DEADLY ZIKA VIRUS - Nigeria moves against threat

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SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 3

2016 LAGOS CITY MARATHON The 2016 Lagos City Marathon, organised by Lagos State Government, in conjunction with Access Bank Plc, took place at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, yesterday.Photos by Bunmi Azeez

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (3nd left); with President, Confederation of African Athletics & IAAF representative, Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum; Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung; Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Yusuf Buratai; Group Managing Director, Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe and Special Adviser to the Governor on Sports, Mr. Deji Tinubu.

The winner, Mr. Abraham Kipton, from Kenya (middle), flanked by the first runners-up, Hosea Kipkemboi, also from Kenya (left), and second runners-up, Mr. Ebele Toisa, from Ethiopia.

From right: Lagos State Governor Ambode (2nd right); Group Managing Director, Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Chief of Ar my Staff, Major General Tukur Yusuf Buratai; President, Confederation of African Athletics & IAAF representative, Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum and Lagos State Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem.

From left: Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Group Managing Director, Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe (right), jointly presenting a cheque of $50, 000 to the winner of the Marathon, Abraham Kiptom, while the 2nd Prize Winner, Hosea Kipkemboi and the 3rd Prize Winner, Debebe Kolosa watch.

An athlete on stretcher being carried away after he fainted.

A cross section of the athletes *Some participants at the marathon.

Some of the athletes, participating in the race

Some of the athletes.

A distressed athlete being attended to Abraham Kipton, the winner of the event.

PAGE 4 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

HIKE IN ELECTRICITY TARIFF: Workers reject planned picketing Nigeria, PHCN, many of DISCOs, GENCOs Nigerians misunderstood the electricity workers and were •Labour’s move illegal —Lawyers

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

HEAD of tomorrow’s A planned protest, electricity workers have

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar pays homage to the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha at the end of Jumat prayer at Yola Central Mosque, Adamawa State on Friday

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kicked against the plan to picket the Distribution Companies, DISCOs, and Generation Companies, GENCOs, by leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, alongside civil society allies over the hike in electricity tariff, arguing that the action is misdirected.

Speaking on the platform of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, the workers said while they opposed the hike and support action against it, such action should be targeted at the Federal Government and its agencies such as the Ministry of Power and the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. The union, in a statement by its General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero, recalled that when NUEE was fighting the privatization of the assets of Power Holding Company of

mischievously accused of trying to protect inefficiency and some other self-seeking allegations, despite their efforts at educating Nigerians on the impending evil.

“We believe that, as a responsible trade union whose members work in the Power Sector; and thus, are also affected by this mindless increase, we must state that the DISCOs and GENCOs are not the sole beneficiaries of that decision. If any organisation should bear the brunt of our attacks, it must be the Federal Government and its ministries and agencies within the sector, especially NERC and the Federal Ministry of Power. We believe that it is our civic responsibility and duty to educate those championing the picketing exercise to be properly directed on the targets of their picketing effort. Let it be clear that NUEE supports every effort to resist the increase in electricity tariff and other anti-people policies of the government but we will advise our compatriots to be target specific so that we may not be accused of fighting the wrong parties in this case. Few days ago, the Minister also counselled the National Assembly members that they cannot force the power companies not to increase tariff because these companies do not have the power to do so,” the NECC said.

In the meantime, industry experts, at the weekend, expressed concern that the call by the organized labour to shut down the DISCOs and GENCOs would impact negatively on the power sector and the nation’s economy.

According to the experts , the planned disruption of the operations may have more severe consequences than the new tariff, aimed at ensuring cost recovery in the power sector value chain, removal of the fixed charge , encouraging power conservation by focusing on metering before billing and insisting that consumers are billed for only what they consume.

Some of the experts argued that any disruption at this time would negatively affect the steady progress being made in the sector in spite of challenges posed by gas pipeline vandalism and other acts of sabotage recorded in the petroleum and power sector.

Legal practitioners, who spoke with our correspondents, expressed the view that the subject of change in tariff was not a matter for labour agitation.

According to them, the statutory objective of a trade union recognised under the Trade Unions Act is to regulate the terms and conditions of employment of workers. ‘’Price determination is a product of market forces. Electricity is like any other product and its price reflects its cost of production’’, one of the lawyers said.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 5

Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN (2nd right); Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria, Prijo Suomela–Chowdhury (right); Under-Secretary of State, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Matti Anttonen,(middle); and Manager, Business Development of Wartsila, K. S Narasimha, (left); after a courtesy visit and discussions focusing on infrastructure development at the Minister ’s Office , in Abuja, last week.

From left: Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Clay Neff; GROUP Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer,United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza; Group Executive Director, Finance & Ser vices, NNPC, Mr. Isiaka Abdulrazaq; and Ms. Nike Kolawole; Manager Project Finance, NNPC; during the presentation of the Thomson Reuters /PFI Magazine, “Africa and Middle East Oil Deal of the Year,”to the Joint Finance Team (JFT) of NNPC, Chevron, UBA and Standard Chartered at a ceremony held in London, last week.

LUTH doct or ot es or ax policy doctor orss pr prot otes estt unpaid salaries, discriminat discriminator oryy ttax

By Chioma Obinna

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octors at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, yesterday, protested unpaid salaries and what they described as “discriminatory tax policy” At a press conference, the doctors, under the auspices of the Association of Resident Doctors, LUTH-ARD, regretted that, despite the daunting challenges they face in their line of duty, the management of LUTH had failed to recognise their efforts and had continued to delay their salaries.

The President of the association, Dr Akinkunmi

Afolabi, who said health workers, including doctors in other Federal Government hospitals had been paid, lamented that no official reason had been offered yet for the delay of their salaries for over two months now.

Osogbo

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wo in Osun State was thrown into excitement, yesterday, as former President Olusegun Obasanjo visited the ancient town’s monarch, Oba AbdulRasheed Adewale Akanbi.

Speaking at the palace, Obasanjo, who described the visit as a necessity, said it was aimed at paying a worthy homage to the new monarch and strengthening peace among the Yoruba.

The former Nigeria leader also attributed the existing

salaries have been withheld.

Members have had to toe, once again, the un-dignifying path of borrowing money to pay house rent, examination fees, and children’s school fees, amongst other pressing needs while the management

has cited the oft-repeated annual mopping up exercise by the office of the Accountant General of the Federal for the non – payment of December salaries through a circular reference N0. TH/ACCT/D.27/ 27.”

Nursing mother stabs man to death

By Peter Duru, Makurdi 22- year-old nursing mother and student of the Benue State Polytechnic, Nwuese Ayom,has been nabbed by Benue State Police Command for allegedly stabbing 22-year-old Tererse Ayua to death in Gboko town.

Obasanjo harps on Yoruba unity

By Gbenga Olarinoye,

According to him, some doctors in LUTH were owed up to four months while some were owed two months.

“In a sad replay of the unfortunate events of December 2014, the December 2015 and January 2016

peace, uni ty, progress and tranquility in Yoruba land to what he called continuous efforts exhibited by the peace loving people in the West, saying the time had come for all to be united.

He commended Yoruba monarchs for maintaining peaceful co-existence and mutual relationship, explaining that the only tool that could make a nation great was peace.

Obasanjo, who described the new Oluwo as an experienced man, a distinguished technocrat, said his was a clear emergen ce manifestation of his sincerity and passion for development.

The Office Management Technology, National Diploma II student, who attributed her action to provocation, has become a ghost of herself since her arrest in Gboko.

The single mother, who gave an account of the circumstances that led to her unrestrained attack on her neighbour that eventually led to his death, blamed the devil for what happened.

She said the deceased who was her neighbour at Gboko West, had been teasing her because of the baby she had some four months ago.

Recounting her story, Nwuese said, “we were neighbours, I had nothing with him, he used to

abuse me since I had my baby; sometimes he went as far as accusing me of abandoning my baby at night to sleep with other men.

“He kept doing it over a period of time though I kept begging him to leave me alone but he refused and a few days ago, he came and started harassing me threatening to beat me up and claiming that I was mocking him because he had issues with somebody in the neighborhood.

“The hot exchange led to a fight, he beat me and my baby fell from my hand, it was at that point that I reached for the knife I was peeling an orange with.

“A struggle ensued and it was

in the mist of the struggle that I mistakenly stabbed him in the stomach and he left me and staggered backward and started shouting for help saying that I had killed him.

“At that point passersby and neighbours gathered at the scene, some took me away while some others rushed him to a nearby hospital. I later learned that he died before reaching the hospital for treatment,” she stated.

Speaking on the matter, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Yakadi, said the suspect would be charged to court at the end of investigations.

Why insurgency thrives in North-East, by Babalakin

By Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

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he Chairman, BiCourtney Limited, Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN), yesterday, identified poor level of education as the reason insurgency thrives in North-East Nigeria.

Babalakin explained this while delivering a lecture on the theme: “Education: Panacea to Insurgency” at the University of Ibadan.

The lecture was part of the Second Decade of the University of Ibadan Muslim Graduates Association (UIMGA) Education Summit.

According to the erudite lawyer, very poor level of education in the region breeds hopelessness, which in turn, makes it easy for youths to take to violence and other antisocial behavior against the state.

He explained that the situation, which is strengthened by high level of

poverty, allows promoters of violence to indoctrinate the youths and easily enlist them in carrying out insurgent activities.

Babalakin, who was the guest lecturer, recalled that the first generation universities in Nigeria were among the top 15 in Africa at a time, adding that the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, was also the fourth in the Commonwealth. He disclosed that he is today always gripped by depression anytime he reads about how poorly Nigerian universities and health institutions rank among others in Africa and the world.

Emphasizing that Nigeria derailed from the sound foundation in education and civil service, the successful entrepreneur insisted that the country must return to quality and affordable education for all citizens if it seriously hopes to overcome the social vices and return to the path of greatness.

He said: “Insurgency is being created largely by hopelessness. It is the worst thing that can happen to anyone.

We became hopeless because the intelligentsia failed Nigeria; because we refused to sustain the quality of education and excellence.

The good schools should be used as benchmarks against new ones to enable them operate at the level of quality of the existing ones.”

Earlier, the President of UIMGA, Dr Saka Adewumi, said the theme of the summit was aimed at assessing the objectives of the association which was formed in 2005.

They include creating awareness on the need for active participation of Muslims in all levels of education, securing and sustaining Muslim education and changing the attitude of Muslims to education across cultural and ethnic diversities.

PAGE 6— SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

The wedding between former Miss Jane Isioma Umejei, daughter of Mr & Mrs Obiora Umejei, and Mr Edosa Victor Egbon, son of Mr and Mrs Atiwe Egbon, was held yesterday at St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Ogudu Road, Lagos. The couple after the wedding. Photo by Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

From left: DCM ADEI A.Abu; Chief Femi Adekanmi, Ondo State Commissioner for Special Duties; Chief Prince Rotimi Ibidapo, the donor of the FRSC building complex, and ACM S.G. Maitizumahs, Zonal Commander, FRSC Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States, during the commissioning of the FRSC building complex, Owo Unit.

We are winning war against kidnapping, crime in Rivers — Police

By Jimitota Onoyume

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IVERS State Police Command has denied a report that doctors in the state abandoned their duty posts because kidnappers went on rampage, saying it was a distorted opinion to discredit the successes of the police in the fight against crime in the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, in a statement, yesterday, said the report was unprofessional. According to the police image maker, the reporter did not contact the police for comment on the issue. He said the report was capable of creating panic and fear in the state.

While urging the public to ignore the report, Muhammad said the police

had continued to do their best to protect lives and property in Rivers, stressing that they had even put in place measures to guar-

antee the safety of medical doctors who, at a time, were the targets of kidnappers.

The police command advised against stories to de-

Eight rescued, two missing as another boat capsizes in Lagos

By Evelyn Usman, Olasukanmi Akoni and Bose Adelaja

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IGHT people were rescued while two people were missing, yesterday, when a boat capsized in Badagry, Lagos State.

The tragedy came barely one week after a boat capsized in Ijede, Ikorodu where seven deaths were recorded and ten passen-

gers rescued.

Although the time of the incident could not be ascertained, Sunday Vanguard gathered that the fibre boat took off from Idagba enroute Iworo with ten passengers on board and had successfully landed and dropped all the passengers at Iworo.

However, the boat took off with another eight passengers and two officials when the boat capsized after it hit a log. Search

We suffered under PDP, Edo people tell Oshiomhole you”.

By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin-City ESIDENTS of BeninR City, Edo State, yesterday, told Governor Adams

Oshiomhole how the state suffered infrastructurally under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government from 1999 to 2008.

Some residents of Ewah Street in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, who showered praises on Oshiomhole during his inspection of the storm water project in the area, said the project will end flooding in the area.

One of them, Mr. Godwin Tom Osunde, who thanked the governor for the project and prayed for his elevation said: “I am a common man and I know where it pains me. I am more than 65 years now but I have never seen a governor like

moralise men and officers working to guaranty safety of lives and property in the state.

The governor, in his response promised that government would do more work on the storm water project, especially during the dry season. He said: “As we are in the dry season now, we want to quickly rush and do some work on this drainage. Because

there was no drainage before now, the flood coming from Okhoro through this area wasn’t properly channeled, and it led to the destruction of houses, most persons fled and abandoned their houses and some even died in the past”.

06/02/2015

Mrs Benedicta Agbah for burial

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RS. B.C. Eyareko Ogugu Agbah, the daughter of the late (Okakuru) Ogugu of Agbarho Kingdom, is dead, aged 63. She will be buried on February 13 after a funeral service at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Uwrughele Road, Agbarho, Delta State. Interment holds immediately thereafter at her residence, 3, L.A. Church Street, Uwrughele Road, Agbarho. The deceased is survived by her husband, children, grandchildren, in-

The late Mrs. B.C. Eyareko Ogugu Agbah laws, brothers and a sister.

Among her children is Mr Otega Sodje (son).

and rescue operation was immediately launched by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, and National Emergency Management Authority, NEMA. Those missing, as gathered, were the boat operator and a woman.

Confirming the incident, NEMA South- West Information Officer, Ibrahim Farinloye, said eight people were rescued while only two were missing at the time of this report.

LASEMA General Manager, Mr. Micheal Akindele, also confirmed the boat accident, saying the agency received a distress call at 10:47 am.

Giving a preliminary report of the accident, Akindele explained “The agency received an alert via the CRM at 10:47 am of a boat mishap at Iworo Ajido Aradagun, Badagry.

This prompted the immediate activation of the Emergency Response Team, ERT, of the agency, and Lagos State Waterways Authority, Marine Police, National Inland Water Ways Authority, Lagos State Fire Service and the local divers following distress call.

“Cause of the incident and the number of passengers on board at press time was yet to be ascertained. However four people were rescued and were treated by Lagos State Ambulances Services, LASAMBUS, and have since been discharged.”

10 killed in Boko Haram separate attacks in Borno villages

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

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T least 10 persons were confirmed dead with scores injured when a group of Boko Haram terrorists who rode on 10 bicycles from Sambisa Forest invaded Mairi Mmumbe village, near Dalori District of Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday. The Vice- Chairman of the Civilian JTF in charge of Konduga, Mallam Ahmed Tijjani, said.

The insurgents, who stormed the village at about 8:30PM on Friday, also burnt down the whole village with displacement of hundreds of residents. On a fact finding mission in the company of the Senator Representing Borno Central, Senator Kaka Bashir Garbai, and other members of House of Representatives, including Hon. Kadiri Rahis representing Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Sunday Vanguard witnessed the carnage first hand.

This is even as Boko Haram insurgents on Monday allegedly attacked a

group of firewood traders in Jawu village, about 8 kilometres from Auno town of Kondiga, west of Maiduguri.

According to Modu Mai Ali, a relation to one of the affected victims, the firewood traders numbering about 15 were on their way to purchase firewood from the forest for onward delivery to Maiduguri when the insurgents from Sambisa Forest laid an ambush and opened fire on them, killing five persons in the process.

Modu Malaram, an Islamic cleric and father of 7 in the deserted village said, “we just finished the night prayers and I was listening to local news on radio when suddenly, some strange men approached our home and started firing in all directions”.

Malaram added,”how we managed to escape still remained a mystery to me and my family but I lost my Arabic student who was the only one shot dead by the insurgents while the four other women which the community lost were burnt beyond recognition in their huts”, he further stated.

FG poised to achieve sustainable development in environment sector — Amina Mohammed

By Funmi Olasupo, Abuja HE federal government has reiterated its comT mitment to the sustainable

use and management of the environment in the fight against poverty and food security.

The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, made the commitment in Abuja, when a business delegation from Finland, led by the Finnish Deputy Minister for External Economic Relations, Mr. Matti Anttonen, paid her a courtesy visit.

In order to foster the commitment, the minister also declared that the ministry requires a cooperative business approach between the federal government and the private sector.

According to a statement signed by the ministry’s Deputy Director of press, Ben Bem-goong, the minister stated that though, climate change is a serious challenge to sustainable development, it can be mitigated with concerted human efforts and the right technology in place.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 7

Buhari regime’s economic growth won’t reach 2014 level — NBS

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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MIDST harsh econom ic environment confronting the present administration, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, a key agency of the Federal Government in charge of economic research and development, has given a glimpse of what the economy will look like up till the conclusion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s first term in 2019.

According to the NBS, by the time Buhari concludes his present tenure, economic growth rate will stabilise but unable to reach the 2014 level as real gross domestic product, GDP, will be

5.61 per cent in 2019 as against 6.22 per cent achieved a year before he assumed office.

Significant aspect of the report indicates that actual GDP for full year 2015, the first seven months of Buhari’s government, would be one of the lowest in recent years at 2.97 per cent.

NBS, in a release at the weekend, titled, ‘’Nigerian Economy: Past Present and Future’’, indicated that growth rate would improve significantly by end of this year at about 3.78 per cent while 2017 and 2018 would hover around 5.03 per cent and 5.61 per cent respectively.

Surprisingly the report indicated that 2019 will not

record any improvement on 2018 growth rate.

The report which portrayed a mixed development across the three main macroeconomic performance indicators namely GDP, inflation and trade volume, indicated that arising from the drastic decline of 2015 a growth jump-start averaging 5.41 per cent yearly between 2017 and 2019 would be experienced as infrastructure development takes shape and provide support for both the oil and non-oil sectors.

However, upward pressure on inflation is expected, indicating that the headline index may rise from 9.55 per cent in 2015 to 10.16 per cent in 2016.

From left: Justice Idris Haroon, retired Grand Khadi of Kwara State; Sheikh Yakubu Musa, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Jibwis; and Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu ... at a Dawah function in Katsina, yesterday

We don’t interfere in the finances of our LGs, Demola Banu, Finance Commissioner, Kwara State

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

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HE Kwara State Com missioner for Finance, Alh Demola Banu, has said that the government is not interfering in the finances of the 16 local governments in the state contrary to beliefs.

He also said that the government is not owing it’s core civil servants, except the parastatals that are being funded to sustain themselves and couldn’t do so.

Banu, in an exclusive interview with Sunday Vanguard, explained

that the state government and local governments operate separate accounts without one interfering in the other.

He said that the inability of the local governments to pay it’s salaries because of the huge shortfall in federal monthly allocations from N3.5b to about N1.4b, caused the state government to wade into the problem and assist the local governments to obtain a loan of N4.6b since they were expecting N5b bailout from the federal government which unfortunately has not been released till now.

Ouattara and Kenyatta for Africa CEO forum 2016

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LASSANE Ouattara, President of Côte d’Ivoire and Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya will participate in the fourth edition of the AFRICA CEO FORUM, the foremost international event dedicated to the development of the African private sector, on 21 and 22 March 2016, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

They will exchange views on the continent’s economy at this fourth edition of the Forum which will host more than 800 participants.

This edition marks Uhuru Kenyatta’s first official trip to Côte d’Ivoire. The two presidents will exchange views and discuss different approaches to accelerating structural reforms and improving the business climate, in order to foster a strong African private sector capable of providing a rich source of growth and jobs.

Having achieved the status of middle-income country last year, Kenya has consolidated its posi-

tion as East Africa’s economic powerhouse with a GDP of $60 billion and a growth forecast of 6.6% for 2016. Côte d’Ivoire, with economic growth at almost 10% per year since 2012, investment now accounting for more than 20% of GDP and exports constantly on the rise since 2009, is the driving force behind regional integration in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

“That was where our problem started”, he said, adding that “because no bank would have given them loans without our support otherwise we don’t interfere in their finances.

We guarantee them loans from banks that get their allocations; so it’s being deducted upfront, though it’s almost fully paid now”he said.

The commissioner also expressed shock over the ongoing strike of the local government staff and teachers in the state whose union leaders were always involved in Joint Allocations Account Committee (JAAC) meetings where sharing of the dwindled federal monthly allocations are always discussed and clarified. He therefore urged the labour leaders to direct the workers to return to work in the interest of equity, fairness and justice.

“Now, we are getting almost half of what we used to get as monthly allocation from the federal government and both the state and local governments in our last JAAC meeting agreed to share whatever we have as it comes,” he stressed.

A cross section of great grand children of Prince Ogbe,during the centenary commemoration of the passage of Prince Ogbe (1916-2016), son of Prince Yonwunren and grandson of Olu Akengbuwa 1, 16th Olu Of Warri (17981848).

`US investment in Nigeria hits $10.9 amounted to $5.1 billion, billion’ while the number of NigeBy Kennedy Mbele

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HE US Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, has led a high-level delegation of President Obama’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa on a fact-finding, policy-oriented visit to Nigeria to review the opportunities and challenges of investment in the country. The main objective is to enhance trade and investment with Nigeria and other African countries.

During the visit, Commerce Secretary Pritzker and

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HE people of the Niger Delta have condemned the non-trial of an American citizen who allegedly murdered his Nigerian wife, Mrs. Doris Anasesia Lambert (nee Oaikhena), in Houston, Texas. A statement by Comrade Joseph Evah of the Ijaw Monitoring Group, demanded the trial of the suspect.

“We are worried that the American embassy in Nigeria ignored the father and mother of the dead who suffered depression now resulting to hypertension because of the gruesome killing of their daughter in the US”, the statement said.

“We are aware that Americans are ready to defend the rights of their citizens anywhere in the world with all their

rians employed stood at 24,104. It was further observed that the projected new direct investment by the 11 companies in the next 12 months in a perfect policy and regulatory environment will be about $3.9 billion.

In his remarks after the session, Angbazo, stated: “ The deliberations at the Roundtable have greatly enhanced the natural affinity and spirit of cooperation between Nigeria and the US at a critical juncture of the nation’s development.

Arisekola seeks stronger North, SouthWest ties

By Kennedy Mbele

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UBLISHER of Street Journal magazine, an online publication,

Niger Deltans condemn US govt over murder of Nigerian

By Tony Nwankwo

her delegation held a Roundtable and Lunch with the President, Dr Lazarus Angbazo, and members of the American Business Council, a business association consisting of US companies operating in Nigeria.

It was also noted at the Roundtable/Lunch that of the over 70 American companies operating in Nigeria, a survey showed that the cumulative amount of direct investment committed to the country by just 11 of them since 2011 totaled $10.9 billion, taxes paid to the Federal Government in 2014

strength, the same way Niger Deltans are prepared to defend the rights of their citizens. Therefore, the attitude of the US towards our Uromi, Edo State-born daughter is unacceptable to our people. The gruesome manner Doris was killed with her body found inside the kitchen freezer in their home after two weeks is inhuman and we demand justice for the crime”..

Wole Arisekola, has advocated stronger ties between northerners and the people of the SouthWest.

He stated that this is necessary considering the long history of the relationship between the two regions.

Arisekola, who is also Chairman of Association of Online Practitioners, made this remark while speaking at the Yoruba/ Fulani economic seminar in Akure, Ondo State at the weekend.

He, however, regretted that the long history of relationship between the two ethnic groups has not been maximized for political and economic gains, because they have

not realized the benefit of developing stronger ties.

While analyzing what the two ethnic groups stand to gain if they strengthen their relationship, he noted that they can further maximize the profits on their agricultural produce, even as he encouraged them to also invest electricity generation.

“The two ethnic groups have a long history of socio-political relationship but we can benefit more if we strengthen it. The two regions have the capacity to change the future of Nigeria”, he said, stating that his plan to construct 40 megawatts power station in Kano had reached advanced stage.

PAGE 8—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Open letter to Minister of Information and “President (2) “The situation is dire and the time to act is now. For example, between the period 2006 and 2013, just 55 people allegedly stole a total of N1.34 trillion in Nigeria. That’s more than a quarter of last year’s national budget.” Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, January 18, 2016, Abuja. was in Abuja on Tuesday, the day after the Minister made this announcement.

As usual, I strolled out of the hotel to buy newspapers. But, from a short distance away, I could see that the vendor had more than the usual

I

number of visitors; something big must be in the papers. The stroll became a trot. Getting there, all the papers on display carried the same headline about 55 people and N1.34 trillion stolen.

Soon, four papers were wrapped under my arm.

Rushing back to the hotel for breakfast, I then started reading the story.

It was a disappointment right from the first page for several reasons – out of which a few will be disclosed.

To begin with, the Minister must be the only knowledgeable person in Nigeria, who is not aware that President Buhari,

Let them talk "You never change things by fighting the existing reality.To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." — R. Buckminster Fuller

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MB is on an official visit to France, where he will be meeting the President of the European Parliament, and the President of the European Commission and he will address a special session of the European Union Parliament. This meeting will be attended by members of the executive and legislative arms of the Union.

The President's address is expected to focus on terrorism, violent extremism, corruption, Nigeria and Africa's current security, economic and developmental challenges and the need for greater support from the European Union and advanced nations for their rapid resolution. Sounds good, doesn't it?

He will proceed to the UK, where he and more than 70 heads of state, the UN Secretary General, heads of international Organisations, NGOs and private sector representatives will gather in London for a key conference to pledge their support for the growing aid needs of the Syrian people.

You would have thought that the president should be there after all, he was invited. But, no, according

to some Nigerians, he should not have been travelling, he should be home. So, what are they going to say when, on his return home, he is due to travel to the Middle East.

Now, they are going to have a lot more to say.

In polite society, they say that if you don't have something good to say don't say anything at all. An etiquette missed by many who are happy to give their kobo's worth on matters they know nothing of and, to be honest, they do not care about. And why should they, they do not know how to build; they are good in destroying and thriving in chaos.

I have been following the ruckus from these naysayers, who have taken umbrage at the president travels. You would have thought, the man was going on holidays and gallivanting all over the world without a care about Nigeria and Nigerians.

So what has the man done to warrant the miasma tic disapproval emanating from certain quarters?

Well, there is no surprise there then, whatever this man does will never meet with their approval and nor he kowtow to them. After all, the mess that Nigeria is in today is because of these felonious collective. They will continue to measure the man with their yardstick. In the past, the euphemism of foreign travels by the past leaders was another word for

despite all demands made on him, had stated categorically that he was not interested in probing any other government except Jonathan’s. So, of what use is this information, which is even incomplete and misleading to our Fellow Nigerians?

Lai Mohammed is in government and the action he is calling for (playing to the gallery really) should be directed at his boss not to us. In the alternative, he should be calling on the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Magu, to present the information at his disposal and to ask for action.

The last port of call is the media. After taking all the steps he should have taken then he can invite the media to inform them of what had been done. Instead, he went on to tell us how many schools could have been built or kilometers of roads tarred. We know that already.

Furthermore, Lai Mohammed, in rendering that partial report, would have us believe that all the theft took place at the Federal level alone or, impliedly, by PDP members alone. Even he knows that is not true. I live in Lagos State, and carting the commonwealth to foreign bank accounts and the unexplained trappings of sudden wealth.

The rumblings from these quarters is, exactly that; a diversion from their dastardly activities.

It seems that the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has been calculating every presidential foreign trip and has totted up that every trip is around $1 million.

This man has no filter or grace.

He said: "Conservatively, about $1 million goes into every of the foreign trips and the way the President is going, foreign trips alone might gulp 20 percent of the Federal Government budget and that will be disastrous for the dwindling economy of the country and that "this year alone, President Buhari has travelled to the United Arab Emirate, Kenya, Ethiopia and he is leaving for France and United Kingdom today to spend four days abroad. So, who made Fayose the president’s accountant? I thought he had a state to govern and his family affairs to deal with, why has he taken the unofficial role of tracking the president?

He went on; “In most of these trips, about $500,000 is spent on escorts, transportation, accommodation, honorarium, media coverage, contingency and other expenses on accompanying Presidency officials." Can someone give this man a muzzle, he definitely needs one and humility.

The usual suspects have been banging on the same old gong for all those who care to listen or read that they are not best pleased with the president and his travels.

They even complained about him travelling to neighbouring countries!

They have a lot to worry about and I have a feeling

there are people who served Lagos State in various capacities who will not fail to be indicted if their assets are fully declared. We know people who entered that government with old jalopies, renting flats at Surulere, who had enough money to run for governor in their states four years later. Even with the generous remuneration packages of the RMAFC, nobody can jump from poverty to the affluence required to run for governor. Where did the money come from? Funds

He should have had the courage to name all the 55 or forget it. At any rate, there is another category missing. At least one of the three Presidents – Obasanjo – was accused by the Senate probing the Petroleum Technology Development Tr ust Fund, PTDF, of misappropriating huge amounts from the Fund; including buying a Peugeot 607 for a lady from the account. Pages 154 to 1999 of my PDP: C O R R U P T I O N I N C O R P O R AT E D

conference and release INFORMATION. At any rate, the amount missing from 1999-2007 was approximately N8 trillion; the N1.34 trillion quoted grossly understates the scale of economic atrocities. Now that Obasanjo has become a “friend” to the present government, it has become necessary to cover up his own atrocities. That is not what a Minister for Information should be doing. He either makes full disclosure or he keeps quiet.

Now that Obasanjo has become a “friend” to the present government, it has become necessary to cover up his own atrocities. That is not what a Minister for Information should be doing.

He either makes full disclosure or he keeps quiet mentioned several names including Obasanjo. So why is the name missing from the list of those who have cases to answer from 2006 to 2013? Was the omission deliberate or inadvertent?

Lai Mohammed is welcome to a copy of the book.

After that he can hold another press

RETRIBUTION – 2 “Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding fine..”

HW Longfellow, 18071882. VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS. One school teacher must have gone on her knees to thank God when she saw the picture of Olisa Metuh in handcuffs.

Years ago, Metuh had gone to his daughter ’s school to actually assault a teacher for disciplining the BIG man’s daughter.

The assault took place in the classroom in front of the other students. “All power corrupts”; even small powers corrupt.

Today Metuh is at the receiving end of corrupted power.

There is a God O!

governor of oil-rich Delta State between May 1999 and May 2007, was jailed for 13 years in April 2012 in London for fraud totalling nearly £50m ($77m).The same Ibori who was found guilty and imprisoned on 10 counts of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud and this was no ordinary thief.

He siphoned as much as $250m over eight years.

He lived a lavished lifestyle of a portfolio of luxury houses, fleets of top-of-the-range cars, fees at some of the UK's most expensive boarding schools, first-class travel, expensive hotels and even a $20m private jet.

At his hearing, the prosecutor called him a "thief in government house and common criminal". So, why the sudden interest? And it seems that his followers or kinsmen are preparing to welcome him back into their fold. One of his supporters said ;"They know Ibori sells papers, so some people just sit down and write whatever they like", he said, and explained that the former governor is due to be released this year but not before the completion of the confiscation case and I visited him in prison about three weeks ago and speak with him every other day", he said, adding that "things are still as they are, and everything is on course". Really, this is not something to be proud and be boastful of.

This man was not wrongfully imprisoned; in fact, he had started a career in thievery way before he got to the government's house. Ibori and his wife had been at it while they were working in a DIY store in England; he had a criminal record and had been convicted in the UK before - in 1991 for stealing, in cahoots with his wife who worked as a cashier, from the

Neasden, London, branch of the DIY shop Wickes. He was also found guilty in 1992 for being in possession of a stolen credit card and having used it to fraudulently withdraw $1,590.

So, here is this man who fell from grace and it seems his friends want to roll out the red carpet and celebrate his relase. We have a lot to learn. We need to seriously examine ourselves as Nigerians if the likes of Iboris are the true markers of success and if our aspirations is solely to milk the system at all cost for all its worth. We need to re-examine our conscience, sense of pride and dignity. There is a narcissistic pattern; selfgratification and delusion of grandeur that occurs, assuming high office in Nigeria. These individuals tend to lose all sense of proportions and common decency. The Prosecuting QC Sasha Wass said of Mr Ibori, 53, that he had "tricked" his way into becoming Delta State governor, by giving a false date of birth and claiming he had no criminal record".

Every part of his rise to power is flawed with inaccuracies and, at no time was he stopped and reprimanded. So if, I were to advise those planning for Ibori's welcome party, they should show some temperance, conscience and integrity. And when Ibori is released from prison, they should quietly take their friend and their lot far away from the public gaze. This is not the time to publicly display his return as a prize. The prodigal son may return,but there should not be a party to celebrate his notoriety. He committed a crime so foul and he should show some remorse. On the other hand, his friends,may be waiting for a for a pay day, disgraceful, the lot of them. Nigeria deserves respect

were stolen in every government – Federal and States and aome of the houses at Victoria Island and Lekki as well as Magodo point to where we should search for Lagos State funds. Those who live in glass houses should stop throwing stones.

More to the point, the Minister demonstrated an astonishing lack of guts.

In the past, the euphemism of foreign travels by the past leaders was another word for carting the commonwealth to foreign bank accounts and the unexplained trappings of sudden wealth that they are uncomfortable because, PMB is making a mark on the world stage and maybe, just maybe he will untangle the mess that they have left Nigeria in and that he had inherited.

More crucially, PMB has been working closely with other world leaders; and given firm assurances of cooperation from these countries to recover and repatriate the funds stolen from Nigeria. Of course, this will make the guilty uneasy so, you can’t blame them for wanting the president to stay home and away from their tucked away loot.

Never mind that, he has to forensically clean up the mess that many of these people have left the country and its citizens in order for the country to move forward from the mess that they made. So let them continue to make the noise, the louder they are, the more guilty they look.

Ibori is in or out?

"To oppose corruption in government is the highest obligation of patriotism." - G. Edward James Ibori, the former Delta State governor, was widely reported to have been released from Prison and according to some sources, he was re-arrested and back in jail. Mr Ibori, 57, former

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 9

rexmarinus@hotmail.com

Uche Okeke (1933-2016)

C

hristopher Uche Okeke, Painter and Professor of the Fine Arts died on January 5, following a long struggle with a devastating stroke, at his home in Nimo, in the Njikoka area of Anambra state, where he had established the Asele institute on his retirement from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Uche Okeke’s death marks a powerful closure of the life of a powerful imagination; a great artistic and cultural presence on the African firmament in the last half century.

Okeke’s life embodies a historical moment: born in Kafanchan, near Zaria, in the North of Nigeria to Igbo parents, Okeke grew up in a very multiethnic environment. He later went to schools at the Metropolitan College, Onitsha and the Bishop Shanahan School, Orlu.

His inspiration were profoundly Igbo artistic forms; systems which he came to absorb after his Art education, and the experimental phase of his earlier work.

Okeke studied Art at the famous Zaria Art School with Demas Nwoko, Bruce Onabrakpeya, Simon Okeke, Felix Ekeada, Jimoh Akolo, Okechukwu Odita, Sol Wangboje, and Yusuff Grillo. Starting

Christopher Uche Okeke from 1958, under the aegis of the organization which they had formed, the Zaria Arts Society, these students at the Zaria School of Arts began to agitate for a change in the curriculum of the Arts program from its essentially Eurocentric aesthetic position to include or integrate an African aesthetic praxis as part of its offering. The result was an aesthetic idea, the “ natural synthesis” movement pioneered by the Zaria artists, whom art historians have now come to label the “Zaria Rebels.”

Uche Okeke was the lynchpin of that “defiant” movement, and his ideas came to encapsulate some of its most profound expressions in art.

Graduating in 1960, artists of the “Zaria Rebels” movement fanned out across the nation, and many began as Art Teachers in Secondary Schools: Ekeada in Baza, Onabrakpeya at St. Gregory ’s Lagos; Grillo was off to Cambridge, Demas Nwoko had moved on to Paris to study Architecture after Zaria, and Uche Okeke had first established his own studio at 30 Ibadan street, Kafanchan, and later on moved to Enugu to work in the Government services, and as Artistic consultant for the Enugu Musical Society. But soon, the convergence that illuminated their instincts and gave urgency to their work happened: the Mbari movement. It was at a crucial moment of transition; the age of Azikiwe’s “ new ” or “Renascent African” whose inspirations must be drawn from an authentic African sensibility and as ameans towards the renewal of Africa at the end of colonialism.

The imaginative quest of that era spoke precisely to this new moment, and in the attempt to articulate its nationalist spirit. The writers and artists gathered at Ibadan. At about this time, active in their prime, Chinua Achebe had moved from Enugu in 1961 to assume duties as the powerful Director of External Broadcasting of the Nigerian Broadcasting Service (NBS) in Lagos, Christopher Okigbo had moved from the Library of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka as the pioneer acting University Librarian to become the West African Regional Manager of the Cambridge University Press in Ibadan, Wole Soyinka had returned not long then in the previous

year and was a Rockefeller Research Fellow in the University of Ibadan, and had also founded his theatre company, the Orisun Theatre co; J.P. Clark was a young Information Officer in the Western Region’s Ministry of Information in Ibadan, and Ulli Beier was traveling back and forth between Ibadan and Oshogbo for the University of Ibadan Extra Mural Studies, and editing

The imaginative quest of that era spoke precisely to this new moment, and in the attempt to articulate its nationalist spirit.

The writers and artists gathered at Ibadan

the new journal, the Black Orpheus. The essential nucleus of the Mbari movement was around these individual writers. Of the artists, Demas Nwoko was active on return from Paris in the Ibadan Theatre, where he was engaged to design stages for Theatre productions, and was equally busy creating the famous U.I. Wall murals; Onabrakpeya nearby in Lagos came often, and Uche Okeke was at the Enugu end of the Mbari club, on Uwani Street. The effect was a cultural synergy that gave impetus to a new artistic impulse in Nigeria.

By the time the Mbari movement collapsed

following the Nigerian civil war, Uche Okeke had evolved his personal style based on the Uli motif, the signal attribute, and the basis of his remarkable contribution to Nigerian modernist aesthetic.

At the end of the war, Uche Okeke was instrumental in reestablishing the University of Nigeria Nsukka Arts School, alongside the likes of Chike Aniakor, and in shepherding the remarkable, and formidable group that came to emblematize Nsukka as one of the greatest centers of contemporary art production and education, with the likes of Obiora Udechukwu, El-Anatsui, Ola Oloidi, and so on.

It must be counted as part of Uche Okeke’s most significant legacies that his Uli movement has endured, and that Nsukka has produced in the broad shadow of his ideas, some of the most remarkable contemporary artists and art historians working at the national and global scenes today, including Obiora Udechukwu Ada Udechukwu, Didi Dike, Chinwe Uwatse, Tayo Adenaike, Olu Oguibe, Sylvester Ogbechie, Kridz Ikwuemesi, Chika Okeke, Ozioma Onuzulike, Marcia Kure-Okeke, and Nnena Okore, just to mention this few.

For years at Nsukka, Uche Okeke contributed to the formidable intellectual and cultural environment, as artist, scholar and administrator. He was Head of the Department of Fine Arts, Director of the Hansberry Institute of African Studies at Nsukka, and later, Dean

of the Arts at the University of Nigeria. He retired from academic life in 1985 and established his private gallery and Art Library at hisAsele institute in Nimo, where he continued to work, and produce remarkable art, which must now be catalogued in the index of his late productions.

