Nigeria's constitution, anti-progress — Sanusi

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61769

Ghana 2012:

**

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Candidates in last minute offensive •

President Mahama

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

Akufo-Addo

Lartey

.60 g P

N150

Nollywood actor Enebeli Elebuwa dies in India @ 66

•P.7

Nduom

Nigeria's constitution, anti-progress — Sanusi •Insists nation has too many public officers •Slams implementation of Federal Character A •70% of public funds used to service govt

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

BUJA — GOVER NOR, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido

Sanusi, yesterday, said the Nigerian constitution makes it impossible for economic development in the country and is responsible for the huge recurrent expenditure in the various tiers of gov-

Continues on page 5

•P.29

•P.17

THE HUB•P.19 OCHEREOME NNANNA•P.19

Mr & Mrs

BLIND RUN 100 METERS— Visually impaired men during the 18th National Sports Festival held, yesterday, at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Suleja bombing: Suspects were EFCC lays siege to Babalakin's •Pg.10 10 promised 72 virgins — Witness •P.6 hospital — Bi-Courtney •P. C M Y K

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 3

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

Nigeria's constitution, anti-progress — Sanusi Continues from page 1 ernment.

Meanwhile, the 18th edition of the Nigeria Economic Summit ended yesterday, identifying accelerated economic reforms as a critical condition for attaining the Vision 20:2020.

Speaking at the Summit during the Financial Regulators forum on Deregulation, Regulation, Cost of Governance and Financial Inclusion, Sanusi said: “We have a constitution that makes it impossible for us to develop and it is impossible for us to develop if we continue to spend 70 per cent of the budget on recurrent expenditure.

“This is a country where we have 774 local governments and in each council you have a chairman, deputy chairman and may be 10 councilors plus three aides. Take a state like Kano, Kano used to be one state, now it is two states, Kano and Jigawa. When it was one state, you had one governor, one deputy governor and nine commissioners, and this was a time the state had about

FEC MEETING —From Left: Minister of Housing, Ms Amal Pepple; Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr Darius Ishaku; Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Odua; FCT Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed and Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri at the Federal Executive Council Meeting in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. four industrial estates.

Too many public offices “Now what do you have, that one state has become two states, two governors, two deputy governors, 40 commissioners, may be 80 legislators, only God knows how many special advisers and spe-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Transformation of the mind comes through the hearing of the good news.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Is there something you’ve always meant to do, wanted to do, but just ... haven’t? Try it for 30 days. This short, light-hearted talk offers a neat way to think about setting and achieving goals —Matt Cutts

C

UTTS shares a beautiful story how he im proved the quality of his life in a unique way.

Following the great American philosopher, Morgan Spurlock, he tried to do something new for 30 days.

The idea is actually pretty simple. Think about something you’ve always wanted to add to your life and try it for the next 30 days. It turns out, 30 days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit.

There are a few things I learned while doing these 30-day challenges. The first was, instead of the months flying by, forgotten, the time was much more memorable. This was part of a challenge I did to take a picture every day for a month. And I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing that day. I also noticed that as I started to do more and harder 30-day challenges, my selfconfidence grew. I also figured out that if you really want something badly enough, you can do anything for 30 days.

Matt Cutts, wrote a novel in thirty days, he says, what are you waiting for? I guarantee you the next 30 days are going to pass whether you like it or not, so why not think about something you have always wanted to try and give it a shot for the next 30 days.

cial assistants. This is not about TUC or NLC or President, it is about us deciding as a country whether this constitution that we have chosen makes sense.

“The constitution says, there must be a minister from every state of the federation. Let me ask you as an intelligent human being, what is the connection between the number of ministries at the federal level and the number of states? We talk about federal character, so if we have 50 states today, we must have 50 ministries, and if we have 100 states, we must have 100 ministries.

"Now the South East say they want one state, so if we create one more state in the South East that means we will have one more minister, so we must create a ministry or an office for him even though we don’t need it, because you have created a state, the federal government must have a minister from that state.

“Let’s be realistic, between 1999 and now how many ministers have we had? You have 42; you do cabinet reshuffle and have another 42. I am sure between 1999 and now we have had nothing less than 200 ministers. You cannot even remember their names because they are so many, and their jobs are so poorly defined that you don’t remember what they did because you remember a man when you remember what he did.

“Now these are issues that we need to address

as a country because we have a constitution that makes it impossible for us to develop. By definition, the President must appoint a minister from every state. So you have 36 ministers, and because of federal character, you also have one per geopolitical zone, so you have 42 ministers.

Development not guaranteed if...

“We cannot, we cannot develop if we continue to spend so much of our resources on government. Why does government exist? Government exists to serve the people. Now if the government is spending 70 per cent of its revenue on itself and leaving 30 per cent for the people, is that a sensible situation?

"If you sack the Governor of the Central Bank, does it change the situation? No, it is not a solution, the solution is to face this reality. Now we are amending this constitution."

Slams federal character The CBN Governor also criticised the implementation of the federal character law saying that it had been taken to the extreme and implemented at the expense of merit. He said while diversity is good, it should not be at the expense of merit. He said, for instance, a situation that

people who are qualified for promotion in the civil service are denied promotion because of their states of origin is an extreme and abusive implementation of the federal character principle.

NESG urges FG to fast-track implementation of Oronsaye report Meanwhile The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) has called on the Federal Government to implement the recommendations of Steve Oronsayeled committee on the reforms of government agencies. Mr Kyar Bukar, Co -chairman, Joint Planning Committee of the 18th summit of NESG and Mr Lanre Akinbo, the Managing Director, Wizer Advisory, made this known in a "summit-summary" presented at the end of the three-day summit.

In August, the Oronsaye-led presidential committee recommended the reduction of statutory agencies of government from 263 to 161; abolition of 32 government agencies and merger of 53 others.

President Goodluck Jonathan, thereafter, set up a committee led by the Attorney-General of the Federation to review the recommendations of the report and issue a white paper.

In apparent response to the committee’s recommendation, Akinbo described the current cost and size of government as not sustainable at all three tiers of government. He said that the imbalance between recurrent and capital expenditure was "a drag on economic growth and does not create jobs”.

According to him, NESG recommended

that capital expenditure should be redefined as long-term development capital as opposed to fixed assets.

He said that the group, made up of leading private sector players in the country, would want to see a "50-50 target relationship” between capital and recurrent expenditure. On deregulation, the group acknowledged the Federal government efforts at implementing the roadmap for power sector reform.

Bukar, however, called on the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Federal Government to conclude all outstanding negotiations with Labour on the power sector reform.

He also urged government to fast-track development of gas infrastructure to guarantee supply availability. He added that the summit also recommended the complete sale of Nigeria Independent Power Projects (NIPP) power plants.

On agriculture, the group asked government to fast-track the implementation of the Abuja Commodities Exchange latest by the fourth quarter of 2013.

Commenting on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), Bukar noted that NESG was committed to facilitating stakeholders fora to harmonise "divergent views” before the next public hearing scheduled for first quarter of 2013.

He said the group remained supportive of the removal of subsidy on petroleum products but advised government to engage in "wider public education.” The theme of the three-day event, attended by private sector leaders, industry captains, top government officials and oil majors, was "Deregulation, Cost of Governance and Nigeria’s Economic Prospects”.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA — A SENIOR Army officer whose team apprehended some of the alleged masterminds of the explosion that rocked office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Suleja, Niger State, prior to the April 16, 2011 presidential election, yesterday, narrated before a Federal High Court in Abuja, how the suspects were nabbed while enroute Kaduna to bomb an event he said was attended by the Vice President Namadi Sambo.

The witness whose identity was masked by the Federal Government which is prosecuting six of the alleged members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, told the court that after some of the suspects, who he said hid inside a trailer covered with tarpaulin, were caught, it was discovered that their sponsor had promised each of them an inheritance of 72 virgins in paradise.

The army officer, who mounted the witness box, said two months after the Suleja bomb blast, his team, on July 27, 2011, mounted a road block at Gummel Junction at Kachia, Kaduna, “when we saw a big trailer coming and we saw another car behind the trailer.

Surprisingly, immediately we asked the trailer driver to remove his tarpaulin, two of the suspects jumped out.

“The second car also had another suspect who was carrying explosives which we immediately impounded. We also seized four handsets and N26,000 from him.

While interrogating them, they said they were coming from Suleja.”

The witness told the court that upon close scrutiny of the seized phones, the team discovered two striking text messages, he said, indicted the accused persons to acts of terrorism.

He said the third suspect was holding a very long brown envelope containing Cortex wires, industrial powder and other ingredients for the manufacturing of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, adding that all the materials were handed over to the State Security Service, SSS, in Kaduna.

The text messages “Before I handed over the phones to the SSS, I got out two text messages which I will like to read to the

court,” the witness added.

Sequel to approval by presiding Justice Bilkisu Aliyu, the said text messages were read in the open court, yesterday.

One of the said messages read: “Do a deed which Allah by his grace and mercy save you from the punishment of the grave and a dangerous bridge with the speed of light and make you pass Serud (sic).

Save you from the greatest fear and hell fire. 70 members of your family will marry you 72 virgins in paradise; give you a crown of respect which even the prophet will be impressed with; I say by the Rasud, ‘keep your soul in the green birds of paradise and you wish to return to the world and die as he died because of the good blessings and reward you encounter after such a noble last deed. I pray for such a noble deed.”

Meantime, the second text message read: “Breast swelling, cap Clous 500 QDS, Tap flag,” which the witness said could be a code for arrangement and detonation of explosives.

He told the court that in the other phones, he saw pictures of the late leader of the Boko Haram sect, Yusuf Mohammed, and another picture of three blind-folded men carrying AK-47 riffles.

Suspects were to bomb VP, others at event in Kaduna The witness further maintained that investigations revealed that the suspects were headed for Kaduna where he said the Vice President, some Northern governors and top g o v e r n m e n t functionaries, attended a game he said held on July 28, 2011, saying: “We suspect they were going there to cause mayhem.”

Nevertheless, counsel to the suspects, Mr Emeka Okoro, said he could not cross examine the witness since the statement containing most of the allegations he made against the accused persons, was not before the trial court, but with the SSS. He maintained that he would need it due to the sensitive nature of the case, a request that was granted by Justice Aliyu who adjourned the case till today.

It would be recalled that six suspects, Shuaibu Abubakar, Salisu Ahmed,

Suleja and Madalla suspected bombers at the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday.

Suleja bombing: Suspects were promised 72 virgins —Witness zSays suspects were to bomb VP, others at event in Kaduna Umar Babagana-Umar, Mohammed Ali, Musa Adam and Umar Ibrahim, are standing trial over alleged multiple bombings and killings in Suleja, Madalla and its environs.

Acused participated in various terror attacks Specifically, the security agency in a five-count criminal charge it recommended against them, maintained that its

undercover investigations revealed that the accused persons participated in various terror attacks that killed 28 persons between March and July.

However, since September 30, 2011, when the accused persons were docked before the high court, they have been attending trial from the Kuje prisons.

The prosecution had alleged that the six accused persons, “between June 4 and July 12 (both dates

inclusive) at various locations in Suleja, Niger State; Azare, Nasarawa State and the FCT, did engage in an act of terrorism by encouraging through training of persons now at large, the use of arms and ammunition, and the preparation, planting and detonation of improvised explosive devices for the purpose of terrorism and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) of EFCC Act 2004 and punishable under the same

section of the Act.” It maintained that they were the persons that bombed a village, Dakna, in Bwari, Abuja, on May 23, an incident it said resulted in the death of three Peace Officers as well as detonated an improvised explosive device at a political rally in Suleja which resulted in the death of three persons too.

If convicted, the offence for which the accused persons are answering to attracts a punishment of life imprisonment.

Patients groan as LUTH resident doctors' strike paralyses services alleged outrageous tax rezAs CMD appeals to doctors for understanding

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

L

AGOS — PATIENTS who turned up at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, for medical services, yesterday, experienced unusual delay because of the current skeletal services being rendered by the hospital.

The delay was caused by the ongoing three-day warning strike by the medical doctors under the auspices of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), LUTH Branch.

The doctors began the three-day warning strike over alleged abnormal tax deductions from their

salaries after meetings with the management of the hospital failed to yeild fruitful result.

Many of the patients who were obviously frustrated claimed to have arrived the hospital as early as 6.30 am, but were not attended to.

Some of the few lucky patients who were eventually attended to spent the whole day at the hospital.

As at 3.30p.m, there were still a large crowd of patients at the Outpatients Department.

Although the striking doctors downed tools, other cadres of medical doctors, consultants and other

senior doctors who were not part of the strike, were seen at their duty posts, offering skeletal services.

A patient who simply identified herself as Dupe complained that she came all the way from SangoOtta, Ogun State only to find out that the doctors were on strike, adding: “ I arrived here as early as 7.30 a.m. Up till now (2.30p.m), I have not seen my doctor."

LUTH mgt writes Lagos govt Meanwhile, the management of LUTH has written to the Lagos State Government over the

gime currently being contested by the striking doctors.

Confirming this development, Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Akin Osinbogun, said the ongoing strike was purely a legal issue, which the management of the hospital has no power over.

Osibogun, who stated that the doctors were demanding tax reduction, said the hospital was complying with the Federal Government law, Act 20 of 2011 Personal Income Tax. The CMD also appealed to the striking doctors to exercise patients and show some understanding as the management of LUTH was already addressing the issue within the ambient of the law.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—7

Nollywood actor, Enebeli Elebuwa, dies in Indian hospital

BY BENJAMIN NJOKU & AUSTIN OGWUDA

L

From right: Vice President Namadi Sambo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Head of Service, Mallam Saleh Bello; Chief of Staff to the President, Chief MIke Oghiadomen; Youth Development Minister, Abdulkadir Inuwa; Works Minister, Mike Onolememen and Minister of State Works, Bashir Yuguda at the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Nigeria improves in corruption rating z As FG dimisses rating

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR & BEN

AGANDE

L

AGOS — GLOBAL perception of the anti-corruption battle in Nigeria got a modicum of approval, yesterday, after the global anticorruption body, Tr a n s p a r e n c y International, TI, moved the country four places up in its yearly ranking of public sector transparency.

Nigeria’s 139 ranking was up from the 143rd position the country was ranked last year, according to the TI ranking released early yesterday.

This came as the Federal Government, yesterday, dismissed the rating by TI, saying it was a product of "synopsis of negative media reports."

The relatively better ranking nonetheless, reactions within the country was not cheery as it was the opinion of many that corruption remained deeply rooted in the nation’s body polity.

In the release made available on its website, TI put Nigeria in a joint 139 position with Azerbaijan, Kenya, Nepal and Pakistan among the 178 nation’s surveyed. Nigeria was effectively ranked as the 35th most corrupt country in the world. In the rankings last year, Nigeria got a total score of 2.4 out of a total of 10.

The ranking based on public sector corruption, among other indices, followed a total score of 27

out of 100 in the Corruption Perception Index, CPI. The CPI is the degree to which corruption is perceived to permeate among public officials and politicians in a country by the business community and country experts.

The scale is based on a rating of 100 for very clean to 0 for very corrupt.

For the first time since the beginning of the rankings in 2005, three countries, Denmark, Finland and New Zealand, were joint first in the rankings having obtained an average score of 90 out of 100.

Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia, like last year, were tied at the bottom of the rankings which essentially were reflective of the perception of the business community on the transparency and cleanness of public officials and politicians.

The ranking sent mixed signals among the political class and the civil rights community with some lauding the improvement while some faulted the position.

The first African nation on the TI index is Botswana which is 30th on the global ranking. Nigeria’s 139th position and total score of 27 is reflective of the country’s score of 32 out of 100 in the African Development Bank’s Governance rating.

Remarkably, two thirds of the 176 countries ranked in the 2012 index score below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean), showing that public institutions need to be more transparent, and powerful officials more

accountable.

“Governments need to integrate anti-corruption actions into all public decision-making. Priorities include better rules on lobbying and political financing, making public spending and contracting more transparent and making public bodies more accountable to people,” Ms Huguette Labelle, the Canadian Chairperson of Transparency International said yesterday.

“After a year of focus on corruption, we expect governments to take a tougher stance against the abuse of power. The Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 results demonstrate that societies continue to pay the high cost of corruption,” Labelle said.

FG dismisses rating Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, who reacted to the rating, said the agency did not take cognisance of the achievements recorded by this administration in its fight against corruption.

According to him, "the TI report and a recent Gallup Poll that also showed that Nigeria was among corrupt nations globally were products of perceptions of both the people and the media practitioners which fail to appreciate that the incumbent administration was taking steps to deal with corruption by employing systematic and institutional approaches that are gradual in yielding results."

Citing the instance of the

prosecution of alleged fraudsters implicated in the fuel subsidy scam, investigation into the pension fund scandal, the geometric auditing of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and curbing of graft in the supply of fertiliser and seeds to farmers, the minister said these were concrete efforts that should be commended.

AGOS — ANOTHER giant in Nollywood, Mr Enebeli Elebuwa, who broke into public consciousness with his famed advert during the military reign in the 80s exhorting Nigerians not to “check out” despite harrowing economic conditions, died yesterday after losing his one-year battle with stroke.

Enebeli, 66, died at Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, Faridabad Haryana, New Delhi, India.

His death came shortly after that of other veteran actors, Akin Ogungbe and Peter Eneh.

His death painful, saddening —Uduaghan

Reacting to his demise, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State described Elebuwa's death as “painful and saddening.”

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, yesterday, said the governor was shocked that the concerted efforts by well-meaning Nigerians to

Nigeria now 7th most terrorised nation in the world —GTI

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

L

AGOS — FROM a disturbing position of 16, four years ago, Nigeria has sank deeper into the abyss of terrorism and is now the seventh mostterrorised country in the world, according to the latest ranking of the Global Terrorism Index (GTI).

From the 16th slot in 2008, Nigeria went down to 11 in 2009; 12 in 2010; and now seven with a GTI of 7.24.

According to the report, Nigeria recorded 168 incidents of terrorism in 2011 from which 437 persons died, 614 persons sustained injuries and 33 property were destroyed.

Nigeria is worse than Sudan, which is ranked 11th and Mali (34th).

Ahead of Nigeria on the index are Iraq (9.56), Pakistan (9.05), Afghanistan (8.67), India (8.15), Yemen (7.30) and Somali (7.24)

Of the 158 countries, 43 are free of terrorism. They include Burkina Faso, Brazil, Congo Republic, Gabon, Ghana, Jamaica, Gambia, Liberia, North Korea, South Korea, Poland, Uruguay, Singapore and Zambia.

Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the GTI maps and analyzes trends in terrorism over the last 10 years and systematically ranks and compares 158 countries according to the impact of terrorism. The index is based on data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) from the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, START, at the University of Maryland.

The GTI uses four indicators to measure the impact of terrorism: the number of terrorist incidents, the number of deaths, the number of casualties and the level of property damage.

The late Elebuwa

Enebeli

save his life did not yield the desired result.

He said: “I am particularly touched because as a renowned Deltan and talented Nollywood actor, Enebeli still had a lot to offer to Delta, to Nigeria and the entertainment world.

“I recall that the thespian came to limelight in the 80s when he played the character, Andrew, in the Federal Government campaign to get Nigerians to believe in Nigeria. And since then, he remained dominant in the entertainment industry.

“He prayed God Almighty to grant the family, Nigerians and the colleagues in the entertainment industry, the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Confirming the sad news to Vanguard, on the telephone, SecretaryGeneral of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Mr Yakubu Abubakar, said the leadership of the guild had declared a three-day mourning in honour of the departed actor.

He described the late actor as a father and a veteran who would be greatly missed by colleagues and the Nollywood community as a whole, adding: “We have lost a gem. Personally, he was a father to me, right from the NTA, he was there for me. He motivated and inspired me so much in life.”

The immediate President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Mr. Segun Arinze, described Enebeli as “a father-figure, an uncle,” adding: “He inspired a generation of Nigerian artistes. He fought gallantly and he was a great actor.

We all called him Andrew but unfortunately, he has checked out.”

For Ejike Asiegbu, past president of AGN, "Enebeli battled death for several years when his ailment started gradually he conquered his prime enemy only for another challenge to take place. He bestroded the stage and screen like a connoisseur."

8 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 9

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2012

EFCC lays siege to Babalakin's hospital — Bi-Courtney

BY EMMANUELAZIKEN

B

I-COURTNEY Highway Services Limited yesterday accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of bandit tactics reminiscent of the Sani Abacha regime against its embattled chairman, Barrister Wale Babalakin, SAN. The company in a statement made available to Vanguard alleged that EFCC operatives numbering over 20 had laid siege on the private ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, where Babalakin’s lawyers said he is hospitalized.

The siege of the EFCC operatives, the company’s spokesman, Dipo Kehinde said yesterday, is contrary to the order of a Lagos High Court which granted Babalakin leave to apply for an order to prohibit the Commission or other agencies from arresting the embattled lawyer.

Babalakin was supposed to appear in court last Thursday over allegations of money

laundering, among other 26 charges of having helped erstwhile governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori to siphon an estimated N2 billion from the coffers of Delta State.

Babalakin did not appear in court, citing ill-health, but the same day also obtained an order granting him leave to apply for an order to prohibit the Commission from arresting him.

The EFCC has since said that the order does not stop his arrest.

On the seige laid on Babalakin’s hospital bed From left: Pastor Taiwo Otegbeye, new Oyo State Commissioner for Information & Orientation and since last Tuesday, his Senator Tunde Anifowose Kelani, during the first press conference by the newly appointed Commissioner, spokesman, Kehinde at the Governor's Office Hall, Secretariat, Ibadan,yesterday. Photo: Sola Oyelese, Ibadan. said reacted:“It is noteworthy that this brings back sad memories of the days of Gen. Sani Abacha when the rights of Nigerians were trampled upon with ease.

Adoda said Akinsola, Adoda, however, said or cause public disorder to “This is a new trend in BADAN —The Oyo State Police Command popularly known as “ there was no need for think twice about their judicial administration in Nigeria and it reflects has arrested Alhaji Lateef Tokyo,” was undergoing residents of the state to be planned actions.

“The Command is combat desperation by EFCC to Akinsola, a factional leader interrogation in respect of apprehensive following the ready to deal with such a pending criminal cases arrest of Akinsola. of the state’s National violate provisions of the against him and for which “People are advised to go situation and any trouble law and constitution in Union of Road Transport he was declared wanted by about their lawful maker caught would be Workers, NURTW. order to circumvent businesses without any fear made to face the full wrath His arrest was made the police. justice, and a violation of public in Ibadan yesterday of the law.

He added that the outcome of molestation,” he stated. the basic human rights in a release issued by the of the investigation would “The interest of Oyo State The police boss, in of the citizen. warned takes precedence over any Deputy Commissioner of determine subsequent addition, consideration,” Police in the state, Clement actions to be taken by the disgruntled elements who other police. may want to foment trouble Adoda said.

Adoda.

Police nab ‘ Tokyo’, factional leader of Oyo NURTW I

Mile-12-Ikorodu road project, on course — LAMATA

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

LAGOS — Lagos Area Metropolitan Transport Authority, LAMATA, has assured residents that the on- going expansion work on the 13.5 kilometre Mile12Ikorodu Road project, estimated to gulp N29 billion, would be delivered on schedule.

He said there was no issue between the federal and state governments that could warrant any form of delay.

The Public Relations Officer of LAMATA, Mr. Kola Ojelabi, gave the assurance yesterday, following fears expressed by motorists and residents that the project might aggravate traffic along the axis when the road construction finally takes off.

It would be recalled that LAMATA, last week Thursday, held the second stakeholders’ forum aimed at sensitising members of the public, particularly motorists and residents

along the axis, on the need for support and understanding on the capital project.

Ojelabi, also clarified that all relevant documents and approvals had been secured and that there was no issue whatsoever, between the federal and state government that could likely hamper the execution of the project.

He said: “The project will not be hampered by lack of fund as the fund needed had been secured from the World Bank and would be released in tranches as work is carried out according to plan.

Ijesa monarch defends allegation of Corps member’s rape

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO — A traditional ruler in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, the Alowa of Ilowa-Ijesa, Oba Adebukola Alli standing trial over allegation of rape of a 23-year-old exmember of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, who served in his domain, yesterday told an Osogbo High Court of his readiness to open his defence against the

charge.

Alli has been standing trial for allegedly having unlawful sexual intercourse with the Corps member, Miss Hellen Okpara, in his private residence in Osogbo, on 23rd March, 2010 when he allegedly asked the lady to accompany him to the state capital for a computer programme.

Justice Oyejide Falola of Osun State High Court recently ruled that the accused monarch, who had earlier revealed to

Cleric urges Nigerians to pray

L

AGOS — The Senior Pastor and founder of the House on the Rock Church, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, has urged Nigerians to be optimistic about the nation, adding that they should not relent in praying for peace to reign in the county.

At a press briefing heralding 7th episode of “The Experience,” an inter- denominational gospel concert scheduled for Friday, December 7th, 2012 at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, Adefarasin said the country would experience a total turn-

around if Nigerians unite and shun tribalism.

“We should continue to pray for peace in the country until something great happens and our prayer are answered. We believe God will fix Nigeria because we are already feeling the impact,” he said

the court that he made love to Okpara and that both of them enjoyed it, had a case to answer and that Alli should open his case for defence on the charge of rape leveled against him by his victim.

But the order apparently did not go down well with Alli who

through his counsel, Mr. Taofeek Tewogbade filed a motion on notice for leave to appeal the judgment.

To this end, the prosecution counsels led by the Director of Public Prosecution in the state, Dapo Adeniji filed a notice of preliminary objection.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ANGLICAN ADAM PREACHING SOCIETY (A.A.P.S) OF NIGERIA The general public is hereby notified that the above named society has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Board Of Trustees: 1. Evangelist Francis Kagbare Afonughe Usenu (JP) - President 2. Evangelist Peter Ejovi - Secretary 3. Evangelist (Sir) Jonathan Tobi (JP) - Treasurer Aims And Objectives Of The Society: Evangelism.

Any objection to the said registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of publication.

Signed: J.E.E Ukpedor, Esq J.E.E Ukpedor & Co

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—11

Why we're building new banquet hall —FG

BY BEN AGANDE BUJA—THE Fed eral Government, yesterday, said the decision to build a new banquet hall in the Presidential Villa, was borne out of ‘a necessity and not a duplication,’ saying that provision for its construction was captured in the 2012 budget.

Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, whose ministry is in charge of the project, said contrary to widely held belief that the new

A

INSPECTION: From left: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State; Mr. Mohammed Hurdi, Acting Commissioner of Police, Edo State, and Mr. David Jimwan, Area Commander, Auchi Command, during the governor's inspection, yesterday, of the Police Area Command and other places attacked by criminals in Auchi, last week.

Lagos holds emergency preparedness summit

Auchi attack: Oshiomhole wants I Police probed

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—GOVER NOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has called on the InspectorGeneral of Police to investigate how criminals sacked the Police Area Command and Divisional Police Station, freed inmates and held Auchi town in Edo North hostage for over three hours with no response from the police.

The governor, who made the call yesterday during an inspection of First Bank, Access Bank, Ecobank, soldiers’ quarters and police formations attacked by bandits in Auchi, said there was need for the police to do a soul-searching to see if policemen compromised the security of the town.

Oshiomhole said: “To think that a police station with arms could be attacked and the police could not gun down one criminal gives cause for worry.

“I was not happy that the police had to park the Armoured Personnel Carrier behind the Area Commander’s office instead of being at strategic locations in Auchi town. It shows that the police are not using the funds given to them maximally. I am not impressed because the APC ought to be in operation.

“The fact that the APC was parked behind the

station where it was bombed means that it was not put to maximum use. It is unacceptable.

They should begin to account for their negligence of duty, incompetence or both.

“Until we begin to do that, this lamentation will continue and criminals will continue to operate and demystify the state and make us look like a collection of mushrooms that can be consumed with minimal effort.

“I believe the police will have to investigate to reassure us that we are safe. The fact that

they can attack two police formations and do that kind of damage shows the need to revisit the role of policing and their operational order.”

The governor, however, praised the Army for the five soldiers who repelled the attack and killed one of the bandits who attacked and attempted to bomb a private residence where the soldiers reside.

“The point has been made that if you attack a military base, you will pay a huge price. For me, that is a little relief that one of the bandits was killed by the soldiers

Another strike rocks UPTH

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

P

ORT HAR COURT— BARELY one week after a three-day warning strike by resident doctors at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, UPTH, hospital workers under the umbrella of Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical Sciences and Professionals Allied to Medicine, NUPMTPAM, have begun another five days warning strike.

