Senate begins screening of nominees Oct 13

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62509

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

UK crime agency replies Vanguard: Diezani's cash seizure not related to arrest 8

Oliseh, Enyeama at each other's throats in Belgium •See Back Page

N150 VISIT— From left: Mr Ignatius Nweke, Deputy Director, Public Re l a t i o n s , N i g e r i a n Shippers Council and Hassan Bello,Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Shippers Council, during a courtesy visit to Vanguard head office in Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU.

MINISTERIAL LIST:

Senate begins screening of nominees Oct 13

•Senators divided, Buhari begs PDP senators •Senate won’t screen Buhari as minister—Melaye •No cause for excitement — PDP •Buhari didn’t tell me I’ll be minister — Fayemi •Musa, Tsav, Ogunlewe, Afenifere, others speak

By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru, Ola Ajayi, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Emman Ovuakporie, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Joseph Erunke, Peter Okutu & Agaju Madugba

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B U J A — CONTRARY to the plea of President Muhammadu Buhari for expeditious screening

and confirmation of his ministerial nominees, the senators are not in a hurry to do so. They are asking for the citation and resume of the 21 nominees to ensure "due diligence."

C o n s e q u e n t l y, Nigerians, who expected

Continues on Page 5

Mercuria acquires 17% equity in Forte Oil 37

Mr & Mrs NO ROAD!—Bad portions of Ilasamaja, Itire, areas, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele.

COLUMNISTS:

My husband's friend is wonderful in bed, but... •P.36 C M Y K

The end of an era: Impunity be gone •P.17

ROAD CONSTRUCTION: Military rescue communities See Inside

Half of world's poorest're in Sub-Sahara Africa — World Bank

•P.9

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—3

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4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON senator, Mao Ohuabaunwa threatened early in the week.

Those who expressed mixed views on the nomination include the PDP, which said there is nothing to be excited about the list; the PanYoruba Socio-political Organisation, Afenifere; Second Republic Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; and former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav.

List divides senators VISIT—Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki (right), in chat with Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr. Kyari Bukar (M) and Senate Minority Whip, Sen. Philip Aduda, during a visit to the Senate President at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Senate begins screening of nominees Oct 13 envelope Continues from Page1 the nominees to be screened today, will have to wait till next Tuesday when the exercise will begin. The senators said the three-day screening will hold between October 13 and 15.

The legislators took the decision after Senate President, Bukola Saraki unveiled the first batch of the nominees, which had 21 names as forwarded to the Senate President last Wednesday by President Buhari.

The nominees

The nominees include: Abubakar Malami (SAN), Kebbi; Abdurahman Bello Dambazzau, Kano; Aisha Jumai Al Hassan, Taraba; Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Kwara; Babatunde Raji Fashola, Lagos; Adebayo Shittu, Oyo; Solomon Dalong, Plateau; Senator Chris Ngige, Anambra; Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers

and Chief Audu Ogbeh, Benue.

Of particular interest among the nominees is Mr Audu Ogbeh. In the Second Republic under President Shehu Shagari, late Dr Olusola Saraki, as Senate leader was part of the senators that screened Audu Ogbeh. 36 years later, the late Saraki's son is presiding over the Senate that will screen Audu Ogbeh again for yet another ministerial slot.

The rest are Mrs. Amina Ibrahim; Dr. Osagie Ehaneri, Edo; Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Delta; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti; Engr. Suleiman Adamu, Jigawa; Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Ogun; Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Abia; Ahmed Musa Bello Ibeto, Niger; Ibrahim Usman Jubrin, Nasarawa; Senator Hadi Serika, Katsina and Senator Udo Udoma, Akwa Ibom.

Senate President Saraki, who opened the sealed

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO HENEVER you justify your condition, you lose the power to change it. Always learn to take personal responsibility for the outcome of your life; that way you retain with you the power to alter your destiny.

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TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar —Helen Keller

C

ONSCIOUSNESS is everything. You can pinpoint where you are in this endless journey of awareness in knowing one’s true self. For instance, if you have inner peace, chances are, you are full of content and more likely to experience a lot of your joy because it’s your nature to see only the beautiful around you. We attract what we think about. To live a life of joyful intention, one must learn to make better decisions.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

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OU don’t tell the deaf and dumb that there is riot in the market.

at exactly 10:45am, told the lawmakers that the President sent the list to him through the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, adding that the list contained the first batch of nominees.

Buhari’s nomination letter

President Buhari’s letter to Saraki read: “In accordance with Section 147(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, I have the honour to forward the attached partial list of ministerial nominees for Senate confirmation. The list of the remaining nominees will follow shortly.

“It is my hope that this exercise will receive the usual kind expeditious consideration of the distinguished members of the Senate of the Federal Republic.”

Senator Saraki, who disclosed that the Senate would commence screening on Tuesday, October 13, said that President Buhari had told him that subsequent names would come shortly.

This came as senators, who were sharply divided over the list said they would do a thorough screening and called for the curriculum vitae of the nominees.

Meantime, President Buhari, yesterday, reached out to senators elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pleaded for softlanding for the nominees, whose nomination elicited mixed reactions in the polity.

Also, the Senate said it would not screen President Buhari, if he chose to function as Petroleum Minister, as a

Soon after Saraki read out the names, Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio observed that the list was not constitutional because the constitution stipulates that each state must have a nominee, adding that the nomination was not the expected change because the partial submission of the list does not augur well.

Senator Akpabio, who moved a point of order, however, commended the President for being a man of his words and submitting the list as stipulated and urged the President to comply with the provisions of the constitution.

No surprise yet – Bwacha

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, deputy minority leader, said: "Except when we see the second batch, for this first list, I haven’t seen surprises here."

No change here – Ohuabunwa

For Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, PDP, Abia North: “Well, the impression we were given was not exactly what we saw because the impression was that they were going to bring new people and maybe some that we have never heard of or seen. But I found out that the list is also whole lot of people that have been around, people we know, those who have been in the political circle.

It could be part of the change."

Nominees ‘re capable people – Alimikhena Deputy Majority Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena, APC, Edo North, said: “I believe that they are capable Nigerians that are recommended by the president. So, I wish them good luck, they are the people that will handle the country for us."

Buhari has done due diligence – Rafiu

Senator Ibrahim Adedayo Rafiu, APC, Kwara South: "Definitely,

the names are not expected to be ghosts, they are expected to be Nigerians, who have track records. Due diligence has been done by the President to bring the list to the Senate. We will do our own here by screening them to the hearing of the nation and we believe objectivity and capability will be the key points in the interest of Nigerians.”

It’s not worth it – Nwaboshi, Odia

Also contributing, Senator Peter Nwaboshi, PDP, Delta North said: “It’s not worth it. You can understand that it’s not worth the waiting, recycling of old hands! I know one of them was a minister when I was a young boy and is now on the list. It’s not worth the waiting. ” Senator Clifford Odia, PDP, Edo Central spoke in like manner. He said: “For me, it is not worth the waiting because most of the names that he sent to us are all known to us.

So,he (Buhari) didn’t need to spend all this time to bring to us names that we already know."

Senate'll rigorous – Melaye

the nominees to be submitted to the Senate and as from tomorrow (today) or Thursday, the senators are going to study the resume of the nominees to guide us in our deliberations for the screening.

List not exciting – PDP

Meanwhile, the national leadership of the PDP said, yesterday, that there was nothing exciting about the list. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP said: “By a mere look at the list, one can tell that there is nothing to be excited about, especially considering the length of time it took the President to come up with it.

Looking at the list, it is hard to put a finger on why it should take any serious-minded and focused government, six months after its election to assemble such a regular team.”

Buhari begs PDP senators as Tambuwal leads Lai Mohammed be to Saraki

Addressing Journalists, Chairman, Senate Adhoc Committee on Media, Senator Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West, who declared that the Senate will not screen President Buhari as petroleum minister, said that the screening of ministerial nominees will be from October 13 to 15.

“I want to use this opportunity to disabuse the minds of rumour mongers. Some are saying since the president will be the petroleum minister, so he will be summoned and screened. I want to say this is baseless and untrue. It is only product of imagination,” he said.

Melaye, who promised a rigorous screening of the ministerial nominees said that the legislators could not carry out the exercise immediately because senators wanted to ensure due diligence, adding, "we are going to ask for the citation and profile of

Worried that some of his nominees may not scale through the Senate screening, President Buhari,yesterday, begged PDP senators for a soft landing for the nominees.

The President, who is said to be highly disturbed that without personal intervention, some of his party chiefs instrumental to his success at the presidential election would be frustrated during the screening exercise, asked his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, to immediately reach out to the PDP senators.

The development came just as the APC National Publicity Secretary and ministerial nominee, Alhaji Lai Mohammed engaged former Speaker of the House of Representatives and

Continues on Page41

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

2 alleged homosexuals fight over N50,000 debt in Warri

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By Akpokona Omafuaire

ARRI— THERE was mild drama last Saturday at Warri/Sapele Road area of Warri as two suspected homosexuals fought dirty in public, exposing their sexual escapades over an alleged N50,000 debt.

The gay lovers were identified as Nwaocha, an undergraduate of National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, and Osuji.

The unholy act between Nwaocha and Osuji, his lover, was made public in a heated argument after Osuji claimed he had paid the debt in kind to Nwaocha seven weeks earlier..

Investigation revealed that Nwaocha, angered by Osuji’s response, demanded for payment and queried if it was the same way Osuji paid for the dozens of men he slept with regularly.

The argument resulted in the suspected homosexuals engaging themselves in fisticuffs before a crowd that had formed.

An eyewitness said as the crowd was about venting their anger on the men, Nwaocha feigned a fake phone call and injury and fled the scene.

It was learned that Osuji also immediately escaped for fear of being lynched by the crowd.

Men of the Nigeria Police on routine patrol, stormed the area after Nwaocha and Osuji had escaped the scene.

The Police, Vanguard learned, immediately went in pursuit of the fleeing suspected homosexuals at a nearby Chemist shop where it was claimed they went to receive treatment.

The Police were, however, said to have missed the duo but promised to effect their arrest soon.

Nursing mother crushed to death at Ughelli U

By Perez Brisibe

GHELLI—IT was mourning and gnashing of teeth at the Kogbodi roundabout along Isoko Road, Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday, following the death of a nursing mother in her 30s

who was crushed to death by a speeding SUV. The victim, it was gathered, had a female baby strapped to her back and was pushing a cart filled with detergent and other groceries on display for sale when the vehicle rammed into her from behind,

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LEH—A 40-year-old man yesterday stripped himself naked, feigning insanity, after beating his wife to a state of coma at Ada-Irri in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.

It was learned that the man, a tipper driver who is notorious for wife battering, had been having a series of squabbles with his wife.

minor injuries, was receiving attention by the side of the road from sympathizers.

“The victim was pushing a cart towards the roundabout from the Post Office road axis when the vehicle coming from the same side, in what seems like break failure, rammed into her,’’ the witness said.

PROTEST: Leader of the Gbegnu Boknu Yakwo Youth Association of Niger East Senatorial District, Comrade Danjuma Paiko (middle), addressing journalists, during a protest to the Niger State Government House, Minna, yesterday.

Man docked over alleged killing of father L

By Onozure Dania

AGOS—THE Police in Lagos yesterday charged before an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrate's Court sitting at Oyingbo a 35year-old man, Nelson Oamen, for allegedly killing his 75-year-old father, late Sunday Ehiremen Oamen.

The defendant, who was accused of patricide, was alleged to have stabbed his father in the chest and stomach with a broken bottle on September 18, 2015, while he was asleep in their Abesan Estate residence at Ipaja, Lagos.

The defendant is facing a count charge of murder proferred against him by the Police.

The offence is punishable under Section 221 of the criminal

laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

The defendant’s plea was not taken.

The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Adegoke Akinlabi, urged Magistrate Folashade Botoku to remand the defendant in prison

Sources said the man, after a heated argument, hit his wife, a mother of 2, with a pestle on her shoulders, after which the woman immediately fell unconscious.

An eye witness said the man, on noticing that his wife was lying motionless, thought he had killed her and immediately stripped himself naked, feigning mental illness.

custody, pending the time he would be properly arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

Adegoke informed the court that the application was in pursuant of Section 264(1)(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice of Lagos State, 2011.

However, Magistrate Botoku ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody for the first 30 days, and his case file forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, for legal advice.

The case was adjourned to November 5 for the outcome of DPP’s advice.

Police arrest mother, daughter for slitting woman's throat

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By Esther Onyegbula

AGOS—POLICEMEN attached to Agbara Division in Ogun State have arrested a mother and her daughter for allegedly slitting a neighbour’s throat and cutting other parts of her body with a razor blade

40-year-old man feigns insanity after beating The eyewitness who craved wife comatose anonymity, said the sympathizers

By Ochukop Akuopha

slamming her into the barricade of the roundabout.

As at 12:30pm when Vanguard visited the scene of the accident, sympathizers were seen carrying the mangled remains of the victim away from the accident spot, while her baby who sustained

who ran to the scene to rescue the woman, were taken aback by the actions of the husband who escaped from the town in the midst of the commotion.

He said the man might have feigned insanity ostensibly to avert punishment, saying the woman was taken to a nearby hospital where she is receiving medical attention.

during a fight at Igbesa area of the state.

The 28-year-old victim, identified as Modinat Odofin, is at the moment receiving treatment in a private hospital.

Trouble, it was gathered, started for Odofin last Wednesday after she returned home to meet her seven-year-old son crying.

It was learned that on enquiry, her son reportedly informed her that he was gang-beaten by the grandchildren of one of their neighbours, identified as Alhaja Basira Akinde.

She was said to have gone to scold her son’s bullies only to be confronted by their grandmother.

This, Vanguard gathered, reportedly resulted in a verbal confrontation which degenerated into a scuffle.

Neighbours were, however,

said to have intervened to separate both women.

But an eyewitness told Vanguard: “While they were fighting, Alhaja tore Odofin’s clothes and took the head -tie of her wrapper which she tied money, realised from that day’s sales. ‘’All entreaties by neighbours on Alhaja to return the head-tie fell on deaf ears.

"The incident happened on Sunday (penultimate Sunday).

But to the amazement of all, while Odofin was going to buy something last Wednesday, Alhaja’s daughter, Saheedia Akinde, attacked her unexpectedly, using a new razor blade to slash her hand, rib and throat. She was met in a pool of her blood and rushed to the hospital.’’

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—7

Why I kidnapped my friend's 9-month-old baby —SUSPECT

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By Ebere Aham

AGOS—A 22-year-old woman who was arrested in Anambra State with a ninemonth-old baby she allegedly kidnapped from a friend’s house in Lagos State, has blamed the evil act on her 10 years of childlessness.

The suspect, Jennifer Onyinye Arinze, was paraded before journalists yesterday at Lagos State Police Command.

She reportedly stormed the baby’s home at the densely populated Ajegunle area of Lagos, on September 26, 2015.

Reports said mother of the baby was a customer at the petrol station where the suspect worked as a fuel attendant in Apapa area of Lagos.

It was gathered that while discussing with mother of the baby in her shop, Arinze took the baby out, informing his mother that she was going to buy him bobo drink.

Apprehension set in after a long wait for her arrival, following which mother of the baby, Mrs Aina Adetola, raised an alarm.

But by then, the suspect had reached a garage around Orile, where she boarded a night bus to Anambra State, to meet her husband. But the bubble burst following her arrest four days later.

Blaming her indulgence on her 10 years of childlessness, the suspect said: “While I was in

primary school, I got pregnant but lost the baby. My trouble started after I got married to Mr Arinze who lives at Orifite, Anambra State. I decided to come to Lagos this year in search of greener pastures. Before leaving, I was pregnant. But on reaching Lagos, I had a miscarriage, without my husband’s knowledge.

Plot to kidnap a baby

because of my childless state. It was the devil’s handiwork. When he wants to work, he takes total control of one,” she said in tears.

On her part, the 42-year-old mother of the rescued baby, Mrs Aina Adetola, described the five days of separation from her baby as the worst days of her life.

She said: “I neither ate nor drank anything for the number of days my baby was separated from me. I contemplated killing myself because the whole blame was heaped on me. I was sent out of the house by my angry husband, saying I should not return without his baby. I went through untold pain and anguish. .

"I never expected such an act from Jennifer because she was of great assistance to me anytime

"When the miscarriage occurred, I told myself that I won’t go back to my husband with another story again because he won’t be happy.

"I work in AP Forte Oil Filling Station as a sales girl. There I met a woman two weeks ago, who usually buy kerosene from the filling station.

I visited her at about 5pm on September 26, on my way to Boundary market . While there, she handed me her nine months old baby, saying her other children had gone to church. I was tempted to leave the shop with the baby and headed straight for a park and boarded the next available vehicle to Anambra where I presented the baby to my husband as his.

"I stole the baby in order to take care of him as mine. I have suffered so The suspect, Jennifer Onyinye Arinze. much embarrassment

INDEPENDENCE DAY BOMBING:

I went to buy kerosene from the petrol station where she works.

When she visited penultimate Saturday, I handed her my crying baby out of trust, unknown to me she had sinister motive. She told me she was going to get him bobo drink and that was the last I saw of her and my baby.”

When approached, father of the baby , Mr Adeniyi Adetola, who expressed joy over the baby’s rescue, said “we were very happy when we saw our child again. I love children so much and the idea of losing one of them shook me to my bone marrow. However, I kept praying for his safe arrival . My advice to parents is that they should be very careful and wary of people they give their children.

This experience has, indeed, taught me a great lesson.”

Okah

attempts suicide in court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THERE was pandemonium at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, as the alleged mastermind of the 2010 Independence Day bomb blast that killed twelve persons at the Eagle Square in Abuja, Mr. Charles Okah, attempted to commit suicide.

Charles, who is a younger brother to ex-leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Mr. Henry Okah, who had since been convicted by a South African court, is facing terrorism charges alongside one Obi Nwabueze Okah.

The accused persons who are being prosecuted by the Federal Government, appeared before Justice Gabriel Kolawole yesterday for continuation of their trial.

At the resumed hearing on a one-count terrorism charge with 22-particulars of overt acts of treason against the accused persons, Okah, who was brought to court from Kuje Prison in Abuja,

sought the permission of Justice Kolawole to air his view on what he termed his “endless trial”.

His request to address the court from the dock was granted

by Justice Kolawole.

While decrying the continued absence of his lawyer in court, Okah, who was further displeased by the fact that the court, yesterday, adjourned hearing on the case against him till October 20, insisted that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan should be blamed for his travails.

Okah, who spoke for over five minutes, described himself as a victim of a highly dysfunctional criminal justice system.

Okah said he had been subjected to both physical and mental torture by the federal government.

“My life has been put on hold.

I have been incarcerated for about five years now, and I have a family to cater for.

“My children would grow up without feeling the warmth of their father. I am tired of this endless trial,” he lamented.

In a flash, Okah swiftly grabbed a chair in the court and smashed a window and made to jump down from the five storey building.

He was immediately wrestled down by lawyers and prison officials.

It will be recalled that one of Okah’s alleged accomplice, Mr. Osvwo Tekemfa Francis, a.k.a ‘General-Gbokos’, died in prison custody, even as the high court in a separate judgment, jailed the 3rd accused person, Edmund Ebiware, to life imprisonment.

Police nab 4 robbery suspects in Lagos

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By Esther Onyegbula

AGOS—SUSPECTED armed robbers who have been terrorising residents in Ajah area of Lagos State have been arrested by the police.

According to investigation, four of the arrested suspects who were paraded by Lagos State commissioner of police, yesterday, allegedly belong to a gang who relocated from the northern part of the country to the Ajah area of

Lagos.

According to the Police, the arrested suspects and members of their gang raided houses in the Ajah area of the state on July 19th -20th and they allegedly stole cash, laptops, handsets and also snatched a Toyota Sienna car at gunpoint from a naval officer.

Luck, however, ran out on the gang when the police from the Ajah police station acted on a distress call and engaged the armed robbers in a shootout. One

of the suspected armed robbers was gunned down and he died on the spot, while others escaped with their loot.

Following complaints from the residents to the commissioner of police, CP Fatai Owoseni, the case was transferred to the Special AntiRobbery Squad Ikeja and four of the suspects were arrested along Oshodi road where they attempted to sell the Sienna car to an unsuspecting buyer.

Bank manager remanded in prison for stealing N12m

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—A 43-year-old former Bank Manager, Fatai Aguntasolo, has been ordered to be remanded in prison custody by an Akure Chief Magistrate's Court for allegedly stealing N12 million belonging to the bank.

Fatai was said to have stolen the money which he was supposed to load into the banks Automated Teller Machine, ATM. The accused person was the manager of a new generation bank (name withheld).

According to the prosecution witness, Ajibola Aderemi, the accused person fraudulently converted the N12 million belonging to the bank to his own personal use.

Aderemi said the accused person committed the offence at Ido-Ekiti cash centre of the bank under Akure Regional Office, in Akure Magisterial District in July this year.

The accused person, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Police prosecutor pleaded that the court should grant an adjournment of the case to enable him assemble his witnesses and study the case file.

In his submission, counsel to the accused person, Ajayi Adeolu, urged the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms.

Adeolu assured the court that his client would not jump bail if the bail application was granted.

The counsel, however, assured the court that he would provide a credible and reliable surety who would stand for the accused person.

But the prosecutor opposed the bail application on the grounds of the nature of the charge preferred against the accused person and his possibility of influencing the witnesses.

In her ruling, the trial Magistrate, Mrs. Olayinka Omole, granted the prosecutor ‘s application and ordered that the accused person be remanded in prison custody at Olokuta.

Chief Magistrate Omole, thereafter, adjourned hearing of the case till today.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

June 12 didn't mar my relationship with Abiola — IBB

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—FORMER Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), said yesterday that the annulment of June 12 presidential election, presumed to have been won by late Moshood Abiola, never affected his relationship with Abiola’s family.

In a condolence message to the family of late Mubashiru Abiola, who died a week ago, Babangida said the relationship between both families was still robust.

He said: “On behalf of my family, let me use this medium to convey my heartfelt condolence to the family of late Mubashiru Abiola, which sad event took place a week ago.

“As a member of the Abiola family, I had a very robust and close relationship with him; a relationship that spanned over three decades.

“Even though his death came to me as a shock, I am consoled by the fact that he lived a very honest and straightforward life not given to sentiments. He was very down-to-earth, unassuming, and a devout Muslim, whose sense of purpose was not in doubt.

“Despite the annulment of June 12 general elections presumed to have been won by his elder brother and irrespective of the backlash, our relationship still blossomed; largely because he understood the circumstances that necessitated our action.

“He was a very brutally frank family man who abhorred malice. I feel a sense of personal loss at the news of his death.

“But since death is the last testament of man, one can only wish the Almighty Allah grant him Aljanat Firdaus and console the family he left behind.

May the Almighty Allah, give them the fortitude to bear with this painful loss.”

VISIT: From left— Senior Special Assistant to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Ita Enang; Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio; and Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salihu Maikasuwa, during a courtesy visit to the Minority Leader in his office, yesterday.

UK crime agency replies Vanguard:

Diezani’s cash seizure not related to arrest …as EFCC denies knowledge of associate's arrest

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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BUJA—THE United Kingdom, UK, National Crime Agency has said that the £27,000 (N9,180,000) seized from the former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, was not related to her arrest.

The agency, in response to an enquiry by Vanguard, said that cash seizure in the UK does not need to be related to an arrest.

Furthermore, NCA’s Press Office confirmed, in an electronic mail sent to Vanguard in Abuja yesterday, that apart from the £27,000 recovered from the former minister, ‘smaller sums’ were also seized from two other individuals, who it declined to name.

On why it had not revealed the identities of those arrested along with the former minister, the agency made it clear that it does not confirm the identities of individuals it arrests unless there was specific operational requirement to do so.

Vanguard had written to the agency, Monday, asking to be availed of the time and place where the money was seized from Alison-Madueke and when she would be charged to court.

NCA’s mail

The agency replied yesterday, saying: “We can confirm that £27,000 was seized from Diezani AlisonMadueke at Westminster Magistrate's Court along with smaller sums from two other individuals. But we are not

providing any further detail at this time.

“Cash seizure in the UK does not need to be related to an arrest. The NCA does not confirm identities of individuals at arrest, unless there is a specific operational requirement to do so.

“There is no further information we are offering at this time.”

The agency skipped discussion on when the Nigerians, now on bail in the UK, would be formally charged for money laundering and bribery, fuelling speculations that the agency had not completed their findings.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has denied arresting one of the oil players in the country, identified as a close business associate of the former oil minister and Atlantic Energy Chairman, Olajide Omokore.

However, Vanguard learned that the commission interrogated Omokore and released him on administrative bail.

‘EFCC quizzed Omokore’

A source in EFCC told Vanguard that Omokore reported at the commission’s

headquarters in Abuja, Monday morning, on the invitation of the agency.

The source told Vanguard, on condition of anonymity, that the oil baron denied any wrongdoing.

The source told Vanguard in Abuja last night: “Omokore came and was promptly grilled on many issues relating to what he did during the tenure of the former minister and was released on administrative bail.”

Contacted, the spokesman for EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “I am not aware of the development. Once I have information on that I will make it available to you.”

Britain, Switzerland promise to return Nigeria’s looted funds

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—BRITISH and Swiss governments, yesterday, pledged to return looted Nigerian funds stashed away in various personal bank accounts in their countries.

The two countries also promised to work with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other anti-graft agencies in the fight against official corruption and theft.

The new British High Commissioner, Mr. Paul Arkwright, and Swiss Ambassador, Mr. Eric Mayoraz, made the promises at separate audiences with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during the presentation

of their letters of credence.

President Buhari, however, called for the speeding up of the processes of investigation, prosecution and repatriation of public funds stolen by past corrupt public officials and their accomplices.

Buhari said: ‘‘Switzerland and Britain have been very helpful, indeed, in the recovery of our assets. But we must build on what we have started. ‘‘It is also important to send a signal to the elite that it is no longer business as usual.

I appreciate the efforts of Prime Minister David Cameron on this issue.”

Also, Mr. Arkwright assured the President of Britain’s preparedness to give Nigeria the fullest support and assistance in the

recovery of its looted resources.

“We are most ready to help. We have a good team at the National Crime Agency, NCA, working with your Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Tell us where and how we can help and we will provide the assistance.”

Buhari told the new Swiss Ambassador, Mr. Eric Mayoraz: “We will get our Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with you to ensure that all the stolen funds are returned safely to government coffers as quickly as possible.”

President Buhari also received the letters of credence of the ambassador of the State of Palestine, Mr. Saleh Fhied Saleh; ambassador of Myanmar, Mr. Tha Aung Nyun and that of Slovakia, Mr. Peter Holasek.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—9

Half of world's poorest 're in Sub-Sahara Africa —World Bank

By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

T

HE World Bank, in its 2015 report on global poverty, has said that sub-Saharan Africa accounted for half the global poor, a situation it said was of concern. It also said poverty was concentrated in South Asia.

Last year, the bank said Nigeria would be one of the countries that will be contributing to the growth of poverty by 2020.

The bank said it used an updated international poverty line of $1.90 a day, which incorporates new information on differences in the cost of living across countries (the PPP exchange rates).

The new line preserves the real purchasing power of the previous line (of $1.25 a day in 2005 prices) in the world’s poorest countries.

Using this new line as well as new country-level data on living standards, the World Bank projects that global poverty will

Sets new poverty line of $1.90 a day As IMF says devaluation 'll affect economy have fallen from 902 million people or 12.8 percent of the global population in 2012 to 702 million people, or 9.6 percent of the global population, this year.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund, IMF, said yesterday that exchange rate devaluation, which countries normally use during a financial crisis, could have adverse effects on countries' economy.

In its World Economic Outlook released in Lima, Peru, IMF said: “Exchange rate depreciation has generally been a useful buffer for countries experiencing growth slowdowns— and has already been substantial— but could cause adverse balance sheet effects where there is foreign currency borrowing.”

World Bank report

In the new World Bank report, also released in Lima Peru, it said: “For the last several decades, three regions, East Asia and Pacific, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, have accounted for some 95 percent of global poverty.

“Yet the composition of poverty across these three regions has shifted dramatically. In 1990, East Asia accounted for half of the global poor, whereas some 15 percent lived in Sub-Saharan Africa; by 2015 forecasts, this is almost exactly reversed: Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for half of the global poor, with some 12 percent living in East Asia.

“Poverty is declining in all regions, but it is becoming

deeper and more entrenched in countries that are either conflict-ridden or overly dependent on commodity exports.

“The growing concentration of global poverty in SubSaharan Africa is of great concern. While some African countries have seen significant successes in reducing poverty, the region as a whole lags behind the rest of the world in the race to lessening poverty.

“Sub-Saharan poverty fell from an estimated 56 percent in 1990 to a projected 35 percent in 2015. Rapid population growth remains a key factor blunting progress in many countries—as this year ’s Global Monitoring Report, to be launched on October 8, shows.

FIRSTBANK WORSHOP: From left— Director, Sustainable Business Initiative, University of Edinburgh Business School, Dr. Kenneth Amaeshi; Manager, FirstBank Sustainability Centre, Dr. Ijeoma Nwagwu; Chairman, FBN Capital, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika; Council Member & Chairperson, Mrs. Adenike Shobajo, and Secretary, Mrs. Dele Ogunjobi, both of Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry Women Group, at the sustainability workshop organized by the bank for women-led SMEs in Lagos.

Abuja Bombings:

Target was Kuje Prisons

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—MILITARY and intelligence authorities have confirmed to Vanguard that last Friday’s twin bombings at Kuje and Nyanya, which left 18 persons dead and over 40 injured, was actually targeted at Kuje Maximum Prisons.

They said the objective was to free about 500 inmates, including criminals and scores of suspected Boko Haram terrorists in detention.

According to Vanguard’s investigations, the Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA, intercepted telephone conversations of some members of the group in Kaduna two weeks before the bombings.

However, concerted efforts by security agents to locate the suspects involved in the conversation in Kaduna before the attack proved abortive.

Aside the Kuje Prisons, security was also tightened in and around all the official entry and exit points into the Federal Capital Territor y, with bomb detecting equipment deployed to Gwagwalada, Suleja and Nyanya ends of the capital city.

The terrorists came into Kuje through a rough road before Gwagwalada, which is not given much attention by both government and security agencies.

They made a detour and proceeded to the market and Kuje Police Station to vent their frustration.

NASS-private sector partnership, key to economic devt, says Saraki

S

ENATE President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, said collaboration between the public sector, especially the National Assembly, and the organized private sector was crucial to the nation’s economic development.

Saraki said this while addressing Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, Kyari Bukar, who led other members of the board on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.

He said: “The truth is that if

we are going to build a strong economy, we in the public sector cannot do it without strong collaboration from the private sector and the level of collaboration has to be at this highest level.

“It has to be at this level because we need to understand what the issues are and we need to be able to address them and buy into them as an agenda before us.”

He said the Senate was already looking at some laws that are relevant to economic growth with the aim of

bringing them up to date, in view of present realities.

According to the Senate President, ”just today (yesterday), we were talking about the railway sector and we found out that we are looking at a law that was enacted since the 1950s.

“So, why are we surprised that we are not getting the necessary investment in the railway sector? And I am sure it goes across other sectors of the economy.

“We have identified the bills that will impact on our

economy, growth and employment. We will fasttrack them and try to pass them as soon as possible.

That is the commitment we are giving you.”

Earlier, Bukar noted that most Nigerians were yet to fully comprehend the role of the legislature since it remained the newest among the three arms of government.

He said that NESG was willing to work with the National Assembly to establish a framework of

continuous engagement with the citizenry and the private sector to get a better understanding of the nation’s legislative process.

He said: “One simple tool that can quickly be harnessed is that of Information and Communication Technology, ICT, to ensure public information of all bills and their status on the National Assembly website.”

He also urged the National Assembly to ensure that all obsolete laws in the country were repealed and re-enacted to enhance national purpose and development.

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

N789.6M SUBSIDY SCAM:

Court rules Nov 17

By Abdulwahab Abdulah, Bartholomew Madukwe & Jane Echewodo

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AGOS—JUSTICE Lateefa Okunnu of an Ikeja High court yesterday fixed November 17 to deliver ruling on the no-case submission filed by three oil marketers charged with N789.6 million fuel subsidy fraud.

The presiding Judge fixed the date after conclusion of submissions from the accused persons counsel, Prof. Alfred Kasumu (SAN), Mr Abubakar Shamsudeen and Mr Eubena Ahmedu and that of the prosecution counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) who represented the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The marketers; Adamu Maula, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah are accused alongside their companies Downstream Energy Sources Ltd. and Rocky Energy Ltd. They were re-arraigned on April 1,2014 on an amended 26count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, uttering and use of false documents.

One roasted, another injured in Lagos multiple auto crash

By Bose Adelaja

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AGOS—ONE person was roasted while another sustained varying degrees of injury, yesterday, in Lagos, during an inferno involving two articulated vehicles and a Nissan pick up.

The incident which occurred at Oshodi at about 1am involving a PMS-laden tanker with number plate XT936SMK, a truck ferrying two 20ft containers with number plate KT 365MUS and a Nissan pick up van with number plate TST548XJ. According to eye witness, the tanker and the truck were from Bolade end while the van was from NAFDAC end of the road.

Tragedy struck when the tanker tried to negotiate the bend leading to Cappa as its tank fell off spilling its content. The truck which was behind the tanker waited at the spot pending when the situation will normalise.

However, the pick up van that was on a high speed suddenly rammed into the tanker causing an explosion that severely burnt the trucks and part of the van.

MAIDEN TOWN HALL PARLEY: We've saved N12bn through financial re-engineering – AMBODE Gov says security non-negotiable; rates Apapa gridlock most worrisome

By Leke Adeseri, South West Regional Editor, Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday, rendered his account of stewardship in the maiden edition of the quarterly Town Hall Meeting, revealing that the efforts geared towards stabilising the finances of the state has helped the state save about N12 billion, monthly.

Addressing thousands of residents, party chieftains, traditional rulers and top government officials at the Abesan Mini Stadium, Lagos, Governor Ambode said one of his first key tasks on assumption of office was to stabilize the finances of the state.

To this end, he said his administration embarked on financial re-engineering and reviewed the revenue and expenditure framework of the state, adding that these efforts coupled with the realignment of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have saved the government almost N3 billion every month.

“This has provided us with more funds to inject into capital projects and the initial funds to establish the Employment Trust Fund which we promised our youths”, he said.

Long-term plans and programmes

Governor Ambode, who reiterated his vision to make the state globally competitive in all sectors, said that his administration has mapped out long-term plans and programmes that will lead Lagos on the path to becoming a truly competitive city-state.

Highlighting some of his administration’s strides in the last four months, the Governor said that aside using the period to set up an institutional framework to pilot the programmes and policies of government, remarkable interventions and reforms have been made in the areas of road rehabilitation, health care, security, service delivery, transportation and education.

Road rehabilitation

On road rehabilitation, Governor Ambode said about N1.3 billion have been ploughed towards the construction and rehabilitation of over 190 roads across the state, most of which were not catered for in the 2015 budget.

He listed some of the roads to include: Agege Motor Road, Herbert Macauley Way, Yaba, Murtala Mohammed Way,

VISIT: Oba Abdulmumini Adebayo Orisagbemi, Attah of Aiyede Ekiti, Ekiti State (left) with Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers during the monarch's courtesy visit to Vanguard head office, Apapa, Lagos. Photo by Akeem Salau.

Isolo, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Dopemu Road, Agege, Akowonjo Road, Akowonjo, Obalende Bridge, Obalende, Isaac John Road, GRA and Apapa Road, Ebute Meta.

Other roads, he mentioned include: Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Toyota-Charity Axis, Olufemi Street, Shomolu, Billy Street, Epe, Aswani Road, Isolo, Yekini Street, Shogunle, Oshodi, Isawo Road, Ikorodu, some of which he said are federal roads.

“As I speak, work has commenced on the Ago Palace Way-Okota Road. The state, in conjunction with your Local Governments and Local Council Development Area, are coming to your neighborhood soon.

“The Ejigbo–Ikotun Road, Okota-Cele Road, Metalbox Road and Acme Road in Ikeja are currently being rehabilitated, while work has started on Brown Street, Oshodi, Ladipo Street as well as Mushin Road.

“Till date, we have committed N1.386 billion to road construction and rehabilitation. We will pump more funds into road infrastructure in this present quarter”, the Governor said.

On transportation, Governor Ambode said he was not unmindful of the challenges Lagosians face daily, noting that in recent times, the menace of trucks on the roads have caused untold hardships and loss of man-hours and revenue for residents.

He restated his commitment to ensure that residents commute within the state with less congestion on the road.

