How air force pilot was captured, killed

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SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014 Page —3

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FUNERAL SERVICE FOR BENJ AMIN ADES ANY A MAJ A ADEKUNLE (BLA CK SCORPION) BENJAMIN ADESANY ANYA MAJA (BLACK A funeral service for the late Brigadier General Benjamin Adesanya Maja Adekunle (rtd), civil war hero otherwise known as Black Scorpion, was held on Friday at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos . PHOTOS: Kehinde Gbadamosi

From left: Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Lagos State governor; General Kenneth Minimah, Chief of the Army Staff; Air Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu, Chief of the Air Staff; and Rear Admiral Samuel Alade, Chief of the Naval Staff

From left: Mr J .A Akinwale, Mr S.D Aliyu and Chief Akin Aduwo

From left: Ms Olydia Oluwatosin Adekunle, Mr Mieinye and C.A.N Wilcox

Cross River Central 2015: Groups adopt Jonathan, endorse Ndoma-Egba

By Emem Akpan

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OLITICAL stakehold ers including youth groups in Cross River Central Senatorial District have adopted President Goodluck Jonathan and their local senator and Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, (SAN) for re-election in 2015.

The adoption was made at an enlightenment rally in Ikom, the senatorial headquarters, at the weekend, as 44 women, youths and professional groups upheld the adoption of Jonathan as the sole candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the presidential primaries. The groups also called for the adoption of Ndoma-Egba in the same manner having allegedly served them meritoriously in the Senate.

Moving the motion, a representative of the senatorial district in the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Prince Ayu Ojor, affirmed that it was only fit and proper to return Jonathan and Ndoma-Egba to their respective offices having acquitted themselves diligently in the outgoing term.

The petition was supported by a 12-point communiqué endorsed by 21 professionals including the immediate past senator for the district, Senator Matthew Mbu Jr., and Ikom Women in Politics.

Moving for the adoption of Jonathan and Ndoma-Egba, Ojor said: “The people of central senatorial district under my leadership in the Youth Parliament officially endorse President Goodluck Jonathan...we want him to continue in 2015.The next generation belongs to us.

Nobody can dictate to us be-

cause this is our time. It is our collective decision that this Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck should reach every youth...”

In the petition endorsed by the professionals and read out

by Mr. Demetrius Okim, they said: “At a recent meeting of professionals held at Ugep and after a critical analysis of his contributions in the Senate, having awarded more than 500 scholarships, sponsored over 200 pilgrims to Jerusalem/ Saudi Arabia, provided large volume of agricultural inputs, trained over 500 indigenes in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and even providing them with start-up capital, laptops for students, among many others, and that every member of the central senatorial district has been touched, and has shown total and unalloyed loy-

alty to the PDP, we endorse the Senate Leader to go for another term. We also thank the PDP NEC for rewarding loyalty.”

Director General of Ndoma-Egba Campaign Organisation, Hon. Ernest Irek, while thanking the groups for their endorsements, said: “President Goodluck Jonathan is a performer. If you have a good team, do you change that team? We want Ndoma-Egba back in the Senate so that he can continue with his numerous empowerment programmes...not somebody who would be building hotels all over Calabar and South Africa. I accept your endorsement on behalf of Senator Ndoma-Egba and also, thank you for starting the endorsement process that would soon move into other local governments”.

Delta 2015: Ofuani declares for gov

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HIEF Clement Tudonemem Ofuani has publicly declared his intention to run for the position of governorship of Delta State in 2015 under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party.

In a well attended declaration ceremony at Orchid Hotel, at the weekend, he made the declaration before party stakeholders as well as representatives of different sectors of the state.

“After due contemplation and extensive consultation with my family, friends, associates and political leaders, I came to a decision that I should present myself as candidate for the office of governor of Delta State in 2015, under our party- the Peoples Democratic Party.”

A cross section of the children of the deceased general

Ofuani, the pioneer Commissioner for Economic Planning in Delta, said that in his travels through the state, he foundthatthatdespitetheethnic and cultural peculiarities, the desires and aspirations of Deltans are generally the same.

“Our people want to live in a decent society where everyone will be treated fairly and with dignity,” the aspirant said.

He urged Deltans and party members to be ready to play their part towards seeing the society of their dreams, saying that “if we cannot change Nigeriaovernight,wecanbegin by transforming constituent parts now and soon enough, the Nigeria of our dreams will emerge in all her glory to take her pride of place in the comity of nations”.

The Army Band performing at the occasion

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014 — PAGE 5

Confusion trails alleged beheading of air force pilot by Boko Haram Continued from page 1 was the pilot.

A group which identified as Nigerian Army Support Group, however, confirmed the death of the pilot – a wing commander in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) – who was named as Chimda Hedima.

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, had claimed in the footage obtained by AP on Thursday that militants shot down the Alpha jet and showed wreckage of an aircraft which included the Nigerian Air Force’s green and white roundel.

A man, wearing a camouflage print T-shirt and with a heavily bandaged hand in a sling, was seen later kneeling in front of an unmasked Boko Haram fighter in combat fatigues and saying in English that he was one of the pilots.

He appears to give his name, rank and date of birth but the video is inaudible. He is killed after he finishes speaking.

Asked directly about whether the man was an air force pilot, as claimed, spokesman Air Commodore Dele Alonge told AP: “The man shown in the Boko Haram video is not our officer.

“The picture of a man beheaded in the video is superimposed,” he said without elaborating. “Our plane is still missing and we are looking for it. Boko Haram is just making unfounded claims.”

AP asked the same question to defence spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade, who announced last week that Shekau was dead.

“No level or amount of barbaric display of bestial atrocities will distract the Nigerian military from sustaining the tempo of ongoing operations to decimate, degrade and bring the remnants of the terrorists already in disarray to due justice. The campaign against terror is still recording the expected result in the front. Nigerians should not despair,” Olukolade said in a text message that was repeated on his Twitter account. He insisted that the military believed that the jet crashed due to bad weather condition.

Nigeria’s military has been under pressure to reverse Boko Haram territorial gains in three northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in recent months, with reports that soldiers have fled militant attacks and complaints about

a lack of adequate weapons.

According to one security analyst who tracks the conflict, the Alpha jet sent a signal that it had been hit and the two pilots’ families met air force officers in the days that followed and were told it had crashed.

The jet came down in the heart of rebel-held territory, making search and rescue impossible, he added.

In the video, Shekau is seen on the back of a pick-up truck firing a powerful anti-aircraft gun and boasting about other aircraft Boko Haram has shot down.

Group identifies pilot, tells his story Meanwhile, a group identified as the Nigerian Army Support Group, yesterday, declared the death of the air force pilot who it named as Wing Commander Chimda Hedima.

In a post on Facebook, the support group described the pilot as “a true Nigerian hero”, noting, “It is with deep regret that we announce the death of a true Nigerian hero, Wing Commander Chimda Hedima (1975-2014)”.

Continuing, the group said, “This is his story. Read it,

share it. This man was a hero, of the highest order.

“On 11/09/14, a company of NA soldiers attempted to overrun a BH position in Borno.

Due to the low altitude, the plane suffered significant damage from the terrorists’ gunfire. Wing Commander Hedima and his partner realised that they were going to crash.

“They, instead of hurriedly parachuting to safety within Nigerian controlled territory, chose to embark on a mission to destroy as many terrorists and their weapons as possible”.

“They parachuted out at the last minute but not before ensuring their plane slammed into a column of terrorists; 63 Boko Haram members were killed as a result of their brav-

ery.

“Wing Commander Hedima was captured. On 12/09/ 14, he was killed.

“He chose Nigeria, he chose all of us. We cannot forget him. Please share his story. His name should be known by everyone.

“Rest in peace Commander, we are grateful. May you find eternal peace; Thank you for your service.”

•From left: The governor of Niger State, Dr Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu; the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Faruk Bahago; and a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, exchanging pleasantries after the Eid El-Kabir prayers held at the Central Mosque, Minna, yesterday.

Atiku, Dangote, Fashola, Fayemi send Eid-El-Kabir goodwill messages

By Our Reporters

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oodwill messages continued to pour in yesterday in celebration of the spirit and letters of the Muslim festival, Eidel-kabir.

Former Vice President and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday said that strict adherence to the

procedure of due diligence before entering into contractual agreements is an imperative for the evolution of a progressive.

Billionaire businessman and richest man in Africa, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, governors of Lagos and Ekiti States, Babatunde Raji Fashola and Dr. Kayode Fayemi, respectively, also admonished Muslims and Nigerians, generally, to imbibe the spirit of the intended message of the festival

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

THE SECRET —4

By Richard Eromonsele

K (for Knock) is the last letter of the acronym Ask. I guess our answer to the question: Can you knock, will be yes, I can knock. Yes almost everybody can knock, but in terms of quality and quantity can you knock? Can you knock enough for the door to be opened for you? Assuming you are a guest and your host lives upstairs, in order for him to open for you, don’t you think you need to knock hard enough? The problem with us is that we do not knock hard enough.

Life is hard nut. The one who wins is the one who shows sufficient hunger and anger for what he desires. For everyone that knocks enough, the door is opened. So, knock, knock and knock until the door is opened for you. You will succeed.

ATIKU – Imbibe spirit of Eid-elkabir The APC presidential hopeful in his goodwill message said the significance of the festival is a celebration of trust between man and God, rooted in the fulfilment of promises.

The statement issued by his media office in Abuja on Friday quoted Atiku Abubakar as saying that trust is the foundation of the relationship between man and God and the two principal religions in Nigeria – Islam and Christianity – place premium on the need for people to fulfil the terms of agreements. “ I rejoice with fellow Muslims across the country to celebrate the Eid-el-kabir festival. The significance of the celebration today is not in the blood or the flesh of the rams that are slaughtered,” the APC chieftain said adding “the message is for people to be honour-bound to respect the terms of the promises made to other entities.”

DANGOTE – Pray for the nation Dangote, in a statement in Lagos, said his belief in the country remained unshaken because there is no challenge that can defy God, pointing out that all Nigerians need is to continue to pray to God and cooperate with the government to jointly solve the nation’s problem.While wishing all Muslim Ummahs a spiritually rewarding festival, he described the present situation in Nigeria as a passing phase and told Nigerians not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by despair but put on courage and determination He stated that the Eid-el-kabir, which is a feast of sacrifice, should be used by the Muslims to sacrifice for the progress of the nation and to rededicate themselves to the service of God and humanity.

While noting that both Islam

and Christianity preach peace, love for one another, honesty, Dangote said “it is high time Nigerians rededicate themselves and maintain the virtues, without which the country would continue to wander hopelessly.”

According to him, Allah brought victory and joy to Prophet Ibrahim and his son, Ishmael, after the duo demonstrated uncommon sense of sacrifice towards fulfilling the will of the Almighty.

FASHOLA AND FAYEMI The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, said witnessing another Eid –el- Kabir amidst the socio-political challenges confronting the country is a special privilege from the Almighty Allah.

Fayemi said the festival offers another opportunity for sober reflection, soul searching and spiritual renewal which Allah demands from the faithful.

The Governor noted that the lesson of sacrifice which Eid-elKabir teaches should not be lost to the pomp and pageantry that accompany the festival.

FASHOLA Fashola who spoke to newsmen after observing his Eid-el-Kabir prayers at Lagos Central Mosque, Lagos Island Local Government, said that to rescue Nigeria from the numerous challenges especially insecurity that have continued to threaten the country’s democracy, is incumbent on everyone to achieve.

The governor said, “Whatever we want for ourselves; lies in our hands to achieve. I am sure that all will be well and it must be well only because we want it to be well. If it is well within us, it will be well around us and in our nation.”

Forum to provide platform for investors in the North

By Akoma Chinweoke

I

n what appears to be a mobilization for fresh and sustained investment, Northern Nigeria Investment Forum, NNIF, is billed to change the narrative of a crises- proned region, to that of one with potentials for massive foreign direct investment, FDI...

According to the group, the principal vision of NNIF is to rebrand the northern states of Nigeria from the gloomy image that has plagued the region so far and replacing it with a global recognisable image impacting on the lives of all citizens.

The CEO of NNIF, Hajia Fauziyat Usman, noted that the need to concentrate on “developmental issues rather than political issues” for a long time has

been echoed in all corners of the country and internationally, stressing that using the ‘blame game’ analogy by previous political governments has not helped but rather left the northern region in a ‘Time Capsule’ without any direct activities to tackle societal issues.

“The Northern Nigeria Investment Forum, NNIF, is an entity with the aim of bringing investment to all individual states that makes up the northern region of Nigeria”, she said.

“NNIF has determined that for long the balance of growth and development has not been evenly distributed and achieved in comparism to other regions and we seek to address these issues by means of investment that would revive the fortunes of the north.”According to her, the framework upon which the initiative for NNIFstands is

propelled by statements from institutional investors which include the World Bank, Africa Development Bank (AFDB) as well as private local and international Investors that identified growth in agriculture and construction of critical infrastructure such as electricity, road, rail networks, education and health care delivery as the best options available to the region to restore its economy and create employment.

“We strive to seek developments in sectors such as transportation, education, tourism, health, employment, technology and housing”, Usman stated. To achieve these visions, she said, the NNIF would be seeking investments from private and public sectors.

She added that already a number of local, international and

institutional Investors have signified interest in helping to solve the region’s problems through massive investments that would lead to economic resurgence and rebranding the region’s current global image.

“Investors which include General Electric, B r a m b l e s , USAID,Milhouse Engineering, Manchester Trade, World Bank, Blumberg Grains and African World Expo, APR Energy,Symbion Power, Motorola Solutions, Learning Center, Procter and Gamble, Templar as well as Essex Renewable Energy have signified areas of interest which include investments in agriculture,exotic livestock farming, energy, education, health care, infrastructure, housing, solid minerals and hydrocarbons”, she explained.

PAGE 6 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

Egbema Assembly passes vote of confidence called on Jonathan, on Jonathan, Uduaghan, Diden Uduaghan and Deden to

BY SIMON ADEWALE

A

n Ijaw sociopolitical group, under the aegis of Egbema Progressives Assembly, has passed a vote of confidence on President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Commissioner representing Itsekiri nation in the board of Delta State Oil Producing Area D e v e l o p m e n t C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC, Mr Michael Diden.

In a release in Sapele, Delta State, signed by its leader, a banker and administrator as well as former Warri North Vice-

Chairman, Mr Dio Tanga, and the secretary, Mr Christmas Ukugba, the group says its decision was based on the track record of the trio,

despite the fact that their administrations witnessed one of the worst security challenges in the history of the country.” It therefore

re-contest for the Presidency, Delta South senatorial seat and the membership of Warri North Constituency in the DSHA at the 2015 general election.

AUU supports internally displaced persons Faculty, staff and students of the American University of Nigeria distributed emergency relief aid to internally displaced persons at the St. Teresa’s Catholic Church, Jimeta, at the weekend. Also determined that the educational progress of children and young adults in the IDP camps is not disrupted, the AUN Academy, a leading provider of secondary school education in northeast Nigeria, donated exercise books and other learning materials to the IDPs camp housing over

2,000 families at the NYSC camp in Yola.

President Margee Ensign, who led the AUN team announced that the university, was mobilizing 40 volunteers from among its faculty and schools to teach, counsel and offer ICT training in the IDP camps.

She was joined by members of the Adamawa Peacemakers Initiative (API), a group of local community and religious leaders. The Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese, Bishop Stephen Mamza, received the items which

include rice, maize, cooking oil, and clothing to cater for the additional 2,000 families which registered with the Church’s charity in the last few days. At the NYSC camp, the AUN/API team rendered expertize in improving the sanitary condition by helping to construct 25 latrines – 15 for women and 10 for men. The Executive Secretary to ADSEMA, Mr. Haruna Hamma-Furo, praised the AUN-API gesture. “This great moment is one of the best things you can give to somebody”.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 7

Synagogue building collapse: ‘We want to stop TB Joshua in South Africa’

By Abiodun Alade

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HE Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, has shared a video on the verified facebook account of T B Joshua ministries, which purportedly indicated that ‘Satan’ and its agents are bent on stopping Prophet T.B Joshua from visiting and delivering South Africa from the grip of the devil.

Some worshippers are alleging that it might not be unrelated with the collapsed of the church’s guesthouse in Lagos, claiming the lives of almost 115 people, mainly South Africans.

In the 37 minutes, 19 seconds video available on the Youtube Channel of the church, Emmanuel TV, a South African Lawrence Moala, who claimed to be Lakozi (the lord of darkness) in the occult world, alleged that he was initiated into the satanic fold at the age of 11

by Lucifer at a mountain in South Africa.

He claimed that he and others in the group were assigned to destroy the churches in South Africa. He narrated how they deceived many church leaders through financial gains and other means. He alleged that with such help, they gained access to various departments in the church, especially the holy communion, were they were able to ‘mixed their blood with the red juice and red wine’ which the churches offered to their members thus initiating them into their kingdom. He also attested that they mixed their semen with the ‘holy water’ been

THE JOURNALIST WHO FLOORED ‘CONTROVERSIAL’ MBU

A

HEAD of the 2015 general elections in the country, a group, New Dawn Nigeria, NDN, has promised to deliver the highest number of votes for President Goodluck Jonathan in the South-west. The founder of the group High Chief Tom Ateke stated this in Akure during the inauguration of the South-west chapter of the group.

Ateke said the group decided to work for the emergence of Jonathan after considering his transformation agenda.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Hon. Belief

A

DAMAWA citizens in Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Lagos States, recently in Lagos, organised a reception in honour of Adamawa State acting governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Fintiri and used the occasion to endorse him as their sole candidate for the gubernatorial bye-election in the state scheduled for October 11, this year. Fintiri is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election. The group, under the aegis of the Association of Adamawa State Citizens in

Nigeria at 54: My govt has delivered — Jonathan

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on the occasion of the country’s 54 independent anniversary, gave his administration a pass mark for delivering indicators for good governance. In a national broadcast to mark the event, Jonathan called on members of Boko Haram sect to lay down their arms and embrace peace. He said any one with genuine grievance will be heard. He also assured Nigerians of safety.

The President’s award of pass mark to his administration came on the day the Ibrahim Foundation released the 2014 Ibrahim Index th of Africa Governance, IIAG, which ranked Nigeria 37 out of 52 in the overall governance scale, rating the nation 45.8 percent lower than the African average 51.5 percent.

The President reassured Nigerians that his administration remains committed in the ‘’ task of building a better and greater country ‘’ while noting that his administration had made remarkable progress in bequeathing a better Nigeria to generations yet unborn. The President regretted that the accomplishment did not call for celebration yet because Nigeria was still in a sober moment.

S

•African Independent Television (AIT) Senior Correspondent and Presenter, Mr. Ameachi Anakwe (left), and his lawyer, Nwoke Kalu, shortly after he was discharged of charges against him by Assistant Inspector General Mr. Joseph Mbu, for referring to him as a ‘controversial person’ at a Magistrate’s Court in Abuja ,on Friday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan shared to church members as a way of destroying the church and its members.

However, in 1996, he claimed that he was specifically assigned to destroy T. B Joshua. Narrating how he met Lucifier who gave him a special mission to ‘destroy the angel of God that is in this world in human body. I asked who that angel was.

They said the angel of God’s mission was to raise the dead churches and the dead leaders who we have destroyed through our mission... The angel behind T.B. Joshua

Tamunokun, Ateke, while delivering a lecture, titled, “Good Governance For Equity and Justice in Nigeria,” during the inauguration said Jonathan had shown his commitment to the development of the country.

He described Jonathan as humane, trusted, God-

himself, they told us that was the angel we must destroy through the power of the demon through lies that he was part of Satanism and that he was not sent by God”.

He claimed they used the power of demons to destroy the churches in South Africa to manipulate them to speak bad about T.B Joshua.

He noted that he has been on the mission to destroy the ministry of T.B. Joshua since 1996 with many failed attempts until he was arrested by the spirit of God during the Deliverance service.

fearing, reliable and detribalized.

He said the group was planning to a mega rally in the South-west which will hold in Akure, Ondo State capital.

He said that the rally will be used a avenue to sensitize the public about the concept behind NDN.

Moala claimed, during the deliverance, that the kingdom of darkness was afraid that the coming of Joshua to South Africa will liberate most of the churches and pastors under their bondage.

“Prophet T.B Joshua- we were told that he is the last prophet of the last days. He is the right, appointed and anointed prophet to raise the churches and leaders.

We were afraid that he was coming to South Africa to raise the churches that were already under our kingdom.

We were afraid that he was going to raise the pastors that were already under our kingdom knowingly and some unknowingly. We were afraid that he was coming to bring back that first power of light, that first power they had in them, so we wanted them to be destroyed and be under our kingdom forever, that was why we spread rumours and lies about him,” he said.

Although the date of the deliverance service conducted by Wiseman Daniel was not stated, there was indication that it was a Sunday Service.

Aginighan to Uduaghan: Complete projects before leaving office

By Olayinka Ajayi

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former Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development

Adamawa citizens honour Fintiri, Dangote in Lagos

By Tony Nwankwo

By Yemisi Oseni and Emem Akpan

US sends medical expert to study how Nigeria tamed Ebola

2015: ‘Jonathan’s highest votes will come from S-west’

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

LAST WEEK IN BRIEF

South-West Nigeria, praised Fintiri for his progressive and development oriented programmes inspite of the security challenges in Northeast Nigeria. The acting governor who was represented at the event by the State Liaison Officer, Adamawa State Government. Liaison Office, Lagos, Napowa Joshua Tolo, said he had come to consult with his people in the zone and to seek their support and prayers for the forthcoming elections in the state. “We would like to work with you for the development of our state”, he told the gathering.

Commission,NDDC, Pastor Power Ziakede Aginighan, has commended Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for the landmark achievements of his administration even as he appealed for the completion of all projects particularly in the Ijaw territory area in the state. “It is disheartening that the entire Ijaw territory of Delta State does not deserve any participation in this bonanza of projects. I could hardly resist the tears from my eyes when I read the 2013 Democracy Day special edition of Tell Magazine in which your administration’s achievements were well showcased with nothing to show in the Ijaw territory. So far, there is no single project worth N500m commenced, completed and commissioned by you in any part of the Ijaw territory”, Aginighan said in a letter to

the governor.

He noted that Bomadi Bridge was the only legacy project of the last administration in the state for the entire Ijaw territory even as the Ijaw are eternally grateful to the government. ‘’I am delighted that you have on your scorecard the following mega projects being either completed or ongoing in different parts of the state: Asaba International Airport, upgrading of Osubi Airport to international standards, Ogidigben Free Trade Zone, Warri Industrial Business Park, Delta Leisure and Destination Park”, the former NDDC boss said.

“However, if you can muster the courage to right this monumental injustice done to the Ijaw in Delta State before you hand over on the 29th May 2015, you will still be immortalised in the history of the Ijaw people.”

TUNNED by the entrance of the Ebola Virus Disease,EVD into the US, the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention has dispatched its personnel to study how Nigeria contained the killer-disease. The US reported it had discovered a case of EVD in Dallas and Texas but officials said the crisis was under control and the public had nothing to fear.

A statement released by U.S CDC Director Tom Frieden said, ‘’Its clear the nation needs a quick response to its first Ebola patient”. He said that through Nigeria’s extensive response to a single Ebola case showed that control was possible with rapid, focused interventions, that apart from Nigeria, USA would also visit Senegal for it’s model”. The deadly disease was last heard in Senegal in September 18 and in Nigeria since August31. U.S health experts are expected in Nigeria which it claimed had the best practice in combating Ebola which entered the country through a Librarian.

2015: Presidential race still open — Presidency

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HE Presidency clarified that the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has not closed the contest for the 2015 election by other political parties. It explained that the consensus arrangement by the People Democratic Party (PDP), which led to the adoption of President Jonathan for the 2015 presidential election, was meant to strengthen the nation’s democracy, contrary to the impressions being created by the opposition in the media.

Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Professor Ahmed Rufaí Alkali, stated this in Abuja. He said the President had rather been disposed to having a keen contest with candidates presented by other political parties in the opposition whenever he decided to contest. Alkali, while reacting to the criticism which have been trailing the president’s adoption by PDP, disclosed that the contest was open to other candidates from other parties, saying Jonathan was only representing PDP.

Court sentences three Boko Haram members to 25 years imprisonment

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FTER a prolonged trial conducted privately, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced three alleged Boko Haram members to 25 years imprisonment each for acts of terrorism. The three convicts were among 17 accused persons charged before the court on November 27, 2013. Buba, however, delivered judgment in camera, as journalists and other lawyers were ordered to vacate the courtroom, leaving the prosecutor and defence counsel.

The judge had earlier sought views of lawyers in court, if it was within the law to deliver judgment in the open court.

The Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Idowu Alakya, responded that since the trial was conducted in camera for security reasons, judgment should also be delivered in the same manner. The court had found the first three accused guilty of the offence as charged, and had accordingly sentenced them to 25 years imprisonment. The fourth accused, who was charged with allegedly sponsoring the sect, was, however, discharged and acquitted on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish his guilt.

Buhari declares for 2015 presidential race

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ORMER head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari, has declared his intention to run for 2015 presidential race on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

He has also vowed to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in 2015, to give Nigerians the change they desired.

He, however, disclosed that he was pushing for a consensus candidacy and will be ready to work with anyone that emerges eventually as the party flag-bearer. He said: “With your support I intend to offer myself for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of our great party.

I intend to make formal announcement soon and I hope I can count on your support and sacrifice”.

PAGE 8 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

SALLAH TRAGEDY: Eight killed in Akure-Owo road crash A

T

•The wreckage of the Sienna bus at the crash scene, yesterday.

pital after they were rescued.

Three other victims including passengers of the truck who were injured were last night, receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre(FMC),

Owo. Timely arrival of officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) and policemen at the scene of the crash saved the situation as those still alive were rescued.

BENUE ATTACK: 2 teenage girls slaughtered, another escapes

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

T

WO teenage girls have been reportedly slaughtered and the third inflicted life threatening injuries by a group of armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, at Zongo village, in Guma local government area of Benue State.

The latest killing, which is generating tension in Makurdi, the state capital, came few months after the resolution of the bloody conflict between Benue farmers and Fulani herders which claimed hundreds of lives and property across five local government areas of Benue.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the three girls, yesterday, left their homes in the North Bank area of Makurdi in search of firewood in the bush when the group of armed men allegedly attacked them.

They were said to have struck the girls, killing two on the spot while the third later escaped after the attackers mistook her for dead.

“The third girl, Jergba, who luckily escaped with her life, ran back to the village in a pool of blood and was instantly rushed to a public hospital in Makurdi where she is currently receiving treatment after which the Police was alerted”, a source said.

When contacted, the Benue State Police spokesman, Superintendent, SP, Daniel Ezeala, confirmed the attack stressing that the leader of the gang, one Adul Ibrahim, had been arrested.

Ezeala said the bodies of

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First Bank’s First Pay

BY DAYO JOHNSON, Akure T least eight per sons travelling for the Eid- El- Kabir celebration lost their lives in an auto crash along Akure/ Owo expressway, in Ondo State.

Three others sustained various degrees of injuries in the crash which occurred on Friday evening.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the deceased were travelling in a Toyota Sienna vehicle marked Anambra ABN 214, which was heading to Abuja.

It was learnt that the vehicle, after overtaking dangerously, had a head -on collision with a truck marked Lagos LND 426 XC coming from the opposite direction An eye witness said six of the nine passengers in the Sienna died on the spot.

Two others reportedly died on their way to hos-

Financial Products

the slain girls had been deposited at the North Bank General Hospital, while investigations into the matter were ongoing.

He assured that all those behind the dastardly act would be arrested by the

police and made to face prosecution.

The PPRO pleaded with members of the public to desist from taking the law into their hands assuring that the police would not rest until justice was done in the matter.

The Sienna was said to have been forcefully removed from under the truck by the FRSC officials and policemen.

They had to use cutlasses and other instruments to cut open the bus before the victims were removed.

The spokesman for Ondo State Police Command, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the crash.

Ogodo said that the accident occurred on Friday adding, that the three survivors were responding to treatment The police spokesman said that the driver of the truck escaped from the scene immediately the crash occurred.

•R-l: Rt Hon: Frank Enekhorogha, a former Speaker, DTHA and now member, House of Reps Rt Hon (Engr) Victor Ochei,immediate past Speaker, DTHA; Olorogun(Hon) George Oyefia, General Coordinator' Team, Ochei 2015, at Rt Hon Enekorogha's residence in Warri, during a meeting, yesterday.

Pastor operates shrine behind church •Police nabs him for allegedly killing teenager

By Emma Amaize

A

man, who claimed to be a pastor in Ozoro, Delta State, but allegedly runs a shrine in his house, has been arrested by the police after he was said to have killed a boy identified as Evi Samson, brought to him for prayer.

He was nabbed by the police following a report by the father of the victim, Mr. Samson Uwhemw, of Erovie quarters, Ozoro,

who claimed to have taken Evi to the pastor after his son developed swollen head and eyes in the night and died after drinking a black concoction prepared by the pastor.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the incident, yesterday, said the pastor is also a Registrar in a magistrate court in the state.

She said, “on receipt of the report, detectives

swung into action and arrested the said pastor.

The suspect claimed that what he gave the deceased was a bottle of coke.

“Items recovered on searching his house include some charms from his shrine behind the church.

“Meanwhile, the corpse of the deceased has been deposited in an hospital for autopsy while discreet investigation in the matter has commenced.”

he Nigerian banking industr y, on hindsight, boasts of a number of financial solutions targeted at individuals and corporate organizations. While some of these products are very innovative, functional and beneficial, others are merely arm-chair concepts that lack a veritable reflection of market realities and fall short of customers expectations in terms of value deliverables, on the long run.

The introduction of First Pay as a financial solution from the stable of First Bank is an attempt by the bank to provide a worthwhile experience for its customers and non-customers alike as the nation aggressively pursues its “cash-lite” economic policy.

First Pay is a web-based financial product that offers FirstBank’s customers access to receive or effect payments directly from the comforts of their offices or homes any time of the day (24/7). The product touted to be a secure and an efficient e-payment platform, provides seamless online and real time possibilities for corporate organizations and individuals.

However, for organizations with broad-based Internet challenges, the system is designed in such a way to accommodate such organizations so that they could also benefit from the unique offerings of First Pay. This financial product is very ideal for organizations that receive or make large/bulk payments in form of staff salaries or payments to contractors/ suppliers. In addition, First Pay offers quoted companies a unique platform to handle their payments for e-dividend, pensions, and any other form of bulk payments irrespective of which bank the accounts are domiciled. For instance, as an e-payment solution to fast track salary payment for staff, all an organization needs to do is simply log into the First Pay platform, initiate an instruction by uploading the instruction in an approved file format.

Following the upload, the transaction authorizer is notified by e-mail and/or SMS of the forwarded payment authorization code which enables the authorizer to approve payments, with corresponding debit and credit entries passed automatically.

Once this is done, members of staff could make instant withdrawal without having to wait a day or more for posting to be done before such withdrawals are made.

One of the highpoints of this product is that it completely eliminates the burden of issuing multiple cheques to third parties hence it also by-passes the delays associated with the clearing house. It is worth mentioning that this newfound freedom does not necessarily give room for sloppiness in the system.

The entire process runs in a very secure environment

with foolproof control and authentication of all transactions. Much more, each corporate organization is given the opportunity to have multiple levels of approval system such that no single individual could manipulate the process since the system will require all authorizing officers to give their approvals, no matter their geographical locations as no single individual can initiate and complete a transaction.

First Pay is said to be very convenient, time-saving, economical and very innovative. The platform is available to setup clients through a browser and does not require any special infrastructure or additional investment on the part of the client other than an Internet connection; and customers are charged very small amounts on transactions. Broadly speaking, any corporate organization that has deployed the First Pay platform can have access to a number of financial solutions and these include, a full view consolidated account balances across banks from the comfort of their office; i.e. customers could see their accounts balances in other banks through the First Pay platform. They can also issue and upload e-Cheques for vendors and suppliers and the values are credited automatically and where such transactions are not effected for whatever reason, the customer gets instant feedback on such unsuccessful payments. This platform also allows for smooth operation of standing orders, e-salaries and could also be used for corporate collections.

This financial product ensures that payment details such as incoming or outgoing payments are properly captured and payment schedules are also clearly presented, thus aiding bank reconciliation processes and audit inquiries.

The benefits of the First Pay financial platform include that it puts in the hand of corporate organizations the ease of initiating and concluding all its payments without having to rely on its branch (FirstBank) to handle the processes. This is indeed a value offering as these organizations could treat their transactions with the urgency they require. This new-found freedom induces efficient and timely payment process to beneficiaries at very critical times.

Being Internet driven, approval of payments can be done from anywhere in the world regardless of the location of the authorizers. Configured to offer convenience and being very easy to use, First Pay is like a one-stop shop financial solution/ product for any organization worth its salt.

For a bank that has existed for well over a century, FirstBank has little or nothing to prove in Nigeria’s banking space, but interestingly, the bank has kept pace with stark realities and challenges as they arise in the financial sector, today.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014 Page

—9

All letters bearing writers' names and full addresses should be typed and forwarded to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, Kirikiri Canal, P. M. B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E-mail: sunvanguardmail@yahoo.com

Ogbomro community Vs FUPRE: Need for peaceful co-existence Dear Sir,

T

HE Ogbomro community may genuine grievances with the Universityin its dormain which should be addressed in a civilized manner.

The allegation that the community is antagonistic to the Federal University of Petroleum, Effurum, Delta State, which it hosts, to say the least, is sad.

Even if they have genuine reasons to

be annoyed with the University, it is counter-productive to visit their annoyance on the students and staff of the University. In fact, there are better and matured ways of putting their grievances to the government and larger society who may intervene in one way or the other. We have the Petroleum Training Institute in Effurun and this kind of hostility has never been visit-

ed on the students and staff of the institute despite the fact that they still suffer one form of marginalization or the other. A vendetta that can lead to the death of a student who had four months to complete his programme is mean, uncalled for and those responsible must be brought to book.

We wish to remind the Ogbomro community that the University did not

Understanding Clark’s comment on imposition of candidates Dear Sir,

R

ecently, the media has been awash with a comment credited to the el der statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark to the effect that the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) will no longer tolerate imposition of candidates and that primaries to all elective offices, including that of the governor, will be conducted in a transparent manner that will satisfy all and ultimately, reduce rancour in the polity. The octogenarian was reported to have given this assurance to each of the gubernatorial aspirants in Delta State who so far have visited him in Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government Area to unfold their programmes and seek his fatherly advice.

In the opinion of many, had such statement emanated from less a personality than Chief Clark, it may not warrant a second thought. But coming from someone renowned for his staunch opposition against the imposition of candidates in the past, comments such as this is telling and shouldn’t be glossed over by all who are genuinely concerned about the credibility and sustenance of our hard- earned democracy.

At 87, Chief Clark may have seen it all.

His lucid account of political events laced with dates and names of principal characters from the 60s to the present times left everyone jaw-dropped when a leading governorship hopeful, Senator Ifeanyi

Okowa, accompanied by party chieftains of the PDP paid him a visit recently.

Bashing in the euphoria of the PDP victory in Ekiti State where several stakeholders had attributed the success of the party to a transparent governorship primaries as a bedrock which culminated in the fielding of Ayo Fayose , a more popular and a grassroots politician, Chief Clark said the party will continue to leverage on transparency in the conduct of primaries to forestall what he described as "short-changing the people of Delta State through imposition of candidates’’.

He admitted that these are some of the anomalies that need to be corrected by people like him and other persons who mean well for the growth of the nation’s democracy Interestingly, just as Chief Clark was speaking, the Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, appears to issue a statement that exposes the evil in imposition of candidates. In Dutse, the State capital, Governor Lamido told a horde of journalists that governors who plant their surrogates as successors often get disappointed at the end because they often fail to get the needed protection after leaving office.

Several examples abound.

Quite instructively, Governor Lamido who is not new to public office having served as Foreign Affairs Minister and has been in the public glare since the annulment of June 12 sure knows the futility in installing a successor .

Regrettably, therefore, if after 16 years of democracy there are still tell-tale signs of a plot to impose a successor, it then means that the respected elder statesman’s disclosure that he has taken it upon himself to ensure that nobody is imposed on the people of Delta State as governor, smacks of rare courage and sincerity unheralded.

To douse suspicion of a gang –up against the people of Delta State through an alleged plot to impose a governor , there is the need for the party to ensure that no candidate is unduly ‘’ favoured’’ which may cast doubt on President Jonathan’s desire for transparent primaries .

Also, the yet to be proven tales that have enveloped the political space in Delta State that there are moves to subvert the electoral process through inducement of key individuals here and elsewhere in favour of a particular candidate need to be thoroughly examined by lovers of democracy. This is imperative because the maladministration which imposition of candidates bequeath to any society is unquantifiable.

Like responsible citizens everywhere, Deltans need good leaders.

Therefore, the clamour to tackle imposition of candidates should not be left to Chief Edwin Clark or the political class alone.

Amaechi Udemba, a public affairs analysts is based in Asaba.

just fly to the community to be established. The University is a product of the Urhobo unity during the era of late Chief Benjamin Okumagba, the administration of Chief James Ibori, with the support of Professor Okpako, Late Senator Fred Brume and some unionists like Barr. Ben Etanebene, some of us in the media and many others.

These people and others insisted that the University must come with the Petroleum Training Institute still remaining in Effurun. They germinated the fruit that led to the eventual establishment of the University.

Before the period of the present administration headed by an Urhobo, University of Port Harcourt don, other ethnic nationalities had headed the University. The reaction of the Urhobo people of Ogbomro was not violet. The question is why is it that when an Urhobo man is at the helm of affairs of a government parastatal in Urhobo land that we witness some Urhobo indigenes come out more forcefully to confront such administration.

We are not postulating that institutions in communities should not be integrated in the university ’s programmes but resorting to violence leading to death would not be accepted as it is primitive and backward.

We are calling on the Urhobo traditional, political, and youth leaders to prevail on the Ogbomro community to desist hence forth from their resorting to violence to pass their grievances to the authorities.

Sam Temienor wrote in from Jesse Town, Delta State.

PAGE 10 —SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

The Federal Republic of Dust and Ashes --1

D

YING is a serious business; as much as living – believe me. With it, the Grim Reaper, death, takes us all into the Federal Republic of Dust and Ashes. Incidentally, that republic is the most democratic in creation.

Into it are accepted young and old, rich and poor, male and female, kings and subjects, presidents and paupers, despots and captives, villains and victims.

Death conveys us to the Republic in singles or wholesale (a plane crash, a church building collapsing, Ebola, wars and pestilence). There, Hitler retired with the six million Jews he murdered; Stalin sent over twenty million Soviet citizens and soon

FRK-An awesome and formidable Nigerian "Every generation must recognize and embrace the task it is peculiarly designed by history and by providence to perform."-Chinua Achebe

O

CTOBER 1, marks 54th independence from colonial rule in 1960.

Every year, for some time now I have not celebrated Independence Day, as I feel there is so little to celebrate.

Some Nigerians are in denial that there is every reason to celebrate nonetheless and then they go on to offer reasons such as "it's my country" or "things are changing".

In a country of over 170 million people and a fifth of all Africans being Nigerians; it is home to 300 ethnic and cultural groups, we are truly people blessed with land so green, lush and teeming with natural resources. There is nothing wrong with Nigeria but Nigerians!

Anyway, I have come to praise a true great and patriotic Nigerian. It is that spirit of selflessness and patriotism that I celebrate this giant of Nigeria.

Funmilayo Ransome Kuti (FRK), was born Francis Abigail Olufunmilayo Thomas on October 25, 1900 in Abeokuta.

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a Nigerian feminist who fought for suffrage and equal rights for her country women long before it became fashionable.

Known as the Lioness of Lisabi or Mother Africa, she was instrumental in the struggle for Nigeria's Independence. She was a woman on a mission; defending the rights of women and she led by example. She was not afraid to use her voice and woe betides anyone who stood on her way. She was a juggernaut!

FRK was fortunate to have parents who believed in the value of education and she excelled in schools both in Abeokuta and in England. On return from her studies in England she taught and in 1925 she married the Reverend Israel Oludotun RansomeKuti, the founder of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and Nigerian Union of Students (NUS), a

AD 1123, once said that three things never say “enough”, the earth and rain water, the stomach and food and the grave [Republic]. It does not rain everyday, even in the Rain Forest; and people might not eat everyday, or every minute, or second. In the time it will take you to read this sentence, the

Death is inextricably linked with life and fate – which are both games of chance. Some are in for the hundred metre dash – like the babies born, who cry for a few seconds, and then return to the Republic of Dusts and Ashes

,

Republic would have passed thousands through its own version of Immigrations !! And the parade goes on every second.

Remarkably, people generally come into the world the same way – including those rascals who had to be drawn out with forceps and knives.

had migrated from the United States of America to the Republic.

Fortunately, there are no illegal immigrants there.

Nobody will deport anyone who gets there.

forerunner of the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC).

And FRK was active in the NCNC, leading the women's wing but her contribution to women suffrage was second to none, in Nigeria. She was a formidable woman, a fire brand and she had such power of oratory and persuasion that women gathered to hear her speak.

Her hard work and mass participation led to the creation of The Abeokuta Women's Union (AWU) and she later founded the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF).She worked tirelessly and courageously promoted the rights of women. She supported and

movement organised a mass protest with the slogan 'no taxation without representation'. I won't tell you what they were chanting but it was very colourful and they stood right in front of the Oba's palace chanting. The antitax protest action was a long and protracted one in which FRK was at the head leading the women in the struggle which eventually resulted in the temporary abdication of the Alake of Abeokuta. She had so much empathy and kinship with the women regardless of her background and level of education. She listened and was moved by the horror stories that homes were ransacked, physically assaulted, stripped naked and some were jailed for non-payment. They were harassed by the police and the representatives of the Oba. She felt their pain and stated that "we, educated women were living outside the daily life of the people".

And from there on she stopped wearing western clothes and wore the traditional clothes in her solidarity with the women.

She said her decision was "in order to make the women feel and know I was one of them". She also refused to address the women in English. She had such strength and conviction and was not afraid to challenge part of the tradition she felt was oppressive such as kneeling and prostrating to elders or people of traditional status.

She and her husband refuse to do so and they taught their children not to do so. I am

,

“Ah make the most of what we may yet spend/ Before we too into dust descend/ Dust unto dust…Omar Khayyam.

followed them, Idi Amin did his bit, ran to Saudi and still ended in the Republic.

Death is inextricably linked with life and fate – which are both games of chance. Some are in for the hundred metre dash – like the babies born, who cry for a few seconds, and then return to the Republic of Dusts and Ashes; all in less time than it takes Usain Bolt to finish the 100 metres dash. Others, like Methuselah, who we were told lived almost one thousand years (I don’t believe it, I mean who lived as long to verify it?), take almost forever before returning to mankind’s only ancestral home –the Republic. In modern times the oldest on record lived 156 years.

That means two lifetimes lived and sixteen of the third life time underway when he too joined the billions now permanently resident in the Republic – from which there is no escape. No return ticket.