An Uche Okeke collection ought at this stage be considered by the National Gallery to preserve as part of the fruits of an iconic moment in modern Nigerian art and cultural life, the work of one of Nigeria and Africa’s greatest artists of the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Uche Okeke was a globally known and wellregarded artist. His works have been exhibited and in great private collections in Europe and America. He belongs to the canon of the great African modernists of the 20th century. The last time I saw him personally was in June, 2006, at the Skoto Gallery in New York, at the exhibition of his work, and later at the Newark Museum across the River, where he appeared on the same stage with Chinua Achebe and Simon Ottenberg.

It was a memorable event, and now quite more significant as the years begin to gather the seeds into the immortal barnyard of time. The stars, indeed, are departing, as the poet Okigbo wrote. Uche Okeke’s passing is one more example of the closure of a human library: artist, scholar, and great teacher, Uche Okeke will most certainly be remembered for the beauty he brought into our lives, and for his insistence that the fine lines of Uli also carry within them, immortal statements of real beauty.

Baggage Arrival Caution needs to be taken when bags are being claimed from the conveyor belt. Passengers are anxious to retrieve their belongings; at times they may mistakenly take other bags that simply look similar to theirs.

Inspite of my conspicuous tags and ribbons, I have had my bag taken out of the airport up to four times. Luckily I have been able to retrieve my bags on all occasions because I was able to identify this very early. It is essential you check the name tag properly even if the bag really does look similar to yours. Be careful when taking your bag off the

belt to avoid injuring yourself or someone else.

Keep your children away from the moving belt let them be seated while sort the baggage, If you need help with carrying your bags ask a fellow passenger or porter politely.

Your flight experience ends when you finally leave the airport. Remember these few tips on your next business or social trip. Your image and reputation is prime to you, do not sabotage it as you embark on your journey. Your attitude, behavior and the way you behave is on watch all the time.

Have a pleasant flight on your next journey.

Bon Voyage!

info@etiquetteconsortium.com JSK Etiquette & Image Training Janet@JSKEtiquette With Janet Adetu JSK Etiquette Consortium — 08188135000

Grooming & Protocol in the Air (5) Continued last week Landing Instructions ow many times have we heard the pilot announce the final approach to the destination, asking everyone to keep their seat belts upon landing also while the aircraft is still taxing until it comes to a complete stop. What happens next as soon as the plane lands? At times you hear a subtle sound of appreciation then click click click, passengers instantly releasing their seat belts and standing while still in motion. I’m not sure why the rush, they just cannot wait to touch ground and get off that plane. Is it that they had closed ears when the announcements were made? When your neighbor behaves in this manner, just politely tell them to take

H

C M Y K

care, keep seated for safety.

Most times the flight attendant should be quick to address this.

Queues in Air Finally, you have just had a long flight what’s wrong with being patient getting off the aircraft. For some reason some people are again in a hurry to get off the plane, they are impatient to wait for you to bring down your carry on, or check your seat for anything you may have forgotten. They are quick to rush pass you regardless of flight class. It is easy to forget things on the plane.

Take your time regardless of the unnecessary rush you see. I once forgot my duty free bag full of perfume on the flight, just because I had already gotten off the plane I was not allowed to go back on for security reasons even though I remembered

Caution needs to be taken when bags are being claimed from the conveyor belt.

Passengers are anxious to retrieve their belongings; at times they may mistakenly take other bags that simply look similar to theirs

just at the foot of the plane.

It was such an ordeal for me to get my bag back, as I had to wait for the plane to be cleaned and my bag to be reported as lost or left baggage before it was released to me.

When you need to pass someone who has children or who is elderly who is taking their time to gather themselves together, a simple ‘excuse me’ or ‘thank you’ is all you require.

Arrival Gate Queues are not exempted at the arrival gate, you are tired, weary and a little imbalanced coming off a flight. All you need is to comport yourself gather your momentum and composure. Greet customs pleasantly as you approach them, have your passport and travel documents available, and then proceed to receiving your bags. At times a number of flights arrive almost simultaneously meaning that large batches of passengers are heading for the arrival gate. The queues can become increasingly long and frustrating, keep children under control and patiently follow the line as it does move quite fast.

PAGE 10 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

EDO BOMB EXPLOSION

Ice cream saved my life — Survivor *Scene used to be kidnappers’ den - Police

By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin-City

F

OR those who reside in the North-East, the sound of bomb blasts is now like common knock out. But for those who live in the South-South, Edo State in particular, they don’t even wish such blasts to hit their enemies. So one can imagine what happened in Zomi Zomi Street, a secluded area of Upper Sakpoba Road, BeninCity, Edo State capital, on Tuesday afternoon, when a bomb detonated in a bungalow, injuring two persons while not less than five houses were torched. The impact of the blast sent residents taking to their heels. Fear gripped other residents of BeninCity, as rumour spread round the town that members of Boko Haram may have invaded the state. However, the presence of detectives attached to the Bomb Squad of the Edo State Police Command gave hope to people who sum-

moned courage to visit the scene.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the scene, five houses were affected while the main building, where the blast occurred, was badly damaged. A neighbour, who identified himself as Mr. Osahon, lamented that though his house was affected by the blast, he gave thanks to God for sparing his life. He narrated: “I was inside the house when I heard that loud noise; in fact, I will still go to hospital for proper examination of my ears because I have never heard such a loud noise before. The whole house shook and glasses were breaking. All I had to do was to find a way to escape from the room. I ran outside because I didn’t know what was happening. It was when I came outside that I saw that the building next to us was almost gone but, because I didn’t understand what was happening, I was still running. It was like a war situation. I saw

others running too, we had to leave the area completely before asking questions. “It was while we were trying to find out what happened that we were told that the man who stays in that bungalow was burning some papers outside, but he was lucky to be out to buy ice cream, before the bomb exploded. But I thank God that I am alive”.

However, a top police officer at the scene who craved anonymity, told journalists that it was not an attack from Boko Haram as speculated, saying that, from preliminary investigation, a bomb was left in that building by unknown persons and detonated after the tenant lit refuse inside the compound. “It was actually an explosive. From our investigation so far, the house was used, sometime last year, as a den of kidnappers. In fact, after abducting their target, they would bring them to the house to hide them while they

negotiate ransom. But, sometime in the middle of last year, a combined team of soldiers and policemen stormed the house after a tip-off, but the suspected kidnappers escaped. And the suspects never came back; in fact, we learnt they were from Delta State. After the kidnappers were raided, no body was staying in the building until about four months ago. So we suspect that when the suspects escaped, they left the explosive somewhere and our men, who invaded the place sometime ago, did not see it.

We suspect it was what exploded that day after the boy who is currently staying there lit a fire to burn some papers”.

Corroborating the story, the tenant, who lit the fire which detonated the explosive, Mr. Emeka, told Sunday Vanguard where he was being treated for the wounds he sustained,: “After sweeping the compound, I decided to lit the refuse. So I left im-

•House in ruins after the explosion

mediately to buy ice cream. That was the luck I had. I never knew a bomb was planted in the house and I have lived there for over four months. It was even outside the compound that the glasses that flew from the window gave me this cut in my hands.

I just thank God for my life, it is a miracle that I am alive”.

Spokesman for Edo State Police Command, DSP Abiodun Osifo, who dismissed the claim that terrorists may have invaded the state, said though the police were still investigating the blast, it was sure it was

not a terrorist attack. “It was not a terrorist attack.

Yes, we have information that some bad guys were living in the place before, but that is under investigation. The tenant who lit the fire that obviously detonated the explosive is in our custody and he is being interrogated. We want to get to the root of the matter and our Bomb Disposal Unit is working round the clock to ensure that we don’t have more explosives in that house.

But our people should not be scared, we are not under attack at all”, Osifo said.

The road to decongest Abuja traffic

By Ido Idoje

E

VER before the Min ister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Musa Bello, paid an on-the-spot assessment to the Karshi – Apo Road in the suburb of the Federal Capital City of Abuja, he confessed he had heard a lot about the road. But most of the information did not convey the reality on the ground.

Given the speed with which the minister visited the road, it could be said that it is perhaps one after the man’s heart. “I am happy today to visit the very popular Karshi – Apo Road under construction which everybody has been telling me is going to be the solution to the traffic gridlock on the Nyanya – Mararaba axis,” the minister said during his inspection visit. The visit brought the minister face-to-face with the true position of things about the all-important road project.

No doubt this all-important road project, as the Honourable Minister rightly observed, is a key to unravelling the persistently pathetic gridlock experienced on the ever-

busy Nyanya – Mararaba Road for vehicular movement emptying into the city centre of Abuja.

From the figures obtained at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), the road is 39km long at the contract sum of N6,355,609,124.53. The contract was awarded to Kakatar CE by FCDA, on January 19, 2011 and work commenced on March 23, 2011.

The scope of work covers site clearance and earthworks; construction of culverts (pipe and box) of various sizes; drainage; construction of two bridges of 3-span (45m) and 5span (75m); rehabilitation of one bridge, pavement and surfacing.

One important fact which many people miss about the Karshi – Apo Road project is that it is in two phases namely: Karshi – Ara, which is 25.60km; Karshi – Apo (13.25km).

Kakatar is constructing both phases and considerable progress has been achieved on the project and work is still going on. On the entire project, the company has so far received N2,373,619,680.99; remaining a balance of

over N3.9billion.

However, certain critical constraints have, over the years, hindered the completion of the road project.

Among others is the issue of inadequate funding, poor engineering design, and compensation - all of which the minister, his team and the contractor highlighted and agreed on during the visit.

Bello inspected sections of the road project and asked questions which were promptly answered by personnel of both FCDA and K akatar. Convinced Kakatar has the competence and capacity to deliver the road project, the minister promised to ensure the speedy completion of the road project. He agreed with FCDA engineers that the major challenge/constraint of the project is inadequate funding and promised to make funding available for the project as and at when due for the timely completion of the project, though the construction company is asking for variation on the contract sum.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Musa Bello (left), and the Managing Director of Kakatar CE, Azibaola Robert (middle) listen as the construction company’s Executive Director of projects, Dakoru Atukpa (right), speaks.

The Managing Director of the construction company, Azibaola Robert, said the company is driven by patriotism to deliver on the road project.

The minister is definitely not in doubt about the competence of Kakatar to deliver the project if properly funded. “It is the policy of this government to enhance local capacity. Since the contractor is complaining of payment and I have looked at the figures and I have seen the outstanding payments, we

will try to make payment as quickly as possible so that work can continue here,” the minister said.

“If you sit down with your engineers and decide you want to do this project we are going to give you payment.”

Impressed with the quality of work so far done by Kakatar on the Karshi – Apo Road, which is about 52% completed, the minister is thinking of adding the portion of road not tarred between Apo Mechanic Village Road and

the beginning of the Karshi-Apo Road at Takwushara Junction, through which he and his convoy assessed the road project, which was never part of the initial contract awarded, to Kakatar to execute; and it is included in the 2016 Budget. Then would the Karshi – Apo Road be a thoroughfare when completed for all to enjoy.

*Idoje is an Abujabased social commentator

SUNDAY

Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016 PAGE 11

Ogboru, Emerhor didn’t really campaign for governorship —Okowa

•My relationship with Uduaghan is great •I don’t know whether they told

Buhari the truth about Maritime University’

By Emma Amaize,

Regional Editor, SouthSouth & Festus Ahon

F

OR seven months since he assumed office, on May 29, 2015, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State found it easier said than done to hold an interactive session with journalists because of duty exigencies and distractions posed by the inflexible challenge to his victory. From the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to the Appeal Court in Benin City, the Supreme Court finally laid the matter to rest, last Tuesday, and, 24 hours later, Okowa, who acted contrite for the delay, was talking to reporters.

Sunday Vanguard was there.

Excerpts: What is your take on the Federal Government’s move to cancel the Maritime University in Okerenkoko?

I believe all Deltans were excited when the issue of the Nigerian Maritime University came up towards the end of the last administration. I believe too that Nigeria needs more than one maritime university, so it would not be right to scrap the only one we have at the moment because we need a lot of this in Nigeria so that we will be able to train our people in various aspects of the maritime industry.

We are already talking with Okerenkoko community. I received a delegation from them and I am expecting a letter from them to deliver to Mr. President so that the state and the community C M Y K

could seek audience with the President concerning the issue.

I do not know if the whole of the story has been told the President, the only thing that we need to know is whether it has been fully established by law because I do not think that it would be right after all the expenditure made by the Federal Government to stop such an institution from being in existence.

It would be a big loss to the Federal Government, but we would continue to take it up in our discussion with the Presidency.

Why did you ask your two major political opponents, Chief Great Ogboru and Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor, to apologize to Deltans?

I did state that, for me, I have forgiven them because we all knew that we were in an election. Ahead of the April election, we were busy campaigning every day, but my two brothers were busy struggling in one senatorial district on who will control the votes there.

They were not really campaigning and they wanted to be governor and not senator. I did speak at that time while we were on campaign that if they wanted to be senator, then they could struggle for who will control the votes of the Urhobo. However, they wanted to be governor over all Deltans and, therefore, it was not right for somebody who wants to be governor to limit himself to an ethnic struggle; I did say that.

Therefore, we campaigned and we won convincingly. Even in Delta Central, we won more Urhobo votes than they did because the people believed in us. But they decided to go to the tribunal; after that, I appealed to them; they went to the Appeal Court, they lost; I made an appeal that it was time for us to talk, they went to the Supreme Court, but thank God for the

We campaigned and we won convincingly.

Even in Delta Central, we won more Urhobo votes than they did because the people believed in us. But they decided to go to the tribunal; after that, I appealed to them; they went to the Appeal Court, they lost; I made an appeal that it was time for us to talk, they went to the Supreme Court, but thank God for the justice system and the rule of law which has now prevailed

justice system and the rule of law which has now prevailed.

It is only fair, realizing that Deltans trooped out en-masse to make the right choice and the popular choice was declared. Therefore, for them to have taken us through this level of distraction, they set Delta State aback. Obviously, whether we like it or not, it was a distraction; so I thought they should apologize to Deltans. Nevertheless, they are my brothers and I am going to say so.

It is my belief that they collaborate with this government to continue to offer the best for Delta. We need the partnership of all, but it is necessary that when you have taken the people for a ride, you should offer apology to them.

You seem to have abandoned the Warri Government House Annex. Is that correct?

I have not abandoned Warri, we are under a lot of pressure more than you can imagine. Apart from the conference that we came for at the Petroleum Training Institute, I have never visited Warri on official duty. Every other visit was on social function and, when I am on social function, I try to avoid journalists because I do not want to make a lot of noise about that. When I am going for someone’s birthday, I should not be having the whole air of government around me because I am going for birthday.

However, I did say, in the course of this year when I was congratulating the Olu of Warri, that we have given instructions for the rehabilitation of the Governor’s Lodge in Warri and, by the grace of God, it will be operational soon, so that I can also come in and spend some days there.

It is in my interest and the interest of this government that we have it out there.

I am very sceptical to come in as governor with all the people going with me and I am in an hotel with them, sometimes it may not be the best. I am eventually going to create a lot of scene in

that hotel, that is why you find me come to Warri and return almost immediately, but you will see me more as soon as that lodge is completed.

What are you doing about the security challenge in Warri?

We are very mindful of the shootings in Warri; it has even been more in Ekpan area, although involving other parts of Uvwie and we are working a lot concerning that. We have a strategy that would not be right for me to speak out to the media for now. I will not let you know what we are doing because we will be setting ourselves back.

What happened at Shoprite, Warri, is very unfortunate. I do not think any of us would have prayed for that. Initially, I did not believe that people could actually go to the extent they went because, when I heard about it, I was thinking it was one of those things, but when I saw the footage, because the CCT cameras captured everything with all the persons involved, I had a rethink.

Before the police declared some people wanted, they have their reason. People talk about victimization, but it is very unfortunate they just talk.

However, by the time the matter actually goes to court, because they have been trying to avoid facing the law by going to court to ask the court to stop the police from arresting them; the time those things are presented in court, clearly there will be no place for them to run to.

There is this rumour making the rounds that you want to ban

Continues on page 12

PAGE 12 SUNDAY

Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

‘My relationship with Uduaghan is great’ Continued from page 11 tricycle (Keke) from operating in Asaba for buses and taxis to takeover. Is it true?

The phase out of ‘keke’, I must tell you, we do not have that plan, definitely not for now and I do believe that the keke is very useful now. Ours is to continue to concentrate within the limits of our resources in developing our roads; we are ensuring that we are able to make minimum roads available for our transport system.

The buses are of impact, the taxis are of impact and the keke is quite useful. The only thing we are talking about is that, at night, in some localities, in some township, we will restrict the usage of keke because some criminals are beginning to use either motor bikes or keke to do very dangerous things, but we do not have an intention to ban it.

The Biafrans are claiming that Anioma is part of their territory.

How do you react?

We have always criticised Biafra agitation. We were never part of the South-East and, obviously, we are not part of them. We may speak the same language, but we were never part of the South East.

We were part of the Mid West, we were part of Bendel, we are now in Delta State and we are Deltans.

There is speculation that the Senate earmarked N43billion to purchase official cars. As a former senator, what is your take?

I believe that this is more about the press. I do not believe so and the Senate President has confirmed that N43billion was not put there for vehicles. I do know that because of oversight functions, once in four years, they actually advance vehicles to members because you do not expect them to be flogging their private vehicles all the time.

If you do the calculation, one per senator, one per House of Rep member, it will not go anywhere near that and the Senate President has said it. Even the total allocation to the National Assembly as a whole, I am aware has dropped from N150 billion, it is N115 billion in this budget.

Therefore, I do not think that would have been possible when there is drastic deduction in the money to the National Assembly.

Moreover, that money includes many things; we should understand that it is also a government of its own. Not just about the 360 members and 109 senators, you have staff complement. If the House of Assembly here with just 29 members, has its House of Assembly Commission, what about the National Assembly with the huge number of people, 469 elected persons with the complementary staff and with the staff of the commission, everybody, there is a lot of expenditure going on there.

However, if you look at the totality of the budget, N115 billion, out of N6 trillion budget, is

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obviously less than two percent. So it is good that we have all the information but you know, sometimes when the media hold something, they hold unto it very strongly, but would not even go to crosscheck the budget; the budget is still an appropriation, so we can still crosscheck it, but from the information I have, that is not true.

What was the actual debt profile you inherited?

There was debt in terms of quantum of cash and there were debts that were also there because of contractual agreements that the state had entered into. That actually is still the situation, we have had to restructure the physical debt, which was over N100 billion.

I think about N60 billion has been restructured in terms of physical debts, but, unfortunately, we have not been able to have any success yet in restructuring the money borrowed on bond. That is the N50 billion bond that was floated and we are still in the process of having to pay high monthly rate for the bond which is in the range of N1.98 billion million monthly to service the bond and that will continue till 2018.

We have restructured the other one and, even with the restructuring, we have to pay about N919 million monthly and that will go on for several years. It is restructured over 20 years, there is nothing hidden, so you can see for yourself. Now, with other issues, we are still paying about N2.90billon in servicing existing debts that is available, and that is a lot of challenge now that the revenues have gone low.

We heard that there was a dispute between you and former Governor Uduaghan and you and former Governor Ibori had to reconcile both of you in London.

How true is the claim?

Reconciliation between Okowa and Uduaghan; this is very funny.

In the first instance, I do not have any problem with former Governor Uduaghan.

Uduaghan is my friend, he has been my friend, we have been in this state together since 1998 before we came into government and you people know it. We have been friends and we will remain friends. We may have had our differences before the primaries but after the primaries, you saw us work together in the elections and we have remained so.

He calls me regularly; he offers me advice. Like even yesterday (Tuesday), he called me and we talked. Therefore, there was no question of a difference between us that would warrant anybody going to London to our former Governor Ibori to reconcile us.

You see, these are some of the very terrible rumours peddled around.

That is why I have always made an appeal that there was need to crosscheck whatever is going on. You are aware he visited me at the lodge. If there is any issue between a man and a man,

•Okowa

Uduaghan is my friend, he has been my friend, we have been in this state together since 1998 before we came into government and you people know it. We have been friends and we will remain friends.

We may have had our differences before the primaries but after the primaries, you saw us work together in the elections and we have remained so.

He calls me regularly; he offers me advice.

Like even yesterday (Tuesday)

you can talk to us but the real thing is that there is no issue between both of us, none. When he came in, it was to offer advice. The wife had visited me twice in the Government House. Therefore, we have had no issues not to talk of somebody setting out to reconcile us.

Why are you embarking on too many political appointments in the face of dwindling allocation?

You cannot say that because there are dwindling funds, you cannot make basic appointments.

You find out recently that I just appointed members of several boards. The law creates those offices and, actually, failure to make those appointments is failure to obey the law. For instance, the Governing Councils, by law; you cannot appoint any Provost, Vice Chancellor, and Rector of an institution without the Governing Councils.

Some of our institutions have been running for several years without Governing Councils and people have been functioning as Acting Provost in the Collages of Educations for so long. Is actually

flattering the law but, as much as possible, even when there is restriction as a result of dwindling funds, we must obey the rules when it comes to institutions of governance.

The only thing we can do is to find ways to ensure the limitations of what they spend. Members of the board are part time except in some statutory agencies where you will need to have some members stand in day -to -day like in SUBEB, the Post Primary Education Board and the Civil Service Commission; but the failure to constitute the board is failure to obey the law, so is important to do that.

However, for the other Assistants in government, it is not going to be possible for me to function everywhere. Delta State is a difficult state to govern and you need many people to help you; that actually has made it necessary to make several appointments.

Fulani herdsmen have posed security challenges to our communities. What is the state government doing about this?

I believe this is a national problem and it is coming to the fore on daily basis, particularly once we enter the dry season and the Fulani men do not have water in the northern part, all they do is to migrate to the southern part. It is a national problem because we do not have grazing reserves, we should actually have grazing reserves and they are not supposed to be roaming around every bush, every farm; but unfortunately we do not have those facilities in place and it is becoming difficult to hold them back because they are going all out nationally. In addition, unfortunately, some of them are even armed and that is creating a problem everywhere, not only in Delta. I understand that out of the 36 states of the federation, about 30states are involved and we are talking about it nationally.

On our own part here, we have the office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG and the Commissioner of Police; we even have to appoint a Special Assistant of Hausa and Fulani stock, who is helping us to manage the issues. All I will appeal is for patience among our various communities. We can only continue to engage with them that they do not go beyond what they are doing now.

Our kings have under kidnappers siege; are you providing security for them or not and what is the state of the Delta State Vigilante law?

The issue of kidnapping is not just an issue restricted to Delta State. In addition, with all kinds of people coming in now, there has been an investigation into the death of the royal father of UbuluUku, it was a very unfortunate incident. Preliminary investigation shows that the kidnappers are not actually from Delta State, because all those arrested so far from the tracking are actually from the North.

There are obvious issues in that place, but they have released the second monarch that was kidnapped two days ago (Monday). We are doing our best and we will continue to do our best.

Unfortunately, Nigerians are beginning to see kidnapping as a means of livelihood and is springing up all over the country far beyond the South -South and far beyond the South East into the

South West and the rest; and is very regrettable. We will continue to do the best we can.

On the Delta State Vigilante Law, as passed, there is an issue, we are studying that law because it is not functional and we do not want to have a law that is not functional. The Commissioner of Police has some reservations about certain aspects of the law.

We are looking into that part, and, as soon as we sort out that part, which I have set up a committee to look into, we will do an amendment, make it functional state and then implement it as amended.

What is the state of the Asaba International Airport?

The Asaba Airport, I do not want to delve into issues of the past. I have talked about it, among other projects that we met and all of that. What we are doing now is to get the runway reconstructed in a manner that it will accommodate all sizes of aircraft.

I can only comment on what we have now, that contract is a little over N5 billion and that contract was awarded before I came in. It was awarded in May, last year, but we have also tested the figure and we know that the NCAA actually gave the consultant, who did the costing, to the Delta State Government and it falls within acceptable values.

Sometimes, you may not just compare our airports and the size of money we have spent to other airports. That airport, before now, the runway was about 60 meters wide; I am not aware of airports all over the country that are up to 60 meters wide, even all over the world.

So the initial problem was an over the construction and, in that process, we lost some value because the runway was not properly done. However, the runway is being reconstructed in such a manner that it puts it in a functional and dependable state.

Also, realize that the runway was 3.4km long and recognize that the site of the airport, I believe, was initially wrong and that has made it more expensive, because even to bring down the hills for clearer vision is also costing the government billions of naira. So if we had chosen a different site, we would not have gone through the level of expenditure that we are going through. So when you are comparing two levels of cost, I am not holding brief for the previous administration, it is like comparing a constructing a road in Asaba and a road in the creek, it is not going to be the same cost.

I was just asking somebody- a road through Ayakoromor with the bridges that would take us to Burutu, and he gave me an estimate of N34billion, but such road, if it was to be in the town here, with such length of road will not cost up to N5billion.

This is because you would have to go into many bridges, many trees and then the soil nature is not also the same. So is not just doing an excavation of just a meter before constructing, in some places you have to do an excavation of up to five meters before constructing.

Therefore, you have to look at the relativity factor not just going to do an assessment.

Nevertheless, what we are doing now is to mend the runway, which will also involve the fencing and a few minor works; so it is not mere reconstruction.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 13

KILLER - ZIKA FEVER

Mosquito – borne virus is potential death sentence •Nigeria battles threat

“The single biggest threat to man’s continued dominance on the planet is the virus”-- Joshua Lederberg, Nobel prize-winning molecular biologist

By Sola Ogundipe

T

HIS is the season of fevers.

The menace of fevers is rocking the world. True, yellow fever is no longer a global threat, but malaria fever is still with us while typhoid fever remains on the prowl . Sierra Leone is still at alert for Ebola fever and Saudi Arabia is wary of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome a.k.a MERS - a viral respiratory illness that is relatively new to humans.

Most people infected with MERS-CoV developed severe acute respiratory illness, including fever, cough, and shortness of breathe. It was first reported three years ago and the Saudi government is “very keen” on finding a vaccine since there is pressing need to control the spread of the MERS virus.

The Lassa fever epidemic, currently running around in Nigeria, also comes to mind.

Nigerians are not at ease because there is no vaccine against the disease at the moment; and no experimental vaccine has completely protected

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Nigeria moves against threat The Federal Government has put measures in place to ensure that the Zika virus is not transmitted by mosquitoes in the country. The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, issued an alert to pregnant women against travelling to Brazil and other Latin American countries where the virus is currently prevalent. In addition to the travel advisory, government put all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on the red alert. The red alert is to enable effective monitoring of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Other measures include conducting epidemiological tests on mosquitoes to find out if they carry the virus.

According to the Director General of the Nigerian Centres for Diseases Control, NCDC, Prof Abdusalami Nasidi, there had been regular monitoring even as stakeholders comprising experts on public health among others converged in Abuja.

non-human primates against a lethal challenge.

But right now, the world is not much bothered by MERS, Lassa fever or even Ebola, The world’s latest health scare is a seemingly minor illness that carries a killer wrapped inside - Zika, the mosquito-borne virus that is sweeping across Latin America in the form of a tropical fever, linked to neurological problems and a surge in microcephaly, a condition in which babies are born with abnormally small heads. The defect can cause brain damage and death.

The outbreak of Zika virus has led

authorities in some countries to urge couples not to get pregnant, while the US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, has warned pregnant women to avoid traveling to at least 25 affected countries.

On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Zika virus a public health emergency of international concern. Following an Emergency Committee Meeting on Zika virus, convened under the International Health Regulations, 18 experts and advisers looked, in particular, at the strong association, in time and place, between infection with the Zika virus and a rise in detected cases of congenital malformations and neurological

complications.

The experts agreed that a causal relationship between Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly is strongly suspected, though not yet scientifically proven, but all agreed on the urgent need to coordinate international efforts to investigate and understand this relationship better. The experts also considered patterns of recent spread and the broad geographical distribution of mosquito species that can transmit the virus. The lack of vaccines and rapid and reliable diagnostic tests, and the absence of population immunity in newly affected countries were cited as further causes for concern.

After a review of the evidence, the Committee advised that the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil, following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014, constituted an “extraordinary event” and a public health threat to other parts of the world.

Director General, WHO, Dr Margaret Chan, in a statement, afterwards, said: “I am now declaring that the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil, following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014, constitutes a Public Health

Continues on page 15

PAGE 14—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

LASSA, ZIKA FEVERS Poor disease control fuels killer-viruses in Nigeria —Prof. Ugbomoiko

•W arns: S a •Warns: Stteer clear of Suy Suya

Professor Uade Sam Ugbomoiko is a parasitologist and former Head of Department of Zoology, University of Ilorin. His research focus covers parasites of small mammals, epidemiology and control of zoonotic parasites. Ugbomoiko gives a fresh insight into the treatment of diseases in Nigeria and how to stem the tide. He speaks against the backdrop of the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin Basically,what do you think is the main cause of Lassa fever?

Lassa fever is caused by Lassa virus,anarena virus of about 110nm in diameter. It belongs to the group of viruses that causes haemorrhagic fever in Argentina and Bolivia. The disease is transmissible between human and animal, and the only known animal host is the multimammate peri-domestic rat called mastomys natalensis. In other words, it is a wild rat that naturally lives in the bush during the raining season but frequently visit human habitations in search of harvested food during the dry season. So far, Lassa virus occurs only in the West Africa sub-region, mainly Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Guinea. It has also been isolated in Mozambique.

What are the diseases likely to be transmitted through rats, apart from Lassa fever?

A bewildering number of other viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases are transmissible by rats.

The most prevalent and cosmopolitan rat-borne disease in Nigeria is the toxoplasmosis, a protozoan parasite that frequently causes spontaneous abortion and still-birth in pregnant women. Let us not also forget the role of rat in the transmission of leishmaniasis, bubonic plague, tick-borne encephalitis and leptospirosis.

Unfortunately, many other zoonotic diseases, hitherto unknown in our environment, may emerge due to global warming (climate change).

Tapeworms and roundworms known in rats are also transmissible to human.

Do you think Lassa fever is preventable?

As a zoologist with interest in parasite control, I believe Lassa fever, like other infectious pathogens, is preventable if careful epidemiological details of the disease are known. After all, Nigeria was able to control and eliminate Guinea worm (dracontiasis), thanks to international health agencies that collaborated with our experts drawn from the health and university communities. The

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question you asked on in the lips of many well-meaning Nigerians who know that this preventable disease was first reported in Nigeria over 40 years ago, precisely 1969.Prevention would not only be by treating all infected cases and by rapid dissemination of information on how to avoid the disease agents .I think the Minister of Health has, rightly and urgently, ordered the commencement of rapid control measures i.e. locate infected cases, isolate and treat promptly.

Individual and community mobilization have also commenced. The truth is that they are short term measures to rid our society of Lassa fever. I am sure the Minister of Health would want to do the unexpected by setting up research team(s) that will provide reliable epidemiological data fora long term control plan. We have seen that Ebola virus, a more virulent virus, was controlled though no lesson was learnt from it. Till date, I am not aware of any research team(s) in place to identify the species/type of bat and/or ‘bush meat’ that transmits Ebola virus. Meanwhile a number of research institutes and competent researchers in universities are available in Nigeria to undertake such challenges. We should tap the knowledge of our experts to control Lassa fever and other related diseases.

What proactive steps do you think can be taken by stakeholders to prevent such occurrence in the future?

Government should learn to avoid a knee-jerk approach to disease control. The current style of disease control has made Nigeria an endemic country for many preventable diseases.

Recent WHO reports show that Nigeria has the highest number of schistosomiasis, ascariasis and other preventable parasitic diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.

We should learn to adopt the principle of laying siege on infectious agents. The reemergence of Lassa fever, after the first few reported cases in Lassa and Jos villages in 1969, started in early 1990s. From my observation, no detailed research information on the ecology, biology and distribution of mastomys nor the virus is known to government. All we

•Professor Ugbomoiko

The most prevalent and cosmopolitan rat-borne disease in Nigeria is the toxoplasmosis, a protozoan parasite that frequently causes spontaneous abortion and still-birth in pregnant women

hear and read from the media about this virus and the animal host are probably textbook information collated from other endemic areas. Our research data should reveal the average proportion of rat infected in a rat population, the sex and age that commonly carries infection.

Effective control strategic plans are based on highly reliable research data on disease epidemiology.The current knowledge about the animal host (M. natalensis) is also grossly inadequate for any effective control strategic plan. For instance, there are about three siblings of mastomys in Nigeria i.e. M. natalensis, M. hubertiand M. kollmanngerus. All these species are morphologically indistinguishable (looking alike) and do not interbreed but can maintain a sympatric population at any given location. Besides, their occurrence vary from one geographical location to another. It is not impossible, therefore, that a different species of mastomysand/ or other type of peri-domestic rat (like luphorumis species) may be transmitting this virus in the savanna region of Nigeria (Kano, Taraba and Nassarawa).Government should urgently constitute a research team consisting of experts in virology, zoology and public health from universities and research institutions with a view to obtaining up-to-date research information upon which control plans will be anchored. In many developed countries, well-funded disease control centers are established in states for data gathering. Federal institutions like the National Arbovirus Research Centre in Enugu and Medical Research Centre in Lagos have suddenly become moribund because of insufficient funding; they rely majorly on the generosity of international agencies.

Unfortunately, many international researchers find Nigeria unsafe for research collaboration because of the problems of Boko Haram and kidnappings. This has grave consequences on our up-coming

academics in the universities.

For majority of Nigerians not infected with Lassa fever, what are the steps to be taken to avoid contacting the dreaded disease?

As mentioned earlier, the short term measures read out in media, both electronic and print, require the following steps.

—Block rat access routes into the house.Mastomys and, indeed, other wild rats, would not stray beyond 250 m from their habitat.

Therefore, houses located close to the bush must clear the surrounding bushes at least about 250 m away from the house, *avoid stocking freshly harvested grains (rice, beans, maize, ground nuts and fruits including palm nuts) close to the house. * keep away your cooked food and utensils from rats, * wash hands and cooking utensils properly and regularly with soap, * avoid rat meat, otherwise cook rat meat improperly (not roasting meat in the open fire like ‘suya’) before eating, and * report infected cases immediately to the specialized hospital for prompt medical treatment, Don’t you think there is the need for a national summit to enlighten the public on the danger inherent in the disease?

I think the issue of disease control should be the concern of the experts in the related areas if they are well motivated. To enlighten the public on a disease is a compulsory responsibility of the experts and government. government should adequately

fund research and the existing disease control centers if she’s unable to establish such center in all the states of the federation. To me, hospitalbased disease control unit like the Lassa Fever Centre in Irrua, Edo State is inappropriate in all ramifications. National summit may only be an option if all other steps fail.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016 — PAGE 15

The Zika Fever Red Alert Continued from page 13 Emergency of International Concern.

Chan said a coordinated international response is needed to improve surveillance, the detection of infections, congenital malformations, and neurological complications, to intensify the control of mosquito populations, and to expedite the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines to protect people at risk, especially during pregnancy.

Although the Committee found no public health justification for restrictions on travel or trade to prevent the spread of Zika virus, it noted that, at present, the most important protective measures are the control of mosquito populations and the prevention of mosquito bites in at-risk individuals, especially pregnant women.

The virus What’s Zika? This is probably the million-dollar question. Sunday Vanguard investigations revealed that the virus was first identified in a rhesus monkey specie in Africa in 1947. WHO confirmed that Zika is actually named after a forest in Uganda where the first infected rhesus monkeys were found. The virus then “jumped”, over time, to humans in Uganda and Tanzania in East Africa.

Hospital information says most of the time, Zika disease infection goes unnoticed. The symptoms are like a mild case of the flu — headache, muscle and joint pain, and mild fever — plus a rash and usually last two to seven days.

Zika is linked to two serious complications: Neurological problems and birth defects in babies born to infected women.

The main neurological complication is Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disorder in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing weakness and sometimes paralysis.

Most patients recover, but the syndrome is sometimes deadly.

Cases linked to Zika were first reported in Brazil and French Polynesia.

Microcephaly and other brain

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deformities in newborns have also been reported, particularly in Brazil. Since the Zika outbreak began, last year, microcephaly cases have surged. With no vaccine, or specific treatment, Zika has become a potential death sentence overnight.

'No more pregnancy' Recently, the US Centers for Diseases Control issued a travel ban for pregnant women. Don’t travel to Brazil, it warned. For women in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica and at least 18 other Latin America and Caribbean countries, women have been advised to avoid pregnancy for the time being.

An American woman was reportedly said to have given birth to a baby with microcephaly after traveling to Brazil.

The Zika virus itself is considered a bit of a dark horse by scientists. A member of the flaviviridae family transmitted to humans by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, it is related to other pathogenic vector borne flaviviruses including Dengue , WestNile and Japanese encephalitis viruses but prior to the last few months, produced a comparatively mild disease in humans.

The vector Like dengue fever and chikungunya, two similar diseases, Zika is transmitted by the aedes mosquito species found in tropical and subtropical regions. The specific host of the Zika virus is the aedes aegypti mosquito. It has a number of aliases including the yellow fever mosquito, tiger mosquito or stegomyia mosquito. The vector host is well distributed in Africa, the surrounding tropics and subtropics, south eastern US, the Middle East, South East Asia, Pacific and Indian Islands and Northern Australia. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the first documented transmission of Zika virus, outside of its traditional endemic areas in Africa and Asia,was recorded in 2007, when it caused an outbreak on the island of Yap in the Pacific.

Today, Zika virus is considered an emerging infectious disease with the potential to spread to new areas where the aedes mosquito vector is present.

However, there is still no evidence of transmission Zika virus in Europe to

Zika virus is considered an emerging infectious disease with the potential to spread to new areas where the aedes mosquito vector is present

date and imported cases are rare.

Entomological information provided by the European Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, ECDCP, shows that the aedes aegypti is a relatively small insect with an aggressive biting habit. It is easily distinguished by its characteristic black and white pattern due to the presence of white/silver scale patches on a black background on the legs and other parts of the body.

Aedes aegypti has a high biting and disease risk. It is a known vector of several viruses including yellow fever virus, dengue virus and chikungunya virus. Others are Japanese encephalitis, viral haemorrhagic fevers and Zika virus.

Over the past 25 years there has been an increase in distribution of this mosquito to every continent worldwide making it one of the most widespread mosquito species globally. The success of this invasive species has largely been due to globalisation. It thrives in densely populated areas which lack reliable water supplies, waste management and sanitation.

Historically, this mosquito has moved from continent to continent via ships, and this method of dispersal is thought to present the highest risk. It is even suggested that the mosquito evolved its domestic behaviour in West Africa and its widespread distribution and colonisation in the tropics led to the highly efficient inter-human transmission of viruses such as dengue. Sunday Vanguard investigations show that aedes aegypti prefers mammalian hosts and will preferentially feed on humans, even in the presence of alternative hosts. Historically, the mosquitoesi were found in forested areas, using tree holes as aquatic habitats. But as they have adapted to more urban domestic habitats, they have exploited a wide range of artificial containers such as vases, water tanks and tyres that are often associated with human habitations.

The mosquito has also been found utilising underground aquatic habitats such as septic tanks and adapting to use both indoor and outdoor aquatic habitats in the same area.

Adaptation to breeding outdoors may allow for increased population numbers and difficulty in implementation of control methods.