Gov bemoans unending gridlock on Apapa Road

“This administration will stop at nothing to find a lasting solution to this challenge and ensure our people can move from one part of the state to another with less traffic impediment.”

He said the Apapa traffic gridlock was most worrisome as it affects other parts of the state and slowing down businesses, noting that he has met with various stakeholders to find solution to the persistent traffic.

He said the state government has also appealed to the Federal Government to mobilize the contractor awarded the construction of Apapa Trailer Park and road networks to immediately return to site.

He appealed to tanker drivers and other road users to comply with the existing law, warning that the Traffic Law is still in force and would be applied on any offender.

Education sector

Speaking on interventions in the education sector, Governor Ambode said his administration has identified areas needing quick interventions, just as he assured that the challenges in the sector will be addressed accordingly.

He said that in the first quarter, the inauguration of Governing Councils for tertiary institutions, ongoing recruitment of 1300 primary school teachers, procurement of desk and chairs are part of the solutions towards revamping the sector.

Governor Ambode also used the occasion to assure residents of his administration’s commitment to secure lives and properties in the state, revealing that an integrated Security and Emergency control platform have been established, all of which are aimed at

strengthening the security apparatus in the state.

Other endeavours

He listed other strides in the first quarter to include the approval of N11 billion for the payment of arrears of Pensions owed to pensioners since 2010 and the purchase of 20 Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulances, 26 Transport Ambulances which have been deployed across the General Hospitals in the state.

Projecting into the second quarter, Governor Ambode promised to plough more resources to sectors needing attention, however he enjoined residents of the state to support and cooperate with the government by paying their taxes willingly.

“If you do your bit, we can achieve all our set goals. The task ahead is enormous, but we must all resolve to do our best for this state. It is a collective prosperity that I seek for all Lagosians”, he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr Fola Adeyemi, said the Town Hall Meeting, the first of its kind in the state, was in line with of Governor Ambode’s electioneering campaign to run a government of inclusion.

Attendance list

Among those present at the event include the Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Chief Mrs Oluremi Tinubu OON, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu 1, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Otunba Henry Ajomale, APC South West Women Leader, Chief Mrs Kemi Nelson, top government functionaries, among others.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 11

Tribunal nullifies Ondo Rep’s election

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—THE election of a member of the House of Representatives representing Ilaje/Eseodo Federal Constituency, Hon Kolade Akinjo, has been nullified by the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ondo State Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Anthony Ogar, while delivering judgement hinged his decision on the fact that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the April 11 election was not qualified to fly the party’s flag for the election.

Akinjo was the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, before he dumped the party for the PDP together with the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, before the March 28 election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared him the winner of the March election having scored the highest number of lawful votes in the election.

But the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lucky Ayedatiwa, approached the tribunal to change the

outcome of the election asking for the nullification of the said election.

The tribunal in its judgment held that the PDP candidate scored the highest number of lawful votes and that the election was free and fair.

Justice Ogar however held

that Akinjo was not duly nominated by the PDP for the election as he was still a member of LP when he contested the election under PDP's platform.

The chairman also said Akinjo's nomination did not comply with due process and consequently nullified the election.

CONDOLENCE VISIT: President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, with Dr. Olatokunbo AwolowoDosumu (middle) and Rev Tola Oyediran during the bizman's condolence visit over HID's death.

state government and the electoral body to court over the composition, alleging that some members were card the allegation that Peoples carrying members of the PDP. Democratic Party, PDP, BAILOUT: Council members were appointed into postpone the state Independent workers Electoral Commission, planned strike Also yesterday, the Nigerian EKSIEC. The Commissioner for Local Union of Local Government Government, Community Employees, NULGE, Ekiti Development and Chieftaincy state chapter rescinded its Affairs, Mr Kolade Kolapo, decision to embark on strike said the governor for now, as a result of the painstakingly selected non- explanations offered by partisan individuals into the Governor Ayodele Fayose electoral body to ensure concerning the release of bailout to Ekiti State. credibility.

The Chairman of NULGE in Kolapo, who spoke in Ado Ekiti on the activities of his Ekiti, Bunmi Ajimoko, who ministry in the last one-year, spoke in Ado Ekiti yesterday, described allegations that however, regretted the card-carrying politicians were exclusion of some of his members’ benefits from the on the commission.

The All Progressives bailout based on the action of Congress had dragged the the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Ekiti Assembly passes Security Trust Fund Bill

By Rotimi Olaleye

A

DO-EKITI—THE Ekiti State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed the state Security Trust Fund Bill into law, while two other bills successfully passed through the first reading at a plenary of the House.

The Security Trust Fund Bill seeks to establish a fund to foster effective and enduring Public / Private Partnership, PPP, collaboration for crime prevention, in the state.

The two other bills that passed through the First Reading at the House Plenary in Ado-Ekiti are Office of the Public Defender Bill (2015) and Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Bill (2015).

According to a statement from the office of the Special Assistant, Media, to the Speaker of the House, Stephen Gbadamosi, the Security Trust Fund Bill was passed after the chairman of the House Committee on Security and Special Duties, Pelemo Dare, presented his committee’s report on the bill.

In his reaction, the Speaker of the House, Right Hon. Kola Oluwawole, observed that the bill will boost the financial support for the security outfits in the state.

Justice Ogar then ordered for a fresh election for the federal constituency.

Meanwhile, the counsel to Akinjo, Remi Olatubora said that his client would seek justice in the Court of Appeal and was optimistic that the verdict of the tribunal will be upturned.

Airtel promotes Banana Island cultural festival

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HE cosmopolitan nature of Banana Island, a high-end, mixed-use development located in Ikoyi, Lagos came alive yesterday as telecoms operator, Airtel Nigeria, in conjunction with other sponsors backed the 2015 Banana Island Cultural Festival.

Families, friends and guests of Banana Island residents were treated to mellifluous music, great-tasting intercontinental cuisines and beautiful works of art at the colourful event.

The Banana Island Cultural Festival is a yearly occasion that avails residents in the estate to know one another and also come together to celebrate their cultural diversity of the estate.

At this year’s edition last Saturday, residents of the estate from India, France, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, South-Africa, Ghana, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Jamaica, Nigeria, among others represented their individual countries and showcased their rich culture through the unique dressing, cuisine and music.

Maritime sector can finance national budget – BELLO

By Godwin Oritse

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AGOS—THE Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello yesterday said that proceeds from the Nigerian maritime industry can finance the national budget if the port operation is efficient.

Bello disclosed this in Lagos when he visited the Corporate Headquarters of Vanguard Newspapers, adding that if the government decides to close up the oil and gas industry, resources from the maritime sector can adequately cater for the needs of Nigeria’s economy.

He explained that the only way to make the port more efficient is for operators and

stakeholders to obey the law.

“The maritime industry can finance the budget of this country every year, we can close down the oil and gas sector, and the maritime industry can sustain Nigeria.

“Somebody said that he had worked it out to be about N7 trillion per annum and I think that is under-estimation, since virtually all the revenue generated by Customs is from the maritime industry.

“So our focus is what the contribution of the maritime industry to the national economy in terms of infrastructure and employment.''

The Shippers’ Council scribe regretted that the port had become a place of extreme corruption.

OONI STOOL SUIT: Court to rule on Aregbesola’s exclusion

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—AN Osogbo High Court, presided over by the State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo yesterday reserved ruling till today on the application filed by the plaintiffs to the Ooni of Ife chieftaincy tussle to remove the name of the first No PDP member in Ekiti defendant, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State from SIEC — Govt Meantime, the state the list of defendants in the government yesterday debunked case before the court.

Besides, the second and third defendants, Obalufe of Ile-Ife, Oba Solomon Folorunsho Omisakin and Lowa of Ife, Chief Joseph Ijaodola respectively, also through their counsel, Mr Peter Ogunleye filed motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case, saying that the court lacks competence to handle the case.

Sooko Adegoke and Prince Marcus Adebola Akimoyero had on behalf of Lafogido Ruling House of Ile-Ife sued

Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the Obalufe of Ile-Ife, Oba Solomon Omisakin and Lowa of Ife, High Chief Joseph Ijaduola on the decision to allow only Giesi Ruling House present candidates for the next Ooni.

When the case came up yesterday, lead counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Abiodun Olaide, told the court that he had filed a motion to exclude the first defendant, Governor Aregbesola from the case.

Olaide, who did not give any

reason for the exclusion notice, said he had right to sue and also to withdraw his case at any time.

He thereby sought the order of the court to remove the first defendant from the case and allow only the second and third defendants’ remain as defendants.

But, the lead-counsel to the first defendant, Mr Wale Afolabi who is also the Former State AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice opposed the motion to exclude his client from the case.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

Oshiomhole suspends four LG chairmen

By Simon Ebegbulem

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OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has suspended four local government chairmen for non-payment of staff salaries and alleged diversion of funds, among others.

The four chairmen are: Emmanuel Momoh, Etsako Central Local Government Area; Victor Enobakhare, Egor Local Government Area; Osaro Obazee, Oredo Local Government Area and Roland Ibierutomwen, Orhionmwon Local Government Area.

Governor Oshiomhole, in a letter to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, through the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, said: “I am directed by the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to inform you that in compliance with the relevant sections of the Local Government Act which mandates consultation with Edo State House of Assembly, the governor wishes to inform Mr. Speaker and members of the House that the underlisted Local Government Chairmen are hereby suspended from office with effect from October 6, 2015.

The chairmen are:

Emmanuel Momoh, Chairman, Etsako Central Local Government Council; Victor Enobakhare, Chairman, Egor Local Government Council; Osaro Obazee, Chairman, Oredo Local Government Council and Roland Ibierutomwen, Chairman, Orhionmwon Local Government Council.

“Their suspension which is for two months is to pave the way for unhindered investigation into several allegations against the chairmen, which includes nonpayment of staff salaries without satisfactory explanations, inability to account for Internally

Generated Revenue, diversion of funds, failure to follow due process in the award of contracts as well as illegal employment of senior officers without going through Local Government Service Commission, which is a violation of laid-down provisions.

“In the meantime, during the period of suspension, relevant panels would be constituted to investigate the allegations against the affected chairmen.

“The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to inform the Honourable Speaker and the House, of this development for record purposes.”

Meanwhile, Edo State House of Assembly yesterday set up an adhoc committee to investigate alleged misappropriation of funds by the Chairman of Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state, Mr Akeredolu Folorunso.

This followed a petition by one Bello Sunday, an indigene of the area, urging the House to investigate alleged misappropriation of funds against the council boss after the petitioner decried alleged under development in the area and none payment of worker’s salaries.

The FOC, Oghara Naval Logistics Command, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Gomiriwu Ofik, (right), presenting a plaque to HRM, Noble Eshimeta, Orife 111, Ovie of Oghara, during a familiarization visit of the command's naval officials to the Oghara Traditional Council, weekend.

Navy arrests four suspected oil thieves in Rivers

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— THE Nigerian Navy, has paraded four suspected oil thieves arrested aboard a merchant tanker, MT Ever Rest, few kilometres from the Port Harcourt Refinery on the water channels.

Parading the suspects, Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Atiku Abdulkadir, said the crew on board the ship had no certified qualifications or formal training to be there, as workers.

He said the ship was rigged at the time his men stormed the place, a sign that the ship was set to siphon illegal crude from pipelines on the waterways.

The FOC explained that the ship had the capacity to convey 3,000 metric tonnes of crude, saying, "MT Ever Rest is a merchant tanker with storage tank capacity of 3000 metric tonnes. None

of the crew members has anything to justify his being on board. You cannot serve on board a ship without any certificate or any formal training. The vessel is rigged,

which is an indication of moves to conduct illegalities.

The hoses were connected to oil facilities in the river. “ He said the Navy would soon hand over those

arrested on board the ship to the appropriate authorities for further action, assuring that justice would be done on the matter.

FLOOD: 3 killed in Delta, 50,000 rendered homeless in Edo

By Emman Ovuakporie, Festus Ahon & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

S A B A — R AVAG I N G flood has claimed the lives of an 11-year-old girl and two others at Okpai, in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.

This came at a time flood also rendered homeless at least 50,000 people from about eight communities in Etsako Federal Constituency of Edo State.

In the Delta State episode, the house of the state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Edwin Uzor, at Oko axis was also reportedly affected by the flood which swept through the coastal areas.

A visually impaired graduate, Mr. Odigie Osagie, who was

trapped by the flood around Infant Jesus area in Asaba metropolis, lamented that he was practically swimming in the flood that had taken over his house.

He said: “More than what words can state in the negative direction. The volume of water you see here is as a result of flooding.

“In 2012, the flood completely submerged my house and I lost all my property. Government came and even televised my house, with a promise to do something but as I stand with you now, not even one kobo was given to me till date.”

Local government areas so far affected in the state include Ughelli North, Ndokwa East, Oshimili South, Burutu, Ughelli South, Patani and Bomadi.

In the incident in Edo State,

at least 50,000 persons from about eight communities in Etsako Federal Constituency have been reportedly rendered homeless by flood.

This was revealed by the member representing Etsako Federal Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Philip Shaibu.

The revelation came on the heels of the motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, on the devastating flooding of Ozoro and its environs in Isoko Norh Local Government Area of Delta State.

The House, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuf Lasun, noted that flood had become a serious problem ravaging many communities not only in the country, but globally.

Okowa tasks schools on technical education

By Akpokona Omafuaire & Brisibe Perez

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A R R I — D E LTA State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has tasked schools on the need to establish and encourage technical education in their curriculum.

Okowa spoke at the 4th annual national dinner and 70th anniversary of Government College, Ughelli, celebrated by the school's old students in Warri.

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Festus Ovie Agas, explained that the state government was doing everything in line with its educational policy to resuscitate and encourage skill acquisition.

He noted that this was evidenced in the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme, STEP, and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme, YAEP. The governor assured that his government would consider the request to set up a governing council for effective management of the premier college.

Speaking on the topic Education and the Next Utopia, Professor Godini Darah, a member of the defunct National Conference, commended the state government for its Delta Beyond Oil initiative.

Darah noted that although the programme appeared glamorous, it would be ineffective if it was not linked to education.

He said: “If the right technocrats are not trained towards actualising the programme, it becomes ineffective because the more educated we are, the more productive we become.”

Chairman of the event, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, a former Minister of Police Affairs, noted that Government College, Ughelli, would continue to sail higher given the calibre of graduates it had produced.

Earlier, President-General World wide of Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association, GCUOBA, Prof.

Oritsegbemi Omatete, spoke on the importance of excellence as reflected in the culture of the school since it was founded in 1945.

Five old mariners of the school, Prof. John Pepper Clark, Olorogun Miller Uloho, Prof. Peter Hugbo, Prof Vremudia Diejomaoh and Prof Oritsegbemi Omatete were honoured with lifetime achievement awards.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—13

CONDOLENCE VISIT: From left: Chief Yahaya T. Pessu, Dr. Duakpenmi Andrew Ayi, Head of Royal Family; Prince Eroro Emiko in warm hand shake with Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Chief Brown Mene and Prophet Jones Erue, Delta State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, during a condolence visit by Governor Oshiomhole to leaders of Itsekiri Nation, in Warri, Monday.

Cross section of some members of Warri Traditional Council of Chiefs.

From left: Chief Patrick Yalaju, Chief C. D. Ikomi and Chief (Mrs.) Rita Lori-Ogbebor, at the occasion.

Oshiomhole condoles with Regent of Warri Kingdom

By Akpokona Omafuaire

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ARRI—EDO State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has paid a condolence visit to the Itsekiri nation in Warri, Delta State, over the passing of the Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Atuwatse II. He prayed God to grant the

Itsekiri nation the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Oshiomhole, accompanied by top government functionaries, noted that the late Olu's contribution to the Itsekiri nation and Nigeria as a whole was immense.

The governor noted that the Binis and their Itsekiri brothers could not describe the pain the Olu’s departure

had caused.

According to him, “We are not in a position to question God’s will or our ancestors, but to pray that God grants his infinite mercy on the Warri Kingdom to bear the irreparable loss. We value the relationship that exists between us in the spirit of Bendel. We are one, we are with you in our prayers. The

...As Senate mourns Olu's demise

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—THE Senate, yesterday, expressed sadness over the death of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, saying the death was a great loss not only to his family, the people of Warri and Delta State government, but the entire nation.

The Senate, which observed one minute silence in honour of the deceased royal father, sent a fourman delegation, led by its Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to condole with the family, the people of Warri, and the Delta State Government, on the demise of the revered first class chief.

It also congratulated the Olu of Warri-elect, Prince Ikenwoli Gbesimi Emiko, the immediate younger brother of the late monarch.

The development was sequel to a motion, titled: Demise of Olu of Warri, sponsored by Senator James Manager, and 25 other senators.

In the motion, the senators noted with a great sense of loss, the demise of His Majesty, Atuwatse II, the Olu of Warri, which sad event took place on September 4, 2015, at the age of 71.

C M Y K

The sponsors of the motion, who recalled that the late monarch was born on September 26, 1944, at OdeItsekiri in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, lauded him for the peace in his kingdom since ascending the throne.

The upper legislative chamber noted that before his coronation, the Olu of Warri had worked as a partner in Emiko and Associates and as a councillor, Warri Local Government Management Committee.

It said that prince Godwin Edomi, was crowned Ogiame Atuwatse II, the Olu of Warri on May 2,1987, and ever since he had been an embodiment of unity and peace in the kingdom.

Following his coronation, he had served in the state as Permanent Vice Chairman of the old Bendel State Council of Traditional Rulers from 1987 to 1991.

He was also Chairman, Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers from 1995 to 1997, member, Delta State Security Council, 1995 to 1997 and

Chairman, Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers from 2012 till his demise.

At the federal level, he served as member of the Constituent Assembly in Abuja in 1989, Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, member, Joint Committee of Traditional Rulers and Leaders of Thought, as well as member, Foreign Affairs Committee of Traditional Rulers and Leaders of Thought.

The late monarch was also member, Committee on University Crises in 1996, member, Committee on the Future Higher Education in Nigeria, member, Committee on Vision 2010 and Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna from 2001 to the date of his demise.

trust and bond that exists between us will continue to grow stronger.”

He prayed God to grant the soul of the departed Olu eternal rest.

Responding, the Regent of Warri Kingdom, Prince Eroro Emiko, thanked Governor Oshiomhole for the visit, pointing out that the presence of the governor and other eminent Nigerians around the Itsekiri gave them confidence.

He said: “Our hearts are heavy but when we look around and see people like you, we are confident that our long journey will be achievable.”

Earlier, Chief Brown Mene noted that the departure of the Olu of Warri took the Itsekiri nation

by surprise, insisting that Warri Kingdom had every reason to celebrate because the late monarch made tremendous contributions to his people and Nigeria at large.

The Akulagba of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayiri Emami, added that Governor Oshiomhole had shown that he was a true brother by coming to mourn with them.

Present at the condolence visit were, Chief S. S. Rone, Chief Isaac Jemide, Chief N. Utienyione, Chief C. D. Ikomi, Chief Brown Mene, Dr. Duakpenmi Andrew Ayi, Chief (Mrs.) Rita Lori-Ogbebor, Prince Ola Emiko, Chief Ayirimi Emami, Prophet Jones Erue, Delta State Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, and a host of others.

14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

NLC factions unite against Lagos firms over abuse of workers' rights

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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AGOS—FOR the first time since the disputed March national delegates conference of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the two factions in the Labour Centre yesterday resolved to jointly protest and picket some companies in Lagos today as part of global actions against precarious jobs and abuse of workers rights in work places.

The feuding groups were brought together on the platform of the IndustrialAll Global Union to mark the 2015 Decent Work Day, declared by the International Labour Organisation, ILO. Leadership of the factions, Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero, attended the briefing on the decent work agenda, with their leaders, including General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Issa Aremu, and President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Igwe Achese, who are factional deputy presidents of Ajaero’s faction Briefing newsmen after the meeting, chairman of the IndustrialAll Global Union Nigeria, Mr Issa Aremu, said the aim was to promote global awareness on the need for decent work.

According to Aremu, 'Decent work means productive, rewarding and protected work that guarantees minimum and living wages for workers.''

He contended that all over the world, work was no more decent as millions of workers were exposed to worsening health and safety situations, with increased cases of deaths and injuries at work.

On his part, Wabba said there was dignity in Labour, adding that the unions must fight for Workers Rights Act as contained in ILO convention.

According to him, ‘’Workers Rights Act should be able to offer social protection for the unemployed because it was lack of job that had given rise to all forms of crimes, including insecurity in the society.’’

Similarly, Ajaero said labour would not tolerate a situation where workers were impoverished under robust industries in the country.

C M Y K

RIVERS GOV POLL: Wike closes defence, calls 24 witnesses

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, concluded the defence of the April 11 governorship election that brought him to power, even as he called 24 witnesses that testified for him at the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja.

Wike had through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, urged the Justice Suleiman Ambrosaled panel to dismiss the petition that was lodged against his election by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

The petitioners are praying the tribunal to sack Wike and order a fresh governorship election in Rivers State.

In a bid to prove their allegation that the election was fraught with irregularities, the petitioners, produced 56 witnesses that testified against Wike before the tribunal.

Among those that testified that there was no election at various parts of the state included APC governorship candidate, Dr. Peterside.

Meanwhile, Wike, yesterday, dashed hope of the petitioners that he would appear before the

VISIT: From left; Mr Victor Omoregie, Corporate Affairs Manager, Vanguard Newspaper; Mr Ignatius Nweke, Deputy Director, Public Relations; Hassan Bello,Executive Secretary/CEO, both of Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, and Mr Leke Adeseri, South West Editor, Vanguard Newspaper during the NSC team's courtesy visit to Vanguard's Apapa, Lagos office, yesterday.

Photo by Akeem Salau.

tribunal to testify.

Counsel to the petitioners, Chief Akinolu Olujunmi, SAN, had earlier expressed his readiness to cross-examine Wike who is the 2nd respondent in the matter, in the event that he decided to mount the witness box like Peterside did on the day he closed his own case.

Unusual presence of armed operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, at the tribunal, had also fuelled the insinuation that Wike could appear

as his own witness.

However, it became clear that Wike would not appear before the tribunal after his lawyer, Ukala, SAN, after tendering some documents as exhibits, told the tribunal that his client had closed his case.

With the closing of Wike’s case, it is now the turn of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to open its own defence of the election.

Counsel to the PDP, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, told the tribunal that his client would open its case on Thursday.

Though the six days period that was allotted to the party by the tribunal would have commenced today, Uche, SAN, elected to dedicate a day out of the period to the court.

Uche said: “We have seen how hard the tribunal is working, so we wish to donate our tomorrow, Wednesday, to the tribunal. We request that we should be allowed to commence our case on Thursday”.

Once the PDP, which is the last respondent in the matter concludes its defence, the tribunal will adjourn for the parties to adopt their w r i t t e n addresses, after which judgment will be delivered on the petition.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—15

Ven Felix Obayan is dead

Mysterious tree collapses, kills 4 in Enugu community

By Chinenyeh Ozor

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Late Ven, Felix Obayan,

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ENERABLE FELIX Obayan, elder statesman, retired permanent secretary, educationist, academic, clergyman and community leader is dead, aged 83.

An ardent nationalist and patriot, Dr. F. O. B. Obayan was one of the authors and a major player in the establishment of the 6-3-34 Policy of Education of the Federal Government, serving as Chairman of the Committee on Teacher Production. As Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, in the old Kwara State, he instituted the first professional teacher registration programme in Nigeria.

He is survived by many biological and nonbiological children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements shall be announced by the family later.

Pa Anifowoshe's Fidau prayers today

T

HE 8TH day Fidau prayers for late Alhaji Assani Anifowoshe, 88, holds today, at his residence, 9, Alhaji Anifowoshe Street, Ilasamaja, Mushin, Lagos, and Quarter Atikanme, Via Ajegunle Port-Novo Republic, Benin respectively.

Late Anifowoshe, died September 29, 2015, and was buried the following day according Islamic rites at the Central Muslim Cemetery, Port-Novo Republic of Benin.

He is survived by sisters, wife, children, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren

SUKKA—A mysterious ukwuakpu tree collapsed in Obollo- Afor community and claimed four lives which includes a nursing mother and her one year old baby at the busy Obollo-Afor market in Udenu local government area of Enugu state.

The tree which was said to have lived for over 150 years in the area collapsed following a heavy storm, killing four people instantly while several others sustained various degrees of injuries and were receiving treatment at St. Theresea’s hospital in the area.

An eye witness to the collapsed tree told Vanguard that, none of the inhabitants of Umuakpu, Umuezejor community, where the mysterious tree lived for over 150 years can give an account of the tree as all of them grew up and met the tree standing as big as it was before it finally collapsed.

The huge ukwuakpu tree allegedly measuring about 20ft collapsed on a palm oil packing store and a food restaurant, killing the nursing mother hawking banana, identified simply as Ijeoma Ojobor and her one year old baby Chibueze Ojobor; one mechanic identified as Romanus Eze along EnuguMakurdi expressway and two others.

It took the intervention of Udenu police division and a wood sawyer to exhume the corpse of the mechanic trapped by the tree. The proprietor of the restaurant identified as Somuadina and one Obetta Ikechukwu were both left with broken legs and other injuries while the brother to the restaurant

owner who assisted her in the business died on the spot.

A 70 year old man who pleaded anonymity told Vanguard at the scene of the incident that he grew up in the community and met the tree standing. It was said to be the centre for masquerade festivals, and relaxation for both the community and travellers alike but unknown to anybody that it has lived beyond expectation in the area.

Vanguard who visited the

A

BA—THE Police in Abia state have arrested a mother, Eziaku Chidi and her 19 year old daughter, Chinasa for alleged child trafficking.

Vanguard gathered that their arrest followed a tip-off to the Police that Chinasa Chidi, a 19year-old female student gave birth to a baby in January 2015 while her mother,Eziaku colluded with one Martha Ajuzieogu, who claimed to be a midwife at an undisclosed hospital in Osisioma Ngwa and sold the child for

Buhari romancing with politicians who destroyed Nigeria for 16yrs —Shekarau ...vows to remain in PDP

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—IMMEDIATE past Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim

N150,000.

According to Chinasa whose child was sold, she was given N10,000.00 to take care of her needs while part of the money was used to pay for her apprenticeship.

Martha Ajuzieogu who allegedly operates an illegal maternity home at her residence conspired with Eziaku and others now at large to sell the baby shortly after delivery to a yet to be disclosed buyer.

Eziaku and Martha later claimed that the baby died at birth at the maternity home and the corpse was thrown into a pit.

Urhobo College Old Students meeting

U

Late Pa Anifowoshe

RHOBO COLLEGE Old Students Association, UCOSA, Lagos Branch, will hold its monthly meeting on Sunday, October 11, 2015, at White House

Amidst wailing and confusion to the surprised collapse of the tree, the tap roots of the tree were said to have reportedly decayed for decades which was why the tree collapsed during a heavy storm on that fateful day .

Enugu state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ebere Amarizu warned residents and inhabitants of the state to be weary of trees in their surroundings and offices to avoid future occurrences.

COMMISSION: Professor Hafiz Abubakar , Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education, Kano State (2nd left), cutting the tape to commission a solar-powered installation by Etisalat at Girls’ Government College, Dala, Kano State. He is supported by Hon. Baffa Dan-agundi (left), Chairman, Committee on Education, Kano State House of Assembly, Mohammed Suley-Yusuf, Head, Government and Community Relations and Mukadas Babangida, Head, Regional Sales, North, both of Etisalat Nigeria, yesterday.

Mother, daughter in police net for alleged child trafficking

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

scene of the incident gathered that the stem of the tree pierced the one year old baby through the neck and came out at the other side of the baby while her mother was thrown to a different location where she was later found dead at the scene of the incident.

Reports revealed that every year at the spot of the ukwuapku tree, automobile accidents had been claiming four lives only for the tree to collapse and also claim four lives.

Hotel, 31, Jooel Ogunnaike Street, GRA, Ikeja.

All students of the college are invited.

Shekarau, said yesterday, that President Muhammadu Buhari was romancing with politicians who destroyed Nigeria for 16 years.

Shekarau, who spoke in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, wondered why the President was now romancing former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who, according to him, ruled the country for eight of Peoples Democratic Party’s 16 years of administering Nigeria.

Reacting to President Buhari’s claim that he came to right the wrongs of 16 years mess created by the PDP, the former governor, who is also a member of the PDP review committee, described all the political parties as necessary evil.

He said: “Buhari has said that he has come to right the wrongs of 16-year mess by the PDP. So, I said, 'Mr. President you are welcome, but reminded that 10 of those 16 years belong to exPresident Obasanjo. ‘’He had his eight years and by indirect remote control, two years of late President Umaru Yar’Adua was Obasanjo's. And Obasanjo was the one who produced Yar ’Adua and Jonathan. Until three years ago when they fell out (Obasanjo and

Jonathan), Obasanjo was in charge.

“Obasanjo today belongs to those who are chief advisers to President Muhammadu Buhari. Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, was one of the major hit men of Obasanjo, my former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, was one of the boys of Obasanjo as well as former Governors Bukola Saraki, Goje and all the rest of them.

“They were part of those 16 years which President Buhari was saying that PDP messed up Nigeria, and today because they are APC, they are saints. They are now surrounding the President as his chief advisers.

The Amaechis are all part of the PDP. “All the election crisis that President Buhari was accusing PDP of perpetrating were a creation of these people, the same who are with him now.

"So what sense does it make that I said you are thief for 16 years, I have come to correct the wrongs that you did and now I am calling you the chief adviser in order to right the wrongs that you committed.

“Does it make sense? We are waiting to see how they will come out of this."

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

LAUNCH: Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, flanked by Managing Director\CEO, Bank of Industry, BOI, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa (right), and Executive Director, Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, during the launch of Graduate Enterpreneurship Fund, GEF, at BOI office, Lagos.

Ugwuanyi reconstitutes c'ttee on Nsukka Urban Renewal vision for the development of new cities in the state.

NUGU—DETERMINED to fulfill The committee, according to a letter by his promise to provide equitable the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. distribution of dividends of democracy in Gabriel Ajah takes over the functions and the state and constitute a broad-based activities of the now dissolved Nsukka committee for developing the entire zones Urban Renewal Committee. of the state, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi The terms of reference of the new of Enugu State has constituted a committee Committee whose membership runs across on Enugu State Urban Renewal with Arc. the three senatorial districts of the state are Chris Offor as Chairman. to;identify factors responsible for the slow The governor consequently dissolved the pace of development of some Urban towns Nsukka Urban Renewal Committee earlier in the state; develop Enugu State Urban constituted to modernize and develop Plan or modify the existing one if necessary; Nsukka town, the second largest urban city identify structures/ buildings erected in the state as part of his administration’s without Town Planning approval or that constitute nuisance which may obstruct the new Enugu State Urban Renewal.

Other terms of reference N U G U — T H E was supported by 13 others, include: to identify new Governor of Enugu also charged the Ministry satellite areas that could be State,Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Gender Affairs and its developed as Urban Cities Alleviation as part of Enugu State through the Ministry of Poverty Works has commenced counterpart to remove Urban Renewal and to rehabilitation of roads in destitutes, hawkers from make recommendations to Enugu metropolis bus stops and streets in the State Government on actions to be taken to give following their deplorable Enugu metropolis.

It further directed the Enugu State urban cities conditions which have induced traffic gridlocks Ministry of Gender Affairs face lift.

It would be recalled that and increased manhours to monitor bus stops and the state governor had prosecute offenders. spent on transit.

It would recalled that the earlier reiterated his This is even as the Enugu State House of roads in Enugu metropolis commitment to the Assembly,yesterday,passed were resurfaced by the principles of justice, equity past and fairness in the a motion, urging the state immediate Ministry of Environment to administration of Sullivan development of the state remove all bills on bus stops Chime which in no and promised to constitute and clean up the time,was dotted by yawning a broad-based committee craters and gully which that would address the environment.

Mr. Paul Nnajiofor, who inflicted untold hardship on developmental challenges in the entire state. moved the motion, which hapless residents.

Stories by Francis Igata

E

...embarks on road rehabilitation in Enugu

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NBA honours Obi, Anambra CJ, others

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—THE Anaocha branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Anambra State, has honoured the immediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Peter Umeadi and Second Republic senator, Chief Nathaniel Anah for their contributions to the development of the state.

Others honoured along with them were a retired Federal High Court Judge, Justice O. J. Okeke and national secretary C M Y K

of NBA, Chief Ifeanyi Obegolu.

Chairman of the association, Chief Chris Adimora said former Governor Obi was given the “Life Time Achievers’ Award,” weekend, in recognition of his giant achievements, especially his ability to govern Anambra State within the law during his tenure.

According to him, Anambra people and Nigerians in general would continue to use Obi as a good example in governance, adding that he would continue to be remembered for so many firsts he achieved as the governor of Anambra State.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 17

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HINKING about Nigeria at 55 I am both saddened and immensely hopeful.

Saddened because we are not where we should be.

Malaysia, Indonesia, which in the 60s and 70s were lagging behind Nigeria, now surpass us in terms of socio-economic development. Nigerians could once swagger on Oxford Street or the Champs Elysee with a buoyancy enabled by the strength of the Naira. The best and the brightest in Nigeria were once the equal of their talented counterparts abroad. Before we embraced mediocrity, Taiwo AjayiLycett, a celebrated thespian, starred in a BBC drama “Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em”, proving that black skin could never be a deterrent for the recognition of talent and hard work. Afrobeats pioneered by the likes of Fela made philosophical and emotional sense. Our politicians were statesmen, dining with the Kennedys and princes of this world on an equal footing. Our business men didn’t just make money, they were gentlemen who built a name for themselves from scratch, but with honour.

Today, with a few rare exceptions, one cannot speak of business men but of fronts for the political establishment.

Today, despite our celebration of Nollywood’s output, most of its content is not exportable (only a Nigerian, if we are to be honest, can truly enjoy the average Nollywood movie with its poor plots and bad acting). Most Nigerian exports, besides oil, are politely accepted by the international community (in between sneering or “is this the best they can do”) but rejected by their consumers whose standards and quest for value far exceed our own.

Despite their purported success at home, today’s actors and actresses (like almost everything made in Nigeria) do not have universally appreciable qualities.

Scandals and ignominy to new heights Social media was rife, a few months ago, with comments over photographs of Onyeka Onwenu, a purported great friend of the Jonathans, kneeling in front of Buhari.

Our AGIP society (Any Government In Power) has rid us of credibility and focus, in all industries. As for our politicians, they have taken scandal and ignominy to new heights thus shutting the doors which once led to successful international partnerships and collaborations. We are not where we should be.

Truly, there is little to celebrate this year with close to 200 young girls still missing, a crippled economy and the resurgence under the PDP and Jonathan led administrations of ethnic C M Y K

tprincewill@yahoo.co.uk

The end of an era: impunity be gone politics. Yet, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Despite the humiliation and disgrace our country has been subjected to at the hands of the adventurers who have ruled (notice I don’t say governed) thus far, Nigeria remains intact. Sort of. Our spirit is not crushed although our resources and moral capital have been greatly depleted. How and why did the military come to power in Africa? Why did we feel the urge to experiment with “strong men” when even then, in the Western governments we sought to emulate, democracy and the rule of law were the dominant mode of governance? Were we fools then? Are we fools now? I would be curious to hear Nigeria’s history told from President Buhari’s perspective.

How did it happen that military coups which apparently came to “save” Nigeria often ended up worsening the situation? Is it that power corrupts all things and that absolute power corrupts most absolutely?

Did the generals have good intentions but find themselves caught up in ethnic games and power play brought on by greed for Nigeria’s oil wealth? Or were they machiavellic sociopaths who saw an opportunity to make prodigious wealth and took it? There are no books that truly analyse the motivations behind the power struggles at the heart

How did it happen that military coups which apparently came to “save” Nigeria often ended up worsening the situation? Is it that power corrupts all things and that absolute power corrupts most absolutely?

President Muhammadu Buhari

of Nigeria’s history, only sycophantic ramblings to rehabilitate Nigeria’s military heads of state and the “structural adjustments” which brought us to our knees.

But as I write this, I am glad again because the Presidency is no longer the abode of praise singers, yes men and fawning flatterers: they are no longer welcome in this new dispensation. Buhari has restored international confidence in Nigeria: his speech at the UN calling for international support to recover stolen funds and pointing to the complicit nature of Western governments in keeping these moneys in their banks etc. gives you the measure of the man, Muhammudu Buhari.

Not only is this country on the cusp of achieving greatness once more, our President, should he succeed in ridding us of corruption (and why shouldn’t he, if all of us ordinary people agree we are fed up of bondage), the scourge keeping our people poor, will truly make an everlasting name for himself as the people’s general, leader of all souls who believe that in Nigeria, another way is possible.

