Parties slam INEC'sbid for more powers

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61768

FORUM— Dr Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, (left) in handshake with Dr Hamadoun Toure, ITU Secretary-General at a Global Broadband USF Leaders Forum, held in Istanbul, Turkey.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

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A SERIAL YOU MUST READ

The Public Service and the Transformation Agenda: —Redefining the rules of engagement (3) "It is also important to implement a Remuneration and Rewards system for the public service that will attract the best talents."

See Page 29

BY PHILIP ASIODU

Parties slam INEC's bid for more powers •PDP differs, okays commission's proposal •CPC, ACN, ask Jega to work with existing laws •Aturu, Sagay, Fasehun, Eyiboh, others react

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DAPO AKINREFON, GBENGA OKE & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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AGOS—THE Peo ples Democratic Party, PDP, and the coun-

try’s leading opposition political parties were yesterday sharply divided over proposals for electoral reform submitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to the Senate.

While opposition parties flayed the commission for failing to utilize

Continues on page 5

Who wants to be a Chairman? •P.17 DEAR BUNMI •P.46

ROTIMI FASAN •P.19

Mr & Mrs

ICRC REPORT—President Goodluck Jonathan in handshake with Chairman, Infrastructure Concessioning Regulatory Commission, Chief Ernest Shonekan while Vice President Namadi Sambo (2r); CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi (r) and Commission Member, Mansoor Ahmed (l) watch after the Commission submitted its report at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

ABACHA LOOT:

Switzerland returns $700m to Nigeria •P.9

2— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—3

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4— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

Parties slam INEC's bid for more powers Continues from page 1 its existing powers to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, the PDP blasted opponents of the reforms proposed by INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega as enemies of the state.

The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, were joined in their opposition to the proposals for the reform of the electoral process by stakeholders in the civil rights community.

INEC had on Monday submitted its proposals on electoral reform with suggestions for the amendment of the electoral act and the constitution to increase the autonomy of the commission, to empower it to disqualify candidates in elections andprovide stiffer punishment for electoral offenders. The INEC proposal forwarded to the Senate also wants an amendment of the constitution to allow Diaspora voting.

While supporting the reforms, the PDP, however, sidestepped commenting on the demand

by Jega for the electoral commission to be given the power of disqualifying candidates saying

the party would behave like a dutiful player and not dabble into the “uniform of the referee.”

Besides the PDP, the ACN and CPC, constitutional lawyer Prof.

Itse Sagay, civil rights activist Bamidele Aturu, founder of the Odua Peoples Congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, and two former members of the House of Representatives, Eseme Eyiboh and Dr. Junaid Mohammed, reacted to the proposal.

tary, Engr. Rotimi Fashakin said: “Warts and all, does Professor Jega believe that more powers even to disqualify candidates is the immediate need for him to function as an electoral umpire? It is utterly not correct! Without mincing words, with the current arrangement, Prof Jega shall only transform into the

INEC should face its roles— ACN The ACN speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said: “INEC should face its primary responsibility which is creating the necessary environment for a free and fair election. It should concern itself with the logistic problems of election, the issue of qualification or disqualification of a candidate is between these two bodies, the constitution on one hand and the courts on the other.

LIFEWORDS LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Do the right thing. It is the spirit of God in the life of man that makes him to do the right thing.

Imbibe the right spirit.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

After hitting on a brilliant new life plan, our first instinct is to tell someone, but it’s better to keep goals secret. Research stretching as far back as the 1920s show why people who talk about their ambitions may be less likely to achieve them – Derek Silvers

E

INEC has so much to do that I think that it is evident that they don’t know about the responsibilities before them that I think they want to dabble into the issue of qualification or no qualification. The constitution is very clear on who can contest election.

“The laws are there for eligibility and so long as the party conforms with

VERYONE, please think of your biggest per sonal goal. Imagine telling someone that you meet today what you’re going to do. Imagine their congratulations and their high image of you.

Doesn’t it feel good to say it out loud? Don’t you feel one step closer already, like it’s already becoming part of your identity?

Research studies show that, you should have kept quiet about saying it, because that good feeling now will make you less likely to do it. Repeated psychology tests have proven that telling someone your goal makes it less likely to happen. Any time you have a goal, there are some steps that need to be done, some work that needs to be done in order to achieve it. Ideally, you would not be satisfied until you had actually done the work. But when you tell someone your goal and they acknowledge it, psychologists have found that it’s called a “social reality.” The mind is kind of tricked into feeling that it’s already done. And then, because you felt that satisfaction, you’re less motivated to do the actual hard work necessary.

BUDGET DEFENCE— From right: Chairperson, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep Nnena Ukeje-Elendu addressing Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their agencies, while Mr Zakari and Rep. Samaila Godaka look on at the National Assembly, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

the extant laws , it is not the responsibility of the INEC. INEC cannot usurp the responsibilities of the parties and the courts at the same time.

They cannot even do what they are supposed to do, which is to guarantee free and fair election and they still want to dabble into qualification.

What do they know about qualification?”

Alhaji Mohammed also dismissed proposals from the commission more severe sanctions for electoral cheats asking: ”Who are the electoral cheats? Are they not INEC people? Is it possible for you to commit an electoral offence without INEC, police and the security conniving?”

CPC slams INEC proposal Faulting the proposals submitted by INEC to the Senator Ike Ekweremadu-led Senate Committee on Constitution Review, SCRC, the CPC in a statement by its National Publicity Secre-

clobber man for the President, being the appointive authority.

“What is still maintaining some modicum of sanity in our electoral system is that the power to disqualify candidates is vested in the Courts.

If the truth must be said, Prof Jega has not used his position well as an unbiased umpire. For instance, how many times did the Courts overturn the candidates that Jega’s INEC imposed on CPC? Succinctly put, this proposal

by Jega’s INEC should be jettisoned unreservedly,” Fashakin said in an SMS to Vanguard last night.

Aturu, Junaid, others react Rights activist and lawyer, Mr Bamidele Aturu also faulted the INEC move, saying the move

by INEC will not take Nigeria any where as far as election matters are concerned.

“My position is that,

let us do credible elections, let us use the existing laws to jail those who rig elections. Advocating fancy punishment, such as INEC is doing, is not going to take us anyway. At the end of the day, it is how we enforce the law that matters. If we enforce all the laws that we have on election riggers, I think people will no longer rig. What is important is that let us do our elections credibly and use the existing laws to deal with those who rig elections.”

Fiery social critic, Dr. Junaid Mohammed also sharply disagreed with the INEC position saying: “I believe Professor Attahiru Jega should not be given such powers.

Why? Jega governs an institution whose identity is unknown and when he was nominated to take over INEC, I raised an issue that he was partisan. Jega in the past had wanted to be a Minister, a Senator, so he cannot claim not to be partisan.

“Professor Jega cannot claim to be non-partisan, he has shown that the INEC he leads is not an independent umpire, so giving him such powers would have given the ruling PDP more powers at the forthcoming elections as majority of the INEC staff are card carrying members of the PDP”,Mohammed a member of the Second Republic House of Representatives said yesterday.

Speaking in the same vein, Eseme Eyiboh, also a former member of the House of Representatives asserted that INEC and its officials were essentially the cog in the wheel of the electoral process.

He argued that the commission should not be given the power to disqualify candidates.

On voting rights for Nigerians in the Diaspora, the former lawmaker said: “I don’t have any problem with Nigerians in the Diaspora voting. The

Continues on page 60

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

2015: Obasanjo can’t dictate to North —Junaid zSays he is a political liability to the North future. zIgbo Presidency not feasible in 2015 political The Second Republic

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

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BUJA — AS preparations for the next Presidential election gather momentum, the North has said it will not allow former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to impose any candidate on the region and its people.

The North is still reeling under the pains of the ‘imposition’ of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on them in 2007 and the current President on Nigerians by the former Nigerian leader.

The Convener of the Coalition of Northern Leaders, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid

Mohammed, told Vanguard in an exclusive interview, yesterday, that the North had learnt it bitter lessons and would not allow Obasanjo to dictate to them any longer.

According to Mohammed, the people of the North do not believe that Obasanjo still has the necessary influence and power to champion their cause and will, therefore, not allow him to dabble into their

lawmaker said those in the North, who believe that Obasanjo has what it takes to make them President, were merely deceiving themselves, as the former President’s era had since lapsed.

Reminded that Obasanjo still wields enormous influence and authority in the land given the number of men and women he put in commanding heights,

Mohammed shrugged off such influence, saying the man could hardly win a ward election in his Ogun State.

He said: “We will not allow what happened in the election of Yar’Adua and Jonathan to happen again in 2015. We must rise as a people and carry our destiny in our hands.

“We will never allow somebody who does not have the interest of the people of the North to dabble into its politics in 2015.

“In any case, if Obasanjo cannot win a ward in his local government area of Ogun State, is it in Kano or Sokoto that his candidate can win?”

Obasanjo is a political liability to the North

PROTEST: Workers protesting takeover of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Ltd by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, in Apapa, Lagos, yesterday.

All banks in Nigeria are healthy —NDIC boss z Says published reports based on 2011 assessment

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AGOS— MANAGING Director of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, said yesterday that all banks in the country were sound.

Ibrahim said this in Lagos at the ongoing threeday workshop of the International Association of Deposit Insurers, IADI. The managing director, who was reacting to a report in some newspapers that only five banks in Nigeria were healthy, said the assessment was defective.

He noted: “The fact that some banks were marginally ill did not mean that they were not healthy.

What was misquoted to be unhealthy was derived from our 2011 Annual Report which does not reflect the true position of banks at the moment. “ Ibrahim said currently, all banks in Nigeria were healthy and sound, noting that NDIC was adopting ingenious measures to resolve bank liquidation.

He said: “The bridge bank option we adopted in 2011 to address the issue

of bank failures is novel within the African Regional Committee. “ Ibrahim said the greater part of the challenges being faced by the corporation was related to bank liquidation, adding that there were loopholes in the NDIC Act that bank owners often exploited to scuttle the liquidation process initiated by the corporation.

The NDIC boss also said funding of the corporation’s activities still posed a serious threat to its operations and that NDIC was looking for aids from the World Bank to enable it develop a framework to perform its statutory function.

Chief Executive of Deposit Protection Corporation in Zimbabwe, Mr John Chikura, said deposit insurance had become an integral part of securing depositors’ money globally.

He noted that deposit insurance contributed to the overall growth of any economy.

He said: “About 100

countries have adopted explicit deposit insurance systems.

“The significant increase reflects the global

recognition of the role of deposit insurance systems in promoting and enhancing financial stability. “

The political commentator made it clear that those who were being bandied as Obasanjo’s candidates in the North should work hard and win the confidence of the people if they wanted to be elected rather than go to sleep with the erroneous impression that the former leader could guarantee them easy access to the Presidential Villa.

He said: “It appears to me that Obasanjo is more of a political liability to the North and anyone who puts his hope in him in 2015 is doing so at his/her own peril.

“The irony is that some uninformed persons still believe that Obasanjo has

what it takes to put them in certain political offices in Nigeria. That is not possible particularly in the North.”

The medical doctorturned politician said the North would devise a more democratic means than zoning to elect its leaders in 2015 to heal the wounds of the past political mistakes and move the people of the region and Nigeria forward.

Igbo Presidency not feasible in 2015 Mohammed said Igbo Presidency would not be feasible in 2015 given the penchant of the people of the region to pull down their own rather than speak with one voice to achieve their set goal.

He maintained that Nigeria needed a leader who could pull it out of the present predicament and take the people to a new level of socio-economic and political prosperity.

There have been reports that Obasanjo is in support of two northern governors to run as President in 2015.

Of the two, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State recently told Vanguard that he was flattered by the link of his name with the 2015 job. He did not deny nor confirm the claim.

The man he was touted to be running with, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has however openly denied having any presidential ambition. “I’m not running with Sule Lamido,” the governor was quoted as saying in the heat of the controversy.

Shonekan asks FG to tackle infrastructure deficiency

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA — FORMER Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, has called on the Federal Government to demonstrate the needed political will to tackle Nigeria’s infrastructure deficiency.

He spoke when he led the Governing Board of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, to present the 2011 annual report and audited financial statement of the commission to President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

According to him, except the Federal Government

demonstrates enough political will and changes its strategy in addressing the critical aspect of development and bridge the gap in infrastructural development, the country’s infrastrucral defficiency will persist.

He noted: “It is not only in this country that we have infrastructure deficit. If you look round now, even the developed countries have infrastructure deficits. The way forward is what everybody seems to be doing; and that is to see how they can reduce that deficit.

So each and everyone of us have to put our thinking cap on to see how we can bridge that gap within a

short period of time.

"With all these disasters that have been happening round the world, even Western countries which started their infrastructural development well before us are now thinking of doing fresh infrastructures because the infrastructures they had in the last century are becoming antiquated.

"We have an opportunity now to be able to do our own infrastructures. I think the best thing is to get people who are interested in the development of infrastructures to assist us in doing our own. That is why we said we will need the political will of the Presidency and all the

others each and every one of us must have to contribute our own quota to make sure that we developed our own.

Without infrastructures, there will not be much progress.”

Speaking on the role of the ICRC to attract investors, Shonekan said: “We have laid down the foundation and put the policy guidelines in place.

We have amended the ICRC Act to ensure that at the end of the day, the law will be there to back the investors. So we have got everything ready. Now, this is the time to really work hard to make sure that we attract investors."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—7

Jonathan's brother for burial in Otuoke, Saturday

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Jonathan will leave Abuja for Bayelsa State, tomorrow to participate in the burial ceremony of his younger brother, Chief Meni Innocent Jonathan, who passed away on November 20, 2012.

Chief Jonathan is to be laid to rest on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at his hometown, Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

His remains will be conveyed from Abuja to

Otuoke on Friday, December 7, 2012 and will be received by the Otuoke Council of Chiefs at the Otuoke Community Hall at 2.30pm on the same day.

There will be Service of Songs at the Dame Patience Jonathan Square, Otuoke at 6 pm while a commendation service will be held at the St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Otuoke at 10 am on Saturday.

He will be interred after the commendation service.

...Justice Kayode Eso on Dec 21 in Ilesa

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HE family of the late eminent jurist and former Supreme Court Justice Obakayode Eso who died on November 16 in Hammersmith Hospital, London, yesterday, announced the burial programme of the late jurist. He is to be buried on Friday, December 21 in Ilesa, Osun State after a funeral service at the Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity, Omofe, Ilesa.

A statement by Mrs. Funmilayo Eso Williams for the family, entitled: Re- Burial Ceremony of the Hon. Justice Kayode Eso JSC, said "service of songs will take place at his residence, Greenacres Agodi, Ikolaba, Ibadan on Monday, December 17, 2012 at 5.00pm. On Tuesday, December 18 2012, there will be another Service of Songs at the same place by 5.00pm while it will be the turn of Bodija International School, Tunde Lakanmi, Bodija, Ibadan for another Service of Songs on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 5.00pm.

"Christian wake keep will hold at the Anglican Church of the Risen Christ and at His Residence Oke Omi Iru, Osogbo Road, Ilesa on Thursday, December 20, 2012 at 5.00pm.

“Funeral Service will be held on Friday, December 21, 2012 at the Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity Omofe, Ilesa at 10.00am. Outing Service will take place on December 23 at the

Anglican Church of the Risen Christ, Oke Omi Iru, Osogbo Road, Ilesa at 10,00am.”

Justice Eso is survived by his widow, Mrs. Helen Aina Eso, Mrs. Funmilayo Eso William, Olumide Eso, children as well as grandchildren.

From left: Acting Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Prof. Charles Onocha; Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Delta State Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs Pat Ejeteh at the commissioning of Uzoigwe Primary School, Asaba, built through UBEC counterpart funding, yesterday.

SALAMI’S REMOVAL:

I acted in accordance with the Constitution, Jonathan tells court

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan,

yesterday, justified the actions he took regarding the removal of the embattled President of the Court of Appeal, PCA, Justice Isa Ayo Salami,

Park and Pay policy not backed by law — FCT Minister zInsists 31 housing estates must be demolished zAs Sambo’s residence gulps extra N2bn

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA — MINISTER of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday, told Senators that the Park and Pay policy recently introduced in the nation’s capital where owners of vehicles park and pay was not backed by law.

The FCT recently made it mandatory for commuters who use the roads especially in places like in Garki, Wuse, Maitama, Asokoro to pay N50 for 30 minutes, N100 for one hour and more depending on the hours one must have parked his or her vehicle.

After a serious session, yesterday, with the Senator Smart Adeyemi, PDP, Kogi West-led Senate Committee on the FCT to defend the 2013 budget, the FCT Minister, however, dared the lawmakers, boasting that no law can stop him from demolishing 31 estates and Mpape in the FCT.

When asked if there was any law backing the introduction of park and pay policy in the FCT, the minister said: "The parking regime, we inherited it and we saw that it is noble and we implemented it. We are treating it administratively.

"There is no institutional structure at all. It is just a responsibility of the road department to make sure that all these practices where the city is converted into a car park. We have designated car parks here and there, people park anyhow such that the corridors are impeded by people who do not want to follow our transport resolutions and that is why it was done by my predecessor and I saw that it is a good thing.

"Even the Okada, we don’t have a law but we are treating it administratively because security is everybody’s business. If we allow all these things to happen, certainly we will end up in trouble and we just have to take preemptive measures. I have

a law on demolishing. The law I said I don’t have is the one the chairman asked on the issue of parking. But for demolition, I have the law and I don’t even have to interfere with Development Control Law under the Land Use Act.” The FCT Minister noted that N50,000,000,000 budget ceiling for the FCT by the Budget Office of the Federation as 2013 National Priority budget will not be enough to provide the needed infrastructure for the city. He said 2012 budget based on analysis, stands at 99 per cent, adding that total payment made up till date stands at N31.7 billion while the balance of N496 million is under process.

In the budget breakdown, the FCT will next year build a cultural centre and Millennium Tower for N2 billion, just as besides the N1 billion earmarked for construction of Vice President Namadi Sambo’s residence in Aso Drive, it will now be completed for N2 billion.

from office, insisting that he acted in accordance with the 1999 constitution as amended.

Jonathan stated this on a day he urged Justice Adamu Bello of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to dismiss a suit entered against him by 11 legal practitioners under the aegis of the Registered Trustees of Centre for the Promotion of Arbitration.

Addressing the court through his lawyer, Mr. Matthew Echo, President Jonathan, alongside the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, yesterday, maintained that the plaintiffs “do not have the locus standi to commence and/or maintain this action and seek the reliefs endorsed in the motion on notice dated July 2, 2012, as they do not have sufficient interest in the matter to which the application relates.”

It would be recalled that the plaintiffs had in their suit, sought “an order of court directing the 3rd Defendant, National Judicial Council, NJC, to recall the 4th Defendant, Salami, to resume his duties as the President of the Court of Appeal forthwith.

“A declaration that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no power whatsoever and/or howsoever to exercise disciplinary functions over

the Justices of the Court of Appeal and/or Justice Isa Ayo Salami, the PCA. “A declaration that the further reappointment and/ or approval of the extension of the tenure of the 5th Defendant (Justice Adamu) as the Acting PCA by the 1st Defendant (Jonathan), is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void."

As well as, “An order restraining the 5th defendant from further acting as the President of the Court of Appeal.”

The plaintiffs equally urged the court to, among other things, determine: “whether the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has any step to take within the provisions of sections 153 and 21 Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, in relation to the recall of Justice Salami as recommended by the NJC.” Even as they prayed the court to go ahead and determine “whether the NJC’s three-man panel recommendation for the recall of Justice Salami has not put an end to all disputes in relation to his suspension/recall.”

Meanwhile, sequel to an oral application moved in court, yesterday, by counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr J. Akanike, Justice Bello struck out the name of the erstwhile Acting PCA, Justice Dalhatu Adamu, even as he adjourned till January 17, 2013, to enable all the parties in the matter to adopt their written addresses.

8— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

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ABACHA LOOT: Switzerland has returned $700m to Nigeria —Swiss envoy

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North & CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

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From right: Mr. Remi Makanjuola, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Lagos State Security Trust Fund; Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Mr. Umar Manko, Chief Host and Lagos State Commissioner of Police and Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos, during the 6th Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security, with the Governor Fashola and the Lagos State Security Trust Fund board trustees on the theme: Growing Our Investment in Security, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Lagos police arrest 569 suspected robbers this year —CP

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

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AGOS — A total of 569 suspected armed robbers have been arrested by the police in Lagos State, between November 2011 and October 2012, while 140 armed robbers died during encounters with the police within the period under review.

In crime statistics, a

summary for 2012, the state Commissioner of Police Umar Manko while highlighting the efforts and achievements of the Command at the 6th Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security held in Lagos, said 371 arms, 26,058 ammunition were recovered under the same period.

Also, 954 vehicles were recovered, 680 were

snatched, 570 were removed from park, while 13 vehicles were driven away by the drivers.

The CP, also said the state recorded 123 armed robbery incidents, while 418 were armed robberies foiled. He stated that a total of 32 policemen were killed during encounters with robbers, while the Command

Fashola’s govt anti-masses, says S-West PDP

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AGOS — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the SouthWest has described the planned displacement of over 50,000 traders at the popular Katangowa market in Lagos State by the state government without provision of alternative settlement as wicked and inhuman.

“The Governor Babatunde Fashola-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government in Lagos State has shown clear enough that it hates the masses,” PDP said.

The PDP said only a devilish government would attempt to render over 50,000 traders jobless less than two months after it sent over 50,000 Okada riders out of business.

In a statement issued yesterday by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon Kayode Babade, the PDP said even if the traders were occupying government land as claimed by Governor Fashola; they still deserve to be protected by the government.

They asked: “Haven’t they been paying levies to the government (both local council and state)?”

Governor Fashola, during a visit to the market,told the traders government would not relocate them, as they were not the rightful owners of the land.

investigated 270 murder cases.

Meantime, the Governor. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday honoured 22 operatives of the State Special AntiRobbery Squad, SARS, with awards for gallantry and excellent service.

He also presented cheques and posthumous awards to three policemen who were killed or injured during the deadly September 9, 2012 robbery attack in some parts of the state.

Presenting the awards to the SARS operatives, the Governor applauded their efforts to ensure that justice was served on perpetrators of the September 9, deadly robbery attack in the state, which he said, was designed to bring fear of insecurity in the minds of residents of the state.

BUJA—NEARLY 15 years after the death of General Sani Abacha, Nigeria’s former military ruler, the Swiss Government has said that it has so far returned to Nigeria the sum of $700 million stolen by the late dictator and deposited in several Swiss banks.

The Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Hans-Rudolf Hodel, announced the figure at a media briefing in Abuja, yesterday.

Hodel also hinted that his country had begun proceedings in Geneva against one of Abacha’s sons -Abba, for allegedly sponsoring a criminal organization but did not give further details.

The envoy explained also that in the last 15 years, Switzerland has returned about $1.7 billion of illicit money to their countries of origin including Angola, Peru, Nigeria and the Philippines.

The briefing was in respect of an international seminar by the Switzerland embassy and the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa, GIABA, and Combating the Financing of Terrorism.

The envoy however used the forum to deny the existence of fresh $1 billion

Witness’ ill health stalls Arowolo’s trial

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS — Further hearing into the trial of Akolade Arowolo, accused of killing his banker wife, Titilayo Omozoje was yesterday stalled as the second defence witness was said to be ill.

Informing the court of the

ATUCHE: Court asked to recall two witnesses

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS — The former Managing Director of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), Francis Atuche yesterday urged an Ikeja High Court to recall two prosecution witnesses to be cross examined over some new facts and testimonies of the witnesses’ admitted as

evidence.

The two witnesses; Mr. Diamond Uju and Elizabeth Ebi had earlier in their testimonies denied requesting for loans from the bank.

Specifically, the duo, who are prosecution witnesses told the court, presided over by Justice Lateefa Okunnu that they never had any relationship with the

bank prior to the advancement of loans to their companies.

But with recent facts and available documents, according to the defence, they need to come and clarify some issues Atuche’s counsel, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, urged the court to recall the witnesses for further cross examination because what the

being alluded to by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as still being held by the Swiss banks.

Hodel stated that the Abacha’s case in particular compelled his country to adopt more stringent measures to combat illicit dealings in its financial sector.

He said: “Swiss banking secrecy does not give any protection against criminal prosecution, neither within Switzerland nor regarding international legal assistance. Additional measures prevent assets from being withdrawn before foreign authorities and law enforcement agencies submit a formal request for legal assistance or information for investigative purposes.”

He expressed the hope that the repatriated funds would not be embezzled by corrupt officials of the benefitting nations.

He also spoke on the bilateral relations between Nigeria and Switzerland noting that $225 million was invested by Swiss businesses in the Nigerian economy in 2010 up from $201 million in 2009.

It will be recalled that a Geneva court had two months ago confirmed the sentence handed down on the son of the former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha for belonging to a criminal organisation linked to looted assets charges.

witnesses did was to tell the court half truths.

But the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, in opposition urged the court to dismiss the application for being premature and abuse of court’s process.

Justice Okunnu in her ruling adjourned till Thurday, December 6, for continuation of trial.

absence of the witness, Arowolo’s counsel, Mr. Olanrewaju Ajanaku said that he was not aware of the sickness of the witness until Monday when he was informed that she was down with malaria.

Ajanaku, told the Court, presided over by Justice Lateefa Okunnu, that the witness was in court at the last adjourned date, which showed that she is prepared for the matter.

However, justice Okunnu, asked the defence counsel not to delay the trial, as he ought to have gotten the three other witnesses ready, to give their testimony.

The prosecution counsel, M. A. Balogun, subsequently asked for a cost against the defendant, which was not granted by the court.

Justice Okunnu, thereby adjourned the case till January 22, 2013,

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Court remands 3 accused of killing a ‘witch’ in Ekiti

BY GBENGAARIYIBI

A

DO EKITI— An Ado Ekiti High Court yesterday turned down bail application by three accused persons who allegedly killed the 70-year old Mrs. Rebecca Adewumi in

Omuo Ekiti in May this year The octogenerian was tortured to death by some youths in the town for alleged possession of witch-craft power claimed to have been used to inflict her step son, Ola Adewumi, with

Mimiko charges NIPR over nation’s image

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE—Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has challenged the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, to devise strategies through which a positive image of the country can be projected to the international world.

He spoke in Akure during the opening ceremony of the ongoing Institute’s Annual National Conference/ AGM tagged Akure 2012.

Mimiko said a positive perception of the country

outside is necessary because it has a way of affecting Nigerians wherever they travel to.

Speaking through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the governor noted that the state has benefitted from the intellectual disposition of NIPR members in the past few years.

He said that the public relations strategies adopted by the state have helped it to relate cordially with the local, national and international publics.

ACN carpets Mimiko over position on reproductive quota

T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has described the call by Governor Olusegun Mimiko to Ondo State indigenes to start producing 30,000 children yearly as misleading, myopic and an aversion to sustainable development in the face of gross youth unemployment and decayed infrastructure.

In a statement by Idowu Ajanku, the Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy of ACN, Ondo State, the party described the call made by the governor during the commissioning of the Mother and Child Hospital in Ondo town as that of a man who has lost touch with reality.

The statement read in part; “Why is Mimiko is not thinking of how to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth of the state. He is not talking of the millions of jobless graduates who are still be catered for by tired parents who are peasant famers/traders or civil servants.

"He is not even looking at the infrastructure decay in the state, but he is quick to beat his chest that he is providing free maternity services to

women so that they can deliver his targeted 30,000 children every year!"

He asked: “What does it hold for the people, if not the multiplication of poverty?

Would his government also take over the responsibilities of caring for these children from cradle to adulthood?

“For us in ACN, what we are saying is that government should provide holistic healthcare solution for all the members of the society and generate employment through the provision of an enabling environment for private sector investment.

a strange disease.

When the matter came up for hearing yesterday before Justice Oluwatoyin Bodunde, counsel to the defendants, Oladele Adedeji had pleaded that the pending bail application be heard.

The defendants to the suit are: Chief Dayo Olatunbosun Orojo(1st defendant), Mrs. Adesola Adeyemo (2nd defendant) and Abey Feranmi (3rd defendant) They are natives of Omuo

Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area.