The insect is often not found further than 100m from human habitations. They prefer human habitations that provide resting and host-seeking possibilities and, as a result, will readily enter buildings.

Hope for a vaccine How far away is a Zika virus vaccine?

Experts say research efforts will focus on developing a vaccine for the mosquito-borne illness, but it will take time. However, scientists have quickly turned their attention to trying to develop a vaccine, but a widely available safe and effective Zika vaccine is not likely this year and probably not in the next few years.

Two potential approaches have been mapped out to developing a Zika vaccine.

The first is a DNA-based strategy similar to one employed in a vaccine for West Nile virus, in which a piece of the virus’s genetic structure is inserted into another harmless virus and used to create an immune response in the patient.

The second, more traditional approach would use a live attenuated vaccine in which the virus has been weakened to prompt immunity.

Last week, Genekam, a German biotechnology company, said it had created technology that can not only reveal the presence of Zika pathogens in a blood sample, but also shed light on the quantity in the patient’s blood. The new test can, therefore, definitely determine if a person is a carrier of the Zika virus, as only one in five people infected actually becomes ill, the media reports. Additionally, the test renders diagnostic results in real time, which is

relatively quick for a virus of this kind. The test examines DNA and works with chemicals that react to the Zika virus only.

As the race to come up with a vaccine that could fight Zika virus hots up, scientists admit that it’s not going to be easy. Scientists from around the world have pledged to fast-track the research.

U.S. National Institutes of Health, Brazil’s Butantan Institute and the Public Health Agency of Canada have already started their research.

Biotech firm, NewLink Genetics and Merck & Co, who are behind the successful Ebola vaccine, are also working on a possible solution. Large Pharmaceutical companies like Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline and Japan’s Takeda pharmaceutical are also in the race to develop the Zika virus vaccine.

However, despite technological advancements, scientists confessed that there are many challenges to the development of a vaccine.The target profile is women who are pregnant or who are planning to get pregnant - which is about the highest bar there is for safety.

Last week, Bharat Biotech Ltd., in India, claimed it already had a possible Zika virus vaccine. It even said it actually had two.

It said it could possibly make one million doses and that it aimed to provide help to fellow BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) member-country, Brazil. But the vaccine will also need to undergo further animal trials, which could take some time.

Rage of viruses In recent years, viruses have been emerging from nowhere.

Outbreaks of killer-viruses like SARS, swine flu, and West Nile have raised international fears.

One other virus dominating the headlines is a new strain of bird flu (H7N9) in China. Detected last year, the virus transmits easily from birds to humans, killing about one in five people it infects.

Fears also centre around a novel coronavirus (NCoV), a SARS-like virus. The world’s fears of viruses is clear: Which one has the capacity to become an uncontrollable pandemic. In a world of global air travel, a deadly virus could sweep round the earth with frightening speed.

Viruses outnumber all other life forms on earth. Scientists have estimated that there are about 10 million times the number of stars in the universe.

A virus that kills more quickly than it can spread will die out before infecting a significant proportion of the population. A perpetual fear is that deadly viruses will mutate to develop person to person transmission, allowing rapid spread (rather than, for example, spreading to humans from an infected animal source).

The WHO’s recent admission that the novel coronavirus is probably spreading from person to person made the news for this reason.

The creation of genetically modified viruses in the laboratory is believed to be increasing the potential of deadliness of viruses.

An altered virus is probably one of the most dangerous viruses you can make. Resaerchers could inadvertently be tampering with the delicate balance of nature and putting the world at risk. No one really knows what the future holds for the battle against viruses. Their resilient nature makes eradication seem unlikely, so man will need to keep innovating.

PAGE 16 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215

40th da or Issa Aremu’s wif e Okowa dayy Fidau pra prayyer ffor wife

I .

L-R: Hajia Lateefah Adediran, sister of the deceased, Alhaji Wale Mohmmed, Mr. Bello Ismail, Sheikh Abdul-Rahman Ahmed, Chief Missioner of AnsarUd-Deen Society of Nigeria, Mr. Moshood Aremu, son of the deceased and Alhaji Jammal Adediran.

L-R: Sheikh Musa Olaoye of the Ansarudeen Mosque,Abuja with General-Secretary, National Union of Textile,Garment & Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade Issa Aremu and President,Aani Kuru, Jos, General Lawrence Onoja.

L-R: Comrade Idowu Adelekan; chairmann, NLC, Lagos Chapter, Comrade Stevenson Osidipe; Comrade Atori Saliu Maliki and Comrade Kasimu Kadiri.

C

t was a gathering of labour leaders and eminent Nigerians when the 40 th day Fidau prayer was held in honour of late Hajia Hamdalat Abiodun Aremu, wife of Comrade Issa Aremu, NUTGTWN in Kaduna and Lagos respectively.

Both Sheikh Musa Olaoye of the Ansarudeen Mosque, Abuja and Chief Missioner of Ansar- UdDeen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdul-Rahman Ahmed took charge of the prayers in Kaduna and Lagos respectively Photos by Olu Ajayi and Bunmi Azeez

L-R :The bereaved, Comrade Issa Aremu; Senator Ali Wakili; President, Aani Kuru, Jos, General Lawrence Onoja ; and the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Waba

L-R: Sheikh Musa Olaoye of the Ansarudeen Mosque,Abuja; the former U.N Secretary-General Professor Ibrahim Gambari; former Ag.Rector Kaduna Polytechnic, Engr. Abdullahi Aliyu and Comrade Issa Aremu.

inaugurates Boards’ chairmen Inauguration of Board chairmen and members

by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa took place at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, Delta State, last week. Photos by Nath Onojake

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (l) congratulates Chief Onisuru Salami (r),Chairman, Delta State Small,Micro and Medium Enterprises Agency.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (l) congratulates Chief J.J. Scott (r), board member, DRTV, Warri.

L-R: Chief Onisuru Salami, chairman, Delta State Small,Micro and Medium Enterprises Agency; Barr. Theodora Azinge (member); Mrs Shimite Bello, executive secretary; and Mrs Anne Orumade (member).

Open Univ er sity V C TTenebe, enebe, Pr of. Sogolo bag Eme hief taincy titles Univer ersity VC Prof.

Emevvor cchief hieftaincy

onferment of chieftaincy titles on the Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria, Prof Vincent Ado Tenebe as the ‘URUKPE’ of Emevor and Prof Emeritus Godwin Surveyor Sogolo as the ‘OTHUKE’ of Emevor by His Royal Majesty, Francis Onovughakpo Ekama, the Odion of Emevor took place last weekend.

Prof Emeritus Godwin Surveyor Sogolo (right) being conferred with chieftaincy title of OTUKE of Emevor by HRM Francis Onovuhakpor Ekama being assisted by Prince Solomon Onovuhakpor Ekama.

C M Y K

The Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Prof Vincent Ado Tenebe being conferred with the chieftaincy title of URUKPE of Emevor by HRM Francis Onovuhakpor Ekama being assisted by Prince Solomon Onovuhakpor Ekama.

HRM, Francis Onovughakpor Ekama, Odion of Emevor (middle) The Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof Vincent Ado Tenebe the URUKPE of Emevor (right) and Prof Emeritus Godwin Surveyor

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 17

free, easy feeling of love and passion and connection seems to drift farther and farther away from you?

For lots of women, what once started out as an “easy” relationship where you and a man simply connected and enjoyed being together no matter what can unexpectedly turn into something a lot more difficult and frustrating?

How many times have you heard from a friend that the

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Symptoms of the “Passionless Relationship”

A

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

Why most women regret their first time and men don’t

S

o what was your first time like?

Crisp sheets and the gentle touch of a caring soul-mate swearing undying love, or an awkward drunken fumble in a back room, a motel room or at a party?

The age we lose our .virginity is perhaps the question that fascinates us more than any other.

Did you start having sex too young, or were you a late starter! According ,to a report by the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle, The average ‘enlightened’ person first had sex when they are in their mid-teens. “Look at the statistics for older generations and it’s clear that people are becoming sexually active sooner,” says the report. “On average, a man who is now in his 80s first had sex when he was 18, while an average woman of that generation waited until she was 19.

“As for sex under 16, for those born in 1950, onein-seven men and onein-ten women had lost their virginity before the legal age of consent. The figure is now one in three for those born in 1990.

However, the cur rent figure of one in three doesn’t mean that in every classroom, a third of those about to take their secondary school leaving exams have already had sex ... the figures are higher in deprived areas and lower where people are more affluent.”

However, when it comes to wishing things had been different, almost half the woman, but less than a quarter of the men had regrets, said the report.

It’s possible to get an idea of the reasons for

remorse from people’s responses to questions such as whether their partner had been more willing to have sex than them - i.e. they felt pressured- and if they were drunk when it happened.

The million-dollar question really is: Were you really ready? When assessing whether you were ready, researchers don’t mean whether you know which bits go where, or how to open a packet of condoms.

Rather, it’s a case of whether you were prepared for the momentous event or, in terms of the research, ‘competent’. If you agree with one or more of the following statements, then you are considered to have been not competent or ready when you lost your virginity:•One of us was more willing than the other.

•I wish I had waited longer.

• The main reason was peer pressure or because I was drunk or had taken drugs.

• I did not use reliable contraception.

Given the increasingly young age that people lose their virginity, you would expect competency to be going down, but it appears that it is increasing across the generations.

This suggests that young people are increasingly savvy when it comes to sex. The circumstances of your first’ sexual experience can predict subsequent health problems, with lack of ‘competent’ being associated with subsequent unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and coercion into sex,

regardless of the age at which first intercourse occurred. This suggests that sex education should focus not just on the mechanics of sex and contraception, but also on readiness for sexual activity.

Attitudes towards sex before marriage have changed dramatically in the past few decades. In the late sixties, it is alleged that just over a third had sex with their husband before tying the knot. By the Eighties, the figure had risen to over 70 per vent. Now it is so common, the question is no longer asked. But it’s fair to assume it is well into the 90 per cent range.

Today the average woman is virtually free to take her love-life into her hands. In the past, the gap between becoming sexually active and having a child was close together. An average woman then lost her virginity at 20, got

married at 21 and had her first child aged 23 to 24.

Compare this sequence to today ’s average woman who first had sex at 17, started a partnership (not necessarily marriage) at 23 to 24 and gave birth to her first child at 27. That’s ten years of sexual activity before her first birth - a demonstration of the efficacy of contraception. In short, reliable contraception means many women now put off families so they can develop careers first.

But in the case of Donald and Doris, both had reasonably well paid jobs but still couldn’t afford the type of wedding they want.

“Donald and I really want to have children and the ideal would be to do so once we’re married, said Doris: I know there’s no stigma attached to having children out of wedlock, but my parents’ marriage is strong and I grew up

And her heart answered When ours was joined Alas! one we became

Y

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

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

"TWO IN ONE"

I have long been searching And have been waiting To meet the only one Our heart can beat at once My heart beats for love

Her lip so red and charming My heart stick to it sweetly And her hand is softly warm On my chick with lovely cares In my arms she played And on her shoulder I dreamt When I saw her cute queenly face Behold, we are one in the ocean of Love.

Sunday Ogbaoyibo sunlightwoorld82@gmail.com 07032615563; 08151972318.

I want love...

I want a love that's patient, caring, and kind.

Alove that judges with the heart and never with the mind.

feeling part of a secure family unit and that’s what I’d like for us too.

I’m now 28 and Donald will be 30 in a few weeks time and it feels like the clock’s ticking and we’re starting to resign ourselves to the prospect that we might never be able to save enough money to marry, despite both being good earners and savers.

“We’re not prepared to get into debt to pay for a wedding and I agree with Donald that we shouldn’t burden our parents with ridiculous costs. My mum had cancer recently and my dad’s had health problems, so I want them to enjoy every penny that they have got saved up - including what they get as rent in the only property they own. It sickens me how much prices are inflated the moment you mention the word ‘ wedding’. We’re not prepared to have a hurried registry do

either, as that shows a bit of desperation.

“What we’re concentrating on now is starting a family. I’ve recently discovered ~ I need fertility treatment to make conception easier; and we would rather deal with that right away.

We’ll get married if and when we’re ready.”

Pleasant Surprise?

(Humour) Bill and Abi had been married only a few weeks when Bill had to travel interstate on a job. While he was away. Abi’s sister Betty moved in to keep her company.

Bill finished the job sooner than expected and was quickly on a plane home.

When he arrived at the airport, he dashed to a phone. Betty answered the call.

“Is Abi there?” he asked. ‘’No, she’s having a bath,” said Betty. “Don’t disturb her then. Just tell her to put a couple of beers in the fridge and I will be home about midnight. Tell her to put on her sheerest nightie and a dab of perfume and I will sneak in and wake her with a kiss.” “Okay, and who will I say called?” asked Betty.

No Fool Like An Old Fool? (Humour) A despicable husband was travelling round the country buying new merchandise for his department store. His trip lasted longer than usual, so he would keep in touch with his wife by sending her texts saying, “still . travelling, still buying.”

After two more weeks had passed, the wife eventually sent a message back to him: “Come home at once or I’ll be selling what you’re buying!”

This love must transform all of the commonplace things; turn the mountains into rubies, gild the butterflies' wings.

I want endless beauty, sweetness and grace with all the magic that glows from some fairytale place.

I want a love that's faithful, too precious to ever forsake; it must be unselfish, giving more than it takes.

This love I dream of must be nothing short of divine, on a deeper level than mortal man can define.

I want a love above all loves A love that's honest, believing, and true.

Such a love could only come from God... and you!

Chris Onunaku dekris4real@gmail.com 08032988826/08184844015.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 19

Cameron: To deal or not to leave

A

s the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron has his works cut out. By the responsibility of the office, one can repeat the worn out saying of "uneasy lies the head that wears the crown" for this young man.

In 2010, Cameron became the youngest UK PM in over 200 years.

Although he could not win the desired majority, his party, the Conservatives, went into coalition with the Liberal Democrats to form a government. Cameron may be the youngest Prime Minister in modern day Britain, this has, however, not reduced the expectations placed on his tender shoulders.

Cameron assumed office at the time the world economy was slowly and gradually waking up from recession. This was a season when world leaders wish they could become magicians and turn the fortunes of their countries around by mere political abracadabra. It was not so.

Unfortunately for Cameron and his cotravellers in the new government it was also a period when the British public seem to have lost hope in their leaders. The apathy towards the politicians was highest, attributed mainly to the unsatisfactory long rule of the Labour party.

Apart from the out of shape British economy, Cameron inherited a series of problems that needed urgent attention. Among these were the issues of immigration and welfare.

On benefits (welfare), majority of the hard working tax paying Britons were getting disillusioned by the lazy attitudes of some of their counterparts who revelled in milking the state of all types of benefits from their "inactive states."

The attitude of the citizens to immigration was that of anger and disappointment on the various policies of the Labour Party that had encouraged mass immigration into UK in the thirteen years rule of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

The resentment of the populace towards the "open door immigration" policies was historical. Realising this, Cameron knew he had no choice than to tackle it head long.

Immigration was a major issue pre, during and after the elections. As part of the manifestoes, Cameron promised a realistic approach to immigration, especially from non-EEA countries, in his desire to cut down the net migration number. Boldly, he said on BBC's Andrew Marr show on January 10, 2010: “We would like to see net immigration in the tens of thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands. I don’t think that’s unrealistic.

That’s the sort of figure it was in the 1990s and I think we should see that again.”

Cameron did get down to business on assuming office, by reviewing within a short period, UK immigration laws, in his bid to to put action to his promise. He formulated policies and laws to effectively keep migrants from non-EEA countries out of Britain.

Many immigration routes that allow migrants to stay on in the country or become citizens were closed, while toughening up on the few routes available now.

Although at the end of the parliament in 2015, Cameron could not accomplish his desire to bring net migration down, he did try his best.

Pre-2010 elections, the clamour of Britons was to have a more secured border to keep non-EEA citizens without any clear cut business out of their shores, in 2015, the attention shifted to their European 'friends'.

Immigration within the European Union became a source of major headache for the citizens and their leaders. Cameron had promised a referendum date on whether to stay in or out of the EU in his second term.

Cameron won the General Elections with an unexpected majority votes that returned him to 10, Downing Street for another five years. Ever since his inauguration, he has been a very busy man going from one end to the other to reassure the electorates that they did not make mistake in voting for him, and that

The resentment of the populace towards the "open door immigration" policies was historical. Realising this, Cameron knew he had no choice than to tackle it head long

he was ready to deliver once again.

During this "second appearance" Cameron had kept to his promise of negotiating a better reform in favour of UK in the EU. Since April 2015, he has not relented in this bid to secure a better deal.

Cameron knows the yearnings of the British citizens. He knows what matters most to them. It would have been an easy task for him if his brief in this second term was just reassurance. Unfortunately for him, it is more than this.

For him to leave a credible impact on the British politics and also earn himself a place in the history books, he knows he must

deliver on his promise.

To politicians in this clime, manifestos are not just for winning elections, they are to be implemented.

Although in British politics recently, we have witnessed some political "acrobatic" displays. An example is the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg who while campaigning promised he would resist any increase in students tuition fees, only to go into a coalition as a Deputy Prime Minister and lost the plot.

The electorates did not take it lightly and Mr Clegg and his party suffered a humiliating defeat at the last polls. No thanks to his policy somersault. Unlike Clegg, Cameron seem to understand the importance of honouring party manifestos.

The big issue in the UK, and all European countries right now is immigration.

While the citizens of other Europeans countries are struggling with the effect of the influx of immigrants from war zones to their shores, the Britons are indirectly as a result of immigration deciding whether to stay in or out of the union. The average Briton is having sleepless nights over how migrants from EU are daily trooping into their "backyards" to take away their jobs and also take their benefits.

Unlike the government, the common man on the street knows where the immigration shoe is pinching him. He knows that his government's portrayals of immigrants from the non-EEA as "parasites" is an error in judgement. He may not be able to publicly counter the government's claim that immigration from outside the EU has little or no economic impact on the British economy, he knows his "enemies" are within and not outside.

He knows the immigrants who are "taking his jobs", claiming part of his benefits, and making it difficult for him to qualify for a council or housing association property. Despite the harsh policies against non-EU migrants and the drop in their numbers, especially students, the British public did not let up on their clamour for "Britain for Britons".

The "free uncontrolled movement" of European citizens has always been a source of concern to citizens.

It, however, became more aggressive at the turn of the millennium when a few Eastern European countries were admitted to the Union.

The hype that these new members were coming to take British jobs did not in any way soothe the nerves of the restless citizens.

David Cameron has been pretty busy visiting the key countries in the Union trying to sell his reform ideas in exchange for Britain's continued membership. As expected this has not gone down well with other members.

The most contentious of the Prime Minister's reform is Cameron's plan to cap the number of EU's workers in UK and also restrict access to benefits. Some of the EU leaders have publicly spoken against these reforms.

As expected of the Prime Minister, his reforms are borne out of patriotism. But as good as they are, will they harmonise or hurt the union?

No more tears

I

t seems there is no one without a challenge.

What differs is the form it takes in one’s life. For some, it is self-inflicted; for others, it is not. Whatever it is , there is likely to be something we are trusting God for. Even those we look up to as super rich, there is usually something they look up to God for. If not for anything, they would ask God to give them long life to enjoy their riches.

Why is this so? It is because we all know that God is the giver of life. He brings to the world when he pleases and takes away when he pleases.

At least, on this issue, no one can query God. Even if we do, we may not find the answer.

This, however, is not the essence of today’s column.

The essence is why we shed tears and why we should not shed tears.

Why shed tears?

The simple dictionary meaning of tears is “ a drop of the clear salty saline solution secreted by the lacrimal glands”. What we do know is that it is stirred up by our emotion. Hence, we speak of tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

For any one who believes God for children, such a person is likely to look back and say, “ I am 45 years old, I can’t have children any more”; or, “All my younger siblings have stopped child bearing and I have none”; or, “My husband has fathered children through another woman, so what am I waiting for?”

For the single lady, it’s “ At my age, who will marry me?”

To the one whose child has taken to drugs, it is, “ Ah! What a waste, isn’t it better if I didn’t have this child?”

To the one whose husband is so unfaithful that he has made the home a place of lamentation, the woman is likely to say, “ Isn’t it better if this man is dead and I live my life with my children?”

All these questions lead to just one thing: Tears of sorrow”.

Should a Christian shed tears of sorrow? My answer is no. When we do this , we give room to evil thoughts.

A woman once told her husband, “ Isn’t it better that I commit suicide so that people will not put pressure on us for children?”

These are some of the thoughts that could provoke tears of sorrow.

God is able to wipe off all tears For any reason that you are shedding tears of sorrow, God is able to wipe off your tears.

His word, according to Isaiah 30 vs 19: “ For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shall weep no more: He will be gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry ; when He shall hear it, He will answer”.

Tears of sorrow have never and will never bring the solution to any challenge. Rather than break down , a believer should break down on the altar of God. It was before the altar of God that Hannah broke down and God, in his mercy, visited her.

Psalm 61 verses 1&2 confirm that the only one we need to cry unto is God Almighty. The verses read: “ Hear my cry , O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I”.

It is only God that can provide the solution to whatever challenge we have.

There is also the case of the widow of Nain who lost her only son.

Naturally, she was in deep sorrow and she wept but the Lord Jesus intervened.

As recorded in Luke 7 vs 13: “And when the Lord

It is only God that can provide the solution to whatever challenge we have saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, ` Weep not’”.

There is also the case of King Hezekiah who had a challenge of sickness as recorded in in 2 Kings 20 vs 5 . The verse states: “Turn again and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, `Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer , I have seen thy tears: behold I will heal thee: on third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord’”.

The point here is the assurance, “ I have seen thy tears”.

It means that those tears that we shed while praying are not in vain.

They are visible to the invisible God who has the capacity to reward us with visible blessings.

What is it that you have been waiting on God for?

Wipe your tears, weep no more .

God will certainly replace those tears of sorrow with tears

of joy.

Imagine the story of a woman who had been married for 18 years without a child. Definitely, she must have been shedding tears of sorrow.

Then in the 19th year of her marriage, God blessed her with a set of twins; a boy and a girl. If she would shed tears at all , it is tears of joy because God has changed her story.

In this season, I pray that God will change your story in the mighty name of Jesus.

Let me share with you the story of a single lady of marriageable age , good looking, with good manners, but not a single man ever asked her for a casual relationship let alone marriage.

She was determined to get married, so she went from one church to another.

Finally, she came to Laughter Foundation and, during one of the services, there was a word of knowledge that a lady was seen tied to a tree in her father’s house which meant she would remain there forever.

A word of knowledge came that her father had jilted a woman ( before he married her mother) and that woman vowed that none of the man’s daughters would ever get married.

This lady manifested seriously at the word of knowledge. The lady had three other sisters who were also unmarried.

She called her father and asked if he ever jilted anybody. He answered in the affirmative, but was quick to say that was a long time ago which had no relevance to her present situation.

Anyway, the lady whose own mother was late knew that her father’s knowledge of the spiritual was almost at zero level.

She remained steadfast with prayer and then the yoke got broken.

She got married and, from then on, her siblings began to get married.

The good news is that the lady whom God used as a point of contact to her sisters is now a mother.

As Christians, we are reminded that “weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning”.

In this season, whatever the situation is , wipe your tears of sorrow. If you must cry, please cry unto your Father in heaven and He will surely reward you with something that will make others praise the God you are serving.

Lastly, may I leave you with this prayer point raised at Harken Unto Me O Lord , Victory Chapel of RCCG , Magodo: “ Every and anyone causing me pain in my life, health, marriage, business, etc, today I shall weep no more. They shall take over my tears in the name of Jesus.”

Declare to yourself that you are set free by power in the blood of Jesus.

It is well with you. This year, you will no longer shed tears of sorrow. Yours will be tears of joy in Jesus name.

PAGE 20—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

The Supreme Court and the ordinary man

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ot many people know my uncle, Sir Ajayi Edobor that I often refer to in this column because of his impact on me as a young man. It was from him I learnt the technique of the communication of the deaf which I later found to be popular in government which behaves as if it does not hear what the people say. He has in earnest always served as my everready barometer for measuring how the ordinary man sees every government policy. A casual phone call yesterday to Uncle Ajayi automatically modified the envisaged topic of this week’s article into a look at the series of election petitions handled by our Supreme Court. His answer to hello uncle was; is every judge in this country now mad? Although I was myself slightly jolted over the series of decisions by the apex

court concerning governorship elections in some states, I imagined that the speed with which the decisions were made was helpful to the polity as it could mitigate the distraction to governance which prolonged litigation often caused. When I canvassed this in our telephone chat, the following questions which uncle Ajayi asked showed he was just not impressed.

The first question was: my boy as he still calls me, are you sure the judges who decided the governorship election cases are Nigerians? I confirmed that they all are. Second, do the judges live in this country?

Again I said yes. Third, could it then be that they delivered the judgments to satisfy the wish of the President? When I explained that the decisions were not in favour of the President’s political party, he concluded that the justices PhD,Depar tment of Philosophy, University of Lagos 08116759758

Belongingness as an essential component of human nature

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an (in the sense in which it includes woman of course) has been characterised in different ways by philosophers since antiquity.

For example, man is said to be a homo faber, res cogitans, homo economicus, homo politicus, and homo sapiens.

These definitions signpost the capacities and potentialities of human beings, which implies, as the French existentialist philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre pointed out, that a human being “can be what he is, and what he is not.”

Although there has been heated debate about whether there is “human nature” separable from sociocultural and environmental determinants of human behaviour, there is an emerging consensus that human beings are not infinitely malleable, as behaviourists and cultural determinists would want us to believe. Every human being is a bundle of actualisable possibilities arising from the incredible capacity of humans to change themselves and the world around them within the limitations of his biological and psychical make up. From a slightly different perspective, the question has been raised in connection with the mode of being characteristic of the human essence: is man essentially an individual that

happens to exist in the midst of others or is he fundamentally a social being, or what some existentialists call “a-being-with-others”?

Delineating and characterising the dialectical relationship between the individuality and sociality of man is one of the central problems of socio-political philosophy, ethics and the philosophy of law. Certainly, a single human being is an individual entity that can be differentiated from others, with unique genetic configurations inherited from the parents that play an essential role in determining what the person would become in future. Yet, man’s most distinctive attributes, which set him apart from the rest of the animal kingdom and make him a unique entity in the universe, are primarily social. For instance, the capacity to invent and use language (both spoken and written) depends on the sociality of man. Clearly, the centrality of language as a critical defining attribute of homo sapiens cannot be overemphasised: it is the very basis of our humanity.

Consequently, a sizeable number of philosophers, such as Marxists and existentialists, claim that man is, fundamentally, a social being, and have constructed elaborate

must have been materially influenced. I couldn’t answer that because I won’t be able to prove that the judges accepted or rejected bribe. In fact since the case of Justice Salami over the Sokoto governorship case, I have learnt not to be involved. Another question I could not answer was whether or not the judges have television sets in their homes and whether they watched media coverage of

Perhaps, it is time to listen to those who feel the judiciary is due for investigation because even among its own members, there are certain issues that ought not to be overlooked

the elections in which all types of electoral malpractices were televised. Whereas, I can imagine that a judge can afford a television set, whether judges watched the 2015 election coverage or not is a different ball game. philosophical theories which seek to describe the complex interactions between individuals, on the one hand, and the world in which they live, move about and actualise their productive powers, on the other. This is not to say that the individual must be swallowed up by the society or that it is impossible for a paradigmatic human being, through outstanding achievements in the intellectual, moral or spiritual domain, to change the trajectory of societal evolution for good. Inasmuch as no reasonable person can justifiably deny or belittle the capacity of world historical figures to alter the course of history, it must be acknowledged that without others a human being is completely helpless. As Aristotle, the great ancient Greek philosopher stated, a man who has no need of society is either a god or a beast. In fact, the concept of a man totally isolated from others is odd, incoherent and historically untenable. For one thing, it takes sex cells from a man and a woman to produce another human being, which means that at the very beginning of a person’s life, the existence of others is presupposed. And given that every human being is, at any point in time, the joint product of “nature and nurture,” there can be no doubt that belongingness is at the very core of human existence.

Despite his occasional flight of fancy into the arcane world of transcendental reduction executed by pure consciousness, Edmund Husserl, the patron saint of 20the century phenomenology, recognises the importance of man’s sociality by positing that I, we and the world belong together. Maurice MerleauPonty, in his Phenomenology of Perception, suggests that a phenomenological description, instead of

Indeed, I don’t know any Supreme Court justice, let alone where they leave or their television viewership profile.

What I know however is that judges are not expected to deliver spectator judgments; rather they are to deal with issues as formulated and canvassed by the parties who bring up such issues before them for resolution. So, it is probably unfair to expect them to make decisions which rationalize what the ordinary man feels, knows and thinks. As if I am part of the judiciary, this last explanation annoyed uncle Ajayi so much that he banged the phone on me with the exclamation: why then do you educated people say the judiciary is the last hope of the common man? If the truth must be told, many ordinary folks like my uncle have a right to be upset not because of who lost or won cases as decided but because of the awkwardness of our inherited justice system that heals no wounds.

Besides, the impact which our hopeless election process imposes on the ordinary man is unquantifiable as many families lost their loved ones to election violence.

Can anyone convince such families that the quantum of electoral malpractices which always occur in the presence of our armed security operatives during

elections do not matter?

While it is true that politicians tell so much lies about the conduct of an election to suit themselves, we all saw the charade in states like Akwa Ibom and Rivers that INEC ended up accepting as elections.

How can anyone be allowed to become a winner of such bedeviled contests? It is patently unfair to blame the ordinary man for having no faith in judgments at whatever level that purport to resolve the disputes.

Those were no elections and someone needs to tell our judges that they can convince neither the common man nor the elite to the contrary. Instead, the decisions are awkward and at best meet technical justice which our judiciary often says is unacceptable.

Indeed, we already have evidence that many ‘Ogas’ are astonished by the latest judicial pronouncements on elections. Chief John Odigie Oyegun, National Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) said so point blank a few days ago. Speaking at a meeting with a delegation of his party from Rivers state, Oyegun, who expressed shock over the ruling of the Supreme Court, said there was “something fundamentally wrong in the judiciary ” which ought to be investigated.

In earnest, the fundamental issue has to be resolved before it consumes

us. Today, everyone seems to have put behind him the story of how Rotimi Amaechi our present Minister of Transport was elected Governor of Rivers State by the Supreme Court. The latter had its way without explaining to us how voters cast their ballots for Amaechi who did not contest the election. We were told that because Amaechi ought to have been the rightful candidate, those who voted for Celestine Omehia imagined that it was Amaechi’s name and photographs they saw while voting.

That the contraption can consume us easily lies in the fact that people are being encouraged to win an election by any means and then proceed to validate it in the courts in due course.

What this suggests is that perhaps there is merit in the argument of those who feel that our courts are incapable of resolving disputes when they concern elections.

Perhaps, it is time to listen to those who feel the judiciary is due for investigation because even among its own members, there are certain issues that ought not to be overlooked.

The other day, a retiring judge, the Hon. Justice Okechukwu Okeke said he would “like to be remembered as a victim of injustice in the Nigerian Judiciary.” Hmmm!!!

disclosing isolated, selfsufficient subjectivities, reveals continuities between intersubjective life and the world. In addition, Martin Heidegger reiterates the same theme as Husserl and Merleau-Ponty. Heidegger says that the life-world is an interpenetration of three domains, namely,

man the centrepiece of his influential work, I and Thou, where he argued that all real living is meeting. In his book, Subjective, Intersubjective, Objective, D. Davidson affirms that the basic problems of how a mind can know the world of nature, how it is possible for one mind to know another, and how it is possible to know the contents of our own minds without resorting to observation or evidence, are inextricably interwoven.

Scholars in African philosophy, such as Sophie Oluwole, K.C. Anyanwu, E.A. Ruch and C.S. Momoh have drawn attention to the fact that the dominant communalistic nature of traditional African societies is anchored on a holistic metaphysical doctrine of the interconnectedness of being. Indeed, the theme of man’s sociality is so strong in African philosophy that the late Senegalese President and champion of Negritude philosophy, Leopold Sedar Senghor, rejected the Cartesian cogito and insisted that the Self cannot be properly defined without the Other. Of course, the emphasis on the social nature of man in traditional Africa promotes solidarity, brotherliness and consensus building in the society. However, in extreme cases, as exemplified by the vanishing extended family system of African communities, it stifles individual initiative and places heavy burdens on people because they are expected to take care of (mostly non-productive cousins) family members and other relatives, including those connected through marriage, oftentimes to their own disadvantage.

Our excursion into the rarefied field of philosophy provides a solid foreground for understanding belongingness as an essential feature of human existence. Every human being belongs to, or is a member of, a family, social

group, or country. Without the sense of belonging to a social group, an individual would become lonely, isolated and disoriented, for it is in the company of others that he can actualise the latent possibilities embedded in him. We are what we are largely because others are there to teach, help and encourage us. It is true that one would be better off without people of questionable character such as liars, cheats, backbiters, haters, hypocrites, enemies of progress and so on. Still, there are great human beings all over the world that have added value to our lives one way or another; people who through one word of encouragement or simple acts of kindness have moved us to a higher level in the journey through life. It follows that building relationships with good people and belonging to one group or another is beneficial, although it entails the responsibility of contributing to the flourishing of the group.

Meaningful belongingness can only be attained if every member of the group is willing, as the occasion demands, to sacrifice his or her egoistic interests for the benefit of the Other. That is why I disagree with the Igbo aphorism that the relationship between two people depends on one person, an unsatisfactory attempt to explain away the ill treatment of one person by another. In any relationship where one party exploits the other, belongingness becomes a burden, an exploitative way of life that sometimes breeds resentment, anger and conflict. Thus, in our most intimate disclosure of belongingness - marriage and love - we should encourage emotional and material exchange between equals because that is the foundation of trust, and trust is the basis of fruitful belongingness.

Every human being is a bundle of actualisable possibilities arising from the incredible capacity of humans to change themselves and the world around them within the limitations of his biological and psychical make up

“surrounding world,” “withworld,” and “self-world.”

Accordingly, dasein (man), as a world-experiencing being, is always already “a-beingwith.”

The idea that the self, the world, and others belong together, reciprocally illuminate one another, and can only be properly understood in their interconnectedness is not exclusive to phenomenologists. The Jewish existentialist philosopher, Martin Buber, made the social dimension of

SUND AY Vanguard , FEBRU ARY 7 , 2016, P AGE 21 SUNDA FEBRUARY

What does infidelity really mean today?

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n my years of writing relationship columns, many couples have come to me and some have written for counselling on the issue of infidelity. Two: recent cases clearly illustrated the tight and wrong ways to handle these potential marital crises. Dokun and Alice are a conventional married couple. He is a young computer expert, she is a well-educated woman who manages a department store. They live very- comfortably, sharing their joint income. At work, they inevitably met other people who attracted them. Dokun eventually began an affair with one of his office secretaries and grew to feel terribly guilty about it.

Alice had no idea of his involvement until she accidentally discovered it. She was shattered by the knowledge, then furious. She had been faithful and unsuspecting. She felt terribly betrayed. Her husband was full of guilt. anxiety and remorse. He didn’t want to leave Alice, whom he really loved and they eventually went to see their pastor for

counselling after which she agreed to give him another chance. When Alice came toseek my opinion, I tried hard to make her see the difference between extramarital sex and fidelity but her strict religious background forbade her acceptance of the idea. The only way she would stay married to Dokun was if he renounced any sexual life outside marriage. Yet already, the breach of trust was so great that their future looked doubtful. The past could not be erased: this was no longer a happy marriage.

On the other hand is Chuks and Agatha - a comparable case in both incomes and lifestyle. When Agatha felt compelled to confess that she

had sex with someone else after Chuks spoke out on his suspicion, he readily admitted that he had strayed too. Talking it over, they agreed that their marriage was vital to both of them, .that they loved each other, and that maybe they should take a different view of their marriage.

They both wanted guidelines for what looked like their ‘open marriage’ arrangement.

I pointed out to them the problems that” might arise and how they could deal with

them. Their marriage should always be their focal point - not giving in to temptation, but when temptation did arise. their love should be strong enough to sustain the marriage.

A few months later.

Chuks called me up to say that he and Agatba have never been happier. and that they feel more fulfilled - sexually and personally - than they had ever felt before. They expect their second child in a few months time.

Dokun and Altce, unfortunately, found themselves at the mercyof the anxiety, fear and anger that often destroy marriages when

clandestine affairs are discovered. Chuks and Agatha. on the other hand. have forged a new and healthy understanding through which their natural sexual urges are satisfied. With no damage to their deep love for each other. Fidelity trust - is still the bedrock of their marriage.

There’s no hiding from the fact that we are now a widely polygamous society. Many couples have sexual relations outside marriage even though monogamy is still the accepted norm. So what does infidelity really mean?

Webster ’s dictionary tells us that infidelity means ‘marital unfaithfulness’, a definition which most people understand as sexual unfaithfulness.

After all. marriage vows usually implied the promise to ‘cleave only to each other’. But Webster also gives a second more vital definition: ‘breach of trust’. Trust is the real cornerstone of marriage and it is the issue of trust that must be tackled if we are to understand what fidelity means today.

“Relationships between men and women have changed dramatically

over-the past few decades.” observed a seasoned marital counsellor. We raised an entire generation of young men and women who do not `cleave’ to a single individual before marriage. and who balk at `cleaving’ afterwards.

For these young people. the promise to ‘cleave only ’ went out the window with the promise to ‘obey ’. That is why sex therapists today are giving serious attention to this phenomenon. Defying the traditional marriage contract today seems almost common place, even though there are civil. religious and emotional penalties for such Violations’.

Obviously many people think it is worth the risk.

“The real issue in this matter is not extramarital sex at all, but the terms of the marrtage contract.

For most religious people, of course, terms are clear. But even the sincerely devout may face circumstances in their lives, which lead them to break that promise, causing great guilt and unhappiness ... “

08052201867(Text Only)

The Abdominal Lift and Spread Eagle Postures

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he Abdominal Lift Technique: Standing with the feet about a foot apart, breathe in deeply and exhale forcefully.

Now, with the breath out, draw in the muscles of the abdomen until you have a hollow forming beneath the ribs. The hands should be placed on the thighs and the knees bent a little.

Keep the trunk a bit

tipped forward but don’t lower it. Maintain the retraction of the diaphragm by keeping both hands firmly pressed against the thighs as you lean on them.

Keep the position for as long as can be without breathing.

Then, ease up, stand erect and begin to breathe normally. Repeat only once more if you’re just stating this exercise. As regards this very exercise, Indra Devi advises

gradually bringing it up to seven times adding one time each week.

Warning: People with a weak heart or serious abdominal or circulatory problems should refrain from this exercise.

feet stretched out in front. With the help of the hands, spread the legs as far apart as you can manage. Clutch the shins and, holding the trunk neck and head in a straight line, breathe slowly but deeply. Retain the position for as long as comfortable. Rest awhile and repeat.

Benefits: The spread eagle tones up the muscles of the inner thighs and helps with the health of the pelvic region.

THE SPREADEAGLE Technique: Sit down with the

Yoga Classes STARTED Physical Therapy Centre @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

* The Spread Eagle

*The Abdominal Lift

PAGE 22 — SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Women took advantage of my youthful exuberance —Sir Shina Peters

By Kehinde Ajose eteran Afro Juju Maestro, Sir Shina Peters, is no doubt a ladies man. The talented music veteran known for his glamorous dress sense and energetic stage performance recently revealed in an interview concerning the unforgettable experiences he had with women. According to him, “Women really dealt with me. When I didn’t even know anything about sex, they used me a lot. I still have 100 of them and I can mention their names. They took advantage of my youthful exuberance. That’s the only thing but, thanks to God, I was able to correct it. In my days, when you go to an artiste’s house, you get to see nothing less than four women at a time in the house. May God forgive any children of mine that has one or two negative issues because they don’t know, if they really know me they’ll know that’s how I was made?”