Presidential media aides

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OST of the criticism of the President is due to the bootlickers’ anger at being cast aside. Here is a President who refuses to “do deals” in the oil and gas industry, the same deals which impoverished this country by granting fraudulent tax waivers to friends and associates.

So, of course, they complain about rumours of him becoming the de facto oil minister, even if GMD of NNPC, Ibe Kachikwu, will act as minister of state, thus removing the different layers of corruption which enable shady dealings. But this is not being explained to Nigerians well enough.

So the PDP and those in their employ, hide behind misinformation and the fact that most Nigerians know little of government and governance, claiming it is illegal for the President to be the minister of petroleum.

Ministers don’t “check” presidents, that is the job of the legislative arm of government.

In a democracy, ministers act out the President’s script: they carry out his plans based on their knowledge of his vision. As

Femi Adesina, SA Media & Publicity

Garba Shehu, SSA, Media & Publicity

for complaints over his apt description of ministers as “noisemakers”, these complaints come from politicians who are angry because they won’t make money from the deals Buhari has vowed to stop, and from people (now in opposition) who simply want to be spoilers.

As for Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina, the President’s media advisors’ explanation of these comments, and their attempts at making Nigerians understand his plans, it’s often a case of “too little, too late”.

Them focusing on the President’s jovial personality to explain his comments infantilises and makes light of the very real, hard truths

behind what Buhari says.

Traditionally, ministers in Nigeria are almost never knowledgeable about the ministries they lead. They are simply politicians, people who are rewarded for their loyalty to the party (and not to Nigerians). They are neither CEOs nor are they academics and have no justification for their position in government beyond Nigerian machine politics where nominations aren’t based on merit or competence but on ethnic engineering and the scheming of the party at state level.

That is what Garba Shehu should have explained to Nigerians, not that his boss is a funny man who makes nice jokes. Disappointing.

ESPITE the EFCC’s invitation, Mr. Kingsley Kuku maintains he cannot return to the country until his doctors certify he is well enough. Niger Deltans concerned about the whereabouts of the funds meant to empower them should scream their indignation!

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.

Kingsley Kuku

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18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 MONDAY, 5th October, 2015 was this year’s anniversary of World Teachers' Day (WTD), a day specially reserved to honour the contributions of teaching professionals all over the world in the development of human capital.

In a letter jointly issued to mark this year’s edition, the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Education International (EI) stated: “today, as the global community comes together to support the new 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, that central role has never been more significant.”

They called for inclusive and equitable quality education and the promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all. They called for the improvement of the quality of teachers and the conditions under which they work, using universally recommended benchmarks,

Salute to teachers adding: “for it is they who will educate a new generation of children who, in turn, will carry forward all our goals to build a better world for all.”

This call for greater attention to teachers’ capacity development is even more relevant here in Nigeria, where the standard of education, especially in the public sector, has degenerated to low levels, thus forcing most parents and guardians to resort to educating their children in private schools where they pay through the nose.

The travails of the teaching profes-

sion in Nigeria are compounded by poor remuneration and general conditions of service, late payment of salaries, neglect of the retraining culture which is so central to the assurance of quality teachers, as well as the generally low esteem of the profession, especially among the youth of today who are reluctant to become willing and enthusiastic teachers.

This year’s World Teachers Day coincides with our year of regime change with promises of new ways of approaching governance across the board. We

hope the President Muhammadu Buhari administration will make haste and rescue the educational sector, ensuring that the restoration of the pride and glories of the teaching profession is made paramount. We have a new opportunity to make a thorough reassessment of the needs of the educational sector, with the welfare of teachers being its major focal point.

We commend the international community for sparing a thought for the betterment of the condition of teachers by honouring them with a special day every year and including the wellbeing of teachers as a central issue to be addressed at the universal level through the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

We are convinced that, if pursued with the zeal with which many countries tackled the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s), teachers will once again take pride of place in the education and upbringing of future generations.

OPINION Why a minister for Oil and Gas is a must

By Ndibe Chukwuebuka

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ECENTLY, Muhammadu Buhari, the President and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria released the much-awaited ministerial list.

While fulfilling that constitutional requirement, the President has also indicated his intention to administer the Ministry of Petroleum Resources personally and therefore, might not be appointing any other substantive minister in that respect except the junior minister of State.

Since the revelation of the President’s intention, there have been calls from many individuals that the President’s intention not to appoint a Minister of Petroleum Resources is a violation of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), specifically Section 138 of the Constitution.

According to the said Constitution, the President shall not, during his tenure in office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever.

A glance at the literal meaning of this provision would suggest that Mr. President lacks the Constitutional authority to take up any other job or paid employment other than the job of being the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Head of State, the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria as provided for by Section 130 of

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the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and cannot serve as a Minister since it is a paid employment.

The aforementioned simplistic interpretation, however, may not hold sway when examined critically. The President, for instance, is declared to be the Chief Executive Officer by Section 130 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The consequence of this declaration is that Ministers and Heads of Federal Government Agencies are all agents of the Chief Executive Officer and in line with the notorious common law usage “qui facit per aliumfacit per se”, Mr. President can also validly perform these functions personally as the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation.

Furthermore, Section 147 of the 1999 Constitution as (amended) provides that there shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President. The use of the word “may” here implies discretion, that is to say, Mr. President might as well decide not to appoint Ministers to head certain areas he/she considers to be delicate. In line with the above, Section 148 provides that the President may, in his discretion, assign to the Vice- President or

Mr. President’s good plans for the oil sector will be best served by appointing a Minister to head the industry

any Minister of the Government of the Federation responsibility for any business of the Federation, including the administration of any department of government. This Section also clearly implies that the Mr. President can decide not to assign these responsibilities to any Minister and take up the running of any department of government personally.

A joint interpretation of Section 130 which proclaimed that the President shall be the Chief Executive Officer and Section 147 which makes appointment of Ministers discretionary and Section 148 of the 1999 Constitution as amended suggest that the President can validly act as Minister in the Oil and Gas Sector and would not be in violation of Section 138 of 1999 Constitution (as amended). At best, Section 138 of the Constitution is a general rule and its exceptions can be gleaned from Sections 130, 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The above proffered arguments surely is not meant to suggest that the the present writer is in agreement with the decision of Mr. President, but that the critics of the decision cannot be basing their arguments for disapproval on the strength of the 1999 Constitution. The decision can be criticised based on other grounds; for example, on integrity. The masses’ belief on the integrity of the present administration and changes they promised makes them think that the decision of the President to head the Petroleum Resources might not be

the best way to bring the promised Eldorado to the hapless citizens. As the saying goes, one cannot follow the same routine and expect change to come.

The administration of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources by the President is not new to Nigerians. It has happened before under the administration of a past President whose administration could neither be described as “saintly” nor did the move bring any change in the corruptionriddled system. Given this scenario, the new move by the present administration can only raise curiosity and skepticism among many of both its admirers and critics alike. The question that begs for answer is: Is there nobody whose integrity is untarnished and who is worthy to take up the ministerial duties in the Petroleum Industry? Perhaps, there is no one, not even the ones that made the list in the other sectors. Is that really true?

Though the motive of Mr. President on this issue may be good, yet,it is clear that Mr. President is not an expert in the oil and gas sector in spite of the fact that he has been its minister before. With him as the minister, technocrats working under him can still perpetrate corruption without him knowing.

Would it not be better that Mr. President’s good plans for the oil and gas sector will be best served by appointing a Minister to head the industry and holding such person appointed strictly accountable for his or her stewardship given the fact also that his presidential duty already leaves enough on his plate?

•Mr. Chukwuebuka, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—19 —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Allison-Madueke’s long walk to justice

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IRST a disclaimer: let the reader understand that nothing said in this space this week denies the subject’s claim to protection on that principle that guarantees an accused person’s right to presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

The charges of corruption, bordering on bribery and money laundering, leveled against the immediate past minister of petroleum, Mrs. Diezani AllisonMadueke after her arrest in London are exactly what they are: allegations. So until a court of competent jurisdiction finds her guilty of these charges she must be presumed innocent.

Otherwise, something in the behaviour of the former minister, particularly her determined effort to have an audience with then Presidentelect, Muhammadu Buhari, in the immediate aftermath of his declaration as winner of the April 2015 presidential polls proclaimed her as guilty. The former minister’s reported efforts to see Buhari even though she was not the only member of the Goodluck Jonathan administration accused of corruption, appeared obsessive.

While some of these reports might have been exaggerated, something about their frequency suggested she must have dispensed quite some energy in that regard. Shortly after these barrage of reports, everything suddenly went quiet about Mrs. Allison-Madueke who, rumour had it, had travelled to the UK for medical reasons in regard of some undisclosed ailment.

Reports of Madam Minister suddenly taking ill sounded rather curious as there were no hints of anything wrong with her prior to the ouster from power of the government in which she was a minister. If that report was true, it sounded fishy. But then, Nigerian public officials while still in office are not unknown to have nursed one ailment or another for years without the public ever knowing anything of it.

These reports invariably come after the persons concerned would have left office. Perhaps, this is the reason many of these public officials steal so much from government: just so they can take care of their huge medical expenses. But whatever are the health issues with Mrs. Madueke, we sincerely pray that

she gets well fast, not just so she can answer to the corruption charges against her but for her own personal comfort. Ill heath is never a thing of joy. The matter at hand, however, is the arrest and brief detention of the former minister along with four other persons by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency. Even though Mrs. Allison-Madueke, now out on bail, had been the rumoured subject of possible prosecution by the Buhari administration, her arrest was unheralded. After a lull in reports about her in the media, her arrest was sudden and thus unexpected. Yet she had, according to the NCA, been under close investigative watch for nearly three years. Which means there was some element of truth behind the rumoured tale of corruption that had swirled around Mrs. Madueke’s five years reign as petroleum minister.

Nigerians all along appeared to have known this and had grumbled loudly about massive allegations of corruption in the energy sector, especially in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and other parastatals under the Petroleum Minister. But in spite of these loud complaints neither the minister nor the president that

Now, Mrs. AllisonMadueke has the opportunity to prove her innocence

When will this independence finish?

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T was Prof. Tanimu Abubakar, I believe, of the Political Science department and Aminu Yusuf, a postgraduate student at Ahmadu Bello University, the one a stalwarth of the ABU branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the other of the campus student movement at the time, who (if my memory serves me well), were fond of repeating this intriguing question whenever the moment came to drop the gown and bring some town — nay, village — perspective to our discussions of how to save Nigeria. “The peasants are saying,” they would remind us, with just the slightest sense of bemusement, “when will this independence finish?” It was always meant as a reality check. Something to inspire us, radical lecturers and students, indeed all who laboured for the fundamental re-ordering of the awkward colonial bequest called Nigeria, towards an undying commitment to the sorely needed transformative change. It was a reminder that as intolerable as we thought our personal circumstances were in a rapidly decaying country, especially in the aftermath of General Babangida’s no-alternative-to-SAP (the IMF/World Bank’s Structural Adjustment Programme) economic terrorism, we were nonetheless kings and queens by comparison to the vast army of peasants, workers, the under-employed, the neverto-be-employed, the unemployable, the whole wretched lot of the Nigerian earth.

The question, in full, was this: When will this in-dependence, meant for the ruling class of rogues, daylight armed robbers, of heartless exploiters, end and the people’s independence begin? When shall we be

truly free of vicious colonial dispossession,

by European imperialists or by their local inheritors? As I pondered what to make of th the 55 anniversary of our nominal independence, the thought, retrieved from two-and-half decades ago, stole into my mind. And it would not be dislodged; not even by comforting thoughts of the glimmer of light now flickering at the end of the long, dark tunnel of Nigeria since the change in government from the Peoples Democratic Party’s 16 years of political gangsterism. Why not, after an entire adult life of lamentations for a mother-land raped nearly to death by her own children, address your mind solely to the promise of a healing and rehabilitation project, the rudiments of which are slowly being hashed out against an implacable storm of mindless violence and looming anarchy? After all, how much pain can a heart take — how much longer can it defer the dream of happiness?

I couldn’t. Simply because the word independence evokes the best hopes of a nation-people as of an individual. It connotes freedom, self-determination, sovereignty, autonomy, liberty, and the

But it is going to be such bone-breaking work to make Nigeria work for all, the masses in particular, that I find myself almost pitying Buhari

appointed her, Goodluck Jonathan, shared the concerns of Nigerians. Mrs. Diezani Madueke was one of four women including the wife of the former president, Patience, whose character defined the Jonathan administration.

They undoubtedly had the ears of the president and were practically untouchable even as allegations of massive corruption and abuse of office swirled around them like a foul wind. The unbecoming conduct of these women, especially where issues concerned money and the management of resources under their watch, gave Nigerian women a bad name. Those who said only men are responsible for Nigeria’s problem only need to look at the records of these women to reconsider their position. And no matter what kind thoughts people may have about the Jonathan administration, the conduct of these women would continue to blight the former president’s record.

No single ministry symbolized the egregious level of corruption that went on under the Jonathan administration than the petroleum ministry under Diezani Madueke. She supervised the near destruction of the energy sector into which huge amounts of public funds were sunk in the name of fuel subsidy to marketers, who ensured that the subsidized products were as scarce as a hound’s teeth. The more money Jonathan pumped into the fuel sector the more difficult it was for Nigerians to buy fuel, kerosene and related products, in the open market.

Hers was a regime of destructive corruption in the petroleum sector. Yet she could neither be questioned nor called to account.

Not even by the National Assembly whose summons she

pursuit of happiness once the constraints of the dependent state, the condition of bondage, have been removed.

But no citizen who has not been a direct participant in the national orgy of looting while treating the country as a no-man’s land, a foreign booty-land or treasure island that exists solely to be pillaged, can associate any of the happy meanings of independence with his or her life experience. On the contrary, and very sadly, the experience of being a Nigerian has grown progressively worse to the point where Nigerians fail on every index of a good quality of life. The litany is too heartbreaking to bear rehashing, though we must: no pipe-borne water; no electricity (though the flicker has lately been lasting longer); no healthcare system worth the life of a dog, never mind of a human being; no schools that can beat back ignorance and impart useful learning; no roads that do not require prayer to complete a journey alive or without a broken limb; no factories to employ the jobless multitude who, when they tire of cursing their luck and their land, become ready recruits into the devil’s army of violence and mayhem; no corps of truly patriotic leaders who will put service to nation and the improvement of the lives of their fellow citizens above their insatiably greedy selves; no . . .

The Zaria peasants are right: the independence we celebrated — for those who could and did celebrate — six days ago, meaning a remembrance of the lowering of the British coloniser’s flag and

did her best to ignore. She enjoyed the full assurances of her principal’s protection. Is it any wonder then that she is only now about to be called to account over allegations that dates back to 2013? While Nigerians suffered and could barely live from hand to mouth, Mrs. Allison-Madueke and her ilk lived the jet-set life of the rich and famous- even on public purse.

Aloof and unreachable, she had, it seemed, only scorn for anyone or group that asked questions of her. And so it was that she treated with undisguised disdain reports of missing billons of dollars by a former governor of the Central Bank, Lamido Sanusi. Together with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, she poured scorn on Sanusi’s allegation, contesting any claims of missing or unremitted funds.

When the audit ordered by their government confirmed that there were indeed shortfalls in the NNPC financial records even if not up to the tune alleged by Sanusi, these women made it looked like the difference was less than a school boy or girl needs to buy kulikuli. So inured were Allison-Madueke and her cotravellers to the groans of the people that they could simply not understand what the ‘noise’ was about. A recent notice by ministers in the Peoples Democratic Party government of Goodluck Jonathan said the ministers were ready to be subjected to investigation, even as they demanded respect from the Buhari government. The joint prosecution of Diezani Allison-Madueke by the NCA and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission would seem a good response to the ministers’ request. Now, Mrs. AllisonMadueke has the opportunity to prove her innocence.

the raising of the dull green-white-green to mark the transfer of irresponsible power from foreign conquerors to local conquistadors, must end now. It has to be everybody’s hope and prayer, irrespective of political persuasion, that President Buhari will, in the midst of the grunt work of clearing the rubble of the PDP and former President Jonathan’s perfect demolition work, deliver on his promise of change. That would mean that Nigeria will cease to be run as the personal farm or fiefdom of certified kleptocrats who steal from the country with such obsessive compulsion, while caring nothing about governance, nation-building and societal upliftment, that they ought to be permanently confined to a mental institution.

But it is going to be such bone-breaking work to make Nigeria work for all, the masses in particular, that I find myself almost pitying Buhari, wondering for how long he will keep that famously straight back of his upright. No one needs to tell him that if he finally assembles a team that inspires the nation to self-renewal and the attainment of its manifest destiny of leader of the black world, then he will have answered the prayer of the peasants for this independence, the sort he celebrated for the first time as a “born-again democrat,” to end and for our true independence to begin.

20 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

Abuja bomb blasts:

Counting the cost of losses in human lives

By Victoria Ojeme

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EARS continue to flow as many Nigerians try to come to terms with the tragic reality of the twin bomb blasts that occurred last Friday at Nyanya and Kuje Area Council of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. The first of the blasts that rocked the nation’s capital happened in the Kuje Area Council near the entrance of the police station and is believed to have been carried out by a suicide bomber. The second attack went off at the Kuje Main Market at about 9: 40 pm, killing 15 persons, while that of Nyanya detonated around 9: 35 pm, killing five persons.

Following those deadly blasts and the attendant high death toll, October 2, 2015 will forever remain a bitter day to remember for those who lost their loved ones.

One of them is Mr Olu Abolarin who lost his wife, mother-in-law and brotherin-law, in the Kuje Area Council bomb blast.

Samuel, a resident of Aleita, Lugbe Airport Road explained that his late wife, a student of Nasarawa State Polytechnic, on Wednesday told him she was visiting her parents in Kuje to celebrate the independence day not knowing that it will be the last day he will see her. According to him, his wife, Christiana Abolarin, got to Kuje on Wednesday and celebrated the independence with her mother who owns a garden close to Kuje Market.

“She called at around 9pm that they had closed from her mother’s garden and they were all strolling home because it wasn’t far from the house. I expected her call again. But it was not until around 11 pm when we heard that there was an explosion in Kuje. I tried her number but I couldn’t reach her. “ My father-in-law called me at midnight to say that the explosion affected them and they could only see the younger sister of Samuel’s wife and his 11month-old baby. He said they searched all round and couldn’t see them. So, we waited till the next day. It was then we came to the National Hospital and found my wife, mother-in-law and brother-inlaw, their bodies mangled beyond recognition at the mortuary.

“In fact, I could only recognise her through the wrapper my mother gave her to always use to back our baby,” he said with tears in his eyes.

He regretted that if he had known that his wife of just one year and who also just finished her National Diploma, would meet her timely death in Kuje, he wouldn’t have allowed her to go. “I was look ing for where she will do her Industrial Training, IT— in my office and the budget department— so that she can be able to take care of our baby who I also intend to put in the day care of our office. But I never knew the Boko Haram had another plan for us,” he lamented.

Olu is not the only one in mourning.

Several other families have been thrown into mourning by Boko Haram whose attacks have increased in intensity and frequency lately, with civilians as their main targets.

The Director, Family Planning, Federal Ministry of Health, Wapada Balami, confirmed that the number of persons who died following the twin bomb blasts that C M Y K

rocked the nation’s capital are 15 in Kuje Area Council and five in Nyanya, while 21 others were injured.

In a press statement issued in Abuja, he explained that in Kuje, there were two locations that were affected, adding that one is outside Kuje Police Station and the other is outside Kuje Market.

“In Nyanya, the two locations were very proximal to each other: by the road side in Jikwoyi exit along the side of the second Nyanya bridge and another within the surrounding market, just below the bridge. The number of persons currently in hospitals: In Nyanya all the patients that came in were treated and discharged; in Kuje, we also treated and discharged all the patients. In Nyanya and Kuje hospitals, there are no patients currently there.

“In Asokoro General hospital, we have seven patients currently on admission, while in the National Hospital, we have 13 patients currently on admission. In Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, we have four patients.

“The inter-agency collaboration has been very good between the first responders and this should be kept up. All hospitals have exhibited very high sense of professionalism by taking very good care of the patients.

“A follow up meeting will be convened to fashion out ways of preventing future occurrence. Identification of victims and the dead has also commenced through morbid and forensic means. The relations will have access to the corpse of their loved ones immediately security clearance is concluded,” he said.

He assured that government has taken full control of the situation and the public is hereby admonished not to panic. The public was also advised to desist from unfounded rumours of bomb blasts.

According to him, the combined team of security agencies will continue to work in partnership to provide updates to the public.

Meanwhile the United States has condemned the dual explosions in the Nyanya and Kuje areas of Abuja on October 2, and the suicide bombings and militant attacks in Maiduguri and Adamawa on October 1. In a statement made available to Vanguard Metro, it said: “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured.

These tragic events are stark reminders that violent extremists will stop at nothing to inflict horrific and indiscriminate harm upon innocent lives.

We came to the National Hospital and found my wife, mother-in-law and brother-in-law, their bodies mangled beyond recognition at the mortuary; I could only recognise her through the wrapper my mother gave her to always use to back our baby

•Mr Olu Abolarin who lost his wife, mother-in-law and brother-in-law with his baby who survived the blast.

•Scene of the blast at Kuje In particular, Boko Haram’s reign of terror and sheer brutality have left thousands dead and millions displaced.

“The United States stands with the government and the people of Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram and other perpetrators of terrorism. Through our security and counterterrorism assistance, our unparalleled commitment aims to help Nigeria achieve this goal”.

With the latest blast, nearly 1000 people have been killed since President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration when he vowed to crush the rebels by December 2015.

This revelation was contained in a report issued by the monitoring platform in his first 100 days in office. But despite the President’s best efforts, there had been several attacks by the extremist group, leaving deaths, blood and sorrow in their wake.

Indeed, in the last 100 days, there have been over 40 successful attacks and bomb explosions, which claimed the lives of nearly 1000 people and caused the destruction of properties worth millions of naira, the report said. Right from his inaugural speech, PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari) ordered the immediate relocation of the Military Command and Control Centre, MCCC, from Abuja to Maiduguri, Borno State, the report said.

“Since then, the administration has rejigged the Nigerian counter-terrorism architecture with interventions ranging from the forging of regional and international alliances to the appointment of new security chiefs with a marching order to end the insurgency within three months to improved security spending,” it said.

The report also said the new administration boosted the morale and welfare of security agents as soon as it came into office.

It said within 100 days, the Nigerian Army reinstated 3,032 officers and military personnel convicted by a General Court

Martial for offences committed while fighting the insurgents.

The government, it added, also offered scholarships to the children of slain officers and monetary compensation to their families.

“More so, apart from the immediate release of N5 billion to bomb victims upon the directive from the President, Nigeria has received financial and technical support from countries like China, Israel, USA, Switzerland, etc., and from the United Nations, UN as well to improve the victims’ economic and social conditions.

“The recent recapturing of the towns of Dikwa and Gamboru Ngala from the insurgents, reports of unsuccessful Boko Haram attacks, and the rescue of some kidnapped persons from the den of the insurgents by the Nigerian Military are positive signals towards ending the insurgency,”the report stated.

In his recent address, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, reassured Nigerians that the Nigerian Army was determined to succeed in meeting up with the set deadline of defeating Boko Haram terrorists by the end of this year.

He said this during his operational visit to the troops battling Boko Haram Terrorists in the region. While addressing the troops, the COAS charged them to maintain vigilance, momentum and aggressive posture. He also urged them to apply all the principles of battle procedure they had learned during their training.

Buratai assured the troops that issues of their welfare are being taken seriously and will soon be addressed to enable them fight in the best of spirits. He reminded the troops that their actions are covered by Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011, and therefore stressed the need for them to abide and operate within the provision of the same Act.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 21

ranging from strategy right through to execution. We recruited 53,000 new people last year and plan to recruit even more in 2016 from a broader range of countries and with a wide range of skills, as we expand our capabilities to match the increasingly diverse demands of our stakeholders. While there is large variation around the world and some countries will continue to struggle, overall we predict stronger global economic growth of 3.6 per cent in 2016,” added Dennis Nally.

Regional results According to him, PwC member firms in North America and the

PRESENTATION: From left: Group Publisher, InstinctBusiness, Akin Naphtal, presenting CFO of the Year: Banking, to Group Chief Financial Officer, United Bank of Africa ( UBA), Ugo Nwaghodoh and Group Editor, InstinctBusiness, Kehinde Olesin, at the maiden edition

PwC global revenues increase by 10% to $35.4 billion Stories by Omoh Gabriel

creating uncertainty for business and fierce competition in the professional services market.

HE PricewaterhouseCoopers “Despite these challenges the (PwC) network yesterday PwC network performed reported global gross revenues exceptionally well in full year of $35.4 billion for the fiscal year 2015 with growth of 10 percent ended 30 June 2015. At constant pushing revenues over the $35 exchange rates, PwC’s global billion mark for the first time. revenues rose by 10 per cent. This Our strongest growth for eight is up markedly from the previous years is a result of the significant year and the strongest year-on- investment we have made in year growth that the network has recruiting the best people, seen since 2007. enhancing the quality of our Presenting the report, Mr. Dennis services and building new Nally, Chairman of product offerings such as data PricewaterhouseCoopers analytics. We have also International Ltd said “The continued to make key strategic global business environment acquisitions to complement and remains challenging, with a expand our core business. continuing patchy economic According to him “Technology picture, geopolitical issues is transforming all aspects of our lives and every business, so we are working in alliances with market leaders such as Google and others, to bring the latest and best technology thinking to $3,087.00 -8.00 our clients. The PwC brand has been $13.53 0.00 acknowledged as the strongest professional services brand in the world and this 48.81 0.68 reputation is built on the energy, enthusiasm and 46.06 0.52 quality of our 208,000 people and their CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL commitment to working DOLLAR 195.95 196.45 197.95 with all of our POUNDS 297.0602 297.8182 298.5762 stakeholders to build EURO 218.6018 219.1596 219.7174 trust and to solve FRANC 200.1532 200.6639 201.1747 YEN 1.6287 1.6329 1.637 important problems.

CFA 0.3141 0.3241 0.3341 “There’s much to be WAUA 273.7638 274.4623 275.1609 proud of and I think we RENMINBI 30.8273 30.9064 30.9855 have strong momentum RIYAL 52.2464 52.3797 52.513 going into 2016 with SDR 274.5064 275.2068 275.9073 KRONA 29.2974 29.3722 29.4469 many significant accomplishments to build CBN Exchange Rate as at 05/10 /15 on. All of our lines of

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business and geographic regions are growing, the acquisition of Booz & Company (now Strategy&) has provided a major boost to our capabilities and we are now the leading organisation in our ability to provide services

While there is large variation around the world and some countries will continue to struggle, overall we predict stronger global economic growth of 3.6 per cent in 2016,” added Dennis Nally

Caribbean continued to grow very strongly with revenue growth of 12 percent. Our largest firm, PwC US, enjoyed an impressive year with revenues up by 10 percent to $12.2 billion and strong growth in all lines of service. Revenues from South and Central America remained buoyant, up by 8percent – although this growth is down from the previous year, impacted by the tough ongoing economic conditions in Brazil.

Revenue growth in Asia was also strong in full year 2015 up by 9 percent to $4.1 billion. PwC’s continued focus on service development and expansion in Asia paid dividends with PwC’s firms in China and Hong Kong growing by 8 percent and India by 17 percent. While the economic situation in China looks more challenging in the year ahead, we continue to be optimistic and believe we are well placed to enjoy growth in the year ahead. Growth also increased impressively across Europe with revenues up 8 percent in Western Europe and 6 percent in Central and Eastern Europe. The UK firm, PwC’s second largest, also performed strongly with revenues up 9 percent to $4.1 billion, recording particularly good growth in its Assurance and Advisory services.

PwC’s firms in Italy grew by 11%, Germany 8% and France 6%.

Barclays Africa launches Rise: Start-up community pioneering financial services

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OUNG and upcoming Africa’s innovators and start-ups will have the opportunity to scale their ideas in new markets following the launch on Tuesday of Rise, a physical and virtual global community that facilitates collaboration and fintech innovation.

Funded by the Barclays, Rise is ideally positioned to take advantage of technology solutions that are not reliant on physical infrastructure.

This is particularly relevant in the African context. It provides developing markets with an opportunity to leapfrog ageing analogue infrastructure, deployed in most developed economies, and with it the capacity to solve some of Africa’s development challenges. The ability to bring scale to new ideas has long been at the centre of the Barclays proposition. By connecting the world’s most active innovation ecosystems, Barclays is confident that Rise can assist in co-creating groundbreaking products and services with entrepreneurs from across the continent.

“The financial services industry is undergoing a paradigm shift and new tech start-ups are challenging traditional business models,” says Ashley Veasey, Chief Information Officer of Barclays Africa. ”This is possible, in principle, because advances in technology are enabling bright minds to develop solutions that compete with the best of those developed by big corporates. We aim to partner and collaborate at the forefront of this change.” In addition to the connected digital network, Rise has physical innovation hubs in London, Manchester and New York, and is set to open one in Cape Town in December.

With over 5 000 start-ups interacting through the Rise London and Manchester hubs in the first year alone, over 20 hackathons being hosted and over 130 companies having made use of the global sites, Rise Cape Town is set to enable Africans to connect, co-create and scale the next big thing in financial services.

“Rise is about connecting the world’s most active innovators to each other, to corporate and

to resources and by expanding to another continent means we’re able to broaden this network further,” says Derek White, Barclays Chief Design and Digital Officer and architect of the global Rise programme.

“We’re unlocking the power of open innovation to co-create the future of financial services, which will ultimately benefit customers and clients across the globe,” added White. The Cape Town hub will be home to a number of open innovation programmes and includes coworking facilities, a worldclass events space, and a bespoke setting for the Barclays Accelerator programme.

Applications are now open for the Barclays Accelerator, powered by Techstars Several Rise initiatives are already underway in Africa, namely the Tech Lab Africa programme and the Barclays Africa Supply Chain Challenge while applications are now open to companies wanting to participate in the Barclays Accelerator, powered by Techstars.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

If the federal government can pay premium as at when due, it will be easier to also help in enforcing the policy

,

,

SA records N4.3b GPI

BY OLACHI USUWA

C

hairman of Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, Mr. Domonic Oneya has said that the company recorded gross premium income of N4.33 billion for the year ended 31 st December 2014 despite the macro-economic challenges it faced.

Oneya said that the company was able to improve on the N3.78 billion posted in the previous year.

Addressing shareholders at the company ’s annual general meeting in Lagos last week, Oneya said that underwriting profit was N1.

4 billion compared to the N1 billion in the year 2013.

Oneya said, “Notwithstanding the performance of 2014, we have continued to improve our efforts to take advantage of the positive business atmosphere from the ‘No premium, no cover ’ principle, as well as from positive post-election realities. I wish to assure you that the directors and the management of your company are determined to bring improvements to the bottom line going forward.”

On future outlook, Oneya

said, “We expect the Nigeria business environment to become noticeable but steadily altered. One crucial driver of the outlook in 2015 will be reform and change agenda of the government which we expect corporate businesses to align with.

With crude oil prices averaging around $55/ barrel mid-way into 2015, the Nigerian government is expected to find and perfect alternative revenue sources, or has to lay the foundation for such in the medium term.

The future outlook for insurance appears to be positive, especially as the insuring public becomes fully adjusted to ‘No p, no cover ’ principle. The recent happenings in the global economy have brought risks to the top of the agenda of businesses and investors, especially the rout in the crude oil markets as well as weakening of performance in the emerging markets.

Domestically, the impacts of a mixed macroeconomic environment also paint the picture of a possible surge in insurance activities.

Expert calls for more training in industry

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R. Michael Banjo, Head of Decor & Rainbow has called for more training in the creative industry.

According to Banjo, the lack of training and respect within the creative industry inspired him to bring his concept home to Nigeria.

According to Banjo the company has come to educate people and show that the industry is no joke and there is need for the industry players to have proper skills to do the job properly.

He said that it is important to have good quality training which is why his company is embarking on training Nigerians on how things work internationally.

Operating from their studio in Ikeja Lagos, Decor & Rainbow will be offering services such as interior design for all types of buildings, branding for business looking to improve their image and professional training in interior design for individuals looking to develop a career in interior design.

Addressing journalists at the firm’s office in Ikeja, Banjo said that if one has a project that requires an interior design agency or a company that needs to improve its brand image or someone looking to be trained as a professional interior designer then Decor & Rainbow should be contacted.

Banjo who is a Lagos born UK based entrepreneur is also the CEO of Decor Fusion & Decor Cribs, two of UK’s leading design agencies. His vision for Decor & Rainbow is for clients in Nigeria to have access to the expertise, experience and exposure of an international design agency here in Nigeria. Given that Decor & Rainbow will have a team based in Nigeria as well as UK clients can be assured of great designs of international standards that meet the inevitable practical challenges one expects when our design team carry out work outside the UK. C M Y K

INSURAN ‘No premium no cover: Fed Govt should lead by example’

BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA

T

O effectively enforce the ‘no premium, no cover’ policy in the country, the federal government should set example by paying premium for all its insurances so that individuals and corporate organisations can emulate.

Group Managing Director of Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, Mr. Bode Akinboye, who made this assertion, noted that if government should set such an example, then the insurance industry will be better for it.

Akinboye said, “If the federal government can pay premium as at when due, it will be easier to also help in enforcing the policy, so we expect that under this new change era. Government should be good example to the corporate world as well as to individuals. Government should lead, then others will follow. So if the government knows that all its assets and property needed to be insured, and money is

budgeted, they should release the budgeted fund. By such action, government will be in a position to enforce its own policy. If government is not doing that how can they enforce the law on big multinationals for example with huge financial muscles?”

According to Akinboye, the positive impact of the ‘no premium, no cover’ policy on the insurance industry is real,

If government is not doing that how can they enforce the law on big multinationals for example with huge financial muscles?

FORUM - From left: MD/CEO Scib Nigeria & Co Limited, Mr. Shola Tinubu; Director-General, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Mr. Sunday Thomas; GMD, Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc, Mr. Wole Oshin; MD/CEO, Linkage Assurance Plc and Chairman of NIA, Mr. Gus Wiggle and ED Operations, UnityKapital Insurance Plc, Mr Tunde Oshadiya, during the 2015 Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), professional forum.

adding, “This being that now you can confidently say that any business any company writes is represented by cash unlike what we use to have before where you write business and more than 50 per cent is in receivables and so you have a humongous receivable account and a big credit control team chasing money everywhere.”

Akinboye added that in the past, insurers were not focusing on their businesses but on debt collection with all the attendant effect of poor service delivery. “So now that has stopped. It means money in hand is available for insurers to invest and to render quality service. so I envisaged that if this is sustained, insurance companies and the industry becomes stronger, not only by servicing customers but by creating investable funds that will be used to help drive down unemployment,” Akinboye said.

According to Akinboye although the industry premium income nosedived when the policy first came on stream, the situation is changing now. “It is always like that when a change is introduced. Although the industry premium income nosedived initially, I think it has settled. It was the first reaction, now the premium is beginning to go up because everybody now knows that this real, it is not a joke.

Recall that Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Mohammed Kari stated that the Federal Government of Nigeria was only able to spend about N2 billion on insurance out of N20 billion budgeted in 2014.

Kari stated that the implication of the federal governments action was that only about 10 per cent of the budgeted amount for insurance was used, thereby exposing most federal government’s asset, workforce and operations to uncertainty.

Kari stressed that the insurance industry will no longer sit on the sidelines and

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

allow opportunities to pass by.

The Commissioner therefore charged insurance professionals to correct themselves than be corrected by external forces.

Kari said, “The challenges of huge competence deficit, corruption, low level of innovation, over-dependence on the oil sector leaves all asunder to phantom the best soluble buyouts and how to harness the opportunities inherent therein.

“In consequence of the effect of uncontrollable changes in the macroeconomic environments affecting our businesses, organisations and entities either passively or negatively, we are therefore implored to map-out adaptive strategies and identify the opportunities inherent in the ‘change’. As far as innovation is concerned, we need to improve the content and quality of our services. In addition to our quest for innovation, changes in companies’ business model must be exploited. The earlier we realised that the music has changed and thus the need to adjust our dancing steps, the better for us all.

“We have seen unbridled, unsustainable and technical unsound rates being offered by supposedly insurance professionals more out of the need to meet a target than to properly underwrite.