Omar Khayyam, Persian poet and philosopher, who died in

,

“Life is brief; a little hope; a little dream and then – good night.”

Leon Montanaeken, 1859.

But, there are thousands of ways of getting out.

Some do it, so quickly, they have reached the Republic before they knew what sent them there. In the summer of 1965, while working in the mortuary of Belleview Hospital, New York City, one bloody bag, (ok it was heavily soaked in blood, if that makes you feel better), was brought in. It contained the remains of a man on whom a 10-ton load being lifted by a crane had fallen. The heavy load and the force of gravity had undone what it took years of feeding to produce. From all appearances, no single cell in his body was left intact. It took the guy all of one second to die. Just about enough time to say Oh! And he

She was instrumental in the struggle for N i g e r i a ' s Independence. She was a woman on a mission; defending the rights of women and she led by example. She was not afraid to use her voice

,

fought for the rights of women to education, employment and political participation.

And then there was the legendary standoff with the Oba Alake of Egbaland, Ladapo Ademola, who wanted to impose taxes on women. FRK and the AWU

On the other hand, some see it coming for a long time. Aaron Burr, 1756-1836, who was for

a while Vice President to Thomas Jefferson, 17431826, knew he was headed for the Republic.

Two days before obtaining his visa for the Republic, he, reportedly, described the situation this way: “It’s like floating on the river, on a barge, getting farther and farther from shore.”

In the end, all those whose carcass can be found, because not all are recovered (remember in Nigeria, as in Malaysia we still have not located the ADC plane and its human cargo, coming from Calabar, which ended in the lagoon around Majidun in Lagos State), irrespective of how much hated or deeply loved, still end up as debris to be swept out of sight – and into the Republic.

Friday, October 3, 2014 marked the first year after young Tunji Okusanya, son of Mr Tunji Okusanya, passed away in the fatal crash involving Associated Airlines as they were on their way to dispatch late Dr Olusegun Agagu to the Republic. Little did they know that they were going on the same ferry.

Even now, I still find it difficult to believe that fate could be so cruel, and dispassionate, as to take away one of the most beautiful souls I ever came across and at a tender age. He ran the mile, not the Marathon.

May his gentle soul rest always in perfect peace….

REMEMBER THE ELDERLY PLEASE

sure that people did not know that prior to Nigeria's independence, she was one of the most travelled Nigerians: she travelled to America and Britain, she also travelled to China( she met Mao Tse Tung in 1956) and Russia. These visits did not seat well with America and Britain who thought she was smooching with enemy, that she was becoming radicalised with communist ideologies so they refused her visa. FRK founded the Commoners Peoples Party challenging the ruling NCNC, denying them victory in her area.

She got 4,665 votes to NCNC's 9,755 thus allowing the opposition, Action Group 10,443 votes to win. She was denied NCNC ticket because they fear that she was too radical otherwise she would have been the first federal female member of parliament. While she was in NCNC, she was the treasurer and then the president of the Western NCNC women's' Association. She was one of the delegates that negotiated Nigerian independence with the British in 1957. In 1953 she founded the Federation of Nigerian Women societies.

In 1932, she founded the Abeokuta Ladies Club (ALC).Initially membership was mostly Western-educated and working-class women. The club expanded in 1944 to include market women. To begin working against injustice and the exploitation of market women. In 1946 the ALC

became the Abeokuta Women's Union (AWU), and membership was expanded.

It was unprecedented even in modern times but she commanded a crowd of over 100,000 Abeokuta women to work together to provide social welfare services and to pursue a gender-conscious agenda.

Under FRK's leadership, the FNWS was devoted to addressing the concerns of all Nigerian women and improving their position in society, including education, suffrage, health care, and other social services.

She mobilised mass demonstrations, rebuttal, and refusals to pay the tax.

In order to get round the prohibition of demonstration (they refuse them permits) the women called their gatherings Picnics and festivals. FRK led training sessions in her compound for these demonstrations.

She showed the women how to cover their eyes and noses and mouths so they are not overwhelmed by tear gas.

She brazenly told them to pick the gas canister and throw it back at the police!

This is an act of which legend is made.

This was in 1947! These women were fearless and they even challenged the ORO, who is a male ritual entity shrouded in myths and supernatural powers.

Not FRK, she took the staff and displayed it in her home! She was fearless.

The battles long and hard but eventually the women succeeded in getting their demands.

“If you don’t die you are bound to grow old” Uncle Sam. “And if you are old, remember it is God’s grace”. Dele October 21, 2014 is the second time we will be celebrating the elderly people often forgotten – until they die. Venue is the United Nations Information Center, Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. But we need support, not a lot of money, but some support. So, I am calling on everybody, old and young who can assist us to send their contributions to the account designated: GTB: 001-216-3187, Mrs Toun Giwa.

Last week when listing the names of those from who we expect support, I forgot to mention the following Babas of the Nation.

In order of seniority as Heads of State and Presidents: 1. Yakubu Gowon, 2.

Obasanjo, 3 Alhaji Shehu Shagari, 4, General Buhari, 4, President Ibrahim Babangida, 5, Chief Ernest O Shonekan, 6, General Abubakar, all GCFRs. We will be grateful for your support as we wish you longer lives in the service of Nigeria. You are also invited, Sirs.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 11

of opposition parties brought to bear on the polity seems to be fading away by the day.

The first major sign that the APC was probably not our expected political saviour occurred in June 2014 when its candidate and incumbent governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi lost the state gubernatorial elections to the almighty PDP. The nation is yet to fully comprehend that victory

,

T

HE ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has since 1999 been winning landslide victories to continuously form the federal government of Nigeria. Although not much has been achieved by the party in terms of good governance and appreciable improvement in the living standards of the people, she has continued to chorus its song of ruling the nation for another century. As if the prayers of Nigerians were about to be heard, 3 national parties decided in February 2013 to merge and form one mega partythe All Progressive Congress (APC) to present the most viable political opposition machinery in the country. Some analysts were beginning to imagine that a new political era where the ruling party, would constantly be placed in check had come.

Unfortunately, with only 5 months to the 2015 general elections, the steam which the rather vibrant coalition

party ’s new chairman, Adamu Muazu had reportedly established a robust reconciliation initiative to bring its numerous aggrieved members together. Muazu’s posture may have helped but it is simplistic to give it all the credit. What many analysts appear to have lost sight of is the fundamental issue that in a developing nation like Nigeria where every politician is out for material gains only for the self, it is hard to find genuine opposition politicians.

This fact was at play on

Nigerians are free to believe that all politicians in their country are in the same political party with many branches. It is similarly in order for us to see the PDP as playing the role of the proverbial first son who is using his advantage of age, enormous wealth and heir apparent status to the fullest at the expense of the younger brothers led by the APC

which according to analysts was against the run of play. However, those who argued that the loss was due to the resurgence of the PDP have a point more so as the

,

Saturday, September 27, 2014 when a strange mega party emerged in Benin City, Edo State. It was the state governor himself, Comrade Adams

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

Shibboleths and refutations (2) How can Jega or anyone for that matter rationally justify the following: (1) none of the southeastern states got 1,000 new PUs out of the 12 that did; (2) Zamfara that, according to data from INEC, purportedly has almost the same number of new and extant eligible voters as Enugu state, was given 1,000 new polling units, 167 less than what was proposed for the whole of southeastern states; (3) Katsina, Kano, Niger, Kaduna and Zamfara states and Abuja each got more polling units than the entire southeast; (4) four states in the southeast have 25 times more newly registered voters than the federal capital territory, still Abuja was allocated more new polling units than all of them put together; (5) the disparity of 8 to 1 in the new allocations between the northwest and the southeast, respectively, conflicts with the differential growth in population of eligible voters for the two areas.

From the foregoing, there is clear evidence of u n w a r r a n t e d disproportionate allotment of PUs on two levels in favour of the north. One, the north received over 12,000 new units or facilities for additional 6,000,000 voters more than the south; two, of all the six geopolitical zones, the

southeast, whose inhabitants constitute one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, got the lowest number of PUs. No amount of "explanations" and arrogant self-righteous exculpating shibboleths by Prof. Jega can justify INEC's deliberate unfairness in this matter.

It seems that INEC is perpetuating the myth that northern Nigeria is more populous than the south.

Census in Nigeria has always been manipulated and doctored to favour the north right from the colonial period to the present. The notion that northern Nigeria is more populated than the south cannot withstand scientific scrutiny. For example, it is well known that coastal and forested regions of the world tend to be more populated than arid and semi-arid areas. Now, unlike the south, northern Nigeria is predominantly an arid environment where human settlements are concentrated only in several cities. In addition, remote sensing data, including Google satellite maps, reveal that most parts of the north are thinly populated.

Hence, government policies and programmes premised on the alleged numerical superiority of the north visa-vis southern Nigeria merely sustain longstanding and unjust

political and fiscal advantages of the former.

Festus Odimegwu, former chairman of the Nigerian Population Commission (NPC), was unequivocal on this issue.

He stated that the census figures in operation were gravely flawed, and promised that NPC under his watch would ensure a more accurate head count next time around. Of course, fair-minded northerners knew Odimegwu was right, but would not speak out publicly for fear of reprisals from the vociferous, incendiary, northern hegemonists who were afraid that, given Odimegwu's antecedents as a successful former Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, he would expose and eventually eliminate the sleight of hand methods used in manipulating census results to favour the north.

Unfortunately, some well-educated northerners still accept Maitama Sule's antediluvian theory that the Hausa-Fulani are divinely invested with leadership qualities unmatched by Nigerians from other parts of the country.

Obdurate insistence on monopolising power at the centre for selfish reasons compels core members of the Northern ruling elite to oppose any measure that might blow into smithereens the contrived numerical superiority of the north over the south.

Therefore, appropriate measures to reduce the

not imply that there is anything wrong in the opposition praising a good effort by the ruling party.

That is good and balanced political posture that is issue-based. But coming from a leader of a political party which has always said and still says the PDP is clueless, the curious mind ought to be circumspect.

Has there been a change of mind by the APC or is the Comrade at last warming his way to the PDP as the party alleged in the past?

The earlier assumption is not likely because another foremost APC leader, General Muhammadu Buhari restated exactly 4 days after Oshiomhole’s commendation, that there is danger in allowing the PDP to continue to rule Nigeria. Buhari who was speaking at the inauguration of the 12,000Seater Ekiti Parapo Square in Ado-Ekiti last Wednesday, appealed to the gathering to “please try and realise that Nigeria is in trouble” from the way the ruling party was carrying on Could Buhari and Oshiomhole be talking of the same PDP? If so, which of them is telling us the APC viewpoint or are both expressing individual personal opinions? From whatever angle one looks at the different versions of APC opinions, it is obvious that it is exceedingly difficult to rely on any assessment made by a Nigerian politician; rather,

overarching influence of population on the distribution of geopolitical and economic resources, especially devolution of fiscal powers and resource control, to the major culture-areas or ethnic nationalities that constitute Nigeria, will reduce the urge to manipulate census figures to favour a particular part of the country.

As a political scientist who ought to be sensitive to the fragility of geo-ethnic relations and distribution of political power in an underdeveloped democratic setting like ours, Prof. Jega should have taken into consideration all relevant empirical data before allocating new polling units to ensure fairness to all parts of the country. For example, in its latest audit of voters register

implies that about 914,886 were genuine, although the possibility that fictitious names might be included in that very number is high.

A quick look at the result of the 2011 presidential elections released by INEC shows that 927,219 voted, mostly for Muhammadu Buhari, flag bearer of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). Now, if we assume that the number of genuinely registered voters in Zamfara state was 914,886, and INEC declared 927,219 valid votes after the elections, it means a turnout of over 100%! Clearly, something is seriously wrong here.

By trying to defend the manifestly absurd, the INEC chair displayed a high degree of insensitivity unbecoming of a public official charged with one of the most important components of our wobbly

,

The Mother of all Political Parties emerges in Benin

Oshiomhole who drew attention to the new party which he called the mother of all parties in Nigeria. The occasion was the commissioning of a portion of the Benin-Ore road by President Goodluck Jonathan. The name of the political party according to the governor is the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The undiscerning may have assumed that the governor was just being patriotic and nothing more. It is naïve to so believe. It is true that decency and the principle of collaborative federalism may have influenced the presence of the governor at the event but again that is not all. Oshiomhole did not need to explain his presence at any function in his state involving the nation’s number one citizen but he did by insinuating that all Nigerian political parties are one and went on to commend what he described as the ‘painstaking’ effort by the PDP led federal government to do a marvelous job with the construction of the road.

Could it be that the unhealthy rivalry between the state and the federal over who owns which road and who constructed particular projects in the state is coming to an end?

Or is the public about to discover the truth as to whether it is the PDP that is wooing the governor or it is the latter that is begging to be admitted to the party?

These questions should

By trying to defend the manifestly absurd, the INEC chair displayed a high degree of insensitivity unbecoming of a public official charged with one of the most important components of our wobbly experiment with democracy

nationwide, INEC discovered far more cases of double registration of voters in the north than in the south. In fact, the northwest was the most fraudulent in this regard, especially Zamfara state.

To be more specific, INEC registered slightly over 2,000,000 voters for the 2011 elections in Zamfara.

But in the clean-up exercise referred to above, it discovered that 1,100,000 of those voters were fraudulent, the result of double registration. This

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experiment with democracy.

As already indicated, his attempt to justify the electoral marginalisation of the south, particularly the southeast, is consistent with the vengeful attitude of successive federal governments, both military and civilian, to the Igbo, which can be traced to the defeat of Biafra during the civil war. Even so, we recommend that INEC should pay more attention to the sanitisation of voters register across the country and put in place creative

the circumstance, venue; crowd and motive of the speaker would matter a lot.

Accordingly, Nigerians are free to believe that all politicians in their country are in the same political party with many branches.

It is similarly in order for us to see the PDP as playing the role of the proverbial first son who is using his advantage of age, enormous wealth and heir apparent status to the fullest at the expense of the younger brothers led by the APC Otherwise why would Tom Ikimi one of the cofounders of the APC, decamp to the supposed clueless PDP? If Ikimi was merely a PDP mole in the APC as the party seems to have discovered only recently, then his departure should not give her sleepless nights; but then, why did Nuhu Ribadu another leader and Presidential candidate of one of the parties that formed the APC also move to the PDP? How many moles are still comfortably in hiding in the APC closet and how soon would they all depart to let us know what remains of our much touted political saviour?

What about the weighty allegation by Ikimi that some APC leaders are business partners of the PDP? Finally are the APC decampees taking “clues” to the PDP? Alas, there seems to be negligible hope for change in Nigeria. measures to ensure free fair and free elections in 2015 instead of embarking on a venture that questions its neutrality and impartiality in the electoral process.

Another shibboleth I wish to address is from one of Africa's greatest playwrights, Prof. Wole Soyinka. Criticising a man of Soyinka's stature and reputation is not easy, not in the least because of the enormous prestige associated with his name and his pronouncements.

Moreover, because disciples of a master tend to be more intolerant than the master himself, it is very likely that Soyinkaians would be eager to throw intellectual bombs at anyone who dares challenge whatever the master says. Yet, as a student of philosophy, particularly of logic and critical thinking, I know it is extremely important not to allow the prestige factor of a VIP to blunt one's critical acumen in appraising what he or she says, because that way one would be in a better position to detect fallacies committed by the person in question.

Absolutely, no one is above mistakes, given that humans are fundamentally fallible beings.

Sometimes I admire Prof.

Soyinka's critical interventions on national issues, although occasionally his comments seem too hasty and patronising. In a recent statement captioned "The wages of impunity," Soyinka strongly recommended that the federal government should take seriously the claims of Stephen Davis, an Australian negotiator, concerning sponsors of the dreadful Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

To be continued

PAGE 12 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

As the political wheels turn given birth to new mysteries while we were gone. The Wheel turns unendingly, and the indifferent universe continues to act with its studied indifference. All this is my way of saying, the world did not wait for the “Orbit” and I thank all those who sent me personal mails to inquire about my well-being and about when I’d return to the grind. And the “Orbit” returns this week with the story, as everyone may have heard, of the fall of

The inevitable move by Nigeria to redirect Nigeria’s oil sales and receipts, and general trading relationships towards the Asian economies, particularly China and India, will reshape Nigeria’s own strategic foreign policy thrust

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wounds that were almost fatal. His experiences brought chills to all hearts and you had to admire the sheer grit of a man who looked death in the face and spat in his eyes. His home had been invaded in the middle of the night by armed men, they had him pinned to the ground with a gun to his head and all he had to do was renounce his faith and declare theirs! He admitted feeling the fear, he had already been bloodied and beaten but the fear couldn't force him to renounce his faith and he actually remembered in vivid detail how the bullets tore into his face. Yes, he was shot in the head and left for dead except of course that he did not die. He had to endure the pain of a shattered skull for over 12 hours before he was given treatment at the hospital sympathisers took him to.

You could have heard a pin drop in the sanctuary as we all were gripped with horror at some of his accounts that were grisly.

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still not clear whether Nigerians understand the implications of the coming decade, particularly in the light of the low public investment in infrastructure and industry that would have given Nigeria a competitive edge in a postoil world. The wasted years of oil prosperity will haunt Nigerians for a long time.

There is also the other

He came with video evidence but I couldn't muster the courage to take the CDs that were being freely offered. I still shudder when I recall that testimony and people like him are those who do right, exemplifying righteousness in the doing.

Truth be told, I really cannot say for certain what

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Nigeria’s crude sale to the United States, since the 1970s, Nigeria’s biggest trading partner and largest importer of Nigeria’s crude oil. Export receipts and data from the US Energy Information Administration indicate that the US has had zero oil import from Nigeria since July, and it is trending. Zilch! The implication for Nigeria’s

In the doing IGHTEOUSNESS in the saying is easy, it's no better than bragging, everyone does it. Righteousness in the doing however is a tad more complicated and requires us to commit to doing all that we say and lay claim to believing all the time. The matter of honour and integrity are actually the issue here and I wonder just how many of us can lay claim to having integrity and being honourable.

To be honourable one must live in a way and manner that elicits respect and even admiration; we must do right and live right, often means a lot of painful, sacrificial and unpopular choices. While my faith holds a very important part of my heart and life, this is not about religion; it's about the choices we make in life that determine our fate and define who and what we stand for.

Two years ago, we had a man come to share his experiences in our church, he was disfigured by

economy is humongous, not to talk about its foreign and domestic policy. This has of course been long in the making. Shale production from America’s vast fields has made the US no longer dependent on oil importation from countries like Nigeria, whose Bonny light was for years, because of its low sulfur, the champagne of crude oil.

The United States in fact is set to begin oil exports and will begin a trend that will make the oil glut of the 1980s seem like a pool party. It is

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EADERS of the “Orbit” may have noticed the absence of this column in the last month. Well, I have to occasionally be on a break from this column and from the affairs of the world, whose enormity sometimes can overwhelm even the most practical and sanest of men.

The columnist sometimes has to fear the Law of Thermodynamics and the possibilities of a burn-out, and therefore needs to pause. Silence in this case can be rejuvenating, especially when you begin to have the strange feelings in your gut that you have somehow said everything you’ve been placed on this earth to say, and nothing else can be said. And it might all very well be true. But as I often tell students in my Creative Writing class, all stories may have been told, but sometimes, across our lines of vision, a small smear of insight may lie waiting, that might give the world just something to think about; it is that unending corner of the great story, the end to which we never finish to arrive because every story carries a child or a twin, or a surprising turn towards a new and unremarked road.We also discover in our absence that the world has

dimension of Nigeria’s place in the world. As a powerful oil producing nation, Nigeria had some leverage in the international world of politics.

It had resources to finance its status and oil with which it could use to apply diplomatic pressure.

But as the place or importance of oil begin to rapidly wane, what else could provide leverage for Nigeria in the current world?

Its human population? Certainly, there is potential market there. But a mostly poor population can become a time bomb rather than an asset or a market.

The most populous country in Africa can very easily become “Africa’s most populous and poorest nation.” Population is an asset only if it has the kind of liquidity that can finance and sustain desire. For years, Nigeria’s relationship with the United States, its major trading partner was based on its regular supply to the United States of a highly needed product. Now that America no longer needs Nigeria for its oil, there will be a fundamental shift – indeed a degradation of relations in the scale of importance to America’s strategic interest and alliances.

The inevitable move by Nigeria to redirect Nigeria’s oil sales and receipts, and general trading relationships towards the Asian economies, particularly China and India, will reshape Nigeria’s own strategic foreign policy thrust, with the likelihood that it too will degrade the importance of its

diplomatic and trade relationship with the United States.

The full consequences are not yet clear, but it is quite true, and indeed very safe to imagine more flights from Nigeria to Beijing and Mumbai or Delhi than to London or Washington DC in the coming decades.

Indeed, perhaps the Indian Ocean might become Africa’s busiest transnational corridor in the coming movement of goods, services, and populations in the coming decades of the 21st century.

These challenges have received little political attention or traction yet in the discussions shaping around the coming elections of 2015. What that election will bring certainly wears a hat. But let us make two very tentative observations with regards to the emerging scenario: the first observation is the increasing geo-political realignments that have increasing significance to Nigeria’s contemporary political life. While some media Talking-heads continue to discuss Nigerian politicsin terms of a North and a South, what is obvious is that these boundaries have shifted radically. It ought to have been clear, in the pattern of the votes cast in the 2010 elections that the NorthSouth question has now been replaced by new geographies of desires and political action.

The second is that Muhammadu Buhari, former Major-General and one-time Nigeria’s military Head of state has declared, once again, his interest in contesting the 2015 Presidential elections

under the APC platform, as has Mr. Atiku Abubakar, former Custom’s officer and former Vice-President of Nigeria.

So far these two gentlemen represent the biggest challengers to the incumbent President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Marine Scientist and former University lecturer, now president. But what alternatives do they bring to the table? Buhari says he is on a “rescue mission” at over seventy- five years of age, to save Nigeria from what his supporters see as Jonathan’s lackluster administration. Here is not the place yet to discuss the viability or not of each of these candidates, but I just like to emphasize that developments in international energy production is bound to affect Nigeria’s balance of trade and liquidity profile very radically, and Nigerians need to understand what they are in for. Reduced cash flow will mean further trim in government services; massive unemployment; liquidity crunch; the late 1980s and early 1990s once again. It might require a survivor ’s chart: store up food, soap; medicine, and other supplies, dig-inand prepare for the lean years, or otherwise, find out from these candidates their plans for dealing with the coming reality. Truth be told, whoever wins the Nigerian presidency in 2015 will inherit a most radically different economic world with potentially devastating consequences. Nigeria therefore needs a solid economic manager to head its team and design the recovery effort after the approaching Tsunami.

if you had been exposed to a virus and knew for certain that there was a possible cure in a country you had access to why not just get on a plane before you become symptomatic? It would then just be a question of reporting to a medical facility as soon as you land and getting treated because you pose a risk to the public. I am not advocating such a desperate move. That was what informed Patrick Sawyer’s decision to import Ebola to Lagos but isn't desperation a reaction to fear thats normal? Like all Nigerians I am grateful to

able to stare death in the face and enter eternity with dignity. The only other option left to her would have been to export the Ebola virus into the US in the hopes of getting treated with the Zmapp serum and she would then have become a pariah, alive but dead to righteousness; uncelebrated and vilified.

So what makes for righteousness? Perhaps I should clarify that I am talking about being just, being upright, being fair to others and living a life that calls others to be better.

Becoming an icon by making choices that serve the greater good often times at one’s expense. I would dare say that lately I am more focussed on the hereafter than the now, (really convenient as I am well into middle age) but can anyone really predict an accurate response for situations that may or may not happen? Would that not be presumptuous just like Apostle Peter was? The Bible recalls that Peter when faced with the possibility of a lynching and crucifixion was very quick to deny Jesus and even though he felt shame afterwards, his actions when it counted were without honour and integrity.

I have concluded that life is all about growth, we learn from our experiences and they shape and define us. I chose not to align righteousness with religion

because its bigger than that. Whatever faith we profess, there is right and wrong and we should all acknowledge the responsibility that comes with the choices we make.

As we approach another round of voting with elections round the corner, I worry about the desperation of politicians that have made winning a do or die affair. The political class we have in Nigeria now epitomise unrighteousness and wickedness in the extreme and I wonder what it will take to rid our nation of them. Where are those men and women who would put country and people first? Is it too much to ask for a crop of leaders who do what they say? Who am I kidding?

Politicians in Nigeria don't make false promises to the electorate, they make threats to each other and create mayhem. Why bother making promises they wont keep, when the rigging protocols are already perfected? The Adadevoh saga, sad as it was gave me hope for Nigeria, it told us all, that there were still people of honour and integrity in Nigeria. The government may choose not to honour such people but we the people do. We the people will continue to pray that God will raise a crop of leaders more interested in righteousness in the doing not just in the saying.

The Adadevoh saga, sad as it was gave me hope for Nigeria, it told us all, that there were still people of honour and integrity in Nigeria

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I would do in a situation of severe testing and I am reminded of that man’s bravery by the recent passing of Dr Ameyo Adadevoh. After all’s said and done, how many of us would have taken the chances she took and even after taking those chances why stay on? Let me explain,

Dr Adadevoh and her actions in forcibly keeping Patrick Sawyer from leaving but my admiration of her stems from her decision to stay in the country when she could have just boarded the next plane. That decision confirmed her to be a woman of great integrity,

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 13

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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n estimated 600,000 vehicles from Abuja suburbs and neighbouring states enter the Federal Capital City every working day of the week excluding the number of vehicles domiciled in Abuja.

Of those vehicles, between 200,000 and 300,000 come in through the Murtala Mohammed Expressway, Kubwa Road; between 250,000 and 300,000 through Nyanya/ Karu road while between 150,000 and 200,000 come in through the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway (Airport Road).

Hardly does a day pass in Abuja without shattered vehicle glasses littering the streets. They are evidence of auto crashes at major roads notorious for deadly accidents at Asokoro, Wuse, Karmo, Central Area. Maitama, Kado, Gwarimpa, Garki, Airport Road, Kubwa and Nyanya, yet only 0.04 percent of the vehicles are genuinely insured.

Though, commendable is the fact that Abuja road network is one of the best in Africa, instead of providing unhindered flow of traffic, the reverse is the case. Road crashes of different types are commonplace in the FCT. Worse still, Abuja city roads are more dangerous at weekends, as that is the period drunken crawlers cruise at high speed from one night club to another in search of fun and ladies between 1am and 3pm only to wake up to see the aftermath on the streets and highways.

Abuja drivers have grown with the perception that, where the road is good, they are at liberty to speed as dangerous as they deem necessary. Little wonder that over speeding is killing our people on the roads.

Over-speeding and reckless driving have literally become a way of life for Abuja motorists.

Even with the daily loss of lives, there seems not to be any lessons learnt.

Section 68 of the Insurance Act and Section 3 of the Motor Vehicle, Third Party, Insurance Act requires that no person shall use, or cause or permit any other person to use a motor vehicle unless such a motor vehicle is insured against damage to the property of third parties.

The Nigerian Insurance Association, NIA, which has been in the vanguard of propagating the culture of genuine insurance, is apparently bemused by the carefree attitude of some Nigerians who can, at the punch of a key board, get full details about the licensed

ROAD ACCIDENTS

The fake Abuja insurers! insurance companies and their nearest branch offices and pick original comprehensive or third party insurance as the case may be.

Director-General of the NIA, Mr Sunday Thomas, in an interview with Sunday Vanguard at a two-day maiden joint media retreat organized by the association, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN; Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, NCRIB, and the Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria, ILAN, in Abeokuta, said only 15 percent of the estimated 12.

7 milion vehicles in Nigeria are genuinely insured in spite of the collaborative efforts of the industry to educate motorists on the danger of fake insurance.

Apparently concerned that many motorists in the country including educated ones are still ignorant of the benefit attached to genuine motor insurance mandated by the law establishing it, many motorists, he observed, arrived at the erroneous conclusion that insurance firms do not pay claims on third party motor insurance.

The reality, the umbrella body of insurance companies’ boss reiterated, is that the third party motor insurance has as big as N1 million benefit attached to it. Indeed by its nature, the third party motor insurance

Abuja drivers have grown with the perception that, where the road is good, they are at liberty to drive at very dangerous speed as they deem necessary. Little wonder that overspeeding is killing our people on the roads

is a cover for protection against third party damage or death as a result of accident in the course of using the vehicle.

The NIA DG marveled at the spate of compliance in Imo State where law enforcement agents are well equipped and up-to-date on genuine insurance papers just click on their computers to verify whether the insurance papers paraded by motorists are original or fake right at check points.

He wondered why such practice could be replicated in Abuja in particular where accidents rate is high rather the estimation of enforcement agents in Abuja is that an

Director General of the Nigeria Insurance Association, NIA, Mr Sunday Thomas

insurance certificate, whether genuine of fake, has nothing to do with accidents or making claims after an accident.

But for the few that know that the policy has some benefits attached to it, they hardly believe that insurance companies can pay any claim for just N5,000 they paid for a whole year. Their unbelief in this regard is boosted by the fact that many who purchased the policy from fraudsters and who were involved in one form of accident or the other failed to get the necessary intervention of any insurance firm because the certificate they have was issued by fake insurance firms.

“All drivers in Nigeria must by law have at least thirdparty insurance. This means that you are insured against any claims made by drivers and other road users whose vehicles are damaged in an accident that was your fault but you cannot make claims for damage to your own car or injuries you or your passengers sustain unless the accident was the fault of another person,”Thomas said.

“Contrary to the mandatory third party insurance, comprehensive motor vehicle insurance is not required by law, but it is a good idea to take one depending on the value of the car you are driving. It allows the policyholder to claim

from his insurer for accidents that occur as a result of his faults and also when fault cannot be established against him or another person including if you return to your parked car and find it has been damaged by an unknown vehicle.

“Technically, human errors, vehicle breakdowns, non-road worthy vehicles, good road conditions and environmental factors like poor weather can be said to be the major causes of accidents everywhere in the world, but the good news, however is that, all those errors can be prevented if Nigerians help insurance industry to help motorists through ensuring that the don’t just flank papers for the sake of it but patronize genuine insurance companies.”

Sunday Vanguard investigation revealed that global cost road accidents waste and injuries accounted for $518billion while developing countries accounted for $65billion of that amount.

Compliance to motor insurance law in Columbia is 99 percent; Sweden 98 percent; UK 95 percent; Costa Rica 84 percent; Ghana 84 percent; Zambia 15percent and Nigeria, the largest insurance market in Africa, still struggles with unappreciable percentage of third party insurance.

PAGE 14—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

In Kaduna, half nude women confront Gov. Yero

By Luka Binniyat

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round 10am penultimate Monday, armed men followed Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State in a convoy of vehicles. The wailing convoy snaked its way from Kaduna metropolis towards southern Kaduna.

Yero and his entourage were on their way to Fadan Karshi, in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State to pay a condolence visits to the little town that had come under several invasion by suspected Ansaru Islamic terrorists, said to have disguised as Fulani gunmen.

The governor had come under criticism for allegedly refusing to visit villages in southern Kaduna where mass killings in the past two years of his government have attracted global media coverage.

Southern Kaduna is mainly populated by Christians with ethnic groups that make 51% of the demography of the state, according to the 2006 National Census.

Those who berate him over this are won’t to point out the haste with which he rushes to scenes of violence in Hausa/ Fulani dominated areas that are essentially Muslims.

Perhaps to break away from that habit, Yero decided to pay a condolence visit to Fadan Karshi that day to commiserate with victims of the town who make a small fraction of the estimated 150, 000 displaced persons, from the wider violence in Sanga, according to official accounts.

Fadan Karshi, Karshi Daji and Unguwan Ganye, three weeks back, came under another invasion in which 50 people were killed, scores wounded and homes burnt.

But the visit turned out to be a surprising one for Yero and his officials.

According to eye witness accounts from Fadan Karshi, where the governor was received at the palace of the District Head, the governor was embarrassed all the way into the place, mainly by protesting women, some half nude.

“The women were angry that after not less than seven attacks on their villages, in which not less than 300 villagers were killed since last July, the governor had not visited the place until a few months to the 2015 elections,” Mr. Bezard Wuyah, National

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It is no longer news that the state governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, has never deemed it necessary to pay any condolence visit to the affected southern Kaduna communities that have had their people brutally killed

President of Ninzom Progressive Youths, told reporters in Kaduna.

It was gathered that some of the women carried placards with messages such as, ‘Election time is near, come and deceive Sanga people again; The blood of our husbands would haunt the guilty; ‘Give us food, not scare us with soldiers’; ‘Will you treat your mother like this?’

Some more wailed and rolled on the rain soaked ground in front of the convoy, blocking it from moving, according to eye witnesses.

*Security agents watch as protesting women block convoy “The governor came with hundreds of soldiers, policemen, Roads Safety Corps, SSS, even prison guards. It was more of an invasion, not a condolence visit. Our mothers and sisters, who were expecting a sober, caring governor were furious when they saw it as a form of intimidation; so they bared their minds on the negligence they had suffered since gunmen sacked their villages and rendered them homeless” one of the eye witnesses said.

“You will be surprised to learn that the women were not organised. They were united in their grief and anger as neglected widows. They came from about seven tribes around. One of them lost her husband and four sons. They are starving with their children in sub-human refugee camps.

“But Sanga natives are law abiding and we are appealing to everyone to remain calm

since the governor has come and seen the situation”.

Meanwhile, the Southern Kaduna Indigenes Progressive Forum, SKIPFO, conemned Yero’s visit to Sanga, saying it was a show of force and lack of empathy for the victims going by what it said was the huge number of armed security men that escorted him to the place.

SKIPFO, in a press statement signed by Major George Nchok Asake (rtd), read:”It is no longer news that the state governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, has never deemed it necessary to pay any condolence visit to the affected southern Kaduna communities that have had their people brutally killed.

He has also not taken any action to protect these affected communities nor any other southern Kaduna community for that matter except those occupied by his settlers Hausa/Fulani brothers.

“Yero visited Fadan Karshi with a very large force of armed personnel. That was not a show of sympathy or condolence. It was pure show of state might to intimidate and suppress any dissension in view of his hate against our people. We kick against this show of naked power and we want to assure him that we shall take our revenge in the ballot box.”

But the Director General, Media and Publicity to Yero, Mallam Ahmed Maiyaki, responded in a text message to Sunday Vanguard on the visit, saying no one demonstrated against his principal.

The text read:” It is totally untrue. No demonstration took place. The people of Fadan Karshi are indeed saddened by the unfortunate incident in the area. And the governor shares in their grief. And as a good leader, his visit was to commiserate with them. His visit is not political.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 15

By Caleb Ayansina

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OR the past 41 years of its existence, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has handled the mobilization of graduates across the country for the mandatory one year national youth service through analogue method, which is replete with all sorts of irregularities.

This has, no doubt, exposed the scheme to criticism. The development, according to the NYSC Director General, BrigGeneral Johnson Olawumi, informed the management to embrace the computerization of the scheme’s activities.

“The NYSC of today is a national service institution that needs to operate in line with the dynamics of the 21st century”, Olawumi stated.

“With the computerization process of mobilization of corps members, there will be sanity in the entire process.

It will eliminate mobilization of non-qualified persons, lack of proper record of mobilized persons.”

The NYSC boss added that issues of service evasion and complaints of nonpayment of allowance by corps members would equally be addressed.

He said; “One thing we do not anticipate before and which this online mobilization process has brought out clearly is the fact that we are now going to eliminate all those sharp practices by corps producing institutions that forward names of those who are not eligible”.

The project was in partnership with a private company, Messr SIDMACH Technologies Nigeria Limited.

The DG explained that the company would build ICT infrastructure centre in all the states orientation camps, which would be linked to the one at the NYSC headquarters in Abuja.

On the N4,000 online identity database charges on prospective corps members, Olawumi said it was for services and infrastructure to be deployed by the collaborating firm.

He clarified that the money was neither for the scheme nor the corps producing institutions as it was being alleged in some quarters.

Also, the Director of Mobilisation, NYSC, Mr Anthony Ani, said the centres to be built would enable corps members to

Controversy as NYSC moves from analogue to digital complete their registration even at their local government areas, thereby removing all costs associated with travelling several times for registration in their schools.

Ani said the computerization process would enable the NYSC to create an IT-database from which every information about corps members could be accessed by them, organisations, institutions and agencies that might want to make enquiries about participants in the scheme.

He explained that the project would curb the latent abuses that had been identified by the management of corps members and tertiary institutions in their efforts to circumvent the admission and courses criteria set by JAMB, NUC

One thing we do not anticipate before and which this online mobilization process has brought out clearly is the fact that we are now going to eliminate all those sharp practices by corps producing institutions that forward names of those who are not eligible

and NBTE. The NYSC chief hinted that the project would also

help the management to solve the challenges of manual documentation of the scheme, particularly those associated with tracing files of corps members that had participated in the compulsory scheme over the past 41 years.

According to him, even when some sections of the public believed the charges were too much, the facts are that, it is not an imposition on any corps member, as the choice of exploring the benefits of the innovative registration and documentation identity platform is still optional for corps members.

Ani said: “It was through the analysis that those who verified the project that the N4,000 was chosen. The management of the NYSC is not unaware of the fact that anything that is new is always controversial because change is not an easy thing.

“So, for people to go to this platform we give an option. And what is the

option? If you do not want to enjoy the benefits the platform will give, you don’t need to pay.

“What are the benefits the platform is offering? Number one, you go to the platform at the time your Senate will bring the approved list, by the time we see it, you will be informed whether you are mobilizable or not. What do I mean by being mobilizable or not? We found that through our collaboration with NUC, NBTE and JAMB that there were some institutions that are admitting students for non-accredited courses.

“We also found out that some institutions were admitting students without passing through JAMB. Some they pass through JAMB but they admitted people without the national cut-off mark and these among others were the problems we saw, and they need to be addressed.”

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PAGE 16 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

BY GABRIEL EWEPU

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buja, Nigeria’s capital city, is one of Africa’s respected cities and acclaimed to be one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It has since become a haven for tourists, investors and sellers.

Yet, Abuja has a huge number of villages left to their fate. One of such villages is Zamani, settled along the access road to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

Zamani has not been a beneficiary any tangible project or programme of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA. The community has no government primary and secondary schools, as well as primary health care facility, water supply, police post, road, and other infrastructures despite its strategic location along the expressway to the Abuja airport.

Zamani residents live a life of poverty and frustration.

The situation of the Gbagys in Zamani cause cold blood to run down the spine as the people seems not to be part of the FCT. Zamani, as a community in Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, has continued to suffer gross neglect by the area council.

One of the chiefs in the community, Al- Hassan Zamani, said the community had not benefited from basic infrastructures that would have raised the standard of living of his people.

Zamani said: “We go to Air Force Clinic when we need medical attention for our children. We do not have another place that is why we go to Air Force Base. There have also been cases where we lost many children to different diseases due to the distance from the hospitals in town and around us. We plead with government to give us primary health care facility.

“We have been talking to those representing us in government, especially, AMAC Chairman and our senator; yet no solution to our problems.

“Well, AMAC provided a bole-hole to enable us have potable water, unfortunately it got spoilt. Before that bolehole, we were getting water from the nearby stream and it is so dirty after fetching it. We had to purify it for us to drink; even with that, our children are still infected with cholera and die. We have made complaints to him (Chairman) that the bole-hole is spoilt, but no response yet, although we are making effort to repair it.

The forgotten people of Abuja

*A people without education

We do not have educational facilities here. I had my western education in Zuba, FCT, and we used to trek from Zamani to school in Zuba, many kilometres away.

The situation remains the same

“We do not have educational facilities here. I had my western education in Zuba, FCT, and we used to trek from Zamani to school in Zuba, many kilometres away. The situation remains the same.”

A civil servant, Mr. Sunday Okah, narrated his ordeal living in the community, “I have lived in Zamani for a year and seven months now.

I chose to live here because it is very close to my working place. I work at the airport.

“We have serious challenge of potable water supply.

Thank God that we have a well in my compound. Before we got this well, we used to spend a lot of money on water.

We don’t have good water

*Medical facilities are lacking around here. Even this water that we have here, we are better than our neighbours.”

Another resident, Mrs. Grace Sunday, lamented the lack of health care facility in the community and the pain they pass through to access health care service.

“It is not an easy task, especially going by the risk on the road, but we still thank God for everything. I take my children to the hospital at Bassa. The only consolation is that we are well attended to by the health officers there, but the truth is that we are not treated like human beings in Zamani as government has not included us in its plan,” Sunday stated.

In the midst of this disheartening and hopeless situation, a nongovernmental organisation, Refocusing Nigerians Talents Organisation, RENITO, came

to the rescue of the Zamani people.

In 2011, this humanitarian organisation, led by its President, Dr. Abanka Musa, deemed it necessary to fill the vacuum of socio-economic infrastructure created by the government over the years, and to positively impact and empower the people of Zamani.

Musa was the Head of Operations, Dangote Group, and resigned December 2011 to supervise the daily running of RENITO, which commenced operations in April 1996 with an oversight on a range of outfits in content and context.

Musa said: “From 2011 till now, we have empowered over 6, 000 people through over 200 products, including liquid soap, bathing soap, airfresheners, disinfectant, bleach, pomade, shampoo,

hair cream, perfume, and among others.

“We also train and empower the people through Information Communication Technology, ICT, and now we have acquired 15 brand new computers to train minimum of forty people every three months. We have big farmers we train people in agriculture.”

Musa said RENITO had taken the bull by the horn to tackle the health challenges of the people through strong partnership with relevant corporate organisations such as the Life Savers, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and others.

“Every month we organise medical treatment here in Zamani because there is no hospital and most people here don’t have money to go to good hospitals for medical attention.

“We are in collaboration with Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, which gives us their medical team, and we are in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, health services, Life Savers, whom we give money to buy drugs, and they render free health services to the people.

“These organisations come to Zamani every month to render free health services, we are doing all this to save the lives of the people because pregnant women die here a lot, and child mortality is very high”.

According to Musa, no government had given them assistance to really boost their efforts to pull the Zamani people out of abject poverty.

“We are yet to receive assistance from government.

In fact, we appeal to the government to give us land, canopies to enable us train over 300 people in one week based on the trade they want.

“We want support on chemical and credit facilities for those we have empowered. This people can start their businesses with N10, 000, and it will go a long way to reduce crime in the society,” he added.

Since 2012, in Zamani alone, RENITO had transformed the lives of 5, 816, 000, while in health care it had treated over 7, 000 patients, and, in sports promotion, it had unified the people irrespective of religion and tribe as the NGO has also established a community football team for the youths.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 17

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New glamour girls of Yoruba films (2) I don’t love acting only for money!!

Pretty Bukola Ogundare may be a rookie still learning the ropes but her passion for the job she has designed for herself is taking her places fast.

She told Potpourri she found acting as far back as when she was in the primary school and all through the secondary school days. “ I was always in the cultural and theatre groups back in my primary and secondary school days. Even when I was in the higher institution I was a part of a theatre group.

