gave this recommendation in Akure at the weekend, following the successful take off of the utilization phase of the scheme.

According to him, the card, which captures the data of each resident, if adopted nationally, will be useful as a platform for effective planning to ensure equitable share of the nation’s wealth.

At the flag off ceremony of the utilisation of the smartcard, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mr Segun Agbaje, who represented the Independent National Electoral Commission boss, Amina Zakari, said the scheme would also be recommended to the Federal Government for adoption by the electoral body since the card would enable the owner vote in any part of the country irrespective of place of resident without the risk of duplication of votes.

Agbaje implored residents of the state to pay their tax as and when due to enable the sustainability of the project.

Human right activist, Mr Yinka Odumakin, said the card will take care of the planning need of the state as the government will be able to plan for the need of the people.

On his part, the Chairman of Globalcom, Mike Adenuga Jnr, said a number of state have tried to adopt the smart card initiative but did not succeed.

Describing Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Governor of Ondo State and initiator of the scheme, as a trail blazer, the Secretary of the Yoruba delegates to the National Confab, Dr. Kunle Olajide, who noted that no state can succeed without proper planning, maintained that the Kaadi Igbeayo project is key in that regard and described the introduction of the scheme as historic.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 27

BRIEFS

E-legal conference Abayomi, Victoria Island, Lagos, has its themed as “ the igeria’s fastest Tomorrow’s Legal” growing legal pro- primary objective of the group fession network, is to provide thought leaderTheLearnedFriends.com ship for the Legal industry on (TLF), is scheduled to hold ICT solutions.

The key players in the ICT its maiden edition of the ELegal Conference 2015, and Legal industry from for those curious about around the world will enlighthow technology will shape en delegates on the latest enour tomorrow’s legal pro- abling tools and software def e s s i o n . veloped for today’s Law PracTheLearnedFriends.com is tice.

Speakers includes Mark an online news aggregator and social media platform Slade, British CEO Ringier focused on showcasing Digital Marketing; Senibo technological innovations Bara-Hart Legal Adviser, in the legal sector. Its mis- Samsung - West Africa and sion is to generate com- Azubuike Ezenwoke, Deanmercial value for law peo- Student Affairs, Covenant ple by leveraging on Infor- University.

Barrister Alex Mouka, mation and Communicachairman of the Nigerian Bar tions Technology (ICT).

The conference which is Association (NBA) Lagos slated for Thursday 9th of branch will inaugurate the July, 2015 at 10.am at the conference as the keynote Metropolitan Club, Kofo speaker.

By Onozure Dania

Farmers, cattle rearers’ clash: Kwara villagers drag police to NHRC over alleged murder, brutality

By Yinka Ajayi

T

HE National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has received a petition from Oro-Ago village in Kwara State on alleged murder, brutality, intimidation, unlawful arrest and detention by the Nigeria Police.

The petition, submitted on Monday in Abuja, listed the alleged atrocities committed by the police who stormed the community on June 12, as the murder of Mrs. Bolatito Balogun and bodily injury to several others including one Mrs. Tope Ologemo, who is lying critically in the hospital.

President, Oro- Ago

Development Union, Chief Richard Olushola, accused the police of taking sides with Fulani Bororos, who allegedly precipitated the crisis leading to a clash between cattle herders and farmers in the community.

He also alleged that nine people arrested in April and June are languishing in police custody in Abuja without pressing any charges against them in court.

“We are saddened that despite several entreaties, pleas and explanations in our letters to the Inspector General of Police, nine of our brethren are presently languishing in police custody in Abuja.

“These men were arrested in two batches. Six were arrested in April and

LUTH generates own power, gets N14m crèche

By Aderonke Adeyeri

L

AGOS University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Lagos is a beneficiary of staff crèche estimated at N14 million presented to it by its neighbour, Chapel of the Healing Cross of the Anglican Church.

At the inauguration, the resident minister of the church, Venerable Tunde Osho, said the project was part of the chapel’s contribution to the progress of the institution and also part of the activities to mark the church’s 50th anniversary celebrated in 2013.

Osho, who disclosed a previous donation of cardio-vascular equipment worth six million naira in 2013, noted that both donations were part of the church’s

corporate social responsibility to a partner of over half a century.

Receiving the creche, the LUTH’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Professor Chris Bode, expressed delight, describing it as a “tastefully built structure and befitting edifice to mark the 50th anniversary.”

Thanking the church for the sustained tradition of supporting relationship that existed between the church and the federal teaching hospital over the years, the CMD promised to continue the rich tradition and to use the structure for the benefit of the LUTH community and to the glory of God. Bode hinted that, in few months time, LUTH would begin to draw its power from Independent Power Plant (IPP) for its electricity needs.

three in June. Those arrested in April are Chief Omotayo Abiodun, Chief Sunday Odeyemi, Ganiyu Ibrahim, Dauda Ibrahim, Chief Ajibola Adeoti and Mohammed Ologemo.

Those arrested on 12 June are Tunde Abolaji, Oladele

Journalist launches book on Youth Corps core value

T

•L-R: Father of the groom, Mr. Timothy Ogunyemi; bride’s mother, Mrs Bola Odanye; the newly wedded couple, Dotun and Ladunni; groom’s mother, Mrs Ogunyemi and bride’s father, Chief Tunde Odanye, during the wedding ceremony at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja on June 27th.

he Editor of Sapele Times Magazine, Miss Sophilia Obire, has launched a book titled, ‘Otondo Corpa’. According to the author, the book reveals the core value of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and its orientation with the intricacies of youthful adventure, relationship, leadership in the NYSC regimented camp life.

These were portrayed in the character, Clara, a symbol of hard work, purpose and drive; Ufuoma, the Delta image, represents an unpredictable, blunt and no-nonsense personality; in response to the clarion call to service and the training and discipline, hard work, determination and survival antics blend in to a rich tale of camp life and its influence on community development as its relates to the society in the service year.

Libel: Ex-Lagos council boss Radio station directors debunk religious label gets N10m damages

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LAGOS High Court sitting in Ikeja has awarded N10milliondamagesagainst Paradigm Communications Limited, publishers of National Daily Newspapers, for libel against a former Lagos State Local Government Chairman, Hon. Afeez Ipesa-Balogun.

Ipesa-Balogun had sued the newspaper together with its editor, Mr. Sylvester Ebhodaghe, protesting a storypublishedonNovember 27-28, 2010. In the suit, Ipesa-Balogun com-plained that the publication was false and libellous and had defamed him in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public.

In his ruing, Justice Lateef Abisola Okunnu, noted that the defendant never filed any defence on the matter until its counsel, Festus Keyamo, sought to restrain the newspapers while seeking more time to file its defence

but never did.

Justice Okunnu held: “There had indeed been a false, libellous publication made by the first defendant to defame the claimant in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public. The defendant decided not to participateintheproceedings of the court by not joining issues with the claimant to contest the assertion that it deliberately and maliciously impugned his good standing, credit and reputation”.

The judge consequently ordered that Paradigm Communications Limited pays N10 million as damages to the former council Chairman, a perpetual order of injunction to restrain it from further publishing the offending article and a further N250, 000 award against it to Ipesa-Balogun to defray the cost of legal services incurred by him to prosecute the case.

20th Obuzor Day

By Tommy Anaduaka

A

•The chapel inauguration

Ponle and Rasaki Illa. All of them, we understand, are been detained in very dehumanising condition at a police facility in Abuja. The Muslims among them have been denied their basic religious right to observe Ramadan.

N

17-MEMBER planning committeefor th the 20 anniversary of ObuzorDaytocommemorate the institution and crowning of Obuzor rulership in Ibusa, in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State has been inaugurated.

At the inauguration performed by the Obuzor of Ibusa, Prof. Obi Louis Nwoboshi, he enjoined the members to see their choice

to serve in the committee as an honour and service to fatherland.

Nwoboshi,accompaniedby some palace chiefs including the Secretary to the Obuzor in Council, Nzele Austin Abuah reminded the committee members on the need to use the planning period of the forthcoming event to ensure that all sons and daughters of the community at home and in the diaspora were carried along.

By Prisca-Duru

D

irectors of a newly approved radio station, Salama Radio, have criticized what they termed wrongful representation by a newspaper report following the granting of a licence to them by the Jonathan administration.

According to a statement signed on behalf of directors of Salama Radio and Media Limited by two of its directors, Apostle Emmanuel Nuhu Kure of the Throneroom Ministry, Kafanchan, Kaduna State and Dr. John N. Akanya, former Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the duo said the claim was not only totally misleading but also mischievous.

“While we cannot speak for other companies that also got licenses or their motives, we must however say that singling out Salama Radio and Media Limited, and allotting three paragraphs in the news report to our company, could not in

any way be coincidental, but rather deliberately designed to prejudice the Nigerian public against the good name of Salama Radio and Media by creating a false image of our company even before the commencement of operation”, the statement said.

It dismissed the religious tag on the organisation. ”The accusation that our media outfit is a religious-based station is false. We are a registered limited liability company and the idea of setting up Salama Radio and Media Limited was conceived in 2008 while the late President Umaru Yar’adua was in office; and after going through the registration process it was incorporated in 28th July 2010, with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with Registration No. RC 902643.The fact that we have an ordained clergy among us doesn’t mutate it into a religious station… Nonetheless, there is no law preventing a religious leader from associating with others in any legitimate business in Nigeria”.

Woman sets up female football foundation

By Emmanuel Ajibulu

W

ife of a member of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s technical committee on Niger Delta, Mrs. Basong Tony-Uranta has floated a female football foundation for the development of female soccer.

Mrs. Tony-Uranta, a broadcaster turned sports ambassador said her decision to float he

foundation was especially for those playing in the national teams She explained that most of them have not gotten the sort of encouragement they deserve despite dominating football in Africa.

She said, “a team that has won six of the seven African Women’s Nation’s cups deserves more than what it is presently getting in term of allowances among other things.”

PAGE 28 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015

sunday reminiscences

Headquarters

• PATRICK DELE COLE

BY PATRICK DELE COLE

6

0 years ago, there was a handful of good secondary schools – Igbobi College; Methodist Boys High School; Kings College; Government College, Ughelli; Government College, Ibadan; Ibadan Grammar School; Christ School, Ado Ekiti; St. Gregory's, Government Collage, Umuahia, Denis Memorial Grammar School, C.K. C, Hope Waddell etc.

A few of us emerged from these schools and have been friends since. We call ourselves the head quarters.“Most of us went to boarding School where the age difference was considerable but in form one we were all small, bathing, sharing- school activities: sports – cricket, football, volleyball, softball, Tennis.“We had white dormitory school masters who tested us for Student Clubs: debating, etc.“Ballroom dancing – the senior boys taught us how to dance; we took the part of the female and they the male. If you have ever learnt dancing, you know immediately that you can never dance with a girl if you learnt to dance as a girl while learning. It takes a complete revolution in thinking and maneuver to switch to dance as the mode entails.“Once in a month the principal would invite the girls to our hall for dancing.

Our palms were wet with sweat. We were as nervous as hell: in the hall the girls sat at one long row along the wall and the boys sat opposite.

The longest distance any boy has ever walked, longer than going to the moon, was to walk across that hall and ask a girl to dance. If she says no, you die a million times in the haze of finding your place. Why should she say no? She came to dance. You have spent good two days starching and getting your trouser gatters as sharp as knife.

Your pimple mercifully was not showing that week. As you turn to walk back you hear this pearly of laughter but you dare not turn back. Your prefect, who has been through this before, walks up to you, smiles and begins to teach you again how to dance, his expertise is enthralling and some bold girl breaks you up, takes the prefect and hands you a girl she had come up with. The ice is broken but so has your confidence.“Bathing: This

number of schools nearly throws all kinds together. The ritual is as follows the youngest - form1 go to bath first and produce water for the senior boys – form 5. But some of your own form1 class mates insist you bath early and get out. You are a scrawny 11, 12 or 13 years old boy. Your classmate is probably shorter or no taller than yourself.

But looking at his biceps tells you not to mess with him and if you continue looking a knock on the head with plenty of power soon dazzles your head. You quickly soap yourself, pour water on yourself and run out. There are about 250 students who have to have to have their baths between 5:45 – 6:30.

Breakfast as at 7am, what we did not know about our classmates – the muscular ones – was that they were much older than ourselves, many of them shaved and we never suspected this. We were small and our manhood was proportionate but not so with many of our classmates who always turned to the wall to make sure you only saw their backs!!“It was much later in life that we found out that some of our classmates were 6 – 8 years older than ourselves and had good reason to face the wall.“At school you had to play at least three sports – football, cricket, volleyball, softball, or rounders, lawn tennis, boxing, etc. We all come from different backgrounds but met during the holidays at Warri, Sapele, Port Harcourt, Benin, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, etc. During the holidays we were the toast of the town. Our parents were almost hopelessly disciplinarians and they devised us many ways round the inexhaustible punishments they devised – pick pin, stand on one foot, bend down (followed by cane) jump like a frog, etc none of those punishments were undeserved especially as we had been warned of the consequences of misbehaving. A favorite past time as to go to the cinema. It started at 8:30pm and out at 10pm or so by then the house was tightly locked up. Of course we made arrangement with someone down stairs to keep his (our brother) or her (our sister), windows so we can climb in. Sometimes it worked.

Other times it didn’t. If the weather was inconsolably warm you might find a room with a window open, you jump in only to step on your sister or auntie who would scream –

and the game was up. “Sometimes you did not step on anybody but if you happen to enter the girl’s room in the heat, I am unable to describe the scene before you. Just run off to the door, open up and fly to your own room! But if it rains, then no window is open. You might now have to climb up the stairs of your father's house to meet the man your father waiting for you with his favorite inevitable cane!

Koboko “As we grew up in school many of us took to singing, others to musical instruments (most schools had full bands) the good ones tended to play at the weekend at various joint in the town where they were sure not to be recognized by the friends of there fathers. Thus, one of our best singers is today an imposing general of the army over six feet tall whose voice could charm the nightingale: another was a 6.2ft lawyer who eventually had his own band a very warfarian bonsue - totally uncopiable and inimitable.“Our result must have been good- many ended up as federal permanent secretaries, Captains of industry (oil) Chemical Engineers, Doctors Dentists etc.

Fast forward 60 years. We had all visited one another homes for marriages, Christianity had helped

Once in a month the principal would invite the girls to our hall for dancing. Our palms were wet with sweat.

We were as nervous as hell: in the hall the girls sat at one long row along the wall and the boys sat opposite

each other, and some of our wives had come and gone and come back again. We were much older and that group had been reduced to a core group of 12- 14 people¬, including judges, senate presidents, MD’s of TV, Radio, Newspapers, Chief Executives of International building conglomerates, Admirals, Air vice marshals, Insurance Tycoons. Others are accountants, Estate Agents, Radio Personalities, SGFs, and Governors. This is the group we call the headquarters. No one is below 70yrs. The total age of that core group of 14 is 960yrs if you add up all their ages. We have other association which we are tied to -the Sapele Burma Boys, Warri Burma Boys, and Port Harcourt Boys and then the myriad schools we all attended.“We were young, liked music, frequented Bobby Benson's, Kakadu, Gondola Clubs.

We had discos. The master record spinner, disco chief, was then a major, handsome as hell. He did not drink but loved dauang and his memory was legendary, he knew everybody, kind of music we liked, and what would turn us on. He could change the mood of party from somber to ecstatic, to romantic, to jitterbug etc. no wonder he ended up being the Head of State after one of the coups.“We meet, if possible every day and our wives know better not to disturb such meeting. Those of us who smoke, smoke Cuban (cigars), those who drink enjoys the best. We all have roving Eyes for the beauties of this world but there is a long distance between the eye and other essential instruments which age have ravaged with grace if not tenderness.“We had white housemasters who examined us as we came back from holidays. We never suspected they may have been homosexuals but they probably were. The examination consisted of yanking your penis and pulling it back and forth to see if you have any sexually transmitted diseases where the tell take sign will be a discharge. Imagine doing this to an eleven or twelve years old boy!!“We travelled together – London, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, US, Caribbean.“Sunny’s Goat and its sad demise: Sunny was the permanent secretary and solicitor general of the federation. His favorite term of address of everybody was “scallywag”.

Many of us lived in Ikoyi. There was a tree in the middle of a round drive away in his house, and a tree in the middle of the grass verge demarcating the drive way. Sunny had invited us to eat goat pepper soup on Saturday. We normally congregated at Sunny’s veranda or a nearby garden on the other side of the drive way. Sunny and others could not always make it to the toilet, bathroom so many resorted to using the garden outside. On the arrival of the goat we told Sunny to get his Mallam to cut fresh grass for the goat. On Friday night, i.e. the eve of the feast, we saw the goat eating grass from the circular verge around the tree to which the goat was tattered. We told Sunny that his urine was so toxic he should not use that patch of green. He called us all scallywags and we went home. On Saturday we assembled only to hear the goat died that afternoon!!“We watched each

others back from our various vantage points. Not one of us was even visited by the slightest scandal and this was perhaps due to the stringency of abuse we rained on one another. It kept us on the straights and narrows.“Conversation in such a setting is boisterous, congenitally rude, loud, inspired in no small way by the effects of Bacchus.

There is no respect for persons and no subject is taboo. If you are not used to it the heated arguments seem to be at the point of boiling over. Insults are feely thrown about and no ox escapes being gored. “Issues range on all sorts of subjects – religion – Catholicism, Baptist, Methodist, Redeemed, Anglican, Grail, our respective ages etc. We all have children who live with their spouses and children overseas; there is usually great comaderie at reunions which were frequent. Nearly all of us went to University abroad, knew each other at very personal level which even the hostility of wives have been unable to break.“In politics we are all different, show little respect for the opinions of others. “None of us comes from a nuclear family, all of us having to deal with the problems of half sisters and inconvenient relatives.

As the conversation flows the expertise of those around begin to shine.“Kenny was claiming to be younger than Sunny who graduated from Methodist Boys High School in 1956, Kenny used to have a Christian name as was foolishly and unnecessarily required of all Moslem. Suddenly one day, Sunny jumped up and with fingers pointing, voice quivering, he slowly moved towards Kenny, I know you. We were at school together. Your name was Larry. You failed class two and I caught up with you. You failed class 4 again and I left you. That was why you left in 1957. How dare you say I am older than you, you scallywag and numskull”!!“Stories of what really happened when a particular event took place, the foibles of our so called bosses at that time; the regrets then flow from the failure to have followed simple good advice. You will hear the views of the economists, the civil servant desk officer whose task it was to deal with the issues, the general who failed to corral his troops time with unpleasant results, the pain of being stepped over, especially in one specific case where a general had been made and unmade chief of Army Staff three times in as many hours. Though painful, headquarters will find a way through jibes, mockery, jokes, etc to make a painful subject funny and bearable. The repartee is fast and furious. So should it be when nearly 1000 years of experience are in one room describing one thing or another. There is no sickness one of us has not been through so we are all medical experts!

At 70 you know something about PSAs, prostrates, Sigismund tests, serum test, cilium test, one part or the other of your body no longer functions but friends will rather die than admit a demuniation of certain faculties including the robustness of our memories. We could be a tiresome lot, flying off the handle at the slightest provocation: but we soon calm down, thanking God for his blessings.

SUNDAY, Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 29

Edema Ogbuagu celebrat es @ 70 celebrates

I

t was a warm day of celebration, camaraderie and merry-making when friends of Edema Ogbuagu joined him th to celebrate his 70 birthday last Sunday in Lagos. The party began with a thanksgiving mass at Saint Jude’s Anglican Church, Magodo, Phase-2 followed by a reception at Ziggies Relaxation Centre, also in Magodo.

Phoos by Bunmi Azeez

.

L-R: Mr. Island Egbedi and Mr. Aji Rone-Orugboh

From left: Ify Ogbuagu, celebrant ‘s daughter, Osita son, Mr Edema Ogbuagu (celebrant); his wife, Mrs. Patience and Onyinye, daughter

L-R: Mrs. Pamela Aribe, Mr. Peter Arigbe and Mr. Sonny Okpurhe

L-R: Mr. Alex Omaghomi, Mrs. Chuko Aminaghan and Sunny Aminaghan

L-R:Mr. Erhire Chris Uvieghara, Capt. Sunny Adegbuyi and Mr. Fred Dudu.

L-R: Engr. Oke Solo-Scott, JE Egbedi and Mr. Austin Oyowe.

Eregare bags best Lagos DPO award

T

he Urhobo Isoko Progressive Union of Ijanikin, were full of praises for their illustrious son, SP Chief (Dr) Robison Eregare, the Okakuro of Agbon Kingdom of Delta State, and DPO of Ijanikin, when he was honoured

by Commissioner of Police of Lagos State, CP Kayode Aderanti as the ‘Best DPO in Lagos.

L-R:Mike Okwesa, Anita Paul and Prof. Egerton Uvieaghara.

Dare FFasube asube @ 50

D

are Fasube, Assistant Photo Editor, Ibadan zonal office of Vanguard treated his colleagues to a nice time, wining and dining th to celebrate his 50 birthday recently in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Ag. Area Commander, Area B Police station, Mr Ernest Enang,presenting an Award of Excellence to SP Robison Eregare, DPO of Ijanikin

Dare Fasube and wife

Dare Fasube and some members of Correspondents Chapel of Oyo NUJ in a group photograph.

C M Y K

SP Olorogun (Dr) Robison Eregare, DPO, Ijanikin Police Station, displaying one of his awards, 2015, Best DPO in Lagos State.

PAGE 30 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 31

*Students on way to school

PAGE 32 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015,

• Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III

RAMADAN FAST

The prayer for peace we need – Sultan *Moonsighting with Abubakar III

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

B

eing on ground in Soko to as a visiting journalist covering the moon-sighting to herald the month of Ramadan could be spiritually rewarding. Moonsighting, pivotal to the lives of Muslims particularly in Nigeria, requires that serious attention is dedicated to it.

Muslims are directed in the Qur ’an, chapter 2 verse 183: “O ye who believe! Fasting is made compulsory upon you as it was made compulsory upon those who come before you, so that you can fear Allah.” And the Qur’anic directives went on to explain when to start the fasting which is significantly upon the sighting of the new moon to signpost that the month of Ramadan has begun.

And the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, peace be upon him, explained further in his teaching of the Qur ’an through his tradition and sayings that any Muslim male or female would compulsorily begin to fast in the holy month once he or she sees or hears an acceptable authority that the new moon has been sighted.

In Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), is charged with the responsibility of the leadership of the Nigerian Muslim community. By this, he is the auC M Y K

thority from whom Muslims all over the country receive the news to begin or end fasting during Ramadan every year. And that is the service the former footballer and retired general of the Nigerian Army, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has offered to the community since he ascended the throne in 2006.

“I, as the leader, have the responsibility to lead my people particularly the Muslims aright and with the fear of Allah. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is vital and one of the five pillars of Islam, and failure to observe it makes one a kaafir. A leader of the Ummah, therefore, who hopes to meet his Lord on good account knows that he carries the risk of fulfilling his duty to Allah over this and be welcomed into the favour of Allah or do otherwise and face the consequence.

It therefore makes it sound unreasonable when we hear some people who decide on their own to say we are not fasting because we have not sighted the new moon. I, myself, I don’t sight the moon but, like it had always happened during the lifetime of our Prophet, Muhammad salallahu alayhi wasalam, once we gather information of moon-sighting from people we have appointed to search for it and we have every reason within the permissible of Islam to believe them, we announce. That is what I do.

“As for people who just say what

The Sultan had only one message and it is the message of peace for the growth of Nigeria The Sultan palace they like, all I can say is that, leave me to Allah if you believe.

Because if I mislead you, may Allah forbids it happens, it is me whom Allah will ask not you.

That is why I don’t get angry. If I get angry, many parts of my life will be full of anger and it is not the place of a leader who hopes to meet his Lord with goodness to get angry. So, Bashir, I don’t get angry,” the Sultan said to this reporter inside his palace before he was driven to the airport to catch his flight back to Lagos in the morning after the night of new

moon-sighting declaration by him.

The Sultan had only one message and it is the message of peace for the growth of Nigeria.

It was the reason he felt bad during the Jonathan administration that, despite the 11-page memo he sent to the then president about solving the problem of Nigeria as posed by people President Muhammadu Buhari, at the start of the ongoing Ramadan fast, described as “misguided brothers”, did not take his advice.

The Sultan reiterated his commitment to supporting the government, as usual, to ensure peace for the good of Nigeria. He called on Muslims to seize the opportunity of the fasting period to pray for Nigeria. He said, “Reliable reports from Muslim leaders across the country show that the new moon of Ramadan has been sighted in various parts of the country. I urge you all to use the opportunity to offer prayers for peace and development of this country”.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 33

Binis have suffered minority marginalisation for too long — Prince Ehi Ebuwa

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE, BENIN

P

RINCE Solomon Ehi-Ebuwa is a member of the Benin royal family. A holder of master of arts degree from Kessington University California (USA), he is a member of many professional bodies including the Nigerian Institute of Management, the Institute of Development Administration, as well as the British Society of Commerce and Construction Surveyors Institute. He is one-time Chairman of Agbede Warrake Farms Ltd and Bendel Tifani Farms and National Coordinator of Great Benin Centenary Committee. He is presently the National Chairman of Assembly of Benin Aborigines. In this interview, he speaks on some national issues.

Most of your members also belong to Benin Forum. What is the objective of the Assembly of Benin Aborigines and the difference with the Benin Forum?

The Assembly of Benin Aborigines is a non-political association, open to all males and females of Benin ethnic nationality and descent. It draws membership from Binis both at home and in the Diaspora. Its mission is to seek, promote and facilitate the empowerment of Benin citizens among others.

As a matter of fact, there is no much difference between the Benin Forum and the Assembly of Benin Aborigines because both are fighting for the interest of the Benin people. The Benin Forum happens to have been there for many years.

A quite number of old Benin people are members of Benin Forum, and the young ones. But members of the Assembly of Benin Aborigines are very energetic, young and dynamic and they are ready to move from one place to another; that is only the difference between Benin Forum and Assembly of Benin Aborigines.

Looking at the alleged marginalization of the Binis under the Jonathan administration, what do you have to say to the new administration?

It has become a tradition, Benin has always been marginalized because some of our people are interested in individual interest and do not want to carry the people along. That is one part of it. The second part is that we claim that Edo South has more population, landmass compared to the two other senatorial districts put together. But this part of the state has always suffered under the marginalization of the minority, that is, the minority controls the majority. The Assembly of Benin Aborigines can no longer tolerate that. You are talking about change now, the change in Nigeria is that Buhari is the president; the change will also extend to Edo South. And with the unity we are promoting, the marginalization of the majority in Edo will end. During the Jonathan administration, we were marginalized by those that represented Edo State at the centre.

A Benin son, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, is the Chairman of the

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ruling party at the centre and deserves the cooperation of every Benin man. How do you see that?

The Assembly of Benin Aborigines thanks God for Odigie –Oyegun’s position as National Chairman of the ruling party. This is the first time in the history of this

removal of former IG Suleiman Abba and the appointment of Solomon Arase as his successor?

power in this country. We are ready to play the balancing role once again; but if anybody steps on our toes, we will not take it kindly.

His reaction is based on tribalism and religion. He spoke against the backdrop of his interest in former IG Suleiman and not in the interest of the entire nation.

One of the cardinal points of the campaign of Buhari was that he would fight corruption to a standstill. Looking at the actions taken so far, do you think that the man is ready to fight corruption?

Every leader has its own style of management. Well, from the look of things, he is not reneging on what he told Nigerians before he was elected because he cannot deceive the people by telling them that he is going to fight corruption only for him now to become the advocate of corruption. The campaign and party policy, he should bring both together. If the party has it as a major statement the fighting of corruption, using that to convince Nigerians to vote for him, now that he is the president, he should marry his party policy on the fight against corruption with his own, otherwise, it will boomerang. I do know Nigerians are expecting lots from him because he told them he is going to fight corruption, provide jobs and do so many things; he is asking for a change and the change has come. So, that change should not depend on the leadership alone.

We hope that he will not deviate from his campaign promises to Nigerians.

Prince Ebuwa country that a Benin man will be elected as National Chairman of a ruling party. So he is going to have our maximum support. In the last elections, after the ones of March 28, you saw the change that came in the House of Assembly poll of April 11; that is a total demonstration of the unity of the Benin people. That is how it should be and it is going to be like that, it is not going to change. Anywhere the Benin man is, we will give him maximum support. The Assembly of Benin Aborigines cuts across party lines. Any other position that comes from any other party apart from APC, as a Benin man, we will give the holder maximum support.

Apart from those people in political positions, the Assembly of Benin Aborigines has established it that anywhere a Bini is, if even he is an ordinary clerk, if we hear anything untoward about him, we will take action to protect his interest.

There is the clamour that Edo South should produce the next governor of Edo State. What is the view of your body on this?

There is no going back on this; already we are giving our maximum support to the National Chairman of the APC. Also we have congratulated our son who is now the Inspector General of Police; we thank Goodluck Jonathan for appointing him. We also congratulated Buhari, wishing him the best in this administration and that he should extend that support and interest to Benin people in his administration. Now, when you talk about the next governor of Edo, although it cuts across party lines, if a Benin man emerges as the flag bearer of any political party, the Assembly of Benin Aborigines will give him our maximum support to win the 2016 election. And that is one of the major decisions we took recently.

How do you react to the statement by a former Inspector General of Police but now a northern leader, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, questioning the

He forgot that there was an authority that appointed Suleiman and that it was the same authority that also removed him. He was not consulted when Suleiman was appointed, so why should he be consulted before his removal?