Professional brokers’ takes business from contraptions called ‘sub-agents’ who by the way are not registered by anyone. Premiums are loaded, discounted, retained or

,

CE & YOU

So if the government knows that all its assets and property needed to be insured, and money is budgeted, they should release the budgeted fund

G

,

Okunoren to become NCRIB president

T

AWARD: - From left: Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari, receiving a plaque from the President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Lady Isioma Chukwuma, during the 2015 professional forum held in Abeokuta, Ogun State. returned with impunity market indiscipline among practitioners, boards and management conflicts may degenerate to threatening the stability of some of our companies. The implication of such practices on the insurance industry in this new

Nigerian business environment is the gradual diminution of our professional relevance as a veritable shield for the financial sector of the economy. We must all have zero tolerance for these unethical vices. Most of the actions of our professionals today are actually criminal,” Kari said.

HE Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, NCRIB, will witness a change in its leadership as Mr. Emmanuel Kayode Okunoren will soon become the 18th President of the Council.

Other brokers that may emerge to run the professional body’s affairs for the next two years, subject to ratification by the forth coming annual general meeting is Mr. Shola Tinubu as Deputy President while Mrs. Bola Onigbogi so far appears to be the only candidate for the post of Vice President.

Okunoren, the incoming president is a consummate insurance professional and a chip of the old bloc that is expected to provide dynamic and foresighted leadership for the insurance brokers’ body to allow it play more prominent roles in the insurance value chain in the country.

He is a long standing holder of the Fellowship of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London and Nigeria by examination. He has also had robust experience on the Council on the NCRIB having served on strategic committees on oil and gas cum local content, joint technical committee of the industry among others.

Okunoren was also one time honourary treasurer; Auditor; Vice President and now Deputy President from which he emerges as the 18th President of the Council.

Prior to the investiture ceremony, the Council will hold its Annual General Meeting and National Insurance Conference during which, the Paper entitled; ‘Revisiting Corporate Governance Dynamics’ will be delivered by Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran, Managing Director of UAC Property Company, while Mr. Lucas Dada, Director, Enterprise Segments, Etisalat Nigeria will deliver the sub theme paper, titled: “Digital Delivery as Growth Driver in Insurance Retail Marketing” The Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Mohammed Kari will be the Special Guest of Honour, other dignitaries expected at this events include, Oyo State Governor, Mr. Abiola Ajumobi, his Ogun State counterpart, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun.

With little premium, insurance guarantees personal wellbeing — Ogunbiyi ROUP Managing Director of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi has said that with a little premium, insurance

— 23

gives confidence that guarantees personal well-being and comfort as well as investments that engender the much desired development and

growth.

Ogunbiyi, who stated this at the 20th anniversary public lecture of the company in Lagos, said, “For instance,

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several years ago, the textile industry in the United States of America suffered a severe setback because of frequent fire outbreaks in textile mills.

The insurance industry in the US with its ingenuity intervened with tailor-made risk management services and insurance policies and a dramatic growth ensued.”

Ogunbiyi stated that in May, this year in Tunis, Tunisia, Mutual Benefits most deservedly achieved a first in the history of insurance in Nigeria by being adjudged the most innovative insurance company in Africa, in a keenly contested award ceremony sponsored by African

Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re).

Ogunbiyi said, “We in Mutual Benefits have demystified the myth that this potentially huge business of spreading risks in order to promote substantial investments in the productive sector, cannot thrive in the informal sector even better than it is doing in the formal sector.

Mutual’s entrepreneurial initiative of growing the insurance business has made us a leader in Nigeria as well as the entire African continent, all thanks to my colleagues in the Mutual family; hardworking and dedicated crew members.

“If Mutual, could have grown this big in spite of battles of different types and dimensions, one can imagine the growth if there were concerted efforts to support our pioneering entrepreneurial initiatives.

Send comments & enquiries to insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

EY hosts breakfast session for consumer, retail sector

D

PRESENTATION: From left: Brand Manager, Power Oil, Disha Argawal; Franklin Onyenze, Halimat Adebayo, both winners at the "Power Oil Pay Per Calories" event, and Marketing Assistant, Power Oil, Fagbemi Oyeyemi, at the Power Oil Pay Per Calories event in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau

SEC to grow non-interest products to quarter of market capitalization

By Nkiruka Nnorom

T

HE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revealed plans to grow the size of non-interest products to 25 per cent of the overall market capitalization.

The Director General, SEC, Mr Mounir Gwarzo, made the disclosure at a round table meeting with a delegation led by the Lord Mayor of London Alderman Alan Yarrow and Nigerian regulators in Abuja.

Mounir Gwarzo, who was represented by Zakawanu Garuba, Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services, stated that “our goal is to boost non-interest capital market product innovation so that the segment can be at least a quarter (25 per cent) of the overall market capitalization.”

The SEC, he said, wants “to build a strong regulatory regime for non-interest products, encourage stakeholders in the non-interest capital market and ensure the emergence of Nigeria as a prominent non-interest capital market hub both at the regional level and globally.”

He further stated that the SEC was considering modalities for setting up a Sharia Advisory Council as a body of experts to advice on non-interest product applications.

To boost liquidity of non-interest products, the SEC, he added is “working with a committee to support the FMDQ platform to enable secondary market trading of the products. “We are also engaging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to obtain liquidity status for non-interest products (especially the sukuk).”

He noted that the efforts are hinged on the fact that “Nigeria has more than 80 million Muslims compared to Malaysia’s total population of 30 million. In C M Y K

addition, Nigeria has a larger economy than Malaysia’s, being the largest economy in Africa.”

To harness this potential, Mounir Gwarzo said proper planning was imperative which was “why at the SEC, we set up an industry-wide Committee of experts last year to produce a 10year master plan on non-interest

capital market product. Their recommendations have been incorporated into the broader capital market master plan which we have begun implementing.” he said.

Responding, Alderman Alan Yarrow, the Lord Mayor of London pledged the United Kingdom’s government support

stressing that “two things were universally agreed on, Islamic finance will be massive and it’s here to stay.”

Yarrow expressed concerns that “the difficulty of defining what Islamic finance actually is, is with different scholars and different countries supporting different rules.”

ETI suspends sale of stake in Ecobank Nigeria

By Nkiruka Nnorom with Agency Report

E

cobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), has foreclosed the plan of selling some its stake in its Nigeria subsidiary, Ecobank Nigeria Limited, due to falling equities’ prices. The Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Ade Ayeyemi, stated this in an interview with Bloomberg.

The bank had said that it would sell part of its stake in Ecobank Nigeria Plc by the end of the year to boost its working capital and meet up with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s directive on minimum capital threshold.

Ecobank had planned to raise as much as $400 million with a sale of about 25 per cent of the Nigerian subsidiary.

But the bank’s shares have fallen by 12 per cent since the end of June, amid concern among investors that a slowdown in China, sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest trading partner, and a looming rise in U.S. interest rates may weigh on economic growth.

According to Ayeyemi, falling market values mean the bank would not get good deal from the sale. “The market is not right for us to be selling part of that unit.

“We will not be doing any dilution at the moment. You cannot sell an asset you don’t have to sell at the time when market prices are

at the bottom of the trough,” he said. “We are adequately capitalized at the moment,” Ayeyemi said. “If there are business opportunities that require us to have more capital, we will support that. We always have the option in future,” he added. The bank’s biggest shareholder, Nedbank Group Ltd., said it was against being diluted by a sell down of the Nigerian business, which is Ecobank’s largest. The South African lender spent almost $500 million buying a 20 per cent stake

less than a year ago.

“By raising tier 1 capital at subsidiary level, you’re possibly diluting those who own Ecobank from the holding company level,” Mfundo Nkuhlu, Chief Operating Officer at Johannesburg-based Nedbank, said in an interview at Bloomberg’s offices on Sept. 23.

“Any capital raise needs to be economically sensible to the holding company shareholders.”

Togo-based Ecobank operates in 36 African countries, more than any other lender.

RIVEN by a desire to address the fragmented supply chain network in Nigeria, and coupled with the evolving customer demands, EY Nigeria, a global leading profession services firm, will on Wednesday, October 14, 2015, hold a Breakfast event for a selected group of leading Consumer products companies in Nigeria to discuss and share insights on how best to address these critical issues.

Billed to hold at the firm’s UBA House, Marina Office, the event, with the theme ‘Managing fragmented supply chains in Africa’, will be led by EY Global experts in supply chain transformation. Topics to be covered include: Unlocking margin and enabling growth, Cross border effectiveness and Managing in-country and cross border risks.

Providing explanation on the rationale behind the Breakfast session, the Executive Director, Advisory Services, EY Nigeria, Olayinka Situ, says Consumer and Manufacturing businesses have to re-think their operating models with an emphasis on End-to -End supply chain transformation and optimization.

Commenting further, he notes that EY has extensive experience in the Consumer Product and Retail Sector, having worked with over 70 per cent of the world's top 30 Consumer Products companies and is well placed to work with the Consumer sector in Nigeria in meeting strategic and operational supply chain goals and objectives.

GTBank gets double awards from Ai

G

UARANTY Trust Bank Plc has been named the 2015 Bank of the Year and Most Innovative by Africa Investor, Ai. The award was presented to the bank at the Ai Institutional Investment and Capital Market Awards 2015, which took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Launched in 2007, the Ai Institutional Investment and Capital Market Awards is the only pan-African Awards designed to recognize Africa’s best performing stock exchanges, listed companies, investment banks, research teams, regulators, socially

responsible companies and sovereign wealth and pension fund investors.

The investment and business leadership awards aim to reward exceptional business practices, economic achievements and investments across Africa, whilst recognizing the institutions and individuals improving the continent’s investment climate.

According to Hubert Danso, CEO of Africa investor: “We are delighted to say that this year’s winners are our most exciting yet, and are testament to the everimproving investment

climate in Africa. GTBank’s ability to continuously deliver notable success and significant progress across its businesses, despite increasing regulatory headwinds and an extremely challenging business environment has enabled it emerge double award winners in the 2015 Ai Institutional Investment and Capital Market Awards Receiving the awards on behalf of the Bank, Segun Agbaje, Managing Director/ CEO of GTBank said "We are humbled and proud to be recognized as the Bank of the Year and Most Innovative Company in 2015”.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 25

26—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

DIARY Cyber Security in Banking Conference, 2015 Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg October 21 – 22, 2015

Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2015 Cape Town, South Africa November 8-12, 2015

Preview

•Rice importation

How technology can manage country’s food shortage

Could this keyboard be the •...as scientists task Buhari on implementation of Biotech Law Development, Mr. Sonny Echono over N1tn in foreign exchange Goodluck Jonathan had in April

By Prince Osuagwu & future of are to be relied upon. every year since 2005” this year signed the National Emmanuel Elebeke In July this year, Echono stated Biosafety Agency Bill after many inputing? that Nigeria’s food import was Solution years of lobbying, a development

I

T

he VK200 KEYFOB® projects a keyboard on any flat surface.

You can type away accompanied by simulated keyboard sound feedback with its built in display screen showing your key presses in real time for faster typing. It really is true future magic at its best. You’ll be turning heads the moment you pull this from your pocket and use it to compose an e-mail on almost all Bluetooth enabled devices, computers or laptops. With 78 keys and a full size QWERTY layout the laser virtual keyboard approaches typing speeds of a standard keyboard in a size no larger than a matchbook.

C M Y K

MPORT bill for food in Nigeria is becoming alarming. At 11 percent per annum, it is growing in geometric acceleration that seems very difficult to sustain. Most unfortunate is that Nigeria is importing what it can produce in abundance, thereby hurting Nigerian farmers and displacing local production.

Ironically, the present President of the African Development Bank, ADB and former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina had in 2012, at a two-day Investors’ Forum in Abeokuta, Ogun State, promised that this would sieze to be the situation in 2015.

The minister then, said the Federal Government had commenced measures to address the problem and by 2015, would stop the importation of rice.

He painted a picture which suggested that the abundant Taraba rice project which gulped over $40m and two other rice mills, established in Niger and Ebonyi, would be capable of providing enough rice for Nigeria to stop the importation which was nearing fever pitch at about five million metric tonnes per annum.

However, Adesina’s prediction cum projection may have not happened if recent statistics released by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural

growing at an unsustainable rate of 11 per cent, while the country had continued to rely on expensive foods from the global market.

At a two-day workshop in Abuja to discuss: ‘Food crisis prevention and management charter’at the headquarters of the FMARD, Abuja, Echono said that “Nigeria became a net importer of food and major importer of wheat, rice, sugar and fish and importation of these four commodities consumes

This step, they say, would guarantee food security in the country and make Nigeria become globally competitive in production and supply of agricultural produce instead of wasting such staggering amounts in food importation

But Nigerian scientists in the field of bioscience have proffered solution. “Give technology a chance to solve the problem; implement the biosafety agency law” they seem to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari.

The scientists tasked Buhari to demonstrate his administration’s commitment towards agricultural revitalization by ensuring full application of technology in the agricultural sector.“This step, they say, would guarantee food security in the country and make Nigeria become globally competitive in production and supply of agricultural produce instead of wasting such staggering amounts on food importation.

Global best practice According to them, what is required is full implementation of the new biotechnology law and its adoption by Nigerian farmers in line with global best practices.“While declaring their commitment and determination towards this goal, the bioscientists while pledging to work with the government in implementing relevant policies which embrace deployment of modern technological tools to addressing farming challenges, insisted that agricultural biotechnology would play a major role in the actualization of this policy.

Recall that former President

described by many proponents as a milestone in the domestication of modern biotechnology in Nigeria.

The signing of the bill into law is expected to place Nigeria in the league of countries advanced in the use of this cutting edge technology as another window to boost the economic development of Nigeria. Officials say it would create more job opportunities, increase food production that will enhance farmers’ output and checkmate hunger if given good attention by government.

Global interest The Director-General of National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Lucy Ogbadu, while addressing scientists at a media briefing in Abuja, said immense benefits derivable from this technology are globally acknowledged and they are as varied as the vast scope of the technology itself dating back to the first, second and third generation versions. The NABDA DG stated the global interest in the impact of biotechnology centre mainly on food security, health benefits as well as environmental preservation among others and commended Nigeria’s quick embrace of the technology by producing a robust and allinclusive biotechnology policy that will suffice.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—27

SOCIETY AND SOCIAL MEDIA

5 ways social media will change the way we learn and live

By Agbolade Omowole

T

raditional communication as we know it is becoming extinct and the companies who will rule their industries in the future are those who embrace the latest developments in digital communication.

Most people don’t see big changes coming. What they see is a continuation of recent developments. But that’s not the case with technologies of the 21st century. An extrapolation of Moore’s law show that computing power doubles every two years.

Technology improves geometrically while our brains see things linearly. Technically, at best, we may be myopic when forecasting where social media will be some 10 years from now.

Here are five things that will probably change about how we learn and live based on the social media revolution in as little as ten yearsfrom now.

1. Collaborative learning: Education is one of the fields that will likely be influenced most by social media. The logical extension of traditional learning is learning on social media via direct chat with lecturers and group chats where several students can communicate with one another and with their lecturer. They will communicate in real time. This collaboration will

make learning fun and easy to cope with.

Soon, it may be possible to network several minds together using a technology called mindplexing and learning will just be about ensuring one of the persons in the network learns the subject matter. Other minds in the network will be updated with the new information.

2. Accelerated learning: I think 80 percent of all the needed materials on a course or subject is now available on the internet.

What people study for four years in a university is now a few clicksaway. The only need for lecturers in the future may be about offeringguidance to students. Self study can enable a student complete hisundergraduate degree in as little as a year in the future.

3. Virtual reality: most active users of Facebook don’t feel the presence of the person they are chatting with. That will change in the future. Virtual reality will allow someone in Nigeria to go on a date with someone is Japan in a virtual environment. They will meet, exchange greetings and move around from the comfort of their homes.

Virtual reality will make online learning more meaningful and

productive. It will be possible to attend all lectures in a virtual environment.

4. Decision making: unknown to some persons, the first thing people do when they want to know about you is to check your full names on Google. The next place they check is Facebook.

A recent research revealed that 25 percent of college admissions officers consider digital footprints.

75 percent of human resource managers check candidate’s online presence on google and social media.

35 percent of employers reject candidates based on something found in their profile.

5. Digital media capital: Facebook is working on making everybody on earth have access to internet and Facebook by the year 2020. Once thatis achieved, employers will find probably look for people with strongsocial media credibility and authority as against intellectualabilities alone when considering prospects for some departments.

Lessons from Facebook’s downtime

BY LAJU IREN

H

ISTORY was made on September 17, 2015 when Facebook went down for the first time ever. But whoever said lightning does not strike twice in the same place, is now being forced to eat his words. With two more down times in the same month, it would seem that lightning can strike not just twice, but thrice in the same place and within a very, very short period of time.

But as with everything in life, the #Facebookdown phenomenon is something to learn from. Not just for app developers and tech geeks, but for everyone who has anything to do with social networking.

And that includes you...yes you.

Especially if you’re not an avid Facebooker, you might not be quick to agree with this fact.

But bear in mind that if it could happen to facebook-a company renowned for its secure network-it can happen to any other platform. If that’s the case, it only makes sense that

you back up your relevant data in more than one place. Note that relevant data is not limited to a final year project or a business contract. What about that business partner whose only contact you have is his/her facebook name? Remember those very important pictures you only have on instagram, and those friends with whom Blackberry Messenger is your only hope of communication?

You must be getting the idea now.

But just in case you haven’t, think of your emails. Think of those important proposals you deleted from your laptop, but thought were backed up simply because you mailed them to yourself. What fate awaits them, if something happens to gmail or yahoo? Or worse, if someone hacks into your account and locks you out. The same goes for those pictures you’ve refused to download from whatsapp chats, and the wedding details for your friend’s upcoming wedding

that you abandoned on GooglePlus. The morale? Don’t just leave important information online. Find the download button, and if there isn’t one, copy and paste.

It isn’t enough to be sure that you can access people and information even when one social media platform fails. You have to make sure that people can access you as well. Make sure that the website of your organisation or brand is always up and running. Ensure that you are visible on more than two social media platforms, so that is someone wants to contact you for something important, it would not matter that Facebook or any other network is down even for a minute.

OLX @3: ‘Our challenges, unique growth opportunities’

By Prince Osuagwu

O

NLINE classified, OLX, last week recounted how initial challenges encountered while doing business in Nigeria, provided great growth potentials which has kept the company at the frontline of its genre of business.

The company while celebrating three years of operation in Nigeria, at the Rooftop restaurant, Victoria Island Lagos, said even though the business has its own risks, the challenges faced have helped it develop innovative strategies to outperform expected target in three years.

Speaking to the media at the anniversary celebration,

major role in our on-going success story. We are doing all we can to boost this category and other ones by establishing operational relationships and forging partnerships with other credible brands.”

While acknowledging that the business had experienced its fair share of challenges, Public Relations Manager of OLX, Uche Nwagboso said that each challenge has however presented a unique growth opportunity.

According to Nwagboso, “Each obstacle has actually driven us to do more, to innovate more and to achieve more. We believe that as we continue to innovate, to form new strategic alliances and to strengthen our twin pillars of safety and trust, we are

OLX staff cutting the anniversary cake OLX is driven to become such a credible brand in the country that anytime anyone has a product to buy or sell, the person automatically thinks OLX Country Manager, OLX, Lola Masha said OLX is committed to continuous innovation and improved quality of service delivery to its teeming users.

“When OLX commenced operations in Nigeria three years ago, we had our work clearly cut out. We started out with a determination to build an operation with excellence at its core. Among the many segments of our business, the vehicle category is one of our most popular, and we have seized the occasion of our third anniversary to celebrate our top-performing dealers on our site who have played a

contributing to the evolution and establishment of a vibrant e-commerce culture in Nigeria. Indeed, OLX is driven to become such a credible brand in the country that anytime, anyone has a product to buy or sell, the person automatically thinks OLX.” Sharing his OLX experience at the event, Henchard Omere, a car dealer based in Ikeja who has been on OLX since July 2013 and placed 322 ads till date, said, “As a car dealer, my dreams of expanding my reach had always seemed far-fetched until the day a colleague told me about OLX and since I signed on two years ago, my business has grown like never before.”

Omere said that, “With the limited space in my shop, I had many cars parked at my house but thanks to OLX, I was able to sell 12 vehicles within a short period. I have also diversified to other profitable ventures because of the OLX advantage of safety, trust and convenience, and I am so grateful to the OLX team and everyone who has helped make my dreams come true.”

C M Y K

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 , 2015

Siasia grabs Awoniyi for Rio qualifiers N

igeria U-23 coach Samson Siasia has disclosed he has an agreement that Taiwo Awoniyi will be released by German Bundesliga 2 side FSV Frankfurt for next month’s Africa U23 Nations Cup in Senegal, which will serve as qualifiers for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“We got an agreement from the club before the player signed that he will be released for the competition in Senegal.

So we expect them to keep to this commitment,” Siasia said.

Awoniyi, who missed the recent All Africa Games in Con-

go Brazzaville so as to finalise his move to Europe, is on loan to Germany from EPL side Liverpool.

The 18-year-old striker has been an unused substitute in Frankfurt’s last two league games.

The coach admitted it will be difficult to get a full array of overseas pros for the tournament, but would be satisfied with a handful of them to strengthen his team.

“We hope we could get three, four of them to add value to the team, but there will

•Awoniyi be no automatic shirt for them. They will have to come and prove they can improve what we are doing,” Siasia maintained.

For the Rio Olympics qualifiers in Senegal, Nigeria are drawn in a tough first round group that has Egypt, Mali and Algeria with the top two teams progressing to the knockout stage of the tournament.

•Siasia

Chikatara replaces Obaje in CHAN Eagles A

bia Warriors striker Chisom Chikat ara has been called up as replacement for Wikki Tourists forward Godwin Obaje ahead of Nigeria’s 2016 Africa Nations Championship (Chan) qualifier against Burkina Faso in Port Harcourt.

Obaje has gone for trials with an unnamed club in the Middle East and Chikatara was promptly called up as replacement for the Wikki Tourists striker.

Chikatara has been in stunning form in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and did not hurt his chances of a call-up when he scored a hat-trick for Abia Warriors against Enugu Rangers in a match day 32 NPFL clash in Umuahia on Saturday.

The attacker, who has already netted 13 times in the league, has since arrived in Port Harcourt where he has joined the rest of the squad.

Chikatara is one of six strikers called up for the game against Burkina Faso.

The others are Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba), Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves), Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars), Bright Onyedikachi (FC Ifeanyiubah) and Dayo Ojo (Sunshine Stars).

C M Y K

•Chikatara

Iwobi signs new Arsenal contract S

uper Eagles forward, Alex Iwobi, has committed his future with En glish club, Arsenal by signing “a new long-term contract.”

The teenager, this week, was reported to be heading out on loan to a yet to be named club, until he agreed to a new deal with the Gunners.

“Alex Iwobi has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal. The 19year-old forward, who is a mainstay of the Gunners’ under-21s, also impressed for the first team this pre-season,” Arsenal announced yesterday.

Iwobi, who has been called up by Nigeria for the international matches against DR Congo and Cameroon this week, is “delighted” with getting a new contract with the former England champions.

The 19-year-old believes that he earned the “improved contract” despite being unable to break into the first-team of the Ar•Iwobi senal squad in the Barclays Premier League this term, after impressing during their pre-season tour.

“I’m delighted to have signed a new contract, especially with a club like Arsenal who are so big,” he told Arsenal.com.

“I’m happy to sign for them.

YOU Bank Maje Cup, Octo

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 29

Klopp would deliver at any club– Can

Falcao conf ident confident

of Chelsea turnaround C

helsea striker Radamel Falcao is confident his team can turn their awful start to the Premier League season around.

Jose Mourinho’s men have won just two of their opening eight league games to sit 16th in the table, with their latest defeat a 3-1 loss at home to Southampton.

Falcao, who is on loan at Chelsea from Monaco, has only started once in the league this season, with six appearances off the bench.

But the 29-year-old believes Mourinho’s side can bounce back to winning ways after the international break.

L

iverpool defender Emre Can believes that Jurgen Klopp would be a hit at any club.

The former Borussia Dortmund coach has been heavily linked as a replacement for Brendan Rodgers, who was sacked from his role at Anfield on Sunday.

In an interview with Die Welt, given before the Northern Irishman was dismissed, Can stated that Klopp could make a positive impact wherever he decided to go next.

“Jurgen Klopp is certainly a great coach. I think he proved in Dortmund that he can fit with any team in the world,” the 21-year-old said.

Can also shared an anecdote about former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, a player who made a big impression on him while they were team-mates.

“He is an admirable person. I talked to him a lot, also about what it means to be a leader,” he added.

“I remember the moment in the dressing room where we focused on a game against Chelsea.

•Falcao

“ I ’ m OK. Growing up, every day I feel better,” Colombian international Falcao said on Monday.

“If the results are not the best in Chelsea, we have the capacity to reverse the situation.”

Despite his lack of game time, Falcao will lead Colombia into their World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Uruguay.

Goalkeeper and international team-mate David Ospina said he had no doubts over Falcao’s form.

•Klopp

Jo ve tic slams ‘absur d’ injur ts Jove vetic ‘absurd’ injuryy repor reports S

tevan Jovetic has hit out at reports claiming he is embroiled in a dispute with Inter and the club’s head coach Roberto Mancini over an injury problem.

Mancini denied last week that he was angry with the Montenegro national team for naming Jovetic in their latest squad despite the forward struggling with •Stevan Jovetic a hamstring problem.

Reports in Italy have since alleged the injury is more serious than the club is letting on.

The media have claimed the 25-year-old, on loan in Serie A side from Manchester City, flew to Germany - against Inter’s wishes - in order to seek treatment at the clinic of former Bayern Munich doctor HansWilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt.

Jovetic, however, has strenuously denied the claims and has dismissed any suggestion of a falling-out with Mancini. “I keep reading crazy things about me that, frankly, I don’t understand,” he wrote on his official Facebook page.

“I want to clearly specify that there’s no problem with Inter and Mr. Mancini.

“I wasn’t on some infiltration into Germany, it was a visit which was controlled and authorised by my club"

Ramos won't lose sleep over error

S

ergio Ramos was asked upon his arrival in Las Ro zas (Madrid) about the penalty he committed on Tiago during the Madrid derby, a penalty which Rafa Benítez described as what had most annoyed him about the game against Atlético Madrid: “It was a childish mistake, but I won’t lose any sleep over it. Anything that Benítez has to say he can say when he sees me. I’m not concerned or bothered.

We all make mistakes and we don’t do it on purpose.

Luckily Keylor was on hand and it didn’t affect the final result. Just as people talk about my mistake, they’ll talk about the substitutions”.

The defender also gave his opinion on accusations that Real Madrid play a defensive game: “We did things really well, but the team played far too deep towards the end of the game. The Vicente Calderón is a tough ground to play at and you just end up focusing on finishing the game, holding on and not looking for a goal”.

Keane slams Sunderland af aftter Advocaat exit

R

oy Keane has hit out at the Sunderland hierarchy following Dick Advocaat’s resignation as manager.

The experienced Dutchman left his position at the Stadium of Light after the 2-2 draw with West Ham, a result which left the club without a win from their first eight Premier League matches. Former Sunderland boss Keane was asked for his view on the situation as he spoke to the press ahead of Republic of Ireland’s crucial Euro 2016 qualification tie against Germany and did not hold back in an apparent dig at owner Ellis Short, who sacked him in 2008. The Ireland assistant manager said: “That is Sunderland, isn’t it? “A brilliant club but while I can’t comment on why different managers have left or have been sacked, people in the background probably need to take a look at themselves. “If they had left me alone I would probably still be there now and I wouldn’t be having to chat to you.” Sam Allardyce, Sean Dyche, Walter Mazzarri, David Moyes and Nigel Pearson are the leading candidates to replace Advocaat.

•Roy Keane

Thousands of winner s emer ge in Guinness pr n fulfilment of its promi om o se to provide mo

I

UR REWARD . . . The Executive Director, Business Development of First City Monument k (FCMB) Limited, Mr. Adam Nuru9 L), presenting trophy to Mrs. Funke ekodunmi, winner of second prize for the Ladies Veterans category at the 2015 Nigeria , (a Golf Tournament of the Ikoyi Club 1938), during a dinner organised on Saturday, ober 3, 2015 as part of the tournament, which was supported by FCMB. C M Y K

re excit has rewarded the first set of weekend draw ing football experiences, Guinness national consumer camp winners in the big winners have emerged aign tagged ‘Every Minute Made of Bla gest football led ck, as over 5,500 Activated across Nige and counting. the campaign produce ria in over 200 million bottles of Guinness an hundred thousand nad its first set of winners. 20 lucky individualsd Extra Smooth, ira each. The winners too electronic draw. were randomly selec k home one ted from an The Every Minute M every match day even ade of Black football consumer promotion is aim airtime at every minu more exciting for football fans by standing the ed at making te chance to win Speaking after receiv of every BPL game! ing his wi nn ing s, Mr. Uche Kingsley contain his disbelief of of La heard about the prom his reward for being a true fan of the game, gos could not he added” I had oti on an d at the big match over the las Arsenal vs Chelsea, I t we bottle of Guinness, littcould think of no better way to enjoy the gaekend between le me than with a Another consumer, did I know that I would be one of the luc Chukwugbo was filled who happens to be an Arsenal FC fanky winners. , Mr Okwudir it feels really good to bewith joy, stating “This is what a real promoti on should be; of football should be a pa rewarded for my loyalty to my team. Anyo ne rt of who is a fan thi s Gu inn ess Every Minute made The Senior Brand M of Bla opportunity to engage anager, Guinness, Kunle Faloye said we are ck promotion.” fan lev in the game and the ch s at home, bars and viewing centres, giving eraging the them a stake ance to win great prize s.

30—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

SAP brings digital literacy to over 20,000 youth

By Emeka Aginam

W

ith free online sessions and coding workshops across seventeen African countries, Enterprise application software company, SAP,has announced the start of Africa Code Week, a continent-wide initiative to spread digital literacy and simplify access to coding education for young people.

Africa Code Week is part of SAP’s effort to bridge this digital skills gap and drive sustainable growth in Africa. The company already invests in the SAP Skills for Africa program, which provides additionalbusinessandITskillstorecent university graduates.

Africa Code Week reinforces that commitment to graduates while extending it to primary and secondary students, creating a full cycle of skills support for young people in Africa.

Starting from October 1st through 10th, 2015, the online sessions and hundreds of free coding workshops will be organized for children and youth aged 8 to 24 across 17 countries, including Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda.

“Digital literacy has the power to put millions of young Africans on the path to successful careers,” Mr. Rachid Belmokhtar, the Minister of Education and Vocational Training of the Kingdom of Morocco, said, adding that, “Trained, tech-savvy graduates are needed to improve Africa’s position in the globally competitive knowledge economy.

Everyone — from governments and

•Online youth educational institutions all the way to NGOs and corporations — has a role to play to spread digital literacy across Africa.”

“Over the next decade, Africa’s youth will determine whether the continent wins or loses the game,” said Pfungwa Serima, Executive Chairman, SAP Africa, adding that, “The Digital Economy is here and the opportunities it presents are manifold. If we equip young Africans with the best technology, give them skills that make them relevant to the job market and empower them to be bold and innovative, we’ll see them do amazing things.”

Founded and orchestrated by SAP in partnership with Simplon.co, AMPION, the Galway Education Centre, the Cape Town Science Centre and the King Baudouin

Foundation, Africa Code Week is supported by a fast-growing network oflocalgovernments,internationaland local educational organizations, NGOs and software companies across the continent. Google Inc. also joined Africa Code Week as a strategic partner to support local organizers of computer science and coding activities all over Africa.

Africa has the fastest growing digital consumer market and the largest working-age population in the world.

The World Economic Forum expects the population of Africa to double to 1 billion by 2050, exceeding that of China and India. The potential problems triggered by this boom in working-age youth is compounded by a lack of educational opportunities particularly in the area of technology training.

Inlaks gets honours for growing ATM technology

By Richard Udofia

A

pparently, for pushing the Hyosung technologies, including ATMs across the high and deepest parts of the Nigerian markets, one of Nigeria's ICT infrastructure and Solutions Provider, Inlaks has attracted to itself the award of ‘The best partner of the year’ from Nautilus Hyosung Inc of China.

Inlaks was hailed for deploying Hyosung ATMs to almost all the banks in Nigeria thereby ensuring the country’s ATM growth in support of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN drive for cashless society.“The company said that in the last three years, Hyosung ATMs have recorded an impressive growth in the country moving from 450 to over 3,500 installed base. The ATM customers have also grown from one bank to 16 out of the 20 Commercial Banks in Nigeria due to the exceptional product and services benefits delivered by Hyosung terminals. In Nigeria today, Hyosung ATMs and Kiosks are enjoying greater acceptability and fast growth in the selfservice market due to the brand unique features, environmental fitness and adaptability to the distinctive service needs of the banks.

Presenting the plaque for the Best Hyosung Partner Award to Inlaks in Lagos, the Vice President, Nautilus Hyosung Inc., Mr. Jinho Moon, acknowledged the company’s efforts at driving financial inclusion through the deployment of Hyosung ATMS thereby tapping into the huge potentials of the unbanked people in the country. He commended Inlaks for the demonstration of visionary leadership capabilities in the delivery C M Y K

of innovative solutions and compliance with the market regulations.

According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Africa Operations, Inlaks, Mr. Femi Adeoti, “Inlaks as an organisation has been a major forerunner of ATM transactions services in Nigeria and has always partnered with many commercial banks to integrate the various channels to create greater choices and profitability since her entrant to the sector”.He explained that as part of Inlaks' organisational strategy, the company always aligns

with reputable global partners to ensure that Nigerians have access to the available best in class technology and best practises globally.

His words: “Inlaks was the first ATM vendor in Nigeria to deliver Windows7 ATMs to the market early last year in compliance to the Central Bank of Nigeria and Microsoft global directive on exit of Windows XP on ATMs. Furthermore, Inlaks is the only ATM vendor in Nigeria delivering biometric (finger print) reader on its Hyosung brand of ATMs in readiness for integration with the NIBSS’ BVN project.

Oracle Nigeria expands to better serve customers B y Favour Anthony

G

lobal computer technology corporation, Oracle has officially opened its new office in Victoria Island in Lagos. The new office in Lagos will house Oracle’s sales, human resources, and operational functions to service the West African region.“Oracle’s revenue in the region has grown over the years, along with its partner ecosystem that has increased in size by 30% over the past three years.

Oracle Nigeria’s country leader Adebayo Sanni, said that “Oracle customers are rapidly adopting mobile, social and cloud technologies totransformtheirbusinesses.”Hesaid that “They are delivering services that weren't possible before and they are

finding very smart ways to bring their productstomarket.ThroughoutAfrica we have seen remarkable innovation and transformation.““With cloud adoption rates accelerating, this ability becomes even more prevalent.

Software as a Service (SaaS) is becoming ingrained in the sector’s consciousness and Platform as a Service (PaaS) is also gaining traction,” he said. “IT systems have to be fast and simple to be able to be agile.”“He concluded by saying that “We’re very excited by the opening of Oracle’s latest state-of-the-art facility here in Nigeria and look forward to continuing to provide world-class solutions to help our customers and partners innovate and grow in the region.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—31

Regular blood pressure check saves lives

By Sola Ogundipe

T

O commemorate this year's World Heart Day, on September 29, management of Vanguard Media Ltd, Lagos, organised a blood pressure/weight check for staff of the company. The initiative was in line with the international campaign to spread awareness about heart disease and stroke prevention.

Experts describe the World Heart Day as the perfect day to quit smoking, get exercising and start eating healthy – all in the name of keeping your heart in good working order, and improving your health and well being.

Heart health: It is important to check the heart health regularly because heart disease and strokes are the world’s leading cause of death, killing 17.1 million people every year. In Nigeria an estimated 30-35 percent of the adult population is hypertensive.

Overeating, lack of exercise, unhealthy diets and high blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels are all factors which can trigger heart disease and threaten life. Message to all on the day is that heart problems can be prevented through lifestyle changes and promoting education about ways to be good to your heart.

Lesson: This lesson is becoming increasingly relevant as obesity, poor diet and physical inactivity in children and young people become more common.

Tips to maintain good heart health begin with weight management. Being overweight increases risk of heart disease.

Stick to a healthy, balanced diet low in fat and sugar, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, combined with regular physical activity. Don't forget to check your blood prelossure regularly. If your blood pressure is optimal, try to keep it that way.

If your blood pressure is above 140/ 90mmHg, you will need to lower it. Most adults have blood pressure readings in the range from 120/80 to 140/90. As a

New film breaks silence on youth sexuality

By Gabriel Olawale

S

BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK: Health officials from Carlisle Pharmacy, in collaboration with Microlife and Vanguard Media Ltd., carrying out blood pressure and weight checks for Vanguard staff in Lagos in commemoration of World Heart Day on September 29, 2015. general guide, the ideal blood pressure for a young healthy adult is in this region.