The first film I featured in was Kamadupe. Others are Yemisi To Posh, Sokofun, Tani Olorun, to name a few. But my own first produced film is Ife Okan” she said She has since produced other films which have set her on the pedestal to prosperity. According to her, acting has been good to her in many ways.

“Acting is what I love and what I love has been good to me. I am not in the acting business only for the money but also for the love of the job”, she said.

Bukola Ogundare

I can go to any length to interprete a role!!

Polished, suave and sophisticated Nike Idris went to Greenwich University in the United Kingdom. Perhaps that explains a bit of her urbane looks and mannerisms that stand her out among her colleagues. She is into both English and Yoruba sector of the industry. She has done English movies like Campus Life and Senseless and a couple of soaps. Her most notable Yoruba films include Wosila directed by Saidi Balogun, Ana si Ana, Egbo Inu and Unforgivable

by Dayo Amusa According to her it was Ayo Adesanya that awoke the passion for acting in her.

“I watched my first ever Yoruba movie, Gboko Gboko by Ayo Adesanya and I was hooked. I was so inspired with the way she acted in the film that I had to enroll in an acting school in the UK to learn how to act”, she revealed But she has come a long way since then and seems to be doing just fine, finding her own feet in the industry. She says Dayo Amusa is the actress she looks up to because of her doggedness and talent.

Nike Idris “I can go to any length to interpret any role given to me. In Campus Life where I played the lead, there are so many kissing and sex scenes. It was crazy. You need to see it.”, she quipped.

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ast week we brought you eleven Yoruba upcoming ac tresses running the show in the Yoruba movie sector. We thought that it would end there but how wrong we were. No sooner the story hit the streets than other actresses names were suggested from various quarters.

Here are twelve more names suggested by industry people. Potpourri went to town to talk to each one and here is your serving of potpourri of personalities, tastes, beliefs and aspirations.

Meet them:

My husband understands the nature of my job !!

It isn’t often you find a chic, sophisticated lady who has combination of beauty and brain in the movie industry. Shimmering and lively Yewande Adekoya-Abiodun is an actress who understands that there should be balance between what you do on the job and how you turn out in the home front. The mass communications graduate of Babcock University doesn’t joke with her husband just as she would push herself to the limit in bringing a character to life as an actress.

Speaking with Potpourri in a chat, Yewande let us into her quiet world as a woman, an actress and a wife. “I always try to interpret my roles to the best of my ability and I give everything I’ve got to liven up the character I’m playing. God has been good, my husband is very supportive. He understands the nature of my job.

Let me just say God has helped me to find a balance”, she said.

She is particularly popular for her roles in Omo Elemosho, Kudi Klepto and Tewetegbo. She confessed to Potpourri that her roles in the three movies were the most daunting she has had to pull through in her career.

“Every role is a challenge that one has to overcome. Omo Elemosho, Kudi Klepto and my character in Tewetegbo; a young lady who was epileptic are roles that will forever remain in my mind because It was serious hardwork for me. But so far, I ve not really come across any role that has challenged me to my very bones. But who knows what my next character type would be? I’m keeping my fingers crossed”, she disclosed Yewande Adekoya herself has equally written and produced several films amongst which are Life Secret, Igbo Dudu, Omo Elemosho, Kudi Klepto, Emere among others

Yewande Adekoya

I keep my job away from my personal life!!

Mojisola Adedeji’s journey into the movie world was a journey taken step by step. She started as a make-up artiste then graduated into being an actress. But right now, Moji produces movies more than putting up acts as an actress.

Beautiful, sexy, and with a look that makes you think she is helpless, Mojisola is humble and prefers to keep her life simple.

“I am the same person whether on set or off set.

Though, I do more of producing these days yet I know I am a good actress if I have to act. My first script was given to me in Abaniworan by Mr. Latin, Bolaji Amusan and Odunlade Adekola. Then later on, I featured in Lagos to Benin;that was a movie that made me a bit popular in the movie industry”, she said.

Not one that loves to dwell on her sexuality and her love life, Mojisola told Potpourri she likes to keep her personal life away from her job.

“I keep my job away from my personal life. My job is one life and my personal life is Mojisola Adedeji another ”, she added.

PAGE 18—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

New glamour girls of Yoruba films (2) E

I can go extra mile to deliver my roles!!

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xcitingly attractive Enitan Odugbemi has a kind of heart that connects with all the endowments she is blessed with. Sexy and busty Enitan has always known she was going to be an actress because she had taken to the trade as early as her secondary school days. With many films to her credit, buxom Enitan Odugbemi is looking to do more conquests in the make-believe world.

“I started acting year 2005 but was doing it part-time then with Soji Eweade (Innocent) and later joined late Ahmed Alasari Film Productions in Abeokuta some years ago. After he died Owolabi Ajasa has been my boss, my backbone and my mentor in the film industry”, she told Potpourri of her journey into the movie industry.

She has featured in many films like Aajo - Omo, Ayo Igbehin , Igbese Aii, Alayaki, to name a few. According to her, what drives her is bringing perfection into whatever she does either on set or off set.

“I can go the extra mile to deliver my roles but not as far as going Enitan Odugbemi nude or having sex on set. My most challenging role was in a movie titled Owu Funfun (not yet released) which is an epic movie. What challenged me to pick the script was what I was supposed to do in the movie. I played the role of a village girl who was supposed to speak only in local Yoruba dialect without mixing it with any form of modern language or Lagos Yoruba. It was really inspiring and exciting and I think I did it so well”, she said.

ak e r b y m t o g I r a t n A h g u o r th Laniyan !!

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Bola Mojeed

ola Mojeed, a mass communications graduate of Lagos State Polytechnic has no bad story to tell since coming into the movie industry in 2008. No sex for role offer; no sexual harassment or any unwholesome experience as an upcoming actress. She had it all figured out for her because she was lucky to meet one of the most professional veterans in the business, Antar Laniyan.

“Mr. Antar Laniyan gave me my break into the world of acting. A friend of mine, Yomi Success introduced me to Mr Antar Laniyan and from there my career started.

Though Bola knows she hasn’t got there yet because according to her, “I am still growing but I know I will get there. So far, I haven’t seen a role that has really challenged me. I hope such roles come around”, she said.

bony beauty, Olaide Ogunyemi has described herself as an easygoing person who doesn’t fuss over who gets what role. “My kind of person makes me stand out.

When you are talking about upcoming actresses in the industry I m simply the person to be with. To me, getting a role is not a do or die affair. I take what comes to me with joy but I know I can never disappoint before the cameras”, she said Olaide, a graduate of English and Literary Studies from Tai Solarin University of Education, started acting in 2008 after hooking up with Olaniyi Afoja (Sanyeri). She has featured in many films and has produced her own first film Damilola, which according to her, wasn’t a big box office success. “The movie didn’t really sell that much because it was my first production but I must tell you that it got good comments, especially, on my acting.

Now I am working on my next movie”, she offered.

But what are Olaide’s dreams as an actress? “My dream is to make a change on how our actors and producers treat the crew; and to play a role that people would be able to learn from, both now and in the future”, she answered.

ctors, I want to change howreaw !! producers treat the c

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hakira Taiwo is the daughter of veteran Yoruba actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo. Because of her father’s trade and influence, Shakira got introduced into the glitterati of movie world at an early age. In 1998 she had a cameo appearance in her father’s film Idajo Olorun. But it was not until 2004 she broke her duck as actress, though also in her father’s flick Obirin Sowanu.

“I’ve always liked every of his emotional movie. And I grew up telling myself that if I was going to act in any movie it must be a tragic movie, the likes my father has featured in so many times. So, I did Mofe”, she told Potpourri in a chat.

Shakira said though she has found herself in the same business as her father but pointed out that he had never breathed down her neck, telling her what to do or not except for some words of advice.

“He hasn’t told me not to take this role or that but he advised me to be careful the type of roles I play as an actress. He taught me to be polite; to always give my best in every part and not to accept every script that comes my way. According to him, people tend to believe what they see in movie, especially, when you play the particular role to perfection”, she said

ogo g O r, e h t fa y m t a h W !! g in t c a t u o b a e m told Shakira Taiwo

Olaide Ogunyemii

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 19 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

New glamour girls of Yoruba films (2)

My dreams as an actress!!

Iwalola Adekugbe

I’m not a saint but I’m decent !!

She doesn’t have to tell you how endowed she is because the ‘back’ and the ‘front’ speak for themselves.

Effervescent and funloving Iwalola Adekugbe hails from Ondo town and did most of her education in her native town before proceeding to Ibadan Polytechnic where she got her first degree.

Sexy Iwalola, who is called ‘Sweet Skimpy’ by friends blitzed into the Yoruba movie scene in 2009 after having followed her sister to several locations. “Let me say I started acting around 2009. I started with a small part in a soap opera called Aditu Eledumare but because of my school I was not able to pursue the career squarely. But since I got back I have been to several locations, shooting several movies. After Aditu Eledumare I did Akoba too”, she said.

Though still a rookie looking for the big score, Iwalola has her eyes set on lofty things. “My dream is to be very big in this industry; to become a name known all over the world. I know I am nobody now but you are looking at a great celebrity in the making”, she enthused. On why she is called ‘Sweet Skimpy’ by friends, she said it is because she loves skimpy dresses.

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mokehinde Oluwadamilola Bankole is hot; both in looks and what she has upstairs. The Moshood Abiola graduate of mass communications found her way into the make-believe world on the back of Muyiwa Ademola who gave her first script. Kehinde has featured in many films and has produced a handful of hers as well. She is currently working on her newest effort Venom, a film she said would set her back by several millions.

I have featured in so many films. Some of them are Jenifa, Omoge, Animashaun, Alayaki,Igboya, Akoba Ile Wura, Sekemi among many others. I am also the producer of Ayanmo Ife,Asise Ko, Iyanje and Kehinde Bankole Ife Oju. I am about shooting my next production Kadara Temi and planning to embark on my multimillion naira project titled Venom Speaking about what is unique about her as a woman and an actress, Kehinde told Potpourri that she likes being herself no matter the situation she finds herself. “I love being myself. And I also love being real to people. I don’t like fake life. Then, I am reserved. I am not saying I don’t do what all our ladies do, I am not a saint but I am decent”, she quipped.

I do whatever my script says!!

I cannot do what will tarnish my image!!

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motoyosi Jaiyesimi came into the industry in 2008.

According to her, it was Adekola Tijani who brought her up in the business but Murphy Afolabi gave her the first shot at acting. Her first film Igba Iwa was produced

by Murphy Afolabi. After that, she went on to feature in what she considers as her most popular film Teacher Oko. Being a mother has not discouraged Omotoyosi as she moves from location to location to pursue her passion she said had ignited in her since she was a small girl. Since coming into the industry in 2008 she has featured in popular films like, Muniru ati Ambali by Olatayo Amokade, Enda’Losare, by Adekola Omotoyosi Jaiyesimi Tijani among many others.

Speaking about her career, she said she cannot take up roles that will tarnish her image because she believes she should be a good role model to her child. “My dream is to be a superstar that will impact positively on everybody that sees me as a role model. I have a child too and I believe I should be a good example to him. I cannot do what will tarnish my image”, she says.

ys acting has ukola Olatunji sa Stating her been good to her.administration ic reasons, the publan Polytechnic said ad Ib of graduate an actress in 2008 “Since I became ed better for me. things have turn people now accord Everywhere I go t. My first lead me special respec. I got the script role was Talarole rewaju because he through Yomi Ola it and I did it thought I could doid. perfectly ”, she saon set I do what“Whenever I am tells me to do. ever the directorI cannot bring to There is no role g I can’t do on set life. The only thin n’t do that for all is to go nude. I caworld. And one the money in the over others is that advantage I have nguages, includI speak several la e I spent some of ing French becausars in Abidjan, my adolescent ye added Ivory Coast”, she

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Bukola Olatunji

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PAGE 20—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

BY ANOZIE EGOLE AND MAUREEN NWANZE

called, `Umunna mu ooo’ Entertainment outfit. I am the only artiste on the label right now.

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illiams Orioha aka 2shotz ,some years back, was a name that meant so much to so many on the music scene. Just when it seemed the rapper had the world of music by the jugular, he faded into thin air. Many still wonder what happened to the rapper: Has he ever left? What happened to his music and his career? These and many more questions are answered by the rapper who only recently released a video of his latest hit ‘In My Room’ featuring Ruffcoin: For some time now, we have not heard from 2shotz, where have you been?

I have not actually been far from the scene, I am still in the scene doing the same thing that I do. But the fact is that, people are carried away with the music of now. Everyone is busy listening to Davido, Wizkid and the likes. I have no problem with that. Things like evolution should occur. Sometimes, when people say, you have been away for some time, I always tell them, I have not.

Everybody is still in the game, it is a big business I could be eating from one small angle and I am cool there.

What do you mean people are busy with the artiste of now?

I said it because that is how they say it. That is what I hear people say. Every artiste is an artiste. I don’t think that because you reigned some ten years ago you should be referred to as ‘old school’. I am not old school, I am still very much in the game.

Are you working on getting more artistes to the record label?

Right now, it is just all about me because it is what I want. I used to always displease myself to please other people and it held me back.

Now, it is all about me.

Which of your collaborations would you say is most memorable?

I would say that the most phenomenal song I did was the collabo with Timaya, Incase you never know, which was produced by Terry G. That song actually took me to a lot of places. It is my reference point till date.

So far, how many albums do you have?

I have five albums so far. My two best albums so far is my first and fourth album.

Has there really been any scandal that has affected your music or lifestyle?

I have had scandals, you know 2shotz is a controversial artiste.

There is always one controversial story or the other about me. For the past one year, it seems some people are trying to dig out dirt about me but 2Short is not the kind of artiste you can put down. Get it right, I am just like an army.

d l o e m g n i l l a Stop c z t o h s 2 l o o h sc

Has someone told you that before?

Yes and No. Because I am not really that kind of artiste, I am an artiste that evolves with time and goes with the flow. You would not say that Shina Peters is an old artiste regardless of the years he has spent in the industry. He has his own niche and audience. I have not heard any banging song from Shina Peters for a while but you would not deny the fact that he still goes for shows. So, you would not call him an old artiste. But, our categorization in Nigeria is that he is old because he has been there like ten years ago.

Sometime last month, you were spotted somewhere in Lekki, what were you doing there?

I had two projects there then. There was a movie I was working on then, the title of the movie which has been released is, `Estate Runs’. The movie had Ace, and Annie Macaulay, was one of my girl friends in the movie. Even Halima Abubakar was also there. I was on that and I was also working on a musical video there as well. The title of the video is, `In my room’, where I featured Ruffcoin. The video is out now.

What is the idea behind the musical video, `In my room’?

It is just a soft tempo type of song. It is just about me talking about being sensitive to a woman, admiring her and acknowledging her womanhood. The video started with a gamble were I had a cameo appearance with Sodjie and then MI . Myself and MI were two big men in the video, he was a chairman and I was also a boss in the video. So, we were gambling and he came with a girl whom I won over and she became mine. That is the whole idea behind the video.

But, are you really sensitive to women?

Yes, I am sensitive to women because I have a wife.

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Before you got married, what was your relationship with women like?

Who does not love women, I don’t think there is any man that does not like women. You should therefore be sensitive to women.

But what you should know is that, you can not please all.

There are some who will come and eventually become your enemy, some will come and become girlfriends and exgirlfriends. Others will come and be your very close friends.

For 13 years now, you have been in the Nigerian music industry, how would you describe the industry?

It is what we are trying to make it look like 13 years back. At least, there are important things we have now that were not there 13 years ago. Now we have the structures and the audience.

Now that we have the structure and the audience, the other evolution will follow suit. I noticed that there are lots of enmity going on in the industry.

Before now, I knew that it was fun for artistes to be in the studio

together, it was fun for artistes to hang out together. There is no love again and that is why I would say that the music we made then made a lot more sense. Because you can relate to anything any other artiste puts up. And we had the story or content behind that. What we are enjoying now is no longer the content of the story, it is just the beat. But now I can say that we have structure and audience.

Are you saying that then there was no structure and audience?

There was no structure, there was no audience. Back then, you would not listen to a 2shotz or buy a 2shotz album. We had no audience or show, hardly would you see where a hall is packed because an artiste was headlining the show. Foreign artistes were never hustling to come and perform in Africa. We never had people tuning their radio to listen to Nigerian music or looking for an interview with a Nigerian musician.

We never had people dancing to Nigerian song.

Which record label are you signed to now?

I have my own entertainment outfit

Is it true that you dated Beverly Osu? I would not say that I dated her. We were just friends. We were cool kicking it and she did a video for me.

As a rapper, what do you think makes a good rapper?

I would say, rhyme, rhythm, articulacy, flow and punch line.

13 years in the industry, do you think you are where you are supposed to be?

No, I have not gotten to where I am supposed to be. I do not know where it is but I know I have not gotten to the place. I have not gotten what I want. I have not gotten the respect and the ‘thank you’ for what I did to make the industry enjoy what they are enjoying now. I started the serious pidgin and the old Igbo rap movement. I also connected artistes to Alaba market. Personally, I know I have not achieved what I wanted. I always keep telling myself that I am not done yet.

Who would you say is the best rapper in Nigeria?

I would say it is MI.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 21

Signs that your partner really cares

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very relationship has its own peculiarity.

Individuals are different, just as circumstances are also different. The general perception is that when two people are in an intimate relationship and profess to be in love with each other, one can always tell by their open display of affection for each other, especially when in the company of other people.

However, it must be noted that open display of affection is also a common weapon of abusers to throw off suspicion about the true state of the relationship.

It is not all the time that you can judge a relationship by its face value. There are couples who also love deeply but do not readily display it for many reasons. While some lack the confidence to, some others don't even know how.

relationship can be pretty difficult to tell, just as a long term relationship such as marriage or where the couple live together can also quickly be taken for granted by both sides. Nevertheless, you will likely have that instinctive feeling that there is something more than friendship or

As I have said before here, the art of loving and sexual intimacy are cultivated, no one is born with all the techniques needed. You have to learn and keep learning to achieve perfection. So, how do you determine if someone loves and cares about you? There are a couple of signs that can readily tell the true state of a partner's affection for you, whether he or she is one of those who give public displays or not. All you have to do is carefully look out for some of the signs, though a new

cohabiting in the air here.

One of the signs you should look out for is his or her eyes sparkle. Have you ever watched a child being served a big bowl of ice cream with all the works? You can’t help but notice that the child’s eyes light up with happiness.

Likewise, when you see someone you are happy to see. You are obviously excited.

Naturally, the human pupils dilates when someone is excited or has strong feelings about something. You can tell a lot about whether a partner

eyes on you, then you are on course.

The mood of a partner when in your company also goes a long way to tell how they feel about you. If he or she is happy to be with you, they will always have a positive mood and energy when you are together. Even when they have a problem, they will be eager to share it with you because they feel comfortable in your company. With a particularly rough day at work, he or she will love to come home with the

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likes you by the way he or she looks at you and the way they pay attention to you. A lover's eye contact often tells a lot about them and their feelings towards you. We often reveal far more than we desire through our eyes. So, if your partner's eyes sparkle with happiness anytime they set

Girls love company and so do guys.

We all enjoy activities a lot more when we are with someone we love. So take notice of how often they want to do things with you or go out with you, be it movies, games or chores

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08179683653 •Blessing, 45, form Anambra state, needs a God fearing man, for a relationship, that will lead to marriage. 08103895087 •Chidimma, 25, needs a loving and caring guy for a serious relationship.09095577591 Searching Male • A guy, 22, tall, dark in complexion and handsome, needs a light skinned, tall, intelligent, sexy and God fearing lady, aged 17-20 in Delta state for a honest and serious relationship. 07067888588 •Emmanuel, 26, from Anambra, resides in Lagos, fair in complexion and slim, needs an

knowledge that they can relax in your company. When a lover cares about you, they would plaster their face with a wide grin no matter what they are doing or going through. If your partner is fond of you, you will see that they smile and even blush a lot more easily when you are around them.

Another sign is common interest. If your partner is engaging in activities that you also like to do, or making an extra effort to be a part of them, chances are they are doing it just to spend more time with you. Girls love company and so do guys. We all enjoy activities a lot more when we are with someone we love. So take notice of how often they want to do things with you or go out with you, be it movies, games or chores. If it seems rather frequent, it’s a good sign they are really into you. And they obviously want you to think you share a lot of common interests.

No doubt we all have hectic lives and sometimes, time can be so short we cannot cramp everything we want to do or need to do in what is available.

However, if a partner really wants to be with you, they will create the time no matter how hectic the schedule is. A weekend or short holiday together away from all the hustle and bustle, as often as •Tambo, 25, dark in complexion, handsome and resides in PH, needs a good lady, who is slim and sexy, aged 30-40, for a serious relationship. 08161854273 •Kelly, 30, tall, handsome, a graduate and employed, needs an educated and employed lady, for a serious relationship that can lead to marriage, aged 25-30.

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possible, is a way of showing how much they care and want to be with you. After all, when you spend weekends together, you are not doing it because you bumped into each other by accident. It is something deliberate, planned and sustained. And you can hardly do that with someone you don't care about or want to be with.

A partner who digs you would always be overly concerned. they would remind you about all your appointments, he or she would even ask you if you have had lunch, a guy would offer you a jacket even if it is not cold, they can suggest a trip to the doctor even if you have a simple headache. Any lover who cares about you would want to take care of you. After all, some of the attributes of love are nurturing, caring and tending to the love object. Your pain will be his or hers and they will want to go out on all limbs just to support you in whatever way possible. If your partner is all these and more, even if they do not say it verbally or display it openly in public, then be sure that they really care about you.

A note of caution though.

Remember that love and care are reciprocal. You don't have the right to take without giving back of yourself too. It is good to love, but it is wonderful when you find someone who loves you in return. Do have a lovely Sunday.!

•Charles, 27, handsome and a graduate, needs a sweet and rich sugar mummy, aged 35-45 from Imo or Abia state. 08037568293 •Adebayo, 24, resides in Lagos, needs a good looking sugar mummy for mutually satisfying relationship. 08054195300, pin26582CA1 •A guy needs a sugar mummy, aged 46-53, who will take good care of him, in Lagos.

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•Emma, from Akwa Ibom, but resides in Benin Edo state, needs a rich , sexy, pretty and caring sugar mummy, who can take good care of him, financially.07054417470

P AGE 22—SUND AY Vanguard , OCTOBER 5 , 2014 SUNDA

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

Expensive shoes are more of an investment than ‘Aso-Ebi’!

T

hey could be killer heels or fabulous flatties.

But there in the window stands a pair of perfect shoes. You’re a sane, intelligent woman – yet the fact that you already own a mini-mountain of footwear makes no difference. You go straight into the shop, try them on and buy them”, so observes a shoes freak. And she’s not alone. Today, a lot of women own more shoes than they know what to do with them. A couple of months back, I gritted my teeth and bundled up pairs of shoes I hadn’t worn for years for charity.

There, I felt a bit relieved.

I then proceeded to place shoes that hadn’t made it to the shoe-rack and was actually surprised I still hd that many shoes left! “What are you going to do with all these shoes”, friends gawp whenever they see my special shoe rack but I quickly remind them they have lots more than I do – and our appetite for shoes keep on growing. So why do so many sensible women appear to act irrationally when it comes to what they put on their feet?

“Women should not be judged or criticized for their love of footwear”, so defended Dr. Helen Nightingale, a consultant in clinical psychology and a shoe freak herself. She went on: “It’s not an addiction for most ladies, more of a hobby. Boys have toys and girls have their shoes, shoes just happen to be what some women collect because it’s what they love. If this isn’t

class … “Part of the shoes business’s growing success has come from the fact that a pair of shoes can look good no matter who is wearing them. It makes no difference if you’re tall, short, fat or thin. If you buy an outfit, it’s about whether boobs, waist and bum look big in it. But feet can’t t be judged like this – they’re safe”.

stopping them from paying their mortgage or doing their job, why would it be defined as a problem? Does anyone question why some men have five cars in the garage or boxes and boxes of stuff for their computers?

“Women have more disposable income than ever before and they’re simply doing what men have been doing for years – indulging themselves. The sexes make different choices of activities to engage in to spend their money. They will chose to spend it in a way that make them feel good. So, while men splash out on computers, cars and football, women get more enjoyment out of spending money on their appearance. And unless we view every male football fan as

foolish, it’s unfair to talk about women and shoes in these terms. Do men lose their credibility or get called irrational because they chose to take two days off work to go and “ watch away matches?”.

“I buy a lot of shoes and I enjoy investing in them. It makes me feel good. I don’t get into debt. What else am I going to spend my money on?” These days, more and more women are spending fortune on shoes. This might, sound crazy, but according to Helen, “compared with the cost of being a football fan, it isn’t unreasonable.

Season tickets cost a fortune and fans have to pay extra for away games and cup matches not to mention the cost of new football shirts. And while a lot of men the world

over like a get-together and chat about football, a lot of women the world over like to talk about shopping and shoes.

“I was in America recently and had dinner with a group of loud Texas women. During the meal, one of them took off her shoe and put it in the centre of the table like some sort of adornment. Everyone stopped. It was a Jimmy Choo – a designer black suede mule with guinea fowl feather on the front.

It would have cost hundreds of pounds.

Everyone said `ooh’ and `ahh’ and ‘ where did you get them>” Women have always enjoyed making an effort with their appearance. As far back as the Egyptian times, women, always had a greater range of costumes than men. It’s

take,the food I eat. I don't want to stop loving you, if I had to do it again, I would choose you over and over again.

Akachukwu Ferdinand.

08063819314

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"

You are my life

You are my life,my heart,my thought, the breath I

My close friend

When am searching for some one I can run to you are always there When I need a hand to hold I will always Prefer yours When I need a smile that can melt my pains away You are always my choice Sometimes it’s hard for me to tell you What i feel deep inside my mind

always been about wanting to get other women to say `Wow!’.

So why then do we seem to need even more pairs of shoes to achieve this wow factor? Shoes simply reflect the market.

There’s more of everything to choose from these days, no just shoes. These days, shoes are no longer seen as a clothing essential to be bought on a replacement basis only. They are now an integral part of the fashion scene”.

And let’s face it, buying shoes in our own neck of the woods is a lot safer than investing in asoebi, a habit that has taken a lot of society wannabes by the jugular.

Aso ebi, you can only wear once or twice after the event before they become obsolete. Shoes, as Helen puts it, are in a

Honey it’s cold in here!

(Humour) It’s the honeymoon night and the new bride is breathless with anticipation, she gets into bed and waits for her husband to come out of the bathroom, but what a shock when he does! He gets into bed wearing a woolly vest and thick underpants, turns over and goes straight to sleep. The bride is devastated but doesn’t say anything, hoping it will be better the following night.

However, it’s worse. The bride gets into bed wearing a very short and sexy negligee but this time her husband crawls under the duvet fully clothed and goes straight to sleep. The bride is overcome with sadness.

On the third night, she’s lying there totally naked but this time her husband gets into bed, not only fully clothed but wearing a woolly hat, thick gloves, an overcoat and furry boots. Her sadness turns to anger.

“Gerald!”, she exclaims, “ what’s going on. Don’t you know there’s a hole between my legs?” “So that’s where the bloody draft is coming from”, he replied.

Sometimes my words are mere illusion of what You make me feel Look deep inside my mind I will always find a way to let you know How I love you I can’t imagine my word without you I can’t imagine a day without the thought of you Having you is always what I desire Oh! I will always be there to share that special place in your heart I will be there to make your dreams come true My love, I have ever desired loving you my close friend

Isdone onyekachi 08167116929

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 23

08112662589

One-night stands can heal your broken heart!

V

ERA was in the midst of friends gaping in disbelief at her exploits when she continued, obviously enjoying rattling her listeners. “I had sex with an old boyfriend last week when I went to his office.

Later in the afternoon, I had a date. Sex was on the cards and we got down to it. That night, I went to bed satisfied for having gotten laid without suffering a broken heart”.

At 36, Vera confessed her life had gone crazy since she was dumped by her live-in-lover with whom she had two children at the beginning of the year when he met someone new.

Speaking of her former partner, she said, “He was a year older than I am, goodlooking, funny and a real charmer and I fell like a ton of bricks for him. And at first, it was brilliant and we went on to have our kids in quick succession. By this time, I had discovered that that he had a drink problem which I got caught up in. We would be drinking till late in the night after work, day after day. I hated being hung over all of the time.

“Inevitably, he started cheating on me and became really abusive, so I packed my bags and left with my two children. I was lucky to have my parents’ help in raising them as I was really depressed about the break up. My self-esteem was so low I started going for any man that showed any interest. I work in a large insurance company and

there are lots of fix guys there. I had flings with a few of them in succession and colleagues started talking about me behind my back and sniggering at me. So, the affairs at work stopped.

“Shortly after, a guy I went to university with came into the office to sort out his insurance without knowing I worked there.

He asked me for a date and even though the date was dismal, I still had sex with him at the end of it.

Unfortunately, the sex obviously meant more to him as he later declared his love for me. I had to tell him I’d just separated from a man I had two kids with and wasn’t looking for a replacement so soon. He was quite angry I hadn’t been on the level with him about my past before leading him on. I mean how would he feel if I’d confessed that having sex with him on a first date seemed easier than telling him he didn’t turn me on at all”.

One night stands, like Vera had, could be therapeutic even with your long term lover. In the past, no-strings sex was easy for men but left women emotionally broken. Not any more.

“Despite `experts’ saying the oxdytocin released after sex means a woman gets quickly attached, there is no neurobiological evidence to support this”, says Kayt Suken, author of Dirty Minds: How our

Brains influence Love, Sex and Relationships. But don’t go in search of a casual hook-up just yet as it’s been discovered that while 80% of men felt positive after a one-night stand, the figure for women is 54% with many saying their overriding feeling was one of `being used’.

According to KaytL: “If you’re sure you can bring your body to the party and leave your heart at home, find. But we’re also dealing with psychology here, in which sex and self-esteem are outwined. Chemicals aside, when someone walks away after a fling, the other person can feel, `I wasn’t good enough to see again’.

Before you embark on a one-night stand

relationship, here are five questions you should tackle: WHO: “Avoid relationship material” - advises Kayt, otherwise you risk emotional investment, which will ruin the disposable thrill factor. If you don’t share an emotional history and anticipate how it could affect mutual friends, a mate can be fun. Exes can also work. They already fancy you, but be honest: is one night worth relieving the break-up?

Strangers are dodgy. They really could be anyone, into anything, plus you risk the dreaded day after The best option is the friend of someone you rarely see – someone can vouch for him.

For a candidate who will make it memorable, choose a man with more hair on his body than on his head.

They ’re the hottest onenight stands due to their hormonal make-up.

WHY? Gratification. A one-night stand is great for dis-stressing, and being busy distracts from any residual longing after the event. A fling is a way of seeing “what else is out there and establishing what you need in bed before you form a relationship. But if what you’re really after is a confidence boost, grab your vibrator instead; a onenight stand will make you feel worse.

WHAT: A good one-night stand should be simple and experimental. Just don’t go down a too complicated track that could transform excitement into a try-hard test that’ll ruin your kicks.

Adopt the mind-set that this is a clean sexual slate.

Challenge yourself to experiment. One of the benefits is you can do this without worrying about the emotional aftermath for your relationship. If you’re at your place, go all out for fore-play.

Let your imagination and preference run riot. Men enjoy this but would never request anything kinky from a partner.

WHEN? Straight after a break-up can be great.

According to Kayt, “Two to three months after a split with someone you loved can make you susceptible to pining afterwards, so hold

off. Also being drunk makes you more adventurous, but it can be risky. Relaxed is the state to aim for. The more in control a woman is, the more she enjoys her one night stand – you can articulate what you do and don’t want. Meeting at Saturday lunch and staying in bed all afternoon means extended foreplay, which is great for your orgasm. You can even pick the best week for a day session: we produced more testosterone on days six to 14 of our menstrual cycle, which means we crave nostrings sex, while the premenstrual week chemistry makes us more experimental. Avoid days 15-21, however, when hormones may make you feel clingy post sex.

WHERE? You’re most likely to orgasm in the kitchen at your house. Fact.

Just make sure that everyone is out! If you’re in your ‘nest’, says Kayt, “it’s the optimum place to orgasm because you’re relaxed and have whatever you need nearby. Men (the victims?) prefer going back to the woman’s place because they could tell she’s more relaxed. Going back to his means you find out too much about him and that’s already investing too much in a one-night stand. Neutral ground – like a hotel room – is best for the walk-away element and makes everything even more exciting.

08052201867(Text Only)

Exercises that keep you fit and firm Taut Abdominals: The leg raise ECHNIQUE: Sit on the floor with the legs outstretched in front of you, place the hands just behind waist level and a little away from the body.

Inhale and raise both legs up diagonally, forming a ‘V’ with the trunk.

Once you are in the posture breathe normally.

Retain the position for five to seven seconds, rest and repeat a few more times.

T

C M Y K

C M Y K

The Triangle: Fir m Thighs and Butt Technique: Standing with the feet apart, bend the right knee to waist level with the toes pointing forward, keep the left knee slanted with the knee locked. Keep the hands at shoulder level and the trunk erect.

Count to 10 and repeat

legs.

Strong Arms: The Bow Technique: Lying on your belly, bend both knees and with the legs up in the air hold the feet with the corresponding hands. Lift up the chest and stretch out with the elbows straightened out.

Hold the pose for a slow count to 10. Rest and repeat.

Front to Back Splits amazing Technique: Standing up straight, turn the trunk to the left and begin spreading out the legs as you lower down the body. As you get closer to the floor

invert the left foot and keep the right heel down.

You may keep the hands on the floor so you can hold your body up a bit if the stretching effect gets too uncomfortable.

As usual, regular practice makes the pose easier and easier.

*The Triangle Pose *The Bow Pose

YogaAbdominal classes Lift at 32 Ademola Adetokunbo *The

Victoria Island, Lagos, 9.10am on Saturdays

PAGE 24—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

Gender equality in education has been subjected to much debate —- Adaobi Adaobi Alex-Oni has a personality that is predisposed to challenges, creativity. She likes to intellectually stimulate and engage brilliant people from all spheres of life. She is a grass root motivator and the convener and initiator of the ROWEAD and WOW-I initiative.

A seasoned broadcaster and TV presenter, she is a graduate of the University of Abuja and has a main theater Arts in the University of Ibadan.

She spent the last decade of her professional career pioneering and putting together special outdoor games and activities for the excitement of children at various private and corporate events through her organisations. She pioneered the first outdoor water game called water walking balls and paddle boats.

In this chat with Esther Onyegbula, she talks about her foundation, challenges of the girl child in Nigeria, and other sundry issues.

Girl child education The issue of girl child education- problems confronting girl child education, how to address the problems have been a central discussion in the last decades and our nation, Nigeria, is not an exception. Gender equality in education has been the subject of much debate during the past decades and has become a prominent topic of debate in all countries. In Nigeria, there are large disparities between the level of education that boys and girls can attain.

Many girls do not have access to adequate education past a certain age level.

Challenges facing women in Nigeria Women in Nigeria have had various challenges in order to obtain equal education.

Education is a basic human right and has been recognized as such since the 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Empirically, rapid socio-economic development of a nation has been observed to depend on the calibre of women and their education in that country. Education bestows on women a disposition for a lifelong acquisition of knowledge, values, attitudes, competence and skills.

Reasons for Disparity With the advent of Colonialism and Christianity, rigid ideals about gender perceptions were imposed on the

Adaobi Alex-Oni

The disempowering colonial ‘ideology of domesticity’ as espoused by the practice of ‘housewification’ provided the springboard for women’s educational imbalance in parts of Africa

Africans mind. Thereafter, the woman’s role has come to be limited to sexual and commercial labour; satisfying the sexual needs of men, working in the fields, carrying loads, tending babies and preparing food. The disempowering colonial ‘ideology of domesticity’ as espoused by the practice of ‘housewification’ provided the springboard for women’s educational imbalance in parts of Africa. As such, the overall human development in Nigeria is being hindered by this unevenness in educational accessibility across gender categories.

What is this initiative all about?

The initiative seeks to ensure that the African woman as the stakeholder in our emerging African democracies recognizes her rights and responsibilities with respect to good governance, promotion of the girl child moral and educational development, health and social economic empowerment across all strata of the society from the grassroots to the top.

What inspired this movement?

Inspirations come from

different angles but particularly, I want to say that the things that have occured in our nation clearly has not made people happy especially as parents, when some children are missing and yet we can’t do anything about it. The most annoying aspect of this entire situation is the blame game where everybody is blaming the government. At our own level what have we done? So the inspiration for me was looking around and seeing the decay in the society, noticing that things are not going the way they ought to. That was why I decided to start a movement that will help to change the mindset of the younger generation, change the environment in which we find ourselves, our work places, our homes, the market place. As social beings, humans interact with others.There is the need to exchange lofty ideas.

Do you consider women agents of change?

As mothers, women and sister we need to recognize the fact that we are change agents.There is a need for that change we desire to start from within. If people say the government is not doing anything, we should be able

to change things and make government work for us. We should be able to take decisions and stand them with integrity.

The men who are involved in these atrocities are people’s sons, husbands, fathers, and brothers; so women have the power to change the mindset of the upcoming generation to see leadership as a service to self and nation and not just another means to embezzle public funds.

What are the challenges you encountered in organizing this conference?

Well the challenges I faced is trying to galvanize necessary funds to put the conference together. It wasn’t even easy for us though we had some supporters but the major contribution was that it was a self funded initiative. All the same, our partners in the last two editions have been awesome. I look forward to a situation where corporate organisations would recognize a true course and support it. When you flip through the pages of national dailies you find company’s sponsoring any kind of reality show but when it comes to a project that deals with nurturing the next generation or positively impacting the human mind,which in the long run will help create an enabling environment for them to strive ,they don’t see the need. I pray that they recognize the need, to have a generation with a sound mindset and then support and encourage this project.

What makes this NGO different from others?

Seriously speaking Wow-I is a people oriented, initiative of like minds who desire change. When we embarked on the Ebola

sensitization campaign, it was amazing that a lot of people heard of it but they didn’t know much about it. They fear the word ebola but they don’t understand how deep it can go to destroy our economy social and political life. What we have done is to go to educate and sensitize those in the grass root.

Everything is not about money, that we can invest time in the lives of others is part of the change that we are emphasizing.

On what we are going to do differently, the truth is that I don’t know what others have done or what they are doing, because if they have done something fantastic then I will not have reasons to establish this foundation. But all the same we are not writing them off, we are going to encourage one another’s effort to build on human capacity and develop our mind. We can’t give up on Nigeria because Nigeria is ours and all we have got. Our main aim is projecting the Africa woman as change agent.

What about the myth that women are their own worst enemies?

A lot of times women are been lied to that women don’t help each other. My experiences with women have been awesome.

Women are great helpers and mentors. We want to grow a new generation of women who will understand the need to carry each and every one of us along.

To achieve this there is need for women executive of large and medium scale companies to stand up for young qualified determined women and mentor them. Women must go back to the drawing board and carryout our responsibilities as women.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 25

08116759757 SEVEN-YR-OLD’S DISTRESS CRY’

‘Help me with N3m or I die’

*Parents of cerebral palsy girl send SOS to Abia govt, Nigerians

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

Childbirth is the most fantastic experience a mother can have. That is not to say a pregnancy that has progressed without hitches cannot give way to complications during delivery.

Most new mothers have idealistic vision of how motherhood should be - feel gloriously happy. But it is not always that straight forward.

That was the experience of Mrs Blessing Ikpegbu James when she gave birth to her first child, a baby girl on 8th of May, 2007 in Jalingo, Taraba State.

Her joy knew no bounds when she gave birth overlooking every other thing that followed because of the fact that the moment a child is born, a mother is also born.

The baby, christened Reliance, did not show any sign of disorder until she was five months old when she was expected to be sitting but couldn’t.

According to Reliance’s father, Mr Udochi Ikpegbu James, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, “We noticed the problem when she was five months old. She could not sit on her own nor hold her head up.

“We then took her to a hospital where we were told that she has a problem called cerebral palsy (CP) caused by delayed labour. ” CP is a group of disorders future remains uncertain that can involve brain and because there is no nationally nervous system functions, known platform or special such as movement, learning, institution dedicated to their hearing, seeing and thinking. special needs in Nigeria. They There are different types of are not integrated into the cerebral palsy, including society: the girl is presently spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, under the care and watchful hypotonic, and mixed.

Between 35 percent and 50 eyes of her parents who spend almost all they have percent of children with CP monetarily and otherwise to have an accompanying see what they can do to seizure disorder and some make the girl live a normal level of mental retardation. life.

They also may have learning “Normally, she was disabilities and vision, speech, supposed to start sitting at the hearing or language age of 5-6months but problems.

Reliance could not achieve Like Reliance, children with CP are not able to achieve that until three years later when she started to sit”, the their developmental father stated. milestones compared with “We were going to a other children of their age specialist hospital almost on and, as a result, they remain daily basis for physiotherapy an ever-present burden to for close to two years, yet no their parents, immediate significant improvement family and society. Some of before we were referred to them get abandoned, the Federal Medical Centre, abused, and neglected; their

We were going to a specialist hospital almost on daily basis for physiotherapy for close to two years

*Reliance at birth (left) ... needs a lifeline

Gombe. We used to travel to Gombe every Monday morning and return to Taraba on Friday every week, and that we did until the emergence of Boko Haram in Gombe.

“We suspended the traveling for four months and then resumed the physiotherapy in Gombe before we were advised to try India”.

The Consultant Paediatrician of the Federal Medical Centre, Gombe, Dr Yahaya Alkali, in a referral letter to India, titled, ‘Reliance Udochi James 092525’, dated 2nd February, 2010, said, “The above mentioned is a three-year-old girl who was found to have cerebral palsy with left talipes equinovarus. She has been on pyridoxine and physiotherapy but would like to be referred to you. Kindly accept her for further management.”

The parents spent nine months running around to raise a total of N1.8million needed for tickets and medical treatment in the India hospital, before they finally made it to India in November of that year, 2010.

The father told Sunday Vanguard, “We sold most of our property to raise funds

and travel to India in November 2010. We spent three weeks at the hospital with the hope that Reliance would be able to walk, but the total money was what we paid tickets with, accommodation and feeding. After all the expenses, necessary tests were carried out on her. At the end of it all, we had nothing left before we left the Columbia Asia Hospital in Bangalore, India for Nigeria”.

A letter, dated 11th November, 2010 and signed

by Dr Arjun Srivatsa, the Neurosurgeon of Columbia Asia Hospital, India, stated that Reliance has an evidence of right hemiparesis with an element of cerebral palsy. He however said Reliance is active to stimuli.

The letter read, “An MRI was carried out on her which confirmed that the left temporal gliosis with other parts of the brain are unremarkable.”

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, is the use of a large circular magnet and radio waves to generate signals from atoms in the body.

Those signals are used to construct images of internal structures in the body.