Anyway he is entitled to his opinion and that opinion is not an overriding one on the leadership.

Every leader has his style of administration. So he was talking for the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, he was speaking on their behalf. Let me concede that to him because North is his ethnic nationality; he is pursuing the interest of his people. We are also protecting the interest of our own people. We are appealing to Nigerians to cooperate with the new IG, Solomon Arase, who is a Benin man. And if you look at the way he has been tackling the job, you can see he is bringing his wealth of experience into the police. The Binis are always there to protect the interest of the nation; if you look at the history of the nation, the Midwest, now Edo and Delta states, was the balancing

It has become a tradition, Benin has always been marginalized because some of our people are interested in individual interest and do not want to carry the people along

Which areas do you think he tackle first because there are lots problems in this country?

You see, when you take over the mantle of leadership of any organization, the first thing you look at is what was on ground before you came in. You look at the areas that were not properly addressed and look at the areas that were addressed; you don’t waste time on it. The areas that were not properly addressed are where you should first of all tackle. You have to first study the terrain. For example, the first two mistakes he has made now are number one; he declared his assets not publically as a leader. And what has been happening in this country, people declared their assets publically. He has started wrongly. That is one point. The second point is that he already appointed some advisers before he went to seek for approval from the National Assembly, this is also wrong. So I want to use this medium to tell him that he should concentrate on changing the system of this country and changing it properly. Follow the rules properly, follow the constitution. For him to have wavered in respect to Silva’s matter with EFCC,is not correct at all. He cannot create an environment pretending to be fighting corruption and at the same time encouraging corruption.

Looking at the Boko Haram scenario and internal security, what is your advice to him?

You see, as a retired General from the army one should expect that he should change the tune now to demonstrate his ability as a trained soldier because this is absolutely his constituency. He is an expertise. When Jonathan took decision sometime to draft military

to that area, people raised eyebrow saying he was intimidation of the North by sending soldiers there.

Right now the General has ordered the military high command of the army to that part of the country.

How can you marry that together, does it mean that taking the command to there is not going to be intimidation? Well, as a Nigerian who has the interest of this area at heart, I will advise him to be conscious of his decisions, when he was a former head of state there was no democratic process whereby you wake from you sleep you take a decision but it is no longer so, we are now in democracy. The National Assembly should be consulted in all issues that have to do with constitution of this land.

This land must be ruled in accordance with the constitution.

That is my advice to him.

What do you have to say to Nigerians now that we have a new government in place?

Generally my message to Nigerians is that we should stop pretending to be practicing democracy, I think we are still far from it. We should look at ends, the electorate and the elected. The electorate has big challenges and they stop collecting any inducement before casting vote.

You cannot control the man you elected. So the change must start from the electorate. Immediately we stop the habit of not collecting one dime from any prospective office seeking person, you have the right to talk to him if he fails to carry out his campaign promises. I think the other side is the elected, their habit of closing the door against the electorate once they win election should stop because that is the signal to the electorate to say the only opportunity I have to collect something from before I vote for him. So this two ends must be brought together for a balance. The issue of severance allowance to outgoing president, vice president, governors, deputies and other office holders, is a drain on the economy.

Do you think Buhari should start with a constitutional amendment to that effect?

I said earlier on that he should first address the system that is faulting. Having said that, he cannot use his position as President to put a stop to the payment of severance allowance to the political office holders. He cannot because it is constitutional. So the only way to go about is to see how he can re organize the system but he cannot do it alone, he still requires the same people except he has to go to court, challenge that aspect of the constitution and this will take time. Therefore Nigerians will continue to pray to almighty God to help us to soften the heart of politicians to make them have interest of the nation. If they have interest of Nigerians at heart, they will not be demanding those outrageous sums of money to themselves. So I use this medium to appeal to those in governance, the legislators, the executive, members of public, professional bodies, organizations to continue to pray and come with the idea of being our brother ’s keeper.

PAGE 34— SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

sacked for dumping his boss in church at Easter, was said to have sneaked into the compound with the assistance of the security guard, Daniel, to take his boss life.“It was alleged by Adeseni that the former driver came back to kill his father to avenge his sack and detention after his alleged attempt to steal the former VC's car was foiled by tracking device.“The son alleged that the suspect did that despite the fact that it was the father that asked the police to discontinue the matter, bailed him and even gave him money to continue life elsewhere.“Sunday Vanguard was informed by a family member that the deceased, after the greetings from his sons, sat in the living room watching television and later retired to his study at about 8.30pm.“The suspected assassins were believed to have, before that Sunday, agreed that the only way to succeed in their crime was to lure the deceased from his study to another place within the compound to kill him.“The former driver, who the police called the 'chief culprit', said to have been hiding in the gate house, had agreed with the guard to raise the alarm that an electric spark had occurred near the pumping machine close to where Olayemi was hiding.“Sunday Vanguard learnt that the guard walked to the window of the study and called the attention of the deceased to the purported electric spark.“On hearing the alarm raised, the former VC reportedly came out of the house through the kitchen door and walked to the gate

Continues on page 35

Burning desire for revenge drove me to kill ex-FUTA VC –Sacked driver *Father had premonition of death – Sons

BY DAYO JOHNSON, AKURE 78-year- old former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Prof. Albert Ilemobade, who was gruesomely murdered by his domestic staff on June 21, seemed to have had premonition of death.“Reason: About an hour to his death, allegedly in

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the hands of two of his aides, his two sons- Prof Adesola Ilemobade and Adeseni Ilemobade-called him to wish him happy Father's Day, celebrated that Sunday, and his response suggested this.“His response, according to Adesola, a professor of civil engineering, based in South Africa, gave an inkling he had premonition of death.“Adesola said: "Our last conversation was on Sunday, Father's Day, and that was the

night he passed on. I called to wish him happy Father's Day and he told me he was very excited that day. He told me 'I am happy and I don't know why I am happy'. We believe that God gave him such a good day as a way to transit him.““Within an hour of that conversation, he passed on”. “The second son, Adeseni, repeated he had same conversation with the father when interviewed separately at their No I, Ikere

Street, Ijapo, Akure.“"The last conversation I had with my dad was on Sunday, Father's Day, June 21. He was so excited when I spoke with him. He told me he was excited and didn't understand why and the last thing he told me was, 'Seni, I know you're going to be a very good father; and I already see what you are doing”.“While the deceased was exchanging pleasantries with his children, Olayemi, 36, his former driver,

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the guard walked to the window of the study and called the attention of the deceased to the purported electric spark

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 35

Murdered VC had premonition of death – Sons I never had a discussion like we had that day because he actually called me to his study and said, 'I needed to have a discussion with you'. He mentioned it about two times in the day when I arrived Akure and he told me he was very proud of me.“"I don't live here. I work in Lagos. So I arrived Akure on Easter Friday with my family. When I arrived, he had gone to church and, when he came back, we had informal discussion but he kept saying he wanted to discuss with me and, for him to say he wanted to have one-on-one with me, I knew he wanted to tell me something that was very important. And what he said was that he was very proud of me. He just wanted to tell me he was proud of me”.“Speaking on the reaction of the family when the former driver absconded with the VC's car at Easter, Adeseni said, "The truth of the matter was that it happened on Easter Sunday.

My father was a chief in his church in Ondo and he always liked to go back home for service. He would go at least once or twice a month for service. “"So he went for the Easter Sunday service in Ondo and the driver dropped him in church and, by the time my father finished the church service, he couldn't find the driver and the car. “"He alerted the police in Ondo

Continued from page 34 house with the guard.“While he was examining the place the guard was pointing at, the former driver allegedly grabbed him from behind and strangulated him while the guard used some of his clothes to cover his mouth to prevent any noise from attracting attention.“While this was going on, the wife, Olakitan, 73, was in one of the rooms in the house, sleeping.“After killing him, his body was said to have been dragged from the gate house to the generator house, located at the other end of the compound and dumped there.“The decomposing corpse was discovered a week after he was declared missing by his family after his killers were apprehended in Ogun State while trying to sell the deceased's Toyota RAV4 SUV, which they confessed was the reason they killed at a ridiculous price to a buyer who tipped off the police.“When the suspects were paraded by the police in Akure, they confessed to the chagrin of the Ilemobade family how the deceased was nice to them, but that they needed to kill him " to make good money and start a new life".“Olayemi described how he planned the revenge and the reason they had to kill their benefactor in cold blood.

What the three children of Prof Ilemobade – Adesola, Adeseni and Mrs Tolulade Ilemobade-Ozigbo – told Sunday Vanguard about their late father. Adesola spoke first: “"Our father was a great man .

I am his first son and a civil engineer, a professor. Where I am today, my father had even reached there and did more at my age. The last time I saw him in Johannesburg, I told him if I got to where he was, I will be proud.“" I will miss a man who always encouraged me and boosted me by saying, 'you must not stop learning, you must continue to be the best you can be'. I will miss him.“ "He said to me several times that 'I am so happy today and I don't why, ' and within an hour of that conversation, he passed on. “"Irrespective of the mode of exit , we are grateful for the life he spent and the heritage .

He taught us to pray and, as a family, we pray together.

Whether you like it or not, you must be at the family altar and not only the family but everyone who is a part of the family, biological and nonbiological by 6am; you must pray with the family.“"During Christmas, we have Father Christmas who gives gift to all the children in the house. It's a tradition that's happening in our home. He was Father Christmas as far as children

*Tolulade... father was strict

*Adesola... dad was a great man were concerned”. “Tolulade is the baby of the family. She said her late father lived a fulfilled life. “"My father was strict, he was a disciplinarian, he wouldn't take nonsense, but my father was a good man, he never forced a decision on us,”she stated.“" He will give us his suggestion and then leave the decision to us and, when you have a father like that, you would not want to take a decision he wouldn't support.“" I look back and I don't want to change anything; if I have the chance to be born again and grow under him again, I will do it.“" I miss everything about him.

He was my father, my friend and my everything, I will miss

everything about my dad”.“Adeseni said:" I'm the third child of the late Prof.

Albert Ilemobade. I saw my father last during Easter when that incident of the driver who took away his car happened. I was actually around and that was the last time I saw him.“"The last conversation I had with my dad was on Sunday, Father's Day, June 21.

He was so excited when I spoke with him. He told me that he was excited and didn't understand why. The last thing he told me was,'Seni, I know you're going to be a very good father and I already see what you are doing'. “"The conversation we had before then was during Easter. For a very long time, my father and

I saw my father last during Easter when that incident of the driver who took away his car happened

about the case and I had to go and pick him there and brought him to Akure and we also lodged, complaint at the police station in Ijapo Estate because this is where he lived.

Arrests were made. "I was very furious because I knew the driver was trying to play pranks but my father suggested that something might have happened. I had to travel back to my base on Monday and there was no trace of the car or the driver until Wednesday when the driver himself drove the car back and the police arrested him and I don't know what his confession was. “"I heard after the death of my dad that he actually went to pay for his bail because my father said he didn't feel good that the driver was in police custody. That was his nature. “"My father saw no need in charging the driver to court. He never told us the end of the story, he just told us that the car had been seen and I kept on calling him to get the full story but he kept the better part of the story from us. It was his close staff in office that told us that daddy actually went to bail him. "The driver was sacked after he was released from police custody. I heard my father gave him some money to go and take care of himself but told him his employment had been terminated. “"I believe his coming back to commit the murder was a revenge and the fact that he still wanted money”. “The Vicar of the Chapel of Annunciation, Ondo, Ven. Rev Ayodeji Fagbemi, where the deceased worshipped, said the late professor was in church during the Father's Day celebration and even wrote a cheque in furtherance of the ?work of God in the church.“Fagbemi described his murder allegedly by the two accused persons as callous.“According to him, the church had been praying for his release when he was purportedly kidnapped not knowing that he had been gruesomely murdered allegedly by his domestic staff.“He faulted the intelligence gathering of the security operatives who were fooled by the aides to believe the former VC was kidnapped.“The cleric said if the detectives had combed the entire compound, they would have seen the corpse of the deceased the very day he was murdered and dumped in the generator house.“Fagbemi however said that " it's not only the police that were fooled but everybody".“Meanwhile, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, who raced to the family house of Ilemobade on arrival in Akure from Abuja at about 7pm, last Sunday, declared that the murderers will not go unpunished.“ C M Y K

PAGE 36—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015

BOKO HARAM

VP VP Osinbajo, Osinbajo, failed failed suicide suicide bombings bombings and and renewed renewed bloodletting bloodletting in in Borno Borno

*The VP at the Shehu of Borno's palace

BY NDAHI MARAMA, MAIDUGURI

V

ice-President Yemi Osinbajo's visit, on Wednes day, to Maidug uri, the Borno State capital to sympathize with victims of insurgency will remain fresh in the minds of residents following the bloodletting that followed the visit.

On the heels of the visit, no fewer than 145 people were feared dead while seven others sustained gunshot wounds when suspected members of Boko Haram invaded villages in Monguno and Kukawa Local Government Areas on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

Two insurgents also blew themselves up in the metropolis as the VP visited in what was apparently failed suicide bombings.

Sources said the terrorists, armed with AK-47 rifles who struck in Maiduguri 'were fleeing from military bombardment and air force raid when they sneaked into the villages on the outskirts of Monguno, setting many

residential buildings, mostly thatched houses, ablaze.

An eye witness said: “The insurgents, attempting to regroup around one of their destroyed camps, were bombarded by a coordinated effort of the army and air force, before some of them, who escaped the onslaught, stormed nearby villages and killed 46 people with seven others seriously injured.”

A source at the Accident and Emergency Unit of one of the state owned hospitals said seven people, who sustained gunshot wounds in the Monguno village attacks, were brought in and admitted for treatment.

“We received seven victims of Boko Haram attacks in Monguno village on Wednesday. I was at the hospital when the victims were brought in by security operatives alongside members of the Civilian JTF”, the source stated.

While in Maiduguri, Osinbajo said the Federal“Government will rebuild villages, towns, houses, markets“and places of worship destroyed by Boko Haram in Borno, Adamawa

On the heels of the visit, no fewer than 145 people were feared dead while seven others sustained gunshot wounds when suspected members of Boko Haram invaded villages in Monguno and Kukawa Local Government Areas on the outskirts of Maiduguri and Yobe states.

In Borno, worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency, about 22 of the 27 local government areas were sacked by the group, leaving hundreds of thousands Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge in camps in Maiduguri while others were reunited with their relatives in safer communities.

The VP said he was sent to

Maiduguri by President Muhammadu Buhari to assess the conditions of the IDPs and see how best the Federal Government will work with the Borno government, international organizations and donor agencies to resettle them.

He arrived Maiduguri International Airport aboard a presidential jet at about 10am and drove straight to Dalori IDPs camp in Maidu-

guri amid tight security, before he visited University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

Dalori IDP camp is hosting over 16,000 IDPs, mostly from Bama local government area that was sacked by insurgents.

He also paid a visit to Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai ElKanemi.

Osinbajo said that despite scarce resources, the Federal Government“takes the issue of the IDPs with outmost concern, hence the visit to ensure that the traumatized IDPs did not stay longer in the camps.

The Shehu of Borno, receiving the VP, called on Buhari to redeem his pledge to rebuild all insurgency affected communities and provide jobs for the teeming youths of the state.

He commended the President and Osinbajo for their concern on the issue of IDPs in the North-East.

Speaking to journalists after the visit, the VP commended Governor Kashim Shettima over the way his administration handled the welfare of the IDPs in the state.

“Our purpose of coming is just to be sure of what exactly is going on and to have a physical on the spot assessment, which is what we’ve done. We were at the IDP camp, we were able to meet with the people there, and we’ve seen how they live; how they have been taken care of and all that.

Clearly, the state government is doing and incredible job, NEMA is doing an excellent job,”he said.“Osinbajo went on: “For the next phase; it is resettling the displaced persons back to their homes and communities. That is the most important next phase; that is why I am here to understand what the implication will, what the financial commitment will look like, and what the material implication will be, as well as the logistic implications. “ We’ve seen what needs to be done in the next phase.

The federal government and President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to ensuring that all of those who are displaced return to their homes, and as much as possible we are able to rehabilitate them, and where it is necessary, we rebuild homes, markets, schools and places of worship, so that they can go back home and continue their lives normally. I have seen for my self and I have also had very extensive discussion with the stakeholder here. So far I have a fair idea of what needs to be done; but I’m still going to come back for some further discussions. There is a lot that needs to be done; for now I have a lot of information, but a lot more of written

Continues on page 38

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 37

ANAMBRA

The Boko-Haram brickwall

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

S

IGNS that there

could be element of truth in the rumour that Boko Haram suspects were to be transferred to Ekwulobia Prison in Anambra State started manifesting when the ever lonely earth road that leads to the prison suddenly began to witness increased vehicular traffic. Again, when the people saw an armoured vehicle moving towards the prison and which finally stationed itself in front of the prison gate, they knew that all was not well.“ There were even reports that the Boko Haram suspects got executive treatment as they were brought to Enugu by flight and then driven by road to Ekwulobia. Some villagers said they also saw some soldiers when they drove into the town as they were asking for the way to the prison. According to the villagers, the soldiers were coming in their vehicles, together with their mattresses and mats.“Mr. Augustine Ubabuko, a native of Ezi Agulu village in Ekwulobia, headquarters of Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, is a trader at Ekwulobia Main Market. Ubabuko is one person who is greatly disturbed by the news that some Boko Haram detainees have been relocated to the prison in his community.“ In fact, Ubabuko was among leaders in the village who donated the massive land where the medium security prison is sited to the Feral Government some years ago because they saw it as a way of attracting federal presence to their community. But with the current development concerning the relocation of 47 Boko Haram detainees to the prison, Ubabuko said he was regretting being among the leaders that donated the land to the federal government.“ Speaking with Sunday Vanguard at Ekwulobia, Ubabuko said though many of them initially dismissed the alleged relocation of the Boko Haram detainees to Ekwulobia Prison as a mere rumour as there would be no justification for any government to contemplate doing that in view of its security implications, the people became apprehensive when they started noticing the presence of armed soldiers in the community.“He said: “Life here has not been the same since Monday when we learnt that these Boko Haram people are in our midst. Motor parks and markets have suddenly become frightening places as our people have become suspicious of everybody visiting our town.“ "My stand is that government should make a rethink and send back these terror suspects back to where they came from

The Anambra protesters

Since the brouhaha began, there had been questions as to how the information about the movement of the detainees leaked to the public such that leaders of traders in the state had to shut all the markets to protest the development even before the detainees took off from their former places of detention

because our people are not used to living in this kind of fear.”“To drive home their opposition to the relocation of the prisoners, traders from all the markets in the South-East geo-political zone staged a protest at Ekwulobia for the second day running as a follow up to the one held the previous day in Onitsha, Awka and the same Ekwulobia.“ Shops at the market were all locked as the traders and a group of women who dressed in yellow tops and green wrappers gathered at the Ekwulobia roundabout chanting songs and insisting the return of the detainees to the north.“As the controversy raged, pressure was being mounted on the representatives of the people at the National Assembly to do something to reverse the situation. Worried by the concern of her people, the member representing Aguata Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Eucharia Azodo, pleaded with the Federal Government to rescind the decision.“To Mrs. Azodo, Boko Haram detainees would better be taken care of in a maximum security prison, arguing that Ekwulobia Prison did not have the capacity to accommodate such high risk prisoners.“She said: “It gives me great concern about the rising tension following rumours that inmates of Boko Haram suspects were reportedly relocated from some Northern prisons to the South East, precisely, Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government of Anambra State. We all are aware of the fact that Ekwulobia Prison is not a maximum security prison. ““Whereas a large number of prisoners, about 134 inmates, are there already in a prison built to accommodate 85

inmates, a total number of 47 Boko Haram prisoners were brought to Ekwulobia Prison in the dead of the night of Sunday, June 28, 2015 amidst tight security. ““In spite of torrent protests recorded in the commercial city of Onitsha, Ekwulobia and other major cities of Anambra State last weekend over the rumours of government intention, the Federal Government still went ahead to relocate them to Ekwulobia in flagrant violation of the avowed wishes of the peace- loving people of Anambra State.““As a result, tension has been raised in the state, arising from hundreds of youths storming the streets and market places. Filling stations in the state were also shut down in protest.““It is paramount to state that one of the resultant negative effects of relocating Boko Haram suspects from the Northern part of the country to the South East would be the terror associated with Boko Haram sect as this will definitely cause a setback for the state economically since some investors would not want to come to invest as a result of fear.““The Ekwulobia medium security prison would definitely be overcrowded and the congestion will lead to inmates’ ill health, misconduct and may lead to the threat of jail break. ““For normalcy to be restored and anxiety removed, the decision of relocating Boko Haram suspects to the South East should be revisited.““We, the people of Aguata Federal Constituency, therefore, vehemently condemn in its totality this impunity. We therefore urge the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, move those detainees to another prison that has maximum security and space.”“Since the brouhaha

began, there had been questions as to how the information about the movement of the detainees leaked to the public such that leaders of traders in the state had to shut all the markets to protest the development even before the detainees took off from their former places of detention.“In fact, the simultaneous nature of the protests in all the major cities showed that the traders had their facts and were properly mobilized because they brought commercial activities in all the markets to a standstill.“To the traders, South-East has its security challenges it was contending with and to bring in detained terrorists would worsen the problem. President of Aguata zone of Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATAS), Chief Emma Ozoemenam said their peaceful protest was to make it clear to the Federal Government that they do not want Boko Haram detainees in Anambra State or in any part of the SouthEast.“He said, “We don’t want them here. They should take them back to where they came from. It came as a rumour and on Saturday, we got information that they will bring them to Anambra, but after the demonstration Saturday, on Monday we confirmed that they had brought them to this place despite the serious demonstration we held.“While the protest lasted, no vehicle moved into Anambra State from all its borders. For instance, the Onitsha end of the Niger Bridge, Owerri Road, Uga Junction on the Anambra –Imo States border and Amansea on the Enugu border remained closed. It was also time for the protesters to express their uncontrolled emotions, with many saying it was time for their dream Biafra Republic to take

Continues on page 38

PAGE 38—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015

Continued from page 37 off so as to free them from the happenings in the country.“The youths blocked all the major roads in the state, including the Head Bridge and the Enugu Onitsha Expressway in Onitsha, as well as the popular Zik Avenue in Awka, causing traffic gridlock on the highways for several hours. Some of them said the decision to bring the Boko Haram suspects to Igbo land was to punish them for not voting for the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the last elections and they vowed that the voting pattern might even become worse if it turned out that the Boko Haram suspects were truly brought down to Igbo land.“ President General of Anambra Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, AMATAS, Dr. Okwudili Ezenwankwo said they heard from a very reliable source that plans had been concluded to bring suspected Boko Haram prisoners to the state, adding that they would do everything within their power to resist it.“Pressed to say how they got information that such prisoners were to be brought to the state, Ezenwankwo said: “We have our ears on the ground and that is the much we can say for now. We were informed that the Federal Government wanted to transfer the Boko Haram detainees to Anambra State and this is unacceptable to us.““If you visit the Ekwulobia Prison, you will discover that something is going on there. We are not against President Muhammadu Buhari, but we want him to keep these special prisoners where they belong.““We know our president is a good man and he will not do anything that will cause insecurity in this part of the country to add to the existing one caused by Boko Haram insurgents in parts of the North. Anambra is peaceful and we don’t want Boko Haram to come and cause confusion here.”“According to Ezenwankwo, Anambra traders have already brought the matter to the attention of the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, adding that

The Anambra red card for Boko-Haram When the people saw an armoured vehicle moving towards the prison and which finally stationed itself in front of the prison gate, they knew that all was not well

Protesters...No to the relocation of Boko Haram inmates to Anambra the governor was mandated by the traders to convey their position to President Buhari.“What perhaps gave credence to the detainees’ transfer to Anambra State was when Governor Willie Obiano’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. James Eze exonerated the governor from the relocation arrangement. “Eze said: “The attention of the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has been drawn to the mischievous speculations on the social media that the planned relocation of some Boko Haram convicts to some prisons in Anambra State was done with his tacit approval and endorsement. ““I wish to categorically dismiss these speculations, hearsay and beer parlour banters as fundamentally untrue and should be disregarded by Nigerians.““The fact is that when Governor Obiano got wind of the planned relocation of these high risk prisoners to Anambra State, he quickly swung into action and contacted the relevant authorities to seek

clarification on the matter after which he raised several objections to the plan.““Obiano’s many objections, among others, are that Anambra is one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria in the past one year and that the arrival of these radical elements in any part of the state would disrupt this peace and lead to a new regime of a different kind of fear in the state;““That Ekwulobia Prisons is not a Maximum Security Prison and not suitable as holding place for convicted terrorists because experiences show that terrorists and terror suspects are kept in strongly fortified and isolated places;““That Ekwulobia Prisons has a capacity to hold 85 inmates and at the moment there are 134 inmates in the prison; therefore there is no space for new prisoners”;““That unlike other locations where the terrorconvicts are held in sparsely populated areas which make their isolation from the people easy, Ekwulobia is a densely populated town. There is a very high risk of contact between these radical prisoners and the civilian

population with an avoidable danger; and““That the relocation of these prisoners to Anambra may not have paid adequate attention to the sensibilities of the country, especially the fact that some ethnic populations have suffered the most from the activities of these convicts across the North.”“Eze said further that Governor Obiano’s efforts to establish understanding and achieve a speedy and peaceful resolution of the matter went to the highest authorities, adding that he was given assurances that the matter would be looked into with a view to resolving it with dispatch. Whether the governor would be able to make prison authorities change their mind about the relocation of the Boko Haram detainees to Anambra State would be seen in the next few days.“Expectedly, the state branch of APC reacted on the matter, accusing the state government of instigating the protests. State publicity secretary of APC, Mr. Okelo Madukaife, in a statement, said: “The deployment of inmates to prisons around

the country is a federal government affair guided by prime paramilitary considerations, and managed by the Nigerian Prisons Service to which all lawful authorities in Anambra State have access.““There is no clear directive from the Nigerian Prisons Service or any other arm of the Federal Government of Nigeria under our knowledge that has been communicated or known to the Anambra public and as such, it is like moving in a whirlwind with the risk of endangering the lives of unsuspecting citizens to respond to any such whirlwind tales”.““The decision to close markets and rob businessmen in those markets of the day’s earnings is a political whiff guided by a selfserving and self-preserving desire to incite the good people of Anambra State against the Federal Government and by extension the APC, particularly in Anambra State.““We urge the good people of Anambra State to avoid building their lives around rumours, knowing that during the SAP Riots of 1989, many lives were lost before the nation understood that they were reacting to false rumours”.

VP Osinbajo, failed suicide bombings and renewed bloodletting in Borno Continued from page 36 information is also going to be required; and a lot of planning is also required.

“Just as President Muhammadu Buhari has said; it is the business of government to protect lives and property.

Where government fails in that responsibility, or where by there are cases of insurgency as the cases were here – people lose their homes and livelihoods; it becomes the business of government to see that their homes and livelihoods restored. It is not their fault that the insurgency has taken place; it is not their fault that terrorists act has taken place. It is the business of government to see that all what they have lost have been restored as much as possible so that they get back on with their lives.

“The president has asked

me to come and join the governor here to assess and see what exactly in going on in the IDP camps here in Borno and other affected states of the northeast – including Yobe and Adamawa states that have been affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. The president is extremely concern especially about the welfare of the women and children and of course the displacement of the people in the northeast, particularly those that are here in Borno state. He wanted to go round and even have some conversation with the people in the camps.

“And from the reports and the brief interactions that I have had, it is quite clear that there have been a great deal of human sufferings, a great deal of trauma. But the government of Borno state has extremely worked hard in making sure that all of that trauma, all of that

hardship is greatly reduced.

The president wanted to tell Governor Shettima that he is extremely pleased with the hard work he has been doing particularly in trying to ensure the confort and safety of those who are in this camp and of course generally in the state.

“This is an overwhelming task and he has rendered tremendous task for his people and the entire persons in this country. I want to say also that on behalf of the president that the federal government of Nigeria stands ready to play our party in this effort to ensure that the people of this state and the people of the northeast who have been traumatized and displaced by the Boko Haram terrorists act, are not made to suffer much longer. The commitment of the federal government is to work with the government of Borno state and all of our develop-

ment partners, the UNICEF, the Red Cross and all those who are concerned with the work of resettling the various people who have been displaced.

“Our commitment as the federal government is to work with them and to take the leadership in ensuring that; first, all of those who have been displaced are resettled in their homes in the earliest possible time.

“The work of resettlement involves, not only taking the people back to their communities, but also rebuilding their community. It is an enormous task and it involves a lot of money, and you know presently that the government is grappling with huge debts that the federal government owe. As you know in the past few months, even salaries of workers, not just in the state, but even at the federal level we have to look for ways and

means to pay the salaries. So it is a very difficult time that the government is going through. “But we know that you who are suffering from a war, suffering from terrorists’ acts are even worse off than everybody else. That is why the matters of Borno state are priority of the federal government. Iwant to say to you that there is a great deal of work to be done.

“As I have said to the young people here in this camp earlier, everyone of you has a right to good life, education, good healthcare, you have a right to jobs.

There is no room for secondclass citizen in this country.

All of you, all the children that you see here have a right to aspire to the highest level of their potentials in what ever they choose to do. We are committed to this and as I have said the president talks about this practically almost every single day".

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Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 39

Our military runs like a municipal govt

— Enahoro, ex-Army chief •`Helicopter-borne unit crucial to defeating Boko Haram’

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

M

ajor-General David Olanrewaju Enahoro, a former Commandant, Command and Staff College, Jaji, retired in 2002 as Chief of Policy and Plans, Army Headquarters. Before then, he served as Director, Military Training, Nigerian Defence Academy; Directing Staff, Director and Acting Commandant, National War College.