Lower or higher readings require investigation.

If you consistently have a reading of 140/90 or higher, you may have high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure increases risk of developing adverse health conditions, including cardiovascular disease.

Generally, the lower your blood pressure, the healthier you are. But it’s possible to have abnormally low blood pressure. People with a reading of around 90/60 or lower are generally considered to have low blood pressure. An underlying cause that could need treatment is often responsible.

If your blood pressure is above 140/90mmHg, you will need to lower it.

Most adults have blood pressure readings in the range from 120/80 to 140/90. As a general guide, the ideal blood pressure for a young healthy adult is in this region

The next Ebola (A stitch in time…)

C

ONSIDER a threat that is explosive, without bombs; that can pile up IDPs faster than any civil war. A threat by terrorists that cannot be seen by the naked eye, that attack, not one-to-one like foot soldiers, but in billions-to-one.

Such is bioterrorism Bioterrorism is a deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, fungi or toxins from living organisms to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants. Harmful agents can be spread through the air, water, or in our food.

Imagine 36 Sawyers (the index Ebola patient) landing in each of our 36 states, at the same time. Frightening?

Imagine it was a deliberate, planned and calculated act. Many countries are now developing strategies, military style, to guard against the threat of infectious diseases to national security; a threat that can aggravate or provoke social fragmentation, destabilize trade and commerce, and undermine national confidence. An infectious disease threat transcends military power and national borders.

The Center for Diseases Control, CDC, in Atlanta is probably the most notable public health institution in the world. This expansive facility stands beside Emory University Hospital where I spent my early professional years in the USA. Many are not aware of the magnitude of the role the CDC and the US Government played (visibly and invisibly) in First Consultants Medical Center ’s success with Ebola; a battle now to be immortalized in a movie. But then the USA has long recognized the serious threat a rogue runaway bioorganism can pose to the security of a nation.

Three decades ago cyberterrorism was considered imaginative and pessimistic; not today. In recent years

doctor@lagospainclinic.com much the same has been said about bioterrorism. Its significance and potential is now recognized by many countries.

What is Nigeria’s Medical Defense Strategy, MDS? After our success with Ebola, we need to put a Medical Defense Strategy in place……as a national emergency.

Our MDS will necessitate active partnerships between the executive, legislative and judicial arms across Federal, State and local governments.

From our skirmish with Ebola we have learned that interaction between public health policy makers and clinical health professionals must be deliberate and supportive.

We have learned that funding should be spread to staff and training as well, rather than lopsidedly on infrastructure and equipment.

We have learned that quarantine means more than holding people in isolation, but animals and property can be held or also destroyed. The core pillars of a defense strategy are preparation, prevention, and policing.

INGING Tree Films is teaming up with Ford Foundation to educate Nigerians on the implication of unspoken aspect of youth sexuality and maternal mortality in Nigeria.

The initiative which took the two parties to location featured a 1 hour 43 minutes film “Speaking during broadcasters’ forum of the film tagged; “Unspoken”, the Director , Richards Vaughan Remi, said the issue of sexuality is often left unspoken in the Nigerian society due to moral, religious and cultural limits.

Remi noted that when such preventable problems and complications arise from these same issues that are left unspoken, the issues then become public knowledge and it created lasting impact.

“Unspoken is a film on reproductive health, made to create awareness on issues concerning safe motherhood, child brides and youth sexuality and the reality of maternal mortality issues in Nigeria.

“It is also aimed to ensureimprovement in public understanding of healthcare issues, particularly underage marriages, youth sexuality and a reduction in the rate of complications that are connected to reproductive health challenges faced by young people.

“The film follows the experiences of two teenage Nigerians girls from different background as they experience s for the first time under different circumstances that led to health complications and serious negative effects on their physical and psychological wellbeing. “On his part, Programme Officer, Ford Foundation, Professor Paul Nwulu praised the power of visual storytelling.

Surveillance is vital. It is defined by the WHO as: continuing scrutiny of all aspects of the occurrence and spread of disease that are pertinent to effective control.

Surveillance can be external (land, air and sea border control, internal (national notifiable disease surveillance systems; laboratory based detection and reporting networks) or syndromic (Real-time symptom based monitoring by clinicians in the field).

Surveillance does not necessarily have to be accurate but it must be practical, uniform and rapid. It triggers an alarm. However a robust response must be ready to follow. Funding has to be made available to state and local governments to hire staff, equip and train them. Public health professionals such as epidemiologists, programmers and biostatisticians, will be needed.

Laboratory services will need to be strengthened, especially in the local areas, as well as expansion of the larger labs in the regional centers.

Medical Response Capacity, MRC - measures the ability of our health facilities (primary health clinics, state, general and teaching hospitals both public and private) to handle a sudden increase in patients; a surge capacity. In England (2003) there were 6.3 ICU beds to 100,000 people; Germany (1999) has 8.3; the USA had 24. During a pandemic, beds may need to be opened in hotels, homes and malls. These must be staffed.

In Nigeria, there is a major and desperate need for Intensive Care Units; a shortage that remains bewildering considering the demands for these services and the availability of trained Nigerian doctors and nurses in this field.

Preparation for an infectious disease outbreak must be considered a national priority for the incoming Federal Minister of Health.

A stitch in time…….

32—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

google analysis. We monitor the visits to the site, it goes down to demographics. Who are those who have accessed the sites and a lot of details about that? Where are we getting the most numbers of visits.And of course from actual purchases on the site .So we will be looking at everything comprehensively to find out how better to target our campaigns and what to do on the site. So yes, we do measure that from response, we get a lot of requests also from Facebook and through social media channels as well. It could be much better but we are working at seeing how we could get better response.

Murna Danmadami.

Yes, Women like to get things for free especially African women and Nigerian •Cross section of attendees of the women's conference

Women, e-commerce and the attainment of work,life balance This is the concluding part of this conference hall last published Friday October 2nd in the Vanguard.

Y

OU get paid a certain amount for having a certain number of views.

We are trying to create a program that will teach morals, African culture, tales by moonlight effect, here is an old person telling stories so you get to learn and what do we get? 315 views. Our rival at over 20,000 views is probably a kitten trying to get out of the cupboard. I hope someday soon, the internet will actually find a way to support the film industry.

Yinka Thomas-Ogboja. Apart from the pirated CDs, which are you more at a loss from, the internet or the CDs? If I buy a CD for 200 naira, is it not possible for you to have your film for that same amount online?

Ehizojie Ojesebholo. You are probably thinking of the product on its own. You are forgetting that film stars are artists who earn large amounts of money. It is not just about the CD. The CD plus jacket and everything just costs peanuts. How do I sell up to a million copies trying to cover up what I paid these people, script writers, technical people, and special effects people?

Murna Danmadami. We have talked about engineering and the media world/film making. I recently participated in a reality TV show and we actually had cause to use online marketing to sell this project. It wasn’t about us making returns like that. For us, it was more about the publicity. We used some online platforms to sell the forms to the kids and to send the message out there for people to participate in it.

Yinka had also said they have publicity budget. If I am bringing my products and services to you and you are going to collect a commission, then you should publicize me. So it is not just about you putting my products and services on your page and not giving me credit because most times they won’t want to do that. They will just put the products, put the services, put the price and tell you how you can reach them. We were able to tell them to put our logo and flash it at intervals on your site. It was not going to cost them anything because it

is their site. You want to make money, we want to make money, get our products and services out there. Your site is already paid for. Factor us into your publicity. I also want to add to what Adaora said, for online, it’s all about honesty and integrity. Deliver what you show and what you advertise. If you can keep to it, that’s all. If you go on Facebook which is what we did, the list of friend requests you would get is endless. Like Madam said, they will come to you and want to be your friend. They will keep sending requests and asking for phone numbers. In fact, women are very susceptible to a lot of challenge. It’s all about knowing how to channel yourself and work around it. Sell what you should and what you advertise and just be yourself online.

(Moderator) We are on the last lap and I would want to talk about the ethics, credibility, putting your financial details online.

How do we circumvent all of that?

Women are not known to be typically good at business ethics. Women always want something for free, very few women will say they can't do this so they can outsource it to someone. They want to cut that cost and do it themselves. Mrs Obaweya, I don’t know if you can share with us, do you have a means of measuring business via your ecommerce platform?

Morin Obaweya. Yes, we do have a means of measuring it. We have

A woman's life is multifacetedMorin Obaweya

women, and with this one I would like to say “its cultural”. Bringing it down to business, there is nothing wrong with getting some service free because most times, it is called a battering system. You might have something I need now, I might not be able to pay for it and I may have something you would need much later and you might not be able to pay for it. Most times, when we say getting something free, in business it is just called good will. Because if you have built good will with a couple of clients, you will definitely get a couple of things done free for you. Bottom line is, integrity and honesty is the key in whatever business. If you are able to provide what you are saying you will sell at the time you said you will do it, going the extra mile and making sure the people you have sold online to are satisfied. Give them a call, did you get your product?

Did you like it? Surround yourself with the right people because even if it is an online business you are running from your table, you are going to need support staff. It might be family members, like Mrs Ojesebholo who is working with her husband, he is the right person because they rub minds together. Then get the right counsel legally, we might not be there yet, but whenever you want to start something, make sure you are on the right side of the law. So when you get there, you have crossed your own bridge, you will be far ahead of the others.

(Moderator) Mr Alapini, what are the rules guiding e-commerce internationally?

Mr. Kola Alappini. There are a lot of rules guiding it, the problem we have in Nigeria is peculair. We are masters of making the simple complicated and the complicated simple.

For instance, if you want to get a Nigerian passport or a Nigerian driver’s license, you can get it in one day. If you are in the UK, you might not be able to get it in two weeks, that’s for the passport. If it is a driving license, you might be at it for the next six years because if you don’t pass your theory, you won’t move forward. And even when you pass your theory and you want to do your practical, one slight error that you have done and you have to start all over again. What should be important

to us, we don’t focus on it. I will give you a few examples so I can flesh out what I am saying.

Ehis was talking about how he is afraid of the internet; I will use the word new media. Taylor Swift- I think she’s twenty four now- is a multi-millionaire. She has about 42 million followers on Instagram but she took up Apple because Apple said they would stream her songs which means people can download it, but Apple is not streaming it for free to you but Apple said they will stream her songs without remitting anything for six months or something. She went to use new technology as well, got on twitter and told them don’t touch my songs; you don’t give me free ipads or macbook pro. That is what they call shaming, so Apple was forced to respond on twitter, they apologized to her and said they won’t take her songs for free, that they will have a rethink. Apple is richer than Nigeria. That’s like taking on a whole country and she humiliated them and made people know it is not all glossy in Apple. I believe the internet is the way forward. It is a very powerful tool. I wrote down some statistics earlier on, we are a population of a hundred and eighty million people; 70 million people in Nigeria have access to telephone lines. 38 million people in Nigeria access the internet from their phones, that is more than the population of West Africa if you start counting the population of West Africa from Benin Republic to Gambia.The most populous country after Nigeria and West Africa is Ghana. We are aware of some sorts of rules. Nigeria has never lacked laws.

Wonderful sounding laws We have one of the most wonderful sounding laws in the world. The problem we have is enforcement. Are there no anticorruption laws in Nigeria? I filed a copyright for a client two years ago and he gave me the opportunity to go through all the copyright laws. We can actually enforce prosecution but we don’t do it.

Whereas you dare not try it in the US or UK because the laws are there and you can enforce them. They can come to you swiftly and shut you down. Let me give you an example of intellectual property.

I think after Vanguard's website, Linda Ikeji has the highest number of hits. I will address one or two issues our ladies here addressed. What Linda Ikeji has been able to do effectively is to cut down her cost because she doesn’t have a website. The difference is when you have a website, you control your contacts. You control what you put there. You can decide to shut it down or hide it from everybody. But when you are using a blog, the most popular one being blogspot which belongs to Google; so Google is hosting, the intellectual content is theirs as well even if you are the one uploading it but you are at their mercy. The person running his or her own website is responsible for the hosting. If you are hacked or you protect yourself from being hacked, you pay for that. If you are with Google then it’s like you are under an umbrella. Anybody who is going to hack blogspot is going to face the wrath of Google and you are not paying anything for it. There are some rules which you need to adhere to. You cannot lift someone else's material without quoting the source. The laws are there, we just need to enforce it. A lot of Nigerians are scared of the legal. We are fatigued and it all boils down to the economy.

2,000 protest killing of couple during sleep VOL. 1 NO 46

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

From right, the Corps Commander of Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers, Maj.Gen. Edmund Obi, inspecting some of the road construction equipment in 14 Field Engineer Regiment, Onitsha, while former Commanding Officer of 14 Field Engineer Regiment, Onitsha, Col. Bayode Adetoro (right) and the Commanding Officer of 14 Field Engineer Regiment, Onitsha, Lt. Col. Sheriff Aremu, look on, during Maj.Gen. Edmund Obi, familiarization tour of road construction projects being handled by the army in the state

PAGE 8

From right, the Commanding Officer of 14 Field Engineer Regiment, Onitsha, Lt. Col. Sheriff Aremu; Col. N Yakubu; the Commander of 302 Artillery Regiment, Col. Isah Abdullahi; the Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Engineers Corps, Maj.-Gen. Edmund Obi; the Brigade Commander of 44 Division Nigerian Army Engineers, Enugu, Brig.-Gen. Francis Akanji and former Commanding Officer of 14 Field Engineer Regiment, Onitsha, Col. Bayode Adetoro.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION: Military

rescue communities

BY CHIMAOBI NWAIWU

N

NEWI— THE administration of former Governor Peter Obi and its efforts in Anambra State to build good roads inside the Onitsha Military Cantonment prompted the award of contracts to the 14 Field Engineering Regiment, Onitsha in the state.

The Engineering Regiment was found more than capable in executing the contract as they constructed boreholes, camps and renovated speedboats among others to reduce the plight of flood victims affected by the flooding of 2012.

Impressed by the efforts of Col. Bayode Adetoro, Commanding Officer of the Regiment, and his men in Ogbaru and Ihiala Local Government Areas at that C M Y K

trying period, the Obi administration awarded all the road construction jobs inside the Military Cantonment to the regiment and Governor Willie Obiano who succeeded Obi, on assumption of office also continued with the policy.

Obiano even went beyond where his predecessor stopped, giving them road construction jobs outside the Military cantonment, to the amazement of the people of the state, especially residents of Onitsha where the bulk of the road construction work given to the military to handle were located. The state government last year handled some road projects in Onitsha through the then Commander Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers, General Sudana Davis, following which the Army engineers built a bridge at Ugbene community as well as re-constructed some roads in the Military Cantonment.

Obiano even went beyond where his predecessor stopped, giving the military road construction jobs, to the amazement of the people, especially residents of Onitsha where the bulk of the road construction work given to the military to handle, were located.

Other projects handed over to the Army engineers were the reconstruction of Ezena and Ajasa Streets as well as other roads around Ajasa Market.

Since then, work had been progressing on the affected roads even as the double drainage system had been completed while the actual road reconstruction was being delayed by the rains.

Commenting on the development, the Commander of the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps, Maj.-Gen. Edmund Obi, assured residents of Anambra and Onitsha in particular of timely completion and delivery of all civil works being handled by the Nigerian Army in the state.

Obi who spoke during his familiarization tour of 14 Field Engineers Regiment, said that the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, was aware of the challenges in meeting up with their military and civil duties; adding that

such challenges would be tackled.

The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, had also during his visit to the Military Cantonment, assured that the COAS was working towards ensuring better welfare for the officers.

Attahiru also told the officers and men of the Army to carry out their duties with commitment, dedication, discipline and passion, as the authorities did not expect anything less from them.

The GOC who toured different formations and work sites in the barracks, was accompanied by the Commander of the 302 Artillery Regiment Onitsha Col. Abdullahi Isah and the Commanding Officer of the 14 Continues on page 4

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

Road users lament state of federal roads in Abia •Failed portion

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

M U A H I A — MOTORISTS and other road users are lamenting the deplorable state of Federal roads in Abia State.

Virtually all the federal roads in the state are in deplorable state. Among them are the Enugu-Okigwe-UmuahiaAba express road that leads to Port Harcourt, the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road, Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia, Umuahia-Uzuakoli-OhafiaArochukwu and UturuIsuikwuato roads. The state of these roads aptly qualifies them as real death traps. In fact, some of them have been abandoned by motorists for long now.

Worst of them all is the Ohafia-Arochukwu road which links the state with three neigbouring states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi. The state of the road, especially during this raining season, could best be imagined. Residents in the communities affected hardly travel home or out due to the condition of the road. This 37 kilometre road, which was first constructed in 1967, had never witnessed any major rehabilitation since then.

Worst of them all is the OhafiaArochukwu road which links the state with three neigbouring states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi. ...This 37 kilometre road, which was first constructed in 1967, had never witnessed any major rehabilitation since then.

Ironically the contract for the Ohafia-Arochukwu road was awarded to an indigenous contractor over five years ago and flag-off ceremony was done with

•Another portion

great hype and noise. The contractor who was alleged to have to have collected a substantial part of the contract sum soon vanished from the site. The state government and FERMA over the years tried to put up palliative measures mainly during dry season to enable the communities in the area to travel home for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Currently, the condition of the road is indescribable and people from the area are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to look into the problem of the road and what happened to past contracts awarded for its rehabilitation.

Though the contract for the Okigwe-Umuahia-Aba Road has been awarded and work is currently going on in one lane of the road, the snail

Optometric Association advises the Imo govt on functional eye clinics

BY CHINONSO ALOZIE

T

HE Nigeria Optometric Association, NOA, has advised the Imo State government to show enough interest in the establishment of functional eye clinics in the rural areas of the state.

This was contained in a speech delivered during the 2015 World Sight day in Owerri, held at the Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ, press cenrtre, Owerri, the state capital.

This was even as the the state government has concluded plans to concession the health sector in the C M Y K

state,in a bid to make the sector not only productive but profitable.

The Health Talk of the NOA was delivered by Dr. Henry Nwaguma who said that for the accessibility, availability and affordability of eye health services for Imo citizens, there should be broader participation of community members in health issues that concern them, improved health budget, training of health personnel and availability of the needed technology among others.

His words: “Prevention plays an important role in any eye care programme. Most causes of blindness require

preventive measures in the community rather than hospitals or clinic- based treatment. This can come in the form of health education, good drinking water, sanitation, insect vector control, adequate waste disposal and vaccination.’’

Also, the Imo state Chairman of the NOA, Dr. Matin Ohiri who read the goodwill message from the Wo r l d Health Organisation, WHO, said that about 65 per cent of visually impaired people are aged 50 and above, adding that this age group comprises only 20 per cent of the world’s population, even as the “restorations of

sight and blindness prevention strategies are among the most cost effective interventions in health sector.”

Speaking also, the Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Innocent Igwe thanked the NOA for using the World Sight Day to offer free eye treatment to journalists in the state, promising that the , NUJ, would not relent in making sure that the citizens in the state were enlightened on the significance of preventive measures against eye problems.

speed of the work is worrisome. As a result of the only one lane of the road, much pressure has been put on it, making it to deteriorate.

The contractors are not helping matters either as they find it difficult to use some of their materials to fill the numerous deadly and dangerous potholes, some of them dangerously atthe centre of the express road, making it difficult for motorists to dodge. The only saving grace presently is the effort of some young men from the villages, who come out daily to excavate sand and fill the potholes to enable motorists pass through.

For the people along the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road, including Amizi Awomnuzie community, it has been lamentation galore over the deplorable state of the road.

According to a community leader in Amizi, Sam Ekpo, the situation is very pathetic that some car owners in the community no longer drive them, they only warm up the engines on a daily basis in their compounds.

The economic life of the people is also affected, as according to Ekpo, traders from other communities that used to come to their market and buy palm produce from the rural farmers no longer come because of the road's deplorable condition.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 3

Local govt areas in Ebonyi raise alarm over gully erosions

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI-THE issue of erosion is still a major challenge in Ebonyi State, especially in Afkipo North, Afikpo South and Ohaozara Local Government Areas of the state.

The level of devastation caused by gully erosion over the years in the council areas were last week unveiled when officials from the Ecological fund in the Presidency undertook a tour of the affected locations in the state.

Recent ecological surveys of the areas reflected the need by the Federal Government to immediately intervene, in a bid to avert further destruction of both private and government property as well as loss of lives resulting from the negative impact of the natural disaster.

This ecological challenge had affected roads, bridges, houses

among others in the areas visited.

The roads destroyed included: Ogwuma, Ngborokuma, Ekoli, Ezi Eku Uburu, Ekoli- Hardev, EkoliAloma, Ekoli- Ibuo; EkoliOkagwe; Ekoli- Achi- Ogba and Ekoli- Libolo Ere among others in Afikpo South Local Government Area alone.

Also, in Afikpo North Local Government, the team saw the impact of gully erosion at Amangbala, Eke Market Road opposite the Zenith and Eco Banks at Amasiri among others.

In an interview with South East Voice, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Afikpo South Local Government Area, Mr Eni Uduma Chima commended the efforts of the present administration towards involving the Presidency to eradicate gully erosion in the state, adding that 15 sites in Afikpo South had so far been identified by the Ecological

•One of the gully erosion sites in Afikpo South LGA of Ebonyi State.

We have 15 gully erosion sites and the biggest was the former location of Afikpo South council headquarters. The natural disaster forced the council headquarters with six other building to be relocated to a new site.

Fund Office in Abuja.

Chima, who explained that the biggest site of gully erosion was the former location of the council headquarters, added that the natural disaster had forced people in the area to relocate to erosion-free zones within the council area.

“We have 15 gully erosion sites and the biggest was the former location of Afikpo South council headquarters.

The natural disaster forced the council headquarters with six other buildings to be relocated to a new site.

“Six roads within and outside the council headquarters are in a bad condition following the impact of gully erosion… The state

government has made serious efforts to ensure that it is tackled without delay. We sent photographs and video clips of the devastating impact of gully erosion in the council area to the Presidency and today the officials are here to carry out an on the spot assessment, so as to provide a lasting solution to the problem,” he said.

His counterpart in Afikpo North, Mr. Oko-Enyim stressed that all hands must be on deck to tackle incidences of gully erosion throughout the state and commended both the state and Federal Government for the timely intervention. This was even as he pointed out that his council area had been going through the challenge of gully erosion for quite a long time now.

Poverty in Imo communities worries CSOs

BY CHINONSO ALOZIE

P

OOR budget implementation and under-representation of the 27 Local Government Areas in Imo State, have been identified as the major cause ofthe unending poverty situation in the state.

This was the outcome of a town hall meeting of mainly community based Civil Society Organisations, CSOs organized recently in Owerri, by the South Sahara Social Development Orgarnistion, SSSDO. Among other issues raised in the round-table meeting, they wanted the Imo State government to run an open budget system, a process which they said would not only capture the lack of basic social amenities in the rural areas but would also go a long way to address the continual denial of the electorate to enjoy the benefits of their God given resources.

Another area of concern was the “unexplainable” reasons for the Imo state government refusing despite invitations to participate in the many accountability and transparency programmes being organized by the Civil Society Organizations in the state, adding that an invitation

•Participants at the workshop was extended to the Imo state government but it did not honour it.

They also appealed to the government to form it as a habit to endeavour to organize a public hearing, in order to know by how much the people had been deprived of their dividends of democracy adding that through the public hearing development could be extended to the rural areas and the people would have input in the budget, in order to make it the peoples budget.

One of the facilitators of the

South Sahara Social Development Organisation, Mr. Emeka Ononamadu pointed out that the programme was aimed at encouraging the electorate to that their responsibilties as citizens include to be actively involved in the process of governance in order to make the system transparent by way of asking questions and also knowing the manner through which their resources are being expended as well as monitor the disbursement process for the purpose of development.

Speaking also, Febechi

Maduako said that it was for the reason of involving the citizens actively in what she described as “participatory governance” that the South Sahara Social Development Organization introduced the Igbo language radio programme called “Ego Anyi” ( Our Money) and that since 2014 the programme has been on air helping in the enlightenment of the Imo people on budget process and implementation.

In the same vein, it would be recalled that the Center for

Constitutional Governance, CCG, also in its 2014 survey report conducted recently, exposed Imo lawmakers as not being active in their duties of delivering dividends of democracy to their constituencies.

The survey report which was made available to the South East voice with the project team leader Dr. Adewale Balogun discovered that among the 27 local government areas in the state, it was only Oguta Local Government Area that did not have a representative in the Imo State House of Assembly, at the time of the survey.

According to the report, among the 26 constituencies, 24 provided their office addresses while 2 did not, and among the 24 that made their addresses available to the CCG enumerators, it was 20 that could be located through their addresses while the remaining 4 did not have offices in the addresses which they provided.

In what appears to be a shocking revelation by the CCG report; it stated that among the total number of 26 constituencies that had representatives from the time of the survey between August 14 and 21, 2014, it was only 12 out of the 26 that had functional constituency offices.

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY,

OCTOBER 7, 2015

Traders vow to cripple economic activities over power distribution

BY FRANCIS IGATA

E

NUGU-Traders in the South-East geopolitical zone have vowed to resist any plan by the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, to hand over the Aba and Ariara power distribution unit to Afrigem.

President-General of the group, Ichie Okwudili Ezenwankwo,told South-East Voice after an enlarged meeting of the traders in Enugu, threatened that any move to take the power unit away from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, would be totally unacceptable.

He said if the alleged plan was allowed to stand, it would cripple businesses in the area.

According to him, “Geometric power company has always claimed that they will provide 24 hours power supply in Aba since 2005. That has not happened and Aba was suffering until 2013, (November), when the EEDC took over.

“We all know that things have been improving and we are hopeful that it can only get better under the EEDC.” He added that, “recently, we read in the papers that the BPE is about to hand over Aba and Ariara distribution unit to a company called Afrigem, which we understand has purchased Geometrics.

“We are very concerned that if this happens, our hope for reliable power supply will never be realized. This is why we shall resist such plot with every available effort.”

The market leader, who lauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s anticorruption efforts, urged him not to allow a cabal to cripple the South-East economy.

He further stated that if the BPE failed to heed to our stand, “ we shall not hesitate to go on demonstration; but i believe that government will do the needful. If it entails shutting down markets, we will do that because that plan is totally unacceptable.”

•The traders during a news briefing.

Military to the rescue of communities in construction, engineering Continues from page 1 Field Engineering Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Sheriff Aremu among other key officers from 82nd Division and Onitsha Military Cantonment.

He said that the COAS’s vision of maintaining utmost professionalism by all in the army must be maintained, just as everything possible would be done to improve their ability and welfare.

“You are our eyes, ears and men on ground; so the COAS expects nothing less than being committed and executing your duties whether Military or internal security duties with passion that shows professionalism, to the army authorities, professionalism also means that officers and men must respect human rights as well as carry out their duties with the greatest sense of responsibility at all times,” he

said.

At the Cantonment Medical Reception Station (MRS), the GOC lauded Anambra government for executing the project which gave room for more wards and specialty services at the centre.

“I must laud the Anambra State government for its intervention in renovating the buildings within the cantonment and the military hospital here,” he said.

According to him, “You can see, we have more equipment to carry out the civil work given to us and I have just directed that more engineers and hands should be made available for the civil work in the state, so nothing is stopping us from delivering the work as agreed.

It, is only the rains that delayed us a little, but we are still within the time agreed for completion and handing over of the projects.

“I believe that with the added support of the logistics coming from the COAS, Anambra people will rejoice very soon as we have planned to finish the road construction and reconstruction within record time.”

Addressing, officers and men of 14 Field Engineer Regiment, the Corps Commander emphasized the need for professionalism and obedience to superior officers.

“I am not only telling you to obey your superiors but that everybody must give due respect and be obedient to any officer or soldier higher than him in rank. The Lance Corporal must respect the Corporal, while the Corporal must respect the sergeant; as the engineer corps would not take anything less than this.”

Anambra establishes rules for private schools operation

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

I

RKED BY the presence of illegal private schools operating in parts of the state, the Anambra State Government has disclosed that as part of the ongoing clampdown on these mushroom schools, it will initiate guidelines for the operation of private schools in the state.

The state Commissioner for Education, Prof.

Kate Omenugha, disclosed this, when members of the Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Education, paid her ministry a familiarisation visit, as part of its oversight function in the education sector.

Receiving the committee members, Professor Omenugha appealed to the State Assembly to promulgate laws that will assist in tackling the numerous challenges confronting the state’s education sector.

According to her, one of the major challenges include the operation of illegal schools in mushroom apartments and other unfriendly environments, even as she stated that the Ministry of Education is C M Y K

coming up with guidelines for the operation of private schools in the state.

The guidelines, she said would be presented to the House Committee on Education before they become operational.

She however, stated that her ministry will create a forum through which the House Committee members will be constantly updated on the activities of the ministry, to enable them keep abreast of activities going on in the

ministry, as well as to enable them pass the relevant motions and laws that will move the state’s education sector forward, which is the passion of Governor Willie Obiano.

Briefing the Commissioner on the purpose of their visit, the

Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha (middle); Chairman, House Committee on Education, Anambra State House of Assembly (3rd rght), and other members of the committee when they paid a familiarization visit to the state's Ministry of Education.

Chairman Anambra State House Committee on Education, Hon Vivian Okadigbo stated that they were in the Ministry of Education to familiarize themselves with the Ministry and seek ways of mutual partnership with the Ministry to move Education forward in the State.

Hon. Okadigbo stated that like Gov. Obiano, the Committee has great passion for education and will do everything within its reach to provide the legal framework for education in the state to play the desired role as a key enabler in Obiano’s development agenda.

Meanwhile, other members of the committee who were part of the delegation include Hon. Ikem Uzoezie, Hon Timothy Ifediorah and Hon Patrick Aniuno.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Beatrice Okonkwo informed the House Committee members that the Education Ministry is a very large one, where the officers work round the clock to cover ground in line with Gov. Obiano’s vision.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 5

Bad roads in Nsukka:

Let the projects start now!

BY CHIBUNDU ABUGU

I

F THERE is anything that has become a perennial nightmare to the indigenes and other residents of the university town of Nsukka, in Enugu State, it is the deplorable state of the road network in the town.

Rainy seasons are always unfavourable periods for commuters and road users in Nsukka town due to waterlogged portions on bad spots in almost all the major roads in the area.

As a result of this, artisans, small scale business enterprises and petrol stations around the affected areas are usually idle as nobody is willing to literally swim through waterlogged areas to patronize them.

Mr Silas Ugwuoke, a commercial tricycle driver complained that about 50 per cent of his daily earnings are expended on repairing his Keke Napep (as it is popularly called) as water usually soak the engine while trying to negotiate through pools of water.

Another road side motorcycle mechanic at Ugwoye which is one of the worst waterlogged areas explained that apart from those who get stranded in the water while trying to navigate through , people hardly patronise them in their shops.

Even others who live near the waterlogged areas are not spared, especially those behind the former First Bank at Ugwuoye as they are forced to erect walls in front of their buildings to prevent water from entering their houses.

Accidents have been recorded

The road under reconstruction, which the last administration started, without completing

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

South East Voice learned that previous attempts to reconstruct the road by the immediate past administration of Sullivan Chime were unsuccessful as asphalt was on each occasion merely laid on the ground without proper drainage systems. on countless occasions along the narrow Opi-Nsukka road which many residents of the area blame on the non- dualisation and lack of road traffic signs.

South East Voice learned that previous attempts to re-construct the road by the immediate past administration of Sullivan Chime

were unsuccessful as asphalt was on each occasion merely laid on the ground without proper drainage systems.

In the course of this rainy season, water has washed away the asphalt and the road has gone back to its former deplorable state. But with the coming of the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi- led administration, it seems there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Ugwuanyi’s promised in his inaugural speech to pay special attention to rural development and create more urban areas, coupled with consequent statements at public functions of his determination to revamp the infrastructural condition of

Nsukka town for the better have aroused the consciousness of the people who had almost lost hope.

Already, the governor has conducted personal inspection of the roads and subsequently awarded consultancy services on the construction of the major roads not only in Nsukka and other parts of the state.

In the same vain, the Enugu State Ministry of Works has already published tender for construction companies to bid for roads in Nsukka which includes the dualisation of Opi-Nsukka Road, Ohom Orba JunctionImilike Ani-Ezimo Uno/Agu Ogbodu Aba-Obollo-EtitiAmalla-Obollo Afor in Udenu

We’re positioned to grow small businesses — Skye Bank ED

BY CHINONSO ALOZIE

O

WERRI-The Executive Director of Skye Bank Plc, Mrs. Ekong Ibiye has said the bank has been positioned to grow small businesses.

Ibeye spoke in Owerri, during a business seminar organized by the bank.

The seminar was initiated to help the bank customers identify their different opportunities and talents as well as to nurture their current businesses to grow.

Participants at the seminar were expected to not only connect with their fellow business men and women but also learn new strategies for their personal life changing

Ikpeazu commissions Ibeme electricity project

BY UGOCHUKWU ALARIBE

A

BA-Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has commissioned the Ibeme Electricity Project in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state, bringing light to the two communities in the old Ibeme area - Oberete Isiala and Ibeme autonomous communities which had never enjoyed electricity in the history of the state.

The project which was initiated by the community through self-help efforts could not be realized because of the huge cost of the project, even with the efforts made by the Senator representing Abia South zone, Chief Enyinnaya

Abaribe who attracted a transformer and drums of cables and a business mogul, Chief Chris Nkwonta who also donated over N2 million to the community.

Speaking on the occasion, Ikpeazu said he had fulfilled his campaign promise of providing electricity to the communities in the area as he had discovered that they had never had electricity.

He however, commended the people for the reception given him and his entourage just as he further promised to tar the road linking Aba through the community to Akwa Ibom State.

While expressing gratitude to the Abia state government for fulfilling its promise of connecting the area to the

Local Government. Other areas in the bidding process are Obechara Road JunctionUmuakashi-Mechanic VillageIkenga Hotel Junction, Umuezebi Nru JunctionUniversity Gate road and others.

Considering that the citizens are fed up with the bad road conditions in Nsukka, it is understandable why they had lost patience and cannot wait for the road projects to commence.

It should be noted that the construction of the roads and providing good drainage systems will bring a lot of relief to people of the town economically and also ease man- made problems.

national grid, Chairman of the reception committee, Sunny Ogbonna, described Ikpeazu as an action governor who had achieved a lot within his first 100 days in office.

According to him, “This is the first time our people are experiencing electricity in this area. The communities in old Ibeme area have now been connected to the national grid.

By this singular gesture, we have been given confidence in your government. We happily join the good people of Abia state in celebrating your 100 days in office with the commissioning of the Ibeme electricity project. We are also appealing to you to help upgrade the Amator Community School, OhanzeAgwo village to a model school

in line with your government’s agenda of establishing models schools.

He further appealed to the governor to tar the road linking the area from Aba to Akwa Ibom, lamenting that as a border town, poor road network had adversely affected the development of the communities.

In an interview with newsmen at the event, Secretary of the Ibeme Electricity Committee, Prince Ezenwa Efuruibe, said that the people of the area had heaved a sigh of relief with the commissioning ceremony, as they had suffered through communal efforts to ensure the completion of the project and thanked him for fulfilling his promise to the people.

ventures.

However, Ibiye also said that the Skye bank as a way of encouraging small businesses now assist their customers obtain loans through the Bank of Industry,BOI, adding that the aim of the Business seminar was to enable customers get acquainted with the required tools to expand their businesses.

In his remark, the Regional Head, Southeast, BOI, Akinshola Adetokunbo said that it was collaborating with the Imo state government for what he called “matching fund” for people to access and grow their businesses.

Adetokunbo said that it was easier to obtain loan through such collaborative efforts and assured the people that BoI was ready to support small businesses to grow.

Earlier in his keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer,CEO, of GIMCORD Interbiz Ltd, Mr. Godwin Iheanacho said that Skye Bank assisted him to obtain a loan from the BoI which had ‘’today made my business stronger, better and very successful,’’ adding that for any business to grow there should be honesty, integrity and sustainable relationship with its clients based on truth.

C M Y K

6 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

Ekweremadu, Ikpeazu, Iwuanyanwu, console Senator Nwaogu at husband’s burial

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—ABIA state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu and PDP BoT member, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu were among top dignitaries that attended the burial of late Dr. Roland Nwaogu, husband to Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, at his country home in Mbutuoma autonomous community in Osisioma Ngwa council area of Abia State.