V

BY ROTIMI AGBANA

2

016 is just into its second month and a lot has gone down in the entertainment industry, most of which were hilariously unfortunate. Here is another, but this time it’s a good one. Michael Stephens, otherwise known by his stage name, ‘Rugged Man’ has written an open letter to his erstwhile friend, Abolore ‘9ice’Adigun, over his belated apology with regards to the accusation leveled against him, six years ago, by ‘Alapomeji Records’ boss, 9ice.

You will recall that six years ago, the ‘Gongo Aso’ crooner accused Ruggedman of sleeping with his wife ‘Toni Payne’, which eventually led to their separation. Six years after, though all parties involved have moved on, 9ice publicly apologized to Ruggedman and his wife over the unfortunate incident.

Ruggedman, in his usual fashion, has responded to 9ice’s apology by writing a lengthy open letter to his now sober friend. Below is a copy of the letter. “In 2010, 9ice released a song that made a lot of people wrongfully drag me into a terrible situation. People misconstrued the song

Ruggedman’s open letter to 9ice over accusation of infidelity with ex-wife

•9ice and Toni Payne •Rugged Man

and it created a rumor. A terrible and false rumor that was fueled by journalists and bloggers, who were only after hits on their sites. Bloggers and journalists who did

not care to investigate and confirm a rumor, but chose to print and post it anyway not caring who got hurt in the process.

Tunde Braimoh, wife, Yetunde to be decorated as chiefs

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he Chairman of Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Hon Tunde Braimoh and wife, Yetunde, will, on February 11, 2016, be honoured as Otunba Bamofin and Yeye Otunba Bamofin by the monarch, Alaketu of Ketu, His Royal Majesty Oba Isiaka Oyero Adetutu Balogun in commemoration of the 5th anniversary of his coronation.

The event which will take place at the palace of the traditional ruler will see the distinguished former Kosofe Local Government chairman and wife decorated as chiefs alongside other prominent leaders in the area. According to information made available to us, the investiture of the chiefs will precede the February 14 event

•Sir Shina Peters

which is the real day for the ceremony of the monarch’s 5th year anniversary on the throne. The palace disclosed that Otunba Braimoh, a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria who served meritoriously while he held sway as council chairman never sourced for the honour but was carefully selected due to his contributions to the development of the area. ‘Big Daddy’ as he is fondly called has been responsible for many job provisions, poverty alleviation/wealth creation, infrastructural maintenance, social welfare policies among others since his inauguration as a state legislator.

•Tunde Braimoh and wife

I remember pleading my innocence and that of Toni Payne but social media people being who and how they are, chose not to listen.

I remember calling 9ice on the phone, CIA style, to talk to him about it and he was clearly heard admitting the song was not about myself or Toni Payne, but social media people being who and how they are, chose not to listen.

I remember asking 9ice to publicly clear the air on the terrible rumor, but was shocked when my friend said he would not because he was busy and didn’t have time for such.

Again nobody wondered why. Fast forward 2016. six years later and I was surprised when I heard that 9ice has finally come out to say i never slept with his wife and the song was not about me and even apologized on top.

That he has finally come out to say the truth about the issue that cast a negative shadow over my head and that of his ex wife for six years. All I can do is smile because I know myself better than anybody out there who insulted me over the matter. I said it then and I say it now, Michael Ugochukwu Stephens will never sleep with his friends’ wives. Families and husbands you can now relax. Your daughters and wives are safe around me hahahahaha!!

To 9ice, Bro, you left it a bit too late. You had your chance to clear this matter up six years ago when it really mattered but you did not take it. I do not know why and exactly what it was that made you keep quiet all that while. I did my best to clear my name without you and have moved on since”.

This is a good development in the right direction, as against what has been trending for a month now in the music industry. Will these estranged friends revert to their usual friendship ? Let us keep our fingers crossed.

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

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 23 Onikoyi68@gmail.com

Mixed reactions trail Toyin Aimakhu’s new relationship after dumping husband

By Rotimi Agbana

S

ince the Olamide/Don Jazzy drama on January 1, 2016, the entertainment industry has been rocking with a series of hilarious feuds. Another addition to the list is the separation story of Toyin Aimakhu from her husband, Niyi Johnson. Though it is no longer news that the talented Nollywood Yoruba actress and her estranged husband are officially separated as a result of infidelity on the latter’s part.

However, the gist flying around that the actress is dating Ebony Films C.E.O, Seun Egbegbe has been blown wide open by the actress herself, who confirmed her tryst with the Nollywood investor.

Toyin confirmed to a fan on Instagram last week, that the

handsome entrepreneur is her new found heartthrob. “I hear say u dey date Seun Egbegbe”, the fan queried her. Toyin quickly responded with multiple confirmations “YES YES YESSSSSSSSS”. This fan seemed to be clueless of Toyin’s current marriage situation, when she wrote “U don’t have to do that, why double dating?” to which another fan responded “@remirevolution she answered you right, what is your issue btw? She did not place advert for a P.A, let’s keep glamming our mothers jor”.

Concerned Nigerians and gossips have taken to social media pages to vent or react to the Toyin’s new consort. To mention a few, here are some of their comments; ATL’s finest wrote on bella naija “no taste at all? Well, her taste buds are bad for now!!!

She’s thinking with her hips

not her heart”. Olu wrote “Err no, she’s thinking with her hips and heart…..but not her head”. Another of such comment is one from a fan simply known as ‘Someonecute’ who wrote, “Toyin, this opelenge guy looks like another Niyi Johnson. No mature guy to date again abi? Continue. Pls where’s that Popcorn seller? I need large pls”.

Obviously, Toyin’s fans are on a totally different page on this one. Like Wizkid, Davido, Blackface and others, Toyin’s love life has found a fertile ground among the 2016 celebrity controversies. But come to think of it, is her love life really anybody’s business?

Does she deserve all the jibes being thrown at her by fans?

Food for thought!

Toyin Aimakhu and ex hubby

Iyabo Ojo premieres new film ‘Black Val’ on Val’s day

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exy and popular Yoruba actress and producer, Iyabo Ojo, will be spending this year’s St. Valentine’s day in a very special way and definitely one to remember for her, as she will be premiering a new film that day. The new film from the prolific actress “Black Val’ couldn’t have been a better gift to her fans on a day such as St. Valentine’s day, as the film captures the very essence of the day.

Iyabo shows again that she is moving away from doing core Yoruba films as the film is an English language film with a rich cast, from both the English and Yorubaspeaking sectors of the movie industry. Billed to be premiered at the Silverbird Cinemas, The Mall, Ikeja, Lagos, there will be a red carpet session.

The star-studded film which features Bukky Wright, Eniola Badmus, Antar Laniyan, Tina Mba, Belinda Effah, Chacha Ekeh among others was directed by Desmond Elliot. The storyline centres around family, love and betrayal.

Iyabo Ojo

Ani Amatosero unveils a new year package

By ANOZIE EGOLE ollywood actress, Ani Amatosero, is poised to give her fans a good new year package as she is putting everything in order for the release of her new flick, “Guy Next Door”, which will soon hit the cinemas.

According to insiders, the actress jetted out to the US last week and will be wrapping up work on the new movie which includes scenes from US. “The woman behind movies like ‘Warri Blood ‘and ‘December 24’ among a host of others, is putting finishing touches on her latest movie, Guy Next Door which will soon be released. Fans should watch out for something thrilling and exciting when the movie hits the market soon” says an insider Only last year, the actress who doubles as the CEO and publisher, Effixzzy Magazine, unleashed Warri Blood and December 24, two movies which won rave reviews.

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•Ani Amatosero,

What Uti Nwachukwu wrote Desmond Elliot on his birthday

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ollywood actor turned politician, Desmond Elliot, added another year on Thursday, and as expected it was a torrent of birthday wishes from fans, friends and well wishers. While some of the birthday messages were as routine as what you would expect from an average admirer, some had with them messages so meaningful they could not be ignored. Such was the one from another Nollywood colleague, Uti Nwachukwu, whom many have dubbed as haughty and arrogant. But Uti displayed in his birthday message to Desmond, complete humility, reverence and pure respect, calling the legislatorhis mentor.

“My Oga. My realeast friend in the industry. The one who had and still has my back.

God has blessed you with another year to continue being great. As you celebrate your birthday @desmondelliot .. My prayer is that God will protect you and elevate you to national and international levels. He will bless you with overflowing wealth and health loaded with happiness and peace! All your children would be sources of pride and joy to you...As God has chosen you to lead, wisdom, kindness and knowledge will be added unto you. As you supported and helped me when a lot didn’t believe in me..GOD shall always support guide,guard and announce you in Jesus name! Amen!!!!! Happy birthday Honourable!”

PAGE 24—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Inside embattled Father Mbaka’s new Parish!

•Father Mbaka

BY FRANCIS IGATA

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he routine transfer of over 500 priests in the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, which saw fiery Fr. Ejike Mbaka leave Christ the King Parish,CKP,GRA, Enugu, for Our Lady of Rosary,OLR,Emene,Enugu,penultimate Saturday,elicited reactions from Mbaka,his flock,the All Progressives Congress,APC, and the national leadership of the Catholic Secretariat.

After holding the forte at Christ the King Parish, CKP, of the Catholic Church since 1996,Fr. Ejike Mbaka, received his transfer notice with effect from January 30. He had established the famous Adoration Ministry renowned for charity,healing,deliverance and pastoral efficacy over the 20 years stint at the parish including other beverage product brands that earned consumer acceptance following the belief that its consumption had healing powers.

The Adoration Ministry, since inception, grew in leaps and bounds with torrents of testimonies which transformed it to a Mecca of sorts for individuals and groups including politicians who sought Mbaka’s blessings at election periods.

Consequently, the KP became the most popular parish in the Enugu Diocese.

No wonder, when the time came for him to leave the parish for the OLR parish, Mbaka, in an exercise laced with emotions,was escorted by thousands of the Catholic faithful.

Several vehicles the road in what could be dubbed a triumphal exit that halted economic and other activities along major streets where the long convoy passed.

With music provided by some groups, the journey began, amid emotions by members, apparently unsatisfied with the transfer that removed Mbaka from the CKP. The priest had, while addressing the crowd ahead of the movement, expressed reservations over the transfer, which, he said, was calculated to make him suffer by certain leaders of Catholic Church.

His words:”I know we are going to

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•My Enugu forced exit saga —Catholic Priest suffer between now and few months to come. I am going to suffer and suffer; I know that. I’m going to suffer because I have no place to put my head. I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the Adoration Ministry’s assets. I know I’m going to suffer. Fortunately, it is going to happen in the month of Lent. So, I am going to use my exit here as a Lenten observance but Jesus said it all in John 16:20 to his apostles that you will be sorrowful and the world will be rejoicing but very soon I will turn your sorrow to joy.

“But, for now, I know you are going to suffer. The Adoration Ministry is passing through suffering right now even though I’ve accepted that is the will of God. It is a mega suffering.

“The quantum of the assets of the Adoration Ministry is the only thing I am bothered about. Where am I going to keep them? I am going to stay in one small room that has only one small bed, one small table, little toilet and bathroom. So where am I going to keep all the Adoration assets? My clothing and books I can keep in the car or somebody’s house, but where will I keep these assets that I have given to the Catholic Church of Enugu? But I say, may God take the glory and whoever that has offended me, I have forgiven. I won’t fight anybody or even dream of battling anybody. If anybody allows the devil to use him, the same that advised you to make a mistake will laugh at you when you cry over the error. The baby is born, there is no going back. We are moving out. We have been doing it and we will do it again. Moses was going out with a rod in his hand, Mbaka is moving out with his Bible and this nobody can take away from me”. Decrying what he described as “attempt by some persons to politicize the Church”, by feeding the bishop with false information, he noted: “ I am giving God the glory and I welcome the Church’s choice and action with absolute acceptance and obedience. So there is no negation to what God has approved and what the Church suggested. Nobody should see me as a recalcitrant priest. I am not. I have taken an oath of obedience and I stand on it. I pray God to bless all of you who, in one way or the other, have supported the work of God here and

those who have sincerely allowed God to use them for the jobs we did here all these years. God will bless the people of God here and reward you according to your labours. The parish is not going to collapse, it is the Church that will continue to grow”.

He told the members that their journey to OLR,Emene, where he has been posted as Resident Priest serving fewer than two priests, should be seen as the “journey of the Israelites out of Egypt”.

“God has planned a future and hope out of disaster and, where I am going, He will go before me to level the mountain. The Bible says that He will deliver me from all evil; He will keep my going out and coming in both now and forever… I am praying that God will keep His Church and my fellow Adorers so that our journey to Emene will be a journey of Israelites out of Egypt. Some of them were grumbling leaving Egyptian soil because they were having the phobia for the unknown, but I am telling you people as a courageous leader, do not be afraid. We are moving and, in not distant time, you people are going to smile”.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in the meantime, faulted Mbaka’s transfer even as it warned of its security implication.

A statement by the South-East APC Caucus spokesman,Osita Okechukwu, alleged that “unseen hands acted on Bishop Callitus Onaga’s discretion that culminated in the decision”.

The statement went on: “Whereas we accept that the transfer of priests is a routine exercise of the great Catholic Church, however we do not wholly accept a situation where the Church allows external forces to influence transfer as the Mbaka’s case suggests. Otherwise, future liberation clergy who speak truth to power will be hamstrung to the detriment of the society.

“Our major concern is the security implications and the fate of his flocks who are mostly the down trodden who may find it difficult to go to Emene for salvation and healing. We frown at anything which will put Fr. Mbaka in harms way or deny his flocks healing. As a party we have

No wonder, when the time came for him to leave the parish for the OLR parish, Mbaka, in an exercise laced with emotions,was escorted by thousands of the Catholic faithful

watched with concern and trepidation the criticism, the attack, assault and unpleasant comments hurled against Fr. Mbaka since he providentially prophesied that President Buhari would win the 2015 elections. Even the church did not spare him; he was called unprintable names, yet his prophecy came true. We are happy that Fr Mbaka was vindicated. “It must be pointed out that accusing fingers were pointed at the direction of some anti-Buhari elements like Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a group that didn’t want to hear the name of Buhari; even though Ohanaeze denied the allegation, doubts still persist. For we are still at a loss why a senior priest will be degraded to an assistant parish priest. “We repeat that we are in solidarity with Fr. Mbaka and our major concern is the security of Fr. Mbaka and the suffering of his flocks mostly the poor who need his healing powers. We had thought that His Lordship Bishop Calistus Onaga could have retained him at the Adoration Ground, as the Bishop Emeritus Gbuji did because of security of his life and easy access by his flocks”.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the OLR Parish, Emene, Mbaka’s new parish, construction work was ongoing on the road leading to the church by Enugu State Ministry of Works.

OLR,situated along the major road,was built in 1997 with a capacity for about 2,000 worshippers. Two duplexes stood as the parish house for priests, fitted with a 500KVA generator, apart from two small generators seen at the engine room. OLR building is about the same size with the CKP. Sunday Vanguard learn that Mbaka’s belongings were already in place at the parish house. But, the question that comes to mind readily, when,juxtaposed with Mbaka’s comment describing the OLR Parish house as one room,with a little bed is, would he be sleeping in all the rooms in the duplexes at the same time?

We were raised to believe that Reverend Fathers lead a life of selflessness and celibacy devoid of an eye for material acquisition. How come Mbaka was crying that he was being transferred from his CKP mansion to the OLR Parish with a one room apartment? What happens to his priestly vow of selflessness at ordination?

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 25

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AC ATHOLIC PRIES T’S ABDUCTION SSTTORY CA PRIEST’S

‘ I was kidnapped for refusing to join cult’

By Charles Adingupu

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ERNARD Jenfa Adedayo was one of the priests ordained by the Bishop of Nnewi, Rev. Hillary Okeke, at the Saint Georges’ Catholic Church, Orifite, Anambra State, after a rigorous training that lasted almost 17 years. That day climaxed his childhood ambition of becoming a servant in God’s vineyard. He was posted to the Catholic Church Assumption, IjebuOde, Ogun State shortly after the ordination.

The enthusiasm to carry the gospel beyond the dry lands of Ijebu-Ode pre-occupied his young mind. And so, from village to village, he went like a humble servant, proclaiming the good news.

However, this excitement was short-lived when the young priest got his first baptism of fire as some alleged members of a renowned cult group kidnapped him. This firebrand Catholic priest eventually became a guest to kidnappers in a forest that was home to reptiles and carnivorous animals.

‘How I was abducted’ Sometimes, Adedayo was assigned to conduct mass outside his base. One day, in the course of such assignment, a group of persons walked up to him.

“They said to me: ‘ Father, we would want you to join our group’ . I asked them which group, as I only knew of the Association of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saint Anthony of Padua, Legion of Mary, and the

By Festus Ahon

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GHELLI South Local Government legislative arm has slammed indefinite suspension on five of its members for alleged misconduct and indiscipline on the floor of the House.

The Chairman of the council listed those suspended to include Maxwel Orhogu, Peter Motor, Emmanuel Ebikawei, Sunday Apah and Emmanuel Okpatako.

The Clerk of the House, Mr. Matthew Iboyitete, quoting the Chairman, said the motion for the suspension was moved by Russell Akpakpa and seconded

by Alex Temisere, adding that those suspended would be without salaries and other benefits.

The statement stated maintained that the actions displayed by those suspended on the floor of the House on 28, January, 2016

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After a while, one of them gave me a clue as to why I was kidnapped when he said, ‘ Father, you have proved to be very stubborn and I don’t know why.’

Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria.

But they said theirs was none of these and walked away,” he narrated.

“After some time, another group accosted me. But, this time, they introduced themselves as members of a secret cult. They said: ‘ We want to work with you and, as time progresses, we would make you one of our patrons.’ My response to their request was polite but firm. I asked them what light had got to do with darkness, and told them that we had nothing in common, so we could not work together.

That reply marked the beginning of a battle that almost took my life.

They threatened to kill me.

Though they almost succeeded, God delivered me from their hands. The reason for their failure was obvious because my life is not in the hands of men but in the hands God.” On the day he was abducted, the reverend father was rounding off a mass in a nearby village when five hefty men, armed with assault rifles, approached him, bundled him into a vehicle and zoomed off.

“All entreaties to allow me install the Blessed Sacrament fell on deaf ears. Again, I made on appeal to them to allow me pack

some of my personal effects all to no avail. Perhaps they thought that any attempt to give me a breathing space might lead to my escape. And so, they zoomed off,” the priest stated.

“We eventually got to an uncompleted building in a forest.

For one long silent night, I was with them in a place I didn’t know. After a while, one of them gave me a clue as to why I was kidnapped when he said, ‘ Father, you have proved to be very stubborn and I don’t know why.’

All through the night, I was meditating and it was in the middle of this that one of them walked up to me and said, ‘ Father, say your last prayer because you are going to die now.

“Well, I knelt down with my eyes closed and called on the name of the God to let His will be done.

Another member of the gang asked: ‘ But what did this man do to warrant his death?’ Yet another gang member responded: ‘ Our business is not to debate his destiny but to kill him and nothing more.’ The argument went on and on. They started showing their might over one another.

Walk to freedom “ When eventually I opened my eyes after my prayers, there was nobody in the house except me.

Just then, the Lord ministered unto me: ‘ What are you waiting for? Stand up and go!’ I stood up, left the room and trekked a long distance before I could find my bearing. It was indeed a miraculous experience. The Lord took me from their hands. I was able to locate my way from the forest without molestation from animals or evil-minded human beings.”

After that horrifying experience,

•Rev. Fr. Bernand Jenfa Adedayo

the Superior General of the Vincentian Order in Nigeria thought it expedient to re-assign Adedayo to another parish in Enugu Diocese. He was there for almost two years before he was deployed to a parish in Lagos.

Adedayo, who recently clocked five years in priesthood, said there is always a challenge in every human endeavour, adding that priesthood is not an exception. “When Christ gave us his life,” said the priest, “he did not eradicate all the troubles but rather gave us the courage to confront these obstacles.”

An author, he recently launched a book, entitled, “His Love Is Grace’, while working on other projects designed to help propagate the faith.

“We trust God for so many things. We have some projects in mind and I know God will help us to actualize them,” he said.

The 160-page book is about man’s salvation based on God’s gratuitous gift of grace. Adedayo expressed optimism that the book will boost the faith of Christians.

Delta LG suspends 6 lawmakers were against the regulations of the legislative business.

However, Apah described the suspension as illegal, arguing that “10 members of the House cannot suspend five members”.

In another development, the embattled leader of Ughelli North Legislative arm, Teddy Okperin, said he was not impeached by members of the House. Reacting to media reports, Okperin explained that he

voluntarily resigned on the floor of the House after some people threatened to impeach him if he (Okperin) refused to join forces with them to fight the council Chairman, Mr Kenneth Ibru. Faulting his replacement with Sunday Eguke, he said the Leader of the House was zoned to Agbarho and not Uwheru. He added that another Councillor from any other ward in Agbarho ought to replace him.

Lagos Council boss donates relief materials to fire victims

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xecutive Secretary of ApapaIganmu LCDA, Lagos State, Hon. Oluwafunmilayo Akande, has donated relief materials worth millions of Naira to victims of fire outbreak at Ijora-Badia. The fire, which occurred, last December, destroyed property and rendered

several families homeless.

The items donated include mattresses and building materials. Speaking to journalists at the occasion, Akande disclosed that the donation was part of the council's social responsibility.

Kuye, retired Customs Controller, is dead

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retired Controller of Buildings, Nationwide, of the Nigeria Customs Service, Chief Oladipupo Kuye, aged 81, is dead.

He was the Otun Baba Ijo, Methodist Church Nigeria, Ijebu Ode. He is survived by his wife, children a n d grandchildren, including Mrs. Iyabo Sunmonu, Mr. Sunday Kuye, Mrs. Dolapo Otegbayi, Miss.

Banke Kuye, Mr • C h i e f Oloyede Kuye, Oladipupo Miss Omoniyi Kuye and Mrs. Kuye Lara Akindunni.

PAGE 26—SUNDAY

Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

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By Dayo Adesulu

227 doctors migrated from Nigeria in 12 months — Report

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lobally, free movement of highly skilled professionals and experts is a positive thing. However, the cost to the home nations of migrating professionals is incalculable in terms of development opportunities and loss of investment.

UNESCO defines brain drain as an abnormal form of scientific exchange between countries, characterized by a one-way flow in favour of the most highly developed countries. Brain drain can also be described as the international transfer of knowledge and resources in the form of human capital and applies to the migration of academics, skilled professionals, technical manpower and experts from developing to developed countries.

Brain drain occurs in two ways.

The first is the outright and direct out migration. The second refers to when graduates trained abroad refuse to return home. A country can be drained of physicians, academics, scientists, engineers, among others.

While on a reporting project supported by the Institute for Media and Society Lagos, PANOS West Africa and the European Union, Sunday Vanguard findings revealed that apart from political and cultural factors, the reasons many Nigerian best brains leave are economic which include poor salaries, lack of job opportunities, unemployment and inflation.

Some skilled workers said they decided to relocate from Nigeria in search of job satisfaction, higher standards of living, better salaries and educational progressive society.

Nigeria has, over the years, struggled with the crisis of brain drain in all sectors with medics not an exception. Findings revealed that as at 2010, a total of 637 doctors left Nigeria, accounting for 36 per cent reduction in expert migration figures.

About 227 doctors migrated from Nigeria last year alone. A report released on November 17,2015 by the Institute of International Education (IIE) disclosed that a total of 9,494 Nigerian students are currently studying in colleges and universities in the United States.

According to the report, Nigeria is the leading source of students from Africa and the 15th largest worldwide, of international students studying in America since 2012. For example, Nigerian students in the US studying primarily at the undergraduate level have about 50.2 percent enrollment at the undergraduate level, 35.2 percent at the graduate level and 12.6 percent pursuing optional practical training.

Approximately two percent engage in non-degree programs or shortterm studies. The overall number of international students at American colleges and universities increased by 10 per cent to a record high of 974,926 in the 2014/2015 academic year, the highest rate in 35 years, according to the IIE’s Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

The effects of the brain drain enormous, resulting in more African engineers working in the US than those in the whole of Africa. A report by the United Nations estimated that are over the next decade, Africa will need to train an additional one million health care professionals and find ways to retain more of the doctors, nurses, pharmacists and laboratory technicians it currently produces. Thus, the European Union, EU, through public enlightenment campaign, has been showing concern to ensure that the

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of br brain ain dr drain ain on on ins institutions titutions •Eff brain drain institutions •Efffects ects of •Ef

equation of brain drain is balanced globally.

Also, a report gotten from the International Organization For Migration (IOM) states:‘“It would have cost the developed nations about $184,000 to train each of the estimated three million professionals educated in developing countries now working in the developed world, resulting in a savings of $552 billion dollars for the developed nations.” In essence, developing nations like Nigeria is giving developmental assistance to the developed nations, making the rich nations richer and the poor nations poorer.

Speaking from Canada, Mr. Godwin Osai, a technician who had worked with Unilever Nigeria Plc, said:”My determination to move to Canada is for better opportunities for me and my wife. According to him, relocating to Canada will give his children brighter future.

Asked when he will return to Nigeria, Osai, who was pessimistic about Nigeria’s economy, said: ‘’Probably in the next 50 years when the Nigerian governments would have seen the need to provide jobs for its citizenry, give adequate security and put infrastructure in place”.

On his part, Mr. Femi Odetokun, an

electrical engineer, who works with the Gulftainer Company Limited, Sharjah, in United Arab Emirate (UAE), disclosed that he left Nigeria because of labour policy. ‘’Nigeria labour policy does not favour us, it puts limitations on our career growth,” he said.

Odetokun, who had worked with APM Terminals and Tin-can Island Container Terminal, TICT, in Nigeria, said in UAE, he has a good offer with outstanding welfare package that his job in Nigeria could not offer.

Also Mr Laja Thomas, who left Nigeria for Canada two years ago, disclosed that opportunity for career development and growth in whatever vocation or profession he desires were some of the factors that motivated his relocation. He added that, in Canada, the education and development of children are paramount to the government.

In Canada, he noted, it’s a secure and safe environment with opportunities devoid of nepotism, favouritism or inequality.

“In Nigeria, it is the direct opposite. Why should I not leave? It is a blessed country that lacks electricity, basic utilities and infrastructure. Nigeria is a country of cancerous corruption, mismanagement of our commonwealth, irresponsible leadership, lack of good governance, failing infrastructure. Why should I desire to come back?,”Thomas said.

The challenge of reversing brain drain is

huge but the opportunities it presents far outweigh the threats. Most of the developed nations have policies in place to attract skilled labour from across the world to fill their own vacuum. The United Kingdom, the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand always update their policies to recruit this segment of international migrants.

The US doubled its H1-B visas from 65,000 to 130,000 largely due to great lobbying by the IT and other industries.

This figure does not include the 586,000 students that are attracted to the U.S. institutions from across the world, annually.

Britain’s points system, adopted in 2006, ensures that only people with the right skills or contribution will be able to enter the UK to work or study.

There is no reason Nigeria should not have a similar policy in place to attract the best to accelerate national development.

Nigeria alongside with most African countries still do not know how many of their professionals leave the country annually, why they leave, the number that return and why they returned. The impact of this lack of awareness by the Nigerian government and most developing nations can be shown by the lack of policies in place to curb the unaccounted flow of their much needed highly trained people and little or nothing in place to attract back those currently in the diaspora.

The Apostle Suleman N26million package for widows, others •Sa as ting of po ver ty motiv at ed ges ture •Sayys his ttas asting pover verty motivat ated gesture

By Lekan Bilesanmi

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t was a moment of joy for members of Omega Fire Ministries (OFM), who benefited from Apostle Johnson Suleman’s yearly charity scheme.

Suleman is the General Overseer of OFM.At the Auchi, Edo State headquarters of OFM, the preacher, known as God’s Oracle, gave out nine cars worth N2 million each, as well as cash gifts, ranging between N100,000 and N250,000, to more than 30 people. Also, several members of the church, including widows and the less privileged children, got refrigerators, Plasma TV sets, power generators, gas cookers and other household items.

Giving out the gifts, worth about #26million, Suleman shared his humble beginning which, he said, fired his passion for giving.

His words: “I have tasted poverty. I come from a very humble background. My parents were Muslim before I was called. So, I knew how it felt to be poor. That is why I believe that the lessprivileged of today can become important personalities tomorrow. My mission is all about preaching to souls and giving to the needy. What I do every year in the open that you may think is big

is just a fraction of what I do to help many in the corner”.

Aside the annual charity programme, Suleman, whose philosophy in ‘gospel is practical and not only spiritual’, has many indigent students on scholarship; widows and the physically challenged on his payroll even as he donated boreholes and electricity transformers to communities. Suleman’s humanitarian gesture is the fact that it is extended to everyone irrespective of religion affiliation, as it even attracts mass of people from different faiths.

Suleman, speaking during the programme, said that his giving spirit was borne out of necessity and desire to lift people in need and offer them a chance to have a better life. “In continual expansion”, he added, “we believe that only together we can fight for a better life. Over the years, my ministry has rescued many poor families and sick people, whom we helped to live with the aid of our volunteers and people with big hearts. Whether we give money, items, food, water, clothes or even houses to people, all our undertaken

actions have taught us that life is beautiful and that we must fight for it and help others enjoy it too.”

Meanwhile, Suleman demonstrated how the power of God heals in an outing in Accra, Ghana. The two-day mega crusade took the Word into many and it went right into the mind and impacted every fiber of the body systems. The miracle healing gave many people the opportunity to share testimonies. There was the case of a man who had mental problem for four years and was healed. Also, there was a woman who was said to have come to share a testimony, but the spirit of prophecy took up her case and revealed to the Apostle the real issues about her.

According to the man of God, he realized right there that her destiny had been diverted. “She was compelled to join the Police instead of her evangelistic ministry by her parents. This gave the devil access to her and afflicted her mind. After this was revealed, she wept uncontrollably, agreed with the prophecy given and of course, hands were laid on her and she was whole and her mind was restored”, stated Suleman.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 27

Okolugbo lauds Supreme Cour Courtt on Emmanuel, Wike

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By Abel Kolawole

By Victoria Ojeme s Zainab Husseini Akwanga, a project M development and media expert, speaks on Agricoolture, a platform to alleviate poverty among young people.

May I know who you are and what your NGO does?

Nigerian football legend and philanthropist, Mr. Daniel Amokachi, and I founded Agricoolture with the aim of achieving poverty alleviation and youth empowerment. Agricoolture is a platform where young Nigerians can be empowered through skills acquisition and encouraged to consider agriculture as a strong career option.

Nigeria has a significantly aging farming population with the youth population viewing agriculture as a backward trade due to the outdated methods still being used. The engagement of Nigerian youth in agriculture is essential to the future survival of our teaming population.

Agricoolture aims to introduce the youth to agriculture from the subsequent to modern, innovative, technologically savvy perspective.

We understand that the youth today are a generation of trends, therefore we aim to engage and empower them through agriculture by making agriculture fun and trendy: “Putting Cool in Agriculture.”

Are there donor agencies behind the project ?

The Embassy of the Republic of Ireland, Nigeria and Irish Aid have been key contributors to our success from inception. Our “go to” Mentor has been His Excellency Ambassador Sean Hoy, The Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland to Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS).

Who are the beneficiaries of this NGO? Agricoolture is focused on the Nigerian youth, both male and female. We aim to keep the ratio of male and female participants at

Daniel Amokachi, Ireland and Akwanga in po ver ty alle viation deal pover verty alleviation

From left: H.E. Mr. Simon Coveney TD, Irish Minister of Agric; Daniel Amokachi; Zainab Akwanga; and H.E. Ambassador Sean Hoy

1:1 How many branches does the NGO have?

We are a new organisation and our leading team is located in Abuja FCT. Presently we are building a team of representatives from all the 36 states of Nigeria. We believe local intelligence of grassroot communities is essential to successful and sustainable development, because it gives us an informed insight of the strengths and needs of the communities and the best approach to empowerment.

How many students are being sponsored by your NGO? Our 2016 Pilot Project will begin in FCT, Nasarawa and Benue States.

We have currently signed up Two Hundred and Fifty Youths for the Pilot Project.

Here in Nigeria, we have had many NGO’S who come today and go tomorrow, why do you think this NGO will not be the same?

We come at the right time, there is a desperate need for youth

development, we are legitimate, and we possess a strong team of enthusiastic and resilient experts both nationally and internationally.

We say the right time because the majority of young Nigerians are idle and unemployed. Over 60 percent of the entire Nigerian population is the youth. If the youth is not engaged positively they WILL become a dangerous reservoir of potential criminal and terrorist recruitment.

For the survival of our future as a nation it is pivotal that the youths are engaged positively. Agricoolture sees Nigeria’s vast youth population as an asset. We aim to play a role in educating, training, and providing young Nigerians with skills that would make them key players in a diverse empowered economy.

Our NGO will survive against challenges because our goals are in line with the interest of both the citizens and the government of Nigeria. His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari has been a pioneer of empowering youth through Agriculture since his first term in the early 80s. Many Nigerians are not aware of the fact

that he was the first President that added Agricultural Science to the Nigerian Secondary School curriculum, made it compulsory for all secondary schools to have school farms, and changed the Nigerian secondary school calendar to enable students return home during the raining season to help their parents on the farms.

Agricoolture also has a nod of approval from two Government Ministers who have agricultural backgrounds, the Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, His Excellency Chief Audu Ogbeh and the Irish Minister of Agriculture, His Excellency Mr. Simon Coveney TD, who visited Nigeria in November 2015 on a “Trade Mission” with a group of Irish business men and investors in agriculture and other sectors. Our main effort is to support Mr. President in youth empowerment by providing the necessary information and training for the youth in the wide-raging possibilities of agriculture as a goldmine.

Is there any special thing you feel Nigerians should know about your NGO? We will run training courses and practical in all aspects of agriculture, business management and entrepreneurship/leadership skills.

Participants will also be trained on packaging, branding, and marketing of their produce The Agricoolture Farm will arrange national and international off-take for the produce.

Also engaging the role models of the youth who are successful in agriculture as well as sports, arts, private sector businesses and government to come on board as Mentors to the participants. arranging internships with mentors and international standard farms both in Nigeria and abroad.

While working with the youth we are also aiming to develop not only their skill in agriculture but also other talents they have.

Igbo needs a national leader — Igwe Ekpeh

By Chike Okeke

O

bu Umunri palace at Nkwo Enugwu-Ukwu was filled to the brim. In attendance were the crème de la crème of the society. They include men of power and influence corporate titans, political juggernauts, business tycoons, educationists and religious top brass. th The occasion was the 58 Igu Aro of Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government th Area of Anambra State and the 5 of their monarch, His Majesty, Igwe Sir Ralph Obumnemeh Ekpeh; the Okpalanakana – Ukabia Nri IV. The annual event, which paraded a weeklong list of activities before the actual Igu Aro day, afforded the people of the community the opportunity to assess the past year and bless the New Year; even as their prominent sons who have contributed to the growth and development of the town and the society at large are honoured with chieftaincy titles. The planning was coordinated by some members of the Igwe’s cabinet, including Chief Dennis Anekwe, Omenyi, the Traditional Prime Minister; Chief Clem Nwafor, Odu, the Deputy Traditional Prime Minister; Chief Frank Nwokike, Ugogbuzuo, the Cabinet Secretary; Chief Tony Okeke, Akalanri, the Defence Minister; Sen. Chief I.G. Abana, Ochikota, the

C M Y K

•Fireworks as Enugwu-Ukwu celebrates Igu Aro Special Adviser on International Affairs; Chief Mike Nkwoji, Okpataozuora, the Special Adviser on Culture and Traditional Matters and Chief Hero Okoye, Udonri, the Treasurer.

First was the Mmanwu Festival, which was the display of the various masquerades from the 18 villages of Enugwu-Ukwu, and others from the visiting communities, and followed by the visit of the monarch to the town’s historical sites, namely: Obu Okpalanakana located at Uruekwo village, believed to be the ancestral home of Nri, the founder of EnugwuUkwu; and Mkpume Onyilienyi which nd is Nri’s shrine. Next was the 2 Umunri Colloquium lecture series. At the occasion chaired by the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr Nkem Okeke, the Nigeria’s former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji spoke on the theme: Anyukoo Nwamili Onu: Sustainable st Development of Ndi-Igbo in the 21 Century as the keynote speaker. The 2016 Igu Aro, organised in partnership with MTN Nigeria, saw many people winning prizes including microwave oven, standing fans and others from the telecommunication giant.

The Iguaro event started with presentation of kolanuts to the Igwe by the Otu Odueze, wives of cabinet members, led by Ocheze Lady

Dorothy Ekpeh, the Igwe’s wife. The Igwe then poured libation and called on the spirit of Nri the father of Umunri Clan-Enugwu Ukwu, Nawfia, Enugwu Agidi and Agu Ukwu and many other towns with Umunri traits to come and bless his people and provide for them in the New Year.

The Igwe thanked God for blessing the community in the past year and prayed for bigger packages in the New Year. He specially appreciated the efforts of a prominent indigene of the town, Sir Chris Okoye, Obunakueze, a former President General of the town union, for attracting MTN Nigeria to co-sponsor the event.

The first class monarch also advised the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, to put her house in order and stop the “cacophony of disgrace they heap on us by their constant disagreements

and altercations,” insisting: “A national leader for the Igbo is overdue. Igbo should install or recognize someone as our national leader who is to speak for us. The scenario where every Igbo sees himself as the mouth piece of the Igbo should stop. It breeds indiscipline and in the end, nothing is achieved.”

He expressed sadness over the continued subjugation of the Igbo by successive Federal Governments, saying: “The marginalization of Igbo people at the federal level must cease so that the nation under Buhari will know peace. If some states are not treated at par with others for the single reason that they did not vote for him, the way forward is to treat them well to enable them vote for him in the next election.” He requested Anambra State government to commence action on the construction of Enugwu Ukwu Byepass , to ease traffic on the old road.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Igu Aro Commission, Chief Peter J.C. Nwokafor, noted that given the premium placed on the festival, his team left no stone unturned to ensuring that they had a smooth celebration.

Also speaking, the President-General, Enugwu-Ukwu Community Development Union, Chief (Barr) Mike Nkwocha, while raining encomiums on their traditional ruler, pointed out: “Igu Aro festival is very significant and dear to Enugwu-Ukwu kingdom.

A

public affairs analyst, Sir Kenny Okolugbo, has said that the victories of Governors Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State at the Supreme Court have vindicated the support for their administrations and the developmental projects being carried out on a massive scale.

In a statement in Lagos, Okolugbo said: “Not until the Supreme Court makes a pronouncement on any issue, which we all know is the end of the road in any governorship election, nobody should descend into the arena.”

He lauded the Supreme Court for standing for the truth without fear or favour.

He enjoined all stake holders in the two states to join hands with the governors to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people. Also, Okolugbo advise the Minister for Transport for forget the past and work with Wike to move River State forward.

Group seeks good governance

By Simon Adewale

A

crusader for good governance and founder/initiator of the One on One positive valued change for a better Nigeria foundation, Mr. Alexander Ofuonyeadi, has called on Nigerians, especially the political class, to be proactive and ensure they live up to their promises of good governance to the people of their constituencies.