Born on May 2, 1947 in UhonmoraOra, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Enahoro, an alumnus of University of Benin and a holder of University of“Ibadan Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies; has been guest lecturer and external examiner to the National War College and National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, and is a“recipient of Fellow (fwc) and Member (mni) of both institutions. In an one hour forty-five minutes interview at his farm centre in Uhonmora-Ora, Edo State, he spoke on issues bordering on security with particular emphasis on restoring the integrity of the military and the police. Excerpts:“ Let me start by asking you about your military career?

I had a management career, post command….What I am trying to say is that I commanded from platoon to the infantry corps. I also served as staff officer from adjutant through brigade major in a brigade to Colonel HQ, Colonel GS in a division. I ended up as Chief of Policy and Plans at Army Headquarters. And I was a senior instructor in jungle warfare, combat survival at Jaji at the time we started a special warfare course.

You mean counter terrorism course? What year was that?

We started a course in counter terrorism as far back as 1982.

You mean you had started preparing for counter terrorism even at a time it wasn’t so much an issue in Nigeria?

Then why does it look like we have problemsinNigeriabecausewedon’t plan ahead?“From 1982, we started special warfare course, combat survival course, desert warfare course, jumbo warfare course, mountain warfare course and amphibious course, which we now transferred to Calabar. If you put all these together, you see the need for counter terrorism

becausewewere preparing for forcepeople scenario. We hadlearned from the crisis inKanocaused byMaitasinein 1980 which spread to Bulunkutu in the North East where General Muhammadu Buhari as General Officer Commanding (GOC), Third Armoured Division, Jos, at that time flushed them out. We started a counter terrorism stream and we were running about three courses every year.“I went back to that same Jaji as Deputy Commandant and later I became the Commandant. And by the time I was leaving Jaji in 2000, the counter terrorism course was still running!

•Gen. Enahoro

we have enough trained counter terrorism soldiers to handle the situation and, up till now, I still think we can deal with the situation.

At that time, what rank?

I was a major general.

And the same Staff College Jaji that this counter terrorism course was offered was where Boko Haram fighters chose to attack in recent years. How do you feel about that?

Very sad! But one thing I know about terrorists is that they strike hard to frighten.

So, I was not surprised that they decided to go into the heart of counter terrorism training, but if they did that too, we have ourselves to blame for some reasons. At a stage, I saw everybody wanting to go for counter terrorism training. The police, the SSS,theNavy; evencadetswerebeing given counter terrorism training and I was wondering what was happening to the nation.

Is there anything wrong with that?

No, if you give out counter terrorism training then, of course, terrorists will attempt to hit, particularly if they are trained terrorists because they want to say, `Oh, you are just“wasting your time.' And that is exactly what I thought happened.

So, are you trying to say some of these terrorists were home grown people who received training from Jaji and who, therefore, had known the art of counter terrorism and were trying to black the efforts of the military at curtailing terror.

It is possible because I am not aware that there was any attempt to streamline the selection process. I am not too sure becauseeverybodywentthere….

(Cut in) …to receive a training that should have been restricted to the Army?

There is no basis, no need for it because

One thing I know about terrorists is that they strike hard to frighten. So, I was not surprised that they decided to go into the heart of counter terrorism training, but if they did that too, we have ourselves to blame for some reasons.

Where do you do you want President Buhari to start the war against terror from? Is the war winnable?

We can win the war. We can make the nation a safe place. I am not saying we can eradicate terrorism all together but we can put it in check. As a matter of fact, the way the Boko Haram situation came in, the terrorists went into what we call ‘open offensive’ too early, and that would have been the time for the military to hit at this tide because, at that time, nobody was against the involvement of the military.

The people prematurely went into open offensive. Why we did not take it as a civil war at that stage and handle it like any other war, I do not know, I cannot tell because I am no longer in service and so I do not know what informed or what influencedtheso-calledlackadaisical approach in the Army. But if you ask me, I will say that I saw some rivalry, I saw a design by some people to make a name. Of course the police would say, `We are on top of the situation.' The Army would tell you, We are on top of the situation. The DSS would tell you, `We are on top of the situation. Anybody you discussed with would say, `We are on top of the situation.'

And a few I met from time to time I asked, `Which situation are you on top of? So, it is winnable and I am sure President Buhari has not taken a strong step at winning the war.“When Buhari said in his inauguration speech that he was relocating the military high command to Maiduguri, I was shocked.

Why the shock? You mean he shouldn’t have relocated the military high command to the centre of the storm?

Let me land. I now asked myself, `Does it mean there was no high command to coordinate the operations there and there are people saying we are fighting terrorism? You have a situation where you read from papers that at least there is a

Division, 7 Division, operating from Maiduguri.ThereisaDivision,Three MechanisedDivision,supportingitand operating from Jos. We know that there is a Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) comprising forces from Niger, Cameroon, Chad,“Nigeria operating there. We know that the Army was operating, the Navy operating, the Air Force operating. You mean there was no coordinating centre? That is what Buhari’s statement means. And it means that we had been fighting Boko Haram without direction! Buhari confirmed that we really didn’t know what fighting in a theatre entails. You can be a fantastic soldier at a platoon level, at a company level, at a battalion level without knowing a thing about theatre operation because it has to do with what we call the ‘operational order’.

But that order ought to flow from a concept of operation that should come from that high command, which will getfieldintelligenceandaccesstothe policy of the political class that“could relate with the headship of all the elements right there. Only in that way can you fight a coordinate battle.

I thought somebody would come out, after President Buhari such thing in his speech, to say, `Your Excellency, we have such command'; only for me to now hear the Chief of the Naval Staff speak on the television saying, `We will now give a thought.' You will give a presidential order a thought?

Should the response of the military have been that they would give a presidential order a thought or that they swing into action without querying the order?

That `we will give a presidential order a thought,' if that was what the Chief of the Naval Staff meant, it means admitting that they didn’t have one such command already on the ground. Are you excited? So, now we know that they are trying to put up one but I am worried.

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Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

Our military runs like a municipal govt — Enahoro, ex-Army chief Continued from Page 39

W h y worry?

I hope nobody will bastardise the concept of military high command.

I hope nobody will turn the military high command to another budgetary outfit. I hope so because this is a place where they should do intelligence analysis, analysis of area of operation, come up with concept of operation and give operational directives. That is the only way these Boko Haram people would hit, stay there for hours and nobody could respond because we do not have a coordinated centre. So, Buhari has started well. As for whether he will recall people like me, it is not so essentialbecausetherearepeoplehe can call upon. But he should be able to identifythepseudo-professionalsand separate them from the professionals.

So, I know that President Buhari, being a man that I know his principles, knows who to call and when to call the people but he should be keen in those who know. War against terror is fought principally at three levels: locating, responding and follow-up. To simplify that, counter terrorists are those we call trackers. They are called trackers because the moment you see a terrorist, till you capture or destroy him, you give him no respite. And until you do that, you will be doing nothing because they hit and run. When they run, you pursue them. I heard the Chief of the Army Staff saying they had tracking dogs at a time. It means that these dogs could follow in an operation. If there is a terrorist running, you use the dogs to pursue.“In 1970, when I was in School of Infantry in Britain, we went on an operational exercise and we had to go with helicopter tracking insurgents for three days. That was a School of Infantry. That gives us an idea of what it entails. But here I don’t know whether they are even using the helicopters that we claim we have for tracking. I think we are using our helicopters as bombers.

Admiral Murtala Nyako, a former governor of Adamawa, said he saw a military helicopter supplying items to people inside a bush he believed to be terrorists and that he advanced towards the place and that the military people warned him against that, which was how his problem started. Do you think it is possible there is a collaboration between unscrupulous elements within the military and the terrorists which has frustrated the effort of the government towards winning the war?

Terrorism or insurgency is one operation from which you cannot rule out anything. But I don’t want to believe that a Nigerian military helicopter could be used to drop arms and ammunition for terrorists. But I am worried that we still have not been able, up till now, to know the source of their armaments. I am worried!

Nyako just said, upon his return from self-exile, that he would

not an Air Force unit. No. You don’t just take helicopter and give it to the Air Force. It is wrong.

May be because they are the ones in the air or which of the forces should really use helicopter?

Oh, then they should give all their cars and lorries to the Army. Look, helicopter is principally an Army weapon for special operations; the US would say marine. But in the Air Force, they“use it basically for search and rescue. The Navyuses helicopter for anti-submarine operations.

The Army uses helicopter for special operations, coune tr

provide information to President Buhari government, which will help him

to track the terrorists.

Is it that we lack the political will to find out?

The political will will flow from professional advice.

Whether we get the * *Enahoro ... Surprised Army hasn’t created helicopter - borne unit appropriate advice on which to base the will is a different thing. insurgency. The police uses Because the way I see it, we see the helicopter for patrol. So, all the equipment“displayed by the military services have their different ways of on television and on the pages of using helicopter. You should newspapers. What I see them display understand now why a high are basically equipment used at one command is desirable; to pull for the time or the other by Nigerian Army. I purpose of a common goal and have not seen anything that“they are identified mission so that everybody displaying that seems to me to be new can focus on the mission. Here I invention they are bringing from don’t know what happened but, like I anywhere.“But again I am not said, with time I am sure the surprised that that has happened appropriate information will get to because in this country; we have seen the President.“Don’t forget that those three different types of war. Military who respect themselves stay away barracks raided and equipment carted from pseudo-professionals if they away. We have read severally of had to remain sane. “The main police“stations raided and equipment ingredient for military strategy is carted away. So, they may indeed be information through professionals: using our equipment against us. Would correct information, adequate we know how much of it was really information, timely information. carted away especially when they When information is“coloured, when attacked a whole information is delayed, the strategy brigade“headquarters, when they took will NOT work! If you cannot tell over a regiment of artillery. This is why your Commander-in-Chief that these sometimes when I heard they used boys in the field are not being anti-aircraft weapons, I just adequately catered for or when smiled.“Well, again, it is not surprising somebody says, `oh, the welfare that it is possible. We ought by now to situation is poor', you go and say, be able to identify the source of their `No, they are lying, they are playing weapons if neighbouring countries politics,' you will get to the situation have stopped providing them hiding we got to where you now had to start places. They too are suffering the same virtually court marshaling fate have stopped in Nigeria with the everybody. Because you allowed terrorists. It appears we have no control things to slip off your hands. You over our sky. If what Nyako said is true, didn’t tell the Commander-in-Chief it could have been any other helicopter the correct thing. It now started or it could even be a helicopter making telling on the soldiers and they had supplies to some of our troops no choice…. And once it’s telling on somewhere because, we wouldn’t know the soldiers, you have the results we where the troops are. But definitely, are having. If it were in the United helicopters are critical means of States of America that somebody like fighting terrorism. the governor of Borno State came up with what he said about the poor But do you see our military using equipment of the Nigerian soldiers the helicopter as critical means in facing the highly sophisticated the ongoing fight against Boko weapons bearing Boko Haram Haram? insurgents, the military high As a matter of fact, I am surprised command would pick on it to tell the why the Nigerian military has not National Assembly, Please, see“our created helicopter-borne force. I know predicament. We need this, we need that before I left the service in 2002, the that. plan was on. We had identified places of purchase. I led the team on behalf of the In spite of these anomalies, do Federal Government. So, we should by you think there will still be now have had helicopter-borne troops solution? for helicopter-borne operations, which There is always a solution. I am not was why I was not surprised when they too sure how many insurgents they said they wanted helicopters and so on have identified and how many and so forth. By now, they should have camps they are in. The first thing was had a helicopter-borne unit, which is to identify or locate them. And the

Terrorism or insurgency is one operation from which you cannot rule out anything.

But I don’t want to believe that a Nigerian military helicopter could be used to drop arms and ammunition for terrorists

Americans, the British and French were here and they went back. Why? They went back because they didn’t have the high command to liaise with. They met staff officers. They were being told to work with staff officers. They are not used to working with staff officers. They wanted to know what the commanders were doing and they wanted to be sure that the message that they wanted to convey to you was safe. If they were not sure, they will not share the message. I am not even surprised too that they didn’t agree to sell to us the …..helicopters because they knew that they would not be used for the purpose they were meant for.

Now you heard President Buhari say five years of insurgency enough is enough. And you heard him ordering relocation of military high command to the centre of the storm in Maiduguri. All these point in one direction, that if you do not have military background as leader of a country, you

are not likely going to have it well administered because a President with military background knows how many soldiers make a battalion and so there is no way a so-called professional will, for budget reason, come and misinform him and will get away with it. You earlier on said you hoped the high command would not be enmeshed in budget scandal. I mean, a minister of finance saying N500 billion was given to the military and there was no up-to-date weapon commensurate with the fund to prosecute the fight against Boko Haram, for which the new President is considering a probe.

Amnesty International has asked President Buhari to probe alleged war crimes committed by the military under the guise of fighting Boko Haram. What is your opinion; should he go ahead and probe?

It is normal that Amnesty International will raise issues when there is war because they do not take sides they have no business with any side. And unfortunately because of their particular background, and I have that problem too; I really don’t talk on sentiments whenever I comment on something, I just say it the way I see it.“One mistake that came up was the Nigerian military attempting to raise issue with Amnesty International because the whole world will tell you, `Why would Amnesty International blackmail you? But I am glad that that statement did not come from the President of the country or members of government. So, they will see it as (military) people attempting to defend themselves. It is normal to accuse. It is also normal to defend. When PresidentOlusegunObasanjo authorized the operation in Zaki Biam, Amnesty International actually came up to accuse Nigerian military. You didn’t hear the military respond but it was actually probed.

Open investigation was done to prove that, like the case of Zaki

Continues on page 41

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 41

`How e-branch scrapping hindered the police’ Continued from Page 40 Biam, for example, it was known that riff-raffs, ex-soldiers were slaughtering people with photographs taken and were selling them in open market. Amnesty International or America did not go further. A clear conscience fears no accusation. Then you talked about the background of the Commanderin-Chief. Let me be very frank here. I have looked through American history and I think only two of its Presidents so far didn’t have military background. Even in other countries that you don’t think that they have military background they have the advantage of military training and national army. Most countries in the world run their national service within the ethos of military training.

When the National Youth Service Corps was established in this country, we had thought that it was the beginning of something. That was an opportunity to infuse ethos of military training in graduates. And if you read The Prince, you will find that those who aspire to rule need military training, military education, because of the completeness of military education.“I have always looked at this nation too and have said if General Gowon were to be civilian President at the age he was head of state, this nation would have gone far in development. All those military officers succeeded to the extent they did because of their military background. The first thing is for you to know and appreciate the situation, define your mission, identify weaknesses and strengths and it applies to other disciplines which is where strategy has suddenly become a common term. It is a military term that has now spread into other disciplines. If you talk of history now, they even tell you ‘strategy for collecting data. So, there is something in military background for a Commander-in-Chief. Even if he has none, he must have those advisers that see things dispassionately. You must let the Commander-in-Chief see things openly without hiding anything. Your loyalty will be judged from the day the Commander-in-Chief takes a decision. People say but the military is autocratic. I just laugh. I served for 34 going to 35 years in the military and I have not seen any organization that gives everybody so much room to prove himself. A platoon commander sits down with his privates and others to discuss and they express their minds. When the company commander now comes to discuss with his company, he sends his platoon commanders away and speaks with everybody without their commanders so that they can even report their own commanders. Up to the highest level like in the Army Headquarters when I was there, every week, the staff in the headquarters would meet with the commanders on the field. That is sufficiently consultative. The difference now is where you have to take a decision.

Remember, the buck stops on your table and I am sure you are not going to ignore the facts that are laid bare.

This is now where your level of loyalty comes. Whatever your view, once the commander has taken those decisions, you owe a duty to implement them. That is part of what would have come out from a basic military training for a Commanderin-Chief.

But many Nigerians don’t really see the military in the light you so project?

What is wrong with Nigeria is that the military thoroughly messed up

*Enahoro ... our policing at zero level itself because of its involvement with politicians. If the military did not take over, may be the respect for the military would still have been a lot higher. You see the military that now has decided, since our time, just turn your back at politicians and let them do what they want to do the way they want to do it because, in the final analysis, the military will never get praise for anything.“In this country, nobody remembers that, but for military intervention in 1966, there would have been no Nigeria again. I was not in the military then. But it got to a stage you could no longer move from Lagos“to Ibadan through Ikorodu Road. How would you do it when the whole of Western Religion was on fire, when the whole place was no longer safe, when the politicians themselveswereboastingandbringing in the boys, when local police were recruited? When the military came in, normalcy returned but they should have been able to know when to go.

And in any case, even in their entrance, they were perceived to be partisan and then it was obvious that some people would react. So, that they reacted was not unexpected. But I was already in the military when they started the baton exchange from one military regime to another, when all we could have done was to go away at that time, we ran down the essence of the military. Now let me go to the question of equipping the military.

When I look at this country I smile.

We have an Army that manufactures, a Navy that manufactures, an Air Force that manufactures. I don’t know whether the police have started manufacturing; of course, I won’t be surprised. These are not primary military functions. You don’t manufacture what you want to use. It is not possible. Even the ordinary pistol, you will be surprised the number of parts and the diverse ways those parts come about. Even when we said we setupDICON(DefenceIndustries Corporation of Nigeria) in Kaduna, we didn’t seem to see it as a military company heading a very wrong concept. In developed countries now, nations collaborate to produce even the most basic military ware but here we think that we can do it within the military. I read in the papers that the Air Force had manufactured

I have always looked at this nation too and have said if General Gowon were to be civilian President at the age he was head of state, this nation would have gone far in development

unmanned vessels and I have been asking myself, where are the unmanned vessels? The money being allocated to the military may not actually be going for what it is meant to achieve. We have a military that is like a municipal government: you run schools, you run markets, you run everything. That is what we have.

What bothers me most is that we run so many services that very little is left for the actual materials required. I am not criticizing the current, but the truth is that the Nigerian military was never planned, is not planned and must be planned. And it does not necessarily mean that you are going to throw away the present military. No. You will also consider the present military from what we call the forces in being a factor in arriving at your new plan.

Security, as you can see, is mostly considered in the focus of the new President. What is your advice towards effective security re-positioning?

In considering security, adequate attention must be paid to the police.

Our policing is at zero level. If the police is effective, most of what is happening now would not happen because it is the police that is closest to the populace. In every Local Government, the police is there or should be there. As a matter of fact, as a junior officer, when we had a joint operation, we had to do it from police operations centre because they used to have communication covering the whole country. If that were still there, what happened that Boko Haram spread out of control?

That should not have been so.

What would you say is problem of the police therefore and what is the solution?

I am aware that the problem of the police started when they removed what they call e-branch, the intelligence wing and merged it to form the National Security Organisation (NSO) at that time, which is precursor for SSS. That was the beginning of the collapse of police effectiveness. The police ebranch was a critical aspect; they focused on the locality.“The second thing that went wrong was that they decided to behook the police.

Police suddenly became interested

in living in barracks and so they were distancing themselves from the people they were meant to be close to. Behooking, that is, you are putting them in barracks when you don’t even have the means to maintain them there and that affected their morale and that also affected their equipment. If there was anything the police was proud of, it was his baton and torchlight.“Nigeria Police is perhaps the only police in the world that is too sophisticated to do foot patrol. If you go to Britain from the airport and I have been to 97 countries in the world, you see police men on foot patrol, their hands at their back. So, if you have that, there could still be this suicide bombing once in a while but not daily occurrence like we have in Nigeria now. The security challenges we have are so because, like some say, the level of policing is too distant from the people. I hear some people say state police will make things worse now as politicians will be using them. And the question I ask is, the federal police, is it not being used by politicians; not necessarily the politicians in the Federal Government, even politicians outside government?“Every level of law making must have a law enforcement agency. Until we recognize that, we are just not ready for a good police. Even the palace should have police. Local government should have its police.“Universities should have their police. In Nigeria here, go to Shell, they have their police. They just train them with the Nigeria Police because they are serving them. So, the earlier we tell ourselves the truth, we need the police to be closer to the people.“There are areas of policing that must be centralized: investigation, intelligence. That is why when we think that the EFCC is the solution, we are joking. The police is the solution. Even“the functions of EFCC, ICPC, NDLEA are all police functions. So, it is just a matter of looking at those functions and see those that must be centralized and then you think of the funding and making a common standard for all levels of the police.

The central government will now use funding to effect compliance.“Again, there is no uniform for the police and it is bad. I don’t know whether you observe that the police wear camouflage.

They wear T-shirts. Does it mean that they are ashamed of their uniform or that“only when by wearing camouflage looking combative will drive away the criminals? Even in the military, combat uniform is meant for combat.

Now, as a police man, you want to look combative and it comes to a time that nobody is even frightened and too many people are just willing to die.“I hope the present administration will tell them to wear their uniform, to have working dress for the Army, for the Navy and the Air Force. You even have working dress for them, they are different because they work in a different environment. The camouflage is for forest environment. Even the police ADC behind a governor wears camouflage because he has to look combative. No, no, no.

And you think it is simple? It is not.

There is the case of a man in Benin, each time he goes home he sees the police on the road wearing just any type of dress. So, one day he took for granted that they were the police and they told him, “Mo boy, shut up your mouth. We are armed robbers.”

Many times that armed robbery happened on the road, people thought that they were police because the police on the road no longer want to wear uniform. Who knows whether they are policemen or not? If policemen wear their uniform and the uniform is provided by the authority with a standard, when we see a policeman we will know he is a policeman, not a soldier-police.

PAGE 42 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015

We have invested on data centres to drive cloud computing for SMEs — MTN

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teto Nyati is the MTN Group Enterprise Officer. In this interview with Emeka Aginam during recent forum on Inspiring Business Growth in Africa organized by MTN Nigeria in partnership with CNN, he talked about how the mobile operator is impacting businesses in Africa through cloud computing. While speaking on a number of industry issues including the Internet of Things (IoT) phenomenon and the prospects for Africa, Nyati said that MTN has invested on data centers to drive cloud computing across the continent to support the adoption of cloud-based technologies by Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

MTN Business role in the development of African businesses n MTN Business, we serve three different types of customers. Firstly, we serve those large companies that are working across countries. We provide technology solutions *Mteto Nyati for global and African multinationals. Our aim is to help them to expand geographically across Africa. The second group of customers that we are How cloud computing expenditure on deploying somewhere in Europe or Asia, interested in is small business. improves SME efficiency and technology infrastructure and trying to do things remotely.

If you look into almost all of our productivity services. It levels the playing We have skilled professionals countries, this is probably the There are many field smaller on the ground. If you want to biggest segment. We want to things that are companies. A small understand the challenges help stimulate growth of small critical to improving business is able to facing small businesses in Quality businesses by providing the efficiency of access at affordable Nigeria, you must be on information cutting-edge connectivity small businesses. rates the same ground to address those MTN has helps solutions tailored to their needs Cloud computing is technologies large challenges. and requirements. but just another companies used to employees in all of the 22 small We want to help them to critical requirement. businesses have monopoly over countries where we operate in.

We have invested significantly access new markets through The other in the past. Cloud make on data centres to drive cloud the deployment of technology. requirement is just computing is an better The third one is the public basic connectivity, important strategy computing. We have invested decision in an Multiple Protocol Label sector. Government plays an the ability to connect for our company. integral role in almost all of the to the Internet and MTN’s approach Switching (MPLS) network countries where MTN has get access to to African that helps with improving the speed of communications operations.

Government relevant and quality businesses delivers services to the citizens. information.

Quality We are actually making amongst countries.

Apart from providing As MTN Business, we want to information helps small progress. We are making help government to deliver businesses make better progress because we are technology solutions, does services effectively to the decision. Cloud computing rooted in the countries. We are MTN provide seed funds for citizens using technology. helps reduce the capital not sitting in a country small businesses?

I

Smile boos ts br oadband ser vice with fflagship lagship shop in AAbuja buja boosts broadband service

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ffort to increase broadband penetration across the country has received boost as Smile Communications Nigeria Limited has opened a major retail shop in Abuja.

The new flagship retail shop is expected to serve as the hub of business for Smile.

Hitherto, the company had relied on the multiplicity of kiosks and corner shops scattered all over Abuja without a central hub for its burgeoning business in the nation’s capital Abuja.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Marketing Officer of Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Alero Ladipo affirmed that the event was momentous for Smile as it further underscores the company ’s commitment to help accentuate the objectives of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan. She noted that part of the ideals of the national broadband plan is for a society of connected

From left: The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Dr. Peter Jack and Dr. Jimson Olufuye at the just concluded Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) organized by African ICT Alliance (AfiCTA) in partnership with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) held recently in Abuja. communities with high speed internet and broadband access that will facilitate faster socioeconomic advancement of the nation and its people.

“By opening its first Retail store, in the heart of the

Nation’s Capital, residents of the FCT, like those in Ibadan, Lagos and Port Harcourt will have access to the fastest and most reliable 4G LTE broadband internet service in the country.” , she explained.

She further explained that Smile has been operating in Abuja through kiosks in strategic locations in the Federal Capital.

The company, she said decided to be tactical, doing the required groundwork and necessary research before opening the flagship store. She surmised, “It is significant that in anything that we do, we have to think about the customer and be proficient in data supply, differentiated from our competitors. “We stand on the reliability and quality of our service. We are beginning to push more innovative and segmented products into the market focusing on the consumer needs, as we see internet provision as a key utility that will only enhance the development of our country”, she added.

She adduced Smile’s unique service offering as one of the company’s competitive edge.

According to her, “Smile is unique, in that the service is

No, we are not yet there.

When you look at where we are going as a business, our objective is to develop strong partnerships. Because the needs of small businesses are broad, we create partnerships that deliver value to small businesses.

A partnership of MTN and a bank is an important partnership because it provides small businesses access to finance. A partnership of MTN and a software solution providers is another important partnership because those small businesses are looking for solutions.

How IoT strengthens Africa’s internet ecosystem We launched the IoT platform for Africa about a month ago.

We are targeting three to four industry verticals. Firstly, we are looking at fleet management.

We are conducting trade in several countries in Africa. Our vehicles and trucks travelling across borders, we need to know where these trucks are and monitor them. In the past, if these trucks move from a country to the next, owing to high roaming rates, these trucks and vehicles end up being charged exorbitant prices.

We are providing Africans a uniformed pricing mechanism across all of our 22 countries.

The other area of focus is vehicle tracking. Critical to Africa’s development is the work we are doing in agriculture. We intend to help companies launch drones to map and analyse soil to enable the farmers treat and get the best out of the soil. These are just a few of the many benefits.

The biggest challenge we face in Africa is energy constraints.

mobile, based on the understanding that Nigerians are always on the go, the best support is providing an undisrupted platform.”

Senator Gilbert Nnaji, the immediate past Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, who was the chairman of the occasion, expressed satisfaction with the feats recorded by Smile in the provision of high speed, quality and reliable internet service.

“I am satisfied with what I have seen here today and I believe this is going to bring respite to a lot of Nigerians. I believe Smile Communications has come along to put smiles on the faces of Abuja residents, so they can continue to have access to good quality of service”. He congratulated the company for its steadfastness to its avowed vision to be Nigeria’s fastest and most reliable internet service provider. “ Your dogged intention as Nigeria’s fastest and most reliable internet service provider is worth commending.”, he said.

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 43

s r rs e r u t c e l t s n i a g a e s u o r ro My g n o i s s i m d a , s k r rk a m g n i l l se s n o i n u f f ff a t s , s r rs e e t e k rac a w n u f a b O . f o r P , C V U S —LA t intteerrvvention vt o g s o g a L s k e e *S

BY DAPO AKINREFON

T

HE face-off between the staff unions and Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, LASU, Professor John Obafunwa, has left the institution grounded. In this interview, Obafunwa traces the origin of the crisis and says it is time the state government intervenes in the crisis. build on nothing. We are talking How did the LASU about admission racketeering management’s problem with the and some other things. staff unions start?

It all started on March 16, What about the demand for when some of the union salary arrears? members were asking for one LASU has always paid salaries, thing or the other and we had LASU is not owing the staff. series of meetings with them. In Meanwhile, you have fact, the week preceding March universities in this country today 16, we met with SSANU and owing up to five months salaries NASU a couple of times. On and the staff have not gone on March16, we were supposed to the rampage. The universities continue with the graduation have not shut down, the staff are programme. still doing what they are I can tell you that, before this supposed to do. I can also tell administration came in, LASU you that LASU are better paid had no graduation for about five than those of federal universities. years. We came in November The professor in LASU, the 2011 and we had graduation in salary is higher than the 2012, 2014 but the one for this professor in UNILAG. year, if we had had it, it would The LASU staff asked for some have been four ceremonious money to be paid based on graduation back-to-back. We certain agreement with the have had four matriculation Federal Government, let us even ceremonies back-to-back. forget about the fact that it is a We have moved away from a state university. situation where results were It has to do with salary increase being withheld, those things are arrears. It is like you are paying strange to me and these are the me N10 per month and you say things we have had to deal with. that, with effect from this June, People talk about the you will start paying me N15; the University of Ilorin having stable extra N5, we are going to back calendar, why can’t we do it? date it by about 18 months. The These are the things that make a government made it clear to the university.