Others included the Abia State Deputy governor, Chief Oko Chukwu, former Abia governor, Senator Theodore Orji, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, State chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Donatus Nwankpa and the former Speaker, Abia Assembly, Sir Stanley Ohajuruka. Speaking at the occasion, Governor Ikpeazu described Dr. Nwaogu’s death as a fulfilment of God’s design for man on earth which was inevitable. Ikpeazu further said that the late Nwaogu played his part well while alive and advised all to live good records as well as strive to make peace with God so as to be counted among the living when their time was up.

Iwuanyanwu who said he came to know the deceased through the wife;Senator Nwaogu, described him as a hardworking and dependable man who

worked under him in several political endeavours. The PDP chieftain added that the late Nwaogu would be remembered for the worthy life he lived on earth.

In his homily during the funeral service, the Bishop of Aba Ngwa North Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Nathan Kanu who was supported by about eight Bishops among several other clergy men, said human beings were like pilgrims and strangers on earth and should abstain from lusts that kill the soul.

No tribute can soothe the pain of this great loss because of what late Dr. Roland Nwaogu stood for, but I urge his family not to mourn like those that have no hope.

Right - left. Gov Ikpeazu, his predecessor, Theodore Orji and wife, Odochi, at the burial service Kanu who took his reading from 1 Peter 2:11, admonished people to shun sin, immorality, greed and corruption and live worthy lives while alive so as to be remembered for their good works when they die.

He reminded the gathering that it was said in the past that the evils that men do live after them, but stressed that the situation had changed now as the evil that men do now live with them, hence they should strive to do good at all times.

He urged the bereaved family not to mourn like people without hope, advising them to take solace in the fact that late Dr. Nwaogu lived an exemplary life while on earth.

In his condolence message, former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu said a treasure had been lost in the demise of Dr. Nwaogu who he described as a rare gem who touched many lives on earth.

Kalu said the late Dr. Nwaogu did not live for his family alone but rather devoted his life to the service of God and humanity.

“No tribute can soothe the pain of this great loss because of what late Dr. Roland Nwaogu stood for, but I urge his family not to mourn like those that have no hope. You should be consoled that he lived a fulfilled life while here on earth,” Kalu added.

Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (R)in a chat with Gov.Ikpeazu at the burial

L -R: Senator Nwaogu , son and a relative.

Town Hall Meeting discusses cause of unending poverty in Imo

BY CHINONSO ALOZIE

P

OOR BUDGET implementation and under-representation at the local government level have been identified as the major causes of the unending poverty situation in Imo State.

This was the outcome of a town hall meeting of mainly community based Civil Society Organisations, CSOs organized recently in Owerri, by the South Sahara Social Development Orgarnistion, SSSDO. The CSOs believed that there was serious under-representation of the 27 local government areas of the state by those entrusted to run their affairs.

Among other issues raised during the round-table meeting, they wanted the Imo State government to run an open budget system; a process which they said would not only capture C M Y K

the lack of basic social amenities in the rural areas but would also go a long way to address the continued denial of the electorate the benefits of their God given resources.

Another area of concern was the “unexplainable” reasons why the various administrations, in the state had refused, despite invitations to participate in the many accountability and transparency programmes organized by the CSOs in the state.

They specifically complained that the present administration was also invited to the just concluded parley but failed to turn up.

However, they appealed to the present regime to endeavour to always organize public hearings as a way of gauging the feelings of the people on whether they had been deprived of their dividends of democracy or not adding that, through public hearings, developments could

also, be extended to the rural areas which would in turn have their input in the budgets.

One of the facilitators of the programme, Mr. Emeka Ononamadu pointed out that the meeting was aimed at encouraging the electorate to realise that their responsibilities as citizens included active involvement in the process of

Poor budget implementation and under-representation at the local government level have been identified as the major causes of the unending poverty situation

governance in order to make the system transparent through questions on how their resources are being expended and monitoring of the disbursement process for the purpose of development.

Speaking also, Febechi Maduako said that SSSDO introduced the Igbo language radio programme called ego anyi (our money) in 2014 to encourage active involvement of the citizens in what she described as “participatory governance.”

Maduako said that the programme had been impacting on the people since it had been on air by enlightening the Imo people on budgetry processes and implementation.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Constitutional Governance, CCG, had also in a recent survey report, exposed the Imo State lawmakers as not being alive to their responsibilities of delivering dividends of democracy through their constituency projects.

The report made available to the South East Voice by the Project Team Leader, Dr. Adewale Balogun stated that among the 27 local governments, only Oguta did not have a representative in the Imo House of Assembly, at the time of the survey.

According to the report, among the 26 constituencies, 24 provided their office addresses while two, did not, while among the 24 that made their addresses available to the CCG enumerators, only 20 could be located through their addresses, with only 12 of them were functional, while the remaining four provided fake addresses.

The report further stated that, “12 offices representing 46 percent opened regularly from Mondays to Fridays, while 14 offices, representing 54 percent were not functioning regularly and the offices only opened for special political party meetings or during campaign periods.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 7

E

NUGU—WORRIED by the degree of dilapidation occasioned by the abandonment of Enugu International Conference Centre, ICC, by the immediate past administration of ex-Governor Sullivan Chime, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, has ordered the immediate fencing of the perimeter area to ward off vandalism and encroachment.

This came as parts of the perimeter fence to the ICC had caved in, following abandonment of the project in the last nine years.

Chime’s administration had at the twilight of its tenure, allegedly sold plots of land at the ICC to supposed friends and cronies for fees allegedly above N25 million.

The beneficiaries had quickly moved in, to develop their property, prompting public outcry and resolution by the Enugu State House of Assembly, stopping further developments at the site.

IN THE BEGINNING The ICC was conceived and embarked upon by former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani in 2003 and work had reached 80 per cent completion before it was abandoned by Chime, his successor and political godson.

Reliable sources told the South East Voice that over N3 billion was spent on the edifice to put Enugu State on the world map of tourism, culture, and hospitality by the Chimaroke administration before it was abandoned.

UGWUANYI COMES IN However, Ugwuanyi, who was conducted round the centre, last week, assured that his administration would ensure that the objectives for which it was started would be duly realized.

When the governor arrived the centre located at the Three- Arms Zone, in Enugu, work was in progress as bulldozers and other heavy machineries were deployed to not just to clear the premises of overgrown grass and trees but also safeguard it against further vandalism.

The governor in a remark during the visit, said that the centre was at the heart of

THE TEAM

Editor: Emeka Mamah - Enugu (08033218645; email: emekemamah@yahoo.com) Anayo Okoli, Umuahia Vincent Ujumadu, Awka Austin Ogwuda, Awka Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri Peter Okutu , Abakaliki Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi

Francis Igata, Enugu Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba Enyim Enyim, Onitsha Chinoso Alozie, Owerri Obialunamma Nwadiogbu, Amawbia Eric Ugbor, Aba

•Abandoned Enugu International conference centre

Ugwuanyi moves to salvage abandoned International Conference Centre, Enugu

...To give ESBS a face-lift

BY FRANCIS IGATA Enugu City, and would attract prospective investors and make the state a choice investment destination for all.

He ordered that the wall of the centre be painted and the dilapidated fence be remoulded to prevent further vandalism of the area.

Enugu residents had opposed the sale of plots of land in the area earmarked for the ICC, describing the action as the height of impunity by the Chime’s administration, which also approved the concessioning of the state water corporation to a private company, thus increasing the cost of essential commodity by over 300 percent.

Fiery Lawyer applauds Meanwhile, Mr Ray Nnaji, who had written a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, asking it to investigate Chime over the sale of the ICC land however, praised Ugwuanyi’s for rising above parochial

political interests to salvage the centre.

Nnaji told South-East Voice that, “Chime only attracted one industry in Enugu State which is Shoprite. He allocated 40 percent equities

in Shoprite to himself through a proxy when Enugu State which donated about 10 hectares of land worth N7 billion to the investment has lesser percentage of equities.

“Now that Ugwuanyi has

Church accuses Abia govt of demolishing property

By UGOCHUKWU ALARIBE

A

BA—LIVING Church outreach of the International Christian Centre, Aba, Abia State, has accused the Aba Urban Renewal Project Committee of selective demolition of its structures located at Kamalu Street area of the city.

The Bishop of the Church, Kelly Nwaeleh alleged that structures belonging to his church were singled out for demolition leaving other

buildings on the same street untouched.

According to the cleric: “How can they pass the gutter and streetlight on the road and pull down our fence and public lavatory built for members of this community.

“Take a look and see if this is not selective demolition because other buildings before our church and within this area have been left untouched. And why must it be ours that they demolished.”

The Bishop, who insisted that the church knew the implication of erecting any

Imo youths use farming implements to repair roads

BY CHINONSO ALOZIE

O

WERRI—Apparently tired of waiting for the state government to provide them with motorable roads, youths in Imo State now use hoes, shovels and cutlasses, among other farming tools, to make such roads fairly passable.

One of such occasions was at Urata and Umuchima roads in Owerri North Local Government Area, where they used sand to fill potholes and

revoked the allocation, that industry, ICC, will no doubt, generate jobs for our teeming unemployed youths, put Enugu State in the world map of tourism. If this is the only thing Ugwuanyi will do during his tenure, he has done well.”

craters to ensure free flow of traffic.

Expressing their views on how far the road had been neglected, they said that the road was passable until the government abandoned its reconstruction in 2014.

Chibike Amadi, who spoke to the South East Voice, said that they had on many occasions drawn the attention of the state government to continue the reconstruction of the road, which he (Amadi) said, was abandoned without any tangible reason.

Amadi added that they had expected the road to have been completed during last year’s dry season, to make it easier for the motorists.

Also speaking, Mr. Chinedum Ihekwoaba described the Umuchima road as crucial to the economic activities of the people, pointing out that the road was the nearest route through which the residents and nonindigenes could connect easily to Owerri, the state capital.

structure without getting approval from the appropriate authorities, described the demolition as uncalled for.

“We applied for and got government’s approval before embarking on the erection of the structures. Now they have demolished them without even giving us notice when other structures are still standing,” he said.

When contacted, Special Adviser to the Governor on Aba Urban Renewal Project, Solomon Ogunji, said his agency had never been selective in its operations as it always served notices to owners of illegal structures marked for demolition in the city.

Ogunji insisted that the church could not have got approval from any government agency to build structures on a pedestrian walk way.

“The church you are talking about has a large expanse of land on its premises but still went ahead to erect structures on the pedestrian walk way.

There is another church at the same place, when we got there, they begged for time to rebuild the fence and has now completed it.

"Why would the Bishop of the Living Church be protesting when he built an illegal structure? We won’t spare any illegal structure in the state no matter the status of the owner.

C M Y K

8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY,

OCTOBER 7, 2015

2,000 protest killing of couple by unknown persons

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

N

SUKKA—About 2,000 people from Amaja, Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, weekend, demonstrated along the major roads at Ogrute, the local government headquarters over the killing of Marcel Ossai Aba and his wife, Jacinta, while asleep by unknown assailants.

Aba, who was slaughtered with his wife at his Amaja community by the assailants, who did not remove any property or cash from the house, brought the number of couples killed in Enugu Ezike to four in recent times.

However, the demonstrators, who carried placards with different inscriptions, lamented that Aba, who could hardly feed his family was murdered in cold blood with his wife, who was breast- feeding her nine months old child in the middle of the night.

They said that Amaja was a border community between Enugu and Benue states, lamenting that the community had neither a health centre, electricity, roads nor police

station, among other social amenities, despite their support to the government.

An 11 year old daughter of the deceased, Chinonso, narrated how her parents were killed in cold blood, at the palace of the Onyishi Amaja, Eze Nwidoko, where the people of the area returned en masse to discuss the strange development before embarking on the demonstration.

She said that the assailants killed her father before killing her mother.

“We were sleeping in the night when my mother noticed that some people were flashing their torches outside but were not talking.

“As she was talking, the people came into our room and took her baby who was sucking her breast away from her and threw him to Ikedi, 5, before cutting my mother’s neck.

“The whole place was dark, we did not know when they left, but staying with the body of our mother for some time, I went with Ikedi to my father’s room and saw that his head was also cut. I used the lantern, which was lit by mother before we went to bed.

We could not cry or shout because it was still very dark and we could not go to anywhere.

•Umaja people protesting “We stayed with the corpses until later in the morning when we went to the neighbours to inform them that our daddy and mummy had been killed. It was our neighbours that helped us to alert other villagers about what happened,” Chinonso, who was carrying the last child of her mother, said.

The traditional ruler of Amaja, Igwe Ignatius Idoko, aka Atlas, said that his community was the most neglected border area in the state.

“We have been appealing to the relevant authorities to establish a police station between us and the people of Benue and Kogi states, who are our neighbours.

Igwe Idoko later took South East Voice on a motorcycle to the family house of the deceased couple where it was discovered that the door leading to the man’s room was opened by the deceased for his assailants while

the one leading to his wife’s own was broken and vowed that the community would leave no stone unturned to get at the root of the matter.

Onyishi Idoko, who is the eldest man in Amaja and Igwe Idoko said that the couple had died for the liberation of the people of Amaja just as Jesus died for the liberation of mankind, adding that the people would cooperate with security agencies to ensure that justice was done.

However, investigations by South East Voice revealed that Aba and his wife were killed after an unidentified kidnapped man from Anambra State, who was detained in a tick forest near their residence, was rescued by the police.

Those, who spoke on the condition of anonymity at Amaja, said that the kidnapped man whose mouth was covered with a black cloth was seen in a bush

which separates the village from Amaja with Adupi in Benue State, It was gathered that another woman had found the abducted man and ran back to inform her husband, who in turn, alerted members of the vigilante group in the area.

The members of the vigilante were also said to have alerted the nearest police station in the area, from where detectives were sent to free the kidnapped victim, without laying ambush for the kidnappers, who usually visited to feed their victim between 2a.m. and 3.30a.m. daily.

South East Voice gathered that when the kidnappers visited the area where they their victim was tied in the bush, they reportedly suspected that the couple must have alerted the police men, who untied their victim and went to the nearby house to kill the couple.

BAILOUT FUND DISBURSEMENT: Civil servants laud Ugwuanyi E

NUGU—Civil servants in Enugu State have commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi over the transparency adopted by his government in disbursing the N4.207 billion bailout fund from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, saying that this was the first time that workers were being taken into confidence on issues that affect their welfare in the last 13 years.

The workers spoke during an interactive session with Ugwanyi at Government House, Enugu.

The interactive session was to brief the workers on the progress made by government on the bailout fund as well as the N10 billion infrastructure loan both of which were yet to be accessed from the CBN, as approved by the state House of Assembly.

This was even as the state is said to be owing both serving and retired civil servants and primary school teachers arears of salaries and other C M Y K

entitlements amounting to about N32 billion.

H o w e v e r, Ugwanyi who spoke at the programme intimated the labour leaders with the huge debt burden and sought their views on how the bailout fund should be disbursed, if accessed.

He explained that the bailout fund which the CBN approved for the state, following the approval by the National Council of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State States was for the payment of arears of one month’s salaries of workers to N135, 570, 311.95; while and gratuities as at June this their pension and gratuities year. stood at about N319, 671,485.37 But a breakdown of the debt as at June when his showed that arrears owed the government came into office. non- staff of MDAs amounted Altogether, the arears of

gratuities owed the parastals alone amounted to about N13, 489, 910, 659.27 just as the arears of pensions and gratuities in the 17 local government councils amounted to about N18, 785,997, 141.02, bringing the grand total to about N32, 257, 907, 800.

Among the staff of parastals and departments who were owed huge pensions, gratuities and salary areas included those of the Daily Star newspaper, the state water corporation; ENADEP, ESUT, ENTRACO, and the state Library Board. Retired teachers have not been paid their entitlements since 2002.

“We have formerly applied for the loan from the CBN as it affects the bailout fund. We will set up a committee to monitor it. The economy of Enugu State is tied to the payment of salaries of civil servants. It is a civil service state…,” he said.

The state Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Virginus Nwobodo, who spoke at the session, lamented the plight of retired workers in

the state, adding that they were worried when they learnt about the N4.207 bailout fund and the N10 billion loan for infrastructure as Labour was aware that the bailout fund was like a drop in the ocean.

Nwobodo who commended Ugwanyi for summoning the interactive session said that some retired workers died as a result of lack funds to feed their families or treat themselves in hospitals.

According to him, the wife of one of the retired workers once divorced him because of lack of money occasioned by nonpayment of his entitlements, His counterpart in the Trade Union Congress, Igbokwe Igbokwe jnr, spoke in the same vein, adding that the interactive session had opened their eyes to what was happening.

Igbokwe also commended Ugwanyi for “his transparency” in handling the bailout issue saying that previous administrations in the state were not labour friendly.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 33

34— Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY 5 WEDNESDAY,, OCTOBER 7, 201 2015

Aftermath of bloody clash with Navy, Police: IPOB draws battle line •Biafra must rise again— MASSOB, IPOB, BZM •We won’t condone unlawful assembly - Police •Allegation of shooting IPOB members is false - Navy

By Nwabueze Okonkwo,ONITSHA

I

T would appear that the dust raised by last August 30 bloody clash between members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and teams of Naval and Police personnel, which resulted in the death of two IPOB members and injuring about 10 others, including a Naval personnel, is yet to settle. This is because members of IPOB are insisting that the attack on their members and their death would not deter them from agitating for the realisation of Biafra.

Reacting to the development, Anambra State Coordinator of the group, Ikechukwu Okoye said their main goal is to restore Biafra as a republic, adding that they are still waiting for further directives from their Directorate to determine their next line of action.

Okoye who spoke to newsmen at the St. Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha when he took the visiting National Coordinator of the group, Chidiebere Onwudiwe; Secretary to the Homeland Directorate (Biafra Land), Gift Ahamefula and other national officers to the Hospital Mortuary where the bodies of their two slain members were deposited, accused officers and men of the Nigerian Navy and a police team from Fegge Division of shooting and killing their members and injuring others.

Okoye who also took the national officers to Paragon Hospital, Fegge Onitsha and Multi-care Hospital, Omagba Phase II also in Onitsha, had in response to claims that both the Navy and the police denied the shooting and the resultant deaths, said: “Let the truth prevail because I can now see that truth is very economical in this part of the world”.

Peaceful procession turns bloody Narrating what he termed as their ordeal in the hands

of the naval ratings and policemen to his visiting officers, Okoye alleged that on the fateful day, their members numbering over 2,000 had converged at United Primary School, UPS, Nkpor in Idemili Northg Local Government Area, near Onitsha, Anambra State, penultimate Sunday morning for their quarterly prayer/orientation summit.

He alleged that after their prayers, they left for a peaceful procession which took them to Nkpor Junction down to Borromeo Roundabout and Zik’s Inosi Onira Retreat and across the Onitsha Army Barracks up to Upper Iweka, distributing their flyers. He added that at Upper Iweka, some policemen confronted them and after explanations that they were on a peaceful procession, they allowed them to move ahead with the cops trailing them.

He alleged that on getting to Coca cola Bus-stop close to Premier Breweries Gate, a team of Naval personnel confronted them and an explanation was offered as to their mission. But the situation soon gave way to pandemonium when the Naval men allegedly opened fire, shooting into the crowd after one of them made a phone call.

He added that as they retreated to avoid being hit by bullets, the police team from

•Two of those injured during the fracas Fegge Division which was ting at those who got in their trailing them, also opened fire way as if butchering animals and in addition to shooting, in an abattoir. More shocking, they threw teargas cannisters he added, was that a pregnant which forced the peaceful woman was also brutalised, crowd to disperse with each bleeding profusely after being viciously kicked. She was person scampering to safety.

He also alleged that not sat- rushed to a nearby hospital.

Okoye further told the visiisfied with the shooting, the Naval men resorted to using tors that two of their members, cutlasses on the crowd, cut- namely Ebuka Nnorom from Ufuma in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state and Maduka Obasi from Ebonyi State, bled to death as a result of refusal by the medical personnel to commence treatment on them.

Okoye said their He alleged that one of them main goal is to was shot on the chest, while restore Biafra as a the other was shot on the stomach and yet medical perrepublic, adding sonnel at the nearby Toronto that they are still Hospital refused to give medical attention on the ground waiting for further that they were forbidden from directives on their treating a victim with bullet wound unless such victim next line of action

produces a written police permit.

He alleged that as a result, the two injured persons were then rushed to Borromeo Hospital whose personnel also demanded for a written police permit. When this was not provided, they too refused to commence treatment until both men bled to death and were deposited at the hospital morgue. He added that their members later went to the police and obtained a permit to treat those with minor gun shot injuries who were taken to other hospitals.

On whether they intend to launch a counter-attack against the Navy and the police, he said they were still waiting for directives from the IPOB Directorate on their next line of action.

Also speaking, one of their members who identified himself as Daniel Umenze, told the national officers that he had a harrowing experience in the hands of the Naval ratings and the police, adding that he and his wife who were at the fore front of the procession narrowly escaped death as the bullets missed them by whiskers. Apart from that, he said that some personal effects such as phones, iPAD, laptops and even fiscal cash deposited inside his car by their members for safety were allegedly carted away by the Naval and police personnel.

From his bed at Multi-care Hospital, Onitsha, Sampson Kalu, another member of the group said he was shot at the lower ankle of his right leg and the bullets pierced through the front and came out from the back side. He also informed that he is presently recuperating, while vowing to remain in the struggle just like their mentor and hero, the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

Elder brother to the late Ebuka, Anayo Nnorom, a newspaper vendor, said his late brother was once recruited into the Nigerian Army but was booted out following a disagreement with his superior officers. He added that thereafter Ebuka never had any tangible means of livelihood, hence he remained at Umunze with their father and other family members.

He said that both himself and their father who is a pasContinues on page 35

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY 5 —35 WEDNESDAY,, OCTOBER 7, 201 2015

Aftermath of bloody clash with Navy, Police: IPOB draws battle line Continues from page 34

tor at one of the Christian churches did not know that the late Ebuka was a member of IPOB, let alone being in Onitsha on the fateful day he lost his life.

Younger brother to the late Maduka Obasi, Abuchi who was also at the morgue, told the visitors that he was based in Enugu, while Maduka was based in Onitsha, adding that he did not equally know that his late brother was a member of IPOB until his death. He said he had informed their relations and was waiting for their next line of action.

The Director of Clinical Services, DCS at the Borromeo Hospital, Dr. Muo admitted that corpses were brought and deposited at the morgue but could not specifically know if those deposited were members of IPOB or not, since their services were extended to the general public.

IPOB lied

—Navy, Police However, the commander of Navy in Onitsha, Navy Captain Ali Kwabe denied that his men ever attacked the group, let alone killing or injuring any one of them. He added that the fracas between them and the group came about when the group blocked the road, causing vehicular jam. He said it was in an attempt to dislodge them that they went on rampage and started hauling peddles at the naval personnel, resulting in some of their members being injured.

Kwabe also challenged the IPOB to produce evidence that their members were shot and killed, especially in the light of the fact that it is the responsibility of the police to pick such corpses or the injured and take them to either the morgue or hospitals for medical attention.

The Divisional Police Officer at Fegge, Rabiu Garba, told newsmen in his office that the operation was led by the Police Area Commander for Onitsha, Philip Ezekiel, his superior officer. He

also faulted the claim by IPOB, saying if they alleged that some policemen from Fegge Division shot and killed their members, why did they not come forward to make a report of the incident?

Garba, however, described the procession as an unlawful assembly since the IPOB members did not bother to get police permit before embarking on it.

MASSOB reacts In a reaction, the Deputy National Director of Information for Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chris Mocha, said although MASSOB is not part of IPOB, they welcome any Igbo group agitating for the restoration of Biafra as a republic, adding that MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has succeeded in winning over many Ndigbo to the Biafran cause.

Mocha noted that if it was true that the Navy and police opened fire on those armless civilians for merely agitating for Biafra, it was a terrorist act because the UN constitution guarantees freedom of association and agitation of a republic whether it is Biafra or any other one.

A human rights group, the Campaign for Democracy, CD, in a statement issued by its South East Zonal Chairman, Uzor A. Uzor, regretted that it is only in Nigeria that such a despicable act of killing would occur and the government of the day would keep mute.

According to Uzor: “It appears we don’t have any regard for the sanctity of human lives. The Navy must be held responsible for the death of innocent persons. You don’t shoot at people who have no fire arms but only have placards on them. This is an act of man’s inhumanity to man. Those Naval officers should be fished out and prosecuted for murder or they should get ready to kill all of us in the civil society group when we demonstrate.”

•Uwazuruike, MASSOB leader

•Uchenna Madu, faction of MASSOB

•Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB

MASSOB, IPOB, others devise new tactics to actualise Biafra Meantime, MASSOB, the IPOB and the Biafra Zionist Movement, BZM have expressed optimism that the much desired Biafra republic would soon be restored or actualised.

You don’t shoot at people who have no fire arms but only have placards on them; this is an act of man’s inhumanity to man

•Justice Eze Ozobu, faction of IPOB

Although both MASSOB and IPOB appeared to have split into two factions each, just as the BZM leadership is currently in detention and at the same time facing charges of conspiracy and treasonable felony, they still believe their dream of actualising Biafra must surely come to pass.

For MASSOB which came into being in September 1999 and which celebrated its 16th anniversary of its inception barely two weeks ago but which was partially disrupted by security agencies with the arrest of some of their members, there is no going back on its struggle for the actualisation of sovereign state of Biafra.

However, MASSOB which has Chief Ralph Uwazuruike as its leader does not believe that it has a faction, even when its factional group based at Okwe, near Okigwe, Imo State is getting set to produce its own factional leader.

Mocha said MASSOB

has written to the United Nations, UN, to recognise Biafra like it did South Sudan and other countries in the past.

Comrade Uchenna Madu, former National Director of Information, MASSOB, in his own statement, said they left the Uwazuruike group and formed their own faction of MASSOB because Uwazuruike had betrayed the struggle, adding that very soon, they would present their own factional leader to the general public and settle down to work.

Madu who also accused Uwazuruike of signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with Al Mustapha, Asari Dokubo, Fredrick Fasehun and Mohammed Abacha to abstain from any activities that would affect the oneness of Nigeria, said Uwazzuruike has abandoned most of his members to their fate, particularly those who are in detention and those in mortuary who were killed by

the security forces in the course of carrying out the Biafra struggle.

The BZM is led by one Benjamin Onwuka. But he and some of his executive members are currently in prison custody for allegedly trying to capture Enugu State radio house to announce the restoration of Biafra.

IPOB, on its own part, appears to equally have its own faction with one led by Nnamdi Kanu and the other led by Justice Eze Ozobu (retd) and Dr. Dozie Ikedife both former leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The Kanu-led faction is no doubt making its impact felt in the struggle, using Radio Biafra and Biafra Television and reaching out to all parts of the world, just as the Ozobu and Ikedife-led faction is also making waves with its pending court matter between IPOB and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

36— VANGU ARD,WEDNESD A Y,OCTOBER 7, 2015 ANGUARD,WEDNESD ARD,WEDNESDA

Turned down by a single mum Dear Bunmi, HERE IS this single mother of two around where I live and we get on well together. Her children are under 10. When I eventual summoned the courage to ask her out, she turned me down. When I asked if she fancied me, she said she did but that things are not as easy as they seemed. What should I do?

John, by e-mail

T

My husband's friend is wonderful in bed, but...

Dear Bunmi, ’VE BEEN having an affair with one of my husband’s good friends for the past six months and I think I’m in love with him. He’s also married and we’re good family friends. I’m really confused about the relationship as he carries on as if nothing is between us when we’re with other people, yet he shows a lot of passion in the bedroom.

In fairness to him, it all started out as a bit of fun and I’m sure that’s the way he still sees it. I daren’t tell him the way I feel in case he ends the affair. I also don’t want to seem pushy as he’s made no promises. I know he’s sexually attracted to me. But is that all?

Kuburat, by e-mail

I

The consequences of being found out are often immensely painful. There’s no doubt you have feelings for this adulterer - a feeling between attractive partners when they have sex . Your husband's friend is obviously using you for sex and he’s quite happy with the way things are.

Dear Kuburat, Whether your lover feels love for you is not the point. Couples everywhere quietly fool around with one another’s closest friends.

Apart from the thrills, these extramarital games usually have little emotional value and do not provide romance, let alone a happy new beginning.

The consequences of being found out are often immensely painful for everyone involved.

There’s no doubt you have feelings for this adulterer there’s always a feeling of lust between attractive partners when they have sex - it is elementary chemistry. Your husband's friend is obviously using you for sex and he’s quite happy with the way things are. Put an end to this ‘party’ as soon as you can before you’re left with burnt fingers.

Marriage hasn’t stopped his flirting Dear Bunmi, Y HUSBAND gets a load of kicks from flirting with other women. For the eight years we’ve been married, I’ve watched him chat up women and had countless nights anxiously waiting for him to come home from his night-crawling. Now, after his last affair where his latest girlfriend insulted me to my face in his presence, I’ve decided I can no longer live with him.

When I told him I wanted to quit the marriage, he said that suited him fine as he was thinking of going abroad to work.

This would mean our two children might not even see him.

It’s hell being with a man who can’t stay faithful, but if I end our marriage, my children will lose their father. What should I do?

BiIikis, by e-mail

M

Dear Bilikis, Being married to a casanova can be a nightmare. Flirting might be harmless, but it led him to having affairs while controlling you and does what he likes. Now that you’ve found the strength to fight back, he’s making you feel guilty for the hurt your children may feel at the separation. As a mother, you naturally want them to have contact with their father, but you can’t make your husband a responsible father. He has shown little respect for you and your marriage.

You deserve better, and if he’s unwilling to change, then you are right to end the relationship.

While your children need a father, they also deserve a happy mum. Perhaps your threat to end the marriage has made him

invent his job abroad so you’ll change your mind. Let him know that going away would be his choice; and he will have to justify this to his children in the years to come. As much as

plausible, I always try to advise couples to stay together, but unless your husband shows real desire to change you owe it to yourself to build a happier life for you and your children.

I love my ex more than my wife Dear Bunmi, GOT married two years ago when I hadn’t completely fallen out of love with my ex-girlfriend. I met my wife on the rebound after my ex left me for another man. But the relationship didn’t work out and she’s started e-mailing me.

My wife is kind, gentle and a good company, but I now realize that my ex is the love of my life. My marriage is currently childless. What should I do?

Smart, by e-mail

I

Dear Smart,

Before you do anything rash like throwing away your marriage, stop and think about your real feelings for your ex. It’s easy to look back at a past relationship with rose-tinted glasses, but she was the one who chose to finish with you and must have had her reasons, which may well still exist.

I would try to make the marriage work if I were you.

Don’t rush back to your ex without being sure she’s not also settling for you on the rebound. What happens if what she considers a better option shows up - again?

Childbirth’s left my boobs saggy Dear Bunmi, AM only 28 and just had my first child. To my horror, I discovered my boobs have sagged since I gave birth. My husband has even noticed this and I'm desperate to get them back in shape. Is there anything I can do or should I consider plastic surgery.

Franka, by e-mail.

I

Dear Franka, Breasts are fat and milk

producing gland tissue. They are held up by ligaments that stretch as your breasts grow during pregnancy. They rarely return to their previous size afterwards.

Exercise, such as swimming, can help. You will do well to invest in some confidence-boosting bras. Plastic surgery is a bit drastic and very expensive.

Also, there is no guarantee that in a few years, you might not need another.

Dear John, Getting mixed messages from someone you like could be really tricky but, however! much you want someone if there is no real spark forget it; though the fact you get on well with her means there is some hope.

So explore the problem: what’s making the relationship “not easy” as

she alleged? Would she be able to take things further if certain things were resolved? Ask what her difficulties are then be prepared to change.

If there are some things you can do to improve your chances then ask her what she needs from you - is it to see that you will get on well with her children? Give her some space too.

Occasionally, someone says no because the timing isn’t right but they will be glad to be asked later.

Put the ball in her court, saying “if you ever feel differently, please tell me.”

This gives her room to change her mind. If you have worked your way through all these and you are still getting a ‘no’, then it is time to call it a day.

My parents ‘noise’ keeps me awake!

Dear Bunmi, I am in my early 20's and live at home with my parents.

My bedroom is next to theirs and I am kept awake some nights by the horrible sounds they make when they are having sex. I know things like that are normal, but I feel so embarrassed when I see them the next day. Nobody is against their having sex at their age, but shouldn’t they tone it down when there are children in the house?

Nonye by e-mail Dear Nonye, When next this happens and you run into your smugly

glowing parents over breakfast, face your mom and tell her “wow” That must have been a really terrible dream I had last night. I heard you screaming as if you were being harassed by armed robbers, and I was really scared, especially when you started panting. I almost rushed into your room, but I knew dad too must have heard the commotion!

Assume an expression of innocent round-eyed horror as you say this, and watch as they develop exactly the same look. Your nights should be a lot more peaceful from then on!

When next this happens... tell her “wow.” That must have been a really terrible dream I had last night. I heard you screaming as if you were being harassed by armed robbers, especially when you started panting. I almost rushed into your room. Assume an expression of innocent round-eyed horror as you say this... Your nights should be a lot more peaceful from then on!

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOMBER 7 , 2015—37

Mercuria acquires 17% equity of Forte Oil L

By Sebastian Obasi

AGOS—MERCURIA Energy Holding SA, the world’s third largest independent energy traders and asset operators, has acquired 17 per cent equity in Forte Oil Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading integrated energy solutions providers.

The equity is valued at $200 million. Through this investment, Forte Oil Plc has secured additional working capital to continue its meteoric growth and dominance in the downstream sector, upstream services, power generation and upstream exploration in its bid to becoming Nigeria’s premier integrated energy solutions provider.

Mercuria is said to be joining forces with Forte Oil at an auspicious time when equitable funding and expertise is needed to expand and intensify its market penetration to give the company the leverage to further create a positive impact for all shareholders.

The investment, which has been approved by the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission is geared towards improving the group’s working capital and would be used for the expansion of the downstream and power generation businesses in

Nigeria as well as positioning itself for future opportunities in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.

Mercuria’s core business is sourcing, supplying and trading crude oil and refined petroleum products. From these origins they have expanded the portfolio to encompass petrochemicals, biofuels, environmental products, natural gas and LNG, power, coal, iron ore

and a range of other dry bulk commodities and agricultural products.

Forte Oil Plc, formerly known as African Petroleum Plc, markets refined petroleum products for automobiles and machines. It operates various services including retail petroleum product marketing; industrial fuels and lubricants marketing, lubricant production and marketing; vendor managed inventory for

industries; value added peddling; marine supplies; production chemicals, lubricants and greases.

It is also involved in the provision of aircraft refueling and defueling services; aviation fuel delivery services; ownership and operation of aviation fuel storage facilities, as well as insecticide, liquefied petroleum gas, and bitumen businesses.

SUMMIT: From left: Mr. Oscar Onyema, CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Chinelo Anohu- Amazu, Director-General, Pension Commission of Nigeria, PENCOM, and Senator Abubakar Bagudu, Governor of Kebbi State, at the World Pension Summit Africa Special in Abuja.

Jubilation in Rivers APC over Amaechi's ministerial nomination P

ORT HARCOURT—THE Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is excited by the news of the nomination of the immediate past governor of the state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as a Minister by President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as a fitting independence anniversary gift to the state.

A statement by the State Party Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, yesterday in Port Harcourt said: “With the listing, today (yesterday) of Amaechi as a ministerial nominee despite all the manipulations, witch-hunting and other evil plots by Chief Nyesom Wike and his cohorts, we are elated that, once more, good has prevailed over evil, God over devil, light over darkness and patriotism over nepotism.

"By this singular act, President Muhammadu Buhari, has not only given us the best 55th independence anniversary gift, but has also liberated Rivers State from the shackles of a despotic and demonic clique that thought that by propaganda that they C M Y K

could rewrite the history of Rivers State and run down a man whose love for the development and emancipation of Rivers State and Nigeria is infectious.

President Buhari has proven that he is not only a man of honour, integrity and principle but also a man who cherishes and promotes friendship and patriotism.

"We are proud that Buhari did not allow the propaganda

by Wike and his cohorts to sway him from the fact that

Amaechi is a man that he can trust any day and anytime.”

Rivers APC assured President Buhari that Amaechi would not only bring honour to his administration but would also work very hard to make his administration one of the best ever in the annals of Nigeria’s history.

“As we congratulate Amaechi, we urge him to be steadfast in his drive for a better Nigeria by giving out his best as the failure of the Buhari administration will be blamed on him in view of the risks and sacrifices he made in bringing the

APC government to birth. We thank General Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola Tinubu, General TY Danjuma and all the great minds that ensured that the plots of evil men never prevailed in the appointment of Amaechi as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as his non-appointment would have discouraged most Nigerians from working hard to unseat n non-performing government headed by their kinsman”, Rivers APC added.