Dr Srivastsa then recommended, four years

ago, that, “Reliance does require a lot of physiotherapy to help the spasticity. She also requires brain stimulants and, if she grows a little more, and there is still a lot of spasticity, she would then come for surgeries of spinal stimulation”.

And now that the India hospital had asked that the parents to bring Reliance for the surgeries which would gulp N3million, the parents, who said they cannot even boast of N500, 000, thus seek financial support of Abia State government and Nigerians. The father appealed, “We need N3million to carry out surgeries on Reliance’ arms and legs, We were told that we should come back after two years, that was November 2012, for the surgeries on her feet and arms. But two years down the line, we have tried all we could to raise the money to no avail”.

Udochi, who hails from Umuajata in Olokoro, Abia State, pleaded with his eyes soaked in tears to Nigerians to help their daughter become normal. “I am pleading with Abia State government and public spirited Nigerians to help us raise the fund to carry out the surgeries on our daughter so that she is normal and can walk”.

PAGE 26 — SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

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Catholic Knights of S t. Mulumba rally against abor tion St. abortion cious value. Since modern medicine discovered that by using contraceptives, a woman can truncate the life growing within her, sexual freedom no longer has any boundary. The sexual act is used indiscriminately outside

BY OKEY NWANKWO

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owards creating awareness on the sanctity of human life even in the womb, and stop increasing incidences of abortion, the Family and Human Life Unit of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos and Knights of Saint Mulumba, Lagos Metropolitan Council held a pro-life vigil under the theme: ‘The Family: Fountain of Life,’ at the Archdiocesan Marian Shrine, Maryland, Lagos. This is the fourth year the vigil will hold.

Addressing the faithful, Deputy Metropolitan Grand Knight, Knights of Saint Mulumba, Egbert Imomoh, said the theme is intrinsically linked to the Archdiocesan Year of the Family programme. The aim of the programme according to him, is ‘to draw the attention to the fact that the beginning of life in the womb should ordinarily start in a family-setting, which provides the love that allows the gift of the womb to grow in the likeness of God the giver of life.’

Imomoh added that when such life is terminated through abortion, there is abrupt end of potential talent, which is not allowed to manifest. He condemned the pro-abortion argument that justifies abortion based on factors such as wrong timing for the pregnancy, economic and social reasons.

He said: “We believe that where the roots of family love are deep, where understanding and affection can be extended to the persons tempted in playing God, other life-giving solutions can be found; and where they have been allowed to play out, the birth of the so-called unwanted baby can still be a thing of joy, which is the normal thing when a new baby is added to the family.”

Recognising that families live in a world that is constantly buffeted by modern views on abortion, euthanasia and morals, he advised that as families, people must understand and fully take to heart what the Catholic Church teaches about life. He reiterated the Church’s teaching that from the moment of conception, the life of every human being is to be respected in an absolute way because man is the only creature on earth that God has wished for himself. He also said that since the spiritual soul of each man is created by God; his whole being bears the image of the creator.’

He added: “Secondly, we must believe that human life is sacred because from the beginning it involves the creative action of God and remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end.

“God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until the end: no one can in any circumstance, claim for himself, the right directly to destroy an innocent human being. We must recognise this destruction for what it really is and should not allow fancy words or presentations to cloud our thinking. We must constantly remember that there are persons who face real difficulties when exposed to the difficulty of retaining a pregnancy or not and we must be ready to provide assistance and alternatives.”

He explained that Knights of Saint Mulumba in collaboration with Ozanam House run by Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, have put in place facilities that provide social, spir-

marriage and even within marriage. Many husbands and wives show little discernment and discipline. Young people carelessly and ignorantly believe that the sexual act is a pastime to be engaged at will.

Rotary Club donates ICT laboratory to school

BY OLAYINKA LATONA N continuation of its part nership for development in Nigeria, Omole-Golden, Rotary International , District 9110 has commissioned a modern Information Communication Technology laboratory complete with state-of-the-art equipment for the students of Oke-Ira Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos.

The Lab Project which comes under the club’s 2014 star project and giveback initiative in Nigeria is aimed at exposing the students to the latest computing technologies and build them to become future software and computing experts.

Rotn. Christopher Alabi, in his welcome address at the event, said that for Nigerian children to be able to compete in the everdynamic technological world which has moved from ordinary

I

A Cross section of the Family and Human Life Unit of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos and Knights of Saint Mulumba,during creation of awareness on the sanctity of human life campaign itual and material support, counseling to young and not so young women who are in dilemma over their pregnancy.

In her message, the Coordinator, Abstinence and Chastity Campaigns, Family and Human Life Unit of the Archdiocese of Lagos, Bridget Itsueli said the birth of every new life gives joy because life is God’s unique gift to each human person, to the family and to the community.

She explained that St. Pope

John Paul II, observed how human life was devalued in the modern culture and wrote his encyclical evangelium vitae’‘The Gospel of Life,’ which expresses the Catholic Church’s teaching and her authoritative position regarding the value and inviolability of human life.

She said: “Pope John Paul II saw how life was devalued in our modern culture and was concerned that human life was fast losing its fundamental and pre-

computing to cloud computing, they must be trained to embrace ICT like their mates in the developed world.

Alabi said Omole-Golden will support the ICT laboratory project in the school with engineers who will periodically visit the school to assist in staff training and equipment maintenance and also expand the initiative to other schools.

In his words: “In this Rotary year, we are donating Information Communication Technology laboratory to Oke-Ira Secondary School because this club strongly believe that with the emerging economy, we will all be dependent on that. Virtually all developing countries are grooming their youths for that market.

I believe if we give to that school that may be the bedrock of their career in ICT”.

A university’s red carpet for Oshiomhole

BY INWALOMHE DONALD September 29 will remain a memorable day for Professor Cordelia Agbebaku, Vice Chancellor, the staff and students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State (AAU) when Governor Adams Oshiomhole visited the institution.

He commended the management for the judicious use of the funds provided by the state government,describing Agbebaku “as the best manager of all time”. He also praised her for the prevailing peace while promising more funds for infrastructures in the university.Oshiomhole similarly promised N20 million for the Department of Media and Theatre Arts, in appreciation of its dramatic display at the event.

The Pro-chancellor, represented by Prof. Theophilus Audu, lauded the governor for his determination to move the university to the next level in infrastructural development.

The Governing Council Chairman, who expressed gratitude to the governor for the N500 million grant to the university, itemized eight projects to be executed with the fund, adding that the governor would return soon to commission the projects.

The vice-chancellor, Agbebaku, in her speech, said the governor had demonstrated his love for the university with the projects executed by his administration.

She, however, called for his intervention towards the accreditation of the Department of Medical and Laboratory Science programme in AAU College of Medicine.

Responding, the governor threatened to revoke the contract for the construction of the

administrative building of the university following slow pace of work. The governor commissioned during the visit two 500-capacity lecture theatres, one on the main campus and another at the Emaudo Annex of the university; and a block of lecturers offices executed by the state government at the cost of N250 million.

Known for her goal-oriented approach to educational management, Agbebaku’s achievements at tAAU have continued to earn her the respect and love of the university ’s management, the staff, students as well as parents.

But those aware of the Vice Chancellor ’s pedigree have never been surprised by her promises of yesterday which have become the reality of today.

Agbebaku, in collaboration with the academic and non academic staff of AAU, has worked assiduously to make sure the university achieves its mandate, but the bar of academic excellence is being raised by the VC through exemplary leadership, rapid addition to the infrastructure of the institution and staff motivation.

TETFUND projects she has attracted to the varsity include the 300-capacity lecture theatre at the permanent site, the construction of the Faculty of Social Sciences Building Complex at the permanent site, procurement of 969 volumes of books in 26 subject areas for the university Central Library, procurement of an ambulance for the university Health Centre, and procurement of equipment for water supply and standby generators.

Edo State government also executed the following projects, among others, at AAU: 500-capacity lecture the-

Oshiomhole: Deserved honour

atre at the main campus, construction of lecturers office block at the main campus, construction of 500-capacity lecture theatre at Emaudo An-

nex, 500 KVA generator, provision of two luxurious buses (42 seater) and rehabilitation of the provost Lodge, Ogbeha Quarters.

When she assumed office early 2014, the Vice Chancellor had said one of the major constraints faced by the university was inadequacy of hostel accommodation, coupled with the near absence of houses to rent which adversely affected the number of students who accept offers of admission. ‘’We needed to appeal to stakeholders and individuals as well as the state government to help in the provision of affordable accommodation within the university community so that the institution can attract the very best students and staff alike”, Agebaku said.

Ex-ICAN boss, Owoyemi, Subomi Balogun in battle for Olori Ebi

By Bashir Adefaka The controversy over who is Olori Ebi of Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode resurfaced at an Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebe-Ode, Ogun State.

During the sitting, Justice S. A. Olugbemi adjourned to October 6 (tomorrow) after submissions by the parties involved.

The suit, which opened February 14, was filed by Otunba Lateef Owoyemi, a former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, with Prince Rasaki Akeju, Otunba Oladokun Ajidagba and Prince Adeleke Adeyemi for themselves and on behalf of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

Otunba Subomi Balogun, Otunba Olu Adebanjo and Alhaji A. O. Sote were joined as respondents in the suit praying the court to de-

clare the legitimacy of Owoyemi as the Olori Ebi of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

When the matter came up, the defendants were not in court but were represently by their counsel while the claimants and their counsel, Mr. Adesegun Adebayo, were in court. The defendants’ counsel had, after the February 14 opening, presented a motion, which the claimants considered to contain many distortions of the ruling house’s history. The claimants, therefore, filed a motion that the defendants’ prayers should not be granted.

The judge, having listened to the arguments of both sides, adjourned till tomorrow for hearing.

Justice Olugbemi also struck out Oba Sikiru Adetona’s name from the suit and gave the applicants a week to amend their processes, which was complied with.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 27

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ALLEGED STRIPPING OF PROF EMERITUS

UNIBEN lied – Ex-VC A former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Emeritus Andrew Onokerhoraye, has described the reasons given by the institution stripping him of his appointment as professor emeritus as unfounded. The former VC, in a written response to the UNIBEN authorities through the Registrar, Mrs. Ogboghodo, stated that the university wrongly informed the Senate in a memo that he was not meeting the responsibilities of the appointment including supervision of post-graduate students and attendance of Senate meetings. According to him, the letter of appointment, written by the Registrar confirming the appointment on behalf of the Governing Council of UNIBEN with reference REG/ SSA/P.911/82 and dated 19th January, 2011, indicated that the appointee professor emeritus “shall have no rou-

tine responsibilities assigned to you, but you may, on invitation, supervise postgraduate students and offer advice.” Onokerhoraye pointed out that the letter of appointment indicated that when he

was invited to Senate meetings, he was not obligated to attend, saying that despite these privileges, he had voluntarily made his contributions in assisting the univer-

sity whenever he was called upon. The former VC referred the Registrar to five current Ph.D students under his supervision and “most of whom had almost successfully defended their theses”, and reminded the authorities that he had attended several Senate meetings voluntarily when he was invited, even though he was not compulsorily required to attend. He explained that he found the UNIBEN’s allegation that he never attended Senate meetings as curious because many active professors and members of Senate did not attend every Senate sitting. The former VC stated further that the accusations of UNIBEN were misleading and libellous and advised that they be withdrawn as they misrepresented the facts and belittled his numerous contributions to the university for which he was given the appointment, which is usually a life-long honour.

Chevron’s sprays Ondo houses against mosquito

BY DAYO JOHNSON, AKURE

A

S part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSP), oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), distributed drugs and insecticide treated mosquito nets to over 2,000 pregnant and nursing mothers in the oil rich communities in Ondo State.

Drugs distributed in Igbokoda area of the state include 3,000doses of artemisinin based therapy and 4,000 doses of sulphadoxine and the internal residual spraying of over 1,000 houses in the communities.

Speaking during the ceremony, the General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA), Deji Haastrup, said the company will continue to promote healthy living.

Haastrup said the company believes that good health holds the key to the society sustainable development.

According to him, report from global health organisation had showed that Nigeria has a high malaria prevalence rate with 11percent of maternal death caused by attacks and 60percent of outpatient visits and 30percent of hospitalisations in the country are malaria related.

He added that the focus of the intervention was to address a key health delivery area- malaria in pregnancy MIP-which is responsible for 11percent of maternal death and child health disease conditions such as abortion, miscarriage, pre-term deliveries and low birth weight.

Speaking through PGPA Superintendent in Warri, Mr Trust Iningba, Haastrup said the programme also involved training of health workers and community people on how to

offer baseline prevention and treatment of malaria.

Ondo State Health Commissioner, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, said government had distributed over 1.6million treated nets to houses in the state.

Adeyanju added that over 800,000 doses of malaria drugs have been distributed to health centres across the state.The wife of the state governor, Mrs Olukemi Mimiko, lauded the complementary role of the

company in promoting healthy living amongst the people of the state especially the womenfolk. Mrs Mimiko appealed to the company to create an empowerment programme for women in the state.

DTHA 2015: Group endorses Okudolor

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

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HE Delta Democratic Platform, DDP, a pres sure group in Delta State, has endorsed Chief Vincent Okudolor, to run for Warri Constituency II seat in the Delta State House of Assembly.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Okudolor at Ogunu, War ri, Paul Okotie, DDP, Chairman, who described

Okudolor as adequately connected and experienced, said he has done so much for the people without holding public office, believing he would meet public expectations given the chance to represent Warri South II in the Delta Assembly.

Responding, Okudolor said his intent to run for the office is to consolidate on his passion to emancipate his people, having watched and shared in their pains over the years.

On personal capacity, Chief

Okudolor pointed to water projects, among other voluntary community services he has provided for communities in his constituency, adding that, “The biggest of his projects is located in the Warri College of Education.”

He promised to create employment for youths in multinational companies in and around the constituency, among other interests he hopes to fulfil if voted into office.

SEPLAT DONATES TO UBTH : SEPLAT donated 8 units of heavy duty cooling machines to the Burns Intensive Care Unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) on Wednesday. L-R - Mr. Dan Aigbovboa, Permanent Secretary Edo State Ministry of Solid Minerals, Oil & Gas, Professor Ibada, CMD of UBTH, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, General Manager External Relations and Communications, Professor O.O. Oludiran, Head of Unit, Burns and Plastics, UBTH, Mr. Bryte Oghor, GM, HSSE and Community Relations and Chief EO Ekegbian, Obaraye of Benin Kingdom during the presentation ceremony.

Alleged marginalisation: Group wants Uduaghan, others to intervene

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political pressure group, Movement for True De mocracy, has decried what it termed the marginalisation of Agbon 2 in elective and appointive positions in Ethiope East, calling on the party leaders to intervene to enable them produce the next lawmaker to represent Ethiope federal constituency since Agbon1 has held several positions in the past fifteen years.

The chairman of the group, Comrade Oghenero Iggue, said that Hon. Sunny Emeyese from Agbon1 which consist of Kokori, Egbo, Orhoakpo and lsiokolo sub-clans have held the position of the Delta State House of Assembly for three tenures before his becoming member, House of Representatives.

The group said the same Agbon1 has produced Hon. George Orogun, as former Commissioner for Finance, Chief Bernard Agbomiyeri as one time DESOPADEC Commissioner, Chief Faith Majemite serving in Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration as Special Assistant to the Governor on Mass Mobilization, Chief Mike Omeri, former Chairman, Niger-Cat Construction Company and other numerous members of different boards while in Agbon2 which comprises Okpara Inland/Waterside, lgun, Eku and Ovu sub-clans have not enjoyed as much as Agbon1.

The group called on Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, the State party chairman, Mr. Peter Nwaoboshi, the local government’s party leader, Chief Bernard Edewor and other political leaders to critically look at the issue so as to proffer solution.

The group explained that the sharing formula has been there over time, saying that it will be total greed if one area would not allow the position rotate round the other Agbon2 sub-clans in Ethiope East.

Adedotun Olufemi oni, is dead

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T is with heavy heart and ut most regret that we an nounce the passing on of Mr. Adedotun Olufemi Oni. He was called to glory on Sunday, September 28th 2014 at the age of 51years. He was the General Manager, administration of the National Air Management Authority, NAMA, between 2006 and 2014. He was born of the families of the late Chief T A Oni and late Archdeacon Emmanuel Alayande.

He was a public activist and was instrumental to the foundation of a number of socio-political organisations-among them the Progressive Action Movement, PAM. Speaking on behalf of the family, Mr Akin Osuntokun, announced a two day burial ceremony, including the wake keeping on Thursday 9th October 2014 at Ibadan Civic Centre, 816, Agodi GRA, Idi Ape, Ibadan at 5PM; and Funeral service on Friday 10th October 2014, St Peters Church, Aremo road, Aremo, Ibadan at 10AM.He is survived by his widow and children.

PAGE 28—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

Brand Jonathan (1)

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I think this was what The Late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti had in mind when he recorded his song titled in Yoruba “Oro e’bekosele”(translated in English to meanthere is no room for forgiveness ). For him, perhaps the perversion was due to ignorance, and that there was a need for some learning, to at least help a new start. Looking back, I think the underlying message of that wonderful piece of art did not register in a good number of his listeners. In that song, Fela laid out the working and implication of the theory of SOCIAL CONTRACT. The summation of that message is that political leadership is responsible for and to the citizens for their collective wellbeing; failure on the part of the leadership to meet the responsibility is punishable without excuses.

From very far way back into the beginning of time, all and every of the great thinkers/ philosophers, starting from Socrates, to include Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and JeanJacques Rousseau…all lined up behind thetheory of Social Contract. This has remained one of the most instrumental and dominant theories even in modern western societies. By its dictates, modern political and social institutions are run; it underlines what we in the underdeveloped and developing societies see as the magic behind development.

So, whether in considering the wealth of nations, depth of civil liberty and human rights, excellent governance based on the rule of law, or simply ap-

preciating the speed and pattern of technological development and IT, sophistication in transport system and medical science…all of these are fruits of civilization based on the theory of Social Contract. In the responsibility of upholding the dictates of this theory, the populace, on the one hand, agree to commonly invest in establishing a society, collectively and willing sign-off their individual to a common rights to a central authority, for administration.

On the other hand, the custodians of this collectively invested rights (and powers)

,

APPY 54th Anniver sary, Nigeria, as we celebrate the year of her independence way back.

I believe I am speaking for many Nigerians if I say at a time like this, it is all of mixed feelings from among Nigerians and non-Nigerians from all around the world. For one reason, Nigeria is global player of equally global influence on the world, in many respects, starting from political, to economic. Add to the peculiarities of its people and culture, Nigeria is of major concern to all other countries in the world, no matter how remote.

Surely, we are looking far beyond the ordinary international relations here; Nigeria is not like just any nation. Her uniqueness traverse political leadership, electoral system, legal system, socio-economic infrastructure, public funds management and administration, etc. It is said that every nation has its unique identity, specially expressed in their history, language, and culture.

As we celebrate Nigeria on her independence day, however, we must bear in mind her uniqueness a little beyond the common consideration as above.

At 54, it is expected that some measure of MATURITY should be expected in any life cycle, whether business investment, academic system and/or institution, scientific/ socio-economic sphere. But we if we keep in focus the need to be careful in assessing Nigeria in the area of progress measurement (due its extra-ordinary uniqueness), then we must think in that direction with optimal caution.

If you ask me, at this stage of Nigeria’s life, we should keep engaging in identifying patterns and systems preparatory for development. Interestingly, many Nigerians are divided between holding the colonial masters responsible for the state of the nation today and the nation living up to the responsibility for what it is today. That alone, underlines the confusion prevalent.

This carries through to the confusion among the ruling class, as they are largely unsure of the responsibilities of leadership. Among the followers, the confusion is even more so; they are not too sure if the leadership owe them any responsibilities or if they are indebted to the political leaders for the opportunity of staying alive.

ership by free will of the citizens, who believe such powers are held in custody for them, being their investment into the unity and common good of one and all. This is the fundamental truth in the building of nations. Modern nations are run on these common elements.

Even today, many years after Fela’s teaching, we are still needing of a start-point.

Our position at MC&A DIGEST is that a nation-state is a Brand. This is true in its entirety, whether as a political entity, a business unit or a member of the global community, a nation-state is one

Failing in state leadership is worse than failing in corporate governance; the task of political leadership is way beyond the imagination for corporate leadership

,

takes charge, based on an anticipated understanding that the power the leading group supervises over, is held in trust. As such, in expending this collective resource, there are guidelines. There are several assumptions underlining this duty of all, anchoring on MORALITY and JUSTICE. In practical terms, state power is handed over to the lead-

among all others with a distinctively unique personality, defined by her unique physical attributes, character traits, set-objectives, value essence and proposition, own equity, strategic focus and engagement and competitive advantages among competition. All of these properties come together to shape any given nation or country’s being, internal organisation and dealings

and international relations at the global level.

Let us consider the imperatives for a given nation, say Nigeria, for instance, applying all of those attendant characteristics by which we have classified them as a Brand, using EQUITY. The equity of any brand is the sum total of its value or part that makes up its whole. That means, a brand is only as good or bad/successful or otherwise, as the value of its equity. Equity in this case, can be broken down into perception, value offer, value essence, awareness level, strategic engagements such as presence, target consumer engagement, support for competitive advantages, and presence for share-of-mind.

On the other hand, EQUITY in investment terms, will be a clear statement of ownership and ownership participation.

This aspect of EQUITY draws on the investors and their investments; such participatory concerns, and the anticipated return on their Investment (ROI). At the end, every investor has his/her equity of the summation of invested resources, for which equitable returns are expected.

In Fela’s”Oro e’bekosele” (and indeed in line with the theory of SOCIAL CONTRACT), Nigeria owes every of her citizens, a return to their collective investment into making her being. The SC theory posits that it is the collective resolve to avoid a state of anarchy (in the medieval times, as I see it now) that encouraged citizens to give up their rights for a collective administration by an identified leader or set of leaders, for the common safety and protection of all. Peaceful co-existence, therefore, was the anticipated return on their invested assets/ resources. The investors made no room for failure of leadership.

In one of our articles on political leadership as brand management, we did say political leadership should be seen as a higher level of business management for profitability, and not opportunity for the elected to take rest and take loot. It is only in Africa the opposite still exists. That is why unprepared and unqualified characters take hold of leadership; they have no idea of the enormity of work political leadership come with. Failing in state leadership is worse than failing in corporate governance; the task of political leadership is way beyond the imagination for corporate leadership.

To be continued

SUNDAY, Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 29

Uba’s daught er w eds Ibeabuek e’s son daughter weds Ibeabueke’s

Benin NUJ house warming

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he correspondents chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Benin City, opened their new secretariat with prominent Nigerians in attendance. Photos by Barnabas Uzosike

t was indeed a new life beginning in refreshing bliss when Nkeiruka Ogechi daughter of Engineer Lucky Uba signed off her maiden name to become the wife of Victor Ibeabueke, son of Elder Stephen Ibeabueke. The couple took their nuptial vows at St John’s Church before their families and friends. Photos by Sola Oyelese

.

The couple; Mr and Mrs Victor Chinenye Ibeabueke receiving their wedding certificate from Rev. N. Asomugha (left) and Rev. Austin Ifezue (right)

The couple, Mr and Mrs Victor Chinenye Ibeabueke.

L-R: Mrs.Elizabeth Uzoma, Mrs. Roseline Chiloika and Mrs . Olichi.

T

T

L-R: Mr. Simon Ebegbulem, Chief David Edebiri addressing the guests and Chief Chris Ogiemwonyi.

L-R: Mr. Louis Odion; Hon. Ken Imasuagbon and Sen. Roland Owie, Chairman of the occasion.

The couple Mr and Mrs Ibeabueke with the bride's parents; Engr and Mrs. Lucky Uba

The couple with the groom’s parent Elder and Mrs .Stephen Ibeabueke

L-R: Mr. Louis Odion, Mr. Simon Ebegbulem, Chairman, Correspondents Chapel; Senator Roland Owie, Chief David Edebiri, Guest of Honour; and Chief Chris Ogiemwonyi.

Osumgba buried amid fanfare

he people of Igando land, Lagos, paid their last respects to the late Osumgba of the land, a high chief who passed away recently. At the burial party organised by the children and their relatives, the whole land was treated to deluxe entertainment.

High Chiefs of Igando land representing the Oba of Igando during Chief Rafiu Akanmu Dada's final burial.

L-R: Modupe Dada, Chief Oladipo Omojolowo, Rasheed Dada and Mrs. Wasilat Merotiwon.

Children of the late Chief Akanmu Dada, Osumba of Igando Land

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I can replicate Kano success story for Nigeria — Kwankwaso Governor Ibrahim Kwankwaso of Kano State is among the contenders for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 general elections. Kwankwaso, in this piece, unfolds his agenda for Nigeria.

By SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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oday I look at Nigeria and I feel sorry for the high level of insecurity and other challenges that stare our nation on the face and I feel that something urgent must be done to address the rot in the system. Nigeria cannot continue to operate as an orphan in the comity of nations having been abundantly blessed with human and material resources to be a global leader.

I can replicated Kano’s success story for Nigeria I believe that I can change the sad story of Nigeria to something of a celebration if given the opportunity to lead. I have the confidence that I can replicate the Kano magic for Nigeria. Today, Kano is proud that I came to the scene in 2011 and change the landscape for them.

Despair and hopelessness have been replaced with happiness on the faces of the people of Kano. Dilapidated public institutions have been replaced with new ones while the poor have been integrated into the system and given a means of livelihood and taken off the streets.

Today, as a result of my leadership in Kano, I have succeeded in establishing three brand C M Y K

Under my administration, we have made education free and compulsory from the primary to the university.

Behind that we have a special post graduate training programme for graduates who pass out with First class or Second class upper grades

new cites known as Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo in addition to constructing three monumental flyovers that have helped to remove the traffic snarl in the metropolis.

I have also provided 220kms of dualised and electrified roads to all the 44 LGAs of the state translating to 5kms for each of the councils at the cost of N80 billion.

To get the city running without power failure, I have signed and MoU for 35 Megawatts Independent Power Project at Challawa and Tiga dams at the cost of N14.2 billion solely from the state coffers.

Free, compulsory education Under my administration, we have made education free and compulsory from the primary to the university. Behind that we have a special post graduate training programme for graduates who pass out with First class or Second class upper grades.

So for our graduates, all you need to secure further training by the government is to pass with at least a second class upper. For those who are reading medicine, we engage them as workers on G/L 7 while they are still studying. When they graduate we send them abroad to study in specialised areas so as to become specialists and more useful to the society. So far, we have trained 501 youths for postgraduate studies abroad at the cost of N1.8 billion. Another set of 100 youths has been dispatched to Jordan for Piloting and Aeronautical Engineering studies at the cost of N1 billion. Another 100 of our youths are studying Medicine in various

PROLOGUE

universities abroad at the cost of N1 billion.

One hundred others are pursuing courses in Pharmacy overseas at the cost of N800million while 100 females are studying Medicine with specialisation in Gynaecology at the cost of N1 billion.

At the same time, while 25 have been sponsored to study Marine Engineering in India and the United Kingdom, 14 others are undergoing various courses in Technical Education at Bradford, England. The second batch of our 502 youths sponsored by my administration to pursue their PhD courses abroad is doing very well in their chosen institutions across the globe. We are spending at least N2.8 billion on them.

Overall we have set up 37 micro finance firms and 44 educational institutions to help the people of Kano to actualise their dreams in life. These things are being done because we believe that the people must be made comfortable for the government to elicit their support, goodwill and cooperation to succeed. We place premium on our people and we will continue to do more to advance their interest and well being because without them there can be no government. That is why I have established two first class universities in Kano to continue to provide knowledge for our people and citizens of Nigeria. These two institutions are designed with the future in mind and to remain as centres of excellence at all times.

How sanity was restored on Kano roads The Kano State Traffic Road Traffic Agency, KAROTA, was set up to restore sanity in the state. Many residents of Kano fear them more than any other thing because I gave them instruction to arrest anyone, no matter their position once they flout traffic laws. I told them also that if you arrest any commissioner or top government officials for contravening traffic rule and they dare mention my name that they should double their penalties. The agency is working well.

Nobody, who likes themselves, would want to beat traffic in Kano because they understand the implications of such an action. If you catch anybody and he mentions my name double their penalty. That has

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 33

(2) Continued from page 32 helped KAROTA to keep the traffic under control.

Empowerment for all Now you have seen that there is no beggar among Kwankwasya.

We have enough jobs for all and if you don’t want to do any work, just go to your house and die. It is your own business. You cannot hope to be getting cash from me. We have trained people on how to struggle for their daily work and people have keyed into it and it is working for them. Everyone wants to do something in order to earn a decent living instead of begging on the streets of Kano and we are happy about that.

What we did by banning street begging or Almajiri, is paying off today. People are talking of producing things by themselves.

We believe we have done well and we will continue to do more for the people.

Almajiris off the streets of Kano We have a child labour law in the state and it is meant to protect the children and give them a better future. We want to prevent a situation whereby some people, who have money, go into the villages and take young children to their houses and use them as slaves while their children are going to the best of schools. We have stopped that in the state and anyone caught using children as slaves will go to jail.

Anyone who took someone’s children and does not intend to train them in school like their own children should return them to their parents without wasting time.

We want a situation whereby the poor children will go to the same schools with the children of the rich ones in our midst. We have established many institutions to provide opportunities for all to actualise their educational goals. We abolished Almajiris because it constituted a nuisance to all and contributed to the rising crime rate in the state. We have given loans to go into business and run other projects that would help them live happily.

No borrowing since we started working for Kano In terms of security, we have also improved on a lot of things to strengthen the Government House and other places in the state and promote peace. All these things we have done them without borrowing money. The state government has done them without borrowing from within or outside Nigeria. It is our policy not to borrow any money.

In fact, even the N77 billion we inherited as debt, we have only N20 billion outstanding. We have also exited from the $200 million we inherited from the World and bank and other creditors. We got out of the debt traps.

Why Kano people are happy, comfortable Some of our landmark projects are being financed through the money we have saved from prudent management of our resources. One of them is the power generation scheme, which is costing us N14.4 billion, the flyer over and others were done with our earned resources. We took some measures to assist us to get to where we are today. Before we came here the payment of salaries was a big problem. Before we came here no civil servant was sure when their salary would come. But now nobody cares about it because it is promptly taken care of by my administration. At any given point in time, we have at least one month salary set aside in the treasury for the workers. We

vt has no en an govt nott tak taken anyy loan Kwankwaso: My go have also taken some measures to ensure that we have enough money to prosecute our projects and programmes. One of the measures was to cut down overheads. When I came in I discovered that overhead constituted a very serious source of wastage because ministries that received the money were just using formula to share it among the commissioners, permanent secretaries and other senior government officials. Then I decided to use the 2003 amount I was paying to the respective ministries and parastatals instead of 2011 and we calculated and discovered that the difference was over N500 million a month. So, I decided that we should go back to the 2003 benchmark. Even though some commissioners struggle to get an increase they often fail to convince or prove what they claim when they come to the State Executive Council. So we are saving over N500 million a month and we are able to save about N6billion a year. In fact, that amount is the cost of one of the flyover bridges in the state capital.

That is one of those long flyovers.

No First Lady Office in Kano We also saved money by not allowing the Office of the First Lady in Kano. We know that a lot of money is being spent in that office elsewhere but we in Kano believe strongly that whatever the first lady should do, is what the Ministry of Women Affairs is doing and there is therefore no need to duplicate such functions in the state. We just need a good commissioner to do the job and get a good wife and keep her at home to manage the home front well.

That is what we are doing here and everybody is happy. Our families don’t go to ministries or to go and bother any commissioner. And I don’t encourage any friendship of our families to come visiting her so that we don’t run into crisis.

By the time your wife begins to benefit from a particular commissioner- whether good or

We want to prevent a situation whereby some people, who have money, go into the villages and take young children to their houses and use them as slaves while their children are going to the best of schools

bad- he will be the best in the government. And by the time she tells you 100 times at the right time you will be forced to believe her.

No security vote in Kano Another area we have saved money to develop the state is in the area of Security Vote. Security vote is the money that governors and other people are collecting without accounting and that encourages corruption and that is why we don’t operate security vote in Kano State. Whatever we want

to buy, we write it in black and white to show clearly where it is going and why. Otherwise we have seen a situation here where in four years certain persons collected over N10 billion under the name of Reciprocal Arrangement. So, all these things put together and many other things gave us the money to do what we have done.

We have also been very prudent in the management of our resources to the extent that the longest flyover we have built which is two Kilometres long is completed at the cost of N10 billion. The other flyover is completed at the cost of N5.9 billion. In some other states the amount we have spent to complete the real projects would have been insufficient for consultancy fees. So, the things we have been able to achieve so far have given us hope and happiness and we are comfortable here in Kano. Our people are happy and satisfied with our effort to change things for them.

We are addressing security challenges Of course, we are facing some security challenges but we are up to the task and are handling the situation appropriately. Of course, you cannot stop anybody from crossing his fence into another man’s house to commit crime. It has been happening over the years but our capacity is such that whoever decides to commit crime would be caught within a short time and dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.

That is why sometimes we have attacks but it is difficult to have the kind of coordinated attacks we had in 2012 across the state because they took us by surprise.

Now we are wiser and we are working and not sleeping because our primary responsibility as a government is to protect lives and property of the citizens. Initially, I was one of those who did not support state police but because of what we saw in the last few years, I am one of the proponents of state police. We have seen a situation

even in Kano State when we were turbaning our Emir- I don’t know what happened- we were doing our job and not interfering with anybody ’s job either here or elsewhere, some elements were used to cause trouble here. But we have moved on as a people.

However since that incident, out of the 75 policemen we had they have only returned 25 to us. And these are some of the issues that made me to change my mind and support state police. Let me say that we will continue to do what is right to ensure that we have peace and progress and development in the state of Kano.

Why I am consulting for 2015 Presidency I am sure that you aware of what is happening politically in the country. As a party, the All Progressives Congress, we are working round the clock to ensure the success of the 2015 elections.

Let me also say that over last two years or so, many of my friends, brothers and sisters as well as well wishers have been requesting me to contest the Presidency but I have been telling them that time is of essence and that I need to consult. It is not my own project or my family project but that of the entire country. Now I am in the process of consultation and I have been going to many places to consult people on the matter.We want to consult those we should consult so that when we are through you can consult the rest of Nigerians on our behalf. If my consultation results in running, I believe that I have what it takes to move Nigeria forward. All my life, I have been working for the benefit of society and I don’t want to shy away from making my services available to the people of Nigeria despite the numerous challenges we face today as a nation. I believe that with good leadership these challenges can be overcome once and for all. Am happy that I have

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(2) Continued from page 33 had the right training as an engineer, who solves problems and I have traversed the length and breadth of this country meeting people, working with them and seeking solutions to the problems of this great country. If I decide to run, I would use my requisite experience to address the fundamental socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria and give the people a new lease of life.

I am confident that given my background as a long standing public servant, an engineer and a one-time Nigeria’s Defence Minister, I perfectly understand what this country urgently needs in order to become great among the comity of nations. More than anything else, the worsening security threat to Nigeria and the seeming inability of the administration to address it, do not make things easy at all. We need to do something fast to give Nigerians a sense of hope and succour in a country they all love and believe in.

More should be done to improve security in Nigeria Let me take this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government to do more on the issue of security. Security is very important and it is very sad that we are witnessing the crisis in our time. Any time I remember it I feel very sad. As we speak, we have over four million Nigerians who are being displaced into Chad, Niger, and Cameroun and so on. Some are hiding on the hills, some have been admitted to hospitals and some are missing. So whether you are a Christian or Muslim, whether you are a northerner or Southerner, or whichever group you may belong to, I don’t think that this is a good story about our country, Nigeria. What is happening is not only happening to Christians or Muslims, it is not only happening to northerners or Southerners, especially those who have not been to the North, they would not know that we have so many Southerners living in Chibok, living in Gworza and Madagali and many other parts that we are talking about today, have also been displaced. We have brothers and sisters from all parts of Nigeria here in Kano. It is a fact that after the civil war none of the property of any Nigerian from other parts of the country was seized in any part of Kano.

Those who fled to the East came back and took over their homes and shops. But a situation where leadership is encouraging this division, you begin to wonder what they want to achieve. As far as we are concerned, we should not encourage any form of division. I want to appeal to all Nigerians to ensure that there is peace in this country. Only weak leaders are encouraging this division. Here we, we don’t do it but show people what we have been able to achieve and not weaknesses and abusing people who should ordinarily be protected. Let me also advise our National Assembly members that they support the election of 2015.

That is highly critical and I was disappointed when someone said that the election was not on the table. I am happy that there are many other tables in this country and not only the table of the man who spoke and we have an election on our table. Our table is very important and the table of the masses in this country and no clever or wise politicians will support the issue of tenure extension. Term limit is very

‘I will use my experience to administer Nigeria’

strike next.

*Kwankwaso ... Electricity so expensive important and we have to stick to it and ensure that a free and fair election is conducted in this country. Many of us are surprised that today we havesole candidates and we don’t know why the party did that. But we know that there were primary elections from 1999 to 2011 in PDP even when we had sitting presidents in 2003 and 2011. And to us, primary election is key to strengthening any political party. From 1999 to 2011 all the elections were being won by the party that was doing primary elections. All the parties that were not doing primary elections none won elections at the centre from 1999 to 2011. By the grace of God, the APC will conduct free, fair and transparent primary elections and from that we can extrapolate and see that that party will now swap positions.

That party will lose election and the one that will do primaries will win elections in Nigeria. Running away from elections by politicians is like a washer man, who does not want tap water.

When the kitchen is too hot one should look for another place where they can fit into. Some of them were telling us that they don’t support third term and that third term will not work. They support him because the door is closed and they cannot get out and everyone wants to get a favour and they know that third term will never work in this country and has never worked anywhere. It will never work here. Term limit is the key. Even in areas where dictatorship operates, we have seen the consequences of trying to adopt undemocratic tactics in dealing with the people. We want to appeal to our colleagues in the National Assembly to ensure that they don’t support what is unjust

I am confident that given my background as a long standing public servant, an engineer and a one-time Nigeria’s Defence Minister, I perfectly understand what this country urgently needs in order to become great among the comity of nations

but to stand firm with the Nigerian people in giving them their rights at all times.

What is Kwankwasiya?

In this game you have to come up with something that is sellable and you have to go to the people to tell them that the product you are bringing is good especially given that here in Kano the politics has often been characterised by groups and so on. When we started we had the Rimi group, the Aminu Kano group and the NPN side and so on. But we the younger ones had no group but we opportune to know the late Aminu Kano and had read so much about him and we decided to come up with that ideology of Aminu Kano.

We worked so hard to get here. The colour is of Kwankwasiya is from Aminu Kano’s red and white and black. That was the colour of the Peoples Redemption Party of Aminu Kano. So, if you are talking of the red colour it is from there.

And secondly, the people here are more of NEPU and NPC and so on. And you see on the other hand, we have an identity in Kwankwasiya so that it makes it difficult for any of our members to go and do something that is negative to society. Our identity keeps us on our toes. We don’t want to do anything that will make people feel bad. We are determined people, who work hard anywhere they may be. All the things we have done have to do with our ideology. People associated with us cannot steal and engage in corruption because the system does not allow people to steal government money.

Sabongari’s development and security Sabongari means several things to people. It is an economic centre and a place where so many things happen simultaneously. For instance, the longest flyover we are doing in the state is in Sabongari. We are deliberately working to open up Sabongari. No fewer than eight roads are being done in Sabongari in addition to the longest flyover currently being constructed in the area. As a policy we will take more roads in Sabongari because it is easier to do roads there because there is little or no encroachment there. All these Industrialisation of Kano roads we are doing affect Electricity is so expensive to everybody in Kano. There is no produce and run factories. The need for people to fear whether we public power supply is unstable will complete the projects started and the cost of maintaining

by Kwankwaso or not. We have generators is very high. But we started the projects and we are want to bring in 35 mega watts of committed to completing them. If power to change the situation to we don’t, my successor will boost industrialisation before we certainly complete them. go. We have a market here. But a Our priority is to change the way bigger problem of things are going in Sabongari, industrialisation has to do with which constitutes one of the policy somersault by the Federal biggest drugs market in the state.

Government. Today, the federal Here you find some people government would say it has displaying drugs as if it is water banned this item, tomorrow they and bread. say we have not banned it because They pack small containers with of pressure from certain quarters. illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin When you say you are banning it and Indian helm and you see some means that the local people will people taking them and behaving produce the items but once they as if they are out of this world. But allow such items to come in, the we cannot as a government allow local producers are put out of job. such a dangerous practice to go Cost of production is high here on here. Within the last three years and the goods that come in we have in conjunction with become cheaper thereby security agencies seized and encouraging outsiders to sell their destroyed illicit drugs worth N4 goods better in Nigeria than the billion from Sabongari Market. local producers. We have to check The raid will continue until all the smuggling also and control bad elements that are into the interest rates in the bank. These trade are flushed out. are the major challenges to And when we get the industrialisation in Kano and masterminds we teach them a Nigeria. Unless something urgent lesson no matter who they are and is done about security nobody will who their backers are because come to invest in a place that he is they are a threat to the society. not sure of his life. Security is very important to every investor. Today Social security you see people being murdered as We are taking care of people who if they are in the abattoir and it is are handicapped and cannot do very scary. any type of work. We are The management of concerned about their welfare. information is also important. We For that reason, we pay each of have never seen what is happening them N10,000 monthly to cushion in this country before. The the effect of their handicap and frontline is everywhere in give them a sense of belonging.

Nigeria-streets, mosques, palaces, When I came into office, minimum Nyanya and all other places. wage for pensioners was N135 Before now, people avoided and we moved it to N5000. We are certain places but now nobody still looking at areas to make it knows where the bad elements will better.

C M Y K

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 35

By Victor Ahiuma-Young P RINCE Peter Adeyemi, the General Secretary of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Other Institutions, NASU, and a former Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Sunday Vanguard, speaks on politics in labour government, leadership, challenges and prospects.

What is wrong with the movement, how did we get it wrong?

Well, I am a labour leader and used to be an active part of the movement until 2011 when I contested election for the position of the Deputy President and I was schemed out. I think up to that point I would have been in the position to do a proper assessment. If I do it now, of course, there is tendency for people to think that I am doing the assessment because I am not part of the leadership. But I say with all sense of responsibility that I am aware that Nigerians have complained very bitterly that labour at the centre is no longer what it used to be.

Recently, I read what somebody by name Jibo wrote. He compared what is happening in the Ghana labour movement with that of Nigeria.

Right now, Ghana Trade Union Congress, TUC, is struggling over some unfriendly policies of the government and he related that to what is happening here in Nigeria. He wrote about what happened during the fuel subC M Y K

How politics destroyed labour movement -Adeyemi, ex-NLC Deputy President

*Says Labour now occupies backseat on national issues sidy protest, how the labour movement in Nigeria decided to abandon the people midway. If you look at that, it is a pointer to the fact that those in the labour movement may not be able to do an assessment of their own performance. I have already said the labour movement is no longer what it used to be and I agree absolutely with that because I have seen quite a number of struggles of various unions and I thought that some of those struggles would better be coordinated by the labour centres and much better results would have been achieved. It could be that the present leadership at the labour centres decided not to be as confrontational as we used to be. It could also be that there was a deliberate policy to do it that way. We

have been completely absent when it comes to standing up on critical national issues.