There are certain things I know university at that time, in 2010, that the university would pay the which I would not want to touch arrears. It would have nothing to on right now but in a situation do with it. where people were engaged in The university said it would selling marks or modifying pay the money; out of the 18 results, we have clamped down months arrears, the management on all these things. at that time paid one month. All the said time I was in the College Is it that some people in the of Medicine; I was not a system are against the change beneficiary of the payment. The you were trying to effect? management didn’t pay Of course. What we are anything after that. It dragged on dealing with in LASU is a multifaceted thing. We had those till I became VC in November 2011. who are opposed to the system.

I now inherited the backlog If you start asking people to which was N2.2billion,don’t present their O’Level results, you forget that the National don’t expect them to be happy. I Universities Commission had had to present mine. You cannot

said we should scrap external campuses,they only granted us the relief to graduate those within the system without admitting anybody into the programme.

NUC, again, said we should shut down LASU Foundation because of certain irregularities.

So, I came into a situation where there were dwindling resources.

The question was: How do I raise N2.2 billion! We invited the union executives at that time, there was a level of understanding and I promised to go to the state government to seek assistance. In fairness to the government of Fashola, they came to my aid by promising to pay 50 per cent of the arrears, we even signed an MOU to that effect. We said we would find a way to pay the remaining 50 per cent from the inside. At the time I came in,they had just in-

There are certain things I know which I would not want to touch on right now but in a situation where people were engaged in selling marks or modifying results, we have clamped down on all these things

creased the school fees because that was the first crisis I had to deal with.

Our monthly subvention, when I first came in, was N350 million per month. I made an appeal and we got an increase of N395m by 2013. The salaries in LASU amounts to betweenN430million and N440m a month, so we had to augment that salary with aboutN30 to N40m every month.

That has nothing to do with running costs. So, we had to be prudent with money.

We agreed to pay instalmentally. Of our N1.1billion, we paid 20 per cent of the arrears, we saved some money and, few months later, we paid another 20per cent. We started saving hoping to pay another 20 per cent but government said school fees was to go back to N25,000.

There is something I would like to say here and that is that some of these unions were in the forefront of inciting the students against government that the school fees must come down.

After reducing the school fees, the unions still want arrears and not just that,they want some more money to be paid again.

Now, instead of paying 20 per cent when school fees were crashed, we were able to pay 15 per cent. The resultant effect was that out of the N1.1billion, we have paid N605m, we were left with N495m. Government finally paid its own share ofN1.1billion, don’t forget, it was this same administration that begged government to assist us. So, when you look at the whole thing, out of the N2.2 billion, this administration and government have paid 77.5 per cent, leaving N495 million to be paid. Then, the union members said that the money must be paid or there will be chaos, but we told them the university tried to resuscitate some programmes so that we could use that to raise money.

They were not too keen in that.

Anyway, we told them to hold and we thought we had an agreement. Suddenly, March 16, the unions went on rampage, pelting the management with sachets of water, stones and what have you. I have not entered that campus since March 16.

We met in Government House on March 17, but all of a sudden, one of the unions brought out its underlining agenda that the VC must go.

If you look at the history of LASU, all the former VCs, except one were chased out.

Do you see politics in all of these?

A little bit of politics. Before the elections, we were aware of the fact that one of the political parties was trying to cause disruptions in LASU and make it look as if government was not able to run the university.

The rest is history but, like I said, the problem has many angles. There is the issue of party,there is the issue of finances, people feeling that all the avenues through which they have been making money in the past were being blocked.

People, who had certain allegiances were bent on edging the administration out. We are aware of those things. They are playing a role. Perhaps, it is time for government to come out and take a position.

There were attempts to drag in the students. In fact, I recall they had a congress at one point where they passed a vote of confidence in the VC. While it is true that we have reopened the university,management has not been allowed into the place. If you go to the campus, you will see vehicles used to barricade the driveway into blocks One and Two. You will see fetish things deposited at the entrance of the VC’s building. The state government is aware of all these things, likewise security agencies. What bothers me is the physical assault.

In the heat of what happened on March 16, I got a phone call that some people were being imported to come in and that I should leave, that was when I decided to leave.

What is the way forward?

There is a big problem and if we want that university to progress, something needs to be done.

The Governing Council, the acting Pro-Chancellor had series of meetings with the unions and the management. A communique was prepared. The unions were asked to react to it.

Initially nobody did, but at some point, only NASU did; later on, SSANU and NAAT did and it was not until recently that ASUU did.

I am told that some of the unions have dropped the agenda being pursued by some people,that the VC must go. One of the unions is still insisting on that obviously for personal reasons. That is why I said that the state government must be decisive.

PAGE 44—SUND AY 44—SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

Pilgrimage has become a huge business in government — Adejuwon

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE When he talks about aviation and tourism, he does so with passion. Dr. Franklin Adejuwon , one-time Commissioner for Home Affairs and Tourism in Lagos State and later Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, in this interview, speaks on what the country needs to do to revive the aviation and tourism sectors.

He also speaks on the purported sale of the National Theatre, the railway and why government should leave pilgrimage in the hands of private tour operators.

O

N the state of the tourism industry with crises in many parts of the country Well, tourism is particularly vulnerable to crisis of all kinds, be it socio-economic, socio-political, terrorism or even mishandling, mis-management and bad planning. It reacts very easily to internal and external shocks but returns to growth when the situation normalizes.

On the change needed from President Buhari in the tourism industry No doubt, development of the industry did enjoy massive support between 2000 and 2008; it was actually placed as one of the six priority goals of the then regime principally because of the need to develop the non-oil sector of the economy as well as the influence the industry has on both rapid physical and socio-cultural development of the nation.

As a result of the priority placed on this sector by Nigeria, international organizations like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) came to the support of Nigeria with heavy funding and technical know-how.

These efforts heralded the production of the National Tourism Master Plan which is a 15-year-road map for the development of the industry in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the process has been badly managed if not almost destroyed by several circumstances by the immediate past government.

With this in mind, and the huge economic, security and social problems facing the new government, it may be difficult to advise the new government to place the industry on the same platform it enjoyed during the Obasanjo regime, neither can we get the support of those international organizations without adequately attending to the unimaginable level of meaningless and frugal expenditures of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as its major parastatals.

However, the industry is itself a driver of national economy; it is supposed to contribute and support national environment and physical growth of a nation. It is a self-rejuvenating industry, which shall resurrect through another sphere presumably at the regional or state level depending on how fast the country is able to recover from her huge problems.

On what should be done in the aviation industry that has a role to play in tourism growth.

It has been an unpalatable situation in the aviation sector and I am sure the President must have received a cup over flouring as to the immense financial and management recklessness that have plagued that sector in the last five years.

The reality is that wherever there is a large government vote, there is where the devil of corruption and squander lives. Whichever sector government parastatals, especially their chief executives, are given elastic administrative and financial powers, there abide recklessness of boundless impropriety just as witnessed in the petroleum sector.

It is up to the present government to act without sentiment but sufficiently ruthless to curb the excesses of all these sectors and put them under perpetual search light.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) literarily lycanthrope itself under a self centered Director General who amassed so much wealth and threatened so adversely our international relationship with other governments before the National Assembly put a stop to the mess and threw him out of the establishment.

A minister was also equally forced out of office at the instance of public importunate outcry. So much mess in the aviation sector!

It is my strong advice that Government shall obtain EFCC and SSS, clearance on every appointee before any consideration; it is also my strong advice that all recycled people should never be considered for any

enterprise at the federal level resulting in modus vivendi of unimaginable foreign exchange exploit.

I will say categorically that as much as we want to down play religious matters in the country body politic, the issue of pilgrimage should be ceded to the private sector to be run alongside the tour operating business as done in other countries.

After all, tour operators are the ones receiving at the destination end and not government.

Pilgrimage is an aspect of religious tourism. Let government be out of it and clear off “job for the boys”. It will be surprising to realize what so much money will be realized from the collapse of the pilgrim boards.

•Franklin Adejuwon

position.

New blood with fresh ideas should be injected into the system.

We are over 170 million in population, and there are a lot of retired air force officers with sound mind and capable of handling the aviation ministry instead of mediocre. Such should be given consideration.

Further to this, the parastatals under aviation and tourism need to be collapsed to sizeable number to minimize superfluity and frivolous appointments and waste of fund while people who are professionally inclined should only be considered for professional positions.

The financial mess in the aviation sector is alarming, it will need the hands of God to bring financial sanity to some of these places. The Oronsaye report will help the government a great deal if considered, it is such a good report that has deliberately been locked in the shelve because it heaped out a lot of truth and exposed wrongs.

Just before I close up on this question, the location of an hotel at a designated car park at MM 2 is entirely obtruded, absurd and senseless. If we have to imitate, we have to do so wisely. It would have been more feasible if a multi story car park were to be built at this location, such would have averted the dreadful nightmare travellers are going through at MM2.

I will say categorically that as much as we want to down play religious matters in the country body politic, the issue of pilgrimage should be ceded to the private sector to be run alongside the tour operating business as done in other countries

On the purported sale of the National Theatre by the immediate past Minister of Tourism Well, this attempt was unfortunate. I heard about the attempt and also raised a serious objection to it. The minister should see himself lucky to have not gone ahead with the plans, perhaps today, he would have found himself in a pot of hot soup.

I do not know how old he was in 1976 when some of us toiled day and night to make Festac 77 a reality.

The National Theatre is about the only outstanding and symbolic historic monument left behind by the military. The roof is popularly referred to as “General Gowon’s” military cap. It is a symbol of unity and the first assemblage of the entire world black race. Though Nigeria was ignorant to capitalize on Festac 77 to establish a sustainable tourism industry, never the less, we should neither destroy nor cede our national pride to any bloody Lebanese for a price.

Lagos State government activity in the tourism sector is still very potent and still revolves round the black race culture in some aspect.

I believe the National Theater should be transferred to the Lagos State government in the spirit of true federalism.

I am confident, Lagos State will turn it and its environs around. We will make the entire area a luxurious and happy environment that shall encompass monumental fun fair, wonderful night life inclusive of aquatic sports, restaurants and in fact, a trade fair ground for local products.

I entreat Lagos state government to commence its application for the national theatre; I also want to admonish the Federal Government to let go to the deserving hand and free itself from unwisely spending.

Presently, the national theatre is parastatal Headed by a Director General and controlling a humungous budget annually. It is an unwise disposition!

On the need for government to cede pilgrimage packaging to tour operators When I was in Lagos State as Commissioner for Home Affairs and Tourism, my priority was tourism ,travel and hospitality development. I was indeed very modest about pilgrimage which I considered as passive to my objectives because it involved exportation of hard currency which was not my priority. Today, pilgrimage has become a huge

On how government can restore the railway system First, all attempts in the past have been cosmetic with the major aim of enriching individual pockets. Even fools who are objective and who have the interest of this country in mind know very well that we have been operating antiquated system which cannot function well in today’s setting.

Nigeria rail system was established by our colonial masters to ferry farm produce and not designed for the movement of people. The gauge is far too narrow for speed as well as the type of wide body carriages now put on them. This affects equilibrium, center of gravity and encourages accidents.

It is rather unpleasant that civil servants sit down to write misleading memoranda supporting inadequacies in this sector which have resulted in the waste of funds on our rail system.

Unless and until we discard of the old system and set up modern gauge and rail sleepers of modern strength, we will just be scratching the tortoise back in this sector.

Government does not have to do it all alone; government should only be the facilitator while franchising out to prospective investors both internal and external. The country can be programmed into different viable divides and franchised out for a minimum period of 57 years initially while it collects royalties on each passenger carried.

If this plan is properly discharged, government will be surprised at the huge amount of money it will amass from this simple deal ;the country would have also progressed tremendously. Whether with the avariciousness of Nigerians, this can be made to happen is another issue.

On how the tourism industry can be revamped As I had earlier stated ,the problems on ground are so enormous that the new government has to concentrate on the most critical issues first such as the economy, electricity, infrastructure and security before embarking on ancillaries.

This is not an indication that tourism is of less value. Of course, it is an integral part of any nation’s building process, but we must put in place a sustainable electricity system, very good infrastructure which should imbue investors’ interest in the rapid development of super structures and technical material basis.

Robust electricity outfit throughout the nation must be guaranteed.

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 45

• Alhaji Balarabe Musa

APC crisis self-inflicted – Balarabe Musa

BY YINKA AJAYI

Apparently peeved by the internal crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, former Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, in this interview, says President Muhammadu Buha ri must address is-

sues confronting his party. He believes that such failure to confront the issues affected former President Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic. Excerpts:

Y

ou had doubts about peaceful transition because of the ten sion leading to the elections. How did it go?

Yes, that was before the elections but I later commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for a rare record breaking effort at embracing peace in Africa. I also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his victory.

What do you say on the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President of the 8th Assembly and Hon. Dagora as the Speaker of the House of Representatives?

It is history repeating itself. This happened during Shehu Shagari’s administration. When Shagari failed to address it quickly, it resulted in corruption and killings. And Shagari could not control it. Now that similar situation has arisen again, if Buhari, does not address these issues quickly, same thing could happen to him. Because C M Y K

he is the President of the country, people must listen to him. As I said earlier, Dr. Joseph Wayas position then at the Senate caused the failure of the Shagari administration during the second republic. If Buhari does not come out to address the issues now, worse situation than Shagari may befall this administration.

But Buhari has said he would work with anybody that emerges. Don’t you think it is too early to start distracting the President with issues of internal rivalry in his party?

No! People with this view are making things more difficult for APC. One month after the President was swornin, he ought to have resolved everything. Imagine that if the President cannot tell those fighting for key positions that they cannot have them, then who will!

Is there any country in the world, where millions of Naira wardrobe allowance is mentioned amidst the austerity measures staring us as a country, even as senators are getting millions of Naira? Does it not sound stupid and laughable in a country where they forcefully pay the minimum wage of N18,000 per month and states are yet to pay workers several months of salary arrears?. Imagine what the newly elected Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, said on national television: ‘We are going to reduce our pay from N150million to N130million naira”. Is that not an insult to the con-

on his statement . The President needs every support he can get to move Nigeria forward.

It is history repeating itself. This happened during Shehu Shagari’s administration.

When Shagari failed to address it quickly, it resulted in corruption and killings science and intelligence of Nigerians!

Some political analysts say Senator Bukola Saraki may not work well with President Buhari to achieve the goal of the party. What is your view on this?

It is obvious, because their moral and value system is by far different. By now, they ought to have scrapped the budget on wardrobe allowance based

But with the rivalry in the party, do you foresee an APC President come 2019?

Obviously, the party is divided. The rivalry in APC is between PDP 1 and PDP 2. You can imagine a senator elected under APC going to consult former President Olusegun Obasanjo! For what?

How do you mean?

The infection of the so-called APC is nothing but the PDP! Why will the APC be going to the chief maker of the PDP to resolve its problem! Is that not PDP1 and PDP 2.

So who is now calling the shots for the APC? If they are starting to consult Obasanjo, and not party leaders like President Buhari or Asiwaju Bola Tinubu without whom there will be no APC and others. The fact is, these two people should unite the APC and ensure it succeeds. For Senator Saraki to be consulting Chief Obasanjo to resolve issues affecting APC is an insult to APC leaders.

What is the way forward?

The way forward is for President Buhari to stand up and address the issues as the President of Nigeria. He should take the right step because our collective interest as a nation is more important for peace, stability and progress in Nigeria.

P AGE 46—SUND AY PA 46—SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

T

HE race to occupy the Alagbaka Government House, Akure, Ondo State, in 2017, when the tenure of Governor Olusegun Mimiko expires, has begun with consultations across the 18 council areas of the state by serious aspirants and those who could be referred to as jesters.

The governorship election is scheduled to hold in October 2016.

Mimiko’s tenure expires in February 2017 when he would have completed his second term in office.

Nocturnal meetings across the three senatorial districts of the state- South, Central and North-have commenced by political gladiators eyeing the coveted seat.

What is going to be the real puzzle in Ondo is who would succeed ‘Iroko’ , as the governor is fondly called, and from which of the three senatorial districts would the next governor emerge.

The state is made up of the three senatorial districts, nine federal constituencies and five ethnic divisions: Akoko, Owo, Akure,Ondo and Okitipupa.

Thinking about ethnic composition, the state is made up of Akure, Owo, Akoko, Ondo, Ikale, Ilaje, and the Ijaw of the riverine areas who are in the minority.

Those arguing that the gubernatorial seat should go back to the South said this is to complete the tenure of the late Dr Olusegun Agagu whose second term was truncated by the court. Agagu spent six out of eight years before the court issued him a red card.

This school of is thought is of the opinion that since Agagu came from Ikale, either someone from Ilaje or an Ijaw man should be propped up for the seat as other divisions have benefitted directly or indirectly in time past.

Observers also hinge their preference for an Ilaje or Ijaw man on the fact that the area, being oil producing, is the hen that lays the golden egg but has always been marginalized in the sharing of political positions. According to them, since an Ilaje man, Olusola Oke, contested with the incumbent in 2012, it would be proper to allow an Ijaw man to have a shot at governorship for fairness and equity.

In the case of the Central senatorial area where Mimiko hails from, the best that can come to them, according to the analysts, is deputy governorship though some notable personalities from the area have shown interest. Their argument is that the division has been largely marginalized since the creation of the state in 1976 and, hosting the state capital, the district should be accorded that prime opportunity this time around.

The argument of those from the North is that, despite producing the late Adekunle Ajasin and the late Adebayo Adefarati as governor ’s, since other districts have equally produced the governor, the next round should start from the area. However, those angling that the North should be considered said it should be allotted to Ose since Owo has benefitted in Ajasin and Akoko through Adefarati.

But what can not be wished away is that Mimiko would play a major role in who succeeds him. Meanwhile, his body language is not suggesting his preferred successor at least for now.

But, allowing the governor to pick his successor is one thing, the acceptability of the person across the three senatorial areas would be another for the ruling PDP and, if not properly handled, may spell doom for the ruling party.

Analysts believe that the first step for the two leading political parties ( APC and PDP) is to urgently do some political calculations and agree on which of the three senatorial areas will Mimiko’s successor emerge from.

Since the creation of Ondo, all the three senatorial districts h ave had a shot at the governorship seat. Where it will start from this time is the issue.

From Ajasin and Adefarati, who are from the North, to Agagu, from the South, and the incumbent, from the Central, it will C M Y K

•Adefarati

•Agagu

•Mimiko

MIMIKO’S SUCCESSOR

Ondo 2016 and the cold calculations require mental work devoid of sentiments by the two parties to agree as to where the revolving chair should turn this time.

But the results of the last general elections in the state, according to top chieftains of both parties, would be a deciding factor.

This is because politics is a game of number.

The APC in Ondo became a formidable party after President Muhammadu Buhari was picked as its presidential candidate and his choice gave the party a fillip that earned it some seats in the national and state House of Assembly polls.

To prove that the Northern Senatorial District is its stronghold, the APC won the election there, as well as three House of Representative seats and four House of Assembly seats across the state.

The PDP won the senatorial seat in the South, three House of Representative seats and 21 House of Assembly seats.

But it failed to fly in the presidential/ National Assembly elections because the governor and some party leaders in the state worked at cross purposes.

One lesson the PDP in the state would have learnt after the elections is that imposition of candidates was unacceptable and would be resisted through the ballot.

Critical analysis of the results of the elections showed where the strength of the two leading political parties lies.

The APC put up an impressive performance in the Northern District where it won both the senatorial and House of Representative s eats. It also won the senatorial seat in the Central to kick out incumbent Senator Ayo Akinyelure who, though deemed popular, lost due to protest votes and lack of proper political enlightenment of the electorate.

The ruling PDP showed that it’s stronghold remains the southern area of the state.

The highest votes for former President Jonathan and other election results in the national and state assemblies came from the South which showed that the area is a no-go area for the opposition APC. Political observers therefore submit that it will be suicidal if any of the parties picks Mimiko’s successor from where it’s performance in the general elections was poor.

But another school of thought argue that the results of the general elections should not be used to determine where the successor of the incumbent will come from.

They think the governorship election was a different ball game and different from the presidential and National Assembly elections.

However, preponderance of opinion favor the choice of the next Ondo governor from the stronghold of each of the two parties.

State chairmen of the PDP and APC have, in the meantime, at different fora, shied away from this contentious issue.

Ondo APC Chairman, Hon Isaac Kekemeke, said the field was open to all the three senatorial districts thereby ruling out zoning in the nomination for the 2017 gubernatorial race.

Kekemeke said a televised primary would be conducted for as many aspirants interested in the seat when the time comes.

His counterpart in the ruling PDP, Hon Clement Faboyede, said the party would go for the best candidate which would emerge through party primary.

But findings by Sunday Vanguard revealed that even if primary is conducted, “ it will be mere formality”.

What that pre-supposes is that the primary, which will be conducted to give the parties a semblance of being democratic, would, after all, be tailored to favour a candidate from a particular area.

Chieftains of the PDP, who confided in Sunday Vanguard, said the body language of Mimiko before the 2015 general election results, which shocked him to his marrows, was to look towards the North for his successor.

But the performance of the party in the area is giving him nightmares and available facts indicate that he may have to look elsewhere if the PDP still wants to continue to rule the state after his tenure.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the leaders of the PDP may be looking at the South because of the high number of votes the party got there during the elections

It was learnt that while the governor was busy with the re-election of Jonathan by organizing post-national confab seminars across the country to shore up support for the former President, those he left to watch his back in Ondo sold out to the opposition, hence the party’s poor performance in the presidential and National Assembly elections.

When the reality that he had been stabbed dawned on him, Mimiko woke up from his slumber and the results of the House of Assembly in which his party won 21 of the 26 seats changed the game and frustrated the plan by the opposition APC in connivance with some leaders of his PDP to unseat him.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the leaders of the PDP may be looking at the South because of the high number of votes the party got there during the elections.

If eventually the governorship goes to the South, then the deputy will go to the Central while the Speaker of the House of Assembly will go to the North.

The APC is said to be building on its impressive performance in the North to pick its gubernatorial candidate there and deputy from the Central and Speaker from the South.

If this permutation clicks, then it means the ruling PDP will look to the South for its candidate, the opposition will look to the North while both parties will look to the Central for their deputies.

So, the Central, which has a big chuck of votes, would be the decider in the 2016 governorship election in the state.

If this scenario works in the PDP, it will be a repeat of the Agagu/ Otunba Omolade Oluwateru administration in which the governor hailed from the South and his deputy came from the Central.

This means that the Central has always been the battle ground.

In 1999 and 2003, the PDP picked Agagu from the South, which was its stronghold, to contest against Adefarati, who was fielded by the defunct AD, from the North, the party’s stronghold.

Suffice it to say that for the PDP to continue to be relevant in the state, the South is its best possible area to pick a formidable and deep pocketed candidate from, while the opposition will do itself a favour to look to the North also to make impact in the October 2016 governorship poll.

Any wrong move by either of the parties on where the governorship candidate emerges from will be as good as losing the election even before it is conducted.

The people of Ondo are patiently watching which of the parties will take the wrong step before making their final decision.

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 47

Tribunal victory of Gov Ambode was expected – Lateef Raji Alhaji Lateef Raji was the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola. In this interview, he states the steps Governor Akinwumi Ambode needs to take to succeed.

By Dapo Akinrefon

H

OW do you see the victory of Gov Ambode at the election tribunal?

The victory is expected. Contesting the election was just to maintain public presence. Mr. Jimi Agbaje lost becoming the governor of Lagos State, the day he announced his membership of the PDP. Lagos indigenes never liked the PDP. But the Lagos state PDP is crying foul over the outcome and has vowed to petition the NJC, what is your take on this?

They are welcome. Every step they make, provided it is within the law is welcome, but I can assure the PDP that they are on a wild goose chase. The election was free, fair and credible. The NJC would act on facts, and would listen

to the other side. So, going to the NJC is not an issue but I fear they will be so disappointed that the effect might obliterate the PDP from the political map of Nigeria.

Do you think the appeal court will rule in favour of the governor when the case is presented to it?

The Court of Appeal will rule based on the facts presented to it. As things stands today, the PDP does not have facts to sustain its petition. It cannot manufacture new facts.

As someone who was in the Fashola administration, what are the areas Ambode should focus on in order to succeed?

The Governor should focus on every sector. All the sectors are complimentary of one another. I however commend his new determination to tackle poor

•Alhaji Lateef Raji performance at the Local Government level. That tier of government has attracted too much negative attention over time. I believe his efforts to unravel the

reasons for the not so acceptable performance of the Local Governments. Another commendable area of focus that the Governor has embarked upon is the area of road construction and rehabilitation.

Lagosians demand immediate focus on roads, which makes the Governor decision in this regard very apt.

There is no doubt the governor will face a lot of hurdles, which should be his priority in making Lagos state a mega city?

Hurdles are what governments come to solve. For me, I think the Governor should pay attention to the transport sector, such as the light rail from Okokomaiko to Marina, the BRT buses and support infrastructures. Above all, the full implementation of the provisions of the Lagos Traffic Law is another key area of focus that he should focus more on considering the level of indiscipline and lawlessness associated with operators of the informal service providers in the sector.

PDP will bounce back in 2019 — Edougha Comrade Moses Edougha was involved in the Niger Delta struggle. Apart from being a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edougha is the President of the Izon-Ebe Oil Producing Forum. In this interview, Enougha speaks on insecurity in the country, corruption, kidnapping and the future of the PDP. Eduogha, who is yet to recover from the shock of the defeat of his kinsman, former President Goodluck Jonathan, in the March 28 presidential election, however, assured President Buhari that the Ijaw nation will support him.

W

HAT is your take on the change of baton at the federal

level?

Now that President Buhari is on board, I believe strongly that Nigeria will move forward. There is no need to be crying over spilt milk because we are all one and we have no country other than Nigeria.

What is the Ijaw position now that Jonathan has left the scene?

There is nothing different and, I can tell you that an average Ijaw man is peace loving. We are not troublesome as you can see in Jonathan, who quietly accepted defeat after the election and congratulated the winner, President Buhari.

I learnt that some Ijaw are grieving over the defeat Jonathan.

I am not aware of that, but I can tell you frankly that nobody rejoices in defeat, but Jonathan is exceptional. I can assure whoever cares to listen that Ijaw are not against President Buhari; in fact we will support his government in order to succeed.

It is speculated that ex-militants will go back to the creeks if Buhari stops the federal government amnesty programme?

I don’t see any reason why the exagitators will go back to the creek for whatever reason. I have not heard about that but even if the President really wants to scrap the programme, that does not call for another round of hostility in the Niger Delta. To me, the solution is dialogue because the late President Shehu Yar ’Adua, who introduced the programme, had C M Y K

enough reason he did that, however, I will plead with Mr. President to allow the programme to remain. It is one of the instruments used as panacea for peace in the troubled region.

What is your take on the security challenge?

We all know that President Buharis a no non-sense man. We have no doubt that he can tackle the security challenge facing the country, especially Boko Haram. He is already doing something by collaborating with Niger and Chad in to order to fight the insurgents to a standstill. Boko Haram has done incalculable damage to this country. Thousands of Nigerians and foreigners have been killed and property running into several millions of Naira destroyed. I want to advise that every peace loving Nigerians, especially Northern leaders and governors from that axis should put their act together and fight the canker worm that is threatening the peace of this nation.

Can you comment on corruption, which is another evil eating deep into the fabric of this country?

This is another ill that must be eliminated. It is a shame that Nigeria has been branded as one of the most corrupt nations in the world. I plead with Buhari to fight this scourge headlong.

What measures would you want president Buhari to adopt to fight these ills?

Buhari is a disciplinarian; remember, when he was military Head of State,

he introduced some measures, most especially the War Against Indiscipline (WAI). Many Nigerians want him to introduce that tough measure to tackle the ills plaguing this country.

Could you

•President Buhari

•Comrade Moses Edougha

comment on kidnapping across the country?

I can say that it is a general

I don’t see any reason why the ex-agitators will go back to the creek for whatever reason

phenomenon, it is not limited to the Niger Delta, it is all the over the country. However, it is a scourge that must be tackled frontally.

What is happening to the PDP now?

I can assure you that PDP will bounce back in 2019. We will put our acts together to ensure the reality of this promise.

Could you comment on the controversy between oil companies and host communities?

It is a pity that oil companies are being deprived of funds by the Federal Government. Sadly, they cannot do business as usual. The Federal Government should always pay their share in the joint venture agreement with oil companies. Host communities should be given their right of refusal in all projects. In fact, any attempt to short-change the host communities of their right to execute contracts within the facilities located in their environment is unacceptable.

PAGE 48—SUND AY 48—SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

HELP CRY FROM BOKO HARAM ORPHANS’ CAMP

Scabies, killing us!

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENINCITY

Τ

hough help has started coming for the over 1,300 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who are victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, camped in Uhogua community, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, their needs are still far from being met. Following the Sunday Vanguard report on the situation in the camp, some churches and individuals have been coming to assist, in terms of provision of food, water and toiletries. However, Sunday Vanguard found that rains are compounding the problems of the IDPs due to poor accommodation. Some of the makeshift houses in the camp are yet to be roofed,

The good news, so far in the camp, is that, unlike before when they eat just once, the children now eat twice or thrice due to the help coming from members of the public

while the classrooms, most of them covered with wood and tarpaulin, are leaking.

The good news, so far in the camp, is that, unlike before when they eat just once, the children now eat twice or thrice due to the help coming from members of the public.

The President of the International Christian Center for Missions and Coordinator of the camp, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, who commended Sunday Vanguard for putting the situation f the IDPs in the public domain, noted that though they are receiving more helpers now, a lot still needs to be done. He posited that the problems of scabies, accommodation, paucity of classrooms and payment for SSCE fees for the children had been a huge challenge. He appealed to well-meaning

Nigerians and corporate organizations not to leave the problem of IDPs to government alone since children are the future of the nation. Folorunsho, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, on Friday, said, “Help has started coming but we are still expecting a huge miracle that will help us sort out most of our problems in the camp. One challenge observed is that there are people who want to help but they said they don’t know our account numbers. In fact some people trying to come to the camp to render help headed to Ogua, in Esan thinking that was where the camp is located. So we are trying to see how we can make information available to them so that they can help”.