Ofuonyeadi gave the charge while speaking with newsmen at the end of an interactive session he organized between the youth leaders and a cross section of politicians

in Asaba, Ilo, Delta State capital. The good governance crusader remarked that his One on One foundation was

established in 2014 with the aim of giving support to sincere politicians with the interest of providing good governance to the people as well as accountability, moral values and integrity irrespective of political party difference. He regretted that some politicians were fond of abandoning their responsibilities and promises made during electioneering campaigns to

engage in self aggrandizement and called for a change of heart.

He commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on his SMART agenda program which he said will no doubt bring prosperity to Deltans.

PAGE 28—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

APC govt lacks ideas to move Nigeria forward —Pa Adebanjo •Says President has proved he remains a dictator

P

a Ayo Adebanjo’s participation in politics dates back to the First Republic when he was a member of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led Action Group (AG). In the Second Republic, Adebanjo remained with Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). Today, he is a staunch member of the Yoruba political group, Afenifere. In this interview, the Yoruba leader, in his late 80s, speaks on the state of the nation.

We now have the APC government in place and I remember that you once said that anybody who wants to fight corruption in Nigeria must be a determined person with solid foundation. Do you see the Buhari regime as fitting into that your description?

Well, everybody supports the effort to stem corruption and, as a democrat and one of those who fought for democracy in real terms, I want corruption to be fought in a holistic manner and not at the expense of the rule of law.

What do you mean by holistic manner?

Holistic manner in the sense of no sacred cows, everybody must be seen to be fair and non-partisan. The corruption in this country is not something we can link to one party or one man. It is general, including the civil service and Muhammadu Buhari has the personality to do it if he wants to. But the impression we have about the way he is doing it now is that he is after his opponents; maybe some of the suspects are corrupt, but the way he is flouting court orders, am not happy about that. It could be because I am a lawyer, or I am a strong advocate of the C M Y K

rule of law or maybe because not obeying court orders was one of the reasons I gave against his election. And at that time, people told me that he does not obey the rule of law during his first time because that was military regime, but now he is under democracy and I said OK. Even when he was sworn in too, during his acceptance speech, it was clearly stated there, ‘’I will obey the rule of law’’, but that has not happened.

I understand when you say you are a lawyer and you are concerned about the rule of law, but I don’t understand your problem with this issue of being partisan.

I said it appears he is partisan, because all those that are being accused now are from the opposition and we also know that, among his people, there are people there who are also corrupt.

But what do you say about those who would ask the question “did they do it or not”?

All those he is accusing now, have they been found guilty? What he said before was that anybody with a case of corruption, he will not have him in his cabinet and you and I know that a lot of people who have been accused of corruption are in his cabinet.

But he said they have not been found guilty before any court of law. Well, if that is the basis, then that should also apply to everybody. So, I want to take up the question that he has to start somewhere. He must start somewhere, but let him start two here, two there and not hunting for those who opposed him during the election. I am fully in support of the anti-graft war, but it

should be fair. Anybody who is found guilty should be made to face the consequences and not because somebody opposed you and it should be done in a manner that is constitutionally right.

I know that in 2007, you supported Buhari, and, afterwards, things went the other way. Are you surprised that he (Buhari) won the 2015 election?

No! As a democrat, it is just like I supported the late MKO Abiola in 1995. Abiola was not a member of my party, he was one of those who opposed Awolowo. But whether you like it or not, millions of Nigerians voted for him and I said then that no man has the right to nullify the election, that was the stand of Afenifere then.

Why we supported Abiola was not because we liked him; it was, whether you liked the man or not, Nigerians had spoken. So, no individual must truncate the popular wish of the people.

So, in 2015, are you surprised Buhari won the election?

Why should I be? That was the wish of the people. That is democracy. All I am saying is all those things I accused him before the election, you should prove me wrong. I can’t afford another four years being wasted in Nigeria again.

Whatever it is that he is doing, I want him to succeed. I did not support his election bid, but he has won. As good citizens, we must support him to do everything to clean up the mess where ever it may be found, but it must not be done in a way that will look

•Pa Ayo Adebanjo

I want corruption to be fought in a holistic manner and not at the expense of the rule of law

as though you are the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge.

Take for instance the case of the ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki, he was granted bail but we have seen how it is playing out. It is either we accept the rule of law or we don’t. Democracy has no qualification, we either accept democratic principles in all ramifications or not. We can’t accept democracy when it pleases us and reject it when it doesn’t please us. The Constitution must be followed and obeyed and the Constitution defines the role of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. I am 100% in support of the corruption crusade. However, the only thing I am against is that fighting corruption is not compatible with restructuring the country, the basis of which I supported former President Jonathan, the basis of which I didn’t support Buhari because I believe restructuring the country, given the politics there, the outcome of it does not favour his people of the North and he (Buhari) will not be inclined to do it.

Which of the outcome does not favour the people of the North?

You read the recommendations of the National Confab. There is the question of devolution of power, the question of local government, etc. Under the present Constitution, Kano and Jigawa have more local government areas than Lagos and Lagos and the two northern states have the same population. Lagos has about 20 and Kano plus Jigawa have about 70 and they now distribute revenue on the basis of local government, which is where the first cheating comes in. We rectified this at the

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 29

Continued from page 28 Confab. The moment they rectify it, those who have been advantageously placed under the awkward Constitution will not like it. But in the recommendations, the problem of marginalization has been solved. The question of Boko Haram will be solved; the question of Biafra will be solved. That is why I am emphasizing the implementation of the Confab report because if we don’t, there will be no stability and if there is no stability, there will be no peace and when there is no peace, there will be no progress.

But the National Confab ended and the recommendations were submitted to former President Jonathan several months before the exit of his administration and he did not appear to take any step.

He took some steps...

What he did was to submit it to the National Assembly and we all know that that was towards the end of his tenure.

Don’t let us argue about that.

The situation now is, he didn’t do it and the other man (Buhari) said I won’t have anything to do with it. So which one do you prefer? I want to agree with you that Jonathan wanted to do but couldn’t, meanwhile, here is somebody who said that it is not even in his books. In the case of Jonathan, he did it against all hurdles. On convocation of the National Conference, you must remember that Jonathan himself did not initially accept it. It was pressure that made him accept it. So, if half way he accepted it, and said he will do it but couldn’t do it towards the end of his term, and he said he will do it in his second term, he was more likely to do it than somebody who says he will have nothing to do with it.

Did the Yoruba get their request for regionalism at the Confab?

Go and look at one of the recommendations; there is a clause there ‘’that any group of states may come together economically or otherwise”.

Meanwhile, the minorities in the North, who are likely to be merged with the region, now want their freedom first. So under the recommendation, all the states in the South-West are free to decide a particular arrangement that will give us regionalism.

Some people in the SouthEast are agitating for Biafra.

Do you think this is an appropriate request at this point in time in Nigeria?

That is why I said let us go C M Y K

These APC people you are talking about, only agreed that Jonathan should go, they have no plan of what to do if he goes

back to the roots. How do you support the break up of the country? Those of us who have been agitating for the restructuring of the country want the country to stay united, peaceful. It is the question of marginalization that led to the new demand for Biafra. If they do not suffer marginalisation, there will be no case for Biafra. The Constitution should provide autonomy for the regions.

Awolowo did everything he did in Western Region without asking money from Prime Minister Balewa. He raised money from the region and did free education, free medical services and integrated rural development.

But now, the power to do that is concentrated at the centre, but we have made our recommendation to them at the National Confab. It was the late Chief Rotimi Williams who defined Nigeria’s Constitution as a “fraudulent document” and I asked him why and he said because the preamble says “We the people of Nigeria” whereas, we were not there when it was drafted.

You have been a politician and in politics even before some of our present day political leaders were born.

Give us your opinion about our present day politicians.

They are a disappointment, they are not what we thought they would have been and I am saying this with all sense of sincerity. When the first coup took place in 1966, we were among those accusing Balewa of corruption. I must tell you that the corruption we are seeing now, it is the military that brought it, they institutionalized corruption.

But the military came and told us that politicians at that time were corrupt and taking us backwards…

And you found out that when they came, they were worse. When they removed Balewa and others that they were corrupt, we supported them but, when they came in,

‘President has proved he remains a dictator’

what happened? What toppled Gowon regime? And ever since then they have been in and out. Unfortunately, many of our people have short memory.

Most of us who know the story of this country were there.

These APC people you are talking about, only agreed that Jonathan should go, they have no plan of what to do if he goes.

The revelation that money that should have been used to purchase arms was shared could be bad, but worse enough that some Yoruba elders, including Chief Olu Falae, have been mentioned as part of those who partook in the sharing of the money.

When you heard this, what was your reaction?

People are not being fair to Falae and co. They got the money from their political colleagues and not Dasuki.

This is not the first time political parties support each other during an election.

Political collaboration is common; the Action Group did that in the First Republic when the Middle-Belt joined us in Action Group, and we sponsored Tarka and his colleagues. In fact, some of the leaders of the UMBC at that time, we had to pay them ministers salaries to keep them to fight the battle in the Middle Belt, because they were fighting people they could not face financially.

Apart from the corruption cases being pursued now by Buhari, what other areas do you think deserve his attention?

They are so many. He has a manifesto. But I don’t see the programme they have.

And that’s why I said I am praying for him to succeed.

Those of us

criticizing him now, he should take our criticism in good faith and look at what we are saying and not who is saying it. When I said that he is dictatorial and that he does not obey the rule of law, he should ask himself: “Is it true? Have I done it? He should do the purification in a constitutional manner, without infringing on the liberty of the individual; this is what I stand for since the NADECO days.

A former Governor of Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, described the three main socio-ethnic groups in Nigeria namely: Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, Arewa Consultative Forum and Afenifere, as nothing but secessionist groups. What is your position on these three groups?

The problem of Balarabe Musa is not strange to people like me.

He has been a lone-ranger in his own progressiveness. He has forgotten that it was the Unity Party of Nigeria that fought for him when he was attacked by his state House of Assembly. It was Chief Awolowo, the late Chief G.O.K Ajayi and I who defended him at that time. He was not a member of our party; he is not a Yoruba man. Balarabe Musa’s definition of progressiveness or ideology is in his own context.

Anything that is different from his own interpretation is not the right thing. We have always stood for the unity of this country on the basis of understanding each other.

•Pa Ayo Adebanjo

PAGE 30 —SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Why we should not sell Nigeria,

by Babatunde Fashola The first part was published last week We begged, pleaded and held meetings for understanding.

We explained that those of us who enunciated the policy were going to be affected by it as well. I drove through the toll and paid, to show this.

In all of this, my biggest concern was not the road , it was Nigeria’s credit rating and the need to ensure that the project did not fail.

What was at risk was now bigger than the road and the Lagos State Government. It was a national reputation in the international business climate.

I am happy to say that we preserved our country’s business integrity against all odds and I will do it again.

For me, the lesson of this story is that we must not play politics with our economic survival. Investors want continuity of policies, even if Government changes.

Our politics must therefore mature to the level where we must refrain from campaigns that threaten to cancel contracts. We will be poorer for it.

Even when we perceive that the government of the day has poorly negotiated a contract, threats of cancellation do not help.

What we may at the worst seek to do is to re-negotiate after elections are over where it is possible to do so.

If we compare the quality of service on the Lekki-Epe Expressway where toll is paid to the LagosIbadan Expressway where toll has been removed, the choice is ours to make.

Is it cheaper to drive on a road free of toll, and spend 5 hours for a 1 (one) hour journey? If you calculate the fuel burnt in 5 hours of standstill traffic and the stress, you will see that the toll free is not free.

The Security Trust Fund Another example of private capital in a public area reserved for government was in the area of security.

This is the primary responsibility of Government and it is not an area of return in CASH for private business. But still there were returns and I will demonstrate it.

Before we set up the Trust Fund in Lagos, there was a State Police Command of about 103 (One Hundred and Three) Divisions that were poorly resourced. No cars, no fuel, no uniforms etc.

Banks were robbed at least 3 (three) times a week without capacity for response either by the Command or by the Rapid Response Squad, which was the special unit set up to respond to violent crimes.

They often get to crime scenes after the crime had been completed and the criminals had left.

I found out that this was deliberate partly and unavoidable partly.

It was deliberate to the extent that in a 2,000 strong squad to protect 18 million people at the time, they had only 37 rifles.

It was unavoidable partly because they barely had a dozen vehicles in poor condition and there was no clear and predictable strategy to get fuel.

Businesses closed at 7p.m and there was barely a night economy.

So people worked only during the day, if they could avoid getting robbed.

The injection of private capital to support the larger portion of funding provided by Government, the constitution of the Board of Trustees, dominated by the

investor I will be asking myself the kind of treatment that awaits me as a foreigner if the Government does that to a citizen.

But that is only one half of the story.

The other half is judicial intervention in commercial cases.

Investors know that there will be disputes. They are used to it and that is why they insert Arbitration Clauses because they do not want disputes to drag too long in courts.

As far as the practice of law goes, my advise will be for judges called upon to decide commercial disputes to: a. Act in a commercial and expeditious manner;

•Fashola... If people put their money into what they believe in, it is likely to serve them better representatives of the donors, with a minority by Government, led to the procurement of 10 Armored Personnel Carriers, 5 pairs of uniforms for over 2,000 officers, bullet proof vests, 2,000 rifles, 2 million rounds of ammunitions, 200 patrol vehicles at start, a regime of 25 litres of fuel per day.

The results were astonishing.

Crime reduced by over 80%, no bank robbery for 2 years, no successful bank robbery until 2015 (7 years after).

A bustling night economy of 24 hours petrol stations, drug stores, night clubs , hotels, supermarkets, shopping malls and hospitality facilities unfolded and provided jobs for thousands.

This was the real return for the business community.

It might interest you to learn that private capital has found a safe haven in the American prison service and in some states the prison service is the 5th largest employer of labour topping malls and supermarkets which come 7th in a survey of 20 highest employers. So if private capital is looking for where to put money apart from roads, hospitals and bridges in Nigeria, the prison system that is overcrowded, badly managed, and not reformative is one area I will recommend. Clothing, feeding, drugs, and pharmaceuticals are some of the spin-offs.

Education Our “Adopt a School Initiative” where we opened a structured platform for private individuals,and corporations to enter into schools, which were hitherto the investment preserve of Government and religious missions (Christians and Muslims) is another area of our successful use of private capital coupled with government funding like the World Bank supported Eko Project.

The “Adopt a School Initiative” was so flexible that it allowed individuals and corporations to intervene according to their resources in a classroom or an entire school.

Nothing was too small. You could give cash or material or you could rebuild, refurbish or donate a school facility by yourself, once we reached an agreement with you.

Again the results were spectacular.

From a result based performance where only 7% of students who sat for placement examination to

b. Refrain from granting injunctive orders that will stop the business. A worrisome number of power projects are caught up in protracted court cases while the nation waits for electricity to drive the economy; c. Focus on resolving the dispute without detriment to the business, and award damages instead to the injured party;

As a people, we were willing to pay for these services outside our country but demanded that they be provided for free in our country universities and other tertiary institutions secured credits in 5 (five) subjects, numbers rose to 11%, 18%, 39%, 42% and 47% between 20092013.

The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is a story of what investors don’t like.

The FGN granted a concession to a private company (Company A) and later withdrew and cancelled it.

The FGN then entered into a construction and financing agreement with another company (Company B).

Company A went to court and got an order to cancel the financing agreement made with Company B. As things stand, work has been stopped on the construction of the road.

The construction companies cannot get financing because of the court order, so they have laid off about 2,000 Workers, in an economy that has so much to do and needs to create work.

These 2 (two) companies are Nigerian companies investing in Nigeria, which is a positive sign because the local investors are the most important to any economy.

Regrettably, while not going into the merits and demerits of the FGN’s cancellation of Company A’s “concession”, it sends a not welcoming message to foreign investors if the decision was without basis or influenced by politics, which I cannot comment upon.

If that was the case, as a foreign

d. Decline jurisdiction whenever there is an arbitration clause and refuse the invitation which is frequently made, to set aside arbitral awards unless there is a PATENT case for doing so; e. Nigerian judges must be encouraged to attend annual conferences of the International Bar Association whenever possible, because they offer very rich sessions in PPPs. f. We create a lot of arbitration businesses and opportunities, but we do not take the benefit of it because we have developed anti-business reputation for not respecting arbitral decisions; g. Nigerian universities, the Nigerian Law School and the National Judicial Institute must compulsorily teach the law and practice of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) which is an emerging global area of practice.

Having completed my empirical effort at what has worked and what has not worked, I will review what some pension funds are delivering across the world.

Pension Funds in Africa Perhaps the appropriate starting point will be to acknowledge that Pension Reforms are just beginning to gain foothold across most of Africa in jurisdictions like Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Kenya and Uganda to mention a few.

But perhaps the biggest and most advanced of the Pension Funds, especially in sub-saharan Africa is the South African Pension Fund.

But while the sizes of these funds are happily growing, and the number of contributors is increasing, the impact in the quality of life on the continent is not yet anywhere near minimum globally acceptable standards.

The reason is not farfetched once we take a look at where the funds are being invested.

The funds are largely invested in equities and bonds, and in the case of Nigeria, so much of it is held in Government bonds.

It is tempting therefore to argue that although the pension funds contain contributions of the working class they do not as yet penetrate enough into giving value

to the lives of the contributors.

Across all of Africa, there is a visible infrastructure deficit. No country to country rail service across most parts, the highways that connect most of the countries such as in the ECOWAS region are in very poor shape and these are roads that can easily be built, and tolled to earn income to secure the return of pension funds invested in building them.

Air travel is no better. Airports are not of the quality of design and construction or efficiency that are obvious in Europe.

These are places where pension funds can be impactful.

An online publication of “Institutional Investors” estimated that Sub-Saharan Africa’s ten largest pension fund markets had approximately $310 billion in assets recently.

But while these funds are not serving the “REAL SECTOR” of roads, bridges, hospitals, rails, airports, fee paying universities, there is a palpably visible poverty in most of these countries, some of who gathered to seek funding support in South Africa recently at the instance of the Chinese Government who offered funding support (loans) of $60 billion for all of Africa, when 10 (ten) pension funds had $310 Billion to invest.

Many of these countries are scurrying after multilateral agencies looking either for aid or loans, while sitting literally on a pot of money.

If Africa is poor today it is not because of a lack of resources; rather it is likely a poverty of ideas or the abundance of risk elevating attitudes, some of which I have alluded to, such as judicial and political, and these must change, as I will contend in my conclusions.

It must be mentioned of course that the attitudes that once mired pension funds management in scandals and lack of transparency, had led to very stringent legislative interventions that limited the scope of activities that pension funds could participate in.

For example, until recently, the Nigerian Pension Fund Law limited the contributor from using part of his pension to secure a mortgage.

How, one may ask is a person supposed to finance or part finance ownership of a home if he cannot use his own savings.

Happily the Amendment Act of 2014, has rectified this by the provision of Section 89 (2) of the Act which provision provides that: “Notwithstanding the provision of sub-section (1) (c) of this section, a Pension Fund Administrator may, subject to guidelines issued by theCommission, apply a percentage of the pension assets in the retirement savings account towards payment of equity contribution for payment of residential mortgage by a holder of Retirement Savings Account”.

In contrast to the mismanagement that used to be the story of our own pension funds, the most prolific of the pension funds in Africa, which is the South African Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has over $150 Billion assets under management.

In Nigeria alone, they have $289 million in Dangote Cement , $98million approved but yet to be drawn for Notore Fertilizer, $230million in MTN Nigeria, $270million in Erin Energy (formerly CAMAC) and $150million in Mainstream Energy Solutions (in the power sector of Nigeria).

By contrast, the question to ask is what is the ‘home based’ pension fund doing? If as I have shown, the “visiting” pension fund from South Africa has a total of $897million in our economy.

The answer is obvious, that is why we are here, that is why my host in their invitation spoke of“…suitable

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SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 31

Continued from page 30 investible vehicles with low risk profiles and sufficient comfort…” as the reason that“…continues to hamper the drive to make visible economic impact” in the letter to me.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have news for you.

Those investible vehicles exist.

They are in roads that can be tolled, like housing, the 4th Mainland Bridge, the Coastal Roadlinking several coastal states from Lagos to Bayelsa ; the new seaport in Lekki and Badagry, the refinery by Dangote, Ajaokuta Steel, a petrochemical plant in the Niger Delta; the broken textile mills in the North and South of Nigeria that require new equipments and disciplined fiscal, technical and organizational management; prison in each of the 6 (six) geopolitical zones of Nigeria that can help strengthen our justice system and decongest the colonial prisons we have kept as relics of our own sense of justice; they are in hostels for students in Nigerian universities, embedded power plants in the universities, most of which have teaching hospitals and provide an opportunity to power education and healthcare and the list is endless.

It is as long as we can imagine. The time for it is now. This is the biggest opportunity to act towards diversification rather than sloganize about it.

This is the time to show that our Nation and our National economy is bigger than the challenges posed by the dwindling oil prices.

This is the time to diversify and change the face of our economy once and for all.

But the risks that stand in the way are caused by us and they must be changed by us.

As I have pointed out, the list of assets to invest in is almost limitless.

Let me share with you some of the preliminary data coming out of the preparatory work we have commissioned on Housing Economies and impact.

One block of 12 (Twelve) flats will require about 93 workers multiplied by 40 Blocks amounting to 3,720.

Each block will require an estimated number of the following materials: 225 mm block 13,395 150 mm block 17, 430 100 mm block 450 Binding Wire 33 Rolls Nails 50 Bags This does not include Roof timbers, sharp sand, cement, granite, paint, windows, Tiles, and other finishes.

This is where the real economic impact that local Pension Funds seek lies.

This is where they must go in funding housing construction to address supply.

We are working not only on the design of the Housing, but also on standards of doors , windows and other fittings to unify sizes and provide incentive for mass production.

We are also working on the quantities of materials so that all producers, suppliers, financiers will know to put their money.

All of these will be completed before the end of Quarter One 2016 and make public.

Our ministry is determined to use our mandate to diversify the Nigerian economy and create opportunities for inclusion for those who want to work.

“The economic impact” that the organizers of this event seek to achieve with pension funds will be phenomenal not only in growth per GDP,but in inclusion by jobs for construction and maintenance.

Foreign pension funds have taken the leap of faith with mouth watering rewards, in spite of our attitudes. They have taken the risks and earned the rewards. It seems to me that if we wait for rewards to be assured without confronting the risks which we ourselves create it puts us in a position that I can only describe this way: “should we sell Nigeria or own Nigeria?”

In the few instances where we have embraced the risk, we have not only managed them, we have returned with rewards.

Imagine if we did not allow private capital into the newspaper business by licensing private newspapers, banks, telcos, radio and TV stations?

Imagine life without Vanguard, ThisDay, The Nation, Champion, and others and the people they now employ. Where are the once state owned newspapers today?

Imagine the competition and choice that banks like GT, Access, Skye, Zenith and others brought to the industry; and the people they employ along with technology they have embraced such as ATMS and others. Would we still be queuing with tally numbers?

Imagine the breathtaking work that brands like Intercellular, Multi-Links, Glo, Econet,

‘Why we should not sell Nigeria’

•Fashola.... Without investment, there is no development MTN brought to our communications? Would we still be waiting for NITEL to provide ring or dial tone, or be carrying files with hundreds of pages of telephone bills to reconcile payments?

Imagine life without radio stations like Cool FM, Silverbird, TVC, Wazobia and several dozens across the Nation, the people they employ and the choice of information that they give? Compared to only NTA that used to close at midnight.

It was private capital, and competition that forced these changes and created expanded opportunities for jobs.

Ladies and gentlemen, my comparisons are done.

It now remains only for me to conclude by making recommendations which I concede may not be exhaustive, but which I believe will begin our journey of change that will reduce the risk and increase the appetite of our local pension fund administrators to get their feet wet and test the waters in the place we call home.

I have identified 5 (five) areas about which I will make recommendations namely: (1) politics, (2) Governmental action, (3) sociocultural, (4) Legal, and (5) judicial.

While each of these areas is itself capable of being the subject of a keynote speech, I will attempt to be brief and succinct in making only highlights of the topical issues.

1.Politics Very often, concessions, PPPs and private ownership of public assets are complex, sometimes misunderstood transactions that some people view with suspicion.

Some of the perceptions that influence these complexities, misunderstanding and suspicion arise from the fact that people sometimes begin to question why they should begin to pay for services that government used to provide for free or at a subsidy.

For example, today, the cost of self generation of power by residents, using their own generators, buying diesel or petrol, and sometimes adding inverters to augment, is estimated between N48 toN70 Kw/h.

There are already at least 7 (seven) cases in different Federal High Courts in Nigeria. 3 (three) are in Lagos, 1 (one) is in Abuja, 1 in (Umuahia) , 1 (one) in Owerri and 1 (one) in Awka.

The curious thing is that even manufacturers have taken up some of these cases as plaintiffs, as if they themselves have maintained the same price of their finished products.

The truth is that Tariff is about price and if the raw materials like Gas, power plants , spare parts, Labour etc have gone up the price of the finished product cannot be the same.

If the price of the product is not right there is no incentive to produce more of it.

This can only result in scarcity and high prices . It is simple economics.

Without the right tariff there will be no power because it is now in the control of entrepreneurs.

It is left to us to make the rational choice of paying the right tariff which is cheaper than generating ourselves at between N48 Kw/h to N70 Kw/h.

In similar vein,people pay averagely N7,000.00 (Seven Thousand Naira) per tanker of 11,000 litre of water, approximating to N0.63K per litre of water, which is not treated, but they will question a decision to produce water at a commercial rate of about

N0.35K per litre of water and insist that it must not sell for more than N0.15K per litre, in spite of the fact that the water is at least treated with chlorine which sells at N600.00 (Six Hundred Naira) per kg .

This state of affairs has been the fertile theatre of deception for some unprepared and fly by-night politicians who mount the soap box and threaten to cancel existing concessions once voted into power.

What they do not understand is that they are sending out messages that no investor wants to hear.

They are raising risk to private capital on a political front which investors seldom understand. They understand financial and return on investment risk but are seldom equipped to deal with political risk.

Even outside the political class, those who ought to know display shocking ignorance.

In response to the recommendation to raise tariffs to competitive market rates, the Punch Newspaper in its editorial of December 22, 2015 Edition said: “…Fashola…should not hesitate to explore the option of revoking existing contracts to pave the way for foreign companies with the relevant expertise and financial capacity to deliver the good.”

The question I ask is this, if we needlessly cancel concessions granted to our own people, what incentive and assurance do we give to “outsiders” to invest if the investment of our own people is not secure in their land?

If you consistently horsewhip your own children in your home, why should I let my own children visit your home?

If we needlessly cancel concessions granted to our own people, what incentive and assurance do we give to “outsiders” to invest if the investment of our own people is not secure in their land?

reasons simply because a new government does not like the affiliation of the holder of the contract.

It weakens the economy, it frustrates enterprise and leads to poverty and unemployment through job losses, loans taken from banks are endangered and the knock on effect is more than we often can see on the horizon, because the bad word spreads around the global investment community very quickly like wildfire.

Yes it may be the case sometimes, that the past government did not act in good faith, or even compromised or was even negligent. The answer is not cancellation, if the contract is performing. The answer is renegotiation.

You can invite the holder of the contract, confront him with evidence of compromise, bad faith or recklessness, and this is easy to get if there is diligence, and you propose new terms.

This I think will enhance the reputation of the state or country or continent for honouring contracts and it is music to the ears of investors.

Even then , I say, it must be sparingly resorted to, once the contract has been signed and is performing.

This is the business friendly route. It is one thing to mouth slogans of being business ready and business friendly. It is quite another thing to practice it.

3.Socio-Cultural There are many variants and manifestations of this but I will cite only one example which is our cultural outlook to land, especially land owing families and government.

Unlike the first world, we still cling to bare land and ownership for itself, without understanding that it is no more than a factor of production and capital formation.

All communities that have clung to ownership of land for no reason other than the fact that they do not want to lose it, have invariably been characterized by poverty.

First they do not welcome visitors to their land, including surveyors. Without surveys, title to land cannot be created.

Land that is not titled and measured, cannot be valued and is therefore not useful for investment.

Without investment, there is no development, no jobs, no prosperity.

I will cite only one example to make my point.

Most of what is Victoria Island today, and the entire Oniru Estate, belongs to the Oniru Chieftaincy Family. They are a forward looking land owning family who have welcomed visitors, allowed surveys and titled their land.

It is no wonder that some of Nigeria’s prime real estate, banks, hotels, toll road, offices and multi-billion dollars land assets are located there.

The examples of the other attitude are replete and living evidence of how we have perpetrated old cultural beliefs to our own detriment and prosperity.

Those who are ready to sell their land to investors, and guaranty safety of title, or use their land to buy equity into businesses will attract more investment and prosperity.

I lost 34 friends in cult wars 2.Governmental Action Closely related to political risk, but slightly different from it is Governmental action.

Whereas the former occurs during the campaigns and the quest for political power, the latter is often the follow up to the acquisition of political power.

Newly formed governments begin a review of all contracts signed by their predecessors, cancel or frustrate them even when they are performing.

They do so under one guise or the other. The previous government has done something wrong, they did not adequately protect the interest of the people and so on.

What they do inadvertently, is to create a climate that diminishes the sanctity of contracts, negatively affecting the ease of doing business.

It is a practice that is particularly prevalent on the African continent and I argue that in some part contributes to our continental deficiency of infrastructure.

I am not saying that government must not terminate non-performing contracts. Indeed these are rights that are standardly provided in all well drawn contracts.

What I am saying is that contracts cannot be terminated or frustrated on trumped up

4.Legal As it stands today, it seems to me that the legal regime for regulation of privatization of public assets can do with some reform.

On a general note, let me use the opportunity to call for the re-invigoration of the National Law Reform Commission with the mandate to focus vigorously on the reform of our body of laws.

As things stand, many new laws have been passed since the return of civil rule in 1999 and they need to be harmonized for ease of access to update the last reform carried out around 1990 when the Laws of the Federation 1990 was presented.

If an example is required, Lagos State Government revised its laws in 2003 and recentlypresented an updated version by its Law Reform Commission in 2015.

KEYNOTE SPEECH AT THE NIGERIAN PENSION INDUSTRY STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP RETREAT ON JANUARY 21-23, 2016 To be continued

PAGE 32—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

$2 trillion recovery claim and the limits of hyperbole

By Sufyan Abbas Mohammed

W

e have just been told that Nigeria has recovered $2 trillion in 12 years. My first reaction to this ‘revelation’ was to ask: What is the obsession of the ruling APC government and its sympathisers with bandying high sounding, humongous figures, even at the price of irredeemably damaging the image of the country?

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, while in Geneva, last week, to receive an award, made an important point which import was not lost on Nigerians. Jonathan told his audience that when the allegation came last year that the country had lost $49.8 billion in 18 months, he found it outrageous. He recalled telling some German officials he was meeting with at that point, that the said amount might sound neglible for their large economy, but was big enough to cripple Nigeria’s economy.

He said he was surprised when the Germans also admitted that a missing $49 billion would equally hurt the very robust German economy.

It was the Emir of Kano Lamido Sanusi who raised the claim of diversion of $49.8 billion by the NNPC, a figure he later reversed to 12.5 billion before subsequently raising it to $20 billion.

It is instructive that after a detailed audit of NNPC accounts conducted by a PriceWaterHouseCoopers (PwC), it was discovered that only $1.48 billion, which was then unaccounted for, needed to be reconciled.

Unfortunately, this uncontrolled and sloppy recourse to dropping overblown numbers has continued to do incalculable damage to the image of the country.

I wonder if it is part of the change agenda of the new administration to unabashedly inflate figures in order to bamboozle and impress the starryeyed army of change-chanting gullible Nigerians, as a means of convincing them that this government is indeed fighting corruption.

The latest one is the claim by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has, in 12 years,recovered more than $2 trillion (about N400trn at current exchange rate) looted from the national treasury. Again, this alarm has cast us in bad light as a bunch of unserious, self-harming people.

Budget connection It keeps one wondering if those in government today really know the value of two trillion dollars or the implication of making such a frivolous claim. But this is one claim that will never pass for the truth, not before Nigerians nor the international community. In the first place, the country’s aggregate revenue in the last

I wonder if it is part of the change agenda of the new administration to unabashedly inflate figures in order to bamboozle and impress the starry-eyed army of changechanting gullible Nigerians, as a means of convincing them that this government is indeed fighting corruption

12 years, be it from oil and other sources, is no where near that figure.

Let’s break it further down. The 2016 budget of N6 trillion, which is still being debated by the parliament, remains the nation’s highest so far, at an estimated value of $31 billion, using the official exchange rate of N197/$.

Let us assume, therefore, that our annual budget had been on the same steam for the past 12 years, that would have given us a total of about $365 billion! This is unarguably nowhere near $2 trillion we are told has been recovered from treasury looters within that period.

Unless, ofcourse the AGF would convince us that Nigeria’s treasury thieves have devised a formula of stealing the money not yet earned, he would be constrained to defend his qualification to be in that office. This is because it makes no sense that a government that has recovered $2 trillion would be seeking to borrow a ‘paltry’ $3 billion to finance the 2016 Budget deficit.

As citizens, we have swallowed too many of their lies to our own detriment. It started with Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State who, in a bid to warm himself into the heart of President Muhammadu Buhari, alleged that one of the Ministers in Jonathan’s government stole $6 billion, citing American government sources.

But Americans, not given to suffer fools gladly, promptly denied the claim.

The next is the Information Minister. He told the nation recently that the Jonathan administration did not buy any arms. It took the intervention of the former President, who had, until now, maintained his peace, to tell the world that the Buhari government has been prosecuting the anti-terror war with the ammunition procured by his government. It was only then that Lai Mohammed admitted that arms were indeed purchased by the last administration. To cover his punctured claim, Mohammed went defensive, by saying the arms were sub-standard, obsolete with backfiring guns that kill soldiers. I spoke to a military expert who told me that cases of guns backfiring to kill trained handlers are unknown to gun manufacturers, not even to the local ones we have in Awka.

Arms to tackle Boko Haram Speaking of Jonathan arms procurement, a security strategist,Akin Oges, writing in Beegeagle, a WordPress online source, said: “On the other hand, the Jonathan administration recapitalised the military with platforms that we could have only dreamt of some years before, by far huge achievements in comparison: the Nigerian Navy now has five OPVs amongst other platforms, the Nigeria Air Force now has the

•Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN CH3A drones (armed version) amongst others and the Nigeria Army has been resourced with world class Special Forces units trained in Russia with some new hardware (REVA MRAPs, Bigfoot MRAPS, MRL 70 etc etc).”

It is quite surprising that Buhari has continued to tolerate some people around him. For instance, when Mohammed said our troops had technically defeated Boko Haram, it left an obviously displeased President with the difficult option of having to maintain a bold face as a tacit means of defending the tale. But when a certain Borno village called Dalori was overran, last week, with the terrorists murdering over 80 innocent Nigerians, the President couldn’t but cry out that he was now thoroughly embarrassed.

It is obvious that the current claim of recovered $2 trillion is not about Jonathan alone, as it covers 12 years, spanning Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan eras. But if it is just another page out of the script of chicanery already mastered by this government, it is one deception taken too far.

There is no doubt that some unscrupulous public officials had, over time, looted funds meant for the development of the country.

There is also nothing wrong with the present government continuing in the tradition of its predessessor’s, to seek to recover such funds stashed abroad.

Wobbling economy But fund recovery efforts and waging war against corruption shouldn’t be the main preoccupation of government, especially in an emergency, occasioned by the rapid drying up of oil revenue. The fact staring us in the face is that this economy is tottering for lack of clear cut reform policy. While some people continue to clap in ignorance, the international media have been sounding a note of warning. The first red flag was raised by The Economist which accused Buhari’s

policy of damaging the economy. A few days later, the FinancialTimes came out to dismiss this administration’s economic management approach as “the height of foolishness.”

One of the very first reasonably blunt local input to this debate came surprisingly from a camp that admires Buhari. Reacting recently to the President’s proclamation on the economy, Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy, added his voice thus: “President Buhari, who was in Kenya, re- cently, said he would not devalue the Naira. The fact is that someone like him should not be talking about such things. Whatever his sentiments are, he should keep quiet so that people who know about these thing are allowed to talk about them.

He has created a major problem for the economy by that statement.”

It is obvious that what is required is a carefully crafted economic agenda, designed to take the country out of the woods. The challenge of dwindling oil revenue in a mono-cultural economy, worsening unemployment and collapsing currency can neither be wished away nor be solved with recovered funds or body language.

We need a clear-thinking, inwardlooking economic team to take us through the value. Unfortunately, this administration has either failed to assemble one or is scared to showcase what it claims to be one. For the records, this is the only period in the history of the nation where no economist with cognate experience is involved in the management of the economy. As things are today we can only guess that the economy is being managed by the Finance Minister, the Budget and Planning Minister, the Vice President and Chairman of National Economic Council as well as the Central Bank Governor, none of whom has a post-graduate degree in economics. Add to that the fact that the President is yet to appoint an Economic Adviser, and you just realize, to your shock, that Nigeria’s economy is currently on auto pilot. This is sad.

*Mohammed is resident in Yola, Adamawa State

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 33

Grumbling in the military!

•Officers fault alleged alteration of conditions of service

By our reporter

S

ome military officers are grumbling over alleged alteration of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) contained in the Armed Forces Act. Some of the aggrieved professionals in the military said that several medical doctors, engineers, lawyers, chartered accountants and architects had allegedly resigned from the three services: Army, Navy and Air Force.

The officers, who did not want their names published for fear of being punished, said, because of the bad impression some people had about the military in the past, coupled with alleged poor remuneration, the Armed Forces Council, drawing its powers under the Armed Forces Act, authored a document known as the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) to attract graduates to the force.

“The HTACOS reorganized the ranks of the Armed Forces and drew up clear equivalents among the rank and file in the three services (the superior officer ranks were never an issue)”, the officers said in a document obtained by Sunday Vanguard.

“Importantly, the HTACOS introduced incentives to lure the professional class into the Armed Forces. Before then, the three services had their individual arrangements: the Army Council, the Navy Council and the Air Council were each responsible for the administration of their respective spheres of influence.

“However, these were haphazard and proved to be of doubtful efficiency. Then the C M Y K

Armed Forces Council decided that it was better to have uniformity and thus took out time to thrash out policies and regulations that apply to all the services in equal force; hence, the coming of the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service.

Incentives “The HTACOS set out some incentives to make a career in the Armed Forces an attractive prospect for professionals.” The aggrieved military officers further explained, “Whenever the Armed Forces advertise vacancies and request applications from the public, they dangle carrots before prospective applicants who are professionals.

“This they do by stipulating a higher age limit at which medical doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants, architects and holders of doctorate degrees in fields relevant to individual services can enter any of the services through the Direct Short Service Commission.

“While the age limit is 27 years for ordinary graduates, it is 30 years for professionals. This is obviously in recognition of the fact that professionals spend more years to qualify to practice their disciplines than their ordinary-graduate colleagues.

“By Chapter 5, Article 3 of the HTACOS, professionals joining any of the services through the Direct Short Service Commission will be commissioned in the same rank with their colleagues who are ordinary graduates.

“However, the former will enjoy two years’ seniority over the latter. This balances out what would have amounted to a Greek

gift under the higher age limit entry. How? Every rank in the services has a run-out date, the maximum date at which its holder must retire if he is not promoted.