The current strike by the union, which began yesterday, is caused by perceived non-implementation of a circular on staff promotion and

non-inclusion of health professionals and industrial unions under its fold on the Advisory board of the teaching hospital.

Mr. Awoibi Kristhien, Chairman of the union, said management of the hospital should reverse independent call duties for trainee resident doctors in medical laboratory services, saying since they were not trained as laboratory scientists, they were giving erroneous results harmful to clinical services for patients.

Awoibi said the five days warning strike could progress into an indefinite action if management failed to address their demands.

in the sense that his identity will assist the security agencies in their investigations,” he noted.

project was a duplication of the existing one, the new one is meant to ease the work of the President because it will be located close to the President’s office.

He said: “The new banquet hall will help ease the work of the President as it would be attached to the President’s office.

It is not a duplication or replacement of the existing one.”

He explained that the banquet hall will contain a private lounge and broadcast facility.

BY LAMIDI BAMIDELE

N its efforts to im prove the level of emergency preparedness, Lagos State Government is hosting a summit for South-West and Edo State on December 6 and 7. The theme of the summit is Promoting Safety and resilience in the South-West.

Lagos State Governor,

Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN is the chief host, while guests speakers include Mr. Ade Ipaye, Lagos State Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health; Mrs Dominga Odebunmi, Director General, Safety Commission; Dr Femi Osanyintolu, Genaral Manager, LASEMA and other resource persons.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Lagos govt assures of justice in Cynthia’s murder

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

L

AGOS — The Lagos State Government said yesterday that it will ensure that justice is done in the case of the murdered General’s daughter, Miss Cynthia Osokogu.

Speaking through the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said the government has decided to reverse its decision to charge one of the pharmacists, Mr. Orji Osita, who had been set free by a DPP advice dated Nov. 1, to ensure justice and fairness is done in the case.

Two pharmacists, Osita Orji and Maduakor Chukwunonso charged along with suspects apprehended over the

killing of Cynthia in Festac area were set free based on a DPP’s advice issued before the Attorney-General intervened.

The revelation came, as he said a data bank, which currently contained 59,000 records, out of which 24,000 are with biometric details of awaiting trials has been established to record details of criminal cases in the state.

He said although the two pharmacists were initially set free by the court, Osita was rearreasted based on a new advice.

Ipaye said: “The pharmacist that was released was the one that sold the drug and not the pharmacist that persuaded the other to sell the drug used on the deceased,” he said.

Agric sector created 2.2m jobs— Minister

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—FEDERAL Executive Council, FEC, declared, yesterday, that the agricultural sector created 2.2 million jobs in 2012.

This is coming at a time that Nigeria is planning a new city near Abuja as part of activities to mark the centenary anniversary of the amalgamation of the southern and northern protectorates of Nigeria in 1914.

Addressing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting, which lasted for over eight hours, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku said the job creation was made possible as a result of the reforms initiated by the Minister of Agriculture, which

considerably brought down corruption in the sector.

The weekly meeting, which was intended to only review sectoral performance in 2012, however, approved N478 million for the feasibility studies for two new standard rail lines to be constructed in the coastal states of the federation.

Maku, who was flanked by the Ministers of Agriculture, Dr. Adeshina Akinwunmi and Transport, Senator Idris Umar, said President Goodluck Jonathan, who is impressed with the performance in the agricultural sector, has pledged a new agricultural funding policy that will make credit available to farmers at single digit interest rate in 2013.

PUBLIC NOTICE

BAYELSA STATE SAWYERS UNION This is to inform the general public that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under the part C of the Companies and Allied MattersAct 1990.

The TrusteesAre: 1. Chief Efisang Officer Nwiepe -State Chairman 2. Chief Ajet Eda -Auditor 3. Chief Travel Omiekuma -Treasurer 4. Mr.Allison Honour -Secretary 5. Chief Eniams Iberebo -P.R.O 6. Mr. Gentle Dike -Assistant Secretary AimsAnd Objectives Include: 1. To put in place measures that could compel compliance from the sawyers operating in Bayelsa State, to obey all government rules and regulation concerning woods sawing businesses.

2. To work with the Ministry of Environment most especially Forestry Department to ensure compliancy.

3. To identify all sawyers operating in Bayelsa State under the umbrella of the Bayelsa State Sawyers Union.

4. To stop all kinds of payments directly or indirectly on roads and motor transport of woods sold to customers by members of Bayelsa state Sawyers Union.

5. To regulate the supply of our products to prospective buyers who made payments to any member of the union.

6. To fix prices of our products that must commensurate with the sawing expenses.

7. To assist members of the union who may be in a terrible predicament as a result of an injury or financial loses sustained when on active production.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 565 Ndola Square, Wuse Zone 5, P.M.B 198, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Chief E. O. Nwiepe

CORRECTION: From right: Prof. Fidelis Okafor, Vice-Chancellor, Anambra State University; Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and HRM Orodje of Okpe, Orhue I, at the Orodje's installation as Chancellor of Anambra State University, Uli. We had earlier mistakenly written that Orhue I was installed as Pro-Chancellor of the university. The error is regretted.

How we bribe community leaders to allow us vandalise pipelines—Suspect

BY EVELYN USMAN & IFEANYI OKOLIE

A

PETROLEUM product pipeline vandalisation suspect, Kabiru Akinsanya, has said that his gang usually bribed community leaders whenever they wanted to break any pipeline.

Akinsanya, who was discovered to have been in the illicit business for two years, disclosed that his gang usually filled over a hundred 50 litre cans during each operation.

He said: “We sell each gallon of 50 litres for N2,000 or N2,500, depending on the demand.

So far, we have broken several pipelines around the area.

“We usually went at night. During each trip, we would fill at least 100 jerry cans with fuel.”

Asked how this was possible, he said: “We usually bribed the community leaders. At times, we give them money or fuel .

“We usually informed them before coming.

Most times they would even tell us when the coast is clear. That is, when policemen would not be around. And anytime we were into business, they would send some of the villagers to keep watch so as to inform us when policemen would be coming.”

I learnt my skill

from prison

Kabiru, who was released from Kirikiri prison in 2010, after serving a two-year jail term, said he learnt plumbing when he was there. “ When I was released, I had nothing doing.

One of my friends invited me to join them in the pipeline vandalisation business. Since I learnt plumbing in prison, I was useful to them because I used the skill to burst the pipelines and weld them after operation.

“We worked together as a group and the rule was that before any job was executed, we would contribute a certain amount of money and give to the leaders of the community. They (community leaders) would not alert the police rather, they would send some young men to keep watch.

“But along the line, I left the group and formed another group of four which I was heading. I left the first group because the business was lucrative and I did not want to be under anyone.

“Members of my gang are Tunde, Segun and Sunday . But they managed to escape on the day the Police stormed our hideout.”

Arrested at last

Before his arrest, he said his gang realised at least N200,000 per trip.

“But for sometime

NNPC stopped pumping and we relaxed.

NNPC only started pumping recently and we returned to business.

“But the Police succeeded in arresting us because someone who is not a member of my gang broke a pipeline and this caused leakage that attracted the Police.

There is no way NNPC would have known that we tapped from their pipeline if there was no leakage,” he stated.

Policemen attached to the Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism, Force Headquarters Annex Lagos, arrested the ex-convict who has been on their wanted list, recovering 80 jerrycans filled with petroleum product that was siphoned from a broken pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in Takwa Bay area of Lagos state.

Vanguard gathered that activities of pipeline vandals had been on the rise in Takwa Bay and its environs, following which policemen from the Special Task Force reportedly patrolled the area at night. But Akinsanya’s gang as gathered, succeeded in beating the policemen, as some members of the community were said to keep watch whenever they were carrying out the heinous crime.

But the bubble burst, Monday, after some po-

licemen on patrol along the creeks who noticed a burst pipeline, trailed members of the gang to their hide out around the vicinity, where Akinsanya was arrested but other members of his gang escaped.

Officer in-charge of the Special Task Force on Pipeline Vandalism , Mr Friday Ibadin, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said the arrest was made following an intelligence report that vandals had returned to the area.

He said: “We got a tipoff that vandals had resumed activities in that area. Policemen, led by Lagos Sector Commander, DSP Onaghise Osayande, were sent to the area to ensure regular patrol. It was during one of the patrol sessions that they discovered a burst pipeline. In the course of investigation, they discovered the hideouts of some of the suspected vandals. Akinsanya was arrested and he confessed to the crime. “ ACP Ibadin called on Nigerians to help protect NNPC pipelines by informing security operatives of the activities of vandals. “I sincerely commend members of Takwa Bay community who assisted the police to fish out these vandals.

It is no longer business as usual; the Arepo incident has caused untold hardship on Nigerians," he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 13

C M Y K

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Explosions rock Kano zAs JTF alleges plot to bomb barracks

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD & NDAHI MARAMA

K

ANO—THERE was uneasy calm in Kano and Borno states, yesterday, following two bomb explosions within a period of 12 hours in Kano, just as it was alleged that the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, planned to launch a massive and deadly attack on one of

the Military Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

Military Joint Task Force, JTF, spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, said there were clandestine moves by Boko Haram to attack military barracks in Maiduguri metropolis, particularly the headquarters of the 21 Armoured Brigade (Giwa Barracks).

He said the barracks

was one of the places where hundreds of suspected sects members were detained, warning that such exercise would be disastrous and counter-productive as it would massively jeopardise the security of their members in military custody.

JTF used the opportunity to alert and urge the Giwa Barracks community, particularly owners

Gowon faults calls for more states

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

K

A D U N A — FORMER Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) has called on the National Assembly to stop creating new states, saying it would only add up to cost of governance and not development.

Gowon also called on the National Assembly to introduce the collegiate system into the 2015 presidential elections.

Gowon spoke in Kaduna, yesterday, through Alhaji Mohammed Aliko, Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, at a conference on the North and Strategies for Sustainable Development, organised by the Arewa House Centre for Historical Documentation and Research, Ahmadu Bello University.

Meanwhile, at the same forum, Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has, how-

ever, asked northern leaders to stop encouraging religious and ethnic intolerance and work to adequately address the tolerance level among Nigerians.

The governor asked the organisers of the conference to recommend ways through which the North can cultivate trust and confidence, not only between different ethnicities, but also between the government and the governed, and how to create hope.

Tributes at Awoniyi's 5th memorial

BY HENRY UMORU

M

OPA—FIVE years after the demise of former Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, family members, friends, political associates on Sunday gathered at First Baptist Church, Ileteju, Mopa, headquarter of Mopamuro Local Gov-

ernment Area to celebrate his sterling qualities.

Governor Idris Wada, who led other speakers as they poured encomiums on the late politician, noted that the event was a celebration of a life well spent, describing him as one of the pillars of the nation’s present democracy and a great leader

of the state, the north and Nigeria at large.

Wada, a Muslim, who started his speech by saying ‘Praise the Lord’ which elicited thunderous response from the congregation, noted that the large turn out of personalities spoke volume of the life Awoniyi lived and how he touched the lives of many.

of houses bordering the barracks, to be watchful and quickly alert it of any suspicious movement within their respective vicinity via 08064174066, 070-85464012 and 081-54429346.

The first blast went off Tuesday night during a failed attempt to blow up a luxury bus along Zaria road by Kundila Housing Estate, while another Improvised Explosive Devise, IED, went off along Zoo Road by AlAmir Junction, some 200 meters from the Hockey Centre Police Division.

The blast came on the heels of a similar attack in the city, Monday, where three paramilitary officials were injured, leading to the death of a Road Safety Corps member, identified as Nura Muhammad.

Security sources in the city said there was no casualty from the two incidents, adding that troops were deployed to the scenes to restore “confidence and normalcy.”

The luxury bus lost its windscreen and few side glasses during the blast as JTF officials cordoned off the area and screened the vehicle and all those found around the zone.

The strategic Zaria road was blocked by security agent for 12 hours and reopened after the successful evacuation of the bus believed to be coming from the eastern part of the country into the city from the site.

Vanguard, however, learnt that the explosion at Zoo Road that was followed by sporadic gunshots, which triggered pandemonium among passers-by during the early morning rush hour as other residents remained indoors.

Dangote shuts Gboko Cement Plant

M

ANAGEMENT of Dangote Cement Plc has finalised arrangements to temporarily close down its four million metric tons per annum’s Gboko Plant, as a result of glut in the cement market.

Group Head, Corporate Communications, Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, confirmed this in Lagos.

He said the move was necessitated by the glut in the market arising from the success presently being recorded with the exponential increase in local production of cement, further compounded by continued importation of subsidised cement into the country.

He disclosed that the

Dana can't fly until full payment of compensation

BY LAWANI MIKAIRU

D

ANA Airline which flight from Abuja crashed last June at Iju Ishaga, Lagos killing all the passengers on board and residents of the crash site, yesterday, heaved a temporary sigh of relief as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, gave it Airline Operator Certificate, AOC, which is required to fly.

However, the airline must pay full compensation to the families of all those who died in the crash before it can resume flight operations.

The airline had expected to resume immediate flight operations on getting the AOC. The AOC of the airline

was withdrawn by the regulatory authority, NCAA, last June after its plane crashed. The Federal Government grounded the airline and set up a panel to probe the cause of the crash. Based on the report of the administrative panel, the federal government, through the Federal Ministry of Aviation, recently lifted the ban on the airline.

The airline has since been reorganizing and carrying out technical maintenance of its fleet. It recently concluded demonstration flights which is a prelude to resume daily flight operations. The airline has also been able to pay 30 per cent initial compensation to 80 per cent of the crash victims.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

production figure for the first 11 months of the year shows increased local production level with supply now surpassing demand.

Total supply of cement to the market at the end of November, according to him, when compared to the same period last year, has shown a record increase of 11.4 percent, the highest ever.

He said it was, therefore, disheartening to note that despite the glut in the local cement market, some cement importation, though reduced, have continued.

He said it called to question the rigorous implementation of the backward integration policy introduced to encourage local production.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

Do you support creation of new states?(5)

C

REATING more states would do more damages than good since majority of the present states already have challenges.

Talking of having more states will add to the problem currently confronting Nigeria.— Mrs Chinenye Ezeamanie, Student.

T

HE country is not equitably delineat ed in terms of states creation. There are lots of lopsidedness.

But the question is what are the yardsticks of creating states? We do not want creation of states that will not address issues.— Mr. Ige Asemudara, Lawyer.

W

E have to look at the economic viability of the states that are to be created or it would be a jamboree and scramble for the so-called National Cake. Some of the present states cannot even stand on their own.— Mr. Abubakar Shamsudeen, Lawyer.

I

do not think we need more states. The exi isting ones are not viable. New states should be the last thing on the burner.

Some states should be merged. When we had 12 states, people were more united and things were far better.— Mr. Dokun Makinde, Lawyer.

M

Y view on the creation of new states is that it is not necessary. The ones we have on ground are yet to get the required provisions and capacity to thrive. It is even better to reduce the states and give the people the best.— Mr. Jude Oputa, Lawyer.

I

T is not necessary, considering the fact that most states in Nigeria are not viable at the moment. Many, perhaps with the exception of Lagos and Port Harcourt, rely heavily on the Federal Government for sustenance.—Mr. Olaoluwa Adekanbi, Lawyer.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 —15

‘Lagos-Ibadan road ready in 2 months’

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

A

BUJA—FEDERAL Government has assured that Julius Berger and Reynold Construction Company Limited, RCC, would deliver on Lagos-Ibadan expressway rehabilitation works within the next two months.

Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, who gave the assurance in Abuja, yesterday, said the Federal Government was irrevocably committed to full reconstruction and rehabilitation of the expressway.

He said the emergency repair works and reconstruction of the LagosIbadan dual carriageway sections I and II; Lagos to Shagamu interchange and Shagamu to Ibadan (Ojoo), would ease traffic in that axis during the festive season and beyond.

He said the Federal Government was not only intervening on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, but also Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Tegina-Kaduna Road, 9th Mile to MakurdiLafia to Abuja, among others.

Onolememen noted that travellers on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway would be relived of sufferings on the road.

Anniversary

C

HRIST Apostolic Church, Mountain of Comfort, holds its sixth church anniversary next Sunday at its premises at Ajasa, Lagos, by 10am.

A statement by Evang Peter Fasesin lauded Prophet Joseph Ayodele Babalola, Prophet and Prophetess Olaoye for their work in the Lord’s vineyard these past six years.

MDGs office needs N120bn— Presidency

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

A

BUJA—PRECIOUS Gbenol, Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to the President on Millenium Development Goals, MDGs, yesterday, said to properly carry out developmental projects across the country next year, N120 billion would be needed by her office.

Speaking in a meeting with members of the House of Representatives Committee on MDGs, Gbenol said the MDGs office had received most of the releases for projects contained in the 2012 budget, adding that while some of the projects would be completed this year, others would be implemented in 2013.

She also disclosed that N120 billion would be required in 2013 for priority projects in key sectors, including education, health, youth development, lands and housing, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, among other projects.

The SSA noted that such projects would be spread across 250 local government areas and appealed to members of the National Assembly to endeavour to commission completed projects so Nigerians could easily access them for better living.

She further stressed that N87 billion of the 2013 budget would be spent on special projects such as boreholes and others spread across the 360 federal constituen-

cies in the country.

Members of the committee .stressed the need for Federal Government to improve the living standard of rural dwellers through the imple-

Cardinal Onaiyekan, Mark preach compassion, optimism

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—CATHOLIC Archbishop of Abuja,

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has called for compassion among Nigerians, even as Sen-

T

RADITIONAL rulers in Abia State have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan over the demolition of the 500unit Minanuel Housing Estate by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, in Abuja.

ate President, David Mark described the security challenges in the country as surmount-

Council advocates legal represenatation for suspects

BY INNOCENT ANABA

D

IRECTOR-General of Legal Aid Council, Mrs Joy BobManuel, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to issue a Force Order, ordering policemen to inform sus-

The monarchs, under the aegis of Isuikwuato Council of Traditional Rulers, in a letter to the President, by HRH, E.O. Ahia, the Ivi I of Amiyiobilohia, and HRH J. E. Ogbuneka, Okwuawo I of Umuokogbue, respectively, expressed displeasure over the October 1 demolition of the over

moters to ensure projects were evenly distributed.

Daramola expressed the need for effective utilisation of funds appropriated to the MDG office.

VISIT: From left— Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Senate President, David Mark, and his wife, Helen, at Saint Mulumba Chaplaincy, Apo, yesterday.

pects, upon arrest, of their rights to have their lawyers present during interrogation.

Bob-Manuel spoke at the review of the five years Police Duty Solicitors Scheme, PDSS, supported by Open Society Justice Initiative, OSJI, in Abuja, yesterday.

She noted that since most police officers have refused to inform sus-

pects of their rights to have their lawyer present during interrogation, in addition to informing the suspect the reason for his/her arrest, which is a constitutional requirement, issuing a Force Order would help, since policemen to obey instructions handed down from their commands.

She said: “If the police

Monarchs petition Jonathan over estate demolition

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

mentation of the MDGs projects across the country.

Bimbo Daramola, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on MDGs, told MDGs pro-

N3 billion worth estate owned by Mr. Emmanuel Mbaka.

The petition read in part: “Permit us to use this medium to draw your attention to the wanton and unconscionable destruction, without due notice, of 500 houses built in Lugbe, a suburb of Abuja,

by Minanuael Invest-

ment.

“It is owned by one of our sons, Mr. Emmanuel Nmbaka, who has well over 20 years experience in property development.

“Available records show that the developer applied for and obtained approval after due payment before it embarked on this project worth over N3 billion.”

IG should make it a Force Order, since the police runs a command structure, all important rights of Nigerians would be respected.

“Once a suspect is arrested, let his rights be read to him and let the family be contacted to get a lawyer for the suspect, since they (police) have refused to recognise the constitutional rights.”

Former DG of the Council, Mrs Uju Hassan-Baba, who presented a review of the five years of PDSS review report, expressed concern that the judicial system was bogged with a lot of challenges, regretting that many in the system were not doing enough to make the system work well or have refused to make it work at all.

able.

They spoke, yesterday, at St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy in Abuja during a holy Mass celebrated by the new Cardinal, John Onaiyekan Mark said: “We are in a difficult situation but we will continue to pray and I know with prayer, honesty and the commitment of all of us, we can over come.

“We must not despair; we must be resolute to face the challenges.”

He noted that Cardinal Onaiyekan had remained humble, steadfast and dedicated, in spite of his elevation.

He urged him not to rest on his oars in the crusade for peace and unity of Nigeria, adding that the Cardinal had brought fame and honour to the nation.

Earlier in his homily from Mathew 15: 29 - 37, Cardinal Onaiyekan, who implored Nigerians, rich and poor, to have compassion on one another, said love and togetherness stood as panacea to the intractable conflicts across the country.

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 17

B

,

ELIEVE me; but I have spent the past week looking for a rebuttal of the story. Last Wednesday, November 28th, DAILY SUN carried the report on its page 8; the Nigerian government had begun discussions on the privatisation of Nigerian prisons.

Interior Minister, Patrick Abba Moro, disclosed the “privatisation gone berserk” plan “to leave prisons management into the private hands (SIC)”. There is nothing unusual about discussions within governments. It is also clear that the PDP, since 1999, has turned privatisation into something close to a religious conviction; this despite its‘social democratic’ manifesto or Nigeria’s Constitution’s Chapter II, which prohibits concentration of wealth and the means of production in the hands of a few.

Prison Development Party (PDP)

Maybe, we should commend the PDP for taking up the challenge of running “privatised prisons”; because at the rate things are going, many of its members might end up in those prisons anyway

,

Neo liberal capitalism

B

ut with triumphal neoliberal capitalism, especially in the United States, privatisation of prison, punishment and correctional facilities, has become popular. What is new in the Nigerian plan, is the intention, which DAILY SUN reported, that “the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the ruling South Africa’s African National Congress have (…) indicated their interest to be involved in the management of the nation’s prisons”.

This new twist in “privatization”, of prisons run by political parties, came when Abba Moro met a joint ANC/PDP delegation of PDP Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon and ANC Treasurer-General, Mathew Phosa, and declared that “government was not going back on its decision to privatise the prisons”.

In the preferred manner of looting Nigeria’s public sector, the usual vehicle of theft, “Public-PrivatePartnership(PPP)”, will similarly be deployed to handover prisons to the private sector. To this effect, a South

Interior Minister, Patrick Abba Moro African company, the Guma Group, headed by a certain Robert Matana, is “the company that intended handling the job on behalf of the PDP and the ANC”.

It is not a joke! The ruling parties of Nigeria and South Africa are taking on the “ noble responsibility ” of imprisoning Nigerians! Well, the ANC has a revolutionary tradition of liberation, but in recent years, under Jacob Zuma, we are witnessing an alarming slide of standards. Here in Nigeria, the PDP has messed things up in every respect: Infrastructural collapse despite huge appropriations of money; institutionalised corruption

South Africa President, Jacob Zuma manifested in fuel subsidy scandal; pensions scams; the brazen theft of national assets in dubious privatisation scams; deepening impoverishment of Nigerians and anti-state uprisings in various forms, around Nigeria. Maybe, we should commend the PDP for taking up the challenge of running “privatised prisons”; because at the rate things are going, many of its members might end up in those prisons anyway. Didn’t its first leader come from prison to presidency? Prison seems a motif writ large in the ethos of the PDP apparently. They might not even go far to determine a suitable

PDP chairman, Bamanga Tukur uniform for PDP-run “privatised prisons”. What about those uniforms they wear at rallies? Why not a matching prison umbrella in tow? It will be PDP’s novel contribution to running correctional institutions. Our ruling party, the PDP (it is also the largest party in Africa!), will now manage prisons having failed to deliver “the dividends of democracy”.

What about a new slogan? “P-D-P? PRISON”! It’s a new day in Nigeria!

Chief Sunday Awoniyi: How did I forget the 5th anniversary?

L

C M Y K

remarkable years from the killing of the Sardauna and maybe, up to the mid1980s.

I

The Late Chief Sunday Awoniyi was the essential link to an era recognised as the best period in our post-colonial history. And as contemporary experience of underdevelopment; increased alienation of the mass of the people; break down of inter-communal and inter-religious harmony; the poverty and scandalous depths of corruption led to greater despair, the tendency to romanticise those years deepened.

Chief Awoniyi and members of the Kaduna “clan” of leaders of the old North, such as older patriarchs like Malam Yahaya Gusau; Alhaji Liman Ciroma and then Malam Adamu Ciroma; and AlhajiAdamu,Wazirin Fika came to represent what was highly respected about the Northern character, especially during those

learnt a lot from Chief Sunday Awoniyi; and I recall having lunch with him, a few blocks from his modest London flat, in an Italian restaurant, during the winter of 2005. The owner ushered us in with respect to his customary corner, on a cold afternoon, which he nevertheless warmed up with his effusiveness. He spoke for hours, letting me into issues of security; episodes in Northern Nigerian bureaucratic/political history; personal

,

AST week, the 5th anniversary of the passing of our much-lamented Chief Sunday Awoniyi was commemorated. It took a few newspaper advertisements, to remind Nigerians of a wonderful patriot; statesman and the quintessential public servant: honesty; loyal and fearless! On the morning his death was announced, I was attending DAILY TRUST’s Editorial Board meeting. I called Alhaji Adamu, WazirinFika, who confirmed the news. I couldn’t stop myself crying! Later that day, I was requested to pen a front-page sidebar to accompany our comprehensive reportage. It was certainly one of the saddest moments of my life!

In the previous six years, I had become very close to Chief Awoniyi.

He would offer very nuanced comments about my writings; volunteer clarifications about historical events and personalities involved; assist me, as he did others, to see links in events around us, and what went before. But it was in his passionate espousal of the ideals of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, that one saw the full measure of the man. Sometimes I wondered that he actually saw the late Northern Premier in his mind’s eye as he recounted tales from his days at the Premier ’s Office in Kaduna. He was remarkably in thrall and kept his loyalty to his mentor, till the end of his own life. For younger generations of Northerners like myself, Chief Awoniyi

Chief Sunday Awoniyi loved his country passionately and felt that his generation had a duty to mentor younger people who would carry the touch of all that was decent about our humanity, into the future

,

health issues; even the challenges of matrimony. My twin children were in their first year and he was full of wisdom about parenting! But he was particularly concerned about goingson in the Nigeria of surreptitious plans for Obasanjo’s Third Term Agenda. I had received a death threat because of my anti-Third Term writings and his security tips were top draw, helping me navigate the worries of the period.

In Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Nigeria had an example of adutiful patriot. He loved his country passionately and felt that his generation had a duty to mentor younger people who would carry the touch of all that was decent about our humanity, into the future. It was testimony to his personal qualities and the trust he engendered, especially in Northern Nigeria, that his leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), was universally acclaimed, all over the region. Yet, he was not just a Northerner, because he built a network of friendships in all parts of Nigeria and he was genuinely mourned throughout, following his death. I had written on the day he died, that Nigeria was a head shorter, with Chief Sunday Awoniyi’s death; and that his, was one of our best heads.

Five years down the line, as we wrestle with Lilliputians (in thought and action), messing up our country, we must certainly feel a tragic form of nostalgia for the giant of thought and action that Chief Sunday Awoniyi was!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 THE Federal Government would not forgive the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, for reminding it about the Vision 202020 projects, on which government deployed billions of Naira, in search of a long-time plan that would launch Nigeria into the top 20 global economies by 2020.

Director General of NESG, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, said Saudi Arabia, not Nigeria, would be the world 20th largest economy. “Based on our projections, using the IMF World Economic Outlook database, our findings are that: Saudi Arabia will be the 20th largest economy in the world by 2020, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $1.2 trillion in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP),” said at the summit.

According to the projections, Nigeria, would be the 27th largest economy in the world by 2020, with a GDP of US$864 billion in PPP; US$316 billion short of the Saudis GDP, and may be the 20th largest economy by 2035.