Disclosing some of the pressing needs of the IDPs, the man of God said, “Apart from food which is essential we need toilets. Both the boys and girls toilets are filled up, so what we did was to go and dig somewhere in the bush for them to use. We really need toilets, medication. And the rains are not making things easy for us, they don’t have comfortable place to eat, like a dining hall. I wish we have the resources, even if it is just to make another makeshift hut with roof on top so that when it is raining, they can eat inside.

“We are still battling with scabies on their bodies, that is one major thing we are dealing with now.

Chicken pox has drastically reduced to 12 out of more

than 200 children. We are not getting enough drugs and support for the scabies, what we have now is not enough and that is a major challenge. And in a situation like this, we need medicated soap, tooth paste. We need a lot of these toiletries because we have many of these children and the moment we receive supplies they are exhausted. And it is not easy due to the number of persons in the camp. When we talk about class rooms, that is another major issue.

That is why we have crowds in classrooms and that is not even good health wise. The classrooms we have are covered with tarpaulin.

“We also have this challenge of of payment for WAEC fees. We recently spent N800,000 on registration of the children for SSCE and that is a huge sum for us due to the problems at hand. In fact due to lack of funds, the children, who are supposed to write primary six and JSS 3 exams could not write them and that is because we could not raise the N600,000 we were supposed to pay for registration. For instance, in JSS, we have about 100 pupils, in primary six, 150. We tried to approach the government; I think Governor Oshiomhole was not around then, but the Commissioner for Women Affairs came to our rescue by making sure that we got a waiver. That will now help •Continues on page 50

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 49

Nigeria needs a blue print to end poverty crisis, unemployment — NACCIMA boss .Says 90% Nigerians are poor

BY UDEME CLEMENT

Mr. Billy Harry is the President, South South Chamber of Commerce and National Vice President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, (NACCIMA), he spoke with Sunday Vanguard, on the prevailing poverty crisis in Nigeria’s economy and the need for the Federal Government to develop a blue print for poverty alleviation and job creation. He advised the new government on what measures should be put in place to resuscitate the nation’s economy, to enhance capacity utilisation in all sectors, especially in the real sector Looking at the economy holistically, do you think we are going to achieve the change that Nigerians are so desirous to see? he new government just came in and it will be unfair to evaluate the government now on if that desirous change is on course or not. I think the President really needs to sit in Nigeria to address major issues in the economy. For instance, the indices of economic growth in different sectors. If he does not sit down to put the best strategies in place to move the country forward, the economy will suffer. He should look at major indicators needed to grow the economy, and the key issue now that we can immediately notice is about petroleum products. This is because crude oil has suddenly become a major indicator on how the economy of Nigeria performs. Right now, this has given a big punch to economic activities in the country, as people are queuing for hours and days to buy fuel, productive hours are lost, and people cannot really give in their best into economic activities.

In that case, should the new government continue to pay fuel subsidy?

Subsidy is what every country enjoys in one sector or another.

In America, people enjoy subsidy in agriculture and in other countries the citizens enjoy subsidy in health. In Nigeria, we are blessed with crude oil and I think Nigerians should enjoy subsidy on petroleum products.

But you must ask yourself, when the subsidy is actually evaluated, do the common people have value for that subsidy? When this question is thoroughly analysed, you can see if this subsidy is valuable of not.

So, what precisely is your position on subsidy issue?

As it stands today, subsidy is not useful to ordinary Nigerians and the issue is not what anybody should take advantage of because of class to do business. If subsidy is not impacting positively on the masses, it must be removed immediately. It must be removed without delay because it is a drain on the economy, therefore

T

C M Y K

• Mr. Billy Harry

I challenge the banks and government to publish the list of companies that have access to the funds and let us know why that has not been able to grow the capacity of the economy it is of no use to Nigerians.

The real sector is still in comatose despite efforts by government to revamp the industry.

What should government do to achieve a complete turn around of this sector?

The real sector that ordinarily ought to boost our economy to improve the standard of living is lagging behind because government policies have not been consistent. For example, policies on agriculture, real estate and industrial development are only celebrated on the pages of newspaper and television. Those saddled with the responsibility, starting from legislative houses to the executive are not really evaluating and implementing policies that will impact on the growth of the economy. The reason is because we have poor policies, the implementation strategies are also poor. The main target of policy drive, which should be to give a boost to grow the capacity is not there. So, as long as policy formulation and implementation are wrong, we cannot get the real sector right, and it is a major problem.

As the President of an

organisation like South South Chamber of Commerce, which is a representative of numerous industries, what should government do about industrial policies?

What government needs to do is simple. Everywhere in the world, it is the private sector that drives the economy. In Nigeria, government is not doing any good when they call few people, those they call private sector players and give contracts to recycle, such that no clear entrepreneurial values are put on the table to grow the economy, other than just bringing in additional dollars and naira to clean the wealth of the country by few individuals. That is not the way private sector should partner with government. Private sector is made up of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and informal sector, where you have entrepreneurs, business men and women of proven talents who have the capacity to drive economic growth and development. Government should do much more than just giving contracts to few individual companies, or making those who are not really contributing immensely to the growth of the economy to grow

fatter, while the rest in the country are struggling to survive.

What is wrong here is the same policy drive. For instance, what is the policy for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)?

The key thing there is that private sector should play a strategic role in policy formulation and implementation, as far as it concerns the real sector, even oil and gas that is now our food basket. It must be planned in a way that will grow the capacity of Nigeria’s economy because in oil and gas, you may not have enough opportunities to employ people in terms of job size, as almost everything in that sector is automated. There must be a re-thinking on how MSMEs can participate in industrial policies in the country.

The immediate past government approved N220billion intervention funds for MSMEs. Why is the sector not making any appreciable progress with huge intervention funds?

This is the issue we are talking about. If such volume of money was released into the sector, why are small scale industries not accessing the money? What are the parameters for accessing the funds? Who are those that have the capacity to access the funds?

And if the real MSMEs are not accessing the money, what is the use of such intervention funds?

We are only hearing it on television, and it goes from policy table to announcement, and that is the end. I am a business man and I have not accessed a dime from such money. So, where is the money?

How is it going to be disbursed?

Which banks are disbursing the money? Who are those qualified to get it? What is the process? It means there is no information about it, and without information, Nigerian businesses will not do much.

Again, if government was serious about intervention funds, they should have used organisation like chamber of commerce, which is a representative of businesses across the whole country. We have chambers of commerce in 36 States of the Federation and Abuja. There should be penetration for MSMEs to work with government policies to enhance more effectiveness. For now, I don’t think there is any intervention fund of any kind, that is the reality. If there is, who are those benefiting from the money?

I challenge the banks and government to publish the list of companies that have access to MSMEs intervention funds for us to know why it has not been able to grow the capacity of the economy. Certainly, I do not think those things are real.

The economy currently has poverty rate of 70 percent and unemployment ratio of over 28 percent. How do you think the new government should tackle these challenges?

You are being fair to the statisticians because such statistics cannot give a vivid description of the poverty situation in the country. We probably have 90 percent of

Nigerians who are poor, five percent who are rich and others who are just struggling in between. It is a major problem and a bomb waiting to explode, because with this kind of poverty ratio in the country, any conflagration will escalate. So, there is need for government to give serious attention to poverty alleviation and job creation, not the type we see from National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP). We need programmes that are designed to build entrepreneurship capacity to engage people in all segments, whether agriculture, trading and small scale production of industrial goods. There must be a blue print that should be directed to give effective result.

Buhari’s administration has come out with a promise to tackle economic growth, and poverty issue is the major area where government must tell the people exactly what is going to happen.

There must be real engagement with Nigerians on this issue. I believe Buhari with his age and time is not in government to do any corrupt practice, but to revive the economy. Not because he has antecedent of not being corrupt in the past, but with his age, all he needs is to serve his country and be grateful to God. We need committed technocrats who are sincere to work with him to grow the capacity of institutions, to develop ideas that are real, not voluminous 1,000 pages of policy documents but simple two to three pages of ideas that are workable to make the economy thrive.

Gas flaring has been a big issue in the economy for years and previous governments could not address this problem frontally. Do you see Buhari’s administration tackling this problem?

We are talking about unavailability of gas to power our turbines, yet we are flaring gas.

We have been flaring gas since oil was discovered in Nigeria.

The regulation authority should sit up. The issue of allowing oil exploration companies to pay fines because they are flaring gas must stop. Such oil firms should be sanctioned, and their operating licences withdrawn.

So, they can realise that this is an issue that must be handled with all sense of urgency. Gas flaring is also damaging the environment where this particular business is being undertaken. So, there is need for this administration to tackle this problem. Regulatory authority should be given the opportunity to work with necessary infrastructure and logistics to evaluate these areas to give a good answer to gas flaring. The gas must be channelled to something useful for the economy than flaring it away. It is a big business waiting to be tapped.

This is the first part of this interview, the second segment on, Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that has been in the Senate since 2008, multiple taxation and other issues on industrial development will be Published next week.

PAGE 50—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015

‘The financial system we need for regional integration, trade flows’

I

BY UDEME CLEMENT

n line with the policy of Central Banks within the West African sub-region to build a strong financial system capable of promoting sustainable growth, an economist says a dynamic financial system is imperative for regional integration.

Speaking at the sixth annual conference on regional integration in Africa, investment and competitiveness, organised by West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, in Lagos, Mr. Evans Osabuohien, from Covenant University, Ota, emphasised that financial development can be a good source of comparative advantage for trading economies within ECOWAS sub-region.

He said, “When there is increased credit availability to the private sector, there will be tremendous improvement in the level of bilateral trade flows within the region.

Therefore, effective monetary policies are needed to enhance efficient banking operations that can curb illicit money laundering, with a view to promoting development and public confidence in the financial sectors of both exporting and importing countries in the region.

The role of ECOWAS Commission, as a regional focal point in encouraging member States to actively reposition their financial sectors

is essential”.

He added, “Evidences show that monetary assets available in many economies in the region are quite low and with minimal contribution of the banking sector to their economies. This must have resulted from a number of challenges such as low level of infrastructure provision faced by the banking industries in ECOWAS member States, which limits their provision of broad-based financial services.

This means for financial development to witness satisfactory improvement, there is the need to boost services

from the banking sectors, which will eventually stimulate trade flows. One of the elements for Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) is the need to improve the financial sectors of member countries in order to fast track bilateral trade flows.”.

Also speaking, an economic expert from Centre for the Study of Economies of Africa (CSEA), Dr. Chukwuka Onyekwenna, revealed that 90 percent of trades in the sub-region are with foreign partners outside ECOWAS member countries. “Within ECOWAS, primary goods for export were dominant, the

From left: Mr Femi Adenekan, Assistant DG, Mr Bola Onabadejo, DG, Mr Wale Adegbite,Chairman, Installation Committee and Mr John Semaya,past President at the Rotary Club District 9110 Lagos briefing of the press on the installation of Rotary District Governor Bola Onadeko. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

share of intermediate goods for export increased from 10 percent to 30 percent and final goods for export remained steady at five percent from 2000 economic year to 2010.

Abundant raw materials in ECOWAS region include coffee beans, wheat and coal, while the demand for finished goods that emanate from them are skewed towards advanced countries.”

He went on, “The existence of multinationals in the upstream production of semiprocessed goods in the region is likely driven by the deficiencies in technical capacity and infrastructure to meet the

high demand as well as standards of advanced countries. While increased inflow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) promotes the export of primary goods from the subregion to the advanced economies, it is associated with a reduction in the exports of intermediate goods, which has no significant effect on final goods for export.

In order to achieve export diversification and commodity based industrialisation, ECOWAS member countries should align their investment promotion priorities with their industrialisation policies”.

Front row: From left: Executive Director, Large Scale Enterprises, Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali; Chairman, GVE Projects Ltd; Mrs Gloria Chukwudile,Managing Director, Armergy Solar Ltd; Mr Femi Adeyemo, Managing Director/CEO Bank of Industry; Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, Managing Director, GVE Projects Ltd; Mr Ifeanyi Orajaka and Executive Director, Small and Mediun Enterpriises, Bank of Industry, Mr Waheed Olagunju, during the presentation of cheques to the bank's Solar Energy Customers at the bank's Headquarters, Lagos.

‘Scabies, killing us!’

•Continued from page 48

the primary six children take their examination..

“So we still have a lot to do but the good news is that things are getting better now than before. Help has started coming from outside so we are able to feed them now at least twice a day. We are getting calls from people who want to be involved but we are waiting to see how they will fulfil their promises. We have done everything possible to get the Federal Government intervention but it has not come.

I think the Federal Government is aware; UNICEF came here made their investigation, NEMA came, but we have not heard from them since then. But I want to thank Sunday Vanguard especially and all the media that have been very helpful. I want to appeal to C M Y K

•Life inside orphans’ camp is tough Nigerians to know that these children are our children, they the future of this country. So we should not allow them to waste away.

Not only those in this camp, they are scattered all over Nigeria, Nigerians should not leave this thing as a government problem alone.

The government, to me, seems to be overwhelmed, companies, corporate

organizations should come together let us help these children. We still have people at different hideouts, mountains in the North East.

Let us see this issue as our own problem.

To all churches, to all Nigerians, we need help. In fact, churches have been the main source God has been using. They have been the one bringing food and money, we

are able to eat at least twice now every day and that is as a result of the help from churches and good Nigerians”.

Also speaking on the plight of the IDPs, the Executive Director of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, stated: “I think we must commend the leadership of that place for giving those children hope. I think government and the international development agencies should support the home operator financially, provide him technical support too because, with that, we will be able to create hope in those children, women who ordinarily would have lost faith in the Nigerian project. In our own small little way from ANEEJ, we will be reaching out to the home operator and his organization to build partnership in areas where we have capacity. The issue is that

most of the local NGOs and humanitarian organizations in Nigeria need to strengthen their institutional capacity to deal with the challenge of IDPs so that they will be able to develop a proposal that can be funded by UNDP, UNICEF and other international agencies.

And I think government need to reorganize the presidential Initiative on the North East rehabilitation process headed

by Gen. Danjuma and the billions of Naira raised during President Jonathan’s regime, they need to be transparent with it. When people try to contribute money to humanitarian challenge like the IDPs, they need assurance that the money will be judiciously used. And once you have that assurance and that there is an institutional framework to absorb any contributions, there will be no problem.

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 51

By BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO, Lokoja

C

RIMINAL activities made Kogi State unsafe.

Kidnappers and armed robbers laid siege to the state, terrorising the people.

The people could not sleep with their two eyes closed.

Consequently, the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, raised a special team to reverse the trend. Within three weeks, the team could be said to have recorded huge success in view of the harvest of arrests that was made.

The team’s deployment yielded the arrest of 45 persons for armed robbery and kidnapping. One of the suspects is 72-year-old Ahmed Adoke, described as an uncle of a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke.

Also paraded was an All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Assembly candidate in the last general elections, Idris Ozi Shuabu; and a cripple, both of whom were alleged to be financiers of some of the criminal gangs terrorising Kogi State.

Parading the suspects, Force Headquarters Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the arrests were the result of the efforts of the team, led by CP Chris Ezike of the Federal Special Anti- Robbery Squad, and assigned by the IG to combat rampant kidnapping and armed robbery in Kogi State.

“Following the upsurge in the activities of armed bandits, kidnappers, social miscreants and hoodlums in Kogi State, especially along Auchi-Okene-Lokoja, Ajaokuta-Lokoja, Kabba-Obajana highways, IG Solomon Arase directed the Special Anti-Crme Task Force to relocate to Kogi State and address the situation. The team arrived Lokoja on the 27th of May 2015 and was supported by a strong force of 300 personnel of the Police Mobile Force drawn from across Nigeria”, Ojukwu stated.

“In the past three weeks, the squad designed a template to contain the situation, identified all criminal syndicates, identified kidnappers hideouts and carried out sporadic raids of their houses. Today, 45 persons have been arrested in connection with criminal activities in the state.”

DRAMA OVER VIOLENT CRIMES IN KOGI

You are armed robbers, kidnappers’ godfathers, police tell ex-minister’s uncle, APC candidate

•Suspects fire back: It is a lie

High crime rate The FHQ PRO said the high rate of criminality in Kogi was due to the engagement of youths in thuggery and political violence by politicians who, over the years, recycled the hoodlums and assisted them through patronage to procure illicit firearms.

He added: “The gate-way and getaway nature of the state, which has boundaries with nine states of the federation; the intra and inter clan conflicts, which resulted in avoidable violence and free use of firearms; the rising influence of hard drugs and other intoxicating substances; cultism; and the activities of awaiting trial and convicted criminal who escaped from Koton/Karfe Prison during the two infamous jail breaks in 2013 and 2014 are other reasons for the high rate of crime in the state.”

Ojukwu, who said one police officer, Cpl Benjamin Agada, from Enugu State, was killed during the course of the team’s operation, urged the people of Kogi to embrace the N5 million reward promised by Governor Idris Wada for useful information on kidnappers who held High Court judge, Justice Samuel Abayomi. The judge has since been released.

Items said to have been recovered during the three-week police special team operation are two AK47 rifles; nine single and double barrel guns; gun manufacturing equipment; cutlasses and six vehicles PETITION The arrest of Adoke and Shuabu

apparently kept tongues wagging.

Adoke has been a strong government critic in Kogi.

He has been a human rights crusader and it was surprising that he could be linked to crimes he campaigned against.

Though journalists were not allowed to speak with the suspects, the APC candidate, Shuabu, kept shouting on top of his voice that his arrest was politically motivated as the police only invited him to come and clarify some petitions written against him, only for him to be detained and paraded.

Adoke, close to tears, said the police could not find any ammunition in his house, alleging that he was arrested due to petitions received from some people who wanted him out of the way.

But the police alleged that four arrested armed bandits fingered Adoke and Shuabu as the figures behind their operations.

The criminal elements, in times past, spared no one in their operations; not even the police. Even then, some of the rifles used in the operations were snatched from the police. However, the police team was able to

Though journalists were not allowed to speak with the suspects, the APC candidate, Shuabu, kept shouting on top of his voice that his arrest was politically motivated

recover some of the rifles from the suspects.

According to the Force PRO, on the 13th of June, 2015 at 2am, the team, acting on tip-off, arrested one Isa Sunday Omouya, aka CAT, 36, from Ihima in Okehi LGA of Kogi. A search of his premises led to the recovery of one AK47 rifle with 13 rounds of live ammunition, one single barrel gun with two rounds of live cartridges and three ATM cards of different banks.

“Further investigation revealed that the recovered AK47, with No BA 360834, was snatched from F/NO 381387 Cpl Apogu Dzakwa, who was shot dead on the 18th of May, 2015 at about 11:30, along Ayere/Ajowa Road in Ijumu LGA of Kogi State. The deceased corporal was on escort duty regarding an expatriate, one Engineer Karunadasal Dorawaka, of Boroni Prono Construction Co. Ltd who was kidnapped by the armed hoodlums”, Ojukwu stated.

“The suspect has admitted the crime and named his criminal gang including Salami Abdulazeez aka TARGET.

He equally admitted several others including armed robbery and kidnapping alone Okene-Lokoja highway and Kabba Road. Part of the ransom he received has been traced to the wife’s account in one bank. The suspect claimed the source of the ammunition is Idris Ozi Shuabu (the APC candidate)”.

Sule Isaac Eneji aka Landlord, Sadiq Usman, 27; Jimoh Idris, 45; Johnson Abraham, 55; Yekini Abraham, 41; and Karim Saliu 66, were named as suspects specialising in car snatching.

The suspected gangsters were said th to have been arrested on the 10 of June 2015 at 1:30 pm along Eika Road at Itakpe junction by the police team who intercepted Eneji while driving a Toyota Corolla saloon car with registration No Al 304 SKK, “On close examination, the vehicle was seen with another registration number Lagos LSR 569 CM engraved on the rear fender, front grill and front head lamp respectively. Consequently, the suspect was arrested and investigation revealed that the vehicle was snatched at gun point on the 8th of June, 2015 at about 7:25 pm in Minna, Niger State from one Linus Sunday, a staff of Friland Canbina WAPCO Nig Plc. Further investigation led to the unmasking of other members of the gang, the force PRO stated.

The police said five other vehicles along with guns and other weapons were recovered from the gang.

The police breakthrough received commendation from many people.

Amongst them is the senator representing Kogi Central, Mohammed Salami Ohiare, who lauded the team for arresting the high rate of crime in the state.

P AGE 52, SUND AY PA SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

NASARAWA: The fall of the PDP

By Abel Daniel

N

ASARAWA State was the stronghold of the Peoples Democrat Party PDP since the inception of democracy in 1999 until 2011 when, through an election, it was displaced by Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura. The PDP governorship candidate in the 2011 poll and governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma, lost to Almakuru, who emerged on the platform of defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC. The fall of Akwe Doma, whom many analysts described as a sleeping governor, marked the beginning of the end of the PDP in the state.

The first tenure of Almakura witnessed the harshest opposition from the PDP dominated House of Assembly with its threat of impeachment. The governor survived even though his party – CPChad only three lawmakers in the 23member parliament.

The governor, while delivering his valedictory speech at the close of his first tenure, described the tenure tenure as the most eventful moment of his life as a public servant. Looking ahead, he said: “I have fought my greatest battle with the end of my first tenure”.

Almakura said that presumably because the opposition PDP had lost grip of the state with the domination of his new party, All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state House of Assembly.

At the moment, PDP has only five lawmakers in the parliament and APC 18.

The collapse of the PDP is glaring in the state as it has been forced into silence since the April elections that deposed (displaced) the party. The PDP secretariat which used to be a beehive of activities has suddenly turned to a grave

•Aliyu Akwe Doma

•Tanko Almakura

yard.

The APGA with Labaran Maku as the party’s driving force has systematically taken over the place of (the leading) opposition party in Nasarawa from the PDP. The only voice of opposition can only be heard from the Maku-led APGA. However, the party did not have structure in the state until Maku decamped from the PDP over the claim that he was robbed during the party’s primary election ahead of the 2015 general elections that brought in Yusuf Agabi as its governorship candidate.

The emergence of Agabi as the winner of the primary election was believed by majority of the party faithful as the cause of the party’s defeat at the governorship poll. Agabi apparently lacked the political structure that would have guaranteed his win. He relied on the party‘s structure.

Unfortunately the PDP did not do its home work to secure a win; it rather crashed even below APGA in the overall result of the governorship as announced

•Labaran Maku

by the INEC. The reason basically was because of anti-party activities that became Nasarawa PDP syndrome.

It was the same syndrome that led to the PDP’s defeat in 2011 when the likes of Abadullahi Adamu, a former governor, mobilized his supporters to vote for Almakura. The trend repeated itself in the 2015 election when Agabi was alleged by his Campaign Director, Senator Solomon Ewuga, to have voted for the then APC presidential candidate, Muhamaddu Buhari, among many other PDP top members.

The anti-party activities were so pronounced in the PDP that Doma on the eve of the governorship election called on his supporters to vote for Almakura of the APC. Doma did not pretend like others who will secretly campaign for the opposition and claim to be working for the PDP. At the moment, the PDP in the state seems to have lost it political relevance and structure and in serious need of whom to drive its affairs . There are

indications that some of the foundation leaders of the party are contemplating to decamp to APC while a large number of the youths have indicated their move to APGA where they claim is where the future political leadership of the state may emerge.

The likes of Adokwe Osonye, senator representing Nasarawa South; Dameshi Luka, former deputy governor; and Ewuga all lost their election and therefore may not have the capacity and courage to advance the cause of the party. Right now, the Nasarawa PDP does not have headship. The only physical evidence to prove the presence of the party in Nasarawa is the structure of the state secretariat located along Jos Road with the sign board of the party.

Some elder statesmen from PDP who would not want their names mentioned said they predicted the collapse of the party in the state the day Maku was denied the ticket at the primary.

According to them, Maka was the back bone of the party when it lost to the CPC in 2011. They stated that APGA will witness influx of PDP members soon since the PDP has collapsed in the state.

Analysts are also speculating that APGA may take over from APC in 2019 if Maku maintains the tempo of political agitation and drive for the leadership of Nasarawa, but also advised that APGA must build stronger political structure between now and 2019.

The result of the governorship election, still being challenged at the tribunal by APGA, has raised the hope that the APC may not be able to curtail APGA in future elections in the state.

The burden is on Maku and his party to build a formidable structure in APGA to play the role of the opposition and a platform to accommodate decampees that would enable the party compete favorably with the ruling APC in the state.

Kogi 2015: The variables that will change the equation!

By Phrank Shaibu

T

HE uniqueness of the forthcoming Kogi State gubernatorial election is not in doubt as it will be remarkable for many reasons. Aside the fact that it is going to be the first major election after the 2015 general elections, it will be an opportunity to open another chapter in the PDP troubled politics. The popular assumption is that the discontent that worked against the PDP in the presidential election may recur in the Kogi election largely because the party leadership in the state is not different from the national PDP leadership against which allegations of corruption, bad leadership and breach of trust of the electorate have been levelled.

Observers of Kogi politics would readily attest to the fact that Governor Wada Idris’ membership of the PDP is now a big thorn in the flesh of the party and a huge political liability. The gap between his electioneering promises and delivery has reached a crisis point and the people of Kogi understand this situation perfectly well. The few supporters of Idris in the diminished PDP may find this honest statement quite disappointing.

Even their hope that, through imposition, the governor will be given the chance to serve a second term is an illusion and any buyer of such fable may either have just rejoined us from the moon or could be one of those that

•Gov. Wada Idris encourage the continuous mismanagement of Kogi.

PDP primary election of 2011, which imposed Idris as the candidate of the party in the Kogi gubernatorial race, remains a classic instance of impunity in our recent history. The state voters are still bitter over how the PDP manipulated the electoral process and switched their choice candidate, Jibrin Isa Echocho, with Idris. Indeed, the plot to ensure that the stolen mandate of Isah was never recovered was beyond the PDP members as the then chieftains of the PDP at the national leadership level blocked all efforts by aggrieved persons to get redress by ensuring that they frustrated every avenue including disregard for the order of the courts.

From hindsight, one will be right to

•Jibrin Isa Echocho state that the PDP certainly took an extreme risk in ignoring the desire of its members and, till date, the party has not found a solution because the Kogi PDP continues to hang the toga of shattered credibility. Even now, Kogi is enmeshed in allegations of inappropriate leadership and illadvised political decisions just like the allegations heaped on the Jonathan administration before its fall.

From Audu Abubakar, Ibrahim Idris to Idris, Kogi seems to have been manipulated to exclude elites from being made governor. The nearest to Kogi being ruled by a graduate was in 2011 when, a first class graduate of economics, was denied his ticket after having won the primary election of the then famous PDP. Sadly, those who refused Kogi this turnaround were led

by the then Governor Ibrahim Idris.

The question on the lips of most focused youths would not be far from the fact that the Kogi people deserve a change in their political diet especially given that, in the past 16 years, the political parties have fed them with clueless leaders foisted on the state.

Nevertheless, the antidote for the Kogi people should be to find a good leader irrespective of political affiliation; such a move, if employed in the coming election, will do the state good and open opportunities.

Already, there appears to be a shared view among Kogi youths regarding the qualities of the next governor of their state because since the word emerged that Isah is being pressured to re-contest. Many of the youths have raced to support the political quest to ensure their generation does not lose out in the desire to produce a capable hand for the Kogi governorship. The speculation on Isah seems to be sending shivers down the spines of some prospective contenders who understand that, in a properly conducted election under the reformed electoral system, where rigging is made very difficult, a popular candidate like Isah will be every one’s bet for a win.

Whatever happens in the Kogi election may not just be a pointer to Nigeria’s new political trend but a yardstick to confirm the sustainability of its new found electoral credibility.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 53

SOLUTION FOR BAIL-OUT

Closure of ECA+SWF = N720b

BY DELE SOBOWALE “Every great enterprise starts off with enthusiasm for an exalted aim and ends up bogged down in petty politics.” Charles Peguy, 1873-1914.

(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 49).

THE ROAD TO HELL Peguy a French philosopher who died just over a hundred years ago, after leaving us with those words on marble must have had something like the rogue account, called Excess Crude Account, ECA, created by the combination of President Obasanjo and Minister Okonjo-Iweala in 2004.

As one of those present at the creation of this illegal account at the time, I had raised objections to the ECA in 2004 and predicted that it was bound to create conflict in the future. But Obasanjo and Dr Okonjo-Iwela were operating with the enthusiasm of new evangelists, they were immune to other ideas. “Economists are like theologians…”, said Karl Marx, 1818-1883 (VBQ p 45). OBJ and the Minister had one exalted aim for creating the ECA. They believed, quite correctly, that Nigerian governments should save for the rainy day when the price of crude started climbing steadily as the global economy expanded for several years. But, that called for the persuasion of thirty-six governors and 774 Local Government Chairpersons. But, that would take a long time.

Evangelists are not known for patience when there is a message from Above to deliver. So, they took a short-cut.

That sleight of hand manifested itself as the Excess Crude Account; an account not known to law and which flew in the face of our constitution. The Federal Government did not even bother to request for a bill to be passed by the National Assembly, NASS. It was simply decreed that “excess” revenue from the sale of crude oil should be paid into the ECA, to be saved for the rainy day.