Look at what has happened on the issue of the Chibok girls, one would have thought

sult of the abduction of those girls, there have been lots of crises. We have seen that many of our members have been killed. When you talk about the Chibok girls, you

,

What is the state of the labour movement in Nigeria?

We as trade unions are confronting issues that affect our members and we are handling those issues with all diligence and our members are not complaining. I am also aware that in the last couple of months, we have witnessed several strikes that have taken place in the power sector, health sector, education sector and so on. So, I think the trade unions are working within the limit of their capacity. However, if we want to do the nation’s assessment of the visibility of the central labour bodies, you can also say that depending on the issues at any given time, the centres will determine what they want to do about issues; and I think to a large extent, it is probably driven by the level of contribution and support they get from the affiliates.

If you look at critical labour national issues, it seems as if we have not been visible as we used to be. I am aware that in years past, the voice of the people at the national level used to be much more pronounced. In fact, there was a time that the labour movement in this country was the rallying point for the masses.

There have been a whole lot of issues and it seems we have not taken the front seat. I think those who are handling the centres will be able to speak on some of these issues.

The only way you can talk about labour regaining its lost role is for the labour movement itself to become a democratic institution

,

that the labour movement should have been in the forefront. It is critical for the labour movement to talk about the Chibok girls and take action about the girls. As a re-

are also talking about insecurity in the country. We have seen situations where staff members of West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC, supervising examinations

have been killed. We have seen situations where nurses and health workers have been killed and we have seen situations where teachers have been killed. In fact, in Jibo’s article, he wrote that over 173 teachers have been lost to the crisis of insecurity and he was surprised that even the President of NLC that comes from Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has not been able to push anything regarding this issue.

There are many issues that affect the nation and Nigerians expect that at this point in time the voice of the labour movement should become louder, but we have decided to take a back seat. This is very unfortunate because we now see different types of hu-

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Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

`The consequences of a docile labour movement’ Continued from page 35 man right groups driving this process and, in most cases, they are not properly coordinated. There are too many issues and clearly it has not been the best of time for us.

However, I think hope is not lost yet.

C M Y K

*Adeyemi ... NLC no longer visible at ILO as labour is concerned in the country.

But what happens if this trend continues beyond 2015?

The likely implications are very obvious. First, there will be no checks and balances because the very active labour movement that once served as a check on the impunity and excesses of government not only at the federal government level but also at state and local government level will no longer be there. We need potent, virile, effective and forward looking labour centres that will impact very positively on the various strata of government. When the state governors know that if they handle the state workers with impunity, there is a forward looking labour centre that can engage the state governments, they will be mindful of their actions against workers. But when they know that the leadership of labour at the centre is clearly ineffective and clearly unable to deliver, then some of the things we see today in Nigeria will continue.

The situation where we have the national minimum wage law which prescribes that each state should pay not less than N18,000 and you still see some state governments like Plateau and few other states that are not even paying anything near N18,000 to their workers, is a sad commentary.

Yet, we have a labour movement that has not been able to do anything about that. Let me tell you, there is a limit to what the state councils can do about this issue and if the labour centre refuses to act, there will be more impunity.

Our state governments are extremely powerful and if you

look at the position that is being canvassed in the Senate, that trade union matters should be removed from the Exclusive list to the Concurrent; that shows you clearly that the future is not certain.

You need a forward looking labour centre with leaders that are determined to fight for the rights of workers. The National Conference out of its selfishness and greed recommended that labour matters should be removed from the

How do you think this change can come about?

We have gone through some period where Nigerian workers have clearly seen that those driving the process are doing so properly, so change will surely take place.

I am very sure if an average labour person in Nigeria today wants to do a fair assess-

,

How can labour reclaim its lost glory and meet the expectations of the masses?

The only way you can talk about labour regaining its lost role is for the labour movement itself to become a democratic institution. The labour movement is supposed to be the pacesetter; we have talked about several things that are wrong. We talked about manoeuvring of election processes, we talked about rigging, and we talked about different types of uncivilised activities that are associated with politics. But again we also know that if the election process is characterised by a lot of manipulations and manoeuvres, it may then throw up the type of leadership that may not be able to deliver.

We are aware that in February, the NLC will be going for its Delegates Conference where new leaders will be elected. The question we should be asking ourselves now is, how are they working towards a fair election now?

This is because, if it is not properly managed, we will end up in a situation where we will then have a leadership again that may not be able to change the current situation. If the movement has not been able to deliver maximum result to the yearning and aspiration of the Nigerian masses, if the movement has taken the back seat in the opinion of the Nigerian workers, if the labour movement has not been visible as it used to be, then I think everybody should be concerned about the processes that will lead to the emergence of a new leadership. I am not sure we are doing that now.

One of the critical elements and stakeholders in this process is the media and I am not really sure that we are doing enough to put these issues on the table. With some months to the conference of the NLC- a vital institution in the country - we seem complacent about what is happening. What we need to understand is that the next leadership that will emerge from the NLC election next year will determine what will happen to us in the next four years and, my own opinion is the need for the media and every stakeholder in this country to show more concern about what is happening in NLC and what is going to happen in February 2015, when the Delegates Conference will take place. The outcome of the next election will determine whether there will be a positive shift or we are going to remain where we are as far

mum wage because, according to him, the resources are not available. Recently, the teachers in that state who had been on strike for almost eight months suspended their industrial action. Ask me why they went on strike; it is because the state government refused to pay N18, 000 minimum wage to teachers in the state.

When Adams Oshiomhole was president of the NLC, we had problems but you find out that when the problems arose, you could see visibly that labour was confronting them head on. But the challenge right now is that those who are at the helm of affairs are not confronting those problems. As at that time former President Olusegun Obasanjo increased the price of petrol, we were all on the streets while Adams Oshiomhole was at the front, all of us protesting. At the end of the day even when Obasanjo wanted to increase by N10, we forced him to reduce it by 5060 percent .You see, if not for the labour movement at that time, maybe Nigerians would now be paying almost N200 for a litre of petrol. Then, we were able to check the excesses of government due to the way and manner labour was structured. Labour then was well organised and highly mobile. So, I do not see the future as bright if the current trend does not changed but I am confident that this trend will definitely change.

When Adams Oshiomhole was president of the NLC, we had problems but you find out that when the problems arose, you could see visibly that labour was confronting them head on. But the challenge right now is that those who are at the helm of affairs are not confronting those problems

,

Concurrent list and it involved our labour leaders.

The moment you remove labour from where it is currently, it means anybody can toy with the labour movement.

The way it is presently, we are having difficulties in making government to respect laws that have been passed by the National Assembly. I was part of the committee that negotiated the minimum wage.

Some states came to the committee to say they have the ability to pay N30, 000, some said N25, 000 and some N40, 000. But as we speak today, there are states that are contemplating a cut in the minimum wage. In Benue, the order of the day right now is that the Governor, Right Honourable Gabriel Suswam is talking about cutting the mini-

ment of what is happening now, he knows that there is need for the movement to do what we refer to as self-rethink. We need to do self-rethink and find out if this is where we want the movement to be. If we are honest with ourselves and we are convinced that this is not where we want the movement to be then, there is need to put in place a leadership that will be able to deliver and take the labour movement out of this present situation back to where we used to be. I think the first step is to redeem our image and that will be dependent on the type of leadership that comes out of the Delegates Conference. I think the labour leaders in this country need to check the credentials of those who are presenting

themselves for the Conference.

First, consider their union, two, look at how democratic they have been and how they have been able to impact on their membership. The truth of the matter is that, it is not all unions that are coming from the background of struggles. There are so many unions that do not have a history of struggles. If you want to put in place leaders, you have to put in place leaders that you know have history of struggle, people you know have achieved success in their respective unions.

Let me share this with you; I may not be a 100 percent fan of Adams Oshiomhole as at today. But I tell you, one of those things that endeared me to Adams, which made people like us to work for him to become the president of the NLC at that time was his union. We looked at what Oshiomhole was able to deliver at the Textile Union. Textile Union then was one of the best unions in Nigeria and that was as a result of what he was able to achieve in the union. So, we felt that if he was able to do that in his union, then he would have something to offer at the level of the NLC. NLC cannot just go and put in place anybody who has not made a mark in his union. Secondly, I also need to tell you that I am one of the driving forces in trade union organisation.

The Secretariat of our labour centres need to be reinvigorated and strengthened. We must be able to compete with labour centres like COSATU and other trade unions in Africa and possibly in other parts of the world.

Today, we look at ourselves when they say they are doing rating. NLC used to be the leader of all trade unions in Africa. But it is no longer the situation as people talk more about COSATU and Ghana TUC. So it is quite unfortunate; even at the level of the International Labour Organisation, ILO, we are no longer visible. In those days when Adams Oshiomhole was in office, we used to serve in the governing council of the ILO. But for the past eight years or so, we are no longer there. We are not visible. Nigeria is a giant country and apart from being a giant countr y, we once had a labour movement that was reckoned with all over the world as being very active and resourceful. I think the only way we can return to that level is for us to look currently at those who are presenting themselves for leadership positions at the forthcoming election. For those who want to be president of NLC, we should find out how democratic they are, what they have been able to do, what they have achieved in the labour movement, their antecedents and the antecedents of their unions. I think it is more of service now and until we are able to get to that point, we will be deceiving ourselves. I insist that everybody cannot just sit down and

Continues on page 37

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 37

Adeyemi: The way forward for Labour Continued from page 36 is that government should listen to the people, be ready to do what is just and right. So, we need a virile and viable labour movement that cannot afford to be servile.

People have been preaching dialogue rather than confrontation, what is your take?

The first thing you do is to dialogue. Clearly you cannot just wake up tomorrow and start fighting with the government. The truth of the matter is that in our country, 90 percent of those dialogues do not work. Let us look at it today; when we talk about the militants in Niger Delta, they had to fight for their rights before government decided to give them a listening ear. So, I think what is also lacking in our labour movement today is that we appear not to be able to match government word for word. We are not offering alternative suggestions on the way forward. What I think we should do in this movement is that, if we are saying no to one policy of government, we should be coming up with alternative ideas that should be ready to debate with government policy. I watched what happened on television during the issue of the oil subsidy removal and I felt things should not be as they were then. If government is putting forward their own argument on why subsidy should be removed, the labour movement should equally be handy with their own relevant position and justification as to why subsidy should stay. We have done that in the past such that when government is confronting us with an argument we will bring a superior argument.

What will you tell those who believe labour can longer fight government because government is bankrolling labour activities?

I think what is clear is that where the top is virile and focused those below will fall in

*Adeyemi ... we need a virile labour happens at the national level. If at the national level, you do not see me collecting money from the management, tell me how those at the state level can go and do that. During the previous leadership, any time we call on the state chapters to do something, it was done properly. When they have issues, we go there and give them the necessary backup.

There is argument that in recent time, presidents of labour centres have become so powerful that nobody challenges them. How do you respond?

I do not think what should have happened is to challenge the president. I think what should have happened is for individuals in the cabinet that knows the leadership is not doing well to resign.

That also takes us back to what I said initially about the emergence of leadership. You know there are politics that go on when the Delegates Conferences are coming up and there are backups. Remember what happened at the last NLC Conference when peo-

,

behave as if nothing is happening. I tell you, if this labour movement is not reinvigorated, a lot of things are going to happen that will not be positive for Nigerian workers.

We have seen how the labour movement worked with the civil society organisations to get government to think twice before they put in place any policy. There was a time former President Olusegun Obasanjo tagged the NLC a parallel government. You can imagine the president of a big country like Nigeria telling the nation in an independence day broadcast that the NLC has turned itself into a parallel government. It meant a lot and I think we need to begin to think how we will move the movement back to its former state and it cannot happen when individuals like us are selfish. What I see as a big task today is for the labour leaders to bury their arrogance and differences, for us to come together as people who are concerned about the fact that we want the labour movement to continue to exist. This is because the signals we are seeing now do not portend anything good.

Now, state governors are determining what to pay Nigerian workers whereas they all earn the same amount irrespective of the resources accruing to their various states.

What is the motivating factor for our senators who, of course, want to be governors, to say labour issues should be decentralised, so that when they become governors they can pay whatever they like to workers? Senators are not being paid based on the size of their state; they are paid the same amount of money whether you are from the smallest or biggest state in Nigeria. Governors are not paid according to what comes from their state, because if that is the case, why will my governor from Osun State be receiving the same salary as Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers? This is simply because my state does not generate as much revenue as Rivers State generates. I am not talking in terms of their capacity and ability to deliver. I am talking in terms of the resources that are found in the state. If you want to use resources that are found in each state to determine what you will pay the workers, then you will not only starve the workers, you will starve the politicians as well. I have never seen where the labour movement will survive without fighting. I can have my friend as president of the country but that friendship only lasts when he takes into consideration the plight of my members, the plight of Nigerian workers and the Nigerian people. When I tell him what I think is good and he refuses and decides to invoke government policy, of course, he cannot remain my friend.

First, I will listen to my constituents. What we are saying

Now, state governors are determining what to pay Nigerian workers whereas they all earn the same amount irrespective of the resources accruing to their various states

,

line. I am aware that there have been complaints that some chapters in the state are more or less appendages of state governments. However, in the past wherever we observed lapses, we applied sanction appropriately. Those who are running the affairs of labour at the state are also human beings and they are also aware of the current situation in the labour centres.

In fact, in my union, NASU, what we see that happens in the state is a reflection of what

ple went to the point of taking oath and there was a line up and some people were excluded, people that they knew would come up and challenge them if they were elected into office. We are not likely to see anything different because the entire people in the leadership are people that come from one line up that was arranged. So if you are in my line up and I worked for you to be elected, you cannot have the courage to confront and challenge me. That is what we

have seen in recent years.

This leadership has a line up and those in the line up won the election. So, tell me if there is any of them who can challenge the current NLC President? The reason is that, even if you do, you will be working against your conscience. In an attempt to remove me as the Deputy President, they recruited somebody to take my position. So that person cannot stand up today and say you people are not doing well, that is why I talk more about the processes that will lead to the emergence of a new leadership.

You now have a situation where it is no longer about your ability to deliver to the Nigeria working people; it is about how people manage the process within a closed circle to exclude some people. Right now, the process of exclusion is already going on. They are trying very hard to exclude those people they think will constitute problem to them during the next election.

These are people that have record of what they have done in their unions and are able to deliver for the Nigerian workers. There is also a process that is currently going in the NLC; if a president is leaving, he will bring an anointed person to take over.

This is also the problem we are talking about. So, when you talk about challenge, who will challenge who?

Now it is not only restricted to our labour movement; it is also there in the political arena. When a governor wants to leave, he puts his anointed person there. When the leader of the Senate wants to leave, he puts his anointed person there. You want to put somebody, so that when you say go, the person goes like zombie. That is the person you want rather than someone who can add value to the system. There is nobody in the centre that can challenge anybody because they are all from the same line up and the same caucus and cannot complain when their leader is not doing well. Some of them are complaining that they are no

longer comfortable with what is going on but how can they say it out when they came through that same group that has not been able to deliver.

If care is not taken, we are going to run into that process again.

When I was active in the NLC, there were a whole lot of policy decisions that we took and they are no longer working now. One of those policies is that, if you are no longer actively in charge of your union, you cannot be in the National Administrative Council, NAC, of the NLC. This is because you do not have control of your union.

This is because for the NAC of NLC to be active and dynamic, those who are there must be active in their respective unions. So, if we have let’s say a NAC of 12 members, we must also ensure that the NAC has the number of union leaders that you cannot easily pocket and that whatever decision you take is agreed to by them. In arriving at this arithmetic, we used to look at critical unions before we decided who went to the NAC. So that when they are elected into NAC and decisions are taken, we know those critical unions will be at the forefront and the others will follow.

That is why we talk about NUPENG, Road Transport; we talk about unions in the education and health sectors and others. When you have those critical unions in the NAC, and you want to go on a national strike, it is clear that you already have unions that can paralyse even the economy.

But when you have a situation where the people in the NAC have finished their tenure as presidents of their unions and they no longer have control over their unions; they are sitting in the NAC and taking decisions which they cannot enforce even in their unions because of the fact that they are no longer holding any position. That is why in those days, the NAC was the exclusive preserve of presidents and general secretaries of affiliate unions.

C M Y K

PAGE 38—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014 sameyoboka@yahoo.com

08023145567 (sms only)

Waiting for WF Kumuyi

BY BANJI OJEWALE

T

he people of Kumasi in Ghana did not wait for too long for the much anticipated visit of Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi from Nigeria.

In 1973, he had been used by God to set up a Bible Study Group that had radicalized Christianity in a country just crawling from an internecine civil war. The Ghanaians were themselves passing through stormy times, tossed for several years by billows of military regimes.

In 1979, Kumuyi was invited to lead a crusade in the second biggest city in Ghana, the country whose military rulers played the peace maker as Nigeria stood inexorably on the cusp of war. Was Kumuyi coming with scars of conflict? Was his message going to be relevant to the people of Ghana who were also writhing under the boots of the soldiers? If what his Bible Study Group was offering was healing the wounds inflicted by 30 months of a carnivorous war in only a few years of its existence, let him come and wave the “magic wand” in Ghana too.

The Ghanaians were thinking right. The people needed a healing- spiritual and physical- at the touch of something new, something fresh, something not born of the jaded prescription that had worsened their condition day after day. Those who invited the

Kumuyi young Nigerian evangelist (only in his late 30s) to Kumasi accepted the man whose group has since blossomed to become the Deeper Life Bible Church with stable and dignified presence all over the world.

That trip to the land of the Golden Stool and home of popular football club Asante Kotoko has been notched as a reference point in church history in Ghana.

Annalists of developments within DLBC have hailed the event as the beginning of the international reach of the church. That visit has spawned massive changes in the heart of Asante land: the landfall of old time Gospel message, accompanied by signs and wonders; It is freeing the people of the area from spiritual and physical poverty; it has made the dark ages of the day to recede and give way to the “more abundant life” promise; it has brought development and employment to the community of

Santasi in the western suburb of Kumasi and nearby Brofoyedu.

There is a 149-acre citrus farm, a community clinic and a water purification plant in the area, all available to the public. They are in existence as a result of the 1979 DLBC crusade in Kumasi where Pastor Kumuyi ministered.

Now in Ogun State, as we look back to those days of spiritual and physical renaissance engendered by a crusade, we are compelled to expect a similar boon, indeed a greater turning point while we await a three-day crusade at Kobape, Abeokuta, with Pastor Kumuyi preaching from October 24-26, 2014.

Only recently when Deeper Life Bible Church held a three-day crusade in Osogbo, state of Osun capital, the Pastor spoke of the all-round impact of the programme in the life of society and its people. He said the crusade was brought to Osun for the manifestation of God’s power and love for the people, to heal and turn every life around, saying that the event was meant to be enriching.

He declared: “We want you to believe in God, that He can conquer any challenges, that is the most significant aspect of our crusade… to remind the people that no matter how bad it may be for individuals, state and nation, God can still turn things around and can move things forward.”

Isn’t this the message Nigeria needs at the moment? The message of hope, that by the Mercy

of God and Faith in Him Nigeria can pull through her challenges.

This broad vision and mission of Christian open-air gatherings correct the erroneous views that sacerdotal functions are restricted to the spirit of man. It can’t be so. Instead the church, its agents and all its organs of administration and operations

The basic teaching of Pastor Kumuyi at the crusades is that man’s main need is the Salvation of his soul and that all other basic demands will be met after that experience exist to deliver man and his institutions of governance from the faulty terrestrial philosophy of prosperity without purity. Otherwise, Jesus Christ the Head of the Church would not be speaking of coming to offer “life…more abundantly.” Meaning real-time existence enriched by all-round development: The purged soul, nourished by the Laws of God serves as the basis of all other enterprise of man. This outlaws the prevalent crave for unbridled

and competitive materialism.

The basic teaching of Pastor Kumuyi at the crusades is that man’s main need is the Salvation of his soul and that all other basic demands will be met after that experience. When that is resolved, there ensues a flood of miracles: The lame will walk, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the sick healed; and myriads of challenges are met by sheer Divine intervention. There is more as in the case of Kumasi: God deposits enduring totems of blessing in the host community in the form of communal harmony, schools, clinics, cottage industries etc. it is a fulfillment of God’s promise in Exodus 20:24b.

To be sure, Ogun State which is hosting Pastor Kumuyi in the October edition of the series of DLBC’s international crusades needs this breeze of blessing. We need it to silence the political war drums as the 2015 poll approaches. We need the man of God to pray for the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun to continue to excel. We need him to plead for peace to reign in every nook and cranny of Ogun State in particular and Nigeria in general. We need him to pray for poverty to be banished out of the land.

We need the crusade to transform the citizens into a peaceloving lot who would enjoy the spiritual and physical benefits that follow a Divine visitation.

*Ojewale is a journalist at Onibuku, Ota, Ogun State.

tw een Ok ogie and Oritsejaf or $9.3m arms deal: Be Betw tween Okogie Oritsejafor

BY SAM EYOBOKA FOLLOWING unrelenting personal attacks on the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, The Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (TEKAN) with over 13 denominations under its umbrella and 25 million members, has released a statement questioning the motives and timing of those who have been most vocal on the subject recently.

In a similar development, a Senatorial aspirant in Edo State, Mr. Egheomhanre Eyieyien has urged the Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos Archdiocese, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie to keep quiet on the $9.3million CashFor-Arms-Episode, arguing that the cardinal has no moral ground whatsoever to condemn anyone least Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

"Only those who are hellbent on abusing CAN and needlessly insulting Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor would even listen to Cardinal Okogie much less take him seriously. Was it not Cardinal Okogie who kept dumb as CAN President after military President Ibrahim Babangida surreptitiously

Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor went and made Nigeria, a secular country with multi-religious peoples, a member of the Organisation of Islamic Countries?

"Where was Cardinal Okogie when Babangida hosted the Islam in Africa Conference organised by the Organisation of Islamic Countries in Abuja in 1989 and which issued a communique on its strategy to islamise Africa in general and Nigeria in particular: the Abuja Declaration of 1989?

"Does Cardinal Okogie want us to remember how

Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie Babangida got him secretly video-taped during his sexcapades and made a mockery of his Oath of Celibacy?

Cardinal Okogie must think that we have forgotten how that event made him suddenly deaf, dumb and blind while Gen. Babangida and Gen. Sani Abacha carried on as they liked those days.

"Cardinal Okogie should just remain silent in his retirement.

If he were the CAN President today, one wonders how else he would have betrayed the Church of God in Nigeria,"

Eyieyien stated.

Visibly angry with the attitude of Christians to members of their faith, Mr. Eyieyien expressed disgust at the rate Christians, who know nothing about God, are pointing accusing fingers at genuine men of God of whom they also know nothing.

"If there is any Nigerian pastor who has been so viciously maligned and needlessly ridiculed by "Christians" in Nigeria it is Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor," he stated, adding "here is a man who has put his life on the line to resist the advance of the Islamist Jihadist Agenda in Nigeria being mocked by people who do not even know him."

Continuing, Mr. Eyieyien thanked God that most northern Christians appreciate what God has used the CAN President to do in withstanding Boko Haram and bringing succour to the victims of its satanic activities.

"Thank God that the leaders of CAN across the member denominations value Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor's leadership and continue to stand with him," he maintained, pointing out that what is more sickening is that some of these same people who have turned themselves into Accusers of the Brethren are themselves

living in the vilest of sins yet have the temerity to accuse a man of God of whom true Believers in Christ should be proud and grateful to God for His courage and boldness in the face of such immense opposition which would have cowed lesser mortals.

"Are there no limits to hypocrisy?" he asked, observing that the evidence is that Pastor Oritsejafor is in no way involved in money laundering or gun-running yet these folks have chosen to ignore the facts simply because they are intent on abusing the man.

"Some even believe that when they mock God by ridiculing His Word which says 'Touch not my anointed and do my Prophet no harm', as many flippantly do these days, then they are somehow immune from the consequences of abusing God's anointed.

"The worst culprits are "Christians" who are obviously ignorant about spiritual authority and God's prerogative to judge His servants. I pity them. They will go in the way of Korah and his ilk," Eyieyien warned.

Also worried by all the brouhaha, President of The Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (TEKAN), Rev. Continues on page 39

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014---PAGE 39

T

Christian life Nevertheless, many Christians continue to hold on to the only life we know, which is the life of men. We reject the life we don’t know: the life of God. Similarly, many continue to insist that the will of men is the will of God. The problem here is that insistence on the one jeopardises the other.

Those determined to do the will of men cannot do the will of God. Those determined to safeguard their temporal lives are automatically disqualified from God’s eternal life.

Jesus says this again and again, but lovers of temporal life refuse to listen: “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will

WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD? (2) save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:35-37).

This is a cardinal principle of salvation.

However, when we go to God in prayer, it is often because we are determined to save our lives. We may not be asking for the whole world, but we are frequently asking for a significant part of the real estate. We ask for lands, houses, husbands, wives and children; not realising that these are actually some of the costs we have to pay for eternal life. Jesus says: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.”

(Matthew 19:29).

Issues of life The will of God, the Father is not even the will of Jesus, the Son. Jesus admits this. He says: “I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.” (John 5:30).

Therefore, in seeking to understand the will of God, we need to observe Jesus very carefully. Since Jesus came to

,

HE will of God was not done on earth before Jesus came because Jesus is: “the beginning and the ending of all things.”

(Revelation 1:8). Jesus says: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

(John 10:10). This means, as far as God is concerned, we did not have life before Jesus came. The life we had was the counterfeit life. It was the life of men and not the life of God. There is a fundamental difference between the life of men and the life of God. The life of men is temporal. The life of God is eternal. The life we had before Jesus was dead to God. The life Jesus gives is alive to God. Jesus said to the Jews: “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:3233).

In order for us to do the will of God, we must know the way, the truth and the life

,

do the will of God, anything Jesus did not do while on earth cannot be the will of the father.

If Jesus did not deal with such issues as unemployment, inadequate schools or housing shortage when he was on earth, it means addressing such issues does not involve doing the will of God. In the final analysis, God does not really care about unemployment, inadequate schools or housing shortage. Yes, he indulges us by sometimes answering our prayers about such issues, but they have nothing whatsoever to do with his will. If addressing such issues were the will of the God, Jesus would have addressed them.

Does God want this world to be a better place? Not particularly! This world is not the kingdom of God. (John 18:36).

Indeed, “all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life---is

Scandal against men of God: Women clergy urge Nigerians to be careful

By CALEB AYANSINA

N

IGERIAN Women in Clergy (WIC), an as sociation of leading women of God in Nigeria, has condemned in totality, several allegations levelled against some notable men of God in Nigeria, just as it warned people against dragging God's name into the mud.

WIC specifically referred to the $9.3m arms deal involving the private jet of the CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; Pastor Chris Oyakhilome who is currently facing matrimonial challenges, the Synagogue building collapse alongside the purported offer of N50,000 bribe to journalists by Prophet TB Joshua and many others.

The body admonished Nigerians to tread the path of caution by allowing God to judge in His own way, instead of dragging the Body of Christ into the mud.

A statement signed by WIC president, Prophetess Nonnie Roberson, in Abuja, said Nigerians should instead pray to God to heal the country.

“We have observed with great concern the manner in which Nigerians are overtly engrossed in various scandalous cases involving some prominent leaders in the Body

of Christ. While we do not condone or approve of any of the cases, we urge Christians to desist from judging these pastors as God will judge them eventually. "This is the time for serious intercession for the country. Nigeria is at a crossroads, the power tussle is more spiritual than political. The Body of Christ is under attack physically and spiritually worldwide," she said, calling on Nigerians to focus more on the issue at hand, which is the 2015 general elections and pray God to let the righteous

rule for people to rejoice.

"Those that will assume power will directly rule and decide on Nigerians faith for the next four years. This is the time for the watchmen to rise, and take the battle spiritually.

We can't start praying when the wrong person assumes leadership, we must ensure they don't get the power.

"There must be unity, love in the Body of Christ. We must break the denominational walls, gender discrimination and stand as one body," it urged.

not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16). Jesus did not come to make this world a better place. He came to prepare a people for a better place.

The more focused we are on God’s kingdom, the less this world matters. No matter what we do, this world will not get any better; it will only get worse.

Therefore, Jesus gives us a promise, which Christians prefer to ignore. He says: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

Dead works Is it the will of God for us to be pastor of a church? No! There were pastors before Jesus came.

Is it the will of God for us to preach the gospel? No! Is it the will of God for us to perform miracles and do many wonderful works of God? No! God only has one will and it is none of these.

Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-

23).

Jesus reveals here that many will prophesy in his name but will still not do the will of God. Others will cast out demons and do many wonderful works in his name, and yet they will still not do the will of God. In short, even doing works of righteousness does not constitute doing the will of God. When we do such works, we should not jump to the conclusion that we are operating at the centre of God’s will.

At Gethsemane, we see a major struggle between the will of Jesus and the will of God. “(Jesus) knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done.’” (Luke 22:4142). Even here, the will of the Father had yet to be done because Jesus says: “Not my will, but yours, be done.”

Calvary So what precisely is the will of God and how did Jesus do it?

Jesus says: “This is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day. For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life---that I should raise them at the last day.” (John 6:39-40).

The will of God is that men should lay down their lives in exchange for eternal life.

Jesus fulfilled the will of God when he said “it is finished!” on the cross and gave up his spirit. Thereafter, he became the first man to be raised to eternal life.

Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). In order for us to do the will of God, we must know the way, the truth and the life.

(CONTINUED).

Group calls on Christians to rally round SCOAN in trying times

BY DAMILOLA FANIYI

W

ORLD Interna tional Movement Against Satanic Terrorism, WIMAST has sympathised with the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, over the recent collapse of one of its building that resulted in death of over 115 persons with several others injured.

WIMAST President Prince Andy Shetau, also condoled with the families of victims of

the collapsed building and called on the general public not to politicize the incident, urging Christians to rally round the church in it this critical period it finds itself, instead of throwing tantrums at the Pastor.

According to him, "the issue should be handled in a brotherly way by the appropriate Christian authorities in Nigeria and not by outsiders who are out for vengeance, victimization and persecution of the Christian Church of Nigeria".

tw een Ok ogie and Oritsejaf or $9.3m arms deal: Be Betw tween Okogie Oritsejafor Continued from page 38

Emmanuel Dziggau said he had struggled to understand the reasons why respectable publications and news outlets across Nigeria continue to allow reports based on halftruths, hearsay and conjecture.

“The facts surrounding the case – as far as the involvement of Pastor Oritsejafor goes - seem to be quite clear. Although he has an interest in the plane he has none in the company that operates the

plane, he had no involvement in chartering the flight itself.

Indeed he does not even have an interest in the company which hired the plane and then chartered it to a third party," he stated.

According to the TEKAN president, “Pastor Oritsejafor is now trapped in a cacophony of accusation based purely on the dreamt up conspiracies of others. Based on the facts of the case that have been made public so far, he is so far removed from the incident he surely cannot have had anything to do with it. Next these

crackpots will be suggesting the flight attendants were part of the conspiracy, or maybe even the mechanics that refuel it.”

Continuing, he said: “Should the likes of Senator Akume or Nasir El-Rufai know some information that the rest of Nigeria does not; would it not be their duty to inform the authorities? There have even been those who have accused CAN of bringing Christianity into disrepute. Can they not see the irony, of committing the very crime in which they erroneously accuse Pastor

Oritsejafor and CAN of committing, by dragging the name of the organisation and President through the very mud of which they speak? How can one calumny justify another?

Maybe they should return to their scriptures; Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"If only all the hypocrites would remove the planks from their own eyes, maybe we could all see more clearly," he noted.

PAGE 40 — SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

EBOLA:

Their loss, Nigeria’s wake-up call

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

A

t the last count, no fewer than seven Nigerians have paid the supreme price. The Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, which has been wreaking havoc in some West Africa countries, finally crept into Nigeria like a thief in the night and left behind devastating narratives. It came as a blitz, stunning Lagos for a start and searing through Enugu and Port Harcourt like a storm. In a space of three weeks, the monstrous disorder government thinking in ways it had never envisaged. Like martyrs, many rose to the occasion when it mattered most to save lives but ended up paying dearly with theirs.

However, of note is the fact that the patriotism which propelled them to rise to the challenge of trying to salvage the EVD-infected persons from within and outside Nigeria, remains a lingering lesson for humanity. Nigeria and other African counties in particular need to reflect on the sacrifice of the Nigerian martyrs, whose painful loss to the virus painfully opened the eyes of their leaders to the catastrophe that was waiting to strike deep.

Nigeria, noted for taking many things for granted, never wavered for once when the heath crisis landed in the country through a Liberian, Dr. Patrick Sawyer, who imported it into the nation’. The fact of his entry into Nigeria and the heavy loss to the nation and its people are well documented. A highly embarrassed President Goodluck Jonathan, who reflected on the index case, was so furious that he upbraided the late Liberian diplomat but could not do anything more to assuage his anger

since the man has since passed on.

But in spite of the calamity that the EVD has visited on Nigeria and its people on one hand, it has also unwittingly galvanized the nation to act in unison on a particular national issue irrespective of party, religious and tribal leanings.

Unlike other issues in Nigeria, which has not received the kind of attention which Nigerians feel they urgently need, President Goodluck Jonathan did not dither at all in responding promptly to the invasion so as to save the nation and its populace from mass deaths.

Although Nigerians did not quite appreciate the initial measures outlined by Jonathan including the release of N1.9 billion for the containment of the spread of the disease, it became clear to all that the EVD was not a joke by the time the stories of its spread began to hit the nation like a plague. By the time the sum of N200 million was disburse to Lagos to establish isolations centres, decontaminate the various places said to have been visited by the index case and those who attended to him, it was clear that the N200 million given to Lagos and another handed over to Rivers State to manage the spread of the ailment, could hardly meet the needs of the affected states. But the largesse by the Federal Government at the time it was made available and the other life-saving measures announced by the administration, were most needed at the time they were unfolded.

Perhaps, if Jonathan had not approved the plan of action to contain the virus and if the nation had taken it for granted that the EVD, like a whispering wind, would come and go, the nation might have been plunged by now into a

*Tackling Ebola mourning mood that it had never witnessed since its inception.

One man, whose worth Nigerians had never known before now, is Prof Chukwu, Nigeria’s health minister, who, without doubt, has done wonderfully well to steer Nigeria off the radar of Ebola without sounding too important. Before now, Chukwu had never been

the cases indentified in the country but the U.S was really not forthcoming in making it available to Nigeria. As it turned out, neither Zmapp nor any other validated drug was deployed by Nigeria in managing the many EVD cases but it nonetheless successfully improvised and ended the woes that came with its wake. As a result of the

As painful as the loss of Nigeria’s celebrated doctors and other health workers to the EVD outbreak, the onslaught has nevertheless awaken Nigeria’s alertness to tackle emerging issues with the seriousness they deserve irrespective of their religious, tribal or political connections known to have the courage and ingenuity to manage a national problem of that magnitude but the outbreak of the EVD seems to have brought out the best in him for Nigeria and indeed Africa. Both President Jonathan and Chukwu are now being discussed in local and international health forums for proffering a completely hitherto unknown solutions to the EVD. What is actually shoring up Jonathan and Nigeria’s image in the fight against Ebola is that the nation did not make use of any known vaccine. Initially, Nigerian had wanted to fall back on Zmapp, a test drug developed in the United States of America, for the treatment of

actions adopted by Nigeria, the World Health Organisation, WHO, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS and other world bodies have already declared Nigeria Ebola-free.

In fact, the WHO in a statement in Abuja on Monday, openly declared that Nigeria and Senegal have successfully contained Ebola.

“I wish on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission and other community institutions to express our most sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the state governments and the health authorities for their commendable proactive responses and measures deployed for the containment of the EVD, not

only in the country but also in the entire region.

“Under the principle of solidarity and collective responsibility, which drives our community integration, an attack or threat to any member state is an attack or threat to all our member states,” ECOWAS President, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, said in Abuja on Friday, while reviewing Nigeria’s leading role in combating the disease.

While admitting the current wave of EVD as the worst in the region’s history, Ouedraogo noted with delight the strong support and commitment by Nigeria to eliminate the scourge through an earlier donation of $3.5 million towards the Regional Solidarity Fund to combat the disease.

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar 111, at the formal flag off of this year ’s Hajj to Saudi Arabia, made reference to the effort by the Federal Government to contain the Ebola menace and commended the Presidency for rising fast to tackle the scourge. “ We want to specially commend President Goodluck Jonathan for the steps his administration has taken to ensure to contain the Ebola virus, which has convinced the Saudi authorities to admit Nigerian pilgrims to undertake the pilgrimage to the Holy Land,” the Oba, who is the leader of the Federal Government delegation, said at the ceremony in Dutse.

As painful as the loss of Nigeria’s celebrated doctors and other health workers to the EVD outbreak, the onslaught has nevertheless awaken Nigeria’s alertness to tackle emerging issues with the seriousness they deserve irrespective of their religious, tribal or political connections. President Jonathan and Nigeria’s rating in the comity of nations is certainly likely going to soar as a result of his ingenuity in handling the EVD. Perhaps, a lesson or two from the EVD management by Nigeria would go a long way in assisting Jonathan and his administration to route the rampaging insurgents in the North-East, subdue the malevolent and irritant kidnappers and armed robbers in the SouthEast and crush his daring but dangerous kinsmen in the South-South, who are siphoning our oil resources through the creeks and using them as their personal property with reckless abandon.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 41

PAGE 42 — SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

13 YEARS AFTER A CQUITT AL IN BRIT AIN ACQUITT CQUITTAL BRITAIN

My grouse against the US, by Buruji Kashamu •Insists there is no case against him •’Role of grassroots mobilization in politics’

I

spent 45 days in prison because they just wanted to nail me unjustifiably!

“I went to court 46 times”.

Those were his first shots while recounting his ordeal in a British cell and his yo-yo movement to and from the courts.”

The man, Buruji Kashamu, recognized as a businessman and a leading politician in Nigeria, made light of the recent judgment delivered by the presiding judge of the U.S 7th Circuit Court of Appeal, Mr. Posner.

The judgment refused the relief sought by Kashamu, which was the quashing of an indictment.

In the judgment delivered on September 15, 2014, the presiding judge, Mr. Posner, observed that the two options opened to Kashamu to get the relief he sought were to either travel to the USA to defend himself in a trial or “to obtain from us, as he is trying to do, a writ of mandamus ordering the District Court to dismiss the indictment”.

The judge then added, “As he won’t risk the first path to relief, which would require him to come to the United States

and fall into the clutches of the federal judiciary, he must rely entirely on mandamus.”

Interestingly, Kashamu, it was, who went before the court, seeking the relief.

According to him, “I needed to do that so as to prove to the U.S. authorities that I am not afraid of them and that I am free of any encumbrances of law”.

On the possibility of the USA government extraditing Kashamu to defend himself on the charges an American prosecutor had pursued in a British court and for which he had been acquitted, Judge Posner had said: “But the government may be whistling in the dark in saying that it’s optimistic about being able to extradite him from Nigeria (no doubt it was optimistic about being able to extradite him from the United Kingdom). The proof of the pudding is in the eating: the government has not tried to extradite Kashamu from Nigeria and for all we know may be feigning ‘optimism’ in order to undermine Kashamu’s claim that the threat of extradition is a sword of Damocles disrupting his life without our government’s having to undergo the

,

“

The man, Buruji Kashamu, recognized as a businessman and a leading politician in Nigeria, made light of the recent judgment delivered by the presiding judge of the U.S 7th Circuit Court of Appeal, Mr. Posner

,

expense and uncertainty of seeking extradition of a foreign big shot exonerated (though only partly) by the judiciary of our British ally. Given Kashamu’s prominence in Nigerian business and government circles, and the English Magistrate’s findings and conclusion, the probability of extradition may actually be low.”

THRILLER OUTSIDE THE VILLA Kashamu was a comfortable businessman with a ‘Villa’ even in the

UK. But he was to spend 45days in the cell while the thriller lasted. Why was it him and not just another person that was singled out for prosecution? Why, of all Nigerians, was it a Buruji Kashamu? He insists that it was his brother whom he had of his own volition reported to the authorities about his shady dealings that was the coconspirator and not him.

The legal battle involving this businessman/politician, a stalwart of Africa’s biggest political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been very long and punishingly tortuous.

In 1998, a jury had indicted Kashamu and 13 others of allegedly conspiring to import heroine into the USA. Several months after the indictment, Kashamu, who was then living in Benin Republic, traveled to England and was arrested at the request of the US government.

To get Kashamu to face trial in Chicago, in the US, an American prosecutor filed two extra- dition cases against him in London. That case last- ed four years.

He was detained throughout the trial and, in the end, the presiding judge refused to order him extradited to the US on the grounds that Kashamu’s step brother, and not Kashamu, was one of the co-conspirators in the US drug trafficking indictment.

He, thereafter, returned to Nigeria.

Because he felt he had had a raw deal in the hands of the American authorities, Kashamu instructed lawyers in the US to sue for damages, demanding $500 million in compensation.

He lost on the grounds that compensation could not be awarded to an individual who was yet to unburden himself of the indictment hanging on his neck.

It was in his latest bid to quash the indictment that Judge Posner, of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled on September 15, 2014, that if the PDP stalwart wanted to fight the criminal charges against him “he has duly to fly from Lagos to Chicago; there are loads of reasonably priced flights. See www.priceline.com “cheap flights from Lagos, Nigeria, to Chicago, IL.” In an interview with Sunday Vanguard, last week, Kashamu embarked on a voyage of clarification thus: “I wish to clarify a few misconceptions on my efforts to obtain justice within the US judicial system in regard to the false indictment made against me by a panel, not a court, in the US, which the British courts have cleared me from unequivocally.

“I am doing this so as not to allow the unin- formed to be misled, and they in turn mislead others.

“As many may recall, I had to take the battle to the US authorities in their own country be- cause, despite the British judgment and the defeats they have suffered in their attempts to place a false accusation on me, they have nei- ther attempted to extradite me again nor with- drawn the charges.”

District Judge Tim Workman, of the Bow Street Magistrates Court in London, had refused to grant the indictment request from the American authorities.

First attempt against indictment “I had in 2009 attacked the unjustifiable in- dictment made against me on the basis that the English judiciary, which the US authori- ties had themselves instigated against me, had exonerated me. In that application to dismiss the indictment, I requested that the findings and conclusions of District

•Continues on page 43

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 43 which would require him to come to the United States and fall into the clutches of the federal judiciary, he must rely entirely on mandamus’ “He then proceeds to reject the application for mandamus for the reason that I have not come to the US to ‘face the judicial music.’