The final documentations of the Vision 202020 were concluded in August 2009. Then President Umaru Yar’Adua was interested in a document that could be the development roadmap for Nigeria. The Vision 202020 covered 29 themes identified as

202020: A FForgo orgo tt en orgott tten Vision Stirs

encompassing Nigeria’s opportunities for the envisaged growth – Agriculture & Food Security; Business Environment & Competitiveness; Corporate Governance; Culture, Tourism & National Re-Orientation; Education; Employment; Environment & Sustainable Development; Finance, Foreign Policy; Health; Housing; Human Development; Information Communication Technology, Judiciary & Rule Of Law; Manufacturing; Media & Communication; Niger Delta & Regional Development; Political System; Science, Technology & Innovation; Security; SMEs; Mining & Steel Development; Sports Development; Trade & Commerce; Transport; Urban & Rural Development; Water & Sanitation. It took nine months and more than 5,000 Nigerians to

prepare it.

The Federal Government is sitting on a report of this magnitude which it commissioned.

What other reports does it require to proceed on developing the country, even if it misses the target of the world’s top 20? When last did President Goodluck Jonathan mention Vision 202020? As Vice President on 3 August 2009, he presided over the final meeting of the Vision 202020 Committee at State House Abuja.

All talks now are about transformational agenda, transformational leadership: mere conjectures that do not have the intellectual inputs that resulted in Vision 202020.

Comments from Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, Minister of National Planning Commission, at the NESG event showed the Vision 202020 is document that has faded with the demise of Yar’Adua. Nigeria, according to him, was the 37th economy in the world in 1999, but is now 31st, an improvement that is based on the “concerted efforts by the Federal Government to provide good governance, improve infrastructure and human capital development.”

Dr. Usman is saying that the Vision 202020 project has been implemented . What a country!

OPINION

BY CLEMENT UDEGBE Continued from pg 17

T

HE Anglo-American society think that leaders should be held to the highest behavioural standards so that they can be an example to the nation to avoid gutter behaviour. Leadership is a brand, and needs to be maintained at the highest moral standards.A recent study at the Tilburg University in America, found that there is a relationship between power and infidelity; the more powerful people were, the more they tended to cheat on their partners, and this relationship was directly attributable to the higher levels of confidence reported by more powerful people. Thus, being less powerful decrease not only a person’s confidence but also his willingness to cheat on his partner. Is this true? The answer is NO! Adultery can happen anywhere to anyone.

You don’t have to be handsome, articulate, successful, muscular or any woman’s dream to be in it.You can be dull, unattractive, overweight, without personality or charisma, yet caught by the fire stone they call ‘an affair’. You can be mighty in the Lord, tongue speaking, successful beyond your wildest dreams, a great warrior for Christ, and still be brought down by adultery.

The Bible in 1Corinthians 6:18, commands us to “flee from adultery”, don’t argue with it, discuss its ramifications, don’t underestimate it, just run as fast as your legs

C M Y K

Adultery: A sign of strength or weakness(2) can carry you. Get away quick even if the other person will be offended or misunderstand or get angry, the wisest of leaders put miles between them and the temptation.

Proverbs 6:32-35 declares: “But a man who commits adultery lacks judgement,whoever does so destroys himself, blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will not be wiped away; for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge, he will not accept any compensation, he will refuse the bribe, however great it is”. The adulterous daughter of Eve, as an agent, is usually beautifully created ,with good curves at the right places, vastly alluring, richly endowed, name-dropping ambitious female; marriage means nothing to her, but a title and at best a ladder to climb to access her victims, who when once found, would be led like a cow, to the butchery, unknown to the victim, that many have been killed that way!

In Proverbs 5:3-6, the Bible tells us that the lips of the adulteress drip honey, her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as double edged sword, her feet go down to death and her steps lead straight to grave; she gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not. Only the simple get caught!

Adultery, therefore, is not a sign of strength, it is a sign of weakness; adultery is not an indicator of healthy adulthood, it is an

indicator of wounded juvenile behaviour.

Adultery is not a sign of self-controlled leaders; it is a sign of out-of-control leaders.

Adultery is not the badge of great leadership; it is the badge of failed leadership. Is there a relationship to Nigeria’s leadership situation?

A

dultery is never a private matter, it leaves the spouses permanently wounded and in pain of humiliation. The children are worst hit as they remain shattered often devastated, trying to grasp the strange destruction of the secure world they were used to, when their parents were together.

Leaders and powerful persons get involved with this evil for a few reasons; they are usually over-confident, and have inappropriate sense of security which leads them into counter-productive and risky behaviours like adultery. Leaders are rarely selected on the basis of their integrity, which is ironic given that integrity is a quality that subordinates want in a leader. Power may corrupt, power itself attracts corrupt people and society pays a cost for the inability to stop mischievous individuals from reaching leadership positions, who sooner or later derail revealing the dark side of their character.

Another reason is that power makes people more attractive to women, because most

often, women’s relationship choices are driven more by status than looks, whereas the opposite is true for men, thereby exposing men to more temptations when in power.

Finally, powerful people tend to perceive bigger gaps between them and others, including their romantic partners. This superiority complex increases the probability of acting disrespectfully towards their spouses and thereby legitimizes their cheating behaviours because that sense of feeling better than others, eclipses their feeling of guilt and regret.

The solution is for the society to deliberately increase the proportion of female leaders, while placing higher moral standard requirements on the male leaders.

Society must develop a reward system for fidelity. Indeed, good women are generally less confident, more risk-averse, more dutiful, more caring than men, in particular powerful men. There are usually few cases of famous female infidelity as it is only the whores under marriage cloaks that cheat their husbands. If our leaders will be selected on the basis of their integrity, humility, and empathy, we will have more women in charge and fewer cheats around the corridors of power.

Concluded

*Mr. Udegbe, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—19

, I

F President Goodluck Jonathan will lose his bid for re-election he will have only himself to blame.

It will not be because of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s laughable political busybody antics, whereby he pretends to still have the clout to determine whom to give power to or take from. It will not be due to Northern sectional political warlords who deliriously believe they still have the power and divine right to rule and to give and take power from anyone of their choosing.

If Jonathan fails to be re-elected, it will be because Nigerians, by 2015, will be so fed up with his perceived lack of firm leadership (which masquerades in a myriad of corruption and allegations of corruption within and around his government) that they will vote for Anyone-But-Jonathan, ABJ. This might include Islamic fundamentalist, Muhammadu Buhari. Jonathan and his ethnic kinsmen may provide the “banana peel” for his downfall unless the President gets up and takes action against the high corruption

perception around his regime.

The Federal Government has not cleared the air on the allegation that over N5 trillion(or nearly $35 billion!) has been stolen, embezzled or defrauded from our coffers and petroleum resources within just 30 months of the Jonathan era (May 2010 and now).

That’s more than this year ’s federal budget and enough fund to reverse our national infrastructural deficit. Also, the regime has not reacted in any way to allegations that certain ministers have not lived above board.

Stories have been circulating about the Minister of the Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe’s alleged Abuja mansions said to be “gifts” by contractors. I hope these won’t turn out to be Greek gifts. Of particular mention is a magnificent “multi-billion naira” edifice in highbrow Mabushi, allegedly donated to Orubebe by a construction company. We have waited for Orubebe to respond to these allegations but we have been met by deafening silence. We want

,

Orubebe to open up to us. Silence will not do him - or the rest of us – any good. Happily enough, the House of Representatives has set up committees to probe these allegations. We eagerly look forward to his appearance and response.

Orubebe’s case is pathetic considering that his Ministry has not done much to reduce the developmental challenges of the Niger Delta; in particular the East – West Road. A Ministry of Niger was one of the trumpeted panaceas to the problems of the region during the dark days of armed militancy. Now that we have it and Niger Deltans as President and Minister, we wonder why we are no further than where we were.

A

second minister recently joined the queue of Jonathan’s men accused of participating in defrauding the

Distressed banks, distressed people

Q

UITE often, it takes a single person to ignite what eventually grows into a large revolution. Revolution is not a tea party. It is bitter. Sometimes, the revolution bearer could embark on mass destruction. For instance, he could take a cutlass or any other weapon of mass destruction and kill a whole generation of persons. And sometimes, he could bring grave hurt only to himself.

What readily comes to mind here is the Arab Spring, which is still ravaging the entire Arab world. It started in Tunisia, with Mohammed Bouazizi (1984-2010), a brilliant Tunisian young man who took out a first class degree in computer science at the university.

On graduation, he couldn’t get a job. He struggled to procure a wheel barrow with which he started hawking fruits and vegetables. While vending on the street, he was, on December 17, 2010, accosted to come and pay tax, which he did not have. The tax officials confiscated his wares. To him, it was the end of the world.

He reached for a bottle of petrol, gave himself a good bath with it and struck a match on himself. Efforts to save him ended in fiasco as he died before getting to the hospital.

Bouazizi’s act became a catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring, inciting demonstrations and riots throughout Tunisia, the rest of the Arab world and beyond. Apart from the loss of thousands of lives and the wanton destruction of property, the Revolution also swept then President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali out of office after 23 years. And the question still remains, why should people glue themselves to power and wait for the use of force before they act?

Ordinarily, it is advised that whoever is

genuinely interested in separating a fight should first seek to prevent a quarrel for, the moment a quarrel sets in, what necessarily follows is a fight. We thought that by now, we should have stopped agonising and started organising but each time you are led by a group of people without conscience, you find you have embarked on a journey to nowhere. That’s the situation with Nigeria.

Most of the matters arising from the banking consolidation of 2005 resided within the social safety net where government left people with lots of vague promises. We have always been concerned with the fate of thousands of workers of the non–consolidated banks. The CBN consolidation guidelines merely stated that the workers “will be compensated by the consolidated entity… The CBN will work with the Bankers’ Committee to assist the staff that will be disengaged to access the SMIEIS to set up their own SMEs and consequently create jobs and wealth”. Besides, any worker is deserving of his end–benefits.

Yet, it took Mr. Olubiyi Odunero, 53, former employee of Hallmark Bank Plc., one of the 14 banks that were unable to meet the consolidation requirements, going on hunger strike to draw the attention of the world to the fact that more than seven years after they were forced into unemployment, the former staff of the non– consolidated banks have had their end– benefits unpaid. Hear Odunero: “This struggle is not only about me; it’s about the right of 14,000 ex-workers of non– consolidated banks…”.

There is this nasty insinuation that these ex-workers could be left without compensation as they were an integral part of the distress process. It is rather

unfortunate that people must look for excuses to justify the denial of the rights of others.

Retirement has become the m o r a l equivalent of death sentence

,

Wogu and Orubebe: We are waiting

It is important for us the settle the Wogu/Orubebe cases quickly only because they are serving ministers, each of them is reportedly eyeing the government houses of their states

nation through the odious subsidy claims. His name is Chief Emeka Wogu. He is obviously a privileged Jonathan minister, having come back to a second term in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity after the 2011 elections, just as Orubebe did. Is it not strange that it is these ministers who were reappointed on their presumed meritorious handling of their respective portfolios during Jonathan’s “interim” presidency that are now being connected with this mess?

Wogu is reported to own one Pinnacle Contractors Ltd, which allegedly defrauded the Federal Government of N2.7 billion in the petrol subsidy racket. However, unlike Orubebe who has remained mute, Wogu mandated a hapless civil servant to debunk the allegation, saying he had sold his stake in the company before the alleged crime was committed. A Doubting Thomas on Nairaland, a discussion forum on the Net, asked whether Pinnacle was like manufacturing giants, Dangote Cement that someone should find it of interest to buy!

Advocacy groups and the Conference of Political Parties, CNPP, have commendably joined the swelling voices of wellmeaning Nigerians calling for Wogu’s real involvement in this scandal to be probed. I am on the same proverbial page with them.

This same Wogu is, incidentally, the Chairman of the White Paper Committee on the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, PRSTF, which was headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. It is saddled with the job of checking if companies like Pinnacle is guilty as the Ribadu Committee and others indicated.

It makes sense that Wogu must step down from this Committee, as

Retirement has become the moral equivalent of death sentence and many are known to have collapsed and died on the agonising pension queues

,

and many are known to have collapsed and died on the agonising pension queues.

A close check will probably reveal that many of the 14,000 members of the Association of Ex–staff of the Nonconsolidated Banks are no more.

H

aving tried every available prayer point and every measure of persuasion without success, Odunero embarked on an indefinite hunger strike on November 12, 2012. He located himself at a garden on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Lagos. His strike was to remain indefinite for as long as the Federal Government and its agencies have failed to take serious steps to pay him and members of his association.

Corruption remains the bane of our society. As has often happened with the pension funds where, from time to time,

he cannot be a judge over a case in which he is an accused.

Most observers of the Wogu saga are not convinced that selling his stake in Pinnacle Contractors (which an advocacy group led by Dino Melaye, has traced to Wogu’s family) automatically means he will no longer “play” for them from his privileged position in the Jonathan government. It also does not necessarily mean he will. This is why we must find out if he did.

We want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. That’s all.

It is important for us the settle the Wogu/Orubebe cases quickly and decisively not only because they are serving ministers but also because each of them is reportedly eyeing the government houses of their states come the next election.

If indeed they have questionable baggage we must not allow them to vie for any post in 2015, especially as Wogu and Orubebe are already touting themselves as Jonathan’s anointed candidates.

This is why they must level with the public, pronto. We are waiting and watching.

Unless the President clears these corruption allegations concerning his officials he will not be able to escape the consequences of their actions come 2015. Even Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a “saint” by Nigerian standards, never did. The other day President Jonathan advised ministers and political appointees with political ambition to quit now. No one has done so, yet most of them are actively stoking up financially and otherwise for electoral contests in 2015, mainly at the expense of the public treasury.

If they will not go willingly why not show them the way to the gate before they damage this government?

staffers are dispatched to the regions on some unending verification exercises, much of the money meant for the payment of the ex-staff of the non-consolidated banks could as well be smiling in the personal accounts of some few individuals.

Evidently, corruption supports corruption. Realising the hostile world that awaits him at retirement, an otherwise honest staff could resort to self-help by dipping his hands in the public till now put in his care. The end still justifies the means.

Mr. Odunero was on hunger strike for two weeks (November 12-25, 2012). With the intervention of the Lagos State Government, his strike has just been suspended for two weeks. Coming directly from the strike experience, his words are inspiring: “I might be physically weak but I am psychologically strong and I remain focused and undaunted. I would never be tired and I am not even afraid of death. A man does not die until he dies. It is my belief that a man only dies when he keeps silent in the face of tyranny. My intention is not to commit suicide but if I die for a just cause, I will be honoured in my grave.”

We can only ponder why governments must first foot-drag even on issues they must eventually confront. We cannot agree any less with the conclusion of Odunero himself: “This is an ample opportunity for President Jonathan to prove to the whole world that he truly cares for the soul of every citizen of this country. He should pay us our entitlements and give the over 14,000 employees of the 14 failed banks a new lease of life.”

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

I

T was a day the news hunt ers became the hunted. On the fateful day, two journalists, in the course of doing their job, had approached the Chairman of Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, Funmilayo Efuwape, to seek her side of the story on the crisis that had engulfed the local government.

But it was a move that dramatically turned into an ordeal for them as they received the beating of their lives.

Efuwape, whose emergence as the chairmanship candidate of the local government some months ago sparked off crisis in the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the state, threw caution into the wind when she reportedly ordered some armed thugs and suspected student cultists to ‘deal’ with the information merchants. The order was carried out to the letter with the journalists receiving severe beatings.

The two journalists, Mr. Segun Olatunji of the Punch and Mrs. Olayinka Olukoya of the Tribune incurred the wrath of the Chairman when they took pictures of deserted buildings within the council secretariat shortly after violence erupted between the workers of the council and elected officers in the council.

This happened 24 hours after three other journalists were harassed by security personnel attached to the Governor’s Office during the presentation of the 2013 budget by Governor Ibikunle Amosun. The three victims of the ‘sledge hammer’ wielded by the overzealous security agents were Femi Oyeweso of the National Mirror, Sulaemon Fasasi of Nigerian Pilot and Rasaq Ayinla of the Businessday.

Their offence, they learnt bitterly, was ‘their effrontery’ in entering the hallowed chamber where the presentation was to take place. And despite their identification as journalists, the security personnel allegedly threatened to shoot them if they dared to enter the complex. The rest is now history.

Vanguard Metro, VM, gathered that after the fracas which trailed the clash between workers and some councillors, no fewer than 10 staff of the council were seriously injured and hospitalized. It was further learnt that the thugs and student cultists numbering about 60 used various dangerous weapons, including iron rods, broken bottles and cudgels during the melee .

Explaining their ordeal, the traumatised journalists lamented that they were molested by the thugs who forcibly dragged them into the office of the council chairman. Lamenting the injury the thugs inflicted on them, Olukoya complained that she sustained injury on the hand and neck. She said that since the brutality, she has been groaning in pains.

According to the Punch cor-

respondent: “The thugs seized our camera and blackberry phone and also deleted all the pictures we had already taken.

Efuwape had earlier dismissed us from her office when we attempted to get her to comment on the allegations leveled against her by the council workers. The thugs accosted us for daring to take the picture of the deserted secretariat of the local government council”.

According to eye witnesses, trouble began around 10:43am when the council chairman led thugs who stormed the local government secretariat in three buses to beat up and chase away council workers from the premises for allegedly daring to demand that she called to order a councilor, simply identified as Arode, who on Monday beat up and injured a female staff of the council, Miss Abidemi Awoyemi.

Arode, representing Ode Lemo/Emuren Ward 9 was alleged to have on Monday thrown a chair at Awoyemi, injuring her seriously on her back and stomach. Her offence? For allegedly daring to tell him that there was no paper with which to print the minutes of the last meeting of the councilors in the local government.

In her reaction, Efuwape who spoke to VM on phone denied the allegation, saying it was a disagreement between a councilor and a staff of the council. She said the matter has been taken over by the Local Government Commission, adding that she had scolded the councilor for slapping the worker before the workers took the law into their hands.

,

BY DAUD OLATUNJI, ABEOKUTA

•Segun Olatunji

•Olayinka Olukoya

Day journalists saw red in Ogun •Brutalised for doing their job government could invite outsiders to come and beat up council workers. We are not going to take this lightly. We are going to use all means to address the issue,” the NULGE president said.

Condemnations have continued to trail the attack on the two journalists and council workers by armed thugs reportedly on the orders of the Sagamu Local Government Area Chairman.

Reacting to the incident, the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists expressed concern over the recent cases of assault on journalists while discharging their constitutional duties in the state. The NUJ in a statement signed by its State Secretary, Mr. Soji Amosu, said that it viewed such attacks on defenceless journalists with serious concern, describing it as uncalled for.

“Journalists by virtue of their professional calling and constitutional responsibilities are watchdogs of the society and therefore must be allowed to carry out their duties unhindered.

“The union enjoins members of the public, including security operatives, politicians and corporate organisations, to always see journalists as partners in progress and should extend necessary cooperation to them for the overall interest and development of the society,” the NUJ statement reads.

Also reacting, the state Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ directed its members to henceforth boycott the activities of the Sagamu Local Government and demanded immediate public apology from the council chairman over the attack on the two journalists.

The Correspondents’ Chapel in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Kehinde Akinyemi and Secretary, Abiodun Taiwo, said that it had already reported the attack on the two journalists and the threat to their lives to the appropriate security agencies in order to ensure that the matter was not swept under the carpet.

The chapel, however, warned that if the Sagamu council chairman failed to apologise within seven days, “more measures aimed at bringing sanity and restoring the glory of the journalism profession in the reckoning of those who found themselves in power on a platter of gold, like Mrs. Efuwape, would be taken.

Democracy is not an avenue for ‘DEMON-CRACY’. Sagamu Local government chairperson should please learn from history.”

cess.

According to an eye witness who pleaded anonymity, as soon as the incident happened, the men of the Rapid Response Squad RRS, barricaded the area, disallowing people from coming closer to the scene of the accident. However, sympathisers reported the case at Area B Command at Apapa and it took the intervention of the Area Commander in the matter before the deceased, Saturday Okuojeminone, was deposited at the mortuary.

plate number QX 386 EKY when he met his untimely death.

Contacted, State Chairman of Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State, MOALS, Comrade Tijani Pekis, confirmed the development but declined further comment on the issue.

Effort to get Police reaction to the story proved abortive as several calls to the State Police PRO, Ngozi Braide, did not yield any response.

Efuwape reportedly ordered some armed thugs and suspected student cultists to ‘deal’ with the information merchants; the order was carried out to the letter Traffic law: Motorcyclist crushed to death in Lagos with the journalA resident, Paul Afilaka, said on the path of an oncoming

BY BOSE ADELAJA ists receiving trailer which ran over him, the deceased was riding his severe beatings T was a tragic day in crushing his head in the pro- motorcycle, a red Bajaj with

,

The State President of NULGE, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusesi, described Efuwape’s conduct as unbecoming of an elected office holder, stating that the union would take the necessary steps to ensure that the matter was not treated with levity.

“It’s surprising and embarrassing to the union and the workers of the local government as well as the state NULGE in general because we could not believe that the executive chairman of a local

I

Lagos for a commercial motorcyclist popularly known as Okada rider as he met his untimely end in the Apapa area of the state while racing to escape arrest from the law enforcement agents who thronged the area to enforce traffic law.

The incident happened around noon at Creek Road junction. As the law enforcement agents took after him in a bid to apprehend him, the rider sped off. But his escape bid ended tragically as his bike went into a spin, throwing him

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 21

Nigeria loses 1,166 lives in 131 air accidents — AON

T

From left: Executive Director, Market Operations Technology, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Adeolu Bajomo; Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema; Executive Director, Business Development, NSE, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri and Head, Legal Division, NSE, Ms Tinu Awe at the value added services launch at the Exchange.

Nigeria, US meet on trade, investment N

IGERIA and the United States of America have agreed to enhance cooperation in trade and investment to boost sustainable economic development in both countries. This is contained in a communiqué presented by Dr Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Trade and Investment in Abuja. The communiqué was issued at the end of the 7th Trade and

138.9

-2.8

2,480.00

-82.00

19.68

-0.07

109.74

-1.18

88.39

-0.70

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYA KRONA SDR

Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council Meeting.

The communiqué stated that the meeting reviewed areas of cooperation in the bilateral trade relations which included the Nigeria Trade Policy and the current U.S. Trade Policy on Nigeria.

Other areas were the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and capacity

154.76 49.4731 202.457 166.8212 1.8873 0.2891 237.0316 24.8569 41.266 27.1333 237.7887

155.26 250.2791 203.1111 167.3601 1.8934 0.2991 237.7974 24.9377 41.3994 27.2209 238.557

SELLING 155.76 251.0851 203.7652 167.8991 1.8995 0.3091 238.5632 25.0185 41.5327 27.3086 239.3252

CBN Exchange rate as at 05/12/2012

building and value chain management. It said both sides agreed to enhance cooperation towards facilitating on-going programmes in Nigeria.

The communiqué also stated that the Federal Government assured that necessary documents would be available

by February, 2013, for input by the U.S. Government.

“The U.S. government

further reaffirmed its commitment to assist Nigeria through AGOA, the cornerstone of the Trade Policy on Africa. It advised Nigeria to adopt strategies to boost export in cash crops. The U.S. government also reassured Nigeria of its commitment to provide technical support in manufacturing and agriculture.

T h e 7 t h T I FA C o u n c i l meeting reviewed progress made by both countries on trade, investment and other economic issues. It also addressed challenges affecting the bilateral trade and investment relations between both countries,” the communiqué added.

ALLEGED N25.7BN THEFT: Atuche seeks recall of EFCC’s witnesses

A

former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, has urged an Ikeja High Court to grant him leave to recall two prosecution witnesses who had earlier testified in his ongoing trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Atuche is standing trial before Justice Lateefat Okunnu for allegedly stealing N25.7 billion belonging to Bank PHB (now Key Stone Bank).

He was charged alongside his wife, Elizabeth Atuche and a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, Atuche’s counsel, Chief Anthony Idigbe

(SAN), informed the court that the defence had filed an application seeking to recall the witnesses. Idigbe gave the names of the witnesses as Mr. Diamond Uju (PW 1) and Mrs. Elizabeth Ebi (PW3). Both witnesses had earlier testified that a N10.9 billion loan facility was granted to their company, Future View Financial Services Ltd. by Bank PHB. The witnesses had claimed that the company did not make any request for loan and had no prior relationship with the bank to warrant the granting of the facility. However, Idigbe told the court that the defendants have discovered a board resolution showing that the company had a business relationship with the bank and actually solicited for the loan.

HE Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, has said that Nigeria lost 1,166 lives in 131 aircraft accidents between 1967 and 2012.

Officials of the group spoke at a news conference in Lagos.

AON’s Secretary-General, Alhaji Mohammed Joji, who read the group’s address, said that the accidents involved both fixed wings aircraft and helicopters. “None of these accidents is attributed to any mechanical failure of the aircraft except the last DANA crash which lost its two engines,’’ Joji said.

He commended the federal government and the Minister o f Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, for lifting the suspension placed on Dana Airline following the June 3rd crash in Lagos.

Joji recalled that the mistakes of the past, which resulted in the grounding of aircrafts in Nigeria, had negative impact on the aviation industry.

“As a result of this unilateral, punitive and incoherent policy deviation and policy contradiction, Albarka and Savannah Airlines were also forced to close down with a loss of hundreds of jobs.

Chanchangi Airlines also lost millions of dollars as a result of this distorted policy,” Joji said. He said the AON was canvassing frequent maintenance of ageing aircraft saying “A well maintained old aircraft is better than a poorly maintained new aircraft.

“New aircrafts are often purchased to add capacity to the existing fleet and not to immediately replace the fleet,” Joji said. He said the AON believed that imposing a ban on aircrafts above 22 years old was not consistent with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and Recommended Practice and wanted a review. Joji also said the AON believed it was wrong for the Senate Committee on Aviation to reach a conclusion on the causes of the Dana Air crash before the investigative report was concluded. “It seems to us in the industry that the committee had already made up its mind before the conclusion of investigation,” he said. Joji said the AON believed such an action could portray the industry in bad light.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY , DECEMBER 6, 2012

ASHON moves to achieve five-day conflict resolution

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

HE chairman of Associa tion of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, ASHON, Mr. Emeka Mmadubuike, has said that the association is working in collaboration with other stakeholders in the stock market to develop investors’ complaint management framework, aimed at conflict resolution within five working days.

Speaking at a two-day workshop organised by Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria, CAMCAN, he said “One of the things we are trying to do is to streamline the process of investors’ complaint management so that complaints are resolved amicably within the shortest possible time. This will go a long way in boosting investors’ confidence.”

He stated that in worst case scenario, complaints brought before it would be resolved within 119 days.

He said that the new complaint management framework being evolved would eliminate the incidence of investors involving persons not knowledgeable about the capital market in conflicts arising therefrom.

With the framework in place, he said that stockbrokers are required to respond to complaints through acknowledgement letter within either 24 or 48 hours on receipt of such letter. “Failing to do that,

an investor is at liberty to approach a trade group. Where the issue is not resolved within five days; the investor can escalate the complaint by approaching the Nigerian Stock Exchange and then the Securities and Exchange Commission and finally, the Investment and Securities Tribunal.”

“In every market, there is infraction, but the difference is for people to know that somebody

will be held responsible whenever a crime is committed against investors,” he added.

The ASHON boss noted that the association is intensifying efforts at ensuring that its members comply with existing rules in the market, adding that already, the association has developed code of ethics and circulated to stockbroking houses which will be finalised after inputs from the various houses.

Meanwhile, he said that the Nigerian Stock Exchange is moving towards T+1 settlement cycle where investors’ accounts are credit immediately there is trading on their shares.

He explained that this would reduce infractions to the barest minimum, while also reducing complaints of unauthorised sale of investors’ shares.

From left: Chief of Staff/Head of Corporate Division, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Bola Adeeko; Head, Lagos Zonal Office, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mrs. Uche Molokwu and Corporate Communication Manager, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO), Mr. Samuel Akinrinmade during the 2012 Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) Annual Conference, in Lagos.

Score cards: NSE warns companies over non-compliance

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, has warned that it will no longer tolerate a situation where quoted companies submit their quarterly statement of account separate from interim corporate action for a given period.

The Head, Listings Compliance, Listings Regulation Department of the NSE, Hauwa Zoaka, issued the warning while speaking at the XCompliance and Brokers Trak training organised for capital market correspondents by the Exchange.

Corporate action is an intention of a given company to reward its shareholders with either dividend or bonus issue in a given financial period.

Zoaka noted that the practice is creating confusion in the market, insisting that any company that intends to propose either interim dividend or bonus should endeavour to do so alongside the financial statement being submitted.

She said, “Going forward, we will not take this kind of information to

the market. We have told the companies that once there is board meeting, the Exchange should be notified immediately about the outcome of such meeting.