All objections were brushed aside because it was in the interest of the country. Underlying that attitude was another exalted aim; this one not so honourable. It assumed that the Federal Government, especially the President and the Minister of Finance know better than the states and Local governments how to handle their own financial affairs. The Federal Government could be trusted more than the other two tiers of government.

Today, the element of trust is being called into question. Early last week, the National Economic Council, NEC, started probing the ECA. It is certainly the first step towards abolishing it.

NEC’S QUERY ON ECA Governor Oshiiomhole, APC, of Edo State, leading other governors, including Udom Emmanuel, PDP, of Akwa Ibom State read the query to the media.

According to him, “We looked at the figures for Excess Crude Account, ECA, the last time the Minister of Finance [OkonjoIweala] and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, reported to the Council, and it is in the minutes, she reported by November 2014, that we had $4.1 billion. But today the Accountant General’s Office reported we have $2.0 billion, which means the

found by the NEC. Those governors in office in January should ask their Commissioners of Finance about the allocation.

While that last statement might be construed as a defence of the former Finance Minister, let me quickly point out that the ECA is an illegal account whose management was deliberately made mysterious. In fact, the determination of how much to declare as “Excess” was left almost at the total discretion of the Minister. This is unacceptable.

APC governors on bail out mission to President Buhari Honourable Minister spent $2.1 billion without authority of the NEC.” (VANGUARD, June 30, 2015).

The former Minister of Finance, in 2004 and 2015, wasted no time in calling the accusation “a lie” through her spokesman. One certainly hopes she is aware that probes and answers to questions are not conducted on the pages of newspapers. But, it is divine justice that the same Minister who initiated the ECA in 2004 is the one suffering from the unintended consequences of withholding other governments’ money by force. Sooner or later some people are going to accuse you of cheating – whether it is true or not.

“If you work with glue, sooner or later, you are bound to get stuck”, said Leo Tolstoy, , (VBQ p 76).

Dr Ngozi is stuck now. Certainly, she now wishes she never heard of the damn thing called ECA. The reasons are not hard to discover.

Because there was no public discussion before the Excess Crude Account was created, there was also no consensus on who and how to manage it.

The Federal Government simply withheld revenue which should otherwise be distributed to the states and Local Governments

POOR DEFINITION OF “EXCESS”.

Because there was no public discussion before the Excess Crude Account was created, there was also no consensus on who and how to manage it. The Federal Government simply withheld revenue which should otherwise be distributed to the states and Local Governments.

Yet the first question to ask is: when is excess generated? Every year, the Federal Government presents a budget based on a benchmark for crude prices, as well as volume of crude expected to be produced and exported.

From 2004 until last year, except for brief reversal in 2008/9, global crude prices had exceeded the benchmark. Simultaneously, output and exports have been close to or exceeded budget estimates. That explained why Obasanjo’s government left over $40bn in the account for the Yar’Adua administration. Indeed, the first recourse to drawing from ECA to beef up monthly allocations to states occurred under Yar’Adua. But, there had been withdrawals from the ECA in the past which were not distributed to the states and Local Governments. This will be discussed later.

As long as price of crude and volume exported were above budget there was no dispute about what constituted excess. Problem started during the last year of Yar’Adua administration, when price of crude was higher than benchmark (at one time it was $140 per barrel against $77

benchmark) but volume exported was far below budget levels. Was excess of $63 per barrel generated even if the quantity exported was less than half? That question was not answered until late 2012/2013 when, the problem of massive crude oil theft and declining global demand for Nigerian oil combined to drive the aggregate revenue from crude oil down. The United States of America, our historical best customer, not only stopped buying Nigerian crude but started exporting shale oil.

Angola surpassed Nigeria as the largest African producer and International Oil Companies, IOCs, in Nigeria started divesting.

The danger signs were there for discerning people to see, but Nigerian government officials ignored them. Instead of taking a long term look at the developments, they took two approaches – started depleting the Excess Crude Account and took on loans in excess of what they could service as revenue continued to decline.

As far back as 2013, former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, of Delta State had cried out about states problems with payment of salaries. Reproduced below is an article published on these pages in December 2013. From mid2013 till now, the three tiers of government had relied on the ECA to augment the declining current revenue for each month – until November last year when the account dwindled to $4.1bn. In January 2015 another $2bn was withdrawn and shared which brought the balance to $2.1bn

Q U E S T I O N A B L E MANAGEMENT Because “a week is a long time in politics”, according to Harold Wilson, British Labor Prime Minister in the 1970s, it is fait to declare that once upon a time the Excess Crude Account had balances over $45 billion; today, the politicians and Dr OkonjoIweala are at daggers drawn over how $2.1 billion vanished between December 2014 and now.

To more serious observers, they are like people trying to find out how only two cows are left in the barnyard out of 45 in 2008.

What makes the ECA a rogue account can easily be explained and the NEC will discover that they will need to go further back to probe that account – as far back as 2004. Let me explain.

There was a rising balance in that account every month from 2004 to the first withdrawal from it for allocation to states. Governor El-Rufai, then Minister for the FCT, recently told us that it was agreed that the Federal Government was required to tell all the states the balances in their favour in the ECA. So, when it was $45 billion, Abia, for instance, should have known its share of that amount. But, that was never done.

When Obasanjo’s government decided to withdraw funds from ECA to fund the Power Project, each state should have been told what was its own contributions to that fund. Lagos State, my state by the way, which consumes close to 40% of power supply generated, should have been told it was contributing 40% of that amount.

Other states, like Taraba, should have chipped in less. That was not done. But, those are small issues compared to custody of the $45 billion.

Who had custody and where was the $45 billion kept? Was it, incredibly kept in an interest-free account? That would not only be foolish; it would be criminal. Was it invested in interest paying securities? If so, who deiced where to place the funds and was it done without benefit to the officer authorizing the placements? And, who collected the interests paid on the $45 billion? Strictly speaking, it belonged to all the three tiers of government. Has this ever been reflected in the reports rendered to the Finance Commissioners of the States or was this something the Federal Government kept to itself?

Without mincing words if the truth must be told, the operation of the ECA, from the start was as transparent as mud; and OkonjoIweala knows it. It was a con game played according to the rules as determined by Aso Rock and the Ministry of Finance.

MYSTERIOUS ENTRY IN 2014 Only in July was revenue generated in excess of budget for

2014. For the rest of the year, the nation ran a deficit. This accounted for the rapid depletion of ECA last year. And, the account would have been totally exhausted if two things did not occur. First, the Federal Government tapered the amounts being withdrawn by mid-year. But, even then that did not stop the tendency of the account to zero. From absolutely nowhere $1 billion increase was noticed in the account in the third quarter of last year. Till today, given the culture of immunity and impunity which characterized Jonathan’s administration, nobody bothered to explain to the Finance Commissioners the origin of the mysterious $1 billion.

So when Dr Okonjo-Iweala, in her emotional reaction to the NEC’s announcement boasted of transparency, one can only politely use her own words for rejoinder – it’s a lie Madam.

Nothing had been transparent about ECA. WAY FORWARD IS GO BACK The Minister of Finance and Obasanjo were told in 2004 that ECA was not only illegal, it would eventually get bogged down in corrupt practices. That we are now arguing about how it got down to $2.1 billion (from $45billion) has vindicated those of us who argued against it in 2004.

If the ECA had not been created, the steady decline in revenue from crude oil from 2013 would have been noticed by all the tiers of government. Loans taken since then might have not been taken; projects embarked upon might have been shelved.

The ECA created a false sense of security even as the ships of states were sinking.

The only way forward is to share the remaining $2.1 billion and to close the account permanently. It is an experiment which has failed miserably.

But, ECA is not the only account which should be closed. Professor Monye, former Special Adviser to Jonathan on Monitoring and Evaluation, live on Channels Television, told us that Jonathan left $1.5 billion in Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF, and $2.09 billion in Excess Crude. If Monye is expecting applause for this disclosure, then he must assume his Fellow Nigerians are fools.

The $1.5 billion in SWF, which was imposed on the nation in 2011 was financed from mysterious sources; some of us believe it was stolen from the ECA. So much for the chest-beating on SWF. Even Monye, given his apparent disdain for the intelligence of Fellow Nigerians, must admit that a President who inherits over $40 billion in ECA in 2010 and leaves behind only $2.09 billion in 2015 cannot by any stretch of sane peoples’ imagination be judged to have done well. So SWF too will have to go.

Professor Monye, despite his puerile defence of utter failure by the Jonathan administration had inadvertently provided a way out of the accumulated salaries by states. Many people had been upset by the seemingly lackadaisical manner with which President Buhari dismissed the request for bail-out by the states at the meeting with the governors.

We now have a plausible solution

Continues on page 55

PAGE 54, SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 14, 2015

UNACCOUNTED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS

Nigeria nearly bankrupt under Okonjo’s watch— Oshiomhole

*’ How ex-minister granted questionable waivers, mismanaged Excess Crude Account’

By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

T

hose who have followed the arguments of the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, since early last year on the running of the nation’s economy and its future will understand why the governor is angry today about the parlous state of the economy. When he declared recently that “this is the time for everybody to answer his or her father ’s name”, the governor was not only directing the statement to the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, but also to the 18 local government chairmen in Edo, who he ordered to pay salaries owed to their workers or face the music.

Due to the dwindling allocation from the Federation Account to the state, Oshiomhole stopped over heads in the ministries and the state House of Assembly in the past six months, his office inclusive, and that is the secret his government has been able to pay its workers till date. And following the inability of the local government chairmen in the state to pay salaries, the

governor met with them and directed that they should forfeit security vote and allowances so they can pay.

He told them how he had forfeited his own in the past six months so as to pay civil servants and warned that he would not tolerate nonpayment of salaries in the councils. He achieved that with so much sacrifice but his anger is that Nigerians are suffering today due to what he described as alleged mismanagement of the economy under the watch of Okonjo-Iweala. The governor started echoing the economic crunch in the country since early last year when he predicted that the way the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and other oil revenue funds were being managed by the then PDP-led Federal Government will have dire consequences for the economy in future.

It is not surprising, therefore, that he, of late, engaged in war of words with the former minister, who he accused of spending $2.1billion from the ECA without authorization. But, Okonjo-Iweala yelled back at him, describing Oshiomhole’’s allegation as political witch hunt, saying it will fail. According to her, she

started publishing monthly updates of allocations to different tiers of government in order to inform Nigerians on government revenues and expenditure. She insisted that the claim that she spent the said money without approval was not credible given that, details of government receipts and expenditure were public knowledge. But Oshiomhole, a member of the National Economic Council (NEC) set up recently by President Muhammadu Buhari, accused the former minister of being economical with the truth and toying with figures as regards the state of the economy inherited Buhari.

He spoke on a television programme, last week.

The governor, who said the Federal Government is broke, explained that it would have been in a worse shape than states if it had not resorted to borrowing to pay wages. He added that the economy under Okonjo-Iweala as Finance Minister was so mismanaged that waivers were granted to organizations running into several hundreds of millions of naira.

Said he; “With all due respect to former Minister OkonjoIweala, she knows how to play around with statistics. I

What she never published simultaneously is what accrued during the period out of which this was distributed

have made the point; she keeps opening part of the pages and not the entire book.

The logic of transparency is that every minister must publish in full what is accruing to the Federation Account month to month and what is distributed to them.

What she has been publishing is that this is what went to the Federal Government, this is what went to state governments and this is what went to local governments.

“What she never published simultaneously is what accrued during the period out of which this was distributed.

So we can now know what was collected to what was distributed so we can know what is left in the Excess Crude Account. You can see her changing the goal post.

On the authority to spend, Okonjo-Iweala was a member of the National Economic Council, I was a member and I am on record as asking her, `don’t give us verbal reports on matters of the Federation Account, give us written report’, and the power to spend is not vested on Commissioners. Look at the Constitution and tell me which Section gives the Commissioners for Finance the power, all of them, they are unknown to ballot, they are not elected, but the membership of the NEC is clear, governors chaired by the Vice President representing the President, the CBN and other relevant ministries. How will she avoid this level of accountability?

“The decision to take money from the Excess Crude Account, that power is vested in the National Economic Council. The NEC is an institution created by the Constitution. What she is referring to is her own administrative arrangement.

The $2 billion is her last sum because in her last report, she said we had $4.1 billion, she said so orally but it was captured in the minutes only for her to come around again at the last minute to say X figure is left. We asked her, `what did you pay for?”

On states which owe salary arrears to their workers, Oshiomhole said: “Every employer of labour has an obligation, a contractual obligation to pay those who work. The Bible says a labourer is entitled to his wage. Once you have laboured, it has to be paid for and you don’t pay wages because you are rich and you are able to afford it, you pay wages because the people have worked for it. It is not a gift from a kind-hearted employer, it is an obligation, it is a consequence for work.

I think what has happened is that at the peak of the oil boom, prices were high, people made projections about their expected expenditure and budget on

Continues on page 55

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 55

‘Ho w Ok onjo-Iw eala grant ed questionable ‘How Okonjo-Iw onjo-Iweala granted s, mismanaged EC A’ waiv er aiver ers, ECA Continued from page 54 the basis of those numbers.

Along the line, there was a sharp drop and this sharp drop that people talk about is not just about a drop in terms of price of crude oil because prices have dropped below this level before. What is new is the level of the so-called crude oil theft, a situation in which certain persons, powerful in the sys tem, pretend not to know what was going on and simply excused the huge lapses in terms of the crude oil theft. So you have a double squeeze of drop in price and escalation in the volume of alleged theft of crude. The combined effect of this is that the total inflow into the Federation Account dropped sharply.

This is also compounded by the fact that the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the two of them working together, simply refused to transfer to the Federation Account a lot of the money that ought to have accrued. For example, over the past 4 to 5 years, the NLNG had, every year, made huge payment of between $1.5 to $2 billion, which ought to go to the Federation Account.

This money was never transferred to the Federation Account, it was unilaterally expended by the Federal Government.

“We were not even informed of the fact that the money was paid and, each time we asked the then Hon. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy what was happening to the proceeds from the NLNG, no explanation was offered, whether in black and white or orally and there are several other federal agencies that made huge sums of money which were illegally and unilaterally spent by the Federal Government, without being allowed to flow into the Federation Account. So when you draw up a budget on the basis of anticipated revenue and there is such a sharp drop in revenue arising from diversion and there is also a drop in price, obviously something will have to give. The federal finances are even worst hit. Over the past 9 months under the past government, the Federal Government could not and had not been able to pay salaries from her legitimate income.

What she had been doing, which states could not do; was to borrow, uses the CBN through various instruments termed security, etc and basically draw down the pension funds because they are the ones who have liquidity to patronize the bond market. So if we were to be able to stop the Federal Government from borrowing to pay salaries, it would have defaulted much earlier than states and the number of months the Federal Government would have been owing would be worse than the worst state in the federation.

“Just look at the budget of the

*Oshiomhole

For example, over the past 4 to 5 years, the NLNG had, every year, made huge payment of between $1.5 to $2 billion, which ought to go to the Federation Account.

This money was never transferred to the Federation Account, it was unilaterally expended by the Federal Government Federal Government over the past four years and you will see the level of deficit finances that was built into it. So in trying to understand the financial crisis, you shouldn’t limit yourself to those who can pay. Even those who purport to pay, look at their source of funding the payment. If you do, you will find out that whereas the Federal Government frees itself to borrow quite recklessly, reckless in the sense that no serious manager goes month after month to borrow for the payment of salaries. I speak on my honor that the

*Okonjo-Iweala Federal Government is just as broke and that they are borrowing using CBN instruments in trillions of naira to pay salaries. Now part of the problem is talking about taxes and this can be proved in black and white. The Federal Government illegally granted waivers to organizations running into hundreds of billions of naira that ought to flow into the Federation Account. Now those are taxes. When the minister granted waivers for you to bring cement into the country; granted waiver for you to bring vegetable oil into the country; grants waiver for you to bring vehicles into the country and, when you look at the total sum, sometimes, even VAT is illegally waived. So how do you get taxes? There are two kinds of taxes: Direct and indirect.

Personal Income Tax, which is deducted from our pay before your net gets to you and indirect tax, which is VAT, royalties, import tax where you spend quality of time looking at your tariff policies designed to protect your local industries and discourage importation. All of these are sources of funding for government.

We must understand that in other climes, government does not live on rent from oil money. Governments worldwide are run on tax. Now this last government is the worst in terms of granting unexplained huge source of money in the name of waivers. Can you believe that even oil companies were granted socalled pioneer status? They will set up a small vehicle in the oil sector, give them certain transactions, give them so-called pioneer status so that they are excused from paying taxes.”

Speaking on the strike embarked on by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Edo, the governor said: “This is what I call power struggle. I had a meeting with

JUSUN executives along with the members of the NBA and they said we are up-to-date with the payment of salaries and allowances and that they are on strike because the national body asked them to go on strike to press that the judiciary should enjoy what they call “First-Line Charge”. “If you ask the Chief Judge of Edo, he will tell you that the state has never defaulted and we will not default and, as we speak, if they work, they will get their pay. What I have refused to do is to pay them for the number of months that they have been on strike. For what? You stay at

home, talking politics, you didn’t work and you want me to pay you.

Because they are judicial workers, they are bound by law. They must be seen to respect the various trade dispute laws which say ‘if you don’t work, you don’t get paid’. They say they have a court judgment which says money should be transferred to the head of court. Is it the business of trade unions to fight for their employers? What they are doing is self-help, that the judgment is directing state governments to release money and that the state government, have refused to obey the order. I asked them, ‘when a court issues an order and the order is not obeyed, does the trade union law say the union shall become an agency for enforcement of court orders?’ We are in a democracy. I am a union man and I know the limits. Any other person can submit out of panic, I will do things out of conviction. I don’t reward blackmailers particularly when you choose to be a general purpose vehicle. So they should not expect to sit at home and expect to get paid. The law is very clear, it says ‘ when you are on strike, particularly a frivolous strike like this, you don’t get paid.’ You are not on strike because your allowances have been withheld, you are not on strike because your promotions are delayed, you are on strike because you are dealing with issues on how the three arms of government are supposed to relate. The law is clear, if you walk out of your work on your own, we cannot compel you to work. If you are at home, we cannot use taxpayers’ money, money paid by people who are laboring to work, market women, furniture owners and others in the public service who are doing hard work and I will go and use it to pay judicial workers who stay at home. The law is ‘no work, no pay ’. We cannot compel you to work, you also cannot compel me to pay you for not working. If you decide to stay at home for 6months, you also will not be paid for 6 months but if they return to work today, they will be paid tomorrow.”

Closure of ECA+SWF = N720b Continued from page 53 which should be satisfactory to all concerned.

The $1.5 billion in Nigeria’s SWF is, by global standards, a cruel joke. With a population about 170 million, Nigeria among nations maintaining the SWF has the lowest. In 2012, when the SWF was first proposed to be started with US$1 billion, I wrote a three part series on the SWF PROSPECTS AND PROBLEMS. In that series I pointed out that unless we have developed the will to steadily increase the investment, it would amount to a silly joke. The reason was not too difficult to understand. In 2012 the investments in SWF by selected countries were as follows: 1. UAE US$627bn.

2. Saudi US$439bn 3. Kuwait US$202bn 4. Quatar US$85bn 5. Libya US$70bn Obviously, Nigeria with US$1bn was like a poor man joining a billionaires club. Unless we increased the investment steadily, it would amount to tying down funds sorely needed for current needs.

Since then, we added a miserable US$0.5bn. Let’s face it: we are not ready for this game. We missed the opportunities offered to us by allowing too much of our revenue to be embezzled without expected benefits (US$13-16 billion for IPP; unknown US$bns not remitted by NNPC, NPA, NITEL, 400,000 barrels of crude lost per day, fraudulent crude for fuel exchanges, etc). If we exercised the required degree of diligence and control, we could have up to US$30bn in SWF by now. But, we lack the honesty and discipline from the top to the last persons in public service. We might as well close the miserable account until we have re-organised our society to actually maintain a decent SWF account.

Added together, $1.5bn in SWF and $2.1 in ECA, give us $3.6 billion or N720bn. Share that among the states and most, if not all, of the backlog of unpaid salaries is gone.

We would have prevented turmoil in the states because we need peace to face the reality of under US$70 per barrel crude oil – which might be with us for quite some time.

Having wiped the slate clean, we can start all over again – SERIOUSLY.

Page 56 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

VIEWPOINT

By Sani Kukasheka Usman

TRIBUTE IN BRIEF

The bastion of national security and unity

T

HE history of the Nigerian Army could be traced to as far back as 1863 when Lieutenant Glover assembled mostly northern able-bodied men to protect the Royal Niger Company, which was referred to as the “Glover Hausas”.

Since then, the Army has undergone transformation in nomenclature, size and weaponry. Today, it is embarking on Army Aviation and boasts of modern sophisticated weapons and institutions that not only train its officers and soldiers, but also civilians thus, contributing to knowledge and national development.

Although the exact date Glover formed his Glover Hausas is now faded, the 6th of July came to be adopted as the Nigerian Army Day. The day became significant because it marks a turning point in the history of Nigerian Army. It

VIEWPOINT

By Johnson Nwanuforo

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Case for the amendment of the law against corruption

M

OST Nigerians erroneous ly believe that the main problem constraining the anti-graft war is the incapacity of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, to wrestle the scourge to the ground. In taking to this position, these critics of Lamorde fail to appreciate or acknowledge the role of the law (Act) that gave birth to the EFCC, which incapacitates the operatives of the commission from effectively engaging the corruption monster in the land. However, in spite of the legal constraint highlighted here, the EFCC, under Lamorde’s guidance, has achieved a lot in the last five years, such that what the commission needs is commendation, rather than condemnation.

Perhaps, a critical reflection on the main section of the law that established the EFCC will underscore the essence of the point made in the open-

Celebrating Nigerian Army @ 152 marked the day the Nigerian civil war began in 1967 to keep the country united. The first shot of the war was fired on the 6th July, 1967 in Garkem, near Ogoja in present day Cross River State.

Many would question the celebration when the nation is at a war with one of the most barbaric terrorist groups known in human history- Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) - for almost five years. Indeed the Army and, of course, all Nigerians have cause to rejoice and celebrate the Nigerian Army for its longevity and accomplishments more so given its recent spate of successes in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Army has gone through a lot within the last one year: the fight against insurgency; vilification by a section of the public, media and, most unfortunately, Amnesty International. It was able to weather the storm and remains ever strong, a bastion of na-

tional security and rallying point for national unity.

Since the last celebration in 2014, the army has accomplished so much in the areas of training, procurement and administration that helped in turning the tide against terrorists. It now has a new aviation wing and established a command and control centre at the epicentre of the war against terror.

Sometime ago, some personnel of the Nigerian Army exhibited cowardly behaviour and took to their heels at the sight of approaching terrorists. Today, the story has changed as soldiers are pursuing insurgents relentlessly. The show of solidarity, support and understanding of Nigerians at the most trying moments of the Nigerian Army is worth celebrating.

Many of the detractors among whom were highly placed personalities and retired senior military officers have tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to tarnish the name and

Strengthening EFCC’s Anti-Graft War ing paragraph of this discourse. Section 3(2) of the EFCC Establishment Act under tenure of office says: “A member of the commission may at any time be removed by the President for inability to discharge the functions of his office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct or if the President is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the Commission or the interest of the public that the member should continue in office”. From whatever perspective the above quote is appraised, it is clear that for Lamorde to have achieved so much in the war against corruption, he must have been driven by an uncommon courage and patriotic service to the nation to go beyond the dictates of a President Jonathan, who never believed that “stealing is…corruption”.

The point needs to be emphasized here that while the law that established the EFCC entrusts the President of Nigeria with the unchallenged power to sack the chairman of the Commission for whatever reason that tickles his fancy, Lamorde’s commendable effort in the war

against corruption only serves to remind Nigerians about what could have been achieved without these legal constraints. It is even gratifying to note that Lamorde has continued to drive the anti-graft war to the extent that patriotic citizens are forced to marvel at the gains that would have manifested if presidential interference in its activities had been reduced to the minimum.

From the foregoing, it becomes clear that any reluctance on the part of an EFCC chairman to investigate, arrest and prosecute public officials accused of corrupt practices at the federal level of governance cannot be the aftermath of his incapacity to prosecute the anti-graft war or the outcome of compromised deals with accused persons. Given the dependency nature of the authority of the EFCC chairman to the apron-strings of the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is only the most patriotically courageous that will embark on the prosecution of the anti-graft war beyond the wishes of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Repub-

Delta Speaker Igbuya and the legacy question VIEWPOINT

By Dan Okeme, Anthony Okotie and Odaro Asagba

TRIBUTE IN BRIEF

The portrait of an achiever

S

APELE, the headquarters of Sapele LGA was in celebration mood on Monday, June 8, as Rt. Hon. Monday Ovwigho Igbuya, the godfather extra-ordinary of Sapele politics, was elected Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.

Friends and well wishers came to celebrate this rare achievement for this Sapele “Boy”. We have been studying “Chairman”, as Igbuya is fondly addressed, as a force in Delta politics for 16years now and can offer a glimpse into his world. His biography written by us will hopefully come later.

Igbuya was born into the family of the late Deacon Ezekiel Amereghene Igbuya of Ugbimidaka/Edegbrode (Elume) and Mrs. Emurhohwo Igbuya (nee Amitaye of Amukpe/ Egborhen), both of Sapele LGA. He

reputation of the Nigerian Army but the resolve of majority of Nigerians to stand solidly behind their Army is heartwarming.

Our soldiers have recaptured all the territories hitherto held by Boko Haram including Baga, Gwoza, Marte, Bama, Monguno, Dikwa, Michika and Mubi.

The Nigerian Army has made tremendous sacrifices in ensuring the safety of lives and property. We have lost precious lives of officers and men in the cause of securing our great nation from the terrorists and other criminals such as illegal oil bunkerers, kidnappers and armed robbers.

Despite these laudable achievements recorded in the last year however, the 2015 Army Day celebrations will be low keyed. Conscious of the mood of the nation and its all-important constitutional duties especially as regards to the defense of the territorial integrity of our dear nation, the Nigeri-

•Monday Igbuya attended Council Primary School I, Sapele for his primary education.

For his secondary education, he attended Academy Grammar School, Sapele and Government Trade Center, now Sapele Technical College.

The Speaker attended Delta State University, Abraka where he bagged bachelor’s degree in political science.

He worked at the Delta Steel Complex, Aladja before joining politics and served as a Councilor during the Babangida era. Igbuya was among the very few that joined

former Governor Ibori in 1998 as the PDP train went round soliciting for like minds.

He contested the chairmanship of Sapele LGA and was elected overwhelmingly in 1999. He remained the longest serving Chairman of the local government having been Chairman for two terms and one year as Interim Chairman. He also served as the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Delta State Chapter and National Vice Chairman of ALGON. Igbuya contested and won the Sapele State Constituency seat to the Delta House of Assembly in 2007 and served as the Chairman of the House Committee on DESOPADEC where he used his office to improve the level of infrastructural development of the oil producing areas in Delta. He was largely responsible for the reforms DESOPADEC is enjoying. Igbuya also sponsored the 5% statutory allocation from local government funds to traditional rulers in Delta State and today they are all

lic of Nigeria. Of course, when saddled with the prosecution of an anticorruption war, at a time a President Goodluck Jonathan, who believed that “stealing is not corruption” is directing the affairs of the country; only those with a queer sense of achievement will not appreciate the patriotic efforts of Lamorde’s EFCC in this regard.

When, therefore, a certain Mr. Adisa Olawale, insisted in an essay, published in several newspapers, on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, that “Mr. Lamorde and his team are not sincere in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, as most sensitive corrupt practices are happening within the same geographical area where the head office of the supposed anti-graft agency is located”, it is clear that he is either writing out of ignorance on how to meaningfully confront the corruption monster in a country like Nigeria or he is simply interested in realizing the objectives of a mischievous plot aimed at getting President Buhari to sack Lamorde from office as EFCC chairman. Unfortunately, predicating their position from the very appreciative of this gesture.

As Majority Leader of the House and presenter of government bills, he brought prestige to the office and was perhaps the most visible Majority Leader since 1999.

Igbuya places very high premium on his constituency. There is hardly any week that he does not go back to Sapele for consultations. He feels happy when the people are with him at his house or at his Akintola Road political headquarters. According to Hon. Godfrey Omene “our leader, Monday Igbuya, is happy when all of us are happy and his happiness is our happiness too. Any little problem associated with him sends all of us into mourning. Through him many of us are today owners of properties in Sapele and environs”.

Igbuya political family is organized, focused and disciplined. Critics says he is dictatorial and unyielding. Our observation and personal experience do not support this claim.

Surely, the Speaker leaves no one in doubt as to who is in charge but, according to Hon. Joyce Overah, a former member of the House of Representatives “major political deci-

an Army cannot presently afford elaborate celebrations with displays, pomp and pageantry as was the case in the past. This year’s celebration is solemn based on commitment to the successful conclusion of the fight against Boko Haram and the recognition of the sacrifice of our officers and soldiers.

It is also to honour our departed colleagues who have recently paid the supreme sacrifice in the defence of our country.

Part of the activities marking this year’s NADCEL is special prayer and wreath laying at the military cemetery in Maiduguri. This is particularly significant because apart from the prayers, it goes a long way to show the bond between those that paid the supreme sacrifice in Operation Zaman Lafiya and their surviving colleagues.

Similarly, those most deserving would be presented with medals for their bravery and perseverance.