STALEMATE SCENARIO “Judge Posner, in building the stalemate scenario, then expresses his disbelief in the US government’s statement, in response to my application, that it has now found the atmosphere in Nigeria more favourable for my extradition to the US and responds to their vaunted optimism thus: ‘But the government may be whistling in the dark in saying that it’s optimistic about being able to extradite him from Nigeria (no doubt it was optimistic about being able to extradite him from the United Kingdom). The proof of the pudding is in the eating: the government has not tried to extradite Kashamu from Nigeria and for all we know may be feigning “optimism” in order to un- dermine Kashamu’s claim that the threat of extradition is a sword of Damocles disrupting his life with- out our government’s having to un- dergo the expense and uncertainty of

*Kashamu ... I will fight purported indictment Judge Tim Workman, of the Bow Street Magistrates Court in London, be given collateral estoppel status by the U.S. court and his findings and conclusions be made conclusive on the issue of whether or not I was a party to the alleged crime.

“District Judge Norgle before whom the in- dictment was pending in Chicago refused the application after ruling that I was not a fugi- tive from justice in the U.S. “I appealed against Norgle’s decision refus- ing to dismiss the indictment to the U.S 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The panel led by Judge Posner, a well-respected judge in the US judicial system, agreed with the District Judge.

“In his judgment then, Judge Posner had made some wideranging generalized statements, which were not borne out by the re- cords. However, as the Supreme Court of the US rarely takes an appeal that complains merely about findings of fact, the Supreme Court did not hear my appeal from that judgment.

“In that judgment, Judge Posner held that the decision of the English courts were not equivalent to that of the US courts and so could not be regarded as binding on the US courts. However, as the lawyers noted, US courts expect their judgments to be treated better by foreign courts.

SECOND AT TACK ON INDICTMENT “This latest effort is my second attempt to dismiss the indictment. This second attempt was based on my contention that the indict- ment pending before Judge Norgle has now expired by the passing of time by reason of the speedy

My grouse against the US,

by Buruji Kashamu trial requirement of US constitu- tional and criminal law and was consequently statute barred. Many cases in the US in which prosecution had not started after five years of the charge have been dismissed for this reason.

Judge Norgle had characteristically rejected the application.

“I therefore applied to the US 7th Circuit Court of Appeals for an order of mandamus directing the District Judge to dismiss the indictment.

“Judgment was delivered on the September 15, 2014 by the Court of Appeals in respect of that application for mandamus.

Judge Posner delivered the lead judgment, against which I have several reservations.

And my lawyers are exploring opportunities available for appeal.

“Before my political adversaries begin the usual perversion of truth, I wish to underline that Judge Posner ignored the facts on record and the findings of the English courts in com- ing to his conclusions that: I have no rights un- der the American Constitution because I have never been in the United States and, ‘It would be very odd that someone with so attenuated a connection to the United States would have rights under the US Constitution.’

“The Judge also ruled that, ‘But no mat- ter; even if the government is incorrect and Kashamu does have

constitutional rights, he still loses, because they haven’t been violated.’

“I want to note that in working his way to these conclusions, he had already made, Judge Posner wrongly finds that only two options are available to me: The first is to ‘return’ to the US which I had never visited and ‘stand trial and at the trial renew his motion for dismissal on the basis of the speedy trial clause’ and second ‘is to obtain from us, as he is trying to do, a writ of mandamus ordering the District Court to dismiss the

,

•Continued from page 42

seeking extradition of a foreign big shot exonerated (though only partly) by the judiciary of our Brit- ish ally. Given Kashamu’s promi- nence in Nigerian business and government circles, and the English Magistrate’s findings and conclusion, the probability of extradi- tion may actually be low.’

“Judge Posner, in conclusion, for the above reason, finds in favour of the US government, that it has no duty to attempt any extradition of any suspect charged for an offence in the US since all it needs do is to

I am however satisfied that the overwhelming evidence here is such that the identification evidence, already tenuous, has now been so undermined as to make it incredible and valueless

indictment.’

“Judge Posner came to these wrong con- clusions to create a scenario of a stalemate between me and the US authorities whereby he states that I will not come to the U.S. to fall into the clutches of the US judiciary and that the US authorities in turn have little hope of ever extraditing me to the US in view of my prominence in Nigeria and the findings of the British courts, thus he then concludes: ‘as he won’t risk the first path to relief,

,

inform that suspect that a charge has been made against him in the US and that suspect thereupon be- comes duty bound to take the next plane to the US at his own expense to challenge the charge and prove his innocence.

“The use of the phrase “though only partly” to qualify his own con- cession that the British judiciary had ‘exonerated’ me again shows that Judge Posner either lacks a thorough grasp of his own record or is being mischievous.

The state- ment of the British court which he refers to as only part exoneration is as follows: ‘As a result of the evi- dence that the Defence has placed before me and the evidence which the government has tendered in rebuttal, I find the following facts: that the defendant has a brother who bears a striking resemblance to him; I am satisfied that the defendant’s brother was one of the co-conspirators in the drugs impor- tation which involved Catherine and Ellen Wolters… I am however satisfied that the overwhelming evi- dence here is such that the identi- fication evidence, already tenuous, has now been so undermined as to make it incredible and valueless. In those circumstances, there is then no prima facie case against the de- fendant and I propose to discharge him.’

“If this clear judgment of ‘the ju- diciary of their British ally’ is only part exoneration, I wonder what more the US judges want or what is really behind this persecution.

“Mr. Posner, apparently intent on changing a fundamental principle of criminal and international human rights law, then places upon a suspect who has never been in the US before (merely upon being informed of allegations against him before a US court) the responsibil- ity to buy a cheap ticket from www. priceline.com, come to the US to surrender himself into the arms of the US judiciary (to prove his inno- cence of the charges against him?) and, as recommended by him, in my case, to face a possible life sentence before a judge whose mind is already made up even without evidence.

‘I WON’T GIVE UP’ “Although the US court in its extant ruling has doubted the like- lihood of the US authorities press- ing any extradition charges against me, describing any such attempt as “ whistling in the dark”, I would not give up. In fact, some of my friends and associates have advised that since I had been exonerated by the British courts on the basis of the same allegations with the full rep- resentation of the US authorities, as represented by its prosecutor, one Mr. A Coleman, I should stop further litigation, especially since an ‘indictment’ is not a judgment, I insist that I will fight the purported indictment to its logical conclusion because I am innocent of the allega- tions.

“Many of those who do not un- derstand the history of the case have either wondered why the Ni- gerian government has not handed me over to the US authorities or why have I not voluntarily turned in myself.

My response to the first set of people is that it is not about the US authorities or the Nigerian government requesting for me or handing me over, it is about the law and due process that has to be fol- lowed. It seems to me that but for some vested interests, the US that is the bastion of democracy, equity and justice would not embark on this kind of a wild goose chase.

PAGE 44 —SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 45

•Jonathan

FALL OUT OF NATIONAL new agenda for DAY SPEECH AJonathan,

by Ayo Adebanjo,

By HENRY UMORU & BASHIR ADEFAKA

I

n a self-assessment of his administration, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, on the 54th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, last Wednesday, presented a 59-paragraph speech in which the nation’s number one citizen awarded his leadership a pass mark.

He said that in the overall administrative performances and democratic dividends delivery, he had done well on all fronts.

Jonathan, in the over one hour broadcast, extended an olive branch, once again, to the Boko Haram insurgents to give up their destructive activities and surrender to law and order for Nigeria to move forward.

Although the Mo Ibrahim Foundation released the 2014 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, IIAG, which ranked Nigeria 37th out of 52 in the overall governance scale, rating the nation 45.8 percent lower than the African average of 51.5 percent, some eminent Nigerians concurred that the President’s self award of

pass mark was in order.

The 2014 IIAG stated that the country scored lower than the regional average for West Africa which stands at 52.2 percent and ranked 12th out of 15 in the region.

But the President, in his independence speech, posited that his administration was committed to making Nigeria safe for all Nigerians, irrespective of their places of birth, religion and political persuasions.

His words: “To all those waging war against our country, I ask that you lay down your arms and embrace peace. To those who have genuine grievances, I affirm that Nigeria will listen to you, if you bring your grievances to the table of dialogue,” he said, reassuring the people of Nigeria that his government remained committed to the “task of building a better and greater country.”

As a way of pushing the country further up to build on existing achievements, the Commander-in-Chief promised a safe landing for reports of the just concluded National Conference, which recommendations, he said, would be implemented.

Afenifere chieftain, Chief

Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Haliru Mohammed, Roland Owie, Ebenezer Babatope To all those waging war against our country, I ask that you lay down your arms and embrace peace. To those who have genuine grievances, I affirm that Nigeria will listen to you, if you bring your grievances to the table of dialogue

Ayo Adebanjo; a former Chairman, Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi; a former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; third republic governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Senator Rowland Owie; and a former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haliru Bello Mohammad; in seperate interviews, agreed with the President’s submissions. Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, chieftain, Captain Muhammad Joji,

had not much to say. He only sued for peace that Nigeria may once again have a handshake with realistic development.

Fixing Nigeria

Adebanjo said the President had actually performed as he claimed.

“I am more interested in how to fix this country. We must first have a country where people feel to be one and together, which is not possible under this disgruntled situation” , the elder statesman, who was a delegate to

the National Conference, stated. Adebanjo was at the forefront of struggle for the enthronement of somebody from the minority as President of Nigeria which not only saw to the installation of Jonathan as Nigeria’s leader, but also, he was vehement in his call, along with other patriots for a National Conference which took him and Professor Ben Nwabueze, among others, to the Presidency where the President sanctioned the demand. Today, the clamour is history.

The Afenifere chieftain, however, said the recommendations of the National Conference, as contained in its report submitted to the President, must be able to produce a new Constitution for a vibrant Nigerian state.

“The new Constitution we have proposed makes the system more permanent (rotatory president). What has happened is just an accident where the North just believes it is your turn or mine. We want a system whereby our right is our right, not that of concession or anything and that is what the new Constitution that we have proposed has done. In it, we have provided a system whereby we say, yes, we want to live together and how we want to live together. Everybody knows his rights. Everything goes to you when it is your turn.

So there is no question of somebody being oppressed.

“That is why I am pressing that the new Constitution

Continues on page 46

PAGE 46 — SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

Continued from page 45

• Ayo Adebanjo

Boko Haram.

• Nwokedi

• Ezeife

‘A new agenda for Jonathan’ Continued from page 45 must come into operation at the expiration of this term, by the end of May 29, 2015.

You will do the elections before but those who take over from the elections must be prepared to operate based on the new Constitution,” Adebanjo said.

He refused to agree with the notion that Jonathan had ruled the country along religious line. He said since there was no evidence, he would never be part of the belief that Mr. President had run the country on religious line.

“I mean I will not comment on what has not happened and we must always think positively about this country.

If there is any evidence that Jonathan runs the country along religious line, we condemn that, but I have not seen it happen. So, we should not be insinuating that supposing something bad happens. Why should anybody rule the country along religious line? Is that commendable? If there is any evidence to that effect, bring it out and we nip it in the bud and if there is no evidence of that, there is no need to raise it!”

Clarion call

Reacting to the President’s call for a united front to move the nation forward, as contained in the independence speech, Alex Nwokedi gave thumbs up, saying it was a clarion call that must be embraced by all.

“It was a clarion call trying to impress on Nigerians that patience is very important

The President wanted every Nigerian person to play his or her own part in moving the nation forward. You can see that by that, he has put the ball in our individual court telling us that our future depends on us and that Rome was not built in a day, but that in hard work and unity, we shall achieve our mission of turning Nigeria around for better.

“By the independence speech, the President wanted every Nigerian person to play his or her own part in moving the nation forward. You can see that by that, he has put the ball in our individual court telling us that our future depends on us. That is how I see the message he tried to pass across in that lengthy independence speech,” Nwokedi said.

A listening president

A former Minister of Transport, Babatope, went straight to the point. He said, “I think the self-assessment by the President that he has delivered dividends of democracy to Nigerians on many fronts is correct. And I would really start by saying that the first thing Jonathan has done which, in fact, would attract the attention of Nigerians is that fact that he has always tried to listen to

people. He does not dismiss...and he goes ahead to ask in a manner that will bring peace.

“A good example precisely is that not a single Nigerian, and we thank God for that, has been physically eliminated in the country because of political difference.

Number two, no opposition party has been reduced to political rubble by his actions. He makes sure that he hears the opposition and then takes positive steps to ensure that what they are saying is not summarily dismissed. Thirdly, look at the Ebola fight. I mean nobody would say that the government of Goodluck Jonathan has not done its best in ensuring that we have solution to the Ebola problem in Nigeria. And we can also mention Governor Fashola of Lagos State because he too has done very well. Then, it stands real that Goodluck Jonathan has done practically well in the struggle to ensure that the Ebola does not, in fact, send many Nigerians to their graves prematurely.

“The result is that America, a highly sophisticated nation, whether we like it or not, is sending a delegation to

come and understudy how Nigeria tackled Ebola. And then number five, look at the power system. It is true that we are still having power problems but nobody would deny the fact that government is busy working to ensure that we have solution. And also when you talk in terms of foreign relations, you would find out that Nigeria has tried very much under Goodluck Jonathan to ensure we have very good relationship with other parts of the world.

“Even in terms of Boko Haram, which, in fact, has been threatening the peace, unity and oneness of Nigeria, nobody would also deny the fact that the President has done his best. One other thing that one must not lose sight of is that the President is open to talks with Boko Haram and I am very, very happy about that because, whether we like it or not, Boko Haram, even though it is an organisation that is trying to disturb the peace of Nigeria, is composed of Nigerians. And if it is composed of Nigerians, government should be prepared to listen to them.

And he has said in his speech that his government is prepared to talk with Boko Haram so that we can have solution to the problems it has created.

“So when you examine the claim of President Jonathan, you would find out that he is correct to say that he has delivered on all fronts to Nigerians.” Babatope added that the Commander-inChief had never directly or indirectly attacked or blamed the opposition or anybody on the other side of the political divide for the problem of

No to referendum Owie, a former Chief Whip of the Senate and chieftain of the PDP, said, “Fighting insecurity all over the world is a joint effort of government and citizens. Usually, sabotage within security agencies poses the greatest threat. You can see what is happening within the frequency of armed forces with mutiny trials. That tells a lot about what saboteurs are doing to the security of Nigeria. ”On the 2014 National Conference report, the President’s job is simple. He should send the recommendations to the National Assembly which is empowered to make laws for the country. Thereafter the recommendations will go to the 36 states assembly for concurrence. I heard some people say the report of the CONFAB should be subjected to referendum. No! That can’t happen with a sitting assembly in place.

“I am happy that Mr. President has declared war on insurgents and you can see that these agents of destruction are surrendering now, but for the sabotage within the armed forces, they would have been crushed long ago.

I commend the armed forces for what they are doing and I urge all Nigerians to support and pray for them. I am sure that, by the grace of God, the country will overcome Boko Haram.”

Hope for 2015

In his view, Ezeife, a third republic governor of Anambra State and a delegate to the just-concluded 2014 National Conference, said, “In my view, President Jonathan’s 2014 independence anniversary speech is his most positive, his most eloquent, courageous, confident, comprehensive or informative indeed, his most presidential! He wisely started with the security situation sounding like more prepared for the combat yet making the strongest and most passionate appeal against the insecurity and disunity. ”As the President reeled out the achievements in various sectors and subsectors, it became clear to me that the government is deficient in information dissemination.

So much has been achieved than is known to the people.

The successful 2014 National Conference, courageously convoked by the President which laid the foundation for a new Nigeria where things can be made to work, removed the ritual from the speech. And the President’s believable promise to ensure Continues on page 47

SUND AY SUNDA

FALL OUT OF NATIONAL DAY SPEECH Continued from page 46 the implementation of the conference recommendations raises hope. ”The President also raised hopes of Nigerians on the possibility of free and fair elections in 2015. Whether Nigerians will believe this depends on what the President does about the unearthed demonstrable intention and plan to rig the election. Merely stopping the proposed new polling units cannot give confidence in the face of clear intention to rig the elections.”

Speaking for the Northern Elders Council, NEC, the spokesperson and former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Amb.Yusufu Mamman, said, “ NEC congratulates President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his reassuring speech on National Day. ”NEC has, at all times, expressed solidarity and support for the President over the way he has been living up to to the task on the challenges of insecurity and insurgency in the country. We, at all times, identify and salute our armed forces members for their gallantry and sacrifice in defence of our fatherland. ”NEC fully appreciates the magnitude of the challenges ahead but expresses optimism in the capacity of the President to work out a roadmap for the implementation of the confab conclusion and the conduct of free,fair and credible election in 2015. NEC also commends the excellent working relationship between the President and his Vice Arch.

Mohammed Namadi Sambo which is exemplary based on loyalty and total commitment to the goals of the Presidents transformation Agenda.”

Also speaking on the National Day Speech, Haliru Bello, a former acting national chairman of the PDP and the immediate past Minister of Defence, said, “There is nothing more indicative of our collective resolve to ensure that free, fair and peaceful elections are held in 2015 than the time - table recently released by the INEC. President Jonathan can not do any more than this to demonstrate his readiness and determination to conduct elections come 2015.

A former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, in an SMS, simply said, “Thanks, no comments.”

BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

V

eteran politician and second republic governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, diagnoses President Goodluck Jonathan’s National Day speech.

What do you make of the claim by President Goodluck Jonathan in his independence anniversary speech to set up an independent multi-sectoral charity presidential initiative to fast-tract economic restoration of the North-east ?

Why now? How much did he allocate to avoid the insurgency in the first place?

He also made mention of the just concluded National Conference as the greatest gift of the centenary celebrations.

Why would he praise his committee? That committee was not even sovereign enough to be called a conference, not to consider it as the greatest gift to Nigeria.

He funded everything from the beginning to the end for more than four months.

Did he achieve it with funds allocated by the National Assembly?

It is the National Assembly that approves funds to carry out public functions. What he did on the Confab is political fraud. As president, he should not undertake any public function with money not provided for by the National Assembly.

What do you make of his claim that Nigeria is the largest growing economy in Africa, with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $510 billion and the 26th largest economy in the world?

Potentially, we are all aware that Nigeria should be the largest growing economy in Africa, but the GEJ administration is yet to concretise this by making it a reality. It is unimaginable that we live in a potential wealthy nation but the people are living in abject poverty.

How has this administration affected the lives of more than 20million post-secondary graduates who have capacity but are incapacitated and unemployed?

Which oil rich country has such ridiculous situation in the world?

But he has answer to that in his speech when he claimed he had initiated a special support program for micro, small and medium enterprises with an intervention fund of N220 billion.

Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PPA AGE 47

A President’s gaffe on National Day,

by Balarabe Musa *’His missteps on $9 .3m arms scandal, Boko Haram, National Conference’

*Balarabe Musa

How can it be won when the government is suspected of funding the insurgency? The $ 9.3billion seized by the South African government is a clear indication that someone is funding Boko Haram through government How many people are beneficiaries of such mindblowing fund in each local government of the federation?He should stop the mockery. The money was given to party members.

They enjoy it by spending it

irresponsibly. Everything is determined by corruption in this country.

What about the presidential job creation board which he claimed was inaugurated with the charge to create

about three million jobs annually?

We are yet to see it come to reality. There are so many promises he made that have not been kept. Let’s wait and see if the promise would be kept or not, or it would be like one of those empty promises.

The military claimed to have killed Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. Do you actually see the government winning the war against insurgency in the Northeast?

How can it be won when the government is suspected of funding the insurgency?

The $ 9.3billion seized by the South African government is a clear indication that someone is funding Boko Haram through government. Since the scandal broke, have you heard about anybody arrested in connection with it? Rather what we hear is the allegation against the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN. Have you heard about the arrest of any public officer, be it Customs, the police or Immigration in connection with the scandal? No public officer can be arrested because any public officer arrested can expose those involved. Only the name of the owner of the aircraft is being mentioned not those who flew in the plane.

Ideally they ought to have identified and exposed those officials by now, arrest them the way they would arrest lowly placed individuals.

Another question we should ask ourselves is ,the president of CAN is a good friend of Mr. President, why should the government plan against him now to the extent of accusing him without sound reasons? He is free to hire the aircraft to anybody. After he has hired the aircraft, he would not suspect those hiring the plane. So why accuse him because of the association he belongs to?

They are trying to make him the scape goat.

What is your position about Shekau being killed as claimed by the military?

We have heard that several times. How many times would they claim they killed him? He has been killed many times but he is still alive.

Is there any proof to show he was captured? Why should we regard this latest claim as credible? If such claim were to be true, the international media would have captured it.

PAGE 48— SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

N50BILLION DEBT CONTROVERSY

The Bi-Courtney, AMCON tango zThe real issues

By Jide Ajani

This report presents the issues in the tango between the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, and Bi-Courtney, owned by Wale Babalakin, and would show why the former may keep holding the short end of the stick if the real letters and spirit of the law are followed – that, without prejudice to whatever moralisation of the issue that it is bringing to the table on the matter of concession.

I

t was a cocktail of abuses! And worse still, the abuses were being brandished by the state as badges of honour, believing that it was protecting the nation’s patrimony. The state thought it was right.

But all that was poured into judicial waste bin by a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ibrahim Buba, qualifying them all as “gross abuse of court process”.

Last Monday, September 29, 2014, Justice Buba vacated an order, made by Justice Okon Abang, empowering the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, to take over the assets of BiCourtney over debts which AMCON had put at N50billion.

Before the court judgement on Monday, AMCON’s counsel, Olisa Agbakoba, had declared himself in several paid advertorials as the receiver of Murtala Muhammed Airport 2, MMA2, a thriving and successful concession in the country.

He had good cause to so act. AMCON and Agbakoba were relying on an earlier court order which granted them the magna charter to virtually take over the life of Bi-Courtney.

But penultimate week, Bi-Courtney also got an order putting a temporary halt to the effectuation of the earlier judgment.

Therefore, last Monday, Bi-Courtney, presented its submission before Justice Buba that AMCON and Agbakoba obtained their earlier order by concealing the existence of two court orders since 2011 in suit numbers FHC/L/CS/1305/ 2011 and FHC/L/CS/1306/2011, which specifically restrained the Federal Government and AMCON from interfering with operations and finances of Bi-Courtney Limited and Resort International Limited as well as their related or associated companies.

The judge, in his ruling, agreed with BiCourtney ’s position and categorically

affirmed that the order obtained by Agbakoba on behalf of AMCON constituted a gross abuse of the process of court and was designed to ridicule the legal system.

The judge further declared the order a nullity ab-initio, which means that, in the eye of the law, it never existed in the first place and any action taken by AMCON or its counsel, or purported receiver, further to the illegal order, was and remained a nullity. Perhaps, what AMCON and Agbakoba ought to have done swiftly was to take possession immediately after they got their order to take possession. They did not.

Contentious concession Sunday Vanguard discovered that the Federal Government was convinced in the actions it set out to take, convinced that the concession granted Bi-Courtney was deliberately skewed in its favour.

Whereas, the casus belli of this whole saga can be located in the Federal Government’s dissatisfaction with the concession granted Bi-Courtney by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration; and whereas the Goodluck Jonathan administration as the government of the day has the right to review concessions; in doing so, however, in a country governed by law, AMCON’s every step must be within the ambit of the law.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier ruled that AMCON and the Federal Government of Nigeria owe the terminal operators, Bi-Courtney Limited, N132billion, which has remained unpaid till date. So, how did the Federal Government of Nigeria get itself enmeshed in this messy affair?

Going by the submissions of parties involved in the dispute, it is clear that the seed of discord was sown by the Federal Government shortly after MMA2 started operations in May 2007.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the

concession agreement provided for a coordinating committee with three representatives from the Federal Government and three from the concessionaire.

Based on allegations that there were a series of breaches on the part of the Federal Government, the concessionaire approached the arbitration body, stating that it has been denied the exclusivity clause and several revenue sources in the concession agreement.

Bi-Courtney is expected to make its revenue from passenger traffic, cargo handling, parking space, advertisements, space rental, and fuel surcharge on every litter of petrol sold, among others, as these were the revenue streams on which a consortium of banks had based their financial projections and assumptions before they granted the firm a loan to build the terminal. The firm submitted to the arbitration body that the Federal Government was maliciously blocking these revenue streams by providing another terminal for the biggest airline operators.

Two airlines were controlling between 60 to 70 per cent of the market, and they were initially allowed to operate from the International Airport terminal.

Even, when one of them eventually moved to MMA2, the Federal Government allowed some other airlines to move their operations to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), which is next door to MMA2, and should have been part of the concessionaire’s terminal under the agreement.

The firm also submitted that the spaces being let out at the GAT should have been part of its revenue, and that the government has also been denying it of revenue from advertisement space, fuel surcharge, and several other sources.

Although the firm claimed that it had never had up to 50 per cent of the revenue it was supposed to be making from the terminal, it had paid over N11billion of its debts to the banks before the debts were transferred to AMCON. The dispute was eventually resolved in favour of BiCourtney.

The unanimous decision of the coordinating committee was that the Federal Government was in breach of the agreement; that it should hand over the GAT to Bi-Courtney, and ensure that all domestic flights originate from the concessionaire’s terminal.

Despite the fact that the Federal Government was adequately represented at the arbitration panel, its agencies

refused to comply with the resolution. This development made Bi-Courtney to seek redress at the court.

After a review of the case, the court found that all the decisions of the coordinating committee were correct, and it reaffirmed the decision in a 2011 judgement.

The court also asked the government to forward an account of all the revenues it has made, and Bi-Courtney was asked to present an account of all the revenue it has lost as a direct result of the breaches.

Bi-Courtney complied, and the Federal Government did not. The court thereafter awarded N132billion to Bi-Courtney to compensate for the breaches. The conventional expectation is that you do not disobey court judgments and expect to get favourable verdicts from the courts.

Serial disobedience Therefore, the seeming serial disobedience of the Federal Government on the matter over the years was bound to play against it. It has.

Worse, ignoring two earlier judgments and acting as though it was above the law was bound to haunt the desires and aspirations of AMCON. No doubt, once the alleged N50billion debt was taken over by AMCON, the management company had every right to go after those it considered liable.

The position of Bi-Courtney has always been that it is not indebted to AMCON or any person claiming through AMCON in any manner whatsoever; and that on the contrary, it is AMCON and the Federal Government of Nigeria that owe it N132billion. In fact, penultimate weekend, the media was dragged into the matter with each side contending for space. No matter. AMCON has already filed an appeal against the judgment of Justice Buba. AMCON believes it had gotten a raw deal and, therefore, insists that it would do all it can to get a favourable judgment.

Agbakoba, filed a notice of appeal and formulated four grounds before the appellate court. In its reaction to the latest development at a press conference on Monday, Bi-Courtney described the failed attempt by AMCON to disrupt the operations of MMA2 as insensitive, with grave implications for the drive to engender a private sector-led resuscitation of public infrastructure and the nation’s economy.

The move was also described as a deliberate attempt to frustrate investments, commercial development and job creation in Nigeria.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 49

Dangote projects Africa’s potentials with Marketplace Africa on CNN

BY FRANCIS AWOWOLEBROWNE

T

HE renowned business magazine, The Economist, in one of its editions in 2000, described the African continent as a hopeless continent. In 2011, eleven years after, the same magazine reversed itself. The cover of its December edition of that year features an illustration of a boy flying a rainbow-coloured kite the shape of the continent, with the title, “Africa rising” This sums up just a little of the transformation that is taking place in Africa. The story of Africa as a fast moving continent could only be better told by Africans themselves.

With the perception of the West that Africa is a doomed continent, the developments within the content could certainly not be left in the hands of its traducers.

This is the main reason the pan-African conglomerate, Dangote Group, steps out to lead in the efforts at projecting the good things happening in Africa through partnership and sponsorship of Market Place Africa on the Cable News Network (CNN).

Dangote Industries Limited has taken up the sponsorship of the Facetime segment of the show that offers a unique window into African business.

The programme which debuted September 19 will be featuring Dangote advertising campaign showcasing Dangote’s expansion drive across the continent.

‘Facetime’ is a high-profile segment within CNN Marketplace Africa, where each week a major player from the continent’s business community is interviewed.

CNN Marketplace Africa is the destination for access to movers and shakers at the forefront of African business.

The show goes beyond the numbers to bring viewers the new business solutions and industry trends redefining African business. On-air content is complemented by distinctive online editorial at a CNN Marketplace Africa microsite, where popular and innovative content is shared across a range of social channels.

While announcing the deal, Antonio Canto, Vice President, Regional Ad Sales, EMEA, CNN International, said, “We are delighted that Dangote Industries Limited is working with CNN to promote its brand internationally in a TV

Alhaji Aliko Dangote...There is misconception about Africa sponsorship across all CNN International global feeds.

The ‘Facetime’ segment in CNN Marketplace Africa is an important programming strand to be associated with because the content reflects the dynamic nature of African business.

Dangote’s expansion, underpinned by this bespoke advertising campaign with CNN, is a brand-builder for African business as a whole.”

Explaining the motivating factor behind his group’s decision to sponsor the programme, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, said his company was moved into undertaking to support the programme because there exists a lot of misconception about Africa. Besides, the lack of information on Africa is holding back foreign investment.

Said he: “Africa also offers one of the highest rates of return on investment in the world, a fact that discerning foreign investors have since acknowledged. Indeed, Africa has turned the corner and is now catching up with the rest of the world in the race for development.

Dangote Industries Limited is delighted to sponsor the ‘Facetime’ segment in CNN’s Marketplace Africa because it tells compelling success stories about Africa. Such content can ultimately position Africa as an attractive investment destination and foster development that lift communities and nations into prosperity. This is Africa’s time.”

According to him, some investors still have stereotypical images of Africa etched on their minds. A new Africa is emerging from the

ashes of her dark past, and is fast rising and is gaining accelerated speed, in all indices of human development. Many appear to have taken little notice of this silent revolution that is sweeping across Africa like a tornado. There is growing optimism everywhere about Africa, on a scale never before imagined.

“For instance, Rwanda, which was only two decades ago,

companies, which are scrambling to invest in Africa.

The increase in population growth of Africa (currently estimated at 1billion), abundance of natural resources, and clement weather, also make Africa a viable proposition for investors.

“The Chinese, who have been smart to move in early enough, are reaping the fruits, especially in the construction industr y, in which they possess considerable expertise. They are building factories, roads and railway lines across Africa. In the last eight years alone, foreign direct investment (FDI) has helped create 1.6 million new jobs in Africa. Capital investments are projected to reach $150billion in 2015,” he added.

Determined not to be outdone by the Chinese, Western companies are now taking more interest in Africa.

General Electric (GE), the world’s largest infrastructure company, recently declared its intention to invest in Africa.

African companies are not sitting back idly as they are behind a growing percentage of FDI, which has been going to sectors such as

A new Africa is emerging from the ashes of her dark past, and is fast rising and is gaining accelerated speed, in all indices of human development. Many appear to have taken little notice of this silent revolution that is sweeping across Africa like a tornado devastated by war, is one of the success stories of this African renaissance. Rwanda is fast becoming Africa’s investors’ delight, and currently ranks 45th in the World Bank’s ease of doing business. Similarly, the economy of Ethiopia, once a global metaphor for famine, has been growing at a doubledigit for the past five years.

This growth has attracted Ethiopians abroad, who are coming home with expertise and capital to develop their country currently ranked the 10th largest livestock producer in the world”.

Dangote said there is noticeable growth in the middle class, with increased purchasing power, across Africa. This has provided an incentive for fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs)

manufacturing and services, in recent years. South African big retail shops like Shoprite, Massmart and Spar, and telecommunication company, MTN Group; Etisalat of the Middle East; and Airtel of India, have all gained a foothold in Nigeria, which has witnessed an unprecedented growth in number of subscriber base from 500,000 fixed lines in 2001 to 98.4 million as at October 2011.

“This growth is the fastest anywhere in the world!

African markets must reposition themselves to key into this economic revolution,” Dangote said.

In 2010, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) of the United States named 40 African Companies that have the potential to rival Fortune 500 Companies based on their

size, geographical spread and turnover. Dangote Group is one of them. Dangote Cement Plc is also the only Nigerian Company on Forbes Global 2000 Companies.

In the last few years, we have invested close to $4 billion in various projects across SubSaharan Africa (SSA). We are setting up new cement plants in eight African countries namely: Senegal, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Benin Republic. We are also developing import terminals in the following African countries: Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote D’Ivoire, Benin Republic, Togo and Guinea (Conakry).

“All these projects, which are largely driven by huge deficit in local supply of cement in the countries listed, are at different stages of progress, and will be completed between 2012 and 2014. Our ultimate goal is to rank amongst the top eight cement producers in the world by 2014. Our aspiration to be the leading cement producer in Africa is a logical step after we have achieved domestic dominance and have become self-sufficient in cement production as a nation. In Nigeria, Dangote cement accounts for more than 60 percent of market share. We will start exporting cement to neighbouring countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cote D Ívoire, as from this year,” Dangote pointed out.

“The key to doing business successfully in Africa lies in understanding the environment. There are peculiar challenges associated with doing business in Africa.

Some of these challenges may include multiple taxations, low level of infrastructural development, and security issues. They are part of our reality. Western firms continue to invest in the oil and gas industry in crisis-prone countries of the world because they understand how to do business in such volatile environments.

“Corporate gover nance is increasingly receiving greater attention in Africa with initiatives such as the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, designed to curb corruption, and to promote accountability among African leaders. A new crop of African entrepreneurs have emerged and are changing the stereotypes about Africa and Africans.

Some of them are on the prestigious Forbes list of global billionaires.”

The Dangote Group CEO maintained that the partnership with the CNN on marketplace Africa would go a long way into changing the perception about the economic status of Africa. “This is part of our own contribution to the rising Africa continent,” he explain.

PAGE 50—SUNDAY VANGUARD OCTOBER 5, 2014

BY UDEME CLEMENT

The housing sub-sector is currently in the news for various issues. Recently, the Federal Government launched a mortgage scheme with a take-off grant of $50million to reposition the sector in order to create jobs for the citizens. During his nation-wide broadcast on the occasion of the 54 anniversary of Nigeria, President Goodluck Jonathan, said government would invest more in housing to rejuvenate the economy. Also, the incessant cases of buildings collapse in the country, especially the latest collapse of Synagogue Church in Lagos, which killed about 115 people has attracted attention of many Nigerians and professionals to the sector. M r. Bode Adediji, a member, Federal Government Vision 20:2020 and the Group Executive Chairman, Bode Adediji Partnership/ Kontiental Developers Nigeria limited, spoke on the challenges facing the sector in the last 54 years, the need for a sizeable proportion of the nation’s revenue to be channelled to the real sector for optimum productivity, while calling on government to roll out revolutionary measures to stimulate rapid growth in the sector

L

OOKING at housing and construction sub-sector in the last 54 years, what policies would you say government has implemented to fast track development?

To start with, it would be wrong to say that government has not done anything in the sector.

Rather, we should look at the adequacy of government’s area of focus in terms of capital injection, the kind of housing policies and implementation.

The extent that Nigeria so endowed still has 15million housing deficit units speaks volume of the progress made in the sector in the last 54 years.

However, another area of challenge is the totality of the perception of people and government at all levels about the sector. Without doubt, housing is a sector, which ought to be one of the drivers of our overall economic activities as a developing country and contributes significantly to creation of jobs, especially for the youths. Housing ought to play a vital role in the components of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which has been rebased. I am of the opinion that, until we have a government that is bold enough to roll out a revolutionary programme in the sector to stimulate tangible growth, we would only have crusades everyday without positive changes.

What do you mean by crusade, is the housing sector a church?

I see it as a crusade because government agencies announce to the public everyday new housing scheme and programmes without any tangible achievement on ground.

Only Lagos State Government is always waking up to its responsibility in the sector as the economic nerve centre and the melting point in all geographical regions in the country. We have not seen commensurate efforts from the Federal Government by unleashing revolutionary thinking and practices to address

Nigeria has 15m housing units deficit – Adedeji *’How to stop building collapse’ the spiral housing crisis facing the nation.

As a member, Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economic (CASLE) and a known professional in the sector, could you give us statistics on what housing contributes to our GDP currently?

The sector contributes only 3.5 per cent to the GDP, compared to advanced countries, which contributes between 20 to 40 per cent. For instance, America places much premium on housing and construction sector, such that, it becomes a barometer with which the boom of their economy is always measured.

When contributions from their housing sector to the GDP is rising they know that the economy is doing well, but when it declines, they would sense that something is wrong because they give attention to the sector at all times.

Nigeria is celebrating 54 years of independence. Looking at housing holistically, at what point did government loose focus in growing the sector like what obtains in developed economies?

In dissecting the housing problem one must understand the basic factors, efforts as well as pronouncements from one regime to another, and how everything has come to virtually nullity when we compare the indices of growth in our housing sector to other countries in the world. For as long as we don’t have the political will to overhaul the Land-Use Act, which today constitutes an impediment on assess to land and affordable houses for Nigerians, all pronouncements regarding the housing delivery system being on track are simply political or gibberish. Until a sizeable proportion of our revenue as a nation is channelled to the real sector of our economy in particular, finance that is oxygen to development would never be available or adequate.

One fact that a nation cannot run away from is that a perpetual culture of cash and carry syndrome in our engagement with the housing sector at all levels has been the tragic phenomenon hampering the roll out of a robust mortgage system, which today for all nations is the panacea to solving housing crisis. Based on this assessment, I have not seen any dramatic change in policy formulation and implementation from one regime to another, especially in the last 30 years. As a professional, I would humbly submit that every regime addresses the issue but I have always seen such intervention not as sustainable reality but as symbol of tokenism.

A credible housing programme must cut across all social classes and in most cases should be inward driven, rather than external dependent on massive

Mr. Bode Adediji... we need political will to tackle housing problem

Nigeria as a nation is not self sufficient in producing local housing materials but only dependent on importation of such materials. We lack the capacity to produce sufficient housing materials to improve the sector for optimum growth

importation of building materials. Nigeria as a nation is not self sufficient in producing local housing materials but only dependent on importation of such materials. We lack the capacity to produce sufficient housing materials to improve the sector for optimum growth.

Aside from lagging behind in housing development, why is Nigeria experiencing incessant buildings collapse, especially with the recent collapse of Synagogue Church, which government said that about 115 people died?

My heart goes to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones. Professionally speaking, buildings collapse in Nigeria has become a tragedy always waiting to happen. However, this to my mind is the first time in the history of Nigeria that such a tragedy extended to people from other nations who came to Nigeria to seek spiritual help, safety and prosperity from one circumstance to another, only to meet their untimely death at a point where they expected life.

My assessment of Nigeria in terms of the menace of buildings collapse shows that the government at various levels appeared not to have taken this issue with any measure of exceptional seriousness. We as the people, especially professional bodies in Nigeria have not lived up to expectation like what we see in developed countries. For example, every time there is

building collapse, local intelligence from neighbouring on-lookers have always confirmed the apprehension of people regarding effect of such building well a head of the time of incident, which shows the unfortunate disconnect between local people and relevant government agencies charged with the responsibility of monitoring and preventing incident of buildings collapse in the country.

I always say that am not aware of the magnitude of budget that government at all levels set aside to fight the menace of buildings collapse. There is a greater tragedy, which confronts Nigeria on a regular basis, which is our sorrows and sympathy expressed during every incident of buildings collapse hardly last more than a few weeks, when all of us and government officials, relatives of the victims and concerned citizens return to the concept of business as usual.

But what would the citizens who are already helpless do in such situations?

Have you ever seen a situation where a family of the deceased takes government to court to fight it out, because government exists to ensure safety of lives and properties of citizens? Also, the mass media has not out grown the known practice of abandoning investigative journalism and a reporting fight as soon as another matter of greater concern comes up. Once another issue occurs, that marks

the end of the preceding national tragedy, compared to what you find in other countries, where the media never goes to rest until such issues are pursued to where justice is done. Notwithstanding, I must commend Nigerian media in following reports on other issues like sustaining the issue on Chibok girls and outbreak of Ebola epidemic.

You said that government has not done enough, how about the recent launching of Mortgage scheme and approval of $50million by government as take-off grant for the sector?

I commend the effort of government in the Mortgage scheme backed up with $50million grant. However, more issues need attention of experts in the sector. The first one is that, provision of funds for any project in Nigeria is one side of a coin, but prudent utilisation of the funds for intended purpose becomes hiatus. If a country has a housing deficit of 15million units, $50million grant for this programme though a good effort, appears to be a mere drop in the ocean. But with the multiplier effect that such funding can have, I still commend government on the issue of mortgage scheme.

The second issue has to do with housing and Ebola virus. The virus in West Africa in general and it occurrence in Nigeria must be looked into in all ramifications, including our pathetic deficiency in the housing sector. Imagine a country like Nigeria where occupancy rate in a single room in some metropolitan areas may be up to six or eight people. Meaning in a housing block of 10 rooms occupied by over 80 people, a single Ebola case would not only spell death for most occupants, but indeed a sure tragedy for entire neighbourhood. Now, why is this analogy? Nigeria must look at housing delivery system from an additional perspective of health and survival, rather than an issue that government addresses only on the basis of convenience or political propaganda, as there is no guarantee that Ebola or indeed any highly contiguous epidemic may not affect this nation again.

It is pure wisdom that the brief incident of Ebola should throw a new light into the reason we must provide decent housing for all Nigerians without exception.

Each time I speak about equality for all citizens as far as housing is concerned, the pattern of Ebola has confirm my apprehension and a class struggle. If Ebola hits a rich person, our system of communication provides no safety net fashioned along social class. If the rich in government are there to provide houses for the rich, Ebola is a wake up call that every Nigerian deserves a decent house.

What is the way forward?

We need sufficient political will to tackle the menace. Again, government’s attention to this issue has not been fundamentally comprehensive, because no matter what economic and infrastructure re-engineering, the attempt to address youth joblessness would be difficult to achieve until we have a radical programme to address Nigeria’s social values. Today, the real god that most people worship in Nigeria is money. So much attention to materialism under a system that is not merit driven, value based and collective future oriented cannot take Nigeria to the next level.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 51

Atiku Abubarkar

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

Bola Tinubu

Bad blood spills as APC presidential race turns into two-horse race

P

ermutations on the outcome of the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential primaries are increasingly narrowing into a two-horse race in what is being dubbed as a contest of brain and brawn between former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and erstwhile head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari, last Thursday, at a closed door ceremony in Abuja, inaugurated 37 state committees to guide the campaign in the 36 states and Abuja, at a function a source said was like the release of a bull to suppress what was described as the money plans of Atiku to prise the ticket to himself.

Sources close to the two aspirants told Sunday Vanguard that it was now openly being acknowledged by strategists of the two men that the contest would be a straight fight between the two camps. Not surprisingly, the strategists are increasingly turning fire on one another in a bid to decimate the potentials of one another.