Interim dividend and interim account should be submitted at the same time; otherwise, such statement will not be published.

“Failing to do that, we will tell the company to hold on to the account until such time it is ready to submit everything in details. Two months ago, two companies came up to tell us few weeks after releasing their results that the board met and decided to give interim dividend; we were not happy about that.”

On late submission of annual report and accounts by companies, she emphasised that it is mandatory for companies to submit their results three months after the year end.

Though she said that the intention of Exchange is not to penalise any company, she stated, “Any company that fails to submit its financial statement will be penalised; some of their peers submit theirs even one month after, so it will be unbecoming of another company to tell us that they cannot do the same over flimsy excuses.”

On verification of statement of accounts

sent to the NSE by quoted company, Zoaka said that it is expected that quoted companies should maintain high level of integrity by submitting only financial statements they can defend.

“The Exchange does not go back to verify accounts sent to her by companies.

Why will auditors audit it and we still go back to verify what the company has said?

A company should do what they say, and say what they can do,” she added.

Also speaking at the event, on the compliance level of stockbrokers, Olufemi Shobanjo, Head, Broker Dealer Regulation, said that the knowledge that delinquent stockbrokers would be named and shamed has put members on their toes to ensure compliance to NSE’s rules.

He said that it has also increased competition among them.

He further stated that Brokers Trak has equally put stockbrokers under pressure to ensure timely submission of their audited financial statement in order to stay ahead of others and beat competition.

He explained that with the Brokers Trak, the NSE has set the tone for its zero tolerance initiative, adding that it is in line with transparency initiative of the Exchange.

SEC intensifies enlightenment campaign, moves to NYSC orientation camps

BY PETER EGWUATU

T

HE Securities and Ex change Commission (SEC) has intensified its effort towards developing the Nigerian capital market by extending its public enlightenment programme to members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

According to a statement made available to Vanguard, the exercise which is taking the Commission to the NYSC orientation camps in 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT Abuja is first of its kind and aimed among others, at educating the corps members on various opportunities in the capital market.

The Director-General of NYSC in a letter to the Director-General of the Commission declared that approval has been given to SEC to deliver lectures to corps members on “Awareness Creation on Opportunities in the Capital Market” at the NYSC orientation camps in thirtysix (36) states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

The statement noted that the Commission will enlighten corps members on the structure of the Nigerian financial system, evolution of the Nigerian capital market, instruments in the capital market, how the capital market works, segments of the market and how to buy and sell shares as well as how to utilize the Collective Investment Schemes, CIS, to invest in the market.

In addition, the Commission will seize the opportunity to enlighten the corps members on how to protect themselves in the market, especially against Ponzi schemes and wonder banks.

Benefits in the stock market and career development in the market are also part of what the Commission will expose the corps members to.

Also included in the topics to be treated at the orientation camps are risks in the stock market, issues of concern in the Nigerian capital market, role of SEC in the Nigerian capital market, as well as complaints management in the market.

Apart from being part of its market development strategies of the apex regulator of the Nigerian Capital Market, the enlightenment of Corps members in the Orientation camps is part of the SEC’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—23

Participants comprising Business Editors of major newspapers in Nigeria at GTBank’s Annual Course for journalists at the London Stock Exchange recently.

GTBank: Combining arts, news reporting to move Africa to the next level G

TBANK Plc, two weeks ago, organised a one week training programme for business editors of major Newspapers in the country.

The programme took place at the Park Plaza Hotel, Embankment Street, London.

Participants were taken through various discussions on issues affecting the media as well as going to the London Stock Exchange to interact with some officials of the Exchange.

Managing Director Guaranty Trust Bank (UK) Limited, Adekunle Adebiyi, took pains to brief participants on the activities of the bank in London. He said that GTbank UK is a fully owned subsidiary of Gtbank. GTbank UK is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA).

According to him, Guaranty Trust Bank (UK) Limited offers both retail and wholesale banking products and services to private, corporate and institutional clients.

The bank’s products and services, he disclosed, are designed to address the needs of individuals and corporate clients either visiting or based in the United Kingdom with business or personal connections in Africa and vice versa. He said that the bank undertakes corresponding banking services for Nigerian clients of GTbank, most of whom live in Nigeria but do business in London. He also

,

BY OMOH GABRIEL, BUSINESS EDITOR

Banking in London is highly regulated with emphasis on good corporate governance and transparency

said that the bank assists Nigerians who want to purchase property in London through mortgage financing for which prospective buyers are expected to deposit 40 percent of the value of the property they intend to buy.

He said such mortgage facility goes for as low as seven percent instead of the 22 percent being paid in Nigeria.

According to him, banking in London is highly regulated with emphasis on good corporate governance and transparency. He said that the experience the bank has gathered in the UK is being shared and implemented at the Nigeria Head Office. He said that the bank has well trained and experienced staff, first class systems and a strategic location in Central London, adding that GTbank UK is strongly positioned to deliver exceptional customer service to its valued customers.

While in London, GTbank launched one of its pet projects that will focus on African arts at the prestigious London Tate Modern. The art project, the brainchild of

,

GTbank and Tate Modern, London will be equally launched across the African continent. Known as “Politics of Representation”, the event saw in the London launch, a day of performances by Nigeria’s Otobong Nkanga and Angola’s Nastio Mosquito.

D

uring the London version of the programme, the Managing Director of GTbank Mr Segun Agbaje told journalists that the bank was moved to project the good image of Africa as against the negative image of the continent being portrayed out there in Europe. He said Africa is not all about hunger, war and pestilence, adding there is a lot of good things happening in the continent.

Chris Dercon Director of Tate said that the project would be taken to Accra, Douala and Lagos. It will run till 2014. He said the event, which will include discussion session, is expected to attract contributors who would examine issues of cultural identity. He noted that in Douala, Cameroon, the event would hold next year and

focus on public sphere, the Accra leg of the event is expected to address issues such as institution building.

Dercon said interdisciplinary practice would be the theme of discussion at the Lagos event holding in 2014. He stressed that each city would determine the format of presentation but that formats such as dialogue, debate and social media would be considered.

Across the board is an extended collaboration and experimental platform featuring African artists and exploring recent practices in the continent. It constitutes a pioneering and challenging approach to cultural partnership whilst complimenting Tate’s collecting activities.

General Manager and Head, Communication and External Affairs of GTBank, Lola Odedina, said the three main purposes of the projects are the creation of a platform to engage with local art scenes and its protagonists, curators, artists, scholars and institutions; enhancement of Tate’s collecting activities and to generate new dynamic and experimental types of programming at Tate.

Last year, GTBank announced a partnership between it and Tate, which includes the creation of a dedicated curatorial post at Tate Modern to focus on African art, an Acquisition Fund to enable the gallery enhance its holdings of work

by African artists and an annual project.

Consequently, a curator, Elvira Dyangani Ose, was

appointed early last November for curating GTBank project for Tate as well as contributing towards building the collection and the Tate programmes.

The Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr. Segun Agbaje, while speaking with journalists at the sideline of the event, said that Nigerian banks cannot afford to provide services for free and should be allowed to charge appropriately for services provided.

Agbaje, who spoke with journalists in London against the backdrop of the recent cuts in banks charges including the removal of the N100 interbank ATM withdrawal charges, said that while he believed that banks should give back to customers, it was important that banks charge for services rendered in order to cover costs.

A

ccording to him, banks should charge for services provided but such charges should not be exploitative or exorbitant. He said “What I believe is that banks should charge for services they provide, ultimately, the market will determine what people are willing to pay. if you look at the developed economies today, a lot of what led to the sub-prime crises in the United States was because people artificially removed banks charges and started introducing thing like subprime mortgages in order to make a return“Today, they have started to remove charges in bank instruments and the rest.

What I will say is that you should not charge exorbitantly, but you should charge commensurate to the service you provide. I don’t believe that banks can afford to provide services for free in an economy where they have to provide infrastructure.

Some of these charges are used to cover costs of what we do. Agbaje, who said that banks have stopped charging ATM fees in line with a resolution of the Bankers’ Committee, pointed out however that those services come at a cost which must be paid for.

“We all know that ATM services are not free, they come at a cost, but banks have to give back need to encourage people to use this service. He also faulted recent arguments linking the high interest rates with the slow growth of the real sector. The GTB boss, who insisted that the Central Bank of Nigeria was in the best position to determine when the benchmark Monetary Policy Rate should be reduced or increased, pointed out that at the time when interests were low, the real sector did not witness high growth.

24—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

SON commends Fouani for assembling LG products locally

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

T

HE Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has commended Fouani Nigeria Ltd, for locally assembling LG electronic products in the country, saying that their activities are classical cases of backward integration.

Dr. Joseph odumodu, the Director General, made the commendation when he visited the company to flag off a

scientific validation and testing exercise on electronic products in the country.

Odumodu said that the testing was to ensure that the products meet minimum standards for safety and performance in the country.

“Today, I have learned that every LG television set, and some of the refrigerators and air conditioners are assembled here in Apapa, Lagos. This also helps us in achieving our

objectives because we now know the kind of questions and the features to look out for in these products,” he said.

“We will come again because I have seen your assembly plants and I am also looking forward in the next two years to see Nigeria making the compressors, condensers and what have you, because this is the real manufacturing we need,” he said.

The Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria

Limited, Mr. Mohammed Fouani, said the production line of the company has equipped Nigerians with technical skills adding that occasionally, engineers from China come into the country to train its employees.

“I think what is important here is how to make local component in Nigeria so that we do everything from A to Z in this country because this isthe only way the manufacturing sector can grow,” he said.

Industrialist demands sound monetary policy

By MIKE EFFIONG

T

HE Chairman of New Era Group of Companies, Dr. Simon Chukwuemeka Okolo has called on the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sansui Lamido Sansui to focus more on how to lower Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), saying it has driven lending rate out of the reach of the real sector operators who are creating employment for the economy.

He said CBN should

perform her price stability functions and relinquish its tight grips on Nigeria’s distributive dollar earning which has created hyper inflation and made the business environment uncompetitive, stifling investments and industrial growth. He added that these are what Nigerians need now rather than layoffing government workers.

“Is it not mind boggling, that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that has the constitutional mandate to enthrone price stability to sustain industrial growth and investment as well as the promotion of increasing employment opportunity happens to be the culprit behind Nigeria’s industrial and economic backwardness,” he said Okolo said for Nigerians to feel the impact of government in the 2013 budgetary year, government must show overriding political will to address the factors hindering industrial growth and investment in the country.

NACCIMA adds 13 new corporate members

By WILLIAM JIMOH

T

HE Nigerian Asso ciation of Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA has added 13 new members to its 218 existing corporate members, thus bringing the total to 221.

Dr. Ademola Ajayi, NACCIMA National President, urged the new members to contribute their “Talent, Treasure and Time” towards ensuring the growth and development of the association.

“I congratulate you for the bold step taken to join the NACCIMA as a corporate member. This is indeed an indication of your commitment to further give your businesses the desired credibility which the Chamber movement accord to businesses all over the world,” he said.

He also urged the new members to always feel free to put forward their observations, comments and advice to the Executive Committee and the Secretariat.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—25

BOI, SMEDAN tasked on 5m jobs in 2 yrs

BY BLESSING JEKADA

T

HE Bank of Indus try and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have been mandated by the Federal Government to create five million jobs within the next two years (2013 and 2014).

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga,who disclosed this during the third series of the empowerment programme for small and growing businesses titled, “Market Access Nigeria,” said government has mandated both BOI and SMEDAN to collaborate on creating five million jobs within the next two years.

“Recent data provided by the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) collaborative survey undertaken by SMEDAN and the National Bureau of Statistics put the number of MSMEs in Nigeria at 17.3 million, with total employment put at 32.41

From left: Miss. Loveth Sunday, La Casera Apple Story Promoter; Miss Bosede Adesuwa, first prize winner, Couples Contest (Female); Mr. Osondo Ugbonna, first prize winner, Couples Contest (Male) and Mr. Victor Nwanodu, La Casera Apple Story Promoter at the La Casera Apple Story Activation in Awka, Anambra. million. If each of these SMEs is empowered to create one job each, this makes about 17 million jobs; if 50 per cent of these figures create one job each,” he said.

He further stated that if a quarter of the total are empowered, and they create one job each, over four million jobs will be created.

“So the figure is workable and conservative and I’ve directed the parast-

atals to get it done as a key performance index.

Our job is to put structures in place to make it happen,” he said.

Aganga said that all over the world, SMEs empowerment has become the main economic growth strategy, considering the high employment generation capacities of SMES, adding that, with 17million SMEs in Nigeria, the creation of five million jobs was very possible.

Onolememen emerges AES Minister of the Year THE Minister of Works, Arch. Mike Onolememen will be announced Minister rdof the Year, 2012 at the 3 AES Excellence Club Annual CEO’s Dinner/Awards Nite scheduled to hold at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Friday.

A statement by the Assistant Registrar of the Club, Tony Ajiboro, said the prestigious AES Excellence Life-time Achievement Awards will also be conferred on Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Dr. Christopher Kolade, Alhaji Maitama Sule,

Chief Sunny Odogwu, and others.

“The dinner lecture will feature two eminent speakers and they are former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) ; he will deliver a lecture on the theme, “Good Governance: Art of Nation Building,” while the Minister of Works, Onolememen, is expected to deliver a discourse on “Ministry of Works: The Transformational Agenda of the Goodluck J o n a t h a n Administration,” the statement said.

Dangote woos distributors, consumers at PH trade fair

C

OMPANIES under the Dangote Industries Ltd have been wooing distributors and consumers at the ongoing Port Harcourt International Trade Fair with incentives to buy their products and stock them for the Christmas and New Year

season. The trade fair is holding at the Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt.

A statement from Corporate Communications Department of Dangote Group, said visitors to the group’s pavilion will have the opportunity of buying products of these compa-

nies at reduced prices.

There are also free samples of the products for the visitors. Dangote Noodles will be offering free samples of several varieties of its noodles to visitors to the kitchen/restaurant attached to the Dangote Stand.

26—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Understanding the US fiscal cliff debate and the global economy

United States President, Barak Obama

T

HE subprime mortgage fi nancial crisis started as an issue in the United States of America early in 2007. By 2008 it had blossomed into a global financial crisis. Whenever the US economy sneezes, the global economy shivers. Today, it is the fiscal cliff that is causing yet a stare in the global economy. With the Euro zone in sovereign debt problem, and its spill over effects on the world economy, a fiscally induced recession in the US will be a cause for worry to all concerned.

In the United States, the Congressional Budget office has projected the US deficit up to 2022.

The US fiscal cliff is a term referring to the effect of a number of laws which, if unchanged, could result in tax increases, spending cuts, and a corresponding reduction in the budget deficit beginning January next year. Budget deficit as it is known in economic parlance is the difference between what the government takes in and what it spends. The US government has run on huge deficit over a long time.

The Congress in attempt to ensure that government does not borrow ad infinitum decided that that the US should undergo voluntary deficit reduction. The deficit part of the US budget is expected to be reduced by roughly half next year beginning from

January. That sharp reduction in the US deficit budget is the cliff that has now gained global attention. The United States Congressional Budget Office (CBO) believes that the sudden reduction the deficit and eventually government spending will probably lead to a recession in early 2013 with the pace of economic activity picking up after 2013.

Danger for the world economy A recession at this time that the Euro zone is in crisis portends danger for the world economy given that the US is the largest economy. Nigeria will be very vulnerable if this happens. In the US the laws leading to the fiscal cliff over the years include tax increases due to the expiration of the Bush tax cuts and spending cuts under the Budget Control Act of 2011. The Budget Control Act of 2011 was enacted due to the failure of the 111th Congress to pass a Federal Budget and therefore as a compromise to resolve a dispute concerning the public debt ceiling.

Prior to President Obama reelection US deficit spending previously appropriated by Congress was bringing the US federal government’s total debt close to the statutory ceiling. In 2011 Republicans members in the US Congress refused to approve an increase in the ceiling unless

there were deep spending cuts in order to come closer to a balanced budget and reduce the amount of national debt that was accruing.

The Budget Control Act included an immediate increase in the debt ceiling, along with a mechanism for facilitating two additional increases. It also provided for automatic spending cuts to begin on January 2, 2013. According to the provision of the legislation the year-over-year projected changes for fiscal years 2012–2013 include a 19.63 per cent increase in tax revenue and

,

By OMOH GABRIEL with agency reports

budget sequestration. The reason for reducing deficits is to reduce the growth of the United States public debt. The argument is that although the debt would continue to grow, over the next ten years projected increases in the debt would be lowered by as much as $7.1 trillion or about 70 per cent, resulting in a considerably lower ratio of debt relative to the size of the economy. However, because of the short-term impact on the economy, including a possible recession, these changes stirred intense commentary both inside and outside of

If Congress and the President do not act, allowing tax cuts to expire and mandated spending cuts to be implemented, the next decade will more closely resemble the baseline projection

0.25 per cent reduction in spending. These changes would return tax revenue to approximately its historical average of 18 per cent of US Gross Domestic Product, GDP, while continuing to spend at dollar levels held approximately the same since 2009.

Some major programmes, like Social Security, Medicaid, federal pay (including military pay and pensions), and veterans’ benefits, are exempted from the spending cuts. Spending for federal agencies and cabinet departments would be reduced through broad, shallow cuts referred to as

,

Congress and have led to calls to extend some or all of the tax cuts, and to replace the acrossthe-board reductions with more targeted cutbacks.

Additionally, the debate may be exacerbated by the expectation that the debt ceiling is expected to be reached before the end of 2012, unless “extraordinary measures” are used. Nearly all proposals to avoid the fiscal cliff involve extending certain parts of the 2010 Tax Relief Act or changing the 2011 Budget Control Act or both, thus making the deficit larger by reducing taxes and/or

increasing spending.

The genesis: The term fiscal cliff, according to Wikipedia, had in the past been used to refer to various fiscal issues. The term started being used in the current context near the original expiration of the Bush tax cuts in 2010.

In 2011, the term started to be used to refer to the deficit reductions that would occur in 2013 under current law. In late February 2012, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, popularized the term “fiscal cliff” for this crisis. Before the House Financial Services Committee he described that “a massive fiscal cliff of large spending cuts and tax increases” would take place on January 1, 2013. International media report indicate that some analysts have argued that fiscal slope or fiscal hill would be more appropriate terminology because while the cumulative economic effect over all of 2013 would be substantial, it would not be felt immediately but rather gradually as the weeks and months went by.

Legislative history: According to USA Today and other media report on the issue “During a lame duck session in December 2010, Congress passed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010”. The act extended the Bush tax cuts for an additional two years and Continues on page 39

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—27

2014: Anambra North has

a good case — Obi

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DEP POLITICAL EDITOR

F

OR the sake of equity and moral justice, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Ndi Obi, has backed the quest of Anambra North Senatorial District to produce the next governor of Anambra State in 2014.

However, he urged that such a candidate should be someone, who could double the achievements of Governor Peter Obi because “Anambra must move forward.”

In a chat with Vanguard, Obi, who paid glowing tributes to departed elder statesmen, Chief Hope Harriman and Dr Olusola Saraki, challenged leaders of Anambra of North to lead the crusade and present their First Eleven as other zones would not fold the arms and wait for the zone.

Anambra 2014 On the intrigues heralding the coming governorship election in Anambra, he said: “The election is in 2014 but the party primaries will be next year. So politics in Anambra will come to the front burner from early next year. One

•Obi: thing I can say without any fear of contradiction now is that we have to move the state forward.

Governor Peter Obi is doing his best. We need somebody who will come and double the efforts of what Peter Obi has done. How

he has managed that I can’t tell.

He has been chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum for over five years. It does not seem to me that the South-East governors’ forum wants to change him. So he must be

doing well and satisfying them.

“We hope and look forward to a replacement that will also allow peace and tranquility to reign in Anambra. He has been very urbane in the way he has governed the state without any confrontation with any political leader, which in the past was not so. The Anambra people must come together this time, screen whoever will be his replacement to the extent we can only but move forward and not pull the hand of the clock backward.

Anambra North quest Asked his view on the quest of Anambra North, which has never produced the governor, to produce Obi’s successor, Senator Obi, who hails from Anambra Central said: “There is a good case for Anambra North no doubt but they themselves have to be the ones to champion the cause and call of moving in that direction. The other two zones are not going to cry more than the bereaved. They must try and bring out their First Eleven and the other zones will look at it.

“There is no rule that says it must be Anambra North. It is on the basis of moral justification that we are talking about that. There are arguments for and against and all the arguments put on the table are equally valid. It is just for the moral justification that we say, ‘okay we agree with you but let us see who and who you are parading.’ In this business, people are not folding their hands and time is of the essence.”

Harriman’s death is a big loss The demise of Chief Hope Harriman is a very big loss not only to the people of Warri or the Niger Delta region but in fact the whole country. Chief Harriman represents one of the finest cultured Nigerian people; metropolitan character; a very interesting bridge builder; a completely detribalized Nigerian, a jolly good fellow. He did not know the barrier between the young and the old. He mingled with the old as much as he mingled with the young. He was always ready to advise and guide the young ones. I recall my last visit to Lagos, he came to see me. When I woke and heard of his demise, I was really shocked because I have closely related to him for many years. My late mother was an Itsekiri princess and we were related so to speak. I have known him for quite a while; he never changed for one day. So the country has lost a patriot, a man whose presence is always felt whenever he is around. You cannot find Chief Harriman in any gathering and not know he is there. He had style, he had character he had presence. We have lost a great soul. May the good Lord accept his soul in his bosom.

How he met Harriman Like I said my late mother was an Itsekiri princess and my father was what we use to call PPO, provincial police officer, in those days in the Nigeria Police Force.

He was in-charge of Warri to Sapele and all of that area.

Why senior citizens must support Jonathan — Imansuangbon A

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

FTER losing the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the recent gubernatorial election in Edo State, Kenneth Imansuangbon famously known as the Rice Man on account of his distribution of Christmas rice was expected to stop the five year practice. Last Sunday he disappointed critics after he commenced another round of rice distribution. So, what are his plans?

“When I was growing up, I never had rice to eat especially during Christmas,” Imansuangbon said last Tuesday at the end of the 2012 yearly round of rice distribution.

When he started the gesture five years ago his motive was believed to be shadowed with political considerations as a result of his gubernatorial ambitions.

Four years after, and having failed to secure the ticket of the PDP ahead of the July 2012 gubernatorial election in the state, not a few critics supposed that the rice man as he is fondly known would go into oblivion.

On why he has taken that direction and expectations that he would fizzle out?

Giving is an action, if you don’t love you cant give. It is not as if I am that rich, I am not the richest in Edo . You see what we are doing is partly because of the way our parts efforts have been appreciated, people kept on calling me, ‘make sure you do it.’

On the state of the polity and criticisms against President Jonathan?

Nigerians must support Jonathan, if Jonathan fails, Nigeria fails, if he succeeds, Nigeria succeeds. Let every department, police, military, school children, farmers

*Imansuangbon distributing rice in Benin City recently everyone, let us support Jonathan. When we support any president it is the country we are supporting. Each time an America holds election, the country is normally divided, the Republicans and Democrats but the moment an American

president emerges, all Americans see the actions and inactions of the president as the American people’s job. So, in the same way, Imansuangbon says, lets support the president.

The president needs support to succeed.

On Edo election I have put that behind me, I am looking forward to God and towards the future with great hope and prayers.

Continued on page 28

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

We want National Dialogue, not SNC — Uranta

BY DAPO AKINREFON

M

r. Tony Ipriye Uranta is Executive Secretary of the National Summit Group who is passionate about the need for restructuring of the polity. In this interview, Uranta argues that what Nigerians really need is a national dialogue and a sovereign national conference.

He also stated the need for the involvement of youths in the ongoing constitutional review process. As secretary of the NSG, he discloses how far the group has gone in trying to convene a conference where all ethnic nationalities will be represented.

Excerpts: The need to review or amend the constitution has become a national agenda lately and the National Assembly has had to conduct public hearings across the nation but in the midst of all this, many insist it is a jamboree that will not achieve anything. What are is your take on this?

To start with, I attended all the hearings at the constituency level, senatorial and zonal and I am telling you that there were a plethora prayers being made which all cannot be heard in about six hours.

How do you find out what people want within six hours or even if we start 12 midnight and end 12 midnight.

It will be impossible for the people to fully voice a position whether united or not that will be so clear to allow you to distill all and articulately represent the wishes and will of the Nigerian people.

Whereas a national conference would presume that whoever or however they are elected to represent any constituent part of the country would have carried out this same thing that we went through and the national assembly went through which is a bit of a Continued from page 27

Why share rice?

It is my own commitment to fight poverty in the country. I came from a home where there was no rice to eat but now that I can afford rice, my commitment is that to the extent God will allow me, I will always give rice every Christmas season to the poor in Edo State and if I have enough money, I will send it to other parts of the country to put smile on the faces of the people.

So, the rice sharing is not a result of politics, but the manifestation of the humanitarian spirit in me.

I have seen poverty, I have seen comfort now and I know that comfort is better than poverty.

My own is that every Edo person must have comfort during Sallah,

•Uranta: The nation needs a dialogue charade carried out in less than one day would have done so over a period of weeks, months .

If they concentrate only on issues they supposedly have captured through the verbal and written submissions of the people through this quasi process that cannot fully capture all that the people want and the people will come in there and talked haphazardly because they have not had time to consult even within the lowest level of the constituency and arrive at a common position which you must encourage for a national conference.

The national assembly is now going to pay only a half hearted attention, if half at all to the issues that the people have submitted. I therefore want to submit that the process can not therefore bring a proper or the best document or with the reviews they are bringing .

As it stands now, what will be your input should the process

scales through?

I will not condemn it outright.

Why? Because there were two issues prayed at the retreat that the legislative should do and from submissions at the hearings I know that the NBA and others emphasised it. First it to make Chapter 2 of the constitution of even this 1999 constitution justiceable so I can take somebody to court if a public officer do not live up to their responsibilities. I will now have the right to take them to court whenever I notice an anomaly.

Secondly is to enact a law that will make any future constitution subjectable to a referendum of the people before it can become a constitution. I am not saying that the reviews or whatever is gathered now should be subjected into a referendum, No, that will be unconstitutional because there is no space for referendum in our constitution but we are asking them

to amend this constitution including at the very least those two items.

Am now speaking from the national common good point of view. However, I want to believe the National Assembly has the good interest of Nigerians at heart.

Whether the national assembly fully represent all the people of Nigeria is another debatable issue for another time.

Having said this, how close are we to the convening of a national conference?

I think we are very close. What I am trying to say is that we are carrying along nearly everybody.

We have members of the Bar Association, Medical Association, National Council of Women Society and members representing the Youths group.

We believe that it is now more consensually agreed that the nation needs a dialogue and a national dialogue and you will note that even the President in his last media chat with the nation said he is in support of a dialogue and that what he will not support is what used to be the battle cry of those of us who were at the frontline during the war against the military, a Sovereign National Conference. A lot of people are still clamoring for that but they forget the implications of sovereignty.

Once you ask for a sovereignty with a national legislature in place, you are going to be opposed and we cannot carry this process out successfully and say certain people are not part of Nigeria. Infact, the National Summit Group believes that this process should be owned and carried out by the sovereign people of Nigeria. The executives, the state governors, the local government, the Presidency and the legislators. The Councillors themselves, the state assembly and the national assembly. Everyone one of us own Nigeria and

everyone of us must come together, sit together and discuss this process.

Who convokes the national conference? How do you pick representation to the national conference?

We at the NWC of the NSG arrived at two possible parts and I am not free to divulge that out.

But I can say this without breaking the understanding of the NWC that we have worked out two possible parts that will allow for representation from the lowest possible constituent unit that all parties will agree to both governmental and nongovernmental. We shall try to sell these ideas to the Nigerian people beginning with the executive including the national leadership of the legislature and including the Governors Forum which by the way is an unconstitutional body but we are carrying out so many unconstitutionality.

What role will the youth play in this process?

This really should be their fight.

The youths of Nigeria will be carried along more than ever before. We want to say we find it appalling that in the whole of the constitution, youths are only mentioned in the issue of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) and there is nowhere that there is provision for the elderly or the handicap. They have an idle voice because tomorrow is today.

We kept calling them leaders of tomorrow and they themselves bought the foolery.

They are leaders of today. If they don’t join in fashioning tomorrow, it will be lost to them and they will all join us in sitting either in anarchy or in woe. But we agree that this review must at least come to inclusion of the amendment of the constitution to include an act empowering the Nigerian people to speak through a referendum.