Court adjourns ex-militants suit against FG, amnesty boss to Oct 21 Federal Y ENAGOA—A High Court sitting in

Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has adjourned till October 21, for hearing in the suit by some ex-militants, against the office of the Chairman of the Implementation Committee of the Presidential Amnesty programme, and the Federal Government, over their noninclusion in the Amnesty programme.

The aggrieved ex-militants,

Asenekir Oyile, Angiama-Owei Oyindoubra, John Government, John Sawyer, Trydy Okpeke, Dollar Motor, Selebi Ayowei, Bobra Angese, Henry Gomeromo and Ekerebi Ombe, in the suit are claiming that the Amnesty Committee erred by refusing to include them in the ongoing Amnesty programme after series of resolutions from meetings with the past and present National Security Advisers to the

President, including late General Owei Azazi and Col. Dasuki Sambo respectively.

The ex-militants are asking the court to declare that they were former militants that had accepted Amnesty under the Third Phase and surrendered their weapons to the Federal Government through the Amnesty Office in 2011 under the Peace Initiative of the Federal Government.

Emerhor lauds Buhari on UN presentation

By Onoja Innocent

W

ARRI—THE Delta State ALL Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship candidate in the April 11 governorship election, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari, for his brilliant presentation at the United Nations, UN, meeting in New York, United States of America.

The APC chieftain in a statement by his Director of Media and Political Communication, Dr Fred Oghenesivbe, to mark Nigeria’s 55th independence anniversary, said the leadership quality of the President was emphatically unveiled at the UN where he exhibited uncommon patriotic and diplomatic potential needed for the advancement of the nation in the 21st century.

Emerhor posited that President Buhari was on course to restore the country back to prosperity after the economic stagnation experienced during the 16 years of People Democratic Party, PDP, misrule.

Foremost trade unionist, Onyia dies @ 87

A

SABA—A foremost unionist and one of the contemporaries of former labour number one, Pa Michael Imuodu, Ogbueshi Uwachommadu Robert Onyia, has died.

The Asaba-born unionist died recently at the age of 87 at his home town.

Ogbueshi Ndozi Onyia in a statement on behalf of the family stated that “RU" as he was popularly known, was a sportsman, journalist, politician, trade unionist and notable custodian of Asaba culture.”

Late Onyia was was also a pioneer student of Saint Patrick’s College, SPC, Asaba in 1944 and is survived by children and many relations.

Late Robert Onyia

38— VANGU ARD,WEDNESD A Y,OCTOBER 7, 2015 ANGUARD,WEDNESD ARD,WEDNESDA

Leadership of South East royal fathers intact — Secretary

Fake DSP, 43 MASSOB members arrested by police In Anambra

By Vincent Ujumadu

By Chidi Nkwopara

A

WKA—A 32-year-old man, Mr. Abdul Maiko, who was allegedly impersonating as a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, has been arrested by the Anambra State police command.

The suspect hailed from GariLamido in Taraba State.

Also in police net were 43 members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign

O

WERRI—THE South East Council of TraditionL Rulers has debunked recent newspaper reports that the chairmanship of the royal body is now headed by Eze Samuel Ohiri of Obi Orodo, Mbaitoli Local Council area of Imo State.

The position of the South East royal fathers was made public via a press statement by the Administrative Secretary, Chief Sopuluchukwu Nwafor, and made available to Vanguard in Owerri.

“No meeting of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers was held in Enugu or any other part of Nigeria recently, which Ohiri attended or his issue discussed as he is not even an executive member of the council, neither has he ever attended any previous meetings of the Council,” the Administrative Secretary stated.

State of Biafra, MASSOB, who were allegedly disrupting the peaceful atmosphere.

This came as the Assistant Inspector General, AIG, of Police in charge of Zone 9, Umuahia, Mr. Usman Gwary warned that the police was fully prepared to battle MASSOB and the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB. Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma, while briefing the AIG, who was

on a familiarization visit to Anambra State, said the fake DPO had been going about extorting money from unsuspecting members of the public allegedly to assist them get recruited into the Nigeria Police Force, NPF. Parading the suspected fake DSP at the state police headquarters in Awka, Karma said Maiko finished serving a prison term last April, following his conviction in 2013 in

FESTIVAL: From left, Airtel Brand Ambassador, IK Osakioduwa; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya with Brand Ambassador, Bowoto Jephta, a.k.a Akpororo, at Banana Island Cultural Festival, in Lagos.

connection with an offence of impersonation.

The CP said the suspect was arrested following a tip-off as he was in the palace of a traditional ruler in Awka-South Local Government Area of the state, asking people to bring some money so he could facilitate the recruitment of people in the area into the police.

Maiko, who claimed to be a 2008 graduate of political science from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, confessed to reporters that he was forced to go into the crime because he could not secure a gainful employment, adding that it was a friend, who lured him into impersonating the police.

Karma warned members of the public to beware of the likes of Maiko, stating that recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force has a transparent process devoid of any corrupt manipulation.

Addressing officers and men of the state police command, AIG Gwary condemned the activities of the two pro-Biafra organizations, which he said, were inimical to the peace being enjoyed by the people and warned that the police would not fold their arms and watch them derail the peaceful atmosphere in the country.

World Igbo Congress condemns kidnap of James Uduji, others

By Emeka Aginam

T

HE WORLD Igbo Congress, WIC, has condemned the recent kidnap of James Uduji, an industrialist in his residence at Festac Town, Lagos, saying that the incident was evidence of increasing insecurity in Nigeria.

The group in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr. Larry Udorji; Secretary General, Cyril Nwaguru and Public Relations Officer, Jimmy Asiegbu, called on the Inspector General of

Police, the Director of State Security Service, the FG of Nigeria, and other relevant and related security agencies to intervene in the matter as a matter immediate urgency.

Similarly, the group also condemned the recent kidnap of Olu Falae, former Secretary of the Government of Nigeria; Mrs. Toyin Nwosu, wife of the Deputy Managing Director of Sun Publishing Limited, Steve Nwosu , among others.

According to the diaspora group, despite assurance of the

Police IG on security, the spate of kidnapping in Nigeria has dramatically increased recently.

Even with the four gate entrances and exits in Festac, the group noted that there have been repeated incidents of kidnapping in Festac Town, adding that police have not done enough regarding the Uduji case.

In the spirit of the Buhari’s anti corruption crusade, the group said that there was urgent need for a thorough overhaul of the FESTAC Police Command.

“In fact , recent kidnappings are

taking place in metropolitan urban areas like Lagos and Abuja, and in residential neighbourhoods that are in very close proximity to police stations and security posts. The shootings, killings related to kidnappings happen in broad daylight and early evening hours in the presence of women and children.

“If an industrialist and an employer of labour like Chief Uduji can be kidnapped at will in metropolitan Lagos, or any other Nigerian city for that matter, on what grounds are the

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

N

igeria’s injuries are untreatable, the causative factors are ineradicable. Fifty years ago, Nigeria’s independence was celebrated with ecstacy, mingled with abundant bravados in predictions and promises of Utopia. -Mr. Darlington Ehondor, Journalist

N

ow that we are 55 years and old enough to do the needful, let each state of Nigeria be given or allocated a crop or economic tree to produce to maximum capacity or be declared a non-viable state agriculturally. -Miss Regina Osakwe, Graduate

On Nigeria at 55

T

he problem with Nigeria is that she has pseudo elite that are unreal in everything to run her affairs; elites who not have anything of their own. They have foreign culture, speak English out of laziness, have foreign culture. -Mr. Chinaza Onuigbo, Businessman

C

onspicuously missing in this year’s independence celebration is the red clad protesters carrying the banner “bringbackourgirls”. I hope that does not suggest that the campaign is dead, and that is one problem we Nigerians have. Mrs Mabel Mgbemena, Worker

governments of Lagos State and the federal government of Nigeria soliciting foreign investors to come into the country to invest?"

“We, at the WIC, agree with the President of NUPENG that the spate of kidnappings could certainly destroy the interest of local and foreign investors.

“We do not want to be compelled to mobilize the Igbo in the Diaspora to demonstrate before our embassies abroad before the Federal Government decides to fight this cancerous disease against all Nigerians.”

L

et me ask the simplest question here. A child that is born 55 years ago, won’t you be expecting that child to have grown and have children and grandchildren? So what does Nigeria have to show, if it is not corruption. -Mr. Ogwu Nwachukwu, Self Employed

W

hat can I say than to still thank God for keeping us together as one Nigeria. I should add that this country Nigeria is far behind development compared to some countries that are younger than Nigeria.

So we need prayers. -Mr. Martins Ifeanyi, Self Employed

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 39

Benue Tribunal upholds David Mark’s election

By Peter Duru

M

the result of the elections held in 700 polling units.

“Most of the testimonies given by the petitioner’s witnesses were contradictory, hearsay and circumstantial, which is not admissible in law as provided by section 126 of the Evidence Act.” Justice Dipeolu, further held that the petitioner merely succeeded in dumping documents on the Tribunal

without making concerted efforts to adduce oral evidence pursuant to the matter.

She also wondered why the petitioner raised criminal issues in his petition but failed in his responsibilities to prove same.

“The burden of proof in this matter lied with the petitioner as provided by law which he failed to discharge, therefore the petition failed and is summarily

dismissed,” she said.

Reacting, counsel to Senator Mark, Mr. Ken Ikonne, lauded the judgement and asked for no cost, saying “our gesture is in the interest of peace and reconciliation.”

The petitioner, Daniel Onjeh, said he would consult with the hierarchy of the APC before taking the judgement before an appellate court.

AKURDI—THE election of the immediate past Senate President, Senator David Mark, has been upheld by the Legislative Houses Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State.

Mark’s victory at the Benue South Senatorial district election was challenged by the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate at the election, Daniel Onjeh, on the ground that the poll was marred by irregularities.

In a two and half hour judgement delivered by Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to adduce enough evidence to prove that the election failed substantially to meet with the provisions of the law.

Relying on sections 124 and 135 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended Justice Dipeolu held: “The petitioner contested the results of election conducted in 700 out of 1,015 pulling units but failed to adduce both oral and documentary evidence to prove his case.

CFO AWARDS: Publisher, Instinct Business/Organiser of the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) Award, “The petitioner called only Mr. Akin Naphtal; Group Chief Finance Officer, UBA Plc and recipient of CFO of the year, Banking two witnesses who directly category, Mr. Ugo Nwaghodoh; Group Editor, Instinct Business, Mrs. Kehinde Olesin; and Group participated in the election, in Chief Finance Officer, Jagal Group, Mr. Richard Turner at the maiden CFO awards in Lagos. a suit in which he is contesting

Youths protest in Niger over governor’s appointments

By Wole Mosadomi

M

INNA—HUNDREDS of youths from Niger East senatorial districts of Niger State yesterday took to the streets of Minna, the state capital, to protest against alleged maginalization of the zone from the appointments so far made by the state governor,

Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello.

However, the state governor in his reaction, through his Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Dooba, appealed for calm and urged the people to be more concerned about developments in the state and not appointments for now.

The group, under the aegis of Gbegnu Boknu Yakwo Youths

Media charged to draw global attention on IDPs' plight

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI—THE Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority, Professor Mohammed Al-Amin, yesterday called on the media to draw global attention to the plight of millions of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, taking refuge at various camps in the North East, following the lingering activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

Al-Amin, who was in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, that had been ravaged by six years insurgency, said, he was in the state with his team to identify with the agonies IDPs were going through.

According to him, the IDPs are the innocent Nigerians bearing the brunt of effects of the crisis.

He said: “This year, we chose Maiduguri, instead of Abuja as a place to commemorate our 2015 World Habitat Day, this is because C M Y K

of the devastating effect of Boko Haram in this part of the country.

“I personally passed the night in one of the tents at this NYSC IDP camp along Biu road and I have experienced the hardship being faced by these Nigerians.''

marched to the government House, Minna with placards carrying various inscriptions such as: “Enough is Enough’, Give us the real change, ‘We want good change’, ‘Bring our SSG’ and others.

They pointed out that the appointments so far made by the governor were not in line with the principles of equity and fairness.

The group, numbering about five hundred had marched through major roads of Minna before ending up few meters to the Government House.

State chairman of the group, Comrade Danjuma Paiko, while addressing journalists specifically mentioned the appointment of Secretary to the State Government (SSG)

and the downsizing and the redistribution of Permanent Secretaries recently carried out by the governor without fairness, especially to their Zone.

“We, the people of Niger East Senatorial District (Zone B) have not been treated well despite the large number of votes got from the zone during the 2015 general elections.

“We call on the state government to as a matter of urgency consider the plight of Zone B to redress all these anomalies before the local government elections.”

However, Governor Bello, through his Chief Press Secretary told newsmen that only technocrats that will be able to work and deliver to the people would be given consideration above all other considerations.

Glo’s reward system extraordinary — DEALERS

G

L O B A C O M ’ S reward scheme for its business partners has been described as extraordinary and unparalleled in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.

The company’s top business partners disclosed this at the 2015 Glo Business Associates Dinner held in Lagos.

Glo appreciated the efforts of the partners at marketing its products and services with car and monetary gifts.

Globacom gave out cars,

including Range Rover Sports, Range Rover Autobiography, Toyota Land Cruiser Lexus and Prado SUVs, multi-million naira credit notes, plaques and other gifts at the event to make history as the most rewarding telecom network for dealers.

One of the recipients and Managing Director of Office Devices, Mr. James Odogwu, said: “Globacom is a great company. Doing business with Glo is good business. Glo knows how to reward their partners and

when the reward would come it is always big.”

Another awardee, the Bajulaye of Ijebuland, and Managing Director of Demus Mayors, Otunba Ademola Adenuga, thanked the company for appreciating its partners in such an extraordinary manner, adding that they were now sufficiently mobilized to improve their performance this year. “Glo is a strong brand which rewards its partners in a very big way,” he said.

8th Indomie Independence Day Award for heroes holds Oct 10

D

UFIL Prima Foods Plc has concluded arrangements for the 8th edition of Indomie Independence Day Award for Heroes, IIDA, of Nigeria to recognise children between the ages of 1 and 15 who have demonstrated remarkable acts of bravery and courage in the face of danger or societal challenge.

IIDA is the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles and eulogizes the exemplary accomplishments of children who are young, yet mature and have shown courage and determination in situations that ordinarily would bring fear, discouragement and selfpity.

The event, scheduled to hold on Saturday, October 10, 2015, will be graced by top government functionaries, captains of industries, celebrities, the media and students.

Public Relations & Event Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, said: “We are very excited to announce the emergence of the three finalists for the 8th edition of IIDA, which has been scheduled to hold on October 10, 2015.''

Anslem Odikpo is dead

M

R. Sochi Anselm Odikpo is dead.

He was 44 years old.

A statement by the family said the deceased, who died of cancer in the United States of America, USA. He hailed from OnichaOlona is Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.

Left to mourn him are his wife, three children, brothers, sisters and aged father.

The statement said the funeral arrangement would be announced later by the family.

Late Anselm Odikpo

40—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

ETISALAT CSR: From left— Manager, CSR, Oyetola Oduyemi; Head, Government and Community Relations, Mohammed Suley-Yusuf, and Head, Regional Sales, North, Mukadas Babangida, all of Etisalata Nigeria; Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education, Kano State, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, at the commissioning of a hostel block renovated by Etisalat for Girls’ Government College, Dala, Kano State, yesterday.

GLO AWARDS: From left— Retail and Consumer Sales Chief, Globacom, Mr. David Maji; Glo Ambassador, Mrs Patience Mama G Ozokwo; Managing Director, Easy & Quiet, Alhaji Mohammed Anthony, winner of Range Rover Autobiography; National Commercial Coordinator, Mr. Yomi Ogunbamowo, and Regional Marketing Director, Mr Ashok Israni, both of Glo, at the 2015 Glo Business Associates Awards and dinner in Lagos.

VERVE/INTERSWITCH: From left— Chief Executive Officer, Verve International, Charles Ifedi; Chief Marketing Officer, Interswitch, Cherry Eromosele; comedian and host of the show, Bright BasketMouth Okpocha and Chief Information Officer, Interswitch, Babafemi Ogungbamila at the Lords of the Ribs comedy concert sponsored by Verve and Quickteller, in Lagos.

AY LIVE: From left— Senior Brand Manager, Maltina, Adewole Adedeji; Marketing Director, Franco Maggi; Marketing Manager, non-alcoholic brands, Olayinka Bakare, both of Nigerian Breweries, and Assistant Brand Manager, Maltina, Phoebe Larry-Izamoje, at AYLive, Port Harcourt Edition.

NAFDAC TRAINING: From left— Titilope Owolabi, Director, Drug Evaluation & Research; Dr. Paul Orhii, Director-General, and Dr. Monica Eimunjenze, Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, all of National Agency for Food and Drug Administartion and Control, NAFDAC, at a training for cosmetics and medical devices manufacturers on Safeguarding the Health of the Nation in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

ANNIVERARY: From left— Parish Pastor, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Father's Place, Ben Atebe; Pastor Emily Atebe; Dr. Funmi Shokunbi of Kingstripe Care Foundation; and her husband, Otunba Kunle Shokunbi, at the free health care outreach for Onike-Iwaya community to mark the fifth year anniversary of the parish in Lagos.

BODY & SOUL: From left— Public Affairs Manager, Lagos and West, Nigeria Bottling Company Ltd., Ifeoma Okoye; Senior Pastor, Agape Christian Ministries, Funke Felix-Adejumo; Guest Speaker, Bisi Ibitayo; and Head, Marketing and Communication, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, during the Body, Soul & Spirit 2015 in Lagos.

SIMBA TRAINING: From left— Luminous Channel Partner, Katsina, Alhaji Salisu Mamman; Simba Training Certificate awardee, and Simba Branch Manager, Kano, Mr. Mayank Trivedi, during the Luminous Technician Training Programme in Katsina.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—41

Senate begins screening of ministerial nominees Oct 13 Continues from Page5 current governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal to meet Senate President Saraki on the issue.

It was gathered that Lai Mohammed was led by Tambuwal to Saraki on Monday night at his Maitama, Abuja residence.

The President’s emissary, Ita Enang reached the senators of the opposition party through their Minority Leader, Godswil Akpabio, yesterday evening.

The duo, who hail from Akwa Ibom State, after the meeting, briefed

newsmen where they said the meeting was aimed at forging a common ground for the success of the ongoing APC-led federal administration.

Speaking during the press briefing, Senator Akpabio said: “We will do our best to ensure robust debate, fine-tune the policies of the APC administration to better the lots of Nigerians and to ensure that Nigeria gets out of the current economic doldrums. So far, on a personal note, I am impressed with the list that was sent by the President. I believe that he has kept to his word by

ensuring that we soughtt out a lot of people of integrity that can salvage the country. But of course, the Senate will still do its work of screening and rescreening, and I pray that more than 70 or 80 percent of the list should pass through.”

On his part, Senator Ita Enang said: “Part of our job is to reach out to all the sections. And the past is gone, this is a new beginning.”

Buhari didn’t tell me I’ll be minister – Fayemi

Former governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi,

yesterday, said that President Buhari, despite their closeness, did not tell him he would be nominated as a minister.

The former governor, who was Director of Research and Strategy in Buhari’s campaign team during the 2015 electioneering period, however, told newsmen at the national Secretariat of APC, that he was surprised by his nomination.

Asked whether the nomination came to him as a surprise, Fayemi said: “Well, to the extent that I was not told by the President that I was going

to be on his list, yes, it came as a surprise. The President is a surprise master, let me put it that way. He did not tell anyone to the best of my knowledge and I would have thought that I was in a vantage position to know more than others, I was with him for five days before then, I was with him in New York at the United Nations General Assembly and he never uttered a word about his list to me or to anyone else. We came back to Nigeria together, I was with him till 4pm on the evening he submitted the list to the President of the Senate and I didn’t have any clue of what was going to happen. So, to that extent I was pleasantly surprised.”

Senator Onwe kicks

The senator who once represented Ebonyi Central at the National Assembly, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, poohpoohed the list, insisting that the President shortchanged the South-East.

His words: “In spite of the uproar that greeted the lopsidedness of his initial rash appointments which saw the South East missing even from the margins of consideration, President Buhari has yet again come up with a ministerial nomination list that screams inequity and Igbo discrimination.

Would we be wrong in concluding that the Civil war vendatta is yet to be laid to rest? All lovers of the Republic must now stare from the state of indifference and declare the truth."

I am disappointed — Balarabe Musa

Speaking on the issue, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said he was disappointed at President Buhari’s ministerial list because there is nothing spectacular about the names.

“Why did it take the President four months to come up with these names? I believe this is the question that many informed Nigerians should ask. These are the same old names, ordinary Nigerians who the President knows and he must have even met them several times. So, what is particular about them that he wasted so much time in appointing them ministers?"

Some are poster boys of corruption —Odumakin,

Spokesman of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin described some of the nominees as poster boys of corruption.

“Nearly everybody on

that list has been involved one way of the other, at one level or the other since 1999, quite a few of them have serious allegations against them.

In fact, some of them are poster boys of corruption.

We hope that those who would do the screening will do a thorough screening. If we are fighting corruption on one hand, then those who have been portrayed to be corrupt should not be promoted to higher responsibility."

It’s an exhibit of the best in the system —Ogunlewe

However, former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe hailed the list, saying: “You cannot have it better, in terms of individual pedigree and the character of the individuals on the list. In fact, I associate myself with that list. It shows an exhibit of the best in the system and one cannot run away from that, not minding the possibility of anti-corruption stance of Mr President. Some of these people cannot be excluded from the anticorruption crusade because they just left public office and they still have a lot of questions to answer.”

It’s a good team— Tsav

Also speaking, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said: "I think it is a good team even though there are a few nominees who are alleged to have been engaged in corrupt practices, especially corrupt enrichment. Our laws state that every accused person is presumed innocent until the contrary is proven. The same could apply to the few listed here after all, they may even repent.”

Buhari assembled analogue ministers, betrayed youth – LP National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said he is disappointed with the list because most of the names on the list are analogue people who have nothing to contribute.

The LP boss also wondered why President Buhari could not fulfill the promise he made to the Nigerian youth during the electioneering campaign, said: “For us in Labour Party, we do not see anything that resembles change as far as the ministerial team is concerned. Imagine bringing someone who served in the government of the late Sarduana of Sokoto to serve as minister in 2015, Buhari has nothing to offer Nigeria.

C M Y K

42 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—43

C M Y K

44 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

C M Y K

Osifeso lauds Obasanjo on leadership award

A

FELLOW of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors and the principal partner, Segun Osi-

feso Associates, Dr. Segun Osifeso, has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a leader whose

tenure as the nation’s president brought sustained peace and significant socioeconomic development to

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—45 Nigeria in particular and course. was worthy of emulation.

Africa in general.

The Institution of SurveyHe said the transformaOsifeso, who stated this tion that the country wit- ors president described in a statement on the pres- nessed during both Chief Obasanjo as a leader of high tigious Leadership Person Obasanjo’s reigns as a mil- standing whose passion of the Year 2014 Award be- itary head of state and as a and dedication to the ading conferred on Chief civilian president were com- vancement of the African Obasanjo, particularly not- mendable stessing that the race was undiluted, noting ed that the contribution of former president was in- that the former President the former president to the deed a visionary and char- has demonstrated that he unity of the country will ismatic leader whose ex- was a stickler for hard work continue to be a reference emplary leadership style and excellence. point in any national dis-

Gani Adams, others for Home Launch 2015 HOME Launch 2015 holds Thursday,October 8.

The occasion will showcase Honeywells Gardens and Prominent Gardens prototype houses across Lagos and Ogun states and a book presentation. Organised by Tobykemsworth, an estate development firm, the launch holds at Brainfield Event Centre, Isheri-Igando Road, Igando, Lagos.

Among the dignitaries expected at the occasion are Otunba Gani Adams; Lagos NURTW Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede; his RTEAN counterpart, Alhaji Muhammed Musa; Hon. Abiodun tokun, member, Lagos House of Assembly representing Epe Constituency 1, and Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Chief Mrs.) Folashade Tinubu-Ojo.

46 — WEDNESDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 7, 2015

Please help memy find son my Help find baby– Mother of abducted Mother of abducted 2-yr-oldboy cries 2-yr-old criesout

By Ebere Aham & Ufuoma Tiveruahor

M

S Faustina Ogar sat down on a settee in her father’s sitting room on Bale Street, Ajegunle, Lagos, casting a blank stare as reporters entered.

Repeated greetings did not make her shift her gaze from that particular position, until her sexagenarian father tapped her on the shoulder.

Jolted back to reality, she turned to her visitors with an expression of shock and uncertainty on her face. She smiled, apparently to put up an act that all was well.

But the real situation of things was revealed after the visitors identified themselves as journalists.

At that point, she stood up and offered them seats. But as she sat down she broke down in tears and asked: “Did you come to hear my side of the story? Or are you here with news of my missing baby?”

The mother of two is at the moment thrown into anguish, following the disappearance of her two-year-and-four-month old son, David. It has been 16 days after David was reportedly abducted by one Ayomide, an apprentice who recently resumed work at Ms Ogar ’s fashion designing shop on Salibu Street, Ajegunle. Since then, no word has been heard from Ayomide or any one concerning payment of ransom for the toddler’s release.

Toddler's release Explaining how the incident which she said had shattered her life started, Ogar narrated: “That fateful Monday, one of our family friends, Sunday Egebor brought Ayomide, a lady of about 25 years, saying she wanted to enrol as an apprentice in my fashiondesigning shop. I never suspected any thing since I have known Sunday for about three years. But that was the first time of meeting Ayomide. Sunday simply introduced her as his friend, explaining that they had worked together before.

"After the introduction, I told her the necessary things needed before she could be taken on.

Among them was payment of a stipend, a crate of soft drinks, a box of Cabin biscuits and some sewing materials.

She promised to bring the things on Friday, September 18, 2015 alongside the form I had given her to fill. She only paid N5,000. I obliged her because of the person that brought her.”

At this point, Ogar paused, looked at these reporters with her tear-filled eyes before continuing.

“I never suspected she was up to something evil. After resuming that Monday, she worked for three days, comporting herself in a good manner. But on the fourth day, September 17, 2015 she kidnapped my baby.

“That day, I was in my house on Omowale Street, Ajegunle attending to household chores.

Normally Thursdays are designated days for cleaning in all markets and shops, so shops do not open until 10am.

Generator workshop At about 9am, she called me on phone, that she had been around.

I apologised to her for not informing her that we do not open early on Thursdays. At about 9:30am, I bathed my son, David who is about two years and four months old, and asked my 12year-old son to take him to Ayomide in the shop on his way to the generator workshop where he is an apprentice.

Usually, my apprentices sometimes come to the house to collect the key and carry my baby to the shop. Then I would use the opportunity to wash some dirty clothes, with the hope of joining

I never believed my son could be kidnapped by anyone, let alone my apprentice.

The unfortunate aspect is that I don’t know anything about her

them in the shop later.”

However, after finishing the laundry, Ogar reportedly left for her shop, only to be greeted with the absence of Ayomide and her baby. Apparently thinking she had gone to buy biscuits for the baby, Ogar reportedly waited endlessly for Ayomide’s return.

Continuing, she said, “My 12year-old son told me he had visited the shop again after dropping his younger brother but had met only Ayomide washing some plates, without any sign of his brother. He had left without suspecting any foul play. But he said when he returned again to pick something from the shop, Ayomide and the baby were nowhere to be found.

At that point, he rushed home to inform me.

“By then I was about leaving for the shop as well, but the information made me hasten my steps. On reaching the shop, Ayomide and my son were nowhere to be seen. When I called Ayomide’s phone, she picked the call and pleaded with me not to be angry, saying she would be around soon.

Having waited for some time, I called again, only to discover that her phone was switched off. Since then, I have not heard anything from Ayomide.”

Crime Alert gathered that the man who stood surety for Ayomide, S u n d a y Egebor has b e e n arrested.

But he could not state where Ayomide lives, nor could he provide information about any of her relatives. Sunday is at the moment being interrogated by detectives of the Special AntiRobbery Squad, SARS. Ogar said: “I believe that my friend, Sunday is an accomplice.

They planned to take my baby away from me. He keeps changing his story since he has been in the police station. Nobody has called us to pay any ransom.

I do not know why anybody will want to punish me through the kidnap of my baby.

“People around said they saw

•David

Ayomide leaving t h e neighbourhood that fateful day, with my baby. But they did not question her since they knew her as my apprentice.

“I never believed my son could be kidnapped by anyone, let alone my apprentice.

The unfortunate aspect is that I don’t know anything about her. All I know is that she is light in complexion, tall, plump and about 25 years old.

The last time I saw her, she was wearing cornrows (all back) made with attachments. Please anyone who has seen her should kindly alert the police”, she pleaded.

Even in her anguished state, she advised other shop owners not to make the mistake of leaving

their children in the care of t h e i r apprentices, saying the trauma such mistake had plunged her into was better imagined than experienced.

“Please shop owners, be careful with whoever you want to keep in your shop.

Screen them properly. If they have vague descriptions, do not accept them”, she admonished tearfully.

She stopped for a while and suddenly yelled: “Oh my baby! Only God knows what he is going through at the moment. I want to see my baby. I miss him so much.

Ayomide, I pray you read this paper. Please be kind enough to release my baby. If I had offended you in any way unknowingly, please forgive me and release my baby.

What offence has he committed to warrant this treatment? Crime Alert gathered that before his abduction, David Ogar was a kindergarten pupil of Realistic Gold Nursery and Primary School, Ajegunle.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 , 2015 — 47

Aggrieved SURE-P staff protest over N4.9bn fraud As Bode George denies involvement

By Emman Ovuakporie, Dapo Akinrefon & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA—A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George among other Nigerians have been accused of embezzlement to the tune of N4.947billion from 51,000 jobless Nigerians recruited as Federal Task Force officers for the protection of Subsidy Reinvestment and E m p o w e r m e n t Programme,SURE-P/Federal Road Maintenance Agency,FER MA projects in Nigeria.

The aggrieved staff who almost barricaded the complex, petitioned the House of Representatives via the Chairman, House Adhoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sani Zoro (APC, Jigawa); a copy of which was made available to newsmen, stated in the petition that the PDP chieftains among who is a former minister made them to purchase the Federal Task Force forms which were supposed to be free at the rate N30,000 each, despite their impoverished situation, only to be employed, used and abandoned.

The petition read in part: “We wish to cry out and seek for your urgent help over the

fraudulent extortion from us and dehumanization of our lives under the SURE-P/ FERMA employment programme named Federal Task Force by the above listed names and other officers (Directors) under the following pretence and tricks.

Hence we were recruited and employed for the past three years without any training allowances, no salary and other allowances were paid to us.

“We were mandated to pay

for the Presidency SURE-P/ FERMA Task Force forms. We bought the forms with inscription ‘NOT FOR SALE’ boldly written on it at an average amount of Thirty Thousand Naira (N30,000) each.”

It further alleged that several other payments were made for different reasons such as “loyalty” by the 51,000 recruited officers and petitioners.

The petition was jointly signed by the 51,000 aggrieved officers who laid siege on the National Assembly complex in their full

operational gears yesterday.

Oluremi Adeniji as Director of Administration.

Bode George reacts

EffortstoreachChiefGeorgeproved abortive but one of his aides, who pleaded anonymity said “Chief Bode George never collected a kobo from anybody, he was never part of the SURE-P or FERMA programme, nobody knows those who were there. They mentioned names of their officials, let them go and meet those officials.

FESTIVAL: From left: Franklin Ozekhome, Dean of Studies, Orange Academy, Lampe Omoyele, MD, Nielsen West Africa & Orange Academy Guru, Femi Odugbemi, Provost, Orange Academy and Chisom Ohuoka, CEO, Orange Academy, at the Orange APT Festival in Lagos.

Jonathan's govt took N3.7trn pension funds —OSHIOMHOLE

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—EDO State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has again accused the immediate past government of former President Goodluck Jonathan of tampering with the pension funds to the tune of N3.7 trillion.

Oshiomole’s latest revelation followed the prosecution of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani AlisonMadueke, in London on allegations of corrupt enrichment.

The development came on a day Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara also hailed the anticorruption stance of President Mohammadu Buhari, calling on Nigerians to support the President to achieve tangible results.

According to Oshiomhole, the past administration grossly thrived in corruption and embezzlement of public funds.

The governor, who spoke to State House Correspondents in Abuja in the presidential villa, Abuja yesterday, submitted that Madueke’s case was the tip of the iceberg, saying Jonathan’s administration perpetrated monumental fraud against the

Nigerian state.

He said: “For me, I don’t think anybody should be surprised because the most favorable commentators on the Nigerian condition, both the economy, the polity and society, everybody

agree that our economy was badly mismanaged over the past several years.

“I have not seen one commentator that disagrees. Even when they talk about rebasing and so what. Have you rebased the level of poverty? Have you rebased

prosperity? Have you rebased unemployment? Have you rebased homelessness? Have you rebased hunger? So I have not seen anyone that says Nigerian people are doing better. This was never my issue. I was only a spokesman of National economic council."

I've no interest in running for political office known while speaking with they say when you want to clap —DANGOTE newsmen during a condolence you need two hands.

L

AGOS—NIGERIAN billionaire, Aliko Dangot,yesterday, said that he had no interest in actively participating in politics, saying business and politics should never be mixed.

Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group, made this

visit to the Awolowo family over the death of Mrs Hannah Awolowo (HID) at the family’s residence at Ikenne-Remo, Ogun.

The business mogul said the set of skills required to become successful in business differed from those of politics.

“I can’t be in politics because

“If all of us in business go into politics, then who is going to create the jobs?

“We are in the private sector so we should be creating jobs.

Government should be creating good policies and also ensuring that we are not taking advantage of the poor," he said.

HALLIBURTON: Prosecute those indicted, Nnamani

urges Buhari

By Laide AkinboadeOriere

A

BUJA—Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, yesterday, tasked President Muhammadu Buhari not to limit his prosecution of corrupt public officials only to the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He insisted that all those indicted in the $182 million Halliburton bribery scandal in Nigeria must be prosecuted like their accomplises in Britain and USA. He spoke just as a former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs Farida Waziri, and former Supreme Justice, Hon. Justice G. A. Oguntade, called on Nigerians

to support the anti-graft war declared by President Buhari.

They spoke at the public presentation of a book, “Nigeria: The way through corruption to the well-being of a people”, authored by Dr Abdullahi Shehu, an associate Professor of Criminology at the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, in Abuja.

FRC recovers N336bn from MDAs

A

By Boluwaji Obahopo

BUJA—THE Fiscal Responsibility Commission, FRC, has recovered over N366 billion from various federal government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs. Chairman of the commission, Mr. Victor Muruako, who disclosed this at a meeting with officials of Adamawa State Fiscal Responsibility Commission in Abuja yesterday, explained that the recovery was made over a period of eight years.

The recoveries, according to Mr. Muruako, are particularly from excess funds that the affected MDAs failed to return to the treasury at the end of the fiscal years.

Extant regulations required MDAs to return unspent funds to the treasury at the end of each financial year but it was a regulation that was highly abused in the past.

Wada flags off 2nd term campaign

L

By Boluwaji Obahopo

O K O J A — GOVERNOR Idris Wada of Kogi State yesterday flagged -off his second term campaign in Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area of the state, with a promise to consolidate on his transformation agenda if given another mandate for the next four years, Wada, who expressed gratitude to people of the state and members of his party for their support so far, urged them to extend the support at the poll, so he could win the November 21 governorship election, He said: “I called on you to support me by voting enmasse for me to enable me consolidate on my transformation agenda and take the state to the next level.

“My transformation agenda is hinged on agriculture, human capital development and industrialisation. I need the next four years to complete all that I have started and embark on new projects.”

48—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

KOGI WEST: Smart strategies against Dino’s desire

•Melaye

•Adeyemi

THE National Assembly Tribunal has fixed October 10 to deliver judgement on the legal battle between Senator Smart Adeyemi and Dino Melaiye over the outcome of the March 28 Kogi West National Election.

By Boluwaji Obahopo before it was returned for re-trial by the appellant court, which HE debacle over the true directed that the case be judged winner of the Kogi West on merit, given expeditious Senatorial election will be settled hearing and determined before on October 10 by the Justice Akon the expiration of the deadline on Ikpeme-led National Assembly the case. Adeyemi opened his Elections Tribunal sitting in Kogi case by calling on his first State. Senator Smart Adeyemi is witness, Fehinti Dada, who told pitted in a battle with Senator the court that the March 28, 2015 Dino Melaye over the result of senatorial election was falsified the senatorial election. by the Independent National Though the Tribunal had 22 Electoral Commission, INEC in cases to deal with (all three senate favour of Melaiye. seats, six House of Dada under cross examination Representatives seats and 13 by the respondent’s counsel, House of Assemblies seats), the Francis Ani, said the election Adeyemi and Melaiye case, was fraught with irregularities in however, generated far more interest among political stakeholders in the state.