•Usman is Acting Director, Army Public Relations.

wrong premise that the war against corruption is only about arresting and prosecuting ministers and heads of government agencies, the Olawales of this world prefer to demonize Lamorde and the EFCC for not ensuring the jailing of Jonathan’s ministers, while pretending to forget the numerous convictions that the EFCC had obtained in court against private citizens and officials of the government at both the state and local government levels.

If we want any chairman of the EFCC to surpass the highly commendable achievements of Lamorde in the war to wrestle the corruption monster to the ground, the enabling law for fighting the scourge has to be amended. As long as the law establishing the EFCC permits of the situation where the President of Nigeria can hire and fire board members of the anti-graft commission without going through the National Assembly, it may be well neigh impossible to improve on the monumental gains that Lamorde’s EFCC boasts of today.

•Nwanuforo is a researcher with Corporate Concepts Ltd, Abuja.

sions in Sapele LGA are discussed by all the leaders in the local government”. Igbuya also has forgiving spirit according to Hon. Efe Mafuru.

This lawmaker is well recognized for his achievements and immense contributions to Delta, the growth and general welfare of his family and followers, Okpe Kingdom and the Baptist Church. He is a man very much loved and respected. He remains in the consciousness of friends, relations and political associates and followers. We salute this political giant and quintessential godfather. As you take over as the Speaker of our great state, remember that this is just the beginning of greater responsibility in Delta. You must leave good legacies because good legacies are made of gold.

Igbuya is happily married to Chief (Mrs.) Ejiro Igbuya and they are blessed with children.

•OKEME is Editor-in-Chief of the Freelance Eleven; Okotie, Co-ordinator of Benin River Vanguard; and ASAGBA, Executive Director of the Freelance Eleven.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015,

VIEWPOINT

By Uju Okeahialam

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

A prayer that the President avoids his predecessor’s pitfalls

T

HE elections have come and majority gone, a new executive has been sworn in and many have offered reasons for the fall of President Jonathan and the PDP. For some, it was as a result of people’s rejection of his corruption riddled government. Others thought that PDP lost her charm because of greed. I have also read from some that it was because PDP under Jonathan abandoned the zoning arrangement. Whatever is the case, I see it as the triumph of aggression.

GEJ’s regime is to corruption what other regimes before it were. Was corruption not part of the reason that the General born-again democrat used to overthrow Alhaji Shehu Shagari? Was corruption and intransigence not part of the IBB and company’s reason to oust the Buhari/Idiagbon government? Have we all forgot-

The triumph of aggression ten the allegation that the IBB government institutionalized corruption? Has it been so long for us to forget that in Abacha’s regime corruption was alleged to be so brazen as to ask for what they needed from the

My prayer is that the aggression of these men and women who brought us to this new political scene will be transformed into an aggression for the good of the citizens

Central Bank? Is our mind so clogged that the praises of Abubakar as handing over was also infested with the notion that he made away in a year what took others more to do?

Come to think of it, is the concept of monetization not the unbinding of the spirit of corruption under OBJ? What do we observe in the social space that has become part of the Nigerian character?

Did I forget my mechanic not giving me a true accounting after servicing my car? The house helps not giving me a true accounting after shopping for groceries? The lecturer who failed the student because she did not purchase the hand-out nor go on a date with him? The secondary school principal who was “sorted” so that his students can take in microchips into the SSCE Hall? The primary school teacher who allowed for hand craft, toiletries that pupils will never use?

What of the minister of religion who imagined the presence of

evil spirit and could only get into exorcism after being monetarily empowered? Are we in a hurry to forget the “Wetin you carry” group and all the forces that complicate peoples business because they seek “Family Support” from the fellow citizens? The list is endless. Do not sanction it but I am shocked when corruption is made to be GEJ Express” without a guess in any other place in the Nigerian clime.

Be that as it may, there is a need to go spiritual here and imagine this man who was called Azikiwe by his family at birth. Recall the great Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik of Africa), the very architect of Nigerian unity at independence when many of his cohorts were ready to move all alone than walk for a matured one Nigeria. This man no matter what political sins he committed was a man set by destiny to preserve the unity of Nigeria.

He is the father of democratic Nigeria and now the step in

Customer Satisfaction – the DStv Case Study VIEWPOINT

By Folarin Okanride

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The choice between quality and quantity

Q

UALITY or quantity?

These two choices are confront us at every point.

As consumers, we are daily bombarded with options.

And from these, we are invited to choose. One option offers undeniable quality, the other less so. For some, quantity is what is desired. For others, quality is it. Cheap, we have found out on more than a few occasions, can be expensive. It is expensive when it delivers measly value, as quantity often does.

When considering lifestyle choices, such as what type of car to drive, where to live, what sort of clothes to wear, “quality” is what is on the minds of most consumers. Cost becomes secondary because we understand that for us to get more, we need to pay more.

It is for this reason that I have continued to wonder why the debate about the upward review of DStv subscription continues.

Without a doubt, we all want prices to remain the same, if possible, eternally. But in a high-cost economy as we have in Nigeria, where production costs are prohibitive-whatever the industry- it is nigh on impossible to keep costs the same without compromising quality.

This leads to a question: What quality does DStv really bring to the table?

As the foremost pay-TV company, MultiChoice Africa touts itself as the leading provider of video entertainment across several digital devices.

It currently has two products,

DStv and GOtv. The company has over the years provided a wide range of content and made significant investments in technology that has kept Nigerians connected to the rest of the world.

Examples of MultiChoice’s technology upgrade include constant DStv product developments such as the launch of the PVR and more recently, the Explora decoder, DStv Catch Up and BoxOffice services as well as High Definition channels, which have taken subscribers’ viewing pleasure a notch higher.

GOtv, on the other, hand runs on the most advanced DVB-T2 network in Africa, offering higher efficiency and an upgrade of the outdated T1 technology which was used by first movers in the digital migration process. Away from technology, DStv has maintained its leadership in providing quality entertainment that the whole family can enjoy.

These days, most households are spoilt for choice with the variety of channels available to watch per bouquet. It is also interesting to note that each of the bouquet is designed with the subscriber in mind, providing flexibility in price without compromising quality or variety.

For instance, the DStv Compact is targeted at the young, upwardly mobile subscriber who enjoys a keeping up with the latest in sports, drama, series, music and movies and cannot necessarily afford premium.

The DStv Family, as the name implies, has a channel suitable for every member of the family. MultiChoice offers a variety of bouquet options on its DStv service.

Still on entertainment. We cannot talk about DStv and not mention Africa Magic, one of the

flagship content of MultiChoice. With its pay-off “Made

by Africans by Africans”, the channel has continued to provide veritable platform for Africans to tell their own stories their way. It has since seen a diversification into other ethnic channels: AfricaMagic Yoruba, AfricaMagic Hausa and the most recent being AfricaMagic Igbo. It also has given birth to unarguably one of Africa’s biggest awards created to recognize and celebrate African film and TV talent, the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA). We can also not forget the AfricaMagic Original Films production, started in 2013, which is giving a new crop of Nollywood movie stars a wider appeal and recognition.

Nigerians found a new love with drama from Spanish/Portuguese origins when MultiChoice launched Telemundo, a

For some, quantity is what is desired.

For others, quality is it. Cheap, we have found out on more than a few occasions, can be expensive

24-hour telenovela channel on its platforms in 2013. Then in February this year, homes were lit up with the introduction of Zee World, a Bollywood channel. This, without a doubt, shows the company’s commitment to the provision of well rounded entertainment from different continents.

This brings me to the vexatious issue of programme repeats. With the array of channels and programmes, people often wonder why “DStv keeps repeating programmes”. I also wondered myself. But through a little fact finding, I got to realise that channel providers worldwide repeat movies and programmes to allow viewers to plan viewing time at their convenience. The acquisition of programme and movie rights is based on a model whereby programmes and movies are purchased for a certain number of screenings. This allows for the movies or programmes to be shown at different time slots to allow viewers a choice of when they would like to access the programming.

Repeats in the case of a multichannel environment allow subscribers not to miss out in instances where two or three interesting programmes are running at the same time. Away from content scheduling and technology, let us examine its other operations such as customer service. How will MultiChoice be rated in the area of customer service? Some subscribers say their queries are not quickly addressed. Some are at a loss to how programmed error messages appear on their screens and when they call to complain, they do not get an immediate reprieve. Personally, I believe the issue of poor customer service sticks out as a sore thumb in most, if not all,

Page 57

democratic governance begins. Destiny also kept Buhari dogged to the fourth try and it some of his initial acts to shun being bankrolled into the corruption-cycle of the paraphernalia of power are sustained, Nigeria will be great again.

My prayer is that Buhari will avoid all that he criticized GEJ about. My prayer is that the aggression of these men and women who brought us to this new political scene will be transformed into an aggression for the good of the citizens. I pray that they will be able to imitate GEJ to return to their villages when they get nothing from today’s table of power. If they are convinced that it was a divine act for the good of Nigeria that they led the march of aggression may they now return home and enjoy the status of statesmen and women. But wherefore, Lord, they do not and what we have now is according to your holy will may they be consumed by the peoples own aggression.

Amen.

•Okeahialam, Ph.D., is a Catholic priest based in Denver, Colorado, USA. Nigerian businesses. It will be good to point out here that one unsavory customer service experience in three cases does not make an organisation altogether bad. Organisations, of course, should strive to ensure that their customers have the best quality of service at every point in time.

However, I do believe that MultiChoice has not done badly in reaching out to its subscribers. An example will be when it announced its decoder swap in September 2014. The campaign basically called on subscribers to exchange their legacy nonsecure decoders for secure ones at no cost. The campaign was heavy on publicity, with both targeted and generic communications. Those customers who were going to be directly affected were notified with phone calls, SMS blasts and forced messages on their screens while other communication was across several media channels such as radio, print and online. So it will be rather unfair for one after all this much publicity say that the company did not notify them about the swap. This is one out of many instances that MultiChoice reached out to its subscribers on changes or policies to be effected. In all, I do believe that MultiChoice has had its fair share of problems as it is normal with every business either local or international. But what we cannot take away from the company is its commitment to continually provide Nigerians with innovative and unique products, which ensure that they get a better deal, improved choice, as well as better controls and customer support. For over 20 years, we have been entertained, educated and informed. We have also seen a boost in our local content due to their investments.

This is what we should base our judgments on.

•Okanrinde, a lawyer, lives in Abuja

PAGE 58—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015 sameyoboka@yahoo.com

08023145567 (sms only)

WARDROBE ALLOWANCE:

Okogie blasts lawmakers

BY SAM EYOBOKA AND OLAYINKA LATONA ARCHBISHOP Emeritus of Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie has condemned the outrageous wardrobe allowances reportedly earmarked for the nation’s legislators, saying that the proposed national change will be impossible when National Assembly members live in contradiction to the moral, social and political aspirations of their fellow citizens.

In a statement titled; “The moral blind spots of the jumbo package”, made available to Sunday Vanguard by the archdiocesan Director of Social Communication, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, the archbishop argued that duty, honour, country: are the mandates the nation needs to rediscover at this hour, noting that the allowances and the jumbo package of the lawmakers are not only shocking, but outrageous and outlandish.

According to the statement, “they (the allowances) are hard to be justified in the face of widespread poverty and the socio-economic realities of our nation. It is highly unjustifiable that our national

resources service a profligate class of politicians, but neglect the hope and welfare of civil servants especially teachers who build the engine of our nation’s future.

“It just does not make sense that, for instance, N200 million severance package could be approved for each state, whereas civil servants are told, when they asked for better terms of service that the nation’s economy cannot sustain their intended welfare. The issues have always ramified,” Okogie further argued.

He maintained that the proposed allowances are completely out of sync with the wider logic of our economy and society, arguing that the figures sear the mind and raise moral and political issues, issues that seem to escape the tunnel vision of their advocates and beneficiaries.

“What is mind-boggling is not just the fact that our lawmakers smile to their banks with millions of naira for wardrobe allowance at a time when most civil servants across the country have not been paid basic salaries for months,” he said, adding “this does not appear just in a situation where public servants are seeking for the enabling conditions to do their job and to serve the nation; it is about something else, which speaks to a

larger systemic breakdown and paralysis of our nation.

“This is nothing but a projection of systemic corruption that has wrecked our ship of state and made the economy comatose and institutions of states broken and dysfunctional.

That is why it is impossible to understand this reckless and insensitive arrangement without grasping the culture of materialism and decadence that have warped the nation’s moral climate.

“The average Nigerian wants to make it by every means, in a culture where success offers its own vindication. At root therefore is the ethos of “ you-chop-I-chop” mentality, which ironically has made us a society of self-aggrandizing, selfabsorbed, and self-interested people.

A society that bends principle to ends, pathos (in the Greek sense) to ethos cannot secure its place in the comity of nations,” he noted.

After the victory on the change mantra, Okogie said he was not surprised at what is going on now in both arms of the government – House of Representative and the Senate, asking: “Has Nigeria true, sincere and genuine patriotic politicians? We wonder! The adage that says a chameleon cannot change

its skin apply to our cross carpeting politicians.”

According to Okogie; “the unintended consequence of corruption or state dysfunctionality is huge. It creates a ripple effect and vicious circle of “authority stealing” and racketeering. The message in the street is loud and ominous: Nigeria is there for the plunder! Nigeria belongs to everyone and to no one!!

And Nigeria cannot deserve an honorable service and patriotism.

What an impression people have of us! This is both sad and sickening for the kind of society we want to leave for the next generation.

“More than the erosion of the value system, this is short path to ending any sense of public spirit. It is highly probable however that these jumbo packages of members of the National Assembly and indeed all public servants have been skewed without the collusion or negligence of other state institutions.

“While we blame the National Assembly for this situation, the harshest words must always be reserved for the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, which has the function of setting the wages of public servants. This is another case where the appropriate checks and balances that makes a healthy and functional government is lacking or destroyed by deliberate ploy to plunder the nation for prebendal and personal purposes,” he maintained.

Okogie concluded: “We need to get serious about fixing our nation, and that work must include reconstructing the norms and template of political actions and institutions that make for a healthy society. Lawmaking, representation and oversight, even though constitute the main thrust of the function of lawmakers, they are leaders as well.

“Leaders are not supposed to be on the backseat. This is the time that members of the National Assembly should realize that the hope of change in this nation is impossible when they live in contradiction to the moral, social and political aspirations of their fellow citizens.

Duty, honour, country: are the mandates we need to rediscover at

Foursquare urges lawmakers to put house into order L-R: Pastor & Pastor (Mrs.) I.S James of Glory Christian Centre, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos with Senior Pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Ikeja Lagos, Pastor & Pastor (Mrs.) Tunde Bakare who was guest speaker at the former’s recent mid-year revival programme titled; “Pursue, Overtake & Recover All”, at the church auditorium in Lagos.

Odedeji supports downward review of political cleric advised the feuding members allowances name. This work is a delicate one; to sheathe their swords, and whatever you are looking for in the

BY OLAYINKA LATONA

A

NGLICAN bishop of Lagos West, Rt. Rev. James Odedeji has commended Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for initiating the process of reviewing remuneration packages, including salaries and allowances of all political and all public office holders in the country.

The bishop made the remark after the ordination of nine deacons and six priests at the Anglican Church of Ascension, Opebi in Lagos.

Odedeji described the proposed legislative allowances as outrageous, considering the current level of poverty in the country, noting that such allowances could be channeled towards the development of other infrastructural facilities in the country. Also decrying the recent show of shame by some members of the House of Representatives, the

discharge their legislative duties with all responsibility, reminding them that they were elected to serve the interest of the masses.

“They should know that to whom much is given, much is expected, this attitude is inappropriate. It is unfortunate. These are men and women that are supposed to be of worthy character, it is very shameful”, he maintained.

Bishop Odedeji charged the newly ordained deacons and priests to be faithful to their calling, be the light of God and maintain a closer relationship with God, stressing that the era of complacency among Anglican priests is over.

According to him, the congregations now request for vibrant priests who will feed them with the undiluted word of God, prayer and envangelise.

“The work of the priest is not as easy as people think it is but I want to commit you to God’s hand, praying that you will not fail in Jesus

ministry is there, but I am charging you to be faithful in your various calling and if you did not do what you are ordained to do, you will have yourself to blame,” he stressed.

In his sermon, Ven. Olaoluwa Adeyemi, Vicar in charge of Christ Anglican Church, Elere, Agege urged the ministers to preach the undiluted word of God and bear Godly fruits, reminding them that their service is towards God and not men, adding that their lifestyle should be fashioned after that of Jesus Christ.

He also urged the congregation to always pray for their ministers, support them materially and financially, noting that they too have various challenges that needed to be attended to; “do not destroy or tempt them. They are human beings like you, don’t make life difficult for them because the anointing they are carrying is not for fun, God is guiding them jealously”.

BY OLAYINKA LATONA

A

S the leadership crisis in the National Assembly deepens, national president of the Council of Foursquare Men (CFM), Elder Churchill Ayerume has advised members of the 8th National Assembly to put away their differences and bring the situation to an end for the sake of the country.

Ayerume made the appeal while addressing journalists on the church 2015 annual Men's Retreat schedule to begin on Wednesday at Foursquare Camp, Ajebo, Ogun State with the theme: "Empowerment for Greater Glory".

He said Nigerians are expecting a lot from the present administration hence NASS members should not toil with the emotion of Nigerians but rather strive to fulfill their promises and deliver good governance to Nigerians.

Condemning the ?current internal wranglings he stressed the need for the legislative arm of government to unite and make laws that would benefit majority of Nigerians irrespective of political affiliations.

In his words: "Politicians should call themselves to order and solve their differences amicably and deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

Put your house in order, Martins tells APC, NASS

BY SAM EYOBOKA AS the leadership crisis rocking the National Assembly continues to heat up the polity, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins has advised the law makers and indeed the All Progress Congress to put their house in order in the interest of the nation.

The archbishop argued that the interest and well being of the entire nation should, as a matter of priority, take precedence over those of the party and its members, hence the continuous bickering in the Senate and House of Representatives should be resolved soonest to allow for smooth governance at the federal level.

According to him, so much time has already been wasted while the people watch with great concern and anxiety.

Adewale who gave this advice in a recent press release signed by the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr Gabriel Osu, warned that failure of the ruling APC to put its house in order and resolve all contending issues amicably, would amount to anarchy and further polarize the fragile unity of the nation.

This infighting is inimical to the effort and determination of the present administration headed by President Muhammadu Buhari to engender the much vaunted positive change promised Nigerians during the party’s recent electoral campaigns, he contended.

“We are worried that the positive change in the fortunes of our people is being put at abeyance by this narrow self interest that is being exhibited in the National Assembly, in these past few weeks. I want to use this medium therefore to call on the leadership of APC and indeed all its members, particularly those in the National Assembly, to, as a matter of national interest, put its house in order and resolve the crisis that has been plaguing it in recent times, particularly over the leadership of the National Assembly.

“Nigerians voted APC at the last elections because they believe it has the capability to bring about the much needed positive change in all aspects of our lives. But the continuous bickering within the party’s fold is slowing down the business of serious governance, thereby sending negative signals to the masses of this great country over its readiness and ability to deliver on the change it promised the nation.

“I therefore urge the party chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the Senate president, Bukola Saraki and the entire leadership of the National Assembly to shed all selfish and parochial interests for the well being of the Nigerian masses. The warring parties must sheathe their swords now and allow peace to reign in the interest of the nation,” the cleric stated.

On the controversy surrounding the hugeremunerationbeingofferedpublic office holders, Archbishop Martins reiterated that present realities necessitate all to make sacrifices; hence it was imperative for the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Planning Commission to embark on a drastic downward review of the salaries and allowances of all politicians.

While applauding President Buhari for efforts made so far in repositioning the country towards the part of economic prudence, the archbishop tasked all state governors to quickly follow suit by pruning down on the cost of governance in order to ensure prudent management of available resources for the benefit of the masses.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 59

H

AVE you just bought a new cellphone and are wondering how to operate it?

It is written. Simply check the manual. Have you just set up a new business and want to know how to get it registered?

It is written. Are you a new creation in Christ but don’t know what being a new creation means? It is written.

Where is it written? It is written in the scriptures.

How would you introduce yourself? What is your selfidentity? Many people don’t know who they are. Some men see themselves as women. Some women see themselves as men. Some thieves call themselves Robin Hood and believe they are honest. Some murderers call themselves Boko Haram and maintain they are righteous.

Some identify themselves by their jobs and say they are carpenters, bricklayers and doctors.

The Lord says: “The children I raised have turned against me. Oxen and donkeys know who owns and feeds them, but my people won’t ever learn.” (Isaiah 1:3).

For this cause, Jesus was made manifest in the flesh; so that we may know exactly who we are.

Written identity One day Jesus sprang a question on his disciples: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” They replied: “Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked them: “What about you? Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16).

IT IS WRITTEN Why did nobody say Jesus was a carpenter? Why did nobody think he was Socrates? The reason is simple; Socrates is not in the scriptures. They were all looking for Jesus’ identity in the scriptures. Everyone they thought Jesus was happened to be in the scriptures, or to have been foretold in the scriptures.

Jesus was a man of purpose. He knew where he came from; but more importantly, he knew where he was going. You have to know where you are going.

You cannot confuse or mislead a man who knows where he is going. In order to know where we are going, we need to search the scriptures to determine what is written about us.

Jesus is fond of saying “it is written.” Therefore, he set about doing and being everything that is written about him. He said: “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me.”

(Luke 24:44).

The same applies to you and me. The scriptures must witness about us. Our true identity is in the word of God. Our new identity is in Christ;

There is something already written about every situation we are going to face and every circumstance we are going to encounter and Jesus is the word of God. The identity of the child of God must be in the scriptures.

What is it that is written in the scriptures about you and me?

Jesus says: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39).

Search the scriptures. If you are redeemed, they will surely testify about you. God would not leave you out. If somebody asks you who you are, you must be able to tell him: “It is written. It is written.

In the volume of the book, it is written about me.”

Who are you?

Listen to this parable.

Some people came to my office to see me. They told the security detail: “We are looking for Dr. Femi Aribisala.” So they were brought to my office. They came inside and shook hands

with me. Then they asked me: “Please, who are you?” I replied: “What do you mean?

Who did you tell the securitymen you were looking for?”

They said: “Are you Dr. Femi Aribisala?” “Yes,” I replied. So they said: “Dr. Aribisala, we have come to ask you who you are? Are you John the Baptist?”

“Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then?

Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’

as the prophet Isaiah said.”

(John 1:19-23).

The identity of John the Baptist is in the scriptures. He identified himself within the framework of the scriptures.

What about you? Who are you? Are you Moses? Are you Judas? Or are you Jezebel?

Have you yet determined precisely who you are? Have you identified yourself yet in the book of life?

James cautions: “Obey God’s message! Don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it. If you hear the message and don’t obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.” (James 1:22-24).

Sons of God John the beloved says: “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment; because as (Jesus) is, so are we in this world. (I John 4:17).

What does this mean? It means believers are the image and likeness of Jesus.

We are the photograph. We are the photocopy. We are the carbon-copies. We are the

More knocks for same-sex marriage

BY SAM EYOBOKA and OLAYINKA LATONA with Agency reports

A

S Christian leaders in the United States are divided over the recent Supreme Court ruling that same-sex marriage has become legal in all 50 the states despite Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito minority ruling Christians in Nigeria are expressing their disgust for the move.

The landmark ruling last Friday has attracted widespread celebrations by supporters of samesex marriage and some couples were issued marriage licenses as soon as the new development was announced.

Responding to the development, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the North Eastern geo-political zone, Rev. Shuaibu M. Byal wondered why the U.S. who’s national motto is; “In God we trust”, can descend so low to disregard the injunctions instituted by the same God is to say the least, appalling.

The CAN chairman said: “the issue of same sex marriage makes us to regret the position of America that says ‘In God we trust’, and today they are going against what God had instituted since creation.

“If this is the type of things we are experiencing in our world today, then we will not be far away from the calamity that befell Sodom and Gomorrah. You will recall that that was God hated that brought about the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah.

“The ideal issue here is that if America that is close to none in power and position of leadership in

comparison to other developed nations is doing what can be described as unholy in the eyes of both God and man then it means because of their moral bankruptcy, we have to see the hand writing on the wall,” he said.

Diocesan bishop of Lagos West, (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. James Odedeji also described as unfortunate reports that the US Supreme Court voted to legalize same sex marriage in a country that prides itself as God’s own country.

He maintained that the Anglican Church in Nigeria will not be party to the un-Godly practice even as he urged the Nigerian government to maintain its stand against gay marriage which he described as “barbaric, un-Christian and not of God.” In his words: “Whoever approves gay marriage is a man or woman of darkness. What we are saying is that if gay marriage is approved somewhere else, it cannot be approved here because we know it is not true and the bible made it known that you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.

“We in the Anglican Church in Nigeria, have disassociated ourselves from gay marriage and we frown at it. It is a wrong practice and we pray that God will not allow it to happen in Nigeria,” he said.

Before last Friday Supreme Court ruling, many observers have expressed worry about the position of Christian leaders in the God’s Own Country, especially after Tony Campolo, one of America’s bestknown evangelicals revised his initial stand on gay marriage claiming that his wife has been pushing for “full acceptance” of LGBT persons, as has the organization he founded, Red Letter

Christians.

A former editor of Christianity Today (America’s leading evangelical magazine, founded by Billy Graham) praised Campolo’s move. David Neff stated, “I think the ethically responsible thing for gay and lesbian Christians to do is to form lasting, covenanted partnerships. I also believe that the church should help them in those partnerships in the same way the church should fortify traditional marriages.”

Another commentator applauded Campolo’s announcement and claimed that “a new day is dawning in Christianity” as God’s Spirit is “calling us to see a more expansive and inclusive vision of Christ’s Church.” He says that he prays for other leaders to “follow the Spirit’s leading and to become advocates

for inclusion and acceptance of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Is acceptance of gay marriage really a “new day” for the church, one led by the Spirit? Not at all.

Mark Galli, the current editor of Christianity Today: “Churches that ascribe to a more liberal sexual ethic continue to wither. Meanwhile, poll Christians in Africa, Asia, and practically anywhere in the world, and you’ll hear a resounding ‘no’ to gay marriage. Scan the history of the church for 2,000 years and you’ll have a hard time turning up any Christian who would support samesex marriage. The church has been and remains overwhelmingly united. It’s undergoing stress, certainly. But the evidence doesn’t support a narrative of division and collapse on this point.”

‘Inspiring the world through hymns’

BY OLAYINKA LATONA

D

RIVEN by the burden to sp read the gospel of salvation, healing, deliverance and glorifying God through singing of hymns, The Vision, a non-denominational ministry recently staged a hymnal outreach service at Gbagada, Lagos. The event focused mainly on inspirational hymns in English, Yoruba and Efik languages and provided an opportunity for participants to know the writers and the historical backgrounds of each of the hymns and the motivation for

such hymns.

Mrs. Olayinka Makanjuola, the brain behind The Vision, explained that the group was established by divine inspiration last year with a mandate to evangelize and tell the world about the message of Christ through singing of hymns.

According to Makanjuola: “We have the mandate to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ through singing of hymns knowing that hymns play an essential role in spirituality, in revelation and conversion. Singing leaves a lasting impression in human beings and makes one to focus on God faster.”

Ambassadors of Christ. We are the ministers of Christ. We are one with Christ.

Everything about our life is already written in the scriptures. There is something already written about every situation we are going to face and every circumstance we are going to encounter.

Beloved, we are working to a script. Our own part in “His Story” is for the purpose that is purposed. Our part is not to sin. Our part is not to quit.

Our part is not to be defeated.

Our part is to bring glory to God. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (I John 3:1-2).

The son of a lion is a lion.

The son of God is a god. He is the heir of God the Father.

He is a joint-heir with Jesus.

Hallelujah King Ahaseurus is a King in the Old Testament. He says: “Bring me the book of the records of the chronicles.” He wants to know what shall be done to the man the King delights to honour. King Jesus says: “bring me the book of life.”

And what does he find there?

Thus it is written about you: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Don’t stampede Buhari over appointment of SA on Amnesty – Ex-militants

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IGER-Delta former militants have urged all militants in the region not to stampede President Muhammadu Buhari's administration over the appointment of Special Adviser, on Amnesty Programme.

The ex-militants gave the warning while reacting to calls from different quarters on Mr President on the pages of newspapers hasting him to appoint Special Adviser on Amnesty programme, with a threat that delay may cause more havoc.

The ex-militants in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Gen So so and so, said the appointment of the Special Adviser on Amnesty is a prerogative of the President and he cannot be pushed but rather will take his own pace and time to do the needful.

While urging all to be calm and wait for the appropriate time, Generals DPO and A. Julius said the president is not unaware of the fact that there is a vacuum and somebody has to be appointed to continue from where Mr. Kingsley Kuku stopped.

He said, “We don’t need to make violence or threaten to achieve our aim, all that we have to do is to plead with him in the appointment of a new person.

“In appointing such person, only trusted persons like Commander Bibi Oduku who has worked for the All Progressives Congress, APC, will be more reliable to fit into the position and there will be relative peace in the region.”

PAGE 60—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

By JAPHET ALAKAM CELEBRATION

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he 2015 edition of the yearly Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange (WSICE) project has been scheduled to hold from July 12 through the 14th. The annual programme was initiated in 2010 and debuted on the 76th birthday anniversary of the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka as the “quintessential artist and symbol of our humanity ”, according to the promoters of the project, Nigeria-based ZMirage Multimedia Company and US-based GlobalNewHaven.

Unlike previous editions in which activities held in Lagos, Ogun and Osun State, events for this year’s edition will hold exclusively at the Ijegba Forest Residence of Soyinka, and the Ogun State Cultural Centre, Kuto.