Why senior citizens must support Jonathan — Imansuangbon during Christmas and if I have money in 2013, I will do the same thing during sallah.

So my commitment is to the people and a way of me thanking God and my little contribution to fight poverty because it does not matter, 50 years down the line what money you have in your bank account. As a matter of fact I gather money throughout the year to save to buy rice at the end of the year to put smile on the face of the man on the street.

If I go on the street now, people line up to greet me with nostalgia and to me, that is better than if I had N1 million in my account.

I don’t dream to be Dangote

or Femi Otedola, but I dream to when I walk on the street to be able to fight hunger. If one Edo person is able to feed as a result of my gesture, that satisfies me.

To that extent, we must all support the Jonathan administration and I am calling especially to the senior citizens to make supportive statements to strengthen the administration.

Senior citizens must come out and make public pronouncements to support Jonathan, to encourage him, Nigerians must through their actions and inactions, support the president.

Jonathan is there today, he may not be there eight years down the

line. If you desecreate the office of the president and make it nonsanctimonious, then the man who comes after him would also be worse off.

So, it is good we support this president, this president is serious but he needs the support of Nigerians. He is not getting the support of Nigerians. We must give him total and full support especially now that we are having security challenges. Lets come together we are one people.

We must make sure that we build a country that we will all be proud of. *Imasuangbon

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 29

Nigeria loses N75bn to US, European varsities —VCs

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

T

HE disclosure by the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities (CVC) on Saturday that Nigerians spend an average of N75 billion ($500m) annually on schooling in European and American universities might not be new to most Nigerian.

What is new, however, is that this situation might remain unchanged for sometime as private universities that are supposed to provide competitive and quality education are still in their gestation period.

According to a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day Consultative Policy Dialogue on ‘the Future and Relevance of the Nigerian Universities and other Tertiary Institutions’, organised by CVC and Trust Africa, Dakar, the noted that the amount was about 70 per cent of the total allocation in 2008 to all federal universities.

Signed by Michael Faborode, former VC, Obafemi Awolowo University, the communiqué said that this was an indication of the loss of faith in Nigerian universities as shown by the rush for foreign institutions, even to other African countries.

The communiqué cited constant restiveness between students and host communities, school administration, weak governance structure and processes; constant bickering among academic and other staff unions, university management and government, among others as some of the challenges facing the Nigerian higher education sector.

It noted that the global ranking of Nigerian universities had nose-dived

From left: Dr. Christopher Kolade, Pro-Chancellor, Pan-African University; Prof. Michael Faborode. former Chancellor, OAU and Guest Speaker ,and Prof. Juan Elegido, VC, Pan-African University during the nineth convocation ceremony of the university in Aja, Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

considerably, adding that there had been growing concern over the quality of graduates from Nigerian universities.

Capital flight The Policy Advisor, Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), Mr. Wale Samuel, ties the

drifted abroad to procure for their children the missing quality education in Nigeria.”

In agreement is the VC, Bells University, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi, who opines that the amount spent on external education can be used to improve Nigeria’s education system.

Private varsities to the rescue?

Aside absorbing students who were unable to gain admission into public universities, one of the reasons for licensing of private universities is to provide competitive

Continues on page 35

Research inadequacy: Pro-Chancellor blames varsity stakeholders

BY DAYO ADESULU

L

ECTURERS in universities have been urged to conduct more research of international standard and network with foreign experts and organisations to fulfill one of the tripartite functions of our universities.

Speaking at the 24th convocation

ECOWAS countries introduce education for peace in schools C M Y K

huge capital flight to Nigeria’s falling education standard, which is made worse by incessant closures and poor infrastructure.

“Parents have lost faith in its output seeing that quality has dropped, and going by the law of supply and demand, parents who have a choice and the means have naturally

and 30th anniversary of the Federal University of Technology FUTA, Akure, Ondo State, its Pro-Chancellor, Brigadier General Raji Rasaki (rtd) said: “All stakeholders are to play their roles well in ensuring research of international standard.”

The Pro-Chancellor who believes the failure of quality research work in our institutions of higher learning is a joint responsibility of all stakeholders said:

Postural corrections should be encouraged from primary school

“The Academics heap their inadequacy on bad governance, corruption, poor funding of education and inexplicable lack of commitment and support.” He added that the society and the government on other hand, bemoan not only the quality of research as lacking relevance to the core challenges of national development but

Continues on page 30

Going the ankle mile

30 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

ECOWAS countries introduce education for peace in schools

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

T

HE ECOWAS Council of Ministers has adopted a report of their Ministers of Education that will ensure the teaching of education towards peace and security in West Africa.

THe decision of the council at its 69 th session in Abidjan, Cote D’ivoire followed a report submitted to it by the Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i as part of the six recommendations at the Education Ministers 4th meeting in Abuja in October.

Prof. Rufa’i told the Foreign Affairs Ministers in council that the objective of the initiative was to use education in the promotion of peace,

human rights, citizenship, democracy and regional integration.

The Minister also called for the reinforcement of the process of revitalization of ECOWAS Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) towards the promotion of entrepreneurial education and skills acquisition in West Africa for the desired development.

The ECOWAS Ministers of Education report also provided for the strengthening of the on going work on ECOWAS Regional Qualifications Framework and the National Qualifications Framework.

Prof. Rufa’i also said the education ministers called for the ratification of the ECOWAS Protocol on

education and Training towards the realization of the common objectives of the subregion on educational development.

The NIgeria’s Education Minister also expressed the need for the reinforcement of the Education Management System EMIS in member nations for the desired results.

After the of the presentation, the President, ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Kadre Desire Ouedraogo commended the NIgerian MInister of Education for the report and it was unanimously adopted as part of the documents of the meeting.

The 69th session of ECOWAS Council of Ministers was declared open by the Cote D’Ivoire Prime Minister, Daniel Kablan Duncan who

was the former MInister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of Council in the past nine months before his new appointment.

Reacting to the adoption of the report by the council, the ECOWAS Commissioner Human Development and Gender, Dr. Andre Diop said the adoption will go a long way in changing the delivery of education for development.

On her part, the ECOWAS Commission for Peace and Security, Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman said the promotion of peace through teaching will assist in the realization of one very important focus of ECOWAS. He also commended Prof Rufa.i for making the report rich and assured for her support for its final passage by the commission.

Pro-Chancellor blames varsity stakeholders CONTINUES FROM PAGE 29

also the poor ranking of our higher educational institutions in the global arena.

Rasaki, nevertheless charged all lecturers to conduct more research of international standard and network with foreign experts and organisations. Rasaki who was delighted that FUTA has signed Memoranda of Understanding with several universities outside the shore of Nigeria said: “ Lecturers should take advantage of collaborations and linkages with these institutions to embark on knowledgepartnership and conduct more meaningful research, innovations, inventions and patency.”

He maintained that lecturers should put more efforts on academic productivity, improve on their quality of instruction, imbibe a high sense of commitment to community service and engage in focused value orientation.

The Pro -Chancellor, however urged the 1,960 graduands not to stop learning irrespective of the degrees they have acquired, adding that they should continue to engage themselves in selfimprovement and continued education programme that will enable them to be creative, innovative and self reliant to meet the demands of the job market.

Speaking from the same perspective, the Vice Chancellor, FUTA, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, said that due to the

BRIEF Give househelps quality education, US Officer advises women

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU

W

OMEN have been advised to give equal rights to house helps living with them by offering them quality education as this will reduce the rate of violence against children.

US Officer Esther AjayiLowo gave the advice at a workshop in Lagos where she spoke on the need to give equal rights to children who serve in homes as house helps.

According to Ajayi-Lowo, lack of education or skill acquisition opportunity for children who are kept at homes as helps “exposes them to great danger of being victims of violence or abuse."

Regretting that women who know the pains of child bearing as well as importance of their education are culprits.

She condemned the ill treatment meted out on these unfortunate children, pointing out that “they work round the clock with little or no care” and this she said is the reason everyone needs to lend a voice to children who are currently being victimized in several homes so that the war against violence on children would be summarily dealt with.

Peace Corps of Nigeria to promote education in Nigeria

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE

T The VC, prof. Adebiyi Daramola, congratulating the best graduating student technological development of FUTA’s students over the years, jobs like electrical handiwork, painting etc that were usually contracted out are being handled by the institution’s Works and Service personnel on a competitive basis with the active participation of the students in entrepreneurship programmes.

According to him, the collective vision of FUTA is to build a world-class university that is globally competitive and reputed for excellence as well as innovations grounded in sound and relevant pedagogy.

He pointed out that the in-

stitution is determined to improving on and repositioning their business development company, as well as research and development centre to enable them attract grants, consultancies, sponsorships and collaborations with various institutions that can add value to the vision of the university and enhance the attainment of their desire to take the university to the market place.

Adebiyi said: “In conformity with our motto of ‘Technology for self-reliance’, all graduands of today have been adequately equipped with good character, moral discipline,

Information Communication Technology (ICT) and entrepreneurial skills in a way that they will not only compete favourably with their peers in the labour market but also be job creators in their own right.”

A FUTA student, he reiterated, came best in the 2012 Software competition for all tertiary institutions in Nigeria, organised by Institute of Software Practitioner of Nigeria (ISPON) in Calabar.

HE inculcation of customs and traditions into all levels of the educational sector has been said to be the custodian to the falling standard in the country.

This assertion was made by educational stakeholders in Lagos at the Peace Corps of Nigeria’s investiture and public lecture with theme: ‘Juvenile delinquency as canker worm in our educational institutions- The Role of Stakeholders in Curbing the Menace’.

Senate Minority Whip, Sen. Ganiyu Solomon, represented

by Hon Bashiru Oladipupo, stated that themoral values in the Nigerian culture should be included in the educational curriculum and made to be part of the all levels of education.

He also noted that re dedication and proper planning will improve that public schools which he says have now been over-shadowed by private schools.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—31

Indulge in cultism and be expelled, LASU warns freshers

BY IKENNA ASOMBA, MOSES ADEYEMI & OLADEJO SAMIAT

I

T was a two-day re-awakening of consciousness for the 2012/2013 new students of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, as principal officers of the university took turns to orientate them on what they need to know throughout their stay on campus.

Amidst the pertinent issues raised, the freshmen were warned that anyone who indulges in cultism and other related social vices will be expelled from the university.

Principal officers who graced the orientation were the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Omolara Bamigboye, Registrar, Barr. Lateef Animashaun, Esq; Prof.

Kabir Akinyemi, Dean of Students’ Affairs; Bursar, Mrs. O.A. Awoniyi; Mr. F.O. Okusaga, representing the Librarian and Dr. Sola Fosudo, Director, Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations (CIPPR), LASU. Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa, on the first day, Dean, Students’ Affairs, Prof. Kabir Akinyemi, in his opening remarks admonished the new students to always remember the children of whom they are, noting that the university authority and their parents expect much from them.

Akinyemi also pointed that the vice chancellor of the university has a lot of programmes in store for the students, thereby imploring them to always abide by the rules and regulations of the school.

He further advised the freshmen to always be punctual to lectures, tests and examinations if they must excel.

His words: “To excel in your academics, be punctual to lectures as the university’s rule is that students must meet up 75 per cent attendance to lectures, if they must be allowed to sit for any course’ exams. I also urge you not just to read, but to think about what you have read. Ask questions when you are not clear, and always adhere to instructions on your examination question papers.

In all, identify the friends you make on campus.

Make friends with those who will contribute

Frequently Confused Words Exercise

Mr. Mike Igbokwe (SAN) daughter, Winifred, and wife, Dora, at their daughter’s call to the bar in Abuja.

meaningfully to your journey to academic excellence,” he enthused.

Speaking on ‘Students’ Code of Conduct: Rules and Regulations,’ Barr. S.T. Yekini, reeled out to the new students rules and regulations of the university, which they must abide by. He admonished them to shun all forms of violence, assault, cult activities, impersonation, taking of hard drugs and alcoholics, stating that the punishment for any of these acts is expulsion.

Yekini, also instructed the freshmen never to fail to report to the campus marshals, anybody who poses a threat to their lives on campus. He

Instruction: Choose the appropriate word from the alternatives in the parenthesis 1. Provision of (portable/potable) water is the responsibility of a good government.

2. I have a (portable/potable) TV. 3. A company car is one of the various (prerequisites/perquisites) offered by the firm.

4. A credit pass in English Language is an essential (prerequisite/perquisites) for university admission.

5. Members of an academy are (academicians/academics); teachers in a university or tertiary institution are (academicians/academics).

6. The life (circle/cycle) of a butterfly can be divided into four stages.

C M Y K

also warned, “Read your books, because anyone who fails to meet up a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 1.0 in two semesters will be shown the way out of the university.”

Meanwhile, while addressing the new students on the second day, the VC, Prof. Obafunwa assured that the rapid infrastructural and academic facelift taking place in the university will make study easier for them, while making L ASU better. “Very soon, the infrastructures we are putting up will be completed.

The building of male and female hostels for students on campus will commence by 2013, to be handled by a private company.”

7.

I do not have a motor (circle/cycle).

7.I do not have a motor cy8.

Nigeria has passed through the (circle/cycle) of eco- cle. nomic booms and slumps.

8.Nigeria has passed 9.

He has a large circle of friends. through the cycle of economic 10.

Otunba Mike Adenuga is well known in business (cir- booms and slumps. cles/cycles).

9. He has a large circle of 11.

‘To go round in (circles/cycles’) is to work at a task friends. without making any progress.

10.Otunba Mike Adenuga is 12.

One problem leads to another and this makes the orig- well known in business cirinal problem worse; it is a vicious (circle/cycle). cles.

13.

The doctor was careful in operating the patient to avoid 11.‘To go round in circles’ is the (rupture/fracture) of a blood vessel. to work at a task without mak14.

He suffered from a (ruptured/fractured) appendix. ing any progress.

15.

While Dodonzo was playing football on the field, he 12.One problem leads to anhad a (fracture/rupture) of the leg. other and this makes the orig16.

Old people’s bones are more prone to (fracture/rup- inal problem worse; it is a viture) than young people’s bones. cious circle.

Correction 13.The doctor was careful in 1. Provision of potable water is the responsibility of a good operating the patient to avoid government. the rupture of a blood vessel.

2. I have a portable TV. 14.He suffered from a rup3.A company car is one of the various perquisites offered by tured appendix. the firm.

15.While Dodonzo was play4. A credit pass in English Language is an essential prereq- ing football on the field, he uisite for university admission. had a fracture of the leg.

5. Members of an academy are academicians; teachers in a 16. Old people’s bones are university or tertiary institution are academics. more prone to fracture than 6.The life cycle of a butterfly can be divided into four stages. young people’s bones. zCONTINUES NEXT WEEK. Send requests/problems to Gabriel Osoba, Ph.D, Department of English, Lagos State University, Ojo, through Editor, Teach Yourself English, Vanguard Newspapers, PMB. 1007, Apapa, La. gos, or email: editor@vanguardngr.com & gabosoba002@yahoo.co

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

BRIEF

Govt must promote health education for national devt —Prof Odusanya

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

S

ADDENED by the alarming death toll recorded in the country due to diseases such as typhoid fever, pneumonia, tuberculosis, malaria, poliomyelitis, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) amongst others, the need for government at all levels to engender

public health education for the masses has been sued for.

An academic, Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya made this call while delivering the 48th Inaugural Lecture Series of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo. In his paper entitled: “Health in the Interest of the Public,” the Provost of Lagos State University College of Medicine (LA-

SUCOM) opined that ignorance brought about by poverty must be ameliorated by government, through constant sensitization of the masses, if the fight against diseases leading to high death tolls must be successful.

Prof. Odusanya said: “The strategies for tackling major health problems are not mutually exclusive but show the need to prioritize and

select strategies that are in the best interest of the community and not the convenience of the State or health system.

The health system must become an advocate for the health of the public and the nation needs to realize that the health of the public is a key to its socio-economic development.”

The Professor of Community Health & Primary

Health Care in his 45minute interactive lecture further explained that for the health sector to be driven towards the judicious benefit of the masses, government and other stakeholders must ensure that the health of the public is promoted through “health education, qualitative and quantitative service improvement and advocacy for healthy public policies.

Rotaract Club inspires youths on farming

BY DAYO OJERINDE, ONDO

I

N its efforts to enlight en youths on how to harness farming as a tool for self-employment, the Zone M Rotaract Club, has organised a seminar at the Ondo State Farm Village, Ore, Ondo State for undergraduates and recent graduates from across tertiary institutions in Ondo and Ekiti States.

Zone M Rotaract Club consists of Rotaract Club members in tertiary institutions and Community bases in Ondo and Ekiti.

The seminar, themed: “Harnessing the Prospects in Farming” was organized to harness the prospects of farming among the students, thereby shifting from the routine, where young graduates continually seek for unavailable white collar jobs after graduation.

The Assistant District Rotaract Representative in charge of all Rotaract Clubs in Ekiti and Ondo State, Rotaractor Oyewole Michael, a student of the Ekiti State University, welcomed participants and urged them to make good use of the seminar as it would help them create wealth for themselves.

Foundation launches N65m complex for physically challenged students BY ‘TOSIN AJUWON, ONDO

T

HE Ayofunke O g u n r i n d e Foundation recently launched a N65 million building complex for physically challenged students.

The founder of the foundation, who is also the proprietor of Dele International College, Chief Dele Ogunrinde called on governments at various levels to put into consideration the plight of the physically challenged and less privileged in the society.

He said the physically challenged in the society had been locked out in the scheme of things because many believe they are not useful to the society.

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6 , 2012 — 33

Political Science students go on journalism tour

BY LAJU ARENYEKA www.facebook.com/quadlifestyle

I

F you’re in your final year now, you most likely loosened the hems of trousers when you were in your first year in school.

‘Jumping trousers’ weren’t hip then, so if your pants stopped at the ankles, you quickly readjusted.

The case is different now: many Quadlifersare armed with needles and threads, ready to sew up the hems! It’s so easy to keep up with the trend: •The slimmer the better: Fashion gurus agree that ankle length pants look better on ladies with slim, long legs than on the stout ones. They give the slim-legged girl an edgy look, emphasizing her good parts, but are not usually very flattering for the plump ones.

•The pants take the shape of the legs: Skinny ankle length pants don’t work magic. They simply take on the character of the wearer. So if your legs are quite oddly shaped, you might want to go easy on this fashion item, or better still, not go at all.

•Striking heels, stylish flats: All that energy on your beautiful pants pulls all the attention to your feet.

Don’t disappoint, go overboard with your shoes. If you can’t handle striking heels, then at least keep up with stylish flats that go with your pants.

•Be occasion conscious: Some ankle length pants have an incredibly bad habit of looking like shorts. So when dressing for formal occasions, quadruple check to ensure that you’re occasion sensitive.

Going the ankle mile

BY MSONTER ANZAA, BSU

A

C M Y K

I

T was a tale of leisure and pleasure as the editorial committee of the political science department, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), IleIfe took its members on a journalism tour of Oyo State.

The 19-man team who had left the OAU campus at about 7.44 a.m arrived the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo state (BCOS) complex before the scheduled time of 9 a.m.

Welcoming the students, Mrs. Funmi Ajibaye, a representative of the station, expressed her delight at having the Great Ife students present. She said that the station which was established in 1976 has grown to five stations in its fleet.

Also, Engr. Bayo Ipadeola of the A.M radio section of the station explained the various functions of the gadgets that are being used in broadcasting.

According to him, “the operational studio is the vertebra column of any broadcasting station. In our studio here we have the mixer, the DVD player and other appliances. The exemption of one of these will mean the total non-existence of the station.”

Responding to the question of why there are more F.M stations than A.M in the country, he said that the A.M is being transmitted through an underground cable, while that of the F.M is through the air.

This makes it possible to receive a clear signal in the F,M stations consequently its preference.

Thespians hold pageant in Benue varsity S parts of activities marking its departmental week, Benue State University was thrown agog last Week as the Benue State University Theatre Arts Students Association ( BUTASA), held its Rag Day, which later culminated into Mr/Miss BUTASA. The event which drew a huge crowd saw the roads linking the two campuses of the university.

Various dance displays, attires and hair styles rented the air, even as the Thespians danced around a heavily over-loaded bus carrying two giant sound systems that blasted all manner of musical jibes. This kind of activity is common on the campus in the second semester of every academic year. Various departmental and ethnic associations hold weeklong celebrations that end in the crowning of pageants.

Other activities usually involved include a road-show/rag day, football

BY KEMI BUSARI & TUNDUN ABIOLA, OAU

pageant ng the beauty ri du s nt de tu •S

match, cultural display and dancing.

Speaking to Quadlife, Civirter Ambu, BUTASA President gave reasons for the departmental week. “We love one another. We try to show that to the world.

We are happy and we celebrate this by showing the world what we have got.”

These week celebrations often climax with the crowning of a

beauty pageant. The BUTASA President confirms this and gives the title of the department’s pageant as Big, Bold and Beautiful, where the judges look out for the boldest, most beautiful and most confident contestant. The contestants go through dance performances and are tested on various aspects including current affairs.

Also, Luke Ikyaator, Vice President, Mass Communication Students Association (MACOSA), whose department also had its week told Quadlife it enables the students to relax. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” He does not think the timing which is quite close to exams will affect the students’ preparation. “After a stressful academic week, students should socialize and cool down the stress in order to prepare for exams.

Students have fun and this helps us free our minds to be able to accommodate academics.”

34— Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Boarding school can restore quality of education, says President-General GCUOBA

BY DAYO ADESULU

THE President General, World Wide, Government College Ughelli Old Boys’ Association (GCUOBA), Chief Joseph Akpieyi has said that reintroduction of the boarding school system into the college, as well as training and retraining of school teachers will restore the quality of education which was once enjoyed many years ago.

Akpieyi who spoke at the Lagos branch, GCUOBA annual luncheon party held at Sheraton Hotels and Tower, Lagos, last Sunday noted that the Association discovered that since the cancellation of Boarding system in the prestigious government school, the level of education in our youth has depreciated drastically. He said: “We have gone for a new principal, he is the best in the whole of Delta by reputation. People say ‘if you can get Okoro, he will strengthen the academic performance’.”

He added, “We are really

C M Y K

determined about good teachers because for there to be brilliant students there have to be good teachers. If the students are hardworking and the teachers are good, you get a good result. However, the type of result we are getting now, is not encouraging. I think the quality of teachers has to be in their dedication.” The President who noted that teachers in those days were extremely dedicated said,such teachers thought of nothing else but the welfare of the school. He noted that their pride was in the quality of students produced.

“I do not think that type of commitment is there anymore.

Some thing is wrong as I can see from the result. It is either the students are not dedicated to their studies or the teachers are not doing as much as they should be doing,” he added.

Professor Patrick Muoboghare, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Delta State in his remarks said, Government College Ughelli has done heavi-

ly to fund education in that school adding that the Association has realised that government alone cannot singlehandedly fund education, be it Federal, State or Local level.

He said: “I am aware that the old boys have expended nothing less than N70million on the school. When you get to that school and see projects going on, you can hardly differentiate between government projects and the old boys’ association project.

If government should give free education, provides free uniforms, writing materials and feed them. What is the responsibility of the parents who have the children themselves?

Whether we like it or not, the primary upbringing of a child, health wise and education wise is that of the parents.” He lamented that most parents now decide to abandon their children to government and teachers querying that when a child does not do well in school, rather than the parents chiding the child, they heap the blame on the government and teachers.

On his part, the President, GCUOBA, Lagos branch, Mr

Alfred Okoigun noted that the alumni is only interestedin bringing back the quality of education they enjoyed many year sago and create avenue to assist one another. He said: “At some point, there was an old boy who was ready to pay any principal anywhere in the world to bring GCU back to glory. Because the way the school was at that time, if you bring in Jesus Christ, nothing was going to change except we start gradually and bring the school back to the level we are seeing now.”

He reiterated that it was possible for some of the old boys to establish their own secondary school or university, but felt that what will happen to those schools later, if the likes of Government College, Ughelli, King’s College, St Gregory cannot survive their quality after some years. If they do not survive, he maintained, there is no way all these young schools will survive after some years, insisting, “We have to get back to make those schools survive and with the kind of training we have given to those students, they will also be doing what we are doing today.”

BRIEF

7.5m females out of school — Wike

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

T

HE Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday in Abuja said that out of the more than 10 million children out of school in the country nationwide, 7.5 million are females.

The minister, who made this known while declaring open a capacity building workshop to scale up Mothers’ Association at senatorial level in Sokoto, adding that the figure was not good for the future of the girlchild in the country.

At the workshop organised by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Office for the seven states of the North West geo-political zone, Wike tasked mothers in the North-West geopolitical zone to shape the future of their female children by ensuring that they are enrolled into schools.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 35

Postural corrections should be encouraged from primary school — DANIEL ODEBIYI

BY EBELE ORAKPO

Dr. Daniel Odebiyi is a senior lecturer in the Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos. In this chat with Vanguard Learning during the university ’s Golden Jubilee Research Fair, Odebiyi spoke on his work on affiliation between hand dominance and standing posture and said that bad postures could lead to certain ailments later in life.

Excerpts:

Dr. Daniel Odebiyi

T

,

he problem: “Presently, I am working on the affiliation between hand dominance and standing posture which include anterior and posterior pelvic tilt. We also have the shoulder (acromion and the scapula). We came about this study because of our experience in the clinic.

In the clinic, when we treat a patient with back pain, we discover that after sometime, a few of them do come back saying that the pain relapsed so we tried to look into what might be responsible and in some of them, we measured their limb length and we discovered that one limb appeared to be shorter than the other so we prescribed insole and discovered that the pain subsided. We went on to look at the disparity between where right-handed people are tilted to and where left-handed people are tilted to and whether hand dominance will have effect or

When we treat a patient with back pain, we discover that after sometime, a few of them do come back saying that the pain relapsed so we tried to look into what might be responsible

,

will actually determine where an individual is tilted to, so that is why we went into the study.

M

ethod: We got a grid and 34 participants to stand in front

and behind the grid and we took still photographs in standing posture. Then the photographs were taken to a digitalizer where the coordinates were taken. The result showed that only eight per cent of the population

studied actually had symmetry; they were not tilted either to the left or to the right.

Majority of the people were tilted to either the right or the left and when the data were pulled together, that is both left hand-dominance and right hand-dominance, we discovered that majority of the individuals were tilted to the left so when we analysed the data separately, both the right-handed dominance and left-handed dominance, we discovered that individuals with right hand-dominance were tilted majorly to the left, and also individuals with left hand-dominance were tilted majorly to left. We also tried to find out if there is an association between postural tilt and handedness, and we found out that there is no association between the two.

This further supports the finding that hand dominance does not have effect on where most people are tilted. We also tried to look at the association between gender and postural tilt and we discovered that there is no association except in anterior pelvic tilt which showed that females are more tilted than the males and that can be understandable because of the differences in composition of both the male and the female.

R

esult: So generally, the study showed that most individuals are tilted to the left and that there is no association between hand dominance and postural tilt. Also there is no association between

gender and postural tilt except for anterior pelvic tilt.

We then concluded that most people are generally tilted to the left and that there is no association between handedness and postural tilt which suggests that handedness does not affect where an individual is tilted to when they are in standing posture.

R

ecommendation: “Our recommendation is that generally, postural corrections should be encouraged right from the primary school to the secondary school and even to the tertiary institution. Most especially when patients are being treated for back pain, the limb length should be measured for disparity and once there is any disparity, it should be taken care of or the person can be given an insole to compensate for that disparity so that the patient does not come back later in life complaining of a relapse or re-occurrence of the back pain.

A

dvice: Tiltedness is not inborn, it is habitual. Like I said, we can start postural corrections from our primary schools, we inculcate it in ourselves. Even what is going on now amongst our youths, the way they walk, trying to impress some people, if that is done over a period of time, it becomes a habit that may be difficult to erase and at the end of the day, the person may come down with postural problems.”

Nigeria loses N75bn ttoo US, Eur opean vvar ar sities —VCs European arsities Continued from page 29

education as obtained in developed climes. But this is yet to be achieved as, according to the VC, Bells University, Ota, Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi, private universities are still in their gestation period.

“But despite this, private varsities have been able to reduce the capital flight by admitting some of those students who would have traveled out to further their education.”

Quest for foreign education to increase In spite of the high cost, more parents are willing to send their wards abroad to acquire foreign education. In a research published by the British Council in 2008, it was predicted that the number of Nigerian students in the UK would have risen from just 2,800 in 2007, to 30,000 by 2015.