Adeyemi flew the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP while Melaiye was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC. •Says Nigeria not yet

T

21 units of five wards in Lokoja Local Council of the state. Dada, who was the PDP senatorial collation officer for the election, said the result of the recounting exercise ordered by the tribunal revealed that INEC counted and recorded the voided votes during the election in favour of Melaiye.

He also told the tribunal that the APC never held a primary election before Melaiye emerged as the candidate of the party, and some members of the APC went to court to challenge the emergence of Melaiye adding that documentary evidence from INEC backed the claim that Melaiye did not go through primary.

Adeyemi’s teams before then tendered a certified true copy of

INEC report on the APC Kogi West Senatorial primaries in which it was adduced that Melaye did not partake in that primary.

While claiming that the documents were admissible by virtue of Section 83 of the Evidence Act, Kayode Olatoke, SAN urged the tribunal to admit them as exhibits to be used in prosecuting the petition.

However, Ani, counsel to Melaiye, objected to the admissibility of the documents, saying that the INEC officials that brought the documents could not give evidence on them. He said since the petitioner had not told the court while applying for the subpoena that he would make the makers give evidence on them outside the box, the tribunal should not allow it.

Also, APC counsel, Ayotunde Ogunleye, noted that the court should be bound by the prayers of parties in a suit, claiming that the arguments and the authorities cited by Olatoke were not relevant to the petition, as the witnesses were not competent to give evidence on the documents and urged the tribunal to reject the documents.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Akon Ikpeme, said the tribunal accepted the document based on the rulings of the Appeal and Supreme Courts on

Adeyemi challenged the declaration of Melaiye as winner on the grounds: that he (Adeyemi) scored the highest votes

such matters as the rule of admissibility did not need calling the makers of the documents to give evidence on such documents, saying Section 183(1) of the Evidence Act made the documents admissible.

But in a dramatic turn, three weeks later, a witness from INEC, Abuja office, Ibrahim Mohammed, stunned the court to say the commission monitored the conduct of Kogi West senatorial primary election of the APC. Mohammed further said he did not know the INEC official that conducted the primary but was only availed the report of the exercise. He mentioned two locations where the primary was conducted under cross examination.

Legal oral submission Another witness, Victor Garba working with the Department of State Services, also stunned the court when he could not state the name of the Director General of the organisation. When also asked the name of the Assistant Director of Operations of the DSS in the state, the witness said he did not know it too.

Adeyemi’s counsels in their joint address signed by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and Kayode Olatoke (SAN) submitted by Lateef Fagbemi asked the court to uphold their written address as their legal oral submission.

However, Melaiye and APC, who adopted their written addresses as oral submission, urged the court to dismiss the petitioner ’s request. While Melaiye said the petition should be dismissed in his entirety because the petitioners request was a mere academic exercise, waste of court time and grossly incompetent, the APC said the case should be dismissed because it was frivolous.

Confab didn’t address any fundamental issue — Ambaowei, INC leader

Highest votes Adeyemi challenged the declaration of Melaiye as winner on the grounds: that he (Adeyemi) scored the highest votes; that the report of the recounting of votes in 21 disputed polling units be accepted by the tribunal, that Melaiye was not competent to stand for the election on the claim that he did not win the APC primary.

In the alternative, Adeyemi submitted that the election should be re -conducted in the disputed 21 polling units.

The tribunal had initially struck out the case on technical grounds

on track

ENGINEER Charles Ambaowei is the Acting President of the Ijaw National Congress, INC. In this interview, Ambaowei says that the 2014 National Conference did not address the fundamental issues confronting the country.

The Ijaw leader also reviews the nation at 55 and opines that Nigeria’s attempt at nation building is not on the right track.

By Dapo Akinrefon

W

HAT is your assessment of the state of the nation at 55?

The Ijaw National Congress (INC), which I represent, does not believe that our attempt at nation building is on a positive direction.

And that is the reason for the

current malice, which has found expression in separatist agitations, corruption, unemployment, insecurity, Boko Haram insurgency as well as declining economic trend. The entire North only contributes two percent to the federal government coffers.

These statistics are the official figure by the Nigerian Bureau

of Statistics. If you now take a comparative look at the level of development in the oil producing areas vis-a-viz the North, you see a huge gap either in terms of infrastructure or human capital development. To us, the Ijaw, this is an institutional corruption.

President Muhammadu Buhari must drive restructuring of Nigeria.

Do you think the 2014 national conference organized by former President Goodluck Jonathan was far reaching enough to address some of the fundamental issues you have raised?

The confab did not address any fundamental issue. And that has been the position of

INC. What that conference had done was to merely ponder on what we call cosmetics instead of going to the nitty gritty of issues that could be the solution to the problems of this country. Instead of taking a hard look at the state structure and its viability they ended up creating another 18 states.

After the Hausa/Fulani, the Igbo and Yoruba, the Ijaw are the fourth largest ethnic nationality in Nigeria. But we are balkanized into six states of this country. With our balkanisation, we have only one homogeneous Ijaw state.

That apart, the six states in the

Continues on page 49

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—49

of the National Assembly who is the President of the Senate is docked and he made himself available for trial. That tells me that if I am also found wanting, I will also be docked and tried. it is a check on everybody. I don’t want to believe that anybody wants to smear the integrity of the legislature. I rather think that at the end of the day, our democracy will be a lot more strengthened.

On vote of confidence on Senator Bukola Saraki That is also to tell you how independent the legislature is.

There is a provision in the constitution which makes the legislature is independent of any other arm of government or interference from the outside.

Trial of Senate President strengthens democracy — REP OKAFOR HON. Chike Okafor represents Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/ Obowo Federal Constituency of Imo State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives. He is an economist and former Commissioner for Finance in Imo State. In this interview, he says that the trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has strengthened democracy in the country. He also says among other things that the military is responsible for the slow growth of democracy in the country.

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

N

IGERIA celebrated 55 years of independence, last week. Is there really anything to celebrate?

We have every cause to celebrate as a nation and as a people, if for nothing else, the fact that we are still together. I remember some stanza in the old anthem, even ‘though tongues and tribe may differ, in brotherhood we stand.’ I don’t know why we had to change that anthem. Everything that makes us a diversified nation is embedded in those few lines.

Nigeria has had crises bad enough to cause our disintegration. We talk about our nationhood in 1960 and the birth of our democracy in 1963. Shortly after, that democratic experience lasted for less than three years.

There was an intervention by the military; that was a derailment.

It was that coup and counter coup that brought about the Nigeria civil war, a 30-month civil war with the attendant death and destructions of lives and properties especially people from my own part of the country, the Igbo nation.

Maitatsine crisis We have had Maitasine crisis in the North and now Boko Haram. We have also seen situations where some other flags were hoisted as if Nigeria is being annexed or is being conquered.

Notwithstanding all that, we are still standing tall. And we have had the first experience of true transfer of power from one government to the other, after the election that produced Muhammadu Buhari as the president that took out the Peoples Democratic Party, which was in power for 16 years. A lot of people predicted doom for Nigeria including some developed countries, which said in 2015 Nigeria many no longer exist.

So, when you look at the backdrop of these crises and events, and we are still standing as a country, I think we have

We have developed and progressed as a nation, the trial of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki tells you that our democracy has come to a point that nobody is above the law every cause to beat our chest and say congratulations.

We have developed and progressed as a nation. The trial of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki tells you that our democracy has come to a point that nobody is above the law. The fact that the number three of this country is on the dock and Heavens have not fallen means that we have grown to a point

Political leaders

•Okafor where we can beat our chest and say we have arrived.

Where did we get it wrong? We shouldn’t have allowed military interventions. We also have allowed so much corruption, impunity to ravage our economy.

But I thank this present government that is fighting corruption and all forms of vices with the seriousness that it deserves.

Another thing that we ask is where did we lose it? It is our over dependence on oil. Nigeria’s economy is monolithic. I am an economist, our over dependence on crude oil as a source of revenue is one big problem that

we have. At independence and subsequently after, we were not exporting crude, our economy was doing well, our GDP (Gross Domestic Product) was at its best.

Then oil came and we had oil boom during the military. I recall that a former Head of State said our problem was not money but what to do with money and we lost it. We took our eyes away from other revenue generating opportunities like agriculture.

Is the docking the Senate President not an attempt to smear the legislature?

I take it from the positive note.

I hope it is a positive that we have a situation where the Chairman

Just like it happened on June 9 when we went into the two chambers against what the party and what some political leaders had wanted or had predicted and had desired. The two chambers went in there and did what the members thought was the best in the present circumstances. If you take it back to 1999 when those interferences were allowed, you probably would agree with me that they led to turn-over of presiding officers.

The vote of confidence by 83 (senators) that is over 70 percent of members of the senate shows that what is happening to Bukola Saraki as a person has nothing to do with the Senate President, which is Chairman of National Assembly, that is the point that is being made.

Confab didn’t address any fundamental issue — Ambaowei Continues from page 48 South-West are within a particular contiguous area, so, they can do regional integration. Similarly, the five states in the South-East are in a contiguous area and can as well do regional integration.

Where will Ijaw do its own integration?

Let’s go back to the drawing board and do fundamental restructuring for the peaceful co-existence of the people.

Peaceful coexistence Let’s go back to regionalism.

Let’s have the geo-political zones as regions.

From the time immemorial, whether it was civil or military rule, all the Northern states and their governors have always had their meetings.

It is only when the South wants to hold meeting that they will accuse them of planning to go out of Nigeria.

So, that confab did not address any fundamental issue.

Until we address the institutional injustice and corruption entrenched in the system, this country is g o i n g nowhere.

There were complaints from your people when •Ambaowei the Federal Government announced the removal of former Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi. Will Nigeria ever get out of this ethnic quagmire?

When a government comes on board, it is expected that it will spell out its operational code. If you do so openly and transparently, nobody will

raise an eyebrow.

But the problem here is that the present government has not boldly come up with a fair, credible and transparent operational code. And that explains why President Muhammadu Buhari, who promised us change now anchors his anti-corruption crusade on mere perception.

It is very clear that somebody just doesn’t like the face of some people because of their closeness to the former President and wants to get rid of them. No procedure was followed in Akpobolokemi’s removal.

To the INC, the time frame is just a direct target of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

By his pronouncement, Buhari has shielded some people. The point we are making is that government is a continuum. Corruption cannot be status-barred.

What is the basis of the alleged ethnic cleansing in NIMASA under the new leadership?

That is clearly evident from the appointments Mr. President has made. And Jauro has even moved to the next step. They are now saying that all appointments made by Akpobolokemi did not follow due process. So, they want to sack all of them.

50 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

NATO rejects Russia’s explanation of Turkey incursion N

ATO has rejected Russia’s explanation that its warplanes violated the air space of alliance member Turkey on the weekend by mistake and said Russia was sending more ground troops to Syria.

The comments by the alliance on Tuesday came as Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he was losing patience with Russian violations of his country’s air space, and Russian officials said they would welcome talks with their Turkish counterparts to avoid “misunderstandings”.

“An attack on Turkey means an attack on NATO,” Erdogan warned at a Brussels news

•Gen John Campbell in Washington prior to testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday. conference.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had reports of a substantial Russian military build-up in

Afghan MSF hospital strike a mistake, says US

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HE US commander of international forces in Afghanistan has said an air strike on a hospital in the northern city of Kunduz was a mistake.

Gen John Campbell said that the US would never intentionally target a protected medical facility.

At least 22 people were killed in the attack as government forces battled to retake the city from the Taliban.

Gen Campbell also said that the US must consider boosting its military presence in Afghanistan after 2016.

He said that such a measure would be necessary if the Taliban upsurge was to be repelled and Afghanistan’s military kept up to fighting strength.

The “tenuous security situation” might require a re-think of any reduction, the general said.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services

Committee in Washington, Gen Campbell said: “To be clear, the decision to provide aerial fires was a US decision, made within the US chain of command.”

Gen Campbell said that the proposed air strike underwent “rigorous” US military procedures beforehand which were intended to prevent such mistakes.

ISIS ‘forced pregnant Yazidi women to have abortions’

I

SLAMIC State militants forced pregnant women they had sold into slavery to have abortions, according to three young Yazidis who escaped from the Islamic militants’ brutal clutches.

After abducting hundreds of young women and girls from their homes in Iraq’s Sinjar province last August, ISIS fighters rounded the captives up in “slave markets” where they were

Snowden ready to go to prison in US

E

DWARD Snowden says he’soffered“manytimes” to go to prison in the United States as part of a deal to return from exile in Russia but is still waiting for an answer from the American government.

The former National Security Agency contractor who leaked documents about top secret mass surveillance programs said he would be willing to reach a plea bargain with U.S. authorities.

“I’ve volunteered to go to prison with the government many times. What I won’t do is I won’t serve as a deterrent to people trying to do the right thing in difficult situations,” Snowden said in the interview in Moscow, where he took refuge two years ago

Syria, including ground troops and ships in the eastern Mediterranean.

“I will not speculate on the motives ... but this does not look like an accident and we have seen two of them,” Stoltenberg said of the air incursions over Turkey’s border with Syria. He noted that they “lasted for a long time”.

The incidents, which NATO has described as “extremely dangerous” and “unacceptable”, underscore the risks of a further escalation of the Syrian civil war, as Russian and US warplanes fly combat missions over the same country for the first time since World War Two.

after his revelations about the scale of the NSA’s snooping activities sent shock waves around the globe.

picked out to be used for sex.

The terror group was so intent on using rape as a weapon of war that they brought in their own doctors — gynaecologists — to determine which of the women they had captured were virgins.

Bushra, 21, says she witnessed two doctors invasively examine girls to find out if they were already pregnant. Those found to be expecting were forced to abort their babies.

“One of my friends was pregnant,” Bushra recalls.

“Her child was about three months in the womb. They took her into another room.

There were two doctors and they did the abortion.

Takaaki Kajita, Arthur McDonald win 2015 Nobel prize for physics

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HE Nobel prize in physics has been awarded to Takaaki Kajita and Arthur McDonald for their work on subatomic particles called neutrinos.

The scientists from the University of Tokyo and Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada, have won the prize “for the discovery of neutrino oscillations, which shows that neutrinos have mass”.

Results and reaction as it happened for second of this week’s three top science prizes. It went to the Japanese and Canadian scientists win for their work to reveal how neutrinos – elusive subatomic particles – change identities or ‘flavours’, and expand our understanding of the innermost workings of matter and the universe.

Pistorius family condemns failure to release him

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HE refusal to free South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius from prison on parole “flies in the face” of justice, his family has said.

On Monday, a judge-led panel upheld a decision taken in August to block his transfer to house arrest.

The panel also said Pistorius should undergo psychotherapy, but his family said he was already receiving it.

The 28-year-old was sentenced to five years in prison last year for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa found him guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter.

The 28-year-old double amputee had hoped to be freed in August after a parole

•Ex UN chief John Ashe, who was charged for taking bribes.

board ruled that he could serve the rest of his five-year prison sentence under house arrest.

But the panel, led by Judge Lucy Mailula, ruled that Justice Minister Michael Masutha had acted correctly

when he prevented the release on the grounds that it had been taken prematurely.

At the time of his intervention, Pistorius had been granted parole only six months into his five-year sentence.

French court drops genocide case against Rwandan priest

A

French court has dropped a longrunning case against a Rwandan priest suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, a source at the prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday.

The court decision follows a request by prosecutors in August for the case be dropped for lack of evidence.

Wenceslas Munyeshyaka who officiates as a priest in Gisors, Normandy, was put under formal investigation for genocide, crimes against humanity, participation in a conspiracy to commit the crimes and torture while he was a priest in Kigali’s Holy Family Catholic Church.

More than 800,000 minority Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus were killed in the threemonth rampage by ethnic Hutu extremists.

Munyeshyaka, who has

always denied the charges, was tried by a military court in absentia in Rwanda for similar crimes including rape and sentenced to life in prison in 2006.

His lawyer Jean-Yves

Troika wants state creation in S/Sudan delayed

S

OUTH Sudanese President Salva Kiir’s plans to replace the country’s 10 states with 28 new states is a source of serious concern, the United States, Britain and Norway said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

Kiir’s presidential order has already been denounced by rebels, who say the move violates a peace agreement to end nearly two years of fighting that stipulates rebel leader Riek Machar must be consulted on major government issues.

Machar ’s rebels also

Former UN chief John Ashe charged for taking $1.3m bribe

U

S authorities have charged a former United Nations General Assembly president with taking bribes from a Chinese billionaire.

New York prosecutors said John Ashe “converted the UN into a platform for profit” as he helped real estate mogul Ng Lap Seng gain government contracts.

Mr Ashe is accused of taking $1.3m, spending the cash on luxury goods.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was “shocked and deeply troubled” by the allegations.

Dupeux, said yesterday that there were contradictory witnesses during the French investigation and his client had helped some 18,000 refugees as much as he could during the genocide.

“In return for Rolex watches, a basketball court and bespoke suits, John Ashe sold himself and the global institution he led,” said US Federal Attorney Preet Bharara. “United by greed, they converted the UN into a platform for profit.”

worry the division of states will weaken their position within the government if the two sides start working with one another, as rebel governors would get fewer key posts.

“This announcement directly contradicts the government of South Sudan’s commitment to implement the peace agreement it signed on Aug. 26,” the troika said.

“We strongly urge President Kiir to defer action on this fundamental matter until the Transitional Government of National Unity is formed and a national constitutional dialogue can take place.”

The three nations form a group that supported a 2005 accord leading to the independence of South Sudan from Sudan. South Sudan split away in 2011 under the terms of a peace deal that ended decades of north-south civil war.

But a political row between Kiir and his sacked deputy Machar descended into fighting inside the country in December 2013, often along ethnic faultlines.

CORRUPTION: Ghana suspends seven High Court judges

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HANA has suspended seven of 12 High Court judges implicated in allegations of bribery stemming from a documentary made by an investigative journalist.The seven had a case of “misbehaviour” to answer, an official statement said.Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas says he has nearly 500 hours of video evidence on tape, showing judges alleging asking for bribes and demanding sex.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—51

APC blasts Omisore over popularity claims T

HE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State has denounced Senator Iyiola Omisore’s claim that his popularity made him win elections. The party said: “That claim is not only fraudulent, it is shamelessly incorrect.”

According to the party Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, Omisore as an individual candidate has never legitimately won an election in

8th Anthony Cardinal Okogie lecture holds

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HE immediate past Director-General of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Professor Epiphany Azinge, will deliver the 2015 edition of Anthony Cardinal Okogie Lecture, scheduled for October 15, at St Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos.

A statement by Rev. Fr. Innocent Opogah, Director, Lay Apostolate Centre, Archdiocese of Lagos, the lecture, eight in the series, is being organized in conjunction with Knights of St John International, Lagos.

The topic is 2015 elections: Implications for Nigeria’s Democracy.

the stateý. He said the only time Omisore was on the side of a victorious party was when he paired with Chief Bisi Akande for the governorship

ticket of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, in 1999.

The APC chairman said: “The election of 2003, which he claimed he won from prison

A' Ibom restates commitment to quality education

A

KWA Ibom State Government, yesterday, reiterated its commitment towards ensuring qualitative education at all levels in the state, particularly the continued upgrade of infrastructure and facilities in public schools.

While decrying what he termed conspiracy and blackmail against the state government on education infrastructure, Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said about 2,500 blocks of classrooms have so far been constructed and rehabilitated in about 1,162 primary schools and 244 secondary and technical schools across the state.

According to him, the intervention of the state government in public schools also include perimeter fencing of schools in high traffic areas, provision of laboratory equipment, school desks, workshops and supply of teaching aids and materials.

Umanah said the free education policy “is one of the

best articulated in the country, and government should not be blackmailed by a skewed presentation of facilities challenge in a few outstanding public schools.”

He added that the picture published on the front page of a national daily yesterday, was not a true reflection of the general situation in Akwa Ibom State.

While commenting on the situation at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Primary School, Ikot Ibiok, the Commissioner said: “The intervention of the state government in public schools is a continuous exercise.”

He added that already, Governor Udom Emmanuel had directed the InterMinisterial Direct Labour Committee to take inventory of schools that are in need.

was one of the worst manipulated elections in Nigeria’s political history.

Anybody with a memory better than Omisore will laugh at him for referencing that election as a mark of his popularity.

“Four years on, in 2007, Omisore could not convincingly win the Senatorial election. The electoral tribunal annulled the election and ordered a rerun.

“Sensing possible defeat, Omisore and the People Democratic Party, PDP, gang resorted to one of the most virulent violence Osun politics has ever witnessed.

“The Action Congress, AC, quietly withdrew from that election to save lives.ý Omisore had no contest. So he did not win in 2007 because he was popular.

“The real test of Omisore’s popularity was in 2011. His best performance was winning his polling unit by 19 votes and losing his ward.

“He was comprehensively defeated by Babajide Omoworare that he could not go to tribunal to contest it.”

40th day Fidau for Mallam Mikairu

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HE 40th day Fidau prayers for late Mallam Momodu Mikairu hold Sunday, October, 11 at Auchi, Etsaka West LGA, Edo State.

Mallam Mikairu, aged 82, died on September 2 and has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

The successful trader and an Islamic cleric is survived by a widow, children and grand children, including Lawani Mikairu, a staff of Vanguard.

52—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

Stand-in coach to lead Congo against Eagles D

Congo head coach Florent Ibenge and his assistant Mwinyi Zahera will not be involved in Thursday ’s friendly against Nigeria in Belgium.

Both coaches have stayed back in Kinshasa for a league clash between AS Vita (coached by Ibenge) and DC Motema Pembe (coached by Zahera).

Furthermore, the coaches are tasked with preparing the country’s team for a 2016 CHAN qualifier against Central African Republic.

It would be recalled that 53-year-old Ibenge made history when he led DRC to finish third at this year’s AFCON in Equatorial Guinea.

Former U23 coach Christian Nsengi and former U17 coach Eric Tshibasu have therefore been mandated by FECOFA to lead the Leopards against Nigeria on Thursday and against Gabon four days later.

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T

•Super Eagles players train in Belgium

South Sudan set for World Cup debut S OUTH Sudan will play in their first World Cup qualifier when they face Mauritania today, the first leg of their preliminary round tie.

FIFA president Continues from BP wrongdoing and vowed to continue with his bid to lead football’s world governing body.

Speaking at a news conference in Seoul yesterday, Chung read out a ninepage statement, addressing the accusations against him, which he dismissed as a ploy “to prevent me from running for the president of Fifa”.

Chung said the charges against him stemmed from his “support” for South Korea’s 2022 World Cup bid when he proposed the launch of a Global Football Fund. Chung said his proposals were in line with Fifa’s rules and had already been investigated and cleared but he was being targeted because he was running for the Fifa presidency.

Having joined international football only in 2012, a year after the country became independent from Sudan, the team is facing its biggest challenge.

They go into the tie boosted by achieving their first competitive win on 5 September - beating Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

“We are ready, totally

ready. We know what we have to do and we can spring a surprise,” South Sudan captain Richard Justin Lado told Fifa’s website.

“Our coach Sung-Jea Lee has created a style of play that’s based on defensive discipline and counterattacking football, and I think we can cause some damage. We need to win, for many reasons, and we will

•South Sudan squad.

Oliseh, Enyeama Continues from BP started sowing the apple seed of discord among the players, a situation that Oliseh vowed he would not tolerate. ‘’Things are no longer at ease in camp. There was an open shouting match between the coach and Enyeama’’, our source said on our hotline last night.

The source claimed that Sunday Oliseh was so furious that he threatened to work out of the Eagles camp if Enyeama does not leave camp. ‘’Oliseh still insists Vincent Enyeama should be decamped or he will work out of camp’’.

Sports Vanguard gathered that attempts by officials of the NFF to calm

Diouf’s mother killed in Hajj crush

the nerves of Oliseh and Enyeama did not yield any fruit as it appeared to escalate with Enyeama allegedly boasting that he had more caps for the Eagles than Oliseh.

The altercations we learnt has dampened the high spirit of players in camp and may affect the performance of the team against Congo in the friendly tomorrow.

The Eagles are also to play the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Sunday in a double header friendly arranged by the NFF to prepare them ahead of the 2017 World Cup qualifiers.

Oliseh has since announced Ahmed Musa as captain of the Eagles in place of Enyeama.

NFF Continues from BP Cameroon also in Belgium on Sunday.

NFF technical committee chairman Felix AnyansiAgwu said the association was shocked by the lack of co-operation from the Belgian embassy in Nigeria.

“We are shocked beyond words at the attitude of the Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria. This action is a strange one in international sports.

Football preaches and spreads peace and love, but we are taken aback at the attitude of the Belgian embassy in Nigeria,” blasted Anyansi.

Anyansi-Agwu, who as

chairman of Enyimba FC has travelled the world in the course of football in the past 15 years, lamented the action that threatens Nigeria’s preparation for the two matches.

“This attitude of the Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria is not known to international sports. Our team’s preparedness for the only preparatory games ahead of the beginning of FIFA World Cup qualifiers has been unduly hampered. The team’s medical crew and other critical backroom staff are held back in Nigeria.

“This action is not just against a Football Federation; it is against an entire nation.”

win.”

However, Mauritania are ranked 55 places higher than their opponents and will be hoping to stamp their authority on the game and finish the job when they host the return leg on Tuesday 13 October.

HE mother of Stoke City footballer Mame Diouf is understood to have died in a stampede during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi authorities put the death toll from last month’s crush near Mecca at 769, but foreign media and officials put the figure at more than 1,000.

The club said it wished to extend “sincere condolences” to the player.

Stoke said it would provide Diouf with “all the support he needs at this extremely difficult time”.

The club said its thoughts and prayers are with the player, his family and friends following “the tragic death of his mother”.

The former Manchester United striker and Senegal forward joined Stoke on a free transfer when his Hannover contract expired in July last year.

The crush in Mina happened as two large groups of pilgrims converged as they were taking part in one of the Hajj’s major rites.

CHAN Eagles begin training in PH

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HE home-based Ea gles preparing for a CHAN qualifier against Burkina Faso began training at the Shell Sports ground in Port Harcourt Tuesday morning with 15 players.

The CHAN Eagles training will be supervised by assistant coach Salisu Yusuf and they are programmed to train twice daily.

The players already in

camp include Gbolahan Salami, Solomon Kwambe, Osas Okoro, Stephen Eze, Bature Yaro, Tunde Adeniji and Abdulrazaq Aliyu. Abia Warriors forward Chisom Chikatara has replaced Godwin Obaje of Wikki Tourists, who is out of the country on trials. They are due to face South Africa U23 team in a test game on Tuesday, October 13, in Port Harcourt.

Eaglets Continues from BP Temperature dropped drastically in the early hours of Tuesday in Buenos Aires and rainstorm, according to weather report, was being expected later in the day, forcing a postponement of the game till Wednesday.

The friendly between the two FIFA U-17 World Cupbound teams is still expected to take place barring any other force majeure at the earlier stipulated time of 3:30pm (7:30pm Nigerian time) and at the same venue - the Argentina Football Association(AFA) Training Centre at Ezeiza, which is about one hour away by road from the Golden Eaglets’ camp at Buenos Aires Football located in Tigre on

the outskirts of the capital.

Golden Eaglets Head Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, however reiterated that the choice of Buenos Aires as the team’s preWorld cup camping site was good since it would help the players to adjust to the weather condition which is similar to that of Chile.

“We have to remain focused. Gradually, the boys are getting used to the cold weather which they were not used to before now,” Amuneke told thenff.com.”Now, they have to forget about the sunny weather back home and I’m happy they are adjusting well though it was initially difficult for some of them when we arrived on Friday.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 — 53

Liverpool confident of landing Klopp L

IVERPOOL a r e confident of appointing Jürgen Klopp as their next manager and could install the 48year-old as Brendan Rodgers’ successor by the end of the week.

The club’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, moved swiftly to approach representatives of the former Borussia Dortmund coach after sacking Rodgers on Sunday. The initial talks have been encouraging for FSG, with indications Klopp will abandon a sabbatical to take the Anfield vacancy.

Negotiations, which are being led by Mike Gordon, FSG’s president, will continue over the coming days – with the German’s acceptance of working with Liverpool’s transfer committee yet to be addressed – but Anfield officials are increasingly confident of securing Klopp’s services and doing so quickly.

It is understood Klopp’s former assistant at Dortmund, Zeljko Buvac, and the coach, Peter Krawietz, would join him at Liverpool should talks continue to proceed smoothly. Their arrival would raise doubts over the Anfield futures ofSean O’Driscoll and Gary McAllister, the assistant manager and first-team coach respectively, who only moved to Liverpool last summer as replacements for Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh.

F

*Jürgen Klopp

ABIO Capello says Chelsea’s struggles this season prove that Jose Mourinho “burns out” his players.

The Blues find themselves in the unusually low position of 16th in the Premier League after only winning two of their first eight games.

Mourinho has described it as the “ worst period and results” of his managerial career and on Monday, Chelsea issued a statement confirming the manager continues to have their “full support”.

Former England manager Capello says the poor start to the current campaign further reinforces a theory he claims to have heard at Real Madrid that Mourinho

Neymar to stay at Barcelona for life, says club director

B

RAZIL forward Neymar will remain at Barcelona “for life”, according to the club’s technical director Roberto Fernandez.

The 23-year-old underlined his status as one of the best players in his team last season when he scored 43 goals in all competitions as Barcelona won a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League treble.

Neymar is tied to the European champions until June 2018 and Bar-

Sunderland approach Pearson to replace Advocaat

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UNDERLAND have spoken to Nigel Pearson about their managerial vacancy but the former Leicester City manager is not the only candidate under consideration, with the club willing to take their time to identify Dick Advocaat’s replacement.

Pearson was sacked by Leicester in the summer, has the advantage of being readily available and did preside over a successful fight against relegation last spring.

As a former Middlesbrough captain and Newcastle United firstteam coach, the 52-yearold also understands the north-east psyche and is eager to return to work.

He was approached by Lee Congerton – Sunderland’s departing sporting director who is currently working out his notice after resigning – but the manager hunt is being driven by Ellis Short, the club’s owner,

Mourinho burns players out —Capello

*Pearson

and it is thought Sam Allardyce appeals to the American financier.

While Short would be willing to dismantle Sunderland’s director of football system – something Pearson would happily work within – in order to accommodate Allardyce, it is unclear whether the former West Ham manager, currently in Spain and about to embark on a book tour publicising his autobiography, really wants the job.

ca recently expressed their intention to reward the Brazil international with a new and improved deal that would reportedly make the player the second highest paid at the club after Lionel Messi.

“We are currently working on Neymar ’s contract extension and I don’t think there will be any type of problem,” Fernandez said, as reported in Marca.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Neymar will spend the rest of his life at Barcelona.”

Neymar was linked to Manchester United this summer, with reports in England claiming the Red Devils were prepared to spend £240m £130m on the player ’s buyout clause and the remainder on tying him to a long-term contract at Old Trafford.

The Brazil captain had reportedly been a target of United’s city rivals Manchester City and Chelsea two years earlier, but the player opted to join Barca in the summer of 2013 when he moved from Santos.

Neymar has been even more important this season with Messi having hit the sidelines for a couple of months because of a knee injury.

Neymar has four goals in six La Liga appearances in the current campaign.

“We cannot rush with Messi,” Fernandez said. “I’m certain that the predicted eight weeks of recovery will be met. I don’t believe one should ever force the recovery of a player.”

*Capello

does not prepare his players for matches appropriately. “Mourinho burns out his players after a year and a half, at most two years,” Capello said on Fox Sports.

“I had already heard it when he was in Madrid and now we have confirmation in London.

“It is true that Chelsea are paying for some of their absences - like [Thibaut] Courtois - but there have also been tactical errors from the coach, who this year is not preparing for matches very well.”

Spain drops tax charges against Messi but not father

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*Neymar

Beckham backs Giggs to take Man U hotseat

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AVID Beckham is convinced Ryan Giggs will be a successful Manchester United manager one day.

Beckham will grace the pitch at Old Trafford once more next month when he takes part in a charity match which aims to raise funds for UNICEF. The former England captain spent 11 years playing alongside Giggs in the United first team after coming through the club’s famed youth academy.

The Welshman is now assistant to manager Louis van Gaal and Beckham believes it is only a matter of time before the former winger takes the top job at Old

*Giggs

Trafford. ‘I have always said that Giggsy has this streak running through him that you see in top managers,’ Beckham said.

ROSECUTORS in Spain have dropped tax charges against Argentina and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi but will pursue a case against the star ’s father.

If convicted, Jorge Messi faces 18 months in prison and a •2m fine.

Both Messi and his father were accused of defrauding Spanish authorities of more than •4m (£3.1m; $5m).

Prosecutors allege that Jorge avoiding paying tax on his son’s earnings by using offshore companies in Belize and Uruguay between 2007 and 2009.

Messi’s lawyers argued that the player had “never devoted a minute of his life to reading, studying or analysing” the contracts, El Pais newspaper reported.

The high court in Barcelona ruled in June that Messi should not be granted impunity for not knowing what was happening with his finances, which were being managed in part by his father.

54 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015—55

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015

Mourinho burns P.53 players out — Capello

Neymar to stay at Barcelona for life — Pg.53

•Neymar

Eaglets, Argentina friendly postponed

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RGANIZERS of the much anticipated international friendly between the Ni-

geria U-17 squad, Golden Eaglets and their Argentine counterparts on Tuesday called off the

match at the last minute due to inclement weather conditions.

Continues on Page 52

Oliseh, Enyeama at each other's throats in Belgium

By Tony Ubani

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•Mourinho

•Capello

NFF shocked over visa hitch THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed disappointment as officials and six players from the domestic league have still not been issued entry visas to Belgium ahead of tomorrow’s friendly against DR Congo.

Nigeria will also play another friendly against Continues on Page 52

Fifa president: Chung Mong-joon ‘facing suspension’

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OUTH Korea’s Chung Mong-joon has said he is facing a 15-year suspension by Fifa’s Ethics Committee, hampering his campaign for the FIFA presidency, but he has denied any Continues on Page 52

HE Super Eagles camp in Belgium has been torn into shreds following squabbles between Coach Sunday Oliseh and captain Vincent Enyeama ahead of tomorrow ’s friendly against Congo.

The arrival of Lille goalkeeper and captain of the Eagles in Belgium which ordinarily should bring cheers to the camp instead, turned the camp into a war zone following allegations of anti-camp activities against the captain.

Very reliable sources in camp informed Sports Vanguard that players who had been loyal and training religiously under

•Oliseh Oliseh suddenly became ‘rebellious’ following Enyeama’s alleged bad influence.

We gathered that no sooner had Enyeama arrived than he

•Enyeama

Continues on Page 52

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Broom (5) 5 Rescind (6) 8 Cleanse (5) 10 Distant (6) 11 Goad (4) 14 Occupant (6) 15 Thief (7) 18 Obtain (3) 19 Sailor (3) 21 Expensive (4) 23 Revolt (5) 24 Bludgeon (4) 27 Noise (3) 29 Fate (3) 31 Flooded (7) 32 Wandered (6) 34 Sheet (4) 35 Avoided (6) 38 Tree (5) 39 Disclose (6) 40 Kind (5)

DOWN 2 Regret (3) 3 Cadge (6) 4 Shed (3) 5 Repose (4) 6 Trimmed (6) 7 Rubbish (6) 9 Told (7) 12 Fix (3) 13 Speed (4) 16 Unfasten (4) 17 Wild (5) 20 Renovated (7) 22 Summit (4) 24 Rush (6) 25 Smack (4) 26 Respect (6) 28 Forthcoming (6) 30 Number (3) 33 Trade (4) 36 Limb (3) 37 Stray (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS:1, Shoddy 5, Hunt 8, Bonus 9, Lad 10, Eros 11, Mend 12, Asked 13, Earned 16, Debt 18, Urge 20, Ate 22, Net 23, See 24, Pier 25, Idea 28, Dreamt 30, Score 32, Riot 33, Arch 34, Inn 35, Aorta 36, Purr 37, Trance.

DOWN: 1, Salver 2, Obdurate 3, Deemed 4, Cossetted 5, Humerus 6, Used 7, Tidy 8, Boa 14, Denigrate 15, Age 17, Bed 19, Relation 20, Air 21, Erector 26, Archer 27, Stance 29, Grip 30, Soar 31, Era.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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