The accused were arraigned on a six-count charge of felony,, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful accusation of witchcraft ,, unlawful participation at a trial by ordeal,, unlawful deprivation of liberty and murder , which are said to have contravened various sections of the Ekiti State Criminal Code.

Counsel to the defendants had told the

BEOKUTA — Lepers in Ogun on Tuesday called for an increase in their monthly stipend of N3,000, which the state government is paying them.

The spokesman of the lepers, Mr. George Odunawo, made the call when members of Ogun NUJ visited the lepers’ settlement in Abeokuta as parts of activities

Onipede, had intimated the court that the State Government had already filed an objection to the bail application filed by the counsel for the defendants.

The judge however, ordered that the accused persons should remain in prison custody pending the time the bail application would be disposed off.

The matter was adjourned till 17th January, 2013 for ruling on the bail application.

From Left; Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe, Lagos State Head of Service; Mr. Sunday Owoeye, Osun State Head of Service; Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, Osun State Deputy Governor and Mrs. Kosemani Kolawole, Acting Head of Service in Ondo State, at the third edition of the Summit of Heads of Service in the South West geo-political zone, at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, yesterday.

We didn’t cede land to Lagos —Ogun govt

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—The Ogun State Government has denied that it ceded its 500 hectares of land in Egua, Yewa North Local Government Area to the Lagos State Government,saying that, the land was allocated

for agricultural purpose in order to fast-track development in the area..

Speaking at a meeting with stakeholders from the area held yesterday in Abeokuta, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun explained that the decision was part of the current

administration’s strategy to ensure that development reaches every part of the state.

According to the new Commissioner, the arrangement is a pilot scheme which the state government planned to replicate in all the three senatorial districts of the state.

....Gunmen abduct Assembly member’s wife

A

BEOKUTA— Mrs. Onademuren, wife of a member of Ogun State House of Assembly representing Ijebu North East Constituency, Samson Onademuren has been kidnapped by

yet to be identified gunmen in Ijebu-Ode. Vanguard gathered that, Mrs. Onademuren was kidnapped at 12 noon yesterday by four men at her husband building site in Ijjebu-

Lepers want N3,000 monthly stipend increased

A

court that the first defendant is hypertensive and that the second defendant which happens to be the mother of the late Ola Adewumi, who was said to have been inflicted with terminal illness by Mrs. Adeyemo, is bereaved and ought to be mourning the death of her son.

Justice Bodunde, in her ruling, dismissed the bail applications.

Earlier, prosecution counsel, Mr. Femi

marking the 2012 NUJ Press Week.

According to him, the lepers need better welfare package as well as improved living conditions.

“The government should not forget us here as most of us are aged.

Earlier, the Chairman of Ogun NUJ, Mr. Wole Sokunbi, said that it was important for government

and public spirited individuals to come to the aid of the needy.

Also speaking, the chairperson of the press week committee, Mrs. Folake Adeniji, said the society needed to extend hands of fellowship to the lepers.

She, thereafter, handed over bags of rice, groundnut oil and toiletries to Odunawo.

Ode. A source told Vanguard that, the gunmen abducted Mrs. Onademuren few minutes after she got to her husband’s site where she was inspecting an on-going project.

She was reportedly whisked away along with her close female friend in a white Opel car with no registration number.

Her husband is among the majority of the 18 lawmakers from the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, that belonged to the former Governor Olusegun Osoba’s camp.

When the Police Public Relations Officer,PPRO, in the State, Muyiwa Adejobi said he was yet to be briefed.

““The land had long been acquired for agricultural purpose by past administrations in the state. There was a strategic reasoning behind our allocating part of it to Lagos State for rice planting. We only gave them one-tenth of what they requested for.

“The terms of agreement are unambiguous. Lagos State government has agreed that rent would be paid to the Ogun State Government and that indigenes would be employed in the programme.

“Part of the agreements we entered into was that they will not use the land for any other purpose other than cultivation of rice and that indigenes of the community must be considered first for engagement on the farmland. This is a pilot scheme.”

Sofekun who lamented the inability of the past administrations to take advantage of its proximity to Lagos, assured that “the current administration will take that advantage to the fullest”.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012 — 11

Jonathan, Uduaghan urged to intervene in Delta family feuds

BY FESTUS AHON

U

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State (right), receiving a cheque donation of N500m from Dr. Mike Adenuga, Chairman, Globacom, in support of the government's post flood management relief effort.

Kidnapping: Fear grips politicians, businessmen in Benin

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—WEALTHY politicians and businessmen in Benin City, the Edo State capital, have started fleeing the city for fear of being abducted by kidnappers.

Their fears heightened after two prominent businessmen in the city, Chief Dan Odiete, an Estate Valuer, and Chief Omoruyi Oloton, popularly known as Uyi Technical, were kidnapped last week by unknown gunmen dressed in police uniforms. They are yet to regain their freedom.

It was observed that the seeming failure of the police in the state to protect the citizens had forced majority of the wealthy politicians and businessmen in the city

to seek the assistance of youths for protection.

But majority of those who may not want to engage the services of the youths or could not afford same, have fled the state for Abuja and Lagos. One of them, who craved anonymity, told Vanguard: “It is better to stay away because when you look at the mode of the kidnap operations

now, it is more sophisticated.

“Are you not aware that those who kidnapped Dan Odiete were dressed in police uniform and they also wore bullet proof? You don’t even know who to trust. So it is not out of place to say people have fled. No body knows who is next and that is why one has to play safe first. You

Insecurity: Hotels in C-River to install CCTV

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

C

ALABAR—PLANS are on for all hotels in Cross River State to install Close Circuit Television, CCTV, to monitor the influx of people, especially during the Cala-

bar Festival, which attracts people from different parts of the world.

This was disclosed during a meeting organised

by Cross River State Government through the office of the State Security Adviser with heads of security agencies in the

Fresh protest in Bayelsa creek disrupts SPDC operation

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—BARE LY 24 hours after aggrieved youths from Twon Brass, in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, disrupted oil production activities at Agip terminal in Brass, hundreds of community leaders, youths and women from 21 communities in Nembe Kingdom, yesterday, invaded and disrupted activities

have to help yourself before God will help you.”

Vanguard learnt that the families of Odiete and Oloton are worried because they have not been contacted by the kidnappers of their sons.

Efforts made to get the reaction of the Police Command in the state proved abortive as they declined to comment on any issue that had to do with kidnapping.

at the facility owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC. The protest, which was led by Chairman of Nembe Oil and Gas Committee, Chief Nengi James, and President of Nembe Youths Association, Mr. Jonathan Omongor, it was learnt, took place after a botched meeting between representatives of the communities and management of Shell.

Chief Nengi confirmed

the disruption of the activities of Shell in Nembe creek.

He said the management of Shell had failed to meet the demands of the community and that exploration activities would remain shut until their demands were met.

He confirmed that a letter with the listed demands of the communities, addressed to Shell management, had been submitted in the presence of secuirty personnel in the area.

state and managers and proprietors of hotels.

Speaking at the meeting, the State Security Adviser, Mr. Rekpene Bassey, said security agencies in the state could not on their own bring about the needed crime free environment, noting that it was the responsibility of every body to be involved in security.

Bassey said other states in the country were looking up to Cross River State Government on how tourism, which had remained the main economic mainstay of the state, was organised and how security operatives handled security challenges.

He said the conference was important as the state was hosting the world through the Calabar carnival, adding that there was need for collaboration, pointing out that security in the hotels should start from the gate or entrance of the hotels to monitor movements of people coming to lodge.

GHELLI—TWO prominent families in Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Warri, Delta State, have called on President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to intervene in the lingering dispute among descendants of the founding fathers of the place, to avert an impending crisis that is about to rock the kingdom.

The two families, Tifo and Makro, in a statement by Chief Ovie Jarikre, Pa. Francis Akporiaye, Evang. Benson Eburu, Elder Samson Eburu and Elder A. U. Ighorue, said the call was also to assist in resolving the internal wrangling, so every

member of the kingdom would share from the kingdom’s commonwealth.

The families said the call was made to put an end to the discrimination suffered by the descendants of the founding families of Okere Urhobo Kingdom and sued for an organised administrative structure to distribute the commonwealth of the kingdom equitably.

They said: “Apart from Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu, there are two other prominent families and co-founders of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, who were sidelined after the historical Supreme Court judgment of 1976, which fully restored the Okere Urhobo ancestral land to them."

Oshiomhole urged to tackle erosion, flood

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

G

OVERNOR Ad ams Oshiomhole of Edo State has been urged to continue with the good work he was doing in the state, particularly in the areas of deflooding and managing erosion.

An umbrella body of Afemai sons and daughters in the Netherlands, under the aegis of Afemai Forum Netherlands, AFN, which made the call, expressed its willingness to partner the Oshiomhole-led government in the state.

President of AFN, Mr. Rodney Irene, in a statement, said: “The association is impressed with the numerous peopleoriented developmental

projects embarked upon by your government in all parts of the state, during your first four-year term in office, in your drive to reposition the state and make it a model for other states.

“Based on your performance, in the last four years, and your determination to consolidate on ongoing projects across the state, we are set to partner your government to move the state forward and restore hope to our people.

“We will prioritise infrastructural development, provision of educational materials, social amenities and scholarship to indigent students of the state, so that Edo State can convincingly justify its position as the Heart Beat of the nation among the states in Nigeria.”

Demolition: Delta community sends SOS to Uduaghan

BY FREDRICK OKOPIE

F

OLLOWING ongoing demolition of illegal structures on NPA Road, in Warri, Delta State, people of Loteyebiri Community in Warri Urban Area have appealed to the state government not to demolish or take over their community.

Chairman of the community, Mr. Bossman Azazi; Women Leader, Mrs. Joy Kpenu and Madam Tina Tobusi, in a statement, yesterday, ap-

pealed to the state government to reverse the decision, if, indeed, the news that it had planned to demolish and take over Loteyebiri Community was true.

They said: “A few days ago, we were informed that the state government was demolishing all illegal structures about three metres from the road side, which everybody in the state is aware of.

"Our community is made up of no fewer than 4000 people and if the houses are demolished, thousands of people would be rendered homeless."

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

No crisis in UNIBEN —VC

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—AUTHOR ITIES of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, have faulted an alleged comment by former ViceChancellor of the University, Prof. Andrew Onokerhoraye, that there was a pervading crisis in the university due to the absence of a governing council.

The Students Union Government of the university also described as misleading, the comment by the former Vice-Chancellor that student unionism was dead in the university.

Prof. Onokerhoraye had in a recent interview, said the absence of a governing council in the university was causing crisis in the institution, adding also that student unionism in the university was dead unlike when he was in the university as ViceChancellor.

Reacting, yesterday, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin, who spoke through the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Harry Osarenren, said there was no crisis in the university.

He said: “We just concluded our 38th Convocation/Founder’s Day ceremonies” where all the unions in the university commended the leadership role of the current Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oshodin.

“There is no doubt that any institution consumed with crisis will not be able to do that successfully. It should also be noted that the constitution of the governing council of a university is the sole prerogative of the Visitor. We know that Onokerhoraye is also aware that UNIBEN is just one of the universities owned by the Federal Government, where a governing council is yet to be put in place.”

INAUGURATION: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (4th right); Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State (3rd left); Delta State deputy governor, Amos Utuama (3rd left) with members of DESOPADEC board, shortly after their inauguration in Asaba.

Minister blames falling education standards on ineffective supervision

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—MINIS TER of State for

Education, Chief Ezenwo Wike, yesterday, urged officials charged with the implementation of Universal Basic Education, UBE, programme nationwide to sit up and ensure effective supervision of teachers in rendering quality and effective learning instead of allowing the teachers to draw salaries without justifying their pay.

He expressed disappointment that while the Federal Government was always ready with its matching grants, most of the state governments “are always in default in accessing the available funds from the Federal Government by refusing to provide their counterpart funds.”

The minister spoke at the opening ceremony of the 7th quarterly meeting of Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, management with executive Chairmen of State Universal Basic Educa-

tion Boards, SUBEBs. He said: “As implementers of the UBE programme in your states, do you also provide effective supervision in respect of the contracts that you award for the provision of infrastructure in schools with the money provided by the federal and state governments or do you simply award the contracts and do nothing about delivery?

“I know that the latter is the predominant position.

That is why we are still being confronted with situations where children are still learning under trees or completely dilap-

idated school buildings, and we seem not to care.

How can you defend a situation where vital textbooks and library resource materials that were delivered to you for distribution to schools in your states are found in markets and bookshops?

“How can you explain the near complete lack of transparency and accountability in the administration of public funds, so much so that even your governors are kept in the dark about the streams of funds you receive from the Federal Government for the implementation of UBE programme?"

Julius Berger distributes mosquito nets to women in Delta

A

S part of its social responsibility, Julius Berger Plc, is currently carrying out a malaria prevention programme, which includes distribution of long-last-

PUBLIC NOTICE

SANCTIFIED EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH The general public is hereby notified that the above named church has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matters act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE ; 1. Pastor Peter Okon — Chairman 2. Evang. Mercy Okon Peter 3. Elder Isaac Etom 4. Elder Joseph Xyla Okon —Secretary 5.Nsikak Effiong Joe 6. Josephine Peter Okon AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To reach out the unsaved souls through the gospel of Christ 2. Building men for the kingdom 3. To prepare men for the second coming of Christ Any objection thereto should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed Pastor Peter Okon

ing insecticide treated mosquito nets to communities across the country.

The programme recently took the company to Ekpan General Hospital, in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, where no fewer than 6,000 insecticide- treated mosquito nets were distributed free to pregnant women and nursing mothers to reduce malaria infections.

Julius Berger’s Head of Public Communications, Angela Schmidt, who led the team that distributed the materials, explained that the nets were effective in preventing malaria infection as, they create a protective barrier against mosquitoes at night when the vast majority of transmissions take place.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—13

AWARD: Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State (left) receiving the 2012 Governors’ Mandate Award for Legacy in Good Governance from Prof. Jerry Gana, former Minister of Information, in Abuja.

Okorocha vows to recover N6.4bn allegedly borrowed by Ohakim O

WERRI—GOVER NOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said that his administration was taking steps to recover the N6.4 billion his predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim, allegedly borrowed from the bank few days before he left office.

Okorocha, who dropped the hint on Monday in Owerri during his 2013 budget presentation at the state assembly, added that the ex-governor took the bank loan without the approval of the state’s legislature.

He said his administration was determined to ensuring accountability and would not conceal any fraud committed by the past administration.

The governor, who said he was under ‘pressure’ to probe his predecessor, however, did not say if he would succumb to the pressure.

He disclosed that his administration had saved N5.7 billion from re-negotiation of over-valued contracts awarded by Ohakim’s administration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on assumption of office in 2011, Okorocha told the people that Ohakim’s administration awarded N3.2 billion contract for the construction of Ahajioku Convention Centre, Owerri.

The governor said Ohakim’s administration

had already paid N2 billion for the uncompleted building, which according to him, can be built with N800 million.

Okorocha also announced that his administration had awarded contracts worth N45 billion for the construction

of over 1,000 km roads across the state, adding that N19 billion had already been paid to the contractor handling the project.

He said that every contractor in the state had received at least 30 per cent of the contract sum

for each project under construction.

Okorocha’s clarification on the payment of contractors was sequel to speculations in some quarters in the state that he had not been paying contractors.

Lawyers divided over defending kidnap suspects

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—LAWYERS in the industrial town of Nnewi in Anambra State are divided on whether they should continue to defend kidnap suspects, in view of the fact that kidnappers have allegedly continued to abduct some of their members.

The lawyers in the area had had to embark on a boycott of court activities

some time ago to drive home their call for security agencies to save their members from the activities of kidnappers.

However, rising from their law week in Nnewi, the lawyers regretted that they had not been spared, but could not agree on their continued representation of kidnappers and armed robbers in court.

While some contended that lawyers should stop

representing suspected hoodlums, others argued that it was the right of those who approach them to be represented.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the law week, the association demanded the appointment of more judges in Anambra, particularly in Nnewi judicial division, to ensure quick dispensation of justice.

Senate lauds face-lifts at airports

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR

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BUJA—THE Senate yesterday lauded the face-lift being given airports across the country, barely a week after the House of Representatives did same.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma, who spoke during the 2013 budget defence by Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, in Abuja, said the Senate would work

with the ministry to improve on the achievements recorded in 2012.

Uzodinma noted that since aviation played a vital role in economic development, the Senate would ensure that all was done to assist the sector. ‘’Let me say that our watch-word for year 2013 budget must be prudence; realistic, tenacious and accountable execution of capital projects.”

He said the Senate

would fine a way to fund in the 2013 budget capacity building and training of professionals and experts at Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, in Zaria, adding that special focus would also paid to maintenance of airfield lighting and runways.

He, however, lamented that most airports in the country were not certified in accordance with standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO. C M Y K

14—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

5 killed in Maiduguri gun duel

BY NDAHI MARAMA

M

LAUCHING: Very Rev. Sope Johnson, autor of the book; Prof. Grace Alele-Williams,Chairman of the occasion and Rev. Canon Emmanuel Fregene, book reviewer, at the launching of the book; Covenant: God's Pact with Mankind, written by Very Rev 'SopeJohnson in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

EZZA/EZZILO CRISIS: Police commence probe over ownership of militant camp

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI— EBONYI State police command said, yesterday, that it had begun investigation into the exist-

C M Y K

ence and ownership of a purported militant training camp where youths were being trained on how to unleash mayhem in the state during the yuletide period.

The state Commissioner

of Police, CP Mamman Sule, who stated this while briefing newsmen in his office, noted that the command after receiving intelligence reports concerning the strange development,

intensified efforts to uncover the location of the training camp and arrest the proprietors and trainees in the camp.

Sule, while warning those running the camp to desist forthwith, also urged parents to advise their wards to be law abiding, stressing that the Police will not fail to deal decisively with anybody caught fomenting trouble in the state.

“The Police is still carrying out investigation to uncover the location of the training camp and we will dismantle them if they are in existence, while perpetrators will be brought to book no matter how highly placed such individuals may be.”

The Commissioner also assured motorists and commuters plying AbakalikiEnugu road during the yuletide period of adequate security of their lives and property, adding that the command had put new strategies in place to forestall any breakdown of law and order, especially around the Ezza-Ezilo axis of the state.

He also advised business men not to keep large sums of money in their business premises or residents as this would attract criminals. ”They should endeavour to move their money to the banks as soon as possible to discourage robbers from attacking them. The public should also be alert and not fail to avail the police with any useful information that will help the police to fight crime and criminality in the state,” he said.

AIDUGURI—NO fewer than five persons including four suspected terrorists and a security agent attached to the Joint Task Force were killed, yesterday, morning along Baga Road in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, following a clash between security operatives and suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

It was gathered that the suspected terrorists who were in a (Keke Napep) tricycle laid ambush against a Military Task Force, JTF out post in the area which led to deadly gun duel between them at about 7:30am.

Suspected terrorists had reportedly gone very violent in the past four days following the killing of one of their Commander, Ibrahim Abdulkareem who was among those who ransom of N10 million was placed on his head by the Federal Government.

JTF reortedly killed Ibrahim along with three of his lieutenants along the Damboa- Biu Road.

When conatcted on telephone, the JTF Spokesman, Leuitenant Colonel Sagir Musa, who had been out of Maiduguri in the past four days, said that he just returned to Maiduguri pointing out that the information available to him was that some suspected Boko Haram members who were recently declared wanted with offer of bounties were trailed by men of the JTF and that the operation was still ongoing.

Sagir said that he would issue a statement as soon as the operations were over, on the development made so far.

However, another security source confirmed that there was a deadly encounter between some suspected terrorists who were in a tricycle and some JTF operatives, adding that the ‘’terrorists were successfully repelled by the security agencies along Baga road, over which one of the JTF men lost his life.

....As gunmen kidnap FAAN staff in Lagos

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

L

AGOS—MEAN WHILE, one of the operational staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mrs. Haajara Musa, has been kidnapped by gunmen while returning home from work at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The kidnappers were said to have contacted her family, demanding a ransom of N10 million after she was kidnapped on Sunday by the unknown gunmen.

Vanguard gathered that the circumstances surrounding her kidnap was still cloudy as the mem-

bers of the family still kept mute about the incident.

Mrs. Musa who works at the international terminal of the Lagos airport was said to have attended a meeting organised by the Women in Aviation at the weekend before her kidnap.

It was further learnt that top officials of FAAN were to meet with her son to know the details of the kidnap and how to go about getting her back to her family.

Effort to contact the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. Yakubu Dati, to speak on the matter proved abortive at the time of filing in this report.

Infrastructure deficit, more in Energy, Power, Transport sectors

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

L

AGOS—NIGERIAN chapter of International Facilities Management Association, IFMA, has expressed disgust over present infrastructure delivery gaps in the country, especially in the energy, power and transport sectors.

President of the group,

Mr. Tony Ezeaku, said in his address at IFMA 15th anniversary and awards night in Lagos, that for Nigeria to achieve the goal of becoming the biggest economy in Africa and one of the top 20 largest economies in the world by 2020, there would have to be an unprecedented level of infrastructure overhaul and development.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—15

NUT appeals to state govts over teachers' salaries

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

A

BUJA—NATIONAL Union of Teachers, NUT, yesterday, appealed to state governments to capture 27.5 percent teachers’ enhance salary in their 2013 budgets.

NUT National President, Mr. Michael Olukoya, made the appeal at a media briefing in Abuja, saying the enhanced salary structure was long overdue.

He said: “There is the

need for state governments to make amends, which will capture the interests of teachers so that we are not blamed again.”

He said the non-implementation of the 27.5 percent had killed the moral of many teachers charged with the responsibility of transferring proper education to students.

Olukoya said: “What is the joy of a country if it cannot protect and promote the future of its next leaders and generation?”

PIB: Minister, operators disagree on fiscal regime

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

M

INISTER for Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, and operators in the petroleum sector, yesterday, disagreed on the fiscal regime in the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. Speaking during a panel discussion on PIB and the Future of Nigeria’s Oil Industry, at the ongoing Nigeria Eco-

nomic Summit in Abuja, the minister said the fiscal regime in the PIB was fair and that Nigeria still remained one of the most attractive countries in terms of fiscal regime or “government take.”

Alison-Madueke said: “We feel that the fiscal terms are fair and we will continue discussions with our partners, looking for ways in which both sides of the scale go forward.

“The PIB introduces price-based royalty for

crude prices beyond 70 dollars per barrel and prices beyond seven dollars per million BTU. “Also, all cost based incentives has now been replaced with production-based incentives, because government revenues come from production and not cost.

This, therefore, imposes stricter discipline on cost escalations and de-incentives gold platting.”

Not just fiscal

However, Mr. Austin Avuru, Managing Direc-

tor, Seplat Petroleum Development Company, said the current fiscal regime, as proposed in the draft, was harsh and suggested that government allowed the “fiscal regime to self-adjust.”

Avuru said discussions on PIB should not be limited to fiscal issues such as “tax and royalty” as the cardinal point of the reforms was to make certain institutions more effective in the oil and gas sector.

He said what should be done was to separate issues of taxation and royalties from PIB, while focus should be on factors militating against investment in the country.

On his part, Mr. Mark Ward, Managing Director, Exxon Mobil, said the fiscal issues of taxation, royalties and incentives should be structured to encourage investment and production in the oil sector, rather than increase government’s share of the revenue.

Challenge

He said the challenge before Nigeria was creating a framework that will make it competitive in attracting foreign capital.

He said such framework should address the problem of long contractual cycle in the country and absence mechanism for dispute resolution.

He noted that Nigeria had one of the longest contractual cycles in the world, which sometimes took up to four years as against months in other countries, adding that this was not good as far as attracting investment was concerned.

On his part, Managing Director, Dubri Oil, Dr. Imo Itsueli, said a major issue that will determine the inflow of investment in the sector under the PIB Bill was the ownership of the proposed National Oil Company.

He said if government had majority shareholding in the company, it would be perceived as government-owned, and would make it difficult to attract investment.

He said if government shareholding was as low as 30 percent and if the management was independent in terms of employment decisions, investors will be willing to put money in it.

16—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Prisoners from Thailand plea for mercy

BY GIFT GABRIEL

N

IGERIAN prisoners in Thailand prisons, who were transferred to the Nigeria prisons, have called on President Goodluck Jonathan for help, saying only the presidency could save them from their long-term sentences.

Speaking through Mr. Arthur Angel, Chairman, Amnesty Desk, Set Free Prison Ministry, the prisoners said though the president’s Committee on Prerogative of Mercy had visited the Kirikiri Prisons in Lagos to assure them of plans to grant them clemency, the process seemed delayed by President Jonathan’s pending approval.

Meanwhile, the convicts also appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to forward to the Ministry of Interior royal amnesties granted them by the Kingdom of Thailand, as each royal amnesty was meant to reduce their original sentences by onesixth.

Lamenting the plight of the transferred prisoners, National Director, Set Free Ministry, Davidson Opara, said: “If the Kingdom of Thailand, whose citizenry they are not a part of, could grant them royal pardons to reduce the jail sentences it had given them, why will their own country not be patriotic enough to comply with these royal amnesties and reflect them in their sentences?

“Now, three royal pardons that should have helped reduce their terms are left to rot at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has reportedly failed to forward those letters to the Ministry of Interior for processing and

transfer to the Comptroller of Prisons.

“Meanwhile, their mates in Thailand have regained their freedom.”

A source, who was among the earliest transferred prisoners, told Vanguard: “The fourth set which came in 2008 and then the fifth which came in 2009 have been given no attention, including the sixth which came to Nigeria a few months ago.”

The source added that the first three sets, which came in 2003, 2005 and 2007, were attended to.

JNI faults removal of Commandant, Commander over Jaji bombings

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

K

A D U N A — JAMA’ATU Nasril Islam, JNI, yesterday, condemned the removal of the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Air Vice Marshal Abdullahi Kure and the Corps Commander, Infantry of the college, Major Gen. Muhammad Isa, following the bombing of the institution near Kaduna last month.

A statement by JNI Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu in Kaduna condemning their removal,

ITH over 3.34 mil lion children living with HIV/AIDS in SubSahara Africa, out of the estimated 34 million infected persons worldwide, young people have been advised to adhere strictly to abstinence.

This advice was given by the Medical Women Association of Nigeria, MWAN, Lagos Chapter, during an HIV/AIDs awareness talk with secondary school pupils in

C M Y K

read: “While reiterating our condemnation of the blasts and emphasising the need for the immediate and thorough investigations into the matter, we want to state that the immediate removal of the two officers does not speak well of the military, which was hitherto known to be careful and objective in dealing with sensitive issues of national interest.

“We cannot comprehend the use of two different approaches to addressing the same issue. Nigerians may not understand why the two Jaji officers would be removed in connection

to the blasts even before any proper investigation, while no immediate posting-out followed the bombings at the First Mechanised Division (of the Nigerian Army) and the Police Headquarters, which preceded it.

“The fact that the two officers, who were swiftly removed, were Muslims, and were replaced by two officers who are nonMuslims makes any discerning observer to be suspicious of the motives behind the whole exercise.

“It is our sincere concern to which we make

bold to state that any attempt at politicising the issue of security in Nigeria will not only worsen our security situation, but will also continue to polarise the military family and the entire security system along religious and ethnic divides; something that would not augur well for the future of our dear nation.

“Rash decision on serious issues of this magnitude, even before the Committee charged with the investigation of the incidents did not submit it’s report, leaves much to be desired.”

Bauchi, Kogi budget N267bn for 2013

BY SUZAN EDEH AND BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

B

AUCHI—GOVERNOR Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State and his Kogi State counterpart,

HIV/AIDS: Doctors preach sex education

W

MEETING: From left— Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, his wife, Lady Mercy; and Prince Vincent Ogbulafor at the town hall meeting organised for the governor and indegenes of Abia in Abuja.

Lagos, yesterday, in commemoration of the World Aids Day. Dr. Ime Okon, National Coordinator, Young Doctors’ Forum, MWAN, who reiterated the need for young people to support the Zero New Infection 2015 agenda pioneered by the World Health Organisation, WHO, decried that sexual intercourse remained the most prevalent means of HIV transmission.

Idris Wada, yesterday, presented a budget of N267 billion for 2013 fiscal year to their respective Houses of Assembly.

While Yuguda pro posed a budget of 137.3 billion, Wada budgeted about N130.9 billion.

Bauchi State’s budget for 2013 is higher than this year’s budget of N132.5 billion by N4.8 billion.

The governor said N73,993,816,176 was for capital expenditure, while recurrent expenses would gulp N63,348,292.151.

Yuguda further said the state would source money from the capital market to fund some of its projects, adding that his main focus would be in the areas of agriculture, health, education, water supply, youth and women empowerment, poverty alleviation and

power generation.

He said N10 billion would be generated internally, while N84.5 billion would come from statutory allocations from the Federation Account, bringing it to N94.5 billion.

He said N26 billion from the recurrent expenditure was reserved as personnel cost, while N23.9 billion was earmarked for overhead cost with a consolidated revenue fund charge of N13.5 billion bringing the total to N63 billion.

Kogi’s appropriation

Meanwhile, Governor Wada of Kogi State has presented his first appropriation bill for 2013 fiscal year of N130,996,844,415 to the state House of Assembly for approval.

Wada said the Budget

of Transformation, aimed at meeting the aspirations of the people of the state, has a capital expenditure of N65,595,793,246, with N65,401,510,169 as recurrent expenses.

The budget is higher than the 2012 estimates

by N4.7 billion; about 3.5 percent.

The governor said the increase would enable the present administration to make a paradigm shift to meet the ever rising challenges of the state.

According to him, the state government would domesticate the Federal Government Tax Reform Act of 2007 and other allied laws to enhance Internally-Generated Revenue, IGR, capacity of the state for a sustainable growth and proper development.

Digital dialogue summit holds in Lagos

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digital dialogue on the state of broadcasting in Africa and portents for the future opens today in Lagos.

The conference, which lasts till Thursday, is powered by global pay TV leader, Multichoice, and is coming few weeks after an earlier one in Johannesburg, South Africa, from October 9 to11.

The Johannesburg conference saw presentations from experts, who explored progress in migration from analogue to digital broadcasting across the continent.

Burial

M

RS. Justina Onum Okonmah of Ibusa, Delta State, 95, is dead.

A statement by one of the children, Mr. Ngo Martins, said burial rites begin Thursday with service of songs at Saint Augustine’s Catholic Church, Ibusa at 6:00pm.

Requiem Mass holds next day at the same venue at 10:00am, followed by internment at the family compound and entertainment of guests.

Thanksgiving service will hold on Sunday at the same church.

Late Okonmah.

— 17 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012— portray him as weak and ineffective, and therefore undeserving of another term will have to involve splitting the ranks of the governors. This scenario, although not impossible, will further alienate the far north from the southsouth and possibly south-east. A Jonathan candidature in 2015 will eclipse many political careers in the north, and governors and PDP big-wigs will have to think deeply over which is better: going against his ambition and supporting a northern candidate, or going with him and risking even greater odium and hostility than they encountered in 2011.

“People who live in glass houses might as well answer the door.”- M. Amsterdam

T

Whom the cap fits

O

r so it would seem, because with the PDP, nothing is without prejudice.

Ideally, the chair of the party’s BOT should be an experienced, wellrespected party member who should lead with wisdom and clout. S/he would have paid dues during bitter struggles within the party, and show evidence with massive bruises acquired in tested political terrains. S/he should have earned visible stripes acquired in elective offices, and should have a long queue of adversaries with long knives waiting for opportunities to strike. The ethnic group of the chairman will be very important in a party where patronage and largess is shared on the basis of tribes and faith. S/he will chair a board with either limited powers or extensive influence, depending on who s/he is, and how much room governors and the President are willing to allow. S/he will lead a board of elderly politicians who will have to line up behind the party’s national executive committee, the president and governors in determining what happens in the party. A fairly clean record and some level of acceptability as harmless will help. But these are also likely to be impediments among politicians who do not feel comfortable with clean elder statesmen. When President Obasanjo resigned from the position, it may not have been lost on him that he had walked away with a major requirement for success in the office: A very strong personality with a proven record of having his own way.

The names being bandied around as his

Who wants to be a Chairman? successors look like boy scouts compared to him, and any one of them will be merely tossed around in the most volatile political party at a very advanced stage of their lives.

Obasanjo re-inventing self

E

ven Obasanjo left after it became clear that the ground in his primary constituency, the southwest had shifted so far away from him and the party that he risked having all doors shut in his face by people whose careers he had helped build. A presidency he had substantially engineered had been taken over by other interests which wanted as much distance as possible between Jonathan and Obasanjo. Uncomfortable and exposed in the unusual position of being powerless, he is attempting to reinvent himself by hoisting his flag around some powerful anti-Jonathan sentiments and interests. Whoever succeeds Obasanjo as BOT chair is likely to find that the old man will be of little assistance in terms of providing ideas and guidance on steering the party away

Obasanjo: What is he up to now? from its many problems between now and 2015. S/he will, infact, find that

Interested candidates

Obasanjo, shorn of any official encumbrances, will be the problem the party has to deal with on its way to finding solutions. Eventually of course, the party will have to find a new BOT chair. The new chair will fight battles with “his/her ” zone to take up the position, because the on-going battles

,

HE Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) stumbled last week in its search for a chairman for its Board of Trustees (BOT). The position has been vacant since President Obasanjo walked away from it some months back. Many people had thought he would retain the position for life, such was the influence he had in defining the qualifications for a job that in the end looked tailor-made for him. His sudden departure left the party and many Nigerians wondering whether he was engaged in a tactical manouver to retain ground, or he was preparing the grounds for effective disengagement.

Since then, of course, he has proved that he is very much at the heart of the battle, and is involved in moves that will place him at the centre of the jockeying for the outcome of the 2015 general elections. Those who had hoped that an elderly partyman from the southeast will succeed Obasanjo are finding that the position is not as vacant as they thought.

An attempt to elect a chairman from candidates from the zone failed, and the job is being offered to all partymen and women, without prejudice.

I

nterested candidates for the position of chair of the BOT will not be lacking, but they are likely to be virtually inconsequential in terms of what happens in the party. It would help in the job if they go in with eyes wide open and appropriately-low expectations. The party with the largest elective positions in the nation is being torn by a vicious struggle for vantage positions towards

Uncomfortable and exposed in the unusual position of being powerless, he is attempting to re-invent himself by hoisting his flag around some powerful anti-Jonathan sentiments and interests

for 2015 will take no prisoners. Zones discourage people from taking up some positions if they have higher ambitions, such as fielding gubernatorial or presidential candidates. This, in part, is the baggage which Alhaji Bamanga Tukur carries in his relations with powerful PDP northern governors with presidential ambitions. They see him as a Jonathan lackey, strategically placed to swing it in favour of the President’s ambition to fly the party’s flag in 2015.

Obasanjo has his own men in key positions in the party’s N.E.C. as well, and they will come in handy when the time comes to influence the party over who it fields in 2015.

All over the nation, the party is embroiled in conflicts which reinforce the very powerful position of governors.

This group will take on the party at will and win; they will dare the president on many governance and party matters and win; and they will continue to call the shot in most developments between now and 2015. Ex-president Obasanjo’s considerable experience in dealing with them is already showing in the manner he is cultivating many of them, principally from the north.

President Jonathan’s strategy to survive the emerging campaign to

,

2015. Its powerful stakeholders will fight damaging wars; and its opposition is closing ranks. The nation is drifting and being challenged by unprecedented levels of insecurity and corruption.

The PDP is unlikely to claim the right to another presidency in 2015 as a result of a credible record. Its candidates will not emerge as a result of a fair and popular consensus over competence and credibility. He will be the product of bitter quarrels which will damage the party’s fortunes. It cannot win free and fair elections in 2015 with its current baggage. It may not even have the type of cohesion and clout and resources to rig its way into most of the elective positions it currently has. It will be even more fiercely resisted if it even attempts to.

A few names mentioned as interested in the PDP BOT chair are Nigerians with a fairly-respectable image. Being chair of the BOT of the PDP may put a final feather on an elderly hat, but they should know that the turbulence ahead will spare no one in the PDP, not even elders who just want to help lead it away from its frightening future. But this is likely to be a wasted caution, because the PDP is likely to find a chair for its BOT who fits it perfectly.

OPINION

BY CLEMENT UDEGBE

T

HE unexpected resignation of General David Patreaus recently as the head of the CIA, came as a rude shock to Americans and the world given his impeccable record as a distinguished Military Commander. Great heroes from the past have not been able to escape this ageless temptation of human folly and self-destruction. Adultery, sexual intercourse between a married person and another or single person has been described as a sign of strength for the superachievers, while some see it as a sign of weakness and of the Ape in man. The attitude of man towards adultery has been either sly or strong from the ages.

The attitude of the French to adultery is unique. It is simply sex after all, just as it will be rare to find a French leader resigning because of an ‘extra marital indiscretion’. It is therefore an affair that should have no influence on public life of the adulterer. The French call this maturity and sophistication that will never be shocked by the rich complexity of life’s temptations.

The French society is said to be devoid of the puritanical guilt of the Anglo-American psyche, and is claimed to have a general ambiguous relationship with the truth. They have strict laws in France that

Adultery: A sign of strength or weakness make privacy invasion illegal and punishable for example, only recently Straus-Khan though disgraced and banished from politics, he sued a magazine for publishing his photo with his girlfriend and won damages in court.

In Nigeria our own country, because of the mixedmire created by the traditional polygamous foundations, the Muslim gates of polygamy, and the Christian Anglo puritan marital values, our leaders and our press have no clearly known attitude to adultery. The ‘Big Girls’ in power prey on any one they please to satisfy their sexual urges. To the powerful super achievers in our society unbridled sex without restrictions is the reward for success. Students in our tertiary institutions have their records of big public office holders who celebrate their successes with other people’s daughters without shame. We are yet to hear of any public officer resigning for anything from stealing, financial impropriety and other bad conducts talk less of for adultery or what we call extra marital indiscretion. Our leaders sleep with women

whether married or not without blinking an eye. Unlike the French, ours is not as a result of maturity and sophistication, but majorly in response to the primitive and primordial urge for sex.

The list of Great leaders and heroes that fell for adultery include, Shakespeare, Albert Einstein, John F Kennedy, Dwight D Eisenhower, John Edwards, Tim Mahoney, Paul Wolfowitz, Randall Tobias, Bill Clinton, and now David Petreaus, all of them, great superachievers. This has given some the cause to reason that unbridled strong sexual urges are in the genetic disposition of powerful people. Dr.Desmond Doris posited in his book, the Naked Ape, that men and women are no different from animals, and that the strongest species are genetically predisposed to unbridled sexual urge and a need to dominate. In other words, it is the ape in humans that drive them to sex and adultery.

Continues tomorrow on pg.18 Mr. Udegbe, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012 IF providing food is about talking, Nigerians would have no problems meeting their needs whether in 2013 or years to come.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has been issuing assurances since the floods that there would be no food shortage.Let me assure you that the Federal Government is taking all measures to mitigate the impacts of the flood. Nigeria will not have famine.

We will not have a food crisis. We will recover from the flood,” Adesina said.

What is the source of this high octane confidence? Adesina said, “From our efforts this year alone, from maize, rice, cassava, sorghum, we are adding a total of 8.1 million metric tonnes of food to our domestic food supply. That is 70 per cent higher than the target of five million metric tonnes we set for 2013; and 41 per cent of the total target that we set for 2015. We will continue to work hard.”

Does Dr. Adesina see agriculture as an economic activity or just availability of food?

Does food availability mean no famine?

Would the food be distributed free? How would millions of Nigerians the flood incapacitated get resources to purchase

Under -rating F ood nder-rating Food Challenges government’s “million metric tonnes of food”?

How did the Federal Government get the food it boasts about, as if it translates to prosperity of Nigeria’s agriculture? The floods visited more poverty on poor Nigerians. We expect Dr. Adesina to be discussing sustainable agricultural practices that would enhance well-being of Nigerians even if it would take floods to improve agriculture.

In reducing the floods’ challenge to statistics of food government procured, Adesina failed to address critical linkages between agricultural productivity and rural infrastructure floods washed away. Does he

know Nigerian farmers have more problems preserving, storing and transporting their products, than producing them? What are his plans to tackle wastes entailed in food production? Are farmers excluded from benefitting from the President’s acclaimed wealth creation policies?

Nigerians do not panic about government policies. Nigerians do not depend on governments for basic services citizens elsewhere take for granted. With all the promoted importance of agriculture, the Minister still sees his responsibilities beginning and ending in speeches and he is excelling.

Small farmers feed the country, with ancient practices that harm the soil, without meaningful assistance from governments who consider agriculture one of several points of evacuating national resources for personal purposes. The floods hit small farmers and the rural poor most.

If the floods do not compromise Nigeria’s food security, it is not because of government’s agricultural policies, but the Nigerian’s resilience, attribute governments generally ignore as they gloat over plans for a country they have not cared to understand.

OPINION

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BY JOYCE OFODU

N the past, leaders in Nigeria failed the people. It was more a case of too much promises, less action and that is the reason why most Nigerians today hardly have any confidence in their leaders. But even at that, there are still leaders with integrity, who have made promises, kept them and are still living up to such promises even in the face of daunting challenges.

One of such leaders is the Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji, a man who has consistently kept to his election promises since he was re-elected for a second term in 2011. Today Abia, which was a backward state on the index of development in the country before now, has witnessed and still witnessing uncommon transformation, courtesy of legacy projects being executed by the present government in the state. A development that is now rapidly bringing investments to the state.

Anybody who has followed the politics of the state since 1999 would never believe that such progress could be made in the state within the short period of Governor Orji’s re-election. It all began with his successful and peaceful liberation of the state from his predecessor's stronghold.

To his credit are completed and on going legacy projects in the state which include the New Workers Secretariat, International Conference Centre, Amaokwe Housing Estate, Judiciary Complex and others C M Y K

Reconstruction

of

executed or being within a short period of time. These he could not do during his first term because his government then was hijacked, delayed and distracted by his predecessor. Now the people are beginning to realise what they lost in terms of development in the years when political godfatherism held sway courtesy of the former governor of the state and his mother.

That is why the planned probe of the exgovernor’s administration between 19992007 by the state government is very much supported and hailed by the people. This is because such a probe will give an insight on how the collective resources of the state was mismanaged for more than a decade with little or no benefit for the people. Truly, Governor Orji has shown that he is a better student of politics and governance than his predecessor, and the people of the state are already reciprocating this with the tremendous goodwill and support they have shown for his administration since his reelection.

Not forgetting his election promises on tackling of infrastructural challenges in Aba, Governor Orji had built a pedestrian bridge in infront of Abia State Polytecnic Aba along Aba/ Owerri to save the lives of commuters, especially students some of whom had been victims of road accidents along the road in the past. His government

Aba

roads

has also constructed and rehabilitated many roads in the commercial city of Aba, including the long-abandoned Ukwummango road.

B

ut with prolonged rainfall coupled with heavy flooding in the city, government contractors working there left the sites to avoid wastages and shoddy jobs.

But instead of understanding the true situation of things, some armchair critics especially the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Aba led by one Charles Eduzor which had made itself a pawn in the hand of Orji’s predecessor, continued to criticize and falsely accuse Orji’s government of abandoning Aba roads.

But happily these criticisms failed to derail government's vision and commitment in Aba. This is because it is common knowledge that the criticisms are being sponsored and paid for to achieve selfish political aim.

It was the British politician and author, Benjamin Disraeli who once said: “If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming criticisms. The thing is to get the work done.”

It appears the above aphorism is Orji

government’s philosophy in the face of his predecessor’s sponsored criticisms and attacks. A man who has vowed to live up to his election promises to his people, Orji’s government has recently identified 16 roads requiring serious attention in the city as the rainy season subsides. It has also made it clear that contractors had been mobilized to immediately commence work on the roads so that motorists and commuters could enjoy the roads during the yuletide celebration.

The roads include Azikiwe, Jubillee, Cemetery, Milverton Avenue, Eziukwu/ Okigwe roundabout, Ama Ogbonna, Nwala

by Faulks road to Brass Junction at Aba Owerri road, Ngwa road and Ohanku which is on-going. There are also Emelogu Road (completed but to be added drainage), Ehere, Omoba road, Umuola road, Ikot Ekpene road from Opobo junction to Bata, Amaogbonna/Omuma by ACCN, Nwigwe

by Nwagba Avenue and Geometric Access road Aba. With this development, it is clear and that the Orji administration had always meant well for the city and the residents, but need assistance to surmount natural and financial challenges confronting the state.

That is were private investors and the Federal Government should come in to partner the state in tackling the challenges in Aba. *Mrs. Ofodu, a computer analyst, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012— —19

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LL literature is ideological, so says Karin Barber in one of her ever cerebral and insightful works on Yoruba literature. In the article in question, Professor Barber compares the conventions framing the writings of the two best known Yoruba novelists, the inimitable Daniel Olorunfemi Fagunwa, writer of the most famous Yoruba novel, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale, and Oladejo Okediji, who wrote the equally famous Aja L’o L’eru, among other works.

Consideration and care for others, personal modesty and virtuous living are some of the humanitarian ethics Barber identifies as forming the ideological bedrock of the writings of these two authors. These same ethics, to a greater or lesser degree, frame the works of other pioneer writers of indigenous Nigerian literature namely, Pita Nwana and Abubakar Imam, whose Omenuko and Magana Jari Ce are

respectively considered the first novels in Igbo and Hausa. The moral underpinnings of Isaac Babalola Thomas’ Itan IgbesiAiye Emi Segilola, Eleyin’ju Ege, Elegberun Oko L’aiye which came a few years before the other two pioneer novels in Nigeria’s indigenous languages rest squarely within these same humanitarian ethics. Thomas’ Itan Igbesi-Aiye Emi Segilola is the first novel in Yoruba and arguably in any Nigerian language. And if we agree with the likes of Obi Wali, Ernest Emenyonu and Ropo Sekoni, among other theorists of African/Nigerian literature, that any authentic study of African, indeed, Nigerian literature must begin with literatures in the indigenous languages, then I. B. Thomas’ Itan Igbesi-Aiye Emi Segilola is arguably the first Nigerian novel. Well then does Barber make the point in her introduction to her modern

,

translation of this 1930 work, that any Yoruba literary history that omits this fascinating work is incomplete nor can any account of African fiction in English that elides the resonant parallels between Thomas’ eponymous hero and the unforgettable prostitutes in Cyprian Ekwensi and Wole Soyinka works be considered full.

I

tan Igbesi-Aiye Emi Segilola, Eleyin’ju Ege, Elegberun Oko L’aiye, translated by Barber as (The Life of Me, ’Segilola of the Fascinating eyes’, she who had a thousand lovers in her life) is a chronicle or more appropriately, a confessional of the sexual adventures of a dying and retired prostitute who looks back on her lascivious life in shame and seeks to warn posterity against such life of debauched excess. Barber’s translation, based on the third of the three extant versions of Thomas’ original, goes beyond a mere reprint of an exhumed text.

It explores the culture of the Lagos press, the background of its founders against the backdrop of colonial rule and the struggle for self-determination; its mode of address and the manner it convened its audience. Print Culture and the First Yoruba Novel

Re: APGA’s unending crisis

BY MIKE UDAH

N

DUBUISI Ugah’s analysis titled "APGA’s Unending Crisis"(THISDAYTuesday , November 27,2012) made interesting reading because of so many reasons.

He first traced the crises in the All Progressives Grand Alliance to December 15, 2004 when, according to him, the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, suspended its pioneer Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie “for alleged gross antiparty activities”.

Ugah then went ahead to discuss how Okorie filed several suits in the courts of Law to challenge his suspension and eventual expulsion. Thirdly, he dwelt on the judgement of the Supreme Court, which affirmed Okorie’s expulsion; and then stated extensively, albeit smartly, the numerous contributions made by Chief Victor Umeh (who assumed the chairmanship of APGA at the National level following Okorie’s ouster) to the electoral success recorded by Governor Peter Obi in 2010.

The writer also made mention of the role played by Umeh to reverse the impeachment of Gov. Obi ; how he (Umeh) saw to it that the APGA ticket was not only taken from George Ozodinobi ( to whom the Okorie faction had given it), but also “made sure Obi defeated the Peoples Democratic Party candidate,Prof . Chukwuma Soludo and Action Congress of Nigeria’s Chris Ngige” at the 2010 gubernatorial election.

It is necessary at this point to state that the aim of this piece is not to argue that Chief Umeh as National Chairman of APGA did not contribute anything to Governor Obi’s re-election in 2010 or to the growth of the C M Y K

party. After all, if as the National Chairman, he took Governor Obi’s completed governorship form to Abuja for submission to the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, as was the procedure, it amounted to a contribution; if he accompanied Obi to campaigns and spoke at campaign grounds, it was another contribution; if he went on television programmes and spoke glowingly of his party’s candidate, Obi, it was yet another contribution and so on and so forth.

One is responding to Ugah’s piece simply because it was an attempt to paint Gov. Obi in bad light- portray him as an ingrate who, having risen to power on the platform of AGPA, now denigrates not only the party, but also Umeh without whom probably, he would not have made success in his political expedition.

All the talk about Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Governor Rochas Okorocha, Massala, etc, were merely calculated ‘digressions’ deliberately aimed at convincing readers that Umeh is a political wizard for whom even the great Ikemba Nnewi , Ezeigbo Gburugburu and APGA leader doffed his cap.

Throughout Ugah’s piece , there was no categorical statement that showed the spectacular role played right from the outset

by Mr. Obi to nurture APGA from its inchoate stage, through the trying period (the campaign period in 2003 to the stealing of a mandate freely and massively given to him and his party in 2003) and then more importantly, how he almost single –handed wrested and recovered his mandate from the political buccaneers through the law courts.

Why, one may ask, did Ugah find it inexpedient to state that Obi was almost the sole financier of APGA and has remained so, even now? Why did he fail to state how

I. B. Thomas’s ‘Life of Me, Segilola’ and Other Texts,’ the full title of the book, is an exploration of the elements that foregrounded the emergence of the novel genre within a larger urban culture that was seen as depraved and predatory, one full of sexual excesses and unconscionable rush for money and wealth.

The identical ideological frames of the three indigenous novels mentioned here might get hawkers of evolutionary theories sniffing for possible influences and models; for hasn’t it been asserted often and again that the novel genre was an original European export, the very manifestation of the eighteenth century culture of the nascent bourgeoisie. But such evolutionary enterprise will in this context smack of intellectual laziness and in such cheap wares Barber does not deal nor would she recommend to her readers. This she makes clear with varying emphases in her assertion that the elements that gave birth to the new genre in Lagos were already in circulation, indeed part of the indigenous print culture of the early 1920s and perhaps the period preceding it. Not many would associate the Nigerian press with the beginning of modern literature in Nigeria or at all with literature. The pervasive conceit in the Nigerian academe that warns aspiring academics against ‘journalistic writing’ gives not only the impression that there is no link between the two but also that there can never be. Yet some of the country’s pioneer writers of the modern era had connections with the press either before, during or after their literary careers. Isaac Babalola Thomas, EditorProprietor of the bilingual newspaper, Akede Eko, which first published Itan Igbesi-Aiye Emi

,

Karin Barber on the Nigerian Press and the making of the first Yoruba novel

Karin Barber is one of the most clear-headed and gifted interpreters of African, especially, Yoruba culture, arts and literature

The crisis in APGA is not a Peter Obi affair; it is not Obi versus Umeh; it is a move by the APGA as a party to retool for the better; one hopes that CAN will help bring about the desired change in the affairs of the party to the happiness of all members

,

Chief Umeh, the then National Treasurer of APGA transmuted into its National Chairman when Okorie’s role became suspect? Why should Ugah use the phrase “Obi’s alleged stolen mandate” when he wrote thus: "Together with other stakeholders, they (meaning Umeh and others) were able to recover Obi’s alleged stolen mandate from Ngige”? Is the stealing of Obi’s 2003 gubernatorial mandate still an allegation? Didn’t the Election Tribunal and Appeal Court confirm the thievery by affirming that Obi won the election? If they did not confirm that, why was Ngige sent packing mid-way into the 2003-2010 tenure? Why did the Supreme Court hold that Obi should be allowed to complete his tenure, a judgement which sent Andy Ubah away from the Anambra State Government House after merely spending 17 days?

T

he truth of the matter is that one does not want to re-open old wounds. But it is fit to call the attention of some non-

Segilola in serial form between July 1929 and March 1930 was one such person. If Pita Nwana was ‘the father of the Igbo novel’ and Abubakar Imam ‘the earliest and most famous modern Hausa writer ’, I. B. Thomas can be rightfully called the creator of the Nigerian novel. While Barber sees the rise of the novel in Nigeria as emanating from the colonial interface, she does not downplay the possibility of independent invention. Some of the elements in the creation of the genre include the epistolary style, the ‘default’ mode of address in the Lagos press, the straining for verisimilitude or what Barber calls ‘reality-effect’, sermons, pious Christian homily and urban folklore; the serial mode and use of the informal firstperson. More than any other factor, the emergence of the novel as part of the print culture of the Depression Years was an experiment that at once owed much to the constitution of and increase in the reading public.

Thus Barber explodes the notion that the novel was a result of evangelism or cultural nationalism. This is not a reviewthat task is for another day and belongs elsewhere- just a short take on an important work and scholar.

This British-born scholar who earned her Ph.D in Yoruba at the University of Ife where she lived for many years, rising to the headship of the Department of African Languages, is one of the most clear-headed and gifted interpreters of African, especially, Yoruba culture, arts and literature.

One of her specialty is Yoruba verbal arts, namely, oriki, praise poetry on which she wrote her doctoral dissertation. The work of a translator is not only a difficult task but often a thankless one.

discernible fellows to the true position of things , especially given the avalanche of “sponsored “ media reports, analyses and commentaries in recent times.

Today the news media are awash with comments from APGA UK, APGA USA, APGA this, APGA that. It remains for us to be treated to cock and bull stories from APGA Worldwide! The pertinent questions are: Where were all these APGA groups in 2003,2010 and even a few months before now? What have they contributed to the growth and nurturing of APGA? Do the members of these new- found groups have APGA membership cards? Do they know their wards? When last did they visit Lagos or Abuja, not to talk of visiting Anambra State?

It is indeed heart -warming to read that the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has taken an interest in resolving the crisis or do I say crises in APGA. Crises are ill winds that blow no one any good.

I do not believe that any sane fellow will destroy a house which he has built. I find it very difficult to fathom that Mr. Obi contemplates dumping APGA. If he enjoys good relations with the Federal Government today in spite of his membership of APGA, why must he dump APGA at the twilight of his administration? He does not have to jump ship; he has no reason to do so. He does not show any signs of contemplating so. He still tours the communities and local council areas of Anambra State, discussing and felicitating with APGA members.

The crisis in APGA is not a Peter Obi affair.

It is not Obi versus Umeh. It is a move by the APGA as a party to retool for the better.

One hopes that CAN will help bring about the desired change in the affairs of the party to the happiness of all members.

Mr. Udah, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Awka, Anambra State.

20 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012 — 21

142.0

-0.1

2,578.00

+40.00

19.7

0.36

110.88 -0.35 89.08 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYA KRONA SDR

154.76 248.4053 201.6523 167.1997 1.8825 0.2874 236.7647 24.8478 41.266 27.0271 237.5256

155.26 249.2078 202.3038 167.7398 1.8886 0.2974 237.5297 24.9285 41.3994 27.1144 238.293

+0.17 SELLING 155.76 250.0104 202.9553 168.28 1.8947 0.3074 238.2946 25.0092 41.5327 27.2018 239.0604

CBN Exchange rate as at 04/12/2012 Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (right) presenting the state’s 20122014 External Borrowing Plan to Adeyinka Ajayi, Chairman, House Standing Committee on Aid, Loans and Foreign Debt in the House of Representatives, National Assembly Abuja.

F

INANCE Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the Federal Government released N170 billion as cash backing for the fourth quarter of 2012. She made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja, while saying, “On the issue of cash backing for the fourth quarter, as you know, we released N300 billion last quarter for a total of N1.01 trillion and it was said that we have not cash backed the fourth quarter. This is not correct; we have cash backed N170billion of the fourth quarter release, that’s the correct information, about N111billion of that has gone straight into the accounts of Ministries, Department and Agencies as cash.”

According to the minister, a balance of N59 billion will service as Authorisations to Incur Expenditure (AIEs).

She said that as at the end of October, 71 percent has been utilised, while 20 percent was yet to be utilised.

“So, we believe that before the end of the year, it will be utilised by the MDAs,” she said We also want to be careful not to just to release funds anyhow until we are sure of what it is being used for. We have also released N44 billion to the Federal Ministry of Works in order to enable it to work on the major damaged roads in Nigeria against the Christmas season.” On the police pension, she said that

FG releases N170bn in fourth quarter — Okonjo-Iweala a letter has been sent to ensure that payments were continuously made to police pensioners.

To make sure that police pensioners are paid, we handed over the management of the account to the Accountant General of the Federation and he has been

effecting payment to pensioners, and he has restructured the nine accounts to four. He is managing them while the restructuring of the police pension outfit goes on.”

Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, gave the assurance that a transparent police

pension office capable of managing resources effectively would be put in place.

On the subsidy payment, she said that the committee mandated to handle the matter has concluded the verification of claims. ``They’ve verified all claims worth about N1 trillion of independent market-

ers; and N232 billion is what has been seen as claims that cannot be substantiated. This is now their final piece of work and they have handed it over to committee members.” She assured that government would continue to make payments to ensure that no fuel queues returned to the filling stations in December.

Yuletide: Firm unveils plan to avert petrol scarcity

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

A

major player in the downstream oil sector plans to discharge 60,000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, during this festive period. This is to ensure that the product is available in the country throughout the Yuletide.

The import will complement the over 20,000 metric tonnes expected to be discharged by the Nigerian National Petrol Corporation, NNPC, within the same period. The company, currently discharging 10, 000 metric tonnes of PMS at its Kirikiri depot, also confirmed that the nation’s most strategic pipeline, system 2b, currently shut down, would be up and running well ahead of the Yuletide.

The Executive Vice Chairman of Techno oil, Mrs. Nkechi Obi, said that PMS is currently available in the company’s depot and would be made accessible to the public.

“We are currently discharging 10,000 metric tonnes of PMS from our allocation and between now and December we would

have discharged 60,000 metric tonnes,” she said.

She pleaded with the federal government to expedite payment of subsidy claims to companies that were not indicted in the subsidy scam.

It was earlier reported that a total of 24 vessels, out of which 15 were laden with the premium motor spirit (PMS) commonly known as petrol, bearing a combined total of 483,343 metric tonnes (about 638 million litres) were awaiting berth at the Lagos Pilotage District (LPD).

According the shipping statistics released by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), out of the number of vessels, four are laden with JET A1 (aviation fuel), two with dual purpose kerosene (DPK), while one each is laden with base oil, ethanol and containers.

It would also be recalled that oil marketers had pointed out that the present fuel scarcity might continue because the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is supplying the product to only six out of the 50 depots in Lagos.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

…..BRIEF……

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

Starcomms risks bankruptcy if acquisition by Capcom fails — CEO

BY MICHAEL EBOH

I

F shareholders of Starcomms Plc fail to support the proposed acquisition of the company

by Capcom, the company will go bankrupt and fold up while the shareholders will lose their investments in the company, Mr. Olusola Oladokun, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Starcomms Plc, said in Lagos.

Speaking at a forum with newsmen, Oladokun said over the years, the company has been faced with numerous challenges due to the harsh operating environment and is experiencing difficulties in its operations.

He said the company ’s Earnings Before Interest Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation, EBITDA, has been on the negative side, a development which has made it impossible for it to meet up with its obligations to creditors, suppliers and other stakeholders.

He disclosed that Starcomms’ debt profile currently stands at N15 billion, adding that the company has stopped servicing its debts so as to conserve cash.

He explained that the company has defaulted in its debt service agreement with its creditors and suppliers, hoping that the debt would be restructured and repaid after the consummation of the deal with Capcom.

He said, “Starcomms financial position is very perilous with a negative operating performance.

Starcomms is currently in default on all its credit facilities and the lenders would be within their rights to take over the company and liquidate it to try and recover as much value as possible. This would leave current shareholders with nothing. ”The deal is a win-win situation for the shareholders. The alternative is a zero value for existing shareholders as Starcomms is likely to go bankrupt as a stand alone company and cease to exist.”

Oladokun said all legal issues confronting Starcomms have been dropped, as the litigants have agreed to discontinue the cases to allow the companies have a new lease of life.

Also speaking, Mr. Demola Elesho, Chief Executive Officer Designate, Capcom, said if the shareholders and all the relevant regulatory agencies give the goahead to the acquisition, the company will repay all its debt by third quarter 2013, following ongoing debt restructuring talks with the affected parties.

C M Y K

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LANS are underway to classify the stockbroking firms into about three or four categories based on the volume/value of transactions done by each of the houses.

The chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, ASHON, Mr. Emeka Mmadubuike, who disclosed this at the a twoday workshop of capital market correspondents entitled, ‘Effective Reporting of a Recovering Capital Market’, in Badagry, Lagos State, said the categorisation was part of efforts to reposition the stockbroking firms and make them more relevant in the scheme of things in the capital market.

This is even as he said that the association is moving to-

‘Stockbroking firms to be categorised into four’ wards a self-regulatory position to complement the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC and NSE in enthroning integrity and accountability among stockbrokers.

He said that the decision to classify dealing member firms was taken to replicate the experience in the banking industry where banks were categorised into international, national or regional banks.

With the categorisation in view, he explained that members would not be required to increase their

capital base, saying that only top players among them would periodically up their capital to accommodate the volume/ value of transactions they do.

“The stockbroking firms will be categorised based on their working capital, so that those that do not have up to N70 million required capital can still play in the market. There will also be sub-brokers who will only trade on behalf of other registered stockbroking houses,” he said.

Explaining the dominance of few stockbroking firms over the

L – R: Mr. Paul Abiodun Jegede, Group Managing Director/CEO, Japaul Oil & Maritime Services Plc; Major General Joshua Omosebi (Rtd), Chairman and Mr. Seyi Oyinlola, Non Executive Director, Japaul Oil in a display of the Pearl award.

rest, the ASHON boss stated that large chunk of investors patronising the market are still foreign and institutional investors who have preference for highly capitalised stockbroking firms in the industry.

“Even among the banks and media houses, there are big and small players. There are three levels of classification introduced in the banking sector by the CBN governor; that is what we intend to also do with the stockbroking houses. We don’t want a situation where all the dealing member firms will be mandated to increase their share capital; we have agreed that capital base should remain as it is today,” he stated.

On the issue of selfregulation, Mmaduibuike said, that the association has already developed code of ethics and sent to members for input before finalisation.

“Stockbrokers should look at what happened in the past and make sure that it does not happen again, talking about the issue of integrity and ethics. That is what ASHON is trying to do, to ensure that all members play by the rule. We are also putting modalities in place to ensure that we hold member accountable incase of misbehavior and infractions.”

He noted that in order to align the stock market with other developed markets, and make at par with peers in the emerging markets, there was need to develop a risk-based framework for the market.

84 stockbroking firms to get debt relief —Okonjo-Iweala

T

HE Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said on Monday that 84 stockbroking firms would be recommended for debt relief to enable them to operate in the Nigerian capital market effectively.

Okonjo-Iweala made this known while briefing newsmen on the recommendations of the Capital Market Committee, in Abuja. “With the permission of the president, this committee has made a couple of very important recommendations which we want to take off with.

“The first thing we will to do is to announce forbearance for stockbrokers that were participants in the

market but have not been able to get backing because of the type of debt overhang they have been experiencing.

“There are about 84 of these stockbrokers and they were part of a vibrant capital market; they took some margin loans, AMCON purchased these loans at the cost of N42 billion, far below what the original loans were,” she said.

According to her, the asset underpinning the loan is at N19.96 billion, adding that the forbearance will enable the brokers to have a relief and begin active participation in the market.

She noted that the debt overhangs had been a deterrent to the market, stressing that Stamp Duty and Value added Tax (VAT) have also been

waved for the market operators.

“This makes up, I think about 12 percent in terms of taxes on the activities in the market waved. We believe that this is a very strong measure that will enable market participants to have some new way in their transaction. “We will monitor this waving of tax and see how it will help to reinvigorate the capital market and see how to take off from there,” she said.

She said that there would be sanctions to prevent behaviour that would lead to the situation experienced before to occur in the future.

“The stockbrokers that are benefiting from the forbearance will be prohibited from giving services to AMCON for three years. They will not be allowed to provide any professional

service to AMCON. They will have to make greater disclosure, their businesses and service will have to be more transparent. They will be required to reveal to Securities and Exchange Commission, any dealings in securities valued at a minimum 25 million executed in a single or multiple deals on the same day on behalf of their client,” she said. This, the minister said, was in line with effort to ensure monitoring, adding that there would be a limit on debt financing for the brokers.

Okonjo-Iweala said that credit bureaus would be given the details of the 84 brokers that were given the forbearance, but added that there would be some trading restrictions on the brokers.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—23

DIARY Select ICT events zCeBIT Bilisim Eurasia 2012.

Holds 29 Nov2 Dec 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey.

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

zMiddle East Telco World Summit 2012. Holds 4-5 Dec 2012 in Dubai, UAE. zOpportunities in the Evolving Cloud Dynamics. Holds 45 December 2012 @ Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE. zDigital TV Summit 2012. Holds 4th – 5th December 2012 in London UK.

New inventions shaping life and living

New airconditioner repels mosquitoes

From left: Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman, Zinox Technologies; Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, Deputy Senate President and Prime Minister, St. Kitts and Nevies Island, Denzil Douglas.

,

How social network exposed Nigeria's ICT growth to St Kitts and Nevis Island

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

A new Anti-Mosquito Air Conditioner able to cool the air and repel mosquitos was specifically tailored for the African market, where it could help to save lives.

The air conditioner uses ultrasonic wave technology to repel mosquitos, and was able to repel 82 percent of female Anopheles mosquitos in a 24-hour period.

The device features the Tropical Compressor, which is designed for hot climates, and includes a Super Automatic Voltage Switcher to help protect the compressor from the frequent power blackouts and surges common in the region.

I N S I D E

Options for growing local content in ICT

D

ESPITE some of the negative turns experienced in the widespread of social networks across the world in recent time, the exposure that it gives a country and its developments is almost immeasurable.

Recently, the prime Minister of Island of Kitts and Nevis, Denzil Douglas visited Nigeria, in a move that would see the two countries strike technology exchange. Interestingly the development was spurred by social network platform which the Prime Minister himself admitted has been instrumental in relaying activities of strong

Nigerian ICT players like Zinox Technologies and a few other computer companies to the people of the Island.

Douglas expressed satisfaction with the level of ICT growth in Nigeria, praying for a time his country would have a

,

Preview

technology transfer alliance with Nigeria.

Douglas who was accompanied by the Deputy Senate President Sen Ike Ekweremmadu who he said has been a long time friend and brother was also constantly preaching the gospel of

Africa needs genuine and sincere entrepreneurs who will help this continent to free the people from poverty and superstition

Nokia battles competition in Windows phone ecosystem with Lumia series

Nigeria’s ICT prowess to the people of St Kitts and Nevis Island.

According to him, his country until 2005 was known as the foremost sugar agriculturist in the Caribbean states before fierce global competition forced it to stop and diversify into other sector to achieve economic stability. He said that right now his country was exploring better ways of improving its economy with ICT services and the Nigerian experience has given him hope.

“I have always wished to visit Zinox having read a lot in the social and print media about the purpose and character of the Group and the

NIN is your identity, DG NIMC tell Nigerians

world class structure and processes that I have just seen surpassed my wildest imaginations. I can now say that there is hope for Nigeria and I will take the message of this hope home to my people. I thank my friend the Deputy Senate President for making this visit possible”.

He described Chairman of Zinox technologies, Mr Leo Stan Ekeh as an entrepreneur, a tireless task master who often works night and day to make concrete the ideas crystallizing from his dreams, adding that his sacrifices and vision have built him a conglomerate rated as Africa’s most integrated ICT Company.

Douglas further stated that “Africa needs more people like you who are prepared to take the bull by the horn – creating wealth, employment and catalyzing national development. Africa needs genuine and sincere entrepreneurs who will help this continent to free the people from poverty and superstition.

Africa needs entrepreneurs who will challenge the dominance of technology by the developed economies of the world.

The Zinox Group is definitely a step in the right direction and this Group would enhance the profile of Nigeria in the digital world.. Maybe Nigerians do not know what they have here but I bet that it is capable of representing the country not only in sub Saharan Africa but in the world. I am looking forward to such a time when my country and Nigeria would strike good relationship that would result in technology transfer between the two countries” However, he revealed that one of the benefits his country was enjoying since foray into ICT from sugar agriculture was the successful distribu-

Continues on page 25

Mobile app for job aptitude test

24—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY,DECEMBER 5, 2012

Options for growing local content in ICT

I

N our recent histo “fake” as they once were, ry, especially since but “Aba-made” remains return to democrat- “fake” till tomorrow!

What am I saying? ic civil rule, certain catch words, phrases, and slo- Through our preference gans have assumed front for imported products, burner usage especially the local content of other when public officials nations have become spew forth rhetoric about global products, comwhat the problem is with manding respect in the Nigeria, and how to world’s export markets to the detriment of our solve them.

One of the most com- own. If we had continmon of such phrases in ued to buy Aba-made the political arena is products, I am sure Ni“moving the nation geria would not find herforward,”but the users of self in the economic dolthis phrase seldom pause drums she is in now.

In the ICT arena, the to look and see whether we are moving at all, or same issues hold sway. in which direction — for- Banks, insurance, oil ward, backwards, or and gas and other sectors of the sideways, inlike crabs.

If we are to economy, cluding govIn indusernments try, the cur- raise the level the ICT rent one is of local con- and sector itself “local cont e n t ” , tent in the ICT are consumers of foreign which asICT prods u m e d sector, it must ucts, despite prominent begin with a promises usage, first deliberate, and potenin the oil tials of indigi n d u s t r y, conscious and enous startand came ups. Enter about as a sustained paany governresult of tronage of ment office, the desire indigenous and what you to make see staring N i g e r i a ICT products you in the and Nigeriface are forans acquire eign ICT the necessary technological know- brands sitting prettily on how to industrialize. Lo- desks of officials, while cal content came after our OEMs struggle to “technology transfer ”, stay afloat. If we are to yet another phrase which raise the level of local did not get us anywhere, content in the ICT secas no country in the tor, it must begin with a world was willing to deliberate, conscious transfer its technology to and sustained patronage us. Looked at deeply, it of indigenous ICT prodwould seem that “local ucts. In the national incontent”might get us terest, we may need where we want to go fast- some coercion (legislaer, only if we strategise tion, incentive, etc).I am sure we have enough properly with it.

For years, we have con- software developers in sumed, and are still con- this country whose servsuming electronic prod- ices can sustain various ucts from Singapore, Tai- levels of operation in all wan, Malaysia, China the sectors of the econoand other tiger econo- my. If banks, for instance, mies of South-east Asia. opt to use local software At a time in this country, for their businesses, they fake, or sub-standard obviously would be savelectronic products are ing the country billions dubbed “Taiwan”, while in forex, while simultalocal equivalents are neously growing local snobbishly rejected as expertise.

The Buy-Nigeria direc“Aba-made.”

Then we continued tive issued by President buying imported prod- Goodluck Jonatham just ucts, sub-standard as before last year ’s electhey were then, and in tions should provide an platform the process, through our equable continued patronage, through which local conthey assumed the requi- tent can be raised in the site production profi- ICT sector. All we need ciency. Nowadays, prod- is a little more zeal, less ucts from Taiwan are no greed, and more focus on longer regarded as the national need.

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Nokia battles competition in Windows phone ecosystem with Lumia series

BY EMEKA AGINAM

F

INISH mobile phone manufacturer, Nokia may have opened a fresh competition in the Widows phone ecosystem with the introduction of Windows Phone 8 devices, the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Nokia Lumia 820 respectively.

With optimism, Nokia CEO and former Microsoft exec Stephen Elop had said in a report that the introduction of the latest devices was certainly a stimulant to the ecosystem.

“We are encouraging of HTC and Samsung and Microsoft or whomever to have devices in the market and to be making whatever investments that help spur the ecosystem on.

"As it relates to the competitive aspects of it, of course anyone else in the ecosystem is some sort

of competitor. That being said, we’re very proud of the unique differentiation that we are bringing to the Windows Phone platform. And when you look closely at what we’re doing with those devices, it is innovation that we’ve invested in for a number of years.

“It’s not something that’s easily replicated or reinvented or anything like that. This is the result of taking those unpolished gems from our R&D labs and landing them in the Lumia products. Of course that’s well-protected by intellectual property and something that we would use to differentiate regardless of who our competition might be.” he said.

The innovative devices were unveiled in Nigeria recently in partnership with leading Software maker, Microsoft and telecommunica-

,

tions giant, MTN. According to the mobile phone manufacturer, those who buy the devices unveiled simultaneously globally would enjoy 6 months free internet on the widest network in Nigeria, MTN. At the launch, the Vice President, Nokia West Africa, James Rutherfoord told the gathering that Nokia Lumia 820 and Nokia Lumia 920 were ready for business with a full business suite right out of the box, comprising of Microsoft Office suite, Sky Drive and Microsoft Lync.

He explained that Nokia hoped to satisfy the needs of business and non-business smart phone owners with its current and future range of Lumia devices.

“These are the best devices we have made in the smartphone category and we believe that this is going be much

appreciated by our consumers. At Nokia, our focus is to bring the very best of technology to our consumers which aid, excite and benefit their work and social lives,” he said.

In addition to the brilliant applications on the devices, he said that Nokia launched the products exclusively on the widest network in Nigeria, MTN, to enable consumers to have a 360 experience of the various features on the devices.

“With the groundbreaking technology incorporated in these devices, we are giving consumers every reason to switch to Lumia. What’s more, we are also giving them the opportunity to pre-order the devices on Jumia.com, along with the chance to win a wireless charger or other cool Nokia accessories at discounted prices,” he added.

L4L targets 700 children per school by 2012

BY EMEKA AGINAM

W

ITH optimism, by the end 2012, the former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku has projected that Laptops for Learning Nigeria, (L4LN) project, a Lagos based not-for-profit organization would have introduced screen based technology to 700 children per school starting from Lagos and nationally thereafter.

What to expect in five years: By his project too, five years down the line, the initiative aimed at providing Laptops to teachers and children as a learning tools to survive the 21 st century would have exposed not less than 700 children per school across the nation.

Anyaoku who spoke to Hi-Tech in Lagos recently during the launch of the launch of i “L4L Clubhouse” initiative said that, “It is a noble project. It is all about the introduction of technology in schools, especially in poorer areas starting from Lagos. Eventually, we will be in other states of the federation. At the moment. We are concentrating in Lagos. We are committed to given them access to technology just

From left: Afolabi Oke, Executive Director at Global Infoswift; Martin Dolan, CEO of CR2 and Solomon Edun, CEO at Global Infoswift at the self service banking seminar in Lagos. like in devealoped economies where children are exposed to technology early enough. We already have two schools including Kuramo Primary School in Lagos as a pilot project. Six more schools will be serviced by next year. The objective is to develop a replicate programme for school aged children across Nigeria.” Anyaoku assured.

Technology transfer: According to him, what obtained in developed society will be replicated back here in Nigeria.

We need to be begin to expose our kids early enough to enable them get the basic skills and

knowledge needed to face the 21 st century knowledge economy. W have to start now. We can do it. We need the support of the government and the private sector to achieve the objectives of this project, he added.

He explained that L4L believes that the education received by school aged children lays down the foundation for life and impacts directly on the effectiveness of secondary and tertiary education. “Young aged children are unafraid of technology. They are curious and ready to learn.

They do not not lack capabilities, they lack resources and opportuni-

ties. L4LN aims to provide both of these” he added.

Similarly, for one of the co-founders of Laptops4Learning Tomi Davies, each school.

“Our aim is to build 24seat clubhouses which can support 100 children per term. Each year 1st Term - Primary 6, 2nd Term - Primary 5, 3rd Term Primary 4. So each year we have 100 new children who have been promoted from Primary 3 to Primary 4 join the Clubhouse and the 100 who were in Primary 6 leave for secondary school. Hence 700 in five years.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—25

FirstBank's Naira MasterCard hits market

BY EMEKA AGINAM

of Niger Airtel delivers comprehensive network upgrade FirstBank ia Plc is offering customers with a new soBY EMMA ELEBEKE

A

S part its strategic plans to offer quality service to its subscribers, third leading telecommunications services provider in Nigeria, Bharti Airtel has undertaken an endto-end network transformation program across its mobile operations in The transformation plan, Airtel said is the largest of its kind on the African continent, in partnership with Ericsson, involved a comprehensive upgrade and expansion of network elements on all of Airtel’s African operations, including switching, radio, network management, data, charging, and consumer-services platforms and systems.

Under this progarmme, Ericsson has deployed wireless technologies, will enhance Airtel’s network capacity and robustness and will help deliver high class services to

customers at affordable rates. This according to the company also makes Airtel’s networks fully ready for next generation services that include high speed data and value

added services.

In addition, Airtel said a full upgrade of the charging platforms across all operations was implemented introducing the

latest version of Ericsson’s Charging System, enabling her to offer subscribers new and innovative value-added services such as mobile

WINDOWS 8: From left: Emmanuel Onyeje, General Manager, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa explaining a point at the Microsoft Open Door event to launch Windows 8 in Nigeria while Funke Opeke, CEO, Main One Cable and Kunle Awosika, Enterprise Business Manager, Microsoft Nigeria look on.

Microsoft renews commitment to education with $250m investment

BY EMEKA AGINAM

T

O improve teacher skills, resources to improve student readiness for the global workforce, the global software giant at the just concluded Partners in Learning Global forum held in Prague, Czech Republic has restated its commitment to education with $250m n in five-year renewal of Partners in Learning (PiL).

Accordingly, this brings Microsoft’s total investment in the program to $750m over fifteen years underscoring the software\s giant commitment to serving the educator and learner first; while making sure teachers have the tools they need to prepare students for the jobs of the future.

The aims, according to Microsoft was to grow the PiL community to 20 million of the 75 million teachers worldwide by 2018 with the renewal and to continue preparing students for the changing global workforce.

Microsoft plans to expand PiL beyond the 119 countries that currently participate with a continued emphasis on driving community, developing networks and allowing educators to share inno-

vations and learn from each other.

Microsoft’s annual Partners in Learning Global Forum, hosted in Prague in 2012 is the culmination of national and regional forums that recognize innovative educators and school leaders.

The 2012 Global forum

brings together more than 500 of the most innovative teachers, education leaders and government officials from 75 countries.

Educators from seven African countries were among the 75 countries represented at the 2012 Global Forum They were from Egypt,

Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda. Teachers who attended the forum were global finalists who have made it through a progressively selective competition that started with more than 250,000 participants at national events.

Mobile app for job aptitude test

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very year, over half a million university graduates take their chances at bluechip companies in Nigeria. Majority of these companies subject graduates to job aptitude tests which gauge their quantitative, verbal, data interpretation and spatial reasoning skills during their first or secondstage screening process.

Feedback from recruiting leads in many of these companies showed us that about 80% of the job candidates failed the exam irrespective of the

class of degree held. The number one cause of this is poor preparation.

360jobtest, the first-ofits-kind mobile app that help users practice upto-date relevant test questions currently used by blue-chip companies in banking, oil and gas, insurance, consulting, auditing and consumer goods industries.

The solution provides advanced mobile features that allowed users to study rigorously and practice strictly to test time, as well as provide a summative result anal-

ysis that shows whether the candidate is ready to take the real job test or not.

The features of the solution are not limited to the following Up-to-date questions used by top companies, with carefully explained answers, test simulation with timing feature that allows candidates to practice to test time, adaptive results analysis that gauges preparedness for real test, news about upcoming job tests and a closed forum to discuss the solution.

lution the freedom to capture their individuality on the debit Naira MasterCard Card This is yet another innovative offering from FirstBank, following the recent launch of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Transfer service that enables people without bank accounts or electronic cards receive funds from its ATMs across the nation.

With ‘expressions’, the Bank’s customers assume control of the look and design of their Naira MasterCard by exercising the freedom to print images of their loved ones and favourite moments of their lives on their cards. Flashing the card whenever one is out shopping or having it tucked away safely in one’s wallet is sure to evoke in FirstBank’s card holders a feeling of being in charge.

“Talk about a card you can really call your own, that’s what ‘expressions’ is all about. Rewarding our esteemed customers with the freedom to determine the design of their Naira MasterCard is the bank’s way of appreciating their patronage and restating our commitment to constantly seeking creative ways

of delighting our customers,” Mr. Chuma Ezirim who heads the Bank’s E-Business Group said while during the unveiling of the product.

According to her, the process for requesting for the product/designing the card is initiated on the Bank’s website where the customer is at liberty to select a picture (from an existing bankmanaged gallery or from a personal collection), which would serve as the artwork on the front of his/her card. Following submission of the selected design, he said that the personalized card would be delivered in 72 hours for Lagos locations and five business days for upcountry locations.

Ezirim explained that ‘expressions’ card product has security features powered by an embedded microchip and a four digit PIN, noting that the Naira denominated card can be used for domestic and international transactions wherever the MasterCard logo is displayed.

“In addition to designing their electronic cards, customers with ‘expressions’ still enjoy the safe, secure, and convenient service the Bank provides via its alternative channels including PoS machines, the Internet and ATMs globally,” he added.

Social network exposed Nigeria's ICT growth to St Kitts and Nevis Island Continues from page 23 tion of computers to every secondary school student in the country. The idea according to him was not only to empower them to becoming wealth creators in good time but to also prepare them as tomorrow’s developers of St Kitts economy.

Earlier, in his goodwill message, Sen Ike Ekweremmadu had also revealed that he met Mr Douglas during one of his travels to the Island and opened up discussions which had led to his visit. He also hinted that Mr Douglas has been taken round the country, particularly those areas where ICT has strong bases, including Abuja, Lagos and Akwa Ibom.

The event attracted prominent Nigerians including Prof Anya O Anya, Prof Ibidapo Obe, Dr Chris Uwaje, Mr Sam Amuka and Mr Ray

Ekpu among others.

In their goodwill messages, Prof Obe expressed happiness that the Deputy Senate President facilitated the visit. He noted that Zinox was creating footprints that would continue to keep Nigeria strongly in the world map. He described it as a positive sign because with global technology, there were no more excuses to underdevelopment.

Both Prof Anya, Uwaje and Amuka corroborated prof Obe, saying that Douglas’visit was like home coming since Nigeria and the rest of Africa consider the Caribbeans as brothers.

But it was Mr Amuka who informed Douglas that most Nigerians actually regards Zinox as the Nigerian dream, adding that Zinox’s exploits can only show what would happen if governance could become a little bit better.

26—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5 2012

Ericsson mobility report says 40% of smartphone sold in Q3 2012

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

NIN is your identity, DG NIMC tells Nigerians

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

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HE Director-Gen eral of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Barrister Chris Onyemenam has again emphasised the importance of the National Identification Number (NIN), describing it as the true and only Identity every Nigerian can be sure of.

He disclosed this during the stakeholder ’s event organised by the NIMC in Makurdi Benue State recently.

He noted that the NIN is a non-intelligent set of eleven (11) numbers assigned to an individual upon successful enrolment and consists of the recording of an individual’s demographic data and capturing of the (10) fingerprints, head-toshoulder facial picture and digital signature, which are all used in cross checking existing data in the National Identity Database to confirm that there is no previous entry of the same data. He debunk insinuations about possible duplication, saying that once the process is completed the data is then stored with the unique NIN that was assigned to it.

He also said that once the NIN is issued to a person, it cannot be used again, that is, it cannot be issued to another person even if the previous person is dead), stressing that the NIN helps to tie all records about a person in the database and enables individuals to assert their Identities.

Barrister Onyemenam, maintained that the present enrolment and the issuance of the NIN and subsequently, smart card which are stored in a database is different from the previous one that were mainly focused on the issuance of Identity Cards that are not verifiable.

He further explained that the current National Identity Management System (NIMS) will protect Nigerian citizens from identity theft and fraud, making life easier by providing easier and convenient means of

*Dr Eugene Juwah, EVC, NCC, receiving the Global Award for Perfection, Quality and Ideal Performance from Charbel S. Tabet in an event recently organised by Otherways Consulting in Rome, Italy.

identification anywhere in Nigeria and beyond and makes it harder for criminals to use false or multiple/ duplicate/ ghost identities. ‘‘It will reassure us all that civil/public servants are who they say they are, no ghost workers phenomenon again, and most importantly it will help in harmonizing and integrating Identity databases in all government agencies and also in the private sector and optimise use of government resources,’’ he as-

sured.

The Director-General pointed out that the NIMS project is socially, economically and financially viable for Nigeria at this transformation time, and that it combines several advantages of the Lessons of other Countries as well as the Nigeria past experiences of botched attempts at National registration and Identification schemes.

Declaring the forum open, the Governor of Benue State, Gabriel

Suswam represented by the Deputy Governor, Stephen Lawani said that the NIMS project will surely contribute to the development of the country, socially, economically, and in transforming the Citizenry.

He congratulated the Director-General for the project and pledged that the State will Co-operate and support the Commission in implementation of the NIMS project in Benue State in particular and Nigeria in general.

NigComSat spots private sector benefits in Corporation Bill C

ONTRARY to the fears expressed that the passage of the bill will suffocate the private sector operators, Chief Executive of the company, Engr. Timasaniyu Ahmed-Rufai, has said that “the downstream sector should benefit immensely from the increased availability of bandwidth, and opportunities to partner with NIGCOMSAT for the delivery of services.

“Ironically, NigComSat has no domestic competitors, as there are no other indigenous communication satellite operators.

However NigComSat is in competition with foreign satellite operators like YAHSAT, INTELSAT and SES NEW SKIES who also provide bandwidth for the Nigerian market. Rather than being called competitors,

the private sector players are partners, so such fears are indeed misplaced”.

Ahmed-Rufai said the international equivalents of NIGCOMSAT include INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, China SATCOM among other satellite operators which are all commercial satellite operators that had legislation backing their creation in all their respective countries”.

Rufai, stated clearly that there are no provisions within the Bill or elsewhere that elevates NIGCOMSAT to the position of a regulator.

“NIGCOMSAT operates a Direct-to Home broadcasting centre, which is a transmission centre and subject to the regulation of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

“NIGCOMSAT is also

subject to the regulation of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) as a satellite operator and that is it” he added.

He emphasized that there is no duplication of functions with other government bodies, because NIGCOMSAT provides a medium to commercialise any of the research products derived from NASRDA. NIGCOMSAT and NASRDA, he said, are therefore complementary and provide a good synergy for the development of the domestic space industry. NIGCOMSAT does not perform any regulatory functions in the area of broadcasting, satellite communications or frequency management; rather it remains subjected to the relevant regulators in each field”.

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HE latest Ericsson Mobility Report, formerly known as the Ericsson Traffic and Market Report, has reveals that approximately 40 percent of all phones sold in Q3 were smartphones. It also showed that data traffic doubled between Q3 2011 and Q3 2012, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 50 percent between 2012 and 2018, driven mainly by video.

According to the research findings, online video is the biggest contributor to mobile traffic volumes, constituting 25 percent of total smartphone traffic and 40 percent of total tablet traffic. This it said puts new requirements on networks to cater for quality anywhere and anytime.

Senior Vice President and Head of Strategy at Ericsson, Douglas Gilstrap, said ‘‘Expectations of mobile-network quality have been elevated by the availability of smartphones and tablets that have changed the way we use the internet. Mobility is becoming an increasingly significant part of our daily lives; we always have devices within

arm’s reach, allowing us instant access to information, entertainment and social interaction.”

According to him, the total mobile subscriptions globally are expected to reach 6.6 billion by the end of 2012 and 9.3 billion by the end of 2018. These figures do not include machine-tomachine (M2M) subscriptions.

In the period under review, Gilstrap said China alone accounted for about 35 percent of net additions during Q3, with about 40 million additional subscriptions; Brazil 9 million; Indonesia7 million, while the Philippines 5 million followed in terms of net additions. In overall, he said that the global mobile penetration reached 91 percent in Q3 2012, and mobile subscriptions now total around 6.4 billion, adding that mobile subscriptions have grown around 9 percent yearon-year and 2 percent quarter-on-quarter.

The report revealed that by mid-2012, LTE coverage, a developing system in buildout and uptake for mobile communications was provided for an estimated 455 million people globally.

Within five years, the report said more than half the world’s population is expected to benefit from

Etisalat harps on deployment of infrastructure for 4G networks

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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T the concluded Africa Com conference and exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa, the Head, Turnkey Rollout of the Engineering and deployment department of Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Valentine Amadi highlighted the need for telecommunication operators to effectively deploy 4G infrastructure for a new market in Africa.

Speaking during the Mobile Broadband and LTE sessions , he emphasized the importance of a review of existing infrastructure, regulatory, environmental and Government issues and the need for government to take over construction of service ducts on roads in Africa for telecoms installations.

According to him, “Strategies for deployment of 4G network are chiefly determined by factors such as technology, regulatory terms, market size, environ-

ment/location as well as cost/project finances.

With a global market of 5 billion, a projected penetration level of 47% by 2017, majority of the 1.8billion anticipated new connections are expected to come from the developing economies which are notoriously deficient in infrastructural developments with roughly 62% of Africans living in urban slums.”

He listed the fundamental institutional issues that confront operators in delivering a 4G network as spectrum assignment and availability, choice of technology across countries and continents, quality of service regulations for networks in hybrid architecture, convergence of platforms for all services, lack of Infrastructure (power, transmission, transport, security), adverse local operating environments, uncertain regulatory environments and complex fragmentation of LTE frequencies at national and regional levels.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—27

L’Oreal ends training ffor or hair pr of essionals prof ofessionals STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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ARK and Lovely beauty range from the stable of L’Oreal Central/West Africa has brought to an end the pan-Nigeria brand activation campaign aimed at deepening the brand equity. The campaign was to shore up the market share of Dark and Lovely AntiBreakage range of products.

The Abuja/Middle Belt leg of the campaign came to an end at the

Women Development Centre, Garki Abuja, as the brand hosted over four thousand hair professionals comprise hairdressers, barbers and beauticians from Niger, K aduna, Nasarawa and Abuja.

Dark and Lovely had earlier in the year stormed Lagos/West and Aba/East with similar campaign where it recorded same number of hair professionals in attendance.

Dark and Lovely, the centenarian signature of the L’Oreal Group is dedicated to Afro beauty

– ‘SoftSheen Carson’, which was discovered from its institute that African hair is the most vulnerable of all and the most prone to breakage.

Research has also shown that the natural surface of Afro hair bears the most numerous weak points because its cuticles do not perfectly overlap as a result of its twisted shapes hence L’Oreal scientists have created the perfect solution to fight breakage for Afro hair.

Explaining the makeup of the new product to the teeming mass from Abuja

and middle belt, Head, Education and Training, L’Oreal Central/West Africa, Mrs. Titilola IgriOffor said natural cement of the hair is the ceramide and the scientists have created s synthetic version to replenish these weak points.

She said, “Consequently, the Dark and Lovely Anti-breakage range has been scientifically proven that it is the only range of products that puts back the ceramide lost to guarantee up to 10 times less breakage.”

Iris trade delegation sees opportunities in Nigerian economy

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ESPITE its challenges, Nigerian economy has continued to inspire optimism because of its growth potential and the extant opportunities.

This was according to a visiting trade delegation from the Republic of Ireland, United kingdom.

Irish Minister of Trade and Development, Mr. Joe Costello observed this in Lagos recently as he led a team of investors from Ireland to

the Ikorodu plant of diary and beverage marketer, Nutricima Nigeria Limited. The trade delegation included the Irish Food Board.

The Irish trade delegation was in Nutricima as part of their visit to Nigeria aimed at improving Irish investments and interests in the country.

Nutricima Nigeria Managing Director, Mr. Glentzes Melitis told the team of the growth of the Nutricima business in Nigeria as it builds on its manufacturing facilityin Ikorodu to tap opportunities in the market with new products and expansion of existing products.

GOtv to drive significance of TV viewership

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OTV owners, Multichoice Nigeria said it will help to drive conversation around the significance of Television viewership in Nigeria.

The pay TV platform pointed out that its going to offer its subscribers compelling, captivating and enthralling content across popular genres.

As GOtv continues to expand and grow into new countries and cities across Africa, its content reminds people of the informative and defining power of television, a statement said. With the recent celebration of World Television Day on 21 November and a few weeks away from the new year, now is a good time to recap the line-up on GOtv. Ranging from entertainment and movies with channels such as Sony Max, Africa Magic World, Africa Magic Movies and BET; lifestyle and culture with The Style Network; sports with SuperSport Select and SuperSport Blitz; to news and commerce with Al Jazeera and music with Channel O, One Gospel, Sound City and MTV Base, GOtv also offers viewers content from public broadcasters.

28— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Expert urges NAICOM to assist operators

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he National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has been told to initiate measures on how to assist insurance operators in the area of retail marketing, skill development and product development to enable them sustain the benefits derivable from the industry’s reform.

Managing Director, Riskguard-Africa Nigeria Limited, Yemi Soladoye, who disclosed this in Lagos, said it is necessary for NAICOM, having pushed all its reforms and sanctions to the market, to concentrate on how the industry can get quantitative results from all the good things it has done.

He said: “NAICOM, having pushed all these reforms and sanctions to the market, in the next three years, should concentrate on how the industry can get quantitative results from all the good things they have done.

“As they have brought in Market Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI), they need insurance education and enlightenment to get the result and should now begin to look at it in quantitative terms. If they would need to help insurers on skill development they should do that. If they could help them even on product development, they should do that. If they need to assist them in providing training, they should do that, because there is huge man power shortage in the agency system. Not many people know how to run agency, so many of them do not have experience, so, if NAICOM is to help them on retail market, it will be okay.

“If they will help them on payment system, especially mobile payment, they should also do that, so, that at the end of the day, NAICOM will concentrate on things that would bring about huge volume of premium.”

He noted that efforts made by the commission in recent time, would help rebuild public confidence on the industry, adding that today, the fear of NAICOM is the beginning wisdom for any underwriter in the country. He said the industry’s reform is working, adding that the sector has transformed in the past four years that the commissioner for insurance Fola Daniel has been on saddle of leadership.

“Six years ago, it was not like this. Now, every body knows that NAICOM is in charge.

C M Y K

From left: Former Head of State and Chairman, Industrial and General Insurance Plc, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; a Director, Apostle Hayford Alile; Chairman of the occasion, Prof.

Jibril Aminu; Chairman, Nigerian Insurers Association, Mr. Remi Olowude; and his wife, Olubunmi, during the investiture dinner in honour of Olowude, in Lagos.

DANA CRASH: Families deny allegation of multiple claims STORIES BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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midst claims from Prestige Insurance Plc and Dana Management that payment of compensation to all the families of the victims of the Dana Airplane that crashed on 3rd of June 2012 is being delayed due to multiple claims from some families, some have responded that the allegation is unfounded and total falsehood.

Speaking through their legal practitioners and consultants, M.O Awoniyi & Co, about 40 families rebuffed the allegation saying that the insurance company and the Dana Management are only playing hanky-panky to avoid paying compensation.

According to the families, there has never been any incident of multiple claims from families of the victims because all necessary documentations have been done and sent to Dana which was proved to be accurate. Dana Management is only passing the blame for their inefficiency and outright refusal to pay compensation to the suffering families, they said.

The families accused Dana Management of taking some steps which their insurance company, Prestige and solicitors are not aware of.

It will be recalled that the 40 families of victims of the ill-fated Dana Airplane petitioned the Senate Committee on Aviation on the deliberate refusal of the airline to pay them the statutory $30,000 compensation.

The deliberate refusal, according to the families, is as a result of the wicked machinations of Dana Airline and its representatives.

The families also claimed that the names of two of them, Ahmad Dukawa and Femi Shobowale, were fraudulently listed by Dana Airlines, its local and international insurers, Prestige Assurance Plc and Pritchard Insurance/Lloyd’s of London as having been paid $30,000 each.

Consequently, the families have petitioned the Chairman, Senate Committee on aviation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to wade into the matter.

According to the families, the action is a

willful, deliberate and malicious refusal by Dana and its insurers to pay the statutory compensation to them.

Section 48(3) of the Civil Aviation Act provides “In any case of aircraft accident resulting in death or injury of passengers, the carrier shall make advance payments of at least US $30,000(Thirty thousand united States dollars) within 30 days from the date of such accident, to the natural person or such natural persons who are entitled to claim compensation in order to meet the immediate economic needs of such persons and such advance payments shall not constitute recognition of liability and may be offset against any amounts subsequently paid as damages by the carrier.”

According to Bunmi Awoyemi one of the lawyers representing the families of the victims, all efforts to get the claims to be paid thus far have proved abortive.

Awoyemi said “We have tried severally and in vain, via written and oral communication(s) to get the Airline and its insurer’s solicitors, particularly the law firm of Yomi Oshikoya & Co. (who are responsible for giving the cheques to the families of the victims) to pay our clients their monies as stipulated in the Act, but all our efforts have not produced the desired result.

Linkage Assurance gets approval to raise N2.9bn additional capital

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hareholders of Linkage Assurance Plc have given the company the go ahead to raise additional capital to the tune of N2.9 billion.

At an extra ordinary general meeting in Lagos on Monday, the shareholders unanimously gave their approval to the company to raise the capital through any means approved by the regulatory authorities.

According to the shareholders, the directors of Linkage Assurance are authorised to issue up to N2,897,207,843 (Two billion, eight hundred and ninety seven million, two hundred and seven thousand, eight hundred and forty three), ordinary shares in the authorised share capital of the company, through a special placement, at a price of 50k (fifty kobo) per ordinary share, on such terms and subject to such conditions as the directors may determine, subject to obtaining the approval of the relevant regulatory authorities including, but not limited to, the National Insurance Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The shareholders also approved that the directors be authorised to raise such

additional amounts of capital, either through the issuance of bonds, medium term notes or other instruments, or by obtaining loans in such currency, number, tranches series or proportions; at such price, coupon or interest rates; within such maturity periods and on such other terms and conditions as the directors may determine, and whether by way of a special placement or by any other method, subject to obtaining the approval of the relevant regulatory authorities including, but not limited to, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The shareholders also authorised the directors to enter into such agreement, execute such documents, and take such actions as may be necessary for the purpose of giving effect to the special placement of the company’s shares.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—29

A SERIAL YOU MUST READ

The Public Service and the Transformation Agenda: Redefining the rules of engagement (3)

BY PHILIP ASIODU

YESTERDAY

Chief Asiodu , gave his recipe on the Transformation Agenda

TODAY....

"It is also important to implement a Remuneration and Rewards system for the public service that will attract the best talents." Chief Asiodu , concludes the serial today with this and many more.

FEW constitutional amendments would also be useful. There should be provision for independent candidates.

Some outstanding independent candidates will get elected and help to improve the calibre of members in the legislatures. Consideration should be given to increasing the membership of the State Assemblies to make it more difficult for state governors to direct and manipulate the State Assemblies. They should not be full time but have two sessions of 2 -3 months each a year.

Their salaries and allowances should also be drastically reduced to free resources for capital investments. The Federal and Regional Legislatures before Independence and during the First Republic -1960 - 66 were part time.

The 774 Local Governments recognized under the 1999 constitution are too many.

Many of them are too small to be able to deliver their constitutional services unlike the situation before Independence and the First Republic where you had Local Governments like the Lagos City Council, the Kano Native Authority, and the Benin Native Authority etc. which were large enough and had the resources to maintain professional and technical departments, able to deliver good services in health, educational, and public works sectors. In our present circumstances of very atomized LGAs consideration should be given to enabling several LGAs to be grouped in viable catchment areas to establish competent Technical Boards funded equitably per capita by the co-operating LGAs to deliver services in sectors such as Educational Inspectorates, Teachers Commissions, Public Health ,Services, Rural Roads etc. There is no time to go into other desirable reorganization details to ensure service delivery.

It is very necessary and urgent for the Government to continue the reforms towards the re-establishment of a greatly improved, re-organized, re-oriented, remotivated, continuously trained and retrained professional, non-partisan, empowered, well remunerated, non-corrupt, investor-friendly Civil Service which is merit and productivity driven. This is to enable the Government deliver.

Can Nigerian leaders and citizens rise to these challenges and do what is necessary to save the country? Let us recall some achievements in the past: The achievements in the vast improvement in the provision of education for children, the establishment of plantations and farm settlement schemes and initiating industrial development under Regional Self-Government

Chief Philip Asiodu, CON: in the late 1950s and the First Republic up to 1966. · Despite the dire predictions of the doom of genocide and lynching which would follow the defeat of Biafran Secession, Nigeria surprised the world with the success of its programme of Rehabilitation, Rec-

,

A

The upshot of this policy will be that within 15 to 20 years, all educated Nigerians (like the Swiss) will, apart from their local language and English, be able to communicate in one or more Nigerian languages

,

onciliation and Reconstruction under the 1970 - 74 2nd National Plan. · The impressive average annual growth rate of 6%+ from 1962 - 1966; and after the Civil War, the average annual growth rate from 1970 - 75 of 11.75%. · Supposing even after removing Gen. Gowon, his successors had continued with the disciplined implementation of the 1975 - 1980 3rd National Plan, and if under subsequent National Plans, 10%+ average annual growth rate was maintained for the next two decades, Nigeria would have escaped from poverty and under-development and would today be an African Lion or Tiger amongst Asian Tigers.

Besides economic growth and improving welfare for all citizens there are other initiatives a patriotic leadership can take to foster national integration. Supposing following up on the early successes of the National Youth Service, the Nigerian leadership was able to introduce a Language Policy to foster national integration?

This people like me would have urged on the patriotic nation-building listening leadership which we had then but for the termination of the Gowon Administration by the coup of July 1975. Such a policy would require each child to learn to read and write the local language where he is born. By the age of 10, the child begins to receive his instructions in English. The new policy would be that by the age of 12

or 13 when he or she enters a secondary school, he/she has to make a choice. If he is in the North, he must choose one Southern Language which he will be taught to speak, read and write. The chances are that the child will choose either Ibo or Yoruba. In the South, the child will likely choose Hausa as a Northern Language which he will be taught to speak, read and write. All secondary schools will have the necessary language departments.

The upshot of this policy will be that within 15 to 20 years all educated Nigerians (like the Swiss) will, apart from their local language and English, be able to communicate in one or more Nigerian languages.

With the ongoing inter-action and cultural exchanges and the pressures of globalization, you can imagine the situation among our children and grand children twenty years hence. Such a policy should be implemented after careful detailed consultations and preparation.

Reform and Repositioning of the Civil Service A great deal of effort and resources have been devoted Since 1999 towards reforming and repositioning the Civil Service and the Public Service generally to enhance service delivery. External organizations such as the World Bank and The British Government DFID are supporting some of the programmes. Many workshops and training programmes have been conducted and are continuing.

The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) was established in 2004 as a central coordinating office for reforms of the Civil Service. SERVICOM (Service Compact With All Nigerians) was also established to monitor ethics and efficient service delivery. More recently, the Government has adopted a National Strategy for Public Service Reform which we are informed will lead to the creation of a “world class Public Service, delivering government, policies and programmes with professionalism, excellence and passion”. The NPSR has three phases 2011-2013, 2013 2016 and the final phase 2016 - 2020. What is important is that the efforts will be intensified to achieve: • Effective and fair Governance of the Civil Service; · Organizational efficiency and effectiveness;

· Professional and result-oriented civil servants; · Ethical and accountable workforce with a positively changed work culture; · Improved competence and capacity; and · Knowledge based workforce.

It is critically necessary at this stage of Nigeria’s development to return to a meritdriven Public Service. The Federal Character principle should not be used to prevent it. It is better at the point of recruitment to stretch the net as wide as possible to ensure as much widespread representation of areas and communities as possible. But every candidate recruited must meet the minimum pre-set qualifications.

After recruitment, there must be training at various stages and good career planning to be undertaken by the greatly improved Human Resources Management Departments being developed. Once in the service promotion and advancement should be strictly on the basis of merit and productivity. The practice of transferring junior less experienced and not so competent officials from outside organizations and other services to become bosses of their former seniors after contrived promotions in such external organizations must not be allowed.

Reward system It is also important to implement a Remuneration and Rewards system for the public service that will attract the best talents. That was the situation in pre Independence days. As far back as 1955, the British Government adopted the principle of “comparability with private enterprise rates”. The USA adopted the same principle in their Federal Salary Reform Acts of 1962 and 1964. This principle could be applied in formulating the more realistic national remunerations which I recommended earlier.

We were informed in a recent seminar of many significant milestones already attained in the ongoing Civil Service Reforms. Unfortunately, the image of the Civil Service and the Public Service amongst the citizens is not good. This may not be the fault of the Public Service. It does not operate in isolation. At the end of the reform process, the civil servant must earn and acquire a new image - that of a friendly, helpful, prompt, competent servant of the people who is pro-investment and is a willing midwife to the birth of new productive enterprises and to wealth creation.

He must discard the image of the arrogant intimidator or of the corrupt extortioner. It is then that he can help to deliver the desired Transformation Agenda.

Need For A Call To Order To the outsider, the pace of the conduct of national affairs appears lethargic. There is a prevailing mood of insecurity and uneasiness amongst the general public, I believe that there is need now for a dramatic “Call To Order” by Mr. President that the leaders of all sectors of government and society must try to undergo the necessary drastic change of attitude and embrace all the aspects of good governance which entails: •The Rule of Law; Continues on page 30

30—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Challenges of good governance and leadership in Nigeria under the current democracy (2) This is the concluding part of the paper presented by Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, mni, CON, Governor of Edo State at the First Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation’s Lecture in Abuja. The first part was published yesterday E had once posited: “Here in Northern Nigeria we have people of many different races, tribes and religions who are knitted together to common history, common interest and common ideas, the things that unite us are stronger than the things that divide us. I always remind people of our firmly rooted policy of religious tolerance. We have no intention of favouring one religion at the expense of another. Subject to the over-riding need to preserve law and order, it is our determination that everyone should have absolute liberty to practice his belief according to the dictates of his conscience.”

He clearly believed in tolerance, accommodation and freedom to promote individual and collective good. He also believed that once the political elite would provide the right leadership unity is assured because the ordinary citizens have no problem with each other.

That the subject of leadership keeps recurring in our national discourse suggests that the leadership question is still critical to Nigeria’s quest for AD AMS OSHIOMHOLE good goverADAMS nance and the consolidation of the democratic order. This is definitely to be expected in view of the widely held notion that the problem with development in Nigeria is mainly that of leadership. Now we have to answer the question what has happened to leadership and where are the leaders? This question is germane because under a democracy, it is expected that the quality of governance will be much higher than it was under the military, and that the citizens will have the benefit of accountable and transparent leadership and that the resources of the country will be managed for devel-

H

opment.

My job as Chairman has been simplified by the organizers of this all-important event. Our Guest Lecturer, known for his deep intellectual reflections and brilliance is going to do justice to the thematic essence of this discourse. I am not going to pretend that these are not challenging times for those of us in leadership positions and who care deeply about the direction that our country is headed today. The challenges are enormous and have both domestic and global dimensions.

We are still trying to figure out how we can achieve an optimal constitution, a credible electoral process, deal with rampant corruption and plunder of public resources, and evolve a fair, incorruptible and courageous judicial system.

The relationship between the state and the citizens today is under considerable storm and stress, and there is the need to begin to squarely address the question of poverty, unemployment of most especially the youth, decayed social and economic infrastructure, as well as marginalization of women in the development process in order to give meaning and content to our evolving democratic order.

Above all, we have to address the often neglected imperative of attitudinal transformation on the part of the political elite, the absence of which, good governance and development will continue to be a mirage. In all these, however, there should be no lamentation or excuses. To forge ahead, we must, like the late Sardauna evoke the spirit of hard work and selflessness to confront the challenges facing us without looking back.

Conclusion: In concluding, it must be noted that whichever way we choose to view the late Sardauna we have in him a model of leadership that is worthy of emulation by all. Confronting the challenges of leadership and governance in Nigeria today rests on our preparedness to bring to bear on our public conduct the principles of equity, justice and fairness, as well as judicious application of public resources, while putting the interest of the common man and the imperatives of building a nation that accommodates all at the centre of our development objectives.

The Public Service and the Transformation Agenda: Redefining the rules of engagement (3) •Efficient and prompt administration of justice; •Predictability, objectivity and consistency in government measures; •Respect for the sanctity of contracts; •Abandonment of the pursuit of self-enrichment as the motive for seeking political leadership and office; •Zero tolerance for corruption and the prompt application of adequate sanctions against offenders including seizure of all properties corruptly C M Y K

acquired; •Efficient and timely service delivery by all government agencies; •Return to planning and submission to the discipline of planning, respecting pre-determined priorities in the utilization of national resources; •Return to the principle of collective responsibility of government; and The

Government should also embark on effective and sustained publicity of the Transformation Agenda what it means for all of us and why we should all support it and participate in delivery where we can. Nigerians are governable.

The people need to be mobilized so that the Transformation Agenda can be achieved.

*Text of Mohammed Uwais Public Service Award Lecture at The Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies on September 12, 2012. ....Concluded.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012 — 31

From left: Mr. Nelson Anumaka, Asst. Director; Mr. Iheanyi Anyahara, Asst. Director; Mr. Jim Obazee, CEO, FRC, and Mr. Olaseni Ogunsanya, Chairman Steering Committee, at Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (r) welcoming Mr. the presentation of SAS 32 Accounting By Not-For Profit Organizations by the Financial Harpreet Singh, the Managing Director of Stallion Group of ComReporting Council (FRC) of Nigeria, at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye panies, to his office during a courtesy . Photo: Bunmi Azeez

From left: His Eminence, Dr. Messiah Kalejaiye, President of 1st Zion King Council, Lagos State; Primate Wilson Okulenu, God's Chosen Evangelical Church and His Eminence; Dr. King Omo Abiloye,Primate/Founder, Supreme Head, ECCI World-wide, at the 29th Founder's Day Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of Everlasting Covenant Church, C & S, at the church premises, in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

From left: Alhaji Mahe Bashiru Wali, Walin-Kano, representative of Emir of Kano; Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, Governor of Kano State and Dr. Paul Orhii,the DG, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control,NAFDAC,incinerating the N600million worth of fake drugs confiscated in Kano.

From left: Engr. Jani Ibrahim, Chairman Lubcon Oil Ltd; Engr. Lanre Shagaya, Chairman, Yolas Consultants, Engr. Mustafa Shehu, President, NiFrom left: Ebi Omatsola, CEO, Conoil Producing Ltd., Toyin Akinosho, Pub- geria Society of Engineers, NSE and Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, Kwara State lisher, Africa Oil + Gas Report and Adedayo Ojo, CEO of Caritas Communi- Governor, during a courtesy visit by the NSE to Governor Ahmed, at Governcations, during the cocktail hosted by Caritas, to celebrate Toyin’s elevation as ment House, Ilorin. a Fellow of NAPE

Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, representing Lagos West Senatorial District (left), inspecting some goods made by the students of Zevotrac Vocational Training Centre, during graduation ceremony of the school in Ikorodu. Photo:Kehinde Gbadamosi.

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From left: Mrs. Caroline Anyanwu, Executive Director, Risk Management; Dr. Alex Otti, GMD/CEO; Uzoma Dozie, Executive Director, Corporate Banking and Lagos/ West Businesses and Mrs. Nkechi Nwosu, Legal Adviser and Company Secretary, all of Diamond Bank Plc, during the launch of the bank’s Mobile Banking Truck (Diamond-in-motion), in Lagos.

32— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

I can’t leave Rivers for any price — Ojokolo

BY JACOB AJOM

F

ormer National and Afri can 100 meters champion, Endurance Ojokolo is not one given to pretence. She says it as it is -point blank, some would say. Endurance hails from Delta State. In her active days on the tracks she ran and won honours for her dear Delta. As an Athletics coach, Endurance works for the fall of Delta as her products represents Delta’s main rivals at the ongoing Eko 2012 Sports Festival, Team Rivers.

As the men’s 400m heats were on, Ojokolo was on the stands cheering up her wards and shouting “go on boys! You can do it!”

Naturally, the question that

Abbas eyes 2 gold medals in 400m, 4x4 relays

BY JACOB AJOM

T

followed was, “Endurance, why Rivers, and not Delta?”

She was blunt. “I go to where I am needed and I owe no one any apology for working for Rivers.”

She sounded confident when asked about their level of preparedness for the Games. “We are very prepared. Government has done everything so; it is left for us to pay back the kind gesture.

We had good training, good facilities and good coaches. If any state deserves to win this festival, it should be Rivers.”

Endurance was full of gratitude to Rivers State government, saying, “for what Rivers has done, I cannot leave even if a state offers me N1million.”

Ojokolo

eam Rivers middle dis tance runner, Abbas Abubakar Abbas has predicted he would win gold in the 400m final and team up with his colleagues to bag gold in the 4x4 relays.

Abbas who thrilled spectators at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Tuesday in heat 2 of the event told our correspondent that he was sure of the gold medal in the event. He won the heat in sub 50 but said his personal best was 46.6 secs.

“I will win the gold,” said Abbas, whose state of birth is Kano.”I am confident I will improve on my time and will qualify for the final and win the medal ultimately.”

Team Rivers Coach, Endurance Ojokolo agrees with him. The former sprinter said, “Abbas will be our own Hussain Bolt. He is so good. He is going to break the world record one day.”

NHF disqualifies Ekiti male hockey team from festival T

AN EYE FOR AN EYE . . . Lagos state’s Dambe athlete (Blue0 engages his Kano counter part at a Dambe event at the 18th National Sports Festival at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadamosi

Rivers power-lifting coach wants employment for special athletes A

dolphus Ordu, the Head Coach, Rivers State power-lifting, on Tuesday appealed to government to give more support to special athletes in order to engage them meaningfully in the society.

Ordu made the appeal while speaking to the media yesterday at the Multi-Purpose Hall C M Y K

of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), venue of the power-lifting event of the 18th National Sports Festival ( N S F ) .

He noted that with job opportunities and incentives, the athletes could cater for themselves after retiring from active sports.

“They need help from government; they need assistance.

Now that they are on contract, if the festival ends now, nobody would think about them a n y m o r e .

“But if they are given incentives that can encourage them and make them feel they are really citizens of this country.

he Nigeria Hockey Feder ation (NHF) on Tuesday disqualified the Ekiti male hockey team from participating at the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) over identity distortion and fielding of ineligible players.

Walter Imoedemhe, the NHF Technical Director, who disclosed this yesterday, said that the offence was against the sports festival’s rules.

He said that Team Rivers on Monday protested Team Ekiti’s fielding of ineligible players which led the NHF jury, after a thorough investigation, to disqualify Ekiti players.

Imoedemhe reiterated that the federation would no longer tolerate such offences, saying that they could bring both the NHF and the National Sports Commission (NSC) into disrepute.

“I am still warning that states should desist from these acts which will not portray the NHF in good light. Stiffer penalties will be given to any erring state which is found culpable,” the technical director warned.

Ondo State female team was also disqualified for the same offence on Monday.

As a result of the disqualification, Ondo lost three points, as well as three goals and also paid a fine of N10, 000 to their Lagos counterparts, who lodged the complaint.

In the men’s matches played on Monday, Team Adamawa and Team Oyo drew 00 at the end of regulation time as the game was decided 3-2 through a penalty shoot-out, in favour of Adamawa.

Free for all as Osu

READY . . . Swimmers getting reading ming event PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadam

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012 — 33

Delta, Kano fined N50, 000 each for using ineligible weightlifters T

he Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) on Tuesday fined Delta and Kano states N50,000 each for using ineligible weightlifters at the going 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos.

NWF Secretary Uche Onwumeh said that a female weightlifter, Bilikis Otunla, 69kg, was caught representing Delta after attending two international competitions.

Onwumeh said she was identified by some officials and reported to the judges, leading to her suspension from the Games by the federation’s adjudicators.

“An investigation was carried and evidences confirmed that Otunla was faulty and Delta was therefore told to pay a fine of N50, 000 before the end of the competition,” she said.

The secretary said that failure by Delta to make the payment to the NWF would re-

sult to the withholding of the medals won in the event.

According to her, the Delta State Weightlifting Association coach is also warned to desist from acts capable of violating the rules governing the Games from achieving its aims.

Also, a male weightlifter, Aminu Aliyu, 77kg, from Kano was also discovered to have been using three different names to participate at the last three sports festivals after a petition by Delta.

Onwumeh said Aliyu participated in the Gateway Games in 2006 in Abeokuta, KADA Games in 2010 in Kaduna and Garden City Games in 2011 in Port Harcourt.

He was said to have used Aminu Aliyu, Aliyu Suleiman and Aminu Sale for the Games respectively.

“The athlete has been dishonest in three consecutive festivals but luck was against him this time around,” she said.

UP IT GOES . . . Jubrin Abubakar of Delta State lifts a weight of 143kg in Clean and Jerk to wine Silver medal.

Team Ondo makes volleyball final eam Ondo on Tuesday de the title which they first won T feated Team Imo 3-1, in the at the 2011 NSF in Port Harsemi-final of the ongoing 18th court.

5000M women finals won by Olowora Aminat of Lagos State in a time of 18.47;89sec to win the gold medal. Photo: Henry Unini

un hold Enugu to draw in football

to dive into the pool during a Swimmosi

I

t was free for all on Tuesday after Team Osun held their Enugu State counterparts to a 1-1 draw in the football event of the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival.

Trouble started when at the end of the preliminary game, an Enugu State player went to register his displeasure about the officiating to the referee.

The players from Enugu state claimed they were intimidated by the match officials.

However, security men at the venue at Yaba College of Technology Pitch prevented him and his colleagues from hav-

ing access to the referee.

But trouble worsened when the coach, players and fans of the Enugu State side allegedly beat up an unidentified lady whose was among the people jeering at them.

The development led others to retaliate before the situation was brought under control after the Osun team and the match officials were taken away to safety by policemen.

Meanwhile, about five players and the coach of the Enugu team, Benedict Ugwu, were taken to the Sabo Police Station, Yaba, for allegedly beating up the lady.

National Sports Festival (NSF) in Lagos, to book a slot in the final.

The battle for supremacy between the two teams lasted for one hour and 15 minutes in the volleyball court at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Following this development, Team Ondo will now lock horns with hosts Team Lagos, in the final, scheduled for Dec. 6.

Reacting to the victory, Tayo Oluwatuyi, the team’s patron, commended the players for a well-deserved victory.

Oluwatuyi, who is also the Ondo Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, added that the team would go on to win and retain

“We are the defending champions and we intend to win back-to-back. As a patron, I feel on top of the world because they have played well,” he said.

When asked whether the prospects of playing against the host team would not intimidate his team, he said that they will not in any way be intimidated.

“If the whole of the stadium is filled with Lagosians, the atmosphere will bring the best out of my players,”he said.

Meanwhile, the Head coach of Team Imo, Uche Ugbonna, has expressed disappointment at his team’s failure to feature in the finals.

SHOW OF FITNESS . . . Bauchi state’s Langa athlete in Red fights Zamfara State opponent.

PHOTO; Kehinde Gbadamosi

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36—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

MIDWEEK SERMON

Knights hold Xmas concert Life for Pacelli School for blind Triumphal OVERNMENTS and employers of labour Church holds have been admonished to stop discriminating FOR PEACE, UNITY OF NIGERIA against the physically challenged in job ast Friday, a group of Muslim youths, Amir of Ummah Youth placement, rather such people should be given equal inaugural Forum, led by Alhaji Murtala Abubakar, paid a solidarity visit opportunities just like their able-bodied counterparts service to the National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, in the society, reports LAJA THOMAS. with SAM EYOBOKA sameyoboka@yahoo.com

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L

CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor at his Word of Life Bible Church office in Warri, Delta State. The visitors came from different parts of the North.

At the occasion both parties called for immediate cessation of sectarian violence in the North, arguing that the nation can only develop in an atmosphere of peace. The two leaders demonstrated their commitment to peace and unity of the country by exchanging the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran.

This admonition was given by the principal, Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted Children, Rev. Sister Benedicta Ogike, at the charity visitation and concert tagged: “We will let them know its Xmas”, organized by the Knights of St. John International, KSJI, Lagos Grand Commandery and the Ladies Auxiliary, both of the Catholic Church.

The event took place at the school premises in Surulere, Lagos.

Addressing newsmen, Rev. Ogike said, “government needs to organize seminars to educate different parastatals on the need to recognize the less privileged people in the society."

While describing the cash donation of N600,000 and the various gift items, including foodstuff, toiletries, groceries and consumables donated by members of the KSJI as awesome, Rev. Ogike said, “today’s event is indescribable. I feel highly honoured with all these things they brought to us today.”

Also speaking at the occasion, the immediate past president of KSJI, Sir Kola Olowu said, “ while some pastors and churches are busy competing with themselves on the number of private jets they can own, the real people that need this money are being neglected.

It is an unfair world."

While explaining the activities of KSJI, the secretary, Lagos Grand Commandering, Sir Peter Osamgbi stated that “the Knights of St John stands for four principles: charity, spirituality, fraternity and discipline. It is on the basis of these that we have decided to come here today to celebrate Xmas with the children in a different style."

National Bible School graduates 175 *CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor exchanging the Holy Srciptures with the leader of the delegation, Alhaji Murtala Abubakar during the visit.

Israeli, Palestinian crisis:

Nigeria sends fact-finding mission

By JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA—FOLLOWING the fragile peace arising from crisis between Israel and Palestine which had compelled it to suspend airlift of Christian pilgrims to the holy land, the Federal Government Saturday night, dispatched a delegation of top government officials and religious leaders to hold peace talks with both parties to determine their level of commitment to peace in their territories.

Nigeria’s effort at reviewing peace in the troubled Middle East nations, is aimed at determining the safety of its pilgrims who are expected to be airlifted to the holy land.

Leader of the Federal Government delegation and chairman of National Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr John Kennedy Opara, said government’s decision was to ensure Nigerian citizens on pilgrimage to Israel did not become casualties in the dispute between the two countries.

Opara, who disclosed this, while addressing first batch of 2012 intending pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory to Israel, said the country was concerned about the safety of its citizens just as he said that the delegation’s assessment would determine the various holy sites the Nigerian pilgrims would visit while on the holy land.

He warned the intending pilgrims to

conduct themselves properly while on the religious assignment, saying the board would not condone cases of absconment.

On her part, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor (Mrs) Viola Onwuliri, tasked the pilgrims to return as transformed persons so as to contribute their quota in moving Nigeria forward, noting that was the essence government was investing in religious exercises across board.

She charged them to conduct themselves and avoid bring shame to Nigeria or denting the image of the country.

“We will not want you to be consular problems to us. We have reports of Nigerians in prisons elsewhere, who have been found wanting in terms of their travel documents, their stay and all that, and each time the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be called upon to explain. We don’t want you to add more to what we are doing and going through”, she said.

She said President Goodluck Jonathan was working very hard to make sure Nigeria was transformed into one of the best nations of the world hence the pilgrims must return with ideas that would assist reshape the country.

“In addition to the physical transformation of structures, infrastructures and all that he is doing, we also believe we cannot achieve it without spiritual transformation. And that is why he has continued to encourage us on this issue of pilgrimage”, she said.

N

ATIONAL Bible School recently held its third convocation with the graduation of 175 students at the Chapel of Christ Our Light, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, reports ETOP EKANEM. Speaking on the occasion, president of the school, Dr. Murphy Akrase advised the graduands to always face challenges associated with ministry by preaching the truth at all times, adding: “You are to go and change lives. You are life changers.”

According to him, the

school which was established in 2011 had graduated 400 so far.

On current efforts by the National Assembly to amend the 1999 constitution, the cleric said: “What we are doing now as spiritual leaders is to pray and God will interfere in the affairs of this nation, so that credible leaders and not those who will bribe their ways to the top will be elected. “What we need is not actually a new constitution but a new mind. Constitution review is not a new thing, what is required is a change or revolution of the mind,” he stated.

RCCG holds concert

T

HE Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ikorodu, Family Parish, recently organised a choir concert, reports IYABO AINA. The event started with a presentation of A New Song, which threw the whole arena into some frenzy as everybody began to sing.

In a chat with the music director, Peter Olushola disclosed that the choir concert, comprising six zones in the Ikorodu axis, is an annual event.

He further explained that the purpose of the concert is to unite the youths in the family, noting that the concert started in 2010.

Speaking with the provincial pastor, Pastor Adetokunbo Adetayo charged the choristers not to relent in rendering their service to God.

O

VER 200 persons attended the in augural service of Life Triumphal Church in Lagos recently. The lead pastor of the church, Pastor Emmanuel Iren said: “Give us four weeks, and I can assure you that by God’s grace, this place will be filled to the brim, and we will need to put seats outside to accommodate people.”

The service held at Emsquare Hall, Ikotun, a 1,000-seater multipurpose hall rented for the purpose of the church. The congregants experienced a time of spirit-field praise and worship, moments of intensive intercesory prayers and word impartation.

In a message titled; ‘Reign in life’, Pastor Iren encouraged the congregation to spend time studying and living out the word of God. “God’s word is God’s instrument for changing your life,” he said, “even the lowest of men has a chance with the word.”

Asked why he was starting a church at a very tender age, the lead pastor who is in his early 20s replied: “Because God said so. I may not be able to prove the authenticity of it intellectually but by the proofs that the Holy Ghost brings. The Bible says that in the last days, God will poor out His spirit on all flesh, and sons and daughters will prophesy.

We started the ministry, Triumphant Youth Fellowship four years ago, and I was much younger then, but we’ve had undeniable proofs.

"We’ve had God perform all manner of signs and miracles on our platform.

We’ve sold about 70,000 copies of our Triumph 30 devotional. Right now, we have over 9,500 followers on social media. As long as the Holy Ghost said it, its settled,” Iren explained with so much confiden-ce.

One of the worshippers at the service, Uche Ogwu, said: “It was indeed a time of refreshing. The word became flesh. It was an eye opener of the efficacy present in the word of God.” Reiterating that, Iren described the church as "a Word Church. Above everything, we prioritize the spirit-inspired word of God.

Revival Assembly holds 2012 Fire Confab

R

EVIVAL Assem bly holds her 22nd anniversary/annual fire convention from Friday, December 14 to Sunday, December 17, 2012 at its Revival

Miracle Cathedral, Ogba in Lagos.

Host Apostle Anselm Madubuko said the event is scheduled for morning and afternoon sessions, will feature Dr. Juanita

Bynum, Chioma Jesus, Uche Agu and High Dimension Choir convention. Madubuko said the event will feature a special women session on Monday, December 17.

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WEDNESDAY,

DECEMBER

5,

2012

Why won’t he leave his wife?

A reader’s grouse...

Dear Bunmi, You are someone I really admire and respect, but I must sincerely disagree with you, over your response to “My wife and mistress are pregnant” published in today ’s (November 14) Vanguard.

How can you advise the married man to get separated from his wife? You should instead advise the man to stop cheating and be there for his wife.

You must know that you’re a role model to people and your response has a rippling effect on people.

The man must learn to go through challenges with his wife, that’s what marriage is all about. Always learn to empathise with people. If you’re in the wife’s shoes, will you be happy to hear that? Why should you advise the man to keep on cheating? You need to revisit this issue and correct the wrong impression.

Gbemi, by e-mail.

Dear Gbemi, There is no wrong impression to correct. Desmond admits to being a philanderer whose wife had series of miscarriages, the last one when

one of his mistresses was pregnant.

No woman with her self-respect should go through the pain of being married to a confessed adulterer and the children that would follow

... another reader groans Dear Bunmi, I just read your page though I’m not a regular reader. I really don’t have time for your stuff. But today ’s paper, Wednesday, November 14, caught my attention and I tried and read your supposed advise to a 16 years old who calls herself Rolly in the story (problem) tagged: “Should I believe him?”

Rolly says she is 16 and is disturbed by a 19 years old boy asking her for a relationship.

One would have thought that at your age and supposed experience as a counselor, your first option of advice would be to caution this sapling of the dangers of falling into such traps at that tender age and request her to face her studies until she’s older. Rather, you

My husband says he needs more sex!

Dear Bunmi, I’m in my early thirties and the mother of two kids with a third one on the way. Since the birth of my first child six years ago, I’ve completely lost interest in sex. This is causing real problems between me and my husband. Although I don’t enjoy sex, I have it with my husband at least twice a week. I feel it’s my duty and I don’t want to disappoint him.

I love him a lot. He is a brilliant husband and father but sometimes I feel all he thinks about is sex.

My friends advised I work hard at getting back my sex drive but isn’t sex supposed to be spontaneous? Or am I being selfish?

Sex isn’t a big thing with me but my husband has quite a high sex drive. He says he feels rejected and inadequate.

Barbra, by e-mail.

Dear Barbra, You adore your husband and until you become a mum, you welcomed his passion. He’s fa-

from his affairs, when all she has to do is hope.

There are genuine men who stand by their wives in times of emotional stress and see them through. Desmond is not one of them.

thered the children you both wanted and is naturally bewildered that you no longer welcome his sexual embrace. Are you surprised that he feels rejected and inadequate? You need to reassure him that he is all you want in a man— even for sex; but let him know you’ve temporarily lost sexual desire.

You have sex on tap now; that is, you just sleep there and probably think of the washing, but this is not lovemaking. To fake an interest in lovemaking is a betrayal of trust. Sex drives are not constant. A man who feels stressed may reduce love making to almost nil, sometimes for years. Losing interest in sex after birth could even have to do with post-natal depression which you should address.

You still love your husband, now share that affection with him. Gradually, make him your friend and not always see him as a man ready to ravish your body. With time, the spontaneity of your desire will return.

advised her to make up her mind on what she wants.

First, what’s your role as a public counselor? Secondly, where has our culture and morality gone that a 16 years old, no matter her level of education, would resort to you for advise and you wouldn’t remind her of her age and turn her through to better productive things that would guarantee her future rather than allowing Western values to rule your thoughts.

Tobokomba, by e-mail.

Dear Tobokomba, For someone who “really don’t have time for your stuff” you seem to have views strong enough to vent your spleen! In this day and age, most 16-year olds are probably finishing secondary school and looking forward to gaining admission to tertiary institution of their choice.

In their various schools, they would have been given some sex education and at 16, the average teenager must have had a couple of dates.

That is not to say they would be so irresponsible as to be bedhopping (which seems to be your belief) or battling with unwanted pregnancies or STDs. Who says 16-year olds have only studies on their minds? All work and no play, remember?

Whatever your views, they do go on dates and experiment with a few kisses and garner enough dating experience for when they embrace a more matured society.

At 16, the average teen has reached the age of puberty.

Don’t tell me you’re unaware of the fact that in some parts of this country, it is LEGAL for girls to get married at age as tender as 13?!

Having said all these, the average parent is aware of the advanced information technology today’s teenagers are exposed to, care about what their children are up to and are responsible enough to steer them in the right direction without cracking a whip!

Dear Bunmi, I’ve been with my fiance for two years. I thought I was happy with the relationship until I met a man at work. He is married and has two young children, but he said his marriage was on shaky grounds.

We found we wanted a more permanent relationship. We talked often of leaving our partners and eventually getting married.

When his wife found out about us, we thought that would be the end of his marriage. To his surprise, she was furious and threatened to cut all ties between him and his children. She said as far as their marriage went, it was over, but she would hang on for the sake of the children.

Do you think it is possible for his wife to deny him access to his children? I feel I can’t cope without him, but I know he won’t leave his wife if it means losing his children.

Kemi, by e-mail.

Dear Kemi, Any woman not happy in her relationship can easily find a man who is willing to give her the intimacy, sex and affection that she feels denied. If he has a wife, his new lover will find an excuse that makes betraying that woman

seem acceptable somehow, otherwise guilt gets in the way of the two lovers enjoying their adultery.

What your lover wanted was an additional bed partner not a substitute for his wife. It is now that he’s being pressed by you to leave his wife, you face the moment of truth. Your lover has decided that he would not leave his wife for someone else’s fiance.

Blaming his wife allows him to avoid admitting that his loyalty to his wife and children is too great to abandon them.

Do you want to break up someone else’s family? Happiness such as you seek, is uneasily built on the sadness and loss of others.

Do you imagine that if this man deserted his wife and children, just seeing those hurt children occasionally would somehow make his and your behaviours acceptable?

An unscrupulous wife can always find ways to obstruct a man’s access to his children but that’s not the issue.

If you feel that your relationship with your fiance is in any way unsatisfactory, then face that problem honestly, don’t continue to deceive him and don’t again toy with another woman’s husband.

“You have sex on tap now; that is, you just sleep there and probably think of the washing, but this is not lovemaking” My friend’s wife is promiscous Dear Bunmi, My friend travels out from time to time to bring in goods ranging from cars to electronics to sell. The last time he traveled, I went to a popular night club with a girlfriend and was shocked to find his wife there having fun with a man I never even saw before.

She eventually saw me and looked away. That really pissed me off and I walked up to where she was. She greeted me brightly but failed to introduce the man with her.

I asked after my friend and she said he wasn’t back yet.

I don’t like the flippant way she talked to me and I’m thinking of telling my friend.

My fear, however, is that she might squeal to my wife about my own “contraband.”

Chika, by e-mail.

Dear Chika, What is there to tell? You saw her in the midst of a lot people. She didn’t ask any questions about who came with you and you had no business asking her about her escort.

He could be anybody, even though you imagined him to be her lover.

You’re not exactly Mr. Squeaky-clean yourself and you should be helping to keep your friends’ marriage intact, not break it up.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard Vanguard,, YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA; Full-Moon across Aries/Libra axis may bring you personality clashes base on envy from the other party. Slow down and give peace a chance at least for now.

SCORPIO; Full-Moon in Aries points to possible misunderstanding (probably) within your working arena. This is the wrong time to fan the embers of discord.

SAGITTARIUS; Although the full-Moon is generating tension, your wish is to have your good time. It’s wrong to under-rate the havoc jealousy can wreck.

CAPRICORN; Full-Moon across Aries/Libra axis will bring pressure from many fronts, the more noticeable ones are career/business and domestic related types AQUARIUS; Full-Moon in Aries warns you to watch what you sign and verbally agreed to do. If you fail to respect the law, it’ll back-fire very soon.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012 — 47

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

I

GUESS for some time now, you have been thinking of doing that new thing. And anytime you think about it, you console yourself by saying, it is not worth it, you don’t

A new thing need it now, it will never work, it has never worked. Haba!

Are you God? How do you know it will not work when you have not tried it? Is there any harm in trying?

TERROR MUDA

My friends go ahead and do that new thing you have never done before today! Learn a new thing, read that new book; learn that new skill, improve your-

in “Soul Hunter”

self. Do not remain in one place or position for too long. Always add value to who and what you are. Where are you now? Are you still where you were last year?

Do a thing today and experience new excitement.

By Lanre Kehinde

PISCES; Today’s full-Moon in Aries does not encourage carelessness with money as such can actually lead to avoidable but serious troubles. Avoid jealous approach ARIES; Full-Moon in your Star sign will encourage you to under-rate many to their resentment the way you too’ll be negatively affected. Don’t ignore your spouse TAURUS; Full-Moon in Aries warns you to do away with whatever can not be placed above board. Take your health seriously today more than before GEMINI; Today’s full-Moon in Aries can tempt you to expose your love life unnecessarily. Separate your private/ personal affairs and open friendship CANCER; Full-Moon will certainly affect your mood and make you aggressive but, encouragement of tension along your career line and/or within your business circle can not help your cause now. Protection of your image is important however.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

LEO; Full-Moon may bring you what you’re likely to see as an insult but in reality it is not one. You only need to be on the right side of the law so that you’ll have the last laugh to the detriment of your opponents. Discourage of jealousy within you.

VIRGO; Full-Moon across Aries/Libra axis may generate tension around you but, the best way for you not to be the loser is to make sure your finances are well protected.

Then green eyed monster called jealousy may make things a little bit difficult.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Basic characteristics of Pisces Pisces is 12th of the twelve Zodiac signs ruled by mysterious Neptune. It quality is mutable while it element is water. Mutable aspect of Pisces indicates that people born under it are changeable, by this I mean they change their minds often times. Being a water sign, naives of this Star have very strong intuition and can flow into anybody heart and/or mind.

Neptune as the ruler of Pisces brings compassion and ARTISTIC talent into Pisces born people’s creativity quotient. Neptune rules psychic related thing and many of things that cannot be placed above board; Neptune makes most natives of this star sign secretive, hard to understand and dreaming.

Two opposing fishes as joint symbol of Pisces oftentimes responsible for occasional confusion suffer by all natives of Pisces one time or the other. It is truly important for them to learn how to control both their emotion and mind.

Because it is easy for Pisces people to become pessimistic unnecessarily The reasons are while one of the fishes may head for optimism and day dreaming, the other’s inclination may be of fear, despondency and timidity. Thus, confusion can creep in and that will be to the detriment of their confidence.

Cultivation of practical nature and adoption of realistic method in all you do will be of great importance.

It is equally important for Pisces born people like you to take psychic related things more seriously because they can make use of psychic and/or spiritual related things.

VIRGINIA

Commen3

dadadekola@yahoo.com

by Lawrence Akapa

48—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu (left) and President, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, Mr. Richard Uche, during the Annual labour relations summit of the of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, MINILS, in Ilorin.

Hajia Maimuna Momodu, Chairman, Edo State Flood Victims Relief Committee/Executive Director, Office of the First Lady (left), receiving the relief items worth over N5.6 million, donated to Edo flood victims from Ms. Edith Okujagu, AGM, External Relations, Pan Ocean Corporation in Benin. Photo: Barnabas Uzisike.

Youths disrupt oil firm's activities over planned relocation of flow station A

S A B A — A NGRY youths in Abavo kingdom, Delta State, have disrupted activities of Pan Ocean Corporation operating in the area, after they accused the company of alleged attempt to relocate the siting of a flow station in OPL275 to a non-oil producing community, called Owalidima.

The youths regretted that the company had remained adamant even after 56 host communities and the Delta State Government agreed that the flow station will be

cited in Obiayima village in Abavo kingdom.

The protest was led by President of the youths, Mr. Christopher Okenye, who vowed that the youths would not allow the company operate peacefully in the area until the right thing was done.

Speaking during the protest, Okenye lamented that “all the stakeholders have agreed that this flow station will be cited in Obiayima but due to pressure from some selfish individuals, they want to foment trou-

ble by telling Pan Ocean management to relocate the flow station to a community that does not have oil. We will resist this attempt and we will ensure that their activities will be made miserable in this community. We advise that they should implement the earlier agreement that the flow station be cited in Obiayima, that was what the 56 oil producing communities agreed and if that is not done, they should be ready for more trouble.”

The community liaison

officer, Mr. Donald Eku, who addressed the youths, urged them to be peaceful in their demands and assured that their position paper will be forwarded to the management of Pan Ocean and Delta State Government through the Oil and Gas Ministry.

Eku, however appealed to Pan Ocean to always live up to its corporate social responsibilities in order to enjoy peaceful working relationship with the host communities.

Onyebuchi blames insecurity on inaccurate, described the establishHe noted with dismay unreliable database ment of the commission that previous efforts

E

NUGU—THE Acting Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, has attributed the present security challenges facing the country to poor, inaccurate and unreliable identity database of her citizens.

Speaking when he received in audience the Director General and Management Staff of National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, at Government House, Mr. Onyebuchi

also said that poor national identity database encouraged unpatriotic Nigerians to engage in fraudulent acts like falsification of documents and criminal activities among others.

Onyebuchi therefore

AGOS—THE Soroptimist International National Association of Nigeria, will on Sunday 9, December, inaugurate Soroptimist Olufunmilola Buraimoh-Ademuyewo as its 19th President.

Olufunmi who will be taking over from Soroptimist Bjorg Lawal-Solarin was one of the 25 National Association Presidents from different countries that were installed in Belfast, North-

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made in the country to produce very reliable and accurate national identity database failed and urged the management of the commission to guard against those factors that frustrated the exercise in the past.

Man, 33, remanded over alleged robbery

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI—A Magistrate's Court sitting in Abakaliki,

Soroptimist Nigeria gets new President ern Ireland recently.

L

as very welcome development since it would help the nation in the socio-economic planning and development, check fraud and falsification of documents by people who manipulate data for their own selfish ends.

The event billed fort Lagos Sheraton Hotel is also a fund raising platform for the purchase of mammogram machines for early detection of breast cancer.

Dignitaries expected at the event include the First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola; Mr. Babajide Ogundipe, President, Lagos Court of Arbitration, and Mrs. Bisi Bright, Director, Livewell Nigeria Limited.

Ebonyi State capital, yesterday, remanded one David Isu Egwu, 33, in prison custody based on a three count charge of assault, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit felony preferred against him.

In two separate charge numbers MAB/543C/ 2012 and MAB/ 820C2012, the accused was alleged to have on June 8, 2012, at Ngodo Village, in Afikpo while in the company of others, allegedly robbed one Chief Rogers Okpani of N122,000 and assaulted him by breaking his right upper limb with a stone, contrary to Sections 516A (1) of the

Criminal Act Cap 38 Vol.4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Ebonyi State and Section 1(2) (b) of Armed Robbery and Firearms Special Provisions Act Cap R. 11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Meanwhile, counsel to the accused, Mr.Uchenna Igba, made an oral application for bail, which was opposed by police prosecutor, Inspector Ekpo Otuu, on the grounds that the offence was beyond the jurisdiction of the magistrate court.

In her ruling, the trial Magistrate, Solage Ifeanyichukwu, stressed that the court lacked the jurisdiction over the matter and adjourned it sine-die.

Senator commissions N2.5bn NDDC road project

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO—SENATOR Ita Enang, representing Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District in the Senate, weekend, inaugurated a 10 Kilometer Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, road project, valued at N2.5 billion to the 11 host communities in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Presenting the three contractors and two consultants handling the road projects to the people, Enang urged his people not to be com-

placent, but to always ask the government to do something for them. He noted that the NDDC project he had attracted to them was part of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, promise to improve the lots of Nigerians.

Enang who said he dialogued with the Commission to bring the road projects to the area to fulfill his campaign promises of attracting good roads for the people, appealed to other communities to be patient as the road project would be extended to them.

The Project Director of the

Omeri bags NIPR Fellowship

BY VICTORIA EDEMA

A

KURE—DIREC TOR General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri, will be honoured with the fellowship of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, during the on-going Annual General Meeting, AGM, of the Institute in Akure, Ondo State.

The fellowship was in recognition of Mr. Omeri’s

immense contributions to the field of public relations in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, having been a member of the organisation as well as the Federation of African Public Relations Associations, FRAPA, for several years.

The fellowship also acknowledges Mr. Omeri’s achievements in managing and sustaining a positive image for the nation as Director General of the NOA.

NITAD inducts 200 new members

L

AGOS—THE Nige rian Institute of Trainings and Development, NITAD, as part of her objectives to promote the science and practice of learning in Nigeria will induct 200 new members at its 10th induction ceremony holding on December 12, at E’tal Hotel & Halls, Oregun, Lagos.

Highlight of the event is an induction lecture to be delivered by Mr. Niyi Alabi, the company Learning Manager, Nigeria Breweries Plc on the topic: “Learning and Development in a Growing Economy: Challenges and

Prospects.”

In a statement in Lagos, NITAD President, Mr. Kayode Ogungbuyi, said the induction lecture is packaged to develop the competence of the inductees, and put them on the right track of their profession, for them to appreciate their role and contribution to national economic development.

He said as a leading training institute, NITAD is extending invitation to nonmembers to join the institute at the induction ceremony and become professional learning and development practitioners.

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—49

has a 60 percent interest produces about 200,000 barrels a day. When we did the maths using the TotalSinopec deal as a comparator, we came to the realisation that Alakija’s stake is easily worth billions of dollars.

“We showed our calculations on v e n t u r e s africa.com. At this point, we have no doubt that she is in deed, richer than Oprah.”

The complete calculation of Folorunsho

Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija.

Alakija displaces Winfrey as world richest black woman A

CCORDING to a report published

by Ventures Africa, an African business magazine and news service, Oprah Winfrey is no longer the richest black woman in the world.

Folorunsho Alakija, a Nigerian fashion designer and oil tycoon is the richest black woman in the world, and is

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worth an estimated $3.3 billion.

According to the report, which is available on Ventures Africa’s website, the richest black woman in the world is 61-year-old Alakija, who at $3.3 billion, is $500 million richer than media mogul Oprah Winfrey, whose wealth estimated at $2.7 billion in September.

Folorunsho Alakija is the founder and owner of Oil, a Nigerian oil company, which owns a 60-person working inter-

est in OML 127, an offshore oil field that produces 200,000 barrels of oil per day.

Explaining the rationale for the $3.3 billion valuation on Alakija, , Online Editor of Ventures Africa said: “Total E&P recently sold off its 20 percent stake in a similar oil field to China’s Sinopec for $2.5 billion. The oil field in question has a daily production capacity of 180,000 barrels a day.

“Similarly, OML 127 in which Famfa

Alakija’s net worth is available on http://www.ventures-africa.com.

Imaralu said: “Among other things, Ventures Africa plans to be the global leader in providing qualified prospects and intelligence on ultra high net worth, UHNW, individuals in Africa.

“Through our weekly feature, Africa’s Secret Millionaires, we traverse across the continent seeking out immensely successful, yet low-key tycoons and business leaders, who have been largely under-reported, and then tell their stories.

“We will look through financial reports, track equity holdings around stock markets, identify specific shareholding structures in privatelyheld companies and consult with everyone from fund managers to investment bankers, realtors and financial analysts to find information that has not been made public, and then we will place accurate values on the assets of these ultra-high net worth Africans.”

Ventures Africa Ventures Africa is a Pan-African business magazine and news service. It is distributed through news-stands across Africa, the U.K and the UAE. Through http://www.venturesafrica.com, Ventures Africa provides timely and up-to-date African business, financial and economic news and stock quotes. Ventures Africa seeks to champion African capitalism by celebrating African success, free enterprise, the entrepreneurial spirit, and the rewards of hard-work.

Source: PRWEB.

50—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN said the government has beaten its own record in extravagance.

“It is interesting that a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is comparing the country with ‘smaller countries’ when it comes to justifying a project that will only benefit a few elite. Does the Minister know that the citizens of the so-called smaller countries enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply? Does he know that the citizens of those countries don’t have to queue up endlessly for petrol and kerosene; that they don’t have to depend on Okada for transportation; and that they have no road as terrible as Lagos-Ibadan expressway?

"In any case, nothing can justify the decision to spend such a huge amount of money on a Banquet Hall in a country where many go to bed hungry most nights, where youth unemployment is at a high 46.5% and where projects that could make Nigeria to achieve the MDGs, less than three years to the target date, are almost nonexistent.’’

It’s a wasteful project — Sagay

Outrage greets N2.2b presidential banquet hall

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & DAPO AKINREFON

S

ENATOR Bala Mohamed’s devotion to the well being of President Goodluck Jonathan had in the past not been doubted.

As Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT with concurrent duty as landlord to the president, he had rustled not a few feathers when he named a new layout in the federal capital after President Jonathan.

Now, the minister is the subject of criticisms following his avid support support for the construction of a new N2.2 billion banquet hall in the presidential villa. It is an issue that may not die soon.

The decision to go ahead with the construction of a new banquet hall, or party hall as was widely reported by newspapers last Thursday, followed the approval of the contract by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, the day before.

Justifying the construction of

THE decision of the federal administration to construct a new N2.2 billion banquet hall in the presidential villa in the face of other development and infrastructure challenges rouses critics the new hall, Senator Mohammed had said: “We noticed that it (existing hall) is inconveniencing; it is not in tandem with what is outside the country. Even smaller countries have better Banquet Halls near their Presidential residences.”

It was an argument that has stirred stern reactions from the critical elements in the civil society and some opposition politicians. Remarkably, normally steadfast apologists of the president belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have been mute on this issue preferring not to defend the administration in what some agree is a wasteful venture.

The contract is insensitive — Aturu

Human rights activist and lawyer, Bamidele Aturu flayed the decision of the administration saying "It is unbelievable really

that the Federal Government would be talking about spending such a huge amount of money on a hall or enjoyment for owambe kind of partying, hall at this time.

I think it is quite insensitive, it does not demonstrate that the government wants Nigerians to believe that the economy is not boyant and that the government cares about the welfare of the majority of Nigerians given the immediate needs that Nigerians suffer in other areas of life given the general decay of infrastructure, the lack of good roads, the fact that our educational system has collapsed and the miserable wages that workers are paid. And this gives a lie to the kind of comments made by people like CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido that they should reduce the size of the workforce. This shows that

Sanusi lives in the moon, he does not know the problem with our economy, he does not know that the problem with our economy is waste and corruption and this kindof extravagant, reckless spending by government. I am expecting his own comment on this kind of spending.

So, it is wrong, it is unacceptable, this government must listen to Nigerians and suspend this kind of indefensible expenditure with immediate effect.

Govt is visionless — CPC

A situation where many Nigerians are hungry and you are constructing a N2.2 billion I think this government has more or less gone out of order .

I think they just wake up in the morning and think of what to do.

They don’t seem to have any plan, when you deal with plan less people, visionless leaders these are the kind of plagues that can envelop any nation.

Govt has beaten its own record in profligacy — ACN

Speaking through its national

Constitutional lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay described the proposed amount for a banquet hall at the villa as a wasteful project.

According to him “I am shocked because right now, the impression we have is that the government is short of money.

And you know there is this big debate going on now on whether the civil service should be reduced so that there will be more money for development.

So, I would have thought if we have N2.2 billion, we will use it either for roads, hospitals, universities or other developmental projects rather than a banquet hall. In my view, it is a wasteful project for now given our tight financial circumstances.”

It’s a big time fraud — Usman Bugaje

On his part, Alhaji Bugaje, a former National Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, lampooned the Federal Executive Council saying “do you even need to hear my reaction? To me, it is reckless, senseless and it is a big time fraud.”

The President is insensitive —Adabanjo

Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo said the move “shows the insensitivity of the president if at this time he is budgeting N2.2 billion for a banquet hall when everybody is shouting about the high cost of living and

Continues on page 51

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—51

FIVE YEARS AFTER:

Sunday Awoniyi's big shoes and Okun people

BY RALPH OMOLOLU GBANA

National Republican Convention (NRC). His followers testified to the fact that he did not hide his feeling that he believed that the Okun people must belong to the core politics of the North and that to do that, they must distance themselves from the politics of the South-West. He came under severe criticisms for his efforts in this regard.

However, under his leadership, his group produced the Third Republic governor and deputy governor of the newly created Kogi State, in the aborted Third Republic, precisely 1991. Despite these electoral successes, left wing politicians don't agree that Awoniyi succeeded in drafting Okun people from the left political leaning of the core Yoruba to the right wing Northern political leaning. Awoniyi, they agree, became an institution by his nationalist attributes, which

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* Ralph Omololu Agbana is media assistant (Research & Documentation) to Kogi State Governor Idris Wada.

*Awoniyi former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was remembered for falling victim of the murky and vindictive Nigerian politics culminating in his celebrated exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which he helped in its formation.

Led by Governor Idris Wada, prominent sons and daughters of Okunland and Kogi State who attended the Sunday thanksgiving service remembered Sunday Bolorunduro Ipineteyan Awoniyi as the brightest political star to have shone from the old Kabba Province and as the father of

T would have been tempting for some Nigerians who tuned in to the live telecast of last Thursday’s session of the House of Representatives to be enraged by the poor attendance that day.

At the commencement of the session just a paltry 60 members out of the 360 members were present. As the proceedings progressed, some sauntered in and out and at the end of the day, just about 115 members passed through.

Many of those who came just came to sign the attendance.

For taxpayers the downside is that the national treasury would still be depleted towards satisfying the comfort of our lawmakers whether such members are present in the session or away on frivolities.

Irrespective of their devotions to duty, the legislators would still get a full chunk of their estimated N25 million quarterly allocations and princely monthly salaries.

House members and senators had in the past been known not to miss the Thursday and Wednesday sessions when activities in the House and the senate are transmitted live by the national broadcaster, NTA. Normally truant legislators have been

modern Okun politics.

Awoniyi, many recalled, started active politics in the 1980s recruiting young politicians to help actualize his vision for the Yoruba-speaking people of the North, many of whom are still alive today.

Ideologically, the Okuns largely identified with their kith and kin in the western region which saw them embracing Action Group (AG), the mainstream Yoruba political association of the First Republic.

He worked closely with young politicians he recruited during the formative stages of the defunct

Outrage greets banquet hall Continues from page 50 poverty in the land. What special function will it perform that will warrant the new one to cost that much? All our roads are already dilapidated. Instead of building roads for us, he is busy looking for money to build a new banquet hall. It shows the insensitivity of the president.”

It’s embarrassing and scandalous — Uko

National President of the Igbo Youth Movement, IYM,

POLITICAL METABOLISM with

EMMANUEL AZIKEN detritetradetoxifiedpolitics@gmail.com SMS 08052201189

Why we must clean our House known to surface momentarily in the chamber on the days of live coverage for the purpose of being seen on television.

Legislators have also been known to keep their motions and bills for debate till the day of live coverage for the purpose of getting long PR mileage.

It was as such a shock for viewers last Thursday as the TV cameras could barely conceal the reality of an almost empty chamber.

What was seen on television last Thursday was rather depressing and reflective of the decreasing enthusiasm by not just the House members, but by an increasing proportion of Nigerians for the democratic enterprise.

The easy defence for some House officials

,

HIEF Sunday Awoniyi died five years ago aged 75 in a London hospital two weeks after he had an accident on the Kaduna-Abuja expressway on November 28, 2007. But not in the minds of friends, associates and those he mentored especially among his Okun people of Kogi State, who held a three-day programme in Mopa, to mark the fifth anniversary of his demise last week.

The memorial activities began with prayers offered at Awoniyi’s grave side in Mopa, his home town, on Wednesday, November 28, followed by caring for the widows and less privileged with a visit to special persons and uplifting of the school of the deaf and dumb on Saturday. Curtains were drawn on the ceremonies at First Baptist Church, Mopa where a thanksgiving service was held on Sunday, December 2, 2012.

Awoniyi, who would have been 80 this year, was remembered variously for his contributions towards the building of the civil service in Northern Nigeria and a network of friends and political alliances, which endured for many years.

A Yoruba of Okun descent from the North Central; a Christian and minority, who successfully led the Muslim and majority Hausa/Fulani-dominated Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), he was also remembered for his last active days, thickened by organized resistance to the tenure elongation project of

go beyond his role in Okun politics.

Okun people are republican by nature and would readily reject the modus operandi of any northbased conservative political movement as antithetical to the world view of the Okun nation.

It did not matter to them that ACF which Awoniyi led is not an ethnic organization. It is not peculiar to any ethnic group.

Therefore that Okunland has never been close to ACF was what the late former super permanent secretary learned to live with.

Some of the prominent Okun persons the late Awoniyi influenced their rise in their chosen careers included late Acting Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ahmadu Sheidu, Dr. Roland Adeleye and Dr. Eyitayo Aiyetoro, both former federal commissioners among others.

Whether they like Ihedioha or not, members should put commitment to duty above every other personal bias

,

for the poor attendance last Thursday could be the ongoing budget defence session.

Besides the budget defence session, another reason that has been suggested

Evangelist Elliot Uko said at a time the country was facing huge socio-economic problems the N2.2 billion contract for a banquet hall was embarrassing.

"It is very embarrassing. The country is sick; we are being bombed everyday and Nigerians are in despondency. For us, the contract is embarrassing and scandalous because there is frustration in the land with a large army of unemployed people roaming the streets and nothing is being done to provide them a source of livelihood.’’

for the poor attendance was the absence of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal. In his absence, his deputy, Chief Emeka Ihedioha presided. For whatever reason, many members it seems do not seem to flow well with the deputy speaker.

Some perceive him as stuck-up and unapproachable, but that is only an impression that may have arisen from the Deputy Speaker’s personal mannerism, choices, or biases. That should not be a reason for a serious legislator to put off his duties.

Whether they like Ihedioha or not, members should put commitment to duty above every other personal bias.

Seeing that many Nigerians have given up on the executive retracing its steps from unpopular policies and corruption inclined officials, the legislature remains the hope of many Nigerians.

It as such behooves the House and its officials that they guard themselves against allegations of impropriety in character and conduct.

Besides being seen to be punctual and dedicated to duty, the House should also be seen to be above board in the eyes of right thinking members of the public!

52—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Commanding Officer of NNS Pathfinder, identified the Navy’s own frustration as stemming from the nation’s tardy justice system which he said more often than not fail to ensure speedy and conclusive prosecution of pirates and bunkering suspects brought before the court after being apprehended.

“These are some of the challenges. How many of them have we apprehended and charged for various offences and criminalities in the waterways. It takes a lot of time and processes to arraign and prosecute them.

And how many of them have been tried to a logical conclusion with judgement passed?” he asked rhetorically.

Commodore Fadeyi was lamenting these challenges while parading seven suspects arrested along the Bonny Waterways on suspicion of sea piracy a week before the JTF’s raid. He said there was need to look at the laws to make for provisions ensuring quick dispensation of justice against illegal oil bunkering suspects, kidnappers and pirates operating in the waterways.

*Parade of suspects arrested in connection with illegal oil bunkering by the JTF

War against oil theft: JTF, Navy cry out against twin evils of frustration

Special courts

••finger oil coys, ineffective justice system Opts Pulo Shield fingers IOCs as Navy flays delayed, ineffective justice system for frustrating war against sea pirates, kidnappers and oil thieves.

I

N its task to stamp out crude oil theft and sabotage in the nation’s oil industry, the operational diary of the Joint Task Force, JTF, a.k.a Pulo Shield, is filled with successful crack down on different gangs of saboteurs in illegal oil bunkering, vandals of oil installations or audacious locals who source the stolen crude for the clandestine fast business of makeshift local refining of petroleum products.

Hardly a week passes without the JTF announcing one major raid or onslaught against the oil thieves with suspects apprehended and a checklist of seized paraphernalia employed in the booming oil theft presented as evidence of one more mission accomplished.

Between 14th and 15th November, for instance, the spokesman for the Sector 2 Command of the JTF, Major Michael Etete, proclaimed another of the frequent raids on the oil thieves in Rivers State.

In the said raid against oil thieves and illegal refinery operators in Omuma, Bille Km C M Y K

45, and Elilakire all in Degema local government area, Etete reported eight suspects apprehended by troops of the JTF and handed over to men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Rivers Command. This was aside the destruction of three wooden boats loaded with 55 empty drums, five speed boats, one illegal local refinery with five surface tanks for storage and one underground tank and another wooden boat loaded with illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, in the same operation.

JTF, Navy take role of accusers Recently, as Major Etete announced yet another onslaught against the oil thieves, the army spokesman did so with a cry over a basic frustration Operation Pulo Shield suffers in its task of putting the oil thieves out of business. Though it was not the first time the JTF would point fingers at perceived detractors throwing spanners in the wheel of their efforts, the fact that the recent fingers pointed to a least expected quarter made it thought

provoking.

Etete lamented: “The JTF pledges its continued readiness to fight oil theft and illegal bunkering in the area, but we are sorry to say that the oil companies are frustrating our efforts.” That frustration, he explained, regards perceived indifference of oil multinationals to timely fix illegal loaded points found opened up on the crude supply lines by the oil thieves.

against oil theft due to continued use by the criminals. This is highly frustrating.”

The task force, therefore, urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to cause SPDC to repair and clamp these uncovered point to forestall continued use by the oil thieves.

When contacted, spokesperson for SPDC, Mr. Precious Okolobo said he has heard of the complaint by the JTF and would

He said there was need to look at the laws to make for provisions ensuring quick dispensation of justice against illegal oil bunkering suspects, kidnappers and pirates operating in the waterways

,

BY EGUFE YAFUGBROHI, PORT HARCOURT

Citing a case in point, Etete noted that the “Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, inability to repair and or even clamp over 70 illegal loading points discovered over the past one year in the Sector 2 Command’s area of operations is adversely affecting the fight

,

offer a response later.

However, the JTF was not alone in expressing its frustration.

The Nigeria Naval Command, NNS Pathfinder, in Rivers State also expressed a peculiar frustration barely 24 hours after the JTF’s outcry.

Commodore Victor Fadeyi,

He equally recommended special courts charged with trial of illegal bunkering, kidnap and piracy suspects as a measure towards ensuring a speedy and effective justice system against these categories of criminals in society.

More arrests: Following the Navy’s arrest of seven on November 13 and the JTF’s apprehension of eight other suspects between 14th and 15th of this month, a Joint Team comprising the Army, Navy, Air Force, the SSS, Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps paraded six teenagers, four boys and two girls, on Tuesday November 20 in Port Harcourt.

Commanding Officer, NNS Pathfinder, Commodore O. V. Fadeyi, who read a briefing on the development said the latest arrest was sequel to the arrest of seven pirates by the Nigerian Navy which he said provided useful information leading to the crackdown on the six suspects in a nine-hour operation at Ke and Pero-Kparakama communities in Degema locality of Rivers where the JTF also held eight suspects days back.

Displayed recovered items from paraded suspects include four AK 47, I FN rifle, a pistol, 212 rounds of 7.62 ammunitions, four Nokia phones, a file of documents, eight matchets and N530,000.00 cash. “Additionally, 51 illegal refineries and four Cotonou boats were destroyed during the operations,” Commodore Fadeyi informed.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012—53

The kidnap suspects paraded yesterday

Police parade 4 employees, 5 others out to kidnap their employer ceived by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko.

“Upon receipt of the informaHE Police in Lagos have tion, Manko directed the Area arrested nine suspected Commander, Area E, Assistant members of a kidnap syndicate Commissioner of Police (ACP), whose attempt to abduct and Dan Okoro, to investigate the murder the Managing Director allegation.

Acting on Manko’s directive, and Finance Controller of YF ACP Okoro reportedly swung Construction Company located in Ikoyi area of the state, was into action during which he discovered that some hoodlums foiled.

Surprisingly, four of the suspects were discovered to be employees of the company. The duo of Patrick Omosafe (35) and Mohammed Isah who were exstaff of the construction firm, allegedly masterminded the foiled kidnap of their boss, whom they accused of paying them meagre salaries.

Patrick and Isah who were both drivers to the CEO (names withheld) reportedly contacted four kidnappers from Abuja to had arranged to assassinate the abduct their boss and also at- two Lebanese on November 30, tack a bullion van that would be and to also attack a bullion van conveying the company’s money to the bank.

BY EVELYN USMAN & ONOZURE DANIA

T

conveying millions of naira, belonging to the company. ”ACP Dan Okoro and his team embarked on an undercover surveillance at Rockview Hotel, FESTAC, Lagos, where three of the gang namely, Omosafe Patrick, driver; Monday Moris Echoda and Mohamed, also a driver were awaiting the arrival of others. Four members o f the gang who were lured from Abuja to Lagos to join their

EFCC counsel, Mr Takiyudeen Arabi, alleged that Adedayo, a medical doctor, turned stock broker,fraudulently debited N41 million from the account of one of the company’s customers

Intelligence report The plan on how to abduct the MD and possibly murder him as gathered, was hatched in two hotels located in Festac Town and Ikoyi, with the D-Day fixed for November 30, 2012.

But the bubble burst, as policemen attached to Area E, Festac acting on tip off, apprehended the suspects.

Parading the suspects before newsmen, yesterday, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, said they were arrested based on an intelligence report re-

gang in another hotel were subsequently arrested.”

She listed other members of

the gang as Oshussein Abel, Musa Salifu, Godwin Onuh Onoja, Wisdom Awanrin, Oshussien Abel, 27; Musa Salifu, 28; Godwin Onoja, 26; and Wisdom Awanrin, 30.

The suspects from Abuja as gathered, fortified themselves with charms.

Va n g u a r d Lagos police commissioner, Umar Manku reliably gathered that their plan was to dress cause it is common for staff of in suits, posing as men of the the company to complain about State Security Service (SSS) poor wages”. and intercept the bullion van.

According to Patrick, the alleged mastermind, “We were all Complaints about supposed to meet at Falomo, where our insider would compoor wages municate to us on telephone the However, Nathan, 29, who time the bullion van conveying was a former driver to the MD, the company’s money would be denied having anything to do passing. Then, we would use with the foiled kidnap attempt. our own vehicle to hit it which But on the part of the Assis- would make the vehicle stop tant Human Resource Manag- and thereafter, carry out our oper, Emmanuel Fuere Osunde, eration. But we were surprised he said: “I have heard Nathan when our man in the company threatening to kidnap the MD turned out to be among those because of the poor salary. But who arrested us.”

I did not want to report him be-

30 yr old nursing mother, charged with stealing N41m

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, yesterday, arraigned a 30-yearold nursing mother, Ibukun Adedayo, for allegedly stealing N41 million from a customer’s account.

Adedayo, a medical doctor, turned stock broker, had earlier been docked before Justice Habeeb Abiru of an Ikeja High Court.

Adebayo, is facing a 24-count charge bordering on stealing, forgery and uttering. The defendant who resides at 5, Reservation Road, GRA, Ilorin, had pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against her.

EFCC counsel, Mr Takiyudeen Ara-

bi, alleged that Adedayo had committed the offences while she was the head of Structured Financial Group of Ventures and Trust Ltd, an investment company.

Arabi alleged that the defendant had between June and November 2008, fraudulently debited N41 million from the account of one of the company’s customers, Mrs Olajumoke Obafemi.

He said Adedayo had credited the money into the account of her personal company, Manamachi Technobuild Services, with Zenith Bank Plc. According to him, the defendant also forged various e-mails purportedly sent by the complainant, instructing the

monies to be transferred from her account. He said her alleged offences had contravened Sections 390, 467 and 468 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.

However, Justice Lateefa Okunnu, while ruling on the bail application filed by her counsel, Mrs Olukemi Omotosho, granted her bail in the sum of N10million with two sorties, who must be gainfully employed, in like sum.

She said that one of the sureties must own property in Lagos State and that the property, should be verified by the court registrars. She further adjourned the matter till Feburary 20, 2013, for trial.

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56—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Boko Ha ram: We'll dialogue if you come out of hiding—FG

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT TEAM: Chairman, Economic Management Team, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala (middle); Chairman, IBTC, Mr. Atedo Peterside (right); Chairman Visafone, Mr. Jim Ovia (left) and Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi , during the meeitng of the Economic Management Team presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at State House, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

How Boko Haram attack left us ‘half-dead', victims tell court

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—TWO sur vivors of the bomb blast that rocked the office of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Suleja, Niger State, on the eve of the April 16, 2011, presidential election, Kayode Olatunji and Musa Audu, yesterday, narrated before a Federal High Court in Abuja, how the assailants left them almost dead.

Olatunji, who is a 300 level student of University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, while testifying before the court yesterday, said he had gone to check his name on the list of adhoc staff engaged by the electoral body for the purpose of the presidential poll, when the explosion went off.

The victim, who recalled the incident with nostalgia, told the court that the impact of the blast left him with multiple fractures and nose, ear and eye injuries. He said he had to undergo flesh grafting to be able to stand on his two legs again.

He said the explosion went off at about 5 pm on that day, noting that, “I was stocked to find myself in the midst of dead bodies.”

He said: “When I recovered minutes after the explosion, I saw myself enmeshed in the blood of a woman torn open by the blast. We

were taken to the General Hospital Suleja and left there without treatment for hours before we were later evacuated to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital. Five Specialists attended to me during the ten months of my stay in the hospital but my situation has not fully been addressed.

“I could neither see well nor hear very well, just as I could not walk without the support of crutches.”

Audu's evidence

Meanwhile, in his own evidence, Audu, a teacher with Girls' Secondary

School, Suleja, said he also went to check the INEC ad-hoc staff shortlist when he heard a “big bang”.

Audu said he became unconscious as a result of the explosion.

He said: “I discovered the flesh of my legs was cut open. I was lying with dead bodies, some of the bodies were dismembered and I began to cry for help. When help came, I managed to crawl from the lifeless bodies.

“The hospital carried out bone and flesh grafting on my left leg and I still cannot walk without

support.”

Incriminating evidence

Earlier, a computer forensic expert from the State Security Service, SSS, simply identified as Mr. Reuben, told the trial court that he had investigated a cell-phone confiscated from one of the suspects and found it to contain incriminating elements.

“In that cell-phone, pictures of how to make bombs, assault rifles, military uniforms and bombs were found,” he added.

ACN flays FG over N2.2bn banquet hall

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HE Action Con gress of Nigeria, ACN, has raised alarm over what it called the reckless extravagance of the Jonathan Administration, saying it could plunge the country into bankruptcy if left unchecked.

In a statement issued in Ilorin on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it was totally unacceptable that a government which has not made a positive impact on Nigerians would engage in such wastage.

It said the government has now beaten its own record for profligacy by its decision to build a N2.2 billion banquet hall in Aso Rock Presidential Villa, describing it as a

white elephant project.

He said: ‘’It is interesting that a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is comparing the country with smaller countries when it comes to justifying a project that

will only benefit a few elite. Does the Minister know that the citizens of the so-called smaller countries enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply?"

PUBLIC NOTICE THE ASCENDANT OF THE DIVINE HOLY ORDER OF MISHEN. Replacement of Trustees and Notification of Change of Name and Address of a Trustee.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for the appointment of New Trustees in replacement of the Three Trustees who have ceased to be members of the Organization in accordance with clause 7 (b) (ii) of the Constitution of the organization, and for change of name and address of another Trustee, under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES WHO HAVE CEASED TO BE MEMBERS. 1. ELDER JOSEPH AJIBADE AKINYEMI. 2. ELDER MOSES AKANBI AJIBADE. 3. ELDER JOSAIAH AKINTOYE OLUWATUDIMU NEW TRUSTEES 1. ELDER DAVID AKINOLA DIJI. 2. ELDER OLUWAFIJIMI ADEWALE ENIOLA AKINYEMI 3. ELDER ISHMAIL OLUSESAN AKINBO CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS. BEFORE: ELDER QUEEN EUMMAMA ADEBISI ADENIYI. 18 Oyewunmi Close, Surulere, Lagos.

NOW: ELDER QUEEN EUMMAMA ADEBISI SALAKO. 23 Ajoke Lewis Close, New Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos.

Any objection to these changes should be forwarded in writing to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

BUJA—MINIS TER of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, said yesterday that the Federal Government had not ruled out dialogue with the Boko Haram sect provided they were ready to come out from their hiding place. This is just as the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has vowed that no officer found culpable in dereliction of duty over attack on the headquarters of the Special AntiRobbery Squad headquarters in Abuja, would be spared.

Erelu Obada spoke when she received the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Chris Cooter and the Canadian Military Attaché, Col. J. G. Savard, in her office.

The Minister explained that as much as the government was ready and willing to use dialogue to restore peace to the part of the North

where the sect is unleashing mayhem, the leadership of the Boko Haram sect has not helped matters by remaining underground.

Meanwhile, as investigations into last week’s attack by gunmen on the headquarters of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad headquarters in Abuja are being concluded, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has vowed that no officer found culpable in dereliction of duty, would be spared.

“We are investigating the entire saga and what led to the attack on SARS. After the investigation, heads must roll," he said.

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58 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5 ,

2012

How man defrauded 129 prospective tenants of N25m •Some of the victims protesting at the SCID Panti.

By IFEANYI OKOLIE

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HE quiet atmosphere hitherto witnessed at Church Street in Ajao Estate area of Lagos was recently truncated, following an uproar by some persons who gathered in front of a building located at number 3.

The disgruntled individuals numbering over 100, were later discovered to be prospective tenants who paid for apartments in the building which was near completion, only to discover that they had been swindled by the developer, one Abdulahi Osani.

The prospective tenants as gathered, paid as much as N200,000 and above for a room, self-contained and twobedroom flats with the hope to collect the keys from Osani one week after payment, which unfortunately, was never to be.

One of the victims, Udechi Ikechukwu, a staff of Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN, told Crime Alert that he read an advert on the lease of vacant apartments on a pasted bill on the wall and immediately contacted Osani on the telephone number on the flier. “ He informed me that the apartments available were four self-contained apartments and two mini-flats. He said I should hurry down to number 3 Church Street, Ajao Estate, where the building was located, to have a view of it. And because I have been searching for an apartment for long, I

rushed to the said address where I met Osani at the front of a storey building which was under going some renovation.

He took me round and said he would give each of the apartments out for N250, 000, with agent and agreement fee for N50, 000 each,totaling N100,000. He also said he would accept one year rent if I was interested.

I bargained for N230, 000, which he accepted and gave me an account number to deposit the money and bring the teller for him. I paid on November 13, 2012 and brought the bank teller to him, after which he issued me a receipt and asked me to give him some time to put finishing touches on the apartments, assuring I

•The suspect, Abdulahi

•The building in contention

would move in by December 5 , 2012” But two days later , he got the shock of his life after he received a call from one of his friends , informing him of the uproar at the building.

“I quickly rushed to the building, only to find people struggling to move their property into the apartments.

Next day, I went to t h e S t a t e Criminal Investigation Department (SCID)

t o lodge a complaint, only to be told I was the 129 th person that paid for the apartment.

I felt like

dying because I never envisaged I would be defrauded just like that. The most painful aspect of it is that I paid for the apartment with the hope to start planning to get married the moment I moved in. Now,I have no place of my own, I have been moving from one place to the other.” He lamented.

Crime Alert When approached Abudulahi Osani, the man at the centre of the controversy, he showed no sign of remorse for his action .

Rather,he bluntly asked to be given some time to refund the prospective tenants their money.

The genesis of my story “I was formerly into importation. I was importing kitchen equipments with a cooperative society. But after some trips, the Federal Government placed a ban on the importation of the items

•Some of the receipts issued to the victims following which the consignment we imported then were classified as contraband and were consequently seized by the Customs. I lost all my money in that business and I became hopeless and started feeding from hand to mouth.

Since I read Civil Engineering at the university, people advised me to go into real estate development. Along the line I found a family who wanted me to develop a three -room apartment for them at Ilaje area of Bariga Lagos. I invested the Continue on page 37

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5 , 2012—59

Continue from page 36 sum of N1.5m into that project but something happened along the line which made me lose my money. That was in 2009.

Since then, I never got another project until this one at Ajao Estate that brought me here. The building belongs to the family of Alabi-Ore and it was leased to me for 10 years.

The building was a deck -down building and it has no edifice on it. I came with half a million naira and started construction

by March this year..

What was supposed to be on it was six apartments but the entrance to the decking was formed into the apartment and I had to reject it by shifting the staircase to the side. The apartments were four mini flats and two one- room self contained. The apartments were meant for only six occupants”Osani stated.

The agent sold the idea to me

A

s the construction was on-going,I exhausted my money and the project was down for about two months.

Along the line, an agent came and asked why I stopped construction and when I told him the reason, he said he had some people who would be interested to rent the apartments. That was how they started bringing prospective tenants who paid N200,000, for two years, with agreement and agent fee N50,000N50,000, totaling N500,000. I gave the agent N30,000 for each person he brought. At the end of the day, I collected money from a total of 129 people which amounted to over N25million and gave N250, 000 to Alhaji Atanda while I spent the rest on the project.

While I was collecting money from this people I knew their number had exceeded the available apartment. But I had the intention of refunding the money back to those who are not able to get accommodation at the end of the day .

I have apologized to them and I have also begged the police to give me three months to pay them . Currently I don’t have such money in my account but I have a job in Bayelsa state that will fetch me N15million”, he stated.

Meanwhile the Lagos State Real Estate Transaction Department, an outfit formed by the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, to investigate real estate and landed property scam within the state has waded into the case with a view to assisting victims get quick justice.

Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide on her part, said the police would not leave any stone unturned in their investigation.

Para-military organizations spoiling for a showdown with Interior Ministry

By DONALD ARJI

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FFICERS of agencies under the Ministry of Interior are reportedly spoiling for a showdown with top management staff of the ministry, following alleged overbearing tendencies of a top official in the ministry. Investigations revealed that the officers are worried that the attitude of the top official could constitute an obstacle to the smooth and efficient discharge of mandates of Para-military organizations under the ministry.

A source at the Nigeria Immigration Service who pleaded anonymity, accused the top official of demonstrating obvious and unacceptable dictatorship in the conduct of his supervisory roles. According to the source, the official, gives out orders with impunity and expects his reckless orders to be obeyed, notwithstanding its cost to public interest.

The source cited some of the official’s alleged excesses and acts of impunity to include unilateral withholding of the promotion list of Deputy Comptrollers-General of Immigration and insistence on the inclusion of an Idoma top officer in the list; withdrawal of list of deployment of senior officers recently affected by the promotion in the Service.

According to the source, this has created confusion in the Service as a

number of senior Immigration Officers are stranded without schedules in Commands and Formations they wereserving in prior to their promotion.

Crime Alert findings revealed that some Assistant Comptrollers-General are heading State Commands contrary to the policy of the Service which allows only officers of the rank of Comptroller to be in-charge at that level. Worse still, there are Commands our investigations found to have more than one Comptroller. All officers interviewed are united in their submission that this unusual development does not augur well for the Service as it has created operational difficulties, leaving many senior officers without schedules.

According to a source at the Service Headquarters, the actions of the official are having a toll on the level of discipline in the Service nationwide and generally slowing down service delivery.

All the officers Crime Alert spoke to at Immigration Service alleged that the official was pursuing ethnic agenda,using his position to serve only the interest of officers of Idoma extraction. According to information gathered, he imposes the choice of Idoma officers on the leadership of the Service,either for local or foreign posting. promotion and courses.

At the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the story is not different. Sources there also accused the official of using his position to foster only the interest of Idoma people as

My late mother talked me into vandalism — suspect

By DONALD ARJI

1

8-year-old Ahmed Rafiu who was arrested last week in Ojo area of Lagos State for allegedly vandalizing cables, stunned members of the neighborhood watch in the area with the accusation that his late mother lured him into vandalism.

Rafiu, who confessed to be the only child of his parents, reportedly scaled the fence of a hotel around the vicinity and vandalized some cables.

But to the astonishment of all, he confessed to have started the heinous crime four years ago, stating also that he used the proceeds from the sales of the cables to feed his family.

Hear him: “ I am the first and only child of my parents. When I was 14 years old, my late mother called me into her room and talked me into vandalism because of the financial problems that our family was passing through. Since then, I have been vandalizing cables, sold them and used the proceed to feed my family. I sold them to ready buyers at Alaba International market at give away prices. And when she died, I could not do without it”.

Explaining how he was arrested, leader of the neighborhood watch, Alhaji Saka Owoyami, said.’ We were on our routine watch at Igbede, when one of my boys noticed someone crawling out of a hotel with a bag. We apprehended him and when the bag was searched, we discovered it contained some cables.

We, thereafter, handed him over to the police at Ajangbadi division for further investigation and possible prosecution” .

•Ahmed Rafiu

though he was appointed to serve them alone.

According to a source at the Corps, “he ensured that Benue State took majority of the positions during the recent replacement exercise in the Civil Defence Corps, with the Idoma tribe usurping more than 90% of the chances.”

The official was also alleged to have halted the promotion of DCGs in the Nigerian Prisons Service for over one year for what observers in the Service considered aimed at serving his pecuniary interest. It took Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) obtaining approval of the Presidency to promote top officers on the authentic list of their DCGs before the top official, who was set on collision course with NPS authorities, to forward the much delayed list of the agency to the Presidency, a close source at Prisons Service revealed.

Recent events at the Ministry of Interior revealed that the top official is not only battling with officers and men of the Para-military agencies under his ministry as earlier last month (November), job seekers besieged his office in Abuja protesting against his top aides who were accused of operating a syndicate to reap them off. Some of the protesters alleged that the aides collected large sums of money from them and promised to get them jobs in the Para-military agencies under the Ministry to no avail.

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Protest force Mursi out of Presidential palace E

GYPTIAN police battled thousands of protesters outside President Mohamed Mursi’s palace in Cairo yesterday, prompting the Islamist leader to leave the building, two presidential sources said.

Police fired teargas at demonstrators angered

by Mursi’s drive to hold a referendum on a new constitution on December 15. Some broke through police lines around his palace and protested next to the perimeter wall.

Several thousand people had gathered nearby in what they dubbed “last warning” protests against Mursi, who infuriated opponents with a November 22

decree that expanded his powers. “The people want the downfall of the regime,” the crowd chanted.

“The president left the palace,” a presidential source, who declined to be named, told Reuters.

A security source at the presidency also said the president had left the building.

Mursi ignited a storm of unrest in his bid to prevent a judiciary still packed with appointees of ousted predecessor Hosni Mubarak from derailing a troubled political transition.

Riot police at the palace faced off against activists chanting “leave, leave” and holding Egyptian flags with “no to the

•Protesters accuse Morsi of trying to rush through a restrictive constitution. constitution” written on them. Protesters had assembled near mosques in northern Cairo before marching towards the

palace.

“Our marches are against tyranny and the void constitutional decree and we won’t retract our

Obama, Speaker, Govs parley over fiscal cliff

W

ITH a few weeks remaining before the onset of “fiscal cliff,” a bipartisan delegation of governors are expected to meet with President Barack Obama and congressional leaders in search of some answers about the impact of deficit reduction measures on their state budgets, which rely heavily on federal aid.

Federal grants to the states comprise about a third of state revenues in the United States, according to the Pew Center on the States.

Cutbacks in federal

U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L, facing camera) meets with members of the National Governors Association (NGA) Executive committee contracting due to the automatic budget cuts set for January 1 will also reduce employment levels regionally, with the heaviest impact expected

in areas with large numbers of defense contractors.

The governors making the rounds Tuesday, who hold leadership positions

in the National Governors Association, are Democrats Jack Markell of Delaware, Mark Dayton of Minnesota and Mike Beebe of Arkansas and Republican Gary Herbert of Utah, Scott Walker of Wisconsin and Mary Fallin of Oklahoma.

The so-called fiscal cliff refers to combination of government spending cuts and tax rises due to be implemented under existing law starting New Year’s Day that may cut the federal budget deficit but also tip the economy back into recession.

NATO, US warn Syria on chemical arms

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he United States of America and the North Atlantic Traety Organization have warned Syria against using chemical weapon against its citizens.

US President Barack Obama and the Secretary General , Anders Fogh Rasmussen told Syrian President Bashar alAssad yesterday that any use of chemical weapons in his fight against encroaching rebel forces would be met by an immediate international response At a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Mr Rasmussen said their use would be “ c o m p l e t e l y unacceptable”.

The foreign ministers are expected to approve the deployment of Patriot anti-missile batteries to Turkey.

The move was designed

to defend Turkey’s border with Syria. Activists say more than 40,000 people have been killed since the Syrian uprising against President Assad

began in March 2011.

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country and another 2.5 million are displaced within its borders.

Ghana begins presidential election

By CLIFFORD NDUJIHE (with agency report)

T

HE Ghana 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections began yesterday with members of the security services casting their ballots ahead of the general polls holding on Friday.

Eight Presidential candidates drawn from seven political

parties,one independent are vying for the topmost job of the republic.

The incumbent President, John Dramani Mahama, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is seeking reelection while the leading opposition candidate and former Vice President, Mr. Nana Akufo-Ado of the National Patriotic Party, (NPP) is hoping to take

his seat.

Interestingly, Mr. Mahama is contesting for his first term. He is former Vice President who became President after the demise of President John Evans Atta-Mills who diedon July 24 2012. Mahama was the former Minister of Communication under former President Jerry Rawlings.

position until our demands are met,” said Hussein Abdel Ghany, a spokesman for an opposition coalition of liberal, leftist and other disparate factions.

Despite the latest protests, there has been only a limited response to opposition calls for a

mass campaign of civil disobedience in the Arab world’s most populous country and cultural hub, where many people yearn for a return to stability.

A few hundred protesters gathered earlier near Mursi’s house in a suburb east of Cairo, chanting slogans against his decree and against the Muslim Brotherhood, from which the president emerged to win a free election in June. Police closed the road to stop them from coming any closer, a security official said.

Opposition groups have accused Mursi of making a dictatorial power grab to push through a constitution drafted by an assembly dominated by Islamists, with a referendum planned for December 15.

Parties slam INEC’s bid for more powers Continues from page 5 problem is when people at home are disenfranchised is it when you include people abroad that you will enfranchise everyone? I think it is another way to have more voters than what we have in the voters’ register.”

The criticisms against the proposals were poohpoohed by the PDP which claimed that anyone opposed to severe punishment for election cheats was an enemy of the new Nigeria being fashioned by the PDP federal administration.

Speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP said: “The PDP supports severe punishment for electoral offenders because the president has already said that one of his legacies would be democratic rights and free and fair elections. So, anybody that participates in electoral fraud, forgery or rigging of votes should be dealt with severely.

The party completely supports the view of the president that we should have free and fair elections. So, anybody that talks against it is an enemy of the state and

should be dealt with severely.”

“In the case of autonomy of INEC we will allow the National Assembly to deal with it.

We have every confidence and faith in the National Assembly as presently constituted to handle the matter.”

Constitutional lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay welcomed the proposals on punishment for electoral cheats and Diaspora voting, but was, however, cautious on the INEC request for power to disqualify candidates.

“For as long as there is provision for the INEC decision on disqualification to be challenged in court, there is nothing wrong with it,” Sagay said yesterday.

Founder of the OPC, Dr. Fasehun also endorsed the INEC requests for Diaspora voting and sanctioning of electoral offenders. He, however, said that a 10 year ban on electoral cheats was too light and suggested at least a 20 year ban because according to him, electoral offence is a major act of corruption.

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62 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Images of Eko 2012 as captured by Henry Unini

Olowora Aminat (C) en route winning in the 5000m women finals.

Okechukwu Alfa of Delta State putts the shot in the men's F55/56 category.

Olowora Aminat celebrates her victory in the women's 5000m .

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Hassan Yinusa of Rivers State jubilates after coming tops in the men's 20km walk race

Kasie Ogeh of Delta State throws the javelin during the women's finals. she threw a distance of 40.17m to win gold.

Athletes off the blocks in the women's 100m heat.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012 — 63

Eko 2012: National Sports Festival

56,000 condoms shared

BY JACOB AJOM

ORMER Nigerian quarter miler and Olympic bronze medallist, Falilat Ogunkoya is hopeful Team Ogun would do well in track and field events of the 18th National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012.

Falilat who is Team Ogun’s athletics coordinator was emphatic that her team would pick up medals in athletics.. “We

AIDS DAY . . . Former Super Eagles Stars (Team Eagles), Actors, Musicians & Comedians (Team Entertainers), pose with the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon rtd standing 4th from the right in the 2nd roll at a Novelty Match to commemorate the World AIDS Day in Lagos

Why we failed — Coach Saleh

BY JACOB AJOM

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OACH Manga Saleh arrived Lagos for the 18 th National Sports Festival full of optimism. He led the Gombe State Volleyball male team to the Games. They did the

Boxing Continues from B/P the head in disappointment and using some harsh words to describe the events in boxing. He spoke further: “First, the venue was not good enough. Using the gym as venue for a festival of this magnitude showed that officials and organisers lacked the depth to appreciate boxing. Then the boxers the states paraded were awful. I went to see boxing bouts but I did not see boxers.

The states are not helping matters in our sports development.

And if the states can’t get it right, then we should all forget about developing sports in this country. It is the responsibility of the states to produce athletes before the national bodies will take over. And where the states are not C M Y K

BY MMACHI ILECHUKWU

F

I

N 2004, the IOC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, agreeing to use its leverage to help combat the dreaded AIDS/HIV. As part of its commitment to fighting the dreaded disease, the IOC distributes hundreds of thousands of condoms to athletes at the Olympic Games.

Eko 2012 Sports Festival has not been different as the medical subcommittee has distributed thousands of condoms to athletes, coaches and technical officials participating in the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival.

As at Monday, Sports Vanguard checks revealed that over 35,000 male and 21,000 female condoms have been given out at the various centres.

Ogunkoya hopeful for team Ogun

producing, then there’s big problem.

The boxers I saw were not good at all. They were no boxers. They fought like people who were not coached at all.

They were wrongly selected and wrongly coached. It is a shame, a big one for a country that once had a future in the sport. I also blame the media for not raising enough alarm on what is happening to boxing.

Without the media we can not develop sports and the earlier our sports journalists realised this the better.

They are more interested in foreign news than what is happening here in our country. For now, I count them as among those responsible for the plunge our sports, especially boxing, has taken. Boxing is dead in Nigeria. It doesn’t exist anymore. Nigeria can do better.”

best they could but their best was not good enough as they could not get to the medal zone. “As a sportsman, I see it as a challenge.

Before you set out for a competition, you should expect it could end either way. You win some and you lose

some. We will go back and work harder as this is not the end of life,” he said.

“Once your psyche is low, everything will follow that same way.

The Rivers boys were psychologically superior and they deservedly carried the day.”

Bayelsa, Rivers carry oil well feud to Eko 2012

BY BEN EFE The bad blood brewing between Bayelsa and Rivers States over Oil wells in neighboring communities seem to have boiled over to the 18 th National Sports Festival in Lagos.

The bone of contention was a Bayelsa State swimmer who was snatched by Rivers State. The athlete in question won gold in her event and Bayelsa

State officials launched a protested immediately, claiming that the swimmer was ineligible to compete for Rivers having not spent up to six months as stipulated in the residency clause.

It was gathered from Bayelsa officials that a top government official has instructed that the matter be pursued to a logical conclusion to prevent Rivers from getting the gold.

Barca, Brila FM strike Champions League deal Nigeria’s solely licensed sports radio, 88.9 Brila FM is set to add to its already loaded and exciting content as the station obtains the exclusive rights to air the Champion’s League commentaries of

matches of Barcelona FC of Spain in Nigeria.

The deal takes effect today, when the station takes live commentaries straight from the Camp Nou when the Blaugrana lock horns against Benfica in the competition.

are here to do our best and I hope our best will be good enough for medals.

We are ready, like any other team,” she said.

Ogunkoya was particularly hopeful because she believes in hard work, an area she said Ogun State athletes had been drilled on. “We have conditioned them and all of them are in competitive mood. I believe we are ready because I believe in hard work.”

Delta stops Lagos

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ELTA state women’s Volley ball team was outstanding yesterday as it defeated Team Lagos in the semi finals of the ongoing Eko 2012 National Sports Festival.

The team won the encounter in three straight sets leaving some of the Lagos

players in tears.

A member of the victorious Delta State team, Miss Ngozi Nwosu who spoke to our reporter said “the feeling is great.

We feel so awesome and we knew right from the start that this victory is ours for the taking”

Tyson Continues from B/P actress, but still sleeping with her.

He told a US radio show: “This day, someone beat me to the

punch. I guess Brad got there earlier than I did.

“I was mad as hell. You should have seen his face when he saw me.”

Brad escaped unscathed.

U-18 championships Continues from B/P added that she was thrilled winning her first nationally recognized title.

“Competition at the U n d e r - 1 8 Championships was very tough for me. I had to train harder for the National Sports Festival and I am very excited winning my first gold.

“I can only hope that this will be the beginning of good things to come in athletics for me,” said the athlete who was raised by Coach Johnny Igboka’s sports Academy in Nimo, Anambra State.

That itself became like an albatross on her neck, as Rivers State protested citing the residency clause in the eligibility rule.

Athletics Federation of Nigeria technical

officials acknowledged the protest, but they stated that the Rivers’ protest did not come within the 30 minutes time limit given for all protests and so Kasie will keep her gold for Delta.

In some of the events concluded yesterday, Delta state dominated the track and field. In the Men’s shot put Ifenayi Nwoke of Delta took the gold with 16.14m, Eke Kalu of Abia was good enough for the silver with 15.63m; Tochuwku Onejewu of Delta took bronze with 14.98m Aminat Olowora won the women 5000m with 18.47.89seconds; Deborah Pam of Delta took silver with 18.58.96seconds.

The men and women 100m will be decided today.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012

Tyson: I found my ex in bed with Brad Pitt

F

Eko 2012: National Sports Festival

ORMER world boxing champ Mike Tyson has claimed he once walked in on his ex-wife having sex with Brad Pitt.

The heavyweight said he caught the Hollywood hunk with Robin Givens in the 1980s — when Tyson was divorcing the Continues on Page 63

Tyson Awkward moment ... but Brad Pitt escaped when Mike Tyson caught him with his ex-wife

Boxing shocker for Nigeria U-18 championships tougher than festival —Javelin champion

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

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ORMER Boxing Association Chairman, David Johnson yesterday walked out of the boxing arena of the ongoing National Sports Festival, hissing, lamenting and even cursing over the poor standard of boxing , a sport that once counted for Nigeria in

BY BEN EFE

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ELTA State continued their gold rush at the 18 th National Sports Festival with Ugeh Kasie adding the javelin gold with a throw of 40.35m She revealed afterwords that the competition for her was like a walk in the park, stressing that the last Pastor D.K Olukoya Under-18 championships in Lagos was a harder competition for her. The young athlete

Continues on Page 63

TODAY'S

international outings.

The sport had, for long, taken a plunge in the country but Johnson expected to see some potentials and hoped that the challenge would be the ability to transform them.

“I saw absolutely nothing. Everything was wrong about boxing and one felt like crying,” Johnson said, shaking

Continues on Page 63

Medal Table

Rashidi Fatai of Ogun State (red) and Chinedu Ani of Imo State fight in the boxing 81kg men semi finals bout. Photo: Henry Unini

PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Command (5) 9 Scorn (6) 10 Noble (6) 11 Elicit (5) 12 Paradise (4) 15 Formerly (4) 17 Renovated (7) 20 Summit (3) 21 Wine (5) 23 Detail (4) 25 Sharpen (4) 26 Swift (5) 28 Damp (3) 30 Ground (7) 33 Cheese (4) 35 Pit (4) 36 Annoyance (5) 38 Decayed (6) 39 Ebb (6) 40 Spree (5)

State Delta Rivers Lagos Edo Bayelsa Plateau Ogun Ondo A/Ibom C/River

G 42 32 18 13 13 5 4 4 3 3

S 36 21 18 9 7 6 11 5 8 6

B 36 25 30 19 12 12 15 8 8 6

Total 104 78 56 41 32 23 30 17 19 15

...as at 7 p.m.

DOWN 1 Viper (5) 2 Verdant (5) 3 Poem (3) 4 Save (6) 5 Every (4) 6 Regret (3) 7 Charred (5) 8 Precipitous (5) 13 Determined (7) 14 Fresher (5) 16 Include (7) 18 Liability (5) 19 Intimidate (3) 22 Captivate (5) 24 Rug (3) 27 Modest (6) 28 Tired (5) 29 Flavour (5) 31 Helped (5) 32 Not ever (5) 34 Penalty (4) 36 Through (3) 37 Fish (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Buckle 5, Coined 9, Enter 10, Tinned 11, Damage 12, Rebel 14, Omit 17, Dad 18, Hear 20, Model 22, Badly 23, Neighed 24, Sated 26, Debut 29, Plot 30, Age 32, Same 33, Clear 35, Repeal 36, Sifted 37, Sewed 38, Twenty 39, Defend.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Bottom 2, Candid 3, Leer 4, Ended 5, Ceded 6, Oral 7, Neared 8, Dreary 13 Baggage 15, Moral 16, Tenet 18, Hades 19, Album 21, Led 22, Bed 24, Spirit 25, Topple 27, Battle 28, Tended 30, Alley 31, Eased 33, Cast 34, Ride.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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