Giving the better teaching method C M Y K

as her reason for wanting to study in the UK, Obioma Ochuba said “I want to further my education in the UK because their schools are well funded, they have better facilities and their teaching method is superior to what we have in Nigeria. Schools in Nigeria can be at par with UK schools if only they are well funded and adequately equipped.”

Omotola Layeni isn’t satisfied with the standard of education in Nigeria and prefers to study in the UK for better understanding of her course of study so as to increase her chances of becoming successful in life.

A teacher with a private school, Harold Oseni, opined that human capital development of any nation is very important for that country to progress.

“Asian countries are where they are today because they invest in education.

Also, research institutes are doing the same thing universities are doing. For us to make progress as a country,

government, research institutes and companies ought to work together as obtainable in developed countries.”

For Mrs. Patience Dappa, her major reason for wanting to send her wards to the UK is the opportunity to mix with other people and learn their ways of life.

The way forward Pointing out that the higher education sector plays a critical role in forging a sense of nationhood, nation building as well as citizenship, education stakeholders urged government to be more cautious on the current trend of establishing and approving new universities without commensurate increase in the number of teachers.

CSACEFA’s Policy Advisor posited that parents will gravitate back to Nigeria universities once government restores confidence in the system through improved investment. Prof.

Adeyemi called on government to

provide the right structures needed for the provision of quality education.

“There is need for internalisation because we can’t stop Nigerians from seeking foreign education. By putting in place the right structures, government can attract foreign students to Nigeria,” Adeyemi added.

Meanwhile, the Committee has resolved to restore a culture of consultation, strategic productive engagement, partnership and collaboration between management and staff of Nigerian higher education institutions.

It also resolved that the nature and dimension of the problems confronting higher institutions in Nigeria would require a new approach to governance, while the appointment of VCs must include respect for academic excellence, managerial and leadership capabilities, transparency and accountability.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—36

SUCCESS RECIPE

Honeywell Baking School churns out Master Bakers

WITH

UDEME ARCHIBONG

BY MUSBAUDEEN SHEKONI

W

HAT seemed like a day of reckoning greeted the Honeywell Flour Mills Baking School, Apapa last recently as it awarded 14 Master Baker students after a 3-week training offered in 20 regular baking courses and 1Executive course.

“The Baking School which has graduated over 270 Master Bakers trains bakers in the science of baking ingredients, common bread faults and how to solve them, how to maximize bakery output through production of different bread varieties, basic selling, marketing tips, finance and human resources while also equipping bakers to produce and compete with superior

Ruling your life with higher laws

L

From left: Director of Marketing, Honeywell Plc; Mr. Benson Evbuomwan, presenting an award to Mrs. Onyema, the best graduand of the day.

quality baking products, says Mr. Benson Evbuomwan, the Director of Marketing, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, in an address read on behalf of the Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Folaranmi Odunayo.

Mr. Benson stressed that the students who have been experienced bakers prior to their enrollment in the baking school were skill-add-

edly empowered by their abroad trained teachers with rarest conventional technologies because, his company is confident that as they are exposed and given more knowledge they will grow their businesses which in turn make them contribute their quota for the growth of the Nigerian Economy.

MTN donate equipment to vetlang grammer school

MTN Foundation upgrades 22 schools labs, trains 24 teachers

BY DAYO ADESULU

M

TN Foundation (MTNF), the corporate social investment vehicle of Nigeria’s leading ICT company, MTN, has upgraded 22 science laboratories in six states across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria under its MTNF Science and Technology Laboratory Scheme, Phase One. Speaking at the commissioning of the project held at Vetland Senior Grammar School, Ifako Ijaye, Lagos, Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu, Chairman, MTN Foundation said that the project is aimed at improving learning and practical teaching of core science subjects such as Chemistry, Physics and Biology and thus impact on students’ academic performances in these core science subjects.

The MTN foundation last year, made a public call for submission of Expressions of Interest (EOI) from interested State Ministries of Education. After a rigorous and meticulous process of assessment of all the applications received and the C M Y K

infrastructure available, 22 schools qualified for the first phase of the MTNF Science and Technology Laboratory Project.

“Science and technology is the bedrock of modern society. Through this scheme, we hope to make significant contribution to giving Nigeria a sound footing in science and technology,” said Hamzat.

He explained that the upgrade includes renovation of existing laboratory space/ rooms in the beneficiary schools, provision of laboratory furniture, supply and installation of modern science and technology equipment for each of Physics, Chemistry and Biology labs, and one full year supply of consumables.

Besides, Hamzat pointed out that the MTN Foundation will undertake the training of 24 science teachers and laboratory attendants across all the beneficiary schools and supply 5KVA generator to each beneficiary secondary school, as well as, fuel supply to each of the selected school for one year.

IFE is governed by laws; physical and moral laws.

Without these laws the universe becomes chaotic and ceases to exist because nothing survives and thrives in a dysfunctional state. However, these laws exist in both the lower dimension and higher dimension. For instance, the law of gravity is a physical law and describes things as they are. Everything is held in its place by the law of gravity. It is obvious that no sensible person will decide to jump off a skyscraper for the fun of it; thinking that he will float in the air or go higher.

If he tries jumping from the height of a skyscraper he will come crashing down with unpleasant consequence that is beyond his ability to choose. But there exist a higher law that can counteract the law of gravity; this law is called the law of aerodynamics.

The law of aerodynamics states that the law of gravity can be counteracted if given the right variables; if you combine the right shape with the right speed with the right weight, the law of aerodynamics will counteract the law of gravity and you will not fall to the ground.

The law of aerodynamics explains the reason why an airplane can fly. So long as the law of aerodynamics is fully functional you can get on an airplane and it will fly safely. But if the airplane has an engine problem while flying and the engine stops working; we all know that the airplane will result in a crash. The airplane crashed because of the law of gravity which did not stop existing but rather wasn’t in control of the airplane because of the law of aerodynamics. Therefore, in the absence of the law of aerodynamics, the law of gravity sets in.

In human life, there are laws governing success and when these laws are fully operational it guarantees your place at the top. However, when these higher laws are not operational in a life, failure sets in.

You control your life by controlling your time. Time is synonymous to life; it is irreplaceable and unrepeatable.

And you control your time by controlling the events in your life. I believe the key to controlling the events of your life; your time and ultimately your life is found in the law of value. The law of value states, “Do not waste your time on thoughts, people or actions which are not worthy; Do not waste your thoughts on ideas that are not worthy; Do not waste your energies on activities which are not worthy; Do not waste your money on that which is not worthy”. Consider the question posed by Herbert Harris, “What is the best use of my time, thoughts, energy, and resources, right now, in light of my goals, vision, and purpose.”

Our sense of self worth must ultimately come from within; from our intrinsic worth. If our self esteem comes from without; from the opinion of others; wealth; position; titles we will act contrary to our deepest values and we will experience unhappiness, unfulfilment and lack of inner peace. But if we live in accordance with our deepest values and convictions we will feel good about ourselves and enjoy inner peace and happiness.

The foundation of your personal success and fulfilment are your governing values. Your values govern your behaviour or actions and your actions produce results.

But the big question is; what is the source of your governing values? What are the highest priorities in your life? Are they founded on correct, timeless and universal principles? Do our daily decisions and actions reflect our deepest values? When you live out your values you experience inner peace.

You behave in ways that are in harmony with your beliefs. If you want to know what your beliefs are examine your behaviour and your attitude and your consistent results in life. If your attitude and behaviour are negative, then there are incorrect beliefs lurking in your subconscious mind. The appropriate step is to change your incorrect beliefs to empowering ones.

To have more of the good life, a lifestyle of giving is vital.

Higher laws is your elevator to the top.

Vanguard, THURSD AY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—37 THURSDA

Good nutrition, home remedies best for measles treatment T HE dry season is here again. Already there have been pockets of reported cases of measles in most homes across the country. Studies have shown that dry air has four main effects on the human body.

Breathing dry air is a potential health hazard which can cause such respiratory ailments as asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, and nosebleeds, or general dehydration since body fluids are depleted during respiration.

Diseases such as measles occur during dry weather. Measles, respiratory and highly infectious disease is caused by a virus known as rubeola. Measles virus normally grows in the cells that line the back of the throat and lungs. The illness does not select, it can attack anyone, ranging from adult men and women to children. However, statistics show that the disease is mainly common among children. Studies have shown that children below 12 months are the most vulnerable ones. Measles can be classified as one of the most undesired and discomforting as well as life threatening illness.

Measles is often a serious disease that can lead to complications such as ear infections, pneumonia and swelling of the brain. Sometimes measles can be fatal or lead to permanent brain damage. Measles during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, premature labour and low birth weight in babies. Symptoms are fever, weakness, loss of appetite, red, sore, watery eyes and an inability to tolerate light, blocked or runny nose, dry cough, sore throat and swollen neck glands.

Are you a parent? Do you know that nutrition is a very instrumental factor as far as measles treatment is concern?

Experts say one needs to accompany a good diet with proper muscle relaxation accompanied by adequate sleep.

Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment available for measles other than relieving the symptoms. Experts warn that

preventing it by immunisation is very important. However, there recognised measles home remedies such as lemon and water. Lemon and water have been adjudged as one of the best treatment for measles. Juice from at least two lemon and

A Nigerian child with measles.

diluted with at least 30 milliliters of water will help your child. Other home treatment include; Honey/ licorice. Obtain at least half table spoon of honey and half table spoon of licorice. Come up with a mixture of the two ingredients by combining them in a glass. Have the mixture well stirred to obtain a good combination. Consume a glass of the mixture ever day in order to experience quick recovery.

Turmeric roots/ honey: Gather two to three gourd leaves; a small cup of honey; and a tea spoon of powdered turmeric roots. Have the three ingredients mixed in a spacious cup and stir to obtain a good mixture. Consume the mixture at least once a day for effective results.

Tamarind/ turmeric: Obtain a sample of tamarind and a sample of turmeric roots.

Have the two substances grinded to form a paste. Consume the paste in amounts of three to 400 grams daily in order to experience promising results.

Tuxil range debuts from Fidson Healthcare

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE IGERIA’S foremost pharma ceutical company, Fidson Healthcare Plc, has launched its range of Tuxil cough and cold remedies for adults and children, with the introduction of new s into the Nigerian pharmaceutical market. The range is uniquely formulated to provide very effective relief from cough, cold, fever, allergies and other related conditions.

The company’s General Manager, Marketing, Mr Ola Ijimakin, said Fidson is an organization that is 100 percent cus-

N

tomer-focused. Hence, all its products are designed to serve the varying needs of its esteemed customers.

“This also explains why the different Tuxil variants are specifically formulated to provide appropriate and specific remedy to whatever type or degree of cold, cough and catarh they may have. You will find the appropriate Tuxil formulation extremely useful to provide relief from any of these conditions," he noted The new product variants consist an adult range: Tuxil D, a non-drowsy cold and cough rem-

edy for day-time care; Tuxil N, an adult cold and cough remedy for night-time care; Tuxil C which provides relief in cases of dry, tickly and unproductive cough. It also contains Menthol which relieves congestion and eases breathing. There is also the Children’s range: Tuxil D which is effective for the relief of chesty cough in children for daytime; Children’s Tuxil N which is effective for the relief of symptoms of cough and congestion, relieves runny nose, sneezing and ensures cough free nights and refreshing mornings.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

ELLO everybody and welcome. Today, we will be discussing more new products for the festive season while answering a few questions from our readers as well.

We will start with new arrivals in the female lingerie section. As it is the Christmas season, holiday themed lingerie is expected so those eager for red and white styled lingerie will love the Mistress Santa Claus Costume. Fishnet costumes are also trending right now, examples of which are the Crochet Net Long Sleeve Dress and the Diamond Mesh Halter Dress & G- String. Lovers of wet look spandex lingerie will also be blown away by the new Kitten Short Spandex Jumpsuit. These are unusual and exclusive lingerie and their pictures can be viewed at www.zeevirtualmedia.com .

Holidays in general are evocative of relaxation, exploration; time spent with family and loved ones. Of course when you talk about relaxation, you are talking fun times and massages and that is what the following new products offer. To invigorate your relationship this holiday are the movies Erotic Pole Dancing and 4 Hand Massage, accompanied by our new Glow Hemp Seed Massage Oil and Body Dew Pheromone Body Oil. A good massage is transformational and these massage oils are perfect for it. Should you choose to read a book after your massage, then the following erotic thrillers are recommended. They are Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed. All three sensational books were written by El James and have remained on the best seller list thanks to the patronage of married women in particular.

But of course an erotic massage between lovers is closely followed by more intense and passionate love making and it helps to know that what follows afterwards will be good. And that is why we are introducing the Rock Hard Pump Kit for gaining and maintaining erections and Shane Diesels Rock Solid Erection Cream for maintain erections as well as stopping premature ejaculation. The Rock Hard pump kit contains a pump which can be used for penis enlargement or erection enhancement, a

Cockring for the prevention of erection loss and an Anal Probe for prostrate Massage. To complete this list and ensure that women don’t get left behind, we are introducing as well a brand new super vibrator called the Remote Controlled Rabbit Sensation. This super toy can be controlled on its own or with a separate remote control and has the capacity to give the user clitoral orgasms, vaginal orgasms and multiple squirting orgasms. You don’t get this kind of service flying first class on an aeroplane.

Next week, we will discuss more new products. Let us now answer a few questions from our readers.

Hello sir. I am a married woman and I don’t have the urge for sex. My husband is complaining and there is always total dryness during intercourse. I need help with these your products – Mary Dear Mary, you have come to the right place. To give you sexual desire, energy and the ability to enjoy intercourse, start taking Max Desire supplement. It is perfect for your condition. To eliminate vaginal dryness, always use a lubricant during intercourse. Ask for the Colt Slick lubricant. It is new, big and lasts for months – Uche I was thinking that the vaginal tightener would create orgasms for the man and woman. Can’t I use the V Gel Tightener for me and my wife? Mr Udoh Hello Mr Udoh, vaginal tighteners are for women and only make the vaginal void tighter. If you want something that you and your wife can use, then get the Couple’s Make Love Warming and Tingling Lubricant. It is a two in one formula for the man and woman.

Thank you sir for Xzen 1200. My erections are stronger than ever - Wale You are welcome. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 08191978308 or 08027901621 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria.

For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com. Happy holidays - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

38—Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

okada sector and the next thing will now be to use them to plant bombs. In addition, he gave overwhelming statistics of how kidnappers are using okada for their business. It was obvious when he finished speaking that ignoring the danger of continued used of okada in these cities will be at the peril of the state.”

Palliative measures: He said the governor, however, provided an alternative, as he told the motorcyclists that he was thinking of providing tricycles. "I think he said they were going to be purchased from either India or China and that it would be sold at subsidized amount to them.

He also disclosed that government would buy buses and that those motorcyclists who want to drive buses would be given employment and that 10,000 jobs were going to be created through the recruitment of traffic controllers.

Okada...destroyed

Okada: Security threats that spurred okada ban in Delta F

ACTS have emerged that the outlawing of motorcycle, otherwise known as okada transportation in Warri, Effurun and Asaba in Delta State, November 1, by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, was impelled chiefly by very serious threats to the security of the state.

Kidnappers’ delight: A top security official told Vanguard: “Besides the incontestable truth that motorcycle transportation is not out of harm’s way, many lives lost and others maimed in the state because of motorcycle accidents, government had troubling intelligence information on how armed robbers and kidnappers were using okada for criminal acts in the three cities. So it cannot watch languidly, while criminals run riot with motorcycles”.

It was gathered that okada had practically turned to a delight for kidnappers, who found it very efficient for their operations. A student of one of the higher institution in the state told Vanguard how kid-

nappers hire motorcyclists and use them for their operations. She said: “Often times, even the motor cyclists do not know their purpose until they see them in action, and if they are not lucky, they could even be arrested as accomplices.”

Boko Haram warning: “Apart from that, there was top-secret information detailing a grand design by Boko Haram terrorists to infiltrate the state by sending their members to the state as okada riders and government found out that it is true. It has

,

By EMMA AMAIZE,

Regional Editor, South South

cycles for their operations and stated the readiness of the state ComKeke..new alternative? mand to implement the ban.

He spoke about Kokori com- sulted with a broad spectrum munity, where he said the of the society before the ban most dangerous kidnapper in was announced and so there the state, one Kelvin, had should no fury over it. bought motorcycles for pracOmon-Irabor said: “The tically every okada man the governor consulted with the area, who act as informants to leaders of the okada union in his kidnap gang. the state, Nigeria Bar AssociBroad consultation: Two ation, NBA, human rights acprominent human rights ac- tivists, engineers, surveyors and different segments of the society to prepare their minds about the ban. At the meeting, some of them disagreed with the plan to restrict okada, arguing that it was counter-productive. There was an intense argument; I was one of those opposed to it. I attended over six meetings on this matter.

"Nevertheless, the governor tivists in the state, national chairman of the Human gave the security implications, Rights Defenders Organiza- which included the plan by tion of Nigeria, HURDON, Sir Boko Haram to infiltrate the Casely Omon-Irabor and na- okada sector in the affected tional coordinator, Forum for areas. And the tell-tale signs Justice and Human Rights were already there. In Warri Defence, FJHD, Oghenejabor and Effurun, Hausa people Ikimi, said the governor con- have practically infiltrated the

The governor gave the security implications, which included the plan by Boko Haram to infiltrate the okada sector in the affected areas

to take a preemptive measure because their targets were Warri, Asaba and Effurun.”

Police commissioner confirms apprehension: Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, explained in an interview that kidnappers were using motor-

,

Alleged hijack: “The proposal was accepted, but when the first set of tricycles were bought, there was a problem as some merchants from outside the state and members of the Delta State House of Assembly bought the tricycles, which they planned to sell at inflated rates. His words:“It was hijacked, not just by merchants and unscrupulous leaders of the motorcyclists, but by lawmakers.

I confronted a member of the House of Assembly over and he did not deny it”.

A principal member of the House, however, dismissed the claim when contacted by Vanguard. He said it was not true, adding, “On the day the governor presented his 2013 budget proposal, it was the matter we were discussing before he came in. We were saying that he manner of distribution of the tricycles left Continues on page 39

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—39

Understanding the US fiscal cliff debate and the global economy Continues from page 26

Okada: Security threats that spurred okada ban in Delta court. He said the counsel for much to be desired, as the tri- the motorcyclists was at the cycles purchased for use in the meeting, but somehow, state were being used in An- against the agreement that was reached at the meeting, ambra State.

“Members of the House were some people are pussyfooting. angry over the matter and we In his words, “The reason for did not hide our anger against the restriction is clear. Those the Commissioner for Trans- who are parading themselves port, who you know was a one- as leaders of okada union are time lawmaker. We lashed him not their real leaders; the real for the lapses and I can tell you leaders know what they want that members of the House and the reason for the restricwere not involved. Anybody tion”.

Provide enough tricycles who says so should mention Ikimi told Vanguard: “Sinnames.

“Even when some members cerely speaking, as a Deltan, of my constituency asked me, I am not against the ban on I told them that motorcycles motorcycles in major cities of are not restricted in my con- the state. However, my worry stituency, so why are they ask- is that the population of tricying me of tricycles. In fact, our cles and mass transit buses in position is that if tricycles circulation are still very few to bought by the state are found meet the demands of the comin the cities where motor-cy- muters in the affected cities. cles have not been restricted, I, therefore, call on the state they should be taken to the government and well-placed areas where they are meant to individuals and businessmen be used”.

Omon-Irabor, indeed, mentioned some names, which this reporter kept until further clarifications have been made.

November 1 protest: However, there was protest when the restriction came with okada riders destroying buses, particularly as there was not enough tricycles, given that Delta governor, Uduaghan the distribution was hijacked by none-mem- to procure tricycles for willing bers. Omon-Irabor said the riders at affordable prices to protest was stopped through boost commercial transportathe intervention of some per- tion in the state and to allevisons and a meeting was con- ate the plight of commuters. I vened in Asaba at which the believe that commercial motorissues were laid bare and the cyclists themselves prefer trigovernor said he was to use cycles to their motorcycles, but soldiers to bring the protest- for the prohibitive cost of triers to book because of the de- cycles in the market. struction, but for some persons “And as an antidote to the who appealed on behalf of the above challenge, I am advomotorcyclists. cating that riders should form Apology: He said the motor- cooperatives and while govcyclists said they want the tri- ernment put in place a public/ cycles to which the governor private partnership initiative explained that the government to make soft loans available to bought at a high cost and gave these cooperatives and who in to them at subsidized cost, turn, would be made to pay only for their leaders to short- back loans through their memchange them. The motorcy- bers with ease. clists apologized for the unbe“Furthermore, the roads in coming act and it was ex- major cities of our state are in plained how efforts have been very deplorable state and the put in motion to recover the only cheering news is that the tricycles from wrong hands. state government has identiThe activist said the gover- fied same and has declared a nor explained the plan to cre- state of emergency in that secate jobs for interested okada tor. I just hope that governriders and while government ment will match its words with was still going to buy more tri- action with the December 15 cycles, they should withdraw deadline to all her road conthe case they had taken to tractors in the state.”

Continues from page 38

“patched” the exemptions to the Alternative Minimum Tax for tax year 2011. This act also authorized a one-year reduction in the Social Security (FICA) employee payroll tax.

This was extended for an additional year by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, which also extended federal unemployment benefits and the freeze on Medicare physician pay- Map of United States of America ments. On August 2, 2011, Congress passed the Budget Control Act of 2011 have lower deficits and debt but also have lowas part of an agreement to resolve the debter spending and higher taxes. The second alceiling crisis. What the new Obama administernative fiscal scenario is higher deficits and tration is faced with beginning from January is debt but lower taxes and higher spending. These the fact that the Act provided for a Joint Select paint starkly different fiscal futures. If Congress Committee on Deficit Reduction (the “super and the President do not act, allowing tax cuts committee”) to produce legislation by late Noto expire and mandated spending cuts to be vember that would decrease the deficit by $1.2 implemented, the next decade will more closetrillion over ten years. If the committee failed to ly resemble the baseline projection. If they act do so, as it in fact had failed to do, another part to extend current policies, keeping lower tax of the Act directs automatic across-the-board cuts rates in place and postponing or preventing the (known as “sequestrations”), split evenly bespending cuts, the next decade will more closetween defence and domestic spending, beginly resemble the alternate fiscal scenario.Under ning January 2, 2013. Also, the Affordable Care “the baseline”, tax cuts are allowed to expire Act imposed new taxes on families making more and spending cuts are implemented in 2013, than $250,000 a year ($200,000 for individuals) resulting in higher tax revenues plus lower starting at the same time. spending, deficits, debt and interest for the next Key laws leading to the fiscal cliff: US legisdecade and beyond. lative history shows that a number of laws led to the fiscal cliff, including among others: ExpiFuture ration of the Bush tax cuts extended by Presideficit dent Obama in the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Future deficits would be reduced from an estiAct of 2010; Across-the-board spending cuts (“semated 8.5 per cent of GDP in 2011 to 1.2 per questration”) to most discretionary programmes cent by 2021. Revenues would rise towards 24 as directed by the Budget Control Act of 2011; per cent GDP, versus the historical average 18 Reversion of the Alternative Minimum Tax per cent GDP. The total deficit reduction or debt thresholds to their 2000 tax year levels; Expiraavoidance over ten years could be as high as tion of measures delaying the Medicare Sus$7.1 trillion, versus the $10–11 trillion debt intainable Growth Rate from going into effect (the creases if current policies are extended. “doc fix”), as extended by the Middle Class In other words, roughly 70 per cent of debt Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (MCincreases projected over the next 10 years could TRJCA); Expiration of the two per cent Social be avoided by allowing laws on the books durSecurity payroll tax cut, most recently extended ing 2012 to be implemented. CBO estimates

by MCTRJCA; Expiration of federal unemployunder the baseline projection that public debt ment benefits, as extended by MCTRJCA and rises from 69 per cent GDP in 2011 to 84 per New taxes imposed by the Patient Protection cent by 2035. In the long run, lower deficits and and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care debt should lead to relatively higher growth and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. estimates. But, in the short run, real GDP growth in 2013 would likely be reduced to 0.5 per cent Very tough from 1.1 per cent. financial time This would mean a high probability of recession (a 1.3 per cent GDP contraction) during From all indications the Obama administrathe first half of the year followed by 2.3 per cent tion will face a very tough financial time withgrowth in the second half. If Congress “avoids” out a deal with congress for a new legislation. the fiscal cliff, the future more closely resembles These provisions would automatically go into the continuation of 2012 policies, described by effect on January 1 or 2, 2013, except for the the CBO’s “alternative fiscal scenario.” This sceAlternative Minimum Tax growth, which would nario involves extending the Bush income tax be changed retroactively. Some provisions cuts, restricting the reach of the AMT, and keepwould increase taxes (the expiration of the Bush ing Medicare reimbursement rates at the curand FICA payroll tax cuts and the new Affordrent level (the so-called “doc fix”, versus deable Care tax and AMT thresholds) while othclining by one-third as mandated under curers would reduce spending (sequestration, exrent law). piration of unemployment benefits and impleRevenues are assumed to remain around the mentation of the Medicare SGR). historical average 18 per cent GDP. Under this Proposals to avoid the fiscal cliff involve rescenario, public debt rises from 69 per cent GDP pealing legislation containing certain of these in 2011 to 100 per cent by 2021 and approaches provisions or passing new legislation to extend 190 per cent by 2035. This scenario has considprovisions that are due to expire. Different proerably higher debt and interest payments than posals may include changes to some or all of the baseline projection, but short-term impact the above provisions. For example, the Conon the economy is avoided. gressional Budget Office’s “Alternative Fiscal Projected effects: The Congressional Budget Scenario” includes only the first four items above.

Office estimates that allowing certain laws on Changes to other provisions are also sometimes the books during 2012 to expire or take effect in included in such proposals.

2013 (the baseline scenario) would cut the 2013 Congressional Budget Office projections: deficit approximately in half and significantly Decisions regarding the fiscal cliff will have reduce the trajectory of future deficits and debt meaningful implications for deficits, debt, and increases for the next decade and beyond. Howeconomic growth. The Congressional Budget ever, the 2013 deficit reduction would adverseOffice (CBO) has projected two fiscal scenarios ly impact the economy in the short-run. Whichfor the years 2013 to 2022. There is what they ever way the US congress and the President term the baseline projection. This scenario would chose to follow will be seen in the next few weeks.

40— Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—41

42— Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012—43

When intimacy refuses to bind (6) I, a lot have been

said about sex.

Its ordained by God for procreation and recreation between a man and his wife.

It has been described as the lubricating oil for a healthy,intimate relationship. Sex has also been ascribed some therapeutic and rejuvinating powers.

The more sex a couple has the better for them and their relationship.

However, this is not always the case in many relationships.

Sex, which ought to be freely given and enjoyed between a man and his wife may sometimes turn them into enemies, eventually destroying their otherwise great marriage and relationship.

In this article, our respondents share with us, their stories and how it affected their lives.

Please, feel free to share your experience or that of someone you know with us too. It might be benefitial to someone out there.

Our address remains: The Human Angle, Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E-mail address: humananglepage@yahoo.com.

Happy reading!

E

mmanuel, (29), Sur veyor, has been living alone for the last three years. His wife insists she cannot endure a sexual relationship with him.

My mother concluded that she had always suspected that Bola’s mother wielded some powers over her father, but she did not realise how much until that day.

That the mother did not allow the father a chance to even contribute to the matter and the man promptly excused him-

self, insisting it was women’s talk.

From then on, it became clear that a solution to our problem was not nearby at all.

It was going to be a long drawn battle and Bola and her mother were going to be in

,

H

time, she would be angry and report to her parents, probably storm over there and then return when she was done.

But it did not work that way.Bola refused to return home after that and I have been by

I am sure that people in that church will be wondering what size of penis I have that could scare a woman away, when they see me

control of whatever happens.

My mother is a no nonsense woman and had been pissed of with the whole thing almost right from the beginning.

She said she lost her patience and almost insulted Bola’s mum. She asked her if she does not have sex with Bola’s father even at their age, adding that if sex was bad, would she still be married to the man?

My mother said she is yet to hear of anyone that sex ever killed and that even if Bola complains about being sore, the place will heal over time and we would get used to each other. Not doing it will not make the problem go away.

Only by doing it and doing it often will solve the problem.