“For instance, the run-out date for a Lieutenant in the Army is 39. If he is not promoted to Captain by that age, he will be compulsorily retired. Thus, the higher age limit entry level for professionals brings an officer closer to his run-out date and exposes him to the risk of premature retirement.

“An officer who joins the service at the age of 30 has only nine years to make the rank of Lieutenant while his ordinarygraduate colleague has twelve.

Thus, the two years’ seniority given to the professional class extends their run-out date to eleven years and accordingly cushions the negative effect of entering the services at a higher age limit.

Critics “A lot of professionals poured into the armed forces as a result of these incentives, and have since moved through the ranks.

However, the policy is not without its critics.

“The critics mostly comprise officers already in service who feel miffed that the two years’ seniority given to their juniors propels the former to become their mates, sometimes even their seniors. It is possible that it is these same persons who have inspired this about-face by the leadership of the armed forces.

“The HTACOS, currently in force, is the 2012 (Revised Edition). Recently, the three services wrote letters to their officers enjoying the two years’

Recently, the three services wrote letters to their officers enjoying the two years’ seniority in which they notified the officers that their seniority had been withdrawn

seniority in which they notified the officers that their seniority had been withdrawn.

“They also published their respective seniority lists reflecting the said withdrawal of seniority. Curiously, this action is not backed by any law. The new policy clearly flouts the HTACOS which is an instrument authored by the Armed Forces Council under the power of delegated legislation.

“The Armed Forces Council is established by Section 4 of the Armed Forces Act with no less a personality than the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces as its Chairman.

“The Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff are members. The HTACOS, being a delegated legislation, has the force of law and cannot be departed from at will.

Interestingly, Paragraph 1 of the certification page states as follows: ‘This HTACOS Officers 2012 (Revised) has been reviewed to ensure uniform implementation and it supersedes the previous HTACOS (2007). The contents are to be strictly observed on all occasions and interpreted reasonably and intelligently, with due regard to the interest of the services . . .’“The proper thing for the management of the Armed Forces to do is to review the HTACOS to remove the two years’ seniority for professionals joining the services. But even then, it cannot affect officers who are already enjoying the privilege.

“This is because the HTACOS cannot be made to apply retroactively. As Section 6(i) (b) and (c) of the Interpretation Act, stipulates: ‘The repeal of an enactment shall not – (b) affect

Continues on page 34

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

CONFESSION OF A SUSPECTED CHRONIC CAR SNATCHER:

I robbed people to build house, raise family

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

N

EMESIS has caught up with two syndicates which specialized in the hijacking of heavy duty trucks along Benin / Ore Expressway and the snatching/stealing of posh vehicles in Ondo State. Different vehicles and trucks were recovered from the syndicates by detectives from the state Police Command. Sunday Vanguard gathered that two suspects, Dele Olayemi and Ayo Akinde, were leaders of one of the syndicates which specialized in stealing cars parked by owners.

The other syndicate, which specialized in the hijacking of heavy duty trucks and petrol tankers, was said to have been coordinated by four suspects, namely: Sunday Olufemi, Idowu Omowole, Ebenezer Onos and Akeem Mayama, All the suspects who have allegedly made confessional statements are in police detention.

•Olayemi....Claimed to have snatched 11 different vehicles Over 11 different vehicles were recovered from the first syndicate while 14 were taken from the other group.

Speaking with Sunday Vanguard, the leader of the syndicate that allegedly snatched posh cars, Moses Olayemi, said he went into the business to make money so as to build a house. “ My father married three wives and he refused to send us to school. I only went to primary school. “ I have been able to buy a land and what I am looking for is money to start the building after which I want to marry. “ Some of my friends introduced me into this business of snatching and stealing of cars,”he stated. When asked how many vehicles he had stolen, he said he could only remember the number of those he stole in the last 11 months. “ I can only remember that over 11 different cars were snatched and stolen where the owners parked them by my gang in the last 11months. “The receiver of the stolen vehicles, one Omo Ode, used to buy the vehicles for between N80,000 and N140,000.” Dele

explained that the dealer usually changed the number plate and other parts of the vehicle before selling to unsuspected buyers. “ We sold any jeep or posh car that we stole for N140, 000 while we sold smaller cars, whether new or old, for N80,000. “When we stole a car, we will remove its number and register it with a new one.

“We would change some parts of the vehicle so that the owner would not be able to identify it because most of the cars are being used in Akure, the state capital” The suspect, however, wondered why the dealer, popularly called ‘Oluomo’, who usually bought the stolen vehicles from them, was not arrested alongside them.

On how he stole vehicles, he said, “ I will enter the market, buy ignition key. I will use the key to test the car. If it starts, I will take the vehicle away; if not, I will leave it and run away.” Sunday Vanguard gathered that Dele ran out of luck when, at gun point, in front of UBA, in Akure, he snatched a Nissan Almera car.

Detectives swung into action after the matter was reported to the police and the car was later recovered at Oba Akoko area of the state with many of its parts replaced. Ondo State Police Commissioner Mike Ogbodu said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

Military officers fault alleged alteration of conditions of service Continued from page 33 the previous operation of the enactment or anything duly done or suffered under the enactment; (c) affect any right, privilege, obligation or liability accrued or incurred under the enactment.”

Faulting the action of the three services, the officers said, “By their action, the leadership of the Armed Forces has unlawfully pushed officers closer to their run-out dates. And by reducing their seniority, a lot of officers are now on ‘borrowed’ ranks. “This is because without the two years’ seniority factored in, many of them would not be due for promotion to their current ranks. What this means is the absurdity that an officer, say a Lieutenant Colonel, affected by this action, is, in reality, a Major.

Demoralised “Disincentivised and demoralized, several officers in the three services have since resigned so that the services run the real risk of eventually starving themselves of the services of these professionals that they had paid odds over for.

“The policy somersault or policy reversal is not only illogical and ill-timed but also without any legal foundation. At a time the country is reeling from the violent work of insurgents, the action couldn’t come at a worse time. “The officers and men of our armed forces have an onerous task on their hands waging the war on terror. They surely do not need the distraction of having their ranks tampered with. It is an irresponsible thing for anyone to contemplate, let alone do. “The Armed Forces are created by law and must operate in conformity with the law. The HTACOS is the only document that regulates the command, retirement, payment of retirement benefits, promotion and discipline of officers and men of the three services of the Armed Forces. It is a sacred document indeed and ought to be treated as such.

“Unfortunately, the authorities of the Armed Forces are not doing this at the moment. What this means is that it is at the mercy of the whims and caprices and can be violated any day the authorities feel so inclined.

“A serviceman could get his rank yanked off C M Y K

with no justification, have his benefits halved or quartered or be thrust into some other unsavoury situation that he never signed up for. “This will not only threaten but effectively jeopardize the livelihood and careers of tens of thousands of

our servicemen and their dependants who put their lives on the line everyday in defence of our nation. “It is a scary thought, and one that continues to send shivers down the spines of not just officers but also the rank and file of the armed

services. The HTACOS is essentially a contract between the armed forces and its officers. “It is inconceivable that anybody will deign to conduct the affairs of the Armed Forces in flagrant violation of its clear and elaborate provisions.”

AMID RUINS AFTER BOKO HARAM ATTACKS

Monarch, residents vow: We will not vacate Dalori

BY INUSA NDAHI, MAIDIGURI

T

he District Head of Dalori, Alhaji Usman Lawan Dalo rima and residents have informed President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State that no amount of pressure from Boko Haram attacks will compel them to desert their community and become refugees in Maiduguri.

They insisted that, despite the calamity that befell them, penultimate Saturday, where over 150 people were allegedly killed and houses torched by terrorists, they would stay back in their ancestral home, as death, according to them, is inevitable in any society.

The stakeholders, including the Borno State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, made their position known at the destroyed palace of the District Head when Buhari, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, led three ministers on a condolence visit to Dalori.

The residents also kicked against the digging of trenches around the community by the military to protect them from further Boko Haram attacks, calling on government, particularly NEMA, to provide them with food items and rebuild their destroyed houses instead.

“We are grateful for the visit to sympathize with us over the unfortunate attacks last Saturday, but we are appealing to government to stop the ongoing digging of trenches around our community, because these trenches will prevent our people whenever there is an attack from fleeing as an escape route in the community. “ We are not going anywhere. This is our land and we have no other place than Dalori. We are not

against deployment of security personnel to this community, but my people are strongly against surrounding them with trenches”, the APC Chairman said on behalf of the community.

Responding, the SGF said the team was in Dalori on behalf of Buhari who was on official foreign trip at the time of the attack, and prayed God to grant eternal rest to those who lost their lives in the attacks and wished the injured quick recovery.

Kiagbodo PDP lauds Okowa over Clark, Ambakederemo appointments

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he Peoples Democratic Par ty, ward 8, Kiagbodo, Buru tu local government area of Delta State has commended Governor lfeanyi Okowa over the appointment of their leader, Barr. Isa Clark as the Board Chairman, School of Marine Technology, Burutu and Mr. Ogheneochuko Neville Ambakederemo, as first member, Delta State Sports Commission.

The Kiagbodo ward 8 party chairman, Mr. Mathew Ogbaudu and Dr Okpako, on behalf of the party members gave this commendation of Governor Okowa while passing a confidence vote on Barr. Clark as the leader of Kiagbodo PDP ward 8.

They also called on all party faithful to unite in order to give Kiagbodo ward 8 the electoral strength to win all its elections.

Speaking to newsmen, the councillor representing Kiagbodo ward 8, Hon. Joseph Alubeze-Fuludu, said the purpose of the meeting was to thank Gov. Okowa for appointing their leader and another of their own in his administration, just as they called on all party faithful to support Okowa’s government.

He appealed to Gov. Okowa to appointment more people from Kiagbodo ward 8 and commended Alhaji Isa Clark over his leadership quality and contribution to the overall development of the party in the ward.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 35

•Prof. Yakubu

SUPREME COURT AND DEATH OF THE CARD READER

The complicity of INEC •Why elections may never be free and fair again in Nigeria

The phrase,‘ineffectual buffoon’, may have been inappropriately used by the London-based The Economist, to describe former President Goodluck Jonathan. However, with last week’s judgments by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which dealt the final blow on the card reader and awarded governorship victories to some politicians, the phrase would have, perhaps, been better applied to the individuals who went before election tribunals to say something to the effect that the card reader and INEC approved guidelines and regulation for the conduct of 2015 general elections and manual for election official are mere instruction/directives.... they do not have the force of the Electoral Act 2010(as amended) and so non-compliance will not invalidate elections………). Specifically, how can lawyers, supposedly engaged by Nigeria’s election management body, defend their position on the card reader upon which the Supreme Court based its judgments? This report will demonstrate why Nigerians may have to kiss free, fair and credible elections goodbye until the Electoral Act is amended again. More importantly, it will show the continuing danger in the aloof attitude of President Muhammadu Buhari, the indifference of the leadership of the political parties and the apparent ineffectual buffoonery that is enveloping the electoral process.

By Jide Ajani THE FORCES AGAINST THE USE OF THE CARD READER he two parties made the wrong arguments - the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP - regarding the appropriateness or otherwise of the card reader.

The use of the card reader in the 2015 elections was a socially transforming electoral event. And,

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consistent with reaction to innovation, the direction and the outcome of such a transformative event, at that critical juncture in Nigeria’s electoral system, was all the more shaped by the weight of social forces, in terms of their interplay for change. Thus, it was, and remains completely, naive for those who supported and advocated for the use of the card reader to be under the reckless illusion that those who opposed its use for the 2015 general elections would go to sleep and do nothing to stop its future

use. It is, therefore, not surprising that those who secured dubious mandate by sidetracking the card reader have taken the battle to the court room with their allies, both in the bar and the bench, to declare the card reader as unknown to Nigeria’s electoral process without pointing out any known provision of either the Constitution or the Electoral Act that the use of the card reader has violated. The card reader stregthens, namely, voter authentication as a condition precedent to voting, and not the voting process, first modified

as sortition by the earliest Greek promoters of one-man one-vote elections in the time of Pericles.

HOW INEC LAWYERS LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR THE DEATH OF THE CARD READER Certain questions need answers here: What is the card reader?

Why is it crucial to election integrity? Why would election contractors and oligarchs want it terminated?

Investigation by Sunday Vanguard revealed the motivations propelling the forces that are keen to see the card reader expunged from the electoral lexicon in Nigeria.

The card reader contraption was an ingenious development tool introduced to Nigerian elections by the Professor Attahiru Jega-led INEC and approved and funded through the National Assemblyappropriated budget. Given the anxiety the introduction of the card reader elicited at about the time of the 2015 general elections, many had wondered why the Senate/ House Committee on INEC could not examine all the implications of using the card reader before approving funding for it.

Nevertheless, the merits of the card reader received popular support because it was expected to help strengthen Section 49(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act where it is stated that before anyone can vote, the Presiding Officer in a Polling Unit must be satisfied that that person is registered as an eligible voter in that Registration Area, RA, Continues on page 36

PAGE 36—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Why elections may never be free and fair again in Nigeria Continued from page 35 and that particular Polling Unit, PU. The card reader, thus, was expected to improve this directive by increasing the objectivity, which was previously lacking, in determining a way of ensuring what it takes to universally satisfy the Presiding Officer in elections regarding the voter ’s identity, by using a single frame of reference, in this case the national biometric voter database.

The national biometric voter database was the first asignment embarked upon by the Jega-led INEC. And, like a military operation, the Commission contracted some firms to supply biometric data capture machines and, for the first time, developed a reliable electronic database which allowed the record of voters to be malleable to digital adaptations.

Hence the card reader was introduced to be able to confirm or authenticate a voter ’s record from remote or near centers using technology which is constantly changing. What this meant was that, as long as the biometric record is periodically updated, it is possible to always know who and who are true voters and those that are not.

In fact, the latter point explains why most election results, since the new INEC register was introduced, were below a million voters in many states, unlike previous political periods when three million votes could appear or disappear during result collation depending on what politicians wanted or demanded from pliant election supervisors.

Currently, even where the election managers are pliant, they must work with the reality of the election database and the number of accreditted voters on election day, a data that is not easy to manipulate after elections have taken place as many have come to discover.

The difficulties surrounding the manipulation of such biometric record of voters have, consequently, created an interest group determined to shoot the card reader down.

However, the card reader is only an important cog in the wheel that moves the present electoral machine that drives voter authentication, which is the key directive order and central subject of Section 49 of the Electoral Act. This Section, in context, is not about electronic voting, but voter authentication. The fraudulent use of unregistered, multiple registered voters, or mutiple voting by registered or unregistered thugs, was a bane of Nigerian elections.

Therefore, it is the need to maintain that chaotic status quo, which is the control of election outcome, that inspires the group with diverse interests but a common goal of the controlling election outcomes despite the will of voters; this yearning spurs the movement against card reader with some inside help from INEC Trojan horses.

At any rate, the Jonathan administration, unlike others before it, must be given credit for not putting up any stumbling blocks in the way of the Jega-led administration.

That era marked a watershed in the nation’s quest to conduct free, fair and credible elections . The smart card reader was embraced by an overwhelming number of Nigerians because of its capacity to enthrone the principle of one-person-one-vote and, with it, end the bogus moonslide and landslide figures that were used to declare election riggers as winners of elections. Interestingly, the opposition

billions of public funds to procure this devise, also appointed lawyers that laid the foundation, allegedly in collaboration with politicians, to strike down the use of the card reader under the watchful eyes of the Buhari government that benefitted from its use.

•Voters on queue ahead of election

Mr President’s failure to appoint a full INEC Board, shortly after Jega’s tenure, coincided with the take off of election petition tribunals sitting across the states in the country, leaving the fate of the card reader to the allegedly legal services department of INEC that coordinated the Commission’s lawyers that appear to want the discontinuation of the use of the card reader in tribunals party then, APC, was fully in support of the card reader and portrayed the ruling PDP as a party that was afraid of the use of the card reader for the 2015 general elections even though the proposed use of the card reader was an idea of the kind of INEC that was truly independent under Jonathan’s government, because its running was appropriated for in the 2014 Appropriation Act and fully funded to ensure its use in the election that brought Buhari into power. lronically, it is under the President’s eight-month regime that the forces against the use of the card reader appear to have succeeded in killing the use of the card reader! The APC government appears uninterested in ensuring the sustenance of the use of the card reader after winining election because it is under its watch that policitians, with their lawyers and friends in the judiciary, have finally killed this simple device, that brought tremedous improvements in our elections. The determined efforts started shortly after the Buhari administration came in, when INEC had leadership legitimacy crisis leading to the outcome Nigerians have seen with the Supreme Court’s decisions

striking down the use of the card reader.

HOW INEC LAWYERS PREPARED THE GROUND FOR THE DEATH OF THE CARD READER Early indications that the forces against the card reader would align with INEC lawyers, given the absence of a legitimate leadership,

were the widely reported activities of lawyers appointed by INEC as 3rd Respondents, some of whom discredited the card reader in their written submission in tribunals in a manner that suggested that the card reader and INEC approved guidelines and regulation for the conduct of the 2015 general elections and manual for election officials are mere instruction/ directives and that they do not have the force of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and so non-compliance with them will not invalidate elections).

This was the template virtually all legal teams of INEC used in tribunals that the courts adopted in their judgments.

For instance, in one governorship tussle in one state in the South-South geo-political zone, where the tribunal held that INEC has power administratively to issue manual and guidelines and must be obeyed by officials in the conduct of election, the Commission’s lawyers, against all expectations, filed an appeal against the position of the tribunal that “its guidelines and manual are mere instruction” and the Court of Appeal adopted INEC’s position which appears to have been affairmed now by the Supreme Court.

Now, except something happens to the contrary, the yet to be given reasons by the apex court for its verdicts on the Akwa Ibom and Abia governorship cases, being awaited, there can be no other logical reason the Supreme Court did what it did - ostensibly, on the warped submission from those expected to protect the sanctity of the card reader.

When Sunday Vanguard, after one of its editions, alerted the nation that the legal department of the INEC was going to pour cold water on the modest achievements of the Commission, and that there was a grand plot to discredit the use of the card reader in the tribunals, Nigerians took the red flag notice for granted.

But then, Madam Amina Zakari’s brief, though contentious period of “acting chairmanship”, wisely responded and, therefore, reportedly constituted a panel to monitor the activities of the lawyers representing the Commission in the various tribunals across the country. Whatever became of that committee’s work!

Investigation by Sunday Vanguard over the decision of the courts on the card reader revealed complete disappointment by Nigerians, not at the Supreme Court, but at INEC. It revealed that politicians are again succeeding to reverse the gains of the 2015 elections.

Worse still, INEC itself, that spent

INEC LEADERSHIP CRISIS UNDER THE BUHARI REGIME After the graceful and eventful exit of Jega, with a team of credible election managers, many of whom did their task with integrity as national and some as state Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, their advocacy for the use of the card reader, even in the face of robust opposition at that time, was exceptional.

But following the transition to a new government, made possible by their credible endevours, Nigerians had thought that some of these credible individuals would be reappointed immediately to sustain the new innovations in INEC. That was a misplaced expectation. Apart from the versatile Madam Zakari, the others appear not as knowledgable as would have made for a more committed Commission. Apart from commitment, the less than full Commission Board may not have been aware of the real dangers that lurked in the corner against the card reader. The appointment was done after a very long period of a void and public outcry from June 30, 2015 to November, just some days before the Kogi election.

Nigerians have also thought, erroneously too, that INEC would be one critical and very important body that the President would use to demonstrate and reinforce his acclaimed integrity and determined desire for the common good, especially as a beneficiary of a truly independent electoral body which conducted an election that an incumbent lost to his party.

Tragically, this expectation has not been met as Buhari has fallen short of expectation, first by robbing the Commission of its perceived independence in the manner he treated matters of appointments to INEC which he has still refused to carry out with an inconclusive Board as well as a curious inability to appoint RECs in over 20 states.

Mr President’s failure to appoint a full INEC Board, shortly after Jega’s tenure, coincided with the take off of election petition tribunals sitting across the states in the country, leaving the fate of

the card reader to the allegedly legal services department of INEC that coordinated the Commission’s lawyers that appear to want the discontinuation of the use of the card reader in tribunals.

Consequently, the INEC deliberately failed to make a coherent and principled defense of the card reader as a device to strengthen the voters register both for the 2015 and future elections.

This result is what we have seen in the decision of the courts with the attendant loss of confidence in INEC that failed to defend the card reader in the tribunals but instead joined forces with those who were returned from these elections where the card reader was sidetracked and not used.

Next week, Nigerians would be served details of the gradual loss of independence of INEC with the recent posting of the few RECs across the states where re-run elections were anticipated before the sweeping decision of the apex court, who was posted to which state, and why!

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 37

EDO 2016

Oshiomhole’s sack of Commissioners has no

link with Odubu’s ambition — Kazeem Afegbua

Kazeem Afegbua

•’ Why PDP will not make it back to Govt House’

By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin-City

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rince Kazeem Afegbua, the new Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Edo State, on Friday, reacted to the seeming tension in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2016 governorship election in the state. He also debunked the insinuation of a rift between his principal,Governor Adams Oshiomhole, and his deputy, Dr Pius Odubu, over the latter’s ambition to succeed his boss. He carpeted the state PDP over its tantrums against Oshiomhole, declaring that the PDP, after allegedly pauperising the people of Edo for ten years, will never smell the Osadebey Avenue Government House in the nearest future. He spoke on other national issues. Excerpts: There seems to be crisis in the state APC over the choice of a governorship candidate and that has pitted the governor against some leaders of the party including his deputy, Dr Pius Odubu I want to tell you, first and foremost, that there are no burning issues.

People are just trying to express their democratic rights and also pursue their own individual and collective interests. The governor is very much at home with the politics of the state. He is a very democratic governor and I did say this when I was being sworn in on Monday, February 1, 2016, that it is only in Comrade Oshiomhole’s government that you find Commissioners supporting different aspirants without the governor complaining about them because, according to him, every one of us has the right to show preference in this matter. But this reality does not exist elsewhere. It is either you support what the governor wants or you leave his cabinet. At any rate, the governor has a gift of the garb, so to speak. The governor has the power to consult people widely, to also try to win people over by raising superior arguments.

He likes contestation, he likes constructive engagement, he likes collective bargaining. He does not impose his whims and caprices on any one. I am saying this because I am involved. Once he heard I was showing support for one of the aspirants, he did not because of that punish me, rather he promoted me from Special Adviser to Commissioner. So people should not give Oshiomhole the name he does not deserve, people should appreciate that, as a governor who has invested

C M Y K

heavily in his intellect, his capacity, his courage and his ability for the collective governance of Edo in the last seven years plus, they should appreciate the fact that he should also have a say in who becomes the governor of the state when he leaves office. It is a democratic right, nonnegotiable. That is where the friction is coming from. But the governor is not ramming his choice down the throat of any aspirant, he is negotiating, persuading, discussing with people to say he has preference for aspirant A as against B. And I think he should be appreciated. And Oshiomhole has the power of conviction, he has the power to sell an aspirant in a manner that anyone who is buying into the aspirant will see reason why he is buying into it.

But it is alleged that Odubu’s loyalists are being sacked, including Commissioners.

We have one State Executive Council populated by Commissioners appointed by the governor. I am not aware of any Commissioner who is for the deputy governor or the SSG. We have one Exco and we all go there every Tuesday to discuss issues that affect the state. Now, issues of party politics is in the hands of the APC. Issues of governance is in the hands of the state Exco led by the governor.

So the so-called rift between the governor and his deputy may be the imagination of those who want to promote internal crisis within the government just to create the impression that things are not going well, but they have failed. Odubu has been deputy before now, and there have not been issues of disagreement in a manner that will warrant intervention from any quarters. The governor and his deputy have enjoyed a robust relationship. But the politics of power is a revolving game. People will want to promote differences in order to make an impression. But the Comrade Governor is very enlightened, bold and courageous. He has the powers of conviction and persuasion and must be commended for tolerating people that have different views, different political hues and affiliations. So I have not seen any rift and I don’t pray for one because I am a believer in constructive engagement. We can engage on issues, it does not necessarily mean we are fighting; that will also help the system to function. So I am not aware of any Commissioner

belonging to the deputy governor or those belonging to the governor. Commissioners are members of the state Executive Council which is the highest organ of government that takes decisions that have positive impact on the people. The Constitution empowers the governor to hire and fire any Commissioner if he is found to be falling short on the performance of his office. Any Commissioner that has been fired by the governor must have had one issue or the other, investigated and ascertained. If they are being honest enough, let them own up. I am not aware of the governor sacking Commissioners based on their political beliefs. They should stop giving Oshiomhole bad names, it is not fair because Mr Governor is not that kind of person.

PDP’s allegations against Oshiomhole The PDP is a shameless party. Edo people will stone them if they dare ask them for votes in this coming election. Let me also say that PDP is populated by persons who have plundered the resources of Edo and went further to plunder the resources of the Federal Government. Just take a sample, the 2.1billion dollars arms deal, look at the number of persons that have allegedly profited from the funds meant for the procurement of arms. Back home in Edo, we have challenged the PDP to name projects that they built in Ambrose Alli University, juxtapose them with our own and see the difference. They presided over the state for ten years, what did they achieve? In Comrade Oshiomhole’s less than eight years, we have invested over a N1billion in that institution outside the monthly subvention which was increased by over 100 per cent. We are not owing salaries. We have built three different lecture theatres, one at Emaudo, two at the main campus. We have constructed brand new departments in that university which the PDP left as a mere secondary school.

We are not shying away from the fact that our quality of education is such that enhances quality of knowledge of an average Edo person. And our intervention in Ambrose Alli is a function of our broader

policy on education. Namely that we must recover our primary school from decay which we did, we recovered the secondary schools from decay, you go round, you see our Red Roof Revolution and that is what PDP does not like, they don’t want to see development.

PDP is peopled by enemies of Edo development. Any time they see the Comrade Governor doing one particular project, they will run to town to criticise it. Look at the Central Hospital, such a beautiful edifice, by the time we finish stocking it, it is about 98 per cent complete, by the time we stock it with sophisticated equipment, it will compare with any hospital in Europe. We are convinced that what we are doing in the state promotes infrastructure that will enhance the standard of living of the average Edo person. Our road infrastructures are super, they come with side drains, street lights; our storm water project is gargantuan. And we are doing all these when revenue from the Federation Account has dwindled. We are not only paying salaries, we are also doing capital projects. We are not going to lose sleep over the PDP allegations, they are these busy bodies, good for nothing party which feels that the only way to add value to development is about sharing money as it did in Abuja.

But do you not think that PDP’S victory in Rivers, Balyelsa and Akwa Ibom at the Supreme Court will give them some boost?

One of the newspapers captured the rulings very well when it said, “Supreme Court delivers Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom for PDP”. So it is very obvious that they just delivered those states for the PDP. But whether we like it or not, those judgments raise curious questions but for the fact that that is the court of finality. Now coming to Edo, tell me what the PDP will use to campaign. We have legion of projects that we have done and we are doing, and we will continue to do. As we speak, road projects are on-going while many have been completed.

Today, we have recovered many houses from flooding. Go and look at the quality of work that we are doing across the state. So, it is very easy for the PDP to make noise, but on ground we have touched the lives of people both in Edo and Nigeria as a whole.

PAGE 38—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

How 45% electricity tariff hike will affect you *Our grouse against increase — Manufacturers STORIES BY UDEME CLEMENT

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he 45 percent increase in electricity tariff with effect from February 1, 2016 is unsettling for many Nigerians, especially consumers paying with estimated bills.

While the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said that increase in tariff will enhance service delivery and customers’ satisfaction, a large number of consumers, especially manufacturers, are calling on the Federal Government to provide prepaid meters for the people as a matter of urgency.

Under the new power tariff regime, electricity consumers in R2 class, said to be under residential, will payN24.30 per kilowatt in Abuja; Benin-N24.08; Enugu-N27.13; Ibadan -N23.09; Jos- N26.93; Kaduna – N27.36 and N28.05 (in single phase and three phases); Kano – N20.26 and N26.41; Ikeja – N21.30 and N21.80; Port Harcourt –N24.91; Eko- N24.00 and 25.79; Yola – N23.25 and N24.75 per kilowatt.

Meanwhile, residential customers under R2 class within Abuja Electricity Distribution Company will no longer pay N702.00 fixed charge every month; instead, their charge will increase by N9.60kwh. The residential customers in R2 category within Eko and Ikeja Electricity Distribution zones will no longer pay N750. 00 fixed charges. They will pay N10kwh and N8kwh increase in their energy charges. The burden of N800.00 and N750.00 fixed charges will be removed from Kaduna and Benin electricity consumers, while they will get an increase of N11.05kwh and

N9.26kwh in their energy charges. The commercial consumers in C2 category in Ibadan and Enugu will no longer pay fixed charges of N17, 010.

00 and N22,141. 00; instead their energy charge will increase

by N12.08kwh and N13.35kwh.

The Minister of Power, Babatunde Fashola, explained that the increase in tariff will boost investment in the sector.

He added that once more investors bring money into the sector, the cost of electricity consumption may decrease in the near future.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the office of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) at Ikeja, Lagos, to get their reaction on the new tariff regime, many manufacturers lamented the new increase, saying the hike in tariff without giving all consumers prepaid meters to measure the exact amount of electricity they consume on monthly basis is another way of exploiting the people, especially manufacturers whose businesses are already going under.

Manufacturer perspective: In a chat with Sunday Vanguard, the Chairman, Toiletries and Cosmetics Group, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (T& C group of MAN), Mr. Ikpong Umoh, mentioned erratic power supply and over billing from electricity tariff fixed on estimated charges by power companies among the biggest challenges killing the manufacturing sector in Nigeria.

He stressed, “As manufacturers, we need constant electricity to carry out production. At the moment, we generate electricity by ourselves using power

•Inset: Mr. Ikpong Umoh generating sets and spending huge amount to purchase diesel on daily basis. Over 40 percent of our total cost goes into power generation. We will appreciate if the power companies can give us constant electricity supply at affordable rate that manufacturers can pay. Power supply now is still erratic, and power disruption completely disrupts production process, which makes manufacturers incur huge losses. For example, if you are producing and suddenly power goes off, everything at that process is destroyed, thereby making you incur losses.

“My worry is that increase in power tariff is too frequent and does not usually commensurate with the quantity of electricity they power companies give us, meaning, we are actually paying for what we are not using. For example, increase in electricity tariff in the past did not bring about increased in electricity supply for consumers. So, the power companies should have

improved on power output for consumers first before increasing the tariff again. But now, they have increased the tariff without increasing the capacity of power supply for consumers to have value for the money they are paying, something must be done about this”.

Power generating capacity: Currently the power generation capacity stands at between 4,500 and 5,000Mega Watt (MW). In the last five years, power generation capacity in the country has been quite insufficient. For instance, in 2011 electricity generating capacity was estimated at 4,321mw, 4,517mw in 2012, 3,563mw in 2013, showing a huge decline, 3,513mw in the last quarter of 2014, between 4,000mw and 5,000mw in 2015.

Privatisation and injection of funds into power sector: Notwithstanding the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and injection of billions of Naira by the Federal

Government into the sector, power crisis continues to linger.

At the twilight of the last administration, government approved N18.26billion loans for five power companies to boost electricity supply, after approval of huge sums like N5.2billion for the sector, N3.9billion for power transmission infrastructure and N1.3 billion for manpower development and training of 3,700 trainees under the National Power Sector Apprenticeship Scheme (NAPSAS), all without commensurate output in electricity supply. In 2013, government promised to hit a target of 10,000mw generation capacity in December 2013 but it was not realisable.

Government made similar effort in 2009 to hit 6,000mw of electricity generation, but it was not realisable, even as gas shortage was said to be one of the major factors impeding the process.

Shortage of prepaid meters for consumers: Distribution of prepaid meters to consumers in order to stop estimated billing system has not been done for years now. The previous government introduced a scheme for Nigerians to pay between N50,000 and N25,000 for prepaid meters under the new Credited Advance Pay for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) scheme, but the outcome was not known at the end of the exercise. That time, the Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, explained that the single phase pre-paid metres would be sold for N25,000 and three phase metres for N50,000. He listed Ibadan, Eko, Benin, Abuja and Kano as the companies to be used for the pilot scheme of CAPMI, yet the scheme was unsuccessful.

•As Akwa Ibom is set to produce electricity meters

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echnical partners from China, Pakistan and India have arrived Akwa Ibom State to conclude arrangements for the take-off of a meter manufacturing company, Metering Solutions Manufacturing Services Limited (MSMSL), which ground breaking was performed last December in Awa - Iman, Onna Local Government Area.

Interacting with Government House correspondents after a meeting with Governor Udom Emmanuel, the spokesperson for the metering manufacturing

• Udom plant, Mr. Zhang Loohang, said that the facility is sited in Akwa Ibom because of its strategic location in the Gulf of Guinea and attributed its establishment to the

passion for making electricity available and affordable in the state by Emmanuel.

Loohang explained that Metering Solutions Manufacturing Services Limited is a conglomerate of several companies, which would partner to proffer solution to problems arising from electricity generation and distribution.

He added that the company, when operational, will produce single-phase and three-phase electricity meters in various configurations and mountings, light weight, slim skeletal,

compact meters for pole top installation, prepayment type meters, split type electricity meters, standard one unit

Ondo, GTBank, Etisalat, DLM others win consumersng awards

BY OLUFEMI AJASA ndo State, GTBank, Dunn Loren Merrifield, Etisalat are among 16 corporate entities/ governmental bodies listed as the 20 Consumer Brands of the year by consumersng, an online platform advocating for a more

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DHL,SOS sign 3-year pact on youth development

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s part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to enhance the growth of Nigeria’s economy, DHL Global Forwarding Nigeria, has invested a huge sum in SOS Children Villages in Nigeria to support indigent children. DHL also admitted 12 youths from SOS to participate in its intern-ship programmes, thereby exposing them to operational activities of the company. The company also signed a three-year partnership agreement with SOS, a globally recognised Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), championing the development of children who face the risk of losing parental care and children still living with their parents without care.

The Managing Director, DHL Global Forwarding, Mrs. Frankle

Heather, said this at a breakfast meeting with top officials of SOSChildren Villages, held in Lagos.

From L-R: Mrs. Uche OdiaseOmozoje- SOS Nigeria Fund Development & Communication Adviser, Mrs. Heather Frankle Country Managing Director DHL Global forwarding Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Irunukhar SOS Nigeria Finance & Control Adviser, at the meeting in Lagos.

“The three-year partnership began precisely in March 2015. CSR is not only about giving money, but providing for the children and supporting their education. Last year, we brought 12 youths from SOS who had not worked before for intern-ship, some were between the ages 20 and above, but we took them into DHL business units, helped them improved on their skills and professionalism. This year, we are going to take another 12 Young ones for similar programme”, she said.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that DHL is also giving financial support to less privileged children in a motherless baby’s home in Nigeria, apart from its support for SOS Children Villages.

Speaking, the Finance and Control Adviser of SOS, Mr.

electricity meters, bulk electricity meters, maximum demand meters and smart electricity meters.

Tunde Irunukhah, said, “SOS has helped over 5, 643 children in the last five years. We give scholarship to children, aside from training them on different skills. SOS is a global NGO, with branches in 133 countries across the world, in Europe and America. We source for 30 percent of our funds. We provide for children and youths in the areas of education, health and skills training to enhance their development. We help the children get education up to the levels of Ordinary National Diploma (OND), Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor of Science (BSc). At times, we support parents to get skills training. The social centre provides services to over 10,000 clients yearly. Our major challenge is funding as our programme expands, and we are calling on government, corporate organisations to support SOS.

consumer-centric ambience.

The winners are, e-governanceOndo’s smartcart (Kaadi Igbe Ayo); Bank of the Year- GTBank; Beauty and Cosmetics (Innovations)- Natures Gentle Touch; Real Estate Site of the Year- Lamudi’; Social Enterprise (Impact)- BudgiT; Corporate Finance- Dunn Loren Merrifield; Job Creation- Jobberman; Transport (innovation)- Easy Taxi.

Others are, Online Retailer of the Year- Jumia; Health ServiceFlying Doctors Nigeria; Telecoms- Etisalat; Foods/Drinks Related Services- Hellofood; Logistics – Konga Express; New Media (Innovations)- Iroko TV; Printing (Innovation of the Year), Printivo; Hospitality/Tourism (Innovations)Jovago; Education Site of the yearPassng; Car Search Site of the Year – Carmudi; Online Payment Platform- Interswitch and Agriculture- Nobex Tech.

Speaking on the awards, Head, Communications, Consumersng, Funsho Williams-A, said the idea was initiated in recognition of brands best adopting high tech/ digital initiatives in easing the burden of service delivery which is otherwise encountered between manufacturers and consumers.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 39

FOREX CRISIS

Let’s fix dollar official rate at N240 — Rewane, renown economist

BY YINKA AJAYI LAGOS State Governor Akinwumi Ambode has lauded the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on its monetary policies, saying, “It’s a right step to curtail economic saboteur.”

The governor gave the commendation while addressing participants at the 3rd Economic Outlook Summit organised by the Network Business Club of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, City of David Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ambode, who was represented by

the Hon. Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Akinyemi Ashade, commended the Federal Government and other states across the federation for emulating Lagos State’s strategy in generating internal revenue.

“Lagos State adds 35 percent to the nation’s GDP through internally generated revenue, IGR. I admire the innovative step taken by other states who find it paramount to generate revenue in a

critical time like this,” he added.

Also speaking at the forum, a former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and Chairman of the Net-Work Business Club, Dr. Ernest Ebi, stated: “What is happening presently is a global issue and not peculiar to Nigeria. The devaluation of the naira came at a very critical time when crude oil price has reduced to $29 dollars per barrel. The main problem is

China. China’s economy plummeted from 11% double digit to about 7%.

It’s worrisome to the whole world because of the huge impacts on commodity prices. Whatever is affecting the world will definitely affect Nigeria. It is left for us to have our own home-grown approach on how to deal with it.

“With the 2016 Budget, the government plans to engage a counter cyclical approach to stimulate the economy by creating jobs. Surprisingly, it is during volatility that people make money.

So, Nigerians should look at the

bright side of life.”

In the same vein, a renown economist and Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Ltd, Bismarck Rewane, argued: “It is erroneous to think that some people can sabotage the economy.”

Rewane lamented that the Federal Government is doing too little and too late. “I foreseer evaluation as the way forward because 2016 is going to be a very tough year. I can only urge Nigerians to re-adjust their spending habit to get along in 2016,” the economist said.

“On the contrary, devaluation is destructive to any economy. But exchange rate flexibility will lead to significant adjustment to the official rate of N220 – N240 to one dollar”.

The current official rate is N199 to a dollar.

TSA, accountability and Remita

BY REMI ADEBAYO

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has never hidden his passion to fight corruption, believed to be the bane of the nation. In doing this, all loopholes must be blocked while pursuing legal processes to bring looters of public treasury into justice.

Capturing the mind of the President is the Honourable Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, in a speech during an occasion on Tuesday, January 26, where he said: “We all know that ICT is now redefining how we live, how we do business, how services are delivered both in terms of government to government; as well as between government and citizens.

“The time has now come to leverage the bountiful opportunities in the communications sector to generate additional revenue for government, now that the prices of oil have been on rapid decline at the international market, create employment for our teaming youths, improve access and enhance quality of service delivery and affordability in the country.

Undoubtedly, this will ultimately enhance transparency and good governance in line with our CHANGE agenda on which this government rode into power,” he said. There is no gainsaying the fact that the advent of information technology has changed the global space.