Besides Buhari and Atiku, other contestants for the APC presidential ticket include Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano State, newspaper mogul, Mr. Sam C M Y K

Nda-Isaiah, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Meanwhile, in a development that was, at the weekend, being seen as a factor that may influence the presidential primary, sources in the national leadership of the opposition political party disclosed a consensus to adopt a Modified Presidential Primary System for the election of the presidential candidate. It is a major setback for the Buhari camp which had been canvassing for the use of direct primary that would allow all party members to be involved in the selection of the candidate. The Buhari camp had advocated the use of consensus in which they advocated the selection of their man or in the alternative the use of the direct primary in the belief that involving all party members would limit the influence of money, a factor they claim Atiku could easily use to overwhelm Buhari.

In a development that is even bound to raise concern in the Buhari camp, Sunday Vanguard learnt that party bureaucrats are pushing to cut down on the 20,000 delegates earlier proposed to attend the Abuja presidential nomination convention in November.

The move, one senior member of the National Executive Committee, NEC, told Sunday Vanguard is to

,

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

Meanwhile, in a development that was, at the weekend, being seen as a factor that may influence the presidential primary, sources in the national leadership of the opposition political party disclosed a consensus to adopt a Modified Presidential Primary System for the election of the presidential candidate

,

manage the delegates in the Eagles Square which has a limited sitting capacity of not more than 8,000 persons.

In the latest proposal to beat down on the number of

delegates, it was learnt that ward chairmen, earlier slated to attend as statutory delegates, would be eliminated in a bid to cut down the delegates coming to Abuja by at least 7,000.

“We have at least 10 wards in each of the 774 local government councils, you can then imagine how much can be saved in terms of number of delegates coming for the convention,” the NEC official said on the condition of anonymity.

It was a development that was hailed in the Atiku camp. Another NEC member aligned to the Buhari camp, however, played down the matter of the adoption of the Modified Direct Primary System as he claimed that the adoption of the system had not been formally agreed.

The Buhari enthusiast in the NEC was dismissive of Atiku, saying dependence on money would not help the party. He explained that Atiku had not been able to make impact in the party despite his wealth.

“Can you tell me how many members of NEC Atiku can count on? Even in his own state, Adamawa, we beat his candidate for the gubernatorial election despite the money they threw around, so Atiku is going nowhere,” the senior NEC official from Atiku’s base in the North-east said.

In a development that is

bound to concern party strategists, Sunday Vanguard learnt that some associates of Buhari are vowing not to pull along should Atiku win the presidential primaries in a way that they consider to be unfair or through the use of money or other influence.

“If Atiku wins free and fair, without money, we won’t have any problems with him, but if it is an election that is influenced by money, there is no way we will support him in the main election,” the Buhari enthusiast reportedly vowed.

In the mean time, the prospects of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State have continued to raise excitement in some quarters given what his supporters say is his capacity to take the South-south votes from President Goodluck Jonathan, the presumptive nominee of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Oshiomhole, who was based in Kaduna before his emergence as the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, is also believed to be in good position to make a good bid for the North vote.

Aides and some other party stakeholders claim that Oshiomhole is in the best position of all the declared aspirants to wrest control of the country from the PDP given his goodwill in the South-south and the North.

PAGE 52—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

LAGOS 2015: Fashola, GOS and the succession question

By Deacon Abiodun Campbell

M

C M Y K

Governor Babatunde Fashola the Lagos gubernatorial race across the two dominant parties, there is at least one who not only stands out but also satisfies the Fashola succession criteria. A grassroots politician who rose through the ranks, Senator Ganiyu Olan-

,

OST residents of Lagos State are concerned about what happens in 2015 when the maximum two terms prescribed by the Constitution for Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola ends. This is not unexpected. The almost eight years of the Fashola administration have brought to Lagos some revolution rarely seen in this part of the world, to the residents’ applause and the envy of the opposition. The All Progressives Congress (APC) government became some model for virtually every other state across the country to copy. Infrastructural development is aggressively pursued.

Urban renewal takes the centre stage. Education gets the desired attention, to position the leaders of tomorrow. The gains of the improvement in the health sector from the time of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu are consolidated. To many Lagos residents, Fashola government can go on ad infinitum. Yet, like the masquerade festival that must end, the Fashola administration will, sooner than later, wind up. At the twilight of the government, the political space is crowded with politicians jostling to succeed the governor.

Among the contenders are those who have inevitably attracted the tag of ‘the anointed’ in the new age characterised by inclusiveness- that is, a situation where political leaders are chosen by the people- rather than exclusiveness -whereby political leaders assume office on the strength of their link to some godfather.

In the PDP, those already being promoted to pick the party’s ticket include the Minister of State for Defence, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, and Mr Jimi Agbaje, who defected to the PDP. The contenders for the APC ticket include Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, fondly called GOS, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji and Senator Gbenga Ashafa. The difference in the prospects of the two dominant parties in Lagos State, however, is that Fashola, with his sterling performance, has significantly positioned the APC to make it the preferred party to produce the governor ’s successor. Now, the questions on the lips of many Lagosians on the contenders in the succession battle are legion. Who does the cap fit? Who among them has the clout to take off from where Fashola will quit in 2015 and take Lagos to the next level?

Who has the capacity to ensure continuity? Who has the political experience and, in truth and deed, can be said to be eminently qualified to step into the shoes being left behind by the gover nor? We would have failed ourselves and the coming generations of Lagosians if we fail to answer these questions honestly with a view to arriving at the best candidate to succeed Fashola.

Many political analysts agree that of all the contenders for

Senator Ganiyu Solomon United States where we copied our own brand of politics from, being in the Senate confers on one some political maturity, and it is from the upper chamber of parliament that holders of higher offices like the president and governor are

The difference in the prospects of the two dominant parties in Lagos State, however, is that Fashola, with his sterling performance, has significantly positioned the APC to make it the preferred party to produce the governor’s successor

rewaju Solomon has paid his dues in the politics of Lagos.

On experience, he has almost two decades of unblemished participation in progressive politics, leading to his election into legislative and executive positions from 1998 till date.

This unbroken chain of upward progression culminated into his election in 2007 to represent Lagos West in the Senate, and later in 2011. In the

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sometimes elected. What makes Solomon essentially stand higher than the other contenders for the Lagos Government House is that he is not just a senator. He is a principal officer of the Senate- the Minority Whip. The senator started off as a progressive politician and has consistently maintained that credential.

Way back in 1998 when he was

elected into Lagos House of Assembly on the platform of Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) to represent Mushin 2 Constituency, perhaps many of those jostling to be governor with him today were still finding it difficult to find their feet in the labour market, not to talk of thinking about politics. Unfortunately he did not take his seat in parliament before the Abacha transition collapsed.

Nevertheless, for Solomon, a promising journey into politics had begun. He was merely taking after his father, Alhaji Rafiu Ishola Solomon, popularly called R.I, who wielded influence in Lagos politics in the pre-independence era up till the 80s, during which he was elected councillor to represent his constituency, Ikorodu at the Lagos parliament then. At the outset of the fourth republic in 1999, the gubernatorial hopeful pitched his tent with the progressive party- Alliance for Democracy (AD)- on which platform he was elected the Chairman of Mushin Local Government. In 2003, it was time for Solomon to move up the political ladder. Solomon ran for the House of Represen-

tatives to represent Mushin Federal Constituency 1 and was elected. In April 2007, he was elected to the Senate to represent Lagos West on the Action Congress (AC) platform. After taking his seat in the Senate, he was appointed to the Committees on Works, Sports, Rules and Cooperation and Capital Market (Chairman). As a senator, the Bills he sponsored include the Amendment to the National Directorate of Employment Act, Electronic Commerce, Whistle Blowers Protection, Institute of Capital Market Registrars, and Elderly Persons Centre, among others. In the run up to the 2011 elections, Solomon was unopposed in his bid in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) primaries to run for election. He was re-elected into the Senate. He has a good education background with a B.Sc in political science obtained from the University of Lagos. Solomon’s activities right from the time he assumed his first public office have been characterised by people-oriented programmes. His activities have been scandal free-in essence, he is incorruptible. He is a loyal party man. He is a serious contender for the office of governor of Lagos State unlike many other aspirants out there to use their being in the race to bargain for lesser positions when the chips are down. He has a blueprint produced with a clear understanding of how to continue to run the affairs of Lagos after the Fashola administration in key areas such as education, health, the environment, agriculture, youth development, infrastructural development and housing. As Solomon pursues with unparalleled zeal his aspiration for the 2015 Lagos governorship seat, it is certain that a vote for him is a vote for the consolidation of the Fashola administration’s achievements. *Campbell lives at Abraham Adesanya Housing Estate, Ajah, Lekki, Lagos

Delta 2015 : Case for Ugbomah

BY JOHNSON OGHALE

A

S the struggle for the successor to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State gathers momentum, different contenders from the three senatorial districts of the state are lobbying and campaigning vehemently for the seat of the number one citizen of the oil rich Niger Delta state. Obviously, there are many twists and turns in this regard considering the complex nature of the state and its strategic economic posture to the national economy.

Consequently, many factors will shape the primaries and

general elections in the State. These include the Principle of zoning, the pedigree of the aspirants, their popularity among delegates and registered voters; the influence of the incumbent governor and the leaders of the party at the State amongst others.

In view of the above considerations, different stakeholders, especially within the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP), have opined that there is one serious contender who other aspirants cannot ignore. He is Hon. Omordi George Ugbomah, the Political Adviser to the Delta State

for the seat of the number one citizen of Delta State.

In the contest to succeed Uduaghan, major political actors and PDP stalwarts across the three senatorial districts see Ugbomah as a

Hon. Omordi George Ugbomah bridge in terms of age, temperament, knowledge and intellectual arGovernor in charge of Delta ticulation of issues beNorth.

Apart from Ugbomah, there Continues on page 53 are other serious contenders

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 53

Alleged detention of ‘student’: My story, by Gov Shema

G

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OVERNOR Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Kat sina State has debunked reports on online and social media platforms that he ordered the arrest of an alleged student of the National Open University of Nigeria, Abdulmalik Sa’idu, because

the student had been criticizing him on Facebook over an alleged fertilizer scam.

In a story which first gained attention on online news platforms, Mr Abdulmalik said he was tricked into the Katsina State Government House by a phone caller who claimed he had a message for him and was subsequently detained on the orders of Governor Shema. According to Abdulmalik’s father, Maiyawo Sa’idu, his son was being framed and that, prior to Adulmalik’s visit to the Government House on August 28, some officials of the Katsina State Government had called him to warn his son to desist from criticizing the Governor on Facebook.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Lawal Ahmad Matazu, Governor Shema said reports of Abdulmalik’s illegal detention based on trumped-up charges were spurious and baseless. Mr Matazu also said contrary to several online reports based on Abdulmalik’s version of events, Abdulmalik Sa’idu is a staff of the Local Government Service Commission and not a student as has been widely reported.

“His claim that he is a student of a tertiary institution has added another layer of

Governor Shema

dubiousness to Abdulmalik’s character proposition. We have asked him to produce a student Identity card from the University he claims to attend or name the said University, but none has been forthcoming”, said Matazu.

Mr Matazu also laid bare the Katsina State Government’s version of events.

“Sa’iadu Abdumalik is not facing persecution on the orders of the Katsina State Governor because of Facebook posts. The truth here is that Abdulmalik had been cloning cell phone numbers of several officials of the Katsina State Government to perpetrate a heinous scam”, said Matazu.

He added: “Abdulmalik will send text messages using a cloned phone number of Gov-

ernor Shehu Shema while asking State Government officials to deposit humongous sums of money into a Keystone Bank account which he operated.

The Head of Service, the Special Adviser on Girl-Child Education, the Commissioner for Finance, the Commissioner for Local Government and the Personal Assistant to the Governor had all received Abdulmalik’s text messages at various times asking for millions of Naira to be deposited into his Keystone account. In one of those dubious text messages from Abdulmalik’s bag of tricks with the Governor ’s cloned number of: +2348051185004, Abdulmalik sent the following : Send the amounts of N250,000, Acc, num.

We were going to let him off initially if he was going to turn a new leaf. But turning the story completely on its head the next minute made charging him to court inevitable; if only to serve as a deterrent of some kind to other young people who may want to engage in similar activities”

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1551335007, bank name. Keystone, by tomorrow morning.

Matazu said luck ran out on Abdulmalik when the state Commissioner for Local Government, in a meeting with the Governor, mentioned that he will deposit a certain sum of money as Governor Shema had requested. A shocked Governor Shema had wondered what transaction his commissioner was talking about. The commissioner then proceeded to show the Governor the text message delivered through Shema’s number.

“At this point, many members of Governor Shema’s Execu-

tive Council confessed receiving similar text messages from the same phone number. We had to call the mobile phone service provider whose number was being used here, to report the fraud. This led to putting a face to the scam and Abdulmalik was brought to Government House to defend himself ”.

The Governor’s spokesman said after Abdulmalik was warned to desist from the crime and asked to go and sin no more, the Katsina Executive Council members and the Governor were taken aback to read online reports few days later that Abdulmalik was detained because he had turned hurling invectives at the Governor and his administration on Facebook, into a pastime.

“That was when we invited him over again”, said Matazu “and charged him to the Katsina State magistrate court where he is currently facing charges related to financial crimes and scam”.

“We were going to let him off initially if he was going to turn a new leaf. But turning the story completely on its head the next minute made charging him to court inevitable; if only to serve as a deterrent of some kind to other young people who may want to engage in similar activities”.

The CPS also said, as a believer in free speech and the inalienable rights of the individual, it will be unfair for anyone to say the suspect was clamped down and detained on the orders of Governor Shema due to a social media post

Delta 2015 : Case for Ugbomah tween old and young actors in the state; one who has the ability to manage issues of contending political forces given the increasing nature and sophistication of Delta.

A political scientist with a masters degree (M.Sc) specializing in political economy, the Aboh-born politician was a successful Port-Harcourt based business man who had made giant strides in the private sector before offering to serve his state with his wealth of experience. Ugbomah is a highly respected and celebrated personality in the governance of Delta with over twelve years uninterrupted involvement and service to the people, having been appointed four times as Commissioner and Member of the Delta State Executive Council in the strategic Ministries of

Environment and Works respectively. His positive contributions to issues and policies can be attested to by many of his colleagues including Governors James Ibori and incumbent Governor Uduaghan,of particular reference is the present Ecology Law of the State which is the brainchild of his vast experience on Environmental issues. His wealth of experience in human endeavours and activities transverse Environment, Construction, Teaching, Sports, Arts and Culture, Agriculture, Religious Affairs, Commerce and Industry. Omordi George Ugbomah’s most stimulating service is in the field of Education where he presided over as the Chairman of the governing council of the Delta State Polytechnic, OgwashiUku, working with renowned academicians. He provided and enhanced the infrastructural requirements and en-

sured the accreditation of many courses among others.

Ugbomah has deep understanding of the present administration’s policy of ‘Delta Beyound Oil’ which as a Commissioner, he worked to promote and entrench. In his present position as Political Adviser to the Governor, Hon Ugbomah is tirelessly advocating the imperative of diversifying the economy of Delta State. He is acknowledged for his consistent membership and formidable support and coordination of political victories for his party PDP in Delta State, Ndokwa East local Government Area precisely. Impressed by his steadfast commitment to the party, Hon. Ugbomah served in various PDP Committees several times over the years.

For me and many discerning Deltans, to move the state to next level require men with Hon Ugbomah’s mental capacity and accomplishments. I am

,

Continued from page 52

Ugbomah is a highly respected and celebrated personality in the governance of Delta with over twelve years uninterrupted involvement and service to the people, having been appointed four times as Commissioner and Member of the Delta State Executive Council in the strategic Ministries of Environment and Works respectively

impressed by his deep knowledge of the dynamics, geographical configuration and issues associated with the governance of a complex State like Delta especially in moving the State forward while integrating the rural and urban towns and cities.

As a political strategist who possesses the combination of

,

intellectualism and humility in politiking, he has over the years accumulated a groundswell of support within the state and is therefore no stranger to the people and their needs. An important requirement to govern Delta state in the post-Uduaghan era.

Oghale lives in Ughelli, Delta State

PAGE 54—SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

Our expectations on new phase of Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda, by Omo-Agege .’My chances to emerge Delta gov bright’

By Ephraim Oseji

OBARISI Ovie Omo-Agege is one of the contenders for the 2015 governorship position in Delta State. In this interview, he speaks on why he is the best candidate for the seat, amid the speculation that another aspirant, of Mr Tony Obuh, as the anointed one by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and why he thinks President Goodluck Jonathan deserves a second term.

D

uring your consultation tour of the 25 local government areas of Delta State, you said you are best positioned to emerge as the PDP candidate in the gubernatorial primary of 2015. Why do you think so?

First, let me acknowledge that all the aspirants in this race are qualified and worthy of the governorship position. They are good men and women who mean well for our party and state. All of them have good ideas and policies to move our state to the next level.

But from this pack, I stand out. I stand out because I believe that I have a better understanding of the issues and the solutions to the problems facing our people.

Second, it is important to note that even before we begin to implement these ideas and policies, our party has to first win the elections. We have to win not just the gubernatorial election but also the presidential election. In fact, the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan is more important than anything else. In Delta state, our challenge is to increase our voter turnout from the 68 percent we achieved in 2011 and deliver more votes to President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. Delta state is President Jonathan catchment area. Anything less than 95 percent voter turnout in 2015 would be unacceptable and deemed a failure.

We also need to win the governorship election with a clearer mandate so that we are not distracted by unnecessary tribunal litigations. I strongly believe that I, more than anyone else in the race, can achieve these overall objectives for our party. My candidacy in the governorship election will ensure a greater voter turnout in the presidential election and help Mr. President achieve a landslide that will make it impossible for APC to secure 25 percent of the votes in Delta state.

I can also expand Governor Uduaghan’s winning coalition by winning more votes in the hitherto opposition stronghold of Delta Central and widen the support base of our party.

How do you rate the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan should he decide to run for a second term in office?

President Goodluck Jonathan’s chances of winning a second term are very bright hence his deserved adoption by PDP as its sole presidential candidate. As an incumbent he enjoys quite a substantial advantage. But more importantly, the President has done enough to ensure that he retains Aso Rock. Under his stewardship, Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa and 26th in the world. The economy is

projected to double its size in the next six to seven years if we stay the course because of the reforms Mr. President has introduced in the energy sector particularly the privatisation of PHCN. It is also true that President Goodluck Jonathan is set to enter a new phase of his transformation agenda with his commitment to implementing the recommendations of the National Conference in his Independence Day address to the nation. Given the attitude of the opposition party to the National Conference, I believe that Nigerians will give the President the time and chance to implement these recommendations that will devolve and decentralise power and authority to the federating units and eliminate the structural defects in Nigeria that has held us back as a nation over the past five decades.

Nigerians are also mindful of the progress we have made in the war on terror. Rather than over run the country, Boko Haram is in retreat. Their leader is dead and many more leaders and members have been arrested and brought to justice. However, the threat still exists and changing the commander - in- chief in the middle of a war wouldn’t be wise especially when successes are being made.

What is your message to Deltans in pursuance of the second term for Mr President?

I have no doubt that Deltans want the president to continue with his transformation agenda until

Omo-Agege 2019. This view is not necessarily shared by the opposition. On our part in Delta, we must avoid anything that will prevent the massive delivery of votes to Mr President in the state.

With this in mind, the presidency and the party must jettison sentiments and be pragmatic in the choice of the 2015 governorship flag bearer. The party must nominate someone who can help the president to harvest the most votes and not a flag bearer who will act as a drag on the president’s re-election bid.

Some persons seem to be giving more credence to zoning and power rotation and they are of the view that it is the turn of Delta north to produce the next

Governor of the State. Do you subscribe to this?

Obviously, I do not subscribe to this. If I do, I wouldn’t have joined the race in the first place. In Delta State, zoning and power rotation of the governorship has never been implemented. In all previous governorship elections, aspirants from all three senatorial districts contested the primaries of the PDP. Chief James Ibori was challenged for the ticket of PDP by the likes of Dr. Joshua Enueme and Chief Ifeanyi Onwukamike from Delta North.

In 2007, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan emerged the flag bearer of the party not because it was the turn of Delta South but because he won an open primary that was contested by Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Chief Godswill Obielum, Prof. Fidelis Oditah, Chief Simeon Ebonka, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Olejeme, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa from Delta North and Late Pius Ewerido, Chief Charles Obule, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, Hon. Napoleon Gbinije, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, Olorogun Oscar Ibru and myself from Delta Central.

What has happened in Delta state in the past is that after the governorship candidate of the party has emerged from a primary contest that is open to aspirants from all the senatorial districts, the principle of zoning is then used to distribute other elective and appointive offices among the three senatorial districts in the state for purpose of fairness, equity and justice. So there is no basis for anyone to now claim it is their turn and others should be excluded. No one has ever been excluded from

the governorship primaries because of where he or she comes from in the past. And it cannot begin now. Primaries are designed to determine who is best positioned to win the general election for the party based on what he can do for the entire people of Delta State and not to allocate the party ticket to satisfy sectional interest.

Those who are clamouring for zoning of the governorship position should know that it is not a winning strategy in this election circle given the existing political landscape. They should put the interest of the party and by implication, the interest of the President above narrow sectional interest.

What are your chances considering the alleged anointment of Sir Anthony Obuh

by Governor Uduaghan?

Governor Uduaghan has not told me he has anointed anyone. And his public pronouncements suggest he hasn’t and I have no reason to doubt him. The primary process is not a coronation but even if it were, I am the logical beneficiary having come second at the 2006 Ogwashi-Uku guber primary. My chances are indeed very bright.

I have offered myself to God to use me to build the Delta state of our dream. With the special Grace of God upon our efforts, I am convinced that we will prevail in the gubernatorial primaries of the PDP in November and win the general election for our party with a larger margin than PDP did in 2011.

My candidacy will certainly guarantee victory to our Continues on page 55

Delta 2015: Hurricane Obuh

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

T

HE amazement surrounding the emergence of Mr. Tony Obuh as a frontline governorship aspirant in Delta State can be likened to the awe that followed the choice of Barack Obama as the Keynote Speaker at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

Narrating how a remarkably unknown state legislator, who had recently won the primaries for the Senate race in the book titled: Obama: From Promise To Power, David Mendel stated how Obama’s advisers succeeded in winning him the address, which eventually made him a superstar afterwards.

After the event, held at the Boston’s Fleet Centre Arena, a hitherto unknown Obama, whose name hardly made headlines, swiftly emerged the beautiful bride of the Democratic Party.

Mendel captured the emerging scenario thus: ‘’Reality had changed unalterably for Obama.

His modest fame was expanding into celebrity beyond Illinois and the Washington Beltway. After his roundly hailed keynote speech, he was fast becoming one of the hottest commodities in the Democratic Party nationwide.’’

Though Obuh did not deliver a similar speech at a forum like that

Tony Obuh of Obama, his astonishing political stardom in the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, since he indicated interest to contest the governorship position, has become a subject of discourse beyond Delta.

Like the Obama scenario, whose promising stardom prompted questions regarding where he was coming from, there are posers regarding this aspirant, who is perceived to have emerged from nowhere.

Groomed as successor To some, he comes across as an anointed aspirant, who may have been groomed to succeed the incumbent, Dr. Emmanuel

Uduaghan. Others argue that Obuh represents technocrats, who have gone ahead to distinguish themselves as governors in this dispensation.

This feeling cuts across party lines, given that his emergence at the scene appears to have overshadowed other aspirants from Delta North who were earlier assumed as heavyweights in the race.

How the name of a recently retired civil servant came to dwarf those of aspirants like Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, Chief Festus Okubor, Prof. Sylvester Monye, among others, is better understood by those who have followed Obuh’s antecedents in the affairs of Delta.

On hand to clarify these doubts behind the buzz was Obuh, who at an interactive session in Lagos, corroborated findings by SundayVanguard which indicated that various sensitive postings in the civil service exposed him to the intricacies of politicking. ‘’The defining phase of my career, which is well connected with my current political thrust began with my stewardship as Director Office of the Secretary to the State Government under Mr. J.P Erhuero who was the secretary to the government of Chief James Ibori. In this position, I was the head of the secretariat of that office

since there was no Permanent Secretary in that office at that time.

I was thus exposed to the political leadership and political structures in place for the governance of the state,’’ the gubernatorial aspirant noted.

Clarifying that being exposed to politicking did not imply that he was partisan against civil service rules, Obuh, who recently had a thanksgiving mass to celebrate his voluntary retirement, said: ‘’Though a civil servant in serving the needs of the political class and coping with the exigencies occasioned by the workings of the existing political arrangements, I had the unique privilege to contribute directly to the political and economic development of the state.’’

Collaboration with PDP leadership He added: ‘’Though yet in active service, I took interest in propagating my belief in good governance, transparency and accountability through my support and funding of a political pressure group which operated under the name, Project Uduaghan International,PUI, The PUI which worked in close collaboration with the leadership of the PDP from its inception in 2005, participated Continues on page 55

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 55

Our expectations on new phase of Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda, by Omo-Agege Continued from page 54 party as I am capable of harvesting votes from the hitherto opposition hotbed where I come from.

If you look at my support base, you will find ordinary people who are not government officials, the grass root people who have made the decision to support me because they believe in me, and not because they were instructed to do so, people whose support will enhance the electoral power of our party support and diminish that of the opposition. People, who are not in the system, but are committed to our party and President.

Why do you want to sustain the

Delta Beyond Oil Initiative of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan?

Not only will I sustain the programme, I will accelerate its implementation because it is the urgent need of our time.

This is not just rhetoric to please Governor Uduaghan, it is something we must do because there is no alternative route to achieving sustainable development. For too long we have depended on oil and we can no longer afford to do so if we are serious in not only tackling the current problems of unemployment and insecurity but also preventing it from getting worse given the real possibility that

2015: Hurricane Obuh Continued from page 54 actively in political events and rallies selling the philosophy of the party.’’

“The political leadership took note of the profundity of my empathy with the agenda a of the administration and I was gradually admitted to greater levels of trust and responsibility. I was drawn into strategy building building discussion sessions which brainstormed fro the least cost approaches by which to prosecute the administration’s programs. In my contributions to this discussions, I availed the groups of my deep understanding of the workings of the state bureaucracy

and the developmental challenges which my long civil service career had made possible.’’

The greatest possible impact Corroborating what most commentators have said about governance in the state, the gubernatorial hopeful said ‘’there is no doubt that the state, through the Uduaghan administration, has achieved a great deal in the last seven years as reflected by the huge harvests of projects in all sectors.’’

On that note, he pointed out:’’ I feel a personal sense of joy about this both as a Deltan and as a key member of the administration. But many of the policies and programs

revenue from oil could fall drastically in the very near future.

As a depletable resource, oil could finish one day or there could be no demand for our oil, as other countries discover alternative sources for their energy needs. As we speak, the United States of America which used to be the biggest buyer of Nigeria’s oil is no longer buying our oil because it has discovered shale technology to produce synthetic crude oil from oil shale domestically and it is projected that very soon, USA will become an exporter of oil. This technology has the potential of making almost every country in the world an oil producer. Shale oil

extraction is already been used in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China and Estonia. Even Morocco and Jordan have announced plans to test the technology. Besides, African countries such as Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya have discovered commercial oil.

So we are faced with the real possible of oil glut in no distant future. We can’t afford to wait for this scaring scenario to unfold before we begin to pay sufficient attention to other sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, tourism which have huge potentials for job creation.

If we must solve the

unemployment problem and engage our youths and women in gainful employment we must diversify into the non oil sectors, increase the domestic base of our economy and be ready for the rainy day.

We must commend Governor Uduaghan for having the foresight to bring this to the consciousness of not only Deltans but all Nigerians and it is to his credit that other state governments have now taken up the challenge of diversifying the economies of their state to complement the transformation agenda of Mr. President which is also intended to make Nigeria less reliant on oil.

are still unfolding. And having served in the team which articulated these policies and programmes, I consider myself uniquely placed to sustain and extend them for the greatest possible impact.’’

Touching on what everyone is eager to know, Obuh declared that his robust experience in civil service makes him the best man to succeed Uduaghan. ‘’I look forward to a Delta State that continues on the progressive march of the present administration. I offer myself to serve the state with a promise to run an inclusive and responsive government, building upon the very strong foundation already laid. These traits of responsiveness and inclusiveness have been characteristics of me and were

especially notable during my stewardship as a senior civil servant for many years,’’ he stated.

Still on his selling points, Obuh said: ‘’Again without sounding immodest, I dare say that responsive policy formulation and management to meet exigencies and long-term well-being of our dear state has been my forte in the past 32 years.

I promise to run an administration that will bring about the sustenance, extension, development and diversification of the many policies and programmes for economic transformation which have been firmly planted in many sectors. My deep inside knowledge of these policies is an advantage that I want all Deltans to note. ‘’With this long drawn timeline

of public service, with successive administrations, I offer myself and my pair of safe hands as a friend, brother and confidant that can be trusted with the common good of all Deltans as one united family.’’

Despite his sterling resume which suggested that Obuh might not be the political neophyte, his critics claim it is still to be seen whether he would get the PDP ticket given the calibre and number of people vying for it.

Already, some leading politicians across the three senatorial zones of Delta have thrown their weight behind him.

Notable among them are the Secretary to the State Government, Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay, and Senior Political Adviser to the Governor, Chief Ighoyota Amori.

PAGE 56 — SUNDAY Vanguard,OCTOBER 5, 2014

.....CRIME AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Brazilian Amazons battle for power

BY HUGO ODIOGOR

A

s Brazilians step out today to vote for a new president, the country’s 143 million-strong electorate will choose from among 11 candidates, three of whom are women, the best possible person to pull the Latin American nation out of the economic decline The incumbent President Dilma Rousseff is challenged

by Marina Silva, Aécio Neves who are considered as to top runners in the race. With millions of Brazilians out of job, the country which hosted the last FIFA World cup against the background of social upheaval is taking the centre stage where the voters could punish the incumbent president for mismanaging the economy.

The election today is not likely to produce an outright winner who could clinch 50% in the election. Consequently, a second round of voting is envisaged on October 26.

Rousseff Dilemma

The incumbent President Dilma Rousseff and latecomer environmentalist Marina Silva have been running very close race in public opinion ratings.

Rousseff is seeking a maximum second term, having succeeded Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who held office from 2003 to 2010, under the leftist Workers’ Party.

Rousseff began her political career as a Socialist activist and was famously jailed and tortured during the country’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship.

As president, her government has implemented social programmes that are believed to have lifted more than 35 million Brazilians out of poverty. As the nation’s first female president, Rousseff is popular in poorer parts of Brazil especially in the north and northeast regions. Conversely, she is not popular in the politically and economically influential areas including

Dilma-Rousseff São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

When Rousseff was elected in 2010, the economy was booming at 7.5 percent, but it has dwindled dramatically.

Her fiscal policy has been criticized as ‘interventionist and oppressive’ for the economy while she has remained out of favour with the markets. Roussel has been accused of mismanaging the country’s biggest company, the state-run oil giant Petrobras.

Even with these crises, Rousseff ’s re-election seemed safe until Marina Silva’s entry into the race. It is important to state the in the last few days, Rousseff ’s performance in the poll has improved but analysts look forward to a second ballot.

At 66, she is the oldest of the top-polling candidates, and younger only to 75-year-old José Maria Eymael, of the Christian Social Democratic Party, who has received less than 1 percent of support in the polls.

Silva’s Obama dream

Her main challenger is the frail looking 56 year old Marina Silva, who was thrown into the presidential contest two months ago by default.

Silva rose through the political ranks to become Environment Minister under former President Lula as a member of the Workers’ Party but she left the party in 2009 to join the Green party to the President in 2010, she placed third with 19 percent of the vote.

In 2014, she failed to get her own Sustainability Network party registered for the elections.

But this year she was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate to Eduardo Campos who was leading the Brazilian Socialist Party. Campos died in the August 13 plane crash, thereby throwing up Marina Silva as the party ’s only viable option. It must be said that her entry into the race brought some dramatic changes as she skyrocketed in the polls.

Campos was unable to break into double digits in the polls, but Silva’s performance has

Marina Silva g i n n i n g s would have resonated with that of Barack Obama in US.

Nervous Aécio

Aécio Neves put Rousseff ’s re-election in doubt.

Although Silva has a socialist background, projected herself as a pro-market candidate and has promised to support

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Luciana Genro

There is no doubt that Silva’s entry into the race complicated the calculations of 54-year-old Aécio Neves who is the center-right Social Democracy Party. Neves is seen as probusiness candidate who made his mark as the youngest-ever governor of Minas Gerais state, where he introduced sweeping reforms, reduced

Whichever way the election goes it will be the first time that women are making such emphatic push in Brazil’s political scene and indeed in many parts of the of the world

policies that will alleviate crippling poverty and reduce inequality. She is a devout evangelical Christian, Silva was born into poverty, growing up in a family of illiterate rubbertappers in the Amazonian state of Acre. She did not begin education until she was 16 years old and she has to struggle through life to get to the top.

Her supporters believe that in the event of a runoff, majority of those supporting Aécio Neves will move to her direction which could tilt the scale. If Silva wins, she will be Brazil’s first non-white president and her journey from such impoverished be-

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spending and boosted investment.

Neves has been trailing as a third candidate and his performance in the buildup to the election has been unimpressive. There is presidential blood in his past, too.

Neves’ political career began alongside his grandfather, Tancredo Neves, who was elected president in 1985 but died before taking office. He is seen as an elitist and overprivileged candidate by Brazilian voters who want political change.

Crowd of unelectables Eduardo Jorge, a 64-year-

old doctor running for the Green Party for which Silva ran in 2010. He is popular among younger voters, and is known for his progressive stances, including advocating for the legalization of cannabis and abortion. He joined the party in 2003 after leaving the Workers’ Party.

Luciana Genro, the youngest candidate at 43, is running for the left-wing Socialism and Freedom Party.

Genro, another former Workers’ Party member who left in 2003, is also calling for greater personal freedoms, including on cannabis.

She is a strong advocate for gay rights and has called for nationwide laws to criminalize homophobia and transphobia.

Everaldo Dias Pereira, 58, better known as Pastor Everaldo in the elections, is standing for the conservative Social Christian Party and has drawn attention due to his calls for mass privatization, including of Petrobras, the country’s sacrosanct state-run oil company.

His “pro-family” stance puts him at odds with campaigns demanding greater rights for the gay community and those calling for abortion to be legalized.

The other candidates are polling less than 1 percent in the poll and are not expected to alter the cause of the election.

Whichever way the election goes it will be the first time that women are making such emphatic push in Brazil’s political scene and indeed in many parts of the of the world.

It is interesting to observe that this is coming at a time when Nigerians are debating whether women should even be governors. In Delta State where Dr. Esther Uduehi and Dr. Ngozi Olejeme are putting forward themselves to become governors of the state, there are strong forces that are arguing that Delta State is to complex for a woman to govern yet both women have solid credentials and pedigree of public service to warrant their being given a look in.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014 Page

TRIBUTE IN BRIEF The challenge of health care delivery in Abuja

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S we celebrated our 54th anniversary of nationhood, I have elected to interrogate Senator Bala Mohammed’s health agenda in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Prior to his appointment as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010, the state of the territory ’s health sector was simply nothing to write home about, efforts of his predecessors notwithstanding. The situation was so bad that residents of the territory were constantly reminded of December 31, 1983 Sani Abacha’s coup broadcast, which described the nation’s hospitals as ‘’mere consulting clinics.”

So, when Mohammed took over the driver’s seat at the FCT, he did so with the aggressiveness of a man determined to right the wrongs that had conspired to sentence the territory to a virtual state of underdevelopment. Three years down the road, the Kauran Bauchi is unmistakably working to leave the territory better than he met it. In a nutshell, providence is

VIEWPOINT

BY SHEDDY OZOENE VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Enugu PDP’s consensus governorship candidate is no reason to instigate bad blood

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HE endorsement, penultimate week, of Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) consensus candidate for governorship of Enugu State in the 2015 election is indeed a masterstroke of sorts.

It brings to an end speculations over whether the state would keep faith with the established arrangement for rotation of the topmost political position among the three senatorial zones. It also produced a candidate that many believe satisfies the expectation of a generality of the party leaders across the state.

For Governor Sullivan Chime, who leads the party in Enugu, it is a defining moment. The contest for the PDP ticket was always bound to be keen, and if not properly managed, has the potential to create deep divisions. The decision to go for a consensus candidate was therefore the best option to minimize friction, especially since a large number of aspirants has indicated interest in the contest.

However, in spite of the near-unanimity of the decision in favour of Ugwuanyi, a prominent

Interrogating FCT’s health agenda It is a strategic health programme aimed at addressing the healthcare needs of rural communities and fast-tracking the attainment of MDGs 4, 5, and 6 in the FCT

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smiling on his efforts to reposition the territory in all ramifications.

On assumption of office, Bala ignited the refurbishment of all the General Hospitals in the six Area Councils in the territory and went a step further by ensuring the procurement of drugs and equipments for them, a development that has succeeded in endearing these hospitals to the populace. To make these efforts more meaningful, the administration recruited doctors and other highly experienced medical personnel to man the hospitals.

The most inspiring of the

minister’s achievements in the health sector is the introduction of the Mobile Integrated Primary Healthcare initiative (Mailafiya), which earned the minister the ‘’Most Outstanding Leadership in Africa Award” from the Constituency for Africa, CFA, in Washington, US last year.

The success of this project has been so profound that several countries across the globe enamored of it have wholeheartedly adopted it.

According to the minister, ‘’our aim in creating the MAILAFIYA programme is to establish a world class model of primary healthcare delivery through an integrated data managed mobile health strategy, especially in the inaccessible areas of the 8,000sqaure kilometers that comprise the FCT.” The central plank of the initiative is the recruitment and posting of foreign doctors to rural areas in the FCT with a view to boosting the territory’s health care delivery system.

It is a strategic health programme aimed at addressing the healthcare needs of rural communities and fast-tracking the attainment of MDGs 4, 5, and 6 in the FCT. Still talking about

equipment, the FCTA has also procured state-of-the-art Endocopic towers manufactured by Karl Storz, Germany, to improve the quality of healthcare in the territory. The equipment has since been installed at Asokoro District hospital, thereby making it possible for the hospital to carry out minimal access surgery like a p p e n d i c e c t o m y, cholecystectomy and ovarian cystectomy to mention just a few.

Other new medical services provided by the Bala Mohammed led administration include: Intensive care services; computerised tomography services; digital fluoroscopy; heamo-dialysis services; automated laboratory investigations and mammography.

Laudable as these achievements are, the point must however be made that it has not been a bed of roses all through as there are challenges of increased patient attendance at the hospitals as result of the comprehensive health services available as well as the limited bed space for admission of patients in the hospitals.

Another fundamental

challenge is shortage of staff, which has created a wide disparity in the ratio of patients/ health workers. It is expected that this challenge will be alleviated by the recent approval by the Minister for the replacement and appointment of healthcare workers, just as the challenges of space and accommodation of patients would be frontally tackled when the Karu and Zuba General Hospitals are eventually opened.

These developments have also necessitated the need to open up more healthcare facilities for the everincreasing number of people in the territory and its environs.

Judging from the foregoing, it is safe to conclude without fear of contradiction from any quarters at all that Sen. Bala Mohammed is creditably discharging his responsibilities in the health sector and, Insha Allah, when he completes his ministerial assignment in 2015, he would have succeeded in imprinting his name in gold on the canvass of FCT’s history.

•Ochela, a former Newspaper Editor and now media consultant, is based in Abuja.

Ugwuanyi: Issues in Ayogu Eze’s opposition member of the party in the state, Senator Ayogu Eze, is spitting fire. His ground for rejecting the decision of the stakeholders in his zone is that he was ‘ not carried along’ in the process. In opposing Ugwuanyi’s endorsement, Eze, who chairs the Senate Committee on Works, said he would not step down for any “anointed” candidate as he remains an aspirant in the race for next year’s governorship contest.

He vowed to meet him at the primaries.

Such divisive rhetoric has not gone down well with the people of his zone. They frown at the language he has deployed in an attempt to justify his obstinacy. Eze’s description of the caucus meeting of over 100 leaders of his Enugu North constituency, at which Ugwuanyi was endorsed, as a mere “gathering of people of my senatorial district”, is seen as disrespectful. Not only did he not say who should have carried him along, he created the erroneous impression that Ugwuanyi was anointed from outside.

Those in attendance had included members of the party ’s national and state working committees, the Board of Tr ustees (BoT), commissioners, national and state lawmakers, elders, council chairmen and their

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BY ROGERS EDOR OCHELA

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VIEWPOINT

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The Enugu North PDP Caucus, in deciding to pick a consensus candidate, keyed into the governor’s preference for a candidate who would unite the party and sustain his administration’s development

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deputies from the zone. To Goodsmark Ugwu, who is among those that stepped down for Ugwuanyi, it was a properly constituted meeting of the Enugu North Caucus of the PDP, but to Eze that eminent party gathering was ‘an ambush’.

The Enugu North PDP Caucus, in deciding to pick a consensus candidate, keyed into the governor’s preference for a candidate who would unite the party and sustain his administration’s development. To underscore their support for a consensus arrangement, the state PDP chairman, Vita Abba and nine other aspirants had stepped down for Ugwuanyi who is widely regarded as the most suitable candidate for the

position.

The choice of Ugwuanyi, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Marine Transport, did not only elicit a lot of excitement across the state, it raised hope that he would foster the much-desired unity among party faithful in the state.

Though not as ‘visible’ as other contestants, he is far more accessible and pragmatic, a quality the people of the state want in their next governor. Across the state, Gburugburu as Ugwuanyi is called, is seen as a self-effacing, resultoriented, humble and peaceloving gentleman who would build bridges and sustain the momentum of development in the state. Chime may also have supported his candidature as an olive branch to members of the National Assembly with whom he has had a lingering disagreement over his insistence that elected legislators who had done two or three terms should not aspire for another term. In that raging controversy which others like Senator Ike Ekweremadu latched on to deepen cleavages, he largely played the peace-maker.

It is difficult to fathom what Eze intends to achieve by running against the tide of enlightened public opinion in his senatorial zone, but he appears unrelenting.

By insisting he would fight to the primaries, is Senator Eze bent on upholding democracy, or is he simply being selfish? Many believe the latter, since he never in the past quarreled with such arrangement when he was the major beneficiary. Twice in the past, in 2007 and 2011, he had been nominated as the PDP candidate for Enugu North in processes that were less than democratic. Not a whimper came from him in condemnation of the process; now his outbursts have the tendency to undermine the collective aspirations of Nsukka people.

By claiming he was ambushed, or cajoled to attend a meeting of his Nsukka kinsmen whom he represents at the Senate, is ridiculous coming from someone so knowledgeable.

What if that ‘ambush’ had led to his nomination as consensus candidate?

While it is expected that Gburugburu should hit the road, mending the cracks that have appeared in his backyard, many who have followed the rise and activities of Senator Eze expect him to play the sportsman this time.

Anything to the contrary will be to self-destruct.

•Ozoene, Publisher of People&Politics magazine, lives in Abuja.