But every contrary argument to Bola and her mother ’s fell on deaf ears. Eventually, I had to take my friends’ option again.

Initially, I was scared, thinking she might start bleeding again. But they assured me that nothing like that will ever happen as we had crossed that hurdle for ever. We had assumed that like the previous

,

myself ever since.

Since no one was able to prevail on her and my mother was not even interested in the case or her coming back, there was little I could do.

Besides, the constant humiliation and embarrassment was too much for me.In a way, I am happy that it is all over.

I am happy also that I am free to be myself.

Maybe God did not even approve of the relationship from the start.Otherwise, He would have found me my right size. I no longer attend Bola’s church, even though she too has returned to her parents’ church.

I am sure that people in that church will be wondering what size of penis I have that could scare a woman away, when they see me.

It is her loss, because I know that many women out there are dying to meet guys like me.

In fact, it has made me popular among my friends and colleagues in the office too.

Even the women hail me. I am still very young and I have all the time in the world to enjoy myself now. As my mother would say, “it is

now that you will be able to find yourself a good wife. You were too young for marriage then”!

Deba,(37), self employed graduate has been single for the past five years. His wife left him because he was too “soft”. He shares his story: I met Kiki through a female friend at a party in London. I was new in town having just concluded my National Youth Service in Nigeria.

I was thinking of going for my Master’s programme there, while at the same time, nursing the idea of returning back to Nigeria to do the same.

I had not really made up my mind on what I wanted to do then. Unlike many young Nigerian’s, I have never been too fixated on the idea of living in London. The weather is a real put-off for me.

Nigeria is a very pleasant place to live in, if only our leaders will just try to do the right thing.

I was not really sure if I wanted to stay or not.

However, after meeting Kiki, everything changed.

I guess I was overwhelmed by her personality, Kiki was very cheerful, sexy, an introvert to the core, almost like a tomboy. She had very little inhibitions about things.

I guess it was because she had lived abroad for several years and had gotten used to the lifestyle. I must confess that she was my first real girlfriend in every sense of it. She was the first girl I would sleep overnight together in the same bed with and not have to sneak in and out or be shy about it.

She lived alone in a little flat, though she told me it was owned by their mother and her other two sisters and kept as a general place where they all can stay whenever they were in London.I became so absorbed by everything about her. It was like she was the most beautiful and wonderful woman I had ever laid my eyes on.

To be continued Asisted by Onozure Dania

Friends Searching Males

•Umar, slim, light in complexion, average height, employed and from Kaduna state, but resides in Lagos, needs a nice, descent lady, who is God fearing and employed, for a relationship.

08055408811 •David, 27, a student, average height and easy going, .needs a lady, for serious relationship, that will lead to marriage. 07060553298, 08158671061 •Kenneth, 33, a graduate from Benin, needs a rich and employed lady, aged 35-40, for a serious relationship.07089992417 •A guy, needs a Christian, caring and loving lady, aged 35, who is financially independent for a relationship that will lead to marriage.07025519251 Timothy, needs a lady, that can take care of him, from Port Harcourt, aged 25-30.08151395499 •Valentine 30, from Imo state, but resides in Lagos, needs a God fearing, pretty and good looking lady, who is financially ok, caring and romantic, aged

35-40, for a relationship. 08086815376 •Tobore, 28, 5.12ft tall, needs a sexy, rich, generous, fat and busty lady, aged 25-38, for a serious relationship. 08186705223,07068388432 •Michael, 26, from Delta state, needs a pretty and fair in complexion girl, for marriage, aged 18-22.

•Dear readers, please note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests on the Lovezone that may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public.

Also note that we do not run any match-making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with anyone claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk.

Henceforth, only messages sent through the numbers readers want to be contacted on will be published.

This notice is necessary in order to serve you better in our refreshingly different style. To get your requests published, just text it to the code number 33055. For further enquiries, call 08026651636. Cheers!

To marry or not to marry

BY ONOZURE DANIA

G

ETTING married is a once in a lifetime decision for many people.

When people wish to get married, invariably all of them expect a full life together. Very few would think of marriage as a short-term exercise, hence, it is very much necessary that all aspects of a life together be fully analysed before tying the knot.

Usually, men and women tend to have different perspectives about married life. It would be better to have open and honest discussion to sort out the possible future irritants or at least understand them so that some sort of compromise could be arrived at.

The reasons that men look at while desiring to marry are numerous. However, a few of them top the list in order of priority. For most men, the need of a woman in life is necessitated by the motherly love that he had received in his early life. He needs a woman who can show him the same love and who could fulfil his physical and emotional needs.

That is why many men look for the same qualities in a woman that their mothers possess. The second reason is to have a lifetime companion, who can share his desires and needs.

The third reason, is love, when a man feels that he loves a particular woman, he wants to own her fully.

This might appear to be a wrong reason but that is the way humans are made.

Everybody likes to possess what he or she desires and human relationships are no different. In some cases, the man might marry a woman because she has become pregnant and is carrying his child.

Certain men wish to marry a woman who is having the same career as his, so that they would be able to adapt to each other better.

It is quite usual for a doctor to marry a doctor and a

lawyer to marry a lawyer.

They would be able to understand the work pattern and the workload of each other.

However, few others are very particular that the woman should have a different profession, so that their interests do not clash.

This choice depends on the outlook of the individua l .

Women also marry men for nearly the same reasons.

However, one important reason that women have in marriage is to escape from parents that they do not like or from a parent who is abusive.

Sometimes, men also marry for this reason but the number is much lesser than women. So the reasons for a woman marrying a man can be, the wish to escape from parents, desire to have a lifetime companion, love for the man, having become pregnant by the man.

To have a man having a similar career for easier adaptability. While the reasons for getting married are quite obvious, on the other hand, the reasons for NOT getting married are much more complicated. In fact, it would be difficult to mention reasons for not getting married. However, the reasons a marriage becomes a failure could be discussed with more ease.

There are several jokes about marriage but nearly all of them are at the expense of the woman. There should be some strong reasons for that. Probably, the main reasons are the innumerable needs that women have that drain the purse of a man and the continuous nagging that women indulge in after marriage.

One joke says that a successful man is one who can make more money than his wife can spends but a successful woman is one who finds such a man.

Many women tend to nag the men too much after marriage. They try to compare their husbands with other men who are more successful in life, which is resented by the husbands.

08067323553 •Kelvin, 28, resides in London, needs a lady, aged 30-45, either from Asaba, Benin, Lagos, Abuja, Anambra or Owerri, for a relationship.

447045712165, 07065214247 •Chuks, 53, resides in Lagos, needs a lady, aged 45, who is a level 10 civil servant, for a serious relationship.08033307365 •Fred, handsome and resides in Warri, needs tall, beautiful, sexy and God fearing girl, aged 27-30, for serious relationship.07066943866, 08181974230 •9icerockj, 20, needs an intelligent pretty lovely lady aged 17-25, for a sincere relationship.

08102549860 •Joshua, 26, from Delta state, needs a serious girl, that will truly love him, for a serious relationship.

08139163870,08094186400 •Ike, 29, resides in Asaba Delta state, needs a descent and caring lady, aged 32-34, for a serious relationship.08037324135,08160105972

44— Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Edited by MCPHILIPS NWACHUKWU 08026350360 E-mail: chimeena@yahoo.com

Art Is Everywhere is a waste-to-art workshop founded in 2005 at the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu. The workshop which has had a tour of many states in the country came to the South West for the first time last week and held at the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos.

According to the Project Coordinator, Ayo Adewunmi, Lagos was chosen for the 2012 edition of the Workshop so as to give artists in the region opportunity to access and explore waste materials that are peculiar to the environment for creative purposes.

Since inception in 2007, the project has held in Jos, Kaduna and Abuja and has had participants from Uganda, Zambia, Ghana, Benin and Togo.

In 2010, the workshop returned to the North for the 10th edition.

The return leg of the project in North , which held at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria had in attendance 52 participants,which represented the highest number of participants in the programme since inception.. At that workshop, there were six international participants from Gambia, Senegal, Togo and Benin Republic.

This year, the eleventh edition of Art Is Everywhere workshop which took place at the University of Lagos was coordinated by a cream of talented professionals, including, Akin Onipede of the Creative Arts Department, UniLag; Ike Francis, a Lecturer at University of Port Harcourt; Okechukwu Eze, Lagos based artist and the AIE Assistant Project Coordinator; Chike Obeagu, who lectures at the Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa.

It had in attendance a total of 25 art-

Waste to Art: Journey in Creative Expression

•Participants at the workshop

ists who came from Lagos, Abeokuta, Markurdi Enugu and Benin Republic to participate at the workshop. Participants comprised students and studio professionals as well as teachers of art. At the opening lecture held on Monday the 19th of November, the Project Coordinator, Ayo Adewunmi, gave a slide presentation on the history of Art Is Everywhere Project and explained its objectives.

Thereafter, the participants went out

,

T

he Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos came alive last week when it hosted the eleventh edition of Art Is Everywhere (AIE) workshop.

According to the Project Coordinator, Ayo Adewunmi, Lagos was chosen for the 2012 edition of the Workshop so as to give artists in the region opportunity to access and explore waste materials that are peculiar to the environment for creative purposes.

,

ture, he explained how his art has transformed over the years. He noted that “is a phenomenon that accords culture its dynamic value and that all other elements of culture revolve around the concept of change. ”.

One of the disappointments noticed at the Lagos workshop was the inability of the participants to visit the Lagos beach to source for waste materials. This arrangement according to our source did not materialise because of growing concerns over insecurity coupled with the ongoing reconstruction work at the beach.

Nevertheless some of the waste materials initially collected from the beach by, Okechukwu Eze, one of the coordinators were made available for use.

By the end of the 5thday of the workshop, most of the artists had surpassed their target of two major projects and had their accomplished works mounted for the closing exhibition. One of the most fascination works from the project was a work titled “Hot Seat”

by John Adenle.

It was made with a discarded chair, branded polythene wrappers, melted and grinned plastics and nails. The seat was laced with nails, plastics and other sharp objects. The work speaks about the uneasiness that characterises seat of power at all levels.

Another work, ‘’Communication” by Faustin Adeniran depicts the digital age of communication with its overdependence on communication and digital gadgets. The work also points to the challenge of digital and communication pollution of the environment as well as pollution of the mind.

The work of Ike Francis titled “Once in the Blue Moon” made from cans of shoe polish, cds, plastics and other materials illustrates opportunities that one seldom have. Opportunity of food for the starved and denied privileges for the deprived in a country where ironically the few oppress the majority.

The UniLag workshop did not end without a sightseeing visit to Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF), where Engr. Yemisi Shyllon gave a talk on the collection of the foundation. Engr Shyllon also called on the artists to exhibit professionalism in the way they go about their practice even as he enjoined them to take advantage of the AIE workshop to improve their God’s given potentials.

in groups of fives to source wastes for the remaining part of the first day. On the morning of the 2nd day, participants engaged the waste materials collected the previous day by interrogating them with the view to evaluating their potentials for reuse and creative expressions.

On Wednesday the 21st of November, one of idi Museum Lagos will today at 7 the resource perpm host an evening of poetry and Jazz with resons, Ike Francis nowned poet and playwright, J.P.Clark. The event, which gave a lecture on takes place at 175 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island the theme “Man will feature performance poet, Jimi Solanke along side C h a n g i n g students of poetry from Grange school and Pachelli Form”. In the School of the Blind. course of his lec-

Poe tr oetr tryy and Jazz with J.P J.P.. Clar Clarkk

D

•Once in a blue moon by Ike Francis

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 45

By McPhilips Nwachukwu

Behold Mother Earth @ Sokoto Gallery

•Participants at the event

Antiquity Thieves: NCMM empowered to prosecute offenders

BY CALEB AYANSINA

W

ith the new provisions in the new proposed draft bill of the National Commission for Museums and Monument (NCMM), the commission is now empowered to prosecute those that have violated the nation’s heritage resources as well as artifacts’ looters.

Last year, stakeholders in the Tourism Sector met to review the old law which was Decree 77 of 1979, which was later re-enacted as Cap 242 of the laws of the Federation 1990.

Director General of NCMM, Mallam Yusuf Usman at the workshop on Ratification and Adoption of the Draft Laws of the NCMM in Abuja last week said by virtue of new provisions in the new Act, the Commission now has power of a regulatory agency.

Usman noted that unlike in the past when policemen who had little or no knowledge of what antiquities prosecuted offenders to no success in courts, the commission like Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other regulatory bodies shall henceforth prosecute offenders.

The NCMM boss said the new law when passed by the National Assembly would empower the commission to have heritage inspectors that can monitor and protect heritage and archaeological sites, while expanding NCMM’s scope of operations to provide room for growth and development among the staff. He added that the new law will also help in retrieving the nation’s lost and looted artifacts all over the world; the law will first stop the looting and assist in recovering those that has been looted before now.

According to him, “among

the notable provisions in this draft law are the introduction of heritage inspectors in each local government to serve as watchdogs against antiquity theft, monument defacement and sundry offences that are regularly committed against our nation’s heritage resources as well as having ethnographers and other officers of the commission who will be present in local governments to record and preserve ethnological materials”.

Continuing he added that,“the laws will assist greatly in enabling the commission make great contributions to the development of the country and also help to preserving our heritages,, package it and promote it as tourism products and as image modifiers for the country.

“The highlights of the laws are ability of the commission to prosecute offenders who may have violated our heritage resources, and also to have heri-

tage inspectors that can monitor and protect heritage sites and archaeological sites as well as expand the scope of the operations of the commission by providing room for growth and development among the staff.

“The laws will also help in retrieving our lost and looted artifacts all over the world, the law will first stop the looting and assist in recovering those that has been looted before now”.

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke represented by his Acting Permanent Secretary, Mr Chudi Nwando in his remark said that with the new laws in place, there would be sanity in the sector.

The Senate Committee Chairman on Culture and Tourism, Senator Ahmed Hassan Barata commended the industry for taking the pains to make the draft noting that the effort will introduce a new direction to museum administration in the country.

National Gallery holds Art Symposium in Calabar

N

ational Gallery of Art will today at the Margret Ekpo Cultural Centre Complex Calabar, Cross River State flag off its two day flagship programmes; National Symposium on Nigerian Art and its Annual Distinguished lecture.

The Annual Distinguished Lecture, which is in its11th edition is a yearly ritual organized by the National Gallery of Art as part of its Statutory mandate to educate stakeholders and the Nigerian public on the various aspects of Nigerian Visual arts.

The topic for this year’s lecture is Imagination and will be delivered by Professor Dele

Jegede of Miami University, Ohio State, United States of America. In the same vein, the National Symposium on art, another of NGA annual forum which brings together studio artists, art historians, art curators, art critics, and lovers of art under one roof to brainstorm on the way forward for the arts and artists will start on 7 th December.

The symposium working under the theme,Rebranding Nigeria through Art’ will examine and evaluate how visual art can serve as a veritable means of re-branding Nigeria’s economy.

th De moving to New York with her B eginning from 6 cember, 2012 to 12 th husband where she pursued a January, 2013, lovers of Afri- career in engineering for sevcan art will have swell time at eral years. the renowned Sokoto Gallery “Mother Earth is a common in the United States of Ameri- term used to personify nature ca, where Egyptain artist, and focus on its life-giving and Sylvia Iskander will flag off her nurturing aspects by represolo exhibition titled Mother senting it in the form of the Earth. mother. Archeological eviSylvia Iskander ’s recent dence from around the prehiswork continues her exploration toric world suggests that the of aesthetics possibilities of Earth may have once been clay as a ready medium viewed or worshiped as a fecombined with an inimitable male deity. Ancient texts and ability to unite form, color, light mythologies support the idea and surfaces to create work of that the primary goddesses remarkable elegance and were intimately associated lyrical beauty. with the earth. In world myShe exploits themes of mem- thologies- Egyptian, Greek, ory, myth, history, and the Roman, Hindu, South Ameripassage of time through the can and many others- Mothfilter of making art that evokes er Earth is personified as a poetic intimacy and allows for goddess infusing the universe the past to be continuously with life. One of the earliest revealed through the present. representations of this motif is For the artist, whose work is the Egyptian goddess Hathor fed by a life long appreciation who was sometimes depicted and wonder at the earth as a as a loving cow. cradle for us all, working with “In the Greek Mythology, clay gives her a connection to Gaia (Earth) arose as the the earth, a remarkable sensi- foundation of the gods of tivity to nature and an aware- Olympus.In ancient Roman ness of the rhythm of the religion and myth Tellus or natural world Terra Mater (Mother Earth) Her work is firmly rooted in is a goddess of the earth. As tradition and the modern with for Hindus they worshiped refined sensibilities that explore Prithvi also known as Sri or new aesthetics territories and Lakshmi (Mother Earth). In openness to new influences. South America this role was The power in Sylvia Iskander’s given to Pachamama”, she work lies in her ability to reaf- wrote in her artist’s statement. firm the expressive potentials and conceptual qualities of clay, an earth material that has remained largely left out of the purview of most artistic practice. She fuses a mastery of technique with deep emotional intensity and appreciation for the natural world as well as vivid imagination that simultaneously expresses concern for the entropy of our environment’s continual disintegration and regeneration. The visual resonance in her work is undeniable and aims to give voice to life-giving and nurturing aspects of Mother Earth.

Sylvia Iskander was born 1948 in Egypt and graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from Cairo Univer•Desert Earth, 2011, stoneware, sity in 1971 before 7.5x5.3x23 inches

Vanguard , THURSDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2012 —47

From left: Mike Omeri, Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA); Eni Akinsola, Chief Press Secretary to Ondo State Governor; Bode Famose, Ondo State Coordinator, NOA; Mary Wakawa, ACM Luka Kinya, Sector Commander, FRSC, Ondo; Zonal Commander. FRSC, (Osun, Oyo and Ondo zone); Dr. Adesina Akintan, Deputy CMD, Mother and Child Hospital, Akure and Olusegun Bamgbade, Chairman, HOB Housing Estate, at the Mother and Child Hospital, in Akure, during the facility tour of Ondo State Projects by the DG of NOA.

From left: Dr. Wale Ahmed, Hon. Commissioner for Special Duties, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and Mrs. Titilayo Dosunmu, Director, Finance and Administration, during the briefing on the first Lagos State Emergency Preparedness Summit for South West and Edo State, with the theme: 'Promoting Safety and Resilience in the South West,' in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

From left: Mr. Manpreet Singh, Head of Marketing, Dufil Prima Foods Plc; Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, Public Relations Manager; Mr. Amotsuka Joshua, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, one of the beneficiaries and Prof. Tunde Oguntona, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, at the presentation of cheques to the 2012 Indomie/ M.Sc. Nutrition Scholarship, held in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

Mr. Eugene Olewuenyi, Head, Corporate Communications, May & Baker Nigeria Plc and Mr. Tony Udo, Secretary to State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) of Anambra State/Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information with other officers of SEMA and May & Baker, during the presentation of drugs and food items (Mimee Noodles) to the flood victims in the state by May & Baker.

From left: Hon. Chief Adaure Nnodim; Dr. Mirian Mbolu-Iyiegbu, Lolo Doris Onuoha, Lolo Ngozi Mba, Lolo Phoebi Igoni and Lolo Ngozi Orji (all of Evergreen Sisters Club), during presentation of their donated items to Motherless Babies Home in Aba, Abia State.

From Left: Mrs. Abimbola Afolabi-Ajayi, Company Secretary, Engr. Egbert Imomoh, Chairman, Board of Directors and Mr. Nicholas Nyamali, Managing Director of Investment One Financial Services Limited, during the formal unveiling of the company's new name and logo.

A cross-section of Niger-Delta ex militant leaders on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Ikeja, Lagos after leadership training in South Africa.

From left: Ojugbeli Anthony, winner of the BlackBerry, Broadcast My Life Nigeria competition and Matse Uwatse of Nigeria Info FM during presentation of the Blackberry.

From left: Mrs. Tolulope Agiri, Human Resource Director, Unilever Nigeria Plc; Mrs. Elizabeth Omafuare Adjarho, mother of Unilever's true story contest winner; Lilian Adjarho, winner of Unilever's 'as-pure-as-a-mother's-love' true story contest and Mr. David Okeme, Director, Brand Building, Unilever Nigeria Plc, during the presentation of the prize to winner, at the recent re-launch of Vaseline.

48—Vanguard , THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

BIRTHDAY: Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor, Lady Valerie Ebe (2nd left), state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Helen Ukpabio (2nd right); Commissioner for Science and Technology, Ms. Comfort Etuk (right) and Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Bassey Eshiet, during the kick-off of an under-17 tournament to mark Governor Godswill Akpabio’s 50th birthday in Uyo.

AWARD: Area Commander Area D, Mushin, ACP, Mr. Omololu Bishi (left) and MD/CEO, Angels Guard Security Services, Mr. Israel Asigbe, receiving the Crime Writers Association of Nigeria’s, CRAN, award for outstanding performance in security service in Lagos.

FG to Works Ministry: Reserve projects below N5bn for local contractors

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI LORIN—THE Federal Government has directed that all engineering and construction projects below N5 billion in the Ministry of Works be reserved for local contractors as from January 2013.

The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, who made this known in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, yesterday, said this was to

I

enable them develop and compete effectively with their foreign counterparts.

Onolememen spoke at the opening ceremony of this year’s Annual National Conference of Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE. The Minister also identified huge infrastructure deficit as one of the major factors inhibiting economic growth and development in the country.

He said: ”As from the year 2013, all engineering and construction projects below N5 billion in the ministry of works will be reserved for Nigerian contractors as a deliberate effort of the Federal Government to help build local capacity and promote local contents in the industry. ”To reverse this trend, special emphasis must be placed on local capacity to

develop and effectively deploy technology and knowhow that is required to build and sustain our nation’s infrastructure. ”Continued reliance on imported technologies and professionals to build most of Nigeria’s infrastructure such as roads, power, energy, water supply and transportation is simply not sustainable in the long run."

Suswam urges varsity council members to stamp out cultism fouryear term because of stitution.” their good performance in

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI—GOV ERNOR Gabriel Suswam, yesterday, urged members of the the newly-constituted governing council of the Benue State University, to stamp out cultism and other social vices in the institution.

Suswam who warned against internal strife among the members, also asked them to reposition the institution and ensure it emerged as top rated in the country.

Suswam who spoke

while inaugurating the board, at Government House, urged them to deepen the culture of academic excellence in the institution.

Represented by his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani, the Governor explained that the members were retained after their first

B

C M Y K

Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the board, Prof. Ode Ojowu, who responded on behalf of members lauded the state government for facilitating the accreditation of courses at the college of Health Sciences and promised that the board would continue to explore avanues to improve the institution.

Group lauds Akpabio @ 50

BY ETOP EKANEM

L

AGOS— AS Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, cel-

SAU launches Esanland Research Devt Centre Esan scholars, politicians, ENIN—SAMUEL Adegboyega University, SAU, Ogwa, Edo State, will tomorrow, launch the Centre for Research and Development of Esanland, CERDEL, in the university.

CERDEL is an initiative of the private university to carry out research into the history, culture and artifacts of Esan, where it is located and its people, thereby impacting positively on the development of Esanland.

Dignitaries expected at the event are prominent

ensuring stability in the university.

The governor said: ”The institution is the pride of our dear state and that is the more reason why you must strive as a team to stamp out the menace of cultism and ensure that you deepen the culture of academic excellence in the in-

technocrats, professionals, and businessmen, including the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission and chief promoter of the project, Prof.

Julius Okojie, Chief Tony Anenih and the Onogie of Ogwa kingdom, Chief V. A. Ehizogie II. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, will be the Special Guest of Honour, while the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof.

Adetokunbo Adeola, is the chief host.

ebrates his 50th birthday on Sunday, a group, Akpabio Mutual Alliance, AMA, has given him a clean bill of health in the running of affairs, saying "Akpabio has done well for the state."

Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, President of the group, Dr. Ani Idiong, said with Akpabio at the helm of affairs, “Akwa Ibom State has become a brand,” noting: “As you celebrate this golden age, God will give you the ability to do so during your diamond and platinum celebrations.”

The group appealed to “politicians in the state not to overheat the polity as to cause unnecessary distractions to Akpabio’s transformation agenda. All political appointees in the state

should not slaughter their loyalty at the expense of personal ambition as their loyalty is needed for the development of the state.”

AMA advised the governor to remain focussed “for a hunter in pursuit of an elephant does not stop to throw stone at birds.”

As part of efforts to complement the governor’s achievement in the health sector, the medical team of AMA is organising a health/road walk code-named, Golden Walk to offer free medical services, including diabetes and hypertensive checks, eye examination, cancerscreening,totheindigenes of the state on Saturday.

According to Idiong, the walk will begin from Ibom Hall, through IBB Way, Aka Road, Wellington Bassey Way to the Governor’s Lodge.

Prof Olupona unveils Book on Ile-Ife, Dec 13

L

A G O S — P R OFES SOR Jacob Kehinde Olupona, Professor of African and African-American Studies, at Harvard Divinity School, Harvard University, United States, will be hosting the public presentation of his two new books on December 13, 2012, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, from 11am.

The first book, City of 201 Gods: Ile-Ife in Time, Space and the Imagination, emanated from decades of indepth research in Ilé-Ifè by the author.

The book, which was awarded Harvard University Walter Channing Cabot Fellowship Prize, is being presented in honour of His Royal Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, the Ooni of Ife,

who celebrates his 32nd reign on the throne of Oduduwa (today) December 6, 2012.

The second book, entitled In My Father’s Personage: The Story of an Anglican Family in Yoruba-Speaking Nigeria, was written in memory of Professor Olupona’s late parents, Venerable Michael Alatake Olupona and Mrs. Henrietta Olalonpe Olupona, to honour their mission work in Anglican churches of South West Nigeria.

The proceeds from the book launch will go into a foundation that will be devoted to a number of social development projects, including establishing in Nigeria a world class Institute for the Study of Religious Interaction and Peaceful Co-existence.

GTB Asset changes name to Investment One

L

AGOS—FOLLOW ING the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, directives on commercial banks in the country to divest, the GTB Asset Management Limited, GTBAM, has changed its name to Investment One Financial Services Limited.

The company was the investment and wealth management subsidiary of GTB Plc, but following a management buyout, it is now owned by the staff and management of the company as well as other select investors.

The Managing Director of the new firm, Mr. Nicholas Nyamali said during a press conference to announce the name and logo change, that the new ownership structure provided an opportunity for the company to choose a new name and identity that aligns with its aspiration,

values and objectives.

According to him, the name “Investment One” mirrors the organisation’s desire to be a one-stop shop for comprehensive investment services and the “first point of call” for insightful and innovative financial solutions. The name also reflects the firm’s strategic positioning as a service oriented firm that is responsive to the investment needs of its customers.”

Launching

T

HE EMII Autnomous Community Women's Wing Lagos branch, will be launching its constitution and musical instruments on December 9, at Onadeko Street, Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos.

According to Mrs. Sabina Ihekuna, chairperson of the group, the event will commence by 2p.m.

46— Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

C M Y K

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 49

NBA will ensure that people get their Constitution — Edosanwan, SAN Chief Charles Edosomwan, SAN, a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, is chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Constitutional Review and Law Reform Committee.

In this interview, he opposed Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi’s call for scrapping of local government system, advocating rather, the strengthening of the third tier of government with reasonable autonomy.

On the security situation in the country and clamours for state police, he said the on-going effort to amend the constitution should provide for the devolution of power from the Federal to the State and local governments, to reflect true federalism.

He also spoke on other national issues. Excerpt:

By INNOCENT ANABA

W

•Chief Charles Edosomwan, SAN done to crank up a national consciousness relating to the true

,

HAT is your impression of the recently concluded House of Representatives public hearing on constitution amendment?

If you ask me, for the immensity of the undertaking which is a sweeping amendment project of the Constitution, the whole arrangement looked rushed.

This project has on the amendment plate such subjects as States Creation, Six Zoning group regional federal structure, States Policing, Executive Immunity clauses and many more fundamental provisions that in truth makes it all look like a new constitution writing project that the nationwide exercise seemed a bit casual.

Monitoring the exercise from the NBA establishment, it was reported that there were no debates or discussions on any of these deep issues but were rather ruckus affairs of “Yays” and “Nays.”

It was also reported that that as at midnight before the day of the hearings, many stakeholders were yet to know their local venues. These were some of the reasons why I said that the hearings were rushed.

Do you believe the exercise was representative enough to produce the much desired peoples’ constitution?