Abeokuta, Ogun State, where the Nobel laureate resides.

With the theme: Justice and Freedom : Essential Conditions for Humanity, the organisers say, “ are the two fundamental concerns of the Nobel laureate in his career of promoting better humanity not only in his literary writings but also in his intervention in local and global socio-cultural and political discourses.”

WSICE is the core project of ‘The Open Door Series’ promoted by Alhaji TejuKareem-led Zmirage and Professor Segun Ojewuyi-led GlobalNewHaven, and it has been staged every year since 2010 when Soyinka was 76.

Last year witnessed the grand fifth edition, which marked the 80th birthday anniversary of Prof. Soyinka. hile the 2014 fifth anniversary edition was a grand parade of drama, poetry, music, painting exhibition and variety youth programmes in honour of Soyinka’s 80th birthday, this sixth edition marking his 81st, is redesigned in terms of performance features. The, 2015 project will focus on STORYTELLING – “as a resourceful art form that is an integral part of the socialisation process of an average African personality”, stated the Executive Producer, Teju Kareem. “Our theme is STORYTELLING & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, and is designed to address our observations that the society continues to drastically lose its moral values, due to vagary of factors including improper and inadequate child upbringing and chaotic educational system, we believe that a full exploration and exploitation of the power of Storytelling in parental upbringing and as well as school activities could help to inculcate moral values in our young ones”.

According to Kareem, “to

W

So yink a@8 1: W SICE Soyink yinka 81: WSICE rolls out drums for celebration realise the objective of the core International Cultural Exchange dimension of the project, two international reputable experts who have made tremendous impacts on the socialisation process in their respective stations in storytelling will teach and mentor young ones. They are Theodora Ulerie aka Aunty Thea (Trinidad and Tobago) and from Nigeria, Mrs. Noma Sodipo, founder and anchor of the popular children TV programme, StoryTime with Auntie Noma (Nigeria).

As usual, in the Student mentorship programme, the First Lady of Ogun State, Her Excellency, Mrs Olufunsho Amosun will counsel students drawn from Ogun State and rest of the country on the importance of education and imbibing moral lessons of pa-

This year’s edition will hold exclusively at the Ijegba Forest Residence of Soyinka, and the Ogun State Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta

triotism and discipline.

Stressing on the objective of the ICE, Kareem stated: “We in ZMirage and GlobalNewHaven — believing firmly in the educative as well as entertaining functions of theatre and literary arts —have resolved to consistently commit time, energy and huge financial resources to this project so that the Arts, especially Theatre, can once again take pride of place in Nigeria and the world. he Executive Producer revealed that much of the activities will be held in the 850seater site-specific Amphitheatre installed last year to host the presentation of Soyinka’s epic, Dance of the Forests as directed

by Tunde Awosanmi, head of department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan. The idea of staging much of the events in the forest theatre, noted Kareem, is to stress the educational and touristic virtues of the project.

This year’s WSICE will be produced by Ms Haneefat Ikharo, Theatre Arts graduate of the University of Benin, who took over from the pioneer producer, Lillian Amah, a writer, actress and producer.

The breakdown of the year’s programme are as follows: 10th – 12th July, 2015 (Friday to Sunday) Aunty Thea Story telling Workshop A 3-day workshop for Junior Secondary Schools.

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•Auntie Noma on set

13th July, 2015 (Monday)Live essay writing at the Cultural Centre and Story telling Workshop for the 81 Finalists with Auntie Thea and Auntie Noma 14th July, 2015 (Tuesday)There will be a visit to the Governor of Ogun State; Announcement of Winner and Presentation of trophy ,Youth Mentorship (81 Finalists) with Prof. Wole Soyinka at Ijegba and others. Others include; International Cultural Exchange: Storytelling & Youth Development – Conversation between Home & the Diaspora — Theodora Ulerie (Aunty Thea) and Noma Shodipo

•Prof Soyinka, clocks 81 (Aunty Noma) – to hold at the Amphitheatre in the Ijegba Forest. And Performances by Ogun State Cultural Troupe; Jimi Solanke; & Yinka OlaWilliams at the AmphiTheatre in the Ijegba Forest.

At Talawa Theatre, Efemena Agadama invokes memories of Nana Olomu

By PRISCA SAM-DURU DRAMA

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ondon-based Nigerian writer, Efemena Agadama’s fierce, poetic and classical portrayal of the 1894 Ebrohimi war between the British colonial administration in the Benin River and Nana Olomu, was recently staged at the Talawa Theatre in London.

The play takes its first scene from the activities in the month of June, 1894. Actually, the month of June 2015, makes it exactly 121 years of those fierce activities that led to the ferocious war. A war that made Ralph Moor, the British Acting Commissioner and Consul general to inform the foreign office for them to send additional war ships and forces to enforce those already in the administrative districts.

This dramatic piece took Efemena to the Itsekiri kingdom where he personally interviewed one of the highly respected Itsekiri chiefs who is also one of the greatest historian known to the Itsekiris. He also personally

A scene from Efemena Agadama’s Farewel Sisters staged in London

visited the Christ Church Museum in Ipswich, School of Oriental and African Studies in London and the British Museum also in London. He said he was worried about writing a one sided

The play is a reflection of Efemena’ consistency in his writing style which tells and retells the use of African songs...

story or a play developed from fallacious assumptions.

The play titled Ebrohimi Burns had its first staged reading in February 2015 at the Talawa Theatre in London with actors from London; the staged reading was produced by Keshia Watson and directed by Dare Babatunde.

In that production, Lamin Tamba played Nana while Kieran Nero played Akpata.

Kieran Nero playing Akpata was naturally funny as he spoke the Pidgin English like a Warri comedian, born

and bred. Simone Mcintyre played Mammie, one of Nana’s wives. Simone brings a feminine atmosphere to the play. She shows the loving and understanding nature of a typical Itsekiri woman, so tender and affectionate.

Mammie’s character seems controversial as she brings softness to the play and also understands when Nana goes after younger and fresher women whose beauty and endearing features are not only enticing but certainly entrapping. brohimi Burns is a reflec tion of Efemena Agadama consistency in his writing style which tells and retells the use of African songs, language arts, settings, beauty of words and dramatic pacing and this has seen his works produced in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and France.

Efemena Agadama’s play on Nana, which is at the publishing stage in a trilogy, is a dramatic deviation both in literary style and historical facts when compared with other literary works on Nana Olomu. This is due to years of research on the historical facts surrounding the Ebrohimi war of 1894.

E

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015, PAGE 61

By USMAN ABUDAH TRIBUTE

I

ndividuals are gifted in rather queer callings in life that make them great while living: some are educated to the highest levels and are known for either amassing astonishing wealth and they are talked about by the idle ones that day dream, wishing how they could also be equally lucky to be universally known and popular, perhaps being listed in their local books of record, assuring themselves dreamingly,that poverty will never near their families forever and ever.

Some, whose concepts cannot be identified or linked to the folktales of how people struggled to attain such embellishing successful levels that they would never be in want.

But story-telling format by gifted creative disciples like Late Ighegwe Odion whose passage on January 10th, 2013 (2 years by January 10th 2015) would ever be remembered by those who were fortunate to have known him, would realize a basic attitude of his “that one must not grumble those who have or lament why our Creator didn’t enrich those he allowed to be born into this earthly world”.

Ighegwe, as he narrated to this writer, fifteen year ago how he was brought to Auchi from Fugar village to live with a princess of Auchi Kingdom, said he “ wont have regretted coming to Auchi

Ighegwe Odion: A folklorist and instrumentalist of repute as it was a city to him in comparism then to his village: “I had high hopes of being given the opportunity of being sent to school as this would make me to be better than my village age group members and also specifically looking forward to be a different folk whenever I would be home on holidays.

This didn’t turn out as I had expected”. ghegwe in his lengthy narration which I don’t now find soothing to re-call here, had an assuring format of recalling his level in life that equally held me to agree with him that “any level one finds oneself in life, it is the destined path and any effort by one to cause personal strains by blaming anyone, would be frowned at by

I

Alido, he instited that Ighegwe must be among my invited contingent coming to the 10th edition of Lagos Heritage Festival

•Late Ighegwe striking the Alido “Oghena” (Almighty).

He did return back to his Fugar home base and started farming in an assuring diction laced in a soothing and self acceptance of the Almighty’s decision on one’s fate, he returned back to Auchi and developed a lamentational approach of story-telling coupled with touching lyrics that unfold pain in the heart and at the end of such an exercise, a situation of relief is created.

Along the line, he constructed “Alido” an indigenous musical

instrument, an imperative instrument that goes with story-telling, this was how Ighegwe moulded an image around himself and it made him very popular in Auchi Kingdom.

He would tell stories of great people of the past, based on re-collective folklores. When he picks a song to depict a specific situation, either of joy, pain, humour and abuse, his dexterity style stands him

Ahubelem e xhibits hand of lo o Hear ts of Gold exhibits lovve tto Hearts

By JAPHET ALAKAM VISIT

I

n his determined effort to touch lives and empower the youths, seasoned motivational speaker, author, business man and publisher of a business bulletin, ‘Greatness 101’, a monthly publication that inspires youths to reach their goals and attain greatness in any endeavor, Uche Ahubelem paid a visit to Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice in Surulere.

Ahubelem who is the MD, C.E.O of Brickwall group of companies, a company devoted to the provision of a wide range of goods and entertainment outfit did this through his nongovernmental organization known as Uche Ahubelem Centre for Human Development – U.A.C.H.D. The non-governmental organization, which he founded in 2015 has been in the business of empowering youths has organised many programmes for youths but recently showed its heart of gold when he took his people to what can be described as the mother of all visits to the home.

It was indeed a real show of love that apart from the numerous gift items that comprises foods, children needs and others also gave a cheque of five hundred

•Uche Ahubelem, UACHD founder thousand naira to the matron, Mrs Adedoyin for the upkeep of the home.

An elated Mrs Adedoyin, matron of the Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice who took out time to narrate how she started the home took them round the wards where they saw children with one form of deformity or the other who were abandoned by the

I celebrated my birthday last year in a big way, but decided to do it this year with the less privileged

mothers because of their deformity. She thanked Mr Ahubelem for the visit and the donations and prayed for them.

She also asked Ahubelem to endeavor to visit the place always. “Apart from money, try and be visiting this place from time to time. We don’t ask people for help, since God instructed me to stop asking for money, it has been great, people just come here and assist us.” She added.

Ahubelem who was touched with the plight of the children confessed that he never knew that there are people living in such condition and said “this is really something else, I am really touched, I commend you for what you are doing. God will bless you. What you are doing is God approved, so I believe that UACHD will be

part of it.”

On how the idea of the visit came, Ahubelem who added another year to his age said, “ I celebrated my birthday last year in a big way, but decided to do it with the less privileged this year. I felt that it will not be wise doing it like I did last year because there are people that need the money better, people that the money can touch their lives in a better way, so I decided to do it this way. What I have seen today, marveled me and people need to come and help them.”

Since its inception in 2015 U.A.C.H.D has also organized a training seminar titled “LifeProven Secret of Success” which was held at the Food & Sun hall of Eko Hotel & Suites Lagos. The event which was free of charge was done majorly to motivate youths to become better individuals, discover and maximize their inborn potentials. Out of the 6,502 applications received, only 80 people were chosen based on their vision, passion and skills. The winner of the one year internship programme Odediya Gbenga went home with N300.000, First runner up, Olubunmi Odeyemi got N100, 000 and Elijah Ifeoluwa went home with N50, 000 as the second runner up.

out as a teacher, philosopher and when he takes another angle to depict terror and fright, he again unfolds his endless gift as an embellished human being who doesn’t care what one has, or whom you are, telling the audience that when one’s time comes, no doctor would save one as we would all be laid into the six feet grave apartment.

I had tried through his tutoring to learn how to pluck strokes on the instrument for quite a period with much seriousness, he looked at me on each occasion and smile: “try, you could get it one day”he had said and went further to reveal clearly this sort of calling has to do with personal experience in life, particularly when one had undergone torturing situations in life that melt into lamentations and pains, all bothering into one’s veins that were mostly agonizing.

When he unfolds a wailing stanza, the audience would scatter, some would warn “Ighegwe, don’t drive one into doing something inexplicable”.

When Nobel Laureate Prof.

Wole Soyinka inaugurated the Afenmai Heritage and Cultural Heritage in March 2010 on this writer ’s invitation at Auchi, after watching Ighegwe’s performance on the Alido, he insisted that Ighegwe must be among my invited contingent, coming to the maiden edition of Lagos Heritage Festival which was done: the 42 member contingent to Lagos was quartered at the Kilo Hotel, Surulere.

We all had comfortable accommodation. After our return from an outing to Badagry, I dialed Ighegwe’s room intercom number to ask he was alright. It rang for over five minutes and it wasn’t picked. I was scared and called my friend, Mallam Braimah Musa (a.k.a Barrister), we rushed to Ighegwe’s room, knocked the door and he opened looking disturbed and I asked him if he was alright and why he didn’t answer the telephone. ghegwe went to his bed and pointed to the airconditioner that was oozing out a cooling effect. “that thing is disturbing me and I don’t like it”, he complained.

I told him how to switch it off.

I took him back to the intercom why he didn’t answer, Ighegwe hissed: “that thing would also not let me sleep.”

“When you pick it, drop the end with the rope downwards and put the other end to your ear” we all laughed.

These were the qualities of a plain and realistic human being, who never pushed himself above his capability level in life.

Ighegwe was a self-tutored artiste of no mean level.

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Abudah, a journalist and documentalist, wrote in from Benin City, Edo State.

PAGE 62, S UNDAY Vanguard SUNDAY Vanguard,, JULY 5 , 2015

FIFA WWC: USA, Japan draw battle line Ujah shuns big money move for Bremen T N HE 2015 FIFA women world cup comes to a fitting final today in Vancouver, Canada with the USA and Japanese women battling for supremacy for the defending champions and may be revenge for the USA. Abby Wambach responded to USA’s defeat to Japan in the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011 by making a vow. “I’ll be back for more.”

The feted striker has been as good as her word, helping the Stars and Stripes battle their way back to another World Cup Final against the Japanese, an occasion on which the veteran hopes to land the one trophy that has eluded her so far.

The 35-year-old knows how it feels to beat the Nadeshiko, having helped US overcome them to claim gold in the final of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament London 2012. A repeat of that achievement and Wambach can set the seal on a brilliant career by winning the title that matters to her most.

It’s going to be a very exciting game. To be honest, it’ll be great to play Japan because they’re a fantastic team.

“We’ve faced them in the last two big finals and now we’re fighting it out for another World Cup”

•Tough as Nail...Aya Sameshima (5) of Japan in action

Ighalo rejects Chinese Fortune S UPER Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo has rejected a bid from Chinese club, Hebei China Fortune as he prefers to remain in the English league with Watford.

Ighalo and the club officials held talks yesterday to discuss his future. Sky Sports reported

Podolski signs for Gala S

TRIKER Lukas Podolski has joined Galatasaray from Arsenal on a three-year deal.

The Germany international, 30, has signed for the

•Podolski... Moving on.

Turkish champions for a reported fee of £2.8m.

Podolski moved to Arsenal from German side FC Koln in 2012 for a reported £11m and scored 31 goals in 82 appearances for the Gunners.

He helped Arsenal win the FA Cup in 2013 but spent the second half of last season on loan at Inter Milan.

His chances became limited as Gunners’ manager Arsene Wenger added the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Danny We l b e c k t o h i s f o r w a r d options. Wenger also has Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud and Alex OxladeChamberlain at his disposal.

that Watford had received a £10m offer for the striker from Chinese first division side Hebei China Fortune, which was discussed in Saturday’s meeting.

Ighalo scored 20 times in 38 appearances for the Hornets last season. His haul last season included four goals in the 7-2 victory over Blackpool in January and, with Chinese clubs pushing for new recruits from England this summer capturing Tottenham’s Paulinho for Guangzhou Evergrande – Ighalo’s goalscoring has been noticed by Hebei, who finished 14th in the Chinese second tier.

Hebei are managed by former Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona head coach Raddy Antic, who played for Luton in the 1980s.

Watford have been busy in

OBIN van Persie is on the verge of completing his move away from Manchester United after reportedly agreeing terms with Fenerbahce.

It is believed that Van Persie’s agent Kees Vos has been in Istanbul to complete the terms of the deal during this past week.

The Guardian report that United and Fenerbahce are now in discussions to agree a fee for the 31-year-old, after a fourC M Y K

year contract was confirmed.

Van Persie’s wife is believed to have spent last week in Istanbul as she warms to the idea of living in Turkey - and the Dutchman said that he will let his family have the final say on where he moves to this summer.

Dirk Kuyt has convinced his fellow countryman that moving to Turkey is a positive move for his career, after he enjoyed a successful and trophy-laden spell at Fenerbahce.

•Odion Ighalo... Watford delight

•Ujah... Hello Bremen going that route [money over development] at this stage of my career could affect my progress.”

Chelsea deal excites Falcao

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ADAMEL FALCAO is out to continue Chelsea’s stronghold in English football after sealing his season-long loan deal.

Falcao was handed his second shot in the Premier League despite last season’s nightmare spell with Manchester United.

The Colombian striker has not scored for five months but plans to repay Jose Mourinho’s faith with the champions.

Falcao, 29, said: “I’m very happy to be joining Chelsea and can’t wait to start training and help with our aim of retaining the league title and being successful in Europe.”

Blues midfielder Mario Pasalic is heading in the opposite direction to Monaco on loan as part of the deal.

the transfer market already, bringing in Austria defender Sebastian Prodl, goalkeeper Giedrius Arlauskis and attacker Matej Vydra on a permanent deal from Udinese.

Begovic certain to sign for Chelesa

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HELSEA are set to complete the £8million capture of Asmir Begovic this week.

Begovic is expected to secure his exit from Stoke in the next few days after the terms of a

Van Persie heading to Fener

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IGERIA international striker Anthony Ujah has revealed he turned down ‘bigger financial offers’ from Russia and China in order to secure his preferred move to Werder Bremen.

The 24-year old scored 36 goals in 102 appearances for German side Cologne to attract interest from an unnamed club in China who were set to triple his wages.

He also received big offers from two Russian clubs but Ujah opted for Werder Bremen to continue his development in the German Bundesliga.

“I had two options, to follow the money or walk the steps of career development,” Ujah told BBC Sport.

“I have big ambitions and

•Van Persie... Over and out.

transfer fee were agreed with the Premier League champions.

Sources at Stoke admit “there is a deal to be done” and the only delay has been over Chelsea deciding which player to loan out as part of the deal.

Chelsea’s opening offer of £6million was rejected last Monday but the clubs have continued dialogue and the move should go through this week.

Mourinho’s squad fly out to America for their pre-season tour on July 15 and want the Bosnia international fully integrated into the squad before then.

Begovic has been targeted as a replacement for Petr Cech, who joined Arsenal last week, and is determined to move on, despite the prospect of being No. 2 goalkeeper behind Thibaut Courtois.

•Falcao...Welcome to London

Real ready for Vidal

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EAL Madrid are set to sign Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal on a five-year contract - and could complete the deal in the hours after this evening’s Copa America final between Chile and Argentina.

This is according to Chilean website La Tercera, who understand that Real Madrid officials have travelled to Santiago to secure the 28-yearold’s signature.

S UNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, JULY 5 , 2015, PAGE 63

Wimbledon: Federer beats Groth to reach last 16

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OGER Federer overcame the big-serving Sam Groth in four sets to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon.

The Swiss second seed, 33, won 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 and faces Spanish 20th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the round of 16.

Despite firing the secondfastest serve in Wimbledon history with a 147mph effort, Australian Groth, 27, was outclassed by the seven-time champion.

Elsewhere Croatia’s Marin Cilic beat American John Isner, winning 12-10 in the final set.

The match was suspended at 10-10 in the fifth set on Friday because of bad light but resumed yesterday, with Cilic winning two games for a place in the last 16.

•Federer

S

POKESMAN for the Nigerian Football Coaches Association, Etta Egbe has called on the Nigeria Football Federation to revive the national U-13 football team.

Etta Egbe who was one of the coaches that led the

national U-13 team to win the African U-13 championship in Gabarone last year, in a chat with Sports Vanguard last week expressed concern that there was nothing on ground to show that Nigeria was ready to defend the African title won last year.

Beyond the defence of the title, Etta Egbe who is the chairman of Cross River State

Aguda continued from B/P and I thank God for the victory. I must also thank my coach for his belief in my God given talent. I believe there are more goals from where this first one came. By God’ grace it will continue in Uyo at the weekend,” stated the teenager.

“With God on our side, we

will pick another three points against our hosts on Sunday(today),”the youngster said.

Rangers came back from an Aniefiok Godspower ’s 10th minute strike for the visitors to score on 29 and 35 minutes through Aguda’s diving header and Bobby Clement’s sublime strike inside the box.

National Sports Festival continued from B/P the National Sports Commission, Alhassan Yakmut indicated that they were yet to hear from the state government with regards to a proposed meeting billed for July 8.

“The NSC has sent a letter to the governor and the deputy governor of Cross River State requesting for a meeting on July 8.

“It is after this meeting that we will come up with a new date for the sports festival.

However, we are still waiting for feedback from Cross River,”said the NSC boss.

On assumption of office, Mr.

C M Y K

Yakumut had assured that the Festival would still be held this year.

“The Joint Technical Committee of the NSC will meet to arrange for the meeting of major stakeholders, which will have the Directors of Sports and the rest in attendance.

“This meeting, which will also have the Main Organising Committee (MOC), will agree and advise on the next line of action as regards the Festival in time.”

“Time is no longer available to waste in view of the fact that preparations for the 2016 edition should have started by now”.

D

EFENDING champion Petra Kvitova suffered a shock early Wimbledon exit as former world number one Jelena Jankovic fought back to secure a third-round victory.

Jankovic, the 28th seed, beat the Czech world number two 3-6 7-5 6-4. It marked the first time since 2009 that two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova has failed to make at least the quarter-finals at the All England Club. Jankovic will face 2012 finalist Agnieszka Radwanska in the last 16.

•Jankovic

Williams beats Watson to last 16

Etta Egbe calls for revival of U-13 national team

By Jacob Ajom

Defending champion crashes

T

Football Coaches Association urged the NFF leadership to show more seriousness in the U-13 team, which he said was the bed-rock of Nigeria’s future in football.

“The foundation of our football lies in the grassroots.

As it stands now, there is no U-13 and the African championship comes up in Algeria in 2016,”Egbe said, lamenting, “how are we going to defend the title we won in Gaborone if we have not commenced preparations now?”

The former Rovers Football Club of Calabar safe hands observed that with schools going on long vacation soon, “it will be the best time to call players to camp and carry out the necessary selection of players that will form the team.”

WICE, Serena Williams stood merely two points from a loss at Wimbledon against a British opponent buoyed by a roaring, flag-waving Centre Court crowd.

And twice, pushed to the precipice, Williams regrouped, resisted and wound up winning, as she so often does.

Stomping her foot after misses, alternately screaming in delight or despair, even wagging her finger at fans who booed her, the

Mikel

Williams

continued from B/P

Siasia

Sodiq Popoola and Gabriel Abalo will join the team for the final phase of preparations for the crucial game.

He urged the players who failed to make the cut not to

be discouraged but to work harder to keep themselves among the pool of players that could be called up for future assignments as the team prepares for the return leg,

Brown continued from B/P 102 in the world, lost 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-3 against Serbia’s 22 seed Viktor Troicki, 29.

Spectators and media queued to secure a seat on a busy court three, keen to watch the dreadlocked 30year-old.

Brown entertained with some unorthodox shots, but could not match the superior quality of the former world

No. 1-seeded Williams overcame a surprisingly staunch challenge from 59th-ranked Heather Watson and emerged with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 victory in the third round Friday.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to win,” said Williams, who trailed 3-0 and 5-4 in the final set. “How I pulled through, I really don’t know.”

number 12.

“Obviously having the pleasure and being able to play on Centre Court and to play a match like that against Nadal, it doesn’t make a difference if I lost today or not.

“No-one will ever be able to take that away from me,” said Brown.

Brown has attracted plenty of attention since his victory against two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal on Thursday.

continued from B/P campaign, the 28 - year - old had his worst game time since moving to Stamford Bridge nine years ago, having clocked up 693 minutes in 18 English Premier League games.

Mikel’s camp is also believed to be in talks with United Arab Emirates side Al-Wahda. Roger Federer overcame the bigserving Sam Groth in four sets to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon. and the All-Africa Games in Congo. Meanwhile, the Team will leave Abuja for Port Harcourt on Monday.

The players selected players are: Goalkeepers: Daniel Emmanuel, Yusuf Mohammed, Emmason Daniel Defenders: Segun Oduduwa, Erhun Obanor, Iroha Ebuka, Amuzie Stanley, Chima Akas, Atanda Sadiq, Ikechukwu Okorie, Nnaemeka Uzoma Midfielders: Azubuike Okechukwu, Usman Mohammed, Tiongoli Tonbara, Godwin Savior, Emeka Kenneth, Etor Daniel, Olisah Ndah, Eteobong Elisha, Oladapo Augustin, Musa Yahaya Strikers: Taiwo Awoniyi, Peter Onyekachi, Junior Ajayi, Etebo Oghenekaro.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 5, 2015

Mikel demands N995m to join Qatari club IGERIA internaN tional John Obi Mikel might see his

Wimbledon:

Brown crushed D

USTIN Brown was unable to follow his sensational win against Rafael Nadal as his exciting Wimbledon

campaign ended in the third round.

The German, ranked Continues on page 63

proposed move to an unnamed Qatari club collapse due to his excessive wage demands.

The Chelsea player gave his word that he will join the Qatar Stars League team if they offer

him $5m (about N995m) per season but this has not been met yet.

Obi Mikel also gave assurances that he would be able to convince Chelsea to lower his asking price for him to move to Qatar.

In the 2014 - 2015 Continues on page 63

NFF sacks Keshi

By Jacob AJOM

T

HE Nigeria Football Feder ation last night terminated its contract with Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi.

Details of the sack were not made available to Sports Vanguard, but we can confirm that the sack may not be unconnected with Keshi’s application for a coaching job with the Ivory Coast national team.

The NFF had said the coach would be sacked if it was established that he actually applied for the job, a claim Keshi had consistently denied.

Both the NFF spokesman, Ademola Olajire and Keshi’s manager, Emmanuel Ado confirmed the development which took most Nigerians by surprise.

•Mikel

Siasia gives Monday deadline to U-23 players

N

ATIONAL Under23 coach, Samson Siasia has urged all the players he selected ahead of the African U23 Championship qualifier against Congo to report to camp on Monday or forget it.

Siasia had released the players to play for their clubs in this weekend’s

*SACKED: Keshi in a pensive mood.

National Sports Festival: Cross River keeps NSC waiting

By Ben Efe

C

ROSS River State government is yet to respond to a request for a meeting by the National Sports Commission to discuss th the 19 National Sports Festival, which has remained in limbo since politicking for the various elective posts in the country pushed it

over the cliff.

The Festival was billed for between November and December 2014, but it was put off till April 2015. However, after the dust settled on the political turf, there seems to be no sign from the hosts about their intentions.

The Director-General of Continues on page 63

DOWN 1.Sleeping vision (5) 2.Possessor (5) 3.Tax (4) 4.Depressing (9) 5.Argentinian dance (5) 6.Wash lightly (5) 11.Greek letter (3) 12.Distress call (1-1-1) 14.English boy’s name (5) 16.Obstacle (3) 17.Bovine animal (3) 18.Mindfulness (9) 19.Alarm (5) 21.Help (3) 23.Village house (3) 25.Gnome (3) 26.Vast age (3) 27.Condescend (5) 28.Youthful (5) 31.Circular (5) 32.Trades (5) 34.Old Russian King (4)

Continues on page 63

Aguda prays for upset against Akwa United in Uyo

R

•Yakmut

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.Nobel-winning Archbishop (7-4) 5.Sailor (3) 7.Consumed (5) 8.Domesticates (5) 9.Ovum (3) 10.Electricity counting gadgets (6) 13.Highlander (4) 15.Poem (3) 17.One that contests (9) 20.Nigerian tribe (5) 22.Cereal (5) 24.Demoted (9) 27.Pig’s pen (3) 29.No one (4) 30.Sulks (6) 33.Away (3) 35.Presses (5) 36.Till (5) 37. Swine (3) 38. “The Man Who Saw Tomorrow” (11)

league encounters. He stated that they needed to report back on time to train for the match billed for July 19 in Port Harcourt.

He added that four overseas-based professionals Imoh Ezekiel, Aminu Umar,

•Ayade

ANGERS teenage sensation Godwin Aguda has promised more goals after his goal against champions Kano Pillars.

The COD FC of Lagos ace said after he helped Rangers come from behind to beat Pillars that he was enjoying his debut season in the top flight.

“Today’ match was very tough Continues on page 63

•Ousmane

NPFL :TODAY’S MATCHES Dolphins FC Giwa FC Ifeanyi Uba Sharks FC Taraba FC Enyimba Aba Bayelsa United Lobi Stars Akwa United Kano Pillars

FIFA WWC See solution on page 4

Japan

v v v v v v v v v v

Wikki Tourists Heartland FC Shooting Stars Nasarawa United FC Kwara United Abia Warriors FC Warri Wolves Sunshine Stars Enugu Rangers El-Kanemi Warriors

v

USA

4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4 pm 4 pm 4 pm 4 pm 4 pm 4 pm

(12 midnight)

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