When President Buhari directed all government ministries, departments and agencies to immediately join the Treasury Single Account (TSA) scheme with September 15 timeline in 2015, it was greeted with commendations and uncertainty.

The TSA is one intervention through which payment and collection is made centrally to the coffers of government.

It is worth noting that the company behind this feat is an indigenous company that has been widely misunderstood in view of misconceptions around its earnings.

SystemSpecs, fully owned by Nigerians is the copyright owner of Remita, a software designed to provide shared services technology platform for companies, individuals, government agencies and banks to make and receive payment with ease.

And through its technology savvy minds, Remita is integrated with all commercial banks in Nigeria including over 500 OFIs, ERP systems and portals of many organisations for the stated purpose.

Records indicate that Remita indeed passed through a rigorous processes to beat other firms, comprising of foreign ICT providers, before it was selected to provide the electronic payment technology to power the Federal Government’s TSA initiative.

The process, which began in October 2011, included an open, competitive and due process evaluation involving the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),

Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), with support from their foreign consultants.

On December 14, 2011, the contract between CBN and SystemSpecs for the provision of Remita as the gateway for the payment and collection of government revenue was inked in an event where the Deputy Director Operations and the Director ICT signed for the CBN while the Executive Directors Business Development and Technology Services signed for SystemSpecs.

By January 2012, Remita was deployed to pilot 108 MDAS, and that has grown to over 900 ministries, departments and agencies, together with all commercial banks and over 400 micro finance banks already linked to offer seamless payment to government with ease, both for the payee and government. It is a pride to Nigeria that a fully indigenous software solution, Remita, could be chosen where others failed; and for SystemSpecs to emerge through a transparent process in a lawful and competitive business transaction for unprecedented technology solution deserves some commendations.

The Remita story is one that must be encouraged in

showing the direction towards the quest for wealth creation via information technology and intellectual property, same as applicable to all development-driven nations of the world.

The benefits of Remita is in tandem with the mandate of the present administration in empowering government to electronically track and monitor all inflows and disbursements, thereby enhancing transparency in government business.

Specifically, designated officials of government can see the individual balances of all MDAs on a single screen at any time.

In addition, Remita has been beneficial in ensuring online validation of receipts whereby designated officers are authorised to confirm any presented online receipt as a way to curtail fake presentation of receipts in government business transactions.

In collaboration with other industry players, Remita allows payers to walk into any bank, including the growing micro finance banks in Nigeria, make their cash payment and the TSA domiciled in the CBN is instantly credited.

Alternatively, payers can opt to log into the Internet

Banking Platform of their banks or use their Visa, Verve, Union or MasterCard to remit payment online.

Such can also be made through payers’ Mobile Wallets or at Remita.net, including integrated website of participating MDAs. The second phase for the implementation of the TSA, in line with the contract, started with a meeting of stakeholders and was agreed that a fee of 2.5% be charged by stakeholders. The committee had representatives of the CBN, OAGF, banks and SystemSpecs.

The fee was rejected and pegged at 1%. This was contained in a letter written to SystemSpecs from the CBN detailing the renewed contract, together with the sharing ratio of the 1% accruals, SystemSpecs, which is the Platform Providers - 50%, collecting banks - 40% and CBN 10%.

SystemSpecs came to the spotlight due to the accumulated accruals when Buhari ordered the closure of all Federal Government’s accounts held in commercial banks.

Remittance prior to that period came in trickles. However, in full compliance with the presidential directive, the surge triggered by massive accrual around September and October 2015 unsettled the contract agreement, making government to demand payback and downward renegotiation of the contract with SystemSpecs.

As a result, over N3.8 billion representing 50% of the 1%

contracted fee was returned to the CBN in obedience to the instruction of the apex bank through its letter of October 27, 2015.

The Remita software is one of the best to happen to the anticorruption drive of this government, in that it provides a ready working template upon which government is blocking loopholes and conduit pipes from where corruptible public officials drain the nation’s resources.

In line with the roadmap clearly mapped out by the Federal Government as contained in the SMART initiative of the Ministry of Communications, SystemSpecs should be embraced as a patriotic corporate citizen positioned to answer some, if not all of the posers for which government intends to get answers.

Already, testimonials attesting to the success of the Remita solution is beginning to gain attention as some African governments are already making enquiries preparatory to replicating this success story in their countries in appreciation of the use of technology to combat corruption and promote good governance.

Nigeria can be spotted on the global space for achieving this creative and noble feat, this time, by exporting the “Made in Nigeria” software technology to solve global financial and remittance challenges. This is indeed a feat!

Cussons Baby Moments unveils Season 3 Jury T he three renown professionals such as ace movie actress and producer, Mercy AigbeGentry, creative photographer, Yetunde Babaeko and a bespoke tailor and fashion designer, Mai Atafo have been unveiled once again to continue as jury of the Cussons Baby Moments Season 3. The three celebrities have been the jurors of the events since Season 2 in 2014.

The brand has taken yet another step towards rewarding babies and their parents, having previously rewarded Daniel Uwadia in 2014 and Morireoluwa Modesire Davids in 2015. It would be recalled that Cussons Baby recently hosted ‘Toddler Grow and Shine’ competition for toddlers to exhibit their talents.

The inaugural Cussons Baby Toddler Grow and Shine produced Imisioluwa Oladapo as the grand prize winner, and she took home

N1million education grant.

While introducing the panel of judges to the media in Lagos to kick start the Season 3 of the competition, the Group Brand Development and Activation Manager, Faith Okoli, said that the Cussons Baby Moments initiative is a platform meant for parents to share the captivating and amazing moments of their babies in pictures and videos.

Mrs. Okoli said: “We are proud to have the Season 3 of Cussons Baby Moments because this is yet another occasion to celebrate our bundles of joy” Speaking on the platform as a means of showcasing captivating and amazing baby moments, Mrs. Okoli said parents upload pictures of their babies on the Cussons Baby Facebook page and these uploads are voted for. Selections are based on the highest number of likes. The judges

subsequently review the selected images based on some key parameters. Basically, the selection is 2-tier: Family and friends of the babies and the Cussons Baby judges’

While explaining the rationale behind the choice of panelists, Mrs. Okoli said ‘every baby is amazing and it is very difficult to select a winner among winners.

From Left; Mrs Faith Okoli, Group Brand Development and Activation Manager, Personal Care ; Falola Tosin, CEO Refined Network ; Yetunde Babaeko, Creative Director-Photography; Miss Oluwatobi Adetunji, Assistant Brand Manager Baby; Mai Atafo, Bespoke Tailor and Fashion Designer, with Mercy Aigbe-Gentry , Film Maker and Actress and OluwaSeun Ayeni, Brand Manager Antiseptics. At the Cussons Baby Moments Baby of the Year 2016 Judges Visit to Pz Cussons Head Office in Lagos.PHOTO;AKEEM SALAU.

PAGE 40—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Adeboye Annual Lecture: Nigeria needs vision

carrier, says Prof. Tomori of RCCG has transcended the spiritual, addressing the social, educational and health needs of not just members of the church, but the society at large. In the

BY SAM EYOBOKA & OLAYINKA LATONA

N

IGERIANS have again been charged to imbibe Godly vision, obey the rules and regulations governing the country and avoid engaging in corrupt practices which has stunted the country's development.

This charge was made by the president, Nigeria Academy of Science and pioneer Vice Chancellor of Redeemer's University, Prof. Oyewale Tomori who was the guest speaker at the second RCCG Triumphant Elders' Consultative Forum annual public lecture series in commemoration of the 74th birthday of the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye at Haven Events Center, Skypower Ground, Ikeja, Lagos.

Speaking on the theme: “Vision and Vision Carriers”, Prof.

Oyewole, reputed to have developed a unique diagnostic virus neutralization test for Lassa fever, explained that a nation without vision and vision carriers will perish spiritually and remain a lawless country, stressing that lawlessness often leads to decay and decline, in the wake of a continuous deterioration.

"Our nation with adherence to the law and obedience of the Word of God will then become the underdeveloped baby adult, blaming his grandfather for his poverty," he stated and after defining the principal words of topic, he said the vision under discussion is not what one sees when the one is under the influence of drugs, too much alcohol or when the one has over fed.

"We are talking about the prophetic vision, that is, the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be. It is the experience in which a personage, thing, or event appears vividly to the mind, although not actually present, under the influence of Divine guidance. Indeed, Divine vision involves the totality of God---God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God guides the vision carrier in the execution of the vision," the virology professor noted.

Describing Pastor Adeboye as a true vision carrier and a man of God whose life shows the human attributes of God, the guest speaker whose 70th birthday coincided with the lecture, said RCCG General Overseer, who has been acknowledged globally as an accomplished humble soul-winner, is not only a man of vision but an enegertic, persistent and inexorable vision carrier.

Narrating the RCCG story, Prof. Tomori said the founder, Pa Josiah Akindayomi died in 1980 when the activities of the church were limited to the Yorubaspeaking areas of Nigeria with less than 40 parishes until Pastor Adeboye took over in 1981.

"With his coming in as the leader of the church, the global expansion started, first among the educated in other parts of the country, and then to other parts of Africa, and eventually the world.

"Today, the RCCG has 1,500 parishes in Nigeria, and is growing by the hour. It has congrega-

•From left: Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye, Pastor (Professor) Tomori and his wife tions in over 186 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the USA. We must give glory to Godbfor the way and manner the RCCG has flourished, for revealing His vision and guiding Pastor Adeboye as His vision carrier," he stated, noting that Pastor Adeboye has the attributes of a successful vision carrier, as demonstrated by biblical vision carriers, especially people like his name sake, Enoch, Abraham, Noah, Moses, Elijah, and Elisha among others.

According to him, the influential American news magazine, Newsweek named Pastor Adeboye in its January 5, 2009 edition as the 49th most powerful individual in the world with a population of over 7 billion, saying of him "Behind Adeboye's extraordinary success is his repu-

tation for honesty. While other Pentecostal pastors (including some Nigerians) have been accused of financial misdeeds or faking ser natural powers, Adeboye remains above the fray."

Continuing, Prof. Tomori argued: "To attain this level, it is instructive to hear from Pastor Adeboye himself. 'Whatever I am today is because of only one secret; somewhere along the line I met the Lord Jesus Christ and I surrendered my life unto Him and He has done the rest.' In surrendering his life to Jesus, Pastor Adeboye in his daily life bears the fruit of the Spirit---love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, humility, meekness, temperance, and above all faith.

The works of the flesh are no longer manifest in him.

Tomori averred that in the last three to four decades the vision

With his coming in as the leader of the church, the global expansion started, first among the educated in other parts of the country, and then to other parts of Africa, and eventually the world rapid expansion, the church has had to confront and find solutions to several social issues arising from poverty, disease (principally HIV/AIDS), drug abuse and misuse, and the deteriorating educational system in Nigeria.

According to him, to cater for the needs of church members and find solutions to these societal challenges, the RCCG has focused attention on three areas: education, business ventures and social institutions/NGOs. Educationally, he stated, the church has established two categories of educational institutions to cater for the spiritual needs of church members, and secular schools, run by the church to offer alternative choices to those run by government or private commercial in-

stitutions. Stressing that the Redeemer's University is not a parish of RCCG, he said it is an entity operating and interacting vigorously, consistently, and faithfully with the public based solely on the tenets of the church, emphasising that it was established to contribute to producing the requisite high level manpower required for the development of the nation.

One of the highlights of the day was the unscheduled celebration of the lecturer's birthday when the matriach of the RCCG, Pastor (Mrs.) Folu Adeboye surprised Prof. Tomori with a birthday cake and a presentation of birthday presents.

In his response, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, in a video clip, apologised for his inability to personally attend the occasion, but appreciated the church Triumphant Elders Consultative Forum for organising such wonderful programme. His wife who represented the G.O, added that the annual lecture is very important for the Adeboye family as the life of the G.O. is being celebrated.

In her words; “Celebrating our father in the Lord is a great vision and I pray that the Lord that has called you and kept you thus far will give you long life and more good days and you will be celebrated. I want to say that today is more important to us because we are celebrating somebody who has chosen his path with the Lord Jesus and he is still learning at the feet of the Lord Jesus who is a true son of Jehovah and a true son of Nigeria.

His life is worthy of emulation and a good ambassador of this nation".

Lord Chosen ends From Sorrow to Joy crusade T

HE Lord’s Chosen Charis matic Revival Ministries will today end its annual 2-day power-packed international crusade entitled, "…FROM SORROW TO JOY," at the Chosen Revival Ground, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, by Ijesha, Bus Stop, Lagos. Time: 8:00 a.m.

A statement signed by the church's Public Relations Officer, Pastor Louis Chidi said the interdenominational programme is expected to address the challenges of humanity and consequently turn every sorrow to joy, maintaining that many people, who have been hearing about the true blessings of joy but have not experienced it, will experience same at the crusade.

"Some who have witnessed it and are asking God when their turns of blessing will come, God will give them answer of joy come this weekend as we go to God in prayer during this special crusade, all sorrows shall be turned to joy. The Almighty God shall shower upon the participants’ rain of blessing of joy," he stated.

According to him, no participant will go home empty handed because God Almighty has determined to turn sorrow to joy this weekend, adding "He has seen the hopelessness the people of this country are subjected to and therefore has scheduled the crusade to turn all their sorrows to joy. Without doubt, the era of sorrow will end after this power

packed crusade.

"It does not matter the nature of the ugly situation challenging your life or how long you have been in that situation or who is behind your predicaments, our assurance is that God has set aside the two days to intervene in the affairs of His people as He did in the bible days. He will arise even in the political and econom-

ic circumstances of this country and douse the tension that has enveloped the horizon of the country hitherto. At the end of the crusade, it is certain that all tension of sorrow shall be no more, as the programme is designed as a proactive spiritual measure to checkmate the anticipated ugly political challenges of the country," the state-

ment added.

The PRO said it is never the will of God that Nigeria should remain under any affliction or despair. "Nigeria must be delivered. It does not matter the extent of the affliction against their lives, families or businesses but we are sure in this crusade God Almighty will do something new in the lives of participants".

Prophet Fufeyin empowers widows, Mercy TV workers

G

ENERAL Overseer of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, proprietors of Warribased Mercy Television, Prophet Jeremiah Ometo Fufeyin, often described as Warri TB Joshua, recently splashed N2.5 million to organize a new year funfair for workers of the ministry, reports Sam Eyoboka.

The prophet in collaboration with Mercy TV had earlier wiped the tears of about 189 widows in the church by doling out the sum of N2 million and 300 bags of rice to them. In a good will message during the presentation of the cash and the food items, Prophet Jeremiah advised well to do Nigerians to show love to the poor in the society, saying that, “God loves a cheerful giver ”.

Thanking God Almighty for His grace and mercy upon the ministry, his life, family and every member of the ministry, Prophet Jeremiah assured the widows that they can count on

him for help any time the need gotten son, Jesus Christ for us to arises by the grace of God. gain salvation”.

He noted that providing a Still on the imperatives of givshoulder for others to lean on, ing, Prophet Jeremiah strongly is the best way of being our advised that, giving should be brother’s keeper. done with all sense of modesty Stressing the need to cushion and humility without expecting the effect of hardship any where anything from the recipients but irrespective of creed and culto give in expectation from our ture, the clergy man said, “helpHeavenly Father, the Great Proing the less privileged without vider. recourse to their religion and ethnic nationality is the kingdom’s business."

The renowned charitable giver stated further that giving is a fundamental element of the Christian faith, arguing that it is good for ministers to practice giving at all times.

To underscore the importance of giving, Prophet Jeremiah *Prophet Jeremiah Ometo Fufeysaid: “God expressed His love for Mankind in giving cash to some widows. by giving His only be-

SUNDAY VANGUARD,FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 41

I

N Nigeria, “Men of God” come by the dozen. You see them regularly on television.

They are fixtures in newspapers and magazines. They always have something noble to say on the radio. They sit on the high table at every major social gathering or event. They are the counselors and prayer gurus of presidents, governors and other public officials.

There is only one problem with “Men of God:” they don’t inherit the kingdom of God. “Men of God” don’t go to heaven for a simple reason; the kingdom of God is not for stupendous and bombastic “men:” the kingdom of God signs and wonders.” The is for “children.” Indeed, it is more boastful, the greater not just for children, it is for the public appeal.

However, Jesus had a “little children.” Jesus says: healthy disregard for pub“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and lic appeal. He shunned the become as little children, you glory of men. When the peowill by no means enter the ple insisted on making him kingdom of heaven.” (Mat- a king, he ran up the mountain. When he healed peothew 18:3).

Jesus’ “assuredly” should ple, he often instructed them be enough to convince the to tell no one about it. (Matprudent. Nevertheless, many thew 9:30). When he raised still insist on being “Men of Jairus’ daughter from the God” instead of “little chil- dead, he told her family dren of God.” Jesus says chil- members to make sure no dren are representative of the one knew about it. (Mark citizens of the kingdom of 5:43). When a man in the God. (Matthew 10:14). synagogue acknowledged Therefore, every time you see him grandiloquently as the a so-called “Man of God,” Holy One of God, he told know that “of such is not the him to keep quiet and kingdom of heaven.” Like promptly cast the demon Nicodemus, “Men of God” out of him. (Mark 1:23-25).

The Zebedee brothers need to be “born again” so they can become “children of wanted to be “big men” in Christ’s kingdom. They even God.” (John 3:3). brought their Mama to plea-bargain with Jesus for Bigmanism Check out the handbill of such special status. But Jesus a church crusade, outreach warned them and the other or any other program and disciples that such striving you will see how boastful it is for pre-eminence was inapabout the preacher and his propriate in God’s kingministry. “God has been us- dom. He said to them: ing this pastor to depopulate “Whoever desires to behell.” “Pastor John has been come great among you, let raised by God to do mighty him be your servant. And works in these end-times.” whoever desires to be first “This man is anointed for among you, let him be your

WHY “MEN OF GOD” DON’T INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD The kingdom of God is not for “men:” the kingdom of God is for “children.” slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

(Matthew 20:26-28).

Celebrity pastors When a Lagos pastor invited Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House, Dallas (Texas) to minister in Nigeria, he spent over 30 minutes introducing the great “Man of God.” He ended the introduction literally on his knees before the bishop. The “great Man” accepted the worship.

Another church invited yet another American superstar to Lagos; the gospel singer Kirk Franklin. The pastor’s introduction was equally effusive. But when he finished, Franklin refused to get up from his seat. When he finally obliged, he complained that he was merely a singer and not Jesus Christ. Such an introduction, he insisted, was totally inappropriate.

The psalmist prays: “May the LORD cut off all flattering lips.” (Psalm 12:3).

Jesus says all men will hate us because of him. (Matthew 10:22). This means if they love us, we are not his. He says furthermore: “You are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14/16). How can we have a private faith when we are supposed to be the light of the world? Light must be seen. How can people see our good works and yet not glorify us?

The difference between “Men of God” and “children of God” lies in the ability to unravel this kingdom dynamic. People see the good works of “Men of God” and glorify them. Because they receive glory from men, their good works in the world become bad works according to the estimation of the kingdom of God. However, people see the good works of “children of God” but don’t glorify them. They only glorify God.

This happens because “children of God” consciously and deliberately leave themselves out of the equation. They do their good works in secret.

Their right hand is not allowed to know what their left hand is doing. They don’t stand up or raise their hands in church to make lavish donations.

Instead, they write anonymous cheques by issuing bank drafts. They give money to people and organisations that don’t know them and therefore cannot thank them in person. All they are able to do is to thank God for whoever they are.

Ungodly charity Where charitable acts are concerned, Christians should practice self-abnegation. We should not be seen. Our light must shine but we must not shine. Do we carry our bibles publicly? Do we litter our speech with vignettes of scripture? Do we drop one “hallelujah” here and another “praise the Lord” there? Do we hold hands to pray before eating at home or in a restaurant?

Do we bring all-comers up to speed with jaw-drop-

ping testimonies about the wonderful works we are doing for the Lord? Then we have missed the way of Christ. Then we are on “Broadway” and have derailed from the narrow path that leads to life. Jesus says: “Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

(Matthew 6:1).

This means conspicuous charitable organisations are ungodly. Yes, that includes even the Red Cross. Once they are formal and institutionalised, they attest to man’s righteousness and not to the righteousness of God. It also means charitable programs organised by churches are ungodly. They are acts of righteousness put on public display; therefore they do not speak the righteousness of Christ.

God-ward devotion Jesus warns that if our righteousness does not exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees we will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20). The righteousness of the Pharisee is public: the righteousness of the son of God is private. The righteousness of the Pharisee is designed to attract public commendation.

Jesus says: “Everything they do is done for show.” (Matthew 23:5). But the righteousness of the son of God has just one objective: the keeping of God’s commandments.

Jesus teaches that private faith is far more important than public faith. Private faith purifies the heart. It makes us honest and not two-faced. It makes our devotion God-ward. The wise man says: “The purity of silver and gold can be tested in a crucible, but a man is tested by his reaction to men's praise.”

(Proverbs 27:21).

The CAN jinx: Serial attacks on Okogie, Mbang, Akinola, Onaiyekan, Oritsejafor BY

ISRAELLA ALERO rom the inception of Chris tian Association of Nigeria in 1976, and prominently from the presidency of Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, through Prelate Sunday Mbang, to Primate Akinola Jasper, Archbishop John Onaiyekan and the current President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, CAN, under each of them, has suffered attacks.

Okogie, Onaiyekan and Mbang had the antecedents of social crusades.

To a large extent, they had much of their troubles with the governments of their days as well all other political factors. Akinola was in between pastorate and social crusader, hence he had trouble to contend with, both from within the Church and political forces. The northern Church viewed him more to be too academic in his approach to issues which concerned the need to speak to government ferociously.

Given the trend of the need of the Church at those times, these leaders led CAN the best of their abilities.

Okogie was a thorn in the flesh of the Babangida regime on the OIC controversy.

Akinola was a fighter against the west orthodox churches’ attempt to legalise sodomy and force it down the throats of the African and Caribbean church.

Under Okogie and Akinola , the structure of CAN, the General Secretary, was the spokesperson for the body. Papa Williams and Elder Salifu, both former General Secretaries, largely served as spokespersons.

Hence, to a very large extent, their opinions did not quite attract much of public attention and criticisms.

F

Oritsejafor, however, brought in a “strange” dimension of leadership into the CAN as a full blown pastor and evangelist. Here is a man who carries his entire being into whatsoever he is persuaded to do for the Lord and the Church.

He served PFN from 2005 to 2013, for a two- term of four years apiece as National President. He did well to consolidate the achievements of his predecessors, Dr. Boyejo (1985-1992), Pastor Adeboye (1992-1995), Archbishop Idahosa (1995-1998) and Bishop Okonkwo (1998-2005).

As PFN President, Pastor Ayo, as we fondly call him, brought a style of a leader with dignity, borne out of selflessness. By this, he earned the honor and respect worthy of a leader, not by arrogant disposition. He is quick to discover men’s gift for service. He appreciates every man’s contribution.

He corrects mistakes by Bible standards. He distinguishing principles of leadership in PFN are sacrifice and selflessness. None of Pastor Ayo’s precessors in PFN served with financial burdens on the body. They gave to sustain without looking back. Pastor Ayo consolidated on this foundation. He championed a PFN which almost assumed the passion of CAN by the demands of the time when he was just head of a bloc (CPFN/ PFN), in CAN. Each time the PFN northern brethren came with reports of persecutions, killings and arson, Pastor Ayo will charter a plane and fly into flash points at serious risks to his life and do assessment. He will go with relief materials worth fortunes. He will then give an order: The relief materials must be shared evenly

among all brethren, irrespective of denomination within the CAN setting and Muslims.

He loves the Church and works on the mandate of the Church as the light of the world. He believes the Church exists in the nation for the nation; to lead the nation to experience the actualization of her greatness in real terms. Thence, he is very critical of the role the Church plays in governance, business, medicine, education and all sectors of nationbuilding.

He is not from the school of diplomatic approach to critical issues which bear on faith and nationhood.

Rather, he is pragmatic. He loves Nigeria more than the political actors. In spite of the sacrificial ethos demanded of the CAN leadership and the incredible passion of the CAN President, the CAN trend has battered him. Okogie was attacked, Mbang was condemned, Akinola was disrespected, Onaiyekan was criticized and now Oritsejafor is passing through hell from the same platform that produced them. And Jesus said, “any house or kingdom or institution that stands against itself shall not stand”, Every attack on the sacrifices made by CAN leadership will always bounce back on the Church.

The Church must wake up to the trend of the serial attacks on her very foundation through the years. Remember, it was so bad that Okogie, as CAN President, would ban drumming and hand clapping in a Catholic gathering in reference to Pentecostal rejection; Mbang will castigate Pentecostal bishops as untrained; Onaiyekan will catalogue the ills of a section of the same church body he presided over and so on and so forth.. Only recently,

Rev. Chris Okotie took the gauntlet and publicly attacked the same institution, nay the CAN presidency.

My fear is, if this trend continues unabated, selfless service to the body may become apparent as a curse, for, men who can bear with large hearts are rare to come by. And to that extent, I pray that the very institution that combines the glory of the Church in unity, would not go extinct, to open the doors of end time persecutor against the Church.

The truth is, denominations cannot prevail against the gates and agenda of the persecutor, but the one body Church would do, many times over.

As the current administration of Pastor Ayo hands over the reins of leadership of CAN mid year, those

things he will be remembered for, are passion, doggedness, focus and the vibrancy with which he took the ideology behind Boko Harram, the counsel, which, if it had been embraced much earlier, would have been nipped in the bud. He will be remembered for doing his best to institutionalize CAN. He would be remembered for reaching out to all arms of CAN, both contenders and embracers. He would be remembered for the love of the country. He would be remembered for the rare large heart to lead a stormy season of CAN, unbowed.

May the Lord raise men into the future of CAN, who would selflessly build and improve on the works and achievements of the heroes past.

Amen.

YOWICAN member withdraws case against CAN By

T

CALEB

AYANSINA

HE aggrieved member of the Youth Wing of Christian Association of Nigerian (YOWICAN), Barr. Kwamkur Samuel who instituted a case against the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN in March last year protesting the substitution of his name for elections into YOWICAN executive council has withdrawn the case.

There was crisis in the Youth Wing of CAN after Barr. Kwamkur, a cleared and endorsed candidate for the executive council election was substituted with another candidate.

He therefore dragged CAN to court, praying the court to declare the election null and void, and conduct a fresh election without interference from CAN.

Kwamkur, a TEKAN-ECWA candidate in the elections, explained that after several meetings with the leadership of CAN over the matter, they adopted the committee's report and decided that the said election be cancelled.

But contrary to his expectation that a fresh election would be conducted, Mr. Daniel Kadzai was returned as the leader of YOWICAN as earlier declared.

"I decided to hands off and accepted not to raise any issue concerning the election again, because my destiny is in the hands of God and not man," Barr. Kwamkur said, explaining that the case was withdrawn following the intervention of the national leader of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, "a man I have so much respect for."

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD,FEBRUARY 7, 2016

ANOTHER BORNO BOMBINGS

How terrorists on motorcycles shattered Dalori, killed 200

By Inusa Ndahi, Maiduguri

T

he people of Dalori village, near Maiduguri, Borno State capital, will not forget in hurry what befell them on Saturday, February 2, 2016.

On that day, terrorists stormed their community at about 6:20pm and unleashed deadly attacks before they were repelled by troops.

Dalori is the ancestral home of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in the state, Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori.

It lies south east and is about 10km from Maiduguri. The area also hosts thousands of Internally Displaced Persons. Sunday Vanguard learnt that about 200 people were killed when suicide bombers sneaked into a crowd in Dalori and detonated their explosives. The suicide bombings were preceded by gunmen on motorcycles and two cars who stormed the community, opening fire indiscriminately and burning houses.

The spokesman for the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, under the ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’, Colonel Mustapha Anka, in a statement, confirmed the attacks.

He said, “In their desperate efforts for reprisal attacks on strong, determined and committed members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and innocent citizens, on Saturday, February 2, 2016, Boko Haram terrorists launched attacks on Dalori through Yale.

Meanwhile, sources at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) said more than 120 burnt dead bodies were brought in from Dalori, while at the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, sources at the mortuary confirmed not less than 65 dead bodies brought in.

The insurgents, according to Anka, came in two cars, motorcycles, opening fire and

burning houses.

The Army spokesperson said, “While people were running for their dear lives to Gomari Kerkeri village, three female suicide bombers made their way into the crowd and blew up themselves, leaving many innocent civilians dead and injured.

“During the incident, lives were lost while some people sustained injuries.

The insurgents also attempted to penetrate Dalori IDP camp, but the attempt was resisted by troops which resulted into detonation of IEDs by the suicide bombers.

In the meantime, the Borno State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Haruna Mshelia, put the death toll of the Dalori attacks at 101, following the missing of 16 villagers.

He disclosed this in Maiduguri, while briefing the Deputy Governor, Usman Durkwa, and the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj-Gen. Umaru Hassan, on the casualty figures and hospitalization of 59 victims at two hospitals in Maiduguri.

His words: “A total of 65 bodies were deposited at the Specialist Hospital.

Many others are being deposited at UMTH while another 10 were buried yesterday evening at the Dalori community cemetery.”

‘I saw sporadic shootings’ Fugu Ajari, one of the villagers who escaped the attacks, told our correspondent on phone, that the insurgents came and were shooting sporadically and people started running in all directions.

He disclosed that what caused the high casualty was the suicide bombers who detonated their explosives in a crowded environment.

Recently, the Deputy Theatre Commander (Air) of Operation Lafiya Dole, battling the terrorists in the North-East, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, revealed that, apart from the efforts to degrade Boko Haram, sustained air operations and surveillance had been intensified towards locating the abducted Chibok schoolgirls and other citizens that may

One of the villagers who escaped the attacks, told our correspondent on phone, that the insurgents came and were shooting sporadically and people started running in all directions

have been kidnapped by the sect.

He said, “In continuation of the counter insurgency, the air component in the last one month conducted 286 operational sorties against terrorists’ targets from December 25, to date in the Sambisa Forest covering an area of 157,000km2 which is equivalent to the total land mass of South Korea, Portugal and Togo. A total of 536 hours, 21 minutes were flown by various platforms engaged in the operations, translating into 316,637.5 litres of aviation fuel which amounts to N60.3 million, excluding the cost of maintenance and armament expended”.

The missions,Amao said, led to the destruction of newly discovered Boko Haram leadership hideouts, enclaves, logistics support bases and infrastructure, especially as they (terrorists) fled Sambisa Forest to nearby locations due to aerial bombardment.

Notable among the missions, he said, was an air strike which saw some terrorist leaders and junior commanders, who had gathered for a leadership meeting in Sambisa Forest, being neutralized by a precision strike which led to the killing of several terrorists.

The most significant strike, according to Amao, was conducted on January 17, following intelligence report on the location of a High Value Terrorist leader taking refuge at a location south of Arra village in the Sambiza Forest, where air strikes neutralized the target.

He mentioned areas of the successful air strikes conducted to include Gadzama, Ngwalimiri, Dure and Dure Takwalla, Ajigin, Bitta, Gulumba Gana, Sigel, Damasak and Kumshe communities now occupied by insurgents.

Other areas, which came under strike, include Yajiwa, Asaga, Tumbun Gini and Mada towns, amongst others, as well as medical evacuation missions which were also carried out at Marte Local Government area and Banki town of Borno on January 21.

56 terrorists eliminated Likewise, troops from the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, last Monday, recorded a huge success by killing 56 terrorists while conducting patrols along Gardawaji, Adashe, Mijigine, Manawci, Mafa,

Dikwa and Kala Balge communities.

Troops also averted what could have been another massacre when two suicide bombers trying to infiltrate Maiduguri through Muna Dalti, 100 metres ahead of troops and a Civilian JTF checkpoint, were intercepted.

This was disclosed by the Media Coordinator, Operation Lafiya Dole, Anka, while briefing journalists in Maiduguri last Tuesday.

He said the suicide bombers were halted but refused to stop, and, in the process, the bombers blew themselves up with no casualty on troops or civilians.

Anka pointed out that during the encounter with troops in various locations and hideout of terrorists, several AK47 rifles, RPGs, GPMG, MPGP, 1-60 km mortar, grenades, motor bombs were recovered.

In a related development, he said troops, along Damboa- Chibok Road arrested some unknown vigilantes, one of whom claimed to be the village head of Kopchi village in company of 42 others.

They claimed to be operating around Madagali general area of Adamawa State. Six among the 42, Anka said, were apprehended for carrying AK47 rifles with 15 magazines.

The suspects, according to him, were undergoing interrogation, adding that troops were committed to ending the activities of insurgents.

Lamenting on the renewed attacks by insurgents, the Chairman of AlHayah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (ACBAN), Alhaji Ibrahim Mafa, has said that 1, 637 herdsmen were killed in various attacks by Boko Haram in Borno State; with the torching of many Fulani tents and hamlets.

Ibrahim, who spoke in Maiduguri, expressed shock on the death toll in the six-year Boko Haram insurgency in the NorthEast.

He said that since the Boko Haram insurgency, the cattle breeders association had lost over a million livestock.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016 , Page 43

VIEWPOINT

By Francis Ottah Agho TRIBUTE IN BRIEF

Celebrating Seriake Dickson at 50

G

OVERNOR Seriake Dickson celebrated his golden jubilee on January 28, 2016.

His 50th birthday celebration coincided with the afterglow of his resounding reelection earlier on January 11.

Whether the victory was an early birthday present or it capped the providential convergence of two good fortunes is up in the air, a matter of contemplation for those interested in probing the metaphysics of life and the twists of fate. The governor disappointed those who expected him to shut down the state for snagging political gold on his golden birthday. Dickson instead elected a subdued, altruistic celebration that is consistent with his philosophy of life and politics. He visited the orphanage home in Yenagoa to show love to the kids and thereafter held a church thanksgiving in his community Toru-Urua in Sagbama Local Government Area.

VIEWPOINT

By Guy Ike Ikokwu

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF A country in retrospect

HY are national and community sense of outrage "W and revulsion so disproportionately

lame in response to this ravaging cancer such that Africans would rather engage in the ethno-national and religious carnages yet content themselves to whimpers, or at best cynical commentaries, against the dizzying reality of corruption?

There is now, after all, a demonstrable correlation between the realities of corruption and the abuse of public power and the monumental failure in governance in Nigeria”.

Ribadu believes, like most honest Nigerians and credible observers, that the systemic failure of democratic norm is clearly evident, that it is the direct result of the failure of its institutions and structures within the civic community. Whenever the state fails and the component structure

VIEWPOINT

By Olusesi Isaac VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF A case for grassroots governance

T

HE capacity to optimize rural governance is a crucial element in Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s bid to create Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Osun State.

If the state House of Assembly uncritically passed the Mojeed Alabi ad-hoc committee’s recommendations on local government council creation, generally believed to have been fashioned after the conventional model, then the paradigm of the anticipated LCDAs could be far away from strategizing for social justice, social equalization and social integration that eliminate probable cleavages at the grassroots.

Gov Dickson at 50 These two events rarely fuse into one continuum of triumph, godly favor, and inexorable destiny as they have so perfectly done in the case of the countryman governor.

Yet there is nothing accidental about this happy convergence.

The two events are intertwined and are two sides of a life predicated on putting people first as constant variable, good personal and social deeds and a life rendered great and meaningful by the Karmic rewards of altruistic commitments.

Dickson exemplifies this paradigm of good rewards for good deeds, of sowing and reaping. It is a law embedded in the theological canons and philosophical corpuses of major religions — Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddism, and others.

The celebration of a significant birthday in the shadow of a historic electoral victory bears out this axiom. Dickson has sown well and he is reaping well. On the personal moral level, he has sown vision, meekness, selflessness,

kindness, a capacity to recognize both his strengths and weaknesses, and the humility to let God order his steps.

He has reaped goodwill in return; a pan-Nigerian network of devoted friends, admirers, and allies.

He has reaped opportunities that some only dream of. He has reaped the divine bounty of a good family and excellent health. He has reaped the love of his people, spiritual resilience, uncommon energy, and wisdom.

On the political side of his life’s ledger, the governor has sowed service, compassion, excellent leadership, conscientious governance, and a commitment to uplifting the vulnerable members of society. In return, the governor has reaped improbable and spectacular political victories, an adoring political constituency, and a massive firewall of political support. He has reaped the adulation of the people of Bayelsa State, the Ijaw nation, and the entire Niger Delta. He has reaped a deserved reputation as a

man of unflinching humanistic convictions and a consensus builder, yet does not compromise his stubborn commitment to democratic principles.

This is a perfect segue to the event with which we began this reflection: Dickson’s against-all-odds reelection victory. For nothing epitomizes the enduring quality of the law of sowing and reaping than a political triumph, thought impossible by the federal might but made possible by a formidable cache of goodwill banked with voters and compatriots over a long period of unbroken grassroots political service. Let’s be clear then as we celebrate Dickson’s victory as one part of this combo of milestones. The enemies of democracy said he was not supposed to win; he was not expected to win, and, given the ruthless aggression of the adversarial forces pitted against him, should not have won.

The election has posited Dickson as the preeminent factor in the reclamation of the Niger Delta from the marauding political schemes

Nigeria: 1966 - 2016 (2) fails, history is replete with the attendant bloodbath, disequilibrium, and the destruction of the very basis of restructuring and advancement.

Oil as a curse Buhari is acclaimed by a majority of objective observers on his resolve to plug the leakages in the Nigerian structure which enabled the vast fiscal corruption of later years, and also the establishment of basic structures which would be economically useful in the fight to restructure the economy.

On the diversification of the economy, it is quite clear that Nigeria’s economic fortunes have been held hostage by the oil price agenda. For instance, in the 70s, oil accounted for 60% of our exports, whereas, before then, agriculture accounted for more than 75% of our exports. But by 1980s oil had accounted for more than 90% of our revenue, making

Nigerians to be poorer.

However, the present day oil has become more of a curse than a blessing! Between 1970 and 2000, Nigeria received about $300 billion from oil.If the oil revenues had been properly utilized by the military class in the last 50years, Nigeria would have developed like Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brazil. However, the poverty level in Nigeria is such that we are ranked as a place where majority of our citizens exists on less than $2 per day.

The change mantra assures Nigerians that the power situation will change for the benefit of our industries, Entrepreneurs, and citizens by raising the capacity from 3,000KW to 20,000KW within the next 10years. But we cannot forget that in 45years, since our Independence in 1960, the military class has not improved the generation capacity of electricity

in Nigeria. It was revealed in the National Assembly, the other time, that a quasi-military regime (in civilian mode) had spent $16 billion on power generation without electricity anywhere. Nigerians are indeed waiting for the change mantra to unravel what really happened.

It is clear that, in the words of Dr. Okonjo Iweala, this country needs “a comprehensive economic reform program with a focus on four areas; macro economic reform, structural reform, public sector reform, and institutional and governance reform.

We have to give a rousing credit to Okonjo Iweala, who convinced the military class of the Obasanjo era to take the bull by the horn through the Paris Club, resulting in a write-off of $18 billion debt which was very large indeed, and, with the creation of the Excess Crude Account, Nigeria had a saving grace from the pit falls of

The need for LCDAs in Osun And before making the Osun LCDAs public, expectedly very soon, the Osun parliament could still fast track back to the drawing board to ensure that the much expected LCDAs will foster effective state presence in the locality and assure the pace and quality of developments largely initiated or generated at the grassroots. The issue should be how the LCDAs deliver services to the people and provide effective execution of Osun government programmes and services.