PAGE 58— SUNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, OCTOBER 5, 2014

DIASPORA

Microsoft to African tech startups:

Creat e pr oducts with global Create products standards

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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FRICA is a rising global competitor in the technology industry with more traction in the global startups scene as a result of growing number of tech hubs, big investments, and fresh ideas. With Microsoft’s continued commitment of granting seed funding, technical support and mentorship to fast-track the growth of startups to highlight Africa’s ‘future growth pole’, the Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Kabelo Makwane in an interview with Vanguard Tech news at the just concluded DEMO Africa that enabled startups from all over Africa to pitch their solutions before angel investors and IT buyers across the region said that African startups must create products that meet global standards. He spoke at length in a number of initiatives Microsoft is doing to support the growth and development of innovative solutions among startups which he believes can change the world.

Excerpt: Sponsorship of Demo Africa DEMO Africa is the coming together of different stakeholders who are interested in seeing the evolution of innovation.

People that are very interested in essentially investing and supporting the start-ups.

So in Microsoft, one of our key areas is how to enable start-ups in Nigeria through incubation programmes and essentially how we incubate them and help them to grow so that they in turn can contribute to job creation and help the economy. We have about 60 million small enterprises in the country and you know that unemployment is a big challenge in the country, so what we aim to do is to potentially contribute to the creation of more tech start-ups so that they in turn contribute positively to the alleviation of the unemployment scourge.

Market for start-ups From what we have seen, there is actually a big gap in the market currently.

This is where i think we can make meaningful impact because if you look at the big enterprises, the reality of it is that if you look at the banks, the telcos, and other major corporations, they are not going to be employing people in droves, instead the reverse will be the case. This is because as big corporations, they are always looking at how they can optimise cost by reducing overheads.

And so, we have to look up to the start-ups, because even government for instance, will not be contributing significantly to the eradication of unemployment.

Research has shown that

This is how to defect “Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke,” Will Rogers

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•Kabelo Makwane

Our purpose is to focus on businesses that are innovative to create opportunities and to bring products and services into the market when you begin to make investment in SMEs, this is when you will begin to make meaningful impact.

Investment in the startups We have teamed up with few industry stakeholders and others that are of like minds. For instance, we have teamed up with USAID, and a few other stakeholders.

There are a few other ventures capitalist, investors that essentially want to provide seed funding.

Beyond that, there are lots of others in the Demo Africa confer-ence that will be interested in helping these start-ups to move from a start-up face to running sustainable businesses. It is not a single handed thing for Microsoft. There are a number of partners who are con-investing with us in order to help these guys to be successful.

Our participation in DEMO Africa: Our purpose is to focus on businesses that are innovative to create opportunities and to bring products and services into the market.

So, it is an opportunity for us to collaborate with the likes of AfriLabs, USAID, venture capitalists and other stakeholders.

As a platinum sponsor, it means that we have a commitment to seeing these start-ups through in terms of direct investment in their success and their partnerships with all the other stakeholders. So we are going to be investing very directly as Microsoft in some of these startups It is to showcase what is possible and what innovations there can be. The idea behind this is to take this a step further because one of the challenges we are solving is that of unemployment. We are also trying to address the

challenge of youth enjoyability, lack of unemployment opportunities in the market.

It goes to the next level where through our African investment. We are then able to invest in these start-ups where we are also able to incubate those start-ups and help them to invest in successful businesses that can employ people within the economy and contribute to alleviating the economic challenge of youth unemployment.

Specifically, we have had lots of experience within the context of Nigeria and other African countries where we have invested in a few tech start-ups. We want people to create economic opportunities using their innovations. So these startups’ idea is really about how to monetize and essentially about creating products that are of global standards.

Investment landscape for Africa I believe that we are starting to see momentum in terms of more and more youths realizing the opportunities around creating mobile apps, creating companies that will deliver services leveraging the benefit of technology, innovations that could talk to agriculture, the financial services sector,among others.

One of the realizations in the Nigerian context after the rebasing is that the services sector was a significant contributor to overall GDP in the country. And so what is in the services sector apart from the financial services and legal services is also technology services, that is, in terms of how we consume technology. So when you talk of landscape, we have lots of young minds who needs someone to take what they have, help them to actualise it, incubate it, make it sustainable and help them to actually create businesses and participate meaningfully in the local economy.

Collaboration with AfriLabs We have been collaborating with AfriLabs across the continent. Afrilabs is an important incubation centre for us that provide beyond skills to technology of which we are significantly contributing. But also they provide skills in terms of business like how people can put together a sustainable business plan, how to monetise and create a viable business out of an idea or something based on intellectual property.

t has been said times uncount able that politicians all over the world are the same. Not because most of them now dress in impressive designer clothes or shoes and try to act as Hollywood stars. No. It is said politicians, no matter which country they are from, have same characteristics. They do sweet talks and make promises.

Most times these promises are rather “too tall” to be realisable.

I had argued in certain quarters before that while it may be true politicians all over the world are same, their practices are greatly influenced by the circumstances and situations in which they find themselves. This is understandable when we consider the fact that the modus operandi of politicians differ from one region to another.

While in some climes, it is comfortable for politicians to settle their differences with fists, files or even breaking the maze on the opponent’s head, in others the ideal is to sit down, dialogue and resolve differences.

However, one common consensus among the electorate all over the world is that politicians should not be trusted with their words. It does not matter if they are from the slum of Ajegunle or a posh city in the United States. It is usually assumed that politicians will break their promises in a twinkle of an eye as long as dates set for election are still far away.

Ask Mr. Nick Clegg, the UK deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democratic how it feels to be judged the most unreliable politician in the UK. This is in a society where politicians are made accountable for their actions.

Where they fail to deliver on their promises, the electorate turns against them.

To some, no matter what these politicians do, they cannot be shocked any longer. They have come to realise that politicians should not be taken as seriously as we have been doing.

When last week, the UK Conservative Member Mark Reckless, MP for Rochester and Strood announced his decision to jump ship to the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) led by Nigel Farage, not many observers were shocked by this decision. They shrugged their shoulders and muttered that Mr. Reckless had acted true to his calling as a politician.

Mr. Reckless announced he was standing down as the member of parliament, thereby forcing a byeelection in the constituency.

Mr. Reckess is not the first Tory member, and most likely would not

While in some climes, it is comfortable for politicians to settle their differences with fists, files or even breaking the maze on the opponent’s head, in others the ideal is to sit down, dialogue and resolve differences be the last to “port” to UKIP. In what seemed to be a discontent among the party back benchers, in August, Mr. Douglas Carswell made history as the fist Tory MP to “cross carpet” to UKIP. While it was big news at the time, the media mileage it received was not as massive as what Mr. Reckless is reaping now. His timing of his defection was very strategic.

A smart guy he is and a politician who knows you win a “ war” through strategy. And you cannot deny this fact with his “unveiling” at the UKIP conference in Doncaster. The deafening ovation that he received from UKIP supporters must have been a reassurance for him that he has taken the right decision.

And true to his calling as a politician, Mr. Reckless walked in waving to the crowd and smiling at them as if he had been part of them all the while. At this time, you could see the relief on him and the “feel good” assurance about himself.

Politicians, no matter the colour, the location or background, enjoy acceptance. They feel propelled by it. It is the tonic they need to walk tall and put further spin to the lies they call speeches. So when Reckless walked in, you could feel him practically telling himself, “this is my moment and I must seize it.” And without any further thought he threw away the garb of a Tory.

The UKIP leader, Mr Nigel Farage, had earlier in his party speech announced that the Doncaster venue for the conference was chosen to sound a frightening note of warning to the Labour Party, that UKIP is ready to take over the sleepy town. However, the shine of the 2014 UKIP conference turned out to be the “presentation” of Mr. Reckless as the newest member of UKIP.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 59 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

Ikwuemesi takes a critical survey of Art enterprise, colonisation LECTURE

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rt appreciation is one phenomenon that has lineal filiations with man from creation, form part of man’s visual balance and at the same time connects man aesthetically to his environment. No matter how art values can be negated over intrigues of politics by the ruling class, every other inanimate item crafted on earth forms part of souvenirs serving as relics of history which most times, trace its origin to a particular ethnic people. Art contributes to a certain percentage of our wholeness and its appreciation should not be overemphasised judging its significance as a fundamental catalyst in all human trades.

It was on the basis of these, that one of the foremost art collector/promoter in the country, Prince Yemisi Shyllon in conjunction with his foundation Omoba Adedoyin Yemisi Shyllon Art Fo u n d a t i o n ( OYA S A F ) gathered some of the creative intellects, art critics, artist and historians at his Maryland residence for the presentation of ‘OYASAF Lecture Series V’ tagged “Art and Culture among the Igbo of Nigeria and the Ainu of Japan in the postcolonial period”.

The well attended lecture which was presented by Chuu Krydz Ikwuemesi, an Associate Professor of Fine Art, University of Nigeria Nsukka, with a focus on a critical survey of the correlative significance of art and culture of two nations, the Igbo of Nigeria and Ainu of Japan brought out the best of the painter, art critic and ethno-aesthetician as he took time to educate the audience on the topic.

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elying on his experience

as an art teacher and well travelled fellow, Ikwemesi took the audience to an awe experience of how two distant cultures were related in terms of practice of art in the colonial period and how this has impacted on the collective identity and memory in postcolonial times. However, the purpose of the lecture according to him was not meant to juggle theoretical constructs on post colonialism rather, to examine how the after effects of colonialism continued to shape culture and art enterprise in the society.

His central concern on one hand is the ebbing of Igbo art enterprise and its systemic divorce from Igbo cultural heritage, while on the other hand, Ainu’s response to their cultural-political predicament through a commitment to their arts and cultural production in the light of their history in Japan and the challenges

posed by globalisation.

The cultural background of both tribes were placed to juxtapose a vivid analysis of their correlation. While the Igbo people according to archaeology shows their origin as ancient people that dwells in the Eastern part of Nigeria with a current population of over 30 million, the Ainu tribe according to the western scientist who met them around 1800s could not place their origin because they had curly hair and pale skin more like the Europeans than the Japanese but were distinct in manners and culture. Ainu, society of hunter-gatherers settled in Hokkaido and lived mainly off fish and plants with an original population of over

Chuu Krydz Ikwuemesi, guest lecturer

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By CHRIS ONUOHA

Whereas colonisation and neocolonisation took a terrible toll on Igbo art traditions and left them to struggle for survival, art and culture thrived among the Ainu in Hokkaido

15 million. In retrospect, both cultures flourished originally in art and craft unbiased which therein lays their commercial strength, tradition and belief,

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but somehow dived to low ebb as a result of colonial impact.

Life cycle of both tribes as relates to art and culture marked by series of rites from

birth to death, education, religion and worldview, social order and justice.

Both Igbo people and the Ainu had education in the form of oral tradition marked by skills passed from generation to generation. According to Toshimitsu (Japanese), “All people of the world have a history of wisdom, culture, religion, and art that had

been preserved orally before they are used as a written language.”

One factor that has considerable influence on the arts of both people is religion. Art’s origin is often associated with ancient rituals whose essence was partly a negotiation or renegotiation of reality. He also opined that art as a biological behaviour is true of societies, both primitive and industrialised.

The Igbo traditional masks incorporate sculpture, painting, textile, installation and performance which are similar to the Ainu. These art types have evolved through colonial time and are still practiced by contemporary artists today. The commonalities and divergences in Igbo and Ainu arts are therefore, only a micro pattern of the macro qualities that define the human species as homo religious and homo aesthetics. ccording to him, Art of both peoples suffered from non-recognition by their colonisers in their different historical and political developments.

Whereas colonisation and neo-colonisation took a terrible toll on Igbo art traditions and left them to struggle for survival, art and culture thrived among the Ainu in Hokkaido. But the irony is that Igbo art seems to have attained recognition internationally than that of Ainu art through major international exhibitions and

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•Continues on page 60

Unilever to empower and celebrate African filmmakers

By JAPHET ALAKAM FILM

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s part of its corporate social responsibility and in its bid to support and celebrate African filmmakers, Multinational consumer goods producer Unilever has announced the launch of its African Filmmakers’ Academy (AAF), an initiative intended to “empower, equip and celebrate African filmmakers. Operating in three countries – South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya – the AAF will develop filmmaking expertise and give students the opportunity to work on live Unilever briefs, as well as potential further funding for their work and the possibility of seeing their finished films broadcast.

This was announced by Unilever Nigeria’s Managing Director, Yaw Nsarkoh at a media briefing organised at its corporate head office in Ikeja.

According to Yaw “Africa is home to a huge pool of young, talented filmmakers. Through the Academy for African Filmmakers, we’re seeking to enable, develop and promote African filmmaking talent within Africa and for Africa”.

The AAF is part of Unilever’s Foundry, a platform which

Unilever launched in May to collaborate and experiment with the digital and creative community.

Speaking at the event, VP Brand Building, Robert-deVreede disclosed that as part of the Academy for African Filmmakers, Unilever, in partnership with MOFILM will offer an intensive threeday course, created and delivered by experts from the filmmaking industry that will run in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa in December 2014. The workshop will touch on several aspects of filmmaking theory and practice, with a focus on developing the storytelling skills of the attending students. “We want to offer Nigerian youths the opportunity to express themselves through film making. We also want to use the medium to tell the story of our brands across the nation.” He said. n this, they will work on three of our brands, Lux, Knoor and Sunlight.

Briefs for each brand can be accessed at the website and film makers can apply for production grants to help

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• New generation of African film makers

create their entries. The winning film maker for each brand will be flown to the Cannes Lions Festival in France to see their work celebrated.

On their part, MOFILM representatives, Siljay Frey and Kerry Gaffney, said, the UK based film industry has developed many countries in the world. “MOFILM had great success in 2013 in finding untapped African filmmaking talent. We visited countless film schools and production houses, meeting hundreds of filmmakers and those efforts resulted in two filmmakers being celebrated at the International Festival of Creativity at Cannes.

Through partnering with Unilever, the AAF will build

on this work and give even greater opportunity for African filmmakers to shine on a local and global stage”. spiring filmmakers from the age of 16 to 30 can apply, as long as they are resident in any African country, have a technical proficiency in filmmaking and can demonstrate a passion for film and storytelling. Filmmakers can find out more and register their interest through WOFLIM online.

In his closing remarks, Mr Yaw said that, “ we want to tell the story of Nigeria and Africa through Unilever brands. the initiative is a demonstration that Unilever is a long time investor in Nigeria. Business can strive if you do well growing by growing communities, looking after the communities and rewarding them , that is what we have done.” He noted.

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PAGE 60—SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

Caught in The Act hits the airwaves

By PRISCA SAM DURU

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•A scene from the play Elvis Chuks is one of the Nollywood acts who have proved their mettle in the Nigerian movie world.

Aside his good looks his acting ingenuity is another reason behind his meteoric

rise as an actor, producer cum director. The actor who became more popular after his role in the TV series ‘Super Story ’ where he played the role of a village headmaster, is really rocking the world of make believe.

Enugu se or Lif e In My City 20 14 grand sett ffor Life 201 finale and award night

By JAPHET ALAKAM VISUAL

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he Organising Committee of the Life In My City Art Festival (LIMCAF), the annual festival that aims to promote art pan-Nigeria through an annual competition that offers young people an avenue to showcase and commercialize their productions, win handsome prizes and interact with the larger art community on a national and progressively international platform has announced that the 2014 edition of their visual art competition is scheduled to hold in Enugu from Monday 20th to Saturday •One of the entries by Amarachi Odimgba objectives to promote art pan- complement other existing 25th October.

According to the Executive Nigeria through an annual attractions in other parts of Director, Kevin Ejiofor, after the competition that offers the country and thereby conclusion of the zonal art opportunity for young people contribute through a fresh showcase and grass-roots perspective to the exhibitions, all is now set for the to their growth of art. grand finale where prizes will commercialise The previous years has be given the over all winners as productions, win handsome those who emerged as finalists prizes and interact with the been a success story, so art and culture lovers are will converge at Enugu for the larger art community on a national platform, and to expected to be there to show.

LIMCAF is a CAC registered create a notable national and witness this year ’s grand private charity for youth international art tourism finale which promises to be empowerment with set destination in Enugu to great.

Ikwuemesi’s critical survey •Continued from page 59 African Studies Centers in the Western World. However, Ainu art has a poor perception as a result of Japanese curators’ attitude, but in spite of the above fact, the Igboness of Igbo art is not as intact as the Ainuness of Ainu art based on the westernisation of the former.

On a final note, he described

By ISHOLA BALOGUN REVIEW

MOVIE

ollywood award winning actor cum Director, Elvis Chuks, is out with a new movie titled Caught in The Act. Starring delectable Ghanaian thespian, Yvonne Okoro as the lead act and BBA finalist, Berverly Osu, Michael Godson and Bishop Imeh. Caught In The Act, according to the producer, “is about a man who felt at ease with his pattern of lifestyle at the moment. But when it seems all is stable and sorted, comes the twist that reveals all secrets that starred at him!”

The multiple award winning Africa Magic Viewers Choice (AMVCA ) 2014 director, whose comedy film, A Wish, is still carting away awards, also explained that “When people take the slightest chance, it may cost them what they most cherish, and they are left with indecision.”

Iloh evokes his American experience in his book

how both cultures share commonalities despite obvious diversity and cultural sustenance employed by each and stressed that the study is not a case of cultural diffusion between the two groups.

He however lamented that despite concerted efforts by art practitioners in upholding the significant and benefits of art, government has always shown

less interest towards art flourish and values. A view shared by other art critics in attendance, as they agreed that ignorance and arrogance by the ruling class is a factor that has endangered art as a viable economic produce citing non availability of government officials at major art exhibitions and symposia as a case study.

he former provost of Federal College of Education, (Technical) Asaba, Dr. Gabriel Iloh has evoked his experience in United States of America in a book titled: Nwata’s experience in America In the book Dr. Iloh pointed out why many boys and girls are eager to study in America, the wonderland that works wonders. The motivation to study in America, according to him was not far from the fact that the friendly environment as well as the social and economic opportunities that abound in the United States of America as against a land replete with incessant strike actions and dwindling socioeconomic environment at home.

Iloh opined that although many of these youths are not even qualified to study in America’s institutions of higher learning, yet they are determined to move heaven and earth so that their dreams of going to America will come true. “It is a pity that the wonderland disappoints some of these boys and girls, after a grim struggle.”

The book also gives an insight into the socio-cultural demands on issues of family, marriage and how these things can be tackled in a more congenial manner.

The writer also describes some of the sad and common occurrences in the country, adding that government and successive government have tried to change the situation with little or no result.

Events at home not withstanding, Iloh draws comparison between the social demands of studentships in American environment juxtaposing it with the harsh

realities of the conditions of Nigerian students especially in government controlled tertiary institutions.

Iloh who is acquainted with the dynamics of American environment gives some suggestions for improvement so that we Nigerian students can heave a sigh of relief and breathe the air of satisfaction; as well as take our rightful position in the world particularly the education sector.

Apart from reading this book for pleasure, the inspirational and wisdom quotes in it will help to tickle, kindle and sustain interest in reading reading the book. The writer opines that the use of quotes will be of help to many who are looking for little nuggets of wit and wisdom to embellish a write up or a speech in any area of endeavour.

Undoubtedly, there will be something for everyone to learn in the book as it is intended to serve as a daily food for public consumption.

Nwata’s Experience in America; Gabriel Iloh; Otoba Press Ltd, Asaba, Delta State, 2014;PP. 61

Jos repertory theatre back on stage

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he Jos based theatre outfit, the Jos Repertory Theatre has announced its programs for the remaining part of the 2014 theatre season.

Currently in rehearsals for five plays that will end its theatre season, the outfit has performed eight plays before taking a break in May after performances of the workshop devised Banana Talks.

The plays lined up for October are Jacinta Benavente’s The Bonds of Interest for the Embassy of Spain on Monday 13th October at the Lagos Hall of the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

This play will start the week long activities for the annual Spanish Week, Nigeria.

The group will then move to Lagos on November 9th to perform Sefi Atta’s The Last Stand at the Terra Kulture

auditorium, Victoria Island in two performances at 3pm and 6pm on Sunday November 9th 2014.

Thereafter, the Jos Repertory Theatre in collaboration with the French Institute, will start the series of plays that have been tagged The Soyinka Festival which will see them performing three landmark plays of the Nobel Laureate, The Trials of Brother Jero, Madmen And Specialists and The Lion And The Jewel. The Soyinka Festival will commence on the weekend of November 20th at the premises of the French Institute, Abuja and will end on the weekend of December 6th. There will be workshops and talkshops alongside the plays that will start every evening at 7pm.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014 PAGE — 61

Balotelli was the best Liverpool could get — coach

Fabregas aims to shoot down Gunners C

ESC Fabregas will look to make Arsenal pay for their failure to re-sign him when he faces his old club in their match against Premier League leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Arsene Wenger - who this week celebrated his 18th anniversary in charge of the Gunners - felt he could do without his one-time star when he became available from Barcelona.

Chelsea, by contrast, were happy to spend £27 million to bring Fabregas back to London.

So far Chelsea’s investment has been rewarded with seven Fabregas assists, the latest in this week’s 1-0 Champions League win at Sporting Lisbon, while Mourinho’s men have won five and drawn one of their six Premier League matches to open up a six-point lead on the Gunners heading into this weekend’s matches.

Fabregas brushed aside all talk of a conflict of loyalties. “I remind you that I played the Champions League final against Barcelona [with Arsenal] and I swear I would have done anything to win that game - and I have been a Barcelona fan since I was a kid,” Fabregas said.

“So I know that when I play against Arsenal I will know who is my team, who are my colleagues and who I defend.”

Arsenal have won just six points taken from 20 matches away to teams finishing in the eventual top five during the last five Premier League campaigns.

Fabulous... Chelsea midfielder dynamo, Cesc Fabregas tackled by Sylvain Distin (L) and Steven Naismith of Everton during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Chelsea at Goodison Park. Chelsea won 5-3 will it be another goal thriller today?

OUIS van Gaal says he is completely happy with his defence despite the amount of goals conceded by Manchester United so far this season.

Respected pundits, including Gary Neville and Ruud Gullit, have questioned why Van Gaal did not spend more of his budget on his backline this summer - and a quick glance at the goals conceded column shows why.

After six matches, Crystal Palace are the only side in the top 11 with a worse record than Van Gaal’s men, who have conceded nine goals in six games.

Van Gaal insists the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans and Tyler Blackett are not to blame though.

The United manager says his team have conceded so many goals because they have been

RENDAN Rodgers has defended Liverpool’s efforts to replace Luis Suárez yet conceded that Mario Balotelli represented his last viable option when signing the forward from Milan for £16m.

The Liverpool manager made his first public criticism of Balotelli following the 24year-old’s meagre contribution in the Champions League defeat by Basel on Wednesday, admitting the Italian’s creativity and strike rate must improve. He has scored one goal in seven appearances for the club since arriving in August.

Balotelli’s suitability to Liverpool’s style, and vice versa, has been called into question by the team’s faltering form without Suárez and the injured Daniel Sturridge. Rodgers described the former Manchester City player as a calculated risk at the time of his transfer and, in a less than glowing explanation for proceeding with the deal, now claims there were no available alternatives with deadline day approaching.

“I always said it was about availability and affordability of players,” said Rodgers, who considered the merits of Samuel Eto’o before the 33year-old’s move to Everton.

Wenger got Welbeck cheap — Dwight Yorke D

WIGHT Yorke has labelled the £16m-fee United received for Danny Welbeck a disgrace.

The 1999 Treble-winner was stunned when Arsenal completed a deadline move for the England striker. Yorke is convinced Arsene Wenger has secured a bargain in the 23-yearold, who was a product of United’s famed academy –

Van Gaal defends defenders

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B

giving away possession further up the field and he wants to see that eradicated in the near future.

“We have conceded too many goals,” Van Gaal said ahead of today’s game against Everton.

“Everyone is writing it’s because of the weak defence, but no.

“Our problem is that we lose the ball so easily. And I want that to improve.

“I want my defensive organisation (to be) better but the defence begins in the striker’s position.

“All the teams are mostly scoring goals out of counterattacks against us and freekicks and corners but not that they make their goals like we do out of building play up.”

Van Gaal has also told his star players they must track back more to protect their back four.

adding that his value is only set to rise at the Emirates Stadium.

Louis van Gaal delivered a withering assessment of Welbeck’s ability when explaining his reasons for selling him last month.

The United manager claimed that his strike-rate simply failed to live up to the standards set by Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.

Following the loan signing of Radamel Falcao, Van Gaal decided that there was no room for Welbeck at Old Trafford.

Yorke believes United should have brokered a similar loan deal for Welbeck – or at least demanded a higher fee in a summer that saw fellow England internationals Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana move for £27m and £25m respectively. “£16m – that’s a disgrace,” he said. “When Lallana and Shaw have gone for £25m and £27m, that’s pathetic.

“That’s why I cannot understand the market. He had to be a loan deal – especially with Falcao not signing permanently.

“You could let Danny Welbeck go on a year’s loan, get some money and have that option. He’s worth more than £16m in today’s market. Shaw and Lallana – they’re worth that much more than Danny Welbeck?

“I don’t think so. Not with his pace and power.”

Yorke’s assessment came before Welbeck struck his first senior hattrick in Arsenal’s 4-1 win against Galatasaray in the Champions

League on Wednesday.

But that scintillating performance – taking his record to four goals in his last three games – only endorses Yorke’s contention that Wenger has landed a coup.

“Arsene Wenger cannot believe it,” he said. “Welbeck doesn’t get as much credit as he should.

“Arsene Wenger will realise that he’s got a bargain. His power – unbelievable. Pace, strength. And he will get better.”

Welbeck scored 29 goals in 142 games for United. His most prolific campaign came in 201112 when he scored 12 times.

But his record is misleading, given his restricted opportunities to play as a central striker.

Yorke added: “People will recognise what a player he is. He cannot do it when playing left or right. He’s been playing out of position for so long.

“The poor kid has not had a chance to shine where he wants to play.

“How can you score wide left or right? He’s never played all season up front. He would get double figures.

“He’s been deprived goalscoring opportunities. People don’t understand that. You’ve got to practice to be in that position.

“He’s a threat every time he plays. He’s a threat to defenders.

That’s what you want. He’s 23.

Someone needs to give him that chance to win games.

•Well Done... Arsenal rising star, Danny Welbeck showing what Manchester United is missing during the champions league match agaisnt Gala

PAGE 62 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, OCTOBER 5, 2014

AWC: Ordega predicts tough task for Falcons N

IGERIA’S Super Falcons players will storm Namibia on Wednesday for the African Women Championship armed with the hope that they can win back the trophy they lost two years ago.

This is even as their preparations for the AWC have cast doubts in the minds of football enthusiasts. The team, due to the crisis that bedeviled the Nigeria Football Federation started their training late and even at that some of the key players based in Europe reported to camp only last Monday.

Striker Fransica Ordega maintained that it will be a tough task for the Falcons as other nations have caught up with Nigeria in women football.

“We really have to work harder as a team because Women football in Africa is improving, and it is no longer the way it used to be.

“You can hardly see teams scoring basket full of goals now, and it is because the women’s game is getting popular on the continent and there’s more awareness,” said Ordega.

The Falcons will open their

AWC account with a group A tie against Cote’d Ivoire on Saturday October 11 and then after play Zambia on October 14 before facing the hosts Namibia on October 17.

Cote’d Ivoire their first opponents have been camped in South Africa for weeks. They lost 2-1 to the Bayana Bayana in a friendly, the Ivorians beat South African women league champions Mamelodi Sundown Ladies 2-1 and University of Johannesburg women 4-0 “This friendly match was a

HE growing number of African-born athletes competing under Asian flags could discourage the development of home-grown talent, the Olympic Council of Asia said on Monday, but also suggested their success may help raise regional standards.

Several oil-rich Gulf states including Bahrain, Qatar and United Arab Emirates have achieved overnight athletics success by recruiting fleet-footed young Africans, who are free to compete at international level after meeting eligibility and residency

Forging Ahead... Super Falcons defender, Onome Ebi battle with a Malian opponent during a match. She and other Falcons players are ready to take a shot at the AWC title.

Mmadu tips Nigeria to win back title ...wants female coaches to handle teams

BY BEN EFE

F

ORMER Super Falcons star, Maureen Mmadu said the calibre of players selected by coach Edet Okon for the African Women Championship billed for October 11-25 in Namibia was good enough to regain the title.

Mmadu, a skillful player in

Athletics Development: African dominance of Asian games worry Asians

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good test for us, since we played against the champion of the South African league.

It’s important for us as we prepare for the African Women Championship.

“We ran our workforce and we believe we have seen good things. The result does not matter. We also looked at the behaviour of the players.

We will continue to work because there are still some things to fix,” head coach Clementine Toure was quoted by the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) website.

requirements.

Excluding two race walking events, five of the seven track gold medals won in the first two days of the athletics competition at the Asian Games have been won by runners born in Africa who have switched allegiance.

Wei Jizhong, an honorary life vice president of the OCA, warned of the dangers of buying success.

“We have to work to avoid any country or region, instead of training the athletes, they buy the athletes,” he said at a news conference on Monday.

•Asian Call... Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya (C) of Bahrain and Satomi Kubokura (R) of Japan compete in the Women’s 400m Hurdles Final on day twelve of the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on October 1, 2014 in Incheon, South Korea.

her hey days stated that the blend of young and old players listed by the Falcons coach were the best in the country and despite the likely challenge from South Africa, Cameroon and Ghana, the Super Falcons will take the trophy they last won in 2010 in South Africa.

“I think the coach has invited players who want to fight for their country and we should

respect that. It does matter whether they are old or young.

“That he invited only two of the Under-20 players does not matter. He only knows where he needed to fortify his team,” said Mmadu who won 100 caps with the Super Falcons.

She added that coach Okon should not show any weakness in his team selection.

“He should make his decision in picking the players without any fear or favour. He

should build a team and not bank on individual players.

“He needs to keep his players fit and make them put the country first.”

Mmadu who is an assistant coach with Norwegian club Avaldsnes said it was about time Nigerians demanded for female coaches to handle the national women teams. She also enjoined former women footballers to take up coaching.

“If they buy the athletes, they stop training their own athletes.

That is not beneficial to a country’s sport.”

In Incheon, the blue riband men’s 100 metres sprint was won

by Nigerian-born Femi Ogunode, who moved to Qatar in 2009 and was allowed to compete at the Guangzhou Asiad a year later, where he won the 200/400 double.

He became the first man to run under 10 seconds at the Asian Games last Sunday.

Ogunode’s former compatriot, Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya, only switched allegiance to

Bahrain earlier this year and won the women’s 400m, while athletes born in Kenya, Morocco and Ethiopia have also struck gold at the ongoing Asian Games.

At the Guangzhou Games four years ago, all six medallists from the men’s 5,000 and 10,000m were born in Africa.

However, OCA Director General Husain Al-Musallam, speaking at the same news conference, said he was not concerned about the possibility that an influx of African talent could discourage young Asian athletes from taking up the sport.

“No, we are not worried,” the Kuwaiti said. “These athletes will raise the standard. They have met all the eligibility requirements and they are eligible to compete.

“They (Asian) athletes will work harder to achieve a higher standard.” Al-Musallam also said that hundreds of applications from African-born athletes hoping to switch allegiance were being turned down by Gulf states.

Japan’s Ayumi Hagiwara, who won bronze in the women’s 10,000m, said the presence of African athletes was a doubleedged sword.

Lagos gears up for Independence wrestling tourney

By EDDIE AKALONU

A

RRANGEMENTS have been concluded by the Nigerian Ultimate (Pro) Wrestlers Federation in conjunction with the Ultimate (Pro) Wrestling Promotion to organize a wrestling championship in Lagos as part of activities marking the country’s 54th Independence anniversary.

Tagged “ultimate Independence Slam”, the competition comes up on October 12 at the Old Basket ball court of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos and will feature mostly the best of wrestlers from Nigeria, joined by those of other ECOWAS countries.

Leading the team of wrestlers is Power Lee “Mr. Peace”, the Nigerian National Heavyweight champion. Other wrestlers

expected to light up the ring are; Flying Dan Ko who will slug it out with Powerful Okoko while Mr. Sharpman will team up with ‘Lion Zion’ against the combination of ‘Stone Coder’ and ‘Major Ariba’ in a tag- team fight.

‘Lady Joy’from Jos will come face to face against ‘Tina Terror’ in an all women encounter with Hot Tempo, Strong Bone Erujeje, Sakabula, Black Heritage, Super Apama all slated to showcase their prowess on the same bill.

Organisers say activities for the even would include an international contest between African Top Class Middleweight Champion- Aliking the “Action disaster” of Nigeria versus Hulk Power of Benin Republic while the grand finale will feature a title defense by Nigerian national heavyweight champion, Power

•Osita Offor Lee. Speaking ahead of the championship, Power Lee noted that the body decided to organize the tournament to announce its presence in wrestling sport in the country and as a means to enliven Nigeria’s 54th Independence celebration for lovers of the sport.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014, PAGE 63

Nations Cup qualifier: Keshi targets double over Sudan S

UPER Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi said collecting all six points from Sudan in their back-to-back Nations Cup qualifying tie was very crucial as this will keep the Eagles in good stead for the Morocco 2015 tournament.

This is just as the Eagles will start arriving Abuja today for the crucial games. The first leg is billed for Khartoum on Saturday October 11, while the return leg will be decided in Abuja on October 15.

“The camp will re-open by Sunday in Abuja. The training activities will resume on Monday. All the players are expected to arrive in earnest and training will begin without delay,” Keshi said in Abuja. He said that despite the distractions of his contract situation with the Nigeria Football Federation, he was focused on rescuing Nigeria’s campaign, which has suffered a blow having lost one against Congo and drew against South Africa.

“I’m still working based on the previous arrangement agreed with the Sports Minister Tamuno Danagogo.

“I’ve not heard from the new NFF board because elections only happened on Tuesday so it is not a problem.

“My immediate focus is on

... As Eagles resume training in Abuja

N

Rough Ride... Super Eagles player Rabiu Ali attempts beat Hlompho Kekana of South Africa during the 2014 African Nations Championship match between South Africa and Nigeria at Cape Town Stadium. the important matches against Sudan this month because it is very crucial for us to win both games. I have named a squad strong enough for these games and the plan is to get the players together

early enough to prepare,” said Keshi.

Reports suggested that Keshi may not be given a new contract by the new board of the NFF headed by Amaju Pinnick who had never hidden his

opinion on Keshi’s methods.

“We can’t bother ourselves with the speculations in the media. When you take care of business on the pitch then other things will be secondary.”

Qualification for Afcon 2015 a must, Elegbeleye charges Pinnick

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

D

IRECTOR general of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye has charged the newly elected executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to ensure that the country qualifies for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) taking place in Morocco.

Elegbeleye who was among the array of sports personalities that witnessed the elective congress of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in Warri, Delta State where Amaju Pinnick was elected said the first major

task of the new board is to pilot the Super Eagles to win their next round of qualifiers against Sudan later in the month.

According to him, as the defending champion every necessary effort must be put in place to have Nigeria in Morocco to defend the trophy she won last year in South Africa.

“The new board has the first task of ensuring that Nigeria qualifies for the 2015 Afcon taking place in Morocco because as the defending champions we should be there to defend the trophy. We must beat Sudan both home and away to be in the

Pinnick’s success down to Uduaghan’s support — Onoriode

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HE Transition Committee Chairman, Ethiope East local government area, Delta State, has attributed the election of Mr. Melvin Amaju Pinnick as president of the Nigeria Football Federation NFF, to the immense contribution of the Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan to sports development in the state and the nation in general.

The council chairman, Hon.

Mr. Flex Nigeria bodybuilding tourney hits Lagos

Sunday Onoriode made this remark in Asaba at the weekend while reacting to the achievements made so far by the Delta State government in the area of sports.

Onoriode said he was not surprised at the victory of the Delta FA chairman, Mr. Pinnick, as the elected president of NFF. He Expressed confidence in Pinnick’s ability to peform as NFF president.

tournament and that is the fist major task of the board”.

The Super Eagles are currently at the risk of missing out of the championship after a poor start to the qualification series with just one point from a possible six after losing to Congo in Nigeria and managing a draw against South Africa.

2nd Tier Nigeria National League put on hold

J

UST like the League Management Company, LMC did with the premier league, the Nigerian National League, NNL has also ordered a temporary halt to it’s league . According to the board and management of the Nigeria National League (NNL), the act is in a bid to give a level playing field to all the participating teams in the competition.

According to the board, “the remaining crucial three matches will not be decided until various protest cases filed by different clubs are treated satisfactorilyby the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Disciplinary Committee which has not sat for a long time now following the crises

Hood to Hood season 2: Gotv calls for entries

D

•Pinnick

By EDDIE AKALONU

OT less than 150 athletes will participate in this year ’s Mr Flex Nigeria Bodybuilding championship which will take place in Lagos on November 1, 2014.

President, Steco Productions, Stephen OdeneOkolie said the tourney which will take place at Freedom Park, 1 Hospital Street. Lagos Island, will also feature Ms Flex Nigeria Figure.

Speaking in Lagos, OdeneOkolie said arrangements have been put in place to make this year ’s edition tagged Season 4 a big success.

“The aim of this championship is to give the desired mileage in the field of bodybuilding and to give Nigeria a sustainable place in world building ranking. In Nigeria, the general perception of an average person as regards bodybuilders is associated with thuggery. But all that perception we have been able to so far erase.

that rocked the football house.

Consequently, the outstanding Week 26 match and also Weeks 29 and 30 season-ending matches respectively will only be played after the cases have been decided to ensure that there will not be issues at the end of the competition.

Already, all the teams have been put on notice by the NNL secretary, Lawrence Katken who assured that the protest cases will be treated by the relevant body within two weeks even as he disclosed that the league was stopped to have a clear picture of the league table and to avoid giving an undue advantage to any club before the final three matches are decided. The notice affects teams in both Division-A and Dvision-B

IGITAL terrestrial payTV, GOtv has announced the call for entries from interested football teams and clubs for the Season 2 of the GOtv Hood to Hood Football Championship.

The GOtv Hood to Hood Football Championship is a grassroot football development initiative which was instituted in 2013 with the aim of engaging the youth positively and redirecting their energy towards sports, and to further entrench the brand with its core target market.

The application for participation in the Season 2 of the championship closes on Friday, 9 October 2014.

GOtv general manager, Elizabeth Amkpa enjoined interested teams to obtain registration forms at the Lagos office of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), inside the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

She added that the 16 teams that will be participating in the championship will be unveiled at a press conference on 10 October 2014.

SUNDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 5, 2014

Results

Today’s matches Man Utd Chelsea Tottenham 2.05pm West Ham

v Everton 12.00 pm v Arsenal 2.05pm v Southampton v QPR 4.15pm

Hull Liverpool Sunderland Swansea Aston Villa Valencia R/Vallecano B/Munich B/Dortmund

2 2 3 2 0 3 0 4 0

Crystal Palace W/Bromwich Stoke City Newcastle Man City Atletico Madrid Barcelona Hannover 96 Hamburger SV

0 1 1 2 2 1 2 0 1

Jail beckons at Danagogo, Maigari, Amadu

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

T

HE Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State over the weekend commenced the process of sending to jail some top members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for allegedly flaunting its order restraining them from conducting the election into the board of the NFF which took place in Warri, Delta State last week.

Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr. Tammy Danagogo and immediate past president of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, general secretary of the NFF, Barr. Musa Amadu as well as the chairman of the Plateau State FA for himself and on behalf of the 36 state FA chairmen were served with the notice.

The Court bailiff had last Friday pasted the Form 49 on the entrance door leading into the secretariat which among others mandated the NFF top guns to explain why they should not be sent to prison for allegedly ignoring its directive which among others mandated the NFF not to conduct the polls.

Two members of the Chris Giwa-led group; Obinna Ogba from Ebonyi State and his counterpart from Kogi State, Yahaya Adama had approached the court to restrain the defendants from going ahead with the election on September 30.

The plaintiffs had obtained the injunction on behalf of the Giwa group who are claiming to be the duly elected board

of the crisis ridden NFF. Part of the notice reads: “Take notice that the plaintiff will on Oct. 8, 2014 at the hour of 9. O’clock apply to this

Court for an Order for your committal to prison.

“This is for disobeying the Order of this Court made on Sept. 19, 2014 enjoining and

“Also, for holding election into the board of the NFA pending the hearing and determination of the motion and notice filed in this case”.

Riding Tough... Aston Villa’s US goalkeeper Brad Guzan (R) saves from Manchester City’s Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero (L) during the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Manchester City at Villa Park in Birmingham. City won 2-0 with goals from Yaya Toure and Aguero. AFP

Wenger seeks vengence at Stamford Bridge A

RSENAL have “a big hunger ” to avenge their crushing defeat against Chelsea in March, a humiliation that Arsene

Wenger said he and his club would never forget.

The Arsenal manager seeks his first victory over a Jose Mourinho-managed club in

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.Taraba capital (7) 4.Exchanges (5) 6.Crest (5) 7.Speared (7) 9.Fashion (5) 10.Weird (5) 11.Donor (5) 13.Domain (5) 17.Crestfallen (3) 19.Face (8) 20.Pianos (6) 21.Much (6) 23.Stayed (8) 24.Frozen water (3) 25.Snake (5) 27.Own up (5) 30. Arise (5) 31. Evade (5) 32. Dotted (7) 34. Lariat (5) 35. Moves like a horse (5) 36.Sowed (7)

restraining you jointly and severally from convening or holding a general assembly or extraordinary general assembly.

DOWN 1. Incarcerates (5) 2. Nothing (3) 3. Command (5) 4. Cue (5) 5. Vapour (5) 8. Dog (3) 12. Nigerian state (6) 14. Ovum (3) 15. Connected (6) 16. Cooked (6) 17. Glare (5) 18. Ill-fated (6) 22. Maiden name (3) 25. Revise accounts (5) 26. Staggers (5) 27. Old fable writer (5) 28. Child (3) 29. Gave in (5) 33. Benin chieftain (3)

See solution on page 5

a dozen attempts in today ’s big Premier League derby and the Frenchman admitted that last season’s 6-0 mauling at Stamford Bridge, which marred his 1,000th game in charge, had left an indelible mark.

“We will never forget last year at Chelsea and we have an opportunity to put it right,” Wenger told a news conference before the return to Stamford Bridge. “We have a big hunger to put that right.

“L ast year ’s slow start exposed us to counterattacks. It was a very bad memory but football is not made of history, it’s about performance.”

With six points separating Arsenal from top-of-the-table Chelsea, Wenger said winning was “vital” if his side was to stay in the

Premier League race.

Arsenal’s midweek Champions League trouncing of Galatasaray, he said, had been good for the confidence of the team. “We want to go to Chelsea to win.

The fact they are six points ahead makes that desire even bigger.

“We are both still unbeaten (in the Premier League) but I feel we have had a more difficult run than them. It’s a vital game for us to stay in the race.”

As for the personal rivalry with Mourinho and the statistic he must hate being brought up — 11 matches versus the Portuguese, and no wins — Wenger said: “He has always had fantastic teams. It’s not a game between two managers, it’s a game about clubs.”

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