I wouldn’t go so far to say so. The major reason I won’t say so is that there hasn’t been that level or depth of grassroots mobilisation of awareness for a fitting significance of this particular exercise or constitutional amendments hearings. Also, not withstanding the best intentions of the Senators, members and their facilitating consultants, it is not possible to expect a national consciousness necessary for a cohesive constitutional amendment exercise of the magnitude contemplated by the National Assembly. This is an exercise that concerns everybody from the lowest to the highest, all Nigerians.

We shouldn’t be going about it with so much haste as if the end result depends on a deadline. A lot must be

From what I heard and saw at the last NBA NEC meeting in Asaba, the association feels so strong about this that it would do all it can, including embarking on enlightenment campaigns and much more to ensure that the people get their constitution

,

meanings and significances of the constitution that should drive this country of many nations. We shouldn’t be on a short leash on this.

In what ways is NBA collaborating with the National Assembly on the issue?

The NBA as the umbrella professional association for all Nigerian lawyers is a stakeholder in the Nigerian constitutional amendment project. It is in this way that the NBA is involved and all that had been done so far by participating in the hearings and meetings called by the leadership of the National Assembly on same. Other stakeholders like the NBA that have also been participating are the National Union of Teachers, NUT; National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW and others. It is at stakeholders that the matter drew a lot of interest at the last National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the NBA just held in Asaba, Delta State, where some strong views were expressed by anxious members, who didn’t want the project to be mishandled. At the moment, this project that should be a truly national project is being carried on by the National Assembly but the NBA would prefer that such strategies are evolved to make it a people’s project.

What specifically is the position of

NBA on the on going exercise?

The NBA as the umbrella body for all Nigerian lawyers is a stakeholder in the Nigerian constitutional amendment project. Having said that, notable leaders in the NBA seem to have a consensus that the project must be underlined by the mass participation of the Nigerian people with the end product derived from a well structured referendum highlighting the principles and provisions that the people want settled in their constitution. This way, the new or if you prefer, the amended Constitution wouldn’t be one dictated to Nigerians. From what I heard and saw at the last NBA NEC meeting in Asaba, the association feels so strong about this that it would do all it can, including embarking on enlightenment campaigns and much more to ensure that the people get their constitution.

What are the issues NBA is pushing forward as areas to be amended in the constitution?

On issues that the NBA would want to push on the amendment process, a democratic process within the NBA has been triggered to ensure a wide spectrum participation of its members in articulating issues. The Constitutional Review and Law Reform Committee which I head had sent notices to our nationwide network of branches for the submission of memoranda, articulating the issues that they may want the association to push on the amendment process. So until the return of this process is completed and a sifting done that would democratically reflect the complexions of the association on this matter, I am afraid that all anyone would hear from the NBA now is that already said about the process being marked by the mass participation of the various interests and groups of Nigeria ending in a well structured referendum.

Different zones have various demands. How do you think all these differs interests can be accommodated?

We, I mean Nigeria is a country of variegated nations some of which were even empires before the advent of our

Continues on page 52

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 51

C M Y K

52 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

NBA condemns killing of 3 Edo lawyers

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

N

IGERIAN Bar Associa tion (NBA) has condemned in its entirety the recent assassination of three Ekpoma Branch Lawyers in Edo State, as well as the incessant kidnappings going on in different parts of the country, calling on the Federal and State Governments and all their relevant Security Agencies to get to the root of the matter.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held last week Thursday and Friday in Asaba, Delta State, the committee expressed great concern over the continued high level of insecurity in the country.

Approving the convocation of a summit on peace and security in Nigeria on the 30th – 31st of January, 2013, NEC urged the federal government to provide Nigerians the enabling environment to exist and pursue their legitimate means of livelihood.

NEC commended the Delta State Government under the leadership of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan for the harmonious relationship existing between the Executive and the Judiciary as well as the sustained support being given to the Branches of NBA in the State, noting also the positive developmental stride in the State.

In order to give Nigerians the opportunity to sufficiently participate in the on-going constitutional review by the National Assembly, NEC reinforced the NBA President (Okey Wali SAN) demand for

•Calls govt and security agencies to bring an end to insecurity a Referendum and mandated that he should raise a legal team to seek judicial interpretation of the relevant portions of the Constitution relating to the issue at hand.

According to the communiqué, “in order to actualize the NBA President’s 10-point agenda, NEC approved the setting up of 24 Committees to wit: Committee on National Assembly Matters, Professionalization of NBA National Secretariat Committee, Constitutional Review and Law Reform Committee, Data Base of Lawyers Committee, Rule of Law Action Group, Welfare Trust Foundation, NBA Human Rights Institute Government Council, among

ORMER chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos, Chief Theodore Ezeobi SAN, has lost his elder brother, Chief Christopher N. Ezeobi, who died in a Lagos hospital.

Late Chief Christopher was a teacher, educationist, community leader and church leader. His death has left the entire Ezeobi family of Awgbu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State mourning.

He was a product of Christ the King College Bishop Shanahan Teacher Training College, Orlu (1948) and University of Ghana, Lagon, Accra (1958 – 1962 ) Onitsha (1945), St. Charles Teacher Training College, Onitsha (1947).

Late Christopher was a heroic and noble life of

Chief Okey Wali, SAN

NBA will ensure that people get their Constitution — Edosanwan, SAN Continues from page 49 past colonizers. Now that we have all been squeezed into what is largely a political contraption that is presently strife ridden and we are desirous of now taking our destinies in our hands, I believe enough sagacious persons exist in all the zones and states of our country that can talk to and among themselves to iron out grey areas or differences. There are high levels of multifaceted consultations that should take place among several groups by sectional leaders, who will then articulate achieved consensus to their peoples.

Talking about zones, it isn’t going to be about them only.

You are bound to have

Chief Ezeobi SAN looses brother

F

others.”

The committee unanimously accepted and approved the 10point agenda of the Okey Wali, SAN-led administration as encapsulated in his address to NEC on Thursday, 29th November, 2012 to wit: Professionalizing the NBA Secretariat, Human Rights Programme, Uplifting Professional Standards, Robust Legislative Advocacy, Criminal Justice System & Access to Justice, Anti-Corruption Crusade, Branch Capacity Building, Financial Responsibility, Institutional Synergy with Regional and International Organizations, including Bar Associations and Law Societies.

service to humanity as a class room teacher (since 1941), Tutor at St. Anthony’s Teachers Training College Agulu (1949 – 1958), Principal of Schools including St. Peters Secondary School Achina (1962 – 1966), Igbo Etiti Secondary School, Adada, Uzouwani (1973 – 1976) The deceased was also an education administrator in various capacities at various places, including Nnewi Local Government Area, Idemili Local Government Area and Onitsha Local Government Area. He retired as Chief Inspector of schools (Onitsha Zone) (1984).

Burial announcement will be announced by the family in due course

interest groups that are going to be pitching for their interests. For example, women and children’s rights, equal opportunity rights, the environment and so on. There is going to be a load of horse trading in order to achieve needed consensus. Ours being of a country of motley complexion doesn’t mean we must be eternally incapable of agreement.

The most contentious issues are perhaps state police and the local government autonomy. What is your take on this?

For us to be truly federal, the time for States Policing is right now. We have had a monolithic Nigeria Police Force for decades and our current security challenges that are seriously testing our country’s ability to keep Nigerians safe have exposed greatly the inadequacies of a singular policing establishment for a large country like Nigeria with an expansive geography and bristling diverse cultures.

Lions share of national policing It is almost certain now that for security of life and property to be a deliverable good by governance, federating states and even local governments must take their share which should be the lion share of national policing. This would be more expedient under a shrewdly negotiated regime of Federal and States competence under the amended constitution. The central Federal Government should devolve and cede local policing powers and functions to states and local governments while retaining policing on interstate issues and generally

on other matters that a sovereign central government should handle for the whole country. With this, a state governor would truly in words and effect the Chief Security Officer of his state and giving the truth that states government presently fund policing to a great extent, it would make more sense.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN governor had called for scrapping of local government system in the country. Do you agree with him?

I doubt if Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the CBN Governor, would have called for the scrapping of local government tier of governance, but if he did, I wouldn’t agree with him. Personally, that tier of government should be strengthened and a wee bit insulated from the strangle hold of states government domination by inserting relief provisions in the amended constitution limiting the extent to which overwhelming states governors can unduly interfere fiscally with the running of local government areas. While at that, I wouldn’t go so far as to advocate outright autonomy as this would be encouraging too-much government in a polity where the weight of government at the three recognised levels is already back breaking. This is the much I would suggest; remove the talons and fangs of states governments from the finances of local governments but ensure these same states governments as the superior authority under which local government councils with supervisory powers, overseeing them.

The judiciary has been at the butt of public condemnation in recent time.

How do you think sanity can be restored to the bench?

That the judiciary has been having some bad press isn’t new and the problem is one that I have always said needed analysis. Why? Because the mud that is being thrown at our courts are on account of the acts of an extremely few of the fold.

Hardworking judges This in turn results in grave injustice to all those hardworking judges out there breaking their backs serving justice to all that seek her in their courts. The judiciary isn’t an institution that ought to be getting this kind of attention because of the awe it ought to be held for the sacred roles it plays in any given polity.

In any case, there is a new helms woman as Chief Justice now and from what I know of Justice Mukhtar in her discipline, experience and judicial ability, I am sorry for that judge having soiled his/ her hands that would come before the NJC. I personally have high expectations of Madam Chief Justice in her ability to make meaningful contributions towards shoring up the image of her court and her institution for the time she has on her beat as Nigeria’s top judge. My high expectations are based also on the fact that her long judicial experience puts her in a vantage position to know that institution more than most people as to be able to fathom how best to tackle these slurs.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 53

C M Y K

54 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 55

C M Y K

56—Vanguard , THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Ojukwu's Chief of Staff dismisses report on failing health

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—PRINCE Bob Onyema, former Chief of Staff to the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, yesterday, dismissed as false reports that he was recently struck with cancer, saying he only traveled to India recently for an eye operation.

He also said it was wrong for anybody to insinuate that he was abandoned by Ojukwu’s widow, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, when he needed assistance for

medical treatment abroad, explaining that he had never complained to anybody that he was abandoned by Ojukwuj’s wife, his associates or anybody else.

Prince Onyema said in a telephone interview that he worked with Ojukwu for 17 years and was with him until his death in London in November last year.

Onyema said he had a very cordial relationship with the late Ikemba and members of his family.

He said: “I wish to inform you that what had been written about my

health condition is not correct. Since Ojukwu died, I have not spoken to the press regarding my relationship with Ikemba and members of his family.

“It is, therefore, unfair for anybody to insinuate that I have something against his widow. I had a problem with my left eye and traveled recently to India for medical attention and I worked with Ojukwu for 17 years and never had any disagreement with him.

“I have no reason whatsoever to complain about what is happening after Ojukwu’s death."

Why we're organising founders' day dinner —UNN Alumni President

L

AGOS—THE Na tional President of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Alumni Association, Dr. Nwanne Chioke, yesterday, provided insight, behind association’s 1st Founders Day Dinner and Award Ceremony, which is designed to raise fund for the construction of a state-of-theart lodge to be located inside the University campus, at Nsukka.

He explained that the event was the first step towards positioning the alumni association for a more critical role in the sustenance of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, against the background that government’s subvention to universities in Nigeria had been on a steady decline.

Speaking with journalists, he explained that in most universities abroad, the alumni associations contribute hugely to their financial administration, citing the case of Oxford University, where its alumni had contributed about 40 billion USD in 2010/ 2011academic session.

Besides this, he observed that it was unfortunate that after 52 years of the existence of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, its alumni association had no presence on the university campus in terms a befitting lodge where it could host its officials and members from time to time.

He said: “The philosophy of the founding fathers of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka stated that after 5 years, all the alumnus need to come back to the university and be reunited. It stated that after 10 years, we need to come home

with our families to the university. Now, without a lodge or an Alumni Centre as the case may be, where would we stay, especially if the students were in session?”

He stated that this initial aspiration was aimed at building a lodge in no distance time, but added that the association would in future construct a magnificent Alumni Centre, which would be capable of responding to and contributing to the overall development of the university.

He stated that honour’s list for this year’s event could not contain all the people who rightly deserved to be honoured with an award, but promised that since it was annual event by the association, all those who could not be recognised this year would be duly acknowledged by next year.

The event is billed for Thursday, December 6, in Abuja; he stated adding

that honours and awards, for contributions to education, for contributions to security and for the development of the Nigerian economy would be bestowed on notable Nigerians, whose contributions and resilience have recommended them for such recognition.

Among the dignitaries to be honoured at the event include Minister of Education, Professor Ruquayatu Rufai, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Tunde Lemo, Inspector General of Police, IGP, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed and the President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, among others.

Former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and former Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, would be specially recognised at the event.

Ebonyi Commissioner escapes assassination

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI— EBONYI State Commissioner for Grants and Donor Agencies, Elder Fred Udeogu, has escaped assassination in the hands of unknown gunmen at his hometown in Ikwo local government area of the state.

The commissioner, who escaped the attack by whiskers, had been described in various quarters as one of the powerful aides to Governor

Martin Elechi since the inception of the present administration in 2007.

An eyewitness, Mr. Ifeanyi Mbam, explained that some miscreants, who laid ambush for the commissioner while he was returning from the burial of the grandmother of wife to Senator Igwe Nwagu, blocked Opera Road at Ndiagu Achara community in Ikwo LGA council in order to unleash mayhem on their victim but failed.

Vanguard,

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 57

Ghana Polls: Candidates in last-minutes offensive •Rawlings, Kuffuor raise stakes

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE with agency report

T

WENTY FOURS to Ghana’s historic fifth successive presidential and parliamentary elections, the eight presidential candidates and 1,332 parliamentary candidates fighting for the 275 seats on offer staged last-minutes offensives to have the upper hand at the polls This is coming as the Ghanaian police hammered out a “five layer security force” to ensure a peaceful general election tomorrow and the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) assured that it was battle ready for the

exercise, it is spending about $480 million to conduct.

The presidential candidates, who on Tuesday demonstrated their commitment to uphold the nation’s peace and stability by vowing not to do anything to trigger electoral violence, impunity and injustice, held ralies at various locations yesterday.

The presidential flagbearers are President John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Nana Addo Dankwa AkufoAddo, New Patriotic Party (NPP); Dr Henry Lartey, the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP);

•Akufo-Addo

•Lartey

•Nduom

•Mahama

Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Progressive People’s Party (PPP); Mr Akwasi Addai, United Front Party (UFP); Mr Hassan Ayariga, People’s National Convention (PNC); Dr Abu Sakara Foster, Convention People’s Party (CPP); and Mr Joseph Osei Yeboah, an independent.

Parties rally support in final mammoth rallies

The two major political parties-National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party on Wednesday rounded up years and months of political campaigns ahead of tomorrow ’s crucial e l e c t i o n .

Both parties chose the centre of Accra-the Accra International Trade Fair Centre for the NDC and the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park for the

NPP as venues for the rallies as the capital city was awash with colours and paraphernalia of the two leading parties with carsprivate and commercial- honking.

candidates of their rival parties. While Rawlings endorsed Mahama of the NDC, Kufuor said AkufoAddo would have the upper hand.

NDC can’t do the work, Akufo-Addo Kufuor said the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) had demonstrated it lacked the capacity to rule the nation by its failure to implement even a single policy beneficial to Ghanaians.

Egypt’s protest claims two T WO persons were killed in Egypt yesterday as supporters of President Mohamed Mursi clashed with opposition group outside the presidential palace as the two groups tried to sustain or counter the demonstration rocking the Arab country over the proposed constitution.

Mursi returned to work at his compound a day after it came under siege from opposition protesters furious at his drive to ratify a new constitution in a snap referendum set for December 15 after temporarily expanding

Protesters in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, as unrest grows over a controversial draft constitution. his powers by decree.

The Islamist president said he acted to prevent courts still full of appointees from the era of autocratic predecessor

Hosni Mubarak from derailing the draft constitution meant to complete a political transition in the Arab world’s most populous state.

Malian govt, rebels agree on national unity HUGO ODIOGOR, FOREIGN AFFAIRS EDITOR, WITH AGENCY REPORTS

W

ITH West African troop under the auspices of the united Nations and African union ready to enter into Mali to restore peace, prospects of diplomatic resolution of the political impasse in the Sahalian nation brightened yesterday as the government and two rebel groups, agreed to respect the country ’s “national unity”, The Economic

Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to deploy 3,300 troops to the peace mission which is expected to start next month but reports from Burkina Faso capital, O u a g a d o u g o u yesterday, said Government delegation and representatives of Islamist Ansar Dine and the Tuareg Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA) agreed “to Mali’s national unity and territorial integrity ”.

They also agreed to shun

all forms of “extremism and terrorism” they said in a statement after the talks in Burkina Faso.

Nigeria is expected to Nigeria is set to contribute 700 troops to the multinational peace keepers to Mali in and operation that many see as tricky and costly, given the desert terrain and the international support for the separatist Islamic rebels who are backed by Algeria and Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, with serious Geo-political security implications for the ECOWAS sub-

Rawlings, Kufuor take sides To ensure their parties won the ballot, former Presidents – Jerry Rawlings and John Kufuor have thrown their weights behind the

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 59

Rivers win gold, silver in 100m

BY BEN EFE

T

HE doyen of the athletics event, the 100m was decided yesterday with Rivers having a good laugh, as Nicholas Imoaperamhu clinched the gold of the 18 th National Sports Festival with 10.51 seconds. Though the time did not go anywhere near the festival record, Rivers officials celebrated the win after their main rivals for medals, Delta fumbled at the blocks.

The defending champion from Rivers 2011, Chukuma Oyaku was second with 10.65, while Edo State’s Ikhazobor settled for bronze. In the women race Peace Uko won the gold with 11.51 seconds, Magaret Benson of Delta took the silver, while Mariam Edet Bassey rescued the bronze for Cross River State.

Race favourite Elvis Ukale of Delta state was shown the red card for a false start in the semifinal and that left Delta State Sports Commission boss, Pinick Amaju down cast for the rest of the evening.

However, there was no sad face in the Rivers camp: “We knew that Rivers had its name written on the gold and silver medals, it wasn’t a surprise win for us.

HE Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) on Wednesday urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to focus on building an athletes’ database from the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos.

NOC Secretary-General Tunde Popoola told NAN in Lagos that a comprehensive bio-data of the athletes would aid the NSC in organising sports development programmes.

Popoola said the

State Delta Rivers Lagos Edo Bayelsa Ondo Plateau Ogun Oyo Imo A/Ibom C/River Kano Ebonyi Niger Kaduna Nasarawa Jigawa

G 57 39 22 16 14 8 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

S 47 24 24 10 12 5 8 12 5 8 8 7 4 2 1 1 1 0

B 37 29 33 20 13 11 14 19 9 11 9 7 10 3 1 5 2 4

Total 141 92 80 46 39 24 27 35 18 22 20 17 17 8 6 9 6 8

Albert Continues from B/P

CONTEST . . . Team Delta Hockey player (Right) vies with Imo defender during their game at the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival. Delta won 4:1.Photo: Henry Unini

Organisers ban Enugu player for life

T

HE Main O r g a n i s i n g Committee (MOC) of the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) on yesterday in Lagos slammed a life ban on a female football player of Team Enugu.

Sola Ogunnowo, Coordinator of the football event of the festival, said the committee also cancelled all results of matches involving the Enugu State female football team at the f e s t i v a l .

“The player, who represented Enugu State in the female football event as Onu Peace was discovered to be Chikodi Nwachusim, who had played

professional football and was no longer qualified to feature at the festival.

“As a result of this, she has been banned for life from the NSF and all Enugu matches have been cancelled.

“Enugu State was thus disqualified from the event at the ongoing edition of the festival due to the usage of an ineligible player,” he told NAN Ogunnowo said the development came as a result of an appeal lodged by Team Akwa Ibom against Enugu, who were in Group B of the competition with them.

“Akwa Ibom had

earlier protested against Enugu over the player, but could not substantiate their claims and their protest was dismissed.

“But they went back and came up with evidence that she had earlier played for Standard Babes and the Ibom Angels, showing her 2009 licence with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

“They also showed the payment vouchers involving her when she was with Ibom Angels, while the NFF was able to authenticate from its records that the player in question indeed played in the 2009 league,” he said.

NOC wants NSC to develop athletes’ database

T

Medals Table

database of all the athletes that were competing at the festival, tagged “Eko 2012” would help to rebrand Nigeria’s sports, especially at the international level.

“The main problem we have is lack of credible programmes and data. If we have a comprehensive data of our athletes, we will be able to know our prospects.

“We need to have a strong database. Keeping records on them then becomes the responsibility of the

government,” he said.

Popoola added that it was the duty of the NSC to build such a database on which the NOC would ensure that the athletes were followed up in all aspects.

The secretary-general said that to achieve that, there must be a bond between the NOC and the NSC. According to him, the arrangement would enable the NSC to know the prospects of the athletes discovered and pave a way for them to be

integrated into the commission’s Elite Athlete’s Programme.

•Popoola

be investing in tennis. Paul beat Idoko Emma 6-2, 7-6 in the second semifinal match.

This is turning out to be Albert’s best year in the sport. Only last month, he won a Toyota Car in Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan Closed Tennis Championship.

And now he is gunning for two gold medals which will fetch him more than a million Naira going by the rewards from Delta State. He is captain of Delta Tennis team and for the first tennis in the history of their participation in the festival Delta is in three out of the five finals in tennis.

Their engagement of Rolake Olagbegi from the US to coach their tennis team is paying off.

When he paired Maria

Lodge to beat Otu and Abang from Cross River in the Mixed Doubles semi-final he tried to control his emotions and get ready for the final today. Maria was overwhelmed and stood still for some moments. ”I’m just happy and I thank God for this,” Maria said when she raised her head. She moved to a corner at the club, meditating. ”I feel good and by the grace of God I will win two gold medals,” Albert said.

Delta’s Joseph Iyorube and Kareem Badmus beat Ambrose Michael and Christian Paul 7-5, 6-3 to reach the final that will be decided today. Their opponents will be the winners of Niger and Akwa Ibom match going on at press time.

Chairman Continues from B/P

ceremony. If you think the opening ceremony was a spectacle, then, watch out for the closing’’, the woman who has been sasddled with the responsibility of organising a festival that would dethrone the superb show of Rivers State said.

The Deputy Governor, however, regretted that time would be a constraint for them to show off what they have in stock for Nigerians. ‘’Time will be our problem because medals will be given out on that day. Notwithstanding,

we are going to do what has never been done before’’, she stated.

Asked why the National Sports Festival was not being aired by Nigerian Television Authority, the Deputy Governor said that she was at a loss on why NTA refused to bring it to the homes of Nigerians. ‘’Nobody stopped them from covering the Games. They asked us to pay them a whopping N157 million. That sum we consider as outrageous on something that was a national service’’.

60 — Vanguard,

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 61

C M Y K

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 — 63

Eko 2012: Whizzkid, Wande Cole, others to thrill at Closing Ceremony

BY JACOB AJOM

T

HE opening ceremony of Eko 2012 was, no doubt, a spectacular show of culture, music and dance.

The exhilarating performances of Nigerian musical stars like Banky W and the ‘exhumation’ of musical legend, the iconic Fela Anikulapo Kuti will remain indelible in the minds of many.

The curtains for the Sports Festival will fall this weekend and organizers are not leaving anything to chance in their determination to give the world a closing ceremony that would last the test of time.

Secretary of the Local Organising Committee, Kweku Tandoh has said

C M Y K

the closing ceremony will be a spectacular celebration of Lagos culture.

In a chat with Sports Vanguard, the scribe revealed, “the closing ceremony of such event is usually a bit more carefree in terms of it being more fun, more of a party and more of a carnival-like atmosphere.”

He continued, “the LOC is putting together a closing ceremony that would remain in the minds of Nigerians and even the rest of the world.

All I can say for now is that we are going to have a lot of musical acts like Whizzkid, Wande Cole and efforts are being made to get one or two others that would be added.”

He said even before the official closing ceremony starts at about 6pm, the gates would be thrown open about 2pm and between that time and 6pm there will be a lot of entertainment and musical shows.

Naturally, a lot fireworks will end the show.

•Tandoh

•Whizkid Continues from B/P National Sports Festival ending this weekend, there are fears that athletes and officials from other states would be staying back in Lagos.

But unlike Europe or America where such athletes and officials would either seek asylum or end up in refugee camps, these Nigerians who are

•Wande

Lagos using this chance to seek better economic opportunity have been welcomed by Lagos State so far as they abide by the rules of the State.

Deputy Governor of Lagos State who is also the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the 18th National Sports Festival said that those willing to stay back in Lagos are free to do so.

‘’There is absolutely nothing we can do about it. There is no law against that. The only thing is that they have to abide by our rules and not dispose refuse in the gutters or indiscriminately, they must not ride Okada(Commercial motor cycle), and not constitute themselves as nuisance to the new Lagos. Pray for us’’, she said amidst laughter.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012

Albert guns for 2 gold medals

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

O

Eko 2012 Closing Ceremony:

NE of the interesting places to be at the ongoing National Sports Festival is the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan where tennis is going on.

•Tennis Here, fans crack jokes and utter funny words to cheer their favoured players or lower the morale of opponents.

Here, Albert Bikom of Delta holds sway and his state is ruling at the courts. He is in two

We’ll do what has not been done — LOC Chairman

BY TONY UBANI

A

S the 18th National Sports Festival, Eko 2012 approaches swiftly, Deputy Governor of Lagos State and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the Festival has asked Nigerians not to miss the closing ceremony of the Festival.

Mrs Adejoke Adefulire who gave a sneak preview of the closing ceremony yesterday said that the spectacle that was the opening ceremony would be dwarfed by the closing ceremony which she said would be unattainable for future hosts of the National Sports Festival. ‘’All I can tell you is to tell Nigerians not to miss

finals, singles and mixed doubles. His semi-final singles match against Michael Moses of Benue State was classic. He fought for every ball and won the hearts of many fans at the Lord Rumens Centre Court. A 6-4, 6-3 victory sets him up against Christian Paul of Benue, a state which appears to Continues on Page 59

Lagos grapples with mass defection of athletes, officials

BY TONY UBANI

I

•Adefulire the closing ceremony.

One thing that I know is that we are not going to repeat what people saw at the opening Continues on Page 59

•MUSCLE MAN ... David Adeyemo of Bayelsa State lifting 146kg in Clean and Jerk to win the gold medal. Photo: Henry Unini

Organisers ban Enugu player for life — P.59

TODAY'S PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Writer (6) 5 Bogus (4) 8 Because (5) 9 Edge (3) 10 Dregs (4) 11 Attack (4) 12 Horrify (5) 13 Motorist (6) 16 Gull (4) 18 Wicked (4) 20 Colour (3) 22 Lettuce (3) 23 Immerse (3) 24 Discourteous (4) 25 Due (4) 28 Invent (6) 30 Jumped (5) 32 Warmth (4) 33 Jot (4) 34 Fitting (3) 35 Intended (5) 36 Regretted (4) 37 Subside (6)

T is a common thing to hear of athletes defection during such major events like the World Cup and Olympic Games.

At the London 2012 Olympic Games, Cameroun made the major news for wrong reasons when seven of their athletes disappeared from London Games to claim asylum.

And with the 18th Continues on Page 63

DOWN 1 Step (6) 2 Stayed (8) 3 Quarters (6) 4 Administered (9) 5 Abraded (7) 6 Cure (4) 7 Manufactured (4) 8 Ocean (3) 14 Recovering (9) 15 Tear (3) 17 Rank (3) 19 Watchful (8) 20 Manage (3) 21 Erased (7) 26 Discussion (6) 27 Condition (6) 29 Scorch (4) 30 Halt (4) 31 Child (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Order 9, Deride 10, August 11, Educe 12, Eden 15, Once 17, Renewed 20, Top 21, Medoc 23, Item 25, Whet 26, Rapid 28, Wet 30, Terrain 33, Edam 35, Mine 36, Pique 38, Rotten 39, Recede 40, Revel.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Adder 2, Green 3, Ode 4, Redeem 5, Each 6, Rue 7, Burnt 8, Steep 13, Decided 14, Newer 16, Contain 18, Debit 19, Cow 22, Charm 24, Mat 27, Demure 28, Weary 29, Taste 31, Aided 32, Never 34, Fine 36, Per 37, Eel.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K