In Osun, the existing local government councils under Aregbesola’s superintendence have been innoculated against all known abuses. In the erstwhile Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in the state, corruption at the local government council level was worst in proportion and the councils were ineffective in

service delivery due to the premium put on local council autonomy, and the PDP’s institutional corruption.

Aregbesola is prompted to create LCDAs in Osun by a number of factors including his desire to develop backward areas of the state and the need to ameliorate some pressing urban and less urban problems, not waiting until undesirable trends and problems emerge.

Interestingly, the Osun governor has fired rejuvenated interest and re-invigorated responsibility in the residents and businesses towards tax payment as a civic duty, to strengthen the financial base of both the local government councils and LCDAs for improved purse or boosted treasury to maintain a viable financing, independent of the state, and/or at least to counterfund state projects in the grassroots

areas. Aregbesola has also deployed an integrated civic education of the citizenry in the Osun local government council areas and the LCDAs as a first step in the result-getting tax administration in the state to remove vulnerability to revenue hemorrhage. His right mix of civic education will harbinger the requisite community-based sensitization and conciliation; community-based mobilization and orientation, and community-based interpersonal communication and collaboration. Aregbesola, indeed, understands that any tax regime wished into the public consciousness by executive fiat is bound to fumble and tumble, if unheralded by the right mix of civic education of the tax payers.

The second step, his deployment of appropriately high quality political, spiritual, traditional, and

of the ruling party.

Dickson is not called the countryman governor for nothing.

His politics is about the regular citizens — the people in the countryside, in the creeks. He has since identified human beings as the permanent variable in politics.

So in his political odyssey and particularly in his re-election bid, the Talk Na Do Governor anchored his campaign on the people that are most physically removed from the glitzy governing precincts of Creek Haven, Yenagoa, the seat of government. Dickson is the first gubernatorial candidate/governor in the state’s history to visit all Bayelsa communities to personally request their support. He is also the first to spend the night in these communities. The governor didn’t just pass through them; he communed with them, breathed their air, ate their food, immersed himself in their realities, and received a personal, intimate introduction to their aspirations and concerns, all of which culminated in the people owning and driving his re-election.

Agbo is a journalist/public affairs commentator based in Yenagoa.

Email: viafrancisagbo38@gmail.com

an abysmal of economic servitude.

The current regime and economic experts agree that diversification of the economy would lay more emphasis to the export potentials of non-oil products. These products sustained the economy and growth of Nigeria in the preindependence years, until oil took over in the late 60s and 70s.

The military had tried to alter Nigeria’s constitutional and political development in a reverse mode. They adopted the political and constitutional arrangements which were very similar to the military style of operation which is despotic in nature, the rank and file do not query decisions of superior officers. It is therefore no wonder that the past military regimes in Nigeria preferred the Executive style of governance as against the more democratic parliamentary system, where the will of the electorate and legislature is pronounced.

To be continued market leaderships at the tiers of governance in the state will on one hand re-tool the tax administration, and on the other hand, evoke interest and responsibility in the tax payers to want to pay; and the third, the Aregbesola’s extant mechanism for improved budgetary control and accountability in the state will substantially meet all set financial targets of both the old local government councils and the LCDA to generate change resulting in transformation to progress and enhanced quality of life.

It is certain that the LCDAs in Osun, very soon, will diffuse political power on an area basis, allow for community determination of political affairs and inculcate the noble ideals of protection of “minority” rights and integrity, both considered germane to further the evolution of liberal democracy and governance in the state.

Olusesi is Assistant Director, Directorate of Publicity, Research & Strategy, All Progressives Congress (APC), Osun State.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

By PRISCA SAM-DURU DRAMA

V

IEWERS watched with great awe, the appalling condition of the oil rich Niger Delta region, the effect of the havoc unleashed on North East

by Boko Haram, and the devastating effects of erosion on the South East, all in Nigeria. It was a clear evidence of a country blindly existing on impending doom.

“No Where To Run: Nigeria’s Environmental Crisis”, is the title of a documentary film which exposes humanly inflicwted disasters on some areas in the country, leaving the people in perpetual fear of the unexpected.

The film is an expose of the appalling state of areas such as Niger Delta, Anambra and Borno States, etc, brought about by destructive tendencies of man.

With Ken Saro Wiwa Jr., son of the murdered environmental activist as narrator, ‘No Where to Run’ was screened for the very first time during the 3rd edition of Ake Arts and Book Festival held at the Centre for Arts and Culture, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The docu-flim premierred as part of Environment Awareness Day organised for secondary schools in Ogun State.

Themed, ‘Our Environment, Our World’, the event sponsored by cement company, Lafarge, also, held in honour of late Writer and Environmental Activist, Ken

By NNAEMEKA EZEMA REVIEW

P

ond of Leeches written by Stephen Kekeghe, a play of fourteen movements of varying lengths with an aptly illustrative cover page is another new voice ingeniously crafted as a strong indictment on the political leadership of our nation. The artistic manipulation of techniques and explicit depiction of our common and disturbing concerns are the hallmarks that have ensconced this literary piece within the functional ambience of African literature.

From the title of the play to the characters and settings are the metaphorical instances of our collective agony in Nigeria in the recent past. In the main, the conflicts that sustain throughout the events in the texts are the counter forces of the greedily grasping and growth stultifying hands of the leeches and the arduous efforts of the victims to extricate themselves and assert their humanness once more. It is obvious that these seen and unseen hands of these maniacally desperate exploiters are the very leeches that have dominated Okugbe Community, the pond. It is instructive to elevate Okugbe beyond the precinct of a Niger Delta community in Nigeria to its real allegorical encapsulation of Nigeria as a country. This effort will achieve two things for us. We will be able to identify with the settings, characters and the thematic preoccupation that the playwright attempts to defamiliarize and properly situate the text on its true nationalistic pedestal.

Apart from Okugbe which has

No Where To Run...Wake up call for safer earth Saro Wiwa who was executed by the Late Military ruler, Sani Abacha. The documentary was also screened to sensitise Nigerians on the need to protect the environment to avoid possible annihilation.

‘No Where To Run’ which was the main focus of the event, exposes how badly Niger Delta has been destroyed through oil spillages. Left with no water, no farmlands, no rivers for fishing, Niger Deltans as shown in the film, also stand the risk of being ravaged by leukemia and other forms of cancers due to gas flaring. Another issue that calls for urgent attention is the destruction of the mangroves which is aiding the effects of rise in sea level which according to experts, if not checked, will end

The film is an expose of the appalling state of of areas such as Niger Delta, Anambra and Bornu states brought about by destructive tendecies of man

• A scene from the film up washing out some communities.

South East at the moment, is facing a serious crisis due to erosion. Nanka, a community in Anambra State, was seen as having the worst effects of erosion. Most of the affected communities have been eaten up leaving the inhabitants with no where to run.

Speakers in the film including the host, said the situation is made worse because ,”A lot of people are busy making money not minding the impact on the environment.”

They further blamed desertification and deforestation in Borno State, leading to an exodus of indigenes to Maiduguri, as birthing Boko Haram. The film

beautifully ends with a proverbial statement, ‘He who burns down his father ’s house inherits ashes’.

Protecting the environment As a way forward, the wife of the state governor and an environmentalist, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, advised that it should be inculcated in the young ones, the importance of protecting the environment. She advised the students to embrace the ‘Green Empathy’ philosophy of the three ‘Rs’; reusing, reducing and recycling materials for a safer environment.

Amosun also preached the philosophy of her pet project ‘Gefty Gospel of Green Education’ to them and gave each child a copy of her book ‘Green Education for the Youth: Empowering our Youth to Save the earth’ At the end of the screening, an art and craft competition was held. The students were engaged in craft using waste materials usually found in homes. The competition tested their understanding of the theme, the docu-film, level of creativity and readiness to contribute towards, aforestation, recycling and reusing. Their level of ingenuity was overwhelming and at the end of the competition, Gateway Secondary School took the day.

They were presented with books, gifts, cash for schools that participated as well as for establishment of school libraries.

Interestingly, after ‘No Where To Run’ another documentary; ‘Heroes of Nigeria’s Environmental Struggles’, was screened. Wife of Ogun State Governor, Funso Amosun, Nnimmo Bassey, Funto Borrofice, Newton Jibunoh and Ken Saro Wiwa, were all unveiled as Nigeria’s heroes.

Their works as outlined, so far are signs that there is hope for a safer earth.

Stephen Kekeghe’s Pond of Leeches: An Allegory of a fragile polity been identified as the Nigerian nation, other elements that can be viewed through the national prism are the Okugbe Community Hall and Egbo Quartres.

The Okugbe Community Hall has every semblance of the National Assembly in Nigeria. Just as it is said to happen in the legislative chamber, Okugbe Community Hall is where people like Chief Shenye and Chairman converge to make decisions, fritter the public funds and corner large chunk into their personal purse.

The Egbo Quarters is the resource base of Okugbe Community yet the least cared for. In the words of Ophu, ‘A quarter from which comes the lion’s share of the wealth of a community also has the lion’s share of poverty in the community.’ This evidently alludes to the Niger Delta part of Nigeria where the playwright hails from. This is a people who

Stephen Kekeghe deploys a very captivating language rich in proverbs and graphic imagery, the lines of the drama easily yield to a very strong cadence which makes it a very interesting stage play

has been dispossessed of their Godgiven resources and left abandoned and wretched, hence the conflict that has enveloped the area.

Apart from that, the characters are clearly divided into three sets to mirror the classes in our society and the tensions that have been generated as a result of the nexus of relationship among them. The chairman, Chief Shenge, and Bishop Ukemu conveniently occupy the category that could properly be identified as the real leeches, the heartless exploiters.

While Oteri, Ovwata’s brother, belongs to the category of the people whose strength though palpable has been enfeebled by fear.

Incapacitated by trembling nerves, Oteri has been conditioned to bear and endure and is never ready to ‘take up arms against the sea of trouble and by opposing, end them’, to borrow from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. But Ovwata has vowed to pick up the gauntlet. He belongs to the third and last category who tries to confront the surging force of oppression. He confidently leads this class and drives the course with unrelenting passion and candour.

The heartless and inordinate quest to appropriate collective wealth to individual selves springs the stringent voice of protest in Ovwata, conspicuously launching him at the very epicenter of the conflict that runs through the text.

The consequences of this messianic disposition are not mild. He has lost his son, wife and mother and taking his life has become a nonnegotiable priority for Chairman.

Ovwata hence deploys every strategy of survival, including

navigating through the metaphysical (a practice that anchors the drama toward magical realism) to keep himself buoyed throughout the struggle.

The Niger Delta question resonated in this wonderful drama piece should be of interesting concern to the Eco critics.

The devastating environmental degradation and its attending hazards are sources of deep creative exploration in this work. But the worst of all is that while the so-called leaders scavenge on the resources from the Egbo Quarters, the common people bear the brunt of this disaster. It is within the intricacy of this heart-wrenching injustice that the playwright has tempered on a very delicate ligament of the country. The call for justice and fair distribution of resources for a corporate coexistence

Kekeghe, Stephen Pond of Leeches; Ibadan: Kraft Books, 2015;PP. 100

obviously underlines the Marxist bent of Pond of Leeches. That is why this projection into the future should be taken very seriously as a warning and not necessarily a prophecy. There is no gainsaying the fact therefore that Kekeghe’s warning at this point should be taking very seriously, especially at the backdrop of very recent agitation for self-government in some quarters of the country.

In rendering these very important concerns, Stephen Kekeghe deploys a very captivating language rich in proverbs and graphic imagery.

The lines of the drama easily yield to a very strong cadence which makes it a very interesting stage play. Its vivid depiction of the societal ills is further strengthened by this aspect of the play.

Despite some occasional punctuation errors and grammatical infelicities that can be attributed the printer ’s devil, there appears to be a structural problem over Ovwata’s death occasioned by the surprising attack of the new Okukpe Community after the resolution of the conflicts appears unnecessary. Despite this, Pond of Leeches confidently secures a space in the functional paradigm of modern African literature and launches Stephen Kekeghe into the league of Ngugi Wa Thiongo and the likes

Ezema is a doctoral candidate of the department of English, University of Ibadan

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, PAGE 45

By OKOFU UBAKA REVIEW

A

String of Sweets is an anthology of poetry written

by Tony Afejuku.. The anthology comes to us as a phoenix of varied human thoughts recollected in moment of tranquility. A Spring of Sweets, can better be described as a diary of diverse human experiences in lyrics. Also, one may be correct to say that the anthology validates the immense capacity of the human mind to recollect and to reflect on avalanche of man’s unavoidable encounters with the many hurdles of life. Perhaps, the reason this writer is of the view that the anthology is a mixed bag of exhortations of love, passion, patriotism, courage and admiration on one hand. On the other hand, the anthology contains poems that are lamentations of a failed state as a result of greed, nepotism and moral bankruptcy. These anomalies have find a futile ground in Nigeria owing to man’s penchant for vices, injustice, brutality and selfrighteousness . Basically, the human mind has exceptional capacity to wander, to ponder, to reflect, and to refract. Hence, Afejuku’s lines serve as a soothing balm to a troubled mind.

Afejuku is an Itsekiri patriot, a literary critic and a Professor of Literature with bias for poetry.

Like Niyi Osundare, Odia Ofeimu, Tanure Ojaide and Ebi Yobo, Afejuku sees poetry as a medication for the ailing soul. He shares in the artistic ideology of bringing poetry to the door step of the people. His generation of Contemporary poets are conformists of Niyi’s poetic manifesto which perceives poetry as a “ life spring”, (Alu, 2008). It is imperative to state here that these poets also imbibe Ojaide’s verdict of syntax of prose, unpretentious, clear and simple lines, (Ojaide,1989) . Little wonder, they steered away from the older generation of Modern Nigerian poets that are easily identified for the nuance of being ‘privatist’, willfully obscured and consciously apolitical.

Afejuku and his contemporaries are committed to splitting open the gridlock of formalistic evocations of the older generation of Modern Nigerian poets.

Hence the commitment to communicate in the simplest and appropriate expressions possible. Afejuku’s poetry vividly convey a piecing concept of evocative reflection of ordinary human experiences. Further, there is also a conscious effort by the poet to jettison Euromodernist poetic techniques of T.S Eliot, Era Pound, Christopher Okigbo and Wale Soyinka who were addicted to the poetics of obscurism and esoteric motifs.

Afejuku’s poetry address a deluge of private and public themes. Particularly, issues on the state of the Nigerian nation and that of the prestine Warri Kingdom-his ‘poetic constituency.

He is able to register a concern for the leadership inadequacies of the Nigerian nation while using provokingly-common imagery.

It is important to note that Afejuku, like his contemporaries, is unpretentious in his poetics.

Perhaps, the reason “An October

Afejuku’s Poetry of Pulsating Reflections Ballad for Fatherland” presents a picture of a bizarre celebration of a nation at 50, when the citizenry are in a cesspool of pains and economic hardship. The poem does not see the justification of such celebration.

Warri and Maiduguri are two extremes which are uncommonly similar. Maiduguri represents the sterility of the Nigeria state. While Warri points to the buoyancy of a state. The poet is worried that Nigerians are too complacent, and annoyingly too serene.

Nigerians can be likened to the oxymoronic euphoria of suffering and smiling, a bizarre picture once painted by the Afrobeat maestro, Fela Anikolakpo Kuti. The problems of the Nigerian nation are endless.

“Epitaph on Two Nigerian ExPresidents” admonishes arrogance, despotic inclinations and greed among two expresidents of Nigeria. The hilltop imagery of ‘ Owu’ and ‘Minna’ are pointers to Ibrahim Babangida and Olusegun Obasanjor who at different times

Afejuku and his contemporaries are committed to splitting open the gridlock of formalistic evocations of the older generation of modern Nigerian pots

By PRISCA SAM DURU REVIEW

I

t is doubtful if the historical records of both pre- and postindependent Nigeria politics would not be raped judging by the acts of its handlers and professional propagandists.

Suffice to say that the lineage of Nigerian politicians have cowardly indicted the basic content of the manual of the past heroes who fought with all brands of determination to terminate slavery as engendered by the British colonists.

Unfortunately, at the heart of these problems is competition and rivalry among the major ethnic groups to take the lion’s share of the uneven distribution of national resources. As a result, fear of domination of one ethnic group over the others and cries of marginalisation resonate in the political space.

With this evasive ideological chaos, the concept of zoning entered the lexicon of Nigerian politics. In the course of bailing out the vagueness of records, “Zoning To Unzone: The Politics of Power And The Power of Politics In Nigeria” by Chief Mike Ozekhome, one of the finest brains in the country, takes its pride of place as a compendium of knowledge about the real issues in Nigerian politics.

The author, High Chief Mike Ozekhome, is a renowned Constitutional lawyer who has handled and participated in many epochal and sensational cases that have defined and shaped Nigerian Legal jurisprudence and enthroned a regime of Human Rights, Democracy, good governance and the Rule of Law.

A Spring of Sweets; Tony E. Afejuku; Mace Books/Sunbird Africa Media Limited, (2014).PP: 108 ruled the country and left in their trails records of gross abuse of human rights and senseless looting of the nation’s treasury.

The poem laughs at the impotency of the so called ExGenerals who on leaving power “are here now in dust”. The moral of the poem is for us to see power as temporary, and held in trust of the people, and never to abuse it when one is at the position of responsibility because a time comes when one is strip of such power and will be accountable to the very people he had abused.

“An Itsekiri Militant Song”, “A Leaping Flame “and “Muscular Words” have the same stream of themes of patriotism and courage running through them.

Afefuju, like Ojaide sees his ethnicity as a microcosm with

which to lash out at the larger Nigerian society. In a nutshell, “An Itsekiri Militant Song” is a clarion call on the poet’s kinsmen to be vigilant and remain steadfast in the struggle to survive the war of extinction being launched at the Niger Delta minorities by the Nigerian state on account of her God given resources.

Metaphorically, the poet seems to be calling on Nigerians to support those who have vowed to resort the glory of the country.

There is need to sing patriotic leaders to victory. Not everybody can be in a position to lead, hence those of us who are followers must encourage those in leadership positions to rescue our country from the jugulars of mediocrity, corruption and political recklessness. The same themes of patriotism and vigilance thread through “A Leaping Flame” The poem is an ode elegizing the virtues of Pa. J.O.S Ayomike, an Itsekiri elder statesman, who hails from Escravos that produces the largest quantum of crude oil in Delta state, and incidentally the mainstay of the economy of the Nigerian nation. The poet is exhorting the courage and patriotism of the statesman by describing him as “the sun of the mangrove” and “his land ‘s lover”.

The poet also raises the issue of hypocrisy, as a result of greed and avarice. There will be no end to communal conflict in Nigeria, if truth is not sacrosanct, and

justice upheld.

Like “A Leaping Flame”, “Muscular Words” is an ode to Isaac Jemide, a member of Itsekiri Leaders of Thought. ILT is a think thank of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality. The poet is of the view that responsible and sincere representation come with grace and fulfillment. A leader must be fearless and courageous to defy the ferocity of the enemies.

On a larger scale, the poet preaches advocacy and courage.

To the poet, words must be strong enough to assert truth.

On a large note, the poem elogizes virtue, honour and hard work. It is imperative to state here that virtues fetch our names on marble long after we might have departed this world of trials.

Afejuku ‘s poetry is remarkable for its syntax of prose and aesthetics of words-revealing meaning.

His poetry are unpretentious, private and public.

They are evocative indignation of a minority buried in a breathtaking thoughts of fear of extinction and political stagnation. There is no limit to the power of the human mind. In the mist of the turbulence, the poet is of the view that man could still find the time to reflect on the spirituality and sublime of love and the magnanimity of nature. The singability of Afejuku’s poetry cannot be ignored. There are uses of repetitions of phrases, lines and structures to reinforce the lyrical tone of the song employed.

Okofu, Ubaka Omamuli Esq. is a post graduate student with the Department of English and Literary studies, Delta state University, Abraka.

Ozekhome’s creative expedition: Moving Nigeria’s politics to graceland actually presupposes the other, In the book, the literary giant and legal luminary articulates and analyses the endemic problems causing disharmony in the country through a multidisciplinary approach of law, history, religion and politics.

Relying on his wealth of experience and learning, he discusses elaborately the inherent variables playing out in the political system and reveals the secrets of different political calculations and permutations even to the point of predicting the dangers ahead of the country if adequate measures are not put in place.

In Chapter One, Ozekhome discusses how ‘Zoning’ became a buzz word in the political arena and among the political elite, and heightened by the death of President Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua. In Chapter Two the author traces the history and analyses ‘zoning’ as a political concept in contemporary Nigeria and how the annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election presumed to have been won by

In the book, the literary giant and legal luminary articulates and analyses the endemic problems causing disharmony in the country

Zoning To Unzone: The Power of Politics and the Politics of Power In Nigeria; Chief Mike A.A. Ozekhome, SAN, Mikzek Law Publications Limited, Lagos, 2014,PP. 370 Chief MKO Abiola set the stage for zoning agitation and counteragitation. In Chapter Three, he discusses the different shades of opinion of protagonists and antagonists on zoning.

The book traces the trajectory of the concept of zoning and posits that the entire hullabaloo about zoning is nothing but a ploy by the political elite to partition the country into fiefdoms to share her booty, more about sharing the national cake than baking it. He sees it as “bulkanisation of political offices and positions by way of compensation to satiate constituent interests.”

The author points the way forward.

He submits unequivocally that the assumption that the principle of power rotation and zoning are mutually exclusive is patently fallacious. He insists that one

observing that the thought of giving every citizen and zone a sense of belonging and inclusiveness in the government of the country through rotation actually necessitated the concept of zoning.

Ozekhome submits that there is no zone in Nigeria that has the exclusive right to access the Presidency of Nigeria to the exclusion of all others.

The author concludes by saying that rotational presidency and zoning help to unite the heterogeneous, religious, cultural, linguistic and ethnic diversity of Nigeria that consists of many nationalities.

He therefore recommends for all Nigerians of whatever gender, religion, language, ethnic group, state in life, circumstances of birth, academic and cultural backgrounds the philosophy of live and let live, and learn the principle of zoning to unzone.

Included in the book are some useful appendixes and postscripts as well as the brief narration of his three week’s ordeal in the hands of kidnappers.

The book is very relevant in the contemporary politics of Nigeria.

For students, teachers of Nigerian History, Politics and Government, any one aspiring to the leadership of Nigeria and all patriotic Nigerians,”Zone To Unzone” is a must read. It is a book every Nigerian or anybody for that matter that is interested in understanding ethnic politics and power play in contemporary Nigeria must have in his or her shelf.

46 — S UNDAY Vanguard SUNDAY Vanguard,, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Ighalo: God told me to shun China money O

DION Ighalo said he turned down a lucrative £300,000-a-week move to China because God did not want him to go there.

At Watford where he is in good scoring form, Ighalo is on £30,000, the prospective move to China was worth 10 times that.

“I have 14 goals in the Premier League, how do I go to China now?” said the Nigerian forward Ighalo, 26, who claimed he turned down the move after helping Watford win promotion from the Championship last season.

“I prayed about it, and God said it was not for me, no matter how much money it was. I knew God would direct me.

When I said I don’t want to go, they offered me more money, almost £300,000 a week. I told them it’s not about the money.’”

Ighalo signed a five-year contract with Watford last September after owner Gino Pozzo allowed him to speak to the Chinese club Hebei China Fortune. China’s Super League is rapidly become a major player in the world’s transfer market with Jackson Martinez joining Guangzhou Evergrande from Atletico Madrid, Ramires leaving Chelsea for Jiangsu Suning for around £25m and Liverpool target Alex Teixeira swapping Shakhtar Donetsk for Ramires’ new club in a £35m transfer before the Chinese window closes on February 26.

It would have earned him around £40m over five years.

Even if he moves to one of the Premier League’s biggest spenders, the man from Lagos will not earn such outlandish sums of money. The standard of football in China is obviously a concern, but Ighalo admits he was close to being blinded by the sums involved. “I was very close,” he told the Daily Mail.

“They made a £10m bid and were offering me over £200,000 a week; a four-year contract. I couldn’t sleep for three days. That kind of money is not easy to turn down.

Some team-mates in the dressing room were saying, You can’t miss this chance. But I don’t jump into decisions like that.”

“They have called again and I have turned them down again. “Maybe if I keep scoring goals, that team will come with triple the money at the end of the season. When the time is right to go to China I will know. If it’s for me it will come to pass. “When I was in Ajegunle, I was watching the Premier League, dreaming one day I would be part of it.

If I keep doing what I’m doing I can enjoy my football in England for four, five or six years. “I helped this team to promotion. How can I leave because of money? I know money is good. With that sort of money I can secure my life.

But you can’t sell your dream.”

Man. United in talks with Mourinho ANCHESTER United M have held talks with representatives of ex-Chelsea

The Lord’s My Sheppard... Odion Ighalo

AFCON qualifier: Oliseh okays Kaduna

S

UPER Eagles coach, Sun day Oliseh may have eaten the humble pie and accepted Kaduna as the venue of the African Nations Cup qualifer between Nigeria and Egypt billed for March 23.

Oliseh, had refused to buy Nigeria Football Federation’s decision to move the encounter to Kaduna. He believed Port Harcourt presented a conducive atmosphere for the Eagles.

“Oliseh is keen on Kaduna.

He only argued that he has won all his matches in Port

Oduah tasks Dalung on development of athletics

By Ben Efe

J

UST as the sports minister, Solomon Dalung renewed the contract of Angie Taylor and Eric Campbell, former Athletics Federation member, Prince Isidor Oduah has tasked the minister to look into athletics development.

Oduah, who was also chairman, sponsorship and marketing committee of the AFN suggested that there are some national records, which ought to have been erased long ago, but they are still on the books.

“This indicates that our sport is stagnant. How and why after 20 years Chioma Ajunwa record of 7.12m remains unbroken in the long jump? It is a puzzle that must be solved.

“Apart from Ajunwa’s record there are others that are over 30 years old in our record books. Does this mean athletics is not growing?

“I expect the minister to take sports development seriously.

And these are the questions he should be asking the AFN and coaches. We need to have

C M Y K

quality athletes and this should not be a problem in a country where we have abundant talents,” Oduah stated.

He added that Nigerians should not expect good results at the Rio 2016 Olympics as there has not been commensurate preparations for the Games.

“Rather now is time for the minister to sit down with the AFN and its coaches. There has to be a deliberate and sustained programme that will give our present crop of junior athletes leverage to achieve results in the 2020 Games.

Harcourt, and may be it would have been better, if the Eagles stayed put there. He was only rubbing minds with the top NFF officials,” revealedan associate of the coach.

Kaduna was picked as venue for the clash against Egypt soon after a 2-0 home win there against Chad in June 2015.

Then Eagles skipper Vincent Enyeama sparked off a controversy when he openly kicked against the choice of Kaduna, saying it was not safe for the national team in the wake of attacks by the terrorists’ group Boko Haram.

The match is a must win for the Super Eagles if they hope to qualify for the 2017 AFCON. Egypt lead the group qualifier. The return leg four days later in Egypt.

manager Jose Mourinho, the BBC understands.

The 53-year-old Portuguese, who was sacked by the Blues in December, is increasingly hopeful of succeeding Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford.

No agreement has been reached, and the club have made no comment, but negotiations have begun.

Dutchman Van Gaal, 64, is expected to leave United at the end of the season - one year earlier than scheduled.

That would leave the way clear for Mourinho, who is known to be excited by the prospect of taking over at Old Trafford.

Sections of the United support have called for Jose Mourinho to become their new manager The United hierarchy are thought to be keen to respond after Manchester City secured the services of coveted former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola earlier this week.

Mourinho’s arrival would mean a resumption of a rivalry that began in Spain when he was coach of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013.

Twice in recent weeks, Van Gaal’s tenure has seemed perilous.

However, defeats by Stoke on Boxing Day and Southampton on 23 January have been followed by an improvement in both form and performance.

United, who are five points adrift of the Champions League places, play Chelsea today (5.00 PMS).

Ojez promises to beat deadline on swimming pool

R

EHABILITATION work at the National Stadium Lagos swimming pool is nearing completion, and the contractor handling the project, Joseph Odebeatu said he could complete the job before the March deadline.

Odebeatu was practically harassed in January by the Youth and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung over the slow pace of work on the swimming pool that had became home to reptiles and algae. But the entrepreneur, popularly known as Ojez said on site that there has been no delay in the project.

“We are on course, work is going on. The minister gave us till March and from what we are seeing the job will be complete right on schedule.

“This is an important project and we are giving it top priority.

Loud In Lagos... Gov Akinwummi Ambode pose with Accessbank/Lagos City Marathon winners. From left Hosea This is because it has an important role to play in our national Kipkemboi, Abraham Kipton and Debebe Tolosa.

sports development.

“I must commend the minster, because many of them have come to inspect it and they did not take any action.”

Dalung...

S UNDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, FEBRUARY 7, 2016—47

Akwa United emerge 2016 Super 4 champions A

KWA United have been crowned champions of the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League Super Four preseason tournament held in Kaduna and Uyo. The Promise Keepers drew 0-0 with Nigerian champions Enyimba at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Friday night to emerge champions of the 2016 edition.

With Nasarawa United losing 1-0 to Warri Wolves in the first match of the day, Akwa United needed a draw while the People’s Elephants knew victory would see them lift the trophy for the second time in three years.

The draw meant that Akwa United have now won two trophies on the trot, following their Federation Cup win last year – albeit the Super 4 being a noncompetitive tournament.

Yusuf Adio had the first chance of the game from close range but he missed in the fifth minute. In the eigth minute, the lively Ubong Ekpai carved an opening for himself. His tame shot was saved

by Theophilus Afelokhai in goal for Enyimba. Enyimba then burst to life with Andrew Abologu bombarding his way to Akwa United’s area before pulling the trigger. The former ABS attacker saw his audacious drive palmed away by lanky shot stopper Olufemi Kayode.

Afelokhai was the busier of the two goalkeepers. He twice denied Ubong Friday and Ekpai as the first half of ended 0-0.

Enyimba tried to break the hearts of the roaring home fans with the match winner but the Akwa defence-line was resolute

Kipton finish line in 2.19.16 seconds to clinch the $50,000 top prize and set a meet record. He was chased down by compatriot, Hosea Kipkemboi who finished 2.19.34 seconds, while Ethiopian Debebe Tolosa returned 2.16.40 seconds to place third.

Ethiopian woman, Halima Hussen Kayo clocked 2.38.36 seconds to win the women’s category and also set a race record. Kenya’s Alice Timbili finished at 2.38.49 seconds to take the second spot, while Ethiopian Feyase Aberash with 2.39.09 placed third.

Continued from B/P Chelsea, was key to the Super Eagles winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa with Coach Srephen Keshi in charge. But under coach Sunday Oliseh, Moses have yet to lace his boots for Nigeria.

His last Super Eagles appearance was in the 2-0 loss to France at the 2014 World Cup but he has reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria.

“I’m proud of being a Nigerian international and am always committed to playing for my country,” Moses told BBC Sport.

“It’s the best feeling C M Y K

•CHAMPIONS...Akwa United players with the Federation Cup in their approach.

Akwa United begin their maiden campaign on the continent when they visit Vita

Club Mokanda of Congo next weekend in the preliminary round of the Caf Confederation Cup.

Flamingoes return to camp

T

HE national Under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingoes, will return to camp on Sunday in preparation for the final qualifying stage for the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The competition will hold from Sept. 30 to Oct. 21 in Jordan.

Flamingoes’ coach, Bala Nikyu, said in Abuja that all the players who were in the team for the second round of the qualifiers were expected in camp.

Flamingoes had beaten the Baby Gladiators of Namibia 4-0 and 5-0 in the last round and will now face South Africa in the final round.

“We are resuming this Sunday to begin camping in Abuja in preparation for the final round of the World Cup qualifier against South Africa.

“We have a team already. The players who prosecuted the home and away matches against Namibia are automatically invited to the team’s Serob Legacy Hotel camp in Abuja.

Pellegrini to take Iheanacho with him O UTGOING Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini will attempt to take Kelechi Iheanacho to any club he’s heading to in the not too distant future, this is according to reports.

The former Real Madrid and Villarreal manager will end his association with The Citizens in the summer, with Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola set to succeed him at M11 3FF. Manuel Pellegrini is expected to snub an offer to return as Chile national team coach in favour of managing a Premier League side and has been linked with the

Chelsea and Manchester United jobs.

The South American took a gamble when he promoted Kelechi Iheanacho to City’s first team just before the start of this season, and the Nigerian has

Continued from B/P Among the local long distance runners Philibus Sharubutu from Nasarawa was first. Illya Mwata also of Nasarawa was in second place. Peter Maha finished in third position.

The race was flagged off at the National Stadium Surulere by Lagos State governor Akimwumi •Pellegrini (l) with Iheanacho Ambode who kept the runners waiting for up to 10 minutes. But once the runners hit the Third Mainland bridge, a lot of joy favourites to replace Leicester at runners were seen laying at the the summit at kick-off, ambitions various water points seeking that were soon dented when Robert Huth handed Leicester a medical attention.

“There was a lot of causality. So second-minute lead at the Etihad Stadium. many runners Huth then led an impeccable defensive display as Manuel Pellegrini’s team had little to representing your country and I show for sustained periods of always want to perform and give possession, while appearing badly vulnerable to their 100% for the team.

“Unfortunately, I have not been opponents’ razor-sharp work on able to play due to injuries but I the counter-attack.

Much of the pre-match talk have an unwavering commitment from the Manchester City camp to Nigeria.”

“There is a new manager and revolved around the desire to give the team has been doing well but Pellegrini a glorious send-off without me,” said Moses, who following confirmation that Bayern Munich coach Pep misses his involvement.

“I’m prepared to give it my all Guardiola will take his job from and fight for a place on a regular next season.

Their deeds on the pitch basis, that’s my aim.

“This is football, a competitive comprehensively failed to stage and I have to fight hard to measure up, though, and get in but I don’t mind doing that.” Leicester exploited them

Huth

Moses

repaid his faith by netting 8 goals from 19 matches across all competitions. Iheanacho is tied to Manchester City until the summer of 2019, having penned a professional contract early last year.

•Coach Nikyu “We can only make slight changes if we have exceptional players who can displace any of the old ones,” Nikyu said.

Ranieri dismisses Leicester ‘title favourites’ tag

C

LAUDIO Ranieri dismissed suggestions Leicester are title favourites after they beat Manchester City on Saturday.

The Foxes’ 3-1 win at Etihad Stadium leaves them five points clear of Tottenham, who leapfrogged Manchester City into second place.

Leicester ’s win prompted bookmakers to cut their title odds, with many making them favourites.

“I don’t believe them,” said boss Ranieri. “They said I was first to be sacked! But I hope they are right.”

The Italian was referring to the reaction to his appointment as Leicester boss in the summer, with bookmakers and pundits giving him little chance of succeeding in his role at the King Power Stadium.

Congo

Continued from B/P mercilessly.

Riyad Mahrez danced through a shambling defence to brilliantly score his 14th Premier League goal of the season before Huth headed his second, with Sergio Aguero’s strike coming too late to deny Leicester a six-point advantage at the top.

Boss Claudio Ranieri told television reporters before the match that Manchester City “have to win; we have to play” and his side began with freedom and confidence to startle their hosts.

N’Golo Kante burst through a flimsy challenge from Yaya Toure and, when Leicester worked possession wide, Mahrez skipped around left-back Aleksandar Kolarov to win a freekick.

From Mahrez’s delivery, Martin Demichelis allowed Huth to muscle in front of him and bundle the ball into the net.

Continued from B/P three-week long tournament organised by the African Football Confederation (CAF) and reserved for players who play their football in national leagues.

The DR Congo won the maiden tournament in the Ivory Coast in 2009 when they defeated Ghana 2-0 in the final, and Florent Ibenge’s side has fought hard to get back to the final after being knocked out in the quarters in the last two tournaments in Sudan (2011) and in South Africa in 2014.

They needed extra-time goals to overcome hosts Rwanda in the last eight and dumped out hardfighting Guinea 5-4 on penalties in the semis.

Goalkeeper Ley Matampi, who plays for one of the DR Congo’s most successful clubs, DR Motema Pembe was the star of the two matches. He saved two penalties against Guinea, earning the man of the match accolade but played down his own contribution, saying the side’s success was a collectively responsibility.

“DR Congo are not the favourites yet,” said Matampi.

“We shall only be favourites after taking the trophy when the final game ends against Mali.”

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Huth brace puts Leicester 6pts clear

L

EICESTER City took a significant step in their sensational bid for the Premier League title with a ruthless 3-1 win at Manchester City.

The home team were Continues on page 47

I’ll reclaim my Super Eagles shirt —Moses S

UPER Eagles striker Victor Moses has revealed that it was injury that forced him out of the national team. Moses on loan at West Ham from Continues on page 47

Kipton wins first Lagos city marathon

By Ben Efe

A

MIDST multiple collapses due to exhaustion on the race course, Kenyan runner Abraham Kipton,

emerged the first champion of Access bank/Lagos city marathon decided yesterday.

Kipton reached the Continues on page 47

•TO THE TOP: Huth (top) climbs above his own team-mate Wes Morgan to head Leicester City into a 3-0 lead at the Etihad Stadium

•POINTING TO HISTORY: Congolese stars celebrate one of their recent victories

CHAN: Congo target history

•Victor Moses

CROSS WORD PUZZLE DOWN ACROSS 1. Sample (5) 1. Governor of Sokoto 2. Niger state town (4) State (8) 3. Observe (5) 5. Assistant (4) 4. Lecture (6) 7. Praise (5) 5. Everyone (3) 8. Upright (4) 6. Use (6) 9. Lantern (4) 10. Inquires (4) 11. Tradition (6) 13. Lagos masquerade (3) 12. Carpet (3) 14. Colour (6) 15. Exclamation (2) 15. Resistance unit (3) 16. Pig’s nose (5) 17. Coax (4) 18. Agent (3) 19. Rollicked (6) 20. Glitters (6) 21. Hatchet (3) 24. Forward (5) 22. Satisfied (4) 25. Nigerian state (6) 23. Nigerian state (3) 27. Boring tool (3) 26. Cry of derision (3) 29. Ghanaian fabric (5) 27 . African country (6) 31. Perform (2) Endure (4) 32. Oshiomhole’s state (3) 28.

29. Child (3) 34. U.S. currency (6) 30. Spoke (6) 36. Vow (4) 31. Adorn (5) 38. Musical quality (4) 33. Baking chambers 39. Inclination (5) (5) 40. Eager (4) 35. Asterisk (4) 41. Damages (8) 37. Possessed (3)

T

HE Democratic Republic of Congo aim to become the first side to lift the African Nations Championship twice when they play Mali in the final in Rwanda today.

The match brings an intriguing climax to the

Continues on page 47

See solution on page 5

AFCON qualifier: Oliseh okays Kaduna —p.46

RESULTS EPL: Man City Aston Villa Liverpool Newcastle Stoke City Swansea Tottenham Southampton

1 2 2 1 0 1 1 1

Leicester Norwich City Sunderland West Brom Everton Crystal Palace Watford West Ham

3 0 2 0 3 1 0 0

FIXTURES CHAN 3rd PLACE MATCH Guinea v FINAL DR Congo v EPL Bournemouth v pm Chelsea v

Cote d’Ivoire

2 pm

Mali

5 pm

Arsenal

2.30

Man U

5